Being this close to Alara makes Arya’s insides churn, but it’s a necessary evil. For the longest time she just watches Alara interact with her child. She hasn’t had the nerve to go near her. The last time she allowed herself to get close to Alara her throat was slit. She didn’t trust herself to be alone with Alara. There was too much temptation there and Arya didn’t know enough about the shadows around Alara to breach proximity. She left that up to Tomich. Alara seems to have a soft spot for the Historian and her shadows seem to purr whenever he’s near.8964 copyright protection260ＰＥＮＡＮＡKFjZiUVrSM 維尼
“Your majesty,” Evander startles her, “Forgive me for the fright, but we’ve heard back from his highness prince Jarrah and he’s denied your request for council.”8964 copyright protection260ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1GZPVF4VyT 維尼
“He what?” Arya scoffs.8964 copyright protection260ＰＥＮＡＮＡSOjhtkrr8l 維尼
“He denied your request.”8964 copyright protection260ＰＥＮＡＮＡt7wr60wQvH 維尼
Irritated she asks, “Well did he give a reason why?” 8964 copyright protection260ＰＥＮＡＮＡJgeRWOGmHc 維尼
“No your majesty,” Evander shakes his head.8964 copyright protection260ＰＥＮＡＮＡTts32HwjLZ 維尼
Of course Malich Jarrah would punish her for breaking off their relationship. She saved him and he still couldn’t extend her this one courtesy. Arya sighs. There’s rumors he’s been working his way through the female population at the Summer Court and she wonders how true they are. Part of her can’t fathom the thought of him with anyone else so she quickly pushes both Malich and his nighttime activities to the back of her head.8964 copyright protection260ＰＥＮＡＮＡqdyKbMaEHG 維尼
“We need to learn everything we can about her,” Evander stares over Arya’s shoulders watching Alara. “She’s Darkin. Power like that only comes from the Unseelie Court or the Gods who rule it.”8964 copyright protection260ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4GD0POAExb 維尼
“That would require going near her, which I haven’t found the nerve to do.”8964 copyright protection260ＰＥＮＡＮＡRFyZMNxrzy 維尼
“Well, until you do, a particular fire-breathing monstrosity keeps eating the towns livestock.”8964 copyright protection260ＰＥＮＡＮＡIhqhYlWbIs 維尼
“Drakor?” Arya sighs.8964 copyright protection260ＰＥＮＡＮＡb3TnNYi6rG 維尼
“It appears so. The nobles and the citizens of the Seelie Court are rather afraid of the cranky old bastard. If he won’t return to the alumni training camp, then perhaps a conversation with the beast is in order,” Evander suggests.8964 copyright protection260ＰＥＮＡＮＡpoX94cTA2Y 維尼
Arya nods then heads out into the garden. She calls to Drakor and he presents himself several minutes later. “I hear you’ve been a naughty boy,” she gently rubs his beak, along his neck and then over his shoulder. “You must stop eating the livestock here. Go to the Summer Court and eat their livestock. Anan knows those nobles there deserve it.”8964 copyright protection260ＰＥＮＡＮＡK2YFP5xBcA 維尼
Drakor bobs his head and nudges her with his beak. She laughs and steps back to watch him launch into the air. “Was that wise?” Evander smirks. 8964 copyright protection260ＰＥＮＡＮＡdhbwOTNCKY 維尼
Arya shrugs. “They have more than enough livestock, and if he should happen to char the arse of a particular reluctant prince I can kill two birds with one stone.”8964 copyright protection260ＰＥＮＡＮＡF7xAHm5Kgo 維尼
Evander laughs. Arya can’t help but think smiling suits him. His green eyes dazzle when he smiles and for once he appears as youthful as he looks. Evander is over five hundred cycles old. Like Malich, the cycles have been kind to him. He doesn’t look a moon over twenty-five cycles. 8964 copyright protection260ＰＥＮＡＮＡLdPCucMiTF 維尼
