Return To Sky Raven (Book 2) (32 page)

“So after all these years of me offering to train you to use a sword, you finally break down and learn a weapon. But is it a sword? No, it’s a bloody war hammer, a weapon more fit for dwarves; I feel mortally wounded!” Just like that, we were back to it being like old times. I knew he was just digging into me to be an ass, but I could also tell he was supremely happy as well.

“Oh, you know, we humans just ‘don’t have the finesse’ to use a blade.” It was a running joke between our families whenever Fern would offer to take me away and teach me to be a proper dark elf and my blacksmith foster father would refuse.

He laughed hard for a few seconds. “I did say that, didn’t I? Oh well, I’m just glad you can hold your own in a fight now. Although I’m going to guess you need all that armor to make up for your lack of speed?”

I grinned. “Well, why don’t we have a race some time and find out?”

“Sounds like a great time! I’m going to go get you something clean to wear, be right back.”

As he left the room, I sighed in relief. I didn’t want to have to take this armor off with him in the room. I don’t think now is the right time to just stand up and say, “Hey, I can shape metal with my mind,” and not be labeled crazy.

With him gone, Nia and I were able to quickly shed the armor in peace. Less than five minutes later, he returned with fresh clothing and a surprised look on his face. “Wow, they must train you very well, and you’re a lot bigger than I thought. You look like you’ve gained a hundred pounds of pure muscle since the last time a saw you.”

“Yeah, well, I did have an spectacular trainer.”

He sighed. “What I would give to be young again…can’t do anything about that, I guess. Come on, I’ve got a bath going in the spare washroom.”

It felt great to take a hot bath and be clean, and Nia seemed as happy in her bucket as I was the tub. Once clean and dry, I attempted to get dressed but, as big as Faeron was, his clothes were elf clothes and not meant for someone with calves the size of mine. Nia saved me from a load of embarrassment by flitting out to the stables to find our packs. She streaked back in a couple minutes outfitted in one of Rosa’s best dress creations and carrying my wizard’s robes from Xarparion.

“Nia, I don’t think that’s a good idea,” I faltered, thinking about what it might say before we were ready to say it.

“Sorry, but you forgot to pack anything but battle gear and this for yourself. No choice!”

Crap, I had forgotten that this was a diplomatic mission. Oh, well, at least the robes were the most comfortable clothes I owned, and I had a feeling I was going to be sweating before the end of the evening. I couldn’t be sure, but I thought I heard a malicious Winya giggle in the back of my mind.

As ready as possible, Nia and I wandered out into the main area of the house, which had the same theme of hand-crafted beautiful woods everywhere. Some of the walls had paintings that I suppose you would call abstracts, as they didn’t look like anything recognizable to me, but they were still fascinating to look at. Dark elves, for the most part, didn’t clutter their homes with much more than that. While gorgeous, the place still had a practical utilitarian feel about it.

Finally, we found Maya and her father sitting at a large table and Renalla close by in the adjacent kitchen. Maya was wearing a simple dress, probably borrowed from her mom. Faeron was holding on to her hand, and they were laughing about something from her childhood and just enjoying the simple act of being together. It was obvious to me that there was great affection in this family, and I felt a twinge of guilt that somehow I was responsible for them being apart these many years. After all, my parents did say that Maya essentially went to Xarparion to be close to me.

As we approached, I saw Faeron raise an eyebrow at my robes, and I smiled sheepishly. “Sorry, the clothes you brought me were just a little tight.”

“Aren’t those wizard robes?”

“Well, yeah, we did come from Xarparion and we left in kind of a hurry.”

Renalla walked up and inspected me with a warm look. “Oh, leave the poor boy alone, Faeron. At least, he had the good sense to grab a set of robes that hadn’t been dyed yet, that way he won’t offend any real wizards if they see him.”

The smirks were just rolling off Maya and Nia, as they could see how uncomfortable this all made me. Finally, apparently thinking I was primed for the kill, Maya patted the chair next to her, indicating where I was supposed to sit and called out impishly, “Mother could you come here for a second, please?” She looked at her father. “Alex has something he would like to ask you.” She smiled evilly at me and I just knew what she was thinking - payback is a bitch!

Oh well, I probably deserved this, and that was laughingly confirmed by Winya in the back of my mind. Screwing up whatever courage I had left, I turned to Faeron, “Mr. Talmin, I would like permission to marry your daughter.”

