XX. HE IS HERE, HE IS NOT AFRAID

  Aichlan tapped his finger on the desk in time with the ticking clock. The reality of his situation had become all too clear, and it scared him more than anything. There were evident signs leading up to now, but it had always seemed surreal, as if it were someone else. When Ashe’s water broke during Odell’s coronation ceremony however, his tenuous fantasy was shattered by the unforgiving fist of reality.

  He groaned as the clock chimed the hour, they had been in there for several hours at least. Aichlan scratched his head and doubled over, resting his head on his knees. He had absolutely no idea what to do with himself. Beside him, Eth snorted in his sleep and adjusted his position on the bench. Aichlan shot up with a sigh and began to pace again. For the hundredth time, he contemplated going somewhere, anywhere, but couldn’t shake the nagging feeling that they could come out at any moment.

  “I imagine you two are hungry.”

  Eth startled awake, glancing about to get his bearings as Siegrun approached carrying a tray and carafe. Aichlan waved her off. He was in truth starving, but was far too anxious and nervous to eat anything. In the adjoining room, a woman was forcing a child from her womb which he had put there, a child which he would be responsible for. Aichlan groaned again and plopped down on the bench, suddenly lightheaded.

  Siegrun set down the tray and poured Aichlan a cup of coffee. “You should eat; you’ve been here for hours.”

  Aichlan took the cup and waved her off. “It’s only five.”

  Siegrun smiled and lifted the cloche, revealing a breakfast platter for two. “That’s five in the morning.”

  “By Dawn!” Eth said with a yawn. “How long does it take tae shit oot a baby?”

  “Hey! That’s my son! Or my daughter, whichever, it’s not being shat out. It’s being birthed.”

  Eth rolled his eyes as he picked up a pastry. “Daen’t go getting sensitive ‘n shit now that ye’ve got a wee one. ‘Tis unbecoming.”

  Aichlan took a sip of coffee, already unsure of what he and Eth had argued about. “Where is Francis?”

  Siegrun blushed and looked away. “He is still out celebrating the birth.”

   “By making a couple dozen bastards of his own?” Aichlan scoffed. “Of course he is.”

  Siegrun took a seat beside Aichlan and nibbled on an éclair. Her hair was black again, and Aichlan was becoming annoyed with the constant changes. She was hard enough to keep track of as it was. He still felt as if he had met her from somewhere, especially now that he noticed the scent of the fey on her, a subtle mossy scent with a hint of freshly mown lawn. Rémann informed him that her father was fey, though that only raised more questions. Such as what was a fey doing coupling with a Rhodarcian general at the height of the war?

  “Why are you here?” Aichlan blurted.

  He immediately regretted his tone after the dejected look she gave him. The woman looked genuinely hurt.

  “I said that wrong…” Aichlan conceded. “We don’t know each other, and given who our parents were, I don’t see why you’d care to be present for the birth of my child.”

  Siegrun smiled wanly. “It is precisely due to our parentage that I wish to be here. And maybe, maybe we could get to know each other better…”

  If she had been any other woman, Aichlan would have sworn that she was coming on to him. However, he had never gotten that vibe from her. She seemed more like an annoying little sister, always on his coattails. She was essentially Alice, but to a far lesser degree. At first, he had thought it just typical Rhodarcian behavior, to be sneaky and weird as she was. As time went on though, and her increasing questions about him, his father and other personal details, he couldn’t be so sure.

  “So,” Siegrun began coyly, “Have you considered a name?”

  Aichlan grumbled to himself and chewed on his thumbnail. He hadn’t even thought of the matter of naming the child, and he certainly wasn’t willing to entertain any Rhodarcian suggestions. An elf child with a Rhodarican name in Aes Sidhe was just asking for a life of bullying and daily ass-beatings.

  “That’s up to the mother lass.” Eth said through a mouthful of pastry.

  “What?” Aichlan asked incredulously. “Don’t I at least get a say?”

  “Did ye carry it fer nine months?”

  “Of course not!”

  “Did ye spend the past sixteen or so hours pushing it from yer womb?”

  “No, but-“

  “Then why should ye get tae name it?”

  Aichlan drew himself up as best he could. “My father named me. It’s just the way things are.”