Arya takes in his proud stance and the muscles protruding through his clothing. Her eyes rake over his abs and drop lower but she is unable to discern how blessed he might be. “This is highly inappropriate,” Evander catches her gaze and flushes red.8964 copyright protection260ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5wsb0GaRzl 維尼
She too flushes red, “Forgive me general, it’s been at least a turn since…” Arya’s voice trails off. She misses him. She misses them both.8964 copyright protection260ＰＥＮＡＮＡhobs4ofcAh 維尼
“If you were to ask my advice as your advisor I’d tell you his Majesty King Rayne would be a better suitor, stationwise. But if you were to ask for my advice as a friend, I’d tell you that we both know your heart has already decided. You simply need to act on it. The longer you straddle the fence of indecision, the more you risk the circumstances changing without you, taking away your right to decide altogether.”8964 copyright protection260ＰＥＮＡＮＡsmsxsrRcGA 維尼
“If I choose someone will get hurt,” Arya sulks.8964 copyright protection260ＰＥＮＡＮＡSVyZBKllHq 維尼
“Two people are already hurting because you haven’tchosen,” he points out.8964 copyright protection260ＰＥＮＡＮＡ21zY2w7FTn 維尼
His logic is undeniable. Both of them didn’t have to suffer. She needs to choose in order to set one of them free. “Would you think less of me if I didn’t choose Ihsan? He deserves me more, but our love was long ago and Malich has since filled that void in my heart. I still love him; I’m just not inlove with him. I know that now.”8964 copyright protection260ＰＥＮＡＮＡzmI95nAYFl 維尼
Curious, Evander asks, “Then why are you so afraid to admit it? Why are you afraid to make that choice?”8964 copyright protection260ＰＥＮＡＮＡxqIcpGMUE8 維尼
Arya inhales deeply and blows the air out slowly. “Because it would mean I’ve fallen in love with someone who tormented me as a young girl. And not just me, he tormented Ihsan too. I know he never asked to be viewed this way, but I thought of Malich as a father for a good part of my life. That circumstance alone causes me to war with myself.”8964 copyright protection260ＰＥＮＡＮＡLcxT5xW9JI 維尼
“But he’s not your father and from what I gather he never asked for that title, you gave it to him.”8964 copyright protection260ＰＥＮＡＮＡEiIKKGMAK0 維尼
Arya nods, “True.”8964 copyright protection260ＰＥＮＡＮＡYryBzWw2Yp 維尼
“Again, why are you so hesitant to follow your heart?”8964 copyright protection260ＰＥＮＡＮＡFrnH0jDwX8 維尼
Arya shrugs, “What would I be telling Ihsan if I chose the man who tortured us both over him? I’d be telling him our suffering didn’t matter. I’d be telling him I chose a man with so many flaws when he has none. I’d be telling him that every good thing about him isn’t enough for me.”8964 copyright protection260ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6eLVBcZBRh 維尼
“Is it?” Evander asked.8964 copyright protection260ＰＥＮＡＮＡqKo4MzfDF3 維尼
“I suppose not.”8964 copyright protection260ＰＥＮＡＮＡYvgOUxPTaA 維尼
“Then you need to be honest with him, with yourself and with Malich. Preferably before the latter grows weary.”8964 copyright protection260ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9m966yc4W9 維尼
Arya wraps her arms around Evander. With Lumi, Rayu and Dax at the alumni camp he is the closest thing to a friend she has here. He’s given her the strength she needs to do what she should’ve done in the first place. “Request an audience with his majesty King Rayne.”8964 copyright protection260ＰＥＮＡＮＡCJ0nuQg9vr 維尼
“And his highness?”8964 copyright protection260ＰＥＮＡＮＡzW8ylYGCE6 維尼
“Something tells me if we request audience again he’ll just deny it, so I’ll go there personally when I can.”8964 copyright protection260ＰＥＮＡＮＡeeEq7mF4GZ 維尼
