Her mother's eyes were far too cold and it frightened her. "Mother, surely thou can not be serious! Sellen is dangerous-"
The weight of mother's magic sunk heavy upon Ranni's shoulders, a rising warning that stilled her tongue. "I am dangerous, daughter. Far beyond an exile. I needst not her danger, only her knowledge." Rennala scoffed.
Ranni gathered her courage, "She will not aid us free of toll, she will seek recompense and vengeance both, thou must seest so."
Mother's scowl only deepened, the crackling air cutting in Ranni's lungs. She was pushing her luck. "I am not so addled as to be lectured, Ranni! Compliance shalt be coaxed or compelled, but I shall have it." Renalla growled out a sigh, pinching her brow as she waved her away. Ranni stared daggers at the floor, it was beyond frustrating when she was treated as nothing more than a little girl!
The princess would try one last time, she had to. "Mother! Ple-"
"No, Ranni! Enough!" Mother's eyes were too cold, too wide, too knowing. Ranni huffed, throwing her hands up as she marched from the room. Linde nodded apologetically as she passed. She noted with annoyance that Moongrum was nowhere to be found, mother must have already sent him off to collect the witch.
Ranni held back her irritation at the squad of six sentinels that now followed her every step within the manor. She understood Wain's caution, they had only been within these halls a day and already they'd dealt with an ambush. Her understanding did not breed bountiful patience, however. Friso watched her nervously as she pushed past him to where she knew her consort to be.
She found Owain where she'd left him, tossing restlessly in their bed. Ranni closed the doors to their chambers delicately. It had once been a novel surprise to wake before her husband, such a creature of sun and habit was he. Now though, now he so rarely was able to rest at all, so tormented by that terrible dream. The dark bags under his eyes had returned in force, he had been quicker to anger of late, more forgetful, his appetite suppressed.
Ranni worried greatly for her better half. It did not matter how many sleeping spells she cast, nor how potent. The magic she now knew to be Marika's, overpowered her every attempt at allowing him rest. Ranni had inspected the dream, viewed it countless times, and had come to an unsettling conclusion. Marika was desperately trying to speak to Owain.
At first she'd thought it a repeating vision, an unchanging message, but as the nights passed and the vision shifted, the truth became clear. Marika was using the two great runes within Owain to force her way within his sleeping mind, but most all of her words were stolen before they could reach him. Ranni did not know if it was simply a matter of a lack of power, or if some other…entity yet interfered in truth, but she intended to find out.
For that, she suspected they would need Rykard's rune. Unfortunately, to retrieve it safely, and restore her brother, mother apparently thought they required Sellen's assistance. Ranni was no stranger to perilous plans, but still! The graven witch had been banished for a reason, her vile rituals too much for even Ranni's ruthlessness.
She went to sit lightly beside Owain but tripped, landing more forcefully than she intended against her husband's side. His reaction was immediate. He reared up in their bed, throwing his arms about her before flinging her behind him to press her to his back. His free hand raised ready to strike. "Wain! I am fine." She chided into his muscled shoulders, pressing a kiss to the back of his neck.
"Wh-what? Ranni?" He held his readied pose for a moment more before releasing a slow sigh and turning to regard her confusedly. His ever present instinct to protect her was heartwarming, but she did wish he was a deeper sleeper sometimes. At least so that he might rest.
"My apologies, husband. I hadn't meant to wake thee." Ranni willed her rising blush away, she could hardly admit she tripped.
Owain pressed a long kiss to her brow before tumbling them both back to their pillows with a groan. She'd thought him about to speak but belatedly realized he'd gone back to sleep. She breathed out a low laugh into his mussed hair. To think she'd been so annoyed just moments before. The witch shifted to a more comfortable position, running her nails in soothing rows along his broad back. She'd raise her issues later, after he'd rested more. It was too precious to steal.
Crucible Knight Santonia regarded him sternly from across the table he broke his late fast at. Her dark skin gleamed in the noon light, darker eyes burned through him under heavy brows. "I am most pleased to see thee, young one."
