There's Trust In These Wings
1. The Meeting
The Amber Castle was not as its name would suggest. The bricks were black formed from the nutrient rich soil of the Marshes and the dark sands near the twin volcanoes that lined the border between the kingdom of Ko-gane and the Galra Empire. It was not a pretty black but for a strong stone worked almost into a metal by dragon fire it was malleable. The towers of the Amber Castle curved sensually, each topped with a dolloped shape hat of rose gold that was the real namesake of the castle. There were nine. The largest and most bulbous was stationed in the middle of the castle, a spotting post for the royals and their advisors. Surrounding that were the towers for each of the four quadrants of their government. The ruler's men stayed in one, the consort's in the other, then one for the military and traders, those that dealt with the people, and one for the bookkeepers and magic users, those that dealt with knowledge. The last four were the tallest, but the skinniest, barely an S line in their shape, but they didn't need the fancy architecture to do their jobs. They were guard posts.
A young Ko knight stood guard at the Northernmost tower. He lazily twirled a small knife in one hand while a large saw-toothed sword weighed down his belt not small enough for his waist, but caught on his hips, a shield with the Ko-gane crest of a red lion resting on the tower wall beside him. It was a boring day for a knight, at least for a knight such as Keith, guard of Ko-gane Prince Commander Shiro. Keith had been born into fighting as had the last twenty or more generations of Ko-gane people. For something lasting so long, Keith dared not call it a war, at least it had not been recently. So few casualties had been presented over the last few decades, but it was fighting nonetheless. A quiet was good. Or it should be.
If Keith squinted, he could catch the glint from the crystals of the Altean southernmost watch spire off in the Altean Kingdom to their North. Keith had never actually been to Altea, but he had met many Alteans in battle in the Woods and Marshes and Plains that separated their two kingdoms and rolled eastwards to the unknown, battles that destroyed the very land they were battling for. It was said that once the Ko-gane Kingdom ruled all of the known world, but from the north came a great snowstorm that destroyed many of their crops and lands and the original Ko were forced to flee south until they reached the desert lands. Hungry, they fought back against their intruders, but the intruders would not stay their weapons and so the Ko-gane people learned magic, the magic of fire. The Alteans had much the same story on how the fighting between the kingdom of Ice Masters and the kingdom of Fire Masters started. Keith did not care anymore about who invaded who, many young soldiers didn't, it was the years of battling that made them bitter against the Alteans enough to believe in old tales. However, the lands between both kingdoms had flourished even through all the fighting. Those they called the Builders could have united their tribes and risen up to overcome at least one kingdom, but they were appalled by war.
Besides, a larger issue had risen
Keith turned his head to the west. A fortress as dark as the Ko-gane castle had been built before either masters knew. At first, they had been unconcerned with the new invaders until all the Builders' lands of the west were enveloped by them. A cloud of darkness had grown bigger and bigger where the sun set. After a few years, a castle tower could be seen throught the strongest of the observatory telescopes when the swirling darkness grew thin. It was that layer on the horizon that told Keith the Galra Empire was still there, waiting. They had already started making moves, attacking when the Masters were too busy with each other. The Galra could not be ignored any longer. The fighting between the Masters needed to stop and so they had a day of calm.
With a sigh, Keith pulled away from the ledge of the tower. He stopped spinning his knife around and cradled it between both hands. It glittered with the morning sun newly washed of blood and sharpened. Keith moved a thumb across the purple jewel that encrusted its hilt before slipping it into its sheath beside his sword. Today was an important day. Both the Ice Masters and Fire Masters had agreed to a truce and to form a treaty within that period. Everyone knew they needed to fight together to defeat the Galra, but with so much bad blood between them, there would have to be much compromising. One person from each side were to meet in the main gardens of the Olkari Woods located in the dead middle of the Builders' lands between the two fighting kingdoms and exchange each kingdom's wishes. The Altean kingdom was being slow, but Keith had not yet heard who would be representing their own side. He had been stuck on watch tower duty all day as his charge, Prince Commander Shiro, was stuck deliberating their wants with the other diplomats of Ko-gane.
"Lord Keith, you're to see King Akira," a soldier called from the door of the tower, saluting, every piece of his uniform to regime unlike the knights who wore what felt most comfortable to them when outside of official battles.
