Calamity Falls | Wattys 2019

XXIII

"Actually, I need the Demon Princess," Reinard corrected himself. "It seems an old friend of yours has been caught."

Calamity frowned and stood in front of Reinard in the doorway of Leopold's room. "I don't have any friends, My Lord."

Leopold didn't quite know how to feel about that. While they were certainly more than friends, he had hoped that they were friends too.

"He said his name was Sable."

Calamity stopped breathing. Her heart thudded painfully hard against her chest. "What?"

Reinard's eyes narrowed in suspicion. "His name is Sable."

"Where is he?" She almost shouted frantically.

"He's in the dungeon. He was taken prisoner. He was surprisingly complacent. He didn't fight. He only said he wanted to see you, but Calamity be careful. We don't know if we can trust him yet," he warned.

"If it is truly Sable, then I would trust him with my life and the life of my offspring," she replied without hesitation. "Please take me to him Your Majesty."

Her eyes were wide with desperation. She didn't know what to believe. She knew that the Sable she loved was dead. She watched him die, but she couldn't help the small flame of hope that ignited in her at hearing of him. She may very well regret it later, but she couldn't care less right now.

Reinard nodded stiffly, unsure if it was a good idea. Leo watched the exchange with a strange sensation blooming within him, one that he had never felt before. He was apprehensive about this "Sable" character.

They hastened their pace. Leo lagged behind a few feet, feeling his irritation grow. They went down a staircase and finally arrived at large iron doors. The stench of blood and death overpowered Calamity's sensitive nostrils, even from the other side of the door. They opened the doors, and Calamity all but sprinted in to find Sable.

The odd sensation only grew stronger at Calamity's excitement. He did not like it.

Calamity ran to the end of the long hall of cells and found the most heavily protected door. She looked into the small window, but it was too dark to see anything. She opened the door abruptly, startling the guards on either side. They were about to protest but thought better of it when they saw their king.

Calamity ignited her flame in her palm. She could still only see a figure chained to the wall, limbs spread out to expose all weaknesses. She could tell by the intricate runes and carvings that the chains were enchanted. Calamity dispersed her flame to the several candles in the room. She walked up to the figure. She held the small flame in front of his face.

The boy winced at the sudden bright light. When he opened his eyes, there was no doubt in Calamity's mind that this was him. This was Sable. Sable was alive.

"Callie?" He mumbled. His unusual green eyes locked on Calamity, glee took over his expression. Calamity wrapped her arms around him immediately.

"Sable... how are you alive?" Calamity wondered.

"A story for another time. It would be nice if I could get down first?" His statement turned into a question.

Reinard stepped in first. "Calamity, you must make sure that he is not corrupt or of malicious intent."

She nodded. She placed both hands on his face and did the same thing she had done to Leopold before when he promised to never hurt her. She infused her power into his mind, stabilizing a connection in which he could not lie.

"Are you really the same Sable that I grew up with?"

"Yes."

"Are you here under the order of my father?"

"No."

"Do you mean any ill-will to me or my company?"

He struggled a bit with this one. "Not anymore. I tried to shoot King Leopold with an arrow, when I thought he was harassing you. You got hit instead. Are you alright?" Genuine concern seeped into his words.

Leo nearly jumped at Sable's throat at that. Reinard put his arm in front of him first. The look in his eye said 'Don't.'

"I am fine. One last question. Why are you here?"

"I came to warn you of your father's plans and to serve you in battle."

Calamity stepped back and grinned. "Get the keys. We need to get him down! You know what? Nevermind. I'll do it without."

She went to one side of Sable and smashed the chains with the butt of a knife sitting on a table in the room. Part of him slumped forward due to the lack of support. Calamity caught that part of him and stretched her arm to the other chain. Calamity had to catch his full weight. Her arms wrapped around him tightly, and his did the same. She quickly reached over and smashed the chains on his feet. She held her only friend in her arms tenderly. Then she did something she hadn't done in years.

She smiled.

Leo couldn't stand it anymore. A growl bubbled up in his stomach. He snarled at the male touching his mate. "Get off of her!" He shouted. He took heavy steps towards the pair, intent on separating them.

Right when he was about to reach them Calamity spun around with her hand out, palm facing him.

"Take one more step, and I will end you, Leopold," Calamity threatened.

Leopold looked shocked. Was this man really that important? Was he more important than him? Then he felt another surge of anger push to the top.

"Then do it! I would rather die than watch another man put his hands all over you!" He took another step.

Her eyes narrowed. "As you wish." Her palm began to form a new ball of fire.

"Calamity!" Reinard yelled. "Stop at once!"

The flame disappeared.

"We will take this upstairs. Leopold, I think it best if you go up first," Reinard said tense.

Leopold reluctantly stomped out of the dungeon and took the stairs two at a time.

"Calamity, let's go."

Calamity rose slowly with Sable. She walked out the doors and up the stairs with Sable's arm around her shoulder and her arm around his waist. When she reached the top of the steps, she made sure to swerve around Leo as much as she could. Reinard followed close behind, ready to break up a fight if he had to.

They walked to an open room with old French furniture and large windows, that had the sun cascading down. Glass doors opened into a garden, but remained closed. They walked to the multiple loveseats in the room Calamity took Sable to one with flowery designs and sat him down against the arm of the furniture. She sat with her back on the opposing arm of the same couch.

Leopold sat on a chair with the same floral pattern, directly across from Calamity and Sable. He glared harshly at them, a snarl glued onto his face.

Reinard sat on a love seat to the side. "Now," he began. "We are going to converse like adults. No attacking. No fighting. Keep yourselves calm," he looked pointedly at Leopold, "and act like the important people you are. You are both royalty. You are both leaders."

Reinard folded his hands on his lap. He looked Leo directly in the eyes.

"You, especially, need to stop acting like a jealous little boy."

"I'm not-" Jealous? Is that what that feeling was? Leo finally realized that the unpleasant sensation he felt was in fact jealousy.

Sable chuckled from his seat. Leo turned his head to him, eyes flashing black.

"What's so funny?"

"I'm not really any competition." He looked right into Leo's eyes. "I'm quite gay."