The Day of Reckoning

Raymonde comes to consciousness, he opens his eyes to only darkness, as if he had never opened them in the first place. A few moments pass before his good eye could adjust to the lack of light in the room.

As his eye adjusted, he notices that the bed is empty, he stands from his bed to see a note laid on the sheets, he grabs it.

'We went downstairs to grab a bite to eat, you were sleeping when we woke, and I prefer to stay alive, so we didn't bother. Your clothes are on the nightstand, they have been cleaned and freshened up.'

'Love, Katrina and Lildöris.'

As he finished the note, his face begins to burn, he looks down to see he isn't wearing clothes, "Did they undress me?" he says as he drops the note, snatches his clothes off the nightstand and get changed. He leaves the room and heads downstairs.

While walking down the stairs, he hears an argument begins to brew, "You cannot do that!" an elderly man shout.

"Do what?" a woman's voice replies.

"Swap cards," the man answers in annoyance, "You can't do that, it is classified as cheating…" they stop arguing as Raymonde steps on to the tavern floor, everyone stops.

Silence fills the room as Raymonde walks over to where Katrina and Lildöris is seated, "Why has everyone gone silent?" he whispers across the table.

"They know who you are," Katrina answers, "but I am unsure to how they came to know," she sticks some food into her mouth, "I believe that they understand all the trouble you have gone through for their freedom."

"So, what you are saying is… they fear me?" he asks, his eyes lose focus.

"No, I am not saying that they fear you, what I am saying is…" Raymonde cuts her off as he stands and walks towards the door. Katrina leaves two silvers as she grabs Lildöris and follows him out.

----

Llorva wakes as the morning sun crests over the palace walls, warming her face as it does so. She gets up from the bed, her legs bare in the early morning, she stands, the floorboards creak under the sudden shift in weight.

She puts her clothes on and heads out into the palace towards the bar in which Raymonde is accommodating. She makes it all of five feet out of the gate before Melnir spots her and says, "Llorva, where are you headed?"

"I'm headed out," she turns towards Melnir looking unamused, "What is it to you?"

"Your father had approached me earlier and asked if I would accommodate you for the day."

"I don't need a sitter," she says, she raises her hand signalling for the gates to be closed, "and if I find out that you are following me, you won't see tomorrow's sunrise."

She begins to walk towards the centre of the kingdom, she glances back to see Melnir standing still, as if he had just seen the devil, she keeps walking towards the bar.

She arrives at the bar to see Raymonde storm out of the tavern looking pissed, not to long after Katrina and Lildöris follow, "Raymonde," Katrina yells, "I didn't mean for that to happen."

"Yeah, well it still happened," he responds, "How it is possible that they already know who I am, how is it possible. Who told people who I am?"

"Trouble in paradise?" Llorva intervenes.

"This doesn't concern you." Both yell at her.

"Well, it does," she begins, "all things considered, I am the one who told the kingdom that you were alive." She begins walking towards them.

"You what!" Raymonde shouts. He pulls one of the blades from their holster, shoving Llorva against the wall of the tavern holding the sword close to her throat, "Why would you do that? I wanted to stay under the radar until I found the people who had caught me two years ago!" he shouts with malicious intent, Llorva's eyes become wide and panicky.

"Raymonde, calm down." Katrina shouts, he doesn't react, she begins to look worried as his eyes begun to glow a murderous red, "I am sorry." She murmurs to herself as she unbuckles one of her swords and strikes the base of his skull, he drops.

Katrina drops her blade as soon as Raymonde begun to sway, she catches him before he hits the ground and carefully lies him on her lap. Llorva still in shock.

Lildöris sits next to Katrina and begins to run her fingers through Raymonde's hair.

"If I had known that back in Vul, it would been much simpler to bring him here." Llorva finally mutters.

Katrina grabs a hold of Lildöris' hand and says, "Yeah, it is the only weak point on his body, I found it when we were children."

