Chapter One Hundred and Forty Two: Catching Up
The walk back to the inn was a quiet one, punctuated only by the sound of footsteps.
Xaphile followed Sinmir at a short distance through the city, and while the marvels of Atka's architecture normally would have drawn his gaze, his attention was fixed on something far more fascinating and for the life of him, he couldn't look away.
Adariel was sitting nestled in the crook of his arm.
Little head pillowed against his shoulder, bony arms wrapped around his neck in an almost vice-like grip, the kid seemed perfectly content to use his arm as a seat, and Xaphile was more than happy to carry him around like this. He relished in the closeness of his sibling's presence.
As they rounded the bend and started passing by the alley, he snapped out of his daze and looked in the opposite direction to avoid seeing it, but instead he spotted a splotch of something dark on the black stone wall.
He stared at it as he walked by, feeling that same strange creepy twinge from earlier.
It made him uneasy, and it unsettled him greatly, but although he couldn't figure out why, his mulling thoughts vanished when they made it back to the inn, hurrying inside and making their way up the stairs to their room, where a wonderful smell was wafting out into the open.
Adariel's eyes gleamed and Xaphile could practically see his mouth watering when Sinmir opened the door and walked inside.
"Oh, hey!" Vrael instantly laughed, waving at them. "Welcome back, guys!"
Ella spun around in her seat, pink eyes taking them in with a gleam of relief. Vordt looked over too, gave him a measuring glance, then smirked. Xaphile smiled back, heart jumping because it was actually the nicest look his uncle had ever given him and he didn't want to ruin it.
Amelia, meanwhile, looked at Adariel and smiled.
"Welcome back," she greeted, inclining her head. "Let's all eat a good breakfast, shall we?"
"What are we having?" Sinmir cheerfully burbled. "Vegetable soup again?"
"No, I made something more elaborate this time," she explained, waving him over. "Come try some, but oh, do be careful not to burn your mouth."
"Why? Is it hot?" Sinmir asked, frowning. "Or simply spicy?"
"Neither, but I will fix yours to be such if you keep asking questions and delay Xaphile's little brother from eating any further," she said pleasantly, raising her hands and giving him a menacing wiggle of her fingers. "Be careful. Don't test the good graces of an herbalist."
Sinmir blinked, then cracked up, throwing his head back with a booming fit of laughter.
Adariel looked back and forth between them, taking in the jovial mood and the jokes, and then he let out a sigh, looking more than a little relieved.
"They're not bad," he whispered. "I'm really okay."
Forcing a smile, Xaphile ruffled his brother's damp hair just as Sinmir walked past them, grey eyes lingering on the hand he'd laid on Adariel's head, and with a smirk he didn't understand, the blonde man sat down in the empty seat between Ella and Vordt.
Xaphile followed suit and put his brother down beside him on the opposite side; Ella looked at them for a second before glancing at the food laid out on the myriad of plates.
"It's been quite a long time since I've eaten at a table," she said, amazed. "I never really thought about that. This is quite nice."
"Agreed," Vrael laughed, then glanced at Adariel. "So, did you have a pleasant bath, kiddo?"
The halfling caught Xaphile's eye and winked, reddish-brown irises flashing, but Adariel simply huddled down and didn't answer. Ella looked up from her tea and raised an eyebrow.
"It turned out fine," Xaphile eventually told them. "He's not used to interacting with people."
"I can fix that," Amelia chirped, setting a plate piled high with food in front of him. "Eat as much as you want. I made a lot of it since today is a celebration!"
Adariel literally gasped and swooned, leaning close to it with his eyes large.
"Wow," Sinmir scoffed, eyes wide as she set more plates in front of them. "Looks delicious!"
"Thank you!" she laughed, giving him a proud grin. "It's a new recipe!"
Xaphile handed his brother an eating utensil that was snatched away, and before anyone could blink, the kid was scooping the food into his mouth ravenously. His eyes abruptly snapped shut and tears of joy quickly began to run down his cheeks as he ate, whimpering.
"It's so good!" he whined, swallowing hard and taking a breath. "Thank you! Thank you!"
Everyone watched, slowly and carefully eating their own breakfast, as he tearfully continued devouring his food.
He was finished within two minutes.
Amelia handed him a mug of tea, which he swallowed in three gulps, before serving him seconds, which were also hungrily devoured.
Xaphile was just about to lift the first bite of his own food to his mouth when Vrael said, "so, Adariel! Do you want to know about all your brother's amazing adventures across Aerika?"
