“We have,” Councilman Salem replied, “We are sorry, your highness, but unfortunately the way in which we communicate is limited to the fey as a result of our heritage.” Liar, anyone could complete a wing-sibling bond. “We have tried to teach others before, but to no avail.”
From the reflection in the mosaics he could see the death glare that Princess Asha bestowed upon the council, it was enough to impress Riven, but had the opposite effect on the council.
“If that was the case,” The princess began icily, “you would have informed me of that yesterday when I came before you. You gained nothing from making me wait.”
“I’m not sure what you’re inferring, princess.” Councilwoman Frey replied smoothly.
“I’m calling you liars.”
Silence dropped like a bomb.
“Princess Asha,” Frey tried again, “You realise we have enjoyed comfortable relations with your uncle for five hundred years?”
“And if you want to maintain that, I would suggest you start telling me the truth, and do it quickly, I don’t have all day.”
Riven’s mouth must have been hanging open, no one talked to the council like that. No one had threatened them and lived.
“Princess…” Frey began to look angry.
“If it’s another falsehood working its way out of your mouth, I don’t want to hear it.” Asha interrupted, “If it’s a threat, by all means, I may find it amusing. You do know who I am, don’t you? Let me remind you, I am the daughter of the king of the human realms, the niece of the king of the elven forests, second most powerful wytch queen of both the dark and light covens of wytches, granddaughter of the Ancients Kate and Gaillean and slayer of the Ancient Llewellyn. So if you want to keep this quaint little settlement of yours safe and secret, you’ll do as I say and TELL ME THE TRUTH.”
The elders didn’t know the way the world was now, couldn’t possibly tell if Princess Asha was all of these things she claimed to be, but one look in her reflected eyes and he knew it was the truth, no one could have that much arrogance and not have the titles to go with it. But to be the one to slay an Ancient, not to mention be descended of two more? The world outside had changed greatly.
“Forgive us,” Councilman Horvin spoke softly, and Riven wanted to smile at the sight of such a man brought to heel in that way. “It was not our intention to anger you, Princess Asha.”
“The truth,” Councilwoman Mare admitted, “Is that the fey bond with one gryphon from infancy, learning to understand their language and that of the fey much like a child born of humans and elves would learn both tongues.”
“You will assign someone to teach me.” The princess’ voice made it clear nothing less was acceptable. “They will come with me to my home on the Isle of the Gifted and remain at my disposal until I am fluent in the language. You have one day more to decide upon whom to send while I remain your guest. I will require them to swear an oath of secrecy to the Ancients before we leave. Refuse my request, or tell your man to spy on me and I promise you there will be consequences.”
Riven smirked, and Councilman Horvin caught it.
“There will be no need for a day, your highness.” He spoke up. “But if you will, we would have a few moments alone to say our private farewell to Riven and Azusa.”
Asha’s eyes narrowed as Riven’s flew wide.
“They’ve always wanted rid of us.” Azusa muttered almost silently.
“Looks like they’re going to get their wish,” he muttered without moving his lips, aware of the elders’ eyes upon them, “All thanks to this stupid spoiled princess.”
“I kind of like her.” Azusa admitted, watching the brat silently leave the room.
Once she was gone, he moved into her spot addressing the council, a space he’d not been in since they’d summoned him to inform him that in spite of his aberration they had approved his application to the Wing Brotherhood.
“Wing-Captain Riven,” For once they used his full title, on his best behaviour he bowed his head in acknowledgement.
“Elders,” He did his best to sound contrite for his existence.
“The young princess will require you to swear her oath.” Councilwoman Frey almost sounded apologetic before she continued. “Nevertheless, you will send us news of events in the outside world, distasteful as it may be.”
“And if I refuse?” He already knew the answer.
“Does your sister Lei still blame you for the execution of your parents?” Horvin asked almost conversationally, “It would be a shame should you be the reason for her execution as well.”
“You will be given a few moments to say goodbye to her.” Mare, who he had always thought to be the most compassionate of the elders, told him.
“And what if news of the world, happens to be the cause of my breaking my vow?” Riven enquired.
“Then we shall pass on the news of your heroic death to Wing Commander Lei.”
Chapter Thirty-Six
OLIVE BRANCH
As much as Riven had hoped the spoiled princess would want to leave straight away, once she heard he had family to say goodbye to Princess Asha agreed to put off her departure for another hour, and now he had nothing to do but wander his way south to the headquarters of the Wing Brotherhood.
Walking through corridors that were so familiar to him, he felt a pang of sadness. This was his home, and though the people here had barely tolerated him at best, it was all he’d ever known.
“You have always wanted to explore the outside.” Azusa replied. “This could be a blessing in disguise.”
“Yes, I feel terribly blessed.” He retorted sarcastically.
“Your older sister will understand.” Azusa tried to comfort him and failed.
Riven just snorted in disbelief as he walked through the barracks and up the stairs to the offices of the commanding officers that were housed in the top of the gryphon effigy. His sister’s office was at the end of the hall, the smallest one available and another thing she could blame him for. Azusa left him at the door, waiting for him, aware her presence would only make Lei worse.