  “Fer humans maybe.”

  The doors opened before Aichlan could rebuttal, and Hratchouhi stepped into the hallway, drenched in sweat with blood on her frock. Aichlan stood and abruptly swooned, falling into Siegrun’s arms. Hratchouhi looked down to her stained garments and began to laugh.

  “It’s nae what ya think lad, she’s alive and well.”

  Hratchouhi pulled out a cigar and sparked it up as Siegrun fanned the still woozy Aichlan with a napkin.

  “And my child?”

  Hratchouhi coughed on the smoke and handed the cigar to Aichlan. He took it and sucked in a breath like a man drowned, letting the calming effects of the herbs wash over him.

  “A healthy seven-pound baby boy.”

  “A boy?”

The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.

  Siegrun abruptly embraced Aichlan, and said something in his ear that he didn’t quite catch. He had a son.

  “Can I see him?”

  Hratchouhi shrugged. “Sure.”

  Aichlan quickly ground the cigar into the tile floor and hurried over to the door, stumbling slightly. The bedchambers were slightly humid, and thick with the smell of sweat and blood. Ashe lay asleep on the bed, her face framed by limp red curls matted by sweat. She looked like a slumbering goddess.

  Beside her, Clarissa sent forth healing energies from her delicate hands as Alice cradled his newborn son in the corner.

  Aichlan raised a trembling hand and pointed weakly at Ashe. “Is she…”

  Clarissa smiled, she had heavy circles under her eyes. “Resting.”

  “Aichlan! Come see your son!” Alice called in a barely subdued whisper.

  The child was swaddled in a silver and green blanket, the colors of his home. His son had a fairly pudgy face, with slick black curls atop a head that seemed almost too big for his body. Aichlan was struck by his prominent ears, long and pointed, just like his mothers. This is mine?

  “You look so surprised.” Alice giggled.

  “I’m still coming to grips with the reality of it Alice…”

  “He’s so precious.” Siegrun cooed.

  Alice shot the woman a glare that could turn flesh to stone, and Siegrun squeaked audibly as she took a step back.

  “Does he have a name?” Aichlan asked, still in shock.

  Alice rolled her eyes. “Not officially, but I’m not fond of the suggestions. Órfhlaith wants to call him Ofir.”

  Eth laughed aloud, causing Aichlan’s shoulders to sag.

  “What does Ofir mean exactly?” He asked cautiously.

  “Gold.” Alice said disgustedly. “I swear, it’s all that woman thinks about, and hardly befitting my nephew.”

  “And what does Ashe think?” Aichlan asked, not missing the new role Alice had bestowed upon herself.

  “Not much better.” Alice said with a dismissive wave. “She wants to call him Qayin, after her grandfather. I of course had the best suggestion, which they all ignored. Aelfric.”

  Aichlan nodded. “That is a good name.”

  “Wait a bloomin’ second.” Eth said as he scratched his head. “Why d’ye all have this obsession with names that start with tha’ letter A?”

  Alice looked at Eth as if he were simple. “He’s the first, what else would you name him?”

  “Now listen-“ Eth started indignantly.

  “It’s an Aes Sidhean tradition of sorts.” Siegrun explained. “The first born is always given a name that starts with the letter A, it's believed that a child with such a name will lead a prosperous and eventful life.”

  “And how would you know that?” Aichlan asked.

  “According to my mother, my father wanted to name me Aingeal.”

  “Hmmph. That name is far too pretty for one such as you, I’m glad your mother had sense enough to change it.”

  “Alice…” Aichlan said, embarrassed.

  Siegrun bit her tongue and put on her placid face. She pretended to ignore or at least not care, but Aichlan could tell the words had cut her deeply.

  “Why are ye people in ma room makin’ all o’ this noise?” Ashe sat up and rubbed the sleep from her eyes. “Aichlan, dearest, why do you insist on bringing the rabble with ye everywhere ya go?”

  “Ashe,” Aichlan said through a goofy grin, “How do you feel?”

  Ashe rolled her eyes. “Like ah jus’ shooved seven-pounds oot me cunt. How the fook do ye think?” Speakin’ of, where’s my baby?”