He practically leapt from his chair from surprise and Renalla let out some form of excited shriek before she covered her mouth. “Really?” he said excitedly. “That’s…” Then I watched in horror as both their expressions changed to sadness and remorse. “That’s unfortunate.”

Huh?

Renalla put a hand on her husband’s shoulder and her voice was quiet. “Maya, we have wanted nothing more than for the two of you to wed. Hell, we’ve even been trying to introduce the two of you for ages. But a lot has changed since you left. Your father is now King and that changes things dramatically, and not always for the better.”

“What do you mean?” asked Maya, her face completely emotionless.

Faeron spoke again, a single tear starting to run down his cheek. “It means that the clans will demand that you marry for political advantage. In short, law demands that you must either marry the son of another chief or someone from another kingdom who holds the rank of duke or higher.” They both cringed, fearing what she would say, and to be honest, so was I.

After a long, hard minute of thought, her face lit up brightly. “Is that all? Any other rules we need to worry about?”

“Huh?!” they both said, completely baffled by her response.

“I have to marry a duke or higher, right? Well, that’s not a problem at all because Alex is a prince!”

The color completely drained from both their faces from shock and disbelief. “He’s a prince?”

I nodded, somewhat alarmed at their reaction. “It’s true.”

Faeron leaned way back in his chair with a dazed expression on his face, while Renalla started frantically pacing back and forth, holding her head in her hands. After a minute, she started asking questions, but didn’t stop pacing like a caged cat. “Ok, let me get this straight. Alex, you want to marry my daughter?”

Maya, Nia, and I all nodded. “Yes, ma’am, with all my heart!” A gentle hand squeeze under the table from my nervous dark elf told me that was the right answer.

Renalla continued, “And somehow you found out that you were adopted?” Her hand shot to her mouth. “Unless you haven’t! By the gods, I’m so sorry!”

“Don’t worry,” I said, “they told me.”

She nodded, relieved, and continued, “Ok, so you found out you’re adopted. Merilda told me the story about the two strangers who gave you to them, but I just thought it was a very strange thing and haven’t thought of it since. I just knew that you were a blessing to my friend and I was happy for her.” She paused, collecting her thoughts again. “Somehow, you have found your real parents?”

I nodded again. “They actually revealed themselves to me on my twentieth birthday; Maya was there, too.”

“And these parents just so happen to be a King and Queen?”

“King and Queen of what nation?” asked Faeron, finally breaking out of his astonishment and his practical side showing through.

Nia popped up. “King and Queen of the nebulia, the Nova!”

Renalla’s knees started wobbling and she grasped Faeron’s shoulder for support. “The Nova! But they’re just legends, and according to those legends, their realm is the stars!” Finally, she just gave up and slid onto her husband’s lap for support.

Faeron encircled his wife gently in his arms but looked at all of us sharply. “You two are positive about this? Forgive me, but it all sounds kind of crazy.”

“Crazy talk from your crazy daughter?” Maya said coolly, challenging them with her eyes. “Yes, we’re positive about this; we have all met them. A little odd, but then they aren’t even remotely human. But one thing we do know is that they have good hearts and love Alex deeply, and I think they are starting to feel the same about me. They have been watching over Alex and me our entire lives.”

“You’ve met them, these rulers from the stars?” they both said in surprise.

Maya smiled and I sensed a good deal of evil delight as she pressed her advantage over them. “Why yes, less than a week ago, in fact. They visited us at our fortress.”

“You have a fort…fortress?” Renalla stammered.

“Oh yes! Did I forget to mention that part? I’m sorry. You see Alex and I are already the rulers of Sky Raven Fortress; I’m sure you have heard of it?”

“Sky Raven!” Faeron said hoarsely. “That place has been sealed up tight for over four hundred years. It’s impossible to even get past the walls. There was a time when the dark elf council sought to take it for ourselves, but every attempt failed, even without a defending garrison. Even the vampires can’t get inside without being burned by some sort of holy fire…” his voice trailed off in thought, and I could see him putting the evidence from the events of the day into perspective. Especially the warhorses that burned with a cold blue flame and incinerated the undead that got near them.

