Bringer of Destruction (The Bringan saga 2)

Chapter 7

Athelstan

Athelstan let out a sigh as he strode down the corridor of the fortress. He had waited a while before making up his mind and going to talk to Elhiás. He knew that the only one who would be able to reason with him would be Athelstan himself, but he was aware that the biggest problem, at that moment, was Taryn. And that not even he would be able to get her out of his decisions.

Athelstan wondered what his father had done to deserve so much hatred from everyone. Why did he feel like there was something he was missing?

The way Elhiás had spoken to his father, as if his old friend knew something no one knew, as if Kyros Neyer was hiding terrible secrets that only Elhiás Ackard had been able to discover. He wondered if Elhiás would ever reveal them. Suddenly, a certainty popped into your head.

He knew how cunning Elhiás was, and he knew that he would use any means to achieve his end, just as he had accused his father of doing, and Athelstan knew that Elhiás would reveal them.

One way or another, he would do it, but only at the time when it would be most convenient for Elhiás himself. He just wondered how much he'd have to prepare to discover them.

He turned the corner and reached the wing of the fortress that had been assigned to Elhiás and Taryn. He gritted his teeth when a wave of envy swept over him. Who knows what was really between the two of them.

Elhiás followed Taryn's wishes very much, he let her make decisions, he let her command, and she was his consort. She had not been named queen consort but only queen, which meant that her friend trusted her very much.

He shook his head and stopped in front of the wooden door, where two of Elhiás' guards were stationed.

"Tell your king that I want to speak to him," said Athelstan solemnly, with his chin up.

One of the guards nodded before entering the room. Athelstan could hear several voices in the background, and then the door opened, revealing the lord who had just accompanied Elhiás and Taryn, who left the chamber, nodded his head to Athelstan, and walked away at a brisk pace.

"Prince," called the guard at the door, as he moved to the side.

Athelstan sighed and then entered. The antechamber had a table placed in the center, around which Taryn and Elhiás were sitting. The latter was very pleased to see him, while Taryn had a grim look, but not towards Athelstan. The queen, in fact, had her head turned towards the window, her fingers tapping on the wood, while she breathed heavily, almost as if to calm herself.

"Athelstan," said Elhiás, and the prince looked at his old friend, and, unable to control him, a broad smile rose on his lips before Elhiás rose and walked round the table.

Athelstan and Elhiás clashed, embracing again. The last time they saw each other, they were just boys pretending to be men. Now they were men, both with responsibilities on their shoulders. Elhiás was king, while Athelstan was looking for a way to save his kingdom from the abyss.

Athelstan sighed and pulled away from the embrace that seemed to have brought every single cell of his body back to life; it had brought him back to those happy memories that filled his childhood, when he still had everything, when he was still happy. Elhiás put his hand on his shoulder and looked at him. The expression was serious, though Athelstan could clearly see how much his eyes sparkled.

"It's always good to see you again, old friend, even under unpleasant circumstances," said Elhiás.

Athelstan nodded and sighed. "I wish there were no such circumstances," said the prince regretfully. "But that's exactly why I'm here."

Elhiás took a deep breath and then turned, to take two cups and fill them with wine. Athelstan looked down at Taryn, who in the meantime had her face turned towards the wide open window and tapped her fingers on the table.

"If you're here to try to change my mind about Kyros, I'll tell you right away that you're wasting your time, so you might as well leave," the queen of Elder said suddenly, without even turning around.

Elhiás giggled, He returned with the cups of wine, and passed one to Athelstan.

" You can't pretend to get your hands in the politics of another kingdom," said Athelstan.

The prince was the last person his father wanted in charge, but he would never dare to meddle in the political affairs of another kingdom.

"I can, if that undermines the alliance," replied the queen, and then turned to him and looked at him coldly. as if Athelstan had done some kind of wickedness.

"There's no alliance at the moment," Athelstan said dryly.

Taryn arched her eyebrows. "Isn't that the purpose of this Summit? Create an alliance?"

