Part 4 – VERITY
LAVEN HEPHAESTUS ARVENALDI, II
Vallehes and Penelope requested to hold the meeting on our land, it is usual for conferences such as these to be held in the Throne Room. But, this Throne Room has a past that I did not believe they wished to relive, so I made sure our meeting would take place in the dining courtyard outside.
Each person within my Circle is here. Amias, Hua, Roaner, Morano, Levora, and even Phyv. There has been no need for me to watch over Phyv like I have thought. He is quiet, keeps to himself, helps my sister train, and goes about his day. To busy him outside of that, I chose to give him tasks within our Circle. This will also call for a closer eye on him just in case he is someone we are not expecting as Stravan has explained.
My mother chose not to attend, I also can read in her posture that she wishes to no longer have anything to do with the Throne or royalty itself.
Axynth has chosen to stay by my mother, so every decision that happens today is all on myself, Levora, Hua, and my brothers. Though, no irrational decisions should be made today. In the past we used to always need the approval of someone else to follow through with a decision that we make, now there is no one to tell us what we may or may not do.
Ezra is leading toward us—escorting Vallehes, Penelope, and their Circle to the courtyard. When they reach where we stand, there is a stiff greeting between us all.
As Penelope introduces their Circle I already recognize four people among them. Fucking Zevyk, the dipshit Lord of Nadrexi. Esme the Queen’s Right Hand—which I had no idea of. Naius, Ivella’s father, and now again a General of New Quamfasi. Next, the woman clinging to his side with red hair that is hard to ignore.
She overlooks me as I do her.
Turning down another path, I stop.
I tilt my head to a scent that is not of the Fae. Then, I narrow in on a woman far out. She is covered in burgundy gear; one arm is clothed while the other is left free. Her red hair is in a tight braid, and a spear is concealed against her back from the left shoulder to her right hip.
I can see the brightness of her grey eyes as she smiles. But it is no welcoming smile.
I let go a deep growl as she steps forward. Digging my rear into the ground, I hold my head downward and release a force field that rattles, shaking the trees and earth beneath us. Her spear is drawn swiftly; it ignites in a glow of blue as she holds horizontally. The force field bounces off of her spear, and it retreats; soaring back to me.
Running forward, I bear my head down, shattering through it.
She is who Hua was chasing down when she and Vorian were trapped under Roaner’s shield after the passing of the Dragons. They both had to of been looking for Ivella, Naius, and their other family members.
Vaughn and Nina, the Duke and Duchess of Ethivon are the only two I have not met until now. In the past, Ethivon was the first nation of our Realm to branch off on their own. They had a rather weak nation and it took time for them to reform after having no worth on their land, now, they are prospering and a Court of New Quamfasi.
We all walk around introducing ourselves to each other, especially Phyv and Levora who have not met any of the people from their Court before.
Standing face to face with Naius is intimidating. No matter how young he may look, he exudes the strength of hundreds of years of intelligence and vigor.
I can see that he is who Ivella gets her sharp features from.
The redheaded woman outstretches a hand to me as everyone moves to seat themselves at the table. Her eyes are cuttingly grey, and her hair is pin straight.
“Nice to finally meet you,” she says in a soft tone.
“Other than when we were trying to kill one another?” I jokingly ask.
“Your force field dented my spear.”
Naius looks in her direction with tapered eyes and she smiles. He must not know she was roaming the lands that day.
“If I wanted to kill you, I would have, King Laven. I am Stelina Vorzantu.”
This is whom she named Vorzantu after.
“You are Ivella’s mother.” I smile.
Well, the mother who raised her.
“I am in fact.” She does not deny the title nor does she try to change it, Ivella is her daughter, no alterations must be said.
“It is rather apparent that you failed to tell me this detail of you two battling.” Naius nudges Stelina closer to his side and she giggles. “I would have liked to know you were near me when I thought I would never see you again.”
“Oh, my love. There is still more for you to know, but you are home now.” Ever so gently, she rests a hand over his chest and he places a lithe kiss to her forehead.
After years of being apart, there will be much for them to know of one another again.
They both walk away and take to a seat, and I do as well.
“We discussed the advantages and disadvantages of going to every Realm for aid in the war—that is if it happens.” Penelope announces after we all are seated. “And we collectively decided it would be best to arrange the conference soon.”
“You believe the war may not happen?” Hua asks, meeting Penelope’s eye.
