Chapter 4 Lily #2
“Yeah.” I grabbed on to the straps and climbed up Zehemoth’s side before I dropped into the saddle and secured my legs in the bindings.
It should be a smooth flight to the Empire Colonies, but I always latched myself into the straps because my father implored me to do so.
I did that because if an attack ever struck, I would be thrown off Zehemoth before I could react, and if Zehemoth turned his back on the enemy to save me, he could be killed… and then we’d both be dead. “Let’s go.”
We leaped into the sky and continued our journey to the west to the Empire Colonies, which was a kingdom with a long and complicated history.
They’d had one king, but then the colonies sought sovereignty, and back and forth it went for centuries, their line of rulership still fractured to this day.
At that moment, King Ithaca presided over the kingdom as a whole, but each colony had its own leadership through a steward and its own set of laws.
They also had control over trade agreements because each territory produced commodities unique to its terrain.
The king seemed to be a figurehead and the leader of the military in the event of an invasion.
The mild climate changed the closer we reached the colonies, the air more frigid and colder.
In the distance, we could see snow upon the tallest mountains, see a terrain far different from ours, which remained reasonably warm all year round.
They didn’t have beautiful cliffs with stone the color of diluted blood.
Didn’t have the same kinds of trees or flowers that bloomed all year round.
“I’m sure they’ve spotted us by now,” Hawk yelled over the wind that struck his face.
The landmass was surrounded by water on two sides, and the capital of the kingdom where King Ithaca resided was in the direct center, protected by the leagues of terrain and neighboring kingdoms that cushioned it from all sides.
The closer we got, the more distinct the castle became, the spires reaching high into the sky for Riviana to see, even though her sight was masked by the trees that surrounded her gateway.
The castle was constructed of dull-gray stone, windows in large arches, the building bigger than ours at home because we were confined to the space the cliff would allow.
It seemed to be built on a slight hill, an ominous presence over the village and cities below that stretched into the valley.
The air felt cold in my lungs, the clouds so gray and thick that a storm seemed imminent.
We began our descent to the castle, the lands that belonged to the king stretching for at least a league on all sides. The well-manicured lawns were visible with a maze of hedges, and on the other side was a large fountain that spewed water that it collected from an upstream hill.
Zehemoth touched down first, landing on the cobblestone courtyard that led to the entrance to the castle. Statues twenty feet tall created a curved V toward the entrance, each sculpture different from the last, some women and some men. A grandiose display of wealth that our castle lacked.
Hawk touched down after me and hopped off Movack.
The entrance to the castle was guarded by at least twenty soldiers, ten positioned by the front door that was twenty feet high and fifty feet wide, looking like the doorway to an entire city rather than the passage to the home of the king.
The other soldiers were placed by the sculptures, guarding each one as if it were a person rather than an inanimate object.
More soldiers appeared from the rear, deployed from their barracks once we’d been spotted in the skies. It took them a while to arrive, and that made me realize how vulnerable they were to an attack by the Southern Isles—if we woke up one morning and decided we didn’t like them anymore.
A soldier in armor that was heavier than all the others approached us, keeping his helmet in place like he wasn’t allowed to take it off or it was unclear if we were a threat.
His eyes flicked from Hawk to me, clearly having no idea who we were, despite the dragons that had brought us here.
His eyes settled on Hawk, deciding he was the one in charge.
“Commander Rolfe. You’ve encroached on our lands with no warning or request, so forgive me if our reception seems hostile. ”
“No apology is required,” I said, bringing his attention back to me. “Queen Lily Rothschild of the Southern Isles.” I nodded to my brother. “Hawk Rothschild, general of the army of men and dragons. I need to speak with King Ithaca immediately.”
His eyes lingered upon my face a moment longer than they should have before he gave a slight nod in acknowledgment. “I’ll speak with His Highness and return momentarily.”
“Return?” I asked coldly. “Is this how King Ithaca treats his allies? Makes them wait on his doorstep like strangers? We’ve arrived here with urgency, and I don’t appreciate being asked to wait like a commoner who’s come to beg for food.”
