Redemption - Fourth Wing

39. The King of Deverelli

Aifos' Pov
Because of the prince's inability to swallow back his temper, he found himself being held captive by the king of Deverelli, and we found ourselves lingering in front of Xaden's bedroom door.
No sounds could be heard, but there was a general awkwardness which led us to shuffle our feet and toss glances to one another.
"Don't look at me," hissed Mira, "I'm most definitely not going to knock on this fucking door."
Dain cleared his throat and pointedly fixed his eyes on his feet. Cat balled on her heels, and I met Ridoc's eyes.
"It'll be one of us, lover-boy," he cracked a grin and I looked at the door.
The thought that I could catch a glimpse of my half brother on crumpled sheets had me taking a step back, "I'll let such honour pass to you."
"Why me?"
"Gamlyn," Dain slapped him on his back, "The crown will never forget it."
"The crown will go fuck itself," grumbled the other, and with a deep breath raised his fist and knocked, "Hey... Uh..."
The grin could be heard in Xaden's voice, "We're all good."
"Yeah, that's... Great..."
"Open the door," hissed Mira.
"No, I'm not-" Ridoc lowered his voice, "Opening it. No chance."
"Look, we have a problem here," snapped Cat, and Dain nodded, "Shouting it through the door isn't going to help."
Mira rolled her eyes, then shoved Ridoc away, "Get away from there! Violet, answer the door."
Thankfully, Xaden wrenched the door open, with only a towel around his hips. His hair was tousled, and there was the flush of pleasure through his tawny skin. Ridoc tried to peer past his broad shoulders, and I almost snickered.
"To what do we owe the honour of a visit from every single one of you?" Xaden asked, with enough annoyance in his voice that we all remained quiet, "I thought two of you were flying the southern route to confirm there aren't any irids hiding out here?"
Then, Xaden saw Ridoc's curiosity, and briefly glanced over his shoulders, "Yes, the table is broken. Now, what do you need?"
I heard Mira's slow sigh, and I cleared my throat.
I did not want to know how my brother had broken the table with his lover.
-I do,- interjected Chex, and I had to choke back a snort.
Ridoc nearly laughed, "You two totally broke it, didn't you? Like that armoire no one was supposed to notice getting hauled out of her room during her first year?"
Dain hissed a curse, and Mira raised her voice, "The what?"
But Xaden only grew more nervous, "What could be so fucking important that you're trying to ruin my one evening?"
"A messenger came," said Dain, "King Courtlyn has decided to keep Halden."
"Too fucking bad for Halden."
We heard Violet snapping out his name, and he thinned his mouth.
"We're flying out as planned," went on Dain, "But Tecarus needs you. You're the only aristocrat they'll let in."
Xaden twisted his face in a grimace, then turned back, most probably to Violet, and we all held our breaths.
Then, I briefly thought that, should he decline, I could take control of the king's mind and make him bow to me.
"Fuck," said Xaden through gritted teeth, "Fine." He slammed his door in our faces, and we collectively breathed a sigh of relief.
"Alright everyone," exclaimed Mira, "Enough wasting time and let's get to work. Aetos, you go with me to the southern route, and Gamlyn and the Alagaesyan-"
"Aifos," called Xaden from the doorframe, "You have magic. You come with us."
I nodded and twisted my wrist as in Elf fashion, and Ridoc slapped my back, "Another time, then."
Soon enough I strapped the saddle across Ronny's back, and saw how the sunlight gifted his tawny scales a cherry sheen.
I brushed his scales, then at Chex's nudge I clambered on and strapped my tights in place.
Ronny had to couch a bit lower than usual because of the sand, and then off we went, quickly catching up to Sgaeyl and flying behind her.
Tairn kept flying a bit too close to the treetops, and more than once Chex's wingbeats faltered when his guardian nearly took out a couple of trees.
The crossbolts caught my eyes, but I realised that they were built solely with the aim to protect the shoreline, and not towards the forest laying behind them.
We flew past an aqueduct, and past screaming people; Ronny snorted smoke, which drifted to my eyes and I had to wipe off tears with the back of my hands, -Ro, c'mon!-
-Could've used a spell.-
The palace was carved from a hillside, and the white of its pillars caught the fading light; it bore power in every curled line, and too easily could I picture royalty pacing about.
The clearing we landed on was brightened up by blue lights, and it was large enough that Tairn didn't have to hunch his massive frame, and Sgaeyl flicked her daggered tail and narrowed her eyes at the panicked platoon of guards standing at a careful distance from us.
