Raithion dressed in formal clothing for his official visit to the palace. It was a day after the funeral, and the city was awash with gossip of Naeri’s death. The scribes had published the story of Naeri’s death at the hands of her most trusted lady-in-waiting. Gesi Ajai was busy trying to control the narrative, but there was no way to hide the truth. Raithion had insisted that the coroner share the details of the poison used on his wife and child in case an antidote could be found sooner.
“Ajai will try to divert the attention to his family,” Kailu guessed, watching Raithion don a heavy black long coat.
Raithion moved to the mirror at the vanity table as he buttoned the coat. His shirt and trousers were black, and the formal long coat was also black, though the wrists were embellished with gold lines to mark his station as the Commandery Prince. He fastened the gold buttons and sat down at the vanity. Sharian tied his hair with a gold clip and trimmed the beard Raithion had refused to shave.
“The attention will not end easily,” Raithion said. “Push the printers to publish morning and evening. I want everyone in Genad City to know about Silver Malice. If possible, push the news beyond the capital to the various states.”
“I have someone working on it,” Kailu said.
Raithion nodded, pulled on his fine leather boots to match his formal attire, and shifted to look at Kailu.
“Don’t you think it’s time to take on your true station?” Raithion asked. He had known Kailu a long time. When they were younger, and Raithion was free of the constraints of marriage, he was happy to keep Kailu’s secrets and let him play to his fullest among the Maenaer Legion officers.
Now, his life was rubble filled with a dead wife, a poisoned son, and an infant daughter. He could not focus on anything else but bringing his life under control. Shaking his head, he gave Kailu a wan smile.
“Things are at this point,” Raithion said, pointing to his black clothes. “I’m about to enter the palace and seek time away from the capital. My father will take over the Commandery Office in the palace. However, he is a true general—ambitious, but not as perceptive with the common people as he should be. He has a tendency to lean into the political ideas that interest him. Kailu, your cousin, is also ambitious, and now that he has gained full control of the city’s defenses, thanks to you and me, he will want to fight Gesi Ajai and the Prime Minister for more political control. So, I can only ask you to protect my sisters and mother while I’m away. What do you say?”
“Raith,” Kailu started, only to sigh. “You’re quite smart, reaching out to me when I can’t refuse you.”
“Your mother has done a great job protecting Little Bird in the palace. She’ll be happy to see you returning to your true self. I’m relying on you, Prince Kailu Adertha.”
Kailu smiled at the mention of Princess Sanan. The princess married her trusted guard when she turned twenty-one and gave birth to a son. Her mother and Basileus Rokas all insisted on her remaining in the Adertha Palace and named Kailu a prince.
Prince Kailu had run out of the palace when he was sixteen and joined the army, where he met Raithion. They had looked after each other since.
“What do you plan to do when you get to Sura Island?” Kailu asked.
Raithion’s gaze shifted to the blades Azula gifted him five years ago. They were resting on a stand. The handle that clipped the two blades together had started to malfunction. He had taken to keeping the blades separate. He missed the weighted feel of the double blades when they snapped together.
“I don’t have a plan,” Raithion said with a sigh, thinking of Azula’s angry expression when he last stood face-to-face with him. “Azula was very angry when we last met. It was understandable, as his clan was decimated in the Sura cleanse. There’s nothing I can say that could dissolve his anger. So, I will just show up.”
“I suppose that is a plan,” Kailu said. “I hope Haedor protects you well in the face of Azula’s anger.”
“Me too,” Raithion said with a weary smile as he got up. He gave the broken blades one last glance before he started heading out. “Let’s go, Your Highness. We have a lot of work to do today.”
Kailu let out another sigh, then followed him out of the bedroom.
****
Raithion met Dio in his office. Dio stood when Raithion walked in and came around his desk to give him a short hug.
“The funeral went smoothly,” Dio said. “You handled the ceremony quite well. It must have been difficult, but you were very strong. I could only support you from behind. Do you need anything now?”
“Yes,” Raithion said with a nod. Dio pushed him to sit in a chair before the desk and then leaned against his desk. “I need permission to leave the capital. I have an opportunity to find a cure for Yulin. I have to take it. It means I have to travel out of Genad City. I don’t know how long it will take me, so my absence will be indefinite.”
Dio closed his eyes and folded his arms against his chest. Raithion sat still in his chair and watched Dio until the Basileus took a deep breath and pushed off the desk. He moved around the desk to the main seat and sat down with a sigh.
“You want to leave us alone in the capital,” Dio started.
“You won’t be alone,” Raithion said. “My father is here, and so is Kailu.”
“Kailu—” Dio said, but Raithion interrupted him right away.
“He is your cousin, My Lord. He will return home and take on his title,” Raithion said. “He knows all my duties and will protect you and Little Bird. I trust him with your lives.”
“I don’t doubt that you do, but it’s not the same when you’re not in the capital,” Dio said, shaking his head. “We’re in a good place, military-wise. But now we’re about to take on the political wall the Libert and Populi have in my court. We can’t do it without you.”
“My son is dying,” Raithion said, his tone cold. “Gesi Ajai had someone poison him in my house. I can’t watch him die without finding a solution. I need to leave the capital.”
“Prince Raithion,” Dio started, but Raithion slammed his palm on the desk, letting his anger color his voice.
“You owe me,” Raithion said, his teeth gritted. “Don’t think I don’t know how I ended up married to Naeri Ajai. I allowed your plans because it is what you were owed. It is what your father was owed. I lived through everything Naeri put me through, including her devious plots to rob me of my free will so she could conceive two children. Two children I did not know how to love until she died in my great room and left them with only me as a parent. So, you need to release me from the burden of this palace. I need to go fight for Yulin and Skye now, so that I can find some peace after five years of this hell.”
