Fantasy continuation; Elemental Royals

[kjcanimals]

Step one was to reassert control over the fire. This Dagon did immediately. Even without the vivid reminder displayed at the Dark Castle the day before -- Had it really only been one day? -- he knew firsthand the danger of uncontrolled flames, and he had the burn scars across one shoulder to prove it.

Step two was to regain his balance as he tottered a second before managing to properly distribute his weight onto one foot.

"Yeah, no kidding," he grunted to Nina between clenched teeth before sucking in a breath. By the time he released it, the pain had settled into a steady throb. Leaving one of the others to take his place in the ring surrounding Boja, the prince hobbled over to one of the chairs and lowered himself into it. A quick look at his ankle showed no visible marks, but that did little to improve his mood. All he needed to set him off was for Boja to say the wrong thing, which she did almost as soon as he let his pant leg drop back into place.

Dagon's hand shot out, and the flames closed even tighter around their attacker-turned-captive.

"You want to rethink that answer, traitor?" he said darkly. "How about we start with this one: How many others in this city are working with you?"

 

[cosowarrior]

Nima may not have flinched at the mention of her 'fiancé,' but Cain did. What felt like a strategic lie at the time was now mortifying to think about. Using Nima's name (and hand) as a tool to quite literally save his own neck... But he was alive. The fallout would have to wait.

Amarina glossed over the comment. Dagon had Boja effectively subdued. Her retorts were little more than a desperate attempt by cornered animal trying to regain control. The traitor wanted to get a rise from them, to stoke the flames. Well, she got just that.

"And how did you learn about the Earth King's plans to attack?" Amarina added, sneering. Whatever pretense of submissiveness she'd donned before was now all but discarded. There was fire in her eyes -- and not just the reflection from Dagon's flame which closed in around the traitor.

 

[jones573]

Boja shrunk back against Dagon's encroaching flames, glowering at him over their heat.

"I can't say for certain," she admitted. "At least two others. Hopefully, long gone by now."

"Allax approached me. He knew of my... unhappiness," Boja told Amarina and Nima scowled at the mention of her uncle. "He did not initially mention the Earth Kingdom's involvement," she said.

"But you still betrayed us, even after you learned of it," Nima spat, not sympathetic.

"What you view as betrayal now, may one day be hailed as liberation," Boja said confidently, which certainly did not raise Nima's esteem of her, based on the disgust on the Commander's face.

Adfri had returned with both cloth and rope, which Edare took from him before the older man got any closer to Boja. She had already attacked Dagon, and as far as Edare was concerned, he was the least valuable person in the room. Any further risk would be his to take.

"Dagon," he prompted. "Could you give me an entrance?"

 

[kjcanimals]

"Some liberation, if it leaves your ruler bowing to the Earth King," Dagon muttered under his breath. He didn't even try to hide what he thought about that.

Unhooking the whip from his belt, Dagon sent another glare in Boja's direction before wrapping the thong around his arm. This allowed him to grip the handle like a club, a weapon better suited for the enclosed space. They had been caught off guard once already; he wasn't going to let that happen again. After looking around the room to make sure everyone else was similarly prepared, Dagon's gaze finally landed on Edare, and he gave a nod.

Inhaling, the Fire Prince reached out to the flames, their color shifting subtly as they died down. Once the line went from nearly chest-high down to knee-high, Dagon pushed them to either side, creating an opening for Edare. Although it wouldn't be hard to jump over now, he left the fire burning on the sides. It would be easier to stoke the existing flames back if needed than to start over again anyway.

 

[cosowarrior]

'At least two others'... The rest of her response was not as enlightening as Amarina hoped. Nima's uncle, it seemed, would be the one to interrogate if they really wanted insight on how the Earth King operated, how he managed to attract such wide support from foreign citizens. That didn't seem on the horizon any time soon. But her answer to Dagon's question -- the uncertainty she left hanging on the air... That was the dangerous part.

There was a tense pause as Dagon fulfilled Edare's request. They were all ready to stop Boja, should she attempt lashing out again. Now that she no longer had the element of surprise, it would have been unwise. But, though it put them on edge, the risk she represented did not totally distract the Water heirs from that ominous comment.

'At least two others.'

"We will need their names," Amarina demanded, once she was fairly confident Edare had their captive under control.

"And where they might be headed, if you could," Cain added. There was a deeply troubled look in his eyes, despite his best efforts to hide it, to take things one step at a time. He was worried. Who knew when and where these untold number of enemies would reappear from the shadows to do them in for good..? Their best bet was to try to squeeze as much information out of Boja as they could, while they could, and hope it was enough to save them.

