Page 11 of The Night Prince 2

“I was not drunk and we were not carousing. Though I did sing,” Aquilan replied with a smile at the end.

“Rhalyf was, undoubtedly, drunk,” Vesslan muttered. “That would explain why he’s hiding from me.”

In truth, Aquilan wondered if Rhalyf had actually been fully drunk a day in his long life. He might allow himself to go languid and heavy-lidded, but the moment that there was a loud noise or an unexpected incident, his best friend was suddenly completely sober and this had not just during the war where it would make more sense. He’d been that way on the Lieran Plane where war was but a distant thought.

Aquilan often wondered what had caused Rhalyf to be so watchful and careful at all times. But anytime he’d tried to ask, Rhalyf had dodged the question. Most of his best friend’s earlier life before they met was shrouded in darkness. Aquilan worried it had not been a happy or easy life, which made him all the more determined to make Rhalyf’s existence now that much better.

“Rhalyf had some errands to do this morning. You will see him later,” Aquilan said.

“Oh, joy,” Vesslan remarked dryly.

Neither elf had much love for the other. Vesslan clung to protocol and duty as if it were a religion while Rhalyf was allergic to anything that resembled a schedule. Yet, despite this, Rhalyf managed to get things done far more efficiently than most. A whispered promise here. A few coins there. And the matter was completed. This indicated to Aquilan that Rhalyf had been deep into politics at some point. Yet it was strange that he hadn’t heard of him before they’d met. Or maybe not. Aquilan had kept well clear of all of that until the Sun had chosen him as king.

“Brother, it is not Rhalyf’s fault that I am here rather than at the Eryas Palace. That was my choice as I’m certain Elasha imparted to you,” Aquilan said as he put a few of the crispy, fatty rashers of bacon on his plate. The thought of dragging one of the salty bits of meat through the creamy egg almost made this predictable conversation less wearying.

“He’s a bad influence,” Vesslan muttered.

“He just has different values than most people. He sees through people’s niceties. He knows what he wants and is unapologetic for wanting it. I enjoy him for that,” Aquilan said.

Aquilan was very glad he’d sent Rhalyf away. If this was any indication of how Vesslan was behaving without his best friend present, Rhalyf and Vesslan would have been hissing and spitting at one another in the same room.

“There was no need to come get me, Vesslan. I was planning on returning on my own,” Aquilan said.

Aquilan had known by staying overnight at the Dawn that his brother would likely send someone to come check on him. He hadn’t expected Vesslan to show up himself. And his brother had come alone, seemingly because of the deep embarrassment of having the king staying at a local inn instead of the palace. But he did not care. Last night was wonderful. He had made new friends in Shonda, Michael, Finley and Snaglak, but, more than that, he had spent time with his Shadow.

My Shadow? He paused at the thought, but as he considered it, he realized he did feel that way. I saved his life. It is mine to continue to protect. I owe him this.

“Why don’t you sit down and have some breakfast? This is Dale bread. A specialty of the dwarves. Crusty on the outside and light as air on the inside. Also, the honey is glorious like sunshine made into liquid,” Aquilan offered.

Helgrom was buttering a piece of said toast before drizzling it thickly with that golden honey. The three of them were the only ones in the Dawn’s dining room at the moment. It wouldn't be open to the public until lunch. But, alas, Declan would not be returning to the inn that day or that evening either. He was off work until tomorrow. So that meant unless Aquilan thought of some reason to seek him out, he would not see his Shadow today. He was quite depressed about that.

But perhaps I could check on him at home. To make sure he is not suffering any ill effects after yesterday, he thought, but then squashed it.

Declan was a private person. Likely since he was king and because Declan was kind, the young man allowed Aquilan a certain amount of fussing, but Aquilan would soon exhaust both reservoirs if he kept popping up in his Shadow’s life and asking how he felt like some ridiculous nursemaid. And hadn’t Declan rejected his request to be an unofficial counselor about humanity and its plight? Yet the young man had sought him out during his song. So perhaps Declan did want to be around him in some capacity.

Vesslan continued to stand–and loom–over him and Helgrom. “Brother, I realize that the war has, up to this point, curtailed your peacetime duties, but the war is over. You cannot simply–simply–”

“Do as I please?” A smile lifted Aquilan’s lips.

Normally, this would have been Rhalyf’s line, but he found himself saying it.

“Yes! I mean… of course, you are king, but meeting with your Councilors cannot simply be avoided like you did! There was confusion and offense by your failure to appear!” Vesslan fumed.

That was likely true. Many of the big Houses had been fussing to have his ear before the war was officially declared over. His failure to show up last night when they had, undoubtedly, prepared their overly flowery speeches would have likely caused a scandal. But he was betting that his brother was the one that was truly offended by his absence. Vesslan wanted to control the information that came to him. In effect, Vesslan wanted to control him and Aquilan could not have that.

“I actually did meet with two of my Councilors last night. One of whom is sitting right here.” Aquilan gestured to Helgrom.

Helgrom inclined his head before biting into a piece of crispy bacon. He crunched it as he stared at Vesslan with narrowed eyes. He was no fan of Vesslan either. If he and Rhalyf had been here facing down his elder brother, another war might have been started. As it was, Helgrom was eating as if his life depended upon it. But likely it was so he didn’t say anything he shouldn’t.

“Brother, Councilor Ornaren Deepbranch represents the dwarves,” Vesslan reminded him.

“Councilor Ornaren Deepbranch is a good dwarf, but he’s Helgrom’s mouthpiece, as you are well aware,” Aquilan reminded his brother in turn. “It was our agreement after all.”

Vesslan’s lips flattened. His brother had made it clear that no one would accept Helgrom on the Radiant Council because he was a Draesiwen, but Aquilan wouldn’t support that illusion when it was just the three of them. Not that he had agreed to this lie initially. It was only after Helgrom, himself, refused the appointment that he’d agreed to Ornaren.

“If you want my advice, Aquilan, you only have to ask for it. And my advice in this case is to not fight a battle you do not have to,” Helgrom had said, his head wreathed in pleasant tobacco smoke.

“The old prejudices cannot die if we don’t move forward with fully integrating Draesiwen into the fabric of the Empire,” Aquilan had reminded him.

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