Chapter 7 Lively #2
Eliath looked down at the table and said nothing.
He was not alone in failing to meet her eyes.
Aquilan drew in a breath. What she said was true.
But it would not stop what was to come. And she knew that.
It was how much the humans lost and gained that would be determined.
Disasters had happened in the past. His family was not in power when the Draesiwen lost their home.
How they were treated–and still treated–could not be how the humans were.
The Draesiwen were not given any land. They were made to stay with their cousins, the Ironen, or be vagabonds.
To this day, Draesiwen were scattered all over the Empire with no place to call their own.
“Any discussion of landholds is premature at this time,” Aquilan finally broke the silence. “So–”
“But the war is over, King Aquilan,” Eliath cut in. He looked pained and he still could not look at Shonda, but he was pressing this. “When will it be time?”
“When I say it is. Or would you question your king?” Aquilan’s eyes flashed at Eliath and the Aravae blinked rapidly. Few had ever seen his temper.
“Of course not, King Aquilan. I meant no offense! I just–”
“I need to talk to all the major stakeholders before I make any decision,” Aquilan interrupted, letting out a breath. His eyes met Shonda’s. “Whatever that will be, I will hear everyone.”
“Are not all the stakeholders here today, King Aquilan?” Vesslan asked almost softly. “You could perhaps have meetings with each of them after–”
“They are not,” Aquilan cut his brother off.
Vesslan frowned with confusion then that cleared. His voice twisted slightly as he asked, “The Separatists?”
“Yes, Vesslan, the Separatists. This will take time. I will hear everyone. I will make a decision. Until that time,” Aquilan paused and encompassed all of them, “I would ask that you do your best to make this world safe and beautiful for everyone. You are dismissed.”
Even as the Councilors started to file out, Aquilan caught the eye of some even though all he wanted to do was be with Declan. But he was king. He had to rule. That was his duty. Only then could he have time with his Shadow.
The first was Zrudolk, who was quite as shocked as Aquilan that the Sun King was calling him over to speak.
The goblin self-importantly strode over and bowed low, his pointed ears nearly sweeping the floor.
Normally, Aquilan would wave off such formalities, but he didn’t this time. He needed to keep this very formal.
“Councilor Hedeelx, again, I want to compliment you on your work with the trade routes. Getting everything up and running so quickly is necessary for the success of this new world’s inclusion in the Empire,” Aquilan began.
Zrudolk puffed out his tiny chest. “Well, I am glad to serve. As always, I am your man when it comes to trade and–”
“Yes, about that,” Aquilan said. “What kind of trade routes do you have with the Under Dark?”
Zrudolk blinked rapidly. His long eyebrows fluttered with that rapid movement. “Trade? With the–the Under Dark? Hah, hah, you surely are… you know that this is not allowed and so I–”
“I am not seeking to entrap you, Zrudolk. I am certain that you obey the law. But I am also certain that you know of people who might… trade under the table,” Aquilan said.
Zrudolk’s blinking stilled. “Well, I might know some people. Distant people from me, of course. But… I do know many things.”
“Of course, you do,” Aquilan said.
When he had asked Zrudolk to approach him, he hadn’t been sure what he was going to ask.
But he knew that the goblins still had deep contact with the Under Dark and they might have information about Ailduin and Vex.
While asking Vex for information about how to, for example, shape cities, perhaps there were books where that was discussed.
Where he could learn of his past life without bringing the Night King into it directly.
“I am seeking histories and any other information on Ailduin,” Aquilan said quietly.
Zrudolk nodded, stroking his chin. “Of course, of course, but surely the Glass Scholar–”
“The true history of Ailduin and Vex,” he cut in.
The goblin’s yellow eyes met his and, for a moment, there was an understanding between them.
He saw that Zrudolk suddenly saw him differently.
Maybe in a more real way. Another slower nod before he said, “There are many antiquarians who seek books from the Under Dark. Histories and other documents that left Illithor before it was closed forever. I am certain I could locate many of those for you.”
“Yes, I would appreciate that.” He paused but then added, “Anything with a purple cover would especially be of interest.”
“Purple?” Those eyebrows were waving again, but then Zrudolk smiled, showing a lot of triangular teeth. “You have given me a test, King Aquilan! I look forward to showing you just how resourceful I can be!”
