Nyx's point of view:
I avoided a punch far too close to my side for comfort. I took the chance to try and return the favor to Lorcán, but he had already shifted out of range. He was watching me with an amused grin as he said, "A bit distracted today, aren't we, my lord?" I gritted my teeth and said, "Enough with that, Lorcán. You know I hate that title." He raised an eyebrow and sent a sloppy jab my way, which I avoided. He said after we started circling again, "Even more than princeling?"
I nearly chuckled and said with a half-smile, "They're both equally despicable." He laughed loudly, which caused a few heads to turn from around us. Today we were training with the Illyrians up at Winghaven. A good group of us came up here to train every week; it gave us a chance to show our strength. However, today wasn't anything normal. My father and uncles visited all the camps to make sure everything was running orderly, and we were training with the soldiers. While they looked over the rulings of camps, we were looking over the soldiers and their families. We were watching their training exercises and helping instruct the soldiers in each camp, despite their unwillingness.
Lorcán and Rainer joined me at the camps for different reasons. Lorcán is like his father, loud and commanding enough to make the men listen. Rainer, however, had his mother's sharp eye for detail which he used to watch and then critique. After fighting together in the blood rite, I had decided they both would run the Illyrians as Generals one day. Lorcán and Rainer are more like brothers than cousins, and even amongst my family, it was few I trusted more than them.
They weren't the only ones to join our outing to evaluate the camps. Davina decided to join us by assessing the Illyrian women's unit. Prejudice was still common even though most camps now had many women soldiers, so they trained separately to keep the peace. It was only because of Davina's unruly spirit and the help of Rainer's focus that I knew they would work well together. They have always worked well together despite being siblings, and I assumed they would get the analysis done with efficiency.
I asked for Karyan to come with us, but she insisted that with her father going, she wasn't necessary, and she would instead retrieve information from her spies. While Karyan took more interest in her heritage than my uncle Azriel, even she tended to stay away from the camps. She preferred to slink off and spy and come around only when necessary. Though Karyan promised she would be at my house by the time we returned to exchange information. However, I did miss her optimism as the day stretched on. While I knew that if Karyan had come, she and Davina would cause chaos, their cheerful personalities would have kept my spirits high.
Our group was smaller without Karyan, but it's typically a small group of the family. No other siblings or cousins tended to join us at the camps. Asteria has always trained with the Valkyries because of her lack of wings, and Neith doesn't like training. I always insisted that if it weren't for Neith living at home still, I would swear she'd disowned us because of blatant disinterest. Neith's never been fond of the high lord lifestyle she grew up in and had no interest in politics of any sort. So Neith stayed out of the camps and anything really political. Her uninterested nature didn't bother me. I was just glad she found something she was interested in to busy herself.
I felt the stinging blow before I focused enough to move. Lorcán had landed a good blow to my cheek, and I shook my head, trying to clear the ringing as I avoided the other two punches. I blinked a few times till the ringing was silenced. Lorcán was smiling snuggly till I threw a quick punch. He dodged easily but got whacked in the head by my wing swinging out wide. Lorcán skidded back about, ready to speed up the fight in a flurry of moves, but I paused us with a wave of my hand.
He relaxed, and immediately he went from aggressive opponent to friend as he said, "Good shot. Though next time, I wouldn't use your wings so much. The last thing you need is a sword going through it. Trust me, my father recounts of it, and it sounds appallingly painful." I laughed as he crossed to my side and said, "I assume it would seeing how many nerves are in our wings." Lorcán raised his eyebrows suggestively, and I shoved his larger form away. He shrugged despite my playful annoyance as he drifted back to my side. He combed his curly dark hair from his eyes and tied it back sloppily as he said, "You were thinking it to don't say you weren't. Though I can only assume that your train of thought included a particular silver-haired assassin along with your wings."
I glared, and Lorcán just smiled cheekily before he slung an arm over my shoulder affectionately. I laughed as we walked towards the water buckets to rehydrate. We got some looks as we walked past the other Illyrians, but it didn't seem to bother either of us. While I enjoyed visiting the camps and seeing my people, it tended to be both refreshing and stressful. Though I enjoyed the added stress if it meant I could see my people.
