For me the diamond dawns are set
In rings of beauty,
And all my ways are dewy wet
With pleasant duty.
~John Townsend Trowbridge
Chapter 29: The Surprise.
In the true fashion of the wingdom, the festivities lasted for days. The entire realm seemed relieved to have a new king. They believed that there was harmony when the Skyswirlstone was in the hands of someone who had right to it. And, everybody knew that Skyler was a good man.
They trusted him a lot more than they did Alima, though her spell as regent had done her reputation some good.
Sadly, not so with Skyclone.
Walking to their private chambers alone, Skyla found herself musing over her brother-in-law's relationship with his mother. It was the third day after the coronation and the party was still in full swing. She envied the wingdom folk their endurance because she grew tired after two days, which was why she was going to bed early tonight. Her own time in the other realm had also changed her, even though she tried to hide it.
Maybe I'm just getting old, Skyla thought as she rounded a corridor, nodding at the guard patrolling the area. She chuckled at herself immediately, realizing that she had not yet seen her thirtieth year.
But I've done a lot in those years, she thought. And now I am Queen.
She didn't feel like a queen, despite the weight of the golden crown on her forehead. She felt tired, but no more.
So lost in thought was Skyla, that she didn't see Skyclone until he was almost right on top of her. The man blinked surprised when she stopped in front of him and dropped his head, his face pale and tense. He did not greet her immediately, but stood there – his gaze locked on the crown on her forehead.
Grimacing, Skyla wished that she could take it off and hide it. She suspected that Skyclone too would be happy when the feast days were over. He had been very scarce during the feast and the only time she remembered seeing him was earlier that day when he refused to dance with his mother. She wished that they could prepare the rift between them. She could see that it bothered Alima.
"Skyclone," she said gently when it became clear that he wasn't going to speak. "I thought you'd be at the dance."
Her brother-in-law flinched and shook his head, the tenseness in his face replaced by sadness.
"I could say the same for you sister," he said softly. "You are the light and life of the party in my eyes."
Skyla laughed softly and shook her head, touching Skyclone's elbow in a way she hoped conveyed reassurances.
"I'm tired today," she said. "I don't feel like dancing."
Skyclone watched her silently. "Nor do I," he said quietly. "But, perhaps a walk? Would you walk with me? Or, can I at least escort you to your rooms?"
Smiling, Skyla linked arms with Skyclone and turned in the direction he had been walking.
"I'll go with you," she said. "There in nothing but solitude waiting for me in my rooms. I have given Faolin the day off to enjoy the festivities and my husband is still entertaining the guests."
Skyclone snorted, but just as Skyla thought he meant it in his brother's direction he spoke up. "I wouldn't have thought that Faolin is capable of relaxing," he pointed out before his voice relaxed a little. "But you feeling tired, in my opinion Skyla there are very few things that can make a woman tired. A difficult husband is one, though you don't have that problem and the other…" He trailed off and smiled at her.
She didn't get his drift immediately
"Excuse me?" She queried to which Skyclone smiled and gave her a strange look.
"I don't think I need to give you a lecture on the birds and the bees Skyla," he said amused. "You know what happens when a man and a woman gets together…"
Skyla found herself blushing vigorously even as she felt a painful twist in her heart.
"I'm not pregnant Skyclone," she said quickly. "I'm very sure of that."
Her brother in law gave her a strange look. "Hmm," he said. "It's strange, but I would've thought that you and Skyler had plans by now."
Sighing, Skyla shook her head. "We have a lot of plans but now… Kids, with him being king? No. It's not right. Not now. We'll see." It's sounded like a weak excuse even to her own ears so she quickly changed the subject.
"Anyway, as to Foalin not knowing how to relax, you'll be surprised Skyclone. She likes having a good time as much as the rest of us, she just hides it better."
Recognizing her need to leave the discussion of children, Skyclone raised an eyebrow.
"I still don't understand why my parents assigned her to you," he said. "Someone like Lana will be much better Skyla."
Skyla smiled slightly and shrugged. "She has her uses Skyclone," she said. "And, she is loyal to the Royal Family. I have come to love her very dearly. She is a good friend to me." She sensed the hesitation in his step and continued quickly and genuinely. "As are you Skyclone, you are a good friend to me."
The prince towered above her, his frame so different than it had been a couple of years ago. He was handsome now, in a stronger way than his brother was. Well muscled, very strong…
"I don't believe in love."
His words startled her out of her reverie, making her miss a step. Surprised, Skyla recovered herself quickly and looked up at the young man.
