Mikal

Nordenvania - Late summer

The castle walls stood tall and dark before them, casting long shadows as the sun sank further towards the West with the approach of nightfall. For a whole silver moon they had hiked through woods and flown above trees. A whole silver moon until they had finally reached Nordenvania.

They waited nervously before the castle gates, where a guard had gone to inform the King of their arrival. Hilda held Mikal's hand and squeezed it lightly in reassurance, but it did nothing to calm the emotions rolling within him. A great mixture of dread and anticipation.

The guard came back shortly, signaling for them to follow him. And follow him they did, where a dozen armored guards also followed them in return.

Dia shuffled restlessly above Mikal's shoulder as they passed through the courtyard. Mikal noted the magnificent number of ravens that occupied the place around them. There must be hundreds of them, and they were everywhere, on the ground, atop tree branches, at the walls. They hopped and fluttered and cawed, filling the air with ominous cries.

Mikal and Hilda finally reached the great hall, still closely surrounded by the guards. If he thought that the number of ravens outside was extraordinary, he was very wrong. The ravens swarming through the great hall were even much, much more. Hundreds, no, thousands of black ravens covered the parapets and the floors, while the rest fluttered above their heads and all the way up to the sky high glass dome.

Despite the terror they evoked, the ravens were now the least of Mikal's concerns. At the moment, he was only looking steadily ahead as he walked through the great hall, his eyes fixed on the tall blonde boy who sat atop a tall black throne. Hans...

He was no longer the child Mikal had remembered, but a strikingly fair youth with long golden hair that fell past his shoulders. A younger version of Mikal when he had been the most handsome man in Engeldom. He wore a long black cloak embroidered in gold, and a gold crown embellished in emeralds and rubies.

Still blindfolded and pretending not to see, Mikal kept holding his cane and staring ahead, waiting for Hans to take the first step. He had agreed with Hilda that they would keep his ability to see as a secret. Especially that they had no idea how welcome they would be in the North, with Mikal last branded a traitor and banished from Nordenland.

They also had no idea how Hans would react to his brother's sudden reappearance. He might be happy to see his older brother again. But he might also fear losing his throne to the rightful heir. That was why everyone had to believe that Mikal was still maimed, that he was still weak. That way they would deem him harmless and lower their guard, finding no reason to turn him away.

Hans stood up slowly and descended from his throne, his gaze fixated upon Mikal. He approached him warily, his eyes filled with wonder and fear, and his lips parted in disbelief.

"Who are you?" Hans asked as he stopped before him, his voice unsure.

"It's me, little brother," Mikal said softly.

Hans's citrine eyes widened, and the next moment he hurled himself at Mikal, wrapping his arms around him.

"Mikal?" Hans gasped, breaking the embrace to further search his brother's face. "It's really you! Oh Mikal, who did that to you?" Hans gently cupped Mikal's face.

"Our dear brother Vilfred," Mikal responded with a hint of bitterness.

"That bastard!" Hans cursed. "I swear I'd kill him in a heartbeat if I ever lay eyes on him again."

"I'd gladly do the same," Mikal chuckled softly.

"Oh Mikal, I never thought I'd see you again." Hans threw his arms around his brother once more. His small body shook and he cried within Mikal's embrace. Mikal smoothed Hans's hair and whispered words of reassurance, his voice soft and calm like a soothing spell.

"Hilda!" someone called.

Mikal turned to find a lean boy with long ebony hair and sky blue robes running towards Hilda.

"Riki!" Hilda called back, taking the slender youth within her arms.

Mikal frowned, not exactly favoring the idea of another man embracing his woman. A Kassarathi at that. 

"Who's he?" Mikal asked staring ahead as if he could not see them.

"Riki is my lover," Hans stated proudly.

Mikal tried not to look appalled, though the blindfold covering half his face would do well to conceal his shock anyway. It was more out of concern for his brother, rather than holding judgmental opinions.

Any Northman would know that an affair between two males was a greatly disapproved sin, no matter how common a practice it was in other parts of Engeldom. Some Northern extremists would even go to the lengths of executing those involved in such 'perversions', as they called it. But now the King of the North himself was openly taking a male partner, definitely a scandalous first in the whole history of Nordenland.

"Sir Mikal, it's a pleasure to meet you. Hans has been telling me all about you," the boy named Riki said and bowed politely. At least he was graceful and well behaved, quite befitting of a King's partner. If only he weren't male.

"Riki had been my closest friend when I was staying at Kassarath," Hilda interjected as she grabbed Riki's arm, and Riki blushed.

Mikal only nodded and faked a smile, while a sour feeling rose within him as he eyed the way Hilda wrapped her arm around Riki. Fuck, he couldn't be jealous of a queer boy who wasn't even interested in women in the first place.

A raven cawed, interrupting his unpleasant emotions. They found a black bird flying towards them, landing onto Hans's shoulder. Hans patted it gently and whispered something. It gave another loud cry, and more caws echoed in response. Mikal and Hilda looked warily at the restless ravens filling the great hall, and they realized that Hans's infamous army of ravens had circled closer around them.