His single knock was answered by a harsh, “Come in.”
Lei looked much the same as ever, her hair cropped fashionably short; her eyes dyed a startling yellow meant to scare her enemies and her armour adorned with the family totem, the totem she’d revoked his right to wear. Curled around the edges of the room Damlin, her gryphon, barely spared him a sympathetic glance.
“What do you want?” She sneered as he entered the room, but much as she put on an air of disgust, Lei could never quite hide the hurt in her eyes when she looked at him, which was, perhaps, the reason why she spent as little time looking at him as she could.
“I’m leaving.”
“Thank Ancients.” She replied. “The Wing Brotherhood will be better off without a defective captain.”
“I’m not leaving the brotherhood, Lei.”
“That’s Wing Commander to you!” She snapped. “Where are you going?”
“The council has ordered me to accompany this spoiled princess and teach her to speak to her pet gryphon.”
“So they finally found a way to get rid of you? Good for them.”
“You should be on your guard.” He shouldn’t bother telling her but their dead mother would never forgive him if he didn’t. “They threatened your life if I fail to spy on the princess. In case you were wondering she’s making me swear a vow of secrecy to the Ancients anyway so I’ll probably be dead by sunset.”
“And so our parents’ lives really were wasted.” Lei laughed humourlessly. “How proud you must feel.”
“I NEVER WANTED THEM TO DIE!” Riven wasn’t sure where the outburst came from. “Have you ever thought for a second that maybe I didn’t want to be Avakar? That maybe Azusa and I regret ruining your perfect world?”
Lei just looked at him, and for once, it wasn’t hurt in her eyes. It was death. “You had better hope the princess kills you, little brother.” Her voice was quiet, odd
for her, “because if you come back, I’ll finally pluck up the guts and do it myself.”
“I’m glad we sorted that out.” Riven’s sarcasm returned in full force to soothe the wound his sister had just dealt him. “As ever, it’s lovely having a chat with you, big sister. I just hope you remember me fondly since I’ll be dead soon.”
Lei gave him one last look. “You’ve been dead to me for a hundred years.”
He let the door slam behind him.
“My mother will want to wish us well.” Azusa knew better than to try and console him.
He nodded and swung up into the saddle, technically the gryphon entrance on this floor was reserved for commanders only, but he was leaving, what could they do to him now?
The wind through his locks usually calmed him after encounters like that, but now it did little as they flew down to the lowest level of eyries where the lower class gryphons lived. Unlike his family, Azusa’s had become even closer since she had been declared aberration, closing ranks around their chick and her new sibling even when it cost them their social standing and many of their friends.
The familiar sound of the river greeted them as they landed and wandered into the caves, and a slightly damp smell stayed with them as they entered only to be set upon by Azusa’s newest clutch of siblings. All but one was unpaired still, but as he approached and did a headcount no one was missing, meaning that the family had called their entire brood home to say farewell.
Prava greeted him with an affectionate nibble to his cheek. “How is my favourite featherless son?” She asked. “You’ve been to see Lei haven’t you? I can always tell when one of my clutch is feeling down.”
He didn’t bother trying to tell her that he wasn’t technically her son; Prava had all but stolen him from the fey nursery when his parents had died, raising him as her own despite the difficulty involved and trading her social standing for approval from the elders to do it.
“We leave for the outside world this evening.” Azusa informed her mother.
“It is known.” Prava replied, nuzzling her ever stoic partner Zafel for comfort. “It will be strange to have my two bravest clutchlings so far away. It is good you will always have each other.” Prava repeated her favourite phrase at the end, as if to remind herself that they would be safe as much as to remind them.
Zafel, silent as ever, pressed his forehead to his daughter’s, a type of farewell that in old times had been given when a child left home before they had all become refugees in the canyon. Then, he did it to Riven.
“Farewell, my son. Enjoy the world of my youth, for it is vast and full of many wonders.”
The words were quiet, as all words from the gryphon who by rights should have been an elder by now had become, but they were said with hope.
“I will, father.” Riven whispered the words back, and was greeted by a smile from Zafel. He had always refused to call his gryphon parents with the honorific, but now, his past reasons all seemed rather insignificant. “I will visit, if I can, mother.” Prava gave him a full smile in answer and he chose not to tell her that those visits would probably be just before he betrayed a vow to the Ancients and died.
When he met up with the brat princess, he was so caught up in the memories of his farewell to the clutch that he almost missed the fact she was communicating by magic.
“Who are you talking to?” He demanded. “Have you compromised the location of our home?”
The princess gave him a look that clearly said he was interrupting and ignored him. It was probably as much as he deserved, given their silent history, but it was infuriating nonetheless.
Moments later, she finished and looked at him. “My grandmother sends you her compliments and requests you fly me out of sight of the ravine, we will fly back separately from there. My aunt and mother will meet us on the boarders of Elvardis where you will swear your oath to me.”
Though he recognised the name of the elven capital, he didn’t understand what she meant by flying back separately. Unless the princess had indeed covered her familiar with an illusion to make him younger, he could see no way for her to fly. So as not to show his ignorance, he didn’t comment except to look pointedly at the chest by her feet.