Dio stared at him in silence. They sat staring at each other for five minutes before Dio nodded.
“Do you know that is the first time you have ever dared to tell me what you’re thinking?” Dio said with a sigh. “You’ve always kept to discussions about your duty as the Commandery Prince and your protection of Soriel. Never once have you dared to speak your mind. I’m very happy, Raith.”
Raithion stared at him, then turned away to look out the window. His jaw clenched for a minute before he stared at his hands in his lap.
“Forgive me,” Raithion started.
“No, you don’t get to take back that tirade,” Dio said with a small smile. “Will you tell me where you’re going? Are you sure the imperial healers cannot come up with the cure?”
“Dain.”
“The coroner?” Dio asked.
“Don’t judge him for his work; he is very good at discovering what ails people,” Raithion said. “He says the antidote for Silver Malice needs an expert. Someone who will know the precise dosage to give to Yulin. The only known expert is on Sura Island.”
Dio sucked in air at the mention of the Sura.
“Are you sure they will help?” Dio asked.
“I don’t have a choice but to seek them out,” Raithion said. “I’ll have to deliver myself to the Sura Clan and see if they will help.”
Dio sat in silence for a moment, then reached for a fresh sheet of paper from a holder on his desk. He picked up his fountain pen and started writing. When he finished, he picked up his official seal and stamped the letter with red ink before he handed it to Raithion.
“I cannot undo what happened to them during the forged silver case,” Dio said. “But I can promise justice and the right to reopen the case to find the truth. You already have the Doriel Manor under your control. You have the right to give it to them as you will. This is the most I can do for you now. This is a warrant of retrial. You can hand it to the new Sura Chief on behalf of my court.”
Raithion took the edict and read it. Dio had stated simply that he would grant the Sura Clan the mandate to seek a fresh retrial of their case and the right to seek fresh evidence to clear the clan’s name in court.
“Thank you,” Raithion said with a small smile, knowing Azula would be happy to see the warrant, if not him.
Dio got up and found an envelope from his drawers. He walked around the table and took the paper from him, folding it neatly before sealing it in an envelope and stamping the closed edge with his ring.
“I am grateful to you, Raith,” Dio said, meeting Raithion’s gaze. “I have noted everything you have done for my family and me since you joined this palace. Every step you have taken to protect Soriel and me, I have written it in my heart. I promise not to interfere with your family matters anymore. If you do ever meet someone you’re willing to make a partner, I will stand for you and your lover for the rest of my days. That is my promise. Go, leave the palace to your father, Soriel, and me.”
“And Kailu,” Raithion reminded him. “Let him help; otherwise, he will run back to my Maenaer residence for sanctuary and never return. Princess Sanan won’t forgive you.”
Dio scoffed and shook his head. “Fine, and Prince Kailu.”
“Good.” Raithion got up. “Then I’ll leave without worry.”
“Good luck with the Sura,” Dio said as Raithion took the sealed envelope and headed to the door.
“Yeah,” Raithion said, sure he would need a miracle to get Azula to look at him.
That day, two things surprised the courtiers in the imperial court. One was that the Draeya Prince was leaving the capital to handle matters in Draeya County in the Naga State. Most people understood his need to return to his home county after all the tragedy in his home. The commoners wished him well and hoped that his son would find a cure soon. It was sad to imagine him planning a second funeral so soon.
The second news was the arrival of Duke Maenaer at the court as he took over the Draeya Prince’s Commandery Office. He would be supported by Princess Sanan’s elusive son, Prince Kailu Adertha—Prince Kailu, who had not been seen for ages. The court was in an uproar over the news.
That evening, Noriel, Soriel, Silveren, and Thanir all gathered at the gates as they watched Raithion’s private legion guard pack up and secure the carriages carrying Skye and Yulin with their nanny. Raithion’s butler, Daron, ensured they had everything, and all that was left was a quiet goodbye.
“Take care of yourself,” Silveren said as she held on to Raithion’s right hand. “Don’t forget to eat on time. Don’t think about home too much. We can manage. You focus on finding a cure for Yulin.”
“I will,” Raithion said, pulling her into a tight hug. She kissed his cheeks and stepped back to let Soriel and Noriel hug him. He held his sisters tight and promised to return with good news.
Then he was standing before Thanir.
“The Sura have a lot to gain from an agreement with the Lyria Kingdom,” Thanir said, holding his right hand tight. “There have been rumors that they have grown their island and changed their power structure. The Nerasa Kingdom is sniffing around them and may attempt a soft annexation. However, Sura Island is still part of Lyria; any annexation by the Nerasa Kingdom would trigger a war. It is not something the Sura would want. Lean on that when you meet the new Sura Chieftain.”
“I’ll remember,” Raithion nodded, thinking of Alise, Azula’s sister. She was the next chieftain. He hoped she would be easy to talk to; at the very least, she might be willing to negotiate.
“Yulin will be cured,” Thanir said with confidence.
It was a confidence that filled Raithion up inside, and he nodded before he hugged his father tight, then turned to mount his horse, followed closely by Haedor, who was leading the convoy of three carriages heading to Draeya County.
Raithion gave his family one last glance before he turned his horse and left the capital, his heart pounding with the anticipation of seeing Azula Doriel again.
****
<<Previous | Blades of Ashes ToC | Next>>
Sui Writes 