So sorry for the long delay. Hopefully I didn't make people wait too long. Glad everyone seemed to like Emirate Slipstream last chapter. I particularly enjoyed writing that scene with her.
Chapter Twenty: The Royal Gardens
Optimus and Ironhide walked out of the throne room in punch-drunk silence. It was only after one of the conehead guards opened the door for them and wordlessly closed it behind them that Optimus and Ironhide seemed able to shake themselves out of their daze. Optimus glanced at his sparkmate, searching the weapons-specialist's face for his reaction. Ironhide met Optimus's gaze and returned the look. The same thought shined in both their optics: the Vosian Emirate was arguably the most intimidating bot either of them had ever met before - mech or femme. Even after escaping the old femme's powerful presence, Optimus still felt jittery and on-edge. He likened the feeling to a child who'd just received a stern lecture from one of his creators.
No one - not even Megatron - had ever left him with such a feeling. With Megatron, Optimus had always known where they stood with each other. For millennia they had been equals on the battlefield - warriors matched in strength, determination and fighting experience. With Slipstream, Optimus felt like a new recruit trying to pass himself off as a general in front of the empress. Despite the Matrix of Power - the source of their race's wisdom and strength - firmly nestled against his spark, Optimus had felt like a child in the Vosian Emirate's presence. Although Ironhide said nothing, Optimus could feel his sparkmate's own reaction to their meeting with Slipstream thrum across their bond. The petite purple and back seeker had rattled the old warrior. Like Optimus he hadn't been prepared to meet Slipstream. Optimus tried to remember if Ironhide had said anything over the course of their audience and realized he hadn't. The old femme had startled him too much with her knowledge of Starfall's true identity to offer anything to the conversation - if their meeting with Slipstream could have even been called that. It had felt more like a formal interrogation in some ways.
"I see the Emirate has had her usual effect on people," Cloudbreaker's voice startled Optimus out of his thoughts. The red, white, and gold seeker stepped towards them from where he'd been waiting next to one of the hall's many windows. "I feel I must apologize. My mother can be quite… intimidating at times. I hope she did not cause you or Consort Ironhide any undue discomfort."
Optimus thought that was a bit of an understatement. He expertly kept such feelings to himself, though. "Lady Slipstream is unlike any other bot I've met before," he diplomatically said. "She has a strength that not even Megatron possessed."
"That femme's scarier than a Dinobot with a sore tooth," Ironhide grumbled.
Optimus sent his sparkmate a sharp glare out of the corner of his optic. They were in Vos to make peace, not insult the city-state's leader.
Cloudbreaker, however, seemed to find the weapons specialist's observation amusing. He cast Ironhide a wry smirk. "That is one way to put it." As though suddenly remembering himself, Cloudbreaker cast the closed doors of the throne room a frightened glance. Optimus found himself also glancing at the doors with a thrill of apprehension. Could Slipstream hear them talking in the hallway from her throne? The throne room was long with high ceilings and echoing acoustics. It was unlikely anyone could hear anything from such a distance, but Optimus did not want to test that theory. He did not think the Emirate would take anyone poking fun at her lightly.
Nervously clearing his intake line, Cloudbreaker motioned Optimus and Ironhide down the hallway with a sweeping gesture. "Please, follow me. I'm sure you would like to collect Starfall before I show you to your habitation suite. While I was waiting I happened to see Starfall and the other children playing in the gardens. I will take you to him."
"Thank you," Optimus nodded. After speaking with the Emirate, the need to see his son and physically reassure himself that Starfall was safe was nearly overwhelming. Slipstream had assured him and Ironhide that she meant their son no harm and, in fact, saw Starfall as a member of her extended spark-line. The fact that she knew Starfall's true identity, however, made Optimus extremely uncomfortable. Starscream's rebirth was supposed to have been a secret, yet the ruler of one of Cybertron's most powerful city-states had discovered it. For supposedly being an isolated city-state, Vos knew far more about what was happening outside its borders than Optimus would have expected. Everything that had happened since they had landed seemed to confirm Optimus's growing suspicions that the Vosians knew far more about them than they did about the Vosians. The realization was unpleasant and troubling. The Emirate's identity, Slipstream's knowledge of Starscream's rebirth, even her own family connection to the Decepticon Air Commander had taken Optimus completely by surprise. Not for the first time, Optimus wondered what else their intelligence did not know about the Vosians.