 

[jones573]

Edare moved through the open space in the flames cautiously.

"Adfri," he said. "Do you have any knives suited for the old punishment?," he asked.

"Not on me," the older man said. "But I could obtain one easily. If we deem it would prevent the prisoner from harming others."

The threat was clear, and Boja held out her hands to Edare with scowl. Palms flat together, so she could do no harm.

"There's no need to dismember me," she said tersely. People didn't usually get their hands cut off these days- if you had done something serious enough to warrant such a punishment, it was probably serious enough for execution- but Nima personally thought it was an idea worth exploring.

"Turn around," Edare ordered, and Boja did, though she didn't seem keen on the idea. She clasped her hands again, this time behind your back, and Edare careful bound them in cloth up to her wrist, Then he tied the cloth on with rope, and secured the rope around her waist and her forearms after wrapping it around a few times. It couldn't be comfortable, but he didn't care too much.

He left the small space the way he had came through the narrow opening, but he didn't return to his earlier position, instead opting to stay close to Boja's prison.

"I only knew what I needed to know, what information pertained to me," Boja said.

It was a convenient excuse, and Nima wondered if her own mother really did have the ability to know when people were lying or it was just rumor, and why she herself hadn't inherited that talent if it did exist, because it would be very useful- If her own mother had had that talent, she corrected herself. Brightest was dead. Her mother was- No. She couldn't think about it right now. Nima pushed it away.

 

[kjcanimals]

"What currently pertains to you is--"

Dagon broke off as his ankle gave out and dropped him back onto the chair, abruptly ending his attempt to stand. Hissing, he sucked a sharp breath in through his teeth. So much for being intimidating. Instead, he was forced to wait until the pain again subsided before continuing.

"What pertains to you right now is convincing us that you are a greater asset than a liability. If you don't know anything, then we're done here. So I suggest, you give us something that we can use. You knew how to contact someone, how to pass along information. A name, a description, a location, something! You said yourself you were told what you needed to know. So. Start. Talking."

Twenty-four hours worth of stress, adrenaline, and worry running on repeat had finally brought the young prince to the edge. He was done. Done with the riddles and half-answers. Done with being on the defensive. He was ready to explode in true Fire Kingdom fashion. All he needed was someone to say or do the wrong thing to light the fuse.

 

[jones573]

Boja did not crumple at Dagon's growing anger, but she was clearly aware of the tension. She shifted uncomfortably, looking between the other Bright Folk in the room. Nima stared her down, nodding slightly to indicate that Boja would be wise to treat questions from Dagon as seriously as any from the Commander. Perhaps more seriously.

"Odig was my primary contact, here in Yarrin," she admitted, and Adfri swore loudly. "I know he had at least one other person involved here, probably another soldier, or someone in charge of grazing livestock- He would leave messages in a certain tree on the outskirts of town," she explained, and Edare closed his eyes and sighed, echoing Adfri's frustration.

He'd put it together faster than Nima, though not as quickly as Adfri, who knew the man in question- Odig was a soldier then, and Boja had indicated he was no longer in Yarrin. So.

"Odig is one of the soldiers that we deployed, isn't he?," Edare asked heavily, and Boja nodded.

Nima's eyes widened in anger and surprise. She had the names of the soldiers drawn randomly for those assignments!

"With the Dark Prince and his entourage, or with Dagon's message?," Nima asked. Neither could be caught up with, she realized- Maybe the Prince's group, she thought optimistically, since they had more people and might be traveling more slowly moving through open territory-

"With the Prince at first- But he pointed out that he was more familiar with the route into Fire Kingdom territory and a counterpart with the trek back to the Shadowlands, so they switched," Boja said, and Nima grimaced. The problem with secrecy was that you couldn't impress on people why there was the need for secrecy. They hadn't told the soldiers they'd intentionally selected them randomly to avoid the risk of possible traitors- So the second soldier had probably assumed that this Odig's suggestions was motivated by an interest in performing their jobs as adeptly as possible.

"It's a group of them," Nima tried to reassure Dagon, but she wasn't as confident as she sounded. They had strict instructions to take turns carrying the missive, to guard and deliver it as lives depended on it- But if Odig had actively chosen to go with the message instead of the Dark Prince, he probably had a plan to ensure it never reached its destination.

 

[kjcanimals]

Dagon remained silent throughout the discussion; however, the temperature in the room was steadily rising. The prince's fists had clenched, the knuckles on his right hand growing white with the force he gripped the whip's handle. Thin tendrils of flame started to creep away from the main fire barrier only to die in a wisp of smoke as they broke from their source of fuel. He was losing control, and he knew it. He just had yet to decide whether or not he cared.

