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Chapter Thirty-Two
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2024-10-29 19:42:56The wind blew a ball of spindle weed across the baked-dry land before us, and the heat of the sun caused sweat to prick between my shoulder blades and gather between my breasts, sticking the cloth of my tunic to my skin. I blew a stubborn fly from my face and slid a look at Akyran. The sun had reddened his cheeks and the tip of his nose where his helmet exposed them, and a drop of sweat tracked its way through the stubble-roughened surface of his neck to be absorbed into the collar of his tunic top.
A stillness settled over the land as if every creature waited with us for the moment of battle. We stood back from the well opening weapons in hand, each man and woman intently listening, anticipating attack.
There was a dull “whomp” that seemed to shudder the ground, and for a moment, the air seemed to draw into the well like a breath as the fire cast by Daerton and Rivyn into their well location several miles away consumed the oxyge
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Akyran's Folly Chapter One
In the evenings, around the hearths of home, mothers regale their children with stories of how the world was before the arrival of mankind. Tales of when there was only one Fae Court, when the sky was full of dragons, and when brethren lived free of fear. Stories of the merfolk walking unafraid on the land, a vast network of Fae and elvish cities on every continent of the world, and sirens in every coastal village. They speak of when mankind came, weak and lost in our lands, and how the brethren took pity on them, showing them how to live amongst us, welcoming them into our cities and our homes. But mankind was prolific, and although their lives burned through in a fraction of the brethren’s, they swiftly grew in quantity, until they outnumbered us. In a short time, the brethren were pushed out of the majority of lands, and still that was not enough for mankind who feared and envied us. They began to hunt us down, cutting down our vast forests, and driving ma
Akyran's Folly Chapter Two
I woke late in the morning. Fiena sat beneath the window, the heavy curtains open just enough to bathe her in the overly bright morning light whilst she altered one of my dresses and her impossibly neat braids shone red where the sunlight touched them. “I’m getting fat,” I observed from the bed. “Nonsense,” she replied looking up with a smile. “You’ve just been around the castle a bit more recently than normal.” “At the tavern, don’t you mean?” “Well, yes,” she was amused. “More nights than not.” “Akyran’s in a mood,” I told her. “He likes to ease it with hunting and ale.” “And you, my lady?” She teased. “Are you in a mood?” I laughed. “Well, I can’t let him drink alone, can I? There’s no harm to a bit of ale.” “Except to my fingers from altering your dresses,” she replied. “But the prince likes a bit of a curve on a woman.” I sighed. “Akyran doesn’t see me that way,” I told her. “Mmm,” she set the sewin
Akyran's Folly Chapter Three
The Court of Light’s silver veined white stone floors glossy surface reminded me that I had probably ignored too many undergarments when I had dressed that morning. Thank goodness Fiena had insisted on the basics, and any adventurous gazes would find nothing too remarkable to comment upon. “I hate these floors,” I muttered to Akyran. He leaned over my shoulder and then met my gaze with a grin. “I’m rather partial to them,” he commented mildly, unembarrassed by his lechery. “You missed a couple of layers dressing today, Ecaeris.” “Akyran,” I muttered. “Stupid petticoats.” “Hmmm,” he arched his brows. “I doubt the men of the court will complain.” As we moved through the halls into the audience chamber, he was polite enough to stay on the side where the reflection most exposed me. It was not a full moon, when audiences were held, so the chamber was organised informally, with clusters of seating, and fools and bards playing. Laughter rang out from
Akyran's Folly Chapter Four
Siorin leaned over the balustrade, her fairy man fluttering around her head animatedly, and Rivyn stepped up onto the ledge to kiss her. She whispered something to him, and he laughed, lifting himself up and climbing over the balustrade before drawing her into his arms and dipping her back in a picturesque kiss. “Ah, young love,” Leamoira greeted me, smiling at the couple indulgently. A servant handed me a crystal glass of sparkling wine. I would have preferred a tankard of ale, I thought, as I sipped it. “It’s lovely to see. Well,” she refocused on me. “That was rather exciting,” she said. “You and Akyran ride as if you have no fear. I suppose that comes of your being a war mage.” “I guess,” I saw Akyran look up at us, and an expression of alarm crossed his face. What was it that he feared Leamoira might say to me, or I to her? I wondered immediately upon seeing that expression. “Something is afoot,” I complained. “Eltarin and my parents are here, Akyran is watching
Akyran's Folly Chapter Five
I took the wine goblet with me to Akyran’s door and knocked. I heard him call out, so I opened it. He was standing, looking out the window at the darkening sky, whilst Ithyles finished buttoning his cufflinks. “My Prince,” Ithyles murmured, seeing me. Akyran turned his head with a smile and looked surprised. For a long moment, he regarded me, the surprise fading into an expression I could not put a name to. “You were right about the dress not needing jewels,” he said finally. “The locket is perfect, however,” I agreed, reaching up to where it rested on my neck. “Here,” I handed him the wine. He took it out of my hands and took a mouthful, without taking his eyes from me. He grimaced and looked into the cup. “What is in this?” “Oh, this and that. A precaution. Your mother has been a little… loose with her magic recently.” He raised his eyebrows. “You think she’ll spell me to think I have lost my magic, and send me out into the world wit