Owain bowed his head respectfully, "And I you, my lady."
She sipped at her soup methodically and Owain could feel Ranni's curious stare even without looking. He would never be so impertinent to one of his father's hallowed order as to demand news or answers. He was sure the dame would elucidate him, if only he bide his time. A few quiet minutes passed before she spoke again. "Thy father and nigh half my order awaits thee in the capitol, Owain. I was bade give that message unto thee."
His father had returned? Oh what jubilation! He struggled to control his enthusiasm as he responded. "I thank you for the tidings, my lady." Ranni kicked at his foot, he continued after a moment. "Will you journey with us when my task here is done?"
"No. My duty lies south, there are still knights that are unaccounted for, Lady Siluria bade me go forth once this manor was secured." Then his aunt was returned as well! The stress almost evaporated from Owain's shoulders. Finally he knew they were alive and hale! He would be much joyed to see his family again. He'd sent out runners to his mother's homestead as soon as they'd reached Altus, but the messengers had yet to return.
He bowed his head once more, "I would have welcomed your company, but I understand, my lady."
Rani cleared her throat, laying her hands atop the table primly. "For what purpose dost thou currently reside at Volcano manor?" Owain frowned at her, "My lady." The princess added, belatedly.
Owain cringed as the knight sighed in annoyance. "Thine brother is possest of ancient magic, sapling. I had hoped it might be a winding path to the root crucible. Alas, I was mistaken. The lady Tanith is a most welcoming host, I offered my protection whilst I awaited word from the rest of mine order."
Owain's frown at his wife deepened until she rolled her eyes at him and bowed her own head. "Many thanks for thy patience, my lady." The crucible knight only nodded.
Tanith was to hold a small gathering of the manor's current occupants that evening as way of introduction. The hostess had explained the nature of her 'recusants' to he and Ranni over tea, and it had left a sour taste in Owain's mouth.
He understood that they'd been desperate, he understood that they'd stood in defiance of Leyndell, he only wished that things had not gone so poorly. The sentinel held his tongue however. He could hear clear, the dark whispers of violence from the runes within him, even as he sat there drinking tea. Owain was a creature of many centuries of martial discipline and diligence, he could not expect that all would be able to bear the ghastly weight as he did.
Once Tanith had left them to their own devices, Ranni laid a hand atop his knee, face conflicted. "Starlight?" He questioned.
She pursed her lips, "Two things must I tell thee. Both art of ponderous weight."
Owain sighed, must the burden on his shoulders only grow and never lessen? "Ranni…"
Her slim fingers interlaced with his, "On the night of thy…on that night, I gave Rykard traces of the death rune, that he might challenge the old dog. Such a thing came not to pass, but I thought I shouldst tell thee now, as we must destroy it, methinks."
That was a dangerous weapon, one he should have known of sooner, "And the second?"
Ranni scowled at the drawing room door, "Mother has sent Moongrum to fetch Sellen. She believes the graven traitor to hold special knowledge."
Owain reclined on the chaise they shared, letting his head fall back so that he could contemplate the molded ceiling, "Ponderous weight indeed."
His princess ran a hand along his forearm, fingers tapping at his knuckles absentmindedly, "Aye."
"My family ever schemes, and I am left to catch up." He kept the petulance from his voice, but could not hide his exhaustion.
"Wain…" Her tone was regretful but he had not the energy to even truly care.
They would handle these problems as they had all the rest, alas that he could not seem to snatch away a day of peace. "We will destroy the trace of death, we will trust in mother, we will be careful."
Ranni lay her head upon his chest, his hands coming up instinctively to secure her tighter to him, "I am only sorry to burden an already wearied mind."
He hummed tiredly, "Let us hope I might find rest and understanding when at last I hold Rykard's rune."
Ranni was silent for a long while before she spoke, voice a small whisper, "Aye, Sunbeam."
