Nectar of War: The Song of Verity and Serenity (The Nectar of War Series Book 1)

LAVEN HEPHAESTUS ARVENALDI, II

For you,” Dyena is standing next to me with a glass of wine.

“Thank you,” I nod to her as she sits at the table across from me.

She follows to where I am looking, and quietly laughs as she pulls at a piece of bread from the basket on the table.

“Ivella,” she whispers as she watches her as well.

Ivella . . .

She and Morano are walking down the stone path arm in arm as they look at the different shops within the city of Provas, Du Porva. They stop in front of a small jewelers shop and a necklace with a Sun and Moon pendant catches her eye. Ahead of them walk Phyv and Levora and the others have gone off to other shops and cafes nearby.

Dyena and I are sitting at a table outside of an eatery that gets plenty of consumers. Stravan, Daevien, and Sloan have gone inside—talking, and laughing with their people as if it is a normal day to day occurrence for them. But, then again, I see exactly how comfortable I wish for my people to feel around me. This place reminds me of a more city-like environment of Gordanta, but nothing will top Gordanta. That is a home like no other.

“She is an intelligent woman. Quiet, though.” Her chin lifts as she speaks.

I laugh and bring the wine to my lips.

“Why do you laugh?”

“Give it time.” I say just before sipping the dry wine. I watch her continue to admire the necklace through the window before moving along. “There will come a day you piss her off and you will realize she is not so quiet.”

She chuckles. “You would know.”

I cut her a look, and I cannot help but smile. “Yes, I would know.”

“Nothing is perfect,” Dyena runs a finger over her wine glass while she stares through the window of the eatery and at Stravan. “We did not agree on much, but we did agree on the level of respect there must be for one another, and how we wanted to treat, and be there for our people.”

“Loyalty.”

“And love grows from loyalty.”

“I have given someone loyalty, respect, and security for years. That is not always true.”

She smiles. “You never truly know what someone is going through, do you? You may provide exactly what they want, although you could be providing it at the wrong time, but when time comes they will shower you in everything you have ever wanted.”

To be showered in any form of love by Ivella is all I would need. It would not even need to be in the way I want, if it is her, I want it.

“When did you both become close companions?”

“Not long ago,” she sips her wine before setting it down and toying with the rim again. “Through the Blood Bond there was a lot we saw within each other accidentally, but that is only because we did not know how to control our thoughts when it came to a Blood Bond. Every night terror I had, she had. Every night terror she had, I had. Though, both were oddly similar. Solidarity in darkness. It drew us together. I knew which nightmares were mine and which were hers. So, I then reached out to her to truly understand what it was that haunted her, she did not immediately tell me, of course. Nevertheless, we reached that point, talked through each others trauma and realized we never had a companion that quite understood us like we did. Some relationships do not need measures of time to be valuable, our first personal meeting I think we both knew we would be close for years to come. Just as you wish to keep her, I do too.”

Knowing that Ivella has someone she confidently confides into brings me a form of peace I did not know I needed. I always wanted that person to be me, even though it is not at this moment, I am grateful that Dyena is there with open ears and arms.

“Thank you.”

Dyena smiles. “She will always have a home with me Laven.” Gently, she exhales before looking over her shoulder at Ivella and then back at me. “She knows you love her, you have been patient, and I am asking you to continue to be patient just as you ask her to be patient with you.”

“Does she know we are . . .” I drift off.

Dyena realizes quickly what I am implying. “No, she does not.”

Behind Dyena, Stravan appears with his hands placed on her shoulders. “Miss Yunha is asking where you are, she said she wishes to see you tonight.”

Dyena’s hand places on top of one of Stravan’s as she looks up to him from behind her. “Ah,” she hums. “I will go see her now, keep our brooding High King company.”

“I will,” Stravan laughs.

“I was talking to Laven.” She teases before kissing his forehead and going into the eatery Stravan was previously in.

“Humorous that one is.” He chuckles.

“She is.”

“So,” he turns his head to me. “When are you going to have the big day? Or am I not invited to your Coronation.”

I smile. “You are invited, I will have a Coronation but I will decide when. I am not interested in having it just yet. I do not want a large celebration since I do not see a real need to celebrate ruling Vaigon just yet. Whenever I do, I will plan to keep it small.”

“When I first became High King I did not have a Coronation.”

“You were the first and only High King I know of to not have one.”

I remember reading long ago about his succession and that a Coronation was not held.

“Coronations are seen as more of a celebration for you moving higher in the monarchy after the death of the one before you, when we lost my father I did not see that as a celebration, that was a tragedy. So, I do not exactly see Coronations as necessary unless they are for someone being inducted into the royal line like the Coronation we had for Dyena and Ivella. Otherwise, no. As for you, you do not want to celebrate having a sullied land, which I also understand.”

