On Broken Wings
Chapter One
The sun was intensely shining the day Folken Fanel came to Asturia. Princess Eries Aston had been in the drawing room with her sister when she heard the commotion. Men ran by the door, yelling to each other as they briskly headed to the throne room, but it was Millerna who had gone to the door first. Eries' curiosity was usually subdued by her calm demeanor. She didn't let excitement get to her. When others panicked and ran about, she was able to remain calm and observe everything—the events causing the panic, the reaction of those it affected, the atmosphere that it created… everything. It was something she prided herself on. It was probably one of the reasons her father respected her so, despite her retraction of her right to succession. She had kept a level head, even when he became angry, reasoning her way through her arguments. He had been angry for several days, that was unavoidable. But he had come to her, accepting her arguments and transferring the right of succession to Millerna.
"Dryden?" Millerna called, stepping into the hallway. Dryden paused, wrapping a hand beneath Millerna's outstretched arm and resting it on her elbow. Eries knew that the marriage had been against Millerna's wishes. That Dryden was against her wishes. But Millerna was trying, and it constantly reminded Eries why she had refused the throne and refused to accept marriage proposals. Despite her obvious feelings for Allen, Millerna cared about Dryden, and that complicated the relationship—she didn't love him, didn't want to be with him. But he was good to her, good for her, and thus, she didn't want to hurt him. Stuck in an endless spiral of emotions. Stuck, wanting what she wanted, getting nothing of the sort, and all the while trying to make everyone around her happy. Eries felt a twinge of guilt for having forced this upon her younger sister.
"Millerna," Dryden said with a smile. Eries appreciated that, even though something was urgent, he took the time to pause and address his wife.
"What's this commotion?" Millerna asked.
"It seems Zaibach's Strategos has defected," Dryden said calmly.
"What?!" Millerna gasped, placing her hand over her heart. Eries rose from her chair, placing her tea on a side table and flattening out her dresses. She approached slowly, Dryden bowing his head as she did.
"Yes," Dryden replied. "And what's more, he has requested asylum here in Asturia."
Anxiety welled in Eries' mind. Could it be a trap? Was he attempting to spy on Asturia for Zaibach? Was he simply trying to get inside their high walls, and compromise them from within?
"Do you trust that it is no ruse?" Eries asked calmly. Millerna and Dryden both turned to look at her. "This could be a trap—if he attempts to infiltrate us."
"Yes, my thoughts exactly, Princess," Dryden said. "That's why an emergency session has been called. We're going to meet with him, try to gauge his intentions…"
"He's here?" Millerna asked.
"He is about to be," Dryden said. "A scout reported he is being escorted by Van Fanel."
"We will leave you to it, then," Eries said, more to Millerna than Dryden. Millerna took a step back, nodding dutifully.
"Can I go with you?" Millerna asked.
"My humblest apologies, miladies, but this council meeting is barred to all but council members. Besides, if he is attempting to overthrow us from within, I want you nowhere near it," Dryden said smoothly, resting a hand on Millerna's shoulder.
Millerna blushed, looking away.
"Don't think they would have anything to say about it if you wanted to escort me there, though," Dryden said with a coy wink at Millerna. For all Millerna's reservations, Dryden matched them with equal charm—no doubt determined to make her fall for him. It was noble and admirable, but Eries knew beyond a doubt that he would never sway her heart.
"I wouldn't mind that," Millerna said, looking to Eries for her opinion. Millerna rarely heeded it, but she often asked for it anyway.
"I don't see why not," she said with a weak smile.
Dryden nodded, picking up stride again. Millerna walked at his side, Eries following slightly behind him. He had offered her an arm, but she declined. It would have been harmless, but she had decided a long time ago to refuse any advances, no matter how innocent. Besides, she felt more powerful when she arrived unescorted. It commanded a level of mystery and respect that arriving on a man's arm simply did not.
Members of the council flooded the hallways, running or speed-walking to the council chamber. Dryden alone remained at a calm walk. Eries appreciated this about Dryden—his laid-back nature was kindred to hers. He was confident in his lack of control over the situation, and as such, didn't bother becoming worked-up about it.
"This is where I leave you," Dryden said as they approached the towering doors, taking Millerna's hand and kissing it.
"Keep us updated on this, please," Eries said with a curtsey.
"I will," Dryden said, pushing his glasses up his nose and turning to the chamber.
"Come, Millerna, let us not be here when they arrive," Eries said simply, turning down the perpendicular hallway. "If it is a trap, members of the royal family must remain. I will have the servants bring us a fresh batch of tea."
As they turned to walk the long way round, Eries caught sight of the escort approaching.
It included Van, Allen, and three other guards. They all seemed tense, as if they all felt the same fear she did. And it was warranted. The man known as Strategos Folken was an intimidating figure.
He walked surrounded by the escort, but the power clearly rested with him. He towered over every man around him—all except Allen, whom he was eye-to-eye with. He wore a long black cape wrapped about him, and his stride was clearly stunted as he followed at their pace, not his. He kept his head bowed, his blue-white hair falling down over his shoulders and over his eyes. He bore a strange teardrop mark on his right cheek below his eye, and he was… strikingly handsome. Eries felt herself stir uncomfortably. He was fearsome, true, but… there was something about him…