Tanith's gathering was much smaller than Owain had expected. Hardly fifty tarnished and nary a servant in sight. He would rather have spent more time with the lady Santonia, but the crucible knight lingered ever at Tanith's side, and the lady of the house was a busy woman.
He'd spent much of his time that day situating his sentinels and the accompanying entourage within the manor, with hundreds of empty rooms and beds, there was ample space to house his small force. He'd also bid goodbye to the great warrior jar, Alexander. Who'd promised to return to test himself just as soon as his clay finished hardening in the fires at the height of the mountain. Ranni was set to begin repairs on the manor's portal stone on the morrow, but they'd brought supplies enough to last until she was done. So much to be done, it seemed the list was unending.
Owain was startled from his distracted thoughts by Ranni's fingers squeezing his arm. A large man in resplendent silver armor was making his way straight towards them, the few tarnished between speedily making way. Owain himself had left his helm and armaments in their quarters, but he carried his seal ever at his hip. He watched placidly as the stranger approached.
"It is my great honor to greet you, Princess of Caria." The man said with a low, stiff bow. "Hail, sentinel. I am the knight Bernhal." he continued. Owain frowned, this man surely knew his full title and yet he did not use it. Such lack of decorum rankled him.
He watched Ranni only just hold back a sneer. "Hail to thee, Bernhal. Have thee business with us?"
The man's face was dour, and posture ramrod. Owain wondered where he hailed from. Every knight of Leyndell since the war of the dragons had been ordained by Owain or, on special occasion Queen Marika, personally. He would have remembered knighting a man such as this. He could feel power and strength from him without doubt.
"Only to share my greetings with you, my lady." His eyes looked Owain up from foot to face. "And to offer warning. A devoted servant of the greater will and golden order is at your arm. I would beg caution and reconsideration."
Ranni did not hide her sneer this time, looking down her nose at Bernhal imperiously, "Consider thy greetin's shared then, knight. Consider thine warnin's unwelcome." She said, frostily.
Bernhal bowed his head, glaring at Owain in open disdain. Before the man could turn away, Owain called out, "I sense your malice, knight Bernhal, and mislike your brazen rudeness. You have shown respect to my wife, so I shall let this slight go unanswered. Mind your tongue in the future, for I shall not be so forgiving again."
Ranni pinched her brow with a hand, loosing a sigh as Bernhal stepped forward to regard Owain squarely. The sentinel shifted his wife behind his back, scowling down at the knight. He heard Ranni huff in annoyance but he could hardly let this man disrespect him so flagrantly. The many eyes around them shifted to watch, the many voices falling silent.
Bernhal's eyes, bereft of grace, would not look away. "Queen Marika is my enemy. Is she yours, Sentinel? I see no other reason for you to be here." The man spoke his sacred position like it was the most grave of insults. How dare he!
Owain sneered, hands twitching. The runes demanded he conquer, called for him to dominate. They stoked high, the fire in his gut. He should kill this man, should he not? For his impudence, for his blasphemous words against his goddess, for the sin of daring to challenge him. It would be so easy, so quick.
He was about to respond when the doors to the large drawing room burst inwards. Queen Rennala, flanked by a squad of his sentinels and a very beleaguered looking Linde stood in the entryway. He heard the queen shoo his men away before she flowed towards he and Ranni, sharp eyes taking in the tense scene.
Owain blinked, the wrath in his chest cooling at the sensation of Ranni's gentle magic. He'd…he'd been too complacent! Owain had been about to kill this man over nothing but a verbal barb. The runes had been too loud of late. He'd been too distracted, too exhausted. Fie! When would he learn? Had not his pride cost too much already? He must endeavor to reach greater humility!
The sentinel frowned down at the waiting knight. "My enemy is needless war. I seek peace and prosperity for these lands between, let that be answer enough, Knight Bernhal."
Ranni tugged him away before the other man could respond, they met mother Rennala and Linde, joining them at a small table placed in the far corner. The Carian queen had taken up a flute of champagne and was watching him with eyes too piercing. "The shards, canst thou still beareth the weight, my son?"