“I am wondering if the hatred will ever end.” I force a laugh.

Stravan simpers. “Sometimes it does, sometimes it does not. It took a long while for me to enjoy being High King.”

I believe I will be the exact same.

“I will also help you and your brothers learn how to wield your powers like I can, it is important that we train our people and yours so they are prepared, but we cannot forget about ourselves.”

He is right, it is easy to think of what all must be done for those around you and forgetting what to do for yourself.

It is odd, really, that after our past he now hopes to help us after aiming to kill us.

“That will be greatly appreciated, thank you.”

Off in the distance there is dancing and music erupting through the streets. I smile as I see Levora being led in a dance by Daevien. She bursts into laughter as she stumbles around, for the first time, I see Daevien smile too. Levora rises to the tip of her toe as Daevien spins her, the dancer she once was so many years ago is now shining through.

I stand when Ivella and Morano are far into the city. “Excuse me,” I say to Stravan and I walk over to the jeweler Ivella was looking at.

The sun and moon pendant is small enough to fit perfectly in the center of my palm with room.

“Hello!” The elderly seller approaches. “A beauty is it not?”

“It is,” I smile at him. “How much?”

“Three-hundred gold dollars.”

I nod. “I would like to purchase it, could we have it wrapped?”

“Of course, come in and pick your box and wrapping!” He hobbles his way back into the shop and I follow behind him.

*  *  *

I purposely have arrived at the palace much earlier than the rest, when I reach the wing Ira is staying in, he is sitting in a drawing room by a fire with Vaigon, Vorzantu, Nyt, and Salem. A book is in his hand as he diligently reads. The pets and the Dragons sitting next to each other sleeping is an odd sight to see, but something we will need to get used to.

He looks at me as I stand here with the small box containing Ivella’s necklace.

“I need a favor from you, if you do not mind.”

He does not answer, he blinks and I take that as opportunity to continue.

“This is for Ivella, I do not want her to know it is from me, would you mind giving this to her but say it is from you? She will not accept it if I say it is from me.”

I wait patiently and his eyes drift down to the box and slowly back up.

“It is not from me, it is from you.”

“Yes, you are right.” I nod. “But would you mind saying it is from you? She will not accept this if it is me she receives it from.”

Once again he stares but nods. “Put it here.” He nods to the table next to him and I do.

“Thank you.” I nod.

Ira does not answer, he only returns to his book and I return to my family in the city.

These joyful moments they are experiencing are pertinent given how quickly this world could turn to war again. I too join them knowing my moments are running short before the time comes.

I CAN FEEL MY arms tugging to be suspended outward at my sides. The pain is nearly unfelt as I slump down to my knees in the filth below me.

Not far away, I faintly hear feet stepping into the grime along the ground and suddenly, a body falls to its knees in front of me. They grab my face and force my head up.

I know this touch.

I know these hands as if they are my own.

Ever so quietly, she sings, she sings a melody so gentle my mind chases after it and I no longer feel trapped in this stone cell that is never ending in pain.

I open my eyes and I am no longer in the cell, I am home, my old home. The first home my family ever had.

I can hear the tiny multiple feet around me, when I look, it is a very little me with wild curly hair chasing after Levora.

‘Gotcha!’ Pa shouts as he catches us in his arms.

‘All right you three,’ Ma says as she emerges into the drawing room with a large pregnant belly. ‘You know, you are nearly just as bad as these children. It is like having three children already.’

He rubs a hand over her perfectly done goddess braids and pulls her closer. ‘Now you get to have four children running rampant in your home.’

She laughs loudly and this makes my father grin.

The little me in his arms ruffles his white hair and he gently rubs his nose with mine as Vora laughs in his arms.

‘Supper is ready,’ Ma wipes dirt from my face. ‘Let us go get you both cleaned and then we can eat your favorite meal!’

‘Venison and potatoes!’ I dramatically sing and I quietly laugh at myself.

Pa puts both Levora and I down and chases us up the stairs and laughter bursts throughout the house once more.

I wake from a dream I never thought I would see again and now hearing a voice that is a never-ending melody in my mind.

Sitting up I look around the moonlit dark room. The balcony doors still sit open as I left them before going to bed, the curtains gently blow inward as the wind rushes over the sea and pushes the slightly cracked chamber door.

I stand from the bed and venture across the hall to Ivella’s chamber.

She is sound asleep and both Vaigon and Vorzantu lift their heads as I enter.

“Go back to sleep.” I whisper, but this only makes Vorzantu fly in my direction and gently land on my shoulder. Vaigon stays in bed with Ivella, and tonight, Vorzantu sleeps with me.

When I lay back down Vorzantu curls next me and as my eyes close that same melody I heard leading me from my nightmare returns and I allow it to push me to a sleep so peaceful that for the first time I do not want to wake up.