Chapter Two | The Mystery

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'She wasn't looking for a knight
She was looking for a sword.'
- atticus
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DARIUS

Darius could not recall the last time he had slept.

In the cool darkness of his bedroom, he paced in front of the window waiting for the dawn to break. From his position, the entirety of Aether was laid out before him, the city soft and grey in the early morning light. Darius turned; completed another circuit around his room, and then suddenly half an hour had passed and the sun was rising, blinding in its intensity.

Darius stood frozen, framed in the archway. For a moment, the Jade City below was cast in red; streets awash with blood, stained curtains burning in their emerald window frames. Screams of the dying swelled around him in a gruesome symphony. Desperate hands clutched fervently at the hems of his clothes, begging for a resolution he was powerless to provide. He stood high above them, looking down upon his tormented subjects like a lofty God, awash in decadent red and gold. They had placed him on the throne. Now he imagined them dragging him back down.

Closing his eyes, Darius massaged his temple lightly. A knock at the door pulled him from his thoughts.

"What is it." His voice was rough from disuse. 

"My Lord," Ezekiel sounded composed as ever. "The Council is requesting your presence."

Darius grunted. "Very well." He said shortly. "Tell them I will be there soon."

*

The council room was full of turmoil, and a few unfamiliar faces- distinctly Elven in origin. Darius sank down into his seat at the head of the table, his unreadable gaze lingering on the empty chair to his right.

Vandor was the first to speak, the General leaning in from the right.

"Your Highness. I implore you to reconsider. I am more than capable of-

"Be quiet." Darius cut off his General curtly. His heavy gaze pulled from the chair to survey the rest of the room.

Those present sat up a little straighter in their seats. It had been a while since they had seen this King. Vandor too, fell silent- his inner turmoil apparent in his expression.

"How long before we can be ready to depart?" Darius asked impatiently.

"In a month, your Highness." It was Balthazar who answered, the older lycan's composure setting the rest of the room slightly more at ease.

That was not the answer Darius wanted to hear. His words were biting. "So long?"

Balthazar sighed. "With all due respect my Lord, the elves need time to recover before heading North. We too, will need time to prepare. The North is different in climate to here and provisions take time to gather. Half of our force is still in Elysian assisting in the clean-up. If you would prefer to divide us further, then perhaps an earlier date would be possible, but-

"Fine, fine, I understand." Darius waved off the older lycan's spiel impatiently. With a light growl of annoyance, he massaged his temples, his eyes closing briefly as he willed his headache away.

Don't be grumpy at Balthazar, it's not his fault.

The reprimanding tone was soft in Darius's ear, and for a moment there was a light pressure on forearm, as though someone had rested her hand there. His eyes snapped open.

"...Your Highness?"

Darius tore his gaze from the empty chair on his left, to face the rest of the room. The eyes on him were slightly confused and it only served to irritate him further.

"Fine." He snapped. "Just hurry up."

Balthazar gave a slight bow. "Of course, your Highness."

Darius grunted. "And the Elf Prince?"

"He remains safe in the quarters that you have so graciously provided." This time it was an elf who answered. She stepped forward as the attention in the room fell to her; a tall, willowy female with hair an unusual shade of midnight blue.

Darius remembered her name after a moment. Astraea, the she-elf who had assumed command of the Army after the previous General had fallen in the battle for Elysian. 

"The two surviving ladies' maids currently tend to him." Astraea informed him. The lightweight silver armour she was clothed in gave off a subtle sheen in the muted light.

"Good." Darius's fingers drummed an impatient rhythm on the table. "And you are sure you can trust those from the Northern Kingdom? As I have told you before, you are more than welcome to remain here until Elysian becomes habitable again."

Astraea offered a low bow. "We thank-you for your hospitality, your Highness, but again we must respectfully decline. It is impossible for us to impose upon you more than we have already done." She straightened, armour clinking gently. "Although our home has been destroyed, we still have our pride. You offered aide in our time of need and rescued the young Prince. We are already in your debt."

Darius nodded curtly. He could understand that. "Very well. I will abide my original word and escort you to the Northern Kingdom. You will be required to cross Lycan territory to get there, and I would rather there not be any misunderstandings."

