Erin felt a hand on her shoulder and turned to see Arturyn standing next to her. He tilted his head toward the door, and she felt him pulling her gently in that direction. She obediently turned around and walked back outside with him.

“I think we should give them a few minutes alone,” Arturyn said quietly when they were standing in front of the house again.

“Let’s sit here in the garden,” came Seiyan’s voice. Glancing back, Erin saw that he had followed them out. “They can join us when they’re ready.”

He walked over to a small tree covered in large pink flowers and, with a slight gesture, made three chairs appear in its shade. Arturyn and Erin went over to them, and they all sat down, with Seiyan carefully arranging his wings so that they draped over the back of his chair. Erin couldn’t help feeling a little envious as she looked at them. It must be wonderful to be able to fly. She wondered if there was some way for a human to fly using magic. It seemed like there ought to be.

Arturyn was also watching Seiyan, but it didn’t look like he was thinking about wings. “How are you managing through all of this?” he asked, looking empathetic. “It must be harder for you than for anyone else.”

Seiyan was silent for a minute, staring out across the lake. Then he sighed.

“My father and I have disagreed on many points over the years,” he said quietly. “He inherited a strong streak of Nirayl pride that he has never been able to overcome. But even so...he’s a good man in many ways, and he's served well as king. It’s difficult to think of not having him here anymore.”

Seiyan shook his head, his gaze dropping down to the ground at his feet.

“He’s known for some time that his health was failing, and he’s done what he could to prepare me and to make sure the transition of power goes as smoothly as possible. And...I know he’s ready to go. He’s missed my mother greatly, and he wants to be with her again. But I….”

He broke off. Even though his voice and face remained calm, Erin could see the painful emotion in his eyes.

“I’m tired,” he finished finally. “I’m just tired from the strain of it.”

Arturyn nodded. “I understand how you feel,” he said gently.

“Yes. I think you do,” Seiyan said with a faint smile. “I think you are one of the few who truly could understand.”

They fell silent.

Erin wished she could say something to comfort Seiyan, but she couldn’t think of anything. Unlike Arturyn, she knew she probably couldn’t really understand what he was going through at all.

But she could tell that he was hurting.

They had been sitting outside for about twenty minutes when the door of the cottage opened again, and Kirchel and her parents came out. Kirchel and Kiari both had red eyes from crying, but they looked happy. Arturyn and Seiyan both stood up as they approached, and Seiyan conjured up three more chairs.

“Amani, Nali,” Kirchel said, looking at her parents, “this is Arturyn Sil-Isáran, the Emperor of Silmar…and my dear friend.”

“It’s a pleasure,” Edward said warmly, clasping Arturyn’s hand.

“I’m very glad to meet you at last,” Kiari said, smiling. “Seiyan has spoken highly of you to us.” She turned to look at Erin, who had also gotten to her feet and was standing near Arturyn. “And you must be Erin, our grandniece. From what Edward told me, you’re the one we most need to thank for Kirchel being here. It might have taken months for him to find her if he hadn’t met you at Zeiryn.”

“She is quite a providential little thing,” Arturyn said, giving Erin a wry smile. “Almost frighteningly so sometimes.” Then he looked at Seiyan. “Well, I know our time isn’t unlimited. Why don’t we sit down and talk?”

He, Erin, and Seiyan returned to their seats, and Kirchel and her parents sat in the three new chairs.

“I think you know Nievar better than anyone,” Edward said to Seiyan. “What advice do you have for them?”

Seiyan frowned thoughtfully. “To begin with, I think it would be better if Kirchel went to him in Nirayl form. Going in her current form would only emphasize her Elarith blood. Perhaps she should change forms now, to give her some time to adapt.”

Kirchel’s eyes widened. “Change into Nirayl form?” she repeated, sounding apprehensive. “But…I can’t…. I don’t know how....”

“I didn’t expect that you would,” Seiyan said calmly. “But don’t worry about that. I can help you.” He stood up and moved over in front of Kirchel’s chair.

“But….” Kirchel looked slightly panicked. “I won’t know how to talk or anything!"

This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.

“You will be able to speak as long as you still have your language ring on,” Seiyan told her reassuringly. “Now, close your eyes.”

Kirchel still looked uncertain, but she closed her eyes. Seiyan placed his fingertips on her temples and closed his eyes as well, a look of concentration on his face.

“Relax,” he said softly. “Don’t be afraid. Relax and let yourself slide.”

A ripple-like movement started at Seiyan’s hands and spread over Kirchel’s body. She looked distorted, as though she were surrounded by a layer of moving water. In a smooth, fluid motion, her face and ears shifted and changed. Wings grew out of her back like strips of violet silk unfurling, and the colors of her skin and hair changed as though dye were seeping through them.

Then the movement ceased. Seiyan opened his eyes, and lowered his hands. He took a step back, allowing the others to see Kirchel clearly.

She was almost completely unrecognizable. Her skin had turned pale, almost white, and her hair was now a deep shade of violet.

