Chapter 21

Andy felt his tongue stick to the roof of his mouth. The color drained from his face as the words echoed in his mind and slowly caved in on him.

"W-what?"

The woman ran her gaze up and down his frame, her grin growing wider. "Yes," she said, her fingers just grazing his neck. "That would be perfect."

Andy gulped, feeling heat radiate from her fingertips against his Adam's apple. Though she hadn't touched him yet, he could feel her skin itching to grasp and squeeze. But as quickly as the grin came, it quickly twisted into a frown.

"As much as I would love to do the honors myself," she groaned, "my brother would throw a fit if I killed you without him present."

She shook her head before tapping one of the aurum spheres. The aurum floated down, bumping into Andy's face. He batted the sphere away and saw her yank a dagger from her holster. Andy's blood ran cold as she twirled the curved blade idly. The look she gave him was more menacing than a cat ready to tear into her prey.

"Now," she drawled, dragging the dagger up his leg, "before I take you before the council for your trial, I want to know how the monster king is doing."

Andy's fists clenched at his sides. "He's not a monster."

He had all but breathed the words when he felt the dagger suddenly pressing against his cheek. The blade nicked his flesh, letting a bead of blood bloom from the wound as Andy struggled to catch his breath. Actually, he realized to his horror, he couldn't breathe at all. Andy could hardly choke from how hard the woman's fingers dug into his neck. He clawed at her arm weakly, but her hold was firm-and her glare just as deadly.

"Your king," she spat the word out as if it were poison, "sullied our waters. Burned our land. Slit the throats of our young. And let's not forget how he alienated us from all of our allies."

She shoved him away. Andy fell back onto the mess of furs grasping his throat. He coughed on the air filling his lungs, hoping-praying-that the reality he was in would shatter and he would awake into a new one. Yet, as the guards filled the small space of the cavern, his heart toppled into the pit of his stomach. The men yanked him to his feet, holding his arms hard enough that the slightest resistance could break them. At this point he knew better than to fight against them, but the sight of the woman's menacing scowl made him squirm nonetheless.

The guards brought him back out onto the edge of the clearing. His body tensed, waiting for them to toss him over into the bottomless mouth below. To his dismay, however, they tugged him away from the edge and down a narrow path. They shoved him forward into the darkness of a tunnel, nudging and yanking him through his blindness. He squinted to find an endless array of solid rock that seemed to stretch for miles.

Behind him, Andy could hear the woman barking orders at the guards in their mother tongue. They replied back with throaty jeers and grunts, none to subtly tripping Andy for good measure. Andy let the irritation buzz in his head; it silenced his heart that thudded for a different reason. With another shove Andy lost his footing, meeting the ground with a grunt. He groaned at the rocks digging into his face when he registered the steady beat of drums. He rolled to his side and winced at the light that blinded him.

People circled around him in a ring of stone that towered in tiered levels. Their faces were covered in bone with intricate carvings while their bodies where cloaked in thick furs. Andy followed the line of torches circling the stone to find himself alone in a massive clearing. Well, almost alone.

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Egil writhing in rope and snarling at guards that held him at arm's length. Andy would have been relieved if not for the basin of crackling coals they hovered Egil's face over. Andy was so absorbed by the sights around him, he didn't notice the sudden silence that engulfed the cavern. A man cleared his throat, deeper and richer than any drum, and Andy whirled forward.

Dark hair rolled down the man's massive frame, pulled back by ornaments of gold and ivory. Despite the chill that seemed to continue to creep through the cavern's cracks, his chest was bare and littered with pale scars that stretched up and down his body. It was a stark contrast to the rich, brown skin that illuminated under the torch light. His very presence silently screamed authority. But the glare that burned into Andy spoke volumes.

Kill.

"Child of Seer," the man spoke. Andy jolted at the voice that rumbled from the front of the circle. The man gripped the edge of stone railing hard, then let his lips curl into the faintest grin. "You are so much smaller than your king."

Quiet chuckles filled the cavern as Andy felt his face warm. The man gestured for Andy to stand. As he shakily rose to his feet, the man turned his gaze to the rest of the people seated.

"My brothers and sisters. Today marks a day we thought we would never see," he boomed. "10 years ago, we were forced to flee our motherland as she was drained of life by a war that was not ours. In turn, we have been targeted, assaulted, sold, and much worse. We've lost our home…family. All things that will never return.

But now, a child of the monsters who have brought these horrors has invaded our safe haven-again. A child of the empire who tore us apart has dared to filthy our mountains with his presence. With all things considered, Child of Seer, we have every right to strike you down where you stand." The man paused, taking a deep breath. "But, we hold ourselves higher than mindless slaughter. We hold ourselves with dignity, rather than greed. And we, deserve justice."