The child paused, then finished chewing and swallowed.
"Yes, please," he tentatively peeped.
"Well, you heard him!" Vrael sneakily laughed. "Go ahead, Phil, he wants to hear it!"
Xaphile scowled, then took a bite of his breakfast.
"Not cool, man," he grumbled around it as he chewed. "It wasn't that interesting."
"Oh?" Vordt scoffed, lifting his eyes with an abrupt flick. "You certainly didn't seem to think that way when you saw the library in Gwyradyll Hollow, now, did you?"
"What's Gwyradyll Hollow?" Adariel asked, instantly turning to face him; his gangling feet kicked the chair in curiosity. "Big brother, you went to a library?"
"Yes," Xaphile told him.
"What was it like?"
"Well, the entire city was was—"
"Hey, let the boy eat, little one!" Sinmir piped up. "You should be eating, too!"
"It's fine," Xaphile said, instantly lifting a hand. "He's just curious."
Sinmir hesitated.
"If you're sure," he murmured. "I'm just a mite worried."
When he returned to his food, Xaphile hunched forward so he was more on Adariel's level.
"What do you want to hear about the most?" he softly asked. "I'll explain whatever you want."
"Tell me everything!" Adariel squeaked, instantly throwing his hands into the air. "I want to know everything that happened after we got... s... separated."
He hesitated on the last part, and his eyes grew hazy, but Xaphile sighed and decided to oblige.
"Well, if I'm going to be honest, not all of it was fun," he said, gearing up for a long story. "It all began a few months ago, when I woke up in the middle of the forest, alone—"
He spent a few minutes telling his brother all about how he'd met Gus, and how that had led to the demon attack and meeting Ella, briefly explaining that the villagers of Chisago had been very mean to him, and that he had been locked up because they'd thought he was a demon.
He told his brother everything, with lots of hand motions and crazy faces the way kids liked, and then he talked about the trip to find answers about the weird issues with his missing memories.
Xaphile even mentioned running into the same slavers that had first kidnapped him, and how Ella had saved his life, and how the grimy redhead had gotten what he'd deserved. Then, he talked about marking Ella on accident, explaining that he'd teleported away from her.
He was just going into how he'd met Vrael when he realized that everyone else had gone... well, quiet. He looked around self-consciously, not liking the interested stares.
"What?" he asked, fidgeting. "You're all burning holes in my face, you know!"
Sinmir and Vrael looked at one another, Amelia giggled, Vordt's eyes were closed so Xaphile didn't know what he was thinking about everything, and Ella had leaned back, listening to it all with a dazed expression.
Sinmir spoke first.
"I must confess to enjoying this," he said, smiling. "I suppose that, as someone who has known the marvels of this world from birth, I think of such things as normal... but to you this journey must have seemed fantastical indeed. Such naiveté is... refreshing."
"Hey," Xaphile said, offended.
"Well, it's not like he can talk for long," Vrael said, and he winked. "After he met me, we all decided to go right to Calcoon to fix his mistake, but he passed out and got really sick after his fight with the demon in the lake. One of us'll have to take over!"
Adariel's eyes went wide and he looked at Xaphile, awed.
"You fought a water demon?" he asked in a hushed tone. "Aren't they dangerous?!"
"Yes, they are, and yes, I sure did," Xaphile reluctantly said. "We needed to get across the lake and Amelia can give people gills with some sort of spell, so—"
"She can give people gills?" Adariel squealed, ears shooting up in shock. "What?!"
Everyone laughed, and so it went: Xaphile described the trek from the mountains all the way to Calcoon, the strange sights he'd seen, and then he talked about the weird abyss and Sioh chasing him. Vrael, Ella, and the others pitched in to talk about how they'd fought it off, and Xaphile explained about how he'd nearly died from the poison lowering his body temperature.
He swapped the part about Ella warming him with her own body into his friends wrapping him up and putting him by a fire, and everyone went along with it without being asked. They took over after that while he sat back to listen, explaining meeting the eastern primordial faeries.
It was interesting to hear what had happened while he'd been unconscious, and it was even more interesting to hear Vrael's descriptions of how they'd been forced to ride the giant squirrels as they'd flown across the lake like a swarm of monstrous bats.
Adariel was enraptured.
The story continued.
Xaphile went from talking about being introduced to Zelphira, the queen of the East, who had actually been their aunt all along, to the rest... but then, after a time, he paused.
"Do you guys want to tell him about the Hunt, or should I?" Xaphile asked, wondering how to do this, and Vrael jerked a thumb at himself.