"The offer is appreciated, your Highness. But unwarranted." The she-elf's expression was a little stiff. "We are more than capable-

"I have business in the North anyway," Darius interrupted brusquely. "And I too, have my own code to abide by. With her dying breath, the Elf Queen entrusted me with the location of her son. I will see him arrive safely in the Northern Kingdom with my own two eyes." He sent Astraea a fierce look. "You will not change my mind on this matter."

There was a pause and then the elf offered another bow. "Very well, your Majesty." Her voice was a little stiff.

Darius sighed. "I understand that relationships are strained after the banishment," he said curtly. "But what is past, is past."

From beside him, Vandor gave a derisive snort that Darius chose to ignore. He knew more than anyone, how hypocritical those words were, coming out of his mouth.

If Iris had been the one saying them, he thought absentmindedly, then it would have been believable.

The Princess had indeed spoken such sentiments before- to Darius himself in-fact. He remembered the warmth of her palm, pressed to his cheek as she had met his gaze. Her eyes had been clear in their sincerity.

'It's not your fault.'

Darius had once thought himself incapable of changing the current order of the world. He still felt that way. He was not the person who would reunite the Earth Kingdom after their long banishment. He had fought too many battles and made too many enemies to ever truly be able to start anew. His goal had always been to serve his time until someone more worthy appeared. By serving, he could at least atone for the sins he had committed, and for the throne that he had left empty.

But since the Princess had begun joining his council, Darius had found himself wanting to be better. Perhaps he did not need to merely 'fill a throne' as he had once believed. Closing his eyes for a brief moment, he left the council to their discussion, searching instead for the presence of another.

Azrael. Where are you?

For a moment, there was only darkness. But then the scene came to him abruptly, as though someone had lit a lamp in a dark room. The sun was warm on his back, the blue ocean dancing merrily below. A high sea breeze brought with it, the strong smell of salt.

It had been a week now since Darius had returned to Aether to find the Jade Palace void of her presence. He had known, had anticipated, but still ... it had affected him more than he was willing to admit.

All that time, and yet ... she still had not reached land? Through Azrael's eyes, Darius could see a  ship some distance away, white sails billowing in the breeze. The distance was too great to make out the flags that flew atop the mast.

Where are they going?

The reply he received was uncertain, and Darius sighed. It mattered not her destination. He would find out eventually. Still. It was irritating not to be able to see her.

When they dock, ensure you make it aboard this time, Darius ordered, before severing the connection.

To the side, Vandor had been watching his exchange. The elegant lycan leaned forward now, his light green eyes narrowing. "Did you find her?" He asked lowly.

Darius drummed his fingers on the table. "I did." He said eventually.

"I can still pursue her, my Lord." Vandor's offer was surprising, Darius hadn't thought he cared.

"No." He decided, after a moment of thought. "I have a vague idea of where she is going."

Vandor scowled. "Does this have any relation to your desire to go north?"

Ah. There it was.

"None at all." Darius denied. "And even if it did, it would be none of your goddamn business, Vandor." The general looked as though he were about to protest again, but Darius cut him off. "Anyway, I can accept Queen Airocei's invitation at the same time. Lycan's have not set foot in Arcelia since the banishment- with the movements of the Unseelie uncertain, now is as good a time as any to strengthen relations between us."

"Tsk," Vandor tutted suspiciously, but even he could not deny that Darius had a point. Visiting Arcelia during this time was a clever political move – and one that would provide cover for more unsavoury conversations to be had. Conversations regarding the return of the Unseelie- if that had indeed been the point of Eros's presence in Elysian.

Darius's strong hands clenched into fists. "It may be a journey we need time to prepare for," he said darkly, "but make our preparations a priority. We are to set sail as soon as we are ready."

And for once, Darius gained no satisfaction from the chorus of agreement he received. 

*

IRIS

"Penny for your thoughts?"

Startled from her reverie, Iris looked up. Cobalt was smiling down at her, leaning against the railing upon which she was resting, his mysterious silver eyes gleaming in the sunlight.

"Who gave you your eye colour?" Iris found herself blurting- much to her immediate embarrassment.

Cobalt laughed. "Rather frank, aren't you?" His easy grin widened. "My mother," he acquiesced, "apparently my eyes came from her."

Iris hummed, turning to gaze back out across the ocean. A week had passed since they had set sail, and yet Iris had not seen land once.

"How about yourself?" Cobalt persisted. His words were teasing, but those same laughing eyes held an edge of curiosity. "Forgive me, but if you find my eye colour curious, I must say the same for yours."

