by Jude Marquez
Cade was shaking his head. “No. Why? Why would he-”
“From all accounts, you are too young to remember. He was cruel and often, from what I can gather, his greatest love was to torture his children,” Alyx said.
“So what is this? Some new trick? One last time to torture us? Is that all he wants, is to make us pay for what happened to him?” Auelina asked.
“He wants the throne back,” Evander announced, very carefully.
This time, the room was filled with shouts and denials and threats. Nearly everyone was on their feet, trying to speak over one another and it seemed like the only ones that remained seated were Evander and Gael, seated across from each other, staring at one another.
Of them all, these two were the ones that suffered the most at the hands of King Serlo. They had the scars to prove it. Gael learned to hide from such a young age that it was his first instinct for a very long time. Gael stood and went to Evander, knelt in front of him. The others continued to argue, but for Alyx who stood back and watched the two brothers.
“What does this mean for us? Does he have a claim?” Gael whispered.
“I was only given the title by mother who received it on his death. I believe that makes my claim, and Alyx’s, false,” Evander nodded.
“What can we do?” Gael asked.
“Kill him, I suppose,” Evander said.
Evander stared down into his brother’s face, so lost and searching, but he could not take that pain away. He could not even soothe him, because they both knew that only a legitimate challenge could be made.
The only one able to lay down that challenge was Evander.
It would have been laughable, if this were to happen a year ago. A year ago, Evander would have put down King Serlo like a rabid dog. Now, Evander could barely make it from his room to the great hall without fainting.
“The people-” Gael started and Evander saw him go pale, saw him begin to tremble.
“The people are ours. The manner in which we take care of them says that their allegiance is with us. All we have to do is remind them what it was like under Serlo and they will not take his side,” Evander said.
“Are you sure?” Gael asked.
No, he was not. But he had no other answer.
So he didn’t answer.
“Please can we all sit?” Alyx said.
It took a moment before they regained themselves, but eventually everyone sat once more.
“What options do we have?” Cade asked. He was leaning forward with his forearms braced on his knees and his hands pressed together. If Alyx were not mistaken, it would look like he was praying.
“A challenge,” Gael said faintly from his chair.
Cade looked from Evander to Gael and then to Eamon. “Can there be a second who does battle for the challenger?”
“No. Only the king and the challenger might fight. So the one who sits on the throne and the one who wants it might fight. If any trickery is involved, no matter how sophisticated, it renders the challenge invalid and the throne goes to the man that was tricked,” Gael said.
Cade did not look back to Evander.
“How long would it take for Evander to be in fighting strength?” Edward asked Lissandra.
Her fingers twitched against her long skirts and she looked down and then back at Evander. He gave her a soft smile and Alyx saw her eyes brighten with tears.
“The soonest? Months. Three, possibly more. And even that is pushing it,” Lissandra whispered.
“I fear that we do not have that much time,” Evander said.
“So what do we have?” Gia asked.
Evander shook his head. “I can only double our guards and fortify our borders. Not that it matters. If he wants in, it is his right.”
Evander stood and so did the rest of the room. “I must rest. I will continue to think on what can be done. Alyx and I will study the books. Come what may, if I must, I will kill him again.”
Then they were gone, back to their rooms, a contingent following their every step.
∞∞∞
Eamon was out with Kane that night. It was nearly a full moon and Kane was worked up. Eamon had to wonder if the old legends were true about animals turning on the full moon or if Kane was just used to more running after being out with Josette and Paige for so long.
The moon stained the tall grass silver and the chill through the air would tip them with ice by morning, he knew. He missed his islands and the sound of the waves crashing against the rocks. He missed the large fires and his home and the food and everything about what his life was like before he came to Cerith to rescue his friends.
“Your men tell me that you are out here with your dog, raising evil spirits,” Alik’s voice called out. He was mocking him but Eamon knew it was because he was terrified.
The young prince knew nothing of war, only that it had taken his brother and sister from him.
Eamon did not rise to his challenge and instead held up a hand for Kane to pause, sit, and wait for his next command. Alik ventured closer and Eamon knew the moment he spotted the bucket in his hand.
Eamon dipped his hand in it and threw a large hunk of meat out into the tall grass, but held Kane back without a word or a touch. Kane’s every muscle vibrated with the need to go get the bloody piece of meat but waited for Eamon’s signal.
Finally, Eamon let him go.
“Everyone is so obedient around you,” Alik noted. He sounded bitter.
“I wouldn’t say everyone,” Eamon said and gave Alik a meaningful glance before turning back to where Kane disappeared in the grass.
“Well you hold no sway over other royals,” Alik said and rocked back on his heels.
Eamon looked over at him and Alik looked out where he could hear Kane ripping the meat from the bone. Eamon knew that if he told Alik to do something, really do it, he would obey. If only for the safety for his own country.
This time, when Kane returned to Eamon, Eamon threw a piece of meat as hard and as far as he could.
Kane waited.
“Go,” Eamon whispered.
“I worry,” Alik blurted out.
