Chapter 5 Faolan
FIVE
FAOLAN
The voyage was long, but time was short.
I had the deck to myself because most everyone retired.
The quiet collapsed around me almost making me uncomfortable.
I stood on the top deck, steering the massive ship while watching The Light Kingdom come into view.
It’s architecture was like nowhere else I realized, as parts of it came into view.
Large buildings with huge windows and all of them airy, which allowed one to enjoy the wonderful weather of the kingdom.
The rest of the crew didn’t know it yet, their sight not as good as mine, but we’d be there by morning.
I was sure they’d all be eager to get off the ship after the last couple of weeks cooped up in their quarters, not allowed to mix with our passengers.
Sailing at this time of night was almost like being in a trance. If anything, it was the closest to the Goddess I ever felt. Maybe that’s why I kept coming back to the sea.
A creek on one of the deck boards broke me from my trance.
“Who’s there?” I called out, not expecting who answered.
“Tis only I,” the prince replied.
I’d barely seen him the whole voyage. He’d kept to himself and barely left his stateroom. As his cabin was nicer than the rest of the ship combined, I didn’t blame him. As far as I could tell, he didn’t want to be here any more than Kol did.
It took me a moment to remember how Nyx briefed me on how to speak to the prince. We didn’t have royals in Kerani, and I had little respect for authority at the best of times, but I had to do this right or risk drawing attention to myself. “To what do I owe the pleasure, Your Highness?”
“No need for formalities. I’m merely restless, and I thought a stroll would help distract my mind.
I didn’t expect anyone to be up.” The young prince stepped into view.
He was pale and blond, taller than I expected up close and well-muscled for someone who’d never worked a day in his life.
Not at all like his father, the King. He must take after his mother.
I inclined my head and bowed. “Sorry to invade your privacy, but the ship won’t steer itself.”
He laughed softly. “As I am realizing. My mistake. I will return to my cabin.”
I held up a hand. “No need, Your Highness. If it’s fresh air you need, this is the best time to take it in privacy.”
“It’s not so much the privacy as the formality I grow weary of. I don’t want to disrupt the crew’s jobs by making them feel like they have to stop and bow. I’m a distraction.”
“Can you blame them? They don’t want to get beheaded or something—” I almost forgot but quickly added, “Your Highness.” To the end.
He looked to the heavens. “It’s Alaric.”
“I don’t think so, Your Highness. I know my place.” I inclined my head again playfully.
“I could order you to call me by my real name,” Alaric teased in return.
“You could, and then maybe I’d have some argument with your father before he sends me to the gallows.” I winked before looking at the sky to get an idea of what he was staring at.
“Have you worked on ships long?” He approached the deck, putting a hand on the carved wood rail. “May I come up?”
“Forgive me for being so forward, but you can do whatever the hell you please, Your Highness.”
“Alaric, please.” He took the stairs one at a time, regal even when he wasn’t trying to be.
“Alaric,” I tested the word on my tongue. “You are free to explore the ship as you please.”
He lowered his gaze, meeting my eyes. “Not that we’ll have much time.”
I cocked my head. “How do you know we’re getting close to shore?”
“I can smell it. Can’t you? The air in the different kingdoms isn’t the same as at sea.”
I lifted my nose to sniff the air, finding a subtle difference I might not have paid any attention to had he not pointed it out. “I don’t think I’ve ever noticed before.”
“I’m surprised you haven’t, seeing as much of the kingdoms as you surely do.
” He stopped at the top of the stairs to lean against the rail, but I couldn’t get a read on him.
Fae didn’t usually notice differences like that.
But no one said anything about him being a dragon or any other kind of shifter who might have enhanced senses.
I was sure he was just fae like his father and the rest of the royal line.
“Me too.” I felt a breeze and turned to look at the horizon. I needed to alter course if we were about to experience some kind of weather.
Wings flapped in the dark, and I sighed with relief as Kol drew them back and dropped onto the deck.
He stood shirtless and crossed his arms over his chest. Several days of taking flights in the night sky had done him a world of good.
It wasn’t the sun on his skin he needed to heal, it was the wind in his wings.
“Why not fully shift?” I asked. My question was purely curiosity, but Kol’s expression told me it was not a flippant subject to him. He glanced down at the tattoo on his chest.
“I’m not sure I can,” he said simply. “But it’s nice to at least be able to fly again.”
I cocked my head in question, but couldn’t think of words. That had to be a fate worse than death for a dragon, surely? “You can’t shift?”
I knew he had extensive poisoning, and the healers weren’t sure he’d ever wake up, let alone what the permanent damage would be.
“I’m still healing. My captors used Dragon's Bane to cut me off from my magic and my dragon while they held me. The healers think I should be able to now, or soon. They’ve been extracting the Bane from my system slowly, but some still remains.
” He fingers found some of what looked like the mostly faded tattoo.
It showed how strong he must have been in his prime to withstand all that he did.
I leaned in. “Are those tattoos?”
“With Dragon's Bane mixed into the ink. Yeah. Would not recommend.”