As Cloudbreaker led him and Ironhide back through the palace's twisting network of hallways and atriums, Optimus glanced at the handsome red and gold seeker. "Cloudbreaker, why didn't you tell us you were related to the Emirate? When you came to Iacon the High Council would have seen to it that extra considerations were made for you as a visiting prince."
Cloudbreaker shot Optimus a look that seemed to be an attempt at a careless smirk. It was forced, though, and came across more like a pained grimace. "I was appointed the official representative of Vos to the High Council by the Emirate and represented myself as such when I visited your city. While I might be the Emirate's creation, I am not her named heir," Cloudbreaker carefully explained. While he tried to hide it, Optimus could hear the festering hurt in the seeker's voice. "It is true that I am a prince, but not in any meaningful way. Perhaps it is different in other city-states, but here in Vos direct linage does not automatically mean I am guaranteed the right to assume the title of Emirate when my mother abdicates or passes away. Until my mother names me her successor the only true claim to power I have is through my appointment as a representative to the High Council. It would be inappropriate of me to purport myself as being someone more important than I really am."
Optimus was taken aback. Even though Slipstream had explained the Vosian rights of succession to him, he was surprised by Cloudbreaker's humbleness concerning his position in the Vosian hierarchy. Surely Cloudbreaker had to know his mother intended to someday name him her heir. So far Optimus had met no one else in Vos that seemed to have a stronger claim to the throne or held more power than Cloudbreaker did within the royal spark-line. The Vosian Air Commander, Fallout, had struck Optimus as a possible rival. But then again, from what little Optimus had seen of the stoic commander from their brief meeting on the landing pad, Fallout did not strike Optimus as the type of mech who would try to assume such an aristocratic position of power. Fallout carried himself as a warrior, not a diplomat. Such a mech would probably see the title of Emirate as a burden - plagued by too much political intrigue, too many internal power struggles, and altogether more trouble than it was actually worth. In this way Fallout reminded Optimus of Ironhide.
No, Optimus thought, Cloudbreaker did not have any competition in being named the Emirate's successor. Slipstream had all but said she planned to name him her heir Why Cloudbreaker seemed so unsure of his claim to the throne Optimus didn't know. Perhaps it was Slipstream's continued silence on the issue; she had said she wanted to make him work for the position. A part of Optimus wanted to reassure Cloudbreaker that Slipstream had said she planned to name him the next Emirate. Slipstream had not sworn Optimus to any kind of secrecy concerning her plans, but Optimus didn't really feel comfortable discussing Vosian politics with the city's uncrowned prince. Vosian culture still confused Optimus. Its politics were similar in many ways to that to Iacon's but in other ways were very different. Optimus had learned over the vorns that sometimes it was just better not to get involved in private family matters.
Taking the opportunity to change the subject, Cloudbreaker turned Optimus and Ironhide's attention to the architectural details of the palace. He pointed out a beautiful multicolored window at the end of the hallway. The window, Cloudbreaker informed them, had been a gift from the emperor and empress of the planet Altarra. The Altarrans imported minerals the Vosians mined from a number of planetoids the Emirate's royal spark-line owned. The window was made of thousands of hand-cut pieces of Altarran crystal. The crystals spanned the entire length of the color spectrum from the deepest blues, to the lightest shades of purple, to hues of yellow so vibrant they seemed to radiate their own inner light. If Cybertronians needed to draw air to survive Optimus would have been left breathless. He suspected the window was worth more than what most mechs earned in ten vorns. While the design was mostly abstract, swirls of different colors were woven throughout the piece. Optimus couldn't help but imagine he saw an exploding star in the swirling patterns of multicolored crystals. The style reminded him of a 19th century Earth artist Sunstreaker had taken a liking to while the Autobots were stationed there. Optimus couldn't remember the artist's name - it had been a long time since he'd last visited Earth - but he did remember the name of his favorite piece the artist had painted and what the window's design reminded him of now: Starry Night.
"Very beautiful," Optimus whispered.
"Eh. Nice," Ironhide grunted with a shrug.
Cloudbreaker grinned proudly at Optimus's awe-struck expression and led them down another hall. Brilliant sunlight streamed inside the palace through a set of open doors halfway down the hall. Through the doorway Optimus could see blue sky.
"Here we are," Cloudbreaker announced. "The royal gardens."
