Chapter 24 Reunited
Chapter twenty-four
Reunited
Alaceandra
Sorin seems to be fighting some internal battle. I glance at him from time to time as we walk. Anxiety builds within me every step we continue to stay silent. I am about to plead with him to come out with whatever is eating him up, when he finally turns to me, pausing our journey.
“Alaceandra?"
"Yes?" His tone makes my heart drop. Please do not say you are regretting what we did already.
"We need to talk about your betrothal."
I chew on my lip. "What about it?"
He sighs. "If we are going to continue, I need you to know that this is not some one-off thing for me. Now that I have had you, I do not intend on letting you go."
Oh. I squeeze his hand "I do not want to lose you either. There has to be a way we can make this all work."
“Well… there is one way. It is not uncommon in Ptheryeth’s history for the queen to take many suitors and, at the end of their courtship, many husbands.
It has fallen out of practice with the new kings, but it does not mean it was not commonplace before.
The lands will accept your courting of multiple men but only if the prince decides this is acceptable.
An acceptance of polyamory does not denote the acceptance of cheating by any means.
Any allegations of such would diminish you in the eyes of the kingdoms. If you are unopposed to this, I will speak to the prince once we arrive back at Helomasi on the matter. You should know this is my intention.”
I nod. All of that makes sense. I just really hope the prince can see it the same way. It is not like he will not be taking many lovers himself once we are wed. He will be a king after all. Maybe I will not have to lose anyone at the end of this.
“Good. Details can be discussed later, but until then.” He knits his brows.
“Your fire has progressed in intensity and although it does not look like it is causing much damage, we do not know what all you are capable of or if it is the only power you hold. We should try to start controlling it soon.”
I bite my lip. “That is fair, but who is going to train me? Our skills are vastly different. Although it looks like King Demetrius’ guards share my skill.
I heavily doubt they will be allowed or even want to train me.
Likely no one will help me in Helomasi, save you and Sam, but Ptheryeth knows where he is.
” My voice breaks a little, but I clear it and continue.
“No one has even offered the services of scholars to help me understand more about Helomasi’s people.
Frankly they have been avoiding my questions about such topics.
I doubt they will want to teach me more about the powers I possess.
I think the king plans to keep me weak as an attempt to control my actions further.
” I squeak, my foot catching on a stump.
I regain my balance and continue slower than before.
“Even if I had known some who might have knowledge in Tikilium, I doubt they would not welcome me back now that I have been married off, especially without the prince by my side. Ptheryeth knows the prince would not assist me, especially now we are out here in the middle of nowhere.” I glance around.
“He probably thinks I ran off. Who knows who or what is after us now. Or how pissed he is.” I shudder.
There is still Philos. She might have some insight?
I quickly shove the thought away. I do not know if there is anyone skilled in fire in Areletos either.
More than that, I do not want her more mixed up in this than she already is, especially when she is already protecting Mandi.
I take a moment to glance at Sorin, but he is deep in thought. I continue.
“And even if I did somehow know there was someone who could train me, it is not like I could reach out to them. I am pretty sure my letters are being intercepted, at least that is what my elvisera has hinted towards.”
“You act as if all our skills do not stem from one place,” Sorin says.
“If we cannot find someone to teach you, I can try to show you the basics. They are usually the same amongst each skillset. I will teach you the aspects I know which should help you gain some control. When we find Sam, he will teach you too. He specializes in combat.” I raise a brow at him.
“What? He is our disguise master. If situations get dicey, he needs to know how to get out, and they have gotten dicey. Sam is my boss when we are out on missions. There are legions modeled after him in Tikilium, he can work with everyone no matter their skillset.”
“What, really?”
“Of course! He transforms into a killer on the battlefield and is a wizard in pretty much all things strategy. He has taken down whole armies in the past. It would only make sense for him to lead the teams.”
I nod. I guess that would make sense. I just did not realize my gentle rule follower could be so brutal.
“It would be good for him to train you.” The ifs of the situation remained unspoken.
A beat passes. “Besides, the politics of the kingdoms don't really hold sway right now because you are right. We are in the middle of nowhere and unless circumstances change, we are all we have here. We will deal with anyone coming after us when the time comes for that, but until we can either find our way away from here or to a place of safety you will learn control and how to fight and we will survive. Okay? Everything else can come second.”
I nod.
He lowers his voice and stops to cup my face in his hands. “I consider the fact that you were even captured in the first place to be a personal failing of mine. It will not happen again.”
“It is not your-”
“It is,” he says, firmly. “We took you out on too many trips outside of the castle to be so cocky with your safety. As much as we want to be, we will not always be around to protect you. A couple of tricks with a dagger can only get you so far.”
“Okay. We train. I get it. I will take it seriously.”
He throws a beautiful smile my way and we continue walking.