Chex bared his teeth, and took a step forward.
I patted Ronny's scales, then slid off him and walked up to Xaden in the middle of the courtyard; he might be powerless, and thus free from the daunting call of channeling, but he remained an imposing figure, with his two swords strapped on his back and an oversized pack to which he briefly said was "just in case".
The loss of magic was a rather haunting perspective, and my Gedwei Ignasia buzzed and glowed. The blue lights seemed to be attracted to it, and only when I briefly focused my attention on them did I realise they weren't lights at all.
Violet reached us, and she too was bearing a heavy pack; my mind skittered forward, but no one was of actual threat to me.
"They're Fallorinia moths," smiled Violet, and Xaden frowned, "What?"
"Fallorinia moths. We don't have them on the Continent, just their sister species. They light up when they feed from their honey-comb. I read about them in Sir Zimly's Guide to Deverelli Fauna, but I had no idea they harnessed them for light. It's brilliant. Poisonous but brilliant."
I raised my hand with the Gedwei Ignasia, and the orb closest to me shone the brighter for it.
"Fascinating," I said.
"Of course you did," countered Xaden to Violet, "But we should probably concentrate on the dozen pissed-off guards headed our way."
"Fair point," she said, and threw her long braid over her shoulder.
The guards were clad in white, and the tip of the spears glimmered sharply under the light. A couple of them tried blending in the shadows, but they could step under the sunlight and be more hidden than now, since Xaden's eyes remained fixed on them long enough to show them the futility of their actions.
My mind and Ronny's curled around the clearing, and Chex bared his teeth.
"Look, more blades," said Xaden, his demeanour collected and smooth, "And here I thought you were a weaponless society."
The one in the center with a blue stash stepped forward with a scream, and when the tip of their weapons were closing in on us, I simply said, "Fethrblaka, eka weohnata néiat haina ono. Blaka eom let lam." and the lights hovered above my palm.
(Bird, I will not harm you. Flap to my hand.)
The guards widened their eyes at my display of magic, and I turned my right palm upside down so that they could all see the glow of my Alagaesyan relic.
If they squeezed their eyes long enough, they could perhaps catch a glimpse of the jagged scars along my forearm, too.
Their eyes snatched on my sharp ears, and Xaden stiffened by my side.
Violet's voice rang clearly in the air, "Do any of you happen to speak the common tongue?"
"You are forbidden to enter the palace of King Courtlyn the Fourth," said the blue sashed guard, his spear swinging in our direction, "ruler of Deverelli, master of the trade, keeper of the troths, justice of the tribunal, and heir of the antiquities."
"Sounds humble," was Xaden's comment, "Can't wait to meet him."
"You won't be."
Tairn lowered his head and stalked forward, his wings tucked in tight and his eyes as glowing as golden fire. His Morningstartail lashed back and forth as the weapon it was, and the guards suddenly paled.
Xaden sighed, "Anyway, we will. And I'm trying really hard to be diplomatic, since that's the role I've been handed, but let me put this in terms you'll understand. Your king kidnapped our asshole of a prince, and there's a large part of me that wouldn't mind staying here and annoying the shit out of you for the rest of his miserable life, but that would make things difficult back home for someone I have... Complicated loyalty towards, so I'm going to need the prick back."
None lowered their spears, and my hands flexed. Chex snarled low, and there was an audible click of teeth.
-None here is of any threat to us,- said Ronny, -You need not be afraid.-
-Never said I am.-
"Now," ordered Xaden, "I have much more important things to see to this evening."
A guard swung her blade at Tairn, but with a wave of my hand and a "Gath sem oro un lam iet" her spear was tugged off her grip and came up to my hand.
(Unite that spear with my hand.)
I felt the grip around it, rolled it a couple of times and swung it down and against my back.
It was a fine piece of weapon.
Tairn's roar shook the ground, and our ears rang when it fell; the guard wobbled, her bronze skin now paler, and turned her widened eyes on Violet, who tilted her head, "They don't like it when you do that."
Despite the tremble of his arms, the guard with the blue sash still didn't budge, "You. May. Not. Enter."
Xaden mimicked Violet's head tilt, "I'm Xaden Riorson, the Duke of Tyrrendor. He's probably expecting me."
He turned to Violet, "And you are?"
"My consort. Violet Sorrengail."
I lifted my brows and Chex snorted in my mind.
"In that case," the guard raised his spear fully upright, and the others swiftly followed him suit, and I gave the spear back to its owner.
