Redemption

The Viscount of Cordyn

Xaden's Pov
The sky was clear of both any clouds and grey scales; the borders of Tyrrendor were currently calm, and peaceful. Garrick and Bodhi had broken off halfway through, towards south, while Aifos had stuck with me.
I threw a glance behind my shoulders, where Chex was hovering, -Did you have any fun yesterday, Aifos?-
They mumbled something, and kept their mind carefully in check.
-Oh, c'mon! Give your best wingman a hint!-
-Best wingman?-
-Yeah! If it hadn't been for me, the three of you would've kept dancing around for eons to come!-
-You only nosed in, that's what you did!-
-I didn't nose in! I just gave you a little speech and such.-
-You literally went in my mind, if it wasn't nosing in I don't/-
-Oh, please! It was the aim of the drill! Are they really so good at it you don't remember a single fucking thing of yesterday?-
-Just fuck off.-
I laughed and shook my head, and could practically feel them glowering at me.
They were actually fun to rile up.
Sgaeyl lolled her head left and right, the beat of her wings unhurried. The cool air of dusk dumbed my cheeks, and with a sigh I found myself wondering for how long this easiness would last.
If only Violet were here, to cradle this feeble moment of peace with me and snicker together, instead of remaining back to Aretia and scanning every book that would hint at her mistake of the translation of Warrick's journal.
But I reminded myself that she was where she was needed most, and where she was protected.
-We can go catch up with the others. Here everything's in place.-
But Sgaeyl whipped her head back and narrowed her eyes, -Tairn's about to fly with Lightening-wielder.-
My shoulders tensed as my features grew tight, and fury flashed in my eyes.
Stubborn woman!
I'd told her to be sensible for once and stay put, "We don't need the luminary as much as you think we do! Not if it means you endanger yourself!"
But of course, she never listened to me.
Following my rapid train of thoughts, Sgaeyl angled her wings left and banked. Chex warbled confused, but quickly followed her.
-I don't need you to follow me, Aifos!-
-Your anger will have you killing someone, and we'll be kicked out whenever it is we're going.-
-They'll fucking deserve it.-
They'd deserve a painful death if they put my Violence at risk. Tecarus was nothing but a bored Viscount, with too much of a silver tongue to be inoffensive, and such a gods-damned liability.
Only the Gods knew what kind of offer he'd sing to Violet, what hidden desire of hers he'd pluck out.
If anything, he'd find his eyes plucked out from my shadows. Or perhaps his tongue. Maybe both.
-She'll know how to hold her ground, Shadow-wielder,- said Sgaeyl, -Or else, Tairn wouldn't have bonded her.-
-Sometimes I wish he never did.-
She snorted, but before she could retort, I slammed my walls between us and went back curling in my anger.
Our flight was quick and silent, and by the time the moon started rising from the horizon, the white marble of Cordyn palace glistened in our sight. No drifts rushed to us, and the terrace where we landed was empty.
-Do me a favour and listen to the Alagaesyan Rider. We do not want to have a furious Viscount by our side.-
-Since when we care about sheep's opinions?-
-Since they have something we want.-
-We do not need his luminary.-
-Stop wasting your time in such obvious lies.-
She blinked at me once, then unfurled her wings and got off. Chex whipped his head back and forth, and the silver of his scales deepened. Aifos patted his shoulder and freed him from the saddle, then said, "Go reach Sgaeyl."
Chex flicked his sword-tail instead and growled to a corner where strode out Cat, clad in her nightwear.
She was the last one I wanted to run into today, and I had to gather all my will not to call my shadows to me.
"What are you doing here?"
"Tell your uncle the lightning wielder is going to be at his doorstep by dawn."
"What?"
"Do as you're told."
"You can't command me, Xaden. This is my home, not yours, as you made it abundantly clear last time you were here."
Sometimes I wondered why I'd decided that the acquisition of the luminary was a good enough reason to have her as my bethroted.
"Fine. I'll tell him myself."
"He's in his chambers."
"Step aside, Catriona."
Chex bared his teeth and grumbled.
"My dragon is growing annoyed," interjected Aifos, calmly, "Although I'm sorry for our sudden upcoming, the information we have is too important not to be told to your Viscount at once." A quick smile, "If you report this yourself, perhaps the Viscount will be excited enough to make you his heir, rather than your sister."
Cat rolled her shoulders back, and eyed them with suspicion. They remained relaxed by my side, but I could catch a glimpse of smugness in their slight grin.
"Alright."
"But we come with you," I stated.
Chex waited for us to be inside before taking off and flying away with Sgaeyl.
"See?" They whispered while we were led in the absurdly white palace, "Diplomacy may be useful, sometimes."
"I am diplomatic when I want it to. Besides, that thing you did to Catriona was bribery, and not diplomacy, my dear Aifos."
"Why, is there any difference?"
"Stop chatting!" Snapped Cat, a couple of steps in front of us, and Aifos' lips twitched.
As we went on, I half-expected Aifos to stare wordlessly at the palace, with its columns so delicately embellished with lianas and flowers, and twice as big as Sgaeyl's legs; for them to admire the turquoise pool twinkled under the stars, and I remembered when I'd drunkenly fallen in its deep waters; but none of it happened.
They kept their gaze fixed on the stairs, as if they knew better than getting blinded by all this lying elegance.
We walked through a red carpeted hallway, and two guards in crimson uniforms gripped their spears at our arrival.
"We are here to speak with the Viscount," spoke up Catriona, "Let us pass, and take the saddle. You can put it in the guestroom."