“Good.” A mischievous look passes over Sorin’s features. “Plus, the sooner we can get you control the sooner we can—”
“Fuck off!” A shout reverberates through the trees. Our heads whip in the direction of the noise. The voice sounds familiar. Sorin pushes us behind a tree and some skeletal bushes, holding a finger up for me to stay quiet.
“Is that really what all this is about? I saved your life, multiple times already in spite of you idiots thinking you could outmaneuver me by taking her. A fact that would warrant your death by the way.”
The voices are coming closer, and we hear one of the men sigh. “Threats now? I know you will not kill us for it, it would ruin your little plans to get back at daddy, wouldn’t it?” A voice that sounds a lot like Sam’s retorts.
“You are such a pain in the ass.”
“That’s what I thought.”
My eyes widen, and I go to dart from my hiding place behind the bushes to run into Sam’s arms, when Sorin’s grip tightens, his eyes warning me to be still. I shoot him a quizzical look in response, but he shakes his head and motions towards his ear. Listen. I roll my eyes but comply.
“It has less to do with my daddy as you say and more to do with my Alaceandra. You being dead would complicate my dealings with her.”
“Checkers or chess? Chess and checkers. Stab stab stab.”
“What are you on about now?”
“Oh nothing, just imitating what talking to you sounds like.”
“You insufferable...”
“Oh look! Now you're sounding like a king!”
He, whom I now recognize to be the prince, sighs. “Mocking and name calling, I see.”
“You’re one to talk about name calling with the stupid pet name you gave--”
“Look your obsession with my betrothed does not mean we must be enemies, if we just find her--” Sam’s obsession with me? What is he talking about?
“It’s probably plausible you got a black eye during a fight on our way here, she’d believe that right?”
“You would not be able to get close to hitting me. Are you always this violent?”
“I guess you bring out the best in me.”
An involuntary snort escapes me, and I shoot panicked eyes to Sorin.
“What was that?” Sam says.
“Shut. Up.” The prince replies.
I purse my lips and Sorin shoots me a look that is all at once disappointed and amused.
“Are you two done bickering or should we stay over here?” Sorin yells.
The approaching footsteps halt.
“S-Credour is that you?” Sam says in a whisper. Oh right, the prince does not know their true identities.
“Maybe, depends on who’s asking.”
Sam snorts. “Do you have Lace with you?”
I smile. “I guess it would depend on who’s asking as well.” I reply. We step out from our hiding place, but Sorin keeps me tucked behind him. Giving me a stern look, Sorin walks over to Sam, and they embrace.
One minute I am watching them and the next a huge gust of wind pushes me from behind, the strength of it carrying me over to the prince.
My eyes widen, and I let out a surprised noise.
He uses my momentary disbelief to grab my chin and starts inspecting me with narrowed eyes.
His gaze pauses over a spot on my neck. Briefly I wonder if he is looking at the receding bruising from my encounter with the guard in that awful prison or some other mark courtesy of my and Sorin’s recent escapades in the river.
I meet his eyes in challenge, and he smirks at me.
“Interesting...” He whispers. His gaze now raking over my form, probably trying to document any other evidence or new markings that might be present on my body.
A vine snakes its way around my waist and pulls me back. Sorin stands between me and the prince.
“Respectfully,” Sorin starts, “please—”
“Keep your fucking hands off her,” Sam says pushing his way between Sorin and the prince, getting into the prince's face. “You aren’t married yet. You have no rights to her out here. We will play your little games in your palace but right now lay the fuck off.”
My body is tense, but the prince only laughs, his head tilting at Sam. My jaw drops at Sam’s tone and the prince’s reaction, but when I look at Sorin his face is devoid of any surprise. Instead, he only smirks and lets his vine fall from my body. He walks over to Sam and claps him on the back.
“We have a lot to talk about,” Sorin says and they share a meaningful look.
Sam’s gaze darts to mine and the tension leaves his body. When he looks back at Sorin, he raises his eyebrows. An expression Sorin meets with a grin.
The prince has stopped his laughter and studies the two with interest. “I see...” he mutters to himself. Throwing me a smile, he turns his back on us.
“Well, now that we are all reunited. I am exhausted. Let’s head back to the village.”
“Village?” Sorin and I chorus. I take in both the prince’s and Sam’s appearances and realizing their clothes are noticeably less dirty than ours.
“Yes, the village. You both look like you can use a new change of clothes.” The prince looks pointedly at my torn dress.
Sam’s eyes roam over us both. “For once me and prince fuckhead are in agreeance.” His eyes are sparkling when they look back at me. “Come on, they have food.”
My stomach chooses that moment to growl, and I nod my agreement.
“Can we cool it with the insults?” The prince complains.
“Sure, give me your name and I will call you that instead.”
The prince clenches his jaw then turns and walks into the woods.
Sam grabs my hand. “Come on, Lace, we don’t want to miss dinner.” He pulls me with him through the woods and I, of course, follow.