Ch. 19: The Aftermath

When I finally came to, I opened my eyes a slit and was met with both a blinding light and excruciating soreness all over my body. I tried to sit up but was leaned back gently by an unknown presence.

"There, there. Lean back. Relax."

I recognized that voice, but it seemed so far away. I forced myself to open my eyes a little farther and found myself face-to-face with Prince Illesior.

"Where… am I?" My throat felt drier than the burning sands on the beachside of Gatesborn, and it took all I had to not break out into a coughing fit. I realized that I was in a soft plush bed, and my head was resting against a silky pillow. The light was coming not from bright sunlight, but from a small candle on the in-table. My head was pounding. I felt hot all over.

I felt warm breath on my forehead as the Prince leaned in to sniff me. "You have a fever, my dear," Illesior spoke softly. "Have some water and rest."

Before I could protest, I felt a cold cup being lifted to my lips and I drank hungrily until I had emptied it of its contents.

I blinked a few times to try and clear my vision. "...Prince Illesior?" I asked weakly. "Why are you here? Where am I?" Then I broke out into a coughing fit and, after finally catching my breath again, added, "...What happened?"

His eyes softened. "You've been asleep for nearly a week now," He murmured. "I was beginning to think that you were beyond the point of no return."

Suddenly I remembered with a jolt the battle with the Consumed… and when Arius had tried to murder me. "Illesior, did we… Did we win?"

The black aetyr's eyes twinkled. "Oh, the fight with Maelstrom? Yes, you could say that. I pierced the monster through the heart with my Blade of Slash magic and she fell into the valley, where her body faded away into dark sands."

"Where are the others?"

Illesior looked surprised. "Why, they're tending to their duties. Sophi is out of the city as of now, and Kirune is training with K'Heali. Your brother and Strubin are working as Palace Guards- currently on shift, mind you. As for Zerhea, she's been in training with various other officials."

I breathed a sigh of relief but shuddered when he mentioned Arius. He seemed to have noticed too, because he stiffened and looked apprehensive. "What's wrong, my dear Bookkeeper?" He asked gently.

"A-Arius…" I shivered. "I… he's a… he's a traitor."

Illesior's face darkened. "How so? He has his faults, true, but aside from his past mistakes he has been a loyal ally."

"You don't understand," I rasped, struggling to sit up so I could meet his gaze. "Arius… he tried to kill us. Twice."

"WHAT?!" He rose up with a roar, then quickly seemed to check himself and lowered his voice. "...Tell me," He growled after a moment, shivering with fury. "How did this come about?"

I swallowed. "The first time was when we had fallen into the ravine. I think I told you about how Strubin and I had tried to escape from a Zenatile, right?" The Prince nodded and I continued slowly, "Well… although Arius dragged Strubin and I onto dry land, he refused to help Strubin when he had water in his lungs. He was willing to let him die."

Illesior's shoulders lowered a little. "...That may just be a case of inexperience," He murmured. "That does not account for attempted murder. But what is the other occasion you say he had tried to kill you or your comrades?"

I gulped as the memories of the morning of the battle flooded back into my head. "...When I faced Maelstrom, she tore off my wings of aid, but instead of falling I was caught by the Hycross. What happened to it, anyway?"

"It has been officially enlisted as Zerhea's familiar," Illesior said impatiently, leaning forward with his hands resting underneath his chin. I noticed that he was sitting on a footstool beside the bed, so that he was right beside my head. "But, go on."

"...Arius was riding the Hycross and controlling it. Zerhea was nowhere to be seen- likely either thrown off or fighting the Consumed. Anyways, he caught me, but… then he grabbed my wrist and tried to throw me off the side. I managed to stay on long enough for him to tell me that he planned to frame my murder as an accident, and that he had waited a long time to get rid of me." I shivered as Illesior's fur rose. "Finally he managed to throw me off, and then I hit the ground at the bottom of the cliff. Next thing I knew I woke up here."

The Prince clenched his fists and let out a long, low hiss. "...That liar…"

"...What did Arius tell you?" I asked quietly.

