"It is a high possibility that it was a blessing. His Majesty the King is the strongest man with fae lineage to ever live," Akiel argued. I kept silent and chewed slowly on the tart grape.
"No, he isn't. Go on, Mor, tell them the stories you told to Kya and I."Red was an unaware fool.The heat of anger radiating from the soldiers was unbearable. Even Inanov tensed beside me.
"It seems I am all out of stories for tonight." I dust my hands and prepare to wake up.
"Oh, please tell us," the hazel haired boy, Akiel, pleaded.
"Yes, do tell us. I'm quite intrigued now." The prince smirked, taking joy in my discomfort.
I could smack Red right now.
"She's not usually this unsocial, I'll speak for her stead," Red said with everyone seemingly more interested, keenly listening and the prince smiled tauntingly. "They say the strongest being was the Old Queen of Duvessa," Silence. Complete, utter silence roamed around the campfire, it nearly gave me chills. It was forbidden to talk of such, especially aroundthem.I looked to Red, who was still unaware of himself as he continued talking. "She was the offspring of shadows and death. An immortal fae,one of the few who had such strong fae blood that there was no need for her to complete the Ragiel transformation, where those with little fae blood should complete in order to become a full-fledged immortal fae. She had ruled over Duvessa for over six hundred years. She passed and descended toRiaanwhen she heard the call of Nocturna and left her son to rule over Duvessa." A sudden gust of wind blew my hair against my cheek.
"Only a few of us royals know the tales of the Old Queen. Those who speak of Duvessa and its ancestry are usually hung in Apollo." The prince looked at Red with a face of emotion that I could not decipher. Red's face was a sheet of white. His eyes darted to me, only now understanding the problem at hand. "However, we aren't in Apollo." The prince drawled. "What was the name of the Old Queen again?" My heart stilled and my breathing stopped. I rose, so that I could leave. Red immediately went to answer.
"No, letheranswer," the prince said as I rid my face of any emotion.
"Morana," I answered, meeting his eyes, and giving a cool collected smile that Fala would be proud of. Gasps rose around the camp and the prince seemed pleased with himself.
A gruff burly man grunted to the men around him. "Duvessan loving bitch." A few murmurs in agreement were made.
"Watch what you say about her! It is not her fault she was given that name at birth," Red defended me and stepped forward.By Nocturna’s name, he was going to get himself killed.If Fala were here, she would have laughed and said he was acting just like me, impetuous and rash.
"You think I care about that, you freckled mutt. Think she will give you her Duvessan loving cunt if you defend her like that?"
Red raised his chin. "What would a fat fuck like you know about getting women?" he spat at his feet.
"You son of a bitch." He reached for Red. I roughly fisted Red's collar and shoved him behind me, moving into Red's place to face the brute. The soldiers around the campfire rose, no doubt ready to defend their fellow soldier. "Move, bitch. Prince's warrior or not. That's not how a low-born like him should speak to an Apollon second in command." The man was leaning in too close for my liking so I gave him way to Red. He smirked. "That's what I thought." He advanced to Red, removing the rope attached to his side. I immediately kicked the back of his knee, shoving him with the rest of my weight into the ground, flat on his back.
My gloved fist met his jaw on impact and a satisfying crack came from it.
A punch to the face that was long coming.
The men around us drew out their weapons. My fire blade from my thigh was at his heart. The darkness of the night spread. "Call me a bitch all you want. But touch him... and you'll meet the Duvessans you speak of when I condemn you toRiaan," I whispered with venom. My threat cutting through him and everyone else who was listening like a sword. "The second I command fire into this blade. You will die. I vow it."
Loud claps rose. "I hope that will be a lesson to never underestimate my chosen warrior," the prince coolly said, as if I was not about to just slaughter his second in command. "Let that serve as a warning. You will receive her wrath if you go against her. However, if any one of you touch what is mine, you will receive my wrath instead," the prince threatened. His eyes glowed crimson in the light of the fire.His eyes looked so much like his father's.It scared his men and myself included.
I let go of the man and he fell face first into the grass, coughing. "Fergus. You have been officially stripped of the second in command title. Inanov, be sure to find hisreplacement." The prince rose and a guard picked up the prince’s golden cloak and dusted it out.
Inanov stood straight. "Yes, Your Highness."
"His Majesty, the king made me second in command." Fergus spat blood out from his mouth and looked at the prince with hate.
Looks like I hit him hard...
"But not hard enough,"the shadows inside me spoke.
Power enveloped the whole lot of us, the sudden scent of magic made me queasy. “And your future Kingis stripping you of it. My father would be pleased if he saw more brutality in me. I could send your head to him as a souvenir from my travels or maybe... Oh, this might be a better idea. Tell me, does your family still reside within the safety of Eldoor, the finer parts of Apollo?" Adrion looked down at him.
The prince was cruel... just like his eyes. Fergus bowed his head, put his palms together and begged.
"It seems I might have drunk too much ale. I deserve to be stripped of my title for such debauchery. Forgive me." The power from the prince slowly eased out into the air. I sighed in relief. Just as the prince was about to leave, suddenly, a flash of turquoise blue feathers flew past the soldiers and landed on a tree above me. I looked at the creature in horror, not believing my eyes. It made a soft musical sound and then flew off, disappearing into the night. It couldn’t be...
"I've never seen that kind of bird before in my life," Akiel admitted in wonder. The prince smirked at me before leaving.
"Strange at how that thing made an appearance after only one day withherbeing with us," Fergus muttered. The men around the campfire murmured their agreement, so I did the best thing I could do at the moment and retired to my tent. Red followed.
"What was that...?" Red whispered.