Aquilan smiled at him. “I am certain you will do that and more. I would also ask that you keep this between us.”
“Of course, your majesty!” He nodded sagely. “It shall be between us.”
“Thank you.” Another beaming smile and the goblin went away with a little pep in his step.
The next person he drew to his side was Sorisana. She was lingering at the table, carefully putting together the reports and her journal. She lifted her head the moment he stepped towards her and welcomed him with a broad smile.
“King Aquilan, I admit I was not expecting such a… a lively meeting especially after Zrudolk’s very thorough report,” she admitted.
“I notice that you didn’t add your voice to Councilor Eliath’s regarding the land on Earth. Your concurrence with his opinion would have been very powerful,” he said.
She let out a sigh. “Yes, which is why I did not give it.”
“You don’t agree?” he asked. Hers was the first House he had approached with the offer.
“Oh, I must do what is best for my House, which means that, when the time is right, I will seek recompense for our part in the war, but…” Here, her eyes flickered to Shonda who was speaking to Councilor Ornaren Deepbranch, the dwarven representative and Bloom, “I find myself sympathetic to humanity and want them handled with care.”
“Councilor Baston is a powerful speaker,” he agreed.
“She reminds me of my mother,” Sorisana said, “in so many ways.”
“That is a great compliment from what I hear tell.”
“Yes, but it is earned.”
“Your mother was lost–”
“In the Under Dark, yes.” She nodded. “I can still see her on the boat that took her away from me. Waving. Smiling despite tears. Never to see her again. But you know all about losing parents to the Under Dark.”
He opened his lips to agree with her, but Vex’s face flashed before his mind’s eye and he said simply, “The Under Dark is a complicated place.”
She stilled then looked at him more carefully. “I did not think you’d been.”
“I hadn’t. Until yesterday,” he said.
She stared at him. “Yesterday?”
Should he admit this to her? He felt he should. He had to speak to people on the Council about Vex, about Illithor and about the ongoing threat of the Leviathan. Before he told the whole Council, he would bring in a few members and take their temperature to everything.
“I went to Illithor,” he confessed and felt a trace of amazement that he had truly been there.
Silence. He didn’t think she was breathing. Finally, she whispered, “Illithor? But–”
“Vex brought me there,” he added to that confession and watched her face carefully.
She blinked rapidly. “The Night King?” There was no fear or rage or disgust. Surprise?
Yes, definitely. But even that seemed to fall away and she slowly nodded as if that made sense.
“With the wards failing, I should have expected that he would come back to the surface to see… and he would come to you. Although… What was that like for you?”
He let out a slight nervous laugh. “I… I can’t quite describe it. Or him. He’s…”
“As complicated as the Under Dark. Yes, but it must not have been an aggressive meeting if you–”
“It was not. Not at all.” He shook his head. “We… talked. There was a nest. A very large Leviathan nest. The threat of the Leviathan is not gone. I know Eliath thinks the war is over, but it may not be.”
She let out a breath. “I should have expected that too. With the rifts still opening and the wards weakened it will never be over.” She lifted her head and studied him carefully. “But you realize this means getting the Houses’ buy-in will be required more than ever. If the risks still remain…”
He slowly nodded. “I am aware.”
With an almost grief stricken look, she glanced back at Shonda. “Humanity is ill-prepared and ill-suited to this brave new world. Their existence will become only more prescribed if this continues indefinitely.”
That was true. So true.
“And people will resent having to protect them,” she added. “There’s already some of that, but with the lure of new land and riches…” Another exhale. “You will need allies, King Aquilan.”
“That’s why I’m speaking to you,” he said.
“And King Vex?” She tilted her head to the side.
It was his turn to blink. “You think that an alliance with the Kindreth would be wise?”
“If the gates of the Under Dark are opening into Earth and there is no stopping it then having the Kindreth on your side is the wisest thing you can do,” she told him.
“I believe your mother knew Vex. Perhaps you–”
“I could not say I knew him. I saw him when I lived… lived in Illithor,” she answered.
“You lived there so you know–”
She held up her hand. “I would speak to you at length about this, King Aquilan. Answer all your questions and hope you would answer some of mine. But…” Here, she looked over his shoulder at the others. “But I don’t think we should do it here and now. Perhaps we could meet–”
“Yes, I agree. We need to meet elsewhere. I will reach out to you with a time and a place,” he said.