"Why Skyclone?" She queried aghast. "I don't understand."
Skyclone gave her a bitter smile. "You won't," he said, but not unkindly. "You have been loved your whole life Skyla. By Skyler, your parents, my mother. You have never had one moment where you felt betrayed by your own. You have seen love and lived it. I have not."
Skyla blinked at him, shaking her head in disbelief. "Your parents love you," she pointed out, still surprised. "As does your brother."
Skyclone snorted, as if he didn't believe it. "My father doted on Skyler," Skyclone said bitterly, "and my brother..." He trailed off, realizing that insulting Skyla's husband in front of her wasn't necessarily a good idea. Instead he carried on bitterly.
"And, my mother's love is a lie."
Knowing where it came from, Skyla sighed and held Skyclone tighter. "Her love for you is not a lie Skyclone," she said softly. "She is your mother."
He gave her a bitter look. "But, she was more of a mother to you Skyla, you can't deny that," he said. "And what does her love mean? She lied to my father on his deathbed. I won't forget that Skyla. Not now, not ever."
Feeling uncomfortable, Skyla sighed and shook her head. "I think you should," she said quietly, looking in front of her. "I think that you should talk to her about it. Forgive her. She needs it as much as you need to give it. And, I don't think that that's entirely true. She did love your father. Perhaps not in the way that he wanted and the way that you needed her to love him, but she did love him. And, she respected him. Respect is a very important thing Skyclone. You can hurt people with love, you can't do so with respect."
The man stopped completely and looked at her puzzled, as if he was seeing her for the first time.
"Who taught you that?" he queried softly to which she shrugged uncomfortably, feeling embarrassed.
"Nobody," she said softly. "I just... think that way."
Skyclone smiled kindly, a small expression that softened his normally hard features.
"You are wise beyond your years," he said. "You know that, don't you?"
Skyla shrugged and shook her head. "No more than you," she said softly. "Even though you don't believe in love." She smiled at him in a kind, teasing fashion but he didn't notice. Having turned towards her, Skyclone studied her features and then slowly, hesitantly, reached out and touched her cheek.
"Do you love me?" he queried. "Am I worthy of your love? Your respect?"
The question caught her off guard.
Skyla kept her face very neutral when she nodded slowly. "I do Skyclone," she said softly. "I love you..." His hand tightened on her cheek. "Like a brother. Naturally. I am your brother's wife." She didn't know why she said it, but it did make Skyclone drop his hand from her cheek to her shoulder.
"Of course," he said quietly. "I never implied otherwise Skyla."
Feeling embarrassed, she nodded, smiling slightly. "Sorry," she said dropping her head. "I didn't mean it that way. What I meant was that we're like siblings. Sort of. We grew up together..." She trailed off, realizing that she might just dig herself in deeper if she continued speaking.
To her surprise, Skyclone didn't seem angry at all, but was still smiling at her. Slowly, he leaned over and carefully, gently, kissed her on the cheek.
"I believe in your love Skyla," he said. "And, I hope to gain your respect one day."
Skyla found herself blushing, shivering under Skyclone's touch yet; she smiled at him and stepped away carefully.
"I respect you Skyclone," she said softly. "It takes a very special kind of man to walk in his brother's shadow. I'll just... Respect you more if you accept your mother's love and forgive her for what she had to do to give a dying man peace."
There was a tightening in Skyclone's eyes but he smiled at her and shrugged.
"Perhaps," he said. "For you perhaps, I'll try."
Skyla shook her head immediately. "No," she said. "It has to come from you Skyclone. Always. If you forgive her for my sake, you won't mean it. Not really. And then your resentment will come back one day. No, rather forgive her in your own time." She sighed and looked down the hallways. If Faolin was here, she would've told her to leave immediately and for the first time, Skyla found herself listening to her Lady-in-Waiting's subconscious voice.
She didn't want to continue walking with Skyclone.
"I'm tired Skyclone," she said softly. "Thank you for the walk but, I want to go back to my room now."
He nodded and let her go, but she could feel his eyes on her, regretting her departure.
888
It was a week later and Skyla was watching her husband getting dressed but for once, her heart wasn't in it. Instead, she found her gaze drifting to the Skyswirlstone as it winked at her in its golden sceptre. She wondered whether she would ever see her husband without it, its blue depths shining like a freshly made chain.
She sighed wondering where her depression came from. By all rights, she should be happy or rather relieved that things were now settled and that her husband was finally king. There was no more waiting for it, no more anticipating and planning the days to follow.