Andy felt the weight of their eyes upon him. Though they stood at a distance, he could feel every gaze telling him a different story. Anger. Rage. Horror. Sorrow. He could hardly swallow around the lump in his throat at the thought of what they had to endure for all these years. Was this what Elias had to witness in war?

"We deserve hold the Seer Kingdom accountable for the crimes they have committed when we were pushed into exile," the man continued. "And you, shall be the first example to the world. Queen Marisol, you have the floor."

Andy ogled the woman from the small room stepped past him. She gracefully bowed at the man. She rose back up, back perfectly erect like a lioness.

"Thank you, my king Salazar," she said. "My sisters and brothers. When these intruders breached our labyrinth walls, we thought a curse had fallen upon us. But this, is truly, a gift." She turned her outstretched hand towards Andy, her voice echoing throughout the cavern. "I have looked into the Child of Seers' eyes, and I now see the spoils of their war."

Andy tensed as she began circling around him. "Bread on tables, clean water, joined hands of murderers that feast from laborers' dying breaths." She reached out and gripped his face. "But the look of chaos…that is what rings true in his eyes."

Murmurs and hums echoed in the cavern. Salazar raised a hand and Marisol released Andy. Andy rubbed his cheeks where Marisol squeezed.

"Child of Seer," Salazar said, "You may have a chance to speak your piece."

Andy blinked. From the vicious remarks and glares, he was sure they would roast him on the spot. He chanced a glance at Egil, who meekly shrugged in reply.

"You're time is running out child," Salazar said.

Andy shook himself out of his stupor. The cavern swirled around him as he attempted regain his footing. He took a deep breath, forcing himself to look up at the king.

"P-people of," Andy cursed at his stutter, swallowing hard. He caught sight of Egil nodding at him firmly and straightened. "You have indeed suffered a great loss. And for that…I am sorry. No amount of apologies could ever repair the damage that was done upon you during the seer wars."

He paused, taking another deep breath. He clenched and un-clenched his fists. Well, here goes.

"But that is not just the only reason that I am here," Andy said.

"Then why are you here?" Salazer asked.

Andy held the king's gaze. "Because the world of the Seer is in danger."

Marisol snorted loudly. "And we should care? What happens outside of these caverns is none of our concern."

"But it's-"

Salazer's glare silenced him, the words crawling back into his mouth. Marisol flicked her braid over her shoulder and turned around in the cavern.

"Do you hear this, my people?" Her words teetered on a laugh. "Years of exile, years of oppression, and they have the audacity to ask us for help? This situation would be hilarious if wasn't so sad." The cavern was filled a moment of gasps and guffaws until Marisol turned back to Salazer. "My king, with your blessing, I will personally see to it that this vile creature is punished. And who knows, after I send him to his kingdom piece by piece, the monster king will give us back our beloved Eldora."

Andy's brows furrowed. In his lessons, his tutors had always spoken of the eighth realm fleeing the seas of the north to find refuge in the mountains. It was a cruel transition, but necessary for when the seer wars spread. But Eldora was a land along the equator. Andy flicked his gaze around the cavern again, taking in the dark complexions that were now flush from years away from the sun. He shook himself out of thoughts at the mention of Elias' battalion.

"-need I remind you all of the day when his ships landed on our shores?" Marisol said.

The firm resolve settled on Salazer's face told Andy all he needed before he cut in.

"You're right Queen Marisol!" Andy said. Salazer arched a brow at him, but he continued, "My brother's forces did spread out further than anticipated. But he and his forces only acted in the south, west, and north. He did not set foot in the east until after your kingdom fled."

Marisol rolled her eyes. "He's as dumb as he is clueless." The cavern's chuckles sparked a new found agitation in Andy.

"After the casualties of the first war, my brother swore he would never let his forces venture where he wasn't present. The second war came and my brother held true to his word. He advised what allies he had to fight against the rebellious troops, but he would never willingly drive an entire populous from their homeland. Especially one as peaceful as yours."

"I think we've heard enough of your diseased lies," Marisol said.

"It's not a lie!" Andy cried. "When he arrived on your shores, he was sure that the last of the rebel forces had driven you away or that you had fled for safety. All we knew was that you took to somewhere in the mountains."

Marisol stalked towards him. Before Andy could move back, his arm was pinned to his back while her Marisol wrapped her forearm around his neck. Andy squirmed and thrashed in her firm grip to no avail.

"My king," Marisol said. "I think it's time for our final rule."

