"You're insane."
"Lovely," Revy sighed. She just finished explaining everything to Micah over rice and fish in her dining room, with the sun already setting and the candles flickering. They've been talking for hours, trading ideas and bewildered comments.
But underneath all that banter, she had successfully managed to create and explain her plan to Micah.
He was gaping at her. "You want me... to... what?"
"Seduce a royal of Lieru," she said again, calmly. "Or win their favour, enough for them to consider a peace treaty and some sort of trading negotiation."
"You are insane." Micah shook his head, bewildered. He was still eating his fish, still very careful about the little bones. He had a mouthful of rice in his hand a glass of water in the other. "Has anyone ever said that to you? You are insane."
"Thank you," Revy sighed. She leaned back in her chair, wiping grease off her fingers. "Compliment well appreciated."
"And aside from that... you want to marry this Mahalia girl? Really?"
"Yes," she said. Revy rolled her eyes at him. "We were just discussing that. Certainly, you weren't zoning out for most of it."
Micah shrugged. He ate the mouthful of rice and drank water. "I wish I was zoning out, actually. You are a snivelling bitch."
She sighed.
"Hey, don't get me wrong, father is the biggest bitch among us."
"Thank you, Micah."
He smiled at her dumbly and rolled his eyes. "Really, Revy," he took a bigger portion of her fish when he ran out, "you want the throne... that badly?"
"Yes," she said.
"Is it because of that deal you had with mother?"
"Of course it's because of that deal I had," Revy murmured. "But it's become so much more than just that."
"Oh?" Micah was picking around the fish for little bones. "Really?"
"Where do you think I sneak off to?"
"A woman's bed?"
Exasperated, Revy sent some of her fire to burn his hair. He yelped. "Not often."
"Revy, really, remember that one time you were in my rooms—"
She sighed. "We aren't talking about that."
"—with a girl and," Micah looked up at her pointedly, "you were—"
"That's enough."
"Really just about to—"
"Micah!"
He laughed heartedly, rolling his eyes and drinking gulps of water. "I'm teasing you. But I haven't really forgiven you for that."
"It was dark," she murmured. "And I was tipsy."
"In my rooms? With a girl?"
"Can you shut up, Micah?" Revy looked him in the eye. It was a look she gave to people who challenged her, who got on her nerves, to tell them she was this close to breaking his neck.
But to Micah, it made him howl with laughter. He choked on his rice and laughed loudly while coughing, his face flushing and his hand coming down to slap the table. Repeatedky.
"Oh, you're making a mess!" she chided, trying to hold back a smile. "Look! Your rice is getting everywhere!"
"Your... your face when I caught you!" he laughed, shaking his head and doubling over. "Fuck, you were like—" He redid his own version of it. "Yes, yes harder, fuck—MICAH?" Big, loud, and chaotic belly laughs. Micah always seemed to glow when he got like this, the embodiment of a loud and overly-enthusiastic sun.
"That's enough," Revy groaned. But soon enough, she was giggling too, joining him as he couldn't stop.
Admittedly... it felt good.
"I'm going to throw you off the balcony!" she threatened, even when she had a hard time breathing as well. She was struggling to breathe and Micah, being stupid, lovely Micah, animatedly recreated the story he never stopped reminding her.
"And then you were like, Micah, I am so sorry—"
"Shut up!" Revy howled, and doubled over as well. Her stomach hurt and her face flushed and her eyes watered. Even her fire was having fun, setting bits of rice to flame and jumping from her shoulders to her arms and hands. "Night, fuck, I can't—I can't breathe!"
And they laughed together for a long time.
They laughed until their bellies were sore and they had no tears to give. Until their throats felt parched and they both had to drink water. Until Revy felt oddly... calm. Oddly calm about this. Oddly calm, warm, and comforted.
Everything is going to be okay.
Oh.
Her eyes widened in understanding.
Oh.
"Micah, fuck, you are a piece of shit."
"Hmmm?" Micah hummed. "What do you mean?"
"You were using your magic, weren't you?"
He gasped dramatically, a hand to his chest. "Dear Night, the accusation!"
But even that didn't bother her. "Why?" she asked. His magic didn't leave her. She felt its presence with her own, the energy of the sun lazily playing with her fire. It was a gentle and lovely touch, and her magic was eased with him.
"You're always so tense, Revy," he said. "I dunno... I just thought that you deserved a break every once in a while. Even if it means just," he shrugged, "laughing for a bit?"
Revy felt like her heart was turning to mush. "Ah."
"I'm waiting for a thank you." He propped his chin on his hand, smiling at her.
"Thank you."
"Lovely." Micah rubbed his hands. "Now about your plan... there is one flaw."
She furrowed her eyebrows. But she crossed her legs and leaned back in her chair. "Which is?"
"Something I'm sure you've overlooked."
"No." Revy furrowed her eyebrows. "We know where to arrange for our travels. We also asked if there was enough food for us and our crew. We also estimated that there would be enough guards or willing royals with air and magic to assist us, to make our journey quicker. We can bring an entourage. The letter to Lieru should be carefully penned but otherwise, they would accept." She held up her fingers as she announced these things. "Lieru will have inns or rooms in their palace for us to stay. Their docks aren't busy or packed enough at this season, so we'd have easy entrance."
"Dear Night, you are a fucking idiot."