"Katrina?" Lildöris asks, "For how long you have known Ray?"

"Our whole lives sweetie." Katrina looks towards her, "But I haven't seen him do that before."

"What? Succumb to rage?" Llorva says, "Because I have. And let me tell you this it wasn't pleasant, he even disappeared for a few seconds."

"Wait when did this happen?" Katrina asks.

"Back when we found Lildöris here. After she had told us who her birth mother is." Llorva replies.

"Yeah, and—and he was surrounded by gold and silver flames," Lildöris cuts in, "it was scary."

Katrina looks up towards Llorva, "We have been through thick and thin together. When I had learned that his entire legion was wiped out overnight and that he was captured—" tears begin to swell in her eyes, Lildöris wraps her arms around her, Katrina places a hand on her back, "at that point the news had reached home, and I went out to look for him. It was going against my mother's wishes, but what do you expect, my promised, my mate had disappeared, so I went to look for him, even when times were grim and I thought I'd never see him again, people even told me to give up. I had not for a moment stopped looking for him." She kisses his head.

"So, you two were close?" Llorva says after a moment to process.

"Closer than most people set to believe, throughout our younger years we spent all our time together, we were like… how do I put this into words, like Mount Weystone and Salmon Bay, totally different beings, but one and the same." Llorva brow narrows, confused about the similarity used, "Anyway, enough about the past. Mind helping me take him up to the room?"

Llorva nods, they grab Raymonde draping his arms over their shoulders, Lildöris grabbing his sword as they do so. They walk into the tavern, the bartender looks at them with concern, but keeps out of their affairs.

----

Raymonde awakes to see Katrina sitting on the edge of the bed holding his hand, Lildöris holds the other, and Llorva standing over him. He sits up tightening his grip on Katrina's hand, as he sits up a spike of pain strikes the back of his head, he winces.

"Look who decided to join us." Katrina says sarcastically, she gives him a hug, Lildöris climbs onto the bed and sits next to him, Lildöris hugs him, "I am sorry I had to do that to you, it was the only thing I could think of in the moment."

"Don't be sorry," he says through his teeth, also giving Lildöris a hug, "it is her who has to be sorry." He looks sidelong at Llorva, staring a hole right through her.

"Why do I have to be sorry?" Llorva places a hand on her chest in distraught, "People have the right to know that you are alive. After all I have been doing some digging." She finishes with a smile.

"What type of digging?" Raymonde says, slightly raising his voice. His eyes flickering between red and emerald.

"The type where you find the identity of people, even though they have said otherwise. It turns out Raymonde, you are the almighty Raymonde Hawkstride of Nenalin. When you had first told me your name, I thought that I had sounded familiar." She begins pacing through the room, "You, it turns out are the rightful heir of Nenalin." Raymonde looks shocked to the information she had just revelled, "That's right I know you are Prince Raymonde Hawkstride."

Raymonde's eyes widen to the title used, "Alright, we confess we aren't from here, we are—well were residents of Nenalin. And yes, it is true that I am the rightful heir of the throne, but I gave that up for a life with Katrina." He grabs Katrina's hand, "I was told on many occasions that I couldn't wed a commoner girl from the sticks, and I had to marry one of the Lords' daughters." He sits up further in the bed, "And do you know how many people want me dead? Saying a lot of people is an understatement, I am wanted across the entire Expanse all because sweet little brother Ace had placed a pretty copper on my head."

Llorva looks stunned to the information he just laid out in front of her, "So what you are saying is—"

"That my loyalty is with Kram, and it will always stand true." He says with his chin held high, "After all, I was once a Royal Captain."

As soon as the words had left his mouth Llorva falls to a knee, the sound of bone colliding with wood filled the room, if it hurt her face showed none of it, "I—I had no idea that was the case, Sir."

Raymonde stands from the bed, Katrina rushes to his side to keep him upright, they walk over to Llorva, Lildöris on the other side, "Lil, do your thing." He says, Llorva's brow becomes covered with sweat.