"I'll do it," he said, eager to show some action. "You'll like this part, Adariel, you see we—"
And he described everything in full glory, talking about watching Ella running for her life from a cliff with only his hint to 'not fight' to guide her, and at one point Amelia cut in to explain the Salamanders' ability to sense emotions.
"—and just then," Vrael breathed, "when the dragon was right behind her, and when we thought she totally done for, guess what happened?"
"What?" Adariel asked, eyes huge with wonder. "What happened?! What happened?!"
"Xaphile came flying down out of nowhere!" he gushed, throwing his arms up. "He jumped from the top of the highest cliff and took the dragon down with his bare hands! I saw it with my own eyes! He was incredible!"
Xaphile flinched a little, saddened at the memory, and looked at Ella, but her eyes were wide open and she was staring at him, too, frowning intensely.
What is it? he silently asked.
Her frown deepened.
"It threw him off and boom, Phil hit the ground!" Vrael cried, making Adariel gasp. "We thought he was broken into a thousand little bits!"
"But he wasn't, right?"
"Of course not," Sinmir chortled, "he's sitting right beside you!"
Adariel let out a giggle of his own, but when Xaphile felt something ensnare his tail, he glanced back to see that his little brother had twined his own around it. He felt satisfied, deeply satisfied, and let out a small hum in the back of his throat as their ensnared tails swung back and forth.
"Anyway," Ella finally said, leaning forward, "after that, your brother was invited to a big feast, and his arms were engraved with beautiful tattoos in honor of his bravery."
"Eh?!" Adariel squeaked, taking another big bite without looking away. "Really?!"
By way of answering, Xaphile slid his sleeves back and showed off the beautiful scars that wound across his hands and forearms.
His little brother gasped, eyes popping open wide, and the wonder on his face made his heart swell.
"And then," Ella continued, eyes glimmering faintly behind her long white lashes, "not long after that, there was a ceremony. He and all the other boys got their wings that very same night."
"And after that," Vrael added, smiling faintly, "he met his uncle for the first time."
"Me," Vordt said, drawing Adariel's eyes. "I'm your father's brother, little one."
Adariel blinked, and his tail swung Xaphile's back and forth a little faster, although from what feeling he didn't know; the kid leaned forward and scooped more food into his mouth.
"What then?!" he asked as he chewed, bouncing. "What happened then?!"
They continued talking for a long time, explaining everything that had happened, from their travels, to the advances in their relationships with each other, all the way up to his rescue.
Adariel soaked up every word, and he seemed particularly eager about Xaphile's reaction to learning that he existed for the first time. Ella finished up the rest, talking about how they'd teleported to Dynah and been intercepted right away, then to attending the ball.
And about Spack.
Adariel shivered as she recounted their escape.
"... and that's how we got you out, and how we're here, safe and sound, together," she finished, looking at him with a soft expression. "There's nothing to fear. Although, I am worried about Gus."
"The hunter?" the child asked, blinking. "Wasn't he the one we saw at the bathhouse?
"You saw Gus at the bathhouse?" Ella asked, straightening. "Why didn't anyone say so?"
"Because he'll be returning any moment," Sinmir replied. "He said he was visiting an old acquaintance."
He shrugged when she glared.
"We should go look for him," she said, rising to her feet. "He's unaware of the danger we're all in, and it doesn't sit right with me that he's out there without the right knowledge. It worries me."
"No need," someone said in a very distant, muffled tone. "They filled me in, and I'm already back."
The room went still when the door behind them swung open.
"Welcome back, Gus!" Amelia greeted, smiling. "You're just in time for breakfast!"
"Thanks," the hunter sighed, slicking his damp hair back. "You really should keep your voices down. I heard you from halfway up the stairs, so it's more than possible that a few people in the rooms around us heard you, too."
"Oh," Ella whispered, face growing even paler than normal. "That's unfortunate."
"Indeed," Gus chuckled, shaking his head with a sigh. "Still, it's good that all of you returned safely, and we'll all talk about the important things later, I assume."
Xaphile jerked to look at Ella, whose eyes blazed hot on his own, but since his plate was empty and he wasn't really hungry for more, he decided he was finished.
"Yeah," he said, "we will."
So saying, he extricated his tail from his sibling's and stood up.
"Big brother?" Adariel asked, eyes widening. "Where are you going?"
"Nowhere," he murmured, walking behind him and putting his arms around his chest, cheek lying on the top of his head; he cuddled his little brother close. "I'm staying right here."
"Promise?"
"Promise."