I decided now would be a good time to slow things down before Maya gave them heart failure. “I know this is a lot to comprehend in one sitting. Believe me, Maya and I have struggled with it as well, and we’ve been dealing with it for a few months. Sky Raven is real and so is its treasury. It is staffed and being refitted as we speak, but I think it would be best if we kept the rest under wraps for now.”

Both parents sighed. “Thank you, Alex.”

But Maya just sat there and pouted. “Aw, way to ruin my fun, and just when I was getting to the best part, too!”

Renalla had to bite on that one. “The best part? What best part?”

She smiled evilly. “Oh, you know, nothing much, just what Alex gave me as my courting gift. Nothing you would be interested in, Mother, I’m sure.”

Yeah, that wasn’t going to fly…but Renalla did. She jumped over the table with some kind of acrobatic leap, landing directly in front of Maya and immediately started patting her down in search of whatever the gift was. Maya giggled and squirmed like a little girl. It didn’t take her mother long to find the bracelet.

“Alex, it’s beautiful! See, dear?” she said, holding Maya’s arm across the table so her husband could see the bracelet.

Faeron smiled and nodded at the bracelet. “That is indeed a very nice and suitable gift for my daughter. But to be honest, based on the quality of the armor you both wore, I was expecting you to have gone the traditional route and given her a weapon.”

“Oh, he did,” said Maya, “three, in fact.”

“Three?” said Renalla in amazement. “Truly?”

“Yes, truly. But I will show you them to you another time. We don’t want you to be too jealous of my boyfriend, now do we? Besides Father has yet to answer Alex’s question?”

“His question? Oh, right,” he turned to me. “Alex, I would love for you to marry my daughter.”

That was a major relief to me. “Excellent!” said Maya as she grabbed hold of my arm and stood the two of us up. “Then we will see both of you in the morning.” She tried to lead me down the hall.

“Maya, for shame! Now get back here, both of you!”

Not wanting to be on bad terms with them, I dragged a very disgruntled Maya back to the table.

“Besides,” said Faeron, “there are conditions to be met; my word is no longer enough.” Renalla put her hand on his shoulder.

“Tell them in a bit, dear. It’s getting late and none of us have eaten.” She turned and called out, “Kalah! Where are you, dear?”

Faeron chuckled, “She’s not here tonight, remember? She has the night off and we were supposed to go to that dinner party that got canceled, so you’re going to have to cook.”

She looked rather disgusted. “I hate cooking! That’s why we hired Kalah!”

I got up from the table. “Don’t worry about it, I’ll be glad to take care of the food tonight. I haven’t had much time to do that lately,” I said as I walked over to the kitchen stove with Nia on my shoulder. She looked just as happy as I was to be out of the main conversation for a bit.

“Thank you, Alex, you’re a lifesaver! To be honest, we really haven’t had many family meals since Maya left or good food for that matter!” Renalla smiled.

“Why not?”I asked.

“Well for one, Kalah is a dear thing, but she’s a vampire so she can’t actually taste how things are turning out. She was a cook before she was turned, but sadly, I think she’s forgetting which spices go together and which ones don’t. That, combined with our hectic social obligations, mean we really don’t have all that much time at home either.”

I listened as I  set pans out on the side counter and Nia started getting out the food.

“But on to more important matters,” said Faeron. “Alex, if you want to marry my daughter, there are a few things that need to be taken care of. The first one being you will have to duel me!” I nodded with the appropriate amount of dread and concern, but Maya just burst into wicked laughter.

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry, please continue,” she said between giggles.

Faeron scowled but did his best to brush off her comment. “The second will be the trial of manhood. You were made a dark elf by rights long ago, but you left before your sixteenth birthday and never did the trial. But the hardest task will be to fight off any challengers.”

“What challengers?” I asked.

“I must announce your intentions to court my daughter to the clan leaders. They then have the right to challenge you to one-on-one combat. If you win, you go on to the next challenger and if you lose, they get to replace you. This goes on until no other challenger steps up.” He growled slightly, as if considering something distasteful. “One thing I haven’t told you is that the decision to break free from the yoke of the Lifebane was not an unanimous one by our people. There are three clans that still openly claim allegiance to the Duke. It is not inconceivable that they will use this event to disrupt the balance of power. If they could somehow win…” He held up a hand to placate a very angry-looking Maya. “Even if the marriage never took place, the more conservative loyal clans might have difficulty supporting my reforms because the ancient conventions of our people were not honored.”