Whether this Odig person was one of the soldiers sent with Viktor or the message to his father mattered little. The one way, the blasted traitor could rob Dagon of his half-brother. The other, of his country.

His country apparently was more likely. They had to assume that the Fire King would never receive that message.

All at once, Dagon's jaw tightened, and the fire roared. Springing upward, the growing flames momentarily obscured Boja from view before rushing toward the prince's outstretched arms. With obvious effort, he drew in the swirling spirals of red and orange, then, with a yell, threw the whole thing out an open window. The fireball shot outward, erupting in a shower of sparks and color as it exploded and eliciting a startled yelp from one of the guards outside. Their connection to Dagon severed, the remaining flames died in the open air long before they neared the ground.

For several heartbeats, all Dagon could hear was the blood pumping in his ears and the sound of his own hard, ragged breathing. Somewhere along the way he had stood up, the pain in his foot completely forgotten. He had to get home. He had to get home.

 

[cosowarrior]

Between the ring of fire and the threats of torture (threats vivid and gruesome enough to make Cain wince), it seemed they had Boja sufficiently intimidated for her to start talking. And once she did... The implications of Boja's response didn't dawn on either of the Water heirs at first. Not until Nima pressed for clarification. Amarina's brow grew more furrowed, her expression hardening as the color drained from her face. Cain felt a wave of panic at the thought that the rogue soldier might be traveling with Prince Viktor. He felt no relief when it was confirmed otherwise; rather, the panic plunged like a cold, hard stone and settled, heavy, in his core.

It was a stark contrast to the heat of the flames. Nima's attempts to console Prince Dagon were of little use. Even from a few paces back, the temperature began to grow increasingly uncomfortable. Beads of sweat formed on Cain's forehead, while Amarina glanced down and noticed the fire attempting to spread as if under its own agency. As if the prince was no longer in total control.

It all came to a head when the blaze suddenly burst higher, hotter. The siblings jumped back as it surged out towards Dagon. Cain ducked instinctually as the prince launched the massive fireball out of the window. Amarina shielded her eyes against the brightness. The explosion was as alarming as it was unexpected. Clearly, Dagon had been pushed to his breaking point. Realizing this, Cain abandoned his spot to rush to his side. He placed a hand on his shoulder.

"We'll send another message," he tried to comfort him. It was hardly more convincing than Nima's attempt. Surely, none of them were really fooled into thinking that it would make a difference.

Amarina, who opted to stay near Boja and fill the post that Cain abandoned, darkened. "It won't matter," she said gravely, "Without knowing who else this Odig was working with or how many of them are out there, we can never be sure the message will reach the Fire Kingdom." She glanced over her shoulder at Dagon.

"Not unless we bring it ourselves."

Cain frowned, his attention shifting from Dagon. They would have to leave immediately for it to matter, but that didn't feel like an option. Not when so much was still uncertain about the state of Nima's kingdom. Not while her throne was actively under attack.

"What else do you know?" It was as much of a demand as Cain had ever uttered -- cold, grim, and edged with uneasiness. It was the sound of thinly concealed desperation, the hope that Boja knew something could give them hope.

 

[jones573]

Closest to Boja and to the fiery ring, Edare ducked away from the flames as they suddenly increased in heat, bringing his arm up to cover his face. He moved quickly enough that he was mostly fine, just a little startled, but Nima darted forward and inspected him for any singeing, brushing down the front of his shirt with brisk movements.


Boja moved slightly, surprised by the fireball and perhaps a bit relieved by the absence of fire that had been surrounding her, but even the faint swaying on her knees drew Nima’s attention. The Commander had a knife under Boja’s throat in a flash, determined that the traitor would not use Dagon’s temper as a chance to escape.


“Very little, about the islands,” Boja told Cain, assuming he was curious about his own homeland. “Odig- He wanted to know about any of your boats coming up the river, but he didn’t really say why, I’m sorry-”


“Odig could have had a real chance to assasinate Prince Viktor- But he followed a message instead,” Nima said cooly. “Why?” Royalty tended to be a better target than missives meant for them, especially when it came to nefarious goals.


Boja didn’t answer, but Nima’s knife did not falter. She didn’t think she needed to threaten Boja.


“My mother’s cousin will not hold the throne,” she said decisively. “I will take it back- Tomorrow, next month, next year. He can not outfight me,” she said confidently. “He can hold the capitol hostage, but the generals and the soldiers and the people are loyal to me,” she growled fiercely. “In a war, I will win. In combat- Neither he nor anyone stupid enough to accept a role as his champion can beat me.”


