CHAPTER XVI #2
Marybeth stalks over to her sister with concern etched across her entire face. “You were there, Alanna. Longer than me and I still remember! What more could you wish to see?”
“Many years have passed, Mary,” Alanna nods solemnly, “I’ll take a confirmation of those memories. These two will take an introduction.”
Marybeth turns to both Cal and I in small anger, her eyes darting over our Knowledge green and gold attire.
“We were unaware, Lady,” Cal replies softly, his brown eyes holding Marybeth’s in genuine apology, “we are unaware.”
Her features soften with a sigh at Cal’s words, nodding in understanding.
“This is the sole reason why Gaumond and the Court of Warriors exists. If your travel to Woodlands Court will open more eyes to the truth then I surely will not fight against it. I only worry for my sister’s well-being.”
Alanna rolls her eyes as Cal gives Marybeth a solemn nod, “she rides with me and a company of Warrior and Knowledge men, Lady. We will not let anything happen…” he turns my way, “to either of them.”
“Notwithstanding the fact that I can defend myself,” Alanna shakes her head at Cal. I smirk at the fiery blonde Discerni. She can certainly defend herself properly.
Marybeth turns to her sister with questioning eyes, her voice soft, “will you visit the grave for me? Visit Jo-”
Alanna shakes her head sharply, her quick demeanor cutting her sister off. Marybeth frowns as Alanna picks up all four drinks and walks towards the table that Cal and I stand in front of, ignoring whatever Marybeth’s small request was meant to be.
“Plus,” Alanna sets the drinks down and speaks to us all, changing the conversation, “I wish to spend some time in the Palisades. My travel into Bardot before grabbing these two only allowed for a two-night’s stay in the castle,” she looks at Cal and I with feigned sadness in her eyes, “very disappointing.”
My friend and I look at eachother with grins before he replies, “we shall entertain you in the Palisades, Alanna. You will not be disappointed.”
“Agreed,” I smile.
While the pubs aren’t as open and friendly as Gaumond and don’t have the same interaction between humans and Discerni as they do here, she’ll still have a good time.
“So you visit me here in long goodbye then, sister?” Marybeth takes a seat at the table. Cal and I reach for the ales as the sisters grab their toddies, the three of us taking a seat as well.
“Yes,” Alanna replies, eyes moving to Cal with a grin, “and to request some smoke for the road.”
Marybeth laughs and holds out her drink, “but of course.”
We salute and relax in our chairs, enjoying an early morning drink before setting off. Marybeth immediately inquires about their father in Fumagalli, to which Cal and I gently ignore with a friendly banter of our own.
“My eyes have to be deceiving me,” Marybeth turns my way, “but is that a hawk under your hair, Alexis?”
The dim lighting of the tavern allows Stormfall to hide under my hair easily, his black feathers looking like shadows against my skin. I bring my finger up to his chest and stroke it softly, watching as Marybeth gasps at his opening yellow eyes.
“This is Stormfall,” I smile at her as Storm grips my collarbone, his beak opening wide in a yawn. Alanna sinks farther into her seat as her sister leans forward with a wide smile plastered across her face in greeting.
“Hello, little one.”
“Not so little from the first time we met him,” Alanna grumbles.
Isn’t that the truth.
In another fortnight I suspect that Storm will no longer be able to hide under my hair, that he’ll have to take up residence at the edge of my shoulder.
That is, until I decide what to do about his Ancient.
Keane implored of me to wait Hirovale out, but I still have deeply reserved feelings about him.
“He sleeps in the morning,” I offer Marybeth in apology. Storm curls back up under my ear and closes his eyes again.
“Another first from Knowledge,” she laughs, eyes sparkling at Cal and I, “shall we cheers in your fashion?”
Alanna’s sister stands up quickly, walking behind her pub counter to pour four more glasses of toddy.
Cal and I look at eachother with a grin as Alanna rolls her eyes again and reaches down to her riding pants under the table.
I laugh when Marybeth brings the four glasses to our table and drops them down with a little gusto.
“Something isn’t right,” Alanna frowns, holding a small slab of oak in her hand, “Desmond is requesting our group now, at the bottom rise. He has Holis and Mana with him.”
Cal shrugs at the news, “starting the travel earlier, then.”
Alanna pulls an oak pen out of her pocket and hastily etches a reply before standing up.
“Once more, sister, before you leave,” Marybeth stands with her, “as I don’t know how long your travels will take you away this time.”
Cal and I share a quick look and stand up, accepting the small drinks Marybeth hands our way.
