Adrissu stifled the smile that threatened to split his features.Adrissu Rolastra, Braern had called him. It had a nice ring to it. He had never chosen a surname for himself—dragons did not have them, and he had never needed one—but maybe he would take Braern’s.
The soldier nodded, first looking Braern up and down, then doing the same to Adrissu—his eyes lingered on Adrissu’s face for a beat longer than they had Braern’s—perhaps memorizing his features, or searching for some resemblance to wanted criminals, or whoever else such guards might keep watch against. But he did not seem to find whatever he was looking for, and the soldier simply nodded.
“I wouldn’t recommend going further into Aefraya without a guard,” the soldier told them. “Not sure how long you’ve been away from home, sir, or how quickly news has traveled, but Prince Ruven is now King Ruven as of last week. And there have been reports of orc scouts pushing further and further in toward the capitol.”
“What?” Braern said quickly, visibly shocked. “Is the Queen dead?”
The soldier nodded grimly. “You must’ve been coming from far into Autreth if that news hadn’t reached you yet. Yes, about a week and a half ago, now.”
“By the gods, what happened?” Braern asked. The soldier shook his head.
“Nothing official has been released, which doesn’t bode well,” he sighed, then leaned a bit closer, his voice lowering conspiratorially. “The rumors are that she was poisoned, maybe by someone in her own court. King-Consort Aeroven was suspected, but evidently was cleared of any involvement, and just abdicated to be reinstated as a general. So their son is king now. No one’s sure if the orcs were involved, but they’ve certainly been mounting more and more attacks in just the past week. The roads should be safe enough this close to Autreth, but... Things are tumultuous, to say the least. Be careful out there.”
Slowly, Braern nodded, brows still furrowed in uncertainty. “We won’t be leaving Menserine, I think. Thank you for the news. I had no idea. Gods, what a week it must have been!”
They walked on, and after a moment Adrissu wrapped an arm around Braern’s shoulder, pulling him close.
“What a week it’s been,” he echoed in a low murmur, and with a bitter laugh, Braern nodded. “That might work out to our advantage, though. Let’s say Lorsan confronted us a week or two ago, then left before we did, and hasn’t been seen since... If everyone knows the roads are dangerous, no one will wonder too much.”
Braern was silent as he seemed to consider the alibi. “That does sound feasible.”
Adrissu nodded. “Then that’s what happened.”
“I can’t believe the queen is dead,” Braern muttered, shaking his head. Adrissu did not have a response, so they walked quietly as the sun set ahead of them.
By the time it had dipped below the horizon, the city gates of Menserine were in view. The gate was open, and although two guards were stationed there, they waved them through silently.
“This way,” Braern said, taking Adrissu’s hand and leading him along the main road. It seemed similar in size to Polimnos, but was evidently more carefully planned out; rather than a formerly small city that had built outwards as needed, Menserine was intentionally divided into districts that were clearly delineated by the size and appearance of the buildings they passed. The first district that they walked through seemed to be industrial, which gave way to smaller buildings that looked like workshops for artisans and skilled laborers. Next was a market district full of colorful storefronts and market stalls, with more and more elves milling about, shopping or hawking their wares.
Finally, the bright colors faded to a more austere residential district, and it was here that Braern finally veered off the main road. He led Adrissu past wide streets with large homes, to more narrow roads where homes were smaller and closer together. It was here that he finally stopped in front of a house with a pale wooden door, turning to face Adrissu with a nervous expression.
“This is it,” he said, squeezing Adrissu’s hand hard, before releasing it. “I... Let me do most of the talking, I suppose.”
“Of course,” Adrissu murmured, nodding. “I’ll follow your lead. Whatever you want.”
Braern managed a tight smile up at him. “I love you.”
Before Adrissu could respond, Braern had turned and was heading up the walkway to the home, a mostly-wooden domicile that appeared tall enough to have a second floor—nothing extravagant by any means, but comfortable and pleasant-looking with a few fruit trees in the fenced-in yard. It was a relief to see that his family at least appeared to be making ends meet.
Braern hesitated at the door, evidently unsure if he should just go in or knock. After a beat, he knocked. Adrissu waited a step behind him, Braern wringing his hands nervously, his attention focused on the closed door in front of them.
It took a few moments, but the metallic sound of the handle soon broke the nervous silence, and the door swung open to reveal an elven man. He did not look any older than Braern, with similar features but lighter eyes and lighter, longer hair. Considering how ageless most elves appeared until they were quite elderly, the man could have been Braern’s father, or one of his brothers.
The elf stared at Braern for a long moment, eyes wide, then seemed to visibly shake himself, blinking rapidly. “Braern?”
“Father,” Braern said, the word leaving him in a rush. “I—I’m sorry for the unexpected visit.”
“No, no, don’t apologize,” the man said quickly, as he reached out to hug Braern. The elf froze, surprised, then tentatively hugged him back. “Gods, I’m just glad to see you. Your mother will be so happy. Come in, come in.”
The man’s eyes flickered to Adrissu, as if seeing him for the first time. “Oh—and your, um, friend, too, of course.”
Adrissu lowered his head respectfully, an unexpected nervousness in his belly. He had never needed to meet his mate’s parents before, and suddenly felt entirely out of place. “Thank you for your hospitality.”
“It’s a long story,” Braern said, before his father could speak. “I’ll explain when I see Mother. Is she well?”
“She’s well,” the man said quickly, looking back at Braern. “Although, she had a long bout of pneumonia a little while back that had us a bit worried. But she’s been on the mend for a week or two now.”
Braern let out a long, sharp exhale. “I... I see.”