Edare was not so optimistic- Nima was popular, yes. But he didn’t think she could assume that meant everyone would flock to support her. And there were at least a few warriors he could think of that were better fighters than Nima and would enjoy the chance to prove it to the nation.


“And when I am Brightest,” Nima told Boja. “I will have to decide if I wish to continue my mother’s policies. You may very likely be dead by then,” which was truthful enough, “But you have my word- The more information you provide, the sooner I will review her policy on our healers.”


Boja closed her eyes.


“I think- Again, this is mostly conjecture- But I got the impression that Odig was more confident that the Shadowlands could be convinced that the Fire Kingdom had attacked them than the other way around. So he probably wanted to make sure to eliminate any cause for doubt. They intend to change to order of succession, was my understanding of the longer goal.”

 

[kjcanimals]

Someone dropped a hand on Dagon's shoulder. Dimly, he was aware of Cain's voice, but the words mattered little. Unbeknownst to the Water Prince, it was perhaps the best thing he could have done in that moment. Dagon closed his eyes, allowing himself to pretend for a moment that it was not Cain but Captain Markus whose grip steadied him. The guard captain had not been permitted to prevent any action taken by the young royals unless it directly jeopardized their safety or unless he was following orders from the king or queen. After a certain rather dramatic instance involving Dagon and his fire powers, however, the captain had taken up the habit of doing just as Cain now did when he sensed the prince was dangerously close to losing control.

And so, Dagon stood there -- panting, eyes closed, fists clenched, teeth gritted -- and forced himself to focus.

Amarina was right; they couldn't send another message. Not without risking the same result when they already had precious little time to waste. No matter what the others did, he had to go personally. Alone, if necessary. It was his duty to his people and his family. Boja, who was speaking again, was also correct in her evaluation of the two kingdoms. Unless by some miracle Prince Viktor succeeded, the Dark Kingdom was already poised to declare war, and unless he was warned in time, Dagon's father would respond in kind. And if the goal was to change-- Wait, what?

"Thorvald," Dagon said, turning. Panic settled like a stone in his gut. It was a well known fact that if a kingdom wanted to hire mercenaries and healers, you turned to the Light Kingdom. If one needed spies and assassins, you went to the Dark Kingdom. His older brother had originally planned to attend the banquet with him before that sudden sickness hit him. If that was because the Earth King had hired a shadow assassin to take out the crowned Fire Prince-- But no, that didn't make sense.

"If Thorvald dies, Athena would become the heir," Dagon stated. Technically, it wasn't quite that simple. Under such circumstances, Dagon, as the second born, would be given the option of claiming the title, thereby passing his current position to his sister, or he could remain Festival Master and pass the throne to her. He already knew what his decision would be however. "It would change nothing," he continued. "Not unless--" He broke off suddenly, unable to bring himself to finish that possibility.

 

[cosowarrior]

Boja may have apologized, but she definitely didn't sound sorry. With all her disdain for the Water Kingdom, she probably relished the look on Cain's face: concern, confusion, fear. Boja had a way of stirring those feelings. Always giving just enough to make them worry, but never enough to stop a hundred more questions from piling up. Probably a tactic, Amarina thought. Keep herself useful to keep herself alive.

At her mention of the Islands, Amarina bristled. Boja didn't have to know or say anything more; it was easy enough to guess what Odig could have had in mind. Commandeer a ship, slip by their defenses. The great thing about the Islands was that they were surrounded by water. It was a natural defense -- any would-be invaders had to overcome the seas before facing the world's best Navy. Usually, they never stood a chance. But if they could get their hands on a ship the Kingdom trusted, they could delay the military response long enough to...

That part wasn't particularly worrying for Cain at the moment. His faith in his people's ability to defend themselves, or at least hold off until he and Amarina could gather help, was strong enough. More problematic, more immediate were all the other things. The 'longer goal' things.

He didn't understand all that was going on in Dagon's head. The politics of other countries wasn't his strong suit. But whatever the end of his sentence was, it couldn't be good. Meddling with a country's rule, changing the order of succession...

"Why? Why would they want to do that?" Cain asked, bewildered and to no one. It was unlikely Boja had the answers, conjecture and all. But that didn't stop him from pressing.

"Is that the plan for just the Fire Kingdom? For everyone, for all of our nations?"

Amarina broke her focus on Boja to glance back at him. It was a chillingly devious suspicion. Ironic, in their case, unless the Earth King or someone else wanted one of their fool cousins on the throne... But frightening nonetheless, assuming this wasn't just some side vendetta against Dagon's family rather than a part of the Earth King's grand plan.

