The Offering

Chapter Fifty Sixty - Demwyn

I nod, finally happy to be able to do something instead of be stuck behind these walls.

"If he is telling the truth and the humans are fighting with him, they are a large people, their number would be in the tens of thousands." Alvaryn says calmly.

"Why would they agree to fight for Nievenyth, surely their situation can be no better than the one they have with us?" Aeris asks leaning forward.

"I don't know, but if it's true and they are fighting for him, your brother is right, it would be a large army." Father says shaking his head.

"Ten days." Varis says quietly and the others turn to him. He shifts in his seat. "He says right at the end, you have ten days. Prince Demwyn you will need to ride hard and fast if you are to return before the time is up."

"I can make it back in time." I reply.

"Their arrogance cannot be allowed to stand." Father says, eyes hard as he looks around the room to each of his council members. "They cannot be allowed to rule, and we will not stand by and let their attack go unnoticed, nor will we surrender to their demands."

"Your Majesty, you know our houses stand with you." Lord Wyrthmere says looking at the other lords around the table as they nod in agreement.

"Good, but it may not be enough, we may need the support from our allies as well." Father says, brow furrowed in thought.

"I have already sent word to our allies Your Majesty, I can send a request for support if you require." Varis replies quickly.

"If what they claim is true and they have the humans fighting with them then I fear we may need their support."

I tighten the strap on my horses' saddle checking it's ready before looking over at the two I chose to come with me.

I look back to the palace and see Alvaryn and Aeris walking towards me and I turn towards them.

"Safe travels brother." Alvaryn says with a simple nod.

"Thank you." I nod in return, still feeling the gap between us and the strained energy as Aeris looks around the courtyard clearly unhappy to be here.

"Let's hope Callin's letter is full of shit." Aeris smiles up at me tightly before clapping Alvaryn on his shoulder and heading back towards the palace.

"Well at least he came to see me off." I say watching him walk away.

"Only because I persuaded him." Alvaryn replies and I let out a heavy sigh. "He isn't going to just change his mind and get over it Dem, this isn't one of your usual fights."

"I know it isn't one of our usual fights because if it were it would be over and done with now!" I snap bitterly.

Alvaryn shakes his head. "We can't just forgive you for what you did, and we can't move on when we know you are against us."

"Us? How can there be an us, Alvaryn? How can you both be with one woman?" I ask trying to understand how on earth they still couldn't see it.

"I know it doesn't make sense to you, or Father," He mutters more to himself. "But it isn't something we can just let go of."

"I'm trying Alvaryn, I am trying to understand your side of this but in all honestly it seems completely ridiculous to me. I am your brother and I love both of you, I want you to be happy, but this, this is complete madness. You are both working towards something that is impossible. I know you Alvaryn, I know you don't waste your time on impossible things." I say genuinely, hoping he can understand where I am coming from.

"It isn't impossible." He says gritting his teeth and looking away, eyes hard as he takes a steadying breath and calms himself. "Look, I just came to see you off, not start a whole discussion. You should get going, it's going to be a long ride."

I nod, holding back all the words wanting to get out, knowing they won't make a difference and he was right, I did need to leave, I was already wasting daylight.

"I appreciate it." I say sincerely. "Oh, I won't be here for your name day, I was going to give this to one of the servants to give to you but seeing as you are here." I say reaching into my coat pocket to pull out the small rectangle box and hold it out to him.

"You didn't need to get me anything." He says taking it with a look of surprise.

"Well it's your 250th." I shrug.

"Thank you." He says holding the box in his hands. "Safe travels Demwyn." He looks up at me and while once, before we had been on these opposing sides we would have hugged, clapping each other's backs and trading jokes to one another. But now, I only nod, turning towards my horse and pulling myself up.

I look to my two riders who are ready and waiting and nod to them, squeezing the heels of my boots into my horse he starts walking towards the gates.

Once Alvaryn and Aeris might have been the ones riding with me, eager to see for themselves the army we were about to face. We would have ridden together as we had many times over.

But now things are changed, all because of one woman.

How I wished that things were different, that they had seen her as they did all the other chosen, or if just one of them wanted her instead of both. Or better yet, she wasn't part of this offering at all, that she was never bought into our kingdom, never met my brothers, never bewitched them and made them choose her over their own family and kingdom.

It seemed like they had made up their minds and no amount of persuasion was going to change them. I didn't know what I would do, I was running out of ideas. I only knew that if they continue on this path they would end up tearing our family apart and I couldn't allow that to happen.