Illesior growled, gritting his pearly white teeth. "...He claimed that he saw the Consumed throw you down, although he said that he couldn't see where your body fell. After I killed Maelstrom I used my seeking magic to follow your trail and found you at the bottom of the cliff. Miraculously, you were still alive, albeit unconscious. I brought you back here and have watched over you ever since."

But then he saw me looking pale- at least, paler than I usually did, anyhow- and his gaze softened. "...I can take care of that matter later," He murmured. "What matters now is that you're feeling better. Get some rest, my dear- we can talk more later on."

__________________________________________

Later that night I did begin to feel better, albeit extremely tired. But yet I felt restless, and when it was about three hours past moon high I slid out of the bed and stumbled over to the bookcase at the edge of the room. A blaze was roaring in the fireplace, and if I hadn't been in this sorry condition I would've liked to sit there and enjoy the warmth of it on my fur.

But instead I reached up for a thick book on the shelf, standing shakily on unsteady legs.

"Almost… there…" I mumbled, reaching up on my toes to try and stroke the spine of the book I was trying to grab.

Suddenly I heard a door click shut, and I felt a pair of hands rest on my shoulders gently. I stiffened and sniffed, flushing red when I realized it was Illesior.

"Looking for a book, my dear?" He purred into my ear.

I nodded, and he pulled away, striding past me to grab the book I had been reaching for and handing it to me.

"The Travels Of The Sorcerers, eh?" He smiled, taking a seat in a soft chair beside the fireplace. "Fun choice, I must say. Have you ever read it?"

I shrugged, feeling my face grow red. "No. I just thought it seemed interesting."

Illesior chuckled softly and scooted to the side so that a little bit of space was available on the chair he sat in. "Care to read it with me?"

For a split second, memories of Strubin's affection raced through my mind, and I felt extremely reluctant. But then Dukalis' words echoed in my head: You have to stay on the Prince's side, no matter what happens.

I gave myself a mental shake and relaxed a little, grinning back at the handsome Prince. "Is that an order, my lord?" I teased, wagging my tail.

He narrowed his eyes with pleasure, clearly enjoying the banter. "I wouldn't want to force you into anything, my dear Albino," He muttered softly. "But I would much rather have you sit here beside me. I feel that I am craving your company."

I stiffened as I strode over to him, standing unsteadily as our eyes met. "How much so, my lord?"

He growled, not unkindly. "Greatly."

I rolled my eyes but complied at last, lowering myself so that I sat flush against his side, with the arm of the chair pressing me into him. Immediately I felt him rest his hand on my head, stroking my mane and burying his fingers in it. My fur stood on end and I felt a delicious tingle run along my spine.

Illesior took the book from me and set it on his lap, opening it to a random page. Before he could begin, however, I began to speak once more.

"Illesior?" I asked him. "Does the Queen know you're in here with me?"

He shrugged. "I told Mother that I would keep an eye on you. There's no need to tell her anything further. Why do you ask?"

"Doesn't she look down upon White Manes? She won't be happy to find that you're devoting most of your time to me. And I don't know what Princes are supposed to be doing, but, um… don't you have other things to do?"

He sighed after a moment. "Most Black Manes unfortunately frown upon your kind. And my mother is eager to keep her throne intact, as well as our traditions of eons past. There's not much to be done for that."

I looked back at the book on his lap and saw that it had a sort of travel log. "What is The Travels Of The Sorcerers even about, anyway?"

"It's a mixture of stories and recounting past experiences," Illesior replied. "This edition was from when my father still ruled Aetyria. He had Kadmus, the previous Bookkeeper, pen this under the King's name, and included his favorite tales of his travels to the West. My elder brothers were among those listed as Sorcerers on his various quests."

"What was your father's name?" 

Illesior smiled. "King Xeviar II, and my brothers were Denethium and Izuviar. You know, Izuviar was actually acquainted with your father," he added.

I froze. "You… you knew my dad?"

