27. Twenty-Four

I sat upon my throne, my fingers tapping impatiently against the carved armrest. The great hall stretched out before me, but I saw none of its grandeur. My thoughts were far away, down in the depths of the castle where Elindir lay cold and still, awaiting the dark miracle that would restore him.

Minutes crawled by with agonizing slowness. Each second felt like an eternity, a precious grain of sand slipping through the hourglass. The rituals of kingship seemed hollow now. What did the throne matter if I had to sit there alone? If I had no one to go back to? Why had I worked so hard for such an empty reward when the true prize had been right in front of me the whole time?

The great doors of the throne room swung open, and Prince Khulan Batai strode in, flanked by a retinue of Yeutish warriors clad in burnished bronze scale armor. Each man was a towering figure, their faces weathered and scarred.

But it was Khulan himself who commanded the most attention. He was a giant of a man, standing head and shoulders above even his tallest warriors. He wore his black hair in a series of intricate braids, each one adorned with small bronze rings that looked more red in the firelight. His beard was thick and full, black as night. He wore a coat of bronze scales over a tunic of rich, red wool, the hem embroidered with intricate geometric patterns in gold thread.

As he approached the throne, his steps were measured and confident. He carried himself with the easy grace of a born warrior, his every movement speaking of a lifetime spent in the saddle and on the battlefield. There was a raw, primal power about him, a sense that he was a force of nature barely contained in elven form.

Khulan came to a halt at the base of the dais. "Prince Ruith," he said, his voice a deep rumble that seemed to fill the throne room. "I am Khulan Batai, favored son of Kudai and commander of the great Crimson Horde."

"It's King Ruith, actually," I corrected.

"King Ruith? So now the south has a Primarch and a king? And yet your northern border was so unguarded my hoard rode all the way here without seeing a single battle until we were at your gates."

"We are in your debt, Prince Khulan, for your assistance during the battle."

Khulan stroked his beard with thick fingers. "A debt you repay by continuing to hold my cousin hostage?"

"Lady Altani is not a hostage, but a respected guest of my court. One who has been treated with all the courtesy and dignity befitting her station."

Khulan snorted. "Your father married her off to one of his generals like a prize pig."

"While that is true," I said cautiously, "I assure you that Lady Altani's honor is intact. General Niro's marriage to her is in name only."

"Forgive me if I do not take a southern king at his word," Khulan answered coldly. "Your people have been kidnapping and raping mine for a generation. I would see her myself and hear it from her lips that she remains untouched."

I leaned back on my throne, steepling my fingers as I regarded the northern prince. His words were a calculated provocation, meant to goad me into an unwise reaction. I would not give him the satisfaction.

"I understand your skepticism, Prince Khulan," I said. "The history between our peoples is a troubled one, filled with mistrust and misunderstanding. But I assure you, I am not my father. I seek to forge a new path, one of cooperation and mutual respect."

I rose from my throne, descending the steps of the dais with measured grace. "Lady Altani is indeed under my protection," I said, coming to a halt mere feet from the towering northerner. "And I give you my word, as king and as a man of honor, that she has been treated with the utmost respect. No harm has come to her, nor will it, so long as she remains in my care."

Khulan's eyes narrowed, his jaw clenching beneath his beard. "I do not know you. I have not seen the measure of your spine in the saddle, nor the strength of your arms in the wrestling pit. I have not tested the sharpness of your wit at Tengri-Arga. Your word means nothing to me."

I inclined my head slightly, acknowledging the truth of his words. "You are right, of course. We are strangers to one another, our only bond the shared history of our peoples. But I would change that, Prince Khulan. I would have you as an ally. Not because I fear the might of your Crimson Horde, but because I respect the strength of your people, the fierceness of your spirit. Together, we could forge a new era of peace and prosperity for both our lands."

Khulan regarded me silently for a long moment, his expression unreadable. Then, slowly, he nodded. "Words are wind. If you truly seek an alliance, you must prove your sincerity with deeds, not speeches."

I smiled, inclining my head in acknowledgment. "Of course. And I shall. But first, let us retire to more comfortable accommodations. I have no wish to parade your young cousin through the hall and traumatize her further."

Khulan inclined his head in agreement.

I gestured for Khulan to follow me, leading him through a side door and into a private sitting room. The space was cozy and intimate, with plush divans arranged around a low table of polished ebony. A fire crackled in the hearth, casting a warm glow over the rich tapestries that adorned the walls.

I settled onto one of the divans, motioning for Khulan to take a seat across from me. He did so warily, his massive frame dwarfing the delicate furniture. In the flickering light of the fire, his features seemed even more angular and harsh, the planes of his face carved from granite.

"I will have Lady Altani brought to us," I said, nodding to one of my attendants hovering discreetly in the doorway. "In the meantime, perhaps you would care for some refreshment?"

