Kastali Dun

Verath watched their small group assemble from the armchair in the corner of King Talon's sitting area. He'd arrived earliest to claim it, but mostly to observe, to glean some reason for this abnormal meeting. He wondered if it had anything to do with Lady Caterina's disappearance. The king had already completed the necessary documents to confer Desaree's new title. But why assemble everyone for it?

Lady Desaree.

His gaze landed on Desaree, eyes taking in the curve of her neck and shoulders as she moved across the room, arm in arm with Claire. Saffra and Jocelyn followed in a similar manner. Desaree's chocolaty tresses were held in place atop her head, not a single strand out of place. Tonight she wore a brocade of dusty pink silk.

His hand twitched. He drummed his fingers against the rolled arm of his chair to keep from thinking about the softness of her hair, to keep from thinking about how he wanted to run his fingers through it. If he'd ever again be allowed the chance to do so.

Clenching his teeth, he forced the thought away. He needed to let her go. She deserved more than he could give—a family, marriage to someone who could provide a home and a future. All he had to offer was his love.

He glanced around the room, taking in each of his brothers as they congregated around Reyr, slapping him on the back, full of questions. He'd already greeted Reyr after the evening meal. They'd spoken at length, in the privacy of Reyr's quarters.

He sighed. What a day it had been. With Lady Caterina's disappearance, he had combed the city for hours. Guards had done the same. There was no sign of her. The only tip came from a downtrodden tavern near the docks, of a woman who sought a merchant ship captain for passage. The same damned captain who had delivered their large order of Ice Metal not long ago. Reports claim it had happened the evening of the ball. Around the same time she must have disappeared from her classes with Mage Targa.

He worried, though it was fruitless to do so. He worried that her disappearance would catch up with them. Perhaps not tomorrow, or even months from now. But when?

The atmosphere in the sitting room abruptly changed. He glanced up. King Talon strode in, shoulders back, the picture of regality. Everyone snapped to attention. "Sit, sit," he murmured, encouraging them to get comfortable. The trouble was, there weren't enough places. It was a game of shifting and arguing.

At last, Talon's Shields squeezed together on one sofa—Reyr propped on the left arm, Bedelth and Jovari in the middle, and Koldis on the right arm—while Desaree, Jocelyn, and Saffra squeezed together on the other sofa. That left Claire and Talon eying the large armchair near the fire. Talon's usual spot.

Claire positioned herself on the arm, sitting aloof. Not missing a beat, Talon plopped comfortably down beside her, placing his hand against her back, rubbing down the length of her spine with absentminded ease.

Verath sat straighter, observing. They had grown close, but something seemed different tonight. A distracting change.

"We make quite the merry party," Talon observed, his eyes dancing over them. The fire crackled in the background, warm and inviting. Claire turned to Talon and smiled down at him. Something deeper manifested in her gaze when he returned it, speech without words. The others didn't miss the exchange. Koldis and Jovari shared a pointed glance.

King Talon spoke again, "I called this meeting because Claire and I have something to tell you. But first, I'd like to address the matter of Desaree."

Desaree twitched. Her face paled under the sudden attention.

"No need to fret," Talon added. "I completed the documentation earlier. It is my honor, nay, my privilege, to confer upon you your title of lady and the transfer of all that remains in the Kendall coffers. The Rosens have been removed—entirely."

Desaree's eyes widened. She opened her mouth, but nothing came out.

The king continued, "Everything is yours now, Desaree. With Caterina's disappearance, she forfeits all."

Desaree exhaled. "I...she's really gone then?"

"Indeed. From what I understand, we failed to locate her. Verath? Any sign?"

Verath shook his head. "None, my king. A tip confirmed that she fled the city."

King Talon nodded. Every eye in the room was trained on Desaree. "The title is yours, Desaree, if you will have it. That is your wish, is it not?"

