The Price of Peace

Be Brave

It was still dark outside, not even the faintest signs of light peaked over the distant hills. Le Luna was almost gone taking along with her the prophecies of the dark. Far off in the shadows a fowl beast of old pierced the tranquility of the night with a daunting cry. It was the hour of the Hunters of Legend; the final hour before dawn, when only the ancients seasoned by years of conflict dared to hunt beasts whose names were used to scare little children into bed. 

Safael pinched the last toe of my assaulted foot and peered at me through the long shabby locks that fell over his eyes. His face was barely illuminated by the rays of torch light that came from the corridor. His hunch and clean-cut broken features reminded me of the famous knights of valour described so vividly in the earthling tales. The ones who lost everything and now fought with nothing to lose. 

"Did you wake me to check if the nerves in my foot still sent messages to my brain?" I asked crossly. He knew well enough that once he had woken me I would not sleep again. 

Safael did not reply nor did his face show even the faintest signs of humor, which was once ever present in the twinkle of his dancing green eyes. It's amazing how knowledge of the future erases memories of the past and wrecks the present. 

Another shrill cry from the distance tore through the thickening silence.

"I came to talk." he breathed slowly through him mouth.

"Couldn't wait for the sun?" I wanted to believe that today was just another ordinary day. Fights, tantrums, tutors with everything but their mouths in the grave but mundane refused to be associated with me anymore.

"Don't play the ignorant card." he huffed; there were black rings around his eyes. Like an eccentric sailor who fell asleep without taking of his double-looking glass.

I sighed and sat up against the headboard, hugging my forgotten pillow close.

"Out of kindness I didn't want to disturb you today, but you know me," he laughed bitterly, "Always selfish."

"What did you want to say?" I never believed Safael when he said anything derogatory about himself. When there was sunlight he complained that it was too bright and when it rained he missed the sun.

"I'm not sure, but I wanted to talk. This could perhaps be the last time we ever speak to each other, without supervision that is. Without courtiers, wise sages, councilors, guards and chattery servants who repeat all they hear to whomever they meet."  He seemed on the verge of panicking, "Don't you see fire-bug? We must talk!"

"You're not doubting your decision now, are you?"

"My decision? This was hardly a choice Zelia. Heck if it was up to me to decide, then I'd suggest we acknowledge the distance between is; destroy all the space bridges. That way we'd never see each other, never communicate or have anything to do with each other. And if we destroy all written history of their existence, then a few generations for now nobody will know they exist. Thereby stopping the war!" Safael was standing and gesturing intimate objects, he pointed to my bookshelf as if he was now king and condemning a reprobate.

"That wouldn't work. Too much trade and plenty of our industries are connected. People... Families w-"

"Does it matter if a few people lose their jobs? We are rich enough to offer them compensation. It won't take much for them to shut up." He cut me off without understanding the nature of my sentence.

"I don't care about their jobs. Families won't forget, They won't forget all the sons, brothers, fathers, husbands or cousins they lost fighting this war; not for money and you can't ask them to, not for any other form of compensation either. Perhaps our people will agree; with great difficulty no doubt, but they know well enough that we can't win. We can prolong the inevitable but never ixnay it." I softened my tone, "You didn't consider the people of Sadairus, they know that they can win the war, they only agreed to the peace treaty because they wanted to avoid the loss of lives. Think of the families of their dead soldiers, would they not want revenge? Malkeirath risked mutiny when he agreed to stop the war. As far as I can see the treaty is in our favor; we must be grateful for that."

Safael sat down again, "Fine, your argument is more analytical. But they must have some ulterior motive to agree to a treaty which is in our favor. Something that could perhaps be our downfall sooner or later. We need to dig deeper, just incase it's a potential threat."

"I can't think of any reason we shouldn't. But be careful we'll have to do this in secret. Hiding for our spouse and all the watching eyes." The words felt strange rolling off my tongue, agreeing so quickly and acknowledging that I would soon be only a wife.

"If the Malkeiraths are truly fighting internal battles then you will be in much more danger that we anticipated. They will try to harm you."

"I'll be fine. Honestly I'm more concerned about you bride to be." That was a blatant lie; I was terrified and couldn't care less about anyone other than Caylen, Safael and myself. Though, it was less of the trembling fear and more of the acceptance that i was far beyond hope of saving and had to now patiently wait for death. Not that I would ever let Safael know that, hence a new topic had to be brought up. "The poor girl must be terrified at the thought of marrying a player like you."

"It won't be like that" he promised, his face void of any cheeky smile or wink, "Marriage is a commitment only the lowest of the low would dare to break"

Shocking, "Wasn't lowest of the low the goal you promised Father you'd reach?" A story for another time

"Yes, but this is a vow I can't break without repercussions that extend beyond my imagination." 

The whole world was upside-down... Safael was being decent.

We bickered aimlessly until dawn, when we said our first goodbyes and promises until we met again.

I was smiling but the day was only beginning.

A/n

Anything you wanna say? It doesn't matter if it's good or bad just please say it.

Until next time kind readers,

Have a lovely day/night.