The Alliance - 25. Chapter 25

At least Alex seems to be warming up towards me, Carlin thought as he marched on. Mikhail was to his right, Talia to his left, and Alexandre walked ahead with Barclay and Roark. He wished that Alexandre hadn’t been wearing his armor and cloak as they walked, because he knew that the black leather pants Alex was wearing that day made his butt look shapely. Carl discreetly adjusted himself, aching for release with the man that he cared for so much.

Nandra’s was so wonderful. I hadn’t held him in… so long. I wonder if it made him uncomfortable. Carlisle knew that Alex had an extreme aversion to affectionate touching, which was probably something common among Nabians. He hoped he hadn’t made anything worse between them by trying to cuddle many nights ago during their stay with General Nandra, but he couldn’t resist coming into Alexandre’s bed. He had missed him too much, and having adjoining rooms so similar to the set up at the Di Coteau estate… it was too much for him to handle. Then again, the joy that he got out of holding Alex wouldn’t be worth it if it made them grow apart any further. Carl could hardly stand their tumultuous relationship, but growing apart would definitely be worse.

I just want to make sure he’s happy.

“How close do you think we are?” Alexandre asked over his shoulder. Carl looked around at the trees, land, and mountains in the distance.

“We should be getting there before nightfall even.” He paused for a moment, silently reveling in the fact that there was no longer any strain between the two when they were talking. “You can tell by the way the foliage is changing.” Things were getting noticeably greener, and even the air felt less thick. With each mile traveled, the impact of war was felt less and less. Tomacia was a peaceful place that was more and more refreshing to its prince as they got closer to his home.

“Excellent.” Alexandre turned around slightly as they walked, and gave Carlin a small smile.

Excellent indeed. The closer we get, the more relieved he seems to be… And the more likely he’ll let me near him again. Carl had felt horrible about lying to his lover for so long, and he knew it was something that was difficult to move past. But signs like the smile he had just received and the few encounters they had shared over the course of their journey were good. And he honestly did not believe that the few passionate outbursts that he had seen from Alex were out of pure lust or selfish need. No. Nabians are far too self-controlled for that. Alex doesn’t regret them, just as much as I don’t. In fact, I wonder if he would be able to get a room near mine tonight…

Carl fought mentally to control his stiffening member, not wanting to be obvious about hiding his erection. He coughed and straightened his back to correct his posture and composure.

“It’s so green here,” Talia said with mild amusement.

“Mm,” Mikhail and Barclay mumbled in unison. Carl had noticed that Roark never really replied to anything Talia ever said, probably out of fear of her. He had, after all, been a conquest of hers at one point, and likely was subject to satisfying all her whims when she beckoned. That probably meant he couldn’t dare to dissatisfy her by saying the wrong thing, so he kept quiet.

“Just wait until you see where we’re going. This is nothing.”

Talia looked up at Carl, her smaller figure completely dwarfed by his size. “I look forward to it, then.”

Carl realized that his travelling companions had probably never seen anything besides the bleak landscape of Nabius and a few Ironian regions. Thus, the beauty of Tomacia would be something completely new to them. Carl had missed home, and was glad that this group of Nabians would be able to see it. The capitol of Tomacia was a spectacle to behold, and Carl eagerly awaited being there again.

***

This place is… actually kind of nice. Talia marveled around her at the lush greens and networks of rivers and streams that seemed to cover Tomacia. East of the Pike, forests grew dense, and the air was cool and clean. She hadn’t realized that this would be the case, given that Tomacians were always portrayed as foolish, antiquated bureaucrats who knew nothing of how to manage land in Nabius.

I’m not sure what I expected, but it certainly wasn’t to feel relieved upon being here. It was evening, and the first few fireflies had begun to twinkle in the air. It seemed that no matter where the group went, the babble of some brook was within earshot. She enjoyed the coolness of the area she was experiencing as the sun was preparing to go down.

“I haven’t seen a bloodlily in ages,” Mikhail said. She and the others looked around, and Talia realized that he was right.

Perhaps its not the abundance of green that’s so shocking… but the lack of red. In Nabius, the flowers were everywhere.

“We’ve tried to exterminate them as widely as we can here. They choke the life out of every other living thing, turning forests into fields and ponds into barren acidic pits,” Carlin replied.

“Perhaps it’s an appropriate flower to represent Nabius then,” Talia said half-jokingly. After that, the group fell silent again before Carl spoke up.

“We’re almost there.”

Talia, of course, had already guessed exactly where they were going. She knew that directly east of Laura Nandra’s territory was the Cathcart throne, capitol of Tomacia and heart of the country. There wasn’t much that direction but the main castle, so Talia had assumed that that’s where they were going. There were other surrounding villages, but there was no way Alexandre would escort a peasant home personally. At least, she didn’t think.

