by D. R. Rosier
“It’s death to attack a member of the royal family, he’s just trying to goad you. He’s also a coward, if he attacks you, feel free to kill him. Self-defense is the right of all.”
Fuck. It’d be a lot easier to deal with this without all the stress and anger running through my body and mind right now. Not to mention the fog of obvious hatred between these siblings. Saria’s warning about her brothers hadn’t quite covered the actual reality.
Plus, it was another fucking kick in the balls from my own mate. Did she really believe I was going to hit him? What happened to knowing I was a gentle man? Or was I even that man anymore, that she first met? I was just going to close the distance and give him a piece of my mind. Maybe take a piss, spit, wipe the dust off my feet, and leave this place. I already hated Lelmalond, and I was ready to blow. My mates’ comments hurt far more than these two buffoons, who I didn’t even know, and really didn’t care about except they were insulting my mate.
Which, was probably a little ironic.
Deep breaths James.
Arun said, “A little sensitive sister? It was just a question. Hand over the ring, so we can check it out, and make sure it’s safe for our people.”
I laughed, a bit derisively.
“Prejudice, greed, cruelty… it’s good to know we aren’t so different after all. My mate had me almost convinced the elves were a better people, but nope, it’s just my mates. Or perhaps I should say, elves of moral character and good judgement much like in humans, are down to the individual.”
Arun and Sudryl looked angrily at me, I can’t say I blame them. I hadn’t heard that level of contempt in my own voice since I was a teenager. I’d also never been this angry at my mates, or really angry at them at all, annoyed yes, that was just life, but an angry rage? Never. I started to wonder if there wasn’t some outside source for it besides the stress of the day, and a little teasing. They loved and trusted me, otherwise they wouldn’t have teased me. I usually even enjoyed it a little, it meant they didn’t fear my temper, and loved me.
Bad timing for the teasing yes, but I was still far too angry. Not that knowing I shouldn’t be this angry helped, if anything I was even more pissed off now. I also couldn’t diagnose myself with my ability to find out if I was being affected by a flower or spore of some kind, and now Sianna looked angry with me. No doubt because I just made her job harder, not that these fucking idiots would ever agree to a closer peace between the races.
Regina shook her head, “Something isn’t right.”
Saria tilted her head, and said smugly, “Leave brothers, you may be able to command me, but I don’t have the ring. You’ll have to wait your turn and find the truth after it’s given to our parents.”
Sudryl growled, “Who has it then.”
Saria smirked, “It was entrusted to Karana weeks ago.”
Karana said in her usual sultry manner, “I’ll deliver it into your parents’ hands?”
That’s when I knew without a doubt there was something very wrong going on, because I wondered if my slut mate had to flirt with everyone she saw. Which was beyond ridiculous, and so completely wrong. It was that thought which shocked me. Not out of my anger, I was in a towering rage at that point, but at the same time I knew it wasn’t natural.
Regina’s comment had helped as well.
I sent my magic into Regina, if my head wasn’t so damn fogged with anger I’d have figured that out ten seconds ago, I didn’t have to check myself to check. The surge of rage I felt for the brothers temporarily erased thought, as I saw her mind was compromised. Not like alcohol, some kind of drug that filled her lungs and was in her bloodstream that modified personality, removed inhibitions, and raised negative emotions. It wasn’t a deadly drug, so the armor wasn’t automatically purging it. Some foreign organisms were necessary for a healthy human body, after all, so it wasn’t really defined.
Had the brothers drugged us all in the hopes we’d attack them? Some kind of aerosol attack on the trail when we came in? Perhaps it was some sort of truth drug with side effects? It would also explain why Karana hadn’t waited until we were in private to tease me, it would explain all the out of character behavior of my mates, and myself. Those idiots were playing a dangerous game, I could have easily killed them. If I hadn’t been a peaceful man, I would have, that’s how angry I was.
Of course, that’s what they’d been counting on, though I doubted they realized I would have killed them, easily.
I sent my magic into my armor, and then updated it so that the drug would be considered a poison in the future. When I was done, I felt my mind clear almost immediately, I also still felt very angry, but this time that anger was honest. I still felt stressed, tired, and irritated at the long day of silence as well. Nonetheless, I wasn’t angry at my mates anymore, just the twin princes. I sent my magic into my mates’ armor one at a time and made the same updates.
Of course, I’d done mine first on purpose, not out of selfishness but in case I made a mistake in my towering rage.
I hadn’t been listening for quite a while, concentrating on my magic instead, but I could see my mates slowly recover one by one, and shoot me a guilty look, as if they’d been thinking bad things about me. Which was fair, because I was thinking they were all worthless traitorous bitches earlier, and that’s the polite version of what’d been in my mind. I still couldn’t believe I’d had that thought about Karana.
I interrupted Arun, didn’t even try to hear what he was saying.
“Saria. Tell me,” I asked in a cold voice that promised death as I stared at the two piece of shit princes, “Is drugging someone considered assault in Lelmalond?”
Considering her mind had just cleared like the rest of ours, it didn’t take her long to put it together.
Saria bit out, “You bastards.”
Arun laughed, “Temper sister, who’s to say who might have done so? It could have been a misfortunate accident.”
