Page 66 of Under the Lion Star

“I’ve never met King Doran,” Leor’s tone was foreboding. “And although we’ve exchanged letters, I can’t know if it was the human king himself writing or some aide of his.”

“You’re nervous,” I said.

“Very,” he replied, and I liked that he wasn’t trying to hide his vulnerabilities from me. “We need to project the image of a strong Fjorn. A country that isn’t in disarray despite the deaths of my parents.”

“What do you need me to do?”

“Don’t let anyone see your self-doubt,” his eyes met mine as he rested his hands on my shoulders. “I know that’s easier said than done, but I need you to speak your mind and to do so with conviction.”

“Wouldn’t it be easier if I just remained quiet? Let you do the talking.”

“Never,” he tucked a strand of hair behind my ear. “Showing that we have two competent rulers will put us in a better position. Your ideas and thoughts are as valuable as mine, Z. Even if I disagree with your words, we must show that we work together for Fjorn.”

“Alright,” I nodded, trying to wear an impassive mask as Leor always did when acting as king.

“That’s my girl,” he smiled. “I believe in you. Always.”

With that, Leor turned, ready to address the elves who were coming from below deck as we prepared to dock in Keldsfen.

“Let me make one thing abundantly clear,” he spoke in a deep voice, drawing the attention of the group of soldiers who traveled with us. “Maintaining the peace between Krannar and Fjorn is our top priority.”

The men nodded.

“There are already elves in Keldsfen, repairing the damage that was done and working to restore the town so that we may use it as a port for trade. However, the citizens who had evacuated are being welcomed back. They may be human, but they are now part of Fjorn. Treat them as such. I would also prefer if we only spoke common tongue during this visit. It would be rude to exclude the humans from our conversations.”

Leor looked over the small crowd, ensuring that everyone understood.

“You are not to engage with the Krannari king unless he speaks to you directly. Then, you will reply with the same level of respect that you would show me. Dismissed.”

The men made their way to the ramp that had been lowered, allowing us to enter the shipyard of Keldsfen. Leor held his arm out for me, guiding me down gently and helping me remain steady as I transitioned to solid ground.

“It takes a moment for your equilibrium to return,” he assured me.

“It feels like my legs are gelatinous,” I chuckled.

I expected a teasing reply but looked to find Leor staring at the town before us. Most of the buildings were in a state of disrepair, but the fresh lumber affixed to most of them showed the amount of progress the Fjornish soldiers had made. A sense of pride welled in me, knowing that I had played a part in giving those men an opportunity to apply themselves for the good of Fjorn.

Humans helped the elves, and based on the amount of smiles and jokes being thrown around, it felt as if they were always meant to be a part of Fjorn. Leor’s description of the humans as short elves with rounded ears did not do them justice.

They had expressive faces, and bright eyes. The mother’s doting over their small children as they played in the streets made me wonder how we’d been in conflict with these people at all. They seemed so genial.

We walked through the town, heading to the space where the two kings had agreed to meet. I watched an elven soldier demonstrate how to affix a door hinge to a human boy who could have been no older than ten. This was good. I had feared there might be resentment between our peoples, especially in this town, given that human citizens had lost their lives here. While the death toll on both sides had been considerable, killing those not part of the armed forces was unheard of. It was part of why the sack of Haerbor had been so upsetting.

Several people waved as we passed; none seemed intimidated by Leor or myself, and I wondered if we didn’t have our crowns so prominently displayed if they would walk right up and start conversations with us.

I turned to Leor with a smile, wondering if he felt the boost of confidence I had after seeing the citizens of each country coming together so well. What I found was haunted eyes, his mouth pressed into a thin line. Leor was seeing something entirely different than I was.

My mouth opened to ask if he was okay, given how shaken he appeared, but a wall slid between us as he turned to a small clearing near what had once been a farm.

A long table had been set up with two chairs on one side and three on the other, all made of the same pale wood. As we approached, the human king rose from his seat, as did the two women at his side.

Queen Aydra gave a small smile when our eyes met, while who I assumed was Princess Kira kept her eyes focused on the ground at her feet.

She’s scared.

King Doran threw his arms wide, a bright smile crossing his face as he pulled Leor into a tight hug. A gesture rather unexpected, based on the reactions around us.

Leor patted the human king’s back a few times and greeted him with a grin of his own.

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