Flight of the Five Swans

Fate Chapter 28

For the first time, Ayden regretted his position sitting behind Svana on the horse's back, as he couldn't see her face at all. He knew that she had been surprised when the townspeople had referred to him as "Your Highness" when they had passed, and to be perfectly honest, he had no clue how he would go about explaining why he had kept that particular subject to himself for the past several days.

In fact, he didn't rightly know himself what his initial motivation had been for keeping his identity—or his title, at least—a secret. Perhaps suspicion? After all, he had found her travelling alone in the forest close to the border, with only a couple of pet swans for protection.

'Overprotection, more like.' Ayden thought to himself, ruefully picturing the many bruises that he had accumulated over the last several days as a result of the swans' vicious bites.

But while he may have initially suspected Svana and her pet swans to have some nefarious purpose for travelling from Deturus into Ithcar, this fear had not lasted long. The longer he accompanied her on the road, the more Ayden had become convinced that the only thing that she sought in coming to Ithcar was help—though he did not know for what. And the more time Ayden spent with her, the more he wanted to be the one to help her.

Which might have become even more difficult, now she had found out that he had been lying to her about his identity—or at least, withholding the truth.

Ayden nodded cordially to the guards who greeted him at the entrance to the palace. Erol and Jarryd were both friends from Ayden's childhood, having been among those to tutor him in the art of swordplay as a boy. In fact, Ayden knew many of the guards by name, as well as the majority of the servants who worked in the palace. As a child, Ayden had been encouraged to mingle with the palace staff with the expectation that he would report any hint of sedition overheard to his grandfather, King Mikal—though Ayden never actually did. A most suspicious and paranoid ruler, the now late King Mikal had not been known for his mercy. Following Mikal's death and the ascension of his son—Naaman, Ayden's father—to the throne barely two years prior, the genuine friendships that Ayden had cultivated as a child had finally been allowed to blossom openly and genuinely. Though strict in many ways, Naaman was also considered to be a just ruler, and was far less paranoid than his father had been.

Reining Undertow to a stop in the middle of the courtyard, Ayden dismounted and then turned to help Svana down from the saddle as well. He marveled at how natural the action felt, especially seeing as how he had not been allowed to touch her—or even approach her—for the first two days of their acquaintance. Her swans had seen to that.

He looked up at the birds now, grinning as he saw them all circling and preparing to land. Despite everything, Ayden felt a certain softness towards Svana's pets. He didn't blame them, really, for their protectiveness. If anything, he found it to be endearing, almost...human.

And they did appreciate good music.

There was a small ruckus in the courtyard as the swans descended. A number of people rushed to move out of the way of the large, flapping white wings. Ayden glanced down at Svana, and saw that her eyes were wide and frightened. She barely seemed to notice her beloved pet swans as she looked at the bustling people around her, and at the palace towering over her. Clearly, the girl was not used to seeing such grandeur.

Ayden placed a calming hand on her arm, and Svana's anxious gaze fixed on him.

"Come." He told her gently. "I'll show you to a room where you can...ready yourself to face my father."