The Girl in the Woods

Chapter 5

"I know of Banye, not his daughter." Gantris' brows were beginning to come together in a frown.

"He lost his entire family in the slaughtering." Apollo was watching the faerie closely. "Halfway through the meeting, he became agitated. He ended up taking off back to Saii; he's going to tell them the council decided on non action. He wants a war, Gantris."

The silence seemed to ring in the wake of Apollo's heavy words. Gantris was very still, and his eyes were locked with Apollo's. I looked at the two men curiously; although no words were spoken, the conversation still seemed to be going.

"No." Gantris said suddenly and stonily.

"Gantris, they'll listen to you, you are the strongest figure in their history! If you would only speak to them - "

"I will not!" Gantris roared, and he was suddenly on his feet.

Outside, there were the sounds of shrieking and cawing as various creatures reared up in alarm at his outburst. Inside, the room seemed to vibrate in the hold of the raw energy and power radiating from Gantris. His eyes seemed to have gotten brighter, and his face had twisted in rage as he looked down at Apollo. To my amazement, he still sat calmly as he watched the faerie.

"Do not ask me to return to that multitude of scum." Gantris thundered. "I was their loyal king for centuries; I brought glory and prosperity and peace to thousands of wrens. I was always there for them! Always!"

His wings vibrated imperceptibly, and he was suddenly in front of the portrait of his family. "Never once did I realize how greedy and murderous my people truly were. Their single minded mutiny was bloody and devastating, Apollo, you know nothing of what I went through! They beat me and threw me into the ocean, sure that the water would weigh down my wings and drown me. They nearly succeeded! When I managed to drag myself from the water, I find to my horror that they had stabbed my lovely Heitka and Lily and tossed them into the flames."

He slammed a fist into the stone wall, and a crack slithered up the masonry and a few paintings fell from their hooks. Piteous cracks rendered into the humming air as their frames splintered.

"And then, when they realized their hasty actions were faulty, they came to me and begged me to retake the throne." Gantris looked between Apollo and me, his face still thunderous. "They had the audacity to come back on their knees, the blood of my family still on their hands! I turned on them immediately and fled. I wanted nothing to do with a kingdom that had such bloody intentions in their hearts."

He turned, and his fingers traced the faces of his wife and daughter tenderly. The movement broke my heart.

"I know all of this, old friend." Apollo's voice was gentle as always, and his eyes radiated the empathy he felt for the faerie. "I was the one who found you, remember? I wiped your daughter's blood from your brow."

"I remember Apollo, and I am thankful." His back was still turned, and his voice was suddenly soft and exhausted.

There was a long silence after he spoke. I stared into the dark depths of my coffee, but I had lost any desire to drink it. The air was still humming, even though Gantris' rage had abated.

"Don't make me return, Apollo." Gantris turned, and his face seemed to have aged decades in two minutes. "I don't think I can bear it."

"I understand." Apollo nodded."I'm so sorry I awakened such horrendous memories."

Gantris sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. "Forgive me for my rudeness, Apollo, but I must ask you to leave."

Apollo was on his feet. "There's nothing to forgive, Gantris. Lilah and I will be on our way."