Akyran's Folly Chapter Six
I looked at him in alarm, but I could not ask the questions of him that I wanted to; he would not tolerate the informality. “As you wish, my King,” I bowed my head, and stood instead, fidgeting through their conversation, effectively forbidden from pursuing Akyran and ensuring his welfare. They exchanged gossip about the courtiers and nobles in attendance, and the dances progressed into estampies and other couple dances. Eltarin joined us. “Your majesties,” he bowed to the King and Queen. “May I steal my sister for this dance?” I looked to King Treyvin, and he inclined his head. I accepted Eltarin’s hand and stepped onto the polished dancefloor with him. “Thank you,” I said fervently to my brother. He laughed. “You looked like a griffin in a cage.” “Akyran had an argument with King Treyvin and stormed off, and I was not permitted to pursue,” I said under my breath. “I thought I was destined to spend the rest of the evening listening to
Akyran's Folly Chapter Seven
Someone put a crystal glass of wine into my hand, and I threw it back, wishing it were spirits. I saw Akyran surrounded by menfolk, lifting a gilded flask to his lips, and replying to something someone said with a laugh. His eyes met mine and he smiled, but it did not have the brilliance behind it that his smiles normally held. Leamoira caught my face between her hands and kissed both my cheeks enthusiastically. “A long time coming,” she declared. “We have been expecting an announcement now for... oh, at least fifty years.” “Was he coerced into this?” I asked her under my breath. She hesitated for just a moment. “Not into asking you to marry him,” she replied carefully. Fae do not lie. We omit, avoid, and mislead. Leamoira was omitting something, but the relief was overwhelming. Not into asking me to marry him. There is no one I would marry, if not you, he had said. It was not a lie. But there was a lot unsaid within that statement. I did not
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“What was going on tonight?” I asked him. “Ah,” he blew out a breath and rolled onto his back again. “Rivyn’s been in my father’s ear, and my father is on the verge of sending an army to aid Aurien’s princess. I’ve been trying to get him to see sense.” I grimaced. He was avoiding answering by offering partial truths. He knew I meant about the manner of him invoking the rule of three, but he did not want to answer. “He knew I was planning on invoking the rule of three,” he said suddenly, rolling onto his side to face me and taking a lock of my hair between his fingers, letting it run free and fall. “Because we argued, he demanded I do it in a way that was unfair to you, and I am sorry for that, Ecaeris.” Then he laughed. “- I’m probably lucky that I did do it that way, or you might have made it impossible to get through the rites. That had to be one of the hardest proposals in Fae history.” I lifted my mouth to his and tasted his laughter as I slid my
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Akyran's Folly Chapter Thirty-Two
The wind blew a ball of spindle weed across the baked-dry land before us, and the heat of the sun caused sweat to prick between my shoulder blades and gather between my breasts, sticking the cloth of my tunic to my skin. I blew a stubborn fly from my face and slid a look at Akyran. The sun had reddened his cheeks and the tip of his nose where his helmet exposed them, and a drop of sweat tracked its way through the stubble-roughened surface of his neck to be absorbed into the collar of his tunic top.A stillness settled over the land as if every creature waited with us for the moment of battle. We stood back from the well opening weapons in hand, each man and woman intently listening, anticipating attack.There was a dull “whomp” that seemed to shudder the ground, and for a moment, the air seemed to draw into the well like a breath as the fire cast by Daerton and Rivyn into their well location several miles away consumed the oxyge
Akyran's Folly Chapter Thirty-One
In the morning bright light, in between stolen mouthfuls of fruit-ladened bread and herbal tea, we prepared for the day our own way, by preparing our armour and weapons. My armour had not seen active use for over a decade and I tsked over the stiffness of the leather.“I need new armour,” I complained. “And new weapons.”“That can be arranged, but not on short notice,” he replied as he helped me with the buckles of my armour.“I also need to take on some new pages and squires,” I sighed. “Not that you aren’t doing a great job…” I sent him a grin and he chuckled.“I’ve had some practise with armour. I think you will have your pick of Aurien’s dragonets if you are looking for pages,” he pointed out and dropped a kiss onto my forehead. “Done.”“I can hardly make princes
Akyran's Folly Chapter Thirty
Between the craftsmen manufacturing new nets and Akyran’s people searching the city for every net that they could find; they were prepared for our return. Akyran rolled out the map whilst we ate around the great table with the leaders of his army, and he divided them into teams. As we finished the meal, the terrible call of the creatures echoed overhead and we all looked up instinctually, although all that we could see was the arch of slate overhead.“We must endure another night of this,” Akyran said. “As the plan relies on them being in the underground caverns. In the morning, we will begin netting, and by afternoon, between Rivyn, Daerton and Ecaeris, we will burn the monsters to ash.”“I’ll be back in the morning then,” Rivyn declared and cast a portal, the wind whipping the edges of the map so that Akyran had to use his hands to pin it to the tabletop until the portal closed again behind h