"Yes." The word slipped out, more of a squeak. Claire beamed, grinning ear to ear. She must have known beforehand. Saffra and Jocelyn both patted Desaree on the back, offering quiet congratulations.

Talon waved a hand, muttered something under his breath, and a rolled parchment appeared, dropping into Desaree's lap. There was a ribbon tied around it. Desaree's eyes widened further. She took the document and clutched it to her chest.

Verath tried to catch her gaze, but she was staring wide-eyed at King Talon. Gods! How he wanted to pull her into his arms. To kiss her. To hold her....

"Good." King Talon nodded. "Congratulations, then, Lady Desaree." The others echoed his words. Verath murmured them too.

"Thank you, Your Majesty."

"My pleasure." The king glanced between Desaree and Claire. "And as to the matter of your handmaiden duties—"

"I do not wish to relinquish my duties, Your Majesty. For-forgive me. I did not mean to interrupt."

"Nothing to forgive, my lady."

"Des will stay on as my lady in waiting," Claire announced. "I cannot manage without her. She will continue assisting me, even in my absence. She will handle my affairs while I'm away—"

"Away where?" Koldis interrupted.

"To the forest," Talon answered. "And you will be going with her."

"WHAT?" Koldis sputtered. "Me?!"

Verath sat straighter, eyes narrowed. "Apologies, my king. Are we missing something?"

"Yes, Verath. Claire and I will explain. Perhaps it is best to start at the beginning. We have an announcement to make." He looked up at Claire, taking her hand in his. "Would you like to share, dear heart?"

"Me?"

"You." His thumb caressed the back of her hand.

"Okay." She nodded and turned to the group. A mischievous smile pulled at her lips. "So, uh, I guess I'll just say it. Talon and I are mates."

The room was silent. Absolutely silent. Then—"I knew it!" Saffra screeched, jumping from the sofa.

Verath shut his mouth. Judging by the looks of absolute disbelief and confusion circling the room, the others were just as shocked. Desaree's eyes found his. She didn't look so surprised. "You knew?!" he mouthed. She bit her lower lip before nodding.

Everyone handled it differently.

Bedelth's eyes narrowed as he said, "Talon? Is this true?"

"You can't be serious?!" Jovari roared at the same time. "This isn't just a game to trick us, is it?"

"Right!" Koldis snorted, glancing at Jovari. "Because we all know our king's stance on love..."

Talon laughed. "I'm dead serious. We have wanted to tell you for weeks, but we've been waiting for the right moment." To prove his point, he lifted Claire's hand and pressed her palm to his lips. Her eyes fluttered closed briefly. The intimate moment was enough to rip Verath's heart wide open. The abyss of longing and regret stretched out before him—a reminder of what he had lost.

But not entirely.

He still loved. He still had a chance to share that love—perhaps never as strong as a mate's love, but it was still love. His eyes flicked to Desaree again. She was looking directly at him. Her gaze left his skin heated. He wanted so badly to take her, to be with her, to show her what he felt on a deeper level.

"Argh! Get a room, you two!" A pillow pelted Talon in the face. Koldis.

"Oof!" King Talon batted it away, laughing. Actually laughing! How often did their king laugh like that? Almost never.

Jovari snickered. "Gods! It's about time!"

"Guess it makes sense," Bedelth said at last, crossing his arms. His eyes shot over to Saffra who avoided him entirely.

"Gods...I never thought..." Koldis looked at Claire and Talon, wide-eyed. Jovari shook his head, clearly struggling to digest the idea. Reyr merely smirked. Out of everyone, Verath expected Reyr to be the most upset, but he wasn't, which meant he must have also known beforehand. Saffra and Jocelyn were grinning so widely their mouths might fall off.

"In hindsight, it makes sense," said Talon. He was all but glowing in the firelight. In all his years, Verath had never seen his king so absolutely and completely happy. The deep scars on his face had practically disappeared behind an unusual smile. "I know it's hard to believe. But Claire and I, we really are mates."