"Is the Commander there?" Keith asked tightening the fasten on one of his hide gloves.
"Of course, Lord Keith. Our Prince Commander would not dare leave his father's side without his protector," the soldier tease.
It was a joke, Keith understood that, a jab at the fact he had always been close to the third prince of Ko-gane and the Commanding officer of the Ko army. Such words were unnecessary and Keith had no business doing unnecessary things. He moved past the soldier and down the winding staircases of the tower. It would have been quicker to fly, but today was a day of rest and that included animals of war.
A long walk later Keith found himself outside of the grand meeting hall. The soldiers outside took one look at him, first sneering until being reminded of Keith's position by the glare he sent to them. They opened the door and announced Keith's arrival.
"Ah, young Keith, you've appeared," the king said and met Keith halfway, an arm stretched out in greeting, gripping Keith's shoulder. There was a brightness in his eyes that put Keith on edge, but also made him excited.
"I came as soon as I was called," Keith said bowing his head, careful not to break the king's touch as that would be seen as rude and he would not be seen as rude before the three princes and Queen Consort Fala.
Behind the king and a grand table stood the rest of the royal family and a few advisors. The Queen Consort stood beautiful in a pink dress, blonde hair tied up, but she was starting to look old just like the king. However, the three men beside her were in their prime. Prince Heir Sven was a fair looking man with a decent demeanor much like the king had now and Keith knew many of the young soldiers and knights adored him. The second prince looked like another version of Sven but smaller and younger. Then there was Prince Commander Shiro who resembled both his brothers, but stood out amongst them with a scar across his nose, bangs losing pigment and turning white, and then his metal arm, all reminders of his time spent as a Galra prisoner back when Keith had been too young to be his protector, back before they had taken the Galra threat seriously
"Of course you did," said the king, "but now you will have to shower and I do hope you won't be late."
"Late to where, your majesty?" Keith asked.
"To the Olkari Woods, of course," the king said. "We have chosen you as our representative."
Keith's eyes widened and he immediately sent a glance toward the Prince Commander. Where they sending the prince and he was just a guard or where they just sending him? Who would guard the youngest prince?
Shiro only gave Keith a soft look almost like pride. Yes, this was an honorable thing to do, be the kingdom's representative for a peace treaty with the Alteans, but what if…
The king stepped away from Keith and shook his head. "If you are worried about your duties, do not fear. We have decided to widen your leash on Prince Shiro. As one of our best knights and best dragon rider, your efforts can be used better elsewhere. Prince Shiro will stay here in the castle walls while you discuss with the Alteans' man about our demands. From there, we will decide where we are sending our military forces."
Keith felt nervous. He had been sixteen when Shiro had been captured. The prince, not yet Prince Commander, had found favor in Keith and often came to train him personally. It had been a whole year before Shiro had somehow managed to stumbled back to them, memories blended and chopped and missing his right arm, replaced with a mechanical fraud. Builders had manipulated the arm as best they could in order to learn about it, but it had still taken another year before Prince Shiro had been able to use his new arm properly and go back to training. Keith had been eighteen when he was hired to watch over the youngest prince. Initially, it was because of his bond with a quick and agile red dragon that could easily maneuver around Shiro's grand black monstrosity in the air while the prince relearned his riding signs, but as Shiro gained his status as Commander, Keith was kept on because he had proven himself time after time to be trustworthy in battle at the prince's side.
Keith reveled in that trust. He did not think he could stand another heartbreak like the one when Shiro had disappeared.
Red was not happy to be woken. Between the military tower and the east tower was the Dragon Lair. It was a small building in one of the training courtyards that led deep underground where rocks sweated the farther the descent. Once past the maze of winding paths, the cave's entrance loomed ahead wide enough for a Black. It overlooked a hot springs that was the home of the Ko-gane dragons. Not all had formed a bond with a rider, but all old enough to fight would fight for them or more specifically, for Prince Commander Shiro's Black. Keith had past the large ebony creature with a strip of gold on each wing as he had made his way to his own dragon's lair. She was a giant monstrosity that even Keith had been frightened to hold eye contact with and that was after Shiro and the creature had bonded.
