Page 46 of The Night Prince 6

Rahven…

You have a chance to make things right. How your brother would want them, his son said.

There is weakness in this course of action, Vex warned.

If strength means caring for no one and nothing so you have nothing to lose then I would not want it. What would be the point? Rahven gave him a final nod before turning back to the table and Aquilan’s tender ministrations.

Vex found he could not tear his eyes away.

“Fear has ruled me for a very long time,” Rhalyf said softly. “The thought that one can escape one’s fate if one is just clever enough, fast enough, and paranoid enough.”

Haera’s expression crumpled for a moment and she quickly looked away from Rhalyf. His nephew stared down at the ground.

Vex opened his mouth then shut it, before he finally said, “This has been a good talk, but I am hungry and thirsty. Go be with those who are your food and drink.” Both of them nodded and Vex made to turn away and walk towards the table when his bandmates eagerly awaited him. But at the last moment, he stopped.

You have a chance to make things right. How your brother would want them.

Vex looked back at them and asked, “Would you both accept one piece of advice from your uncle?”

Both of them paused, looked at each other then back at him before nodding slowly.

“While there is truth in what you said about fear, Rhalyf, the real truth is that fate comes in the end no matter what you do,” he smiled a little sadly. “So you can either spend your time–however long or short that is–in fear or, instead, experiencing all the other emotions. The good ones even. That choice is up to you.”

Fantasy

“Are you ready to go?” Declan asked him.

His dark hair fell over one of his brilliant green eyes. He looked boyish and unbothered with a smile on his lips and a faint flush of pink on his pale cheeks. Aquilan had managed to get him to take a few cups of wine. It had wiped away some of Declan’s tension even though quite a few humans were still looking over at him in awe.

Aquilan thought it was only right that this be the case. Declan’s voice was from gods. He wondered though if Declan would ever sing again. Despite his having such an ethereal voice, he had never spoken about singing. Yet, though Aquilan was only half as good in his own estimation at singing as Declan, he would be talking about it constantly. Forget talking, he would be singing. But his Shadow had been mostly silent since the song ended.

He reveled in the memory of that song even though he’d only spoken obliquely about the story in the words and the visions they inspired. Vex’s song, too, had that effect. But neither Night Elf appeared ready to share more and he appreciated that. Especially with this crowd.

“I am,” Aquilan nodded. “I wonder if the others are as well.”

There were still bursts of bright laughter and excited talking underneath the tent, but it had become more a murmur as the alcohol and the night tugged those others towards contemplation and, later, deep sleep. It was the perfect time to give their regards and slip out.

“Let’s go see,” Declan offered him a hand up, which Aquilan took and rose from his chair. He was still steady on his legs despite the amount of drinking they’d done. He was certain that the BBQ had soaked up much of the alcohol.

Ah, BBQ…

Even though he had eaten his weight of the delicious grilled and sauced meat, his mouth was still hungry for the sweet, salty and fatty pork. He sighed happily as he and Declan moved through the crowd of people towards their friends and their hosts.

“Are you off?” Rohannan asked as they stopped by his table first.

He was seated with his boys and a bunch of other older men who gazed upon him and Declan with what could, at best, be classified as neutral indifference with hints of dislike. Two men together might be the problem. A human and a Sun Elf together might also be the problem. A political leader poaching one of their young heroes might also be the problem. There could, undoubtedly, be more that was causing problems that he was totally unaware of. But he would not stop holding onto Declan’s arm or gazing at him with what he was sure was a combination of love and possessive pride. So he met their eyes evenly and they would nod and then go back to their beers. Considering what Declan had said about Rohannan’s prejudices, his companions seemed to live up to them.

“We are. Thank you for the lovely evening,” Aquilan said as he squeezed Declan’s arm.

“Anytime! I admit that we don’t quite do it up this big every weekend, but we always have something going. Especially when we have a young man with such a set of lungs on him!” Rohannan chuckled. The others at the table laughed, too. None unkindly, but he felt Declan stiffen through their clasped hands. “You could have a job here singing rather than slinging suds. What do you say?”

“I like bartending,” Declan’s voice was clipped.

“Damned shame. You’re meant to sing,” Rohannan said.

Declan grunted neutrally. Aquilan thought what Rohannan had said was true, but only if the singing was done off a stage. Many Aravae sang simply to the trees or the flowers. He was one of the bold ones to sing for others.

“Well, you’re welcome here anytime,” Rohannan tipped his head towards them both.