The royal family of Glade stood close to the ocean, far out on the west coast and border of their kingdom. The stench of burning bodies was carried away by the salty wind. Princess Nairah, Prince Acarad, King Consort Joseph, and Queen Allah all wore the bright blue of mourning garb. Acarad looked truly ill, being near the edge of a cliff and having bodies burn behind him tends to do that. A crowd of Gladians in blue stood behind them, surrounding the fires and the sand-dusted stone around them. The other Drifters were there, in their Drifter’s uniforms and traditional mourning dress. Endrah had braided four black ribbons into his hair, and one green one. A sprite’s traditional green mourning clothes were hidden underneath his robes. Brooke had shells hanging from her neck and ears, and her claws were painted a dark blue. Wanda had wrapped herself in a sheer red veil from head to toe.

Acarad and his family knelt down, each with one hand on their forehead and the other on their collarbone. The others in the crowd followed the rulers’ example. The queen led a prayer in a language none of the remaining Drifters understood. It was likely one of the human languages brought over when the six races were brought together. The humans prayed for a short time before Endrah joined them in his own prayers. He took a knee, raising his wings and turning his hands palm up. He didn’t quite speak, more that he brought a series of long notes from his lungs out into the open. It wasn’t quite a wail, being closer to singing but still not quite that either. Brooke followed suit, kneeling to the point that her flat nose touched the ground, spreading her arms wide. She didn’t make a sound as she prayed. Wanda summoned a blue flame in the palm of each hand. The flit half-spoke-half-crackled like a fire. After all the prayers were finished, the humans, sprite, flit, and kyrill stood at their full heights. Brooke stood taller than anyone in the crowd, followed by Acarad and his father.

“May my son rest well within the Moon’s embrace,” Queen Allah let tears fall onto her elaborately embroidered gown.

“May he be cradled with the other lost ones until we may join him,” King Joseph let his head hang low.

“May his memory forever live on with our people,” Princess Nairah clasped her hands over her heart.

“May his death prove to be the beginning of the end for that which ended him,” Earth Drifter Acarad balled his hands into fists.

The humans in the crowd all bowed or curtsied before beginning the trek back down the oceanside mountain. Acarad, his family, and the other three Drifters gathered a few feet from the fires. Endrah hesitated before lowering his wings and bowing as the humans had before.Wanda and Brooke followed with curtsies.

“Drifter Endrah, Drifter Brooke, Drifter Wanda, we all thank you for coming this evening,” Queen Allah said.

“We would have come regardless of whether we were invited or not, Queen Allah,” Wanda said. “Your eldest child was a good man and close to one of our own.”

“Your majesties,” Endrah took a deep breath. “The three of us have reason to believe that your son Joshua was killed because he knew more than he should have about a specific group of humans.”

“What do you mean,” Acarad asked.

“The symbol you saw on the killer’s shirt has been seen before,” Wanda answered. “These people kill any members of the other five races or of any mixed heritage that they come across.”

“We think that Joshua was killed because he was leading so many charities in favor of opening Glade’s borders to members of the other races and mixed blood from any races or even countries,” Endrah said. “Joshua was trying to convince the Monarch in Aviary to open the borders for better trade and culture sharing. He had already convinced the Elder’s Council in Kellar and the Women's Leading Council in Ignis to open borders year round for trade and culture sharing. He was holding charity auctions like the one last week in order to pay for scholars and merchants going across the borders to learn more about the others.”

“Then Joshua was killed for doing something that would have benefitted all of us,” Allah tried to dry her tears.

“And we will find who gave the order to kill him your majesties,” Endrah offered his hands to the queen in support. “We will make sure that they are stopped once and for all. Then, we will hope that no one else’s child will be killed for their diversity or opening their hearts to those unlike them.”

“Thank you,” Queen Allah took Endrah’s hands in hers and squeezed them. “I see why Acarad stayed with you as you healed.”

“We will see you when you are ready,” Wanda said.

“Or when we have a common Calling,” Brooke replied.

