“We don’t have to do more than report.” Vius smoothed a hand over Solna’s forearm as his husband escorted him to the Throne Room off the great Courtyard. “Somehow, my nobles have figured out I am King so the normal revelation won’t happen.”
Solna chuckled at Vius’ confusion. “They found out the same way everyone else does.” Solna glanced at him with a long-suffering look. “Gossip.”
“Gossip.” Vius agreed on that. The talk of the common folk could be both a blessing and a curse. No doubt someone from Brandris reached Tanchar and spread that bit of news around. “I guess I can’t be too put out about it. One less item on our agenda that has to be addressed.”
“Exactly. An extra hour of our time that we can put to better use.” The man turned thoughtful. “Perhaps you can show me more of the city?”
It sounded like a fine idea. The palace was massive, but Solna would stay within its walls more than he left. Why not take the opportunity to show him the capital while they still could, before duty bogged them down?
“That’s a wonderful idea,” he whispered as they walked through the doors of the crowded Throne Room. Solna flashed him a smile and led him up to the dais where his marble throne loomed. It was an uncomfortable and cold piece of dead stone to sit on, but it served as the Osairan throne for time out of mind. A few pieces of lore that survived from ancient days suggested that it had been created way before then.
Vius took his seat as Solna stood at his left hand, and the sea of beings fell silent. All eyes, mostly elven but interspersed with dwarven and human, even a lone dragon-shifter, focused on him. When he first ascended to the throne, such scrutiny unnerved him. Now, he plastered a bland, welcoming smile on his face.
“Well met, my people and our guests. Our campaign in Sumentan was—”
A voice broke in from the middle of the crowd. “Ended in travesty!” One of the people shoved their way roughly through the nobles. Ilul stepped to the front and pointed a shaking finger at Solna. “This man seduced you into tainting our royal line so he can usurp our kingdom!”
The nobles started to murmur amongst themselves, but Solna said nothing, a silent statue. Vius raised a hand, angry at Ilul’s audacity. “Solna, my Consort, has done no such thing. You will back down, General Ilul.”
“No! An elf should be Consort, not an enemy King.” Ilul sneered at Solna. His husband gave Ilul a blank look in return. Solna’s refusal to speak must have rendered Ilul senseless. It was the only reason Vius could think of to explain what his general shouted next.
“I challenge Solna Nalion to combat, for Vius Tylele’s hand. Now.”
Vius stood to object, but Solna stepped forward with a razor of a smile, rage in his eyes. “Accepted.”
* * * *
In their rooms, Solna gave his sword one last check for nicks in the gleaming steel, and then handed it to Vius for the moment. Next, he shucked his jerkin, rolled back his long shirtsleeves, and tied a strip of white cloth over his brow to keep sweat out of his eyes. Vius was chewing nervously on his bottom lip beside him.
Finally, he couldn’t take it anymore. He cupped Vius’ face and kissed him. “I will be fine, Vius.”
“Solna, I do not like this. Ilul has no right to demand a duel so soon.” Vius threw his arms around Solna in a fierce embrace, sword and all, and hid his beautiful face in Solna’s shoulder. Solna hugged him back just as hard.
“Easy, husband,” he murmured. He hated to see Vius like this, but to decline a challenge from some upstart like Ilul would lower his worth in the eyes of anyone. “I won’t say this will be an easy fight, but I will win.”
Vius nodded, and then pulled away. His brown eyes were too bright, but Solna didn’t mention it. What would be the point? He swooped in for one more kiss though. When he took his broadsword back from Vius, the elf laid a hand on his arm and Solna waited.
Vius gathered up a thick hank of his long black hair and combed out a few loose strands that Solna swore weren’t there before. The hair shone white and silver and black in Vius’ delicate hand before he twisted them up into a single thread. He beckoned for Solna’s arm, then tied the mass in loops around Solna’s wrist.
Once Vius was done, Solna guided him in for one last, sweet kiss.