Optimus's visual sensors had to readjust to the brightness as he and Ironhide followed Cloudbreaker outside. When his optics finally reset Optimus marveled at the beauty around him. The royal crystal gardens were massive. They sloped away from the side of the palace in a series of terraced landings. Beds of carefully cultivated crystals shined in the sunlight like internally lit prisms. Flecks of colored light danced across the walkways between the crystal beds. Optimus had thought the Iaconian Crystal Garden had been beautiful when he'd gone there with his family several lunar cycles ago, but the Emirate's private gardens made those crystals look like an amateur's attempt at crystal-growing.
"This way, please," Cloudbreaker smiled. Motioning the Matrix-Bearer and Consort after him, he expertly led the way into the maze of intersecting walkways. Optimus and Ironhide followed.
As they wound their way through the beds of crystals, Optimus suddenly heard the muffled echo of laughter somewhere in the distance. It was children's laughter. It sounded like it had come from one of the garden's lower terraces. His pace unconsciously quickened. After his talk with the Emirate he was anxious to see Starfall. He could feel his sparkmate's own eagerness to see their son leak across their bond. Cloudbreaker led them down an ornate flight of stairs. Rounding a bend, Optimus finally spotted his son.
Starfall was playing with the four sparklings he had met on the landing pad. They darted back and forth through the air, spinning and laughing merrily. Whatever game they were playing appeared to be some kind of aerial form of tag. As they drew closer, Optimus watched Starfall barrel-roll in the air and reach out for one of the other Vosian sparklings. The other sparkling - a dark blue and silver mechling - tried to dart out of reach but was not fast enough to avoid Starfall's hand which tapped him on the side of the thruster. Chortling victoriously, Starfall spun and shot away over the crystals beds, leaving the other sparkling behind as the new 'it.'
Optimus was surprised to find a number of adults - many of them officials who had greeted the Iaconians on the landing pad - sitting on benches or standing in small groups at different points across the terrace. He counted at least twelve adult seekers milling around that section of the garden. Several servants circulated among them, passing out cubes of colorful energon drinks on silver trays. Optimus recognized Cloudbreaker's sparkmate, Rainstorm, Lord Headwind and Lady Galeforce among those present. While the Vosians laughed and talked amongst themselves, enjoying the sunlight and cool breeze of the gardens, Optimus did not miss the way part of their attention seemed to always remain partially trained on the group of sparklings playing tag above them. Optimus at first wondered why so many high-ranking officials would be interested in overseeing a sparkling game, but then realized their focus seemed to be centered more on Starfall than any of the other sparklings. Suspicion clenched his spark, but then almost immediately disappeared again. Optimus silently chastised himself. Ironhide's mistrust of seekers was starting to make him paranoid. He shouldn't be surprised of the Vosians' interest in Starfall. As the son of the Prime and the Vosians' only representative to the rest of Cybertron, Starfall was seen as Vos's key to reestablishing relations with the rest of the planet. All that taken into account, the seekers' interest in Starfall seemed only natural.
As Cloudbreaker, Optimus and Ironhide strode across the terrace the different groups of adults glanced towards them and offered respectful dips of their helms. Cloudbreaker returned the gesture to many of those they passed. Optimus did the same to those he recognized from the landing pad.
"Dad!" a voice called out from somewhere above them. "Daddy!" A streak of white and blue flashed through the air and suddenly Starfall was in front of them. He landed and ran towards them. A huge smile split his face in half.
Ironhide bent down to meet him with outstretched arms. Starfall ran to him without hesitation. The weapons specialist pulled Starfall to him and tightly squeezed their son to his chest in a stoic, one-arm embrace. Optimus felt relief spill across their bond from his sparkmate. Anxiety he hadn't even realized Ironhide had been leaking across their bond suddenly disappeared.
With visible reluctance, Ironhide released Starfall again. "Havin' fun, Star?" he asked.
"Yea!" Starfall beamed, practically bubbling happiness. Optimus couldn't remember ever seeing Starfall so excited before. Given that this was the first time Starfall had ever been able to play with other seekers his age, his excitement was understandable. Behind Starfall, the other four sparkling landed and stood together in a small cluster. They eyed Optimus and Ironhide with uncertain expressions of fascination as though they wanted to approach but hung back because of their high-born training and an underlying fear of the unfamiliar. Optimus realized this was probably the first time any of them had ever really seen a non-seeker before.
"We're playing Search and Capture," Starfall excitedly reported. "Only seekers can play it 'cause you have to be able to fly to play."
"How interesting," Optimus smiled behind his mask. He was glad to see his son so happy.