"If you divest of your weaponry here, we'll escort you to the table. Not you, magician. Magic is less welcomed here than weapons."
Xaden frowned, but I reached out to him, -That's alright, Xaden. If anything should go sideways, you call me and I'll rush to you.-
"That's not happening," Violet shook her head, and Xaden agreed with her, "What she said."
I shrugged, "I'm up for staying here, in the name of diplomacy."
"We do not believe in weaponry-" blustered the guard, but Violet interrupted him, "Unless you're... You. Have you seen the size of their teeth? Then there's the fire. And Aifos' magic. Our blades are the least of your worries."
Tairn huffed a blast of steam on us, and then the guard led us down the path; upon the first barricade of the clearing, only Xaden and Violet could go forth, and I sat down next to Ronny.
I unsheated Heill, took a rock and started sharpening it while softly humming a tune.
Ronny curled up around me, and Chex took a step closer to a tense Sgaeyl, while my mind curled around the roofless room Violet and Xaden had just walked in. I felt the minds of the guards, and of different nobles, but I sharpened my focus on the one belonging to the king.
He was young, but skilled in the art of ruling, and his wit was sharp. He reminded me of Nasuada, although more lewd and almost amoral, especially since he stabbed the hand of the prince and left the dagger deep in his hand.
I briefly remembered that such a particular dagger was called the Blade of Aretia, and Ronny said it almost resembled my own blade.
My mind expanded itself on our surroundings, and it immediately halted when it felt Andarna's presence, hidden among the trees. Her mind was shielded, but I had a feeling it was all part of Violet's plan.
-Your sister's here,- I told Chex, who snapped his head up, -Is she?-
-Yes.-
-I can't see her.-
-I think she's invisible right now.-
-Right.-
He tightened his wings and his eyes fell on his black claws, and instinctively I stretched out my hand to touch his talon closer to me. My voice was soft, -You alright?-
-Yes. It's just that... My scales can't do that. Blend to the surroundings.-
I rubbed my palm on his warm scales , -It's a skill that can be learnt. Your sister may have a natural inclination towards it, but it doesn't mean you will never be able to.-
-I don't know.-
-You're young, and you have a lifetime ahead of you. You will learn how to control your scales, even if perhaps it'll take you a bit longer than your sister.- My eyes dragged from his black scales to his silver, -Besides, you're still the most gorgeous dragon I've ever seen.-
He snorted, -Flattery will get you thus far.-
-That's not flattery, that's a fact.-
He rolled his eyes, but there was a playful glint in his mind.
But Tairn perked his head up, and Sgaeyl growled low in her throat; my mind and Ronny's rushed forward, and they picked up the minds of three panthers sauntering about the room, their eyes fixed on the bleeding prince.
I slid in Xaden's mind, but he told me to stay put, -We can still strike a deal. Do not move if it's not strictly necessary.-
Chex tightened his wings at my frown, and swung his tail around, while Ronny retreated his own mind, since he believed that I was more than enough, and he didn't want to feel the mayhem in that room.
Disgust, fear, and horror struck my mind so suddenly I would've staggered hadn't I already been seated: apparently, the king had just served in the middle of the table the head of the prince's personal guard as the dinner to his panthers.
My mind raised, slid past the unaware borders of the others', and felt the prince's mind slowed down, -He murdered my guard. My. Guard.-
The king's own was outraged instead, -Six stolen treasures! And it was in this little fucker's handwriting. I should've let my girls feast on all of them Navarrian scums much sooner!-
-Halden lost his temper,- said Xaden, -Be alert.-
Tairn growled, and started stalking forward, the palm trees swaying at his passing; Sgaeyl was close behind, and Ronny didn't bother standing up, and Chex looked at me.
The king's voice was bored, -I hope they die soon.-
Tairn let out an earth shattering bellow, and my mind sharpened into claws, but Xaden yelled not to, in the name of relations and all that; so, I sprinted forward, an almost elvish strength propelling my legs forward, with the trees blurred at the edges, and Chex roared.
The guards stationed at the opening gates got flung away, and I jumped the large staircase and rushed past a flag-stone floor; I dashed in the dining room, and the Deverelli nobles gasped at my sudden appearance.
Xaden and Violet had been separated by the guards, and the king's eyes snatched on mine. Xaden swerved a punch, and I felt his mind picking up my energy, and clawing at it, and I slammed his faint tendrils of shadows away from me and quickened the pace of my own song.
