Alexander

Sage does not growl when Lance's knock sounds on the door, sensing that my animosity towards him has dwindled enough that she no longer considers him a threat. She lifts her head to watch him cross the room but makes no move to stand and escort him as usual, contented to stay beside me. She rests one of her enormous paws on my leg as she lifts her head to follow Lance across the room with her burning eyes. 

He is later than I expected, but I say nothing of it. He was surely making certain that Illius and I had ample time to finish our meal and settle in before making his entrance. In addition, I am sure that Lance feels some level of anxiety at this pending discussion, being as aware of his position as he is. 

Lance does not meet our heavy gazes, instead busying himself by selecting a chair from a small table near the center of the room. He quietly picks it up to set it closer to us, seeing that we have no intention of getting up to meet him there. He moves his sword out of the way and sits uncomfortably in his seat, close to edge as if he would like to run from this pending conversation. He licks his dry lips and clears his throat, looking at his hands instead of my face. "You do not have a Guard watching your door," He states the obvious, dancing around the real subject that we've gathered to discuss as if hoping he will be able to derail our train of thought.

"Illius is enough," I say curtly, fixing him with my weighty stare. "Look at me, Lance. You are on thin ice with my trust in you. Keeping secrets from me is not something I allow to go on inside of my inner circle, you know this well. You should begin your explanation as soon as you can before you fall through."

I cannot tell whether it is the cold edge in my voice or the way that I address him by name, or perhaps it is that the three of us sit so closely together, excluding him from our pack, watching him with the same look in our eyes. Possibly the combination of all of these factors draws a wounded expression from him, and he finally looks up. He does not meet my eyes, however, but goes to Illius, as if thinking he is the safest to look at first. Whatever he sees there makes him shiver, and he reluctantly redirects his attention to me. 

He is right to feel guilty, and I make no attempt to hide my feelings from showing on my face. Lance makes to look away from my eyes, seeing the steel in them and feeling their bite but seems to know better. He is aware that if he looks away from me right now, that he will be the one holding the hammer that breaks the ice he stands on. "You can be so cold, Nephew. Your mother was never this way." The disappointment in his voice does nothing to thaw the ice water in my veins. He should know by now that his attempt at guilting me will do nothing to earn him my pity. I am not nearly as soft or forgiving as the Queen; I have a completely different mindset.

"I am not my mother. Now, quit your stalling. What are you keeping from me about Illius? You would be wise to speak very soon," As if on cue, Sage lets loose a growl that vibrates against my leg, wordlessly backing up my threat.

Lance shakes his head but keeps my gaze, searching my face for any sign of mercy. "Lyra knew about this, as well. I only kept it from you because she asked it of me. Your father does not even know about it." His voice is pleading, seeming to hope that bringing my mother's will into this will change my mind.

I feel a slight pang in my chest at the reveal, but my intent does not budge. After teaching me about betrayal and preparing me to combat it, my mother is the one who holds the key to this door that she shut with her own hands. I swallow the stone in my throat, finding comfort in Illius' proximity to me. As it turns out, he may be the only one who has never lied to me. "No matter, you will not keep it from me."

Lance's smile is sad and small, hiding behind his beard but showing in his eyes, seeing that his pleas have gotten him nowhere. "As you wish. Be aware, however, my Dear Nephew; your mother is no fool. There is very good reasoning behind her decision to keep this from you both."

I cough at the sudden ash sodden breath that I take to begin my next sentence but do not allow any of my companions to dwell on it. I clear my throat and begin again, aware of Illius' arm around my waist beneath the blanket that we share, resting his hand beneath my opposite armpit. He says nothing about my sputter caused by the fire smoke, but the motion is enough to attest to his vigilance of my well being, even under these circumstances.

Once I find it again, my voice is strong and my eyes are steel. "I will not allow myself to be blindfolded to anything, for any reason. As your Prince, I will not have any secrets kept from me. Do you understand me? Do not make me repeat myself, I am growing weary of this game." 

"Yes, of course, Your Highness," The title sounds foreign on his lips, strained and painful, rolling like spikes off of his tongue. He makes his heartbreak at the distance I have forced between us obvious, but I do not bat an eye at it. Noting my reaction, he takes a deep breath and finally begins.

 "As you are aware, Lyra and I came across Illius as an infant while out on a hunt. However, we were nowhere near a trail like we said we were. We were nearly in the middle of the woods when we found him. There was no one else around, as we searched for nearly an hour in hopes of finding who may have abandoned him. We knew that we would not find anyone, however, though we were hopeful, you understand.

Illius, we found you exactly in the center of a Fairy Ring. You were not even crying when we stumbled upon you, despite being naked and alone as evening fell. If it was not for the Vann-Hest that we rode, we may have ridden right by you without notice. As lesser Fae beasts, they noticed your presence and refused to move an inch past you. They sensed your power and were wary to walk close."

My brow furrows as I attempt to get a grasp on this strange explanation. Of course, the Vann-Hest are Fairy creatures, though it has never occurred to me that there may be others from the same realm as them. As a logical man, it would only be fair for me to judge the possibility of Fae with an open mind, though I cannot help but feel cheated. I expected a possible man-hunt for the person or people who would obviously be behind leaving a child alone to die in the woods, something tangible. This is not at all what I expected to hear, but I feel far too exhausted to argue about it. 