She still had her eyes closed, but after a moment, she opened them slowly. She stared down at her pale hands, turning them back and forth. Then she raised one of them to tentatively touch her new face, feeling her muzzle-like mouth and nose and running her fingers over one of her long ears. Looking rather dazed, she turned next to look at the wings draping down behind her, reaching out a hand to gingerly touch one of the glowing violet strands.

“How do you feel?” Seiyan asked, watching Kirchel with a small smile.

Kirchel turned back to look at him. She opened her mouth but then closed it again, looking disconcerted. She swallowed hard before opening it once more.

“Really…really strange,” she said in a small voice, the words coming out in a rather croaky version of the song-like Nirayl speech.

“Don’t worry, you’ll get used to it,” Kiari said, smiling encouragingly. Then her expression became a bit wistful as she continued to gaze at her daughter. “You look so much like your grandmother,” she said softly. “Your coloring is almost exactly the same. Don’t you think so, Seiyan?”

Seiyan nodded. His expression, too, had grown more somber. “Yes. I had the same thought."

“Well, that shouldn't hurt with Nievar,” Edward said, looking thoughtfully at Kirchel. “He doted on your grandmother. She could get him to do almost anything.”

“You said she couldn’t persuade him to let you out of here, though,” Kirchel said doubtfully. “I don’t see how I’m going to do any better than that just because I look like her.”

“In all honesty, you probably won’t,” Seiyan said seriously. “As I’ve said, your chances of convincing him aren’t very good. But there is a chance, even if it’s a slim one. And now that his powers as king have been officially transferred to me, he won’t be able to do anything to harm you even if you anger him. The worst that can happen is that he’ll refuse your request.”

“Which is still pretty bad,” Arturyn said gloomily. “But it’s true that for him to just say ‘no’ is much better than him saying ‘no’ and then having us thrown in prison. Or cutting off diplomatic ties with Silmar.” He sighed. “So what do we need to know before we talk to him?”

Seiyan went back to his chair and sat down again. “For one thing, you should understand that he’s a very sick man. He’s too weak to even sit up by himself anymore. And the last few days, his mind has been starting to go as well. So you should expect that he might not be entirely rational when you speak to him. You won’t be able to depend on a logical argument to convince him—you’ll have to appeal more to his emotions, his affections.” Seiyan’s brow furrowed. “I know he must seem cruel and uncaring, with what he’s done to Kiari and Edward. But in truth, his family is very dear to him, and he’s extremely protective of us.” He gave a small, wry smile. “He just doesn’t always understand us....”

Kiari nodded. “Yes, he’s always had a hard time seeing things from anyone else’s point of view,” she said sadly. “His intentions have been good, but he often doesn’t realize how he hurts others by what he does.”

Glancing at Edward, Erin could tell from the look of skepticism on his face that he didn’t exactly agree with Kiari’s and Seiyan’s generous view of their father. But he didn't comment on it.

Erin wasn't too convinced, either. She thought that what Nievar had done to Kirchel and her parents sounded more like the actions of a proud and selfish tyrant than an overprotective father.

But she, too, stayed quiet, realizing that Kiari and Seiyan were in a far better position to judge Nievar’s actions than she was. And it was probably better for Kirchel and Arturyn to go to him with a forgiving attitude rather than a condemning one.

“I suppose it goes without saying that you’ll need to be as respectful as you can when you’re talking to him,” Kiari went on. “And try not to be deceptive. He can usually tell when someone’s lying to him, and it will make him angry.”

“So no schemes, no logic, no arguing...” Kirchel said. “You mean we should just beg as pathetically as we can and hope he feels sorry for us?”

Seiyan sighed. “Yes. That’s really all you can do.”

They were all silent for a minute. Erin saw Kirchel and Arturyn exchanging worried looks.

“I don’t know of anything else to advise you on,” Seiyan said at last. “Unless you have any further questions, we may as well go now.”

Arturyn nodded. “I think we’re as ready as we can be,” he said quietly.

He looked at Kirchel, who was biting hard on her lower lip, looking almost sick with apprehension. But she nodded, too.

Seiyan stood up. “Very well.” He looked at Edward and Kiari. “I thought Erin could stay with you while we’re seeing Father. Is that all right?”

“Yes, of course,” Kiari said, giving Erin a friendly smile.

“Come, then,” Seiyan said, holding out his hands to Kirchel and Arturyn. They both stood and went over to him, Kirchel moving rather awkwardly because of her large wings.

“Good luck to both of you,” Edward said soberly, also standing.

Kiari stood up and stepped forward to give Kirchel a hug and an encouraging, if rather worried, smile. Erin also got up and went over to them.

“Whatever happens next, Erin,” Kirchel said, giving her a squeeze, “thank you for at least getting us this far.”

She let go of Erin and took hold of Seiyan’s right hand. Arturyn took his left one. They looked at each other for a moment, and new resolve seemed to enter both of their anxious faces.

“Are you ready?” Seiyan asked.

Kirchel and Arturyn both nodded silently.

Seiyan unfurled his wings, and with a flash of jade green light, they were gone.