Two sharp raps on the door break Viren's concentration.
He already knew who it was based on the pattern of the knocks but that doesn't stop a noise of frustration from escaping his lips. "Come in," he calls, not looking up from the mess scrolls and tomes laid out in front of him, eyes searching for the line he was last reading. "Can I help you?"
"The sun has risen, Viren," a male voice notifies him with a hint of concern. "You've been at this all night."
He lets his body flop back into his seat, running his hands through his hair. The curtains of his study were drawn and he was still working under the light of his oil lamp, not noticing how much time had passed. Though, now that he allows himself to peer past his work, he can see sun rays creeping in.
"I just don't understand. All night I've been searching for an answer to this-" he aggressively points at his completely black eyes. "But there's nothing." His fists slam onto the table.
A gloved hand rests on the pages in front of him. Viren sighs, letting his eyes close for a moment as the exhaustion catches up with him.
"I am ready," he stands, picking up a book he had resting by the legs of his chair. "I'm ready to make whatever sacrifices necessary to save our people. If the staff kills me, then so be it. But how long, Amaya? How long will I have left with my children if I had to use it again?" He shoots the Captain and her interpreter a weary gaze.
Amaya lifts her hand from the table and forms the beginnings of a phrase but she stops, unsure of what to say. Seconds tick by before she tries again. "We don't need to use it," she signs. "I'm sure there are other unexplored alternatives that we could look into."
"There's no time for that." He holds up the book from earlier. "I found a… rejuvenation spell of sorts. It won't fix the damages done by the staff, whatever they may be, but it'll at least restore my appearance so my family doesn't have to see me like this..." Viren lets out a humorless chuckle with a shake of his head. "I shall continue my research at a later time. Who knows, we may find that the effects are nothing but superficial." He straightens himself. "I presume you're here because the King is awake?"
Amaya's stare is calculative as she considers her response. Her lips tighten and she settles for a nod.
Viren returns the gesture. He grips the staff and slings a bag he had prepared the night before over his shoulder. "I have everything we need for the spell. Shall we?"
A crutched Adriel wanders the castle.
He had woken up in the infirmary a little over an hour ago surrounded by other cots where his soldiers from the mission lay. He chatted with those that were awake, checked on those that weren't, and by the time he was done, he was itching for some movement beyond what the room allowed. Though the rational part of him insisted on waiting for someone to come get him, the mission-driven mindset hadn't quite left him yet. Restless, he decided to look for his family… and now he's here, lost in the labyrinth that is the castle of Katolis.
The Captain of the crown guard had actually shown him around the castle when he was summoned for a recognition ceremony several years ago. Admittedly, he didn't bother committing anything from the tour to memory—as a Commander stationed at the Breach he hardly saw it as pertinent information at that time. Plus it didn't help that he and the Captain were the only contenders for the position of General. He wouldn't have willingly attended such a pretentious event if it didn't give him the opportunity to scope out his competition.
Word had gone around that the esteemed Captain of the crown guard was a disciplined and conscientious woman, the absolute best of the best. She joined the crown guard as soon as she could and rose through the ranks faster than anyone before her. In fact, when his superiors had heard who he was up against, they responded with sympathetic glances and "there's always next time"s. But Adriel, as adamant he was, refused to go down without a fight. Hence, his reconnaissance mission.
In the time spent with his rival, he learned two simple truths. One, the rumors of her prowess painted what turned out to be a pretty accurate picture of her. And two, there was no way he was going to be General anytime soon.
He subconsciously touches his sleeve where the General's insignia would have been on his uniform.
His prediction partially came to fruition: he lost the title to the Captain. Though, the rank was eventually bestowed on him when she got married almost four years later.
To him.
He chuckles thinking back to the controversy that surrounded their union-harsh gossip with him as the primary subject was especially rampant. Rumors like he married her to sabotage her career or to gain power, or that he was planted by the elves to penetrate the human kingdoms were the most common ones floating around. It didn't bother him, though, especially because they couldn't be farther from the truth.
When Sarai was granted the position, she relocated to the Breach where he just so happened to be second in command. Naturally, they spent almost every waking moment side by side. As they got to know each other, they forged a deep connection, a friendship more emotionally intimate than any he ever had before. Sarai often boasts that it's her excellent communication skills, and while he won't deny that it definitely helped, he knows that it goes deeper than that.
She was (and still is) his confidant and closest friend, it didn't take long for the notion of life without her to just seem… inconceivable. They exchanged their deepest secrets, laid out their vulnerabilities, shared their hopes and dreams, and somehow, somewhere along the way, he fell in love.
So did Sarai, apparently, he smiles to himself, fingers tracing the simple silver band that was his wedding ring hanging from his neck on a thin strip of leather.
He's harshly pulled from his reverie when his crutch gets caught in a crack. Thankfully, hands are there to catch him before his face hits the pavement. He expresses his gratitude to the crown guard that saved him from a world of hurt and takes some time to assess his surroundings.
It's the courtyard, he recognizes. Soldiers are training, practicing drills, and sparring. It wasn't the company he was looking for, but the familiarity of the scene before him was enough to ease his nerves for the time being. He resumes his trip down memory lane.
Shortly after Sarai resigned from the military, they purchased a house "a safe distance" from the Breach, as his wife had described. She had always been vocal about keeping her future offspring as far removed from the war as possible, even shooting down any ideas he had about training their children in the art of combat. He secretly hopes she'll eventually change her mind but, for now, he let her have her way. Callum was still a baby, after all.
