The Beast That was Promised ✔

THIRTY-THREE: Return

Eventually, they agreed and it was settled that trade would start up again properly once Nerin was crowned. And then, two months after he'd arrived in Ziya, they signed the treaty. Everyone was in attendance, even people Nerin had never seen before and had never been introduced to. Fentir had sent his agreement a week earlier and so Nerin, Emrick and Isiah were the only people from Brenmar present to sign.

It had been King Ouron's idea that all three parts of the Beast sign the treaty as an agreement to their peace too. There would be people who didn't like how strong they were, how much of a threat they could possibly pose, but Nerin trusted them with everything. They would never turn against Vishera, not with Isiah in charge.

Even after months of negotiating and both sides constant promises that there would never be another war in their lifetimes, everyone in the room was nervous. Especially Rina, who looked around the room as if she was waiting for something to happen. His mind flashed back to the last treaty he had witnessed and while the one he stood in the middle of was awkward and uncomfortable, it was far safer than the last.

All the members of the Askari royal family signed the treaty, including the Queen's two siblings and their children. The leaders of the Warriors of Ziya, one of whom was named Sir Cillian, if he'd understood Isiah's angry grumblings clearly. Then it was his turn and with shaking hands, he scribbled his name at the bottom of the list. When he stepped away, relief washed over him. That was that. Peace.

Isiah and Emrick were the last to sign, both of them looking completely out of place and nervous in the middle of the throne room. Then they stepped away and it was over, King Ouron announcing a feast after their nightly prayers. One of the many people in the room rolled up the treaty to take it down to the copier so Nerin could take one back to Ishmar as the other filed out into the hall.

Nerin and the Beast didn't follow. None of them prayed anymore, to either of their Gods. After everything that had happened, there wasn't much point. Sol and Lune weren't real and four out of the five Old Gods were dead. Not that any of them knew what had happened to Teremtys. When Isiah went back to their Sanctum, they had disappeared. If they were dead or alive, no one knew.

"I can't believe it's over," Rina said, her hands against the empty table. "It doesn't feel real."

Isiah hummed in agreement. "We're done fixing things too. I think it's time we go back home," he said and frowned at the ground.

From the look on Rina's face, it was something that had been discussed before and it hadn't gone well. "If you must," she said and crossed her arms over her chest.

"I have to see the children, they're all that's left," Isiah whispered. The other children from the Sanctum, they were all still stuck in Ishmar with no knowledge of what was going on. "I might not be able to look after them all, but they need to know that I'm there."

"I know," she replied and smiled at him. "You had better visit though."

"Of course," Emrick said as if it were the simplest thing in the world. Nerin had missed so much since they'd left him in Huton, something they apologised profusely for, and there was no way for him to catch up. The three of them had grown closer while he had worked against them.

He cleared his throat and the three of them looked at him expectantly. "I'll be leaving in two days time. You're welcome to travel with me," he said. Ashera would be going with him and she'd be happy to learn that two parts of the Beast would be going with her. "But... Neither of you have homes to go back to."

Isiah smiled sadly at him. "Ishmar will have to be my home until I figure something out. I can easily build something new, but I don't think we'll settle where the old Sanctum used to be. I don't want to live somewhere tainted by war," he answered and Emrick ran a hand up and down his back.