I noticed the way Hawk pressed his lips tightly together, doing his best not to smirk.
“Yes—yes, of course,” Commander Rolfe said with a stutter. “I apologize, but the last we knew was that King Talon Rothschild was the king of the Southern Isles, and news of his death hasn’t reached our ears—”
“Because he’s not dead. Now, I’d rather have this discussion with King Ithaca instead of you—if you don’t mind.”
He said nothing more this time. Just nodded and headed to the double doors of the castle, which opened for him at his approach.
When he was officially gone, Hawk spoke his mind. “Damn, that was a lot of sass.”
“Get that from Mom.”
“And a little bit from Dad.”
“Respect from men won’t be given even if earned.
” Wrath appeared beside me, solidifying from nothingness into a powerful being.
I wondered if he’d been there the entire time, watching from the privacy of the elements.
“So you take it, Xivin.” He disappeared again, fading from my sight like he didn’t want to distract me.
I realized how much braver I felt when I was being advised by a god, protected by the king of the dead, the man who’d infused my body with the gift of his strength that I’d never asked for. He’d saved my life before, and I knew he would save it again. It made me feel invincible.
Commander Rolfe eventually returned and escorted us inside the castle.
Hawk walked at my side, but his eyes scanned his surroundings as if we had just walked into a den of vipers.
Since he was taller and more muscular than me, people who didn’t know us always assumed he was the older sibling because he had a much more rugged appearance, hard like my father, with eyes that burned with every look.
I was glad to have him by my side.
We were escorted into a throne room, a cavernous space with a skylight that covered the entire roof, letting in so much light that it didn’t seem like today was a cloudy day with a warning of rain.
King Ithaca sat upon his throne, an oversized chair carved out of stone, wearing a maroon robe with little diamonds sewn in a circle around each sleeve and down each side of the opening along the front.
An unnecessary display of wealth from someone who already resided in a castle far too big for someone so unremarkable.
He was older than my father, with a gray beard and bushy eyebrows.
Upon his head sat a bronze crown with black diamonds in the frame, like the diamonds in the robe weren’t enough.
My father had a crown, but it’d been sealed behind glass because he said it was a stupid thing to wear.
His people knew exactly who he was without his having to wear something so silly.
King Ithaca looked at us both but didn’t rise from his chair, which was customary as a sign of respect.
Perhaps Hawk was right. Maybe this wouldn’t be as easy as I’d thought it would be.
Hawk turned to me slightly, trying to subtly coax me into speaking first.
“King Ithaca, I apologize for the sudden intrusion. I hope the sight of our dragons didn’t scare your men too much.
” I stepped closer to the throne, closing the space between us because I was not a peasant who needed to respect boundaries.
“I’m Lily Rothschild, Talon Rothschild’s eldest, and I’ve taken his place upon the throne. ”
He glanced at Hawk beside me. “You look so much like your father, General.”
I was annoyed that he’d sidestepped me, like I really was unworthy of a single ounce of respect.
Hawk said nothing, refusing to undermine me like the loyal brother that he was.
King Ithaca turned his attention back to me. “What has befallen your father?”
I didn’t want anyone to know the severity of his injuries, wanting the threat of his return to be enough for people to fear me.
So I stretched the truth…just enough to make it grow thin.
“An unexpected illness claimed his vitality. The worst has passed, but he needs more time to return to his former strength. But because war marches on our doorstep, I’m temporarily acting on his behalf. ”
“War?” he blurted. “Who provokes the Southern Isles?”
“It wasn’t us they provoked,” I said. “They marched on Riviana Star in the north. We came to their aid and drove them back into the sea. We call them Barbarians, and they sail on ships made of gold. After losing their home to a permanent winter, they’re in search of a kingdom to claim as their own.
I fear they’ve set their sights on the Southern Isles, and they’ll come for us once they’ve recuperated. ”
King Ithaca relaxed against his high-backed chair as he soaked all that in. “And what do you seek from us?”
“Your aid, of course.”