FENRER

"Before sea swallows all, I beseech thee for thine oath! Bring upon me the dawn! Set loose the flames of my soul! Commit it to the pyre of my name and forge me into the fury of the light!"

Embers crinkled, the bubbling sound of melted wax filling his ears while he tried to free himself from the barbed stars stuck into his chest. Each of the tangles unraveled across his fingers, but when he lifted his head out of his arms, he was alone with the abandoned candle, its wick burnt into the goo. A groan slipped from his lips when he straightened his back against the wood chair, trying to right his posture before taking the candle plate into his hands. He set it off to the side, the last dregs of resentment dripping through his heart. Kalla's words drove into his head — of his lack of pragmatism, to see the truth. The truth they'd sooner rip out of Yuven's head for a means to an end. Better to keep me out of the loop right, what did he say, that I'm too emotionally tied to this? How can he so easily work with them but not work with me? His Oathbound? I was there in Azahama? Am I truly so useless to him? He pushed his fist into the desk when the burn of separated pain drove deeper into his heart, and he let out a breath. Clearly, I need to get myself away from here for a little while... I know His Grace wanted me to figure out everything for the Goldwood, but I still think it'd serve him well to see it for himself. He headed over to the weapon rack to buckle the dawnblade onto his back along with a bow. Just... anything to get my mind off this.

Kindness will prevail... and I know if I stay here stewing, after what I said... Fenrer sucked in his lips and left the empty room. Accustomed to the humid weather of Haneka, whose stormy season ebbed and flowed like the waves of the ocean which crept into the gulf, he hurried over, ignoring the signals of respect Reyn's housecarls gave to him. Respect he neither deserved or earned except through his name. Pyren. I wonder... am I following in the steps my father took? He slowed to a stop at one of the bright windows, but pushed himself forward — no Lord except in title and gambit of trying to free his father's ruined soul into peace only to toss it into the Infernal Hells. As per Reyn's directions, he found himself at the king's door, where a housecarl stood in front of it, but they stepped to the side with ease once they appraised him.

The last time I was in here, Yuven gave him an ultimatum... and Reyn refused to abandon his people to the pyre of Derelicts — even if it meant his death. Fenrer crept in and spotted the king in question at his desk, rubbing circles on his temples while he stared at a thick scroll of parchment. Fenrer tapped his knuckle on the stone, causing him to lift his head with a knitted brow. "I hope I'm not interrupting anything, Your Grace. I can come back later."

"No, it's alright. Gustul would be handling this if he was here, but he decided a trip to the tavern was in order." Reyn grabbed onto the scroll. "Is there news from Warden Traye, or is this a friendly chat?"

"You'll probably hear if there's news before I do, Your Grace," Fenrer said as he took the seat across from Reyn. "I wanted to talk to you... how would you feel about making the trip to Sungrove yourself?" He leaned forward when Reyn went still. "You need to see it for yourself, Your Grace. We can hunt on the way... I used to hunt with my father a lot before... the Desecration," Fenrer drew out through his teeth. "I think it'd go a long way in repairing the damage. See, around this time we have our Feast of the Turn. It used to take place in Sungrove, but with the damages, the best place to have it is Wolford." He curled his fingers together. "I'll be with you. I can protect you on the off chance the cult really does decide to make some sort of move, but—out in the wilderness? What purpose would that serve? Wouldn't it be better to strike where the most damage would happen?"

"You think far too small," Keeper Kalla chided.

His hope dwindled when Reyn curled his fingers closer to his chest. "Did you discuss this with Warden Traye?" He shook his head. "Before you mistake me, I don't doubt your capabilities to protect me, I have faith that you'd be able to, and while I agree that seeing it for myself is something I must do no matter the reception I get—"

"Then isn't it better to do it on one of our festival days, show them that you are not your predecessor?" Fenrer asked. "Festivals provide a couple benefits. One, they're often full of joy and happiness. Celebration and life. The light to the Derelict dark. Your people will be all the stronger for it if you do this. Two, it'll show them you're cognizant of their ways, how they live without direct access to the gulf." Though he had rehearsed the proposal over and over, he tried not to let himself fumble on the reality behind it. I just need to get out of the castle, and this is as good a reason as any. "You said you would listen to my counsel, and this is mine... as a Pyren."

"You didn't answer my question."

Fenrer drew his hands onto his lap. "Yuven has been busy cutting off potential routes for the cult to use. Using reversal glyphs on spots more energized by the civil conflict to lessen the potency of blood glyphs," he explained. "You put Sivaport under siege for moons, though I'm sure you did what you could to limit casualties of your own people... there had to have been some even with your brother's efforts."

Reyn sighed. "So, a hunting trip inland, is your suggestion? With a route to Sungrove as the goal?"

"It needn't be a huge undertaking," Fenrer insisted. "Actually, better that it isn't. Less people who are aware of your movements at all times, the less the cult may know in the end." He got out of the chair to lean on Reyn's desk, though it was his shadow which swallowed him. "I don't think it's wise to keep you cooped up in here forever, no matter what Yuven thinks. The longer you're here, the cult may find out and will try to dig out ways to you. You don't move. You stay in one place... that gets predictable, aye?" He waved his hand in the air as Reyn stood up as well. "Just a small hunting team. You don't want to bring a veritable army into the Goldwood, that'll send the wrong message whether I'm in attendance or not. Who knows, if we give the illusion that the guard is being lessened, the cult will simply walk right into Yuven's hands and you won't need to be at risk. You won't even be there."