Khulan grunted noncommittally, but accepted the proffered cup from the attendant. He sniffed at the contents, his brows lifting in surprise as he took a tentative sip. "This is... passable," he allowed grudgingly. "For southern swill."

I smiled wryly, taking a sip from my own cup. The wine was a rare vintage, the color of blood in the firelight. It had been aged for decades, its flavor complex and rich. "I shall take that as a compliment, coming from one so accustomed to the harsh spirits of the north."

Khulan's lips twitched in what might have been the ghost of a smile, but he said nothing, his gaze fixed upon the flames dancing in the hearth.

A moment later, there was a soft knock at the door. I called for the visitor to enter, and Lady Altani stepped into the room, her posture stiff and wary. She was a slip of a girl, still so young and innocent looking, with delicate features and large, expressive eyes the color of honey. Her dark hair was worn in a single long tail down her back, adorned with small silver bells that chimed softly as she moved.

Khulan surged to his feet at the sight of her, his expression a mix of relief and concern. "ürgüldai," he breathed, crossing the room in two long strides to gather her into his arms.

The girl clung to him, her small frame shaking with silent sobs. Khulan murmured to her in their native tongue, his deep voice gentle and soothing as he held her tiny hands gently in his.

I watched the reunion between Khulan and Altani, a strange mix of emotions swirling within me. There was a part of me, the coldly calculating strategist, that saw only a valuable bargaining chip to be leveraged in the negotiations to come. But another part, a deeper, softer part, couldn't help but be moved by the raw emotion of the moment.

Family was family, and that connection knew no borders, no language. It was the same in the north as it was there in the south. Kin was precious, and children even more so.

After a long moment, Khulan gently disentangled himself from Altani's embrace, guiding her to sit on the divan beside him. He kept one massive arm draped protectively around her slim shoulders as he turned his piercing gaze back to me.

"She seems unharmed," he allowed grudgingly. "So far."

I inclined my head in agreement. "As I said, she has been treated as an honored guest, not a hostage. Her wellbeing is of the utmost importance to me."

Khulan's eyes narrowed, his expression skeptical. "Only because you intend to leverage her presence here to your advantage. My father is no fool. He is aware of what you want, King Ruith."

"Kudai is indeed a wise leader," I said. "He knows that I am not my predecessor. I do not seek to conquer or subjugate. I seek only to forge a lasting peace between our peoples."

Khulan snorted derisively. "Peace? Is that what you call it? Snatching our children in the night, holding them hostage to ensure our compliance?"

I shook my head. "I understand your anger, Prince Khulan. Truly, I do. The actions of my father and his generals were reprehensible. Unforgivable. But I am not my father. It was he who kidnapped your cousin and marched her south, he who forced my general to wed her at the point of his blade, and he whom your people fight against in the north." I leaned forward. "I seek to make amends for the sins of the past. To build a bridge between our peoples, one of trust and mutual respect. And I believe I know how to begin."

"You will begin by releasing my cousin into my custody, so we make take her home," Khulan demanded.

I held up a hand, my expression carefully neutral. "I understand your desire to see Lady Altani returned to her home and family. But we must think beyond the immediate, Prince Khulan. We must consider the long-term implications of our actions."

I rose from my seat, pacing slowly before the hearth. The firelight cast my shadow long and dark across the rich carpets. "The war in the north rages on, claiming lives on both sides. Your father's armies are formidable, but they are locked in a stalemate with my father's. Meanwhile, I am preparing to march on my father's forces and reclaim what is mine. I have no desire to fight a two-front war, and you have no desire to continue to watch your countrymen die." I turned to face Khulan. "But imagine if we were to join forces. If the might of the Crimson Horde, the Golden Horde, and the great Grass Horde were to ride alongside my own armies. Together, we could crush the loyalists who only want war, securing peace and stability for both our lands."

Khulan's brows furrowed, his expression skeptical. "And why would my father agree to such an alliance? What assurances would he have that you would not simply turn on us once your throne was secure?"

I smiled thinly. "A fair question. And one I have given much thought to." I crossed to a side table, pouring myself a fresh cup of wine. The rich, dark liquid swirled in the cup, catching the light of the fire.

I took a slow sip, savoring the complex flavors that danced across my tongue. "I propose an exchange," I said at last. "A gesture of goodwill and trust between our peoples."

Khulan's eyes narrowed. "What sort of exchange?"

I turned to face him fully, my expression solemn. "Lady Altani will remain here, in my court, as my honored guest. She will be treated with the utmost respect and dignity, afforded every comfort and luxury. In return, my dear sibling Ieduin will accompany you back to the Yeutlands to reside in your father's court as his guest."

Khulan's brows shot up in surprise. "You would send your own kin to live among us?"