They were now living it.
Vaguely she wondered whether her depression stemmed from that knowledge, that she felt as if she had nothing more to look forward to but that wasn't true. She had plenty to look forward to. Reigning alongside her husband, raising his children...
But, if I'm to raise his children I must first get pregnant...
The thought wasn't as enlightening as she thought it would be. Instead, she found herself regretting that Master Anwar had left. She wanted to see a physician that she trusted, not one that was too overwhelmed by his new duty. She might've told Skyclone that they weren't trying for children just yet but she and Skyclone had decided to leave that matter up to fate. She wasn't on any birth control at the moment.
Hearing something, Skyla blinked and looked up to find Skyler looking at her, his eyes dancing with amusement even though she saw a touch of worry in his brow.
"Are you going to get up by yourself wife, or should I call Faolin?" he queried fondly. "Your heart doesn't seem in it today."
Not wishing to share her troubles with him, Skyla smiled and shook her head, pulling the covers off of her.
"No," she said. "I'm fine. My heart's fine. I'm just... Anxious as to how this day will go. The council's first official meeting... Aren't you nervous?"
Skyler smiled slightly and shook his head. "Trust me Skyla, the responsibility of this wingdom has my nerves tied up in enough knots. Facing these people whom I chose to lead alongside me pales in comparison. This is a good thing and I am greatly looking forward to it."
Skyla smiled at his enthusiasm but couldn't share it. That night she had had a dream of her mother coming to her again, crying.
No children of your own, the woman had mourned. Just a cold stone, a barren bed and a council.
Skyla wish she knew what the dream meant but simultaneously she found herself wishing that she could forget it.
Getting up, she went to her mirror stand, eyeing the sceptre sceptically and presumed to brush out her hair in long, definitive strokes. Skyler watched her, then – with a smile, came over and started brushing her hair for her. She relaxed a little and smiled at him in the mirror, loving the caring look that was in his eyes.
He was a good man.
"So, what's the meeting going to be about?" she queried. "Any important business that needs to be discussed?"
Skyler smiled and shrugged. "Nothing life threatening," Skyler pointed out. "It's all still very new, I think that it's going to take some time for us all to get used to the routine. If you want, you can sit this meeting out. I'm sure that you have other things that you need to do."
Skyla barked a laugh and shook her head. "Tons," she confessed. "But, none in this world. I'll be in the meetings this week because I'm going to have to join your mother next week. There are a lot of things that I need to organise with the school. I have an investor meeting the week after."
Skyler sighed dramatically.
"I'm king for a week an already you are leaving my side," he said softly. "I didn't think that it would happen this soon."
In her current state of mind, Skyla didn't see the humour in it. "I'm not leaving you Skyler," she said quickly. "I'll be back every weekend and every third week. More so when things are organized. I promise. I just have to..."
"Ssh," her husband said. "Don't worry Skyla, it's okay, I didn't mean it that way. I know that you have a lot to do there and the more you do there now the less you're going to be there in the future. Relax, I know this wife, I was joking."
Skyla sniffed sharply and gave him a scolding look. "Don't joke," she said softly. "I feel guilty enough for leaving you."
Skyler studied her as he put the brush down and gently rested his hands on her shoulders. "Don't worry," he said softly. "I know that you are not like my mother Skyla. I like to think that I hold more of your heart than that world."
Skla laughed and nodded. "Naturally," she said as her gaze returned to the Skyswirlstone. "This just changes everything you know." She reached out and caressed the blue stone. "It's cold."
Quite abruptly she realized that Skyler's hands on her shoulders had become almost painful. Stiffening she noticed that his face had gone blank as he stared at the Skyswirlstone. Skyla quickly removed her hand from it and gave him an apologetic look.
"Sorry," she said quickly. "I realize I'm not supposed to touch it..."
Skyler's face was unreadable as he looked at her.
"Touch it again," he breathed.
For a moment Skyla hesitated. "Husband why?" she asked tightly as he visibly forced himself to let go of her shoulders.
"Just, please Skyla – touch the stone again. Pick up the sceptre."
Biting her lip, the young queen obeyed – carefully reaching out to pick up the golden symbol of power. It was heavier than she expected and the coldness of the stone seemed to have seeped into the golden sceptre.
"Here Skyler," she said turning around so that she could hand it to her husband. "Take it."
He didn't but took a step away from her, staring at her as if he was seeing her for the first time.
"Skyler?" She queried hesitatingly. "What's wrong?"