"Look," Starfall grinned, raising one arm up for Optimus's inspection. Gold and silver rings with a number of different geometric designs slid along the length of his forearm plate. "Cloudburst and Thunderclap gave me more planetary rings. They said I can keep 'em. I think I'm gonna give some to Convoy when we go home. I promised him I'd bring him something back from Vos. Do you think he'll like them?"
"I'm sure he will," Optimus nodded. "These rings are very unique to Vos. They will make a wonderful gift."
Starfall's optics darted between his fathers, eyeing their wrists. "You and daddy don't have any rings yet." He wrestled several rings off over his hand. "Here," he insisted. "You need some planetary rings too." Starfall's sparkling rings were too small to ever hope of fitting over Optimus's servo, but they were just big enough for Starfall to slid down onto several of his fingers. Optimus fought back a chuckle as Starfall went to Ironhide and did the same to him next. When Starfall was done, Ironhide stared down at his decorated finger digits with furrowed optic ridges as though unsure of how he felt about his new adornments.
"There," Starfall smiled. "Now you have planetary rings too."
A ripple of delicate laughter sounded across the garden from the groups of seekers watching them. Ironhide frowned but Optimus smiled good-humouredly behind his mask. The Vosians' laughter was not mocking or mean, but friendly and amused. He could imagine the kind of picture he made: the leader of their race wearing the children's version of the local fashion on his finger digits. He could see why such a sight would be funny.
"Lord Prime," Rainstorm playfully called across the garden from where she sat with several other Vosian royals. "If you wish, I can get a set of real planetary rings made for you and Consort Ironhide."
"Yes," Cloudbreaker nodded in agreement. "Sparkling rings are fine for children but if you are interested in adopting a little Vosian fashion, I can have a set of planetary rings that actually fit made for you and Consort Ironhide by this evening. Polished Tarnian silver for you, Prime. Your paint job would clash too much with gold. A standard band width would look best on you, I think. A few understated etchings on the bands would give you a touch of elegance. At least a dozen rings for each servo to show off your social status. For Consort Ironhide, obsidian ore. The black would bring out the darker hues of his paint job. Wide band width. No etchings. No more than five or six rings per servo. Consort Ironhide is a warrior; it would not do to try and dress him as a courtier. What do you think?"
Optimus stared at the Vosian prince for a moment of overwhelmed silence. He had begun to get the feeling that Vosian planetary rings were seen as more than just fashionable accessories among the gentry of Vos, but Cloudbreaker's intricate assessment startled him. He hadn't realized so much consideration had to be put into one's decorations. Color, material, design, width, even the number of rings worn all carried certain nuances. Perhaps it was alright for sparklings to exchange rings with one another, but Optimus had the feeling that such a practice was not done amongst adults. One's planetary rings were a reflection of oneself - personal and un-exchangeable. To learn how to properly wear the Vosians' unique piece of finery probably took vorns of practice. It was very probable that it was a fashion that could only be truly mastered by growing up in Vosian culture. Optimus had to trust Cloudbreaker's suggestions for what would look good on him. Neither he or Ironhide had ever been particularly interested in fashion - such concerns were not an integral part of politics in Iacon. Here in Vos, however, how one presented oneself through one's adornments seemed extremely important. He would have to trust Cloudbreaker's judgment. He had no frame of reference to base any personal preferences he might have towards planetary rings or any idea what style might look best on him.
"Ah don't know," Ironhide murmured, openly uncomfortable with the idea of being decorated in anything fancier than a coat of wax. "Ah've never really been one fer jewelry…"
"We would be honored," Optimus quickly interjected. He shot his sparkmate a look. Just go with it, it said. He had no idea if declining Cloudbreaker's offer would be taken as some sort of insult. For the sake of politics it was just better to accept. After all, there was nothing that said that he or Ironhide had to actually wear the Vosians' fancy bands of metal.
"Excellent!" Cloudbreaker beamed, his optic flashing with excitement. Optimus suddenly realized the Vosian prince's enthusiasm was probably born out of a true personal interest in fashion. Most likely Cloudbreaker was excited to have new subjects to use his skills on. "I will send an order out immediately. You should have them in time to wear to tonight's reception. It humbles me that you and Consort Ironhide are so interested in Vosian fashion. Before you arrived I feared some of you Iaconians might see some of our customs as strange."
