Mathieu (White Flame Trilogy)

by Paula Flumerfelt

  No matter what they did, they did it together.

  The night had been cold, but she’d convinced him to climb onto the roof, and now they were lying there, staring at the stars. She pointed to various constellations, smiling as he named them for her.

  The goals of one became the goals of both. Accomplishments were shared.

  It was a day of triumph. Avian signed the bottom of her goal charter,

  finally finishing her declaration. Pride welled up in his throat and he wrapped his arms around her shoulders, “Congratulations.”He said before ruffling her hair.

  A solid kick to his bed jarred him from his stupor of the past.

  “Okay, this is enough of your crap.” It was Solomon. “You’ve been mopping around here for almost two weeks. We’re having Avian’s service tonight, with or without you. We already buried her, and have been waiting for you before we had a ceremony, but it seems you are too weak to pull yourself together. We aren’t waiting any longer. Come if you want.” With that, the blond man kicked the bed again. Solomon’s heavy boot landing with a solid thud before leaving, slamming the door behind him.

  Mathieu lay there for a long while, staring at himself in the reflective wall. His eyes were a dull purple and his hair had an unkempt appearance. Two weeks… He closed his eyes. Avian…

  There were a lot of things that she had said to over the years, but one thing in particular was ringing in his mind: “If something is within your ability to do it, it becomes your duty to accomplish it, otherwise, you’re worthless”. She had meant it in the sense of civic duty; however, he felt that the statement applied to this situation, too. He had sworn that he would protect her; he had failed at that, but he could at least be the one to put her memory to rest.

  Nodding to the Avian in his mind, the only piece that he had left of her, he sat up and pressed his feet into the floor hard. The cold stone was reassuring to him as he left the safety and security of the nest he had built for himself. He looked along the hall and found it empty.

  Swallowing hard, he went down the passage and up the stairs. The glass walls allowed him to look around without having to go far, spotting Kiev in a few rooms away. Luckily, she saw him the same moment that he saw her, so all he had to do was wait for her.

  She weaved through a few sliding glass doors before she was standing in front of him, a kind smile on her face. “You’re up. Let’s get you into a shower, okay? We can talk after.” Kiev took his hand, patting it in a compassionate way. Then, she led him through the maze of immobile glass walls and sliding glass doors. The room she led him to hidden behind frosted glass, for privacy he assumed. The blonde woman pushed the door open and ushered him in.

  Looking in the mirror, Mathieu finally got a clear look at what sort of state he was in; it wasn’t good. A brush was set on the counter, so he picked it up and dragged it through the tangles of his hair. It took some effort, but eventually his hair was back to its naturally smooth state, although it lacked quite a bit of shine.

  It took two hours and three showers later for him to feel almost normal. His hair was back to its normal luster after being washed within an inch of its life, and his eyes were an unclouded purple again. It seemed as though the hot water washed away the worst of his guilt, helping him feel that he could make it through for a single day. Avian still clung to his mind, however, she was more like a pleasant memory than an accusing presence.

  Looking around, he spotted a metal closet in the corner that he hadn’t seen before. Pulling it open, he snooped through it until he found something almost suitable: a baggy black shirt and jeans that were a bit too big for him. Fastening a belt around himself, he pulled the door open and found Kiev sitting there, leaned against the wall, dozing lightly.

  Kiev was a slight female and it instinctively made him want to protect her, although it seemed she had something of the same feelings about him. As if sensing him there, her eyes slid open and a hand covered her mouth, hiding a yawn. “You look a lot better.”

  “Thank you, Kiev…Is Nathan around?” Mathieu said, holding a hand out to help her out.

  The blonde nodded. “He’s on the upper floor. I’ll take you there, yeah?”

  The Tri-District Manor was something spectacular, now that he had a chance to look around. It was much larger than he had originally thought, more like a small inn that a home. The flooring for the lower level was a mixture of polished white wood and green marble set in a pattern that reminded Mathieu of a flower. The walls were thick, clear glass, with the exception of the bathrooms. He was somewhat relieved to see that they had managed to fix the front of the house from his little outburst.

  There were plenty of bedrooms that they passed, each proudly displaying the contents of the owner to him. It seemed a bit odd to him that there was no measure of privacy within the house, but he guessed that they had their reasons. Mathieu also liked how many sitting rooms there were, each furnished in a different color. They had a variety of chairs, rugs, and small tables; some were made of plush materials, some nice solid woods. They had a variety of activities to do: play chess, read books, paint, and so on.

  The upper floor was one giant room that seemed fit for all situations, a cot in one corner and something like a war table at its center; the table seemed to be of some sort of digital design. Nathan was sitting next to a bookcase, reading a book under a small wall mounted light. He looked up as they approached, taking a long sip from the bourbon next to him on a small end table. “Ah, Mathieu. Sit. Kiev, please excuse us.”

  Kiev took the dismissal with a grain of salt, smiling cheerily at Nathan. “I’ll see you down there.” She took the stairs back down two at a time after a short wave.