Since Vann-Hest are widely known and accepted in this kingdom and the existence of Magic users is no secret, it should only make sense that there would be other sorts of fabled creatures that have yet to be discovered. My own mother is able to use Glamour produced by the Magic in her bloodlines and my father has the gift of Future Sight, which I inherited. If I took the time to find a suitable teacher, I have no doubt that I would be able to use Magic, as well. I, however, feel no need to rely on it when my ordinary senses already give me such an advantage on everyday people. Humans overlook so much, despite the obvious things right before their eyes. The power of observation is already such a gift that I feel no need to enhance my abilities. 

I cast a sidelong look at Illius, who seems to be engrossed in his own thought process. If I am to believe this explanation, it would decipher many things about my Captain that differentiate him from other people. Aside from his unreasonable and outlandish good looks, his skill with a blade is unparalleled. If he is not from this realm, it would provide reasonable clarification for these qualities, and many others that he possesses. 

"Go on." I prompt curiously.

Lance searches both of our faces before continuing, perhaps wondering if we are doubting this ludicrous sounding story. "Your mother and I spent plenty of time pouring over her favorite books, especially one that your Grandfather disapproved of. He once had her chamber flipped upside down when he realized that it was missing from his hidden collection, though it was in my possession at the time, so he never discovered it. It was a book about the Fae; the Vann-Hest included, as well as that beast beside you."

I cast a glance to Sage, who is too distracted by Lance to look at me. She does flick an ear towards me, however, letting me know that she is aware of my attention. I have known since I met her that she is not an ordinary companion animal, though I have never had a difficult time accepting that. I decide that I should make an attempt at finding the Magic-user that put this Glamour on her. They may be able to offer more insight into this Fae realm if they were able to find a Chimera and disguise it like a hound.

I stroke the place between Sage's eyes with my thumb and share a look with Illius. His eyes are soft as he takes in the new information and wonders how I am absorbing it. His touch on my rib cage is gentle as if he is prepared to pull away if I become suddenly wary of him because of what Lance says. To prove that I have absolutely no intention of being afraid of him, I lean into his hand and give him a hard, defining look. He smiles gratefully before looking away to Lance again. 

"So?" I prompt, realizing that Lance has paused to let us soak the implied information in. It does not take nearly as long as he expects for Illius and me to accept it. "What did that book say about Illius? Is he supposed to be some sort of Fae? What do you mean by the Vann-Hest sensing his power?" 

Lance raises his brow, apparently surprised at how well I am handling this news. "Well, Lyra and I came to the conclusion that Illius is likely an Aes Sídhe, though why he was deposited into our realm, we could not guess. The Fae are much more powerful than humans, Alex, both in Magic and physical strength. We are but animals in comparison and the Vann-Hest are even farther below us."

"Aes Sídhe," I try the word out on my tongue in unison with Illius as we share a look. "How curious. Why have I never heard of them before? Surely someone else knows of their potential existence."

Lance watches the simultaneous exchange in silent wonderment, shaking his head. " I am not certain why it is never discussed since many are aware of their existence. Perhaps those who hold knowledge of the subject fear the Fae. As for why the two of you are so easily connected to one another, Lyra and I can not explain. It is completely expected for humans to be drawn to Aes Sídhe, however, your devotion is, quite clearly," Lance gives a pointed look to the lack of space between Illius and me. "Mutual. My knowledge of the Fae is minimal, though I was under the impression that they were not easily attached to anything, especially humans," Lance clasps his meaty hands in thought, worrying his thumb over the opposite hand repeatedly. "Since he seems to have more comprehension of Aes Sídhe than me, perhaps Bellamy would be able to offer more insight into this situation."

"Perhaps. He was able to tell who Illius is when he did not even know of it, himself," I state, giving my Captain a glance. "As much as I desire to know the whole truth immediately, I suppose it is too late in the evening to call upon Bellamy now."

Illius looks tired, but his muscles feel too tense to allow him to claim sleep any time soon. His bicep feels like a snake coiled around my back, though his touch is not hard enough to cause me discomfort. "We should call on him first thing in the morning, then," Illius agrees.

Lance glances between us in silence for a moment, before rocking back in his chair to help him stand up. If I am to guess, I can deduce that his knees ache from the vigorous lesson that he taught earlier in the evening. "The two of you certainly are an odd pair. I still have that book in my possession; it is in my chambers, but I will go and bring it back for you to pour yourselves over. Perhaps you will be able to gather more information than I could." 

I nod, giving him permission to go retrieve the book since it is likely to be of more assistance than he is. I find myself more than a little vexed by Lance's lack of knowledge on the subject that he has been working so vigorously to protect from me. Even most soldiers have some idea of what they are guarding with their lives, but he seems content to simply obey my mother's word without the need for much explanation. "Please tell Bellamy that we wish to see him early tomorrow, as well. We will wait for you."