“I have my doubts, although, Vorian has expressed his thoughts. He truly feels it is upon us, he cannot tell when, but he can feel it nearing.”
“When would you advise we send out word to the other Realms?” I ask. “We have spoken with one another about Provas being our meeting ground. It is centered directly between all the Realms.”
Penelope looks toward Vaughn and Nina.
“We would not send a request for a meeting until both of our nations are prepared for the possibility of war beginning that day.” Nina pauses and a flash of disgust runs across her face. “Your people need training in strength and agility, we must discover the strongest and the weakest. Meeting with all realms runs the risk of too many secrets being revealed if one of them is causing this.”
“Laven has put courses into place. We have nearly five hundred new enlistees and they all will run the course.” Amias informs Nina. “You would know the course well given it has obstacles similar to that of the Quamfasian Games.”
“It is the method our fathers used to train us,” I add. “And we use it now to establish who is capable of being a Frontline Warrior.”
“If you would like for them to have more extensive training we can arrange chaperones to guide your people to where we now hold The Games.” Stelina offers.
“Stelina and Ivella are the two who judge The Games and discover who is strong enough to lead in war. Ivella pursued The Games at a young age and won multitudes of times.” Penelope gloats with a smile.
“Oh, please.” Esme rolls her eyes. “She cheats, she pushed me off the pillars during The Pillar Run.”
I see Roaner smirk from the corner of my eye.
Stelina grins. “You were in her way, and any matters can be taken to win, Esme.”
Ah, so that is why Esme trained her the way she did in Gordanta. She was using that moment to get back at Ivella.
“Where is Ivella?” I ask.
Vallehes looks directly at me. “Tending to a Game with Ira and Vorian. Everything that will happen now I will inform her of later this evening.”
I choose not to fight him on why she is actually not here. Then, I wonder if he knows of Roaner and Esme’s little moments together that would make him worry more about his Right Hand than my small moments with Ivella.
“We suggest that you and your Circle tour The Games within the dome.” Nina says. “You will be allowed to tour the competitions, then train to how you believe you will succeed in the obstacles.”
I nod and hold my hand up. “Only my Circle, our strongest Warriors, and guards will participate in this. We do not have enough time to train all the people within our nation before traveling to Provas to meet every Realm. We could be wasting our time.”
Vallehes shrugs, contemplating it. “I understand, but you will still need to have as many people as possible to go through The Games. It is the best way to challenge your people to be better.”
“Then we will train the weakest here on our obstacles until we see them fit to compete in The Quamfasian Games.” I declare.
“And what if one of us fail?” Roaner motions between us.
“Then you are weaker than we thought.” Zevyk remarks.
Esme whips her head in his direction. “Coming from the man who failed his first time competing.”
Zevyk replies with nothing.
“You are Zevyk Hatsiverso.” Levora speaks.
He nods at my sister.
“You also did not win your second game.”
Roaner chuckles and Esme glances between him and Levora before looking away. Roaner has not looked at Esme once.
Levora cannot keep her eyes from glancing back and forth between Roaner and Esme who sit across from each other by accident because chairs were quickly filled.
“Could I request to have Esme train some of my people?”
Penelope grins. “Esme has a wedding to plan so she will be busy for some time, but I can assure you that you will have great trainers.”
And finally, Roaner is looking at her.
Esme’s head is turned to Penelope and she smiles weakly. “It will be quite the celebration.”
Roaner attempts to speak, but Vallehes does first. “We will give sixty days for everyone to prepare and participate in The Games. At the end of those sixty days is when we will send word to the outside realms to arrange a conference. If we are to ally with not only you, but also the people of Vaigon; there will be plenty of give and take on both ends. Have your nation begin to train, and send your strongest to tour the dome before it is time for them to compete.”
* * *
It seems there will be plenty of visits to Provas within a short period of time. There is the conference Stravan is still holding for us to attend for the celebration of Dyena and to discover who he knows that is spreading this disease. Then, we will return within a short period of sixty days to meet with all realms.
“I have the trials to attend to for the treason committed, if you need me, call and I will come back.”
I thank Morano before he leaves, and I stand from the table in the courtyard.
When I reach the entrance of the palace doors, I hear a faint shriek from afar. The longer I stand here listening, the louder it grows.
It is hard to ignore the young Dragon messily flying towards me in fright.
Vaigon . . .
“How in the hell did you get all the way here?” I curse under my breath as he continues to loudly shriek.
