Naveen

Rina:

My cheeks burned at his words. “I’m sure peace and safety is exactly what’s coming to all of us. Because that’s what usually happens when someone powerful seeks to control a kingdom, right?” I hissed. It was the only logical thing in my mind for why she was here. She wanted the throne as much as my brother did.

“Someone has to question higher power, Savien.” His true name was only one I ever used in intimate settings. Not when I was fuming at him. I had never been this angry with him before. “And I know it won’t be you since you just sold your soul to the devil.” We were close enough that my eyes flicked focus between his two, a sign of uncertainty. I wasn’t one to back down though. “It’ll be a difficult task now that I’m down an ally.”

I brushed over her first words. Humans had always done that. Since they first decided to rule over themselves the powerful sought to rule. It was their failing. And I folded my arms with an icy set to my face as she continued. The use of my real name gave me pause and I very nearly gave her a confused look. But the more she spoke the frostier my look became. "Do you think so little of me Rina? In the time we have spent together have you no trust in me? I trust you. But from what I'm understanding I'm the only one who thought as such."

Rina:

“Yes. I did. I trusted you not to do something like swearing yourself to the fiancée of the prince.” I t was difficult keeping my voice down when I wanted so badly to yell my words at him. “But that is your choice. You came here to make things better for your people. And as you have pointed out, I have not been successful in such matters as of yet.” My face felt even hotter now. “So do whatever you feel necessary for the wellbeing of your people. I’ll continue doing what I think is right for the whole country.” I took a backward step up the stairs, my bosom rising and falling.

`Her words were like knives going through me.  They were little slivers of doubt that wormed their way to my heart.  I couldn't help but wonder if I was too hasty in my actions.  Had I made a colossal error?  But slowly I rebelled against my doubt.  I'd sworn as Talon, leader of my people.  But I wasn't him.  I didn't care if my own name was dragged through the mud.  To the world I was dead anyway.

"I expected you to think better of me.  Perhaps I was wrong in thinking you were any different than the rest of the humans..."

Rina:

My eyes narrowed. “I have never tried to be anything but human. I didn’t realize that was something repulsive to you. Well, now you’ve found your ‘goddess’ you don’t have to endure being around a human like me.” With that, I turned and hurried up the staircase.

Out of the stairwell, I made my way to my room, face burning, heart racing, and stones in my stomach.

Guilt lanced through me. My temper had gotten the better of me and I'd spoken without care. But I hadn't been wrong either. Most humans I'd come into contact with thought non-humans were little more than dirt or play things. Rina was a rare breed among humans.

With a heavy heart, and guilt running through me I retreated to my room. As I walked I realized I'd lost much with one conversation. I'd lost an ally, a close companion, my friend. It came to me slowly that if she no longer endoresed my position then I was a target by any who wanted me for their own or to put me in what they thought was my place.

Rest did not come easy that night, and with no other choice or plans in the morning I made my way out of the castle, intent on visiting Maleen and Wren in their cottage.

Maleen:

I was waiting on the front porch of the small cottage when Talon rode up. It wasn’t a surprise to see him, somehow I had known I would see him today. Wren and Dorian were out foraging in the woods, in part for ingredients for my potions, but mostly because Dorian wanted to teach her how to hunt. I had declined the offer.

Ever since Lady Alia had shown up I had been ill. I felt better now that we were in the cottage, but there was still a pressure in the air that made me ache.

"You are looking better Maleen." I called as I brought my horse to a halt. Dismounting I patted it on the side and tied it to a hitching post. Rubbing it down for a moment I finally went onto the porch and smiled faintly at her.

Maleen:

I gave a soft smile back. “I hope all is well? Rina isn’t with you?” I knew she wasn’t, it was more a question of why. Something was troubling him. I stood up from my bench and moved over to him.

At that my smile fell away. "Things are strained." I hesitated a moment before laying out what had happened. I watched her carefully as I spoke, aware that my words could potentially lose me another companion.

Maleen:

My eyes widened at his story. It was a lot to take in. “Perhaps we should go inside,” I said when he finished telling me of his argument with Rina. I took him into the cottage and put on a kettle for tea. Then I sat down at the small table opposite him. “Talon, maybe you should tell me more about this goddess,” I said softly.

After hearing about his people and their goddess more I leaned back in my seat with small crease on my forehead. “Talon, what you’ve described doesn’t sound like natural magic to me. To require life force to make another stronger…” I took in a small breath. How could I tell him that dark magic was rooted in his culture?

“If this woman is your goddess, I would be careful. Rina may not be in the right, but she isn’t wrong to be cautious of her. It doesn’t make sense for her to be doing what she is if she has divine power.”

I frowned as I gazed down into my cup. Before sitting down I'd de-armed and even removed some of my armor. Running slender fingers around the rim of the empty cup I sighed. "I have no right to question a goddess...but for what reason would one need to marry a mortal man?" Raising my eyes up to Maleen I nodded, "I'm no fool, and religion hasn't been a major part of who I am. Things aren't melding well. I will keep a watch on it."

