Tales of Fire and Ruin

Heavy Weigh the Consequences

Despite its exclusive guest list, the festivities surrounding the queen's autumn ball didn't stay contained in the palace. Scraping of chairs and tables and hushed voices traveled all the way up to my inn room before the sun rose. After heading downstairs to check what the inn's staff was doing, I found the common room's vaulted ceiling richly decorated with colourful garlands in honour of the autumn ball. Pastries in all shapes and forms were stalled out on wooden tables. There was even a minstrel gently strumming a harp in the far corner.

I'd taken one glance at the cheerfully dressed up room, turned around, and headed back into my room to have breakfast there instead. I was committed to staying holed up as long as I could, though I knew they would expect me to join the festivities eventually as a lord visiting Wildewall.

Queen Idonia was to make a public appearance today. Endris told me she would visit all districts in the city, safe for the unsavoury parts of course, before opening the autumn ball in her home at night. As a guest to her ball, I would have to be present in the streets to show my respect and clap as she rode by on her horse. The Montbows were not officially in good standing with the court yet, but Gisela expected it to be so after I clapped for the queen in the streets and didn't mess up at the ball tonight.

While the queen would be heavily guarded, I was still surprised no part of the planned festivities were called off after the attack yesterday. Then again, the culprit had been arrested and was now kept in a dungeon so deep down no natural light penetrated through the cracks in the stone. Chained and beaten, Oleander could do no more harm to anyone.

Except for me.

The sight of Oleander staring at me with those cold eyes had haunted me from the moment I left the dungeons. Like the sting from a Bleeding Ivy, the pain grew deeper with each passing moment. Everything he'd done and told me had been an act to make me think he was falling in love with me. No, Oleander didn't exist at all. His personality wasn't real. He'd even faked the accident in the mountains to ensure he'd be in my care.

Despite Oleander's deception, my gut twisted with worry that the guards had hurt him further while he was defenceless. My heart clung onto hope that there was a reason I would understand eventually why he'd risked everything and had deceived me. But I'd already squandered my chance to talk to Oleander and there seemed nothing left to say for him. The next time we'd meet, it'd be in front of the temples where he'd be executed. Even people suspected of having a drop of elven blood were killed in Wildewall so there was no hope I could get him out. Unless I betrayed everyone and went into the dungeons to bail Oleander out personally, striking everyone who stood in my way down with thunder.

All night I had been awake, fighting myself on whether I should sneak out of my room and try to get Oleander from the dungeon. But to what purpose? I wouldn't be able to get him out of this city alive and I shouldn't even want to, after he'd shown me his true face.

Soon, it wouldn't matter anymore.

Oleander would likely go to trial after the ball and be sentenced to death, and I wouldn't be able to remain hidden in my room much longer, either. Soon, Endris or Gisela would be at my door. I'd be required to go out and listen to words of praise for house Montbow thwarting an attempt on the queen's life. I would be staving off questions about how an elf had been able to hide in our house for weeks before we traveled to Wildewall. Much to look forward to.

I waited, buried below the blankets, for the inevitable knock on my door. After a while, when the sun's rays streamed into my room, footsteps approached the door. It seemed Endris was already able to sense I was planning on ignoring him. He skipped knocking, opened the door, and slipped inside.

I glanced at Endris, then made the mature decision of covering my face with the blanket.

Endris sighed. His boots moved closer to the bed. "You have a family to save, Laurence," Endris spoke. "Are you going to sit here and sulk?"