Between the Veil and Crown

Kylin 53

Kylin had so wished that the two had not stayed the whole night.

In the midst of the surge of fury that had opened his mouth and berated the Crown Prince was the horror-filled shock as he heard himself screw up. He knew he was being pressed. He knew it the moment they did not leave for the night. And the mere thought of the Prince being so cavalier with Amelia's life broke all restraint.

He could barely look at Morganne when she came in. She could tell something was wrong- he was certain his seething could be felt- but she, unlike him, kept her composure.

The pair left before Preman came to replace him. When he did come, Kylin left without a word.

He needed to speak with Taileia and Ofjaet.

He needed to warn them of the damage he caused to an already tentative and fragile relationship.

The farther he got from Selim's room, the faster his pace got.

Why the crap did Rei think this was a good idea? For Kylin to come so close to that man- no good could come of it. And he was supposed to be Selim's mentor?

After that?

Of course, it was unlikely to be an issue now. Kylin couldn't see Selim's brother ever giving his support.

He reached his superiors' room. He could hear that they still were in there, but he took a second to collect himself.

The worst part of all of this mess was that he may have signed Amelia's execution.

He did not need to knock. Ofjaet heard him and called for him to enter.

Kylin took a deep breath and opened the door.

Ofjaet and Taileia were given a smaller room than Preman and Kylin, though with there being one bed it felt much morse spacious. Kyin only took one glance to take in the sizable fireplace, the couple of bookshelves, and the various decorative seats in the room before landing on the two he sought. Ofjaet was finishing with arranging the contents of their packs; Taileia was sitting by a small round table with two half drunk cups while perusing a book from the shelves.

When the door shut behind him, she set down the book and twisted to look at him.

"Do you have news on Selim?" she asked.

Ofjaet finished with his task and went to sit with his wife.

Kylin shook his head, uncertain of how to proceed. "I screwed up", while accurate, felt too blunt.

"I told the Crown Prince off," he finally said. Dang it, the other way was better.

Taileia and Ofjaet exchanged glances.

"In what way?" Taileia inquired.

Kylin took a few more deep breaths before launching into the events of the previous night.

How the Prince suspected Kylin had a thing against him, and how Kylin couldn't hold it back when confronted with it. How the Prince lacked care in Amelia's safety, only upset Kylin more.

Upset to the point that Kylin ad accused the Prince of preferring justice over his mother's life.

"I take it that did not go over well," Ofjaet surmised.

Kylin shook his head. "Had his wife not made comment, it would not be words we would be fighting with." The glare of the Prince was burned into his mind, coming back in a clear image as he recalled the moment.

"Was she critical?" Taileia asked.

Kylin reflected on it. The Prince he could remember being angered, accusatory. The princess . . . . "Calm" was not the right word. She was unaffected by the argument he had held with her husband and gave no evidence of being a witness when she later offered her condolences. Not in tone or expression.

"Diplomatic," he finally answered. "She was obviously not against him, but she would not position herself against me either, as she went so far as to show sympathy for the Veil."

The expressions on Ofjaet's and Taiileia's faces mirrored how Kylin felt about it: It was a nice sentiment, but words alone held as much weight as a dead leaf.

Kylin continued. "She inquired about the church's involvement, and then left it."

"Was that the end of it?" Ofjaet asked.

"No," Kylin replied. "The Prince asked about the seventh village." He hesitated, wincing at the thought that he had not refrained even then from criticizing. "He is very aware of what I think of the soldiers now." He did not tell them of the Prince's praise of Glae. He could not argue with him there- Glae even when he had joined their ranks had held himself to higher standards. For all that Kylin held in fear against him, he could not deny that.

Though he did not have to vocalize it.

He brushed aside the thoughts of his eldest brother, replacing it with focus on the last of his conversation with the Prince. Perhaps the Prince's final remark about the intention for the Veil had been to extend a gesture of a truce, one that Kylin had rejected, either out of anger for Amelia's sake or for the generations of neglect of the Veil. But then again, it might not have been ever said had the princess not first tried.

Remembering he was still in the company of his superiors, he shared his final thoughts, and the barbed answer he had made to the Prince, ending the conversation and perhaps even any good will between the two factions.

Ofjaet leaned back in his chair, taking a long draught from his cup.

When Taileia had given thought to it, she said, "While I agree with the statement, the bluntness we could have done without. We will have to feel them out the next time we interact with them; see how much smoothing over has to be done."

Reluctantly, hating the thought of it, Kylin asked, "Will my apology be necessary?"

"It would depend on what caused them offense," Taileia replied. "The message of your words I will stand behind. An apology for it may be a sign of recanting to them. If it was your tone, and an apology from specifically you only will appease them, then that will be another thing."

Kylin nodded, feeling both relieved and a little nauseated. Apologizing to Amelia's prosecutor was the last thing he wanted to do.

How ironic, then, that it possibly could be the only path to Amelia's pardon.

Ofjaet set down his cup, drawing attention to him. "In the meantime, perhaps placing you at times in Selim's room while they are not present, or at least doesn't leave you alone with them, may be a better solution for now."

"The day shift would be better," Taileia agreed. "With their duties, and the queen's daily visits, they would have a hard time being alone with you. I will take the night shift for you and Preman transition."

Kylin nodded again. He was dismissed for sleep, and he returned to the nest he made in front of his fireplace.