From the Ruins

Chapter 21

Vaal strode into the planning chamber, documents in hand. Guard reports, trading propositions, letters from Nylia, and various other papers were piled high in his arms. He noticed the princess was sitting at the end of the table, studying the map that was spread across it.

"Princess," he greeted, bowing his head. "I wasn't expecting you to be here."

She looked up and smiled gently. "I was thinking a few things over; I am not intruding, am I?"

Vaal shook his head and sat down in front of his papers, shuffling them to the side and began to sort them into corresponding piles. "You are welcome to keep me company, Princess," he responded. "I won't be much for conversation considering I have these papers to catch up on from my time traveling with Luc to Droskyn's Keep."

Vayra nodded and went back to looking at the map as Vaal continued to sort out his work. She was...concerned? It seemed to be the only description of her emotions when it came to Luc. She was well aware that Luc came from a different upbringing and his past was something of a broken dragon's egg. Pieces were missing, keeping her from putting the whole puzzle together. And while it hadn't posed a problem yet, she had an inkling that it may come up in later planning meetings and missions when generals and other military personnel would be present. She didn't miss the way Luc's face would cloud over at any mention of the generals, much to her confusion. There was something there that was eluding her, something that Luc wasn't being forthright about, and it could very well jeopardize the team.

Vaal's quill was scratching away over the papers, making comments and signing his name on all of them. Vayra watched as he steadily made his way through one stack, only to move on to the next one. The room was silent besides the consistent scritch-scritch of Vaal's quill.

After a long moment, Vayra spoke up, "Do you believe Luc was telling us the truth?"

The captain's writing paused for a breath before continuing. "I have my suspicions, but I believe that Luc will tell us what we need to know when the time is right."

Vayra frowned and shook her head. "I must disagree with you." She stood up from her chair to walk over to the window overlooking the courtyard where she spotted Luc and Kaido preparing to leave on a hunting trip. "Luc's omission of information nearly cost you your life, Captain. We cannot afford to lose any more resources during this time."

His quill stopped again, and she heard the light tink of him setting it in his small inkwell. "Princess, are you implying that Luc is trying to undermine the team?"

"Oh no," Vayra replied, looking over her shoulder. "I would never suggest that. After the two of you returned from Droskyn's Keep, I was surprised to see Luc so torn apart over what transpired. He is a man who values the team, that part I know for certain."

"Then—if I may ask, Princess—what are you suggesting?"

She turned to fully face Vaal, backlit from the window. "He is not telling the full truth. The war years ago was costly, and many men were made into heroes by the power of their feats. Luc has a considerable amount of rapport with folk throughout the entire country of Oshara, but what he told you and I the other day suggested that he should have been labeled a miscreant—not the hero nearly everyone claims him to be."

Vaal frowned, brows creasing. The Princess was right, Luc was hiding something, but he couldn't be certain about it all. He had fought the archer once during the war, dealing an injury to Sycra that made it impossible for her to join battles for almost two weeks.

He thought back to all of the tactical meetings he attended while a general for the Athal Army. As far as he could remember, there were many missions he ordered and delegated to the Fel Wolves during his tenure. He couldn't be completely sure that an attack on Droskyn's Keep had been ordered. The Keep was deep into Osharan territory and surrounded by the Warped Mountains on nearly all sides. It had the tactical advantage on nearly every front.