"Follow me." Hans turned to Mikal and Hilda with a reassuring smile. "Don't worry about the ravens. They would never harm my loved ones. Come, you must be weary from travelling. I'll have my servants prepare lodgings right away. You will join me for dinner until your rooms are ready."

As Hans and Riki led Mikal and Hilda, a group of ravens followed them watchfully. Hans might have shown a great deal of love and welcome to Mikal, but it seemed that he did not fully trust him yet.

They sat at the large dining table, eating and talking about everything they had missed. Angel Light spheres floated above them, bathing everything in soft hues of gold and red and blue. The ravens had grown quiet, while Kassarathi entertainers played the harps, filling the hall with melodies that were both gentle yet melancholic.

"Vilfred sold me to the Kassarathi," Hans said bitterly as he turned to Mikal. "I killed Bernard so that we could save you. I killed Bernard because he refused King William's offer to usurp Lord Frederik, forgive me Lady Hilda," Hans turned to Hilda, "it was the only way to save Mikal." Hilda nodded in understanding while Hans turned back to Mikal and continued. "And what does our older honorable brother do? He fucking sells me to Serenus! He fucking gets more Kassarathi support and refuses to usurp Fredrik because he's oh so honorable and he gave the man his word to protect him! But he fucking sells me, and you. His own brothers!" Hans turned again to Hilda. "Forgive me Lady Hilda."

"It's alright," Hilda said. "I don't quite approve of what Vilfred did, even though it was for my own benefit. I... I even remember I tried to come up with some ideas to save Mikal without giving up Grytia, perhaps by faking a retreat or something. But Vilfred had been very insistent on objecting to anything I said, as if he was deliberately trying to keep Mikal in danger. I even joked about it and said he no longer cared for his brother, and Heavens he was furious when I said that! I brushed the whole thing off after all and just trusted his decision, believing any attempt to save Mikal would be very risky like he said. I hadn't really given it much thought back then, but with everything Vilfred had done to both of you after that, I became more certain that he had betrayed us all."

"He confessed to me," Mikal said finally. "The night before my trial, he came to me and confessed that he had been trying to get rid of me all along. He had hired a whore to kill me once in the past, but she failed. Then he hired an assassin to kill me during battle, who also failed, though the attempt ended in an irreversible scar, the loss of an eye, and being captured by the Vasuterians. Until he got his true final chance to get rid of me, by falsely branding me a traitor." Mikal paused and let out a long breath.

"I do admit that I had approved of joining William to usurp Frederik, because it was the only way I could save myself," Mikal said before he turned to Hilda. "You already know that too. But even if I agreed to sell Grytia to the Vausterians, I was never going to fight against my brother, against my own people. I did turn sides and rejoin the Northmen before the battle started, and I sincerely told you and Vilfred everything I knew about the Vausterian plans.

"But I was betrayed. First by Tristan, who had withheld information about the additional Esserian forces they had, and which led to our defeat. And second by Vilfred, who took that as an opportunity to blame me. And I became the traitor who had given you false information to allow victory for our enemies.

"It was the only way Vilfred could kill me openly then. No more assassins or risks of being exposed. Yet he did worse than kill me. He ruined my life..." Mikal trailed off as he fought back his tears. Hilda held his hand.

"Vilfred must be brought to justice," Hans said, dark determination shining within his pale eyes.

"Yes, but where is Vilfred?" Hilda asked. "Do we even know if he's alive?"

"That's the question..." Mikal pondered.

"Why did you come back Mikal?" Hans asked suddenly.

Mikal was silent for a brief moment, surprised by the unexpected question. "I just wanted to come back home," he spoke carefully. "After hearing that the Kassarathi had been defeated, Hilda and I decided to return. Why would we remain living in the woods while we had our home here?"

It was Hans's turn to grow silent for a moment, his eyes slightly narrowed at Mikal. "Is that all?" he asked after a while. "You just wanted to come back home?"

"I understand you may have some concerns. But if you think that I have come to claim any rights to this castle, or your throne, then you are greatly mistaken dear brother. Look at my face. I am in no state to take charge of a castle or an army, let alone a whole kingdom. Fear not Hans. I do not even aspire for such things any more. I can't fly, I can't fight, I can't even see where to land my feet. All I ask is for you to trust me and let me at your side. I might not be able to help that much but I would do all I can to serve and guide you."

"Guide me?"

"I can help you rule your kingdom through giving you counsel. Even if I can't use my sword, I can still use my head. Give me a place at your council and I'll be more than grateful."

"A place at my council," Hans pouted thoughtfully, though there was something wicked behind his innocent look. "So you want to give up your right to the throne, you want to be at my side, to serve and to guide me, and you want a place at my council to help me rule my Kingdom. All I see are requests that only serve for my benefit. But what about you?" Hans paused, and he turned to Mikal with suspicious eyes. "What are you asking in return?

Mikal remained silent for a long moment, weighing his words.

"I am asking for the usual privileges that come with being a member of the king's council."

"And?" Hans's eyes narrowed.

"And your help to take back Grytia."

*************

So, the reunion went well so far. Do you think Hans will accept to help them? 

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