CHAPTER XIX #5
I turn sharply to the blonde Discerni and begin laughing, laughing at the fire behind her question because I know she’ll do no ass kissing of her own tonight.
“I asked the Prince the same question….”
“And?”
“Prince Isham knows I am not fond of him or his group. I do not intend to fight with him, but I also do not intend to be friendly. In fact, if at all possible, I wish to avoid him altogether tonight. But we’ll see how that goes.”
“Good,” Alanna gives a hard nod as the two of us walk back to the door.
“Stormfall,” I turn and glance to the Bird of Ash outside, “are you ready to make your debut to the Kingdom of Disce?”
Storm gives a strong caw and then flies directly through both rooms, landing on my shoulder in proud grace.
“You as well, Golem,” I nod to my magical friend in respect, “I should enjoy and appreciate your attendance at court tonight.”
Alanna shifts beside me as Golem bows his head with a rare grin.
“You will be making a statement, human,” Alanna says quietly, “are you prepared for that?”
I set my shoulders straight and look back at Golem, then glance down at my beautiful emerald dress and Stormfall perched on my shoulder. All of us will be making a statement tonight. There will be no more hiding.
We depart my room and move through the second floor of the castle as a ragtag crew again.
There’s no stopping the open gazes that greet us in the halls, and no stopping the gazes that turn back and do a double take when we reach the Great Oak.
I grin at everyone commenting on our small group behind their hands and move towards Holis who’s speaking with Sutton and Triple under one of the oak’s limbs.
Tripler spots Alanna and I with wide eyes, his flirtatious grin beaming in approval as his sister follows his gaze.
Holis, Barnes and the three Warrior soldiers all turn in our direction, each of them hiding their looks of shock at the arrival of Storm and Golem.
I give the group a deep smile of appreciation.
Everyone here has seen me with Stormfall over the past fortnight and has kept their suspicions of the Bird of Ash a secret. They’ve also kept quiet about the travel and relationship I’ve formed with the King’s Golem, earning my deep respect.
“This is going to be an interesting night,” Sutton bounds forward with an amused smile, reaching around me for a hug.
“It will be,” I grin as her brother approaches.
“Lady Alexis,” he nods, grinning from ear to ear.
“And what has you so happy, Tripler?” I laugh at him, glancing over his rich black tunic and pants.
With the exception of Holis and I, the full of our small group is adorned in pure black, though Tripler, unsurprisingly, outmatches all of our attire.
He’s dressed as a royal and exuding wealth, carrying himself as the self-made man he is.
“I just can’t wait to see all of their faces tonight,” he chuckles, eyes roaming over my dress before glancing at Stormfall and Golem at each of my sides.
“They won’t know what to do with themselves,” Sutton grins in agreement.
“We shall all try to keep our faces straight then,” I laugh, greeting the three soldiers and Barnes with a nod, “though I doubt we’ll be able to do so.”
“Not a chance to the Ancients, Lady Alexis,” Nathaniel shakes his head.
“Holis,” I turn to my friend in green, arching a brow at the sight of his tunic. It’s emerald, nearly the same color as my dress, the two of us so near to wearing the same shade of the dark green of Warrior.
“Will you walk with me?” I ask him softly.
Holis gives a quiet nod and moves to my side, letting me lead him and the group past the Great Oak and towards the loud conversations already taking place within the room used for court.
“I hope… truly…” I start with a small frown, unable to find the right words.
“Don’t, Alexis,” he shakes his head with a smile, his blue-green eyes sparkling back in affection, “you are the Ancient’s chosen, and he has his reasons for what he is asking of you. But always remember that we chose you. We have from the beginning.”
“Thank you,” I whisper quietly.
His words mean more to me than he’ll ever know.
Holis pushes his shoulder playfully into mine before he slows his walk at the entry doors. We both glance inside to see the court already filled and buzzing with chatter, the two of us smiling at eachother before we lead the way inside.
To say that the chatter of the room stopped immediately the moment we entered would be an understatement.
The full of the court is now set in a silent commotion, with every single table that we walk by stopping their conversations and turning to watch our group.
Their eyes take in the black and the dark green of Holis and I, then narrow on the brown of Golem’s robes as he moves silently at my side.
