The Bad Fairy (girlxgirlxgirl)

55. Pact of loyalty

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"Don't be discouraged. We will win this, and all of our plans will be fulfilled as soon as this is all over." Dieq whispers in Nayan's ear, leaning over to the new king as they open the door to the arriving goblin troops. Nayan is wearing a tense look, his eyebrows knitted together in a seemingly permanent frown.

Dieq has not seen even a twinge of a happy look on him since he became king a few minutes ago. Nayan is not happy at all. He is nervous beyond belief, and crushed by the responsibility he suddenly must bear. Dieq knows what that feels like. Becoming king at the bare age of twenty was not easy for him, especially when the goblin kingdom is so large and independent from the demons, compared to the slightly smaller and more dependent fairy kingdom.

Dieq understands what it feels like. Especially standing in front of war like this, knowing that millions of lives, the future and the present are all depending on the decisions a king makes. The king, who is now Nayan.

"I've never fought angels, what's it like?" Nayan whispers back, ignoring all of Dieq's encouraging words. They watch Eang ride on his horse towards them, across the courtyard. He leads thousands of goblin soldiers into the fairy palace. He looks handsome like this, his hair drawn back by his hand, a prideful and skilled position on his horse and beautiful goblin armour enhancing his already well defined and well angled body.

The fairy soldiers watch with varying degrees of anger. They are not able to say a word, because their king has let the soldiers in. But none of them look happy at the sight of their blood enemies just walking inside the place they have sworn to protect. Just a few minutes ago goblins were still the worst thing they could ever imagine infiltrating the palace walls. Suddenly their old friends the angels have become the new enemy, while their blood feud with the goblins must stop in an instant.

Obviously, their feelings have not changed toward the goblins. The goblins look awfully smug riding into palace territory, which isn't helping. Nayan is anxious about that, too. He needs to make sure that his own soldiers won't turn against him because of this. He also needs to make sure that the goblins and fairies can work together, because if they can't, a split army isn't going to protect them from the dangerous attacks about to come.

"It's hell." Eang comments before Dieq gets the chance, riding up to the two kings standing on the courtyard. He is the leader of the thousands of goblin soldiers that just marched into the palace, and has all eyes on him. Eang jumps off his horse and approaches Nayan, giving him a deep bow. "Your majesty."

It's highly symbolic, but not between the three of them. The fairy soldiers who watch confirm that the goblins are on their side, when the goblin king stands next to Nayan and the new goblin general bows down to their king. For the goblin soldiers, they watch their general bow down to the fairy king, and their own goblin king stand next to him. They are on the same side now. Nayan, Dieq and Eang have known that for weeks, but for everyone else, it's not that clear yet.

Dieq joins Eang's side, smiles at him and whispers in his ear. "Follow my example. Our sides aren't getting along yet, and the angels can't be far away." Eang gets what he means immediately. They move on to the other royals standing around. First to Cosmo, as the second oldest. They bow to him, and he bows back. Then, Astro, and then the old fairy general who has been standing quite quietly by the side throughout all of this.

By completing this row of greetings, they have made it clear to their soldiers that they have to work together now. The atmosphere becomes just a little less tense. Eang and Dieq return to Nayan's side, who is looking at the large open gate with worry. The courtyard is filled with soldiers, and so is the rest of the palace.