Typical double talk, to avoid actually telling a lie. They didn’t actually say they were innocent, they’d only implied it.
Saria growled, “Leave, now.”
“Temper Saria,” Arun said warningly, “You have no authority over us.”
Another voice rang out softly, and in an elf that was a sign of impending violence.
“But I do. Brothers go home, or I may dig into the truth, and allow this visitor his revenge. That is an order. Our parents will not be pleased. Go, now.”
A familiar figure melted out of the shadows of a nearby tree. She looked much like Saria, but taller and more willowy than petite and curvy, and about a decade older, thirty or so. If she’d been human that is, in truth she was a hundred years older than her younger sister. She was in body conforming white robes, and looked a lot better than when I saw her last, about a month ago.
Arun said, “Sister…”
Desirae barked a word, and a wave of magic picked up both brothers and slammed them into the ground off the trail. Neither moved, and a moment later I gathered they couldn’t move.
I had to admit, I felt a petty surge of enjoyment.
Desirae snarled, “You dared to go against our parents’ edict, and managed to shame a man who was to be our honored guest, by inciting thoughtless words from his own mates? One of whom by the way is an ally and a member of the dark royal court, and the other a princess of Gritor, which makes it an act of war your imbeciles. Two acts of war, each against a different kingdom. Then you have the gall to disobey a direct order from me in front of the citizens of our city? You will stay there, on the ground, until morning as punishment for the stain of dishonor you bring to our family. I will hear no excuses, or denials.”
Karana looked away from me with a blush, and none of my mates could look me in the eye. Just what the fuck had they been thinking about me that they were that ashamed? I’d hoped with the drug gone things would get back to normal, but apparently not. Not that I wasn’t a bit ashamed at my own thoughts, but then I had managed to hold my tongue when they
hadn’t. Well, Regina had too, but the rest of them hadn’t.
Desirae turned to me, and said evenly, “Apologies brother. It must have been a hard journey, the first one through the forest usually is. We’ll get you to your suite, and you can meet my parents in the morning, after you’ve rested and recovered.”
“Thank you, sister. It is good to see you well.”
We started walking, and I sighed as my mates kept their distance. Not that they all usually hung all over me or anything, but at least Sianna and Regina usually walked much closer to me. They weren’t even close to being in my personal space, or each other’s for that matter. Which of course made me realize the truth, they were all ashamed about how they’d been thinking about and seeing each other as well, not just me.
Well look at that, everything wasn’t about me after all, I thought self-mockingly. Of course, their thoughts and anger hadn’t been confined to me, no more than mine had been confined to Karana.
Desirae asked curiously, “How did you know, people under the influence of that particular magical flower don’t think very clearly.”
I replied, “I’ve never been angry with my mates before, not really. But it wasn’t until Regina said something wasn’t right that I realized just how out of character we were all acting, and that it wasn’t just me feeling out of sorts. Once I pinpointed the cause, it was easy enough to purge it from our bodies. We’re also immune to it now, or at least, protected from it.”
Desirae looked surprised for a second, and then said, “I know a few mages who would love to gain that immunity, and they’d pay very well for a protection like that. It would make harvesting the magical flower a lot safer. It’s used for beneficial purposes after processing, it’s only the raw spores that will cause negative effects.”
I nodded, “I’d be pleased to make something like that before I leave. We can talk prices?”
Desirae laughed, “Tomorrow we’ll discuss business, and your visit here. Be careful, my brothers were foolish tonight, their anger made them appear stupid, but they’re not. Most men would have attacked them in anger, and only a flesh sculptor could have discerned and cleared the problem.”
Desirae seemed more relaxed than last I saw her, and it was a heartening thing to see. Of course, only Saria and Karana would know just how much progress she’d made, her brothers had said she was still broken. They were twits, but there was probably some truth in that.
Saria asked, “What brought you out?”
Desirae sighed, “I had a feeling they’d be up to something. They’ve been the most vocal against our parents’ decision to allow your mate in our forest. I’m afraid our family is just a small echo of the split inside the city at the decision. Though all are grateful for the gifts of the tree, and now the ring, not to mention our rescue sister, about half still believe that shouldn’t have changed our customary laws. They wanted to send him gifts back instead, along with thanks. When I realized our brothers had left the palace, I thought it prudent to check on them. They can act precipitously at times, I wish they’d grow up.”
Karana said, “Just imagine how much trouble they’ll be if they’re mages.”
Saria frowned, “I’m trying not to.”
If there was one good thing about coming to Lelmalond, it was that I more easily understood why Saria would give it up to stay with a me, a human. It wasn’t about me being human, it was about how close and trusting our relationship was, and is, I hoped. Once we got over that damned drug which seemed to have damaged that.
Chapter Fourteen
The trail twisted through the forest, and the small elven buildings nestled artfully among them. The trail led to the center of the city, and I paused as we walked into the extremely large meadow. The palace itself was the only building that didn’t blend in, at all, the only exception being they’d built it in a natural glade much like we had with our manor and school.
