LEGION'S POV:
My palms kept twitching in anxiousness while I paced back and forth frantically. As the High Commander of Crimson Crown's Aegis and Armaments for decades now, there hasn't been a single miscalculation in any of my security strategies or mistakes in even the most severe battles. I have been defending my honour as the highest combatant in command ever since that strainingly reputable rank was bestowed upon me.
However, after tonight, I highly doubt that I might still be worthy of holding onto those nonsense nobilities.
"I have failed you. I have failed us. No matter how desperate or demandingly dangerous the situation could have been, I should have still stayed focused on my actions. Not to mention that I also failed to fulfil the assigned task. It was utterly irresponsible of me-"
"Emm Legion... You forgot to lock the tunnel. Why are you rehearsing a speech of repentance as if it is high treason?" My feet finally stopped pacing as I paused to peek at the other guy who stood across the hollow passage of that damned tunnel. His grey eyes were growing big with curiosity but I couldn't oversee the glint of guilt that hid in the corners of them though.
"Besides, you are our Highest Commander in charge and who could possibly question your actions? All of us know that you don't take orders from- you know- them." He was right in a way, yes.
Among the extraordinary privileges of being actually related to the royalties, I held exclusive exemptions from having to report my every action to the purebred Ministers and even King Alastor himself. However, I am still obliged to inform my moves to Raven because technically, my unyielding loyalty had been solely pledged to him. Not to the King nor the kingdom, but to Raven Demogorgon. My brother and he trusted me. Nevertheless, I knew it will be foolish of me to even attempt an explanation to my fairly younger and not to mention, very much human subordinate. Suddenly, I recalled an obvious point that I almost missed in the chaos of our current commotion.
"Kai, what were you doing in the cottage?" Thanks to my inhuman hearing, I could clearly hear the sounds of his muscles tensing and his heartbeat racing loud enough.
"I told you... I was getting food..." Untruth. I moved one small step forward and he instantly took a faltering few backward, reassuring my uncertainties even further.
"You know what I am and how that makes me highly sensitive to the smell of blood, Kai. The cottage reeked of blood and I don't see any wounds on you. So, I'm going to ask you one more time and I expect to hear the truth. MALACHI GRINDLEY, WHAT WERE YOU DOING IN THE COTTAGE?"
My question had clearly hit the bull's eye because even his breathing became ragged as light beads of sweat began sliding down his fair forehead. He buried his frantic face in his palms for a few seconds before hastily combing his fingers through the long waves that fell over his brows.
"Look, Legion... Whatever you choose to do with me after I fess up, I'll accept it willingly but please-" He crossed over to my side hurriedly and stopped right before me. "Please know that I've been completely loyal and grateful to you since the day you rescued me from-"
"Kai! I know, alright? I am NOT accusing you of disloyalty or anything here because I am indeed well aware of the lengths of your loyalty and I've already told you multiple times that you are NOT indebted to me in any way for the past. Right now, I need you to speak the truth because just the way I trust you, there is someone who trusts me with my duties and it is to him alone that I'm pledged to answer."
A few drops of guilty tears dropped from the younger boy's glossy eyes as I held his shaking shoulders. Demogorgons were naturally drafted by birth into not investing their trust in humans. However, I didn't simply save his life but pretty much appointed him to a fairly grand position which was rather reserved for a fellow purebred or at least, half-bred and that alone should explain the range of our relationship.
"Alright... There was a girl in the Grove, all bruised up and covered in wounds. Her garments were even torn at a few spots. It was nearing dusk when I found her by the Shadow Stream and she had apparently survived an animal attack on her way. She said that she was separated from her family while travelling and asked for unpermitted access into the kingdom but I declined her request. I was going to send her over to the East Gate after tending to her wounds, I swear but she-"
"She must have heard me mentioning the unlocked tunnel..." I massaged my temples with one hand while the other one rested on my hips impatiently.