"I would," I answered sincerely. "Because I do not consider the Yeutish people my enemies, Prince Khulan. I consider them potential allies. Friends, even. And I am willing to stake my own flesh and blood on the sincerity of that belief."

I set my cup aside, crossing the room to stand before Khulan. Up close, his sheer size was even more impressive.

"This exchange of hostages would serve as a symbol of the trust between our peoples," I continued. "A tangible demonstration of our commitment to forging a new path forward. Your father will send his armies to ride alongside my own against Primarch Tarathiel. Then, when the war is done, I will instruct my council to formally acknowledge the independent sovereignty of the Yeutlands. We will exchange our prisoners again, and we will continue into the future as allies, with trade routes open between our nations."

Khulan stared at me for a long moment, his expression unreadable. The firelight played across the planes of his face, casting his features in sharp relief. I could see the wheels turning behind his eyes, the calculations and considerations.

Finally, he spoke. "Which one is Ieduin again?"

"The redhead," I supplied, slightly amused that it mattered which hostage he had to escort back home.

He pressed his lips together in thought. "The saucy one with the nice hips?"

"Cousin," Altani rebuked, sounding horrified.

"What? If I have to travel all the way back home with him, I might as well understand what I'm getting into."

I couldn't help but chuckle at Khulan's forthrightness, even as Altani looked scandalized beside him. "Yes, the saucy redhead with the nice hips," I confirmed wryly. "Though I would caution against underestimating Ieduin. They are as clever and cunning as they are beautiful."

Khulan grunted, looking thoughtful. "They'll have to be, to survive the Yeutlands." He fixed me with a piercing stare. "You are certain they are up to the task? That they will not shame you and your people with weakness?"

I met his gaze steadily. "Ieduin is many things, but weak is not one of them. They have a spine of steel beneath that pretty exterior. And a tongue sharp enough to cut glass. Trust me, Prince Khulan—you'll have your hands full with that one."

A slow, fierce grin spread across Khulan's face, transforming his stern features. "Good. I like a challenge."

He rose to his feet then, towering over me. Up close, I could feel the sheer power radiating off of him, the coiled strength in his massive frame. This was a man born to lead armies, to conquer and command. And yet, there was a keen intelligence in his eyes, a certain shrewdness that demanded respect.

"My father, the great Khatun of the Yeutlands, master of both horse and rock, leader of the four great hordes, has given me the honor of speaking with his voice in these negotiations," he began. "He is prepared to accept your proposal, King Ruith. The exchange of hostages, the alliance of our armies, the acknowledgment of Yeutish sovereignty—all of it."

I kept my expression carefully neutral, despite inwardly celebrating. This was the outcome I had hoped for, the one I had maneuvered and strategized to achieve. But I knew better than to let my satisfaction show. Not yet.

"I am pleased to hear it," I said evenly. "Your father is a wise man, and a formidable leader. I look forward to a long and prosperous relationship between our peoples."

Khulan inclined his head, the firelight glinting off the bronze rings woven into his braids. "As do I. But know this, King Ruith. The Yeutish people do not give their trust lightly. Nor do we forget treachery. If you betray us, if you go back on your word..." He left the threat hanging.

Altani put a hand on her cousin's arm. "The king is an honorable elf, cousin. I have seen him fight for justice, equality, and the freedom of humans and elves alike. Tell my uncle his trust is not misplaced."

I regarded Altani with a mixture of surprise and respect. Her words carried the weight of conviction, her voice steady and sure despite the ordeal she had endured. There was a quiet strength to her, a resilience that her delicate appearance did not lead one to expect.

"Lady Altani honors me with her trust," I said, inclining my head towards her. "I assure you, it is not misplaced. I will strive every day to be worthy of it."

Khulan studied his young cousin for a long moment. Then, slowly, he nodded. "Very well. If ürgüldai vouches for your character, King Ruith, then I am inclined to believe her judgment." His gaze hardened. "But her trust does not negate my warning. Betray us, and there will be consequences."

"I would expect nothing less," I replied evenly. "A king who does not defend his people is no king at all."

A flicker of approval flashed in Khulan's eyes, there and gone in an instant.

I allowed a small smile to curve my lips. "You are, of course, welcome to say here in Calibarra for as long as you like."

"For that, you have my thanks, though we will not stay long. The journey north will be treacherous enough this time of year."

I rose from my seat, the rich fabric of my robes whispering against the polished floor as I crossed to the side table. I poured two fresh cups of wine, the dark liquid catching the firelight like captured rubies.

"To new alliances," I said, offering one cup to Khulan. "And to a future of peace and prosperity for both our peoples."

Khulan accepted the cup, his massive hand dwarfing the delicate crystal. He raised it in a toast, the gold of his rings glinting. "To new alliances, and even stronger constitutions," he said, and we drank together.