The Offering

Chapter Seventy Four - Aeris

I lean back in my chair, leg draped over my knee as I prop my chin up on my hand and struggle to keep my eyes open.

I hadn't gotten a full night sleep in too long and while I spent my nights lying awake in Daella's bed and having her beside me it didn't stop the nightmares or the fear or the constant burning anger.

Even when I was with Daella it was still there, simmering in the back ground, she helped shift the focus, helped distract me from the fire, but it was still there, as it always has been. But now it burned brighter and hotter than it ever had before and I knew only one thing could temper it. Revenge.

"So, we all understand that we cannot agree to king Callin's demands, that the treaty we have with the humans must remain in place and the women from the last offering will remain here in the palace." Varis says, his voice grating on the small amount of resolve I had left.

Of course he didn't want to return the women, of course he didn't want to break the treaty, it was all his idea in the first place. He didn't want all his hard work to be forgotten and lost over time.

Demwyn sighs, the crown on his head, fathers crown, the kings crown, rests comfortably and while I had agreed to his terms and our so called grudge had come to an end there was still a distance between us.

"Yes we understand that for now the treaty will remain in place, but that does not mean that in the future it cannot be changed. After the humans rebellion and siding with Nievenyth our agreement with them will need to be looked over and again and altered." He says sternly and I hold back an eye roll.

Of course he would want to change the treaty but would it do us any good, would it do the humans any good, would it make any difference to the human women who are offered to us by their people and bought here without their consent to be given new lives? I doubt it.

"So we refuse Callin's demands which means we should be focussing on preparing for war. Father had already put the plan into motion, our allies have made contact and are preparing to send aid to meet us." Alvaryn says leaning forward in his seat. "Demwyn, you will of course be staying behind to rule so you will need to name a new general to lead the armies."

"I'm General of the armies, my place is leading them on the battlefield. I won't stay here while you all go out and fight." Demwyn replies quickly, his eyes hard and defensive.

Of course he wouldn't want to stay here, he wanted to be on the field slaughtering hundreds and leading his men as he has been trained to do. But things were not as they once were and while he wore that crown so comfortably it meant he could not have everything he wanted. I fight to hide the smirk from my face.

"You know there must always be a crown at Wyndelle, you have no heir, when father became King he stopped fighting until you were born. You need to stay here." Alvaryn replies calmly. I watch as the realisation settles on Demwyn's face and it's satisfying to see.

"This is different, this is revenge for the murder of our parents, I deserve to be there." Demwyn replies growing more restless and bitter by the moment.

I let out an exhausted sigh.

"What would happen if we all die?" I ask quietly, watching as he turns to me. "What would happen to our Kingdom, to everything Father and Mother built together if none of us return? It would be left for the vultures to claim and our people would suffer for it. You need to stay here just as Father stayed when he was King, at least until you secure an heir. The reason for the war makes no difference, the law is the law." I say simply, watching as he struggles to accept the truth. There was no way around it, no way to change it, it was a law as old as Wyndelle itself.