“No kidding.” I shuddered with second-hand pain. “Have you tried shifting?” I’d want to die if I couldn’t connect with my dragon. I don’t know how he’s made it this long. Poor guy.
Kol shook his head. “Nothing more than the wings. I still feel cut off to some extent—I can’t explain it. But part of me doesn’t want to push it only to find out that part of me no longer exists.”
I winced. I didn’t want to think what that must be like.
I averted my eyes, half nodding towards the prince to give him a heads up we were not alone, in case he hadn’t noticed.
“Did you have a nice flight?” I asked to try and change the course of the conversation.
I didn’t know when he’d left. I must have been taking my rest.
Kol looked in the direction I gestured and immediately dipped into a slight bow. “My apologies, I didn’t see you there, Your Highness.”
“We used to be friends, Kol. You don’t need to call me that.” Alaric sounded hurt.
“I would never assume. It’s been many years since that time,” he replied. I could sense he had his walls up, which made me curious about their history.
“I never meant for it to end,” Alaric said carefully.
Kol lifted his brows. “You know he wanted you to himself.”
“I know.” Alaric exhaled like it was a weight on his chest. “But that was never anything against you or Nyx.”
“It felt like it was.” Kol softened a little. “We didn’t stop seeking you out to hurt you. We thought it would be easier for you, too, if we left you alone.”
“It probably was easier.” Alaric shook his head. “I bet he would have made my life harder had you two not stopped being my friends.”
“He’s kind of a dick,” Kol said unapologetically.
“He’s always had a lot of pressure on him from our father.” Alaric lifted his shoulders, and I couldn’t tell which side of it he was on. “But you’re right. He’s kind of a dick, and he was being possessive. I don’t blame either of you for not wanting to deal with it. It just sucked.”
I took note of this small bit of history, not sure where it would be relevant, but I’d take anything I could to do my job well.
I would do what Nyx asked, but I was staying as far out of politics as possible.
I refused to get invested in their world and get sucked back into a government that wouldn’t listen to me. I did that enough in Kerani.
“It’s been a long time,” Kol stepped forward, placing a hand on the prince’s shoulder and giving it a squeeze. “I have missed you.”
Alaric half-smiled. “I’ve missed you, too.”
I got the feeling both males wanted to embrace, but whether it was touch aversion from his trauma or simply royal protocol that stayed Kol’s hand, the prince seemed equally reluctant to make that move, so they just stood for a long moment, years of regret tangible between them.
“Can you believe all this?” Kol gazed off towards shore, breaking the moment. “I can’t believe you’re even old enough to get married.”
“We are the same age, and you’ve been in the military for years, and you can’t believe I’m about to get married?” Alaric sounds amused.
“It’s different. You were always—“ Kol cut himself off.
“Say it,” Alaric insisted, but it wasn’t a command.
“Just…” Kol shook his head, brows pulling like he searched for the right word. “We protected you. I know we’re the same hatch year, but you were always more innocent than the rest of us, I guess.” Kol looked distant, as if he were reliving a memory, but one that didn’t quite feel right.
“I know I was. Arkyn wanted it that way.”
“How does he feel about you doing this by yourself?” Kol asked.
“Someone had to go pick up our brides, and he certainly wasn’t going to do it. He won’t leave the capital while there is any danger in the kingdoms. Besides, he barely takes a break from fucking, how would he have time?”
Kol barked a laugh. “He’s still up to all that, even with a bride on her way?”
“You know Arkyn, his pleasure comes before all things.”
“It should never come before you,” Kol challenged.
“I’m the spare, remember? I do anything he decrees, and I keep my opinions to myself. If I’m not behind him, then I’m deemed a challenger to his claim to the crown, and we know what happens to challengers.”
Kol closed his eyes in understanding. I, too, was beginning to understand that the heir was more of a dick than I had even assumed.
He used his brother to do anything he couldn’t be bothered to do himself, including putting his life on the line by traveling the kingdoms in his stead.
And if Alaric had anything to say about it, he’d be dealt with as a challenger to the throne? Lovely.
Kol’s eyes darkened. “You have to stop letting him rule your life.”
“He’s my future king, and I’m sworn to serve him. What else can I do?”
“You’re allowed to have your own life too.” Kol stepped closer.
“Am I?” Alaric asked, dragging his gaze down Kol’s naked chest. He probably wasn’t as comfortable with nudity as we dragons were, but he seemed okay with Kol’s.
Interesting.
I was a little surprised they were having this conversation in front of me, but I didn’t dare move and remind them of my presence.
It was fascinating to watch them rekindling what I could only assume had once been a close bond, and I didn’t want them to take the conversation elsewhere and miss anything.
I listened to them catching up until the early hours of the morning when my relief came to take over the steering of the ship.
They didn’t discuss anything heavy and stayed mostly on reminiscences and light subjects, but they had made progress, and it warmed me to see.
I didn’t want to break it up, but we were nearing shore.
“You two should prepare, as I’m sure we’ll be met with a welcoming party before long.”