After he pulled back, he watched the kid eat with a smile he couldn't control, eyes roving over his knee-length black hair as he ate, scarfing down a heaping third plate of food. Xaphile reveled in the lightness blooming within him, feeding off the peace he'd found in Adariel's presence.
"Um... Phil?"
His head jerked toward the call of his name; he had forgotten his audience, so caught up in his little brother's presence that the world had just... faded.
That hasn't happened since I was with Ella, he realized, feeling a little startled. Does this mean that I've never actually loved anyone in any manner, even in a platonic way? Aside from her, my little brother is the first and only person I've really connected with like that.
He didn't know.
"So, um," Amelia mumbled, fiddling with her thumbs, "should we, um, you know, take his measurements?"
"Good idea," Xaphile said, glancing at the baggy shirt covering the kid's nudity. "He needs clothes of his own, but you'll probably need to make them a little bigger than the actual measurements since he'll fill them in once he starts eating properly."
"All right," she chirped, walking over to her pack and digging around; she lunged into it with a snort of frustration, legs kicking as she reached for something. Adariel watched her with wide, curious eyes, still munching. "Here we go! Got it!"
She pulled herself out with a huff and straightened her glasses, holding up the white measuring rope she'd first used on him a long time ago.
He raised an eyebrow.
"You brought that?" he asked. "Seriously?"
"Of course!" she said, trotting over to them. "You never know when you might need to order new clothing, especially thanks to mishaps on the road!"
Xaphile stared, eyes growing half-lidded, but he watched with an observant gaze as she carefully began taking measurements of Adariel's shoulders, arms, and biceps.
She then measured his neck, but the moment the rope wrapped around it, he froze like a statue.
Fork falling from his fingers, tail thrashing, muscles quivering, he stared off into space with sheer fright on his face, and Amelia noticed. Her face tensed, but she said nothing, choosing to make quick work of it.
"There," she soothed, pulling the rope away and patting his arm. "That wasn't so bad, was it?"
His eyes returned to normal and he looked at her, face still drawn tight; without a word, he went back to eating, but he still looked a little on edge. Those frightened eyes then landed at Xaphile, who returned the crystalline gaze being sent his way with the faintest of smiles.
The tension that had sprung to life vanished like smoke and he returned to eating with much gusto. Xaphile found it strange how only one look from him could make the kid relax.
Amelia squatted down and lifted his leg, taking his measurements a little awkwardly, and she had him lean forward so she could wrap it around his waist.
All the while, Xaphile stood in place, watching them until she rose to her feet and dusted her skirt off.
"These measurements should work," she said, rounding the table to come to him. "It might be several days before the clothes are finished, so he'll have to wear yours until then."
Xaphile shot Adariel—who was still eating so fast the image of his hands blurred—a sidelong look, and he studied the little boy with a critical eye.
"I think we're good for now," he eventually decided. "We aren't going anywhere, so its not like anyone is going to be seeing him aside from us. It'll be fine."
Right around that moment, Adariel set the fork down and he yawned, sharp fangs on full display before he smacked his lips, staring sleepily off at nothing. Then his head turned and he looked at Xaphile, tiredly stretching his hands out.
"Big Brother?" he mumbled. "Am I really going to be wearing human cloth?"
"Yeah... and after eating all that, it's no surprise that you're tired again. Want to go to bed and sleep until lunch and dinner?"
Adariel nodded sleepily, but that was all it took for Xaphile to lift the little boy into his arms and carry him over to the bed he'd chosen for himself. He easily dragged the blankets and sheets back, but Adariel simply looked at him as he was tucked in, plush comforter drawn up to his chin.
"Am I dreaming?" he asked softly, making everyone pause. "Is this real?"
"It's real," Xaphile assured him, smoothing his soft, clean hair away from his forehead. "Get some rest. You need it. We'll wake you up when it's time for lunch, and if you're still tired, you can go to sleep right after that, too."
Adariel nodded, eyes fluttering, but Xaphile remained next to him and stroked his hair until he fell asleep, snores filling the air.
He only moved away once he was sure.
Rising to his feet, he straightened out his shirt and turned to see everyone staring at him.
"What?" he asked, frowning. "Why are you all looking at me like that?"
Vrael smirked and turned back to his breakfast, saying nothing, and Sinmir Amelia, Vordt, and Gus all did the same.
Ella opened her mouth as if she were about to say something, but she stopped and unexpectedly shivered, face twitching at the very same time that Adariel let out a soft whine.
Xaphile jumped when he felt a twinge of phantom pain run through his leg.