Ironhide sent Optimus a flat glare out of the corner of his optic. Maybe they would have to wear their host's gifts after all… If that was how it was going to be, then so be it. For diplomacy's sake they would wear whatever Cloudbreaker presented them with and smile graciously. Such were the trials of being a diplomat.
"How do you fly without any wings?" a small voice suddenly piped up. "Do you use a jetpack or something?"
Optimus glanced at the group of seeker sparklings clustered behind Starfall. The question had been asked by the blue and silver mechling - Thunderclap was it? The sparkling in question stared at Optimus and Ironhide with bright red optics, his optic ridges furrowed together as those confused by their sheer existence.
"'Clap," the little femme of the group, Cirrus, hissed. "Starfall already told you, they can't fly. They're ground-pounders."
"Children, that is not a polite term," Cloudbreaker sternly admonished. "We never call those who are incapable of flight that, especially esteemed guests who just so happen to be the Prime and Consort."
"It's alright, Cloudbreaker," Optimus chuckled. "They're just children. They don't know any better." He turned his attention back to Starfall's new gaggle of friends. "The young lady is right, Thunderclap, neither Consort Ironhide or I can fly. Primus did not gift us with wings as he did you."
"What do you transform into?" the black, gold and white mechling, Razorwing, asked.
"Can you transform?" Cloudburst chimed in.
"Cloudburst!" Cloudbreaker scolded, his expression scandalized. "That is an inappropriate question. Of course the Prime and Consort can transform! One should never ask another bot about his transformation abilities. It's rude."
Optimus ignored the prince, smiling behind his mask. "Would you like to see?" he asked the children.
The group of seeker sparklings all nodded, eagerly edging closer. Their initial fear of the non-flying outsiders seemed to have vanished. Optimus cast Ironhide a playful look then transformed in a whirlwind of shifting parts into a Earth-form semi. Ironhide followed his lead and reformed into his Cybertronian alt-form. The group of sparklings all squealed in delight.
"Look how big their wheels are!" the little femme, Cirrus, pointed. "And they have four instead of three!"
"Those who travel on the ground have to have large wheels," Optimus's disembodied voice rumbled through his cab unit. "Seeker landing wheels are too small to travel on the ground long distances."
"Gotta have big tires ta drive fast," Ironhide agreed as he shifted back into his root form. Optimus did the same. The sparklings all stared at them in silent awe like they were the newest sideshow attractions of the Galactic Circus.
"Alright, children, that's enough," Cloudbreaker intervened. "The Prime and Consort don't need to be bothered with anymore questions. They need to take Starfall so they can rest before tonight's reception."
A chorus of disappointed groans rippled through the group of sparklings.
"Dad, can I stay and play a little longer?" Starfall asked. He stared up at Optimus, his optics pleading pools of turquoise. "Please? We haven't finished our game yet."
"We're gonna be up late ta-night fer the party, Star," Ironhide said. "Yeh sure yer not gonna be too tired from playin' an' fall asleep?"
"Yea."
Optimus and Ironhide shared a considerate look. Starfall was obviously having fun with his new friends. It would be cruel to pull him away from them so soon.
"If you wish to let Starfall play with the other children a bit longer I can have one of the servants bring him to your quarters in a few joors," Cloudbreaker offered. "He would still have time to rest but would also have some more time to spend with the others."
Starfall stared up at Optimus, silently pleading. Optimus inwardly sagged in defeat. How was he suppose to say no when his son was looking at him so desperately?
"That sounds fine, Cloudbreaker," he nodded. He glanced at Starfall. "We will see you later then, Star. Have fun with your friends."
"Thanks, dad!" Starfall beamed. "I will!"
Within the blink of an optic, the group of sparklings were once again in the air and zipping away over the crystal beds like a swarm of over-energized insecticons.
"Kids," Ironhide grumbled, staring after their son and his new playmates. "Wish ah still had even half the energy they do."
"Indeed," Cloudbreaker chuckled in agreement. "Are you ready to be shown to your habitation suite now?"
Optimus nodded, tiredly. "Yes. We've had a very eventful orn so far and there's still tonight's reception to look forward to."
Cloudbreaker smiled. "That is why I want to see to it that you and the Consort have plenty of time to recover from your journey. I must go and personally see to a few more last minute arrangements for tonight's reception, but I will have a servant show you to your rooms."
"I can take them."