"I'm sorry, Legion. I really am-"
"So, now we have a strange girl roaming our roads without a legal entrance. She rode your horse at a speed that exceeded mine, which means she is trained with horseriding and that is definitely not typical. Female children have not been taught anything except homemaking skills since the fall of-"
"Her. The noblest queen in the history of Crimson Crown. Regina Montgomery." Taking both of us by surprise at once, my one and only brother graced us with his grand appearance. Though the revelation was quite unforeseen, his abrupt attendance was rather alarming to Kai than I'd assumed.
"Raven, what the bloody hell! I asked you to wait inside- Listen, Kai is my trusted-"
"Raven? As in the Raven Demogorgon?" There it was. The drop of terror was way too deep in his voice as I caught his limbs visibly shaking. However, I was more worried about the source of his fear though.
Raven's eyes dulled as he tried so hard to remain inert to the offensive taste of extreme terror in Kai's stance. His lips were pressed into a thin line of indifference but I could clearly hear him screaming otherwise. Regardless of all the unfair taunts and heartless accusations that are thrown his way despite every earnest effort he made for the prosperity of his subjects, it was truly a mystery how he never crumbled to those vile cruelties. Though he never voiced out, I know how poignantly painful he felt every single time and somehow, sometime along our devoted days, I made it my mission to wipe him clean of that undeserved guilt.
"As always, your reputation precedes you. Malachi Grindley, with the unyielding powers from the Underworld that's been bequeathed upon me, I hereby initiate your official audience with our kingdom's very own Crown Prince, Raven Demogorgon, the Magnificient." I immediately knelt with my sword thrust into the ground and presented the most courteous bow with one arm across my chest, effectively startling Raven with my dramatic reverence.
"Allow me to present my most trusted man in all of the land, my Imperial Lord." I shot a rather sharp glare towards the younger boy as he instantly mimicked my actions.
"It's an honour, your Imperial Highness. I-"
"Seriously, Legion? Tell me that you DID NOT rehearse this in your annoying little head before!" Raven crossed his arms as he casually leaned against the rusty wall of the remote tunnel. A hint of amusement danced along the corner of his eyes and lips faintly.
Mission accomplished.
"Well... only a million times- Oh, please rise, Kai- I was only joking. Although he is indeed the next in line for Crimson Crown's throne, Raven would rather be introduced as my brother from another mother than any nonsense I just spewed." I walked over behind Raven and engulfed his slightly shorter frame in my embrace with my widest grin.
"To be perfectly precise, I am INDEED his brother by the way. Our mothers were sisters." He commented calmly before reciprocating my embrace with equal affection. We shared a gleeful glance of secret apprehension when Kai audibly gasped. Reminding his almost forgotten existence in the midst of our brotherly banters.
"Oh..."
"And why are you still on your knees, Kai? It is clear that what stunned you was not my sudden presence but my actual identity. I bet you were expecting a colossal beast with demonic eyes and canines that dripped with freshly ripped fleshy blood." I couldn't help but scrunch my nose at his exaggerated description of our demon selves.
Perhaps that's how he sees himself. If yes, then I need to hold another healing talk session about self-acceptance with him but before I could further interrogate that, Kai rose to his feet and even took a few daring steps forward.
"No no no... Not that, Your Highness. I was just-" Raven's body stiffened in my arms as I tightened my hold around him. Excluding myself and occasionally my father, Raven had no contact with another person his whole life since the passing of his mother. Especially not humans.
"It is fine, Kai. I know my ruthless role in every tale told in our kingdom." There it is again but once over, Kai overtook me.
"It's just that- You look everything except what I'd ever imagined, Your Highness. Please forgive me." Kai dropped on one knee with his eyes cast down in a respectful bow.
Of the many times that Kai had done me proud, this has to be the list-topper. Raven's shoulders relaxed a little as he slowly digested the unusual sight before him. For once, my brother deserved to be treated with chivalry and dignity and I couldn't thank Kai for granting my wish.
"He's more towards devilishly handsome than just devilish alone, don't you think so too, Kai?"
"Oh, my beloved brother. You flatter me! You don't look half as bad yourself."
"Why, thank you, brother but I'm afraid we have more pressing issues than my perfect face at the moment. Kai was reporting about the strange intruder before we were royally interrupted?" I detached myself from Raven and approached Kai, who was now standing in the most possibly respectful manner in front of a higher personage.