Salazer nodded, looking up at his people. The guards holding Egil began to push him to the basin of coals as Salazer began to speak. As he asked his people to vote on his and Egil's punishment, Andy tried to remember when he first volunteered to seek out of the eighth realm. Naivety and ignorance were far from his mind when he spoke that day. He knew the risk he was taking, but ignored the way his stomach had clenched and how his hands trembled. Deep in his bones, Andy knew that his plan had little chance of succeeding. Just as the members of the council knew. Just as Ingvar knew.

Just as Elias knew.

And yet-in the corners of Andy's mind he was back behind castle walls as a little boy. He had snuck away from his tutors in favor and hidden himself in one of the many hidden passageways of the castle. He was creeping through a dusty corridor when he came across a dusty room. And him. Andy squinted at the frame of his brother huddled on the mattress, letting thick blankets of dust coat his uniform. 11 year old Andy was about to turn away when he heard muffled sobs. His brother, the young king. His brother, the supreme sorcerer. His brother, the savior of the Seer realm. His brother, sobbing, "I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry."

I'm sorry.

Andy yanked out of Marisol's grip for a brief second, shocking both her and himself. Before she could grab him again, he raced toward Salazer, bending his neck up to look him in the eye.

"Kill us if you want!" Andy yelled. "Torture us, use us for blackmail, use us for the vengeance you want! But that isn't going to stop the Draugen!"

Andy had just fallen to the floor, ready for Marisol to snap his arms in half. But nothing came. Marisol had just pinned him to floor when she froze. The cavern grew eerily silent save for the crackle of torches. She looked down at him as if noticing he was there for the first time.

"What did you say?" she asked, her voice timid as if their words would break the floor beneath them.

"The Draugen." Andy said. He twisted himself to look up at her. The shock in her expression was enough for him to press on. "They're here. And they're coming."

Anxious whispers erupted in the cavern. Growing from quiet murmurs to tumultuous crying. Andy was helped to his feet by Marisol, her fingers gripping his shirt hard. As the cavern descended into mad shrieks, she looked up at him. The once fiery, teasing glitter in her amber eyes had widened with worry.

He heard Salazer's voice booming for order when Marisol had whipped her head back and roared, "Silence!"

The cavern instantly fell quiet. Marisol returned her gaze on Andy.

"Is it true?" she asked. "Did you truly see the Draugen?"

Andy nodded grimly. "They've been sabotaging the other kingdoms' supplies. Rendering them weak. Then they attack Arendelle." He turned to Salazer, then to the people in the stone tiers. "I know you have no reason to trust me. And I don't blame you. But I come here, not to mock you. I come to warn you. I've seen what the Draugen have done to innocent villages; they turn people-families-against one another." Otto and Jurij's faces flashed in his memory and he choked down a sob. "The only reason, my kingdom is even standing now, is because of my brother. You say that he's a monster, and maybe he is. But a monster doesn't spend every waking moment of his life keeping wars and disputes at bay. A monster doesn't…a monster doesn't cry himself to sleep when no one's watching.

Andy felt pin pricks of tears burning at the corners of his eyes. But he couldn't bring himself to care. He lifted his head, staring at everyone and no one.

"I'm not asking for forgiveness," he said, "I only want our worlds to be safe."

There were no murmurs this time. The silence seemed to cut through Andy worse than their blades had. Salazer turned to Marisol who nodded at him. The king straightened his shoulders.

"Those in favor of punishing the Seer kingdom," Salazer said. Andy kept his head down, not daring to look up again. "And those in favor of defeating the Draugen…together."

Andy's jaw dropped. He turned, awestruck, as one hand rose in the air. Followed by another. And another. And another. Andy's mind reeled as the people of the mountain cast their vote. When Marisol raised her hand, Andy thought his heart would stop there.

"The vote has been cast. You have our magic Child of Seer-on one condition." Salazer said. "When this is over, your kingdom must return Eldora to us."

Andy trembled, letting go of his fists he hadn't realized he had clenched and raised a fist to his chest. He could feel his tears streaming down his face fast now. He could practically hear Ingvar chastising him for showing his emotions so easily. But the moment the verdict had been made, his body felt lighter than it had in months.

"I, Prince Anders of Arendelle-second in line and protector of the Seer Kingdom-give you my word that Eldora shall return to you and your people."

"Down to the last grain of sand?" Marisol asked.

Despite how his bones groaned and how his body ached, a smile split across his lips. Radiant among the tears he spilled.

"Down to the last grain of sand."


Eldorian ships were far different from Arendelle's, Andy realized. Though narrower than most, Eldorian ships were vastly faster than any ships Andy had seen. Perfect for cutting through angry waters-and sky. Their exile in the mountains had forced them to become more creative with their magical reserves; with the power of sun stone, they were able to create portals to travel through for hunting or large expeditions.