 

[jones573]

As Boja had made little move to escape and could probably speak more comfortably without a knife against her windpipe, Nima relaxed her stance and stepped back a bit.

As far as she understood, authority over the Fire Kingdom would pass to the next heir, presumably another sibling.

"Would that be so bad," she asked Dagon about Athena's rule, so completely oblivious to what she had said that Edare had to chastise her for it. Nima, of all people in the room, ought to understand what it would be like to lose an older brother.

"Nima," he scolded, and she clarified quickly.

"Obviously- That would be awful. Of course," she amended, bowing her head in apology. "But do you think she would be... Exploitable the way my uncle has proven to be?"

She did not know Princess Athena well, but Nima hoped she might be similar to Dagon- Anyone could be corrupted or convinced to betrayal if the stakes were high enough, but Nima at least trusted Dagon would not do so out of his own greed and self interest.

"He is seeking something to... Exploit in all the countries, yes," Boja confirmed. "Political tensions, old grudges, trade agreements, military oversight- To destabilize the whole of the continent."

As troubling as that was to have said aloud, Edare found most of his worry still with Dagon and the young prince's confusion and sudden concern.

"Dagon," he asked gently. "Unless what?"

 

[kjcanimals]

Turning to pace across the room, Dagon made it only a couple of limping steps before his ankle reminded him that was a bad idea. Nima obviously did not realize what she had said, but in his current mood, it was enough for Dagon to shoot her a dark look. She quickly corrected herself, and he was forced to admit that it was a valid question.

Implications concerning his brother aside, the answer was no. Politically speaking, Athena as queen was fine. His sister was impulsive and headstrong, but if the Earth King thought to use that to his advantage, he had bargained for more than it was worth. No, as Dagon had said, that didn't make sense. Athena, if anything, would be even harder to control than Thorvald was. That's not what worried him.

The prince found himself staring out the window, half listening and half lost in his own thought, as Cain continued interrogating Boja. It wasn't until Edare addressed him directly that Dagon glanced back at the others.

He shifted uneasily. "There is a... faction," he admitted reluctantly, "who believes Prince Thorvald is not qualified to rule. Because of our mother. They would argue that the son of a former Dark Queen has no claim to the throne. According to them, neither Thorvald nor Athena nor Tiamat should be heir. . . . And I should not be Festival Master."

The faction had existed ever since Thorvald's birth, but it was small. It had gained more attention when Thorvald's head was shaved a few years back. According to Fire Kingdom law, once the crowned heir came of age, the current ruler could pass on their position whenever he or she deemed the successor ready. Some did so almost immediately; others never did, choosing instead to maintain their rule until death. The dissenting faction had again shown themselves in force when Dagon had become Festival Master nearly a year ago. Scattered among his memories of that day, he could recall his aunt assuring him that the guards would see that they caused no problems during the many festivities and ceremony. They had been present, but the guards must have done their job well, for Dagon couldn't recall any reported incidents. What they might try on the day the crown was passed to Thorvald was unknown.

It was a plot so brilliant yet awful that it sickened him. In order to change the line of succession enough to make any difference, not just one or two, but four heirs would need to be bypassed. To kill them all would be a feat that could easily go wrong if even one of them escaped. However, if the Earth King surreptitiously threw his support behind those who already claimed the very thing he wanted, he could save himself the trouble. By starting a war with the Dark Kingdom, distrust would be high among the people; suspicion would be thrown at the queen by nature of her birth and rank regardless of what she did. It wasn't a far jump for that suspicion to fall on her children, and then the faction could press it for all it was worth. The Earth King didn't need to kill Dagon and his siblings. He could just make them irrelevant.

 

[cosowarrior]

Both of the siblings turned, shocked, toward Nima. That old, indignant look flared back in Amarina's eyes. But only for a moment before Nima corrected herself. She was leading, though indelicately, to the question they were all wondering. The question Boja failed to answer in her reply, but that Dagon clarified in his.

Cain chanced a glance toward the younger prince. There was still the worry that he might erupt again, sparked by pain - both physical and emotional - compounded by Nima's mistep and Boja's ever-darkening portrait of the situation at hand. But to Cain's surprise, when Dagon spoke, he seemed careful. The difference between this and his outburst only made the content of his response even more chilling.

"So he forced a war so that he could back the insurgents and overthrow your family while your nation's vulnerable..." The Earth King really was devious. If this was the plan for the Fire Kingdom, Cain couldn't imagine the unspeakable things the king had in store for the rest of them. And for what? Absolute power, perhaps?

One thing was clear: Amarina was right about having to go to the Fire Kingdom themselves. It felt more urgent than ever now.

"We need to leave," she stated. She glared at Boja again, though she still spoke to everyone else. "We have to stop this war."