"Down girl, I know you thought you could rest, but we have work," Keith told his dragon who was puffing out small bursts of smoke from her nose in agitation as Keith slapped on a riding saddle and harness. Keith wouldn't tell her that he was happy to have some work to do other than staring north at the Ice Masters crystal towers, barely but a speck on the horizon. Red knew, though.
"Alright, all saddled up. I promise to oil your scales with the fancy stuff when we get back," Keith said and placed a gloved hand against her face.
She nuzzled against Keith's hand and let out a hissing purr.
Keith had been thirteen when he had impressed upon a dragon. He had been an official soldier in training for a year when the Consort's pet Red had laid her first clutch. The small Red had managed four eggs, each an odd color for a Red's eggs to be. They were half-breeds and no one knew exactly who had fathered them, but all the young soldiers were eager to impress upon one. They had gathered nine of the best young soldiers who had been training on their higher up's dragons and Keith. Keith had won a contest against his other in-training comrades to participate. He had immediately went to the largest of the eggs no larger than a dresser. Each dragon had hatched into a red dragonling of various shades of red larger than most Reds were. Only two of them picked a soldier to bond with, the other immediately started looking for it's mother unimpressed with either being flown or just with what was presented to it. Most soldiers bonded with a dragon simply by going to the hot springs and standing before them hoping not to be eaten by the dragons that found interest in them. Keith had always assumed that was how he would go from being a soldier to being a knight. Being able to witness the birth of dragons had been enough of a reward for him, but then the largest of the eggs had hatched and the reddest of Reds was born. It was much too big to be a usual Red dragonling, but when Red had turned her head to Keith with oil slick eyes glowing with excitement, Keith had fallen in love.
No amount of teasing could ever take away from the fact that Keith had a dragon before he was even a full soldier, that he wouldn't even need to go through soldier training once he was old enough. He was a knight even if his dragon wasn't a pureblood. In that sense, they had something in common.
Red was sleek. She wasn't serpent like like Greens were, but built more like a cat and flew with the same speed and elegance which made up for her lack of power. Keith loved flying on her. He was good because he was reckless and Red's flying ability made it easy to be reckless.
Emerging through the trees of the Olkari Woods into a small clearing in a flurry of red scales certainly made for an entrance. Keith pulled his riding helmet off and dismounted from Red in one smooth jump. Red shook herself of twigs and leaves ignoring the Olkari Builders that came to take her to a nearby Forest Lair where they kept Dracolisks, cousins to dragons and made for long rides and glides, and the few Greens some of the native tribe's Builders had impressed upon that preferred the trees and the suns in the plains to the hot springs in Ko-gane.
"Ko Lord, we greet you," said one of the Olkari Elders, a Chief Ryner.
Keith bowed his head to her in respect. "I have come to meet with the representative of the Altean Kingdom to compromise on a peace treaty with my own kingdom in the Olkari Gazebo."
"Oh, Lance is going to have a field day with this guy," someone commented from the side.
Keith turned to see a young ginger haired Builder over by the lair wearing riding clothes, the under cloth green. One of the Builder's Green riders, Keith presumed.
"Pidge, don't rile him up, they're here for peace. You already know Lance will do enough of that. I can't believe Regent Advisor Coran picked him," said another Builder beside the first. This one was larger and wore riding clothes as well in yellow. A Gold rider and one from a plains tribe by the natural tan look his skin had.
Keith looked away from them not in the mood for antics. He was here for a peace treaty, not to be a source of entertainment for whoever this Lance was. He turned to the Olkari elder as Red was guided into the Lair. "Will I be allowed a Dracolisk to take to the Gazebo?"
"There will be no need for that, my lord. The walk is short. Those two knights will lead you," the elder said pointing at the two gossiping Builders.
So they were dragon riders. Keith excused himself from the elder and approached them. "Shall we head to the Gazebo?"
The Green rider moved away from the lair and grinned. They had spectacles and looked to be just older than Keith had been when he had first ridden Red.
"Hi, I'm Pidge," the Green rider said and held out a hand.
Keith toko the hand frowning at the fit of the hide glove on the other rider's hand. It was much too large, but old as if passed down. "I am Keith. It is good to meet you...Lord Pidge."
The rider smiled. "I'm a Builder, no one calls you like that here. I like it, though."
"Shouldn't it be Lady Pidge then?" the Gold rider asked.
