19. Rorin
Rorin
Again another sleepless night came and went. Her words plaguing me the entire time. “Because you let me.”
I did, and the problem is, I would again. The things that damn woman does to my head. I was accosted by Bennett and Will after she left the cells. Panic rising between the two of them over how she’ll behave in Valen. I simply reminded them of who’s responsibility she is and that I would handle it. But she makes it difficult. Everything about her disrupts my sense of reason.
I can’t figure her out. There are times I think things are getting more comfortable, that we are bridging across whatever tensions our kingdoms have but then she slams those walls down again. When I saw her on that field, when I waited for her to wake up, I couldn’t explain that the emotions that ran through me at the sight of her torn body. How could I explain to my men that I didn’t care what the traitor or his lover suffered at her hands because they almost cost me her. Maybe I could have convinced them that without her Baelor’s army with destroy us, but I didn’t think that explanation would hold. So instead I said I’d handle it, and the quickest solution I came up with to handle it was to have us play the part of lovers.
My Wield pools in the palm of my hand, the mist twisting and turning. Anger and disgust fills me as I watch the cursed magic move. The Wield clouds over the seal’s rune the glint of it’s own magic glows under and through the mist. I’ve studied my magic in these controlled states for years, trying to understand why my mist wouldn’t be the same as my mother’s. My father’s fury over it led me to my lessons - but those lessons weren’t to learn it, adapt to it, Wield it. They were to contain it. I’ve worked so hard not to let it consume me but around her…around her I have no control. Yet another frustrating development since getting her involved.
THUD! THUD! THUD! “COME ON GENERAL WAKE UP!” I snuff the mist out, pulling my Wield back to me.
“If you’ve any good sense you would shut the hell up!” I grumble, burying my face into the pillow. There is a muffled sound of metal meeting wood before my door bursts inwards.
“She is apparently not a morning person.” Bennett quips. He rips the pillow out from under my face and throws it across the room in the general direction of where the queen must be, “we know you aren’t too excited about going back to court, but your appearance is unfortunately required. So get up and dust that crown off, Prince. Otherwise the creepy queen might eat us for breakfast as penance for the wake up call.”
Will rounds the bed without making eye contact with me, the both of them each take an edge of the covers and pull them back off my body. Good thing I decided to sleep in pants last night. My body flinches at the stark contrast in temperature. “I think right now I would let her.” I mutter .
I dress quickly and pass off the last of my things to one of the servants. While walking out of my room I noticed one of her throwing stars embedded in the door frame outside my room. That must have been what was used as the precursor to her thank you this morning.
Strangely enough she had found her way to the portal room without me or one of my two men guiding her because when I walked into the room, there she was already standing with her men, Axel was tying her hair up for her while she worked on the buttons to the front of her corset. The position has them nearly fused together, whereas the rest of her men stand a bit away, eyes focused forward on the portal.
I place my hand on the portal, imbuing it with my magic. “I am sure you all are aware of how to use this?” I ask. The only people to shake their heads are Maxwell and Orem. “Right, so for those who don’t know, repeat exactly what Will says and then follow quickly behind one another. You don’t want to risk ending up in the wrong place. For the future - if you can envision the portal location you want to go you won’t need to say it out loud, but today as you all have never been to Valen Court it’ll be safer to say the words.”
Will steps up loudly stating, “VALEN COURT, SUN PORTAL” and then steps through. They each follow suit and step in one after the other leaving Eveera and I alone. Her face is tight as she attempts to conceal her unease. “Nervous?” I ask through the seal.
Her eyes flit to mine before settling back on the swirling portal, “should I be?” She retorts.
“Don’t forget. Play your role.” My hand drifts to hover over her lower back as I say the words aloud again and then we step letting the magic suck us in. The magic spinning our bodies through the ley channels that the portals work off of. It spits us out in mere minutes .
The attendant working the room looks at our group with a stricken expression sputtering and stumbling his words together. “Now what?” Axel asks as Eveera and I straighten our clothes.
My lips flatten into a grim line. “Now we go make our entrance.”
