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It was days before the prince agreed to their terms. When it was finally in place and the time and date was agreed upon, all that was left was to set sail.
"I disagree with it. Wholeheartedly," Margrave said, once again, as their council meeting stretched into the night.
Alik sighed and looked to Eamon. He remained silent, adhering to their agreement of a united front. He had expressed the same opinion as Margrave many times before but would not say so in front of the others.
Instead, Eamon chose silence.
"There is a certain wisdom to Lord Thomlin's advice, Your Highness," Lord Neale said.
"As much as I understand why you want me to stay aboard and to send Eamon alone, I cannot. I will not," Alik said. "It is not battle that I am going into, in which case I would gladly send him alone-"
Eamon snorted but kept his eyes on the table.
"This is the negotiation for our kingdom, for Eamon and Avelina's homeland, and I have far more experience in these matters," Alik concluded.
"And if you are both killed?" Lady Sexton asked, the one question they all avoided asking so far.
Alik let out a low chuckle. "Leave it to you, Emelina, to ask the question no one else wanted to."
She glared at Alik and he grinned broadly at her.
"The contingency plan is already set. In the event that we are both killed or captured, Avelina will rule in our stead until Lambin is ready to take over. She will rule with the help of both you and Margrave," Eamon said in a low voice. "If she is also killed or captured, Lissandra's survival will be revealed and she will take Avelina's role."
"And if something happens to her?" Lady Sexton pressed.
"If something that dire has happened, I think we can forget the line of succession altogether," Alik said. "But if that happens, Margrave would be next in line. Then you. Then Lambin when he finally comes of age."
There was silence in the room until finally Alik stood. The others did the same and they all left the room. On the way to their room, Alik looked over to Eamon.
"Do you have a devious plan to keep me here? Or perhaps just aboard the ship?"
Eamon's eyes went distant. "I wrote to Lissandra and she gave me a list of things that could make you sleep so deeply you could miss the ship. Or make you so sick that you wouldn't be able to leave the ship. Then she informed me that I should think very deeply about what I was doing. How I would react if you made the choice for me to make me stay during a battle."
"I can see which twin was born with the most sense," Alik said.
"Then she told me to drug you anyway," Eamon finished.
Alik glared at Milet's back. There was no winning with his husband's family.
"It is no less than what you would do for me," Eamon said.
"I would only have to conspire by myself to drug you to keep you safe," Alik said, suddenly feeling very sorry for himself. He ached for his older brother all of a sudden.
"That's not true. There are dozens of people that would be happy to conspire against me, my own family included. Avelina would happily advise you on the drugging and sleep draughts to keep me safe," Eamon said.
"I suppose that's true," Alik said and sat down on their bed. He pulled his boots off and threw them on the floor.
"What troubles you?" Eamon asked.
Alik was silent for so long that Eamon thought he would answer and began tugging at the laces on his tunic.
"This land has been in my family for ten generations. What if I go down in our history as the simpleton that lost it?" Alik asked softly.
"I don't believe it. Not you. Never you," Eamon said, brushing aside the concern like Alik had just told him about the weather.
Alik looked at him and felt an untold anger rise in him. He confessed his greatest fear and Eamon had ignored it like it was nothing at all.
"You can't know that," Alik snapped and Eamon looked up, surprised. "You can't. I could go out on that ship tomorrow and I could be shot with an arrow from the Vresal army and they could kill you just as easily. How can you be so stupid-"
"I'm not," Eamon snapped back and Alik realized he had perhaps gone too far. "And neither are you. If you are too scared to go out there and face the enemy then do as I say and stay on the boat."
"I didn't mean-" Alik started.
"Yes, but you did," Eamon said coldly. "And if you can't control your mouth then I suggest that you stay. If you do say something so foolish to the prince and he punishes my people-"
"Our people-"
"My people, then you will have a great deal more to answer for then my own frustration," Eamon finished. Instead of continuing to undress, he snatched one of his heavier cloaks from their armoire and turned to the doors. "I will see you on the boat in the morning."
Before Alik could tell him to wait, to stop, to slow down, the door was slamming shut and despite the fire roaring in the fireplace, the room seemed colder.
***
WHEN YVONNE MET ALIK the next morning, she couldn't help but stare a moment too long at his side where Eamon should have been.
"Probably not best to pick fights with your husband on the eve of negotiations," she said.
"I'll keep that in mind the next time we have to negotiate a usurper to get his lands back, Yvonne. Thank you so much for the advice," Alik replied, his tone icy.
"It is not King Eamon's fault that you have been feeling your insecurities more and more. Nor should you be taking them out on him or the rest of us because of them," she replied, her tone equally cold.
Again, before Alik could reply, Yvonne fell out of step with him and fell next to Milet. Osonia was no doubt attending to Eamon, wherever he was, and Avelina, Margrave, and Lady Sexton seemed to have been warned beforehand that Alik was not in the best of moods that morning because they were nowhere to be found.
