An Angel Called Eternity

The Field Rat's Banquet - Lykourgos XIV: Destiny's Bitter Sound

Lykourgos XIV: Destiny's Bitter Sound

The First Day of the First Moon, 872 AD.
Anaria, Western Teleytaios, Klironomea.

"So, your Grace, what now?"
Lykourgos turned to face his old friend, a genuine smile on both their faces.
"Now? Well, we've had a month to clean house in the bureaucracy and knightly orders of the realm, as well as to make a start on seeing to the rebuilding of areas ravaged by war, but all things considered that should not take long."
"How many died overall in the final counts? Eight-thousand, maybe ten-thousand people?"
Lykourgos nodded, lips pursing.
"It is a cruel thing for me to say but... it could have been far worse. It was worth it. Eight-thousand men to see my sister kept from the throne... to see me on the throne..."
There was silence for a moment as Elikoidi moved to place a gloved hand on Lykourgos' shoulder.
"It was worth it. Her reign would have brought about so much more strife than anything this war has caused. For ten-thousand to have died we are lucky; I was expecting far, far more bloodshed."
Lykourgos smiled wanly.
"We have my brother to thank for that, do we not Eli?"
Elikoidi smiled back. His smile was less tired and more relieved.
"Indeed. He played us all expertly. Even my rats had no indication of his plans before you arrived at the walls of the city, and although my suspicions were aroused by the Seer and the death of the Inner Council I was still surprised to find that he had truly been on your side from day one."
"I told you, Eli. He's my little brother. I once fought a war to get him back. I guess he felt the need to repay that debt, not that he ever needed too."
Elikoidi shook his head.
"I can guarantee that there were no thoughts of repaying you in his mind when he set out to dismantle his own forces, and your sister's, from within. I have had to reappraise my assessment of Prince Rhema this past month, especially in this last week, and the words of your cupbearer rings true. He looks up to you, almost idolises you. As his older brother you feel the need to protect him, especially since you were not able for most of your childhood since you were fostered over a hundred miles away, but what you do not count on is that he feels much the same."
"You believe so?"
His friend pulled a thoughtful face.
"Hmm. Perhaps not exactly the same, but close enough. Where you feel protective of him, he feels complete loyalty towards you. You're his older brother, the one person in the world who, for his whole life, treated him like a normal person no matter how bad his condition became. He admires you a great deal, Lyk. He may not exactly be a model prince or ruler, but the thoughts I had of him previously have been proven thoroughly incorrect. No matter how loyal myself or Romanos are, I do not believe that you will find a single person more singularly loyal to you. Not to the crown, or the realm, or even the law. Only you."
Lykourgos smiled sadly.
"I... I am glad of that. I only wish my sister could have felt the same."
Elikoidi shrugged.
"Your sister grew up with everything she'd ever wanted being handed to her by either her zealot of a mother or, when she passed away, your father, who saw in her the same spark her mother had. I do not believe your sister was capable of accepting that things would not go her way. Not in a self-centred, vain way, but simply because it was all she'd ever known."
Lykourgos nodded.
"She... I will not miss her. But I will miss who she could have been."
"She is gone now, Lyk. It is for the best. If she'd been allowed to live-"
"Then retribution would have been swift and deadly. I am aware."
Elikoidi nodded, seeming to understand how tired this conversation was making the prince.
"I do not wish to dredge up old wounds. I apologise. But she is gone, and you're still here. That's what matters to me."
Lykourgos sighed before smiling again.
"Aye, I'm still here. So are you, so is my brother, and so are the rest of my friends. We've got Seventh back, most of the Cult of the Choir within Teleytaios has been smoked out like rats from a burning building, and the civil war is over. Things should start really looking up for us now."
Elikoidi smiled and nudged his shoulder in a teasing manner.
"Careful your Grace," his friend said, "you're starting to sound like you aren't a pessimist."
"I mean it though! Things seem to be looking up for us now. We're on the rise, Eli! It's time for Teleytaios to spread its wings once more, and look outwards at the world."
His friend smiled at him.
"Be careful once more, your Grace. My networks are far patchier outside of Teleytaios, especially in Owkrestos and Triarios, so you'll be going in blind for the most part."
He nodded.
"Well, that's a risk we'll have to take. Anyways, I have other duties to attend at the moment."
"Oh? And what would they entail?"
"There are a great many brave men and women who fought and bled to see me on the throne, and I have yet to speak with many of them. The living need to be rewarded, and the dead honoured. After that we can begin to think of my coronation."
Elikoidi nodded at him, smiling kindly.
"Well, there's no time like the present I suppose. It might take a few days to get through all those still alive who deserve rewarding."
"Undoubtedly, but it is a duty that should be performed nonetheless. I'd like to meet with the Lieutenants and Marshals who ensured my victory first, after all, they're the highest ranking military officials in the realm."
"Certainly. Who would you like to speak with first?"
"Marshal Crowe. I still need to thank her for keeping my brother safe during the war."
Elikoidi nodded.
"Makes sense. After that I'm presuming it'll be Marren and Isen?"
"Yep. Not sure what order, not that it really matters, but yeah. Marshal Crowe and then the two of them."
"All together or, I'm presuming, one at a time?"
Lykourgos nodded.
"One at a time. It'll be good to speak with them candidly in private, see what they make of recent events and future plans. They all did so much to win the battle here; Marren took half a dozen arrows holding the Inner Gate, and apparently Lieutenant Isen single-handedly slew a score of Roses when they counter attacked his men on Last Stander's Street. Heroics like that need to be recognised."
Elikoidi sniffed dismissively.
"I see. Could I-"
"No, you may not have rats watch my confidential conversations with loyal subjects."
Elikoidi rolled his eyes.
"Fine, but only if you agree to tell me any blackmail you learn from them!"
He laughed at his friend's mock-pout.
"Fine, fine, I will. Anyways, I'd better get started. There's much to do, after all."