Pidge reached out a booted foot and smashed it down on the other rider's foot causing him to hiss in pain. "If he says Lord than it's Lord, Hunk."
"Right, whatever you say Lord Pidge, just don't stomp on me again. You've got a lot of spunk for someone so small."
So the Gold rider was called Hunk. And Pidge was female. It didn't matter. A dragon rider was a knight and a knight was a lord. It didn't matter to Keith either way.
"Shall we head off to the Gazebo then?" Keith asked again.
"Yes, but the Altean's' representative hasn't shown up yet, so I think I'll stay back here and lead him there. I'm sure he won't be much longer," said Hunk.
"Fine, leave me with the angry looking Ko," Pidge grumbled then started to walk waving Keith to follow.
The trek was silent. Keith didn't often come to any of the Builders' lands unless it was to fight. He always missed the beauty of the foliage when his attention was better spent on trying not to die or keeping Shiro safe. Usually, he was in the air anyways, dive bombing with trails of fire from Red. Fire that burned up all the emerald plants and dressed the trunks of trees with soot. Keith didn't even want to think about the flowers in the plains. They rarely fought in the marshes. Too damp for fire magic.
"It's funny that both kingdoms chose a young pretty boy to represent them," the Green rider said after a few minutes of walking. "I wonder if they were each hoping to dazzle the others representative with something pretty to look at."
"I'm a Knight," Keith protested. "I am Prince Commander Shiro's Right Hand."
"I'm sure you are," Pidge said so softly, Keith almost didn't hear her.
"What was that?"
"Nothing, nothing. Man, you two have a lot more in common than I thought."
Keith chose to walk closer instead of falling behind. He wasn't interested in hearing more comments from the Green rider and hoped shortening their proximity would keep them quiet.
It wasn't much longer before they arrived at the building. The Olkari Gazebo was a large octagonal structure made with a frame of lumber and decorated with winding tree limbs and vines. It appeared enclosed, but Keith could see the fires lit inside flicker between the branches. It was charming, Keith thought, even more so when he followed Pidge in and saw all the furniture also made out of branches and things that grew in the Builders' lands. They were beautiful.
"This is it. Before you sit, I need to take your weapons," the Green rider said and held out a hand.
Keith frowned, but understood. This was supposed to be an area dedicated to peace. He removed his shield from his back and took off his belt that housed his sword and dagger in their respective sheaths. Pidge took them, bowed, and went to stand guard outside the Gazebo. Now left alone, Keith grew irritable. He didn't want to wait long for the Altean representative. He had flown so he could be here just on time, the walk calculated in and everything. He knew that there could be a five minute difference between clocks and thought to give the Ice Master ten minutes to get here before he really started getting annoyed. He took the seat on the south most end so Ko-gane was behind him.
Fifteen minutes. It took fifteen minutes for the Altean representative to show. And he didn't come stumbling in out of breath and apologizing for being late. No, he came in after spending another two minutes making jokes with both Lord Pidge and the Gold rider that had walked him here. When the representative did finally walk into the Gazebo, Keith made sure to catch his eye with a glare, but the Ice Master had the audacity to uphold his grin and even wink at Keith.
"Wow, I hope Fire Masters can't burn people with just their eyes or else I'd be a crisp lord," the Ice Master said taking his seat in the northernmost chair opposite of Keith.
"You're late," Keith said and dug out a rolled up stack of paper from his jacket.
The Ice Master just tossed a folder with a miss mash of papers towards the middle of the table. "I'm Lord Lance of Altea, Blue Knight, and Heir Princess Allura's main squeeze."
Keith decided it was polite enough to just roll the papers across the table towards the Ice Master as he reached out to gather the other representative's part of the treaty. "Main squeeze?"
The Ice Master, Lord Lance, picked up the rolled up bundle of papers and started to unravel them. "Protector, I'm her Right Hand. You?"
Keith sat back in his chair and started organizing the folder. "Lord Keith of Ko-gane, Red Knight, and Prince Commander Shiro's Right Hand."
"So we're the same," the Ice Master said looking over the papers bored.