The guards hesitated, but then took a step aside, held Aifos' saddle and opened the heavy doors for us.
Rarely I'd visited the Viscount's chambers; they were twice as large as mine, and way more embroidered with paintings and marbles and mirrors and other things all clustered together in such a messy way I could feel a headache closing in.
If the Viscount was startled, he masked it pretty well. He stood up from his chair and said, "Long time no see, Riorson."
I curtly nodded.
Even if he was down to his nightgown, his fingers were still heavy with rings.
I wouldn't be surprised if he actually slept with them still on.
Catriona shuffled by my side and cleared her throat, "He told me the lightning wielder is..."
Excitement sparkled in his eyes and he clapped his hands, cutting her off, "The one who commands the sky! Oh, this made my day!"
He strode to Aifos, and clasped their cheeks, "Rumours said you were a girl." He twisted their head left and right, "But, oh well, never trust rumours. Wouldn't you say so, lightning wielder?"
I frowned at him, so taken aback I couldn't find any words to explain to him his idiotic mistake.
How could this man be alive, and still remember his name? Or anyone's, really. As far as I knew, he might still be believing I was to end up married to Catriona.
Or perhaps had heard of my tether with the actual lightning wielder, and so thought that-
No offense to Aifos, for they were a pretty one, but my stomach turned sour.
In regards to Aifos, they didn't say anything about the Viscount's assumption, but there was something, in their stance, and in the way they held the Viscount's eager eyes, that had me wondering if they'd heard him at all.
Their eyes were blank, and their shoulders were tight with distrust.
"I can feel it," murmured the Viscount, "Oh, I can picture it, even! Shapes a bit blurred, I'll admit it, but it's so terribly clear... You long for a sense of belonging, don't you, lightning wielder?"
Aifos' jaw ticked, and my eyes caught the movement of their nails digging in their wrist.
Enough with this parlor trick, now.
My voice rang loud, "They aren't the lightning wielder. *She* isn't here yet; she's going to be here in the first rays of dawn."
"Oh!" Exclaimed the Viscount, "Why do you never speak clearly, niece?"
"I was going to, you cut me off!"
"It isn't well-mannered for a lady to raise her voice," he reproached her distractedly, "Just as it isn't talking about business before dinner." He left Aifos' cheeks, "But tell me, you, what is your signet?"
"They're a mender," I butted in.
"I asked them, not you."
Could I still acquire the luminary if I accidentally slit his throat with one of my daggers?
"And we thank you for your time," I went on, clasping Aifos' wrist and dragging them with me, "Just so you know, the lightning wielder is actually Violet Sorreingail. Truly, has your dear niece never told you that?"
Catriona glared at me as I bypassed her, slammed the door then kicked it  shut with my heel. Upon my glare and my slithery shadows, the guards silently took a couple of steps back.
Aifos tugged their wrist away from my grip and leaned on the wall;
with shaky hands, they covered their eyes and remained motionless until I spoke up.
"The Viscount's signet allows him to see our deepest desires."
"And didn't you think that a heads-up would've been appreciated?"
"I didn't think he'd be that interested in you. For Malek, every one knows that Violet is the lightning wielder! He should've known better."
"Well, he didn't!"
They forcefully pushed themselves off the wall and strode forward.
"Where are we going? Aifos?"
"I don't know, but outside."
"Here, follow me."
I led them up the curling stairs, until the soft sound of butterflies wings rustled all around us, and some of them landed on Aifos' outstretched palm.
Their face was still pale, but their eyes softened a bit.
I flexed my jaw, and murmured, "I know how it feels."
"What?"
"Not to belong."
They sighed slowly, then stared off in the horizon.
"Missing parents?"
"More like deceased."
My one hundred and seven scars tickled my back softly.
"Sometimes I wish mine were dead."
"They got sentenced to death by the Navarrian government."
"Because of the rebellion?"
"All of us marked ones share this. But mine were the culprits."
The dark eyes of my father seconds before the execution flashed in my mind -well-shaped, and far too serious. Sometimes I could see them in Aifos' very ones.
They glanced at me, "At least they loved you."
"As far as I remember, yes. But there was a year... I must've been no older than three years old. My father journeyed somewhere far away, perhaps his ship sank. When he came back a couple of years later, he was closed off, and I was told it'd been then that the rebellion started brewing."
"Has he ever told you where he went?"
"No."
They nodded slowly.
"My mother used to leave me, too. She was the ambassador of the human lands, and she tried to avoid coming home everytime she could. The last time we walked together, Ronny fell from the sky. I was eight years old. The only things I have of her are the books she lent my master... But I've never touched them."
"Everything belonging to the rebels was burned in the bonfire. The runes are what remains of them."
"Those on your neck?"
"No. They were made by Codagh."
"Oh. I see."
The stars twinked coldly, far above.
"Your accent got better."
They looked at me faintly surprised, "Really?"
I laughed, "No. Still shitty. But ehy, at least your fluidity has improved!"
They scanned me with narrowed eyes, until I laughed again, "You truly were on the brink of believing my words, weren't you?"
"One day I'll have you reciting every spell in the Ancient Language and see how well you'll do!"
"I don't need spells to reach my power."
"I am not restrained to only one ability, or two, in case I'm blessed by my line."
"Yeah, okay, fine. But my palm doesn't light up like a torch anytime I use my signets!"
"Ehy! It's called Gedwei Ignasia, thank you very much."
"Whatever. Still a glowy weird ass thing."
When their laugh died down, though, somberness clouded their eyes, and we looked at the stars, in silence.