Elemental Witch: Child of the Earth (Part I)

Kings Law

Cavin sat in his chair, watching the room empty slowly, looking down the long oak table where the thirteen men had been sitting, grimly accepting his decree. As if there had been any debate of what he would have said before the attack a day ago, let alone after the dust had settled and the blood had dried. 

Even Kavenay had been silent on the matter when he gave them all a moment to speak before he issued his orders and commands. Most would be leaving within the next couple hours, making their way to their lands to start the war machine running.

 Oliver already had  every single ship within the King's navy and a couple of those owned by the other Lords making sweeping patrols of the oceans that battered their coasts. The Royal guard would be split and bolstered into a standing army and the Palace Guard and he expected something similar from each and every one of his Lords.

"My liege." Lord Kavenay had remained behind and stood on the far end of the table, watching him with an oddly thoughtful expression on his features. The man had been withdrawn and uncharacteristically quiet since the attack. Though Cavin wasn't sure what to make of the sudden subduing of Kavenay's less charming characteristics, he held his breath in hope.

"Lord Kavenay." Cavin said thoughtfully, raising a brow. It was a rare moment that the two of them were alone, so he allowed the man his chance to speak privately if only because it was his right as one of the Peers.

Kavenay paused, glancing at the wood between them, appearing to be mentally chewing over the words that came out haltingly. "I don't understand them. I don't like anything I don't understand. But I owe her my life, twice over."

Cavin narrowed his eyes, trying to soften the anger in his voice. "You know why we were never companions? Because you don't like anything you can't control. You wanted to be near me because you believed that I needed to listen to you. You hated Shelby and Oliver because they were stronger than you and they were my right and left hands, as you thought you should be. You spend so much time trying to force your will on the entire world because you know nothing different, you don't know how to interact with the world if it doesn't do what you expect it to. You hate them because they are beyond your understanding. 

"But only because what makes them unknown also makes them uncontrollable. You wish to conquer them because they make you insecure in the same way Shelby does and Oliver does. Despite your hate, your cruelty, your words denouncing her, you still sit on my council, you still represent the Human Kingdom and when it came down to it, she saved your life without hesitation. We would both be rotting in the ground by now, if not for the fact that the Feysha believed we were salvageable. We owe a lot to the fact that they believed in the alliance being forged between our two people's and sent Verana to ensure that it was done."

Kavenay cringed at his words, lowering his eyes as a chastised child, looking at his feet and nodding slowly. "I know they will never trust me, not after all this, but I will never speak another word against them."

"Do you believe you were worthy of her sacrifice? If she never wakes up, do you believe your life is worth more than hers?" Cavin asked sharply, clenching his jaw in the effort not to tell the man his own thoughts on the matter.

"I value the fact that I am still breathing." Kavenay said slowly, honestly. "I always look out for number one, I will never deny that. But in the grand scheme of things, I wonder about the value of her choice."

Cavin watched him for a long moment, before nodding firmly. "You are still among the prestigious thirteen, Lord Kavenay. But we expect more of you. We need more from you, if the world is as dangerous as the Feysha believe"

Kavenay bowed low, "my Liege."

"Oh and Lady Reyani's word is final. She has told you she has no interest in you. And she will not change her mind." Cavin said, catching Kavenay by surprise but drawing another bow and an inclined head out of the man before he turned and walked out of the room.

Cavin leaned back in the chair once he was alone, closing his eyes and forcing himself to calm down, his hands shaking with anger, knowing he had so much more to deal with.  He wondered how the Fey would respond to everything that had happened, if they still would seek the alliance he had committed his people to after their ambassador struggled to live through wounds she incurred saving him. 

Despite his years of training and a life spent telling him that his life was the most important one in his country, he had an odd feeling that there was something more to the girl who had come out of the forest to unite their worlds. 

He just hoped that she was not done.