AN: For those who wouldn't let my stories die, thank you. I think... LOL Email will guarantee that I won't vanish again. I'm a sucker for guilt trips. Even if they take a few months to penetrate my thick skull. And yes, this is rather short, but I hadn't touched this story in, geeze, over a year. Cut me some slack. It only took an hour to write though so, more should be forthcoming shortly, honest. ************************ Nightmares: Chapter Seven ************************ Jadreth stood silent in the reception chamber outside of the royal suite, outside of the King of Roshanna’s rooms, outside his little cousin’s quarters. Outside of the rooms that were his by blood and birth and right. Outside of the glittering place he had fled from, decades past. Outside all that he had shunned, that he shunned still. But the Sleeping Ones were awake and Darius, Darius was a man but barely. Was nothing more than a boy King. Was not ready to accept his father’s death, and his own subsequent ascension. Was not ready to defend the people of Roshanna, was not ready to accept the responsibility of their lives, and deaths. For many would die. Jadreth knew that was nothing less then the unalterable truth of any war, let alone one where his country faced the Kings of Nightmares, the Sleeping Ones, unprepared, bereft without the power of the Five. Aimes stood by his side, a shadow and wisp of familiarity that grounded the trembling of his clenched fists. He was not the boy who had fallen and played and loved in these halls. He was not the boy who had abandoned his birth right. He was Captain Jadreth, nothing more, certainly nothing less. And then there was no time for thought as the doors burst open to reveal the boy grown man Jadreth thought he would never see again. “Darius…” The boy king launched himself at Jadreth with the desperation of one newly orphaned by the world and a dead father. Jadreth embraced his cousin, shocked by his growth, by the strength in his arms, the definition of his face, and the breadth of his shoulders. Boy he may still be, but King Darius had the body of a man. Though he hardly looked like a King with his dark hair falling long and almost shaggy into the bright, blazing blue of his eyes. Jadreth remembered those eyes, THEY at least hadn’t changed much over the years. There was a sadness there that was new, that dampened the glow of youth. Jadreth mourned the loss of Darius’s innocence, as necessary as it was. “You came,” Darius said breathlessly. Jadreth smiled softly, sadly. “When the Sleeping Ones wake what else is there to do?” Darius laughed in relief and Jadreth pretended not to notice the tears in his young cousin’s eyes. ********************************************************************************* Kunzath watched the reunion between the two men with an impassive face. He had not been a guard at the capitol when Prince Jadreth had abandoned his birthright. He had heard stories from older warriors, seen the portraits in the palace, and listened to Darius’s wistful boyhood tales over the years. He did not know what he had expected when he envisioned the man he considered to be a traitor, but this tanned, blonde haired, blue eyed working man was not him. There was an honesty about Jadreth that Kunzath found appealing, despite himself. An honesty and openness and genuinity that was difficult to fake. Kunzath was trained at observing, at masking his own feelings, and he knew, instinctively, that this stranger could do the same. And yet, because Jadreth chose, the world could read him like a book. There was a strength of character to be found in such vulnerability. Kunzath’s cold silver gaze settled upon the once Prince’s companion, a slight woman of slender build with sapphire hair and eyes the color of the ocean. He thought her a peasant from her clothes but her stance was proud, not subservient. Was she Jadreth’s wife? Lover? Or merely a fool… Darius broke from Jadreth’s grasp with a smile. “Come Cousin, we have much to talk about, years to catch up on, and unfortunately, battle plans to make.” Jadreth nodded but Kunzath watched as his eyes slid back to the girl who was watching him intently. Jadreth held out one rough hand to the girl and she stepped forward to take it, not timid but shy none the less. Darius stared at her in open speculation. “King Darius,” Jadreth announced grandly, “I’d like to introduce you to the Lady Aimes of Ocean’s Love.” Darius, to his credit, did not question his cousin’s unbelievable pronouncement, but simply bowed respectfully to the girl before taking her hand and kissing her knuckles. The “Lady” Aimes blushed scarlet and bobbed in a half presentable curtsey, clearly flustered. “I’d like to get the Lady settled before we begin our talk Darius, if that is all right with you?” Darius nodded firmly and glanced back at Kunzath. He stepped forward stiffly next to his liege who smiled. “Jadreth I would like you to meet General Kunzath, one of my most trusted advisors and closest friends.” Kunzath bowed and Jadreth studied him with hard blue eyes. Kunzath, unfazed, stared back. He had not risen as quickly through the ranks as he had for nothing. He was surprised, despite himself, when the once Prince chuckled. “It’s a pleasure. Come on Lady, let’s follow this nice young gentleman to your rooms. I’m sure they’ll be fit for a Queen.” Kunzath turned on his heel and began to lead them down corridors he knew Jadreth knew better than he. The once Heir and the “Lady” Aimes trailed behind, but not far enough back that Kunzath would not hear fiercely whispered conversation. “You introduced me as a Lady before the King! Were you MAD Captain?” “Oh shush Lady Aimes. You are a Lady in my eyes and should be treated with such respect accordingly.” “They’ve hung peasants for less…” the girl muttered darkly as Jadreth laughed. “But princes Lady?” “You’re not a Prince you scoundrel.” “I’ve always been the perfect gentleman around you Aimes...” There was an indelicate snort. “You were unconscious or suffering from a raging fever most of the time you’ve been in my company.” “That’s hardly the point.” “You’re insufferable Captain.” “And because of me, you’re a Lady. You’ve saved my life twice. They’ve granted land and titles for less.” “I don’t demand payment for healing Captain, you know that,” the girl said so softly Kunzath had to strain to hear her. “Aye Lady Aimes, I know that all too well. And because of that I owe you debts too great to pay. It is a rare woman who will do what you will simply out of goodwill. Hundreds owe you their lives and that’s earned you eternal devotion from us all, whether you intended it to or not.” “I heal because that is what I’m called to do.” “You heal because you are a beautiful person.” Kunzath cleared his throat to halt the conversation as they stopped in front of a set of doors. “We’re here.” ********************************************************************************* Rhi was almost frozen to the bone before she finally stumbled into the one place she truly considered home with her two cats, silent and dark as shadows, at her feet. The stars were high and bright in the cold emptiness of the night sky. Snow covered much of the ground in the mountain pass where the Landless were camped, between the borders of Roshanna and Bleserd. It had been a hard journey for Rhi who had grown soft in her ten years of gentile living. She had forgotten what it was like to sleep under the open sky. She never wanted to sleep inside again, despite the cold. Her slender, pale fingers clutched the message, the feather, to her breast as suddenly, an empty campfire in a deserted clearing was filled with dozens of faces she never dreamed that she would see again. Walaw and Waerl danced around her gracefully as her mother stepped from the excited throng of the Landless. Rhi stared at Rhen, at the woman who had given her to her merchant father. Her mother had changed little despite the years. The planes of her face were more pronounced but the amethyst of her eyes burned with a power that had only grown greater with time. Rhen held out thin, strong arms as her floor length hair fell like an ebony waterfall of maternal welcome. Rhi fell into her mother’s arms with a sob she couldn’t quite contain. She pretended not to notice the tears that streaked Rhen’s proud cheeks for Rhen, Rhen never cried. Not even for the return of her only daughter.