Adriel wonders when he'll be sent back to the Breach, and the thought spurs an ache in his chest.
He was fortunate to have a relationship with his son since they resided close enough for him to make the trip to and from his post. But that didn't stop him from missing his family dearly: every hour or so he spent on travel was precious time he could have spent with them. Every second counts, especially with the degree of uncertainty involved in his line of work.
The ache blooms into a series of emotions, barely distinguishable as they mercilessly wash over him like waves in a storm. Adriel clutches his ring in an attempt to ground himself, taking several deliberate breaths and consciously directing his mind to more pleasant thoughts.
His attention drifts to the shade of the trees above him, their leaves protecting him from the blinding light of the sun. The cool breeze ruffling his hair and the sounds of clashing swords brings him back to a simpler time.
He feels the pull of a memory on his thoughts but a pair of arms wrapping around his neck chase his musings away. A sloppy kiss is planted on his cheek. "Where are you, my love?" Sarai asks, her tone light with amusement. "What distant lands have your thoughts taken you to?"
With a roll of his eyes, he takes her hand and presses his lips to her palm. "You're lucky I'm still recovering. That could've ended very badly for you."
"Is that so?" she laughs, taking a seat by his side while keeping her fingers intertwined with his. She rests her head on his shoulder. "How are you feeling?"
He puts a hand to his chin, feigning deep thought. "A little self-conscious, actually. Hard to ignore people gawking at the legendary Captain Sarai." Hand down, he pointedly jerks his chin in the direction of the guards who had paused their drills and were unsubtly staring at them.
A look of bewilderment graces her features as she sits up, but it morphs into a glare when she sees what he's talking about. They don't even give her a chance to say anything before they're scrambling to resume their activities.
"So." She settles back on his shoulder. "How are you really feeling?"
He holds a finger up to count his answers. "Happy, because you're here." He raises a second finger. "Sad, because Callum's not but," a third finger goes up, "excited because I know I'll get to see him soon and our family will be together again."
Sarai hums in agreement. "There's more, though."
Adriel's breath hitches in his throat. The emotions from earlier return, casting his mind into a shadowy darkness he fought so hard to keep away. For a moment, all he hears are the screaming winds of anxiety and the thunderous din of fear. His vision is overtaken by flashes of the combat in Xadia, the scar healed just the night before starts to burn.
Shame begins to rear its ugly head as Sarai sits up to face him but a gentle pressure around his hand breaks through the clouds of his mind. Although she doesn't say it, Adriel is reminded to breathe.
His voice is barely louder than the noise of the training ahead of them when he finally chokes out an answer. "Of course there is." He doesn't elaborate but Sarai's gentle kiss on his knuckles assures him that she understands.
When Viren, Amaya, and her interpreter enter King Eadric's chambers, he's on his bed, upright with an open book on his lap. His fingers are tucked under a page as if he had paused mid-flip, but his unfocused eyes staring blankly out the window suggest he is lost in thought.
"Your Highness," his caregiver says gently. "You have visitors."
The King looks up, and his eyes light up with recognition. "Captain Sarai?" Amaya shakes her head but offers a half-smile as she moves to kneel by him. His eyes lose their sparkle, and though she's mildly offended, she does not comment—she knows Sarai had left behind some big shoes for her to fill. "Ah, Captain Amaya, my apologies. Has your sister arrived at the castle?"
"She arrived last night with General Adriel," she reports, and her interpreter translates. "The other soldiers are being treated as we speak, and troops have been dispatched this morning to ensure the safety of their families."
"Very good," he nods. "And what of Viren?"
The mage clears his throat, taking steps towards them. "I'm here, your Majesty. And I've brought a cure for your affliction."
King Eadric blinks at him, and for a moment, Viren thinks he's going to point out the state of his eyes. Instead, the regent throws his head back in a deep, hearty laugh. "Viren, my boy. I'm old, not sick."
"There are spells for that, too," Viren responds, almost petulantly. "Rest assured that I will do anything in my power to restore your health."
The corners of the King's lips lower, his expression turning somber. "Have you visited the Prince?"
There's a pregnant pause.
"N-no?" In his astonishment, Viren's reply comes out as a question. He clears his throat. "His ailment has yet to be identified. The council instructed I see you first because yours requires a relatively simple solution."
A sigh fills the silence. "There are rules in place regarding the descent of the crown. While I do think that it is quite possibly the worst time to be searching for a new monarch, granting me immortality hardly seems like a viable long-term solution." The King meets Viren's gaze. "Tell me honestly, Viren: can you save my son?"
All eyes are on him now, the tension almost palpable as everyone awaits his response. He tightens his grip on the staff. "Yes," he answers, determination apparent in his voice.
King Eadric maintains eye contact, checking for any cracks in his resolve. Then, he relents with an exhale. "Very well. Do what you must to… restore me. I will hold the weight of the crown for the time being, but know this: this arrangement only stands so long as my son lives. If he perishes, you will release me and a new royal line will be established. Am I clear?"
"Yes, King Eadric."
Surprise! Decided to post this chapter early to celebrate my first comment over at Ao3~ I'll have another chapter coming out on 9th too so yay double updates! See y'all in a few days.
Also, needed to reupload this chapter several times because the format did not want to to cooperate:/ so I used the horizontal line to mark transitions instead of "* * * * *" soooo it should be fine now