The Rising

by Kristen Ashley

  It led him deep into the forest.

  It was a long ride, in the opposite direction he should be taking, but he eventually saw the merrily roaring campfire.

  He cautiously approached it.

  And to his shock, not only did it appear the highwaymen had rather a lovely bohemian outdoor abode tucked in a curvature of black stone amongst the forest. It included many thick rugs upon the ground, rich hides, tasseled, rolled pillows, sturdy awnings hung to hold back the elements, some low tables, logs that had been dragged in to serve as back rests or shields from the wind, and lanterns and candles scattered about to give it a cozy feeling.

  They also had wenches who looked like a cross between a Zee and a doxy. These women wore low-cut, striped blouses under stiff Airenzian corsets that stretched along their midriffs and came to a point in the middle, beneath their breasts. With these they had skirts with deep ruffles at the edges, a few of them that included lace. The skirts fell to their heels at the back but were cut so high at the front, they just covered the pubis. Thus, legs were exposed with lace-topped stockings encasing upper thighs and boots that rode up to just under their knees.

  But last…

  There were ten of them.

  Five women.

  And all five men.

  The men had all escaped.

  But…

  How?

  “It wasn’t right,” one man said.

  “It’s done,” another one replied wearily. “Let us cease talking about it.”

  “I swear to the gods, Nick, that man with the woman…at one point he had grown fangs,” the first man said.

  “Think not on it, for it is done,” Nick replied.

  “The one I chased disappeared into thin air,” another said.

  “A sorcerer?” one of the women asked.

  “Had to be,” the man who chased him answered.

  “If he was a sorcerer, Leith, he would not run. He’d cast,” another man said.

  “He did cast, Angus, to disappear,” Leith replied.

  “And be glad of it,” Nick advised. “For this night we rode up on evil, so intent on coin, we didn’t feel it until it was almost too late, and now, we are all here, still breathing.”

  Yes, they were.

  All there.

  Still breathing.

  But…

  How?

  “I’ll take that bottle of gin, love,” the first man who spoke said.

  “Here you go, my Rory,” a woman whispered, proffering a bottle.

  He took it then pulled her down to her hip beside where he lounged on a thick rug against a rolled pillow up against a log.

  “Kaden?” Nick called, apparently to the last man, who was at the edge of their encampment, staring into the night.

  “We should report this,” he said.

  There was silence.

  Eventually, Nick, who Jellan sensed was the leader, muttered, “Aye.”

  “Report what?” another of the women asked.

  “I’m not sure we should report anything,” Leith said.

  Kaden turned to the gathering. “That…thing on Airenzian soil, our Regent finally sticking it to those arseholes, he does not need another bother. And where there is one, there might be others. He might even be at the call of the AG. Prince Cassius should know.”

  Jellan was shaken.

  No one along their journey had sensed anything amiss with Daemon.

  Indeed, many a woman had gazed on him with no small amount of admiration.

  How had these men sensed what he was?

  Or that he was…other.

  They had mentioned fangs, but they had also all survived a run-in with the Beast.

  And if he had fully transformed, there was no chance of that happening.

  The only answer to this puzzle was that it was clear, for some reason, he had not.

  He had let them get away.

  And Jellan did not have to ponder the why of that.

  Marian.

  But now, these men lived to share their tale. Perhaps even with Prince Cassius.

  Oh yes, the woman was a crafty, clever cunt.

  And it should please Jellan they were both about the same business.

  But he loathed her so much, it did not.

  He would be the hero of this tale.

  He would have the stories told about how he helped save Triton.

  She would be forever remembered as the harridan who raised the Beast.

  “We will think on it the night and vote on it on the morrow,” Nick decreed. “Now I need whiskey and my wench,” he stated, reaching out and jerking the arm of one of the women so she cried out not in protest and fell astride him with a husky laugh. “And all will be well,” he finished.