  Nathan waited for young lady to disappear down the stairs before fixing Mathieu with a look. The redhead’s jaw was stubbly and it made a soft scratching sound when the man ran his hand across his chin in a contemplative manner. “I see that you’ve joined our world again. We missed you on your temporary leave.” Nathan joked quietly.

  Mathieu sat in a dark blue chair, tucking his feet under him. “I missed me, too. Listen, I need to know what happened. There are a few blanks that I need cleared up.” His face was set, every line serious. The man had been right; where he wanted to admit it or not, he had taken a vacation from reality, and now he needed to find his way back.

  Nathan put his book aside and gave Mathieu his undivided attention. “I’m sure that you’re referencing the…demise of your Princess. I can and will assure you that he was not one of ours. Solomon had a…” the look that crossed the redhead’s face was purely evil, “talk with the man responsible and he volunteered some rather interesting information. He is…was an Unithian spy. It seems that there is much we didn’t know.” He sat back in his seat, running his thumb around the rim of his glass. “We are much more enlightened now.”

  “Tell me what you know now.” Mathieu’s voice was small and weak, as broken as Avian’s had been in her last moments.

  The redhead gave him a long look before setting his liquor aide and moving to the front of his seat; his hand came on Mathieu’s knee. “You may not like what you hear.” Nathan said honestly, looking at the young man.

  “Doesn’t matter. I need to know, Nathan.” His gaze moved from where it had been fixed on the floor to meet grey eyes. Nathan’s face was not suited for such a serious expression with the laugh lines around his mouth and the freckles across his nose.

  Sighing heavily, Nathan nodded and withdrew into his own space. “…It seems that the King of Unith had constructed a fairly elaborate plan to start a war with us. He sent a squad of his own soldiers after you and Avian. You were supposed to be killed in the ambush and she secured. He planned to claim that the Princess was taken as a hostage to start a way.” The redhead stopped, giving Mathieu a moment to take in what he had already been told. Nathan continued. “She was supposed to be somewhere in the backwoods of nowhere until after the fighting was settled. So, when the King’s spy saw Avian alive, he knew tha
t he couldn’t let her reach home or the whole plan would have been pointless. Unfortunately, this man decided that killing Avian would be better than the wasted effort.”

  Mathieu looked Nathan in the eyes, all the repressed anger he had held in check against the King for abusing Avian coming to a head at the realization that every pain he was feeling right now was because of that scum for a leader. Somehow though, it didn’t surprise him that the King was behind this. Over the years he had been there, he had watched the man and his daughter drift apart until things were no longer even casual between them. One thing now was for sure: If the King wanted a war, he was going to get one. “I’m going to destroy that man. I’m going to take everything he loves: his wife, his power, his throne, and I’m going to rip them away from him before I kill him.” There was something cold in his voice, a conviction not often heard.

  “We were thinking something of the same thing.” Nathan said, holding out Avian’s glasses. “We want you to join us. You belong here and we’re working towards the same goal now.”

  Mathieu took the thin black frames and turned them over in his hands. “So it seems we do.” It wasn’t even a hard decision for him. “However, we’re going to need help. I know of a few people that would benefit us greatly.”

  Nathan stood and laid a hand on his shoulder. “We can discuss these things later. Today, we mourn a great tragedy.” The man left Mathieu sitting on the upper floor alone with his thoughts and Avian’s glasses.

  ~*~

  Avian’s grave was set on the edge of the property, just inside of the wall. The headstone stood just under a tall, bushy tree covered in deep blue leaves that tittered softly in the breeze. A stray leave fluttered by.

  “It’s an Emotion Tree.” Kiev walked down the hill beside Mathieu, speaking in a respectfully soft voice. She clad in a modest black dress, accompanied with a veil over her blonde hair. “It’s quite a rare treat. The leaves change colors to reflect different emotions.”

  Mathieu looked up at the tree, the dark blue that signified sadness made him feel the tiniest bit better. He took a deep breath and looked down at the small rectangle of upturned ground, the headstone proudly proclaiming it as the final resting place for Avian. The wording was simple, Here lies Avian: a leader, a friend, and a force for change. “Is…is she in a nice coffin?” Mathieu asked, kneeling down and touching the dirt.

  Kiev put a hand on his shoulder. “Yes. It took Lenore a full day to make it and she lined it was down and satin.” The blonde smiled, “Kind of a tribute to her being a Princess. She looked peaceful.”

  “Who is Lenore?”

  Kiev pointed to a petite brunette woman standing at the back of the group of people, looking out of place and nervous. “She’s our blacksmith.”

  Mathieu nodded and looked away, back to Avian’s grave. “Oh, I see.” He stood and followed Kiev, approaching the small group under a black tent. The sky crackled ominously with thunder in the distance. He stepped in among a group of people he didn’t know. Some of the faces he recognized, like Solomon, Mina, Elise, Nathan, and the two girls, but the rest were strangers. They all were dressed in black, faces somber.

  Nathan was the first to look up at the pair as they entered, and a sad smile touched his lips. “Mathieu. Kiev.” Kiev nodded and touched Mathieu’s shoulder before going and standing beside Solomon, immediately starting up a hushed conversation.

