The Knights Of Laegovhar

Reu-knighted

Night turned to day as the four walked, and as the sky turned to night again, they finally neared the Kingdom of Laegovhar's castle. The four were visibly exhausted by more than just the walking. After Mikail's admission, no one wished to speak more on the matter, the lot of them unable to think of anything to say. So they travelled in silence.

Eliana and Cayde took up the rear of the group as Gregor and Mikail walked ahead together, the two men hand in hand until the four travellers reached the gates of the castle. Eliana watched Mikail's entire personality shift and his back straighten as he walked through the corridors and towards the doors of the throne room, his head held high despite his subtly staggered breathing.

The four had a double door entrance thanks to the guards, but the moment Mikail stood before his father to speak, his shoulders visibly slumped and the man stammered over his words.

Cayde took a step forward and spoke for his brother, his back also straightening at the sight of the king. Eliana watched Cayde closely as he bowed to his father, but she couldn't understand why the man on the throne seemed so angry.

When Eliana had met king Tintre at Cayde's birthday ball, the man had seemed jolly, full of life. He laughed and joked with his sons, who now bowed before him fearfully.

"I do not want to hear of you travels." Tintre's booming voice echoed around the room, causing all to shy away from him at the sound. Cayde halted in his speaking and lowered his head once more, the action giving Eliana an entirely different feeling than fear. "I wish to know why he," the king began as he thrust a fat, stubby finger at his eldest son, "smells like him." The finger travelled to point at Gregor.

Noone spoke, or even breathed, causing the king to sigh heavily.

"I knew you would let me down," he muttered, his eyes on his eldest son before they flicked away.

Something in Eliana snapped as a seething fiery rage built from the pit of her stomach. A voice emerged from her that she had never heard before, but at the sound of it, all heads turned. And that she liked very much.

"Excuse you?" The woman scoffed, and a smirk threatened to stretch her lips, but she held firm. "That is your son."

Tintre's eyes shifted slowly to meet Eliana's. "Watch yourself, girl. Don't mistake my kindness for weakness."

"And do not mistake my size for weakness," Eliana responded instantly, her words causing the king's eyes to narrow. "You would cause your son pain because he found love?"

"Love?!" Tintre scoffed a short laugh. "He knows nothing of love. What they have is infatuation."

Eliana felt Cayde's mind brush against hers, his words of warning failing to get through to her. Still, she continued. "I have seen them fight together. I have seen them study together. I have seen the peace on their faces when they hold each other in an embrace." The king scoffed, but still the woman continued. "They gravitate towards each other like the moon to the earth. They are bonded now, but they were bonded then. They could always find each other in a crowded room, lock onto each other's gaze, but always pull away."

Tintre stood from his throne and took a step towards the woman as he spoke. "It is an abomination. An act of treason."

"Love is treason?"

"I FORBADE IT! THAT MAKES IT TREASON!"

Eliana stood firm, fully aware that Cayde had moved closer to her, one hand ghosting over hers as his other hand hovered over his sword. "You forbade love?! What sort of man are you?!"

"I MAKE THE RULES HERE. I AM THE KING!"

"A MAN WHO HAS TO SAY HE IS A KING, ISN'T REALLY A KING!"

Tintre, unable to say more, roared at the woman. But the sound of his cry was nothing compared to the one of Cayde. His roar echoed in the chests of all as he stood in front of Eliana, facing his father head on in a match unlike any other.