Maleen:


“Sometimes the wishes of those in higher power do not align well with our own.  She may be your goddess, Talon, but that doesn’t mean she will do right by you.  Legends are riddled with gods who acted on their own whims to the detriment of others,”  I held my bag of tea between both hands, a look of concern and caring on my face.

Folding my arms I kept my eyes down on the table. "She is the only god we revere. It wasn't always that way. But she is the only one who stuck by us." Sighing through my nose I looked up at her. Her worry and concern was touching and I gave her a faint smile. "I must look after my people before anything else. If this proves to be dangerous for them...then I will pull away."

Maleen:

Should you ever need it, my help is yours. You do know that don’t you?” I looked into his face. “You are almost entirely responsible for my freedom. Rina got me out of my captivity, but you changed her mind about me. Things would not be the same if you had not come along.”

My gaze softened and I nodded. "I know that, and your words are appreciated Maleen. I don't think I would be here if I didn't value your help and words." Being a lord I didn't have many close friends among my own people. Calan was the only one who truly came to mind in that regard. But since my argument with Rina I felt I'd lost one of the few I held in that regard. Maleen, however I was coming to know, was a good friend.

Rina:

It had been three days since Talon had left.  I didn’t think that he would leave.  And when he left I thought I wouldn’t miss him.  As much as I tried to suppress it, I did feel his absence.  At first it was loneliness, but then I was attacked.  Now I couldn’t help the creeping tendrils of fear in my heart.  

I had been attacked again.  This time by a group of four.  My guard was killed.  Aero and Iris managed three of them but the last one was up to me.   I got away but not without scrapes and bruises.  The most notable was a gash on my cheek, and a purple line on my throat.  Neither were easy to conceal so I stayed in my room.  

Marcella came to me the next day telling me that Talon was in his room.  Normally I would have sent for him, but considering the state of our relationship, I felt that wouldn’t be appropriate.

“You’re packing?” I asked from his doorway.  I didn’t enter his room.   `

"I don't like leaving my things unattended when any might try and take them. Since I no longer have someone with any power among humans keeping others from getting at me, I have been staying in the ruins. Seems prudent to move my stuff with me as well." I finished folding a spare change of clothes and set it on top of the pack, using the fabric to help muffle the contents. Closing my backpack I did up the straps and tied it closed.

Rina:

“You assume I would turn my back on you so easily?” It stung. After all he had been the one to leave, not me. “You really do think poorly of humans don’t you?” My stomach felt sick. I couldn’t ask him to stay if he truly had no ties to me. I swallowed a lump in my throat.

"I thought you believed I sold my soul to the devil. That you were now down an ally. If I'm not your ally then what am I to you Rina?" I turned around to face her. My eyes held a measure of ice to them that thawed into concern and then confusion as I took in her appearance. She had been attacked. The cut on her cheek was a minor injury but her neck was another matter.

I couldn't back down however. "My people aren't the ones who think so little of other races that we feel the same emotion of squashing a bug as we do killing a non-human." Shaking my head I continued, "You were different. But you don't trust me, you assume the worst with my choices."

Rina:

“Not all humans are like that,” I said quietly. My arms crossed over my chest. “And I didn’t distrust you because you’re an Elf. It was your actions that did it.” I took in a deep breath and looked away from him. “I was afraid. I was afraid that you changed sides. That I would have to face you not as a friend but an adversary.”

"In all that you know of me, to use your own words, do you think so poorly of me? Do you think I am blind to things not adding up? To things possibly being dangerous? You took issue to me swearing as Lord of my people. But it is not your place to reprimand me as to what I do to keep my people safe. Not when you do not even pause to think of why I did it or what I said." I kept my eyes locked on her.

"I swore that fealty as Talon. Lord of the Mountains of Mist. I didn't think I needed to remind you of who I am however."

Rina:

My eyes flicked back to meet his and I took the liberty of stepping into his room and closing the door behind me. “You swore as Talon?” I asked quietly. “Why didn’t you say that before?” I asked. My mind was whirling around the information.

"None of what you were saying or doing made me feel like you cared to know. Instead you accused me of not caring, that you couldn't trust me. When in all of that was I supposed to tell? Also the middle of a staircase is not the place for me to be saying such things." I countered. Now that the door was closed I took a closer took at her injuries. "Yes. I swore as Talon."

Rina:

I put my back to the door. My chest felt tight. “I told you. I was afraid. What I saw scared me. But I wasn’t justified in my anger. It’s your right to protect your people how you see fit. I have no say in that especially when I haven’t been able to do anything for them.” I dropped my gaze. “I’m sorry…” I didn’t know how to ask him to stay. It was the selfish thing to do.