I smiled when I heard the smooth flapping of wings, and I said, "Here comes Rainer and Davina. Right on time." Lorćan sighed before saying begrudgingly, "I wonder why mother decided to have a third child. Then I figured out it was revenge on us for when we were children." I snorted as I saw Rainer slowly descending while Davina plummeted. While Rainee pulled in his wings with smooth motions for a gentle landing, Davina crashed down on her feet and made the earthquake from her weight. Davina's smile was larger than life, and her wings barely pulled in as she walked towards us. Davina said loudly as she led Rainer to us, "If they trained half as much as they talked, I'd say they would be fantastic. As of now, they need some work."
Rainer rolled his eyes and scolded his sister, "You're much too hard on them. They are doing well for lack of formation training. It seems even Winghaven lacks on their women's unit. We may need someone to make it a habit of coming up for training." Davina rolled her eyes and said, "They do more yapping than our nannies did, and that's saying something." Rainer cuffed the back of her head playfully, and she pushed her brother with a grin. It was only when they calmed did I get the full report.
The women's unit isn't nearly as trained as they are supposed to be. Despite that, Davina commented on how they tried to keep up with the males by practicing independently. Rainer noted that the weapons they trained with were nothing more than broken and discarded metals that were rusting from time. Even their bows had fraying strings. Despite the abhorrent conditions I heard, Rainer seemed to believe that this camp wasn't nearly as bad as others. I swore Davina was gonna pound down the commanders' door at one camp for their treatment of their female soldiers.
I looked between the siblings before I asked, "If I was gonna have someone train with the women more, would you be able to?" Rainer perked up in brief surprise at the question. His knew as a future general it would be a responsibility but the normally faded grey eyes looked almost uncertain as he said, "I wouldn't be able to. I have enough on my plate with assisting Asteria with preparing the items and clothing for the ball, helping Karyan with information, and helping teach Neith at her school." I nodded as I remembered his obligations and said, "I had forgotten about you helping Neith. If I remember correctly, you were assisting in combat?" Rainer gave a surprising soft smile and was momentarily distracted by his siblings chatting before he said, "More simple self-defense so that they could see if they're good enough to consider joining regiment rainbow when they grow old enough."
I nodded in understanding. Regiment rainbow is a Velaris founded group that is made up of high and lesser fae. They developed to be a standing army of fae that my father could call upon to protect Velaris or the Night Court in a time of need. The regiment had a true military encampment on the outskirts of the town that my father founded and helped run. However, my mother took the most interest in it as it was named for her as the defender of the rainbow. I smiled and said, "A kind thing to do, helping Neith and teaching the kids a life skill." Rainer seemed almost bashful as he waved me off dismissively while saying, "She needed the help but refused to ask anyone. I only figured it out because we were so close for a long time, and I know when she needs help but is too stubborn to ask."
I couldn't have agreed more and wished Neith would have asked me to help. But I pushed the thought away as now I needed to pick someone to start working with more focus on the female Illyrians. I picked from the group quickly as I knew who would be most adaptable at the moment for it. I called out to him, asking, "Lorćan, do you think you've got time to help them train properly?"
He perked up from his conversation with his sister but couldn't even say a word before Davina scoffed at my decision and said, "Well, I guess I was mistaken in thinking you would have asked the other person that has been with all the women all day. Instead, you ask one of the men who know nothing about them to train them" Lorćan seemed to take offense to that. I swore he was gonna snap at her before Davina snapped to me, "Seeing as only two of us have seen their strengths and their mistakes that they need to correct, I think I would be the best option if I were given the role." Rainer rolled his eyes at Davina's comment and sent her a well-deserved glare. I, however, stayed calm as I explained my choice, "I didn't think you would want it, Davina. You have other responsibilities with the valkyries and your own training. I couldn't ask you to take on more responsibility."
Davina snorted, and I raised an eyebrow as she tossed her sun bleaching dirty blond hair over her shoulder and snapped to me, "I can handle another responsibility Nyx, which you would know that if you considered asking me. If you think I'm leaving my brothers to be the only ones training the Illyrians, then you're sorely mistaken, Nyx. I wouldn't trust those rakes with a group of Illyrian women on a normal day, let alone for training. Do pull your head out of the clouds and think this through logically for once, cousin."