When the portal had opened for them, the hulls of their ships fell to its sides. The ships tumbled through the air off the mountain only to catch onto the wind and glide through the portal, splashing onto the ocean waves as if they had been sailing all along. It was truly marvelous to behold. However Marisol chose to withhold her explanation of Eldorian ship dynamics until after Andy's panic attack at falling ceased.

"I was only teasing," Marisol had said. At his, Egil's-and a small group of her soldiers' glares-she finally relented into an apology. "You can tease me on one of your Seer traditions when we arrive. How does that sound?"

That had been three nights ago. Three nights since they had set sail for Arendelle. Set sail for home. Every dawn Andy would examine their nautical maps, running his fingers from their last marked position to the massive land mass in the east. Warmth swelled in his chest as he beamed down at the map until his stomach began to churn.

Andy raced from the room and to the upper deck, throwing himself against the railing as he heaved overboard. The salty air and rocking of the ship did little to quell his nerves, but Andy was proud of the fact that he didn't spew more than once the night before. He was proud of that fact for two minutes until he was wheezing over the railing again. As he retched what little food he had in his stomach, a low whistle came behind him.

"Not a fan of sailing?" Egil asked.

Andy spat out bile, wiping the corner of his mouth the back of his hand. At the sight of the glistening, blue waters below his chest tightened. As he watched the waves lapping against the ship, he could feel the waves rough touch like a ghost against his skin. Turning him over and over again in darkness. He turned away from the water, clutching the railing.

"Bad memories," he murmured.

Egil slapped a hand against his back with a grin. "Well leave some room for some good ones. Cause they're coming."

"I doubt that. We still have a war to get through."

Egil rolled his eyes, nodding his head towards the soldiers scurrying across the deck. Andy followed his gaze. He took in the sight of them hoisting and lowering sails, charting and marking courses as day break slowly plumed along the horizon.

"You did this." Egil said. "You're giving the world a fighting chance. It may be a small one, but it's a chance nonetheless."

His words shocked him still. Andy opened and closed his mouth, searching for words. But any that came were caught behind the lump in his throat. Egil looked at him now, dark blue eyes glittering like lapis lazuli in the morning sun. The small smile he gave him made Andy want to shrink into himself and embrace him all at once. Egil arched a brow at him, daring him to argue. God, Andy thought, he acts so much like Elias.

"I couldn't have done it without you," Andy said.

Egil ran a hand through his messy hair. "I only saved you, guided you, saved you again. Or was it three times I saved you? Whatever. You did all the talking like a real diplomat."

"I wish. If my uncle saw that, I would have been beaten and sent to bed without supper for two weeks."

Andy chuckled at a similar memory in his youth. He waited for Egil's laughter to chime in with his only to catch the grim smirk on his lips.

"Sounds like a lovely family," he said.

"Well that was only one time. He spends most of his helping my brother anyway," Andy replied. At his silence, Andy tentatively grasped onto Egil's arm. "I truly do owe you my life Egil. Whatever you want-whatever you need-if it's within my power, I will make sure you get it."

Egil stared at him before turning to look towards the water. For a moment Andy thought he would decline when Egil took a deep breath.

"There…is something." Egil said. Andy's ears perked. "I've been searching for someone. My brother, actually. We were separated a long time ago when we were young. It happened so fast. I didn't even get a chance to-" He swallowed hard before clearing his throat. "I thought I had a lead back in Alcadria, but that turned out to be another dead end. Now I'm running out of options."

Andy felt his heart constrict in his chest. As he looked at the pained expression on Egil's face, he saw the lost expression of a little boy waiting everyday at the gates for his brother to come home. And even after he did, he was still gone.

"What was your last lead?" Andy asked.

"Somewhere in the Chamberlain isles," Egil sighed. "Not like I can afford to sail across the-"

"It's yours." Andy said. He gripped Egil's arm firmly. "Whatever ship you need, whatever crew, whatever coin-anything-it's yours."

Egil finally looked back to Andy. "You don't have to do that?"

"Perks of being a 'real' diplomat," Andy replied. "That and being related to the king and all. I'm in your debt. All I ask is that you let me repay it."

Egil's brows furrowed and he clasped his hand over Andy's. "Thank you."

Andy beamed. "Of course. And who knows, maybe your brother might be even closer now than you realize."

Egil's lips finally broke out into a smile and for a moment, Andy relished in it. His body hummed with delightful energy at the good he was finally doing. At the hope he was finally spreading to his allies. For once, Andy thought, he was the shield for his kingdom.

Egil nudged his shoulder against Andy's. Andy jumped from being shaken from his thoughts, eliciting a chuckle from the other man. Egil tilted his head at him, grinning, "Perhaps you're right after all, your highness."


A/N: Thank you for reading. :)