The servants scatter at our approach down the gilded halls. They have somehow managed to become even more ostentatious than usual in my absence. Eveera and her men keep tight-lipped as we make our way through the castle towards the two arched mahogany doors leading into the council room. Tentatively, I reach for her through the seal but her walls are locked down tightly preventing me from seeing, feeling, or hearing any of her thoughts right now. The guards as we approach gape in confusion before switching over to a defensive stance that blocks our path.
The guard to my left speaks up first, his eyes drifting towards the added members to my entourage. "Prince. Welcome back.”
“Gerald.” I greet, stepping up to move him out of the way.
“Prince, the council is in a meeting.” He warns, hand going to his hilt.
My knuckles press into my palm cracking as I stare down at the man. “Am I not a part of said council?”
His feet shift underneath him in nervousness cracking through his resolve. “Uh-uhm. Well yes.”
“Then get out of my way.” He looks over to his fellow guards, the one to my right giving him a nod as they move. Gerald ducks his head down and reaches for the handle.
The doors pull wide and we position ourselves so that myself and the men are the only visible people upon our entry. All heads turn towards us. A few mouths drop while others frown, but my focus is only on the individual directly in front of me. My father rises from the table, his expression guarded, “Son. I see you’ve returned. How is Bair?” He asks while looking down at the papers in front of him.
My magic thrums in my veins at his nonchalant tone. “Shit.” I say flatly. “But that shouldn’t come as a surprise.”
He hums feigned concern, “and you’ve brought new men with you. New recruits for your personal force?”
A smile twitches at my lips. “Sort of.”
My father looks up at that, “sort of?” He asks while everyone else at the table exchange a look. From the corner of my eye I see a curious black tendril curling around my ankle.
“Yeah. See, they’re more of an experiment. On loan to me if you will, to see if we work well together.” The furrow in his brow deepens.
“On loan?” My father’s right hand councilman, Lord Birk, pipes up just as Eveera’s presence slips into my mind. Her magic grows as it slides up my body and coils around my neck. An odd sensation rolls over my skin as her fingers graze down my back, the soft touch feeling far more intimate than I am sure is intended.
“What is this?” Lord Birk speaks again, waving his hands around to gesture at me. I look down and my body looks like it’s been wrapped in macabre ribbon. “Who loaned you these men?” Birk pushes while my father’s eyes flash at me. I notice my mother inch closer to him and her hand curls around his bicep.
Eveera carefully steps out from behind me, her hand position mimicking that of my mother. I dip my chin down to gaze over her as her magic slinks back into her tattoos, her fingers gripping a little tighter as they do so.
A wicked smile forms on her rosy lips. “I did.”
She didn't hold that position long, her hands now folded more professionally behind her back. “ That’s one way to make an introduction. ” I whisper down the seal taking the opportunity to reach behind her and lock a finger with hers, showing her that in this room we are still on the same side as she did for me only moments ago.
Her voice is still and calm as she replies . “Just playing my role, as you reminded me.”
“What have you done?” Lord Birk shouts, whipping his head back and forth between our brigade and my father. “Your Highness, they’ve they-it’s TREASON!”
“Arrest us then.” Eveera says, her shoulders shrugging.
I snap my head down at her. “Want to clue me in here?” I press into her mind but she's quiet in there. I let go of her finger and move my hand up to cup her shoulder. Absentmindedly I find my thumb drawing lazy circles on the exposed skin. “You would arrest your own prince?” I dare, Birk’s eyes narrowing in on me.
My father’s hand scrubs down his clean shaven face , “it’s an intriguing thought. Might serve you right - I could’ve sworn I told you not to seek out their help. And yet, here you are joined at the hip with whom I can only assume is the elusive Queen of Obsidian.”
I huff. “It was a mistake to dismiss my suggestion. The directives Bair has received have left us wide open for attack. You gave Bennett and I practically useless formations and faulty instructions. It was no wonder Hadar’s Guards had almost infiltrated our borders and without the Obsids they would’ve succeeded only a few days ago.” My words come out in a shout.
My father taps his finger against his chin, “bold of you to assume my directives were useless. Even more bold to seek help from such a notorious royal. ”
Eveera’s shoulders straighten. “I’ll take that as a thank you.” She quips.
