Amber Waves - 23. Chapter 23

AARON

“The Palace Guard operates with a certain degree of autonomy.”
Aaron’s eyes glanced down at the podium while his face remained unmoving. He had to be the one making this speech; the Crown Prince needed to address the fact that nekos were at the centre of this scandal.
“They do not require royal permission for every mission they undertake. As such, neither the Queen nor I were aware of their actions yesterday.”
How was it harder to talk into a camera than it was to face down a table of bloodthirsty lords? Aaron’s fingers curled on the edge of the podium before he slipped them off again. Can’t look stressed. Don’t lean.
“I want to make it clear that I applaud their efforts in shutting down a vile institution. As for the Mydaran City Guard, investigations are being mounted to determine if their failure to apprehend the masterminds of this operation was due to corruption. These are very serious allegations, but I refuse to accept their failure, or brush such ineptitude under the rug. I still am the people’s prince, and I will not tolerate anything that puts any neko, elf, or human in harm’s way.”
Aaron took a breath, scanning the speech before him again. He looked up, staring into the camera and trying not to squint from the burning lights behind it.
“But even as a prince, I have my limits. I am only one person. Try though I might, I cannot change the world in one day. There will be corruption. There will be those who prey on the weak, just as there are those who profit from such ventures. I have never, and will never, condone such actions, and I will actively fight them wherever I see them. This is my pledge to the people of Astara: nekos, elves, humans, mages, werewolves. You are all my family, and I will not let any harm come to you while I can prevent it. Thank you.”
Aaron stepped down, striding off camera. As soon as he knew he was out of sight, the prince blew out a breath of relief. His hands shook as the stress caught up to him, and Aaron shivered.
“Your Highness,” someone said beyond dark blotches in his sight, pressing a bottle of water into his hand.
“Thank you.” Aaron gulped the offered water.
He squeezed his eyes shut, fighting the temporary blindness. Opening them again, the elf sighed in relief. Black splotches were now brown, and he could almost see through them.
“You did well, Aaron,” Amber said, looming through the darkness.
“Thank you, Mother.” Aaron cracked a tiny smile. “The blindness will go away, right?”
Amber chuckled quietly.
“Yes, it will. Those lights are murderous.” She set a comforting hand on the elf’s shoulder. “We are still on vacation, despite appearances. I wonder how you feel about roller coasters.”
“I’ve never been on one, but I’ve always wanted to,” Aaron replied, still trying to blink his vision back to normal.
“Wonderful. Tomorrow we’ll go to Pine Mountain Parkway.” The queen smiled tightly. “And yes, Itumak can come with us. It’s probably best to keep him in arm’s reach so he doesn’t run off trying to be heroic again.”
“I think I’ll wait to tell him the good news. I really don’t want to smell the guards’ lavatory.” Aaron chuckled. “Honestly, I’m just glad he’s okay. He scared me to death.”
“Captain Darren told me he almost had a heart attack when Itumak sent him that message,” Amber agreed. “It takes a brave person to willingly put themselves at risk for the safety of others. It takes an imbecile to do the same without any backup in place. That neko is both.” She set an arm around Aaron’s shoulders, and the prince relaxed into her hold. “I’m almost tempted to go back to the spa, just to relieve all this stress.”
“I feel the same way,” Aaron said. “But, we probably shouldn’t. Who knows what Itumak would get up to?”
“I have an idea,” Amber smiled. “We’re in a castle. Yes, we know our way around, we’ve already seen all the history it has to offer. But we haven’t looked around the grounds yet.”
“I don’t think there’s a Queenswood here, Mother.”
“No, but there are extensive gardens.”
Aaron nodded thoughtfully. Relaxing in a garden would be nice after yesterday’s fright, and today’s speech.
“I just need to get out of this gods-forsaken suit,” he said.

AMBER

There was a river running through the garden.
Okay, it wasn’t a river. Barely a rivulet. But there was water flowing beside the many paths through the garden. Tiny wooden bridges crossed the stream at various points. The light pine planks were a refreshing oddity — any footbridge in Astara was made with cedar and painted whatever colour the city planners thought best.
