Verita - The Guardian of Darkness

18

He's carefully considering how to react, she recognized. Swallowing a justification, Elanthin forced herself to keep relaxed on the outside. What she'd said hadn't been the most diplomatic but it was far from wrong. She did expect more from someone who'd have the last say over her people's fate from this day on.

"Talking to you is like constantly trying to dodge bullets", said Aetrian, just when the silence between them threatened to crush Elanthin's chest. She took a deep breath before replying, relieved to have escaped a harsher judgement. After all, she'd hate to have spent so much time and nerves on a treaty which became obsolete just hours after its signing.

"You don't have to talk to me more than what's absolutely necessary."

"Wouldn't that make your life too easy? No, I'll just have to familiarize myself with your shooting patterns."

For a while, Aetrian continued to look at her – as if he was trying to solve a puzzle. Then he put on the carefree smile which had angered Elanthin before; curiously, it didn't have the same effect now. Maybe she was a tiny bit grateful that his promises about her safety hadn't been empty words. His behavior indicated that he was trying his best to stand by his words.

"I take it you've decided to stay and lend a hand with the unification?", he asked after a while, since she returned his analyzing gaze without replying or asking anything herself.

Elanthin gave him a court nod. "I suppose since I'm partly at fault for how things have turned out. So I should help with resolving this situation."

"I appreciate it. Now that we're on good terms because we have a deal – oh, and because I've saved your life", said Aetrian, fully conscious of the fact that she looked at him in disbelief, "how about you invite someone else than a personal maid into the palace?"

Her eyebrows nearly touched and he continued to explain: "It's not a must – but there might be someone you'd like to have by your side while you're in Gratia."

"I've never had more than one personal maid and my advisors are direly needed on the Plains. I've left them with the task of managing the palace and settlements."

Aetrian smiled slightly and it made Elanthin feel as if she'd missed the point of his offer.

"I wasn't exactly talking about servants", he set out to explain. "Isn't there someone else?"

Elanthin questioningly raised one of her dark eyebrows.

"Is there no friend waiting for you ... or a fiancé perhaps? I wouldn't know how you handle these matters on the Plains."

Even if there was, I'm not sure I would like them to stay in the Gratian palace after my encounter tonight. Out loud she only said: "There's no one of importance."

"If you say so." Aetrian's words had been spoken lightly but she noticed him scrutinizing her once more.

Elanthin crossed her silk and lace covered arms in front of her chest. "Is there anything else, Your Majesty?"

Her tone must've been cold enough to make him flinch. Even though the movement was barely more than a tiny raise of his shoulders, Elanthin noticed it.

What is he thinking about now?, she wondered but soon dropped the thought as she was much too tired to care about the Gratian king's strange behavior. If she started to analyze it, she had to assume she wouldn't be done before returning to the Plains.

"No, I suppose we've talked about everything we needed to. I'll let you get some sleep – and don't worry about waking up for breakfast tomorrow."

He turned towards the double-winged entrance door to her rooms; at least Elanthin thought he would, before she watched him walk towards the fire. She'd already opened her mouth to ask him if the magic spell had damaged his eyes, when his hand found a small golden handle on the wall besides the fireplace. Evidently used to it, Aetrian pulled on it and opened a secret door, inconspicuously covered in wallpaper.

While Elanthin couldn't do much more than stand and stare, he opened the door wide. The hinge and the paper cover crunched but it yielded after one or two decided pushes.

"That thing hasn't been used in forever but it still works apparently."

"That door ...", she started sharply but Aetrian interrupted her with a knowing smile.

"If anything happens, use this entrance to my room. It's quicker and safer than moving through the corridor."

Aren't you aware of your position? What if I were a threat to you?, Elanthin thought stunned. Once again, his naive assumption that she was inherently honest, confused her. They'd hid her from the people on the way to the palace for no other reason than for her status as a Veritan; all the while, Gratia's king seemed to treat her like any other of his kingdom's nobles.

"And don't worry. You can lock it from your side as well", added Aetrian, as if the reason for her prolonged silence was a conflict of propriety and safety.

In fact, she wasn't only scared of the possibility of another assassination attempt. The dying woman had revealed so little about her cause, that Elanthin's curiosity had been sparked. Who where the Children of the Dark and what did they want from her? Were they aiming to assassinate her before the treaty was publicly announced?

If she died under mysterious circumstances in the Gratian palace after being guaranteed safety, there'd be many Veritans who'd fight the Gratian take-over. Especially if it happened before an official statement about the unification was made by either Aetrian or her. It was a scenario she hadn't considered yet, as she'd expected to be executed in a somewhat official way.

Now that things looked different, she had to rethink the consequences of her death. Aetrian had formally sworn to protect the Forlorn Plain's right to decide their domestic matters between themselves. Even though it was a small clause, it created the potential for enormous issues in their current situation. I meant that he wouldn't send an army to take control of her palace himself if she died. He also wouldn't tell the confused Veritans whom to crown their next ruler.

Without a heir to house Verita, the Forlorn Plains would plummet into turmoil, that much was certain to Elanthin. There was no way that Aetrian could continue his peace negotations if the Plains fell under the rule of hot-headed Vax, the increasingly frail Phygras and a dozen warlords.

"Wait. There's something we should do in order to avoid further ... night visits."

Aetrian hesitated, hand on the door-handle.

"I have to talk to as many of my people as possible after the first of them have arrived – and you should do the same", said Elanthin firmly. "They could be upset about our decisions, or worried that I'm kept as a hostage by you. Both aren't good. We should reassure them and use the opportunity to publicly declare the treaty."

Aetrian didn't hesitate to nod, but she was more worried about the fact that she wasn't surprised by his immediate support of her idea.

"Where do you want to speak?", he asked.

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