They then turn to look at Stormfall and gasp when the Bird of Ash spreads his wings, many of those people openly pointing at the sight and the power Storm exudes.
Almost all of the older Discerni men around Zander’s age are looking at Golem with scowls.
They then turn to look at the King for his reaction and scowl even more, their narrowed eyes wondering why he still retains his welcoming smile.
I try to keep my eyes level on Zander as we walk forward but there’s no stopping my gaze as it takes in the table up front.
Both the Queen and Troy are looking back at me with visibly upset features, though the Queen is the first to school her face when King Zander stands up from his chair with another smile.
I let my gaze move to Prince Isham on Troy’s left, noting that he has eyes trained on me and only me.
He has a small, dark smile gracing his lips that tells me the wheels in his mind are moving, though whatever he’s thinking doesn’t look friendly at all.
I narrow my eyes on the Leviathan Prince and feel Stormfall do the same, returning his dark smile with a nod of my head that makes the Prince’s grin only grow wider.
“Lady Alexis,” King Zander replies when we stop at his table, “we thank you again for hosting our friends from Warrior.”
“The pleasure is mine, Your Grace,” I nod and stand from my curtsy. If Zander is surprised at all by my entry with Golem he does not let it show. Instead he keeps his smile broad as his eyes flick to Stormfall.
“And you come tonight with another new friend?”
“I do, Your Grace,” I reply loudly for all the room to hear, “found him in my recent travels to the Kingdom of Pyre.”
I turn to Stormfall and reach a hand up to stroke his proud chest. “Would you like to say hello to him, Your Grace?”
“I would,” the King nods, voice also carrying over the quiet court.
I look at the Bird of Ash with a side grin, shrugging just slightly.
Stormfall grips my shoulder and then pushes off in flight, his black mass soaring between our group to the table with ease.
Zander lifts his arm into the air just as Storm lands on his wrist, the Bird of Ash stretching his long black wings to the court and making himself known again.
The collective room stares at the King in awe, murmuring in both excitement and fear. Stormfall’s wings arch widely past the King’s shoulders and land right where Keane stands, his amused eyes catching mine for a brief moment before I look back at the King.
“And what have you named him, Lady Alexis?”
“Stormfall, Your Grace,” I share proudly as Storm allows the King to stroke his chest, “and I should like to thank you, also, for the aid of our friend Golem in my travels as well.”
The Queen shifts besides her husband, her icy blue gaze meeting mine before traveling back to Golem beside me.
“That pleasure is mine, Lady Alexis,” he grins.
A few people in the room gasp from behind, understanding the King’s admittance that Golem was freely gifted to me. I feel our friend shift at my side and give the King a small bow in return, reaching out to Stormfall silently.
Let’s come back now, Storm.
The Bird of Ash turns his head to the side and lets his gaze land directly on Prince Isham. He watches him quietly, cawing when the Prince grimaces and moves a hand to his hair, then stretches his wings again before soaring back to my shoulder.
“We have yet to hear of the stories from your travels, Lady Alexis,” the King looks around the full of the court, “but I have no doubt you will be the center of attention for them tonight.”
“You are too kind, Your Grace,” I curtsy again, accepting our dismissal. I follow Holis as he leads our group to the same table as last night, every head in the room trained on us as their quiet glances promise a night full of gossip.
“A full display,” Holis leans into me, shaking his head with a grin.
“One worthy of your Ancient’s Bird of Ash,” I nod as he pulls out a chair.
“I think we could all use a drink,” Sutton laughs.
“I agree,” Alanna grumbles, taking a seat next to me.
Slowly, very slowly, the room finally resumes its normal chatter, though it’s not as lively as when we first walked in.
I turn in my seat to find Golem taking up residence against a wall farther away, though he’s still standing directly behind me.
His clay face gives me a small, quiet smile, and I bow my head deeply to the gesture, forever grateful for his never-ending presence.
“Whiskey and ale,” a serving boy announces from my side.
He has a small look of fear in his eyes as he maneuvers around Stormfall. I recognize him as the same boy who served us last night, his readied drinks no doubt in remembrance of our lively drinking group.
“And a round of half-whiskeys for the table as well,” I smile, mimicking Cal’s order from last night.
Might as well take the edge off.
“Yes, Lady,” he bows, still eyeing Storm.
“There’s no need to be afraid,” I whisper.