Chapter 38 #3
“Gone, it’s fairly recent, we were... very close.” I said with
watery eyes and shaky breath. She gave me a sympathetic look.
“If there was the possibility of one than there is a possibility of more in this region, if we could somehow find them and bond them to our best riders, it would be a huge advantage in the movement, especially if they wielded both water and fire.” The Viscount pondered aloud.
“I’m sorry, …the movement? Are you leading some kind of rebellion?” I asked.
“No, Lady Delilah, I’m leading a revolution.
Many years in the making, I groomed my son for council life so that when he was of age he could infiltrate the inner workings in Embris, while I managed things here in Ashenport.
There are many Fire Fae who are tired of the tyranny of the ways of the old, the council and its obsession with Holy Law, acting as the governing body for the Temple has done nothing but slaughter and enslave innocent Fae for thousands of years, and now their stubbornness to abolish slavery will either kill or capture everyone who calls this land home by the Water and Shadow Fae armies. ”
“But why share all of this with me? I don’t understand.” I said.
“The High Lords motivation for cleansing the kingdom of the council was not political…it was a matter of the heart, Delilah. You have proven to be extremely valuable to the High Lord. Our hope is that you will sympathize with our position and convince the High Lord to join the revolution.”
Realization settled in. They did not know.
“You have a bigger problem than that right now, Folliade found his mother in Titus’s castle spell bound as a Fire Fae high healer. Titus believes he will be invading in a matter of days.”
I heard a fork drop and three sets of lilac eyes, and one set of amber looked at me with shock and fear. When no one said anything, I asked.
“Did Titus not tell you the night I was captured, Antonias?” “He mentioned it the night we apprehended you, but I assumed it was a bluff meant to scare the council and deter them from taking you. We had little time to form a plan for your rescue; I had to leave right away to stage my accident and when I returned Holy Guards had already taken him for the ritual.” He replied fearfully.
I nodded, and the complicated pieces of this kingdom’s politics were slowly starting to fall into place. All but one. A brave wave of anger filled my chest like a balloon.
“You said, you had been grooming Antonias for years, yet Titus planned the murder of the council only a couple days ago, were you planning on…removing him too?” I asked boldly, throwing harsh intensity with my stare at the Viscount.
He looked down at his plate and pressed his lips into a line, a flicker of what seemed to be remorse appeared on his face. Then his mate spoke for him—
“Water Fae are peaceful creatures by nature, because they were so close in age, we were trying to use our son to get through to him by some kind of friendship, but after almost a year Antonias made little to no progress with Lord Titus—he too seemed very set in the old ways—but it would seem you got through to him much quicker, and we are very grateful to you Lady Delilah, now we could have a powerful High Lord on our side.”
“If he lives! Tell me the truth! Were you planning to kill my mate before he unknowingly switched sides to a revolution he knew nothing about?” I snapped.
The Viscount cleared his throat and finally spoke, “The truth is…yes, at some point, he was supposed to be ended with the council, but then fate intervened and he gave us the perfect opportunity to assassinate the council by staging an attack to which he welcomed death to save you, him surviving was not a part of the plan, but now he has a chance, and with his power so does the revolution for real change and reform to separate our government from Holy Law.”
“Please try to understand Lady Delilah, he was a different male before you came along and changed his heart, he was part of the problem, many Fae suffer under his rule and until recently he hadn’t cared or showed any interest in changing things,” Antonias explained.
I exhaled, and the remainder of my temper left with my breath.
I understood. How could I blame them for wanting change and wanting to eliminate those in power who refused to grant them such simple basic rights?
I also understood that until Cercies and I had a heart to heart with Titus, he was part of the problem. Hell, I hated him too at first.
“As long as you have no future plans to harm him, then I believe we want the same things, and would like to be your allies.” I replied calmly.
“Wonderful!” The Viscount exclaimed. “With the council gone we now have a clear path to remove Holy Laws from governing laws, but there will still be loyalists, nobles, and dignitaries, who will push to fill the council seats. Change is going to be slow moving, but the matter at hand is we need to prepare for the invasion of Folliade’s army.
If my soldiers can combine forces with those of General Cercie’s, and fight off the attack, we would gain the favor of the people, be seen as the heroes who saved the kingdom, ushering in a new wave of support for change.
Our victory would persuade all of those both high and low born who oppose to join and support the movement. ”
“So, you need Cercies’s army?” I asked.
“Yes, but he likely wouldn’t join on my behalf, I would need someone with more pull, like the High Lord…Say, I’m curious…with the High Lords condition unknown… what is your relationship like with the General?” He asked.
Heat rushed to my face. How well did I know him? Pretty damn well—more familiar than I’d like to be, actually. I cleared my throat.
“The General and I are…acquainted, and he has more motivation to join the cause than you think, he recently found his fated mate and was pushing the council for change so that he could be her mate officially and blood bind her, of course the council refused and I just so happen to be his fated’s best friend. ”
The family exchanged grins of approval and smiled into their wine cups. After taking a drink of the sweet red the Viscount said, “Then you Lady Delilah, just became our biggest asset.”
“I say, you have a knack for politics Lady Delilah, it would be wise of the High Lord to have you rule by his side. I had hoped my Alina would take to the family trade, but alas her passion is on dragon-back.” The Viscountess said.
I looked to the young half breed female; she looked miserably bored, her elbow on the table and face leaned against her palm, twirling her fork.
“You fly? I didn’t think females were allowed?” I asked.
“I don’t fly; I swim… I have a water dragon in the sea, thanks to mother I have the ability to breathe under water, that’s how I get away with it, nobody can see me beneath the waves.” She explained.
“That’s incredible! I would love to meet your dragon sometime.” I said to Alina.
She smiled and nodded enthusiastically.
Just then, the glass French doors opened abruptly, and Sanaris barged in. “Pardon the interruption, but the high healer arrived early, Lord Titus is awake!”