"What about the coup here?" Cain asked.

"Princess Nima can handle it later." She'd said so herself, more or less. "We cannot stretch ourselves thin dealing with every fire. Our best bet in ending this is to first stop Odig's plan." Or, at least, she hoped so.

 

[jones573]

Edare grimaced as Dagon explained. If the Fire Kingdom went to war with the shadowlands, of course the allegiance of Dagon’s family would be called into question.

“And whoever it is that authority would pass to next,” he surmised, “Is like Nima’s uncle- Whatever power they would wield as the Earth King’s puppet is more appealing to them than what they have now.”

And more appealing than loyalty, and decency, and whole host of other things.

He agreed that they needed to stop the Fire Kingdom from falling into the Earth King’s plans the same way that the Bright Nation had, but-

“I cannot leave my people,” Nima interrupted. “I must stay here and fight for our-”

“Commander,” Adfri said suddenly and she looked over at him, startled.

“The traitor has been useful in illuminating some of what has happened,” he said. “But perhaps we should not discuss plans for what is yet to happen while in her presence? Unless you mean to execute her regardless, in which case, I would greatly prefer it if you did not do so here in my great room,” he suggested with an air of practicality.

Nima shook her head. “I think we can let her live for now,” she said. “Unless there are objections...?”

Edare excused himself, presumably to fetch more guards and remove Boja from Adfri’s home.

 

[kjcanimals]

Dagon opened his mouth, but Nima's protest beat his by a nanosecond. Before the debate made it any farther, however, Adfri wisely interrupted. Glaring, the prince turned his dark gaze on the traitor. An orange glow flashed in his hand, but before the spark had barely lived, Dagon closed his fist, snuffing it out as he reasserted control.

"I agree," he finally spoke. "She may yet be able to answer any questions that come up."

His opinion given, he turned and limped the couple steps to the window. He found himself staring out at the dark shapes of the mountains that marked the border between the Bright Nation and his own, trying to slow the pendulum swing of his emotions. The color was slowly fading from the sky as the sun went down, and Dagon suddenly realized just how tired he was.

Something about Edare's comment still bothered him. The next person authority would pass to under such circumstances, would be his cousin, the eldest child of the former Festival Mistress. She was the one the dissenters argued should be the legal heir. However, she had no desire to be queen; she'd told that to Dagon herself once when the topic came up. So who did the Earth King have in mind for their replacement?

Slowly, as the sky darkened, Dagon became aware of a light glimmering on one of the peaks. Straightening, he stared at it for a moment, making sure his eyes weren't playing tricks on him.

"The beacons are lit," he whispered, speaking mostly to himself.

The Fire Kingdom's beacons were a system of signal towers lining the crescent of mountains surrounding the more populated area of the country. What could cause them to be lit was a long list: the lights signaled everything from a festival to an invasion and were used to announce both the death of a royal or the birth of one. The point of the beacons was not to tell what had happened, merely that something had. From there, the citizens knew to seek out other sources of news for details.

Despite concerns over what the light meant, Dagon chose to take it as good news. At the very least, it meant his people were aware that something was going on. Unfortunately, that also meant something had happened to give such an order without his message.

 

[cosowarrior]

Amarina was poised to jump into a debate with the others, but they were all struck down by Adfri's warning. She would have been more careful with her words had she thought the intention was to keep Boja alive, but... To her surprise and dismay, it seemed the others felt quite differently than she did. There was a part of her that wanted to voice her objection. A look from Cain was enough to make her reconsider. Sorely, she was outnumbered in this.

"Can we be sure wherever they hold her, she'll be secured?" Amarina asked. The skepticism was clear on her face and in her voice. She trusted no one, and at this point, they couldn't afford to risk her escape. Foolishly, she had said too much in the traitor's presence, as much as she loathed to admit. She hadn't exactly kept up with her guise as a mere Water Kingdom citizen, either.

It wasn't an unfair concern. If a randomly selected soldier could so happen to be on the wrong side of this, then someone with enough authority or access to facilitate Boja's escape could certainly be in on it, too. It all felt so... helpless. Futile. Cain puffed out a sigh, a strained and anxious exhale, and ran a hand roughly through his hair. The stress was endless.

And it just kept coming. Dagon's musings were quiet, but it was clear enough to catch Cain's attention and give him pause. He had remained in place where he had gone to console the young prince, even as Dagon had collected himself and pulled from under Cain's grasp to roam the room. Now, Cain looked up towards the window. Beacons? He couldn't see them from where he stood, but he trusted Dagon's observation. He didn't know what it meant. Probably not that their message had somehow made it to its destination unharmed and so soon. Probably nothing good, either. But he didn't chance asking for clarification in front of untrusted company. Not until Boja was properly dealt with.

