Author Games Compilation [Cycle 2]

Task 7 - A King's Loyalty [VERE]

A PRINCE'S WAR - TASK SEVEN: A KING'S LOYALTY

Vere Lennox is an Elusian man at heart, but Vere Lebriole is still Adrigolian, and he has duties at each home, that of a crumbled life threatening to build itself back up again and that of a built life threatening to crumble. The news came from Leslie, poor man sticking his drenched head through the door, saying, "The messenger just came 'round. Prince Johnathan needs his knights at his side and I'd assume the same for you, Vere, with Gavin." He says the king's name with spite, contempt, but the father's name with softness. From the tone of his voice Vere knows he's been listening to their conversation through the walls.

He can't blame him. He would've done the same, if the roles'd been reversed.

Leslie looks between father and son, and Josias looks between father and father, swallowing heavily so that his Adam's apple bobs in his throat. His lips part and he coughs, forgetting to cover his mouth. "I ought to get started that way then," the boy says. "I'll finish filling the sack with supplies and I'll be on my way." Then, with hesitation, he looks to Vere directly. "Will I see you there?"

Initially, Vere hadn't been planning on returning to King Gavin's side at all, not with uncertainty and disgrace at his side. But there's expectation in his son's blue gaze, and hope, maybe, that they might see one another across the king's court, and make eye contact and nod and provide that little unspoken vow of, "I'm with you."

"Yes," Vere finalizes. "Yes, you'll see me there. We'll meet up back here after, if I can get away from Adrigole." He says this to both Josias and Leslie, because the other man does not seem to like loneliness very much, given his hovering demeanor throughout their entirety of knowing one another. When Josias takes off, crying out for his horse to fly away, Vere takes a step forward and claps the man on the shoulder, claps him and nods. "I'll keep an eye on him for both our sakes." Then, after a cautious licking of the lips, "Thank you for raising him. He's a strong boy and you should be proud."

"I am," Leslie admits, closing his eyes. "He's been a blessing to our family, y'see. His mother loved him before she went."

"I could say the same thing and still be telling the truth," Vere says.

A comfortable silence passes over the two, light as a feather, not quite as stiff as the ones that come from the stymphalian bird. Then Vere starts again, saliva thick in his throat and trepidation leaking through his pores. "I should be going. I told him I'd be there. They'll be holding it in Adrigole, no doubt, and I know how to get into the court. Can't waste time."

"Take care of yourself," Leslie says. Then he pats his back and sends him on his way. Vere knows the way already. This is his birthplace, after all.

He takes half an hour jogging his way through Elusia unseen in the charred desolation. The closer to the battlefield he gets, the more destruction he sees; the bricks of houses are caved in, the alcohol in the taverns is ablaze, and the dry brush lights the way like several small torches, all licking around and I can't think of her here not with all this carnage I cannot let her memory live amongst wreckage like this it needs to live with birds flying high and the waves of Miras rushing against shore-

The battlefield is empty save for corpses and injured mortals who moan like the dead. He tries not to look at any of it, tries to avoid the path he believes Sancta may be laying in. Blood has stopped spurting but still it puddles and with every step he can hear it squelching and mixing tightly with the mud underfoot. It squelches underwheel, too, and he sees a wagon carrying wounded away. It displays the pristine flag of Adrigole, and he looks both ways before hauling himself into the slow thing before the crack of the reigns fills the air and takes them home.