Keith wasn't so sure about them being the same. This Ice Master did seem about Keith's age. His skin was tanned from the reflective sunlight on the snow or just from genes, Keith did not know, but it looked like he kept his skin condition in check. His brown hair was kept short and groomed nothing like Keith's own fluff of hair where he just chopped at whatever was in his eyes and didn't bother trying to keep it from puffing up in the heat. He looked very much like what Keith would think a princess' protector would look like, but Keith could see scars on one of his hands and callouses on both. The jacket he wore seemed thick and warm, but from the placement of some of those callouses, Keith could imagine trained muscles in his arms. An archer perhaps.
Lance looked up then. "Did you finish reading already?"
"N-no," Keith responded and immediately went back to his papers. There was a chuckle, but he ignored it. After a few minutes, Keith slid the file back over to Lance across the table. "I'm ready when you are."
Lance rolled Keith's papers back up and shot them across the table so they landed just shy of Keith's reach without laying himself across the table almost climbing onto it.
Lance whistled. "Man, you're flexible. Let's get moving on all this peace treaty stuff, though."
Keith sent a glare the Ice Master's way as he righted himself. Quickly, though, he cleared his throat. "The Ko-gane Kingdom proposes two major parts to this treaty. First, is that we split the Builders' plains, marshes, forests, and plateaus equally. Neither kingdom truly remembers who originally had control over them and the Builders are already thriving here peacefully trading with both our kingdoms. The Second is a marriage. We would like one of high standing in your kingdom to marry one with high standing in ours."
Lance rolled his head from side to side before standing. "Right, here's our counter. The Altean Kingdom would rather give the lands to the Builders. We both have plenty of lands and it would be unfair for the Builders to have to divide themselves. Their elders can sign new trade agreements with us as well as ally with us against the Galra. As for the marriage, we had a similar thought. The princess is our only heir and is preparing to rise to Queen. Her advisors would like for her to have a consort. Perhaps one of the three princes find fancy in her?"
Keith nodded. "We have heard the princess is beautiful and strong. I will report back to my King and his advisors and ask about the land dispute and come back with their chosen perspectives for the princess."
"Well, if that's all," Lance said and reached above his head with a stretch and a yawn, "I will be heading back. Let us meet here again tomorrow at the same time with a final decision."
"Agreed. It is best for us all if we quickly come to some semblance of peace with the Galra Empire sneaking ever closer."
"Yeah, Princess Allura really hates the Galra."
Keith scoffed and looked towards the west. He could imagine why.
"Hey, Keithy boy."
Keith jumped suddenly feeling someone beside him. Lance stood there with his hand held out, one finely trimmed brow raised over a small but very blue eye. Keith hadn't noticed how blue the Ice Master's eyes were. Were all Ice Master's eyes so blue? He'd seen many blue eyes on the battlefield, all glazed over and lifeless.
"Ready to shake on it?" Lance asked.
Keith stared down at the hand then reached out and took it. He could feel every callous over the uncovered parts of his gloved hands, they were rougher than Keith had thought. And yet, Lance's shake was gentle.
"See ya later Lord Mullet," the Ice Master said as he left the Gazebo.
Lord Mullet? Keith lifted a hand to his hair and sighed.
Keith took the long way back to the Amber Castle. They flew over the meadows in the east where a large lake flowed into the only river in the Ko-gane kingdom. It barely managed to cut between two mountains and disappear into one of the oasis in the eastern desert of Ko-gane. That one section of river was the only river K-gane had. The only other water sources were the random oasis that sparsely littered their desert lands and the hot springs, most of which were home to dragons and it was difficult to take their water even for those who were bonded. They had wells, but no one was ever sure how long each would last. It was only the land where the Amber Castle stood that was fruitful. And thankfully, there was enough land around the castle for most of the population to live. The Builders' lands were imperative to the survival of the Ko people. Keith wasn't sure how King Akira would take to the Alteans wanting to give the land to the Builders in full, but they needed this peace treaty. Keith could only assume it was the same for both sides.
Red dropped Keith off at the North facing tower in a literal sense. There was netting strewn from the north tower to the Master's Tower, where the Fire Masters studied along with other scholars, for the dragonettes to sunbathe and play on. Fire masters in training liked to keep dragonettes as pets, small lizard like creatures that usually just lazed in the sun or skittered around people's feet tripping them with affectionate hisses, scales changing colors to match in with their surroundings. He rolled along the netting and towards the Master's Tower almost barrelling into a cuddled group of young dragonettes that hissed at him as he went by. He jumped to his feet before reaching the roof of the Master's Tower and tried to keep his balance as he walked to the edge of the net. It would have been easier if he was in street clothes or his full military riding gear that hugged and moved with his form. He still managed to jump down from the net and swing himself onto the roofing surrounding the towers without getting snagged on anything.