"Ella, are you all right?" he asked, making her glance at him. "I felt that, you know."
"It's nothing," she allowed, shrugging. "My bad leg was likely just a little too over-stressed."
"Wait, no," Vrael instantly said, bolting upright in surprise. "Ella, you're bleeding."
"Huh?" she scoffed, looking down at her leg. "No, I'm not. There's no way I'm..."
She froze, then slowly touched her knee, and held her hand up, staring at a small blood smear that coated her pale fingers.
"How'd that happen?!" Amelia gasped, running over; she peered beneath the table. "Did you cut yourself on something?"
"I don't know," Ella said blankly. "I didn't even move, it just... hurt all of a sudden."
Vordt's eyes suddenly twitched and he froze, as if something had just occurred to him; his head snapped to the left and he snatched her wrist so abruptly that she gasped.
"Your leg?" he asked lowly. "The one that the strange faery who rescued you healed?"
"What?" Ella asked, staring at him; she tried to tug her wrist free, but failed. "Erm, yes."
"Tell me," he growled, "what sort of sensation flooded through you when he healed you, and what color was his magical discharge?"
"I don't recall what it felt like since I was in too much pain; I was just glad it was gone," she scoffed, finally jerking her hand back. "Don't ever grab me like that again. I don't like it. And to answer your question, his magical discharge was blue, just like Xaphile's and Adariel's."
Vordt's eyes turned into a steely mask that couldn't be easily read.
"Thank you for your honesty," he said quietly. "I apologize for alarming you."
Ella grunted in response.
Amelia's lips had pursed during their chitchat and she sighed, bending down; with a wave and a small mumble, her palms began to glow gold and she healed the cut.
"If I may suggest something?" she said softly; everyone looked at her as she braced her small fists atop her knees and steeled herself to be assertive. "This is a little off the usual branch of things, but around this time of year, there is a festival that takes place in Atka."
Ella raised her head, frowning at her.
"How do you know that? Did Gus tell you at some point?"
"No, I heard about it from the young girl who runs the magic shop here," Amelia allowed, "and since Phil and Adariel have finally been reunited, and since we all have been more than stressed recently, I thought perhaps attending the festival might be a good way of simply enjoying ourselves for once."
"That's a great idea!" Sinmir exclaimed, eyes lighting up with a burst of inspiration. "It would give Xaphile and Adariel a chance to spend time together, and we could all cut loose for a while."
"Hell yes," Xaphile instantly said. "That sounds like fun!"
"It actually does," Ella admitted. "When is the festival?"
"Five days from today," Amelia said, then tentatively added, "if, that is, I'm not mistaken."
"Wow!" Sinmir whistled, rolling his shoulders. "That's even closer than I thought!"
The excitement of the moment affected Vrael as well.
"And hey, Amelia," he gushed, eyes gleaming, "I've always wanted to see a celebration like this, so maybe you could come along with me and show me the ropes?"
Xaphile blinked, turning his head to stare at the two of them, but he saw Amelia's desire to shoot the halfling down before he even finished speaking, and it kind of broke his heart to see that Vrael noticed it, too. The boy's voice faltered, dropped, and he looked down at the floor when he mumbled a last-ditch attempt to come along.
"You'll need a guard, after all, and Ella has Xaphile..."
It took Amelia a long time—a time in which Xaphile saw resolution, weakness, sadness, irritation, and grief pass across her face—before she sighed.
"I suppose that would be... acceptable," she allowed. "I will accompany you."
Vrael all but melted.
Xaphile's jaw almost dropped when he saw the look in his eyes.
Shadowed, but happy, twinkling with utter delight and something else... something masculine.
He has the hots for her, he realized, shocked. Holy shit, Vrael totally has the hots for Amelia!
Before anyone else could notice this fact, however, Xaphile endeavored to switch focus because everyone was staring at them and they did not need that kind of pressure, especially the kind Ella was glaring at them.
He clapped his clawed hands together.
Once everyone was looking at him he leaned forward.
"All right!" he said, smiling. "Hopefully by that time, Adariel will have his own clothes, but if not, Amelia can use her illusions and—"
"And nothing. None of you are going."
Vrael, Sinmir, Ella, Amelia, and Xaphile all looked at Gus in shock, but Vordt seemed nonplussed.
"What?" Vrael asked, good mood instantly deflating. "Why?"
"It's not obvious?" Gus snorted, raising his eyes. "We are not leaving ourselves unprotected, not when the Duke and the King are both likely hunting for our heads, and we are not allowing any of us to leave this room unguarded."