She nodded. Then with another smile added, “This truly was a lively meeting.”
He left her and went over to where Shonda, Ornaren and Bloom were speaking. When she saw him approach, she made a gesture for him to join their group. Bloom was complaining to Ornaren about Helgrom locking fairies in cages for merely dueling.
“Indeed, dueling to the death is not a big deal! For him to imprison us and cut off beer for a night–”
“Dueling to the death is not a big deal?” Shonda blinked.
“He is acting as if it is! All that beer and wine was held from us! It is unfair! Ornaren, you need to tell Helgrom that!” Bloom whizzed around the dwarf’s head in an angry circle.
“And, Shonda, I am asking that you speak to him on our behalf as well! If you can silence an Aravae like Eliath then you can handle Helgrom!”
Shonda was smiling behind a hand that she held up to protect herself from the magical dust that was falling from Bloom’s feet.
“I appreciate your vote of confidence, Bloom, in my oratory but my sons, Declan and Finley, are often at the Dawn. I don’t want them to get in the middle of a fairy fight.
So I’m on Helgrom’s side of this fight.”
“Oh, the injustice of it all!” Bloom whizzed higher.
“King Aquilan,” Ornaren grunted as he stepped up to them, “it is good to see you in a meeting.”
“Especially since you stopped Zrudolk from droning on!” Bloom’s head fell back. “Snooze fest!”
“Yes, well, he is quite proud of his accomplishments,” Aquilan said mildly. “Shonda, I was hoping to speak with you privately.”
“Yes, of course,” she said.
“Ornaren, if you do see Helgrom today, please let him know I would like to speak to him at his earliest opportunity,” Aquilan said to the dwarf.
“Oh, he’s going to see Helgrom right now! We’re going to settle this matter about fairy prisons and alcohol restriction!” Bloom started batting the back of the sturdy dwarf with her tiny body.
Ornaren smiled behind his beard. “I will do so, King Aquilan.”
He and Shonda watched as the other two walked away.
Shonda shook her head. “Bloom is incorrigible.”
“All fairies are,” he agreed.
She dropped her voice as she asked, “How is Declan? I was going to request to see him–”
“He’s still sleeping. But I promise that you will have access to him as much as you like,” he assured her. “But that was not what I was coming over to speak to you about–”
“No, I imagine it was not.” She lifted her chin and gave him a cool look. “You know that I have nothing but admiration and friendship for you, King Aquilan. My husband and I have worked with the Empire since the beginning. But, regardless of all of that, I will not stop fighting for humanity–”
“And I don’t want you to,” he interrupted her and realized he knew exactly what he wanted to say. “I want you to fight with everything you have. Enlist others to your cause. Pull heartstrings. Appeal to better–or even worse–natures. Do whatever you have to do.”
“I… I will, but… it surprises me that you wish me to do this,” she said with a furrowed brow.
“I did what I had to do in order to motivate my people to come and assist humanity. I would have done it for nothing, but they would not,” he told her.
“But with all that it cost them in the past–and perhaps in the future–they will demand payment and I will have to give them something. How much that is… Well, my ability to politically maneuver will be vastly aided by your efforts.”
She slowly nodded. “I see. That… that is quite wise. Not that I am surprised. Just… I see what you are doing here.”
“And maybe I do too for the first time,” he admitted.
He thought of Declan waiting for him warm and beautiful under the blankets upstairs.
He longed for nothing more than to be there.
But Declan was not only his Shadow. Declan was the Night Prince.
“Things are going to get more complicated because of… who Declan is as well. And whatever he decides to do about that.”
She nodded again. Her hands rubbed together. “I know.”
They both went silent for a moment. There were so many opportunities here for things to go so very right. And so very wrong.
“One more thing, would you be willing to reach out to the Separatists for me and arrange a meeting with yourself, Michael and their leader?” he asked
She nodded. “Of course, I’ll get on that.”
“Good. We will have our work cut out for us,” he told her. “But I know that together, Shonda, we can do this.”
Her lips curled into a smile. “I don’t give up, King Aquilan. I might get knocked down. I might even get tired. But I won't give up. I won't stop.”
“And neither shall I,” he told her.