"Okay." She replies, she holds her hands out in front of her as they begin to glow a golden-brown.

"Remember the symbol I showed you, Lil?" Raymonde says, "On the neck will be fine."

Lildöris nods as a brand begins to form on Llorva's neck, Llorva still showing no sign of pain. Lildöris pulls away as the brand is finished, she pulls back to reveal an eagle burned on her skin.

"That mark represents the Kingdom of Nova." Raymonde voices as Llorva stands from where she was kneeling.

"But there is no such Kingdom." Llorva replies, "How could it be if it doesn't exist?"

"What do you think I was doing in Vul?" Raymonde says, "Having a vacation? I was working on preparations to make it one. I have wanted a Kingdom free of corruption since I was a child, and I wanted to build it from the ground up." He grabs Llorva by the shoulders, "And you have been officially branded into the Kingdom. From now on you will be known as Llorva Skypeak, Captain of the Guard."

Llorva nods.

"Alright, since that has been done," Raymonde begins, "When does the boat arrive?"

"Within the next day," Llorva responds, "If I am not here to collect you within the next twenty-four hours come to the docks and looks for a boat named the Lords' Beauty. I'll most likely be there." Llorva turns for the door and grabs the handle, she turns towards them, "You two should get married already." She opens the door and leaves. Katrina's face begins to burn.

Raymonde wraps his free arm around Katrina's waist, "Thank you." He whispers into her ear.

"You're welcome." She responds kissing him in the cheek, "But the next time your eyes glow that menacing red colour, I will not hold back."

"Understood." Was all he said before tightening his grip on her, with no intention of letting go.

----

Llorva stands in her room in front of a mirror in the corner, she wears nothing but her undershirt. While looking in the mirror she spots the brand Lildöris had burned into her skin earlier in the day.

The Kingdom of Nova. The brand of Nova. Llorva reaches towards her neck and places a hand over the mark, to her surprise it doesn't hurt, "What is he up too?" Llorva mumbles as she turns towards her bed, she gets in and sleeps.

----

The next morning Katrina awakes before the morning light had seeped its way into the room, she finds herself lying next to Raymonde wrapped in his arms. She places a hand on his chest and runs a finger across the brand he made Lildöris burn there late last night. She shifts in the bed in attempt to gather all the warmth she can from him.

He begins to shift as he opens his eyes, Katrina is smiling up at him, "You're up early." His voice croaking over every word.

"Well going by that, you are too." She responds, she looks into his eyes and catches a glimpse of herself, her golden flacked eyes. She looks away.

"Sure, you could say that." He says while standing from the bed, the muscles in his back shift as he stretches his arms, he turns towards Katrina and spots an empty bed behind her, "Where's Lil?" He says as Katrina turns towards the bed, "Where the fuck is Lildöris?"

Katrina jumps from the bed, a scream sounds from downstairs, "Raymonde I—" Katrina turns to see that he has already left the room and was headed for the screams, "Fuck."

----

Raymonde reaches the bottom of the stairs to see three men cloaked in reds and blacks, the colours of Nenalin, "Raymonde!" a scream sound from behind them.

Lildöris. It was Lildöris.

"Let my daughter go." Raymonde shouts across the room, the three men turn towards him, Lildöris is in one of their arms, he hadn't known when his sword started flying across the room, but he didn't care otherwise.

The sword was encompassed in flames by the time it struck one of the men, his skin began to boil before he erupted into flames, "Now, I have warned you. If you don't put her down, I will kill every one of you." He can feel his eyes now glowing red, he noticed it more now since he was in a rage.

Rage.

Rage was the trigger for this other-worldly power.

He grabs one of his daggers from his belt. He holds it towards them and the remaining two begin to laugh, "What are you going to do with that? Pick the food from my teeth?"

He didn't feel it rather than see it, red smoke begun flowing from his eyes, the dagger now short-sword length, flames had covered the blade, the two men eyes widen, they begin to tremble.

