Son of Night and Daughter of Stars

Chapter 32: The Stories and Truths

Estelle was a good listener, surprisingly. 

As he told his story, she didn't once interrupt. Her eyes never left his face, either, which he found a bit unnerving. When he was done, she sat back in her chair, running a hand through her golden ponytail. 

"Well, first off..." She started, smirking a bit. "At least now your cousin will probably forgive you when you return. Nothing makes you lose anger faster than losing the one you're angry at."

Nyx sat back as well, crossing his arms, not exactly amused. "I don't know. She was... furious. And rightly so." 

Estelle's features softened. "I think you underestimate family ties. I've been mad at my siblings for some pretty awful stuff before. Reave--" She laughed. "Reave once stole my mother's, now my, Asterion mare." 

Nyx's eyebrows knit together. "What's the difference between an Asterion mare and a regular mare?" 

Estelle's eyes practically shone. "Speed. Speed is the difference. Reave was halfway across the Oakwald by the time anyone realized he was gone." 

"What happened?" 

Estelle paused for a moment, as if she didn't like remembering the story. "Kasida-- my horse-- threw him. Straight into a tree." 

Oh.  "He was okay, though. I mean-" Nyx stumbled over his own words. Estelle didn't seem to notice. 

"He was alright. My father had chased him down, and he carried him back to the palace. But... there was a short time where we had to consider the possibility of him not making it."

Nyx suddenly wished he hadn't said anything. And he wished he could think of something to say now, to make the fear leave the Princess's eyes. 

"Once, when we were kids," He began. "Artemis and I snuck out of Velaris at night. She convinced me I could carry us both, though I'd only been flying for a few years at that point." 

Estelle turned to him, blinking some of that long-ago fear from her eyes. "What happened?" 

Nyx cracked a smile. "We fell, of course. She broke her arm, and I snapped a tendon in my wing." He leaned forward in his chair and extended his right wing to its full length, showing her the small scar tissue near the top. Estelle leaned forward to look closer. "It was a few months before I was in the skies again." 

Her eyes flicked to him. "That must have been agony." 

Nyx shrugged, pulling his wing back in. "Not really. I was on bed rest the whole time." 

"No, I meant--" Estelle laughed quietly. "I meant being grounded. Anyone paying attention can see how much you love flying. I could tell that the moment we got you on that stupid wyvern." 

Nyx avoided her gaze, tucking his wings in tight. It was true, he did love flying. And he'd felt the absence of it these days, having not had much time or opportunity for such a thing. But he hadn't realized it'd be so plain to others. "Is it that obvious?" 

Estelle laughed again, and Nyx was glad to see all that fear from before was gone. "Oh, yes." She was quiet for a moment. "Is it really that amazing? Every time I've flown, all I can think about is how high in the air I am." 

Nyx grinned. "Maybe that's because you've never flown with an Illyrian." 

"Oh, no," Estelle held up her hands, a wicked gleam in her eyes. "I've heard far too many stories from my mother about you Illyrians. Both of your uncles pretended to drop her!" 

Nyx couldn't help but laugh at that. "I'm sure they didn't mean to. And I would never drop you, Princess." 

When he looked at her again, she had the same expression on her face that she'd had last night. Curious, and a bit awed. Again, he realized what he'd done, and the smile slid from his face. 

You are not allowed to laugh. His mind reminded him. You do not deserve that, for the worry you're causing your family at this moment.

"Anyway," He said, clearing his throat. "Now you know. Does my shadow attacker sound like your assassin?" 

Estelle sat back, her brows lowering as her mind turned the story over. "Not exactly. But it's too much of a coincidence. They have to be connected somehow." She traced her finger on the arm of the chair, forming little pictures. "You said they used your blood to open the Wyrdgate?" 

Nyx glanced down at his arm, where a thin white scar now lay. "Yes. They said it was 'The Blood of the Sworn,' or something like that." 

"'Blood of the Sworn...'" Estelle mused. "Like a Blood Oath?" 

Nyx felt stupid for asking, but-- "Should I know what that means? Does that mean something different in your world?" 

Estelle smiled wryly. "A Blood Oath is the ultimate test of loyalty. To swear it to another is to bind yourself to them, forever." 

Nyx shuddered as that sunk in. "Who would use such an oath?" 

Estelle's features didn't change, but her lips pursed together, as if this were a topic she didn't like very much. "I will. Someday. For my court." 

Nyx sat forward, lacing his fingers together. "Why? Isn't that taking away someone's free will?" 

Estelle snarled, and Nyx blinked, wondering how he'd offended her. "Hardly. The Oath is different based on who swears it. My mother, for example. Every Oath sworn to her is given of free will, through loyalty alone. She gives no command to those sworn to her, but one. To protect this kingdom with their lives." 

Nyx debated keeping his next question to himself, but his curiosity won out. "I'm guessing there was someone who abused the Blood Oath?" 

Again, that snarl. "Maeve. She had half my mother's court in her thrall. She beat them and forced their brothers to watch. She made them decimate entire cities and told them it was in the name of peace. She ordered them to kill each other, and they had no way to fight it. She made them fuck her, killed the ones they loved to break them, treated them like slaves rather than the people they are." 

Nyx didn't know if he'd ever seen the princess so angry. Her tunic was smoking where she clutched it in her fists. "She sounds... awful." 

Estelle laughed bitterly. "You have no idea. But that bitch got what she deserved in the end. And, clearly--" She gestured a hand to the castle around them, where her mother's court remained. "They are free of her, now." She glanced down, as if feeling the heat coming from her shirt, and cursed loudly, shooting to her feet to swat at her smoking tunic. 

Nyx couldn't stop the snort that escaped from his mouth as she brushed the ashes from her clothes. She shot him a glare, as if to say, I don't want to hear it.

"We've done a horrible job thus far saying on topic," She grumbled. She sat back down on the chair, crossing one leg over the other. 

"Right. 'Blood of the Sworn.'" Nyx muttered. 

"'Blood of the Sworn. Opens the Door.'" Estelle said, her brows lowering again. "My mother said that she and Feyre sealed the Wyrdgates eighteen years ago. Maybe they used some form of Blood Oath to make sure no one could open them again." 

Nyx understood immediately what she was thinking. "You think that because I share my mother's blood, I was able to break the spell." 

Estelle nodded. "It makes sense. But then why couldn't my mother open a gate? If she's the one who sealed it, shouldn't she be able to open it as well?" 

Nyx released a long breath. "Actually, I have a bigger question." 

Estelle narrowed her eyes. "What?" 

Nyx sat back. "What danger was so great that our parents gave up seeing each other ever again just to protect our worlds?" 

I convinced myself to watch Arcane, that League of Legends TV show? Because I'd heard it was AMAZING and you didn't need to know the game to watch it. (Also because I heard Vi and Caitlyn were a thing and I'm still on the She-Ra spiral lol.) GOD DAMN IT WHY DO I KEEP WATCHING/READING THINGS THAT BREAK MY HEART?? That cliffhanger killed me. Jinx?? Vi and Caitlyn?? VIKTOR?? UGH I NEED SEASON 2 PLZ AND THANK U RIGHT NOW. 

Vi is definitely my favorite character tho. She's fucking amazing.