Just within a short period of two days he is twice the size he was, still rather small, too small to be flying such a long distance away from his mother.
He flaps his growing wings, nearing closer to my hand that is outstretched. The moment the tips of my fingers land on his head, a vision soars from his mind to my own.
His thoughts are flooded with images of Ivella nearly drowning in her bathing tub, she is thrashing, struggling to recede from the tub. Something . . . someone is holding her down.
Before I can see anymore, I grab Vaigon and ascend directly to her father’s home in Nadrexi.
NADREXI — SOUTHERN COURT OF QUAMFASI
I fall to the ground as I clumsily end my ascension in front of the bathing tub.
Vorzantu struggles on the edge of the tub as he holds her head above the water with his neck.
When I look closer, I see them.
Large wings that weigh her down and sink her into the water. Without shifting properly and naturally, her body’s strength is not where it should be to hold a pair of wings this size. From a child the Fae are taught to hold their wings, Ivella has never in her life had wings.
My clothing soaks and clings to my skin as I scramble into the water.
“Laven,” Ivella quietly cries as she looks up at me.
Curling her into my arms, I lift her from the water and Vorzantu goes flying. Water flicks from his wings and onto us as he soars away, but not too far.
“I cannot sit up with them, they–”
Quietly, I shush her before she can overwhelm herself.
“Do not worry too much, it may interfere with your ability to make them go away.” Her cheeks are flushed as she shivers.
Her hands tightly grip my topcoat to find warmth, and to find relief from the wings weighing her down. The wings are heavier than her if she cannot hold herself above water.
“I took it off,” she says as tears trail down her skin. “The ring you gave me.”
When I look down at her hand, I realize she did.
“Why did you take it off?”
“To bathe . . . but I was angry about something, and then this happened.” She can only motion with her eyes to the beautiful white and beige feathers.
The ring truly does act like a shield of protection to control her mind from spiraling about.
“Where is it?” I ask.
“On the ledge of the bathing tub.”
I lay her on her back across the bed, quickly pulling the large duvet over her for some form of warmth after being trapped in water for who knows how long.
After retrieving the ring, I put it back on her finger.
“How do I make them go away?” Ivella peers up to me as I lean against the poster of the bed.
“It must be similar to a form of shifting. All Fae can summon their wings just as we summon our Wolf when we must shift.”
As I graze a finger over a white feather she gasps and swats at me. “I can feel that! Do not touch my wings!” Her face heats in red and I force myself not to laugh.
Interesting . . .
Sitting next to her, I reach out my hand and she takes it. Her long nails dig into my skin as she grasps onto me.
“I will help you sit up, you will want to be standing to do this.”
She slowly nods as I swoop in to assist her back—her forearm bears down onto my own for support as I hold her up against my chest.
“Are they not too heavy?” She asks.
Although, I believe she is only looking for validation that she is not weak.
“Not to me. The only reason they are weighing you down is because you have yet to shift into your wolf and develop the strength our kind bear.”
“Would I not bear the strength of a Fae to hold them?”
“Technically, you should. This does not mean you do not, I have heard plenty of stories from others who have wings that they appear in the most inopportune times and because it caught them off guard it is difficult to manage them. Do you remember what I taught you about shifting?”
She nods.
“It is exactly the same for Fae, but you only need to learn control from the tip of your spine, directly downward to your feet. Everything from the spine and down you must control.”
“Not only my back?”
“No. When you can manage your wings—in due time—you will realize that every bit of your strength for supporting these will come from spine support, core support, and a solid stance on the ground.” I may have done quite a bit of research of my own for this exact moment.
I did not know I would be the person to help her through this, but I learned enough to prepare for the just by chance moment.
“How do you know so much? Did Stravan teach you this?”
I smile and shake my head. “Stravan and I are not as close as you may think. I have a library, and I put it to use.”
“As you should.”
I lowly laugh. “Close your eyes, try to focus as much as your mind allows it. Feel every strain in each muscle that supports the wings. Breathe through it until you feel weightless, even with the heaviness of the wings molding you to the ground.”
Her breathing pattern grows erratic as I let her stand completely on her feet; only supporting her by the press of our forearms.
Vaigon and Vorzantu linger closely by, watching her every move. They look from me, to Ivella, and back to me.
I do not say a word as her eyes are shut, focusing on making the wings form back into her body.
