Ruins And Royalty

A Request from the Head of the Council- Chp 13 Part 1

Soft bedding cradled me as I sank deeper into its warmth, caught between sleep and waking. My eyelids fought to remain shut, though I forced them open, knowing what the day demanded of me. To everyone else, today was of great importance. A day of celebration, of spectacle, of duty. To me, it was little more than a burden, a nuisance wrapped in ceremony. I would have gladly missed the lavish gathering prepared in my honor.

With effort, I pulled myself from the bed, my body still tender though mostly healed, and moved toward the door. A sharp breath of morning air greeted me from the window, carrying the chill of dawn. My attire spoke of my station. Garments woven for royalty, heavy with ornament and dripping in opulent jewels that felt more like chains than honor.

As I stepped into the corridor, a maiden awaited me, robed in white. In her hands she carried a wreath of olive leaves, threaded with delicate red, blue, and white blossoms.

“My Prince,” she said with a bow, lifting the crown, “a celebratory wreath, by order of the King and Queen.”

I inclined my head, allowing her to place it upon me.

“You are to meet with the head of the Council in the sunroom, east wing,” she continued.

I frowned. The request was unusual. Still, I gave a short nod and followed where she led.

The sunroom awaited, radiant with the light of dawn streaming through high windows, scattering patterns across the freshly polished marble floor. At the far end of the chamber stood a man clad in a pure white tunic, his toga draped with careful precision. He did not turn at my arrival but remained fixed on the horizon beyond the glass where the golden shore met the harbor, glittering with the first light of day.

“Gaius Barmus,” I announced as I stepped into the chamber. Though surprise had stirred in me at being summoned by him of all people, I erased any trace of it, keeping my expression still and my voice measured.

“My Prince,” he replied warmly, turning from the window with a look of satisfaction. I studied his face, searching for any sign of his true intent. Why would the Head of the Council request me on this day of all days?

“You asked for me. Why?” I cut straight to the heart of it. After our last confrontation in the Library, I had no patience for pleasantries that only circled toward the truth.

“Before we turn to weightier matters, allow me first to congratulate you on your twenty-third birthday, Young Nightingale,” he said smoothly, his tone laced with ceremony. “May you be granted the most exquisite and rarest gifts in all of Pandora.”

I gave only a slight nod, my face set, my silence deliberate. His words fell hollow, little more than ritual. Whatever sincerity his smirk and practiced voice pretended to carry, I did not believe it. Not from him. Not after what Kalmin had revealed to me about the Council’s dealings with an unknown woman. Yet even so, I kept my gaze locked on his, refusing to waver.

“Now, for the reason I have summoned you,” Gaius began, clearing his throat. “I am in need of your assistance.”

“My assistance?” I echoed, suspicion edging my voice as my eyes narrowed. The last time I offered ‘assistance,’ I had been deceived. I was stripped of my weapon and my horse, left wandering through the forest on foot back to the palace. The memory still soured my thoughts, and this request sounded dangerously similar.

“I have important documents that must be transported to the city of Traentin,” he continued, hands clasped neatly behind his back as he turned once more toward the open view. “Traentin is my homeland, and it houses the grandest temple of knowledge in all of Pandora. I have labored here in Emperos for nearly half a year, and the overflow of my work belongs in the temple’s archives.”

He had made his summons sound graver than the task itself... unless, of course, there was some hidden purpose buried beneath his words. That possibility unsettled me more than the request itself.

I let the silence stretch, weighing him with my gaze, debating whether to respond or let him reveal more. He chose the latter.

“I require a man both sharp and trustworthy to escort my carriage to Traentin and safeguard the scrolls, and myself, while I attend to other matters there,” he explained, every word chosen with deliberate care.

“And you have decided I am this sharp, trustworthy individual…” I replied, my tone edged with annoyance. Once more I found myself cast into a role that had little to do with me, history threatening to repeat itself in a pattern I had no wish to follow.

Gaius Barmus studied my face, searching for the faintest sign of reasoning. Or perhaps a weakness to bargain with. He could see plainly enough that I detested the thought of aiding him on this so-called quest, and he was right. I had no intention of accepting.

“I realize this is no ordinary task for one of your station,” he said at last, trying to soften the sting of refusal. “But my apprentice trusts you with his very life…” His words trailed, followed by a practiced sigh. “Still, I would understand if you refused. It would be… a shame.” He turned then, facing me fully, his gaze fastened on mine as though he might wrest a reaction from me by sheer will.

“Who?” The question slipped from me, more incredulous than curious, my brow furrowing in disbelief. Who in all of Pandora could be so reckless? To entrust their life to me was sheer madness. I had little care for my own survival at times... let alone anyone else’s.

And then the realization struck like a blow.

“The youngest prince of Yarrow,” Gaius said, his voice swelling with pride. “Zander Windane.”

Of course it had to be him. Torin once mentioned that his younger brother was often sent to run errands for the Council, though the eldest prince of Yarrow had phrased it in far more degrading terms. Still, I could not fathom why Zander himself would confess such a thing to them.

Memories of that night in the temple’s medical bay pressed into my thoughts, unbidden and relentless. I averted my gaze, fixing it anywhere but on Gaius, as if that could stem the flood. I tried to bury the images of the sensations, the feelings... the kisses, but the harder I forced them down, the more violently they surfaced. My heart quickened its pace, though outwardly I held my composure, as placid as stone.

“What does this quest entail?” I asked at last, my tone steady despite the weight pressing inside me. I wanted nothing more than to refuse, to walk away but the truth was, I wanted to see Zander more. Too much time had passed since that night at the medical bay. Both of us too busy to steal a personal moment.

A satisfied grin curved Gaius’s lips at my shift in tone. “So, you are interested after all?” he said, clearly pleased.

“It is a simple task, really. But the young prince will provide you with the details, as he is overseeing the journey’s plans.” His words carried a rehearsed ease as he moved toward the door, and I followed at a measured pace.

“If you choose to accept, you will find Prince Zander of Yarrow and myself in the Library at sunrise tomorrow,” he added, almost lightly. Then, as though he could not resist draping ceremony over his triumph, he said, “For now, enjoy your celebration and the festivities. May the Gods favor you on this day of all days…”