“Acarad,” Endrah turned to the prince, biting his lip. “If you need anything, just...Just make sure you don’t reach for it alone.” With that, Endrah bowed and walked to the edge of the cliff. He opened his wings and took to the air. Acarad watched him go but turned back to his family.

~

The moon was hanging low in the sky when Endrah peeled himself out of his bed clothes and into work clothes from home. He dragged himself into the common room, barefoot and with loose hair. He curled up on the couch, picking up a copy of ‘The Sun’s Wind’. It had obviously been read hundreds of times, most of them by Endrah and his namesake. His eyes scanned the pages as lit by moonlight. His wings shivered with the cold in the late autumn night. Had he been fully awake, he would have heard Acarad’s entry. As he was, Endrah nearly took to the air when the prince cleared his throat.

“I didn’t mean to scare you,” Acarad said.

“You’re in your uniform,” Endrah said, settling back on the couch.

“Yeah,” Acarad rubbed his face with one hand. “I was called into Shay again. Trenton and Terrance have been arguing as to what they should do in the light of Joshua’s murder. Trenton wants to send Terrance to stay with his grandparents. Terrance wants to send more help over to Glade.”

“Are you alright,” Endrah asked. “Go ahead and sit down, you live here too most times.”

“I honestly don’t know,” Acarad sat on the couch beside Endrah. “I think I’ve been letting Callings drive me lately.”

“Do you want to talk about it,” Endrah set his book aside.

“I do but I...I don’t know where to start,” Acarad untied his robes.

Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site.

“What was he like,” Endrah asked. “I never got a chance to meet him.”

“He was a better man than I could ever dream of being,” Acarad smiled a sad smile. “I try to focus on what I can do on the small scale, hoping for big differences. Josh always took huge steps. If he wanted to change something, he would start by addressing the public. He would tell them exactly what he was going to change, asked for their advice, and ask for willing workers to come help. He didn’t even give festival gifts, just a brief thought. He never did little things, even when we were growing up.”

“Was he overprotective,” Endrah asked.

“No, that was our sister’s job,” Acarad laughed. “She was always dragging us away from our hairbrained schemes, kicking and screaming. Josh never thought of himself unless someone sat on him and physically made him take a break. A bit like you.”

“I am honored to hear that,” Endrah smiled.

“He taught most of the noble born children my age and younger how to swim. I remember,” Acarad laughed. “I remember him throwing me into the pond on our father’s estate one spring day. I had told him that I wasn’t going to get wet at any point for the next week. So, he picked me up, threw me over his shoulder, and ran from the drawing room to the pond. Then, he threw me into the pond. When I came up he was rolling in the grass, laughing.”

“Did you manage to get wet at any other point that week,” Endrah asked.

“Yes, every single day,” Acarad laughed. “He threw me in every day at noon. He dragged me from my hiding place, through the entire building, out to the pond, and into the water. Father ordered the staff and Nairah not to interfere. He said that it would teach me not to set unrealistic goals or something like that.”

“And did it work,” Endrah pushed his hair behind his ear.

“It did until recently,” Acarad nodded.

“And what unrealistic goal have you set for yourself,” Endrah asked.

“Staying away,” Acarad looked away from Endrah for a moment.

“Away from what,” Endrah asked.

“Not what,” Acarad answered. “Who.”

“Then who,” Endrah asked.

“You,” Acarad fidgeted for a moment. “I have been stupid.”

“Don’t say that,” Endrah took the prince’s hands in his. “You aren’t stupid. You are smart, kind, brave, and more stubborn than any other man I have ever known.”

“I hurt you,” Acarad brushed a stray strand of hair out of Endrah’s face. “I hurt you and I left you alone instead of apologizing and explaining myself.”

“You want to talk about the kiss now,” Endrah asked. “How does that relate to your brother?”

“He and Nairah pointed out to me how stupid I was,” Acarad said. “Josh said that our customs are different and that I should have talked to you about what was going through my thick skull.”