  Alice stood to return the infant to his mother as the doors opened once more. Aichlan was somewhat surprised to see the newly crowned King and Queen of Duvachellé enter, followed by servants carrying several rather large parcels. Odell awkwardly maneuvered around the servants and handed Aichlan a bundle containing a sprig of hawthorn and ragwort, a yellow foxglove flower, and a bottle of fresh cream. Aichlan chuckled to himself and set the gifts down on a nearby table before embracing the new king.

  “My husband said you would explain the significance of this…gift.” Aislyn said with a forced smile as she approached.

  Aichlan took her outstretched hand and kissed it, bowing slightly. “Your majesty. These are items favored by the fey, they were oft left around a newborn to prevent it from being replaced by a changeling. Conversely, it is given when a fey has a child of their own to prevent it from taking the place of a non-fey.”

  Aislyn recoiled slightly and glanced warily at his son. “A changeling?”

  “They take the place of newborns for a laugh.” Odell explained. “You can usually tell cuz the babe is unusually colicky or ravenous. You used to be able to keep ‘em away with iron, but fey blood is so twined with that of humans, that trick don’t work so well anymore.”

  “You needn’t fear, your highness.” Aichlan said quickly upon catching Aislyn’s distressed look. “Your husband and I are both fey, they’d not take one of their own.”

  Aislyn visibly relaxed and smiled weakly. “How quaint your traditions are.”

  “May I have a word Aichlan?” Odell said in a somewhat hushed tone. “Outside?”

  “Of course your Majesty.”

  Aichlan followed Odell out into the hallway, curious as to what troubled the new king. He had been exchanging odd glances with the Queen the whole time, and he felt a sense of dread for what was to come. Aislyn likely wished to lessen some ill news by having the young king deliver it in her stead. It certainly sounded like something she would do.

  “I have a rather odd request…” Odell said, staring at the floor.

  Aichlan placed his hands in his pocket and leaned against the wall, he felt ready to collapse. “Define odd, your highness.”

  “Laelianus is dead.” Aislyn said abruptly. “His shade visited us two nights prior, and as custom dictates, the new king must open the way to the spirit world.”

  Aichlan looked from Aislyn to Odell and back again, not fully comprehending. All he had heard was that his rival and sometimes friend had died. The king of this nation, dead because the princess wished to be an insufferable cunt.

  “I am afraid if you require an exorcism, you will need to consult with someone else…”

  Aislyn knitted her brow and pouted her lips for an instant. “No, my husband requires an army to escort him to the top of Mount Kronos in the Gojira range.”

  “Alright…” Aichlan said, still not comprehending. “When?”

  “Two days from now.” Odell said with a sigh of relief. “I would like you to keep your group small, only see if Alice will allow us the use of some of her mages.”

  “They’re untested.” Aichlan grunted. “I don’t know if they’ll be much help…”

  “Then we’ll use this opportunity to test them.” Aislyn said in a saccharin voice as she thrust an envelope towards Aichlan. “Here is a list of whom I wish to accompany you, I’ll leave the mages to Countess Templeton’s discretion.”

  Aichlan took the envelope and tore it open. He first put the paper to his nose and then held it at arm’s length as he tried to focus his tired eyes. Her script was overly frilly and difficult to read, but he recognized four names: Taryn, Madden, Enyo. While Aichlan could gather why Aislyn wanted to get rid of Madden and Taryn for a bit, he had no idea why she requested Enyo and not someone like Eth or Donough.

  “Seeing as Eth is your second in command, I felt it prudent that he should remain behind, should the unlikely occur.” Aislyn said as if reading his mind.

  Aichlan chuckled and crumpled up the paper. “Makes sense.”

  “I assure you, this is not to be taken lightly Lord Aichlan.” Aislyn said sternly.

  “I think we can handle a wee little hike.” Aichlan said with a shrug. “Now if you’ll excuse me, I’d like to spend time with my son.”

* * *

  Aichlan bowed and unsteadily stumbled back into the suite. His eyes were bleary, and Odell wasn’t confident he knew what was going on, or else he might not have agreed.

  “What an insufferable ass that man is.” Aislyn said crossly.

  Odell laughed. “At least he’s consistent.”