Eamon nodded.
“If Evander loses, our kingdoms will be next.”
“Your kingdom. Mine will be gone and yours is nothing more than a fat goose, waiting to be dressed and cooked.”
Alik did not refute Eamon’s words.
“Evander will lose,” Alik whispered.
“Yes,” Eamon said.
“What can we do?” Alik asked.
It was the question everyone was putting forth to him. Eamon hated the way the others looked to him. The whole thing felt like he was watching the world end and for all his strength and might, all he could do was sit by and watch it all burn to the ground.
Even at such a desperate hour, Eamon worked better with his siblings at his side, concocting plans and running scenarios. But now, even Lissandra who was the cleverest of them all, had no ideas.
“We bear witness to our friend’s end,” Eamon said.
Eamon could feel Alik’s temper rise to the surface. “Some great warrior you are. All you have is to watch him die! Is he not your friend? Is he not as close to you as Edmond? And you will stand by and watch him die?”
“If I fight for him and kill Serlo, which I happily would, the country would call Evander a cheat for sending in someone in his stead. It would end up in civil war, still. If I go out there in the forests and track Serlo and slaughter him like the coward he is, there would always be rumors and would undermine Evander’s rule, for as long as he lives. If I offer him sanctuary, his own people would think him a coward for abandoning them, and would never welcome his rule. Anything I do only results in hurting Evander and Alyx. What would you have me do? Do you have some great lie or scheme that you would like to tell me?”
Eamon sounded tired even to his own ears.
“Is there truly nothing?” Alik whispered.
Eamon realized then that Alik expected something, anythi
ng, from the great warriors of Ataton, for them to come through at the end because his own people did not see a way out either.
This was Alik, at his side, realizing that they might both die while still being Princes, never Kings.
“Here they have the goddess above and the god below. Our islands are ruled by the Faith of the Two Divines. I do not know who you worship in your lands, but I suggest that we pray to all of them,” Eamon said.
With one final look at the field around them, Eamon turned and left Alik there, under the cold light of a winter moon.
Chapter 18
Alyx slept with Evander in his arms every night. Some nights he did not sleep at all. Sometimes he would just lay in the bed and listen to him breathe deeply and stare up at the ceiling.
Every dawn he met with Edmond.
Every morning he returned to his room and helped Evander get ready for the day. It was true that he was growing stronger by the day, but Alyx thought Lissandra was being generous when she gave him a three month timeline. Alyx wanted to stretch it to six months, possibly a year. Evander ate as much as he could, but still lacked the strength to even hold his own sword aloft for very long.
Alyx could feel the frustration building up in Evander day after day, but didn’t know what he could do to stem his anger. All Alyx decided he could do was wait for the day when Evander snapped and let it all go and prayed that it wouldn’t be on some poor servant or any of his siblings.
Luckily, when it finally happened, it was when Alyx was helping Evander dress for his day.
Evander refused to let servants help dress him. He was vain and he had good reason to be. Before he was taken, Evander had no problem with others seeing him without clothes. He was packed with solid muscle and his skin was sun kissed and always warm.
Now, most of his muscle was gone and his skin had gone pale and he was constantly cold.
When Alyx knelt to help him put his britches on that morning, Evander snapped, “Let me do it, for god’s sakes, Alyx!”
Alyx looked up at him but nodded and stepped back. He turned to the armoire and pulled out both of their cloaks and tossed them on their bed. Then he went to the small table where he kept his blades and the harnesses and slipped them on, his fingers adjusting them without a second thought.
“Alyx, I don’t want you to be angry,” Evander huffed.
“I’m not.”
It was true. Alyx was too overwhelmed with the day to day activities to be hurt by Evander’s words. He was up at dawn everyday with Edmond and didn’t go to sleep until long after the sun was down. He took on Evander’s responsibilities and readied the country for Serlo’s inevitable return and if Evander wanted some independence, Alyx would not stop him or fault him that.
Sometimes depending on another person could feel like its own kind of cage. Alyx knew that.
“I just- I mean, it’s okay for you to be mad at me sometimes, Alyx,” Evander said and looked up from where he finished lacing his britches closed.
Alyx frowned down at his harness. The right one was always so much harder than the left. “Why would I be mad at you, Evander?”
“You are doing everything around here, the job of two kings, and you never complain. About anything. Ever. About taking care of everything and especially about taking care of me,” Evander said and Alyx looked up to see tears of frustration building up in his eyes. “This was never part of what I wanted for you. I never wanted you to wait on another person as long as you lived. I don’t want to be like her.”
Alyx was breathless for a moment and was at such a loss, he could only shake his head. He knew that Evander was thinking of Elewisa and how Alyx was forced to do everything for her.
“This is not like that at all, Evander. Not at all. She enslaved me. She took everything from me, from my life. She took my parents from me. She forced me to serve her. I was only a child and knew only her and what she told me. You-”
“And what is it that you get on your knees every morning to help me dress, carry me to bed every night, bring my food to our room three times a day? If that is not enslavement, then please, explain to me what it is,” Evander hissed and the tears spilled over onto his cheeks.