 

[jones573]

"I'll see to it," Edare promised Amarina on his return with extra guards in tow, and they escorted Boja from the room. He seemed confident in his claim, but Nima still eyed the group warily. Until her attention was taken by other things.

"Shit," she said, joining Dagon at the window.

Adfri winced as well to see the fires- Like the three pillars of light coming from the capitol complex within the valley, these fires were unlikely to mean anything good. And were even harder to interpret. They needed to get the Fire Prince home and soon, before he decided to take the journey into his own hands.

"Strictly speaking," he said cautiously, "The fastest way to get Prince Dagon back to the Fire Kingdom's capitol would be to take a riverboat up Yarrin's tributary and into the boundary river. Then take the Ester Pass through the mountains and back down."

Nima frowned.

"With the river against us? We'd be faster on horseback cutting through the valley and using the main pass," she corrected, as that was the way they had sent Dagon's missive.

"I shouldn't presume, and I certainly don't know the extent of your capabilities," Adfri said with a deferential nod to Cain. "But I only suggest it because, perhaps with the aide of Prince Cain and his... 'Attendant'," he said, giving the same nod to Amarina, "The river might not be against you."

Nima did not know how taxing it might be to manipulate water, but to reverse the current, even around a small vessel, seemed like an enormous task.

"Even so, the Ester Pass is treacherous," Nima warned, eyeing the other royals skeptically. The trails were too narrow and steep to be a favorable trade route, and bandits used it as a retreat after raiding on the Fire Kingdom and the Bright Nation and the travelers on the river. Nima had spent many patrols in the pass, and slicked the ground with blood that was sometimes even her own. Haste was important, but so was survival. "I will not have my friends gutted by thieves or crushed beneath a rockslide in the name of speed," she said, a warning to Adfri to give her better advice.

"If they traveled with someone who knew the paths and was used to fighting in such an environment, I think their odds would be much better," Adfri observed, and Nima frowned. She had assumed Adfri would want her to stay in the valley to fight her uncle.

He held his hand up before she could question him.

"If you wish for the Bright Folk to be involved in the world, to not isolate ourselves in times of trouble, then your actions should demonstrate that. Escorting Prince Dagon safely home will set a precedent that you- and all of our valley- can be relied upon as any ally," he counseled. "Your uncle has locked himself into the capitol, expecting you to arrive- Let him wait a bit longer, and squander whatever goodwill he thinks he has among his supporters. Besides," Adfri added with a raised eyebrow. "You should not be separated from your intended so soon after your... Betrothal."

Nima's slight frown of confusion turned into an annoyed scowl at that reminder.

"I cannot make decisions for royalty," Adfri deferred, obviously aware that everyone in the room besides himself was indeed such a person. "Only offer advice and come up with solutions as I am able- Prince Dagon wishes to get home quickly, and that is the best solution I can think to present."

 

[kjcanimals]

"I'm not asking anyone to come with me," Dagon said, turning. Although his words were addressed to the room in general, his eyes found Nima where she stood beside him. "If your people need you here, then stay. I can't promise things will be any safer in the Fire Kingdom. In fact--" His gaze strayed back to the flickering light in the distance. "--I doubt that they will be."

Not that he had any better plans. What half-formed ideas he did have included taking Adfri up on his earlier offer of a horse and following the messengers' path over the main pass. He was reasonably confident in his ability to avoid the Bright Kingdom messengers, loyal or otherwise, by cutting across country once over the mountains, but that would take time. Although familiar with Ester Pass, Dagon, like Nima, hadn't considered it a viable option. Of course, that also made it the unexpected option if it could be done. There was a small military outpost on the Fire Kingdom side where they could stop for information. Assuming it hadn't already been taken over by traitors.

All of that, however, didn't matter unless the two Water royals could manage the river, and while he knew of the path's reputation, Dagon had never traveled it himself. They would need a guide.

And, whether because of pride or conscience, the Fire Prince couldn't bring himself to ask that of the others.

"I, and my people, appreciate any help you may choose to offer, but please know it is not expected."

 

[cosowarrior]

Edare's promise didn't ease much wariness, but the tension in the room lightened noticeably as Boja was pulled away. Amarina emphasized her disdain with a glare as she watched her go. It was at least one less thing to worry about for now. For the first time in too long, she allowed herself to loosen ever so slightly. Her hand was sore from gripping her shortspear so tightly, as was her jaw from all the clenching. She took a breath and realized that, too, had been strained in Boja's presence.