“I take it that it relates to my being engaged to Shaun,” Endrah said.

“For humans, being engaged to someone means that you are planning on being lifemates,” Acarad said. “Humans do court each other, but engagement and then marriage only come if we are absolutely certain that our partner is the one that we want to spend our life with.”

“And my people don’t see things that way,” Endrah said. “We are wed mostly to unite our families. But we still look for a lifemate. When we find them, there is a different wedding ceremony for lifemates. The previous marriages are broken off then.”

“I didn’t think about that,” Acarad sighed and rubbed his thumb against Endrah’s. “I presumed that your customs were at least similar to mine. I hurt you when I walked away. I am sorry Endrah.”

“You don’t need to apologize,” Endrah said.

“Yes I do,” Acarad shifted his weight on the cushions. “I hurt you.”

Endrah pulled Acarad close, wrapping his arms around the prince. Acarad moved his hands up Endrah’s back, holding him gently. Endrah brushed tears off of Acarad’s face. They stayed in each other's arms for a long time. They didn’t break the silence, even as they fell asleep. They woke when the sun came peeking through the windows. They reluctantly pulled away from each other so they could go get ready for the day.

Endrah was done before the prince, and was cooking in the kitchen when the other Drifters came wandering in. He smiled and nodded to the large bowl of berries sitting on the counter beside him.

“Those need to be eaten soon,” the sprite said. “I will have the eggs ready soon.”

“Eggs,” Brooke asked.

“Chicken eggs are easy to cook and give a lot of protein,” Endrah answered. “I would never feed anyone any other form of egg.”

“I think I will still pass,” Brooke reached into one of the cupboards for a small bowl.

“Thank you Endrah,” Wanda yawned. “I’m not used to having someone else cook for me.”

“Neither am I,” Endrah chuckled. “I was hoping I could beat you to do it this morning.”

“I was on a call until late last night,” Wanda said. “I needed to find a missing woman and her child. It turns out that she was giving birth to a half human and half sprite child. The poor thing’s wings were nearly torn off in the process. The little one didn’t make it through the night. It was too cold last night.”

“Even halflings need the heat of the sauna to live,” Endrah nodded. “I am sorry Wanda.”

“I did all I could,” she shrugged. “She made it through labor and I returned her and her living child to her family. There is only so much we can do.”

“We cannot truly heal death,” Acarad murmured. “When we try, we raise a body with no soul.”

“Are you alright,” Brooke asked. “We have hardly seen you lately.”

“Yeah, I am fine now,” Acarad nodded. “It’s always going to hurt though.”

“There is not much worse than the loss of a sibling,” Brooke said. “Much less when they are killed as your brother was.”

“Thank you,” Acarad said.

“Acarad,” Wanda said tentatively. “Do you know how to make armor?”

“I could make armor for a human or a sprite if I had enough time,” Acarad nodded. “But I have no idea where to start making armor for a flit or kyrill.”

“I have my own armor,” Brooke winced as Endrah served scrambled eggs to Wanda and Acarad. “Why are you curious about it now? You are literally made out of fire and magic.”

“My shell can still be pierced,” Wanda said. “And...Seeing the things I have seen in the past several months….I don’t know any weapons. I need something that could shield me from arrows, knives, spears, and the like.”

“We can figure something out Wanda,” Endrah snuffed the fire and sat at the table with the others. “If it helps you feel safe we will set to work on it.”

“I don’t think flits have ever worn armor,” Brooke said, popping a berry in her mouth.

“It isn’t really our way to go into battle,” Wanda sighed. “But there have been times where we have had no other choice. I will go to the women’s council to ask if someone could help me make armor.”

“I think I will see if I could invest in some armor myself,” Endrah said. “I don’t like the thought of being shot down again.”

“We can work on it together then,” Wanda said.

~

After a mourning period of three weeks, invitations were sent out to all the nobility of Glade and a few close allies. A ball was on the horizon, set to raise Acarad from second in line for the throne to crown prince.