Chapter Six #3
“Already taken care of,” Fylson said, leaning back in his seat as he studied me intently.
“I think we need to move quickly to stomp this out and get the children back.” Aelir appeared ready to speak but fell into silence.
“My king, I know you are sorely tempted to hand over the holy items. I understand fully the love a father has for his children, but we cannot negotiate with anarchists. We must somehow nip this plot at the root. I have no knowledge of where this Black Fen basalt pillar is. Teryn, is it in your lands?”
“It is. The smallest isle north. Cold black cliffs formed from the lava that formed the islands centuries ago. The goddess is rumored to call them her home, and a small temple to her can be found notched into the sea cliffs, rumor has it. I have no knowledge of any sect that is recognized by our holy ones, but I can certainly investigate it.”
Aelir nodded sadly as if the motion cost him all. My heart bled for the man.
“I know what you say is true, Le’ral, and I would not hand over the crown and scepter to a band of revolutionaries.” His tone was strong now. His attention was darting from me to Teryn. “I would ask that you venture forth as requested. Perhaps we can fool the Gray Ice.”
“If I may be so bold, Your Majesty, might I request that Pasil accompany me on this mission?” Teryn asked, rocking me back mentally.
Me? Why would he request me? He had his own guards.
“The fabled bronze warrior is known far and wide. His sword arm could prove invaluable as we set forth. Pirates are known to sail the Galesdi Gulf.” Teryn glanced at me.
“Few would dare to instigate a battle with the slayer of yeti. Since my retinue, children, and security members are to remain here to be interrogated, as a show of good faith, it would be me and Porgo alone without a defender.”
Oh. What? When had it been decided that Teryn’s people would stay here?
Surely they would travel home as soon as the questioning was concluded.
Unless the grand advisor and the king felt that the Sandrayans were involved more deeply than an ancient temple on a cliffside island.
Diplomacy was a delicate dance that I did not know the steps to.
My saltarello involved a sharp blade, a sturdy shield, and a warrior’s roar.
It seemed much had been discussed during the mahouk’s interview.
My mouth opened to counter the yeti claim yet again when the king spoke up, effectively silencing me before I could refute the wild tale. Again.
“Yes, of course. I’m sure Pasil would be more than willing to defend you on such a perilous journey. His valor is well known, and he knows how deeply the royal family loves our twins.” Aelir looked at me, an odd look on his face, before glancing back at Teryn. “A wise call, Mahouk.”
Was it? I would stand out among my darker cousins like a peacock amid a flock of ducks.
Teryn I could see as he is a negotiator, skilled at handling fractious sides to arrive, hopefully, at a peaceful concord. This, though, was no mediation of courtly envoys or skilled mediators. This was an abduction of innocent children to force a king into capitulation.
The king sat waiting. “Yes, of course, Your Majesty. I live to serve.” I lowered my head in deference and then looked up to find the king nodding.
Aelir turned his attention to the mahouk.
“Teryn, you know the Black Sand Isles better than anyone. The people there love and trust you. We can put out a decree that you are returning home of a sudden in case you are spotted. The reason you are being sent home can be vague. Pasil, you are the captain of the guard. I can think of no other man who I would trust to bring my children back to me other than V’alor, but he is too close to this.
His rational mind will be fogged, as mine is, with unbidden hatred.
Your presence will be a buoy to the mahouk if the kidnappers can be reasoned with.
If not, then your sword arm will be required to strike the bastards down.
You both are already well familiar with each other. ”
Yes, we were that. Intimately familiar with each other, as it were.
“We could send out a royal ship as a decoy,” Le’ral opined as he stroked his chin in thought.
“Let it sail out immediately with only a small crew and a few unarmed guards. Let the people see this ship setting out after being loaded at the docks, stirring up speculation and whispers. Rumors will reach certain ears…”
Aelir leaned forward, his lean arms coming to rest on the tabletop, nodding.
“Lead them into thinking that a delegation is in transit with the items, tales of us sending out a mystery ship will give the Gray Ice false confidence. While a royal ship sets off in broad daylight, Pasil and the mahouk will sail out of the sea cave under cover of night.”
“Sail?” I asked, my head so filled with treachery and worry that I’d not thought of how we would travel to the Black Sands.
