The other Tributes had been waiting in the dining room upon Elarion's arrival — all, including Rowena, very much aware of why he was here, staying well out of the way. When Fabien and Emon entered the West Wing for their nightly patrol, Faelynn swooped in and dragged them into the dining room before they could walk in on Elarion and Noelis. Hours had passed and, it was well into the night when they heard his footsteps.
They all got to their feet — even Inaya — but it only Fabien who stepped out to face Elarion in the hallway.
With a tightened voice, he said, "Is everything in order... my Lord?" Fabien rarely called his cousin like that, even in the presence of others, but Elarion was now next in line, and it felt more appropriate.
Instead of answering, he ordered, "In my private chambers in one hour. Emon too,"and with that he left the West Wing as swiftly as he had entered it.
No sooner had Elarion left, the girls rushed up to their Atrium and were shocked to see the state it was in. The furniture was out of place, cushions lay on the floor, and the fruit plate lay shattered — its contents sprawled across the floor.
Faelynn ran into Noelis's bedchamber and let out a gasp. Noelis having just woken up, grumbled at the intrusion. She pulled the sheets up to cover herself, but not fast enough that everyone — including Fabien and Emon — saw the red marks on her body. It wasn't just a handful, her neck and arms were covered in red spots.
"That bastard! I want to kill him!" Faelynn cried.
"Are you hurt?" Alarie asked.
"Did he force you?" Fabien asked quietly from the door, barely able to contain the anger in his voice. Noelis pulled the sheets closer realising that the company she had extended to include Fabien and Emon.
"It's OK. He didn't do anything that...The Heat took its toll and now..." fumbling to find the right words she just ended with "It was consensual. The Heat's gone and I want some rest."
"I'll get the servants to come and clean this room as soon as you're awake tomorrow," Inaya said gently.
The girls tucked her in while Fabien and Emon left to meet Elarion. Both men were shocked to see the state of the room, not to mention the red marks on Noelis, so many. They'd both had their share of women, but this was out of the norm. Especially for Elarion, Fabien thought with a frown. When they were younger, after they had graduated from the Academy, El had once joined Fabien and their fellow royal friends at a pleasure house that was reserved for royals like them. It was the first and last time he saw his cousin lay with a woman in front of him. He certainly had strength, stamina, passion — he was a man, after all — but he was never a brute; ever the gentleman, even in the bedroom. They'd all remarked about that afterwards.
Fabien had been oblivious to what had happened during the bonding ceremony when he first encountered Noelis, but it wasn't long before he heard what had gone down during the bonding ceremony at the Autumn Equinox. He had wondered who that last Tribute was — the one who had turned Elarion into a beast. He had dismissed the rumours that it was Noelis. Now he had his confirmation.
When Fabien reached Elarion's quarters, he asked Emon to wait outside.
"El, what the hell was that? She isn't a toy for you to tear up. She's a Tribute who is giving us her Manna. Even if you're our next King, it doesn't excuse you from such poor behaviour," Fabien said through gritted teeth.
Elarion looked up with an expressionless face.
"Fabien, what I do with my Tributes is none of your concern. I did my duty and she did hers. I didn't force her to do anything." Elarion's voice rang cold, without feeling.
"She had marks everywhere! You hurt her." What had happened to the well-mannered El that he knew? The gentleman prince that everyone loved?
"Again, I will say this one last time. It is none of your business. Everything was consensual."
He paused before adding, "Are you sleeping with her? Is that it?" Fabien just glared at him.
"So my Tribute has been keeping herself busy. I had no qualms if she wants to take lovers and, I can see why you're infatuated — she is quite the fine specimen especially when..." At this, Fabien grabbed his cousin by the collar.
"Don't you ever talk about my friend like that." Elarion didn't know why he was acting like such a prick. Was he bothered that Fabien had a relationship with Noelis? Why should he care — he hardly knew her. They had dutifully spent the Heat together, and the fact that they had been together two times most passionately, didn't change the fact that he didn't care for the girl.
"What you do with that Tribute is none of my concern, but do show a bit of respect to your future King. I see how angry you are at this, so I hope it makes you feel better to know that I've included you in the next group that I'm sending off to the Shield."
"What has that got to do with this?"
"Emon, if you're outside, you can come in."
As Emon entered, Elarion continued, "I'm sending all the new Tributes to the Shield. In two days.You two will lead the next battalion along with them"
"Are you absurd? After the Tributes that we lost — and that one who died — it's far too dangerous."
"We don't have a choice. A few of the Tributes are there already, but it's not enough. You know very well that the most effective way to strengthen the Shield is to wield Manna directly at the source of the problem. Using amulets as conduits is far too slow and simply not as effective. It's not a decision that was made lightly. The King has authorised it, and I've been mandated to do this."
All three men in the room grew silent. Even Fabien's anger dampened at the gloomy situation they were in. Indeed, there were other serious matters at hand.
The next morning the servants came faced a mess of a space. Without a word they cleared up the Atrium and Noelis's room, Milfred (the real one), quietly prepared another warm bath for Noelis while she quietly scanned her Lady noticing the marks from last night - hideous looking but more harmless than they looked.
Despite what had happened last night, Noelis felt surprisingly good. She sensed a change now the Heat had passed. Like the Tributes before her she could now fell her Manna. Whenever she touched something, the feeling was more sensual. When she wanted to reach something she could will it to her before lifting a finger.
It had been a while since she was able to freely roam beyond the doors of the Atrium, and she was going to cherish it. She went for an early morning stroll in the gardens which is where she bumped into Fabien.
"Are you... all right?" he said carefully.
He had seen the state of the room last night, so he knew. She blushed — not because she had feelings for him beyond their friendship, but at the embarrassment that what had happened between her and Elarion was so... public. Even if they hadn't been there to witness the act, the evidence had been undeniably laid out, crudely, for everyone to see. Her new friend "Baldrick" had heard her and the thought of that made her cringe and blush even more. He hadn't spoken since Noelis told him to get out of her head.
"I'm fine," she said, trying to sound as nonchalant as she could.
"Whatever happened with El, I apologise on his behalf. I know it's no excuse, but he's under a lot of pressure. Always was, but now that he's next in line to the throne, he bears a heavier burden."
"Why are you apologising? Yesterday... it looked worse than it was."
They walked together in silence.
"Well, good to see that the Heat is out of you and you're looking back to your usual self. You'll find out soon enough, but the Shield... it's cracking. We've tried everything, but it's only getting worse. We desperately need your Manna — yours, Rowena's, Alarie's — and even then, it might not be enough. But we've got to try."
"So we're being sent to the valleys of the North — to the Shield." Fabien raised both eyebrows.
"How did you know?"
"Fae is quite the social queen. She heard from one of her sources. When do we head out?"
"Tomorrow."
"What?"
"That's why I came here so early in the day — to inform you before someone else did. If it's any consolation, Emon and I are going with you."
She smiled at that and slapped her friend on the back.
"Well, an adventure awaits us."