  Elise beckoned Mathieu over, taking his hand in hers before squeezed it. “It’s good to see you again.” She tucked a strand of his hair back behind his ear. “We were thinking that maybe you should speak if you feel up to it. You knew her best.”

  Mathieu swallowed hard and closed his eyes, nodding. He needed a moment to gather his thoughts, and to stop him from crying. It took a few minutes, but eventually his eyes opened again and he was ready. “O-okay…” Mathieu looked at the grass by his feet, using the toe of his borrowed shoe to itch his ankle.

  “We should start now.” Nathan turned to the group at large. “Let’s sit.” On the order, everyone took their seats; they seemed to be predetermined. Mathieu moved passed the others and stood beside the grave. He touched the rose carved into the headstone with hesitant fingers.

  Swallowing thickly, Mathieu leaned against the tall stone, turning to face the others. “This is rather hard to articulate. I suppose that…I should start with what kind of person she was…” His gaze swept over the group, seeing genuine sorrow in their eyes. “Avian was the kind of person that always did what was right. Rules were merely obstacles to be overcome if she could help someone by breaking them. But she was sweet and funny, one to be adored. She never let the bad keep her down for long.” His face tilted up towards the sky, a few drops of rain starting to fall. One landed on his cheek.

  “There wasn’t a person that met her that didn’t come to appreciate her overpowering personality.” He continued. “It’s going to be hard to live without her by my side. She accepted me as I was and I will carry her memory with me.” Taking a deep breath, he cupped his hands and blew into them softly. Energy left his lungs, forming into a small flower held between his palms. Avian had always liked when he made her energy flowers. With steady hands, he let the bloom fall to land on the grave. “Rest well, Avian. I love you.”

  One by one, the others came to join him. Some muttered a few words about the joy of having met her, some left small gifts. Nathan and Elise both commented about how well she would have ruled; Mina sang a song in a language he didn’t understand; Kiev said she had gotten along well with Avian; Solomon said that with time, the young woman could have become very dear to him. Mathieu just stood there silently.

  After a long time, the group moved inside. Everyone sat around the large table Mathieu had been reunited with Avian at while Mina passing out tea. People that Mathieu didn’t know kept telling him that it would be okay; he didn’t feel like it would be. It wasn’t like before where the pain and guilt had been crushing, but it still hurt to think that she was gone. As tempting as it was to hole back up in his room, he wouldn’t let himself do that.

  “Hey,” he turned to Kiev who was on his left, “who are these people?” He hopped that talking would help distract him.

  She pointed around the room, naming people. There was Lenore, the blacksmith; Lucian, the newly appointed official liaison to Unith; Elric, a healer; and Darcia, a sword master. There were others, but he couldn’t keep them all straight, so he stopped trying. The sullenness of the room was beginning to suffocate Mathieu. He had said his goodbyes and now he was ready to move on. Move on, but never forget his best friend. Now, however, his mind had something more important to focus on: revenge.

  Tesla and Nikola slunk into the room eventually, winding around his legs. Both of the Shadowriders ended up curled together in his lap, purring and trying to make him feel better; for once they stayed out of his head. Looking down at the two, he looked into Tesla’s eyes and stroked the reddish fur.

  “…It’s time to move on,” Mathieu said, his voice soft. Everyone seemed to hear him, though. “Avian is gone and I will miss her, but it’s time to move on and show the bastard who started this just what kind of nest he kicked. I don’t really know any of you, so this may not mean much, but I won’t take this laying down.”

  Nathan, who was directly across from him, smiled encouragingly, and Solomon nodded with his arms folded across his chest. “What do you plan to do?” Nathan asked.

  Mathieu rubbed the space between his brows. “Well, I need a way to reach out to a few people that I know back in Unith.”

  “Who?” Mina said, tilting her head.

  Mathieu turned to her. “A woman named Narrie, she’s a user too, and Venee. Narrie should come to us, if possible, but I need to reach out to Venee, to see if she can help us. Her family heads the covert intelligence for the King. Her knowledge is useful. Oh, the man that taught Avian how to fence, too. Demetri Uliff.”

  “This woman, Venee, she is ueful in what way?” It was Solomon who spoke this time
, leaning forward in his seat and resting his arms on the table.

  Mathieu bit back the growl in his throat. Everything about this guy, from the first time they had met to the way he had acted with Avian, pissed Mathieu off. “In the’ none-of-your-business’ kind of way.”

  Solomon smirked and raised one eyebrow. “It is my business. Don’t get snitty with me because you couldn’t do your job.”

  “You don’t know shit. Everything you say makes me want to punch you.” Mathieu said under his breath, not looking away from the blond.

  “The feeling’s mutual, kid.” Solomon chuckled. Both men were on their feet now, leaning over the table, eyes locked in challenge. It was easier for Mathieu to hate the blond than examine the truth in the man’s words.

  “Enough.” Nathan’s voice broke the tension between them. “Enough, you two. Mathieu, Solomon is the General of my army. Solomon, just…behave yourself. You two will learn to work together.” The redhead said.