Amber followed the water upstream. Beside her, Aaron gazed at the myriads of different flowers, bushes, and trees. Where there was grass, it grew wild, untamed. Some of the trees stood proud among the brush; others lined the path, forcing the water to find a way around them.
A bluebird flapped past, alighting in an apple tree laden with budding fruit. It sang a shrill trill that was answered in the distance, before flying away as Amber and Aaron approached.
“I feel like I’m in a fairytale,” Aaron said, watching the bird flee.
“Whatever could have given you that idea?” Amber smiled, setting an arm around the prince. She hugged tight before releasing him. “I know how you feel. When Father brought me here for the first time, I never wanted to leave. Not just because the trip is downright exhausting, but because this place is like a little paradise within the mountains.”
“I never really paid attention to the royals,” Aaron admitted. “I couldn’t say if you were in Astara, Mydara, or even Sami.”
“Actually, I’ve never visited Sami or Khorsa,” Amber said thoughtfully. “Maybe that can be our vacation next year.”
Next year…. Just the words were enough to send a thrill through her, even after five years. Amber couldn’t say she hadn’t planned for the future before, but it had always been Astara’s future, not hers.
Now it was both.
“Did you and King Finley come here often?”
“Every year,” Amber smiled. “Or, every year until….”
“You couldn’t travel much.”
“No.” Amber cleared her throat quietly. “But now I can. And we can visit here as often as we like. Though we should try to restrain ourselves somewhat, or Captain Darren might have an aneurysm.”
She turned off the main path, heading down a carefully laid trail.
“Come with me. I’ll show you where Father and I used to sit.”
They slipped through a small thicket of aspens, brushing low hanging branches aside. The path wound through the trees, offering a tiny taste of forest in a city far from any woods. Amber always thought the effect was funny when she was younger. Now she appreciated the effort, even if the thicket paled beside the Queenswood.
“We came in the fall. That was my first time exploring this path, with Father. Golden leaves draped around us.” She smiled at the memory, tinged with pain. “I thought it was silly; why were we walking through trees here when we had plenty back home?”
They neared the end of the path, blocked by foliage. Amber paused at the start of natural ground.
“Then we saw this, and I fell in love with Mydara all over again.”
She swept the branches aside, ushering Aaron through the gap. The prince gasped as he emerged on the other side.
The world dropped away. Far below, Mydara sparkled in the midday light, sheltered from the harsh world by the mountains around it. Cars struggled up hills like ants under a massive crumb. Boats floated across the lake, mere pinpricks to the eye.
“The first human to lay eyes on Mydara likened it to a rock. You chip away again and again, crossing gorges, climbing hills, until suddenly, you find this glorious diamond.” Amber chuckled quietly. “He also thought elves were demons sent by Zasar to punish the living. And there is no record of him ever touching jewel cutter tools, so who knows if he was accurate. But we don’t teach that part in the history books.”
Aaron stood still, gazing out over the vista with rapt attention. Amber stood beside him, drinking in the view herself. They were missing the castle — that was just out of sight behind a spire of rock. But even without the castle, the scene was amazing.
At length, the queen touched Aaron’s arm. She motioned toward a marble bench, and the two sat, a minor respite after the walk. A chill wind blew the fallen leaves at their feet. The leaves swirled and danced, swept into a tiny vortex before falling off the cliff to the world below.
“I’ve never seen anything this beautiful,” Aaron murmured.
“I know little boys are supposed to be all about war and swordfights.” Amber nudged him playfully.
“I’m not so little,” Aaron chuckled.
“But no monarch should ever forget what they fight for. Our laws, our traditions, our lives, are devoted to this right here. The battlefield might change to one of pens and words, but our goal must always remain the same: the preservation of our home.”
Amber took a breath, relishing the crisp pine scent in the air. She had missed that smell. There weren’t enough pines in Astara. And there never would be. Astara held its own jewel, the river that gave the city its name. And as amazing as it would be to live here, Amber knew she would never trade her home in Astara for anything.
They remained there for a while. When the two finally turned back to the path, it was with regret, and a promise to visit again before they left.
