Celestia's Tales: The Lybiria Scales
Page 26
'May I speak with you?'
Bri looked away from the cabin window and saw Surrial standing in the doorway. His large frame filled the room, causing it to seem darker than it was. A feeling of peace and warmth flowed over her causing her to sigh and she guessed he had worked some of his own magick.
'Of course, sit down,' she said, moving to one side for him.
Sitting down beside her, she noticed his face was filled with concern, something she had never thought she would see when he looked at her.
'What's on your mind?' she asked.
'I was going to ask you the same question,' he answered.
'I don't know what you mean,' Bri said turning her eyes away from him.
'The choice you made must have left you with a lot to think about,' he said.
'I made the right choice,' she answered absently.
'You do not sound convinced.'
This time Bri looked him in the eye. 'I made the right choice,' she repeated.
She could feel a warm aura envelop her even more and she knew he was trying to ease her pain. For that she was grateful.
'My lady, may I be honest with you?' Surrial asked trying a different tact.
She nodded, surprised that he had addressed her so formally.
'I had very little respect for you in the beginning. I had heard stories of your unruly behaviour and cavalier attitude towards your kingdom, however, I have had to accept that you are my lord’s betrothed and will be my High Queen. But recently I have seen something in you that’s changed my mind about you and I have nothing but respect for you.'
Bri smiled at his honesty. 'I'm not sure how to respond,' she said.
'It is a compliment, I am trying to make peace with you,' Surrial answered.
'I suppose you want me to be just as honest with you too?' Surrial shrugged at her.
Bri sighed. 'OK, well, I chose Xander because I knew Orlson would survive and that is the only reason.'
'You love him don't you?' Surrial said suddenly.
Bri defensively sat up straight. 'What do you mean?' she spluttered.
Surrial smiled at her and for a moment she could have sworn she had seen Orlson sat there with the same smile in his eyes.
'Everybody sees it, my lady. Even my lord,' he answered.
'I've tried to...' she started, but Surrial held his hand up to stop her.
'This is not a faerie tale. It is naive to believe you and my lord would fall in love at first sight. And as you no doubt know, his heart belongs to the faerie princess, Dorcas.'
'I know... I know,' Bri said softly. 'But my feelings for Orlson are irrelevant. He is no prince and also Xander and I are bound. A wizard’s bind cannot be broken.'
Surrial turned away from her and gazed out of the window. The nearer they were getting to Nepta the more foreboding the sky seemed to look. It seemed significant that it matched the ship’s mood.
'I'm sure you and my lord will learn to build on your strengthening partnership and make this world great,' he said quietly.
‘We will,’ Bri whispered, but inside she was unsure.
She always believed herself to be so strong, but now she’d never felt weaker or less confident. This whole trip was stripping her bare and she wasn’t sure what else there was to give.
The sky had started to glow red as they approached Nepta. The volcanic peak was firing out lava and sparks like an angry god and Xander could feel the heat of the sea air warm around him. His eyes were already stinging with the sulphur that had been thrown into the air and his chest felt tight.
Inside, he ached at Briganti’s choice and the pain he knew she was feeling at having made it. His initial attraction for her now had given way to merely an understanding that one would have for a close friend or a sister. A love so much greater and deeper.
He had run it around his head many times, how could they break this bond their parents had bound them with? Then he would be able to marry Dorcas, but Briganti could never have Orlson. A Queen had to marry a royal, that was the law. However, he feared that because she had chosen to save him over Orlson the relationship she had with her guardian would now be destroyed forever.
Eyes shouted something, but the wind carried his voice from Xander's ears, but not from Clues who responded by yelling to the First and the Second to prepare to dock. He saw Briganti come from her cabin, followed closely by Surrial.
He knew Surrial did not really approve of Briganti, though he could not help but notice the change in their body language. What had happened for Surrial to suddenly change his mind about her? Making his way towards them, he saw she had seemed to have calmed down and she even offered him a smile.
'Is everything alright?' he asked Surrial as she moved past them.
'She is just worried about Orlson,' Surrial lied.
Xander knew his guard was not going to tell him any more and decided to change the subject.
'What do you think is going to happen once we land at Nepta?' he asked.
‘I have no idea my lord. But you should not worry, Dryad is just one man,' Surrial answered.
'He may be one man, Surrial. But he is one man who has caused all this chaos and cost me my parents.'
Surrial looked down at his prince and saw him through different eyes. He was starting to come into his own on this journey. He had grown from the prince who spent days and nights partying and bedding faes, to a king who cared about his land, and it seemed the roles had now been reversed as Briganti was starting to struggle emotionally.
Bri opened the weapons chest and mentally tried to decide who was best to use what. She then pushed her hand deeper and pulled out a large piece of rolled up velvet. Carefully unwrapping it, she released her father’s sword out from its protective sheaf and saw with satisfaction the blade shining and glowing from the fires of Nepta.
The golden swan-shaped hilt felt warm as it shone in the light. It made her think about her father, and she ached to just see him one last time. He would have known what to do in this situation. He would have been her strength, strength she was unsure now she even possessed. Aware that she had no time to grieve for him now, she was not even sure when she would ever have the time.
And then there was Orlson. Would he ever be able to forgive her or would that be the end for them both? Was it really time to say goodbye?
The crew coming towards her disturbed her thoughts and she quickly began to distribute swords and pistols to those that needed them. Bri instructed the Trio to unite and they surprised everyone by doing as she asked with no argument. It was as though they all could sense the impending doom that awaited them.
Xander stood beside her as he waited for her to hand him some form of weaponry, and when she didn’t he asked her why.
‘Because you don’t need one,’ she answered.
‘Why not?’ he asked.
‘You and Surrial have magick. We don’t.’
Xander nodded uneasily. He was not that confident with his magick and would have preferred a sword, although he was not too good with either one of them.
Bri turned to face everyone, all standing in a line awaiting her instruction. She could feel the weight of expectancy from them, causing her to roll her shoulders slowly, as though they hurt from the weight upon them. It was her job to convince them they were going to survive this, and that was a hard task since she was unsure whether they were going to survive at all.
‘Dryad is no doubt expecting us, which means salamanders will be what we are up against. That’s going to be where you come in,’ she nodded toward Surrial and Xander. ‘Now I also suspect he may have the help of the psyrens and so Orlson will no doubt have been dumped here. So Clues and Decks, you both can see if you can track him down, and I will take the Trio.’
With everyone clear on each other’s roles, they prepared the ship to dock at the foot of the black silt sand that was Dryad’s island.
Chapter Twenty-Three
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