  It appeared the course of the evening had changed for this crew, something Jellan did not intend to witness, so he turned his mount and headed away.

  He made certain he could no longer see the campfire before he relieved himself of his magical shroud.

  And he rode on.

  There was much to think on of that night.

  He was also tired.

  But he could not rest.

  “You need a name, old boy, what should we call you?” he muttered to his steed to turn his thoughts to something that was not sleep.

  The animal had naught to say.

  “Chance,” Jellan decided, gazing into the moonlit night.

  Making his way through Airen.

  On his way to Sky Bay.

  142

  The Rainbow

  Prince Cassius

  Divinity Boulevard, Sky Bay

  AIREN

  Cassius rode with Aelia tucked to his front, Theodora astride Caelus at his back, and he did this with his eyes to their surroundings, wondering why the bloody hell he’d allowed Ellie to convince him they should participate in this ridiculous affair.

  But he had.

  Thus, on his wedding day, he rode to the Combined Cathedral of the Gods in order to take his woman to wife.

  And he did this with crowds on either side of the boulevard, held back by Airenzian soldiers, what seemed like the lot of them throwing coral, purple and sky-blue bloody confetti at him.

  Lahn and Circe, Frey and Finnie led the way.

  Apollo and Madeleine, Noctorno and Cora rode behind them.

  True and Farah rode side by side next to Jorie just ahead of Cass and his girls.

  Aramus and Ha-Lah rode to his left.

  Mars and Silence to his right.

  A guard of twenty paraded before Lahn, Circe, Frey and Finnie.

  And a guard of twenty trotted to Cass’s back.

  Elena was somewhere even farther back, and the only argument he’d won in this hellish affair (notwithstanding him demanding their daughters rode with him, thus under his guard) was that Mac, Ian, Nero and Severus accompanied her, along with Hera, Serena and Chu.

  When he’d married Liviana, they’d stolen inland, made their way to Abhainn Mouth, and married in a little chapel outside that port city.

  The only people in attendance were Mac, Nero, Otho and Ian.

  As well as Mars standing at his side.

  And at Liv’s side, as her father was not best pleased his beloved daughter was going to marry into Airenzian royalty, this because his father and Trajan cast long wretched shadows, stood Ares.

  They had all gotten far too inebriated after the ceremony.

  But he had not gotten so inebriated he could not consummate his marriage to his wife in the little cottage by the sea he’d hired for just that occasion when one celebration was done, and another one had started.

  It had been perfect.

  This was not.

  “Golly! Isn’t it pretty, Papa?” Aelia cried.

  “Fairytale,” Dora murmured behind him, her thin arms around his middle tightening, and he felt her lay her cheek to his back.

  Right, the feel of her cheek there, the word she said that she felt, he might be able to put up with this day.

 
Perhaps.

  “Allo there!” Aelia called and waved to a boy child her age who had gotten through the legs of the soldiers and was scampering beside them.

  “Princess Aelia!” he yelled. “Will you marry me?”

  Aelia giggled.

  Cassius scowled down at the child.

  The boy caught Cassius’s look and fell back.

  Mars chuckled.

  Cassius turned his scowl to him.

  “My brother, you marry today, and the Bay celebrates. This is no reason to appear dour, no?” Mars asked.

  “I wish to be married. I do not wish for myself, or my daughters, to choke on confetti,” Cassius returned, only for Mars to throw his head back and roar his laughter.

  Silence, riding between he and Mars, smiled happily up to Cass.

  “Have you seen her gown?” she asked Cassius.

  “No,” he grunted. “She has not allowed this.”

  “Oh, I cannot wait for you to see her gown,” Silence replied while looking forward.

  “Me either!” Aelia peeped.

  “It’s the perfect gown to wear to become a princess,” Dora said.

  Cass twisted his head around to catch her eyes. “Little bean, she’s always been a princess and now she is queen.”

  She peered up at him and replied, “I know, Cass. But today, she becomes a princess.”

