The Bond - 3. Chapter 3

Even Luca had to admit that he had never seen anyone move faster than Eamon in that moment. Eamon had taken the knife from Luca’s torso and opened Meredith’s stomach in one swift movement, and kicked her gurgling body away while applying pressure to Luca’s wound. Luca was more shocked at Meredith’s bloody spewing than at his own injuries, which hadn’t even begun hurting before the girl was on the ground. He passed out shortly after, and only had glimpses of memories and light and people talking over him while he struggled to open his eyes. Finally, he was able to.

“Ugh. My head,” he mumbled, squinting against the harshness of the Nabian sun coming through his bedroom window.

“Your head? I would have thought it was your chest that might be hurting. Considering you got stabbed there instead,” said Eamon cheekily, and Luca gave what smile he could while deciding to keep his eyes shut for a little bit longer. He heard footsteps move towards his bedside. He heard Eamon get down on his knees next to the bed, and put his arms near Luca’s body as he leaned over.

“Are you okay?” The tone was completely different. Luca was surprised to hear this come out of the ever-jocular Eamon, and almost didn’t say anything.

“I think so. Now that you mention it, my chest does hurt.” Luca tried to sit up briefly, but then just groaned instead.

“Stay down! You have no reason to be up and about yet.”

“No no, I’m sure I’m really fine just – “

“No,” said Eamon as he placed a hand on Luca’s chest, just above the injury. He wasn’t forceful, and the warm hand on Luca’s cold body made him intake breath sharply. He could feel every finger, and was made nervous by the index finger and thumb flittering softly above his throat.

“I’ve taken care of everything.”

“Everything?”

“Yes. Trade, needy nobles… I just tried to do what I thought you might do.”

“How long have I been out?”

“Six days.” Luca marveled at this answer, and tried to remember what had happened. He was confused and tired, and every thought made his head hurt. He tried to remember what exactly had happened.

“… Meredith?” Eamon looked up, and sighed.

“Yeah. It seems that she wasn’t exactly as friendly as we had thought. I tried to get it out of her who she was working for really, but she wouldn’t tell. She bit out her own tongue first.” Luca shuddered at that news.

“Gross. I thought she was my friend.”

Eamon’s eyes narrowed, and a more hateful face took over. Luca was just beginning to open his eyes now, and he didn’t like to see Eamon’s normally handsome face screwed up this way.

“Well now she’s hanging from the balcony,” he practically spat. “I had her shamed.” Luca took a long hard look at Eamon, his stern silence eventually making his guard speak again. Once he noticed that Luca was awake and could see him, he softened up a bit.

“She hurt you, Luca. I mean really badly. You’re lucky to have even made it. If she had just gotten through a little bit more bone…” Eamon’s face drifted. Luca continued to stare, and say nothing.

He’s a mess. He probably smells just as badly as I, though I seem to have been bathed pretty well while I was out. Luca looked up and down his arms and legs, surprised by the considerable lack of grime. I wonder if he’s been here the entire time… his hair is greasy and the rings under his eyes are darker than the boiled leather he’s wearing. Luca winced at another effort to sit up, and decided just to lie down for a while more. He noticed Eamon’s eyes widen at this second attempt, and decided it may be best not to cause his friend any more grief than necessary.

“Are you mad at me?” Eamon’s pale eyes looked like Luca had never seen them, hurt and wet and full of shame. His heart swelled for the man, and he considered that Eamon might have been more traumatized than he.

“No, Eamon. Why would I be upset with you?”

“ I failed you… and the shaming, I know you said…” Eamon slowed to a halt, realizing that Luca hadn’t really considered it. The two had once had a conversation in which Luca expressed that all shamings were wrong, especially after having gone through part of one himself. During that conversation, Luca had made it clear that another would never happen at the Di Coteau manse while he was in charge, and by conducting one Eamon had betrayed his philosophy while he was out. “Luca. I’m sorry. But I couldn’t let that bitch just die like it was nothing. I still see her, the spite in her eyes and that sadistic little grin while she… please understand, I just – “ Luca put his hand over Eamon’s lips when he realized that he was babbling and becoming emotional. It was a rare sight for a Nabian to cry, and Eamon’s pain at Luca’s injury made Luca feel for him.

“It’s okay, Eamon.” Luca ran his hand around Eamon’s jaw line and pushed away a tear with his thumb. “I’m fine.” Eamon buried his head into Luca’s stomach, and small shivers told Luca that he was fighting off urges to cry.