"I don't know," Iris said quietly, after a moment of thought. "I knew neither of my parents." She expected to see pity in his gaze, but the pirate's expression was thoughtful.

"What?" She asked, a little defensive.

"Oh, nothing," Cobalt said nonchalantly, but this time his easy smile held an edge of warning, "only that you would do well to remember; secrets aboard a ship like this one, rarely remain secret for long."

Iris blanched. "And what is that supposed to mean?" she asked stiffly.

Cobalt gave a low hum. "It means, Princess, that I hope your secrets aren't too dangerous."

Whistling, he turned and left. Iris staring at his retreating back, a chill running down her spine. How did he know? Iris pushed the thought away with a shake of her head. It wouldn't do to dwell on such things right now – she had other things to worry about.

She gazed back out across the ocean with a sigh, scanning the horizon listlessly. Iris didn't hate sailing particularly, but she was still unused to the rocking motion beneath her feet. She longed for the steady earth of her homeland, for the forests of towering green, and lush smell of growth after rain. She sniffed. The salt smell really was too strong, and it was already clinging to her hair – the water she bathed in was salt too after all.

Iris sighed again – heavier this time. No, perhaps she was not cut out for life on the high seas after all.

With her chin resting idly on one hand, Iris almost missed the rough outline of land in the distance. Doubtful, she straightened slowly, rubbing her hand across her eyes before squinting harder. That was definitely an island. Her heart leapt in excitement. Did that mean they had arrived?

"Hey!" Iris called out half-heartedly, too distracted by putting more power into her vision to grab anyone's attention. "Hey, I think I see an island!" Her vision brightened and became sharper. The island was too small to be the part of any mainland, but Iris was not disheartened. She scanned the ridges of the small clump of earth eagerly.

"Look!" she called again, turning this time to grab a passing sailor's attention. "There is an-

"Land ho!" The call came out from the crow's nest, and Iris looked up, squinting against the sun. The lookout was hanging over the edge of the nest, telescope pressed firmly to one eye. "Port side!" He called.

The door to the captain's quarters banged open at the call and Iris's least favourite person appeared.

Obsidian Bones looked up in the same direction as Iris, scrutinizing the look out through narrowed eyes before turning swiftly to survey the open ocean. His expression darkened as he caught sight of the island, and Iris watched cautiously as he strode up to the top deck and took command of the wheel.

"Prepare to approach." The Pirate Captains command was spoken no louder than usual, yet it carried across the deck like a wave, ushering the pirates into a frenzy of motion.

Iris turned back to look at the unassuming island. It really wasn't that big – and yet something in Obsidian's expression had made her feel suddenly wary.

"An island? That's unusual."

Iris started – Circe had appeared at her side, leaning comfortably over the railing.

The other woman's doll blue eyes were devoid of their usual light-heartedness and Iris was suddenly reminded of the first time she had met the other woman at the port in Melusine.

"Unusual how?" Iris queried, "I was more surprised that we hadn't seen any islands sooner."

Circe gave her a slightly distracted smile, her gaze still fixed on the island that was slowly becoming larger. "It's unusual because we had not chartered any islands previously on this route." At Iris's puzzled expression, Circe elaborated. "Think of the route we are sailing as a well-travelled forest path for you. We make this journey most often, and Cobalt's job is to chart the route we take, so that we are prepared for our journey."

"Cobalt does?" Iris asked in surprise.

Circe laughed. "He's actually very good at it too, which is why it's unusual that he has missed noting this island before. It does happen occasionally – islands get missed; they are small after all – but this is a sizable one and we should have seen it on our travels before."

"So? Doesn't that just mean that you've missed it?" Iris glanced back to the Pirate Captain. "What's the problem?"

Circe sent her a look. "You are aware of the world we live in? Anything unusual could be even more unusual by our standards," she said ruefully. "It could be a mistake, but like I said- that's unlikely."

"But an island that just appears out of nowhere ..." Iris faltered.

"... exactly." Circe finished. "It is worth being cautious about."

"Alright! Who's going ashore?" Cobalt re-appeared suddenly- his rakish grin wide. He slung an arm over both Circe and Iris and looked between them expectantly.

Iris glanced at Circe. Hadn't the other woman just finished implying that it was dangerous? But still ... she shifted her weight to the other foot. There was a buzz of excitement in her gut. She wanted to go.