  He saw this had some meaning for her he did not understand.

  But from the moment the knowledge he had a daughter cut through his grief at losing his wife, he knew there would be many things he would not understand, and he’d reconciled then to let that be.

  So, in that moment, he let that be and simply smiled at his girl.

  She pressed her cheek again to his back and Cassius looked forward to the looming Combined Cathedral that rose grandly at the top of the cliffs opposite the Sky Citadel, its five, high, black spires spiking into a clear, blue sky.

  It was called thus, for unlike other temples that were sanctioned for a certain god, the cathedral was where those who went to worship could worship any Airenzian god they needed.

  There were lesser ones, but most all worshipped the greater ones, some of them more than others, but at some point, everyone cast their prayers to all.

  There was Jupiter, the sky god, Summanus, the thunder god, and Sol, the sun god.

  There were also Lune, the god of moon and night and Aurorus, the god of the dawn.

  But in olden times, Lune was Luna, a goddess, and Aurorus was Aurora, also a goddess.

  However, since Airenzian men refused to worship female deities, they’d been changed.

  Which meant their gods were a farce too, for if they were real, they wouldn’t likely thrill to the idea of changing their gender.

  Though, as Cassius thought it, this was why the female gods cast the pall Airen lived under, for such hubris and blasphemy from man deserved punishment.

  Cass did not know of any Airenzian king that had been married at the cathedral.

  This, too, was Ellie’s idea, for Airenzian kings married in a small chapel at the Citadel, or in the throne room, such was their desire to share this event mattered little.

  Though, he reckoned, with this spectacle occurring in the “New Airen,” marriage ceremonies would enjoy a resurgence.

  He sighed, held his daughter close, listened to the clop of many horses, the cheers of the crowd and watched the wisps of color drift through the air as the basilica came closer.

  And through this he thought, she was his already, but after this day, she would be his officially.

  Plus, their daughters would enjoy the day.

  So indeed, yes.

  He could put up with it.

  And a bonus, they neared the cathedral, so it would be over soon.

  As such, in little time they made the base of the wide set of steep steps that ran the length of the cathedral, and as they did, he saw the various personages that the steward had suggested, Elena had approved, then Cassius had approved, all milling about the steps.

  There were a few lords who had sworn fealty to Cassius, though not many as most were at their homes in order to be there to defend them if need be, however, those members of the gentry had sent representatives.

  There were also professors. Healers. Architects. Merchants. He saw Reginald, his chief of Slán Bailey standing with his wife, both of them smiling large.

  And he saw a number of faces he recognized, for they were servants in the Citadel, but few he knew their names, and they were dressed at their best and also smiling large at the honor that Elena had bestowed on them.

  As they were at his wedding, Cass determined to learn their names.

  At some point.

  Without any fanfare, he stopped Caelus and waited until Mars and Aramus dismounted, for he’d prearranged that Mars take hold of Aelia and put her to her feet while Aramus did the same for Dora.

  When this happened, only then did he swing off his steed allowing a page to rush up and take the reins.

  He saw Theodora round Caelus’s rump as the horse walked away, this the big sister doing in order to get to Aelia and take her hand, whereupon Aelia imparted on a loud whisper, “I want to marry a man just like Uncle Mars one day.”

  “Well, I want to marry a man just like Cassius,” Dora replied.

  At her words, Cass stood stock still, a burning warmth he did not mind sweeping through him.

  Mars chuckled, Silence giggled and Ha-Lah laughed.

  Aramus took affront.

  “Do neither of you wish to marry the likes of me?”

  Aelia’s eyes became huge before she broke from her sister, rushed to him and threw her arms around his legs, crying, “Me! I do! I want a husband just like you too! It was just that you didn’t help me off Papa’s horse and I forgot!”

  Aramus put his hand to her head and grinned down at her, teasing, “You wish two husbands?”

  “Yes!” she cried.

  “Greedy minnow,” Aramus muttered on a laugh.