"Yes, but at the moment there is none, except the one between me and the Fannils," said the prince, placing the cup on the table.

"These are the conditions for creating an alliance," Elhiás interjected.

The king of Aeris sat down on one of the chairs around the table, and rested his elbows on the wood, looking at Athelstan earnestly.

"Kyros is not someone who can be trusted now or ever. To create a solid alliance we need kings who know how to keep their word and sign an agreement. Kyros is not that kind of king," Elhiás said.

Athelstan picked up a chair and moved it, rubbing it on the floor, before he too sat down and looked at his old friend attentively, studying him.

"He has never betrayed the alliance we had formed between Locrand and Aeris by your marriage to my sister, or I'm wrong?" asked Athelstan grimly. "If I remember correctly, he undertook to keep the agreements made, we had moved the trade to the border, established a line of trade that my father maintained. So tell me, Elhiás—" Athelstan tilted his head to the side, tapping his index finger on the table, "How would he prove that he was not trustworthy?"

"How long did he keep his promises? Because the agreement was that we would maintain trade for our own good and yours," Elhiás replied.

"The agreement was made on the basis of a marriage, Elhiás. Marriage that didn't happen, the moment that part passed away, the agreement dissolved. My father never did anything to go against that agreement. I'm the last person in the world who would defend him, Elhiás. Only the gods know how detestable my father is, but he has never violated any agreement he has made with the other kings. I don't like unfounded accusations being made." Athelstan's tone was as cold as the north, and he could feel how the heat of the room had plummeted.

It wasn't just a mental sensation, he could feel the freezing cold sting his skin and seep into his bones. It was as if the whole room had suddenly cooled down, and so was the surrounding atmosphere.

Athelstan had his eyes fixed on Elhiás as the room grew colder and colder, so much so that the breath coming out of his nose condensed, forming rivulets of smoke in front of his face.

"I'm impressed," Elhiás said, shaking his head. He sighed, and the room became warm again. Athelstan blinked several times, confused by what had just happened.

"I don't care what you think, Kyros isn't the person we want to make deals with, and as long as he's got that f*****g crown on his head, we won't move a muscle," the king continued.

Athelstan watched him intently. "Why?" he asked, and Elhiás shook his head. "What do you know that others don't? What secrets do you know?"

Athelstan could tell by his eyes, Elhiás was a braggart, that was true, but he would never accuse anyone without a shred of evidence, least of all a king. Although the Prince of Locrand had brought unassailable arguments, Elhiás persisted, and it could not be only because of Taryn's hatred of her father. No, there had to be something else, something that only Elhiás knew, and so did his father, of course.

Athelstan frowned. What could Elhiás have known that made him behave in such a way? What would his father have done to deserve so much hatred from others? Athelstan knew that Kyros Neyer was not the best of rulers, but he had never leaked internal problems to the outside; he would never allow others to know their weaknesses. He would never allow others to see how many internal disagreements they had among themselves. They would be weak, and easy prey for the most power-hungry kings.

So there must be something that only his father knew, something that Elhiás had discovered and was keeping to himself.

"I know many secrets, Athelstan. Some beautiful, some horrible. But it is not my duty to reveal these secrets," replied

Elhiás.

"What do you mean?" interjected Taryn.

"I mean secrets belong to the people who hide them, and those same people are supposed to reveal them," Elhiás said, looking out of the corner of her eye at Taryn, as if to warn her of something she was hiding, too.

Athelstan frowned in confusion and then shook his head, banishing every thought. "There's no need to be cryptic, Elhiás. If you want my father away from the crown of Locrand, then you must reveal those secrets, or else you better keep quiet and begin the arrangements without charges. Currently, the accusations you make are unfounded. If you want to have the consent of the Fannils, then speak up, otherwise shut up and sit down at the table to discuss. No one wants to be blackmailed," Athelstan declared. The prince laid his hands on the table and stood up to his feet, looking first at Taryn and then at Elhiás. "Dark times are approaching, and we will need to join forces in order to defeat them," said the king of Aeris.