Ranni's hand found his, and he shook the tension from his shoulders, "The burden grows without proper rest, but yes, mother. They are my duty, I will not shirk them."
"Good. I…." The queen trailed off, cocking her head curiously. Owain followed her eyes to find a small girl, with pale blonde hair looped in braids a twin to Tanith's, staring back at them nervously. Why did she stand so stooped?
"Mother?" Ranni asked cautiously, also appearing to look at the girl oddly.
The strange look on the queen's face set off warning bells aplenty in Owain's mind.
Radahn regarded the letter from princess Nepheli with a heavy frown. Tanya's questioning eyes roused him from his darkening thoughts. "News from Stormveil. A fleet of ships, Land of Reeds by make, lines western Limgrave. For what purpose, she hast yet to discover." As Tanya's frown matched his own, Radahn turned once more to Leonard with a sigh. He kissed his friend's brow, laughing softly at the enthusiastic whinny he reviewed in reply. Leonard was fully restored, ample and tender care saw him once more to his lordly state of eld. It was the first piece of Radahn's heart to be mended since his return to sanity. He had been in such a good mood after grooming his noble steed, only for this news to bring him once more aground.
The duo made their way forth from the soft shadows of the stables, walking for the manor proper. Blaidd should know about this, Wolfram too. He'd call a war council.
"You think they've saved Rykard yet, brother?" Blaidd worked a claw at his teeth, playing around with one of Wolfram's map makers in his free hand.
Radahn shook his head, "No, Owain would likely have traveled here by grace if they had." Wolfram continued his note taking as he nodded along.
Blaidd blew a long sigh, quirking a brow at him. "You feelin' up to any grand magic yet?"
Radahn sowled, flexing his hands against the large table they'd requisitioned from the dining hall. "No. Mine strength hast yet to return in full."
"Ranni'll make a portal stone soon right? Surely those ships won't cause any problems before at least talkin' to Lady Nephelli." Radahn hummed agreement, rubbing at his chin.
The three were silent for a while, with little noise aside from Wolfram's quill. Blaidd scratched at his neck. "Mother could just," He made a flowing motion with his hands, "those ships away." Radahn wasn't sure but he thought he might have heard Tanya laugh from her place beside the door.
Radahn hoped it would be that simple. There was no telling how strenuous the rescue of his elder brother would be, nor how long it would take. What if mother was enslumbered for as long as she had been when she'd performed her ritual on him? Then they need rely on Ranni's magic, but what if she too was incapacitated? His own mana had yet to fully gather, his soul was still unused to this new body.
"Should I request my lord's return in my latest report?" Wolfram posed, finally done writing as he deposited his quill in a near ink well.
"Better not to worry him, methinks. We've already got nigh three thousand sentinels still within Caria, Liurnia, and Limgrave. Not to mention Moongrum and Nephelli's new troops."
Wolfram frowned at Blaidd, but held his tongue. The two hadn't been getting along but that was hardly surprising. Wolfram thought Blaidd too flippant, Blaidd thought the sentinel a stick in the mud. Radahn cleared his throat. "For now, let us put the troops on alert and await Princess Nephelli's correspondence." His two table mates agreed and Radahn made for his quarters.
The evening air was chilly as he sat upon the ledge of the turret that jutted from his rooms. Radahn regarded his hands somberly, they were too fresh and unscarred. So much of his mind was still scattered, too many memories lost or fragmented, it was maddening. Given what he'd been told of the fearsome rite mother had enacted upon him, it was understandable, but still it irked him. He breathed in, enjoying the misty breeze. At least the weight of the rune was gone.
He'd no idea how Owain bore not one but two of the wretched things. Radahn had thought his will incorruptible, but perhaps it was that same arrogance that allowed his heart to be ever so slowly tainted. Where he'd taken up the shard as a weapon and a gift, Owain knew well enough already it's poison ways. The defining difference? He wondered.