“When’s the last time you slept?” Eamon picked his head up, and mumbled something incoherent about him not knowing. Luca was tired as well, and knew he would probably pass back out soon.

“Okay, listen. I’ve been shamed, sent to my death by Lady Ysabel – General Ysabel, now – beaten, tortured, and had Jezebel Di Coteau try to slowly kill me with a vat of acid. And now this… if I’m going to live in Nabius, I need to be able to fight the dangers that I face here.” Eamon nodded slowly, comprehending and still not taking his hand’s off of Luca’s body while he knelt by the bed. “I need you to teach me to fight. Not anything crazy, like you or Barclay or Roark do, but just… basic stuff.” Eamon nodded slowly, completely zoned out of the room but still listening to what Luca was saying. “I know you’re best with a spear, and that keeps me at safe distances from people. Plus, I’m short, so I don’t think swords will do me any good with a basic level of training. Secondly, I want an update of everything that’s happened at the manse since I’ve been out. Can you do that?”

Eamon nodded eagerly, snapping back into attention.
“Absolutely. We’ll start tomorrow morning, you should still rest for today.” Luca nodded, and thought this made sense. From the shadows cast by his window, he knew that the sun would be going down in another few hours anyway.

“Okay, and you should get some rest too.” At Eamon’s opening his mouth to protest, Luca preemptively spoke. “You don’t need to guard me now, I’m sure you’ve placed some great men outside my door.” Eamon looked towards Luca’s double doors, thought, and nodded. “I’m giving you the order to get some sleep. You’re no use to me half alive.” Eamon looked long and hard at him, and Luca felt a blush coming on at the intensity with which Eamon was staring at him.

“Okay,” he said plainly. He stood up to walk out the doorway, practically dragging his exhausted body from the bedside.

“Eamon,” Luca said with authority in his voice. The older male turned around, ready to do anything for Luca. “You can sleep here,” Luca said while patting the space in his bed next to him. Eamon looked stunned, then confused, then happy, and then content as he walked over and slid into bed next to Luca. The two arms around Luca’s body were a bit much, but Luca decided that he was too tired to reprimand his guard or push him away.

Besides, the warmth is kind of nice actually. Luca winced again as he shifted position slightly to allow for Eamon’s arm to more comfortably rest underneath his body.

“There’s one thing you should probably know now though,” said Eamon.

“What’s that?”

“Jezebel is arriving in a few hours, here.” Luca’s entire body stiffened.

Shit.

***

“So how long do you all expect to be staying with us?” Queen Carmine asked as she sipped an expensive glass of red. “I certainly hope that you’ll be able to see our end of summer festival. It really is fantastic, and the number of glowbugs that flood the wetlands is truly fabulous. Night time here is just breathtaking in the coming weeks.” She was smiling pleasantly, and genuinely. An impressive array of jewels glittered around her neck, and the dark blue satin dress she was wearing served as an extravagant backdrop for them.

“I’m not sure we’ll be here too much longer, unfortunately,” said Talia, who also picked up her wine glass. Carmine raised her eyebrows and smiled, looking her way. It was clear that she was expecting elaboration, but Talia instead took a long drink from her cup.

A very long one, thought Alex. Perhaps I should do the same.

“Well please feel welcome to stay,” said Richard Cathcart, King of Tomacia. “You are all delightful, and I cannot thank you enough for ensuring that my son returned here safely. Not every Nabian would do that, and you can’t tell me otherwise.” The king coughed. “Not even in the spirit of politeness,” he said with a gruff laugh. The king’s voice was hoarse constantly, but it was the roughest thing about him. He had gray at the sides of his face amidst black streaked hair that gave him a distinguished look, and he had soft blue eyes. They were kind, and Alexandre could immediately tell that Carlin had inherited many of his facial features from his father. Though the king had been rather busy during the time that Alexandre and his companions had been in Tomacia, he and Alex had talked on a few occasions; most notably, the state of Ironia in its divided condition. Though Alexandre had no idea where the king’s information was coming from, he seemed to allude to stability problems in the southern regions. There was less of a Nabian presence there, so Alexandre figured that there must be some Tomacian informants hiding away somewhere, perhaps in some of the tribal societies and cults that he had heard about. When the king asked what Alexandre would have done to promote stability in the region, Alex didn’t want to give the straightforward, Nabian answer of “conquer and rule.” Instead, the two talked at length about management solutions involving presence without rule, and ever since the king had been very friendly with Alexandre, just as the queen was with Talia. Alex was even reminded of his own father in ways, especially when he observed the king being stern with subjects or in more difficult situations.

