Domain of the Sun

I awoke to the sound of Jhilza complaining. Not one of the most pleasant noises, but certainly better than what would've been had I stayed in Luster City. Perhaps the ringing of chains and the never-ending dripping of sewer water?

"Damn, this blasted heat," she cursed. "I'd sooner swim with the three-headed vipers in the Ether Sea than spend another moment here. Of all places to build an estate, your ancestors were damn smart choosing a desert, weren't they, captain?"

I rubbed my eyes and noticed that the red cape I'd swaddled myself with was gone. With good reason, too. Jhilza was right. We were travelling amongst dunes of sand and wilted trees. It was hot beyond all reason. The sun continuously beat down against us and I began to wish that we'd stayed near the woodlands of Luster City.

"Where are we?" I asked as I tried to stifle a yawn.

Before Innes could answer, Jhilza's voice came booming from behind. "Near the deserts of Sharsir, where the living come to die of heat and thirst."

I chuckled when I peeked at her pitiful state. Innes was visibly entertained by the wide smile across his face.

"We're not far from my home," Innes nodded his chin towards a brown structure in the distance.

When we neared it, Jhilza sent her horse in a full gallop, complaining about needing to drown herself in a barrel of water.

Innes' estate must have been large. The tall wooden gates were no match for Luster City's iron curtains, but they were far bigger than those of House Deimos. Four men positioned at the watchtowers flanking the gates waved to us as they opened them.

"Welcome to Aellecion," Innes smiled at me as we entered.

Despite being in a sea of sand, Innes' estate was green. The lands within were full of groves of trees with skinny rivers weaving between their large exposed roots. From the top of the hill we stood at, I could see the vast expanse of farmlands between us and his manor, which was the bottom of a valley surrounded by orchards. Areas of sand were few and far in between as every foot of the estate was nearly covered in grass, trees, or small rivers that come spilling out of deep dugouts.

Loggers surrounded an area filled with aged trees that began to lose their colors, discussing how much they would sell the wood for to the markets in Luster City. Women working the nearby orchards waved to their liege as passed, bowing their heads as their children appeared from behind trunks and ran alongside us.

Jhilza quickly dismounted and fell to her knees in front of a small brook. She cupped her hands in dipped them in the water.

"When you mentioned it being your estate, I thought it would like the stone manor of House Deimos. I wasn't expecting all of this-" I stammered. "All of this life."

Innes chuckled. "In the old tongue, Aellecion means 'bloom in the sun'. Though none of this would be possible without the Chantenney trees."

"Chantenney trees?" I mumbled. "Never heard of them."

Innes pointed to the strangely colored trees that came to view the further in we traveled. Their leaves were large, round in shape, and a deep shade of wine. Red vines draped down from every nook between branches, often intertwining with other branches, giving the trees a strange tangled look. It was almost like a leafy, ruby ball of yarn on a thick brown trunk.

I slid a hand across one of the leaves and noted how cool it felt to the touch. "How beautiful."

Innes pointed towards an enormous wooden press that hovered over a giant bowl. "The romantic poet Wynona Mayle used to say, 'When you find yourself in the land of the sun where the rivers run rose," he paused just as the giant press came down into the bowl.

Suddenly, a dark pink liquid seeped out from the bottom of the bowl. When it touched the small creek beneath it, the waters turned into a shade of deep rose. "...you'll find that the following night is something you will never forget," Innes finished.

My eyes followed the winding creek and I quickly jumped off his horse to follow the running rose waters. "I see! This is how wine is made?"

Innes slowly dismounted. "Not wine. Come."

He stepped in front of me and nodded towards a thick orchard of earthy brown colored trees at the bottom of the hill. I ran to catch up with his long strides and just when I reached his side, I found myself in front of a small wooden warehouse that was nestled comfortably between two of the thickest trees I had ever seen. Growing at the ends of each vine were golden crystals that pulsed softly and randomly.

"A long time ago, the seraph dragon resided here to due its abundant sunlight. His presence blessed the sands of Sharsir with magic. With the magical sand and the bountiful amounts of sunlight that poured in, my ancestors found a way to harvest them," Innes explained as he made his way to a hanging crystal that was within his arm's reach.

"These are a variation of Chantenney called Solterine. The rose rivers produced by Chantenney trees feed the Solterine trees downstream, imbuing them with the magic absorbed from the sun." He plucked a crystal and tucked it away into a pocket.

I tapped on the crystal that hovered just in front of my eyes. To my surprise, a bit of the liquid within the crystal began to swirl. It reminded me of those vials found on the Dawn's weapons.