Amber meandered with purpose. Strolling through the various flower beds in the east garden, she led Aaron to a small gazebo, where a preplanned lunch was waiting for them.
“You always plan ahead, don’t you?” Aaron sat at the table with a grin.
“Actually, this was Celia’s idea. And it really is a lovely one,” Amber replied, taking her own seat. “My plan was to see if the cooks could make a mediaeval styled meal. Maybe I’ll suggest that as tomorrow’s dinner.”
“That would be fun. Though we should probably skip the boar. There’s no sense in making someone hunt a giant pig for a single meal.”
“I suppose there isn’t.”
Amber claimed one of the small sandwiches the kitchen had made them. Egg salad… that was an interesting choice. Not one of her favourites, but Amber was hardly going to waste the food. Besides, Aaron seemed to like them; he was already on his third.
“Slow down, Aaron,” Amber chuckled as the elf reached for a fourth. “They’re not going anywhere.”
“My apologies,” Aaron dipped his head. “I did not have a large breakfast.”
“I can understand that. Your first televised speech is rather nerve-wracking.” Amber stared down at her second sandwich. “I think I had too much at breakfast,” she added with an apologetic smile, setting the sandwich down.
“Are you sure? I don’t think I saw you eat that much,” Aaron denied.
“Oh.” Amber frowned, thinking back. Eggs, toast, one of the puddings she’d come to enjoy. It seemed like a lot, but to a growing boy, she supposed that would look light.
“I’m a little worried,” Aaron added. “Are you sure you’re alright?”
“I’m fine,” Amber smiled tightly. “I have an appointment coming up next week, and the doctors will make sure everything’s still clear. But I’m past the five-year mark; everything should be fine.”
“If you’re sure,” Aaron said, accepting his mother’s judgement.
The two continued their lunch in companionable silence. Amber pushed her worries away; there was no use fretting right now. She’d know for sure in a week or two.

ITUMAK

When Captain Darren was mad, you cleaned. When Captain Darren wanted to make a point, you cleaned. When Captain Darren had a toothache, you cleaned.
At this point, Itumak had the task down to a science. He scrubbed at the tile floor, scraping away the stains from someone who had decided the floor needed spraying. Gods, even as a wolf his aim wasn’t this bad. Who had made that man a palace guard?
Well, elf. All the Mydaran palace guards were elves, from what Itumak could tell. Because that totally wasn’t biased at all. There were nekos starving in the streets, desperately looking for a job, and they were passed over for elves.
Maybe he was being unfair. That Ythin had been an addict. And he couldn’t use a neko farm as a fair rubric of how the average neko was treated in Mydara. But the fact that the city guard did absolutely nothing while nekos were being kidnapped was pretty fucking telling.
The door opened, and Itumak grimaced at the sound of boots scuffing across the floor. Of course they had to take the stall he had just cleaned. The neko attacked the floor, scrubbing ever harder against the stain that refused to die. This was a punishment, no doubt. But if he had to do it all again, Itumak would absolutely take the punishment.
Though he’d probably make sure Ren came along with him. Staring down the barrel of a gun — twice, no less — was absolutely fucking terrifying. He might need to take some time off and see someone about last night’s nightmares.
He moved to the newly vacated stall as the elf left. A minute later, the door opened again. And again the guard took the stall he had just cleaned. Itumak shrugged it off — two coincidences didn’t make a case.
The third time, though, he got a bit suspicious. The fourth time, he got irate.
The fifth time the freshly cleaned stall was taken, Itumak dumped his scrub brush in the bucket and stormed out of the bathroom. A momentary thought made him falter — maybe this was Captain Darren just extending his punishment. But no, Captain Darren was not vindictive. He would not waste Itumak’s time just to make a point. The bathroom needed to be cleaned. Itumak needed a punishment. That was the end of it.
No, this was just a bunch of elven guards fucking with the neko.
He stormed into the barracks, heading straight for the office jointly shared by Captain Darren and Captain William while the queen was in the city. The human was sitting behind a desk, busy reading through documents on his tablet.
“Captain Darren.”
“What is it, Guard Itumak? Have you finished cleaning?” the man asked pointedly.
