Jade-Lily Bo'ehr is the wife of the General of the army of Tsuchengko. Everyone is in danger due to a growing rebel army, the Gongjensu, that threaten not only them, but all the other kingdoms.
When Jade breaks a law for the safety of her husband a...
She stripped off her dress, her lips twisting at the blood on it—a waste of a perfectly good gown. She was careful of her arm while washing, grateful Arianna had a washing area in her own house and Lily didn't have to stand in the line for the public one, like she'd seen people do.
She felt better when her skin was clean, her hair washed and a simple white gown hanging off her body. Only after that did she feel the hunger gnawing at her stomach. They were planning to eat later, after the wedding, but with everything that had happened . . .
Lily sighed, getting an apple. She still couldn't believe that Brennon—one of her first friends in Arrian—had betrayed them. And for what? For revenge on the man that had murdered his father?
She could understand, if not approve of, his need to avenge his father. But to attack a wedding party, one including his friends, Iressa—it wasn't explainable.
How long had he been planning the attack?
She would never have guessed—happy, joking Brennon, the one who had loved Iressa – he couldn't have done it. Not the Brennon she knew.
But he had. Whatever he had been thinking, he had led the Gongjensu to attack them, and he had been the one causing Ada to still be unconscious. He hadn't meant to wound Ada that way— she'd seen the horror in his eyes—but he had done it.
Once she'd finished the apple, she walked outside, remembering to keep the key. Iressa had been with Ada for quite some time, it was better Lily go there and let Iressa clean up at her own house.
She walked back to the infirmary, her heart sinking at the way the settlement seemed muted, the usual noise and air now dull. Even the quietest afternoons hadn't been this joyless.
In the infirmary, the bustle of earlier was gone, with most of the soldiers having been tended to, and only a few nurses remaining. She walked straight to Ada's bed, where she could see Iressa still sitting, her eyes closed as she leaned against the wall.
"Iri," Lily said, shaking the woman's shoulder gently. Iressa started, her eyes flying open. She almost rose out of the chair before she realized it was Lily and sat down again. "The twins haven't arrived yet?"
Iressa shook her head, and Lily could see how exhausted she was. "You can freshen up, I'll wait here."
Iressa nodded, standing up slowly. Lily pursed her lips as she looked over her friend – her clothes were still covered in dry mud, a leaf in her hair. "Go home, Iri."
"'ll be back soon," Iressa said, walking out, and Lily took her place in the chair. Ada was still in the same position she'd been in before, on her back, her arms clasped over her stomach.
Lily took one of Ada's hands, rubbing the cold, limp fingers between her own. Ada would live. She had to.
She stayed there, beside Ada, until she saw the twins walk in. Both looked much cleaner, less exhausted, but no less devastated.
"She hasn't waken up yet?" Venix said, running a hand through his wet hair. Had he even bothered to dry it before coming? Lily shook her head mutely, but it wasn't a question Venix had needed an answer to.
"Forest, I hope she wakes up soon," Vena said, standing next to Lily.
"She will," Lily said, not letting even a bit of doubt enter her voice. Vena gave Lily a grateful smile before pulling one of the chairs from an unoccupied bed over and sitting down beside her.
"Where's Iri?" Vena asked.
"I sent her home. She said she'd be back soon," Lily said, sighing.
"I can't imagine how she must be feeling," Vena breathed, and this made even Venix look up. "Brennon betrayed us, but for her . . ."
"I think we should talk to him, once. Just to find out how he could— " Venix's voice broke off, his face hardening.
"How many people did we lose?" Lily asked. The question had been preying at her since the battle was over. There had been so many bodies in the grove.
"No civilians," Vena said, her voice full of tired pride.
"But plenty of soldiers," Venix said, his eyes darkening, "The funerals will be held tomorrow."
Lily sighed, her eyes falling to the ground. Had anyone she'd known died?
"But Lily, so many of us were saved because you warned us," Vena said, squeezing Lily's hand lightly.
"But how did you know?" Venix asked, his brows furrowed.
Lily exhaled, thinking back to that moment among the trees. "I followed Brennon, but once I heard voices I hid behind a tree. He was telling that Dezhayan man that none of us suspected anything, that Arlo and Arianna were away, but most of the soldiers were with us. He didn't try to stop that man when he said he'd attack."
Vena's breath hitched, but she didn't say anything. Venix, however, shook his head. "I knew Brennon was angry after his father's death, but this?"
"How did Brennon's father die?" Lily asked, wanting to know what could have made Brennon betray them.
"It happened behind Zenda's. Brennon's father was drunk, as was another man. They got into a fight, and Brennon's father didn't have a weapon. The other man killed him."
Venix paused as Lily gasped, and Vena continued the story, her voice quiet, "When Brennon went to the Head to seek justice, they found out that the man was from the other settlement. The Head before Arlo wasn't the best, and that man was incredibly rich. He came to an agreement with both the Heads and went free."
Venix interrupted as Vena stopped to take a breath. "Brennon was furious after that. He wanted to kill the other man with his own hands, but I convinced him to take care of his mother, who was old and sick and needed him. Taking revenge for his father would have landed him in prison. He relented, but I never knew he'd do something like this."
"How could he have been planning it—for probably such a long time? With us, he was the Brennon we knew—was he just acting?" Vena's voice broke, and Lily squeezed her fingers gently.
"You couldn't have known."
"We should have," Venix said roughly, "I've known him since he was a boy, and I never once suspected that he was doing this. I should have paid attention, I should have—"
"You couldn't have done anything," Lily said, her voice soothing, "Brennon made the choice."
The twins fell silent, and none of them said anything, even after Iressa returned and sat beside them, her face drawn. They didn't comment on her haunted, red eyes or the blotchy face, the red nose.
And they stayed there, quietly, for a long while.
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Bit of a filler, giving you all time to recuperate.