Reyr was the first to stand—always the example. He went to Claire and went down on one knee, taking her hand in his. "My queen." The room fell silent. "My allegiance is yours, if you will have it." Her eyes widened. She hid her surprise as he kissed her knuckles and stood.

She glanced at Talon. Their eyes went unfocused. Sharing thoughts. Even without solidifying the mate bond, Claire's ability to speak with all of them allowed it. "I will have it," she answered, smiling up at Reyr. He nodded and resumed his seat.

The severity of the revelation snapped into place making it difficult to breathe. Talon didn't merely have a mate. They had a queen. After all these years, Dragonwall was going to have a queen! Not just any queen either, one of Sprite and Drengr blood. One from a world beyond. An outsider. Pride flared hot in Verath's chest. He beheld this spirited young female—the perfect complement to Talon's needs.

Jovari was next, then Koldis, then Bedelth. Verath went last, going down on one knee and taking Claire's hand in his. Her skin was already clammy, though she hid her nerves well. "My queen," he repeated, holding her gaze, imparting upon her the seriousness of his heart. "My allegiance is yours. My Sverak, my loyalty, all of it—yours." He spared a glance for Talon, who merely nodded.

"Thank you, Verath," she said, breathless. Her eyes glittered. "I'm honored to have it."

He retreated to his seat.

"Well..." Talon exhaled. "That was...unexpected. Welcome, but unexpected." He paused, as if coming to terms with what had just happened. "While we are eager to solidify the bond, I have asked Claire to refrain from accepting me for now. We wish to be together, but the matter is not simple." The others in the room shared confused glances. "Becoming Dragonwall's queen is not lightly done, and she understands this. As such, I will have her answer when she returns from the Gable Forest."

Ahh. There it was again. Confirmation that she was indeed going away.

"But why is she leaving?" Koldis crossed his arms. "And why am I going with her?"

"I'm going to train with the Sprites," she answered. "And you're coming because Talon said so. Is that going to be a problem?"

Koldis shrank away from her glare. "Absolutely not, my queen. It would be my pleasure. I just hate Sprite food, is all." Claire burst into laughter. The rest of them followed. Koldis offered a sheepish grin. "Well, I do! And I'm not the only one."

Something nagged at Verath, forcing him to ask, "Is it safe, my king? Sending her away like this? Especially knowing she is our queen? Shouldn't she master her mage magic first?"

Talon ran a hand through his hair. "Claire's Sprite blood makes that difficult, Verath. She is better suited to master what ever is more comfortable before learning to balance both. We need her as strong as possible for what is coming." He drummed his fingers on the padding of the chair before looking up at Claire. "Would you like to tell them, dear heart, why this is so...important?"

Something passed between them. Claire turned bright red. "Uhm?" She glanced at the rest of the room. Her lips flattened into a line.

"I see. Too shy to atone? Well, as your mate, it falls on me then." Talon's expression hardened. "Claire thought it was wise to—how shall I put this?—make a very naughty Promise."

Claire suddenly seemed very interested in the flames in the grate, in the wall, in anything other than everyone sitting in the room. What was more surprising, she wasn't lashing out at King Talon for his scolding tone.

"What sort of promise?" Verath asked.

"The Unbreakable sort," Talon answered, his words clipped.

"I—" Claire opened and closed her mouth. "Cyrus talked me into it."

"So it would seem," said Talon. "Stealing the opportunity right out from underneath the rest of us. Claire promised to defeat Kane, and now she is bound to that. Her words were explicit. The actions of a true queen, I suppose. Already eager for responsibility."

Claire's face turned an even darker shade of red.

Queenly or not, it was clear that Talon wasn't happy. "We all know what will happen if she does not fulfill the Promise."

Koldis groaned. "What were you thinking, Claire?! Are you insane? Don't you realize—"

"Koldis!" Talon's eyes flashed, pupils narrowing into draconic slits. "That is enough."

Koldis snapped his mouth shut.