I know that he must be some kind of noble if he resides in the Cathcart home. I suppose the castle is supposed to be the largest on the continent, but there is no way the royal family hosts anything less than some standard position. Perhaps he was a spy, or assassin? Talia reflected on what she had first thought of Carl after her father’s death. She knew that Darion Di Coteau had been assassinated, but she didn’t think that her brother would have let his lover go unnoticed as an assassin. Then again, Tomacians do believe in the honor of their duties just as well as Nabians. If someone of a high rank needed assassination, it would have been a Di Coteau that went on the mission, no less. Perhaps Carlin was the same.

Talia looked at the man in question for the thousandth time, gazing at his chiseled face and almost smiley composure. No, not this man. I know deep down that it was Jezebel anyway, and after seeing his distaste in killing the other night… I trust him. Talia knew that he was a man of the deepest honor and integrity, and that there was no way he would let Alexandre take him home and love him if he had actually done the deed.

It would be written all over his face. Tomacians are like that. Such a weakness.

She walked on, noticing that a small stream blocked their path.

“Crossing this is the fastest way to go. It’s wide, but not very deep,” Carlin said.

“Are you sure? I don’t want any of the horses to slip or injure a leg,” Mikhail asked.

“I’m sure.”

The group walked through the creek, stepping on rocks to avoid soaking their boots while carefully guiding the horses through a rabble of smoothed stones at the bottom. Carlin said that this was the fastest way to get there, so that was the way they took. Talia noticed that as soon as she passed over the water, she could hear music in the distance, and the general hustle of city life.

We must be getting very close. As the group began to climb a small hill, Carl cleared his throat to make an announcement.

“Welcome to Cathcart Palace,” he said gesturing to the most impressive building Talia had ever seen.

***

Jezebel walked out of her laboratory, a private place where she was free to experiment with various poisons and acids, and whatever else she felt like. Just then, she had perfected another batch of her ink, fresh with blood from a prisoner of war that her father had given her to experiment on. Though she was pleased with how the ink had turned out, she was in a typically foul mood. She turned the corner with the bottle of ink in her hand, shaking it so that it didn’t coagulate before she wrote her letters for the evening. Rubbing her temples as she walked, the beautiful and angry alchemist reflected on how annoyed she was at how loud the prisoner she kept in the lab had been wailing.

His fucking screaming gave me a headache. She considered sewing his mouth shut, but decided she’d need him to keep his voice that way he could describe everything that he felt for her upcoming works in progress. Rounding a corner in the Di Coteau manse belonging to her father Damien, she realized that she couldn’t remember the prisoner’s name. She wondered where he was from.

Ironia, obviously, but I’m not sure where. He reminds me of Luca. Luca…who doesn’t even have a last name. Her anger flared, and she thought back on the boy’s almost cocky last interaction with her. In her opinion, those who were not well known enough even to have a last name were not worthy of even looking her in the eye, let alone speak back to her with any semblance of confidence.

I’m going to make him wish he were still a slave. He does not deserve the titles of an assassin or steward in Nabius that Alexandre gave him. My cousin is a fool… hanging around Ironian slave whores and Tomacians… and he gets to be a general? Ha! The fucking prick.

She had made it to her writing station, which she was pleased to see was supplied with fresh parchment. Her birdmaster, evidently, had learned since she had removed one of his fingers for falling asleep on the job. She sat down, and began to compose a letter with a smile on her face. After shaking her maroon bottle once more she opened the ink and composed.

Stick to the plan, Jezebel.

Dearest Luca,

Though the wearisome task of traveling Nabius falls to me, I am happy to inform you that I will be visiting the manse once more, quite soon. I know I left rather recently, but I am glad to be able to be near you soon again. General Ysabel Clarion has accepted me as a mentee recently, so I travel south towards her new estate. You’ll have to meet her some time – I think you’d like to see her wild side. She truly is an inspiration, and all leaders, yourself included, should get to see her in action at least once. After all, you're looking over what used to be her home.

Additionally, I’ll be bringing some precious cargo that needs to be stored on ice. I trust that you will be accommodating, especially considering your recent business with the Illjard. I’ve heard so much about the leadership there. Not a good relationship to be fostering in Nabius currently, but I suppose it is your choice. Anyhow, a cold room will need to be prepared. Perhaps I’ll be able to show you just what my new concoctions are capable of. You seemed to like it the last time.

As much love to you as goes towards the rest of my family,

Jezebel Di Coteau

With that, she folded her letter up into a scroll and tied it over with maroon velvet ribbon. A bird cawed nearby, and she thought she’d tie this message to it’s leg herself.

I certainly can’t wait to begin our next visit, Luca.

Jezebel grinned, and poured a dribble of black wax onto the envelope. Brandishing her own personalized seal, she pressed hard on the letter that would inform her little friend of the good news.