She couldn't place the emotions in Skyler's eyes as he looked at her, then abruptly moved forward and kissed her forehead. It was a long, lingering kiss – filled with an emotion that she could not place.
"Skyler," she said again, putting more authority and insistence in her voice. "What's wrong?"
"Nothing," he said quietly. "But, look at the stone my love, look at its colour. It seems that the council will have something a bit more serious to discuss today than I had originally thought..."
888
"So it is."
"So it shall be."
The two butterfly winged council members from Sky Winium looked at Skyler, their joined speech flowing into one sentence.
"If Skyla is to wield the stone alongside you, we cannot object. It is the will of the Skyswirlstone. Long live Queen Skyla." They sat down as one, briefly smiling at Skyla who was sitting in the corner of the council room, her face schooled to calm. Skyler knew that it was only a show, because an hour ago she had been very shocked to learn that the Skyswirlstone seemed to have chosen her to be Skyler's replacement when he stepped down or became incapable of ruling. She had forgotten that anybody can wield the Skyswirlstone but that only those who had right to it made the stone appear blue.
To Skyler's surprise, Faolin too had reacted badly to the news, her face lined with a horror that neither he nor Skyla understood. She had begged them to allow her to stand in the meeting with them, even if it was only as Skyla's consort. She wanted to hear for herself what people had to say on the matter.
Skyler could understand her insistence. This turn of events made Skyla into a target, a threat to any who wished to cease power or the stone.
She is going to have to get more bodyguards...
The councilman from Azure stood up, his black eyes darker than usual.
"Well, I for one do not understand what this means," he said. "How is it that she can make the stone turn blue? Has this ever happened before?"
From his own standing position, Skyler carefully shook his head, wishing that his mother was here. He glanced at Skyclone but his brother was staring in front of him with a stoic expression on his face.
"Not to my knowledge no," he said carefully. "It didn't happen with my mother for instance, which is why she could never rule kingdom completely. She was merely a caretaker."
Another man shifted, he was one of the representatives from the Capitol. Councilman Malakai was a young man with light eyes and dull hair, of the same age as Skyclone and Skyler. Skyclone had recommended him for the position as he said that he was a good friend and loyal to the royal family.
"So, Skyla's to be ruler?" he said. "My king, you'll have to clarify this."
Skyler's mouth thinned as he prayed for patience. "No," he said. "We are to stand as equals." He held up the Skyswirlstone. "As you can see, it is still blue in my grasp."
The council members looked at it in silence. From her position, Faolin shifted but was still, though her movement made everybody look at her. She met their gazes squarely before putting a gentle hand on Skyla's shoulder.
The young woman grimaced and stood up to join her husband at the table.
"I believe it's appropriate for me to say at this point that I have no aspirations to make any of the ruling decisions here," she said and carefully slipped her arm into her husband's. "This is as much a shock to me as it is to you, as you all know – my interests lie elsewhere at the moment."
Skyclone looked up at her and though he didn't stand up, he spoke quietly.
"Away from the crown my Queen? Your interests must be the crown."
Skyler frowned at him but Skyla shook her head calmly. "My duty lies in the other kingdom first," she said honestly. "If you've forgotten, I am to keep my attention there so that if the wingdom is ever in trouble I can summon the Sky Dancers."
Councilman Malakai snorted but it was the councilman from Azure who spoke. "We all know that's just an excuse," he said coldly. "How long as it been since this wingdom needed Sky Dancers? Hundred years? Two hundred? The place is a refuge, a hiding spot for a queen too scared to face her own duty."
Skyclone stood up abruptly and glared at the pair of them before Skyler could speak.
"Queen Skyla is not my mother," he snapped. "She has her reasons for being there and I can assure you it's not to hide." He grimaced and took a deep breath, looking at his brother. "I say there is very little point to this meeting, we play the hand that is dealt to us." He turned his gaze to Skyla. "And I for one trust you not to overplay yours. If the Skyswirlstone wishes to obey you then so be it."
He sat down and looked at his hands not meeting anybody else's gazes but Skyla and Skyler smiled at him, with Skyler feeling a wave of relief that he chose to stand up for his wife.
I had not made the wrong decision to put him on the council, he thought and looked at his wife.
"I won't overplay my hand," Skyla said warmly, beaming at Skycone as the rest of the councilmen dropped their heads in acknowledgement of Skyclone's words.
"Trust me, nothing will change."
To Be Continued...
AN: ;) But we know it will won't it? Thank you for still being here everybody! Hope you enjoyed this chapter.
Alyss
3-;-