Outside, the nobles were jostling each other for position to see their royal family off. Lady Sexton stood next to Lambin, both of them looking solemn. Alik glanced at her and she bowed her head and curtsied, the standard farewell for her, though she did not meet his eyes. Lambin waved at Alik and Alik waved back. Lady Sexton would be left in charge in their absence while the rest of the family joined them on the trip.
Avelina was already astride her own demon horse, Margrave at her side. Alik couldn't help but notice how much time the two of them were spending in each other's company. Behind them was Eamon, Sir Athalos and Reeve at his side and Sir Clifton directly behind him, leading the small contingent that was selected to go with them.
Alik's hands curled at his sides, under his cloak, at the sight of the man.
Instead of saying anything, he climbed aboard his own horse and set off.
It was a short ride to the docks and even though Milet led Heaven in front of Alik, he was otherwise alone for the majority of the trip.
"If this is some strategy on your part, it escapes me." Milet declared as he approached Alik. He was dressed in his finest cloak, well made leggings and an embroidered tunic. They all were dressed in their finest clothing and even though Alik hadn't glanced Eamon's way, he knew that he wore his crown, his cloak with the colors of his own kingdom, and that Osonia worked some kind of magic on his hair. Alik knew that the cloak would make Eamon appear broader than he actually was and that some lucky soldier was up half the night, cleaning and sharpening Heartseeker until it shone like a star in the sky. Alik knew that under the cloak, Eamon's arms were bare and that the tattoos on his arms danced as he flexed his hands.
Alik wore the colors of his own kingdom; black and yellow, and his own crown shone on his head. His own cloak made him look taller, stately, and regal. The black made him look more severe and colder, although that might not have anything to do with the cloak and more to do with his mood.
"I don't know what you are referring to," Alik said.
Margrave nodded, like he agreed with Alik. "Of course. The fact that your husband slept on the floor in his own sister's room rather than in bed with you has nothing to do with the fact that neither one of you has so much as looked at the other."
Alik chose not to reply.
"The one time your silly little promise to one another could have come in handy, you throw it away," Margrave sighed.
"What are you talking about?" Alik muttered.
"A united front. Was that not your promise to one another?" Margrave asked.
To hear their own promise to each other spoken so casually of by Margrave shook Alik. He had not spoken of it to anyone else and he turned around in his own seat to glare at Eamon. Eamon looked back at him, his face devoid of emotion, generous mouth pressed into a thin line, and his eyes unreadable. Alik opened his mouth to say something, anything, but Margrave stopped him.
"Shut your mouth, cousin. King Eamon did not say anything," Margrave shook his head in disgust. "But neither one of you speaks quietly around us and it doesn't take a genius to piece together what you speak of."
Eamon raised an eyebrow as Alik continued to stare at him but Alik turned in his saddle and faced forward.
"I have known you since my own birth and with that vast misfortune, I have more than my own share of knowledge of you and how you work. Those around us who are not nearly as blessed with that knowledge sometimes take your words far too seriously," Margrave went on and reached forward to pat his horse on her neck. "Take your husband for example. I'm sure last night you were feeling either anxious or nervous-"
Alik snorted.
"And you said something without thinking and he defended himself. Now, in your mind, you said something inconsequential, a passing remark, but it offended the King. He left. Which I saw, by the way, so you don't have to either confirm or deny. Now you are upset that he left over something so small and he is offended that you said..." Margrave studied Alik and then glanced back at Eamon. "Something about his intelligence and did not apologize. Not only that, I imagine that he felt that because you are mindlessly lashing out, you are putting his people in danger."
"Our people," Alik muttered.
"No, Alik, don't make that mistake. Don't ever make that mistake," Margrave snapped.
Alik turned to him, stunned, ready to reply that because he was legally wed to Eamon the people of Storm Isles were indeed his own people. That was simply how these things worked.
"Those people out there that are starving and dying and being tortured are not your people. You were there for a month and brought destruction down on their heads before you fled for your own lands. Those are Eamon's people out there suffering and you seek to only lengthen their suffering because you are being a petulant child," Margrave hissed and looked at him with disgust evident on the still beautiful side of his face. "For once in your life, be royal, be a king. If you would quit dressing the part and realize what you are doing, then maybe you would have more loyalty in your own lands."
Margrave spun his own horse around so suddenly that she reared up on her hind legs before he was gone, past Avelina, past Eamon and the others, and probably towards the very rear of the contingent of soldiers.
***
ALIK SAT ON A BENCH on the ship, near the bow. He was the first to board, followed by Heaven, then Eamon and his contingent of guards. They followed him closely and even Alik had to admire their conformity and how well they followed their King. Their blood red capes flowed behind them as Eamon turned towards the stern of the boat without a glance towards Alik.
Eamon seemed to be more and more like the man that Alik had first met.
Alik sat in the cool sunshine alone for longer than he would have liked. Issat stayed at the castle with Lady Sexton and he couldn't remember a time when he missed her presence more keenly. The blue sea in front of him seemed endless though he knew it was not. He knew that somewhere out there were the Storm Isles and that on the Isles there were people who were suffering while he sailed in his finest clothing, on a ship built for the greatest of comforts, to bargain with a man who was just as comfortable.