  “Trust me, my lovely,” Ha-Lah entered the conversation, taking hold of Aelia’s hand and drawing her away from Aramus. “You’ll find one is more than enough.”

  Mars boomed with laughter again, Silence giggled and Aramus took further affront.

  “I’ll show you more than enough,” Aramus warned.

  “Promise?” Ha-Lah asked on a cheeky smile.

  “Absolutely,” Aramus said low.

  Good gods.

  “Why the laughter?” Farah asked, arriving with True at her side, as well as Jorie, who approached Silence and Mars.

  She was smiling brightly at them all.

  “Aelia wants two husbands,” Silence shared.

  Farah’s eyes grew large.

  “And I do not take that reaction as a compliment,” True jested.

  Farah’s expression melted to adoration as she turned her face to her king.

  “I forgot, I want a husband like you too, Uncle True,” Aelia declared.

  “How about you grow up first, my beauty, and then see what you wish,” True suggested.

  “I don’t need to grow up,” she told him. “A boy asked me to marry him on the way here. I’ll be married in no time.”

  “You will not,” Cass decreed.

  His daughter whirled on him. “Papa! I want to wear a gown just like Ellie’s.”

  “And you can,” he allowed.

  She beamed.

  “In forty years,” he finished.

  She frowned.

  He smiled at her.

  She stopped frowning.

  “Let us reach the top of the steps so we can watch Elena arriving,” Ha-Lah proposed.

  “Yes!” Aelia hopped up. “Let’s!”

  Still holding Ha-Lah’s hand, they started up the steps.

  Dora moved to follow.

  But Cassius stopped her by touching her shoulder.

  She looked up to him.

  He offered his arm. “The groom needs an escort, little bean.”

  S
he looked to his arm, her cheeks got rosy, her eyes got wet, then she tucked her fingers in his elbow and shot him a trembling smile.

  In turn, he moved to her and tucked her to his side before they began their stroll up the steps.

  He almost immediately noticed Silvanus, and his clan of Zees, as they were dressed more audaciously than normally.

  He tipped his chin to the man, who had his shirt undone all the way down to his navel, but at least his chest was partially covered by his copious, doubtlessly purloined necklaces.

  In return, a broad, white smile on his lips, Silvanus tipped his hat.

  As they ascended, there were well-wishes extended, bows and curtsies bobbed, and Cassius accepted these with dips of his chin.

  But his attention was on his girl.

  “I’m glad we have this time, for me it gives me the opportunity to thank you,” he said.

  “For what?” she asked.

  “For much, my Dora,” he answered, covering her gloved hand at his elbow with his. “For I had Aelia, and I had my brothers, but unless I was with them, and sometimes even when I was, I wasn’t very happy.” He cast his gaze down to her. “And then I met you and Ellie, and now, both Aelia and I have a family. So now, we are both happy. But being happy, and seeing Aelia happier, and making Ellie the same, and you, makes me very happy.”

  “We are. We’re happy too,” she assured him.

  “I hope so, love.”

  “We are, Cass,” she repeated. “Ellie especially. She loves you lots.”

  He smiled down at her. “And I love her lots.”

  “I know,” she whispered, her eyes speaking words that made Cass take her fingers from his elbow as he bent so he could touch his lips to them.

  He then tucked them back and finished ascending the stairs with his daughter at his side in order to stand at the top with his friends and await his bride.

  “My, but the wind is chill up here,” Aelia murmured, breaking from Ha-Lah to come to her papa.

  She wrapped her arms around his thigh.

  He pulled the hood of her cloak over her head and then wrapped his mantle about her back and held it there.

  Dora moved in at his other side and curved her arms about his middle.

  He wrapped her in his mantle too.

  And as such, suddenly content with the day, he looked down at his city, the bastion of his kingdom, and noted for the first time that the guests milling about the steps wore not black or gray or brown but had donned all the colors of the rainbow.