"If anyone scolds her for it, it will be me. And believe me, I already have." Talon sighed. "Mistakes happen—to all of us. What's done is done. We will see her through this. Did you not just pledge yourselves to her?"

"Aye." The confirmation echoed around the room.

Talon nodded. "Cyrus was always the wise one. While I dislike this, I am certain there was a reason behind his madness."

"There was." Saffra had been unusually quiet during this entire exchange. "Mage magic isn't powerful enough to defeat Kane. Not even Sprite magic will do, or else the Sprites would have taken matters into their own hands already. The world requires balance. It will take both bloods to eliminate Kane, and even then, it will not be easy."

"Always the bearer of good news," Koldis muttered.

"Koldis..." Talon warned again.

Saffra hesitated. "Both magics must be in balance. Green and blue. Sprite and mage. And Cyrus will help with that. His Sverak and Claire's staff..." Her eyes went unfocused, like she was picturing something, imagining something.

"A staff?" Talon frowned.

"The one I'm supposed to find in the forest," Claire said. She sat up straighter on the chair arm.

"How do you reckon that?" Talon asked.

Claire and Saffra exchanged a glance before explaining everything to the group, detailing Saffra's true vision—one she had hidden from everyone but Claire many months before—and the riddle she had been granted earlier that evening.

"What riddle?" Talon asked.

"Saffra had a vision before dinner—"

"Not a vision," Saffra amended, halting Claire's explanation. "I believe Princess Taylynn contacted me. She told me to deliver a message." Saffra hesitated, but when she next spoke, Verath felt his skin prickle at the words.

"These answers you will surely seek,

For questions on your mind.

A weapon you will need to wield,

That only you can find.

For in your blood are green and blue,

Two magics intertwined,

But neither can succeed alone,

Though each has been defined.

So if you journey far enough,

To see them both aligned,

A deeper power from within,

Will show itself in time."

"Now you see why I must go," said Claire when Saffra finished. "I need their help. And it's not just my training. Or even acquiring the staff. I need to understand more about the Dragon Stones. I don't think any of us really understand what they do. I don't want Kane using their power against us—whatever that power is. Even if it appears that he's hidden them around Dragonwall."

"So we send her to the forest," Jovari decided, crossing his arms. "And then what? Just wait for her to come back?"

"We have plenty to do in the meantime," said Talon.

"We need a plan to reclaim the fort," Reyr added. "Claire will be safer with the Sprites while we do that."

"Well, if that's the case," said Jovari, "I'd like to accompany Claire and Koldis. I am her other trainer, after all."

"Oh-no!" Talon huffed. "The last thing I need is both of you troublemakers harassing the Sprites, wearing out your welcome."

"Yeah, simmer down." Koldis punched Jovari in the arm. "I'm the better Shield for the job."

Jovari glared at Koldis. Ever in competition with each other.

"You are needed here, Jovari," said Talon. "And here's why." Jovari perked up, his attention wholly on Talon from that moment forward as Talon went into detail of his initial thoughts for Fort Squall.

Their discussions continued well into the evening. They talked about what they might do to regain the fort. How they might go about recapturing the stones. What Claire would do once she was powerful enough to confront Kane. It was a mess of unorganized ideas as each of them fired off more and more outlandish suggestions. Until Talon lifted his hand to silence the room. "I think that is enough for one night. Claire and Koldis have an early morning tomorrow. My mate needs her sleep." They shared a heated glance that had the others looking away. But everyone agreed.

One by one they rose and left Talon's tower. Verath watched Desaree lead Claire away, but not before Claire and Talon embraced. It wasn't until the door closed behind them that Verath sighed and rose. He wanted nothing more than to chase after Desaree, to beat down her chamber door and...well, he wasn't sure what would follow. Desaree had not yet accepted him back into her arms. So instead, he bid his king goodnight and retreated to his room where he might digest all that had been said, well aware that everything had now changed.

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