“To a revealing and safe travel to Woodlands,” she says.
The four of us clank the glasses together and down the drink, my gut tingling with a sense of foreboding that reaches deep within my bones.
“The Leviathans have requested an audience,” Desmond’s hard voice announces to our group outside the massive gates, “His Highness will remain in Gaumond and wait for Lord Daniel as he escorts their delegation through Fumagalli and the Black Forest. They will be riding a day behind us to meet with the King.”
I shift in my saddle and glance at the small traveling crew next to me. Holis is to my right with his brother and Cal next to him. Alanna is seated next to Barnes and Sutton, while Tripler is seated atop his horse next to Desmond.
I frown at the news.
The Leviathans wish to enter our lands? Only a few days after one of their Princes attempted to steal me into the night?
What in the Old World is going on? And why would King Zander accept?
Desmond catches my gaze and nods me forward.
“Ride with me, Lady Alexis.”
I sigh at the Master Informer and urge Millie to the front of the group. He nods in greeting before leading us down the Great Road, the look of cool collectiveness consuming his features.
“Lord Daniel will ride with the delegation through Fumagalli, no stop,” he states quietly.
I understand his comment.
The delegation from Livyatan will not spend a night in the village, meaning that they will not have the chance to assess the missing pieces that I put together in three days.
Desmond reaches over his horse, Raven, and hands me a bundle wrapped in cloth. I take it in curiosity and then smile at the weight, the bulk of it already feeling familiar in my hand.
“Your blades.”
I casually wrap Millie’s reins around the horn of her saddle and pull the cloth back.
My larger dagger is waiting at the front with the smaller nestled just under it.
I happily fashion both to the straps beneath my boots before I notice there’s something else in the bundle.
The sight makes me still in my seat, my eyes quickly darting to Desmond as I grip the oak slab in hesitation.
“Desmond?”
The Master Informer gives me a curt nod, his eyes darting down to the thin oak pen I try to hide with my fingers.
“Both are for you.”
No.
Absolutely not.
Humans are not allowed. I am not allowed.
“We don’t know if it will work,” he continues, “but my brother thinks it’s worth a try.”
“No,” I extend my hand to him with both pieces, “this isn’t right. Take it back.”
The Master Informer shakes his head with a small smirk, my words having no effect. I diligently retract my hand and hide the pieces from the group behind us, not knowing what to do with either.
“I’ll be tried if I’m caught with these,” I whisper.
“Another Old World rule we’ll seek to overturn,” Desmond says quietly, more to himself than to me.
I frown at the comment, wondering if him and his brother are aligned in Hirovale’s sentiment. Do they want to see magic restored to humans? Because that’s what this gesture is certainly alluding to.
I glance down at the oak slab and pen resting in my lap, shaking my head in denial as I swiftly cover them both with the cloth.
“Think of the person you wish to write to and envision them in your mind,” Desmond explains quietly, “when you write, keep their likeness in your thoughts.”
“Stop,” I whisper in a panic.
“Alexis…”
“No,” I reiterate, “take it back, Desmond. I will be tried.”
“By whom?” he shrugs again, “who will tell? Certainly not me or my brother. Nor the group following behind us. Write in secret, if that makes you feel more comfortable.”
“There’s no way.”
“Perhaps not,” he nods in agreement, “or… perhaps it will work. We will not know until you try.”
I hastily push the bundle into the bag at my hip, removing it from eyesight and out of mind. My fingers skim Golem’s jar on instinct, feeling his vibration almost instantly and lending me a sense of comfort.
“One more thing,” Desmond turns to me in his saddle.
He gives me a hard look, his features sharpening into the man that I used to avoid in the halls of Castle Bardot.
“The Prince has informed me of your intentions surrounding our brother…”
I scowl at the Master Informer.
“You will not engage, Alexis. Leave Troy to us.”
“Desmond,” I huff at his side, “if only.”
Desmond looks at me with a serious glint in his eyes.
“Do not engage,” he repeats, “I will follow you day and night if that is what it takes, Lady.”
I glare at him in open defiance. “I don’t care for you.”
Desmond gives a cool laugh, his lips curving into a small smile, “fine by me.”
I roll my eyes and reach for Millie’s reins on the saddle, thinking of the Leviathan group that accosted ours in the Plains.
“Tell me about them.”
Desmond stares at the road ahead in consideration.
“You know I met the Prince,” I continue, “Prince Yiannis.”
“The middle of three,” he nods.
“Tell me about him,” I repeat, “about his summoning. I watched his hair move, Desmond. What was that?”