Evander nods in approval and leaves the room. Alone with her thoughts, Arya realizes she needs to confront someone else she’s been avoiding and heads to lower levels of the palace that run beneath the surface of the ground. It’s heavily guarded with more than a few mechanisms in place to stifle the threat known as her sister.8964 copyright protection260ＰＥＮＡＮＡI8cY38Sr3f 維尼
Ihsan shared his only weakness with Arya. A weakness he and Alara both share…hushstone. Hushstone can be found deep inside the caves of the Seelie Mountains. She had Evander hire a few males looking to earn some coin in trade. They built Alara a wing beneath the palace made completely of hushstone. Alara was surprised when she felt the stifling power of the stone, but she didn’t put up a fight. Her only request was that Arya visit her and her son at least once a day and that her son be allowed outside the confines of their wing.8964 copyright protection260ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6wadmQTdUO 維尼
Alara sat, breastfeeding her son as Arya walked into her sitting room. Alara smiled at Arya who sat down across from her. “He’s a big eater,” Alara blushes.8964 copyright protection260ＰＥＮＡＮＡoCPBOhSNP3 維尼
Arya searches for something civil to say, but nothing good came to mind. “Why did you do it?” She asks instead.8964 copyright protection260ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4nGhKD0vCc 維尼
“I told you why.”8964 copyright protection260ＰＥＮＡＮＡ82TemxZQBm 維尼
“Kahlem had your son?”8964 copyright protection260ＰＥＮＡＮＡCFa7xU3F3J 維尼
“Yes,” Alara nods.8964 copyright protection260ＰＥＮＡＮＡxPe03Gg7a8 維尼
“You’re lying,” Arya studies her body language. “You have a tell.”8964 copyright protection260ＰＥＮＡＮＡTCKJRfopvq 維尼
Alara takes a deep breath and becomes visibly nervous. “I don’t want to put you in any more danger.”8964 copyright protection260ＰＥＮＡＮＡfDMg0eEiQD 維尼
This time it’s the truth, but Arya is more concerned with what she’s choosing notto say. “Why not? You’ve already slit my throat and threw me off a cliff. What’s more dangerous than that?” She narrows her eyes at Alara.8964 copyright protection260ＰＥＮＡＮＡZuOiRyK0Rb 維尼
“There are things I can’t say. Things you’d be better off not knowing.”8964 copyright protection260ＰＥＮＡＮＡgdggljcJoQ 維尼
“Why don’t you let me be the judge of that? You’re living in my home for Anan’s sake; hiding from a threat only you seem to be aware of with a baby no less. Where is the child’s father? Why didn’t you go to him instead?” Arya asks.8964 copyright protection260ＰＥＮＡＮＡLzPOlsKVhQ 維尼
“I can’t,” was all Alara said in response.8964 copyright protection260ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4LiqWHnp60 維尼
“How can I help or protect you when I don’t even know what I’m protecting you from?” Alara stops talking. She focuses her attention on her son, rocking him to sleep and then placing him in his cradle. “Are you even my sister? And what kind of person kills her own sister?”8964 copyright protection260ＰＥＮＡＮＡSqCB00bmRe 維尼
“Yes, I’m your sister,” Alara sighs. “At least I’d like to be. I’d like to start over with you.”8964 copyright protection260ＰＥＮＡＮＡSHbP6tljpz 維尼
“And you give you another opportunity to finish the job you started with my throat?” Arya scoffs, “I think not.”8964 copyright protection260ＰＥＮＡＮＡESdY6PG4r4 維尼
“I’m sorry for slitting your throat, but I’m happy it worked out in your favor.”8964 copyright protection260ＰＥＮＡＮＡRUaVuL4ZYY 維尼
Arya couldn’t believe what she was hearing. Alara spoke as if trying to kill her somehow did her some good. If she weren’t holding her son Arya would smack her across the face. She stands and leaves, sarcastically throwing over her shoulder, “Nice chat sis, wemustdo this again sometime.” 8964 copyright protection260ＰＥＮＡＮＡUmMEP3pRXN 維尼
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