The Road to the City of Light
"The fae? They are evil." It was Jacen who answered, "Every year the shadowland grows. The crops become weaker, there are more and more wars. It is the fae who wreaks havoc on us all."
Cybelline raised an eyebrow, "Who told you that?"
"Everyone knows. It's common knowledge." Jacen said, Lord Evans nodded, "We have been told since we were little that they are a blight on the earth. They must be wiped out if the world is to survive."
Cybelline looked at Killian once more, "You believe it as well?"
Killian reached out and gently swept her fiery red hair away from her cheek with a quiet sigh of relief. Cybelline felt the heat of his trembling fingertips, they seemed to leave a light trail of sparks from her cheek to her ear. But she paid no attention to it, instead, she studied his face intently.
"I am not fond of the fae." Killian said quietly, "They have done nothing except caused pain to me and my family."
Lord Evans sighed and gently tugged at Lord Jacen, "This is not a story for our ears."
Evans and Jacen looked at each other and then bowed to Killian and Cybelline, "We'll do a sweep of the area."
Cybelline said nothing but only waited, for some reason, there was a twinge in her heart. It was a strange sensation, nothing was wrong with her physically, but the pain was still there. She chose to ignore it.
Killian and Cybelline walked to a quiet grove of willow trees. When Killian spoke, it was with a low and quiet voice, "My true father is the King of Londaros, the only kingdom in this world that still bear some friendship to the fae and folk. The Fae and Folk warned him that I was an abomination of sorts, due to my affliction." He tapped his eye.
His smile was bitter, "My cousin, who had the same affliction was celebrated in his country, but I was kept prisoner."
He looked to the direction of Londaros, "The fae soothsayer was a said to be the last of her kind, a fae of great power. On her words, my mother and I was imprisoned and I was forced to watch my mother die." He grew paler as his eyes seemed to turn to a light, icy green.
"In answer to your question, I do not like the fae. But if they do not try to harm me, I will not destroy them." He said quietly, "When all is said and done, it was my father who killed my mother."
Cybelline saw the look in her eyes that she knew all too well. It was the look of a child who had been forced to grow up too fast, forced to battle the world with all of its horrors and ugliness.
In that moment the two lost and lonely souls seemed to find each other. Their hearts drummed in synchrony, in defiance of the cruelty that the world threw at them.
Quietly, almost tenderly, she laid her hand in his, "I'm sorry, Killian." Her thumb grazed against against hand, lighter than a feather but bearing the heat of the sun.
Warmth like flame seeped through his icy skin, it was a familiar feeling that took him back to the first time he had laid eyes on her. The first time he had seen color. The first time he had felt joy.
When he was a child the only person to offer him warmth died before he could understand to cherish it. It was this pair of eyes that given him hope of a future, and for this promise, he had tried to create a better world.
It was that promise that had kept him alive, time after time his father had sent people to kill him. It was for that promise that had sent him to war, to allow him to crawl out of the piles of dead, even when there was no sunlight to guide him out of the river of the dead.
"There was once a person who looked at me as you did now. She made me promise my hand to her in marriage." He said as he closed the distance between then. His hand gently gripping her waist, closing the distance between then. It was as natural as dancers who had practiced the steps a thousand times.
Cybelline felt those eyes pull her in, promising the infinity of all things and a lifetime. She looked down at their interconnected hands, so naturally did her hand fall into his that it felt like it belonged there.
The thought startled and unsettled her.
She withdrew her hand and ignored the little smile on his lips, "Oh?" She said, not even aware of the small hint of jealousy in voice, "Where is she now? Maybe you should go whisper sweet nothings in her ear."
He grinned ear to ear, like a fool. Hearing the words herself, Cybelline felt an uncharacteristic hotness to her cheeks, her eyes narrowed, "If you dare laugh, I promise you a quick and painful death."
Killian threw his hands up and backed away. He looked at her with curiosity, "I've had a question since I met you in the City of Thieves."
Cybelline raised an eyebrow, Killian decided to continue, "Why don't you like to be touched?"
She was quiet for so long that Killian didn't know if she would answer, but after a while Cybelline answered, "I worked in a profession where trust was everything. It is the ultimate sign of trust that I allow someone into my personal space." She shrugged, "It was a pretty lonely job, but I got used to it."
Killian understood, he knew better than anyone. He took her hand again, "You can trust me. I promise."
This was the decision that had been waiting for her, the cross road that she must cross. Trust him?
He was the general that humans and fae all feared. He was more powerful than kings and emperors, and the fae in their weakened state could nothing against him. And if he turned against her, would she kill him? It seemed in that moment the thought made her sick, and she knew that in this battle the assassin in her lost.
Lie to him? She could lie, lying was easy to her. It was second nature. She could leave the Dyrads behind and pretend they don't exist. They weren't her problem, she only wanted to get Jinon out of prison. She remembered the little Dyrad with the tattered wings.
She could lie about what she was, deny its existence. And if one day, if he ever found out, she could leave. A small part, the very honest part of her wondered if she could do that when the day came. She ignored the tiny, annoying voice.
She sighed, it was much easier when there was someone giving her orders. Moral dilemmas did not suit her.