“Tributes from your elders,” She noticed his raised eyebrows. “It seems they’ve decided it wise to grovel.”
Spoilt. Brat.
He climbed onto Azusa, noticing she had already bound Keir onto her back as he reached behind himself to help her up. While his wing-sister’s saddlebags were already filled with both their belongings, the chest was designed to be grasped in a gryphon’s fore-claws.
Taking off through the mist barrier was a pain, but he had mastered it years ago, and as they plunged through the thick shield designed to protect his home he gave it one last look, saying a silent final goodbye to those who actually cared if he left, and one to Lei as well, though she didn’t deserve it.
*
Riven was silent as ever on their flight, and Asha inwardly amused herself with inventing ways to start a conversation with him and then disregarding them. It only took them an hour to reach a location Grandma Kate deemed suitable, yet in the company of her stony faced translator, it felt twice as long. Keir nattered away on her back, and occasionally Riven or Azusa would reply to him, making her feel even more left out than she had before she had known Keir could talk.
The craggy landscape was difficult to land on, but Riven managed it effortlessly, he didn’t even seem phased by the appearance of her Ancient grandmother, yet again, she had pretty much shoved her heritage in the faces of all the fey since she’d found out they were lying to her. Silver would probably scold her for that, while her mother would say it was a good use of the family heritage. And so the dark versus light verbal sparring would begin again. The very thought almost gave her a headache.
“Grandma Kate!” She ran into her grandmother’s arms as soon as her feet hit solid land.
“Asha, you’ve brought a young man with you.” Kate was looking very curiously at Riven. “Wing-Captain, it is a pleasure to finally meet you.” She held out a single perfect hand, which Riven kissed, all the while looking completely and utterly awestruck and comically confused. “I trust my granddaughter has been explaining the battleground you’re about to wander into?”
Riven looked confused and began to draw his sword. Kate only laughed.
“Peace, Wing-Captain, I can see she has been remiss. But first thing’s first, I am here to witness your vow.” He almost visibly gulped and Asha’s suspicions that the elders had sent him to spy on her were sealed. “Do you swear to keep my granddaughter’s secrets, to protect the secrets of others should she see fit to share them with you and to guard her against all threats that are within your power to do so?”
“I do.” Riven didn’t hesitate and Asha felt a small surge of power as her grandmother used her power to seal the vow. “But if I may, Ancient Kate, what battleground?”
“Asha is the bridge between covens.” Kate said. “Her mother, the queen of the light wytches, and her aunt, the queen of the dark wytches, both keep a coven and Asha’s job is to keep them from tearing one another apart. Also, Asha dear, you may find your plan to use your wings to fly back to your mother rather ill fated, there is an elven astronomer out tonight who will almost certainly spot and identify you. Best ride with Riven here, just to be safe.”
And with that Grandma Kate disappeared in a glowing golden teleport.
“Wings?” Was all Riven finally said to her.
With a sigh of relief Asha unmerged her wings from her back and watched him gasp. “I had hoped we could fly back together, and it would make for easier conversation.” She replied. “But as my grandmother said, they’re a secret, from everyone, even my own mother. Only my Aunt knows about them. I traded my youngest years for them in envy of the memories I had of Silver’s own wings. I dream her memories, you see. I have part of her soul.”
Riven looked confused, and Asha realised she was doing a terrible
job of explaining. “My mother was the daughter of two Ancients, and so Princess Talia of the elves stole her as a baby and merged them both together to steal her powers. When the Battle of Elvardis was over, Talia sacrificed herself to save my mother, and when she was reincarnated by my grandfather as Silver she left a piece of her soul in my mother, a piece that was handed down to me.”
“And these two women hate each other?”
“It’s a little more complicated than that.” Asha sighed. “My mother wants to save Silver, but Silver doesn’t need saving. It’s caused a lot of friction, but it only got worse when I was born and the Coven of Wytches was split in two, making my mother queen of only half of the wytches, with my aunt becoming queen of the other half.”
The incredulous look Riven gave her was enough to set her teeth on edge. So it wasn’t the perfect family history he probably had, but did she care? No.
“I don’t care if it doesn’t match up to your exacting standards.” She said. “But they’re my family so save your judgemental looks for someone who cares.”
His expression suddenly became very hard to read as he climbed back onto Azusa and held out a hand to her once more. She drew her wings in with a sigh.
“It hurts, doesn’t it, keeping your wings in for too long?” He said at last as they launched back into the sky.
“You have no idea.” She replied.
“Fey children are taught that it’s because it’s denying who you are, and that always cripples us in some way.” Riven offered, and she sensed this was some sort of olive branch, so she took it.
“My aunt is the one of the only ones I can talk to about it, and when you meet her you’ll understand why I don’t.” And Aunt Silver would probably torture him to death for information, but there was no need to mention that part.
Chapter Thirty-Seven
IN THE END
“Asha, how many times do I have to tell you about bringing stray beings home with you?” Silver cooed as Asha landed in a clearing, clinging to the back of that fey creature that had had the audacity to argue with her on that godforsaken mountainside.
Asha's Power (Soul Merge Saga Book 4) Page 24