* * * *
A huge circle of people greeted him as he stepped into the courtyard where Ilul already waited for him in the center. Not just nobles had turned out to see the Consort fight, but it seemed word had spread to at least some of Tanchar. Common folk intermingled with their brightly dressed noble counterparts. He turned towards his husband and waited.
King Tylele, because he wasn’t Vius here, walked out behind him and stood tall at the front of the space. “General Ilul Carorva has challenge Consort Solna Nalion to combat,” the King’s voice carried across the entire area, cold and detached. “General Ilul’s demand is for Vius Tylele’s hand, which belongs to Solna Nalion.”
No one breathed.
Vius met Solna’s eyes, sorrow heavy in his husband’s gaze. “Begin.”
Solna and Ilul both bowed to their King and faced each other, naked blades coming up. Ilul was small and no doubt quick, as any elf was, and carried a lighter short sword. They circled each other and Solna settled into his rhythm, waiting.
Ilul dove in like a hawk and lunged low with a slash at his belly. He swung his sword down to knock the blade away and danced back. When Ilul stabbed at his chest, Solna sidestepped and earned a minor cut to his bicep for his trouble.
Solna backed up and Ilul followed. The elf whirled to face him and went for another slash. He batted the sword away and thrust at Ilul’s heart. Ilul jumped back only to dart in again, this time their blades caught with a jangle of steel. Solna stepped in close, bearing down on his smaller opponent. Ilul held on long enough to flash his teeth in a feral snarl and then dropped and rolled away.
He lunged as soon as Ilul was on his feet.
Agony burned across his eyes and a heavy weight suddenly pulled his sword down. Solna let go of the hilt. Someone was moaning but the world had gone dark. There was liquid on his face. He tried to blink the dark away, but agony drove him to his knees as soon as he tried.
“Solna!” Vius’ voice was so close. He turned to better hear his husband over the loud exclamations of the crowd around him, then absolute silence. Footsteps echoed all around him, then a warm hand on his face.
He would know that slim hand anywhere. “Vius.” He heard a ragged, choked voice say his husband’s name. That couldn’t be him. “I cannot see you.”
“I know,” Vius voice cracked. The other hand fell on Solna’s hand and drew it up to press against Vius’ chest. “It’s fine.”
It scared him to hear Vius so broken, especially when he couldn’t see. “How bad?”
“Why does it matter?” The warm hand on his cheek covered his eyes. The pain was pushed back, but the darkness didn’t fade. “You still live and Ilul does not. Be grateful.”
Solna gasped in relief. “He can’t take you from me.”
“No, my love,” Vius said. “You ran him through just as he tried to take off your head.”
“He missed.” Solna smiled at his own grim humor. Then reality crashed down around him. “I’m blind. He took my eyes.”
“I cannot care. You still live and that’s all I need.” Vius’ soft lips met his brow, just below his hair. “And there is a chance you can be healed.”
Solna knew it was unlikely that he would ever see again. Another pair of hands joined Vius’, then yet another landed on him and all worked to tug him to his feet. Vius growled at one of the pairs of hands, he was sure, before being laid flat on a hard board.
The pain started to creep back in. Solna tightened his hold on Vius’ hand and on impulse, pulled it, and just held it against his lips. It felt like the palm.
Vius was safe and Solna would deal with his eyes. Blind or not, in the end, Vius was right. He had won and they were together. As the board was lifted and vertigo swamped his mind, Solna reached out into the dark, hand flailing. Vius’ sharp cheekbone rubbed against his fingers. His breath shattered as it left his lungs. “Stay with me.”
Skin stretched and dampness trickled over the back of Solna’s hand, the other clenched around his husband’s, still pressed to his lips. Breath caressed the inside of his wrist. “Always.”
Solna let himself fall into the dark behind his damaged eyes. He was safe and Vius was here. That was all that mattered, now.
His bewitching King was all he needed.
THE END