Requiem for a King [MxM]

Edge of Disaster

Jaredeth released Quintus' collar and took a step back, his anger falling away like a rogue wind. The bone dragon? Coming to the Capital? Now? "How much time do we have?"

"Hours," Quintus answered, straightening his coat. "My guess is it'll be here by dusk."

He had to hold on to the wall as his knees went weak. "Hours?" They weren't ready. Avaly wasn't ready to face the Calamity. The boats were still here, the people were none the wiser. Even the castle wasn't fully secure.

"But, silver lining. I heard a song from Octavia. She can't be far from here. We just need to hold out until she arrives."

"We?" Jaredeth laughed and pushed him off, strolling towards the Council table. All eyes in the room were on him, their leader, their King. He was the one who had to steer them from these troubled waters, even though he'd never seen a netherborne before his brief jaunt with Quintus. He'd never felt so woefully incompetent. And yet, he couldn't let it show. He needed to be the steady rock amidst this turbulence.

"Everyone settle down. I need a moment to think." Jaredeth sat at the head of the table and focused on a single blank spot. He'd seen his father do it several times before. With no visual or auditory distractions, he could sort through his thoughts, compartmentalize his emotions, and focus on solutions.

They had hours. Which didn't seem like a lot of time, but if they mobilized now and got everyone involved...

"Alright." Jaredeth stood. "We need to move quickly. Torrian, I need you to assemble the city and castle guard and divide them into teams. I need one to go to the docks and tell the boats they needed to be gone by early afternoon. I need another to go to the neighbouring towns and tell them to steer clear of the capital. And tell Cantrelle to report here, posthaste. Evaline."

"Yes, your majesty," the young Councillor prompted with a nod.

"I need you in charge of food distribution. Make sure every household has enough food and water to last at least a week. I'll give you access to the sovereign fund to buy out the market if you need to. Lady Barclay, Lord Berevon, you will take a team and go around to residential houses and businesses and make sure the structures are secure. Anyone who doesn't feel safe in their own home is welcome to stay at the castle."

Lady Barclay nodded her understanding.

"Havers." He looked up to the gallery at his major domo. "Mobilize the staff. I need the castle secure by midday, and I need the ballroom converted into an emergency shelter."

"Right away, your majesty." Havers stood and sprinted from the gallery faster than Jaredeth knew the old man could.

"Mother, Edmar, since you both know this city inside and out. I'll need you to work with Quintus and Cantrelle to find adequate places to mount our... defenses. They'll need a tal building, with a clear route to and from the castle, should things get hairy."

His cousin nodded and his mother smiled—and he didn't miss the glint of pride in their eyes.

"Everyone knows their assignments. We need to get moving. I want this city locked down by mid afternoon. Not a soul on the street. If you need more resources, or run into any obstacles, report directly to me. I'll be in my office in ten minutes. Let's move."

As the councilors rose to go about their duties, Jaredeth looked to Quintus, who still idled by the wall, and his anger resurfaced. He marched over there, took Quintus by the arm, and dragged him into the antechamber. Murmuring followed their retreat, but he blocked it out with a slam of the door.

Quintus took a seat in one of dark brown the settees and raked his hands through his hair. "I thought you'd be happy to see I'm still here."

Jaredeth bit back the scathing retort on his tongue and paced across the off-white rug to the hearth. Anger brought his mother out of him, made him want to say the nasty, hurtful things she had no problem allowing past her lips. And he understood why. He wanted Quintus to hurt like he was hurting right now. The disappointment and the heartbreak. His face must have belied it all, because Quintus put his hands up.

"I'm kidding." He looked down at his hands. "I can see you're angry but..."

Jaredeth arched a brow. "But what?" His voice was too calm and even compared to the emotional storm going on inside him. "You were leaving, and you weren't going to say anything, just disappear into the sunset without so much as a wave. And you have the nerve to tell me our time together meant everything to you?"

"It did," Quintus said. "I didn't lie about that."

"Why Quintus? Why would you just leave without so much as a goodbye? And use Havers as your little messenger bird? I've never been more offended."

"Jaredeth—"

"No, shut up! I'm talking now." He took a breath to rein in his anger again and paced the floor. "I have been nothing but honest with you, even when I knew it would make you angry, even when I knew it would make you hate me. And yet you've been so closed off and so guarded. At first I thought it was because of this forbidden city nonsense, but now I'm starting to believe it's something else. And you're just so damn hard to read, Quintus."

Quintus finally looked up at him. "Are you done? Can we talk like adults now?" He patted the empty seat beside him.

Jaredeth wanted to say no, but even now, thoroughly incensed, he was still drawn to Quintus' side. Pathetic. He sat as far from Quintus as the settee would allow. "I'm afraid we don't have much time."

"Right, I uh." Quintus swallowed and rubbed his neck. "I've never been particularly good at being vulnerable." He winced as though just saying the words was painful.

Jaredeth frowned and sat up a little straighter.

"What I'm about to tell you needs to be kept in strict confidence, for my safety." His hands were clasped so tightly, the veins were popping. "I'm telling you this because I..." Because I like you, damn it. I lie you and I wish we could be together but we can't. "... because I trust you."

"On my honour." Jaredeth put a hand over his heart to seal the promise. He'd take it to his grave.

"Remember that night when we were at the waypoint and you asked me about the Calamity and how it started?"

He nodded, though he had no idea what this had to do with anything.

"The reason I was so confident that my version of events was the truth is because... I was there. That night when the Calamity began. I watched the air tear itself asunder and the netherborne pour out." Quintus looked at him as though gauging his reaction.

Jaredeth shook his head and sat back. "That doesn't make any sense. The calamity began some two hundred years ago. You—"

"And I haven't aged a day since." Quintus roughed up his hair. "They call us the deathless. There are others like me, all necromancers as far as I know."

"You're immortal? How?"

He shrugged. "I believe it has something to do with being there when the tear opened. It's been theorized that time doesn't move in the plane where the netherborne reside. Perhaps that merger between this plane and that one had some... adverse effects."

Jaredeth rubbed his head. He couldn't keep up with this planes and calamity and immortality talk. Though he understood the underlying message Quintus was trying to convey. Why he wanted to leave. "Is it your immortality that bothers you more? Or my mortality?"

"I don't know." Quintus stood and began pacing the space between the chairs. "I don't know how to reconcile my feelings. I normally don't talk about these things with anyone. I just... I didn't want you to think I'm leaving because there's something wrong with you. It's me. It's always me." He looked around the room. "Is there anything to drink in here?"

"I'm afraid not." Jaredeth stood and took Quintus' hand. "If it's any consolation, I don't mind your immortality. At least not right now. And yes, I'm angry, but I'm also glad you came back to help. You are here to help, right?"

"Well, you volunteered me, so I guess I have no choice." Quintus linked their fingers together. "But I, uh, I can't promise I won't leave in the future. It'll be better for you to find someone you can grow old with. And maybe someone less miserable, too."

But I want you. Jaredeth kept that thought to himself, along with the underlying sadness that accompanied it. "I understand."