Her knees buckle and she falls to the floor. I let her.
I can see those tears welling again as her hands press into the floor to support her.
I kneel in front of her, and she is quietly weeping at the pain the wings cause. “Look at me.”
She shakes her head and continues to watch the tears falling from her eyes and onto the wooden floor.
I grab her face and her swollen eyes look into mine.
“You can do this, Ivella.”
“There is too much faith you have in me.” She weeps.
One of us must be the stronger one here; I will not force her to be that one.
Be strong and she will be too.
“If I have too much faith in you, you have too much faith in me. Here, right now, there is no such thing. You will stand because you can, and you will hold your wings as the mightiest do.”
Slowly, she nods.
“Stand, Ivella.”
Her round chin quivers before she nods again and forces to her feet with quiet grunts.
Her toes begin to dig into the floor.
“Easy, do not focus too much on one singular body part.” It could harm her more than help her to put so much stress into just one body part.
She quietly hums in response.
“Square your shoulders . . . breathe into every muscle . . .”
The wings shudder and she lowly gasps.
“It is all right,” I laugh. “I will not let you go soaring into the roof.”
“Very funny.” Her voice is almost inaudible. “You let me fall.” She says in disbelief.
I laugh again, this time harder. “You needed to.”
“Are you saying I need to be humbled?”
“Never.”
“Liar.”
She stops speaking to flow back into her focus that helped the wings move.
This is good that she is finding enough concentration to even move the wings. By the time she shifts into her Wolf she will already have full control over the wings, as well as an understanding to control shifting back into her human form after her Wolf arrives.
Her hands grip my forearms even tighter, and the Blue Tigers Eye begins to glow. I smile as I look down at her and the wings begin to slowly recede. The light cracking of bones move into place to accommodate the beauty of her wings.
I grab her robe that lies on the corner of her bed to cover her now that the wings have fully receded.
“I do not want anyone to know.” She declares, peering upward to me with wary eyes as I tie the robe in a knot—securing the satin fabric around her.
“I did not plan on telling anyone.” It will be hard for her to hide these new cute ears.
“No,” she shakes her head. “I know you will not tell anyone, but . . . I do not know. I feel like I said that to say it to myself.”
There are questions I want to ask, yet I am afraid to. I do not want her to push me away so quickly with no level ground of how much we both share with one another. Although, it always seems I know more about her than she knows about me.
Now.
Now is the time I speak because I crave to.
I begin lightly. “Technically, I am not supposed to be here. And if we are caught I do think Vallehes will want my neck for it.”
“Vallehes is afraid. No matter how often I tell him we are fine it is as if it pushes him deeper into worry.”
Rightfully so it seems.
“I want to tell you about my sister, the real story about–”
Ivella’s head quickly shifts as knocking on the door pulls her from me.
She glances back up to me and I nod, quickly catching the slight hint of trepidation in her eyes . . . Zevyk.
She tries to speak, but it is already too late as I ascend from the home and back to mine.
I cannot risk being seen and I do not wish to see nor hear of their bond together as I am finally capable of telling her what she wants to know. What she should know.
* * *
When I return I change out of my soaking wet clothing and lead to the dining room where Roaner is beginning our meeting with Carmen and Lorena. While we are away in Provas for the conference and celebration—or lack thereof—they both will be taking care of the mainland while we are gone.
Carmen looks back at me with a smirk. “My King, I grovel at your feet.” He sarcastically says as he bows before me.
Lorena rolls her eyes as she embraces me. “We arrived early, but I figured it would be fine so we can have a full discussion of everything you all have been rearranging in the citadel.” Since Lorsius’s death.
“Yes, it is better you arrived earlier than later. Thank you for being considerate of that.”
“Where were you?” Carmen asks.
Roaner is staring at me as well—brother or not. I will not be disclosing where I just was nor what I was doing.
“I was with a friend.”
Lorena’s eyes roll again. “Another one of your chambermaids?”
I laugh. “I do not have chambermaids, thank you. We currently have no maids nor servants. We are in the process of hiring people to become workers within the palace.”
“The ambush,” Carmen nods. “Were any of you harmed?”
“No, no one was harmed unless they attacked Quamfasi first. There are very few of our people who died. We tried warning them to stand down, and they did not listen.” I shrug.
“Come,” Lorena motions toward the dinner table. “Let us eat before we discuss anything. I will not be able to bear political talk unless I am on a full stomach.”