"But Gus—"
"The answer is no," he snapped. "We can't spare the risk of being discovered, not even for one day! None of you are leaving, for any reason!"
"But... b-but," Amelia stammered, eyes wide behind her glasses, "Adariel's clothes..."
"You can order him some through a letter to the tailor of this city, and I'll deliver it," Gus grunted, shaking his head. "We'll likely be leaving sooner than five days, anyway."
"Actually... all of you can go."
The entire room did yet another quick-turn-to-look-at-the-person-who-had-unexpectedly-spoken, who in this case was Vordt, but Xaphile was really, really getting tired of all these mini-revelations; they were giving him a horrible case of whiplash.
No one spoke for a few seconds; Xaphile didn't think anyone could have if they'd tried, because Vordt defying all logic wasn't something that happened every single day. In fact, Xaphile would have figured him to be the least likely to go along with the idea.
The fae picked up on their collective confusion, thankfully, and chose to clarify his statement.
"All of you can go," he repeated; when they still didn't speak, he added, "to the festival, that is."
Amelia spoke first with the simple and appropriate question of, "why?"
Her inquiry prompted a series of curious emotions, all of which ran through Vordt's face in a flash of seconds. Xaphile saw brooding displeasure mixed with determination, first, and following it came self-assurance and confidence that borderlined on arrogance.
What did that mean?
"The countess was going to make what happened to her at the duke's ball public and bring to light the injustice that is befalling Nimika, was she not?" he said, making everyone fall still. "I do not think hiding will solve this problem. It might make it worse, in fact."
"But the danger," Gus hissed, clenching his fists. "If there's a bounty on her head, or any of our heads for that matter, we'll be in serious trouble!"
"No, we won't," Ella said, eyes wide. "The treaty of the four protects me, and through your ties to me, you might just have that as an extension."
"That method will only work if such a thing is documented, Ella," Gus snapped. "In order to shelter us beneath your name, you would need formal documentation!"
"Xaphile and his little brother are the faery princes of Nimika, as far as we know," she countered, listing them off her fingers, "Sinmir is the crowned prince of Adanac, and he's officially engaged to the queen of the east. Vrael is now protected beneath his family crest, too. And you, Gus, are my very own prime minister. The only one who would need official documentation is Amelia."
"And, I'm also protected by Sinmir," she sheepishly said, lifting a hand and wriggling her finger; Gus gawked in outrage when he saw the crimson ring on her finger.
"We have done nothing wrong," Ella said, "and if you haven't forgotten, we know everything that the king and the duke have been up to, so if they try something, we will have the right to defend ourselves. This is only speculation, but I don't think they will attack anytime soon."
"Oh?" Gus asked. "And why is that?"
"They may know that I know everything, now, and try to harm at me through illicit means," Ella said slowly, "but at the same time, if Spack truly told them everything, they'll at the very least be hesitant to do so because it could start a war."
The blonde man stilled.
"Would you go to war over this?" he asked in a low voice. "Would you allow that to happen?"
"It depends on whether they attack me, my loved ones, or any land I may govern," Ella said, narrowing her eyes. "I'm perfectly willing to settle this the way a diplomat should, but make no mistake, I am going to reveal what they were plotting at some point, and then I am going to demand that King Osric change his laws and return the faeries he's kidnapped!"
Everyone gawked at her.
"You?" Vrael whispered, stunned. "You'll make a demand of that tyrant?"
"Indeed," she said, glancing at him. "Tactically, he can't refuse, can he?"
"Tactically?" Amelia inquired. "Ella, you're starting to sound like... like..."
"A war general," Gus coldly deadpanned. "You sound like you're trying to form a plot."
"In a way, I guess I am," Ella allowed, ignoring how he paled, "but after the horrors I've seen and experienced in Dynah, I'm all the more determined to have him change things."
"And how do you think you'll go about doing this?!"
"By inducting high treason on the king himself," Ella said, leaning forward. "He and the duke have both violated nearly every rule that Vordt mentioned was on the treaty of the Four. If they really wanted to, the Eastern Faeries could get involved with our politics again."
"Very true," Vordt said, eyes widening slightly. "In fact, if Zelphira knew, she would make plans to leave for the capital in this very moment."
"Exactly," Ella said, smugly folding her arms. "I highly doubt the king would want something like that to become public when you consider just how many people are malcontent with the way he runs things. There would be chaos for him, so either way, I can't and won't be silenced. "
"That's true," Sinmir said, then paused, "and don't forget, this theory also means we have two enemies after us for different things."