"Innes, what are these crystals? And what's in them?" I asked, trying to push away the possibility of Aellecion being the source of those magical weapons.

"These are elixirs," he responded. "Dew produced from the trees that have harnessed the healing powers of the sun."

I began poking at all of the crystals within reach, giggling when the faint ringing began to harmonize into a strange tune.

"Aellecion is yours to explore," Innes nodded at me. "If you need anything, the groundskeepers will assist you."

I turned to him and bowed my head. "Thank you."

When he disappeared behind a line of trees, I began exploring the orchards. I'd been trapped in the walls of Caledonian cities for so long that I'd forgotten of the nature that existed outside of their steel walls. The cooling aura from the trees along with the softness of the soil beneath made me miss the Mistle Woods.

Actually... I missed Orzon.

I sat down under the tree and rested my back against its cool trunk. I was so far from home. I've learned so much and yet none of it was enough to make sense of the situation I was in. I was no longer the same girl who left Orzon, yet I wasn't sure of who I had become.

Not ready to answer my own question, I closed my eyes and let my exhaustion take me.

It was past noon when I finally asked for one of the groundskeepers to take me somewhere I could rest. After my brief nap in the orchard, I'd managed to get lost within the estate's never ending forests and brooks. Small pockets of flat grasslands filled with servant houses littered the way, so I did manage to find someone who could take me to Innes' manor.

Unlike House Deimos, the Solterica manor was a stone fort that was half its size. There were no ancestral statues, gold embellishments, or silver window linings. Just a dark gray fort with banners carrying the Solterica emblem.

The servant led me through its narrow lobby and up the stairs at the end of the hall. She was an older woman with deep lines in her face, the deepest being the giant smile she flashed at me.

"Lord Solterica is just up these steps. He often forgets to eat and lets his mind wander while gazing out the balcony. Don't you think that it's just romantic?" she asked as she stepped aside when we reached the third floor's landing.

A slight frown creased my face. "Innes' father?"

She stopped her walking and shook her head. "No. His father passed long ago. The title and burdens of lordship fell on my nephew then." She continued, not waiting for me to follow. "Do remind him that he needs to eat, otherwise his aunts will throw a fit for not appreciating their cooking," she said, her voice echoing softly ahead of me.

I rushed to catch up to her, the sudden revelation had stopped my heart momentarily.

Arriving at the topmost floor of the manor, I had expected there to be the usual Caledonian grandeur that peppered all the noble houses I'd been to. I only found that the house's simple exterior continued within. Across me was a large open balcony that spanned the entire floor. A dining table, complete with a fresh meal of fruit and meats, sat to my left. The only bits of decoration around were the pots of flowers and sun banners that were hung from the wooden rafters.

When I finished taking in my surroundings, I looked back at the old woman. "I will. Thank you."

Innes was leaning against the railing, gazing down at the orchard below.

"So," I began as I placed a hand on the railing near him. "How is Lord Solterica? And no, I'm not asking about your father."

The captain glanced at me from the corner of his eye before straightening himself up. "My aunt told you?" he scoffed gently as he faced me.

I nodded. "I'm sorry. I can't imagine how hard it is for you."

He pressed his lips together while shaking his head. "Don't be sorry. He's in a better place."

To lose a parent was something I couldn't bear to imagine. All my life, my mother had told me that my father was some useless drunk who hopped from village to village to evade the bounty hunters. Though thanks to Jhilza, I'd realized that my true parents died long before I could even meet them. The thought saddened me, but I still had Gretel or Camilla; wherever she was.

We observed the Chantenney below in relative silence, lost in our own separate thoughts. Until my stomach began to growl.

Innes erupted in laughter as he pushed himself off the railing. "Let's eat."

We sat at the dinner table and began digging into the heaps of food provided. A few minutes in, we were joined by Jhilza who, according to the rumors I'd heard from the locals, had been fast asleep after an hour long bath.

"You've gotten too comfortable with me," she shook her head as she sat down and reached for a slice of the moss meat. "Inviting me to dinner like some old drinking friend," she grumbled between bites. "It's nothing compared to the floating gardens in Maignane, but your lands are beautiful, captain."

Innes downed the contents of his glass, his glower never leaving Jhilza's hazel eyes. "I'd like to keep it that way so be sure not to kill or break anything while you're here."

I remained quiet, watching in amusement as the two bickered throughout dinner. For the first time in a long time, I could feel my tensed body relax in their presence. It seemed like a horrible thought but I felt like there was some sort of uniting camaraderie that held us together; as if we were bonded together by a shared disdain for Caledonia.