He wasn't aware of how long he sat there, staring, until Avelina sat down beside him. In her hands was an embroidery project, a rose rendered in startling detail, against fine black linen. She didn't say anything for a moment as she settled herself next to him and when Alik looked up, he saw Eamon looking in their direction before his attention was directed elsewhere.
"Are you here to lecture me as well?" Alik finally asked. Even to his own ears, he sounded tired.
"On what?" Avelina asked as she pulled a needle from the folds of her skirt and threaded it effortlessly and picked up where she had left off.
"About my ability to be a king and how to be a better husband and how I should or should not be a better man," Alik said.
Avelina shrugged. "I could, if you'd like that."
Alik felt the same anger rise in him but Avelina glanced at him and shook her head. "It's not me or Eamon or anyone else on this ship that you are angry at. You are angry at yourself and perhaps your parents. You are angry because you don't understand what exactly is going on and how best to fix it," Avelina put her embroidery down on her lap and raised a hand to his forehead. She traced his brow and went on, "You live up here. And that's how it is with some. Eamon lives here," she said and tapped his chest. "And I think that's how it's been for all of us, growing up in the Isles. Eamon will consider every angle and when that consideration is done, he will attack, throw himself into a fight with all that he has."
"What are you talking about?" Alik asked and pulled away from her touch.
"Perhaps you don't see it because you are still terribly new to him and to who he is. Perhaps he hasn't let you in and perhaps the same could be said for you," she mused. "Everyone who meets Eamon fears him more than anything else. Even you. When you first rode up to Stormholme, we all saw it on your face. You feared him. Now you care for him, deeply. But you don't see him."
Alik remained silent.
"Neither does he see you," Avelina said and paused as she pulled her thread through the linen and created a new stitch. She didn't look up at him to gauge his response at all. "I don't think any of us do, to be perfectly honest with you. Everyone accuses Margrave of holding the greatest of secrets and not sharing everything that he knows but I am beginning to suspect that is you." She pushed her needle through the linen and looked up at him, finally. "Isn't it?"
"I don't know what you speak of, I assure you. I have no secrets," Alik insisted.
"Oh, but I believe that you do," Avelina replied and looked down. "We all do."
Alik looked back out to the sea and in the distance, he saw a ship and its billowing white sail.
"When will they be my people?" He asked out loud.
"When you show them that you will die for them," Avelina replied lightly. "But also, more importantly, when you see that you will die for them. You will learn to see beyond Eamon and the armies and the wars and the scandal and the doubt and the lies and see that royalty, true royalty, gives the power of your life over to your people."
"That's terrifying."
"Isn't it."
***
AS THEY APPROACHED the other ship, Alik and Eamon met near the center of the ship and stared at the large platform that was lashed to the Vresal ship by two corners. Sir Clifton and Sir Athalos descended in a boat and lashed the two remaining corners to the Grayhaven ship. Archers on the Vresal ship kept their aim on Athalos and Clifton and the archers on the Grayhaven ship kept their own aim on the Vresal ship. When it was done, they rowed back for the Grayhaven ship and climbed back aboard.
"Your Highness," Yvonne murmured from behind Alik.
Alik took a deep breath and nodded. He turned so that Yvonne could take his cape and immediately the biting wind chilled him. He fought the urge to wrap his own arms around himself or even seek out warmth from Eamon as he usually did.
"Your Highness," Sir Athalos said as he took his scabbard from his belt and handed it over to a guard he did not know.
Alik didn't need to look over to see that Sir Clifton was doing the same for Eamon and that Osonia had already taken his cloak.
Once it was clear that they had no weapons, Eamon went down the rope ladder first and held it while Alik descended. On the other side of the platform, Prince Raulyn boarded his own boat and began to head for the platform as well.
Alik could feel his heartbeat in his chest and it felt strangely hollow and thick and he felt like he would vomit off the side of the boat.
"Breathe," Eamon said. "It's only nerves. It will pass."
"Do you not feel it?" Alik whispered and when he looked up to Eamon instead of the waves that were beating against the side of the boat, he saw that Eamon had his eyes glued on Alik's chest.
"Of course I do. But this is not my first time riding into battle. It passes," Eamon said. "Breathe. Focus on something in your mind."
"Like what?" Alik whispered and he thought that the panic would choke him.
Eamon sighed. "I think of Lissandra painting. The colors. The sound of her brush against the canvas. The slow way a picture blooms beneath her hand."
Alik didn't have any of that. He didn't have anything to think of like that.
Unbidden, he remembered quite suddenly a night in their rooms. It was snowing outside and the castle was quiet. The fire crackled in the corner of their room and Eamon slept deeply beside him. They were warm and it was quiet and there was nothing but a reassuring serenity that everything would turn out just fine.
"What did you think of?" Eamon asked.
Alik opened his mouth to reply but instead he shook his head. "My mother," he lied.
Eamon nodded.
Then he was pulling them close and lashing their boat to the platform and then he stood, stepped onto the wooden structure with a grace and elegance that Alik couldn't help but envy. He held his hand out to Alik and helped him board as well.
Then, they turned to face Prince Raulyn.