I awoke the next morning to Tonilia rapping on my door. She rapidly made me presentable and planted me in front of Kendryek's door.
"Good morning Allyn," he said as the door opened. He was freshly shaven and bright eyed; he looked much better than he did last night. That's not to say sadness made him ugly - my heart fluttered when I looked at him either way.
"Good morning Lord Kendryek," I said, using his more formal title. If this bothered him, it did not show on his face. He took my hand and started down the hall with me trailing ever so slightly behind him.
Power beat out from his body like a drum. The connection I felt to it was stronger where our hands touched. The more time passed the more in tune I felt with him, yet the more I craved that power. It eased the void in my soul, but the fuller it got the greater it yearned to be filled.
"My apologies for being so depressed yesterday. My father is not in his best health and it strains me to see him that way. He used to be a great, powerful fae. He unified the court after centuries of feudal chaos. To see him fall so far..." he trailed off. "My brothers are vultures, looking to capitalize on his weakness for their own personal gain. It disgusts me, but I am not my father. I cannot...I do my best to stay out of it," he said. I knew why he did, he'd lost a lover before to a war. Now he may start one for me. "How did you deal with your grandfather's death?" he asked me.
I pondered it for a moment.
"From what he told me, my grandfather lived a good life. I don't think he had any major regrets or any demons that haunted him," I hesitated after saying this. I wasn't entirely sure it was true. "He was always happy, always content with what he had. His death was slow and painful for him, when he finally passed he deserved to move on, to move past this world." I took a deep breath to steady myself. "I still miss him, but he lives on in me, in my memories and in my heart. He's with me wherever I go, always guiding me with his wisdom."
"Hmm," Kendryek said. "You have a way with words," he murmured. "I've thought more about what you said the other night." We entered into the foyer of his mansion. The handful of fae who moved from place to place looked at me questioningly. A half-fae peasant next to their Lord. It was extremely odd. "That everyone has a time. I think you may be right, even for Fae. My father has lived a good life. Maybe it is his time." I didn't know what to say. Thankfully, I didn't need to.
"I do not see any chance of us winning against Gaius! I do not care what you say! He will annihilate our armies with one spell like he did to the Day Court's!" Vivianne said, her voice raised in volume, clearly still in a bad mood after last night. She wore a dress like she had the other day, the only difference was in the red patterns. Kendryek stopped me in the doorway.
The table had been expanded. Lysander now sat beside Rosalind's empty seat instead of on the end. She was not present this morning.
"He's not that strong," he said calmly. Instead of his usual attire, he wore quality chainmail. Covering the mail on his chest was an auburn shirt with a golden oak leaf in the center. A sword was drawn across his back and his blue knives were at his waist. "His power's been embellished over the years. Helion made the mistake of positioning his armies above a well-documented and quickly forming sinkhole. All Gaius did was give it a bit of a nudge." Erin, in her blue healer's robes, frowned.
"Forgive me if I sound rude, but I do not understand your constant desire to discredit The Seven. Are they not some of the most powerful fae that Prythian has seen?" she said. Erin followed the teachings of Arphaxad, a Peregryn and one of The Seven. To question him was to question a god.
"I don't have some sort of 'constant desire' to discredit The Seven. I have a constant desire to put an end to ridiculous fear mongering. Gaius probably isn't even alive - he hasn't been seen by anyone in centuries."
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Daughter of Winter
FanfictionAfter the death of her grandfather, Allyn has nothing. No friends, no family, no purpose. Out of a desire to feel alive again, she goes to Prythian. She quickly learns that she has unknowingly stumbled into a world of politics and violence where gho...