Optimus startled. He, Ironhide and Cloudbreaker all turned towards the unexpected voice. There, standing only several paces away was a dark blue mech with red wing stripes. How he'd managed to sneak up on them in the middle of a crystal garden was a mystery. Optimus stared at the mech, the diodes along his spinal strut tingling uncomfortably. He recognized the mech. It was Thundercracker of Starscream's old Command Trine.
"Sub-commander Thundercracker," Cloudbreaker greeted, smiling pleasantly. "I did not notice you here in the gardens before."
"I came out a few klicks ago looking for Lord Headwind."
"He is sitting with Lady Rainstorm and Lady Galeforce."
"Yes. I already found them and delivered my message. I was about to leave when I overheard your intention to find someone to take Prime and Consort to their habitation suite." Thundercracker slid his optics from Cloudbreaker over to Optimus. He held the Prime's gaze with blood-red optics, unflinching and calm. The former Decepticon's face was an unreadable steel mask. "I would be honored to show them the way to their rooms."
"Forgive me," Cloudbreaker said as though suddenly remembering his duties. "Optimus Prime, Consort Ironhide, may I formally introduce to you Sub-commander Thundercracker of the Vosian Air Force. He is trinemates with Commander Fallout. I fear I did not have the opportunity to formally introduce him on the landing pad when you arrived."
"Thundercracker, yes, we've… met before," Optimus murmured. Across their bond, Optimus felt Ironhide's suspicion flare like a miniature supernova. The old weapons specialist's face hardened with recognition.
"You might have forgotten, Lord Cloudbreaker, but I was stationed on Earth during the Great War under Megatron's command," Thundercracker explained at Cloudbreaker's confused expression. "I traded shots with the Prime and Consort on more than one occasion." He stepped closer to them, his optics locked on Optimus. "Those were dark times when mechs tried to kill each other because of the sigil one wore on his chest. Fortunately, the Great War ended many vorns ago and there is peace again on our planet. I hope we can put our past differences aside and move forward. I assure you that I am no longer a Decepticon. I am simply a citizen of Vos now. I no longer hold you or any other former Autobot any ill will or animosity." Slowly, Thundercracker extended one hand out to Optimus in a handshake. "For the sake of Vos's peaceful return to the rest of Cybertron I wish for us to put aside our old grievances and come together as fellow Cybertronians."
Optimus sensed more than actually saw Ironhide tense beside him. He held Thundercracker's gaze for a long moment of silence before reaching out and gripping the blue and white seeker's hand. "I am honored to finally meet you as a friend and not as an enemy on the battlefield, Thundercracker."
"The honor is mine." Thundercracker dipped his head politely to Optimus. Perhaps sensing he would not have as much success with Ironhide, he did not offer his hand to the weapons specialist but merely bowed his head to him as a peace offering.
"Are you sure you do not mind showing the Prime and Consort to their quarters, Thundercracker?" Cloudbreaker asked. "Such a task is far below your rank. You must be very busy right now. Please, let me call a servant to do it."
Thundercracker shook his head. "That won't be necessary, Lord Cloudbreaker. I am here and I have completed my intended task. It is not below my station to accompany the Prime and Consort to their rooms. As I said, it would be an honor." Thundercracker looked at Optimus and held his gaze steadily with his own. "I am sure we can trade old war stories with each other as we walk." Optimus suddenly sensed that there was more to Thundercracker's eagerness to lead them to their quarters than out of some desire to put the past behind them. Thoughts of Starfall immediately filled Optimus's mind.
Not for the first time since landing, a shiver of unease coursed down the length of Optimus's back strut.
"If you do not mind, then thank you," Cloudbreaker said. "I must go and see to several things. Prime, Consort, I will see to it that a servant brings your son to you after he is done playing and that another comes to get you and lead you to the reception hall later."
"Thank you, Cloudbreaker, for everything," Optimus said.
Ironhide grunted his agreement.
"Until tonight then." The prince glanced at Thundercracker and offered him a nod of the head. "Thank you again, Sub-commander."
Thundercracker nodded stiffly. With that Cloudbreaker strode away down a pathway that led towards the stairs that would take him back to the upper terraces of the garden.
"Please," Thundercracker gestured with a sweeping arc of his arm. "The private wing of the palace is this way."
The two sparkmates shared a look. Mistrust sizzled back and forth across their sparkbond, and not all of it originating just from Ironhide's side. Helpless to do anything else, Optimus tried to swallow his misgivings, if only for diplomacy's sake.
Falling into step behind Thundercracker, Optimus and Ironhide followed the former Decepticon towards the palace.
to be continued