His eyes cut sharp, “take it as you will. You’ll fit right in with my son who seems to be interpreting my words as a great many things these days.” He looks at Eveera and her guards before leveling his gaze on my two men. “You two are very lucky I am feeling merciful today.” Will sucks in a breath. “I should strip you both of your rank for going along with my son’s antics. But I won’t - this time.” Both of their heads droop and they take that as their cue to exit the council room and wait for us outside.
“We will discuss things later.” My father says, his words a command not a suggestion.
“Can’t wait.” I mutter, gripping onto her and pulling her back with me all the way back out in the hall. I was anticipating that to be more eventful than it was. “Bennett, will you take Eveera’s men to where your quarters are and find them rooms. Have one of the servants set them up accordingly.” He gives me a nod corralling her men around to follow him. I grab her by the elbow and start dragging her down the opposite way, towards my room.
She yanks at her arm trying to loosen my hold, “is there a reason you are manhandling me, princeling?” She snaps yanking at her arm again, “could you- UGH! Let go of me?” I shake my head, pulling her up the white marble stair that will spit us out into The Glass Hall. Looking over my shoulder I see she has her free hand up to shield her eyes. “Must everything be so bloody bright? Have you people never heard of curtains?”
I laugh. “Don’t ask me, ask my mother.”
She grimaces, “rather not.” The frosted glass doors of my bedroom come into view, the glass shaking as I slam them closed behind us.
“There.” I say letting go of her arm and walking into the space that looks as untouched as I left it. “Now before we talk about our next steps. Bedroom is to the left and the bathroom is through there.” I point in the direction of the two rooms as I take a seat on one of the gaudy couches.
She folds her arms across her chest, my eyes darting up to avoid staring at how little coverage she has in that position. “I don’t understand.” She says.
I stretch out across the couch, “well considering the circumstances, and my father’s…reaction, I didn’t think it would be safe for you to have your own quarters.”
“All apart of your plan to make us look romantically involved?” She gags on the phrase, while tilting her head to peek in the bedroom and back at me. “There’s only one bed.” A statement not a question.
I move my head up and down in exaggerated motion. “Mhmm.”
She scoffs, “you didn’t mention that a piece of your plan was us sharing a bedroom.” Her voice turning accusatory.
“Told you we’d need to be convincing.” Turning on her heel she marches into my room and shuts the door behind her. I pat the cushion underneath my head. The couch is comfortable enough but…I peer up at the closed doors. I’m going to have to convince her to let me stay in the room somehow.
My eyes close, resting and waiting for her to decide to come out of the room. A knock sounds outside and Bennett peeks his head in accompanied by a blonde that I actually like, “how’d she take the news of you sharing a room?” He asks.
I hop up reaching for my bourbon on the mantle. I pour each of us a glass, “she was pissed. How did you think she’d respond to the news.” Millie - the blonde - covers her mouth, smothering a laugh. “It is not funny.”
“A girl immune to your wiley personality? Even with your reputation you’ve had girls pawing at you since we were children. ”
I roll my eyes and Bennett loops his arm around her shoulders, sipping his drink. “That woman doesn’t paw, she mauls, so it’s probably better that she doesn’t want to sidle up close with you brother. Good luck with her Millie.”
Millie looks between all of us and then at my bedroom door before whispering, “is she really that bad?”
At that exact moment, Eveera decides to come out, her eyes landing instantly on Millie. “You’re new.”
Millie straightens and extends her hand to introduce herself. Eveera looks her up and down, “why does she have that face?” Millie’s smile melts quickly while Bennett fails to hold in his laugh.
“ Be nice.” I reprimand.
“Why?” She wonders.
“ Because she is being nice." I smirk down into my empty glass. Forgetting for a moment that no one else knows about the mind link side effect of the blood seal. The three of their faces are filled with curiosity. “Ahem,” I clear my throat, “this is Millicent. She will be your lady in waiting while you reside at court.”
The queen gives her another once over, Millie’s hand still suspended in the air. She reaches out, pushing Millie’s hand back down to her side and looks directly at me, “I just came out here to ask where you put my men.”
I nod to Bennett who backs up towards the door. “That’s my cue.” He mouths and guides Eveera out of the room.
I pat Millie on her shoulder, “that answer your question?” She shakes off my hand before going into my room and unpacking the queen’s things. “She’s a means to an end, Mil, don’t worry!” I shout but as I say the words a part of me doesn’t believe them.