It was not, however, their only worry. Far from it. The siblings were quiet as the others debated the best plan of action. Nothing felt safe. Nothing was certain. But despite this, there was the tiniest hint of intrigue sparked by the suggestion that they take to the river. Almost telepathically, Cain and Amarina locked eyes. It stirred something, something akin to hope, perhaps. Maybe that was too optimistic a word, but... they at least had a chance here.

Back on the main island, the capital sat, ironically, highest from sea level of all cities; their palace was on the bluffs overlooking the ocean, with a drop so steep that it offered a natural protection against intrusion. All waterways home were upstream. Admittedly, most paths through the island composed a lacework of man-made canals: broad and safe with gradual inclines nearly all the way up. There were still, however, several natural rivers. Winding, narrow, pocked with uneven flow regions, rapids, and minor waterfalls. It was a royal past-time, generations old, to race up these rivers all the way to the palace from some nearby coast. It was both a practical exercise and a point of pride. Cain and Amarina had engaged in these races many a time, especially in their younger years, to the point that they'd lost count of who had the most wins.

No doubt, Ester Pass was a different sort of challenge all-together; 'treacherous' was not a word one could ever apply to the rivers they used to navigate. But still, it almost felt as though their childhood games were preparing them for this exact moment. Nothing was certain, but of all the things they had survived thus far, this felt the most familiar. And familiarity was a luxury they couldn't bring themselves to pass up in times like these.

"We will stay by your side," Cain assured Dagon, trying his best to hide a cringe induced by Adfri's reminder of his lies. He deliberately avoided looking at Nima. Amarina's scowl was no better.

"I believe the water may be our best shot. My main concern is about that guide," the princess spoke up, also attempting to brush it aside for now. With the pretense spoiled, she spoke her mind freely. Her stern gaze fell upon Adfri. "Let's be frank. How do we know we can trust you?"

 

[jones573]

Nima frowned. She knew Adfri intended herself or Edare to be their guide, but-

“She’s right,” Nima said pointedly, echoing Amarina’s concern. “Even if they can get us up the river, Edare or I can only guide past bandits and rockslide points, things we know to be there. You could be sending us straight into an ambush-”

“I’m not,” Adfri replied. “I- I suppose I cannot offer you any tangible assurance that you should trust me,” he admitted to Amarina with an uneasy shrug. “But it does seem unlikely that both of the Assembled from Yarrin would be traitors-”

“You have admitted to keeping information from me already,” Nima snapped. “Do better.”

Adfri raised his hands in defense. “Brightest, whether your mother kept you informed of all her plans regarding her children and future alliances- That was hardly my business. And I would have assumed you knew,” he said apologetically, though Nima only glared.

“My role has been in expanding trade and relations with the rest of the continent, in making Yarrin our commercial outpost,” he pointed out after a moment of consideration. “These things will run contrary to your uncle’s isolationist goals, yes? If he holds the country and does as the Earth King wishes, I will be out of work. Perhaps, out of my life as well.”

That was true, Nima supposed. People who had played crucial roles in past regimes were often executed, if their duties had found to be traitorous to the new ruler.

“And my family- My sister and a few of my brothers, and some of their children. They work abroad, as mercenaries. If the continent erupts in widespread war, they will be on the frontlines. It is in my best interest to see you succeed, Brightest. All of you,” he said with a nod to the others.

“But perhaps… You would be more comfortable if I left you to speak in private?” He stood and went to the door, excusing himself.

 

[kjcanimals]

In that moment, chest swelling in appreciation, Dagon silently took back every snide comment he had ever made about the Water Kingdom. Unfortunately, as Amarina was quick to point out, being able to navigate the river was only one piece that must be in place if Ester Pass was truly open to them.

Adfri excused himself, and Dagon once again hated the position they had been forced into. He hated having to be suspicious of a person who had been as helpful has he possibly could have been under the circumstances. He hated questioning whether they were safe going to the outpost. He hated thinking that facing bandits and murderers was better than traveling the better roads and risking being seen by unknown enemies instead.

Sighing, he unwound his whip from his arm and began coiling the thong now that the immediate danger had passed.

"How close does the river take us to the border?" he asked.

 

[cosowarrior]

Adfri's logic was solid. For a moment, Cain felt bad about having to withhold trust from him. He at least appeared to be trying to help, which, under any other circumstance, Cain would have been grateful for. But there was also no denying the comfort he felt once they were the only ones in the room. The original escapees. These were the only people they could trust. That was why sticking together felt so imperative.

Amarina was content with their newly-attained privacy. The fewer outsiders, the better. She added to Dagon's question, "And how far is the journey?"