"Tell me, Kai. Did she own anything suspicious?" Raven inquired calmly.
"Suspicious?" Kai repeated confusedly.
"Yes, like a bag of bright-coloured potions. She could have been a sorceress, perhaps."I explained.
"Not that I- Oh, yes!- She carried a customized crossbow and arrows!" His grey eyes shot open at the sudden enlightenment.
"I know an exceptional armament when I see one, Legion. Hers was definitely not ordinary. I even took note of the unique markings on them while I was tending to her wounds."
The mention of unique markings immediately grasped both mine and Raven's undivided attention. The next second, Raven was towering over Kai's smaller frame. His larger hands holding Kai's shoulders quite gently. Although Kai was startled by the sudden exhibition of inhuman speed, his stance relaxed at Raven's calm voice.
"Now, Kai. You have to think very carefully. Do you remember the exact shape of that symbol?"
"Certainly, Your Highness. Only, it wasn't a symbol. Her weapons were carved with the single Hebrew script that symbolizes flowing water- here, she dropped this in the cottage- that's the symbol, Your Highness."
I rushed over to them and my heart did stop at the sight of that single arrow. More precisely, it was not the weapon but its owner's possible identity that took me aghast. Past the shiny alloy shaft, in the very precisely aligned centre of the barbed trilobate arrowhead, rested the regal carving. The very same symbol we've witnessed twice in the same day.
A sovereign sculpture of the ancient script 'מ' with a subtle hint of what seemed like magnificent wings on both sides.
I cradled my head in my hands as I paced back and forth once again. This just proved all that I've informed Raven merely hours ago and we were definitely not ready to face what we fathomed just yet. There were still more tasks at hand to be done, more contingency plans to be outlined. Not to mention the upcoming full moon and the very next step in our decadelong draft against the authority. This was definitely not the desired timing.
However, Raven didn't seem to be shaken by the fact as much as I happened to be. He stood rather calmly and an unfamiliar shadow of satisfaction was silently dancing around the corner of his lips. He should be going ballistic too, but why wasn't he? What was I missing out on? Before I could divulge into that longer, Kai noticed my frantic face and decided to join my freak out festival as well. He dropped to the ground and began to apologize hastily.
"Oh, no! Legion, I'm so sorry I led her into Crimson. I just wanted to help her as you did for me before. I shouldn't have acted on my own. Please forgive me, Your Highness. It was-"
"No, Kai. No! Don't be sorry. You were just trying to help a stranded girl and it was rather noble of you for doing so. Do not ever apologize for being kind to strangers, mate. That's what makes you, you. That's what makes you human, Kai!" I reached for his slumped figure as Raven followed right behind.
"Legion's absolutely right, Kai. Forget not to show love unto strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unawares and you, Malachi Grindley had certainly entertained one, I believe."
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NATHANIEL'S POV:
In the short span of my simple lifetime, I have come across countless types of liars humanly imaginable. In fact, there has been a solid handful of times where I, myself have lied too. Even when our grandmother kept reminding us that a warrior's nobility would be assessed based on the number of untruths he spoke I, however, although am indeed a warrior, still begged to differ. I prefer to address myself as an astute warrior rather than a noble one. Since childhood, I have been presenting my fair share of untruths, widely known as 'white lies', in order to spare the punishments from our parents for the mischiefs my sister and I have caused.
While I have forsaken the nobility of a warrior very long ago, my dear little sister upheld that virtue and might even have been the noble one. If and only if, she hadn't conceded to her damning teenage attitude and deemed herself unfit for that honour when she disrespected our parents the other day. Before this, no matter how painful and betrayed she felt whenever we left for the voyages, Mainey simply bit her tongue and never breathed a single gripe about the unjust. Being the only one who actually recognized her for the rebellious rioter she really was, I chose to believe that she wrapped away her true thoughts in order to resume playing the filial daughter figure.
After all, our father would ruin any army and rummage the entire planet, if anything should happen to his 'little angel'.
"She's not a child anymore, Xavier. How long do you think you can keep her locked in your ivory tower? Nathaniel had joined us upon reaching 16 and Charmaine's already a year behind in that record, which I'm pretty sure she noticed too. You have to stop this before it gets out of our hands!"