This seemed to both please and irk Gus.
"Even more reason why we shouldn't go to a stupid festival!" he growled, green eyes glittering. "We need to concentrate our efforts here and lay low!"
Ella's full lips pursed.
"Octavius, listen," she said. "This situation has gotten very out of control. If what I heard at that ball is true, that the Duke and the King are working together to harm Nimika, it means we are facing a whole host of unforeseen complications. Whether we hide or go out in public, we are going to face trouble from them, so we might as well enjoy ourselves while we can."
Gus's hand slammed onto the tabletop.
"You nearly got yourself killed with this trip, several times!" he snapped. "What makes you think I'd let you pull another—"
"Will you let me finish?!"
Grumble, grumble, grumble—that was Gus's response, and Ella accepted it as readily as she would have accepted actual words.
"Thank you," she quipped, eyes rolling. "As I was saying, we should enjoy ourselves, especially since, as Vordt said, going into hiding might not be the wisest choice. If we try to lay low, it's like we have something to hide."
"But we do!" the man bellowed, clutching his hair. "We have a halfling, a prince from another country, and not one, but three primordial faeries, two of which who are tied to your lands, and the other who is connected to the east, which is, as you know, not good!"
"Vrael's identity," she said at last, "is arguably the most worrisome aspect of this situation, but as you know, our connections to each other protect us from harm. Our camaraderie has created a web that can shelter us, so we have a very solid line of defense for every single person here."
"Wow," Vrael said. "You really do have this thought through."
"Indeed," Ella said, then looked at him with a smile, "and believe it or not, because you are currently in legal, official service to another country's crowned prince, I believe that due to the way our laws have been laid out that your family is no longer endangered."
Vrael's eyes snapped open so wide that they mirrored marbles.
"What?!" he whispered, shocked. "What do you mean?!"
"I mean, the king can't legally do anything to your mother, or your father," Ella chuckled proudly, gesturing at Amelia's bag. "I've been doing occasional reading about the current laws of Aerika, ever since I met your mother. I've been trying to find loopholes, and I finally did."
"How?" Sinmir asked, leaning forward with an intense expression. "What did you discover?"
"It's because of you, Sinmir," Ella told him. "According to the laws, the moment you branded the crest of your house into his arm and put that ring on his finger, he became a legal citizen of Adanac since he didn't have a citizenship in Aerika to begin with."
Everyone gasped.
"Gods," the prince breathed, stunned. "I didn't even know if my chosen method of protection would work if it actually came down to it, but to think... he's a citizen of my country now?"
"Indeed," Ella said, then smirked devilishly, "which basically means that any crime his family may or may not have committed while within Aerikan borders can be settled by your country if you desire it. His mother has a bounty of a million gold pieces on her head, you know."
"EH?!" Vrael shrieked, voice hitching high with horror. "SHE WHAT?! HOW?!"
"She chose you over freedom," Ella said without looking at him, choosing to stare at Sinmir. "You saved not just him, but his whole family, Sinmir. You can have that bounty on her removed, and have her escorted into Adanac at any point if you choose to do so. And the king can't interfere with them if they go out into the open, even if he wants to, because they now fall under the jurisdiction of another country."
"Wow, indeed," said Amelia, stunned. "Ella, I am truly amazed."
"It's settled," Sinmir said. "We'll go to the festival."
Gus's eyes darkened; Xaphile could see his mind tumbling about the possibilities.
"It would seem that you are correct," he eventually said. "I am worried that things might not turn out the way you planned, but you are right... I will send word to Angelo by letter and let him know of what is transpiring. If things take a turn for the worst, at the very least, the king's men will be met with Nimika's top fighters if they choose to attack while we are away."
"Gus, you've almost always believed in my choices, and even when you don't, you've still stood by my side and supported me," Ella said softly, leaning forward and clasping his hand; her eyes shimmered and she sighed, lowering her eyes. "I... want to protect my country."
He stared at her when she swallowed, bearded mouth drawn into a thin line.
"You can start by protecting yourself," he said flatly. "Stop placing yourself in harm's way."
"Gus, as a ruler, that's impossible," she countered, squeezing his hand. "I will always be a target for misfortune, no matter how long I live. I will also have to make hard decisions sometimes, too, and they won't always be the safest to make."
"That may be so, but at the same time, you should consider your options carefully."
"I do, and will," Ella said, lifting her head up high; a flicker of her usual pride gleamed behind her irises. "My eyes have been fully opened. I fell in love, Gus, and the one I fell in love with was someone who suffered from the second biggest mistake I've ever made. I don't want to be a tyrant."