As a child, Keith use to get in trouble for using roofs as streets, but it was that trouble that got him recruited for the military on a day trip to the Ko-gane capital. His father had not been ecstatic about it, but it was all they could really hope for coming from one of the poorer camps in the western deserts of Ko-gane so close to the threat of Galra attacks. Now, though, Keith was just chastised for messing around, but no one could deny that he certainly got places quicker this way.
Before Keith knew it, he was at the main council room door again, the King and his advisors still inside. They were seated this time when Keith walked in, all except for the princes and a few of the advisors' assistants. When they noticed him, Keith bowed low.
"I apologize if you have waited long," Keith said.
"Not at all," King Akira said. "We're actually surprised you have come back so soon."
They did seem genuinely surprised even though Keith had taken the long way around. "Well, the Altean representative was quick with his words."
"So they were serious as well, that is splendid," King Akira said. "So, how did the compromising go?"
Keith handed over the rolled up papers he had received. "There was a disagreement on the major point of the treaty. The Alteans would rather give the Builder lands to the Builders on the condition that the Builders sign an alliance with us as well as trade agreements."
"And what of the other major point?" King Akira asked as he looked over the papers. The Blue rider had scribbled in them, Keith knew, only a few points having anything that pertained to the actual information in the papers.
"They seem to be on the same page as us with the marriage. Actually, they would like to find a Consort for the Heir Princess. They would like for her consort to be one of the three princes," Keith said and immediately turned to study the faces of the princes. The eldest prince was calm, a look of acceptance in his demeanor. The second prince was red, embarrassed. And Shiro, Shiro looked intrigued.
"Well, it won't be Sven," said the Queen Consort Fala. "Sven is our heir and the best Fire Master of his generation on top of being one of the only Blue riders among our Knights."
"I agree. King Consort Alfor's rule may still live on in his words, but this Princess Allura will soon take her crown. I suppose that is why they want her to have a consort. She is the only child of the past queen after all, heirs will be needed," King Akira said
"Shiro can't go because he's the army's commander," Ryou said and stepped forward. "I will go then."
"No, it should be me," Shiro said and stepped forward.
No, no it shouldn't be him. Keith thought Ryou was right. They needed Shiro to lead their armies. He was Prince Commander. Besides, after all he had been through, the King couldn't just ship his youngest son off to be just a rod for childbearing.
"Shiro, think of your place," the king warned.
"I am thinking of my place," Shiro said. "I may be the Commander, but we have more than enough generals qualified to take over that title. I only have it because I am a third son of the crown. I am dispensable. Brother Sven doesn't have a lover yet, but he is heir and he does so much for the people. And, Ryou, we all know you have a lover. I know of your relations with her. What if a scare was not a scare, how would you explain that once you were engaged to Princess Allura?"
Prince Ryou looked away ashamed. "I...would prefer to marry my lover over Princess Allura though I have heard the Altean princess is beautiful."
"Exactly. Also, King Consort Alfor was the commander of his army and we all know what the Galra troops did to him and his knights. They're gone and so is half the Altean army. I can help rebuild them so they are ready to take up arms against the Galra. It would be beneficial to our fight if I was to become Commander Consort of Altea. I already know who would be the best general to take over for Ko-gane and he has much more experience than I."
King Akira stood and walked over to Keith. "So we have come to a conclusion on that issue then, so go and rest yourself, Lord Keith. You will have to take our revised treaty back to the Altean representative tomorrow."
King Akira's hand grasped Keith's shoulder and Keith felt the weight of it drain him. "Are you really sending Prince Commander Shiro to become Consort Prince in Altea?"
"Yes, and you," King Akira said.
"Me?" Keith asked.
The king smiled and squeezed harder. "I promised never to let my youngest son be alone again, did I not. And you made the same promise back."
Keith bowed his head. He had made that promise and he did not wish to break it. He would go with Shiro and live with the Alteans.
The thought made Keith shiver.