I saw Lorcán and Rainer stiffen at her comment, but I remained calm. She had a point if I looked past her sharp words. Cauldron, she acts so much like Uncle Cassian but has a tongue like her mother. Even the ever cheerful Lorcán gave her a warning look before I said, "If you feel you can take them on even with your duties to the valkyries, I have no problems with it." Davina's face turned into a pleased smile before I said, "You must understand, though, that if you want this position with the Illyrian women, you'll be working hand in hand with your brothers. You can't just ignore their orders or mine because we are blood."
She nodded seriously, though, at her brothers' smug glances, she lost her smile. I elbowed Lorcán for his devious glance as I said, "Orders within reason." The twins sighed but nodded begrudgingly. Davina did see the fairness in that and said, "I feel that is fair. As long as I get the chance to work with the women and my brothers don't abuse their power, I would like the chance to be a leader as well." I nodded and said to her, "Then it's settled. You will be the leader of the Illyrian women for a time and will work with them as you see fit. You'll only be slightly lower than your brothers and will listen to orders when they command them, but ultimately Cassian is the general; your orders come from him. Do we have a deal?"
Davina smirked and tossed her hair over her shoulder as she strode towards me. She stuck her hand out to me and said, "It's a deal." I shook her hand and felt the warmth of magic flowing over my body. I would have to look later to see where the deal had made the tattoo appear. She stood taller as she said, "I solemnly swear I will listen to the orders dealt towards me by anyone above my status." Her brothers rolled their eyes before Rainer mumbled to me, "I'm sure that will last all of a week." I didn't acknowledge their pessimism and instead nodded to Davina and said, "If you need any help, just ask. We all will help if need be." Davina, for a brief moment, actually seemed grateful before her confident smirk came back, and she said, "I doubt I'll need it, but I appreciate the offer." I nodded to her before Lorcán said, "We have incoming."
I looked up to see three large forms descending from the air. The Illyrians around the camp seemed to stop and stare at the three large forms as they landed. I understood why they watched in anticipation and hesitation. The three men who descended from above made the ground quiver when they landed. They stood almost larger than life compared to the other men. Fourteen red and blue siphons glistened on two of the men as they flanked the third man. Despite the normalcy the third man presented, he had an air of unknown and intimidation surrounding him, almost as if he was darkness personified.
I wasn't intimidated by the group. While the men approaching were intimidating to others, I only saw my father and uncles walking towards us. Not the feared High Lord and his Generals. Out of all of them, none of them looked cheered by the camp, even with Windhaven's unusually well-behaved group. Rainer and Lorcán had left their sister as they approached me. They flanked me just like my uncles did my father. I whispered to both twins when they were at my side, "Cauldron, help me. Why do they look furious every time they come here." Rainer leaned forward and said, "Old memories, I think." Lorcán nodded and said, "As long as they don't take it out on us, I'm fine with their spiteful mood. Gives an interesting change of pace for once."
I smiled at their approach and said, "Dad, Uncles, I was just wondering when you would be done with the camp commanders. I assumed they put up a fit with some of the new commands." My uncle Cassian seemed humored by my remark, and his face lifted as he said, "I doubt those old fools are capable of anything more than a few snide remarks and spiteful glares." Lorcán chuckled with his dad before my father said, "They were unwilling to even consider any new conditions. It took a while to make the point that these weren't optional. Cassian will have to check in on them to make sure they are following the instructions."
I could feel Lorcán and Rainer slouch after that sentence. Cassian looked at his sons and smiled, saying, "I think that Rainer and Lorcán can handle watching over the commanders to make sure our rules are followed. They could probably intimidate them a little for compliance if necessary." Lorcán cheered up at the idea of intimidating the same commanders who hated us as children. Rainer was about to reason with his brother to control his excitement but stopped when his father gave him a look. I knew the twins would go by themselves to monitor the camp, but I would have liked to see Lorcán and Rainer go intimidating with their father. While Uncle Cassian was potentially the strongest Illyrian in history, Rainer and Lorcán could be a challenge for him someday as they sported six identical emerald green siphons.