“I have done my best, sir-”
“Your best does not matter,” Captain Darren said icily. “We are the Queen’s protection. You do not do your best, you make sure the job is done to perfection.”
“Sir, elven guards keep using the restroom while I’m cleaning it,” Itumak said.
“So? It’s a bathroom. It’s there to be used.”
“Five times, they’ve used the stall I had just finished cleaning. Five times in fifteen minutes,” Itumak added.
Captain Darren sighed, rolling his eyes.
“Gods save me,” he muttered, standing up. “Come.”
Itumak scurried after the captain, following him through the guards’ housing. They headed out to the old training grounds, where Itumak heard the thwack of arrows hitting targets.
“Make ready!”
Itumak’s eyes widened at a row of guards in archaic uniform, each holding their bow perpendicular to the ground.
“Nock!” Captain William called.
As one, the elves set arrow to string.
“Draw!”
Their bodies tensed as they pushed the bow away from the string. Captain Williams waited for barely a second before roaring, “LOOSE!”
Together, the elves stomped on a piece of wood. Apples flew into the air as they released their arrows, and the missiles sailed through the air. Most speared their apple, pinning it to the centre of the targets down range.
“Guard Ashley! Why is your apple on the ground?!”
“Sir! I loosed too early!”
“You will take ten extra shots before practice is over,” Captain William snapped.
“Yes sir!”
That seemed like a waste of perfectly good apples. Still, Itumak was impressed. He never could have done that in a million years.
“Captain William,” Captain Darren called, waiting for the elven captain to approach him.
“What is so important it cannot wait until after training, Captain Darren?” Captain William demanded.
“Some of your guards have been adding to one of my people’s workloads,” Captain Darren said icily. “They are wasting manpower, both mine and yours. And their actions appear to be rooted in racist opinions.”
“Because he’s a neko?” Captain William snapped. “How do you know they would not take these actions with any other person?”
“Because I believe you are a good captain, a ranking member of the Queen’s royal guard. Your people are trained as stringent as mine, and I believe you would never advocate for wasted time,” Captain Darren said. “Do you deny this?”
“No.” Captain William scowled. “How can you be sure your neko is telling the truth?”
“I have known Guard Itumak for six years, Captain. In that time, he has never once lied directly to my face. A neko with his responsibilities is one who can be trusted, even if his actions may be idiotic at times.” Captain Darren glowered at Captain William. “Guard Itumak has the prince’s ear. If he merely wanted trouble for your guards, he would have gone to the highest authority to do so. Instead, he came to me so we could solve this without the need to burden the prince or the queen.”
Itumak wasn’t sure what to make of the captain’s remark. It wasn’t glowing praise, but he’d never expected Captain Darren to defend him. Certainly not to another captain of the guard.
“I will have words with my people. We will get to the bottom of this, and if the neko’s allegations are true, they will be punished.”
“The last time elves mistreated a neko on Prince Aaron’s staff, they lost their jobs,” Captain Darren pointed out. “Make sure you consider Prince Aaron’s stance should you find anything.”
“Of course,” Captain William growled. “Good day, Captain.”
Nodding briskly, Captain Darren motioned for Itumak to follow him again. Captain William’s shouts followed them as the archers loosed another volley.
“Do you think he’ll actually do anything-”
“Guard Itumak, are you insinuating that a captain of the guard is not so honourable as to stand by their words?” Captain Darren asked sharply.
Itumak gulped, staring straight ahead. He took a deep breath, preparing for the coming tirade.
“Yes, sir.”
Captain Darren stared at the neko as they walked. The silence built uncomfortably as they approached the barracks bathroom.
“If the issue does not resolve itself in two days, we will go to the prince,” the man finally acquiesced. “I am loath to say you are right, but Captain William’s demeanour is… troubling, to say the least. He would never do something so overt as to order his men to sabotage another member of the guard, but if favourable positions were to become open, I do believe some of his guards might take advantage of his believed feelings.”
Captain Darren pointed to the bathroom.
“Now finish the task assigned to you. Then you are relieved for the day.”
“Yes sir,” Itumak saluted sharply. “Thank you, sir.”