"NO! I will NOT stop, Sofie. You, of all people, should be well aware of that. If all it takes is an ivory tower to assure her safety, then I'll build the highest one for my little angel."
There it is. The very much whelming phrase has been recited like a sacred chant by the magnificent Xavier Montgomery himself. Unlike our previous expenditures, this time was completely different in gratitudes to my rebellious rioter of a sister's dramatic display of dejection.
"Charmaine's got the temper of a mad lion and we just witnessed her throw a wayward tantrum like a wild child for the first time, Xavier. Both traits of which were positively not inherited from me. You are practically trying to jeopardize her whole life and yet, I let her believe that I'm the strict parent in this household."
The ever so strong, Sofiel Rose Montgomery's voice shook with unspoken sadness. Our parents have been arguing over my sister's outburst throughout the whole trip and it broke my heart badly to watch the strongest woman I've ever known shrivel like that. I recalled a number of times when our mother had shed tears over her misinterpreted reputation in my sister's eyes and how much she desperately yearned for her company.
"I haven't held her in my arms since her twelfth birthday, Nathaniel... Sometimes, I fear I might forget that feeling over time..."
As selfish as this may sound, I was the actual reason behind my mother's misfortune in that particular matter. However, when I finally admitted it, mother didn't punish me as I had actually assumed.
It was one of my very own traditions to throw surprise rendezvous in secret for my sister's every birthday since she started talking. We would sneak out all day and play on our own till we dropped dead. That particular year, on her thirteenth birthday's eve, I was planning to bring her to the aster field that laid behind the woods. We were supposed to watch the lightning bugs while savouring the nightingales' sweet songs as a sign of a good omen for her first birthday as a teenager on the tick of midnight. Unfortunately, we were caught by our crewmen who returned from their patrols earlier than usual.
In the place of celebration, both of us were scolded badly by our mother and it got even worse for Charmaine. Out of the fear of losing my opening at joining the crew that same year, I pulled an extremely idiotic stunt in a fit of impulsive reflex. I dumped the entire blame of the plan on my little sister for which she was thoroughly reprimanded and got banned from leaving the compounds for the next whole week.
Although I've spoken a decent lot of untruth before plus noble was never really my choice of adjective, that was technically the first lie I ever spoke against her instead of, for her.
After that awfully eventful week, Mainey began to shut herself away from me and our mother exclusively, for buying my lie instead of believing her truth. Since that act of utter disloyalty of mine, my little sister had only been drifting farther away from the both of us with every passing day while all my impulsive attempts at drawing her attention for myself had plainly ended up in arguments or worse, assaults from her. My mother's soft sobbing drew me back to reality as I blinked away a few stray tears.
"She hates me, Xavier. My daughter hates me more than anyone!" The imitable pain of a helpless mother was what I heard in her cracking voice.
Just then, on the corner of my eyes, I noticed one of our new crewmen in training running towards the tent with a rather familiar snow dove in his hands as I stumbled back a little. Although I didn't mean to rudely eavesdrop on my parents, I still couldn't find the right words to explain why I was crouching outside the canopy instead of joining them inside to the new boy who was still unfamiliar with my, how shall I say it, rather unusual approaches. Instantly, I took off to the nearest carriage and hid behind the carts as he rushed inside the tent.
Strange silence suffocated the air for long even after the boy left and I reached the limit of my patience rather sooner than usual today. Unable to bear the suspense any longer, I rushed out of my hiding and into the tent but neither of my parents responded to my rude intrusion as I'd expected. In fact, they didn't even attempt to acknowledge my unannounced presence at all. That's when I noticed the way my father was staring at the parchment in his hands in utter stillness while my mother waited anxiously.
Right away, I recognized the familiar bird and realized how its master never sends a message unless the circumstance was life-threatening.
"Well..." Xavier Montgomery finally broke the silence as he took a long deep breath that pretty much upheld his unsteady posture. His blue eyes brimmed with tears but unlike myself, he didn't allow a single bead to escape.
"I guess she hates all of us now."
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