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“Our daughters are children,” Aurien turning to address Leamoira. “Dragons mature at the same rate as humans. I find it difficult to believe that the prophecy intends for our children to fight monsters before they are fully grown.” “It would be difficult for a child to wield a sword,” Leamoira agreed. “There is no measure of time to the prophesy, but I think it’s safe to assume that it will be a number of years until the heroine is ready to fulfil her future. Which leaves us with what to do in the interim?” “It seems to me,” King Sterin looked at me. “That we have someone experienced in hunting these monsters already in our midst.” The murmuring amongst the assembly rose, courtiers and royalty alike whispering behind raised fans and the palms of their hands. “You’ll recall that the last one I fought, almost killed me,” I reminded him. “A team is needed,” Sterin replied. “Obviously, to support
Akyran's Folly Chapter Twenty-Eight
As the day aged into afternoon, we gathered on the terraces overlooking the town below as the arrival of the dignitaries from all over our world formed a parade winding its way up into the castle, serenaded by bards and showered with the petals of flowers. “I see Aurien,” I spotted him by his golden hair which had been left free like a magnificent coat. “As if he is hard to spot,” Akyran replied with a hint of jealousy. “He stands a head over most others.” “He’s just jealous,” Rivyn grinned enjoying his twin’s reaction. “Ecaeris hasn’t exactly been secretive over her admiration for our golden friend.” “I just whole-heartedly believe it is unnatural for dragons to wear clothing,” I replied innocently. “It must be so inconvenient for him.” “I’m just glad he’s married, and being dragon, entirely faithful,” Akyran spoke over my head to Rivyn. “Or I’d be chaining her to the bed.” “You could do that anyway,” I suggested, and Akyran’s eyes lit fiercely. “I could,” he agreed putting his
Akyran's Folly Chapter Twenty-Seven
It was odd being back at the Court of the Light without Fiena, Tillie, or Ithyles to serve us. We had been assigned new servants, and they did not know our ways or habits, something which irritated Akyran, causing him to be short and curt with them.“We should have stopped by Nerith and brought your servants with us,” I commented to him as we settled into the bath and the servants retreated to lick their wounds. “You are too harsh. It is not their fault that we have been absent from court for a decade.”“Over a decade,” he reminded me passing me a wine goblet.“My point precisely.”“I am in a foul mood,” he admitted leaning his head back against the lip of the bath, his dark hair spreading out in the water around him like ink.“Your mother?” I guessed.“A bit, but the realisation is
Akyran's Folly Chapter Twenty-Six
Due to the nature of magic around the Court of Light, the portal opened at the gates into the town. We both looked up automatically, the winding stone roads guiding the eye to the gleaming white walls of the castle in the center of the township, the terraces spilling greenery over the edges, and the open windows billowing the sheer curtains out.We could see the brightly colour courtiers strolling the walkways. From the gathering of minstrels, and the number of courtiers on the terrace from the main hall, Queen Leamoira was entertaining outside.We approached the gates, and the guards saluted us. “Prince Akyran, Princess Ecaeris!”I grumbled under my breath as we began the slow climb through the tidy houses with their white-washed walls and dark wood.“Oh, shush,” Akyran smirked. “When you marry a prince, it makes you a princess.”“Siorin
Akyran's Folly Chapter Twenty-Five
“To end the slaughter,Not dragon son, but daughter,In the right hand,Rivyn’s sword will save the land,If the lamb chosen is wrong,Love’s sacrifice will not be strong.”The Seer’s words echoed hollowly around the room, and the vines behind her seemed to shake and tremble. There was a heaviness to the sound of them, a weightiness that implied meaning, and a ring to the tone so that it seemed she spoke from a great distance, and the sound carried to us from where-ever she was.The delivery seemed to exhaust her, her chin dropping to her chest, the points of her headdress stringing out vine behind her like spiderweb. She became so still that I found myself studying her chest for the rise and fall of breath. If she breathed, it was so lightly it did not disturb the cloth she wore.“Hmm,” Akyran hummed his sigh out through his nose, trying to sup
Akyran's Folly Chapter Twenty-Four
Armoured and armed, we returned to the courtyard and I cast a portal. “Aperianu.”The Temples of Seigradh were buried deep within the forest on the border of Nerith and Uyan Taesil. Even the irreverence of mankind had not dared to touch this forest. It was one of the oldest in the world, the trunks of its trees wide and its branches and roots tangled. It was said that its roots systems had become so enmeshed that it no longer existed as a forest of many trees, but all were part of one.There had once been a path to the temples, but the root system had long tossed the stones aside, or curled over them, so that the way was often lost beneath greenery. Pilgrims determined the way, instead, by the stone monoliths that marked the path, though even these were often swallowed by the forest.Water gathered in puddles on the ground, though the greenery was so thick, if there was mud from a recent rainfall, we were kept from it. Fairies with eyes like black be