“That is me serving my husband as I want to. Do you not think that if I didn’t want to, I would not send a servant with your food and books? That I would not send a servant in to dress you, no matter what you said? You see it as enslavement, something I am forced to do, but it’s not like that at all.”
“Then what is it?”
“It is service. I choose to do this because I love you more than I know what to do with. Because I never want to leave your side. I see it as a privilege to be here with you because no matter how you see yourself, I see you as the prince I met when I was covered in mud and you were dressed in the court’s finest. You will never be anything less than that.”
“I do not deserve that. I am little more than what she was.”
“You are so much more than Elewisa was. You are nothing like her.”
“But I am, Alyx. You do everything for me, just like she forced you to do. I don’t- if this isn’t what you want, if you want to be somewhere else, with someone-”
“There isn’t anyone I would rather be with. Ever. Please, don’t suggest such a thing,” Alyx whispered.
Evander looked away and picked up one of his boots. “When I was captive, Serlo told me that you were set to marry Eamon.”
Alyx couldn’t believe he completely forgot about that. “That was to draw you out. We were desperate. We didn’t even know if you were alive. But if I married another, your title was at risk and therefore your captor’s only bargaining chip.”
“But Josette and Paige-” Evander started.
“They never told me where they were going. They said they were going to Nightfell because Josette was called back home. I wasn’t aware that they were out there, in bars and taverns, sleeping on the cold ground, looking for you. They knew I would never let Paige out there to help you again. I couldn’t risk her as well,” Alyx said.
“So you were never going to- you didn’t want to marry him?” Evander asked.
“There is no one for me but you,” Alyx said.
Evander bowed his head and clenched his fists. He shook his head. “I hate this. I hate that he did this to me.”
Alyx did not move from his spot. He did not know what to say or do to make him feel better. Sometimes there weren’t words enough. Sometimes words just made it worse.
“If he comes back, I must challenge him for the throne. There is no other way. And it is the first time in a very long time that I fear that he will beat me easily,” Evander said.
“Whatever happens, I will be at your side,” Alyx said.
Evander nodded and squared his shoulders before he looked Alyx in the eye. “If I am killed-”
“Evander, don’t-”
“If I am killed, than you must go with either Eamon or Alik. It doesn’t matter which. Both will be at war. But if you remain here, Serlo will kill you first,” Evander said.
“You won’t be killed. I won’t allow it,” Alyx said.
“Spoken like a true king,” Evander replied and gave him a sad smile.
Alyx crossed the room quickly and kissed Evander and poured every ounce of feeling into it. “I learned from the best.”
One week later, Serlo arrived at their gates.
Chapter 19
They were in the east sitting room when Aldous came in with the news.
Evander was doing better than ever and Alyx was finally getting a little relief from the constant worry. He slept more easily at night, warm at Alyx’s side. He woke more easily, ate more heartily.
Eamon had even taken him out on a short ride the day previous. After that, Evander took a long nap, but Alyx tried not to think too hard on that.
That morning, Cade, Evander, and Eamon were discussing borders while off to the side, Avelina, Edmond, and Gael were discussing budgets. Lissandra sat next to Alyx and was writing
her parents a letter while Alyx read one from his own, an update on their time in the southern hold. They seemed to be thriving on their own land and wrote about the new horses they were breeding and inquired about the health of everyone, but especially Evander.
Aldous’s heavy steps drew everyone’s attention to the door. When they saw his face, their voices slowly fell silent.
“He’s here,” Aldous said.
Evander met Alyx’s eyes from across the room and nodded.
“Bring him to the west sitting room. Keep it guarded and do not let him leave. We will send for him when we are ready,” Evander said.
Aldous nodded and left.
Evander looked around the room and stood. Alyx expected him to go to the door but instead he went to Gael’s side.
Alyx hadn’t realized how pale Gael had gone and how he gripped the table so tightly, his knuckles turned white.
“You don’t have to be there,” Evander said and took Gael’s hands in his own. “You don’t. I won’t think any less of you.”
Gael looked up at Evander and shook his head.
“Breathe,” Evander murmured.
Gael sucked in a deep breath but none of his color returned.
“I will protect you from him. I always have. I always will. If you want to remain in your chambers, there is nothing wrong with that,” Evander said.
Gael shook his head. “I will be there. I have to be.”
Evander studied him. “Only if you are sure.”
Gael nodded but he still didn’t look steady.
“Go tell Auelina and mother,” Evander said to Cade.
Cade looked sick as well, but far more steady than Gael or Evander.
“We will meet him in the great hall,” Evander announced. “One hour.”
∞∞∞
Evander wasn’t sure if he was going to be sick or lose consciousness altogether. His hands shook as he buckled his sword to his waist. He couldn’t fight that long. He and Eamon worked together as often as Lissandra allowed, but he was nowhere what he used to be.
Alyx was in the great hall, helping to arrange the chairs and dais.