He smiled as he heard the rustling fabric at his side. Tanya, off duty and in a thick velvet dress of dull green, settled silently beside him. A knight would never dare to set foot in their master's chamber without leave, but an old friend who wished to offer comfort could do so without worry. Her calloused hand was gentle atop his, thumb brushing his knuckles.
His eyes lingered on the flickering lights of the city beneath the manor. When had it grown so much, he wondered. They sat in silent companionship for a few minutes before Radahn spoke. "It seems true war might be upon us once more." Tanya's hand squeezed his, grip trembling. Radhan looked at her in surprise. Her face was shadowed, but he could see her lips were downturned. "Tanya?" He questioned, softly.
Mournful eyes gazed up at him earnestly, their intensity almost making him gasp. "I can not-" She cut herself off, looking away. He would not rush her, he only shifted to face her better, layer his free hand atop hers. The knight dragged in a long breath before meeting his eye once more. "Radahn, I cannot bear thy loss anew."
Radahn furrowed his brow in confusion, "Shouldst thou wish it, thou can of course accompany me if I must set forth to face this foe."
"No!" Her far hand jerked up in halting motion as she bit her lip. "I-" Just what was weighing on her so heavily? He'd hardly face a threat he could not defeat from this fleet. "Radahn!" She cried, hand shuddering forth to rest against his cheek.
The prince blinked in surprise. What…what was happening? "Tanya?" He questioned cautiously.
The knight grit her teeth, seeming to gather her resolve. "My prince, thine half-death was my full undoing. Should I loseth thee again, so too shall I lose myself. Please, please doth not go once more unto the fires of war so easily!" Her voice, normally so gentle and dulcet was hoarse with passion. She laid her brow against his shoulder, arm moving to wrap around his neck in a half embrace. "I beseech thee, Radahn. Part not from mine side, stayest always within my reach. Stay only where I can yet guard thee, where mine lo-love will keep thee from harm!" The sleeve of his shirt felt damp, she…cried for him?
Radahn knew he was a thickheaded fool when it came to affairs of the heart. Knew his cunning in war meant little on the battlefields of romance. Though, even he could tell that these were not just the pleas of a knight to her lord. Tanya was his dearest friend, how long had she harbored such sentiments? Could he bear her loss, should he pry and she recoil? What if his intuition was wrong? What if he lost this friendship he so treasured, in pursuit of something else?
He reached slowly to enfold her in his arms, shifting her hands to his side. Radahn would need time to think on this, time to process it in full. He'd hardly settled into his own skin, it would be reckless to dive headlong into something so alien to him as courtship. Her hand fisted the fabric of his shirt as she cried.
The blinding light of gold had filled his dreams and sight both for so long. The shine of glory, the gleam of honor and knightly war and grand quests. This rebirth of his was as much a rebirth of mind as it was of body. Perhaps a chance to reprioritize.
Tanya was a large woman, broad shouldered and of a height few could claim, why then did she feel so very small in his arms? A trembling, fluttering creature that he was afraid he might break. Her auburn curls, freshly washed, were soft beneath his clumsy fingers. "Thou art precious to me, my stalwart companion. I would not have thee from my side. This new…world is one I've yet to explore. I would do so with care, with respect and with honesty. Hast thou the patience-"
"Yes!" She called, voice muffled against his chest. He chuckled, perhaps this need not be so daunting a task as he feared. It was Tanya after all, few knew him better. Radahn hummed contently, eyes on the first stars of the evening. Tanya reared back to watch his face, eyes that of a hesitant doe. After a moment, she lay her head in his lap, just as she had since they were children and he'd first began regaling her with made up stories of his future fame.
It was times like this that he most wished he could beg Gauis' advice, or perhaps even his aunt Rellana's, despite her promised pestering. He'd even take Messmer's dry teasing. Thoughts of his long lost friends and family brought with them long held angst, but he tried to fight it off. Knowing Owain, the man would see the lands of shadow brought once more into the light soon enough. Radahn would be optimistic, just as mother! Soon Caria and Caelid both would be restored in full, he need only do his best. Tanya's hand was warm in his despite the chill of the mist.