"Not personally, I'm afraid." He leaned back with a sigh. "I was only a child at the time, when he used to work as an accompanying warrior. But Izuviar would talk to Abarin every chance he got. You must understand that, back then, my father was much less amiable towards the White Manes than I am. He hated your kind, and would've chosen not to have you come to The Capital at all if it weren't written in the Royal Creed. So it didn't really surprise me when my father would forbid us royal children not to mix with the Whites. Izuviar therefore had to meet with your father either in secret or on quests together."

"He never told me any of this," I murmured half to myself. "Why did he leave?"

Illesior looked a tad confused, but cleared his throat. "...I was young at that time, when he left," He began slowly. "I hardly remember his time here at all. But from what Queen Omani has told me, essentially he married a White Mane from another city- Aviva, I think. She had children not long after and kept them here while she went to join Abarin on another quest. But then we lost her."

"...What happened?"

"She became a Consumed. Abarin wanted to save her, or at least try to cure her, but you must understand that currently we have no cure for the curse. Obviously we had to leave her behind, and your father was greatly distraught after that. He eventually became violent towards us royals, and my father was forced to relieve him of his duties and send him back to his hometown. Years later we got word that he had disappeared from Gatesborn, and we only assumed that he left to go to the East."

I blinked slowly. "...How did your brother deal with it?"

"He didn't have a chance. It was around that time when your father was exiled that Kadmus began to go insane. He gained immense power and accidentally killed both of my brothers in his madness. My father chased him out of the city, but days later Kadmus returned with five Consumed. They managed to kill my father, but Omani killed Kadmus' comrades. As a result, Kadmus proceeded to end his own life."

I sighed and leaned against him, feeling sullen. Illesior reached out his arm and put it over my shoulders, pulling me closer to him. Any other time I would've resisted it, but with this uncovering of my father's past I felt a strong need for reassurance. 

"Are you tired, Aven?" The Prince asked suddenly. "You feel rather weighty with despair."

"No… I mean, yes, I am tired. But this was a bit of a shock." I closed my eyes and breathed deeply. "Abarin never told me any of this. I never even knew I had a Mom."

Illesior chuckled. "My dear, one must have a mother and a father to be born. But I see what you mean."

"Illesior, may I ask you something?"

He looked surprised. "Yes, of course."

"How do you feel about White Manes?"

Illesior stiffened. "...I… I'm afraid I can't say much. If I say that I view you the same as us, then Mother will punish me. She may not despise you as much as my father did, but discrimination still lies in her heart. I will say this much, however," And here he lowered his head to whisper into my ear, "Never in my life have I seen an aetyr so determined as those that come from Gatesborn. Your father wanted to save his wife. Your friend Strubin is an acceptable companion. And you… oh, you are something above both of them."

I blushed and flicked my ears back as he leaned back again.

"But I have no reason to praise your brother," He growled suddenly. "A traitor has no place in Aetyria."

"What do you plan to do with him?" I asked.

Illesior turned to look at me, gritting his teeth. "...I would've wished for him to be put to death," He said at last. "But our law does not allow for that. While treason against a Black Mane (given that they are not a Consumed) would grant him the death penalty without question, conspiring to murder a White Mane is another question altogether. He is currently in the dungeons, awaiting an audience with my mother's royal court. It won't come to pass for another few hours- perhaps even longer."

I leaned against him and yawned, shivering. Illesior's face softened. "You are tired. Go to sleep, my dear."

"Will you wake me for the trial?" I murmured as I stumbled over to my bed.

The Prince's eyes grew dark. "...If you insist."

He stood from the chair and strode to the door, shutting it quietly behind him. I was now alone in the cozy room, with the fireplace roaring at the wall.

I looked about the place once more and saw my satchel on an in-table. I reached for it and pulled it into my lap, then searched inside.

Instead of pulling out Dukalis' book, I found myself staring at Abarin's journal. I had forgotten that I had it with me all this time. The thought comforted me a little.

I opened to the first page and was met with messy cursive and detailed sketches. The paper, although not old to the point where it was torn and yellowed, still had seen better days.

But something unusual caught my eye: An old line was scrawled across the top of the page with a crude drawing of a Black Mane I didn't recognize, and the inscription made my heart skip a beat.

The Consumed were no accident.