Page 18 of The Ivory King

I gaped at my grandfather who, it seemed, had tired of the discussion. His eyes sagged shut, his head fell forward, and his hair slid over his face despite the coronet he wore. Soft snores flowed from him. The silence, aside from the snorts of an elderly elf, was pleasant. It gave me time to focus on bringing forth the persona that I would need to wear for a tenday. That of Aelir Stillcloud, heir to the vills of Renedith. It was not a guise that I enjoyed wearing, for the real Aelir would much rather be doing anything other than idling away time that could be spent doing something beneficial.

The sound of the city fell away. The steady rise through curling streets soon brought us into view of Avolire as it sat majestically atop a steep cliff of darkest stone, the sea smashing on boulders far below and saltwater coating the sheer drop as the city lay like a dog curled at his master’s feet. The keep was impressive with dark blue roofing tiles edged with gilt, towers that clawed skyward with blue and white Melowynn banners snapping madly in the gusty wind.

The fortress held over forty sleeping chambers, vast kitchens, solariums, four ballrooms, sleeping quarters for the staff and guards, and an elaborate shrine to Ihdos where the king would attend morning prayer alone.

The entryway into the outer bailey was lined with carriages from the four corners of Melowynn. Many were built like ours, with large wheels, polished trim, and paint to match our house colors. I leaned out like a rag-boy Grandfather would say if hesaw me and glanced behind us. The coach carrying Kenton and Beirich trotted along behind us, Stillcloud guards peppered around the envoys of the wood elves. Their wagonette was crafted of dark wood, open to the elements as neither enjoyed being cooped up like prickle hens, and pulled by two draft horses draped in ropes of ivy and wildflowers. Getting a small nod from Kenton, who was sitting beside his husband stiffly amid odd looks from the residents of Celear, I then looked forward. I spied several hulking dwarven carts pulled by enormous thick-furred goats with huge, curled horns. The yeti ruler was here as well for a carriage twice the size of an elven one waited ahead of us. Four massive ivory oxen, called cuth, stood in the sun with their tongues on the ground. The yeti and the beasts that served them did not tolerate the temperate climate in Celear very well.

Ahead of the sweltering yeti contingency sat a large carriage, brightly decorated in vibrant tones of blue, yellow, red, and green. The sides were open, unlike our conveyance, but the two Sandrayan emissaries inside the cart sat under a fringed covering. Both the dark-skinned elves were dressed in silken robes and headwear that draped down to cover the bottom halves of their faces. Long ears, much larger than the elves of the mainland, were showing and bejeweled with gems. They sat amid cushions in their open-air cart, talking to each other with graceful motions of their hands. Their guards sat cross-legged atop massive, humped creatures with flat feet, long necks, and thick eyelashes to keep the beast’s eyes free from the black sands that swirled on their island homes. The beast, called a quadoth in the Sandrayan tongue, made resonant grunting sounds as they stood in the sun while each carriage and its occupants were checked before being allowed into the palace proper. The Sandraya seemed to be quite comfortable in the late-season sun. Pity the yeti were not as acclimated to the warmth alongthe southern coast. Each Sandrayan guardian carried a pronged spear and looked to be quite at home atop their hulking rides.

“Pull your head back inside. You act like a rag-boy who has never laid eyes upon delegates from the far corners of Melowynn before,” Grandfather snapped.

I sat back down. He picked up a small, jeweled fan to cool himself. “I find this to be quite nonsensical making the grand advisor and the heir to the vills of Renedith sit and wait while bumbling royal guards rustle through our belongings as if we were commoners. I will make it a point to speak to the king’s secretary about this affront to the nobles.”

“They are only doing what needs to be done, Grandfather.” I handed him my flask of iced wine. He sipped it greedily. Those of us from Renedith enjoyed temperate weather with a slight dip when the seasons shifted. This heat along the coast was unpleasant, but it could be worse. We could be yeti melting like ice as we waited. “There have been some threats on the king’s life since he passed the newest law forbidding his subjects to dump their garbage into the sea.”

In truth, some were many, and the threats came over not only for refuse but increased taxes and changes being brought into law that the church found distasteful. Such as allowing a druidic temple to be built in the capital. Many cried that it was heresy. Many more whispered that I had the king’s ear, for who else amongst the noble houses had fought so valiantly for wood elves to worship their goddess alongside Ihdos than Aelir Stillcloud, the defiant heretic of Renedith. Umeris fretted over the whispers. I ignored them as I continued to fight for elves of all colors.