“We appreciate that.” Alex took a bite of his steak, and looked around the room while he chewed and swallowed. The meal was fantastic as always, flank steak with greens, a pot of squash-honey soup, and lemon and mint tea for each guest at the table. Every member of his fellowship was there, along with the Cathcart family. He sat next to Carl, who was gripping Alexandre’s leg under the table just a little too tightly. “But I’m afraid we haven’t been completely honest with you. In order to partake in your hospitality any longer, my group and I have decided that you should be completely informed about who we are, and where we came from.” He spoke each word deliberately, while he scanned the room with all peripherals. There were no guards except outside the door, but he was keenly tuned into the slightest chance of danger or threat.

“Oh?” asked the king seemingly unconcerned. “It’s true we don’t know who you are, but we’ve also never asked dear boy.”

“We wanted to respect your privacy. And we owe you an incalculable debt,” the queen said with a gracious smile.

“Be that as it may… we’re glad you’re sitting down,” said Carl.

“My name is Alexandre Di Coteau. I am a General of the Nabian Thirteen, and this is my sister, Talia Di Coteau. Among us are my companions Roark and Barclay, and Mikhail who departed earlier was a smith of my residence. Carlisle came to be my lover while in service at the Di Coteau manse, and I escorted him home both of my own desires and as an offering of peace with Tomacia.”

The room was silent.

Nothing made a single noise, and everyone seemed to just stare at each other. Alex thought that it looked like time had just suddenly come to a still, as nothing in the dinner scene had changed other than the king gripping his knife slowly while Alex was talking. The silence dragged on and on, until Talia grabbed a bottle of wine, poured herself a healthy glass, and drank it in one go. She then repeated the act, gave a small burp, and set the bottle back on the table. Alex cut his eyes at her in annoyance, and she shrugged.

“I see,” said the king. He still held the knife, which Alex had been keeping in his sight, and adjusted himself in his chair with another cough. He seemed to think for a while, mulling the idea over in his head for what felt to Alex like an eternity. “Though I suppose if you were here to kill me, we wouldn’t stand a chance in this setting. And Carl did bring you in our walls.” The king set the knife down, and sighed.

“We wish you no harm. Actually, we wish for quite the contrary.” Alex relaxed just slightly, and set his hand on top of Carlin’s under the table.

“I had wondered, but thought that could never be true,” said the queen almost distantly, as if she wasn’t there in the room. “I knew that there couldn’t be too many siblings with your names in the nobility of Nabius, but I never would have believed…” She set both her utensils down, and smoothed the napkin on her lap.

“Are you telling me you’ve betrayed your country?” asked the king. Alex blanked, and gave no response but a confused look. “And your family?” asked the king further, leaning forward in his chair towards Alex to scrutinize him.

Alex was quiet, and uttered nothing but a “No, sir” while looking the king directly in the eyes. The king stared for a few moments more, and sat back in his chair, silently demanding an explanation.

After a while, the queen spoke up, more focused in on the present. “I suppose you must be the demon’s daughter. You look just like Ysabel at that age,” she said towards Talia. “I just thought that perhaps you two bore more common names of your generation… it has been a long time since I’ve been in Nabius.”

“You were in Nabius?” asked Carlin with genuine confusion, until his father gave a sharp “Not the point.”

“Carl has been nothing but good to the people of Nabius in his time there,” replied Alex. The king gave an unimpressed and disbelieving look, but then Carl spoke up.

“The mission I was sent on… was not fulfilled by me. Darion Di Coteau was assassinated by his niece, Jezebel. Upon returning home I took credit so as not to raise suspicion against my friends.” The king looked incredulous, and rubbed his temples with another cough into his elbow.

“Well,” said the queen. “Isn’t that something.”

“I intend to stop the war that has been ongoing between our nations. As both a General and a Di Coteau, I have wide influence over the thirteen. I can secure all of northern Nabius and potentially some of the midland territories if you express agreement for the cause,” said Alex quickly and nervously. Damn, he thought. I sounded so weak when I said that.

