Clash of Captains

Chapter 28

Devyn swung her legs back and forth, watching from the roof of the stronghold as the still-smoldering battlefield was cleared out beneath them. As soon as news of Kemble's death spread through the ranks, everyone had been quick to drop their weapons. While Devyn had been worried at first that Ledah would gloat about their victory, it became apparent that all of the soldiers on the field were relieved by the man's demise. Some had even complained that they would have liked to see the chancellor killed themselves. While the conversations that murmured through the ranks of soldiers were all generally positive, Devyn still didn't reveal that she had been the one to finish him off. It still seemed strange to her that Kemble's own right hand man had been the one to take him down, even if he hadn't been a person worth protecting.

The Dregian soldiers agreed to help clear the battlefield, and with a few brief orders from Devyn herself, they had all begun to clean up the field. While there had been some minor conflicts between the two sides at first, and there had definitely been some reluctance that both sides had experienced towards working with the enemy, they were all settled quickly and didn't speak aloud a single word of criticism.

Devyn felt a wave of grief wash over her all at once as she caught a whiff of burnt flesh. That had been what they'd decided to do to some of the bodies; at least, those that had been unrecognizable. What had been even more heartbreaking was that some of the riders' own dragons had been the ones to incinerate their bodies. It was fitting, perhaps, but still somber. The thoughts of bodies caused her thoughts to drift towards Rhona. Her friend didn't have any family at home for them; Devyn, being the closest to them, would be the one to give them a burial. She had already decided exactly where she would bury them: not the village of their childhood, where Rhona had few positive memories, but close to the lake where they'd played together. It seemed only right that Rhona should be buried somewhere where they'd only had fun, not sorrow.

A sob caught in her throat at the thought. She was already dreading the burial and what sort of memories the event would dredge up. Devyn shut her eyes, attempting to cast aside the solemn thoughts until she had the time to grieve properly, and felt a hand gently grip hers. She'd forgotten; she wasn't sitting alone.

Devyn opened her eyes, glancing over at Aneira. The girl wasn't looking at her; she was watching the battlefield down below. Her blonde hair was mussed up from riding and fighting, her cheeks smudged with a bit of soot and blood. Aneira seemed to realize that Devyn was staring, because her gaze flitted over to meet hers. Her grey eyes seemed to tie the whole look together, passing on such a serious but beautiful image that Devyn found herself blushing merely upon catching her eye. With the setting sun casting warm colors all across the sky, Aneira looked as if she was on fire, her grey eyes the stones keeping the flames contained. She was an angel who had fallen from the heavens as they burned down around her.

Aneira offered her a teasing smile. She could tell that Devyn was studying her intently. "Something on my face?"

"No, there's nothing... I mean, besides the typical tint of battle." Devyn replied hurriedly. As silence settled around them again, so did the feeling of grief and solitude that had gripped onto Devyn upon Rhona's death. She took a breath, her hands twitching. She didn't want to sit there feeling like that. "It, um, looks good on you, though."

Now it was Aneira's turn to blush. The color that rose to her cheeks only added to the aesthetic. She turned her gaze down to their linked hands, brushing her thumb softly across the back of Devyn's knuckles.

"What are you going to do now that Dreg's without a leader? Are you going to pick up the reins yourself, become chancellor?" Aneira asked eventually, her voice as soft as her touch.

Devyn managed a sharp laugh. "Stars, no," she snapped, before realizing her voice had come out harsher than she'd meant it to. She cleared her throat and picked up a more thoughtful tone. "No. I... I think I'm going to find someone who deserves the position. I couldn't ever fill it myself."

"But, the raven..." The blonde replied in a curious voice. Her eyebrows were furrowed like a small caterpillar on her forehead, as if she was thinking her way through a complicated riddle. Devyn had the sudden urge to run a finger across her brows to smooth them out; however, she managed to hold back. "He chose you over Kemble. That means you're a good person, doesn't it?"

Devyn shrugged. The thought was logical. "Well, I suppose so. But, honestly? I think Chysgod's just in it for the entertainment, the drama. He chose me because I may be a bad person right now, but he wants to see where I end up, if I become even worse or if I'll be a good person."

"You will. At least, I believe it," Aneira whispered in response, the words matter-of-fact despite their hushed tone. She shifted a little closer to Devyn, squeezed her hand tighter, and gazed into her eyes with a question written in their stormy pools.

Devyn answered it the only appropriate way she could think of: an affirmative. She closed her eyes — a little hesitantly, as she'd never done anything like this before — and pressed her lips gently against Aneira's. The blonde girl swelled up against her at once; Devyn had answered her question correctly.

The kiss wasn't desperate or violent, but soft and patient, a little hesitant but growing in confidence with each passing second. Neither knew what the future would hold for them. Would there be more bloodshed? Another battle to fight? Or, perhaps, were they finally ready to cast their differences aside and create something that wasn't a conflict between them? Aneira let out a pleased sigh as their lips parted once more, and the sound caused goosebumps to rise across Devyn's skin. The feeling of impassioned bliss that settled in Devyn's heart was a new feeling, but an incredibly pleasant one.

The two sank into each other's arms and gazed out at the smoldering land all around them. The first stars of the night were beginning to twinkle into view. At the edge of the horizon, the two moons, Manaf and Marr, had finally shrugged closer to one another, gently cradling each other in the darkening sky. Devyn rested her head on Aneira's shoulder. For once, she liked the idea of what lay ahead of them.