The palace was two stories tall, with the exception of the four spires on the corners which reached toward the sky. I wasn’t sure just how high they were, at least ten stories. It was entirely made of a light gray stone, though all the other buildings I’d seen had been wood.
The architecture was a bit alien compared to human castles, but it was still recognizably a palace, with several domes including a large one in the center. At a guess, it was close to seventy yards wide, and just as deep if not deeper. Hundreds must live there, probably a lot of other nobles besides the royal family, and servants.
I wondered where they got the stone.
Desirae said, “The bedrock, we raised it and carved it out with magic. It was very close to the surface, which is how this unusually large glade came to be in the first place, not much would grow there because the roots couldn’t spread.”
Damn, had I said that out loud? I must’ve been tired and worn out.
The elven palace was as elaborately decorated as a human one, except with life, not art. Or not just art. There were paintings here and there, but on the whole, it was shaped and pruned trees, bushes, and other flora that decked the halls of the palace. The corridors were more rounded than they were straight, giving it a more organic feel, but also a confusing one. I was completely lost and doubted I could find the front door by the time we reached our suite of rooms.
Desirae nodded to us as she opened our door, “Someone will be by in the morning with breakfast, and shortly after to take you to the throne room. Have a good night, and welcome to Lelmalond.”
She said the last with a little irony, and then left us after we entered the suite.
The front room was filled with elaborately carved wooden furniture, though none of it was upholstered they were fairly similar to human tables, chairs, and couches. I wondered if linens were rare in the elven cities, they probably didn’t have all that many sheep in the forest. It might be a good trading good for humans to sell them for the rare and exotic items that Laya could provide.
There was only one bedroom, which was more than fine.
I was pleased to see the bed was an exception, the mattress looked thick, and the sheets appeared to be a silk, rather than a wool. At touching it, I realized it was, just like Karana’s robes. Maybe all the elves wore either silk, leather, or the organic armor, simply because they had no access to cotton or wool. The bed was also large enough to easily accommodate the five of us comfortably. There was a large tub in the corner, I didn’t see any pipes, but that wouldn’t be a problem with three mages and myself, who could all use magic to fill and warm the tub. I imagined Oceana could as well, but I never asked her to use her magic except in our defense and to hide. I still felt a bit uncomfortable about that relationship without empathy at times.
There was a cedar wardrobe that was quite large, almost covering one entire wall with four separate double doors, and was about three feet deep, with draws on the bottom. We all started to unpack.
Unpack in the tense silence that is, which was killing me, and felt completely unnatural and wrong between us.
I said softly, “It was the flower spores. I don’t know what thoughts you all had about me, or each other, and I don’t want to know. It doesn’t matter, because it wasn’t you. It also wasn’t some deep inner truth the drugs let out, it twisted and perverted your minds, not just lowered your inhibitions. I love all of you, and I hate what was done to us. It’s far more pervasive and damaging than a physical wound. We were all… violated. You weren’t weak, you didn’t fail me or your sister mates, the forest is dangerous, remember?”
In a lot of ways, that drug made Saria’s brothers the equal of King Hanson. One used sculptor magic to enslave and modify the mind, they’d used drugs to twist our minds with murder on theirs. Not just to embarrass me, or put a rift between us as they had, but in the hope that they could incite me to violence and they could kill me in a way they wouldn’t be punished for. Outside of me, there was no one that could have discovered the truth of the spores. Was there a moral difference? I didn’t see one, and that told me all I needed to kn
ow about the brothers. I liked Desirae a lot, and I had hopes I’d like her parents, but her brothers were already dead to me. If there was a way I could withhold the gift of my mage finding ring from their use, I would have taken it. But there wasn’t, I’d already made it a gift, weeks ago, only their parents could do that, and what parent would?
I finished unpacking among the continued silence, and the uncomfortable glances of doubt and self-loathing my mates exchanged. I guessed this would be the second night in a row without intimacies, because I sure as fuck wasn’t in the mood, and neither were they. I considered the bathtub, and I let loose a cleaning spell instead. It made my skin feel raw, but it was clean of dirt and sweat as were the clothes I started to take off and then put in the drawer.
Then I crawled into the bed under the haunted eyes of my mates, and I tried to find sleep. I felt sick inside at the silence, and at the way they must’ve been feeling to keep that shame filled silence in the face of my forgiveness and plea on their behalf. I’d tried to open a dialog and fix it, but I couldn’t force it. They’d obey if I forced the issue, I could make them talk about it, or just make them get in the bed and cuddle with me, but that in itself would make it worse, make them resentful, and things were bad enough as it was. They had to come to terms with it on their own, and while I was more forgiving of myself, well aware of what drugs could do to a mind as a doctor, I still had my own guilt to deal with.
Karana, was a sweet loving mate I adored, and I’d thought of her as a slut? I was the only man who’d ever touched her in that way, and I loved her flirty sensuous demeanor. That would haunt me for a long time, and I’d had other uncomfortable thoughts about all my mates, though none so egregious as that.
Also, I was tired, it had been a long walk through wilderness, under stress, and the bed was soft, the silk sheets were warm and felt like decadently soft caresses against my skin. I was physically, mentally, and thanks to the nitwits, emotionally exhausted, as well as comfortable and warm.