“Well of course I support the cause,” said the king as if that was a no-brainer. “What idiot wouldn’t support a cause like that? Every Tomacian would…” he slowed down in his speech, realizing that he was getting angry and building up to a rant. Richard adjusted himself, and let the redness in his face drain. Eventually, he started again. “Nabius does not deal in terms of peace. Unfortunately, I know this to be true in all cases.” Alex looked back, with fire in his coal-black eyes.

“Perhaps under different leadership. I can secure the Nabian states.” The king seemed to doubt it, and put a blank expression on his face.

“How?”

“I told you, I’m a Di Coteau. That brings me automatically my territory, that of my two uncles, and my mother and her brother.”

“That’s five out of thirteen generals,” said the queen.

“We’ve also worked out an alliance with Laura Nandra, who is sympathetic to our cause. She provides unwavering support for us, and has already pledged to stand with me.”

“And the remaining seven?” asked the king.

“Actually, they only need one,” said Talia. All eyes shifted to her. “Nabius works on a voting system, with each general getting one vote for their province. If seven generals vote in favor of something, the other six must comply.” The king was about to speak, but Talia continued before he could. “It’s how we keep order in Nabius. Order is everything, after all. And the generals all respect this system otherwise we have civil war. That hasn’t happened in hundreds of years.” She gave a strong look, and Alex admired the steely face that she wore.

“I see,” said the queen.

“Is this because you two are… involved?” asked the king as he pointed his finger between Carl and Alex. He seemed to be annoyed, suggesting to Alex that he assumed their relationship to be tumultuous and a silly thing to base an alliance upon.

Well, it has been tumultuous, but he doesn’t need to know that.

“Not entirely,” said Alex, with a newfound courage. “I’ll admit that our relationship was what sparked the idea, but this comes secondarily to our duties to our respective countries.” Alex looked at his partner, who gave a confirmatory nod. “I have been surrounded with war and violence all of my life. I was mistakenly thrown into the games of war that my country hosts just as a mockery of the real thing, and found new terror in battle, horror in the every day of the Nabian people’s existence. I have executed men in front of their children, and done things that I wouldn’t dare to speak of. And this… this is life for all of us. Your people might be sheltered from it better, but their lives too are still wrecked by violence. This war has been waged for so many years since before even you were born, and there’s no end in sight. It has to stop, and Carl and I seem to be the only ones with enough balls to try it.” Alexandre’s frank statement caused a minor visible impact on the king and queen, and the older couple sat there thoughtfully as he spoke.

“I suppose,” said the king. “Yes, I suppose.” He stroked his chin, looking down at his half eaten meal. His wife placed her hand on his, and gave it a squeeze.

“You two are right. This has gone on for too long.” She took a small sip of wine, and moved her head slowly to look at Talia while her long glittering earrings swung by her neck. “I suppose we should try to bend the rules now and then, shouldn’t we?” Talia smiled, and the reference between the two women in the room was lost on Alexandre.

“We would be happy to support you in this endeavor,” said the queen with another smile. “Wouldn’t we, Richard?” She looked at her husband, who took a long time to answer.

“This is a historically brave move, General Di Coteau. I must admit that were I in your position I never would have treated my son the way you have.” Alex thought briefly of how strange that statement was, but shook off any thoughts of it to give his undivided attention. “I suppose we would support that, but I have no idea how to even begin. I assume you will have to operate out of Nabius, and will need a way home.”

“Yes, sir. All arrangements for that will be taken care of by my group.”

“Very good.” The members at the table visibly relaxed, and some of the tension in the air was dispelled. People began eating slowly again, and not much was said for a little while.

“Alex,” said the queen after a long silence. “Under the laws of Tomacia and frankly with the attitude of your people, I don’t see this working. There is no reason other than peace – which Nabians, and most Tomacians, if I’m being honest – will not accept.”Alex listened closely, and took a deep breath.

“Perhaps. But there is one alliance that both Nabians and Tomacians always accept, in accordance with their different philosophies.” Carmine looked puzzled, and Alex spoke clearly. “Marriage.”

Just then, the doors to the room burst open and a plethora of servants entered the room. They began clearing dishes of partially eaten meals and setting the table once more. On shining golden and blue-enameled platters, they brought in an assortment of cakes, sweet wine, and sugar-coated fruit that Alex didn’t recognize. When the closed the doors and had all cleared out, the room was silent once more.

Talia, who was clearly starting to feel the effects of alcohol, eventually spoke up. “Looks like that’s dessert."