“I warned him to do so would be foolish and bring about more discord. Imagine such a thing as charging a fee to place one’s refuse into a container that would be gathered by governmental workers and then taken out to the farmers forthem to work into their soil! More taxes levied on the people will surely bring ire on the king’s head.”

“I think it to be a fine idea.”

“Yes,youwould. If I did not know better, I would think you had whispered this ridiculous recycling food waste plan in his majesty’s ear.”

“The ocean is not our midden heap, Grandfather. The fish and other beasts that live in its depths are—”

He waved a hand in the air. “Yes, yes, the fish. You sound more like the Amergin boy more and more every season. I knew when I read your parents’ request to ensure you were raised alongside a wood elf that it would breed nothing but radical unnatural thoughts in your head.”

“I’d say they were natural thoughts for most of the things that Kenton and the druidic elves embrace are good for nature, which in turn—”

“Are good for all elves. Yes, Aelir, I am aware. I have heard that line thousands of times since you were old enough to parrot the wood dweller’s thinking. Spare me from having to hear it now. My legs pain me, and this carriage is akin to sitting in a roasting pan inside an oven.”

“Let me go see what the delay is,” I said, eager to leave the carriage for some fresh air. He nodded, fanning himself harder, as I opened the door. V’alor instantly appeared before me, his dark eyes shining in his helm. Sweat beads stood out on his smooth upper lip. And Umeris complained about sitting in soft silken robes on pillowed seats with cool wine to sip. I could not imagine how hot it must be in full plate armor. “Grandfather is having a fit of the vapors—”

“I am not! I am upset at the time spent cooking in this damn carriage like a spring parsnip! This is unfitting an elf of my stature!”

V’alor and I exchanged a look. “His legs are swelling badly due to the heat. Can you send someone ahead to the palace gates to see how much longer it will be?”

“Yes, of course, Lord Aelir.” V’alor motioned Pasil up, exchanged words, and then sent his second off ahead. Tezen flew over. Pixies were incredibly curious. “Would the grand advisor wish for Beirich to come up to check on his legs?”

“No, I do not. I would rather have my toe fall off than sip some of those ill-brewed woodland droughts!” Grandfather snapped behind me. “I would like one of the royal healers, those who studied the sciences under the grace of Ihdos, to be summoned immediately.”

“I shall go find one,” Tezen graciously offered, zipping off at speed, sparkly purple dust billowing down from her blurring wings.

The line moved. The carriage rolled forward the length of a cart and stopped. I smiled wearily at V’alor as Umeris ranted inside our carriage.

“It has been quite the journey.” I sighed and got a knowing look from V’alor. “Will you come to my room before the welcoming feast to discuss security for the rest of the celebration?”

He knew well that security was not what I sought. We had not been together as lovers for several nights now, and I needed to feel his arms around me unhampered by satins, silks, or copper armor.

“I will, of course, do as bidden, my lord.” His reply was all that was proper and respectful. I wished for more. A touch, a kiss, anything, but that was not fitting and so he merely moved his gelding back into position, and I sat back down with a huff after closing the carriage door.

“What on earth is taking so damnably long? Do the dolts at the gates not know that there are elder elves who require salted taffy and tea at midday lest their acropathy flare up?”

Yes, it had been quite the journey. I swiped the sweat off my brow and focused on the man riding beside our carriage in glimmering copper plate. Not an easy task when my traveling companion was raving about salted taffy and tea.

After the long wait at the gates, we were finally cleared to enter after a healer came to see Umeris and moved us ahead of the other guests being searched. The yeti were not impressed, nor were the Sandrayan envoys. I would have to make sure to smooth things over at the welcoming meal this evening in the king’s grand hall. I’d gotten Grandfather settled in his suite with salted taffy—in four flavors—and tea, and his leg up on pillows as a royal healer rubbed minted lotion into his swollen toes and feet.

My room was on the western wing as was Umeris’s, overlooking the king’s garden. There were two areas to my crimson and white suite. One for bathing and one for sleeping. The bathing room was vast with a tub that could hold four grown men with ease. I’d requested scented hot water for the tiled tub as soon as I’d been led to my suite. The call of violet peacocks, gifts from the Sandrayan vahasi, roaming the grounds and mazes, floated into the double doors that stood wide open to allow the sea winds to race through. Clad only in a gossamer robe of palest blue, I waited impatiently for my lover to arrive. I suspected he had been busy getting the men settled in the basement area of the keep, where the unwed royal guards slept.

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