"The reason why I asked you if you hate the fae, is because the people who kidnapped me were fae." She finally said. She would still hide what she was for now. If he knew what she was, then would they... she forced the thought away.
A boy says a few sweet words to you, and you go to bits? Stop it before you are too far gone. Cybelline admonished herself, wake up. There is a mission at stake.
Killian frowned, "I didn't know there were fae in these parts. I'll bring my armies, they shouldn't have tried to harm you."
Cybelline gripped his arm, "No. Don't. I want to help them."
Killian blinked, "You want to what?"
"They're injured. I want to help them." Cybelline said quietly.
"No." Killian refused, "They're dangerous, they kidnapped you."
"Only because I was curious. I wanted to see what they were going to do next." Cybelline said with an impish smile.
"You put yourself in danger because you were curious?" Killian's voice was getting colder, he glared at her, "That's foolish."
Cybelline's smile faded, "Killian, I think we have to get something very clear, I can take care of myself. I have been doing so for a very long time. I will do what I think is right."
Killian looked at her, a little stunned, "Do you know how worried I was? The thought of you being taken away..." He looked down, "It's not something I could survive."
Cybelline had a stomach-full of words that she could have thrown at him in that moment. But when she looked at him, they all disappeared.
What is wrong with me? She thought, am I ill?
She sighed, "Killian, I promise you that I won't die that easily." Killian locked his hand around hers, and Cybelline knew that this was a dangerous habit. Yet, she did not let go, the warmth, she found, was comforting.
Just this once, she told herself. Don't get used to it.
"If you trust me, then will you let me help those fae?" She asked, "Give me a few hours. Trust me?"
"Will you let me accompany you?" Killian asked quietly, "I trust you, but I do not trust them."
A small victory, Cybelline smiled, "Thank you."
--------
Londaros
"I'm going to kill'im." Ithos growled as he looked at the ring, "I'm going to make that Prince of Londaros into minced pie. No, I'm going to turn him into a pile of ash."
Myrai looked at her husband with exasperation, "Yer daughter is of age now. Did ye think she would never be betrothed? Or Married? Ye silly old man."
"No, I never thought she would get married." Ithos growled, "She can get married in another two thousand years."
Solara and Myrai rolled their eyes in synchrony.
"Why is not one as upset as I am?" Ithos whined, a little hurt by his wife's nonchalance.
Solara pointed to Ryion, who was now a young man. Ryion's face was dark with anger as well. It had only taken a short while for the magic to take effect and Ryion was now able to control his fae side.
Like Miri, he too was half fae and half human. The magic brought his fae blood into full power and then some, but at the same time, his human half hid his first fae side well. They were safe for now.
Ryion stood up, "Pa, Let's go kill that Prince Jasreth."
Miri put her face in her hands and groaned. Myrai and Solara understood while her father and brother was a different matter.
"Let's lure him out of his palace, I'll bring the knives, ye bring the sack for the body." Ithos planned with Ryion.
Ryion noticeably brightened and they stood up, ready to put their plan into action.
"No one is killing Jasreth!" Miri finally had enough, she glared at the two men, "Sit!" In unison, father and son sat down and became meek as mice.
Miri looked at the ring that seemed to become heavier and heavier on her finger, "You two, will you be quiet? I need to think."
With that, she stomped out of the house.
Ithos looked at his wife with mournful eyes, "Does Miri not love me anymore?"
"Who could blame her?" Solara whispered under her breath.
Miri ran out of the cottage walked around aimlessly for an hour. She knew that she had fallen for the Prince of Londaros, but was he right for her? Could she be happy as the Queen of Londaros?
She was lost until a voice found her soul.
"You seem to always appear when I least expect you." She looked up and saw that she was staring into the eyes of the man that had not left her dreams alone since she met him.
He was dressed in black and silver, tall and handsome in his courtly garbs. People around him bowed and got out of the way as his guard cleared the path. The air of the meek and ill looking prince that often seemed more of a disappointment than an actual heir to the throne was gone. With the death of his half-brother, Jasreth seemed to have undergone a transformation that alarmed the court and his royal family.
"Jasreth? What are you doing here?" Miri blurted out, Jasreth only smiled, "Take a stroll with me?"
Miri nodded and allowed him to lead her to a nearby garden. They walked in silence in the bloom of the roses and peonies. Jasreth looked that the lively girl who seemed to be deep in thought.
"Do you like the ring?" He asked as they walked towards a small lake.
Miri looked at the intricate ring, "Yes. Why did you give it to me?"
Jasreth looked surprised at her question, "Are you not happy with it?"
Miri quickly shook her head, "It's not that, but I just don't understand, why me? You are a prince. You could have anyone."
"I don't want anyone." Jasreth replied, "And I'm tired of people telling me who to choose. That is my decision to make and I want you for my wife."
Jasreth looked at the beautiful landscape and the immense kindgom that he would one day inherit, "Every move I make is for the good of my people. Nothing in my life is for me, for once, I want the choice to be mine." He looked at her with a smile, "And yours as well."
He took her hand and kissed it. Miri felt her face go up in flames as his lips touched her hand. In her life she had never experienced such an intense yet lovely feeling. It was shocking how that giddy it made her.
Miri smiled at her betrothed, "Then, I hope that we have made the right choice."