"Then don't be!" the man barked. "But don't be foolish, either!"
Ella gazed at him, head tilting to the side, long hair falling across her eyes. It hung well past her shoulders, Xaphile noticed; it had gotten much longer.
"You are my guardian," she said simply. "My confident. And you know better than most the struggles I went through as a child. You were the one who raised me after my father died, Gus, and that is why I want you to know the truth."
Taking a deep breath, and then letting it out, Ella leaned forward with a hard expression.
"There have been very few decisions that I've made as the countess," she said, dropping the facade of her pride for once, "that have not been foolish in some way or another. But now, I truly believe that for the first time in my life that I am doing the right thing in every possible way."
Gus stared at her, mouth falling open slightly.
"Ella," he said, taking on a pained expression. "Do you really feel that way?"
"Yes," she said, nodding, "and yet, through all of the decisions I've made in the past, you told me that I was doing the right thing even though it most certainly wasn't most of the time. I've made so many foolish choices, and that's why I... I want you to support this one. Because it's not."
Silence filled the air, and everyone gawked at her, even Xaphile.
Gus's face twitched and roiled as the wheels turned in his head, but then he sighed, giving in.
"Fine," he relented, taking her hand and squeezing it. "You have my blessing with this choice, and you are right. We may even have the opportunity to fell several birds with this proverbial stone, least of all Adariel's clothes, but even that would be a bonus."
"Precisely!" Sinmir chuckled. "My point, precisely!"
"When did you want to go to this festival?" Gus asked, letting go of Ella's hands to pull a carving out of his pocket; he then drew a knife out of his boot, but practiced ease made his movements flow fluidly. "It is five days from now, correct?"
"Yes," Amelia said, watching as he began to carve.
"We'll begin preparations to leave on the sixth day, then," Gus said, nodding. "We'll figure out where we're going once that day arrives, but don't draw too much attention, am I clear?"
"Of course," Ella said, and silence fell.
Xaphile didn't like the ensuing tension; Gus was staring at them, he, Amelia, Vrael, and Sinmir were all feeling awkward, like unfortunate spectators, and Vordt...
He was licking his claws for some bizarre reason.
"Well, this is wonderful!" Ella said when the silence became too much to bear, and she stood up, stretching. "I'm going to head downstairs and mingle. I need a drink other than tea. Perhaps they have some chilled milk, or some fizzling butterscotch ale."
Vordt, however, wasn't having any of that.
"Sit down!" he snarled, face twisting in anger. "You're not going anywhere!"
Ella jerked, alarmed, and everyone else seemed just as startled.
"Excuse me?" she asked, looking utterly confused and more than a little pissed thanks to his tone.
Another growl, another glare.
"Sit, fool!" he barked. "NOW!"
"Who are you to order me around?!" she scoffed, incensed. "Listen here, you may be Xaphile's uncle, but—"
"Just do as I say!"
"No! I make my own choices!" Ella spat. "Don't think to order me around!"
When she took a step toward the door, Vordt whirled and jabbed a finger at Xaphile.
"Control this wench and make her sit down, now!" he barked, eyes laced with... something. "She listens to you!"
Xaphile caught her eye when she took a second step, and then a third, and when she put her hand on the latch to leave, Vordt let out a low growl, which in turn made him frown.
"Ella," he said, rising to his own feet, "maybe you should listen to him."
She hesitated for a moment, face wavering, but when Vordt turned with a snort of agreement, her eyes hardened and she yanked the door open anyway. She opened her mouth and turned, as if she were about to speak, but then, the strangest expression swept across her face.
Xaphile felt it through their link when something swept through her left leg.
It felt, for all the world, like something inside of her body had suddenly reached out through her leg bone, grabbed her skin in its hands, and yanked it inward and pushed it outward at the same time, imploding her knee and snapping it at the joint.
Ella screamed with a mixture of shock and fright as her spine arched backward, head snapping back atop her neck, and with a sickening crunch her leg visibly broke. Only seconds later, Adariel let out a scream of his own and Xaphile whirled around just in time to see the blankets jerk.
"OWWWW!" the child screeched, bursting into tears. "BIG BROTHER! BIG BROTHER!!!"
"My... leg," Ella wheezed, looking down at her dangling limb; the handle of the door was the only thing that kept her on her feet. "My leg... it..."
Xaphile lunged forward with his arms outstretched when her eyes rolled and she fell.