"You are." Circe aimed a well-placed kick at Cobalt's shin. "As punishment for not spotting it in the first place."

The pirate grimaced. "Alright, fair enough." He acquiesced. He turned his attention to Iris. "You joining?"

Iris gazed out at the approaching island. It was close enough now that she could make out the trees that lined the higher ridges. Her gaze travelled along the treeline and suddenly fixated on one spot. She froze.

"What is it?" Cobalt asked, noticing her sudden tension.

"I thought I saw ..." Iris trailed off with a shake of her head. "No, its nothing. I'm coming though," she agreed. "Let me find Gabriel."

"I am here." Her general materialised behind her and gave Iris a strange look. "Is everything alright?"

"Yes," Iris nodded, ignoring their concerned gazes. "We are going to that island."

--

It's just an island after all. Iris thought, some what dejectedly as she trudged along the thin forest path.

It had been a little over two hours since Cobalt, Gabriel, Samson, herself, and a handful of other crew mates had stepped ashore. They had separated into two groups and looped around the island clockwise and counter-clockwise – and upon finding nothing of note, had ventured up to the top of the modest peak, which was mostly covered by large evergreen trees.

The path Iris currently walked down, brought her to the edge of the short cliff that she had perceived from back on the ship. She turned once in a circle, surveying the land. It was a clear day, and the blue sky kissed the edges of the ocean horizon. The island was small enough that Iris could see all the way down to shore. High above, a lone bird circled, its large wingspan marking it as a long-distance traveller. Iris squinted into the sun for a moment, before releasing a sigh. There was no one here.

"The land is unusual here though," at her side, Gabriel's eyes narrowed. "A natural mountain would not be flat at the top like this."

"Agreed," Cobalt called, as he stepped out into the clearing to join them. Circe was at his side. Evidently, the other woman had given in to her curiosity and decided to join them.

Now she looked around at the landscape through critical eyes. "It certainly is strange," Circe agreed. She pointed to the unnatural levels of earth that slowly increased towards the peak of the island. "This type of land structure appears manmade- yet there are no signs of a previous civilisation."

"No, there is something here."

Obsidian Bones materialized suddenly at the dark edges of the forest. He stepped forward towards their group and the shadows seemed to cling to his edges, unwilling to part.

Iris noticed that he was thumbing the edges of an antique pendant that was hung around his neck. The gold chain was surprisingly delicate for the size of the stone set in the centre; a fat golden jewel that shone bloated in the midday sunlight. A gash ran down the centre of the stone, almost severing it in two.

"What's that?" She asked automatically.

"None of your business," Obsidian replied curtly, tucking the jewel back beneath his neckline.

Iris's gaze lingered on the scar that marred the side of the captain's darkly handsome face. The faded red line struck straight through one of his deep golden eyes. Her eyes flickered thoughtfully back to where she knew the pendant sat, hidden beneath the white billow of his shirt.

"How do you want to proceed?" Circe was looking at her husband thoughtfully.

Obsidian's jaw tightened. "Back to the ship for now." He ordered. Reaching out, he snagged Circe and tucked the petite woman under his arm. "We will anchor for the night."

Iris exchanged a silent glance with Gabriel. Her guard nodded once- imperceivably. Keeping her thoughts to herself, Iris followed the rest of the crew back to the ship.

-

Much later, cloaked in invisibility, Iris slipped back overboard. The rush of the dark ocean swelled up to meet her as she dove into its depths. To another, it might have been cold, but Iris was a lycan. She held her breath effortlessly as she struck out for shore. It was a short swim.

Trudging up to shore, Iris paused for a moment to twist water from her heavy braid. She glanced back the way she had come. Small lights illuminated the outline of the ship, some of them moving on deck- but Iris did not fear being discovered. It was a moonless night, and she was confident enough in her skills to know she had departed unnoticed. She would return soon regardless.

Eyes set forward in determination, Iris began the short walk up to the peak of the island.

-

The plateau appeared just as it had during the day. A gentle sea breeze whispered through the surrounding forest as Iris took a tentative step out into the open.

Something is here.

Obsidian's statement had been bothering her ever since. There was clearly nothing out of the ordinary and yet ... Iris could not shake the feeling of unease.

Something, he had said. Not someone.

Frowning, Iris paced of the length of the clearing and back. She paused.

"... hello?" She called tentatively.

There was no answer.