I gave them each a look before I said, "Dad." My father's face loosened into a soft smile when he looked over me. It wasn't hard to see the resemblance between us, but it wasn't pride that his face morphed into, but adoration. I think that every time he sees one of his children, a little piece of him relaxes despite the stress of the day. I didn't comment on what I noticed but focused when my father's voice cleared the quiet conversations coming from the group around us. He asked with genuine curiosity, "How was your portion of the evaluation?" I looked to the others, and Lorćan shook his hand in a side-to-side motion while Rainer just crossed his arms. I knew what they meant and rephrased it as I said, "Went well as far as I'm concerned. They were most willing to follow instructions, and only a few did gripe about who's giving them." My uncle chuckled and said, "Well, at least Windhaven has changed some since I was young."
The twins seemed pleased with themselves, and Lorcán corrected and said brightly, "Not that much. Just a bit of showing who's boss seemed to work nicely." I nodded in agreement, and Cassian laughed brightly before my father said, "I do hope you didn't break any of them or them you. God knows I'd never hear the end of it from your mother." I shook my head and said, "We didn't break anyone. Well, we didn't break anyone, majorly." Cassian raised an eyebrow and asked, "Why did we break some of our best soldiers?"
Rainer's gaze was serious as he said, "they weren't listening to our commands. Their arrogance was blatant as they assumed that they were better than us." Lorcán smiled brightly and continued the statement with a smirk, "so we decided to do a little demonstration to those the most resistant." The twins had equal looks of confidence as they stood next to each other. I shook my head at their overtly confident looks before I added, "Only a few of them were injured. They will be fine in a week or so, though. While I don't condone brutalizing our own soldiers, it was beneficial in putting everyone else in line."
Cassian's typical smile grew to a playful grin as he ruffled both of his son's hair lovingly before he said, "That's my boys." They pushed him off playfully, and they got into a mock wrestling match which only made each of them smile wider. My father shook his head, but his amusement was clear. Even though Lorcán and Rainer were long past being children, they turned into toddlers around their dad. I saw Davina push them all off her dad when she felt her brothers were winning. Cassian smiled and slung his arm over his daughter's shoulder and ruffled her hair playfully as he asked her cheerfully, "How did the women's unit do?" Azriel, who had been silent before now, commented in a voice dark and fridge, asked, "Yes, I am curious how the training of the Illyrian women is being handled." Davina just crossed her arms over her chest after she fixed her hair which had been thrown astray, and said with indifference, "Unfortunately not well. The weapons are in poor condition, and they are barely trained compared to the men."
I could see Cassian's watchful gaze looking over his children as he listened to their oral report. He was listening to their actions and studying how they responded. When Rainer made it clear he would discuss some of the concerns with the camp commanders, Cassian smiled. Davina said she would get a list of things that they would need for training or will have to be replaced. My father cut in and said he would make sure the items were ordered from the Illyrian shops before Cassian said, "It sounds like you three have it handled. I'm glad." Davina's smaller form stood straighter as she smirked and said, "I like how my presence makes things run so efficiently now." Her brothers' heads snapped in her direction, and they glared at her with anger burning in their gazes. It was then that Rainer said to her with a cold comment, "So far at least. You haven't even started training anyone. It won't take long for your chaotic nature to mess something up."
Davina barely even flinched at the comment, but Cassian gave each of them warning glares. I saw Azriel raise an eyebrow at the statement despite my father's ever serious state of neutrality. I nodded away from my cousins as they were about to quarrel amongst themselves. Azriel took the hint first, and he disappeared into a slight mist of shadows, barely visible in the light. I slipped silently away from the siblings and left my cousins to their family drama. I saw the look Cassian had as he was left with his three kids. Despite the fact they were fully grown adults, he seemed intent on scolding all three of them.