Raymonde flings the sword of fire towards them, it plunges through the man not holding Lildöris, he drops. Dead.

"Like I said," his voice no longer sounds human, "I would kill every one of you."

----

Katrina reaches the bottom of the stairs to see Raymonde standing in front of a man with red smoke spilling from his eyes, "Raymonde," Katrina says running in front of him blocking the path, "Raymonde, don't do this."

"What do you want me to do? Let them get away with her?" Raymonde responds, his voice low and guttural.

"No," Katrina says, "I want you just to come back to me." Silver begins to line her eyes, "When you are like this, I don't even know who you are anymore."

The words hit Raymonde like a hammer to the gut, his eyes revert to normal, his head begins to spin, he drops to the ground.

"Dad!" Lildöris shouts as she begins to glow red, the man holding her realises her to reveal burn marks where he held her, "Dad, don't go. Don't go." She begins to cry.

Katrina rushes to Raymonde's side, she pushes him onto his back, "Raymonde," she slaps his cheek a few times, no response, "You." She points towards the man cowering behind the bar, "I need you to go find Llorva."

"I'm sorry, who?" he responds in fear.

"Llorva, fucking, Skypeak. And be quick about it." She shouts at the man; he tumbles as he leaves the bar.

----

Twenty minutes pass before Llorva bursts through the tavern door to see Raymonde sprawled out on the floor unconscious, "What in gods' names happened here?" she asks while kneeling over Raymonde.

"Nenalin assassin's," Katrina responds, Llorva eyes widen, "They broke into our room and attempted to take Lildöris away, and Raymonde lost his cool and collapsed after I had intervened and stopped him." Katrina looks up at Llorva, "We needed to leave this fucking Kingdom, yesterday."

"Alright, alright." Llorva responds while grabbing Raymonde under a shoulder, Katrina grabs the other.

"Lildöris, come on we're leaving." Katrina says as Lildöris grabs a hold of Katrina's free hand. They leave the tavern with Raymonde in toe and head for the docks.

----

Raymonde awakes in a familiar cold dark space, he stands to see the blue flaming pillars against the dark sky, the black sun giving no light at all.

"Raymonde," a voice says to him, the voice of his mother, "Raymonde what did I tell you about using these God-Slayer abilities." It's Phuheia.

"What do you expect me to do in that situation?" Raymonde says into the darkness, "Sit back and watch Lildöris be taken? If you do, you are mistaken." He draws the sword on his belt, it ignites into flames.

"How is Frostburn here?" Phuheia says to him, "Wasn't that the weapon you threw at the first man you had killed? No, that's not the case, is it? You threw an ordinary long-sword at him, didn't you?"

"To be fair, Phuheia, I wasn't really conscious in that moment, I was more of a passenger of what had happened, and I don't remember what else happened, other then I saw that man holding Lil, I blacked out and I woke up here." He responds, the flames on the sword die, he puts it away.

"Interesting," Phuheia replies, "I did not expect for your abilities to mature this rapidly, but you can't change the past, and what's done is done."

"What do you mean, mature this rapidly, like how I can use fire without a second thought? Or that every time I use it now, I come to your realm?" he sits on the ground, "What is it?"

'Raymonde?'

"What was that?" Raymonde stands, "Did you hear that?"

'Raymonde, if you can hear me, I need you to come back, Lildöris is worried and so am I.'

"That's Katrina," Raymonde says, "Look I don't know what you want from me, but I need to get back, those two are the only people I care about right now, and if they say they need me."

"Fine," Phuheia begins, "you can leave but if you use you power against a human again, you will have more than me to deal with."

The surroundings begin to ripple and disappear as his vision focuses on Katrina's face, "Raymonde." Katrina says while stroking his head, "You've got to stay down here until I come down next. Alright?"

"Alright, but don't expect me to stay here like a caged animal." He responds, his words barely audible.

"I don't." Katrina says, she kisses him on the forehead.