"You thought... hard about this."

Fenrer relaxed his shoulders at Reyn's observation. "Does it make sense?" he sought validation.

Reyn curled his lips over his teeth and then gave a nod. "It does, but that's on the basis that we can predict the cult as easily as they can predict us from what we saw in Azahama and the massacre which followed. I think you should discuss this with Warden Traye. And, if he's agreeable, in a few bells we'll set out to Sungrove with a small, prepared hunting team. I know a couple of my housecarls have gotten a bit antsy being stuck on castle duty. It'd do them some good to get familiar with the roads of the Goldwood if this is how you want to approach it... You are the Lord of Sungrove, if you think this the best course, we will give it a shot."

Hope breathed new life in his sunken chest, full of old phlegm. "It'll be fine, Your Grace. You'll get to show your people that you seek their best interests. You aren't your father. They just need to see that for themselves. I will discuss this with Yuven—"

"Discuss what with me?"

His melodic voice froze his bones when he turned to face the violet fields of ferocity. Yuven pressed one hand against the frame of the door, with Reyn sliding to his feet to give him an inclination of respect in the form of a head tilt. "Is there news, Warden Traye?"

"No." Yuven switched his attention to him, ignoring Reyn to approach him. Fenrer stiffened. "What is it that you want to discuss with me?" He tossed his arms out. "I am here now, might as well get it over with."

"We're going on a hunting trip. Me, Reyn and a couple of his housecarls," Fenrer said, fighting to keep his voice even, to not prove Yuven's previous words of emotional reactions. He sensed the animosity growing within the icy maelstrom when he snapped his sharp gaze to Reyn, but Fenrer took the brunt of his hate. "I am not taking a yes or no answer for this. You seem to have forgotten how Hanekans work. We're not like your people, Yuven. We're not so isolated — and we regard isolation with a healthy dose of skepticism here. You can't keep the king cooped in his castle, in what world is that a good way to rule?"

"When said monarch is under threat of having his blood used to feed a ritual?" Yuven drew through his teeth. "Fenrer, I know why you're doing this. I get it, but this isn't the way to go about it. When I saw that you weren't in your room I deduced the only other place you could've been was here — though I didn't think you'd be planning something so inane—"

"You're not always right," Fenrer bit. "You weren't there in Azahama."

"I sure was there in Irimount," Yuven hissed.

"A place you can't even remember? That you weren't even truly aware for when it fell?"

Once more, the words burned the tip of his tongue, and he drew himself back from Yuven when the maelstrom froze over. Fangs crept out from behind Yuven's lips, and he shook his head. "This is a terrible idea, Molvisaliz? What do you want from me? I came here to apologize for my behaviour," he said, breaching the distance. "Do not let your emotions dictate your next steps. I've warned you once already. Look." He slipped the fangs back behind his lips. "I am sorry for how I've hurt you. I shouldn't have said the things I did, and I'll be spending a long time making up for it. I will not make excuses, I will simply have to show you that I do not think that way of you and your magick. You are not Blackwall—"

"Yet you will so readily trust Keeper Kalla's word over mine?" Fenrer bit.

"When it comes to this subject? Yes."

Yuven's cold words slapped him in the face and burnt his friend's apology to ashes before it bloomed. He looked back at Reyn, then turned his back on the king of Haneka to face the reluctant prince of Naveera. "You told me to learn some diplomacy since you seem so incapable of it yourself," Fenrer drew out. "That's what I'm doing. We're going on this hunting trip, Yuven. If you keep Reyn here, how long will it take before the cult slips through the cracks?"

"Do you think I spend all that time in the dark of the office not covering those cracks?" Yuven's feathers fluffed out. Angry spikes grew out of the melted maelstrom. "Fenrer, as your Captain, I won't allow this. This is stupid. You are smarter than this. Your issue is with me — confront it instead of running away as you do."

"I am being smart," Fenrer threw back. "I'm just sorry I'm not as smart as you. As you like to remind me and everyone else. Not everyone can be a genius."

"That is not what I said, I said you're smarter than this. You are lashing out," Yuven said through a guttural, reptilian hiss, the truth hidden in a humanoid form of his fae ancestors. He swept his gaze to King Reyn. "Do not tell me you agree with this? After all that bluster you made? You'd so willingly throw yourself at the cult that may be waiting for you if you leave this castle and my watch?"

"Fenrer gave fairly sound reasoning as to make this trip," Reyn pointed out as he joined Fenrer. Emboldened by someone being at his side, to provide the validation, he advanced on Yuven, who held his ground. In his peripheral, Reyn's doubt grew into bulbs along the storm clouds of his aura.

"I'm just as capable as the Wardens at the Lodge. I don't know what I did to make you think I wasn't capable of anything. I tried my best in Azahama. I did what I could and I almost died for it," Fenrer threw at him. "You chose not to come. You chose to run away instead of coming with me, or telling me the truth of my false faith. I am more than enough to protect His Grace." He pushed Yuven out of his way. "Besides, you're not any better when it comes to emotional reactions."

Out of the door, he stomped away and went to get ready for the hunt; to get far away from Yuven and the starry barbs making his heart bleed until there was nothing left of him to give.