After tossing the last pieces of buttery bread into her mouth, Jhilza yawned and stood. "I'm going to bed. We can discuss our situation in the morning." She paused just before her figure completely disappeared below the staircase. "And don't worry, you have my word that I'll go along with whatever this."

And with that, she tossed a careless hand at us as if waving goodnight before stalking off.

I stood and stretched my arms out above my head. "I should rest, too. Who knows what tomorrow brings," I yawned.

"Before you go," Innes began as he stood and made for the stairs. "Can we talk for a bit?"

I looked at him, eyes wide before stuttering, "S-Sure?"

He signaled for me to join him at the balcony as servants came from downstairs to clear the dinner table. When they'd gone, I looked over at him and waited for him to begin.

"I know you must have some questions about me and I intend to answer them, but before I do, I'd like to tell you a bit about my father and I," he said. "What I'm about to say to you doesn't show me in the best light, but I'd rather tell you the truth than keep pretending I'm some sort of faultless hero."

My brows furrowed and I took a step closer to him. "That isn't possible. You saved my life countless times and I was wrong for shunning you and doubting you."

I placed a hand over his shoulder. He glanced up at me and I could see the lines on his face soften. He exhaled once more, straightening his back.

"When my father passed away in the war, I was determined to change Caledonia for the better and I was determined to do it quickly. I used my family's name to-" he paused, squeezing his jaw. He cleared his throat before continuing. "-to force my way up the ranks. In the name of House Solterica, I had several men shamed and even destroyed the reputation of certain families. I sullied my house's good name to attain my position."

He raised a hand to the level of his eyes and rolled his fingers into a fist. I could see his jaw tighten, as if remembering something that had made him angry.

Innes sighed, releasing his fist and planting it on the railing. "When you looked at the Royal Army with such wander and innocence, the way you believed in us and in Caledonia, I began to feel that my pursuit of power was wrong. I found myself walking Vagra and Bacchus' path. I was angry at Bacchus for not being able to protect my father and I was angry at Caledonia for celebrating wars as some sort of glorious advancement. But that's not the man I want to be and that's not the Caledonia I fight for."

The lines on his face deepened as his clenched his jaw tighter, as if the confession burned his tongue and he struggled to control how much he was going to admit.

I mentally reprimanded myself for being unable to find the words to comfort him. This was the man who protected me, yet not only did I doubt his goodness, I remained speechless at his vulnerability and moral anguish. I wasn't going to pretend like I could understand the pain of having his loyalty tested, but I had to do something. I owed it to him.

"A world of deceit and luster," I began to sing as I grazed the backs of my fingers across his cheek.

I didn't have fancy trinkets or noble titles and I knew that my entire being didn't amount to much compared to women like Unikila, but Innes meant more to me than I could comprehend and I came to the realization that I hated, more than anything, to see him so downcast. A feeling unknown to me bloomed in my chest; it was warm and unfamiliar yet not unwelcome.

"Driven to madness, taunted by the allure
A warrior walks a path to the golden age
Jaded by the turmoil and the wars he's waged
A boy no longer, but a man unfit
To extinguish the fires he's lit.

A story of peace and shelter
Taken from home, a mystical storyteller
A songstress dances on a marbled stage
Bound in chains by creatures of rage
A child no longer, but a woman beaten down
A weapon in the battle for the crown.

Tell me, God, was this your intention?
To make us the blades of your conviction?
I run to a fate clouded by blood
Mistress to the slaughter, caster of the flood
He stands vigil, against a world of desperation
Defender of my song, his strength tested, never shaken.

For he is the center, the pillars, and the earth
He is the magic that courses and heals the hurt
Petals to the wind and monsters abound
His warmth are the arms that pull me from the ground
I will have faith that he stays by my side
My guide in the heart of the night."

I sang softly as the wind circled us. It wasn't a strong breeze like before, but it was gentle enough to let the Aegil petals dance through the air.

There was no dance or performance. Just a song to let him know how much I appreciated all he had done for me.

"Come here." Innes stretched a hand out as blue petals fell around him.

I was hesitant at first, remembering the first time a man had held me. But there was a lightness in his eyes that I was drawn to; a lightness that was brighter than the magic pouring from my blossoms. I knew that there wasn't anything more precious in the world.

He playfully tilted his head to the side as another small grin peeked out from the corners of his lips. I slid my hand onto his and he pulled me into a hug.

"Let me hold you for a bit longer," he mumbled.

I tucked my head between his neck and shoulder as my arms circled around his lower back. I could feel every subtle heave in his chest and hear every breath. Innes lowered his head until his cheek touched the side of my head.

We stayed like that for a while, content in each other's company.