Shadows swirled around us, as they were being fed with the slight hum of power from Violet's conduit instead of me; he had to be sent away as soon as possible.
"Letta!"
Every guard and noble had their muscles suddenly locked, and the king pushed himself on his feet; Violet stepped closer to a seated Xaden, his hands covering up his eyes.
I spotted the king's fingers getting closer to the blade of Aretia, so with a sharp, "Ganga fram, knifr Aretia," the dagger hurled in my hand. The moonlight caught on its emeralds, and the grip wasn't as steady as I would've hoped.
"It has been a while since an Argetlam stepped foot on my soil," said the king, quickly smoothing out his surprise, "To what do I owe the pleasure?"
His accent was smooth, and my lips curled up in an amused grin: the Elvish tradition said that the younger Elf should show respect to their superiors by talking first, and the king of Deverelli, unwillingly, had just done so.
It meant nothing, for he didn't know, but it was funny nonetheless.
"Your knowledge of the Ancient Language shows how much of the ruler of any trading kingdom yours is," I answered, as I held the king's eyes, "Always with its soul set to the line of the horizon."
"We make do with what we've got: a wide world, and a little wealth." He raised his goblet of wine and rolled the dark alcohol around, and said, "I'm not going to ask again, Argetlam: to what do I owe the pleasure?"
I stepped back, and looked at Violet.
The king sighed, and his eyes dragged on me, "Such a pity."
I simply said, "Atra thelduin edoc'sil fells" and his mind flashed with interest and satisfaction.
(May you reign over these unconquerable mountains)
At my nod, Violet raised up from her crouch next to Xaden.
Her voice was clear, "Our most sincere apology, but in Navarre, riders are trained to kill when you attack us, and our restraint can only be pushed so far. As you can see, the duke feels some remorse, but you did just try to murder two of our kingdom's nobles." She pulled a face, "Not a good look for negotiations. Shall we begin round two? I'll lead this time."
The king's eyes flickered on me, then they swung back to Violet, "We have no magic."
"And yet here we are. Did you know that I'm a lightning wielder?"
"Tecarus mentioned something along those lines."
But, under his careful detachment of his voice, his mind rippled with the fact that us Argetlams were magic itself, and our power could be as vast as the very own Ancient Language. And then, his attention turned to his favourite panther, and behind her the air shifted.
The prince mumbled something, but my eyes were solely on the king, whose face grew slack and his breathing grew more erratic, "Shira! No!"
I turned back, and saw Andarna holding the frozen panther between her teeth, and no blood tickled from the white and golden fur of the beast.
I thought that fear suited the king's tawny, fine features.
"You see, that's my little one," Violet wrinkled her nose to the king, "Raised her from a juvenile - well, Tairn and Sgaeyl have, really, but you get the point. Now, Andarna doesn't eat our allies -  it's a whole thing her elders are trying to teach- but you know how adolescents are. Never really know if they feel like listening on any given day."
As she went on with her speech, and clarified that the Navarrian dragons did, in fact, outlive their Riders, my mind brushed the king's, and said, -You just confused yourself between the Navarrian kind and the Alagaesyan one. It's the latter in which the Rider's life dictates the one of their dragon's, not the former. It's an honest mistake, though.-
He widened his eyes and swung them to me, and only then did I realise that he must've been no older than twenty five.
"... Flew back to tell the rest of the Empyrean what you've done. I'm willing to let the Duke of Tyrrendor depart in good faith that you won't try to attack us again if you're ready to begin."
He glanced at Xaden, "Agreed."
So, Violet strapped the twin swords across Xaden's back, and after a quick kiss and some murmurs, he slung his pack of the Sword of Tyrrendor across his back and I twisted my wrist to the king before grabbing Xaden's elbow and dragging him past Andarna and deep in the trees, where Sgaeyl was waiting for him.
She snapped her teeth an inch away from his face, but he didn't startle and turned to me instead, "See you back in the Continent."
The light caught in its red irises, and I gave him the Aretian blade and nodded, "May your swords stay sharp."
I watched Sgaeyl's retreating frame, and Ronny stepped closer to me, his eyes too fixed on the blue daggertail.
-We ought to be more careful,- he said, -We are a source of magic from which Riorson could channel were he be able to catch us by surprise.-
My forearms slightly tingled.
-But he's my half brother,- I whispered, -I promised it to him.-
The letter was heavy on my heart, and Ronny brushed his snout on my hair, -I know, kid. I know.-