My father walked with us for a little bit before a mischievous smile appeared. As I walked next to him, I watched him take a side step. He nudged me with his shoulder hard enough to make my feet slip slightly and almost fall. I held back a smile as I turned back to him with an accusing look. My father held onto his mask of slight boredom despite the smile I knew he was trying to hide. I braced my shoulder slightly before taking a side step and shoved back into his side, making him stumble. My father laughed and said "What did I do?" Amaris shrugged before my father said, "Nothing you just got payback for being mean to innocent bystanders." The outraged gasp that he made only made us both laugh. He slung an arm over my shoulder as we walked through the camp. My dad asked when our laughter stopped, and we went back to acting like adults, "Nyx, truthfully, how was the Illyrian woman?"
I thought for a moment, keeping silent as I deciphered the right words before stating truthfully, "They know the basics, but they're no Valkyries by any means. I think Davina will do them some good." I saw him nod in agreement as I continued to say, "I have no doubt that she will do great. She is very similar to Lorcán in the sense that she'll whip them into shape and get the training program accelerated." My father accepted that and dropped his arms as we continued walking before he looked at me and asked, "How will she do with taking orders from her father and brothers?" I didn't even have to think about that as I answered honestly, "At first, probably will be a bit testy as they figure out how to work together and not be siblings. I think Rainer will have to be the buffer between both Davina and Lorcán of his hard-headed siblings." My father nodded as that probably made sense to him before I asked him, "Why was Davina so insulted by having Rainer train them? While she had a point that she's been training and evaluating them, I didn't think she would be interested."
My father smiled softly and said, "Davina doesn't much like being left out in anything." I nodded as that was the understatement of the year. My father seemed to almost laugh at my expression before saying, "basically, her anger stems from her father and brothers being the leaders of the Illyrians and her without a place. She sees the Illyrian women's unit as her place. A piece of her family legacy that she can be a part of but also make her own." My father seemed to pick up on the unstated question and asked, "What about working with her mother to command the Valkyrie's?"
I quickly stated, "We all know Davina is no Valkyrie. She doesn't really respect the tradition, nor does she want to. She's got the Illyrian blood lust and aggression just as much as uncle Cassian. Aunt Gwyn, Emerie, and Nesta have done a lot of hard work to build up the Valkyrie's, and the only one of us who really respects it is Asteria. Well Asteria and Karyan."
My father nodded and said, "Yes, Asteria does well in the Valkyries and impresses her aunt more than Nesta is willing to admit. I just assumed it would be Davina helping her mother." I nodded before my father stopped at the edge of the camp and said, "I would like you to make sure everyone gets back to Valaris in one piece, Nyx." I nodded, and I knew what my father was trying to get at.
I didn't think my father knew what to discuss next so he changed the topic and said, "How is the investigation into the rebels going?" I blinked, surprised because I honestly didn't think he knew, but my father only raised an eyebrow before he asked, "Did you honestly think I was oblivious to your actions in investing them?" I shrugged and didn't answer as my father gave a soft smile and said, "It was almost blatantly obvious. Never have you gathered all your cousins together so efficiently before. I assumed that the group of you are working towards a common goal. It was just an idea that it was the rebels."
To spare me some time as I thought, I let my wings stretch out wider before I said, "We are looking into new information as we speak." My father nodded before he said, "I assumed you being hidden away at the River House means that you're setting it up as a meeting place." I nodded to confirm his statement. The River House is what my mother calls my bachelor pad, but it is just a place for me to have some independence. My father picked up his movements to walk towards the camp entrance as he said, "I let you know any information we find. I'm sure you guys can find some information we don't." I nodded before my father turned abruptly. His gaze was serious as he said, "Be careful looking into this Nyx. I know you're an adult, but I also know how these rebellions work. If they see a chance to take out someone close to the high lords, they will. Which is all of you." I nodded, knowing full well knowing the risk before he said, "I'm proud of you, you know."
I blinked in surprise at the statement. My father seemed to sense the surprise, and he smiled softly as he said, "You've gone to great lengths to assemble those you trust to protect not only your family but the entire court system as well. I'm very proud of you, and so is your mother, even though she is apprehensive about you fighting this battle." I snorted, and we both laughed for a second before he said, "I'll see you back home." I gave him a quick nod as he winnowed home. It was good to know I wasn't alone in trying to rectify the situation with the rebels, but it was a much better feeling knowing he was proud of all of us.