Lance gives a tired look but bows slightly in an understanding of his task. "As you wish."

Illius and I sit in silence for so long, that I wonder if he has fallen asleep sitting up. Knowing better, however, I turn to look up at him. Surely enough, he is staring intently into the fireplace, as if searching for the answers to his questions in the flames. 

"We will find more in this book of his," I assure him. "Lance has never been a very strong reader. I am positive that there are scads of information that he overlooked." 

Illius makes a grave face but nods a little. He managed to conceal his emotions quite well while Lance was present, but now that we are alone he makes no attempts to hide his expressions. He must be feeling lost, having just discovered that after twenty-three years of living as one, that he may not even be a human. I have no doubt that it must be unearthing. 

After another long moment passes, Illius turns his unique eyes onto me, and he retracts his hand from my body. "Are you not the least bit distraught by this?"

I hold his silver gaze for a weighty while in silence, allowing him to deduce the seriousness in my expression. "No," I state firmly. "Why should I be? I ride Fae creatures like animals and keep them cloaked as a pet by my side. What has just been brought to light does nothing to change my opinion of you. You are still my brother, as I said that you would remain."

Illius searches my face for several beats, trying to discern a lie in my words. Finding nothing but honesty in my eyes, his face softens and he reaches to grab the back of my neck, fingers gentle. I allow him to pull our faces together until our foreheads touch, giving Sage a silent command to stop her from getting in between the embrace.

"You are far too good to me," He mutters, giving a relieved chuckle that sounds much better than any church bells. "Perhaps you should be the inhuman one."

I make an amused sound before pulling away, reaching a hand to sooth Sage's tense muscles. She settles into my lap more fully than before, staking me as hers with a heavy sigh to draw attention to the act. 

Illius smiles, though it is small compared to the usual ones. I find that his typical beams are becoming rare these days, and it makes my chest ache. "Perhaps you are. What does she think?" He asks, nodding in Sage's direction. 

I look down at her, and she looks back at me the way that a mother would look at her firstborn child. What do you think? Am I a human?

Sage lets another sigh loose and leans her weight into my stomach as if to show me that the inquiry is unnecessary. Mine. 

I cast a curious glance towards Illius before asking her another question. Is Illius a human?

Sage's amber eyes flicker to my Captain as she regards him with a growl that I feel in my legs, but cannot hear. She lays her head back onto my thigh. Not.

"It does not seem to matter to her," I say, offering a shrug. "It would explain her aversion to you, though, as well as Silas'. Perhaps it is not your fault, after all. You may not just be a bad Rider." I tease him, attempting to make the situation a bit lighter. 

"What a relief," Illius chuckles, though his smile is faint. "Fae creatures just abhor my presence." 

"Humans seem drawn to you, however, children in particular. It would provide an explanation for that."

"Perhaps," He goes back to thinking, seeming to withdraw into himself as he ponders his existence. "Why can I not recall anything? My first memories begin with you being born. Nothing before that exists in my mind." 

"You were young, Illius. I do not recall memories from infancy, either." 

He does not seem convinced by my sound logic, but nods. "If any of this is to be believed, why would I be abandoned?"

I make a face that suggests I am deep in thought before suggesting, "Mayhaps you were a vexatious child." 

Illius' brooding expression lightens and he sticks an elbow jokingly into my ribs. "You are incorrigible," He looks from my face to Sage, his brow setting as he once again slips back into thought. "It is remarkable, though. You are exceptionally unusual. Fae creatures seem to adore you... or at least harbor less animosity towards you," He corrects, thinking to past interactions I have had with Silas. 

"I am nothing prodigious, Illius. I simply understand them, that is all."

Illius sighs and runs his fingers through his long tresses, seeming to grow the slightest bit frustrated with the situation. "Then why am I so fond of you? If I am a Fae, and Fae do not have a penchant for humans, then what sense does it make?"

I am quiet for a long moment, because I, for once, cannot come up with an explanation for it. Until I learn more about the Fae as a subject, I am unable to give a logically produced answer, and I refuse to give one based on anything less solid than factual evidence. The truth is that I am equally as perplexed by the question as he is, and have nothing to offer in response. "I may have been born beguiling," I respond with a half-hearted jest, knowing that it is not what either of us actually wants to hear.

A frustrated noise comes from Illius throat, but he rests his right hand against my back again, seeming to understand that my word is true and that my view of him has not changed. I know that he is grateful for it since he has seen first hand how I have handled the situation with Mabon and Aigor. My reaction to him and this unsettling news proves how dear I hold Illius in comparison to others, though neither of us says it aloud. Speaking the truth is not necessary at the moment.  

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Author's Note

Hello, how is everyone? I hope you're all doing well and getting enough sleep! How are you feeling about this plot twist? I decided to give the Fae thing a try, so here's hoping that it doesn't completely ruin this story. Luckily this is only the first draft, so if it doesn't work out as smoothly as I hope, there is always room for trial and error that I can fix on the second try.

 As always, I appreciate any input you all may have, so do feel free to tell me your thoughts about how this story is going so far! I hope that you have or had a good day. Look after yourselves well! 

Until next time, 

-A.