Ahlva: Unbound

Chapter 5

Aden

Loud, upbeat music plays from the men playing instruments in the corner, as people dance to the rhythm. Others eat and drink at the many long tables around the brightly lit hall as laughter and chatter fill the room. Flowers and sashes decorate the walls that aren't covered by the swords of fallen soldiers. Women are pulled to the laps of drunk men and dragged out the hall to the gods know where. 

I chuckle with my men as one stares at a red haired woman with a large bust as she makes her way to where we sit. 

"I saw you lookin' across the room. I am Margaret" She eyes him up and down, clearly looking for a good time. I chuckle with the surrounding men before taking a drink of wine. 

"I- I am Sean" The lad stutters as he stares at her like a pup, making us laugh harder. He looks like a rabbit the way his nose twitches even though he's packed with muscle like the rest of us. "Sean, would you like to dance with me?" She smiles down at him, her blue eyes full of seduction. Sean barely nods before he's pulled to his feet then the dance floor. We all laugh again before my gaze flitters over all the dancing and laughing bodies to the podium where the royals sit. Where Cathal sits. 

Cathal glares at me before turning away furiously. I can see the clench in his jaw from here. I sigh, knowing it was my fault the way I left. We promised to be brothers. With one more gulp of wine, I suck up my pride and make my way through the tables of people and walk up to the podium, stopping the ongoing conversation and receiving the attention of everyone at the table.

"My King" I nod in greeting, I notice my father seated next to the king but I pay him no attention. 

"Ah, Aden" He grins at me as he pops some food into his mouth. "I was telling my sons yesterday that perhaps I should send them to the Ryleigh mountains" He gestures with his head to them. 

"It is too far away sire, and I don't think it's suited to Princes" I chuckle, making the King laugh even louder. 

"You are right, I must keep an eye on them" He notes the disappearance of Daragh and William, probably enjoying a woman warming their bed. "Then perhaps you shall train them here" He leans back in his chair before chuckling and drinking more wine. I nod before he turns to speak to my father again, who has been staring at me this whole time but I do not glance at him, instead, I turn to Cathal. 

"May we speak?" I ask, the joy gone from my voice, and a more serious tone rumbles. He glares at me, chalice in hand as the jolly mayhem continues behind me. The silence between us was filled by the hearty laughter of the room. "Why should I?" Cathal replies coldly, his gaze hard. "Please," I ask again, my pride locked away for tonight. I will fix this rift between us. 

Without another word, Cathal stands, his chair scraping on the floor and marches out from behind the table, storming through the sea of people. I make my way to follow him, glancing again at Ahlva, to find her watching me curiously. I hide my smirk and follow her brother out of the hall, into a passage to find him leaning against the stone wall. 

"Cathal-" I start once I'm close enough but am cut off by the voice of hurt.

"You lied to me!" Cathal attacks me in a blur. I know I can stop the attack in one motion but I let him have it, I let him be hurt, and so he pushes me against the wall with his forearm sitting lightly on my throat. We both breathe roughly, our exhales meeting each other as we're the same height now.

"We were supposed to be brothers and you lied. You tell me one thing, then come back years later?" His eyes pierce into my own, pinning me to where I stand. His fists and jaw clench while his eyes gloss. 

"I never lied. I told you the truth when I said we were visiting my mother's home. While we were there it was attacked by the same Northmen that attacked Rathlin last year" The hurt in Cathal's eyes had first turned to rage then flickered to sympathy. "Father saw me as incompetent because my mother was killed but I survived" Cathal's forearm loosed on my neck before stepping away completely as he watched me breathing hard through his nose.