Revy ignored him. "Also, you'd be there to calm any feuds and make light the situation. We can ask permission from the royals and from Mahalia's father. We can even bring him along to Analide if that's what he'd like."
Micah blinked at her. Then rolled his eyes. "Idiot."
"Why?"
"You are the biggest fucking idiot I've ever had to be around."
His eyes shined. He waved his hand, a golden arc of light followed it. She scoffed then sent her fire at him, too, satisfied to hear his groan as a part of his sleeve burnt.
"You're the one failing your lessons," she grumbled.
"The stars rejected you."
"Hey," she frowned. "Harsh."
"Sorry," he said quickly. But then the corners of his mouth quirked up. "Revy," he began, "what if she doesn't want to marry you?"
Revy stared at him for a moment. "I didn't... think of that," she mumbled.
"Idiot."
She sighed heavily and rubbed her eyes. "Fuck, I don't know. Then I make her want to marry me. It can't be that hard, right?"
"You aren't exactly charming."
"I am when I want to be."
"Gross," Micah said. And then, "What? Will you stoop down to bribery?"
She hesitated. And that one second of hesitation made Micah gasp. "Of course not."
His eyes widened. He always knew when she lied. Damn him. "Bribery?"
"It's a last resort," she muttered. She sipped some water and picked at her nails. "There has to be some way she can be bought, right?"
"Snivelling bitch."
"Thank you."
Micah shrugged. He sat straighter in his chair, looking at her steadily. She raised an eyebrow.
"About the deal with mother..."
Revy nodded. "What about it?"
"You still stick by it?"
She frowned. Revy crossed her arms. "Mother's death was sudden," she said. "And Night knows it wasn't just a foolish accident. She was killed."
Micah flinched, despite himself. "Right."
"The deal I made with mother is engraved in my heart." She paused. "Mother deserved better."
"Right," Micah repeated with a heavy sigh. "So much better." He drummed his hands on the table, furrowing his eyebrows. "I didn't believe it was an accident either," he admitted. "She was always so... careful. That's how I remembered it."
"You're right," Revy said. "Careful. She did everything with purpose. From the places she stepped and the way she walked—she was so careful."
"I think she always knew they were out to get her," Micah said. He had a far away, distant look on his face. Revy knew he was thinking out loud. "I managed to eavesdrop during that meeting in the throne room. And you're right—we are our mother's children. They don't want that."
She nodded. "Father was always so disgusted with us. Weren't they married for bloodline alone?"
"Yes," Micah said. "I think she was the people's Queen, you know. She was the beautiful late Queen Astacia Pallas, with the extraordinary gift to control the weather."
"The people loved her," Revy recalled. "The crops were in abundance. It was never too hot in Analide. She gave people shelter and blocked storms." She sighed and ran her hand through her hair. Her fire curled itself around her arm in the way it did when she was sad. "It was always just right when she was around."
"Everything was just right when she was around."
She picked at her nails. It was... hard for her and Micah to talk about this. Their mother died when she was thirteen and Micah was eight. They were both too young. Their mother was their protector and the light of their world. She was always the first defence against father, always the first to be there, the first teacher and lover.
"I miss her," Micah mumbled. "You look like her. But with darker skin."
"You have her eyes," Revy said. "And her smile."
At some point in that silence, a servant appeared to take away their plates. After that Micah wandered off to her living room with a book. Revy decided to polish her weapons. It was nice. They were just in each other's company, minding their own business, talking to each other occasionally. They fell into that easy rhythm and familiarity that siblings had. Her magic was letting itself wander around, teasing Micah, and he rolled his eyes and sent his own magic back. Their powers were mingling together, playing, and Revy even smiled, despite everything. This quiet comfort of—dare Revy admit it—love was underappreciated.
"Micah," she said after some time. The candles burned bright and were beginning to shorten. Her sword and numerous daggers had been polished to a bright sheen, Analidian steel gleaming. "Can I tell you something?"
"Yes you can." Micah didn't put down his book.
"Micah."
"Mmm?"
"I love you." The words knocked the wind right out of her.
He looked at her.
It was the quiet, tender moments like this that really got to her. The quiet, almost impossible moments. Not the stars. Not the fire. Not the fact that she was close to killing her father.
This.
This absurd, strange, peaceful time of living. This strange time where she was allowed to just be. And these moments with Micah were the best. He always brought with him the gentle, loving peace, and it was during these times that Revy was suddenly overwhelmed with gratitude that it choked her. Even when the world was falling apart, even when she'd have to marry a woman from Lieru, even when there was a rebellion in the south, even when she was being given the burden of a lifetime and maybe things won't work out... There were these scarce moments of the in between, where she was just here.
"Go to sleep, Revy," Micah said softly. He smiled. And that said enough.
I love you, too.
--
oof, hello!! i got into a huge debate w myself about whether i delete this scene or not. but since im uploading it here, then ultimately ive decided not to, right?
i hope u guys enjoyed the playful, lively banter of our royal Analidian siblings!! ive decided to go with a simple "calm before the storm" chapter. bc,,, phew, guys, chapter 14 is a lot.
im relly reatisfied with how WAR is coming together. the plot is moving along, our characters feel alive, and i have readers. im so thankful that there are people on this journey with me.
that's all, loves! leave a vote and some feedback!!
- yannah:>