Perhaps on a horse, which, thinking on things with a clearer eye now, seemed asinine.
No matter what, at some point we would need to be on the water.
Something that I was unfamiliar with other than watching the royal family frog about in a favored pond.
“Yes, of course. Sail. Forgive me for interrupting, Your Majesty. My mind is scattered to the winds this morn.”
“As is mine, my friend,” Aelir replied with candor.
“We will send you out this eve after we see off a bogus ship, one that sails under the banner of Melowynn.” Teryn nodded throughout as I tried to swallow down then align this plan in my head.
“Allowing you two to sail with little attention back to the Black Sands. Teryn, you know the Isles well. Could your ship sneak into the Black Fen pillars unseen?”
“Of that I have no worries, Your Majesty. I have one of the most skilled wind whisperers in my captain. Porgo can summon up a blinding fog or a gyre to cover us as we sail closer to the pillars. From there, we would be on our own, but surely the two of us can scale a sheer incline and enter a temple filled with zealots to rescue the princess and prince. You are the bronze warrior after all, and I can spin a spell or two when talking fails.”
All eyes moved to me. “Yes, surely, of course. As you bid, Your Majesty.” I placed a fist to my chest, trying to ignore the thumping of my heart, and lowered my head. Seaward ho, it seemed. So much rested on this plot. The lives of the prince and princess. We could not fail.
“Then, our plan is set. You two should go pack and rest for the journey,” Le’ral said, rising with grace from his seat. “I shall speak to the couriers and set them into motion. Teryn, the crown thanks you for your honesty, compassion, and understanding in this most terrible time.”
“Yes, thank you, Ambassador. My manners have wilted,” Aelir said, pushing to his feet as Teryn did. The three of them shook hands, clasping forearms as brothers in arms might, a sign that at least here in the solar, men of differing lands and religions could come together.
“I shall do whatever I can to bring your son and daughter home to you, King Aelir,” Teryn promised.
“I trust that you two will reunite us with our twins soon. Now I wish to have a moment alone,” Aelir said, and the solar emptied out.
Rolim grabbed my arm just outside the doors.
Teryn strode down the hall, stopping when he realized I did not have his back.
Amber eyes flicked between my cousin and me.
“I shall sit and pray here in this alcove,” he said, moving to a small window seat and then lowering to his knees. I threw the two guards posted here a look that sent them down the hall to look out the window idly as Le’ral made his way off into the depths of the castle, his stride sure.
“Pasil,” Rolim spat in a heated whisper. “What has come over you to bed a man of such stature? Has the suffering of my mother at the hands of men of nobility not taught you to avoid those who have power over us?”
I folded my arms, instantly taking umbrage at his tone before recalling that the man was right.
His mother had been seduced by the rich elf she had worked for, which resulted in her being fired when the man’s wife found out he had impregnated the cleaning woman.
Alone and with a babe, she came to her sister, my mother, and the two of them struggled day in and day out to provide for their sons.
“I am not my aunt, and he is not—”
“Pasil, he is a dignitary and you a guard. His people are possibly involved in the kidnapping of the king’s heirs. And his skin is—”
“His skin is the same as ours, only a few shades darker.” Rolim huffed.
“My cousin, I appreciate your concern. Rest easy. It was one night.” He scoffed.
“Think what you will, but it was a single moment. The mahouk and I have slaked that thirst. We are on a mission of great import. There will be no time for dalliances. Of this I vow.”
“I say all of this only to keep you safe. You are a brother to me. I do not wish to see you harmed in any way or lose your position for a moral infraction. Please keep that one night as the only night. There are plenty of dark-skinned male whores who would gladly suck your cock for a few copper.”
I clapped a hand to his shoulder. “Thank you for your concern. I love you as well. Now, I must go. There is much to do before we leave. Guard the king well in my absence.”
“I shall. And you take care.” We embraced, both clinging to the other for a long moment and then breaking apart.
I gave him a smile of sorts. We parted. Rolim taking up a stance outside the solar, and I joining Teryn. His prayers ended as I arrived.
“I wish to see my children before we leave,” he said, rising from his knees with fluidity.
“And I, my friend. Let us go to the Hall of the Sanguine.”
One corner of his mouth twitched upward as his golden eyes darted to my cousin behind me.