Feeling stupid, Iris looked up. In the absence of the moon, the stars were clearer tonight, casting across the wide night sky in a twinkling rope. Iris tapped her fingers against her thigh, lost in thought.

Something is here.

Iris remembered the way that Obsidian had materialized into the clearing, appearing as though he had always been. Even though she hadn't scented or heard his approach. Her dark brows pinched in thought.

On a whim, she cloaked herself again- not with the subtle masking that Darius had taught her, but with the mysterious invisibility that allowed the guards in Aether to pass through her.

Immediately, the grass under her feet was replaced with stone.

Shocked, Iris stumbled backwards, and suddenly there was nothing beneath her feet. Flinging out a hand, she caught herself on the edge of the stone rampart that she had found herself balancing on moments before.

Her heart thundered as she scrambled to orientate herself. After a moment, she pulled herself back up to stand on the ledge and survey her surroundings. Her breath caught in her throat.

She was standing on the ruins of a castle.

-

The ship was silent when Iris returned.

Still cloaked, she nimbly scaled the side of the vessel, flipping herself up and over the railing to land silently on the deck. Her thoughts were still racing with what she had seen.

The castle ruins had taken up the entirely of the plateau they had observed earlier that day. The structure had been decrepit for a long time- Iris knew that much. Vines and plants consumed much of the crumbling yellow stone, and it was only by chance that Iris had found herself stand atop one of the most intact parts of the ruins.

Initial shock waning she had scoped out the rest of the ruins, but nothing more was revealed, only that it seemed the castle – although small – had been the dominant structure on the island. There were signs of a few smaller buildings further down the embankment, but that was all.

Finally, Iris had withdrawn her cloaking, just to be certain. As she had suspected, the castle had vanished. Yet when she brought her cloaking back up again, there it was.

Curious, she had tried the cloaking that Darius had taught her and found that the ruins remained hidden. Only when she embraced that strange invisibility did the castle rematerialize. To her frustration, she had no idea what that meant, and even less of an idea about who to ask.

There is something else here.

Iris paused on the deck of the ship, momentarily lost in thought. Had that pirate seen it too?

"What are you doing out of bed?"

At the sudden voice, Iris almost jumped back overboard. Speak of the devil.

Obsidian Bones had appeared from the shadows.

You can see me? Iris opened her mouth to reply, but the pirate captain walked right past her.

"I couldn't sleep."

This time the voice was distinctly female, coming from high above. There was a light thump of someone landing on the deck, and when Iris turned it was to see the slight form of Circe, walking into her husbands embrace.

The pirate's hulking form engulfed the petite woman completely and unwilling to hang around and bear witness to the intimacy of the two, Iris darted across the deck. With a quick glance backwards to ensure that they were occupied with each other, she slipped through the door and down to her quarters below. 

-

What Iris failed to notice, was that Obsidian's dangerous gaze had been following her since her return.

"What is it?" Circe asked softly. Obsidian's arms tightened slightly as she peered around him, just in time to see the door that had shut quietly on its own.

"I'm not sure yet," he said curtly.

Circe frowned. "Should we be worried? I don't sense any ill intention from either of them."

"Neither do I." Obsidian said grudgingly. "Yet."

"Ever the pessimist," Circe teased gently. Stretching up, she brushed her lips against the underside of her husband's jaw.

The action drew his attention, and Obsidian pressed a firm kiss to her golden curls. He cupped her face in his hands, angling it upwards so that he could kiss her plush mouth devoutly.

"There is nothing for you to concern yourself with," he murmured against her lips. "Come, let's go back to bed."

-

The deck was left empty with the departure of the two, and high up in the lookout, the pirate on watch felt his eyes droop and close. A moment passed, and then he began to snore.

With the crew fast asleep, the entire vessel seemed to sink into an unnatural stillness. Even the ocean seemed muffled, the soft hush and pull muted by the new moon. And so, the night passed uneventfully.

Until the morning came, and the lookout awoke. He stretched and yawned, shaking away his sleep and counting himself lucky that his laziness on watch had not brought about any misfortune. Yes, everything was fine, he assured himself, peering over the edge of the crow's nest. Nothing was out of place.

Or at least that was what he thought until he saw the massive lion, sitting perfectly still in the middle of the deck. As though it knew it was being watched, the beast turned its regal head to gaze up at the lookout.

Its amber eyes narrowed.

-