169 A Different View (1/2)

\”How's it hanging, kiddo?\” Chris Pint asked me.

We were standing on the western battlements of the Palanquin Palace's living wood walls. Right above the thousand step rise that led from the city's main thoroughfare up to the palace grounds.

From this vantage point on the eastern edge of Shärleden, one had a breathtaking view of the City of Smiles. Its wooden halls and giant canopy of redwoods and the great waterfall descending down from atop the mighty cliff on the far west end of the valley whose life-giving waters formed into numerous pools and river paths across the city.

\”Hey... you didn't bring me all the way up here as an excuse to see the city's fortifications right?\” I asked with a raised eyebrow.

He laughed out loud as his eyes looked upon the city's breathtaking nightscape while the green-tinged lights of fairy fire and the golden tinge of light-emitting gemstones twinkled before us.

\”This place could rival my Milkyway,\” he said breathlessly.

\”Sorry… you named your city after the Milky Way?\” My tone was a little skeptical.

\”I am called the Lord of Stars, you know,\” he chuckled. Then he turned around to look at the scene behind us while saying, \”And no… I'm not here to spy on your clan… Besides, you're the one with the gift of sight, boyo.\”

Chris Pint's eyes slowly trailed upward. \”Breathtaking… You know, we can see the Bloodsword Mountain even all the way down south.\”

I followed his line of sight and found myself staring up at the Palanquin Palace's wooden spires that trailed up to the sheer cliff face of Bloodsword Mountain's western slope. Above, the snowcapped peak seemed to glow under the watchful eye of Idunn's light.

\”What do you think of this alliance, Dean?\” Chris Pint asked.

The change of tone in his voice made me turn my head sideways at him, and I saw the way his demeanor had turned serious.

He spared me a glance that told me he was expecting an answer.

The truth was I had been thinking about this very topic since the night Aura mentioned it to me. The timing alone was significant as it was right at the cusp of another bloody war.

\”I'm not familiar with the details of the alliance,\” I admitted.

\”Even with the princess of the Trickster Pavilion following you around?\” he asked jokingly.

At least, I assumed it was a joke. Otherwise, I would have had to duel him for Aura's honor—not. The dude would wipe the floor off me if we ever tangoed.

Still, my respect for the guy didn't erase the frown that had appeared on my face.

Chris Pint laughed. \”Don't go falling in love with fairies, kiddo… that's just a recipe for a broken heart.\”

As he said this, I could almost sense a great sadness in him, and I was certain there was a story behind it. I just didn't think it was appropriate to ask. Not at this moment, at least.

I thought about it again and it felt like an awfully long time before my lips moved.

\”An alliance means a ceasefire,\” I reasoned.

He nodded. \”But what does a ceasefire mean for two clans who aren't even close enough to go to war with each other right now…\”

\”That's irrelevant,\” I countered. \”Just knowing that we're safe from an attack by the southern region's clans is a load off the council's back…\”

\”What makes you assume that?\” he asked with a raised eyebrow.

I also raised an eyebrow at him when I said, \”I'm assuming this alliance has a defensive component… an agreement to watch each other's back while the alliance is in effect. Otherwise, this timing wouldn't have made sense.\”

The Lord of Stars chuckled.

\”Yeah… that's true. We help you guys with the big bad Sunspire Dominion while you help keep the other southern clan's from ganging up on me and mine,\” he admitted in such a nonchalant manner.

\”The southern clans are gunning for you?\” I asked curiously.

\”They don't like that a fairy clan is under the rule of a mudborn like you and me,\” he laughed again. \”Chokes them up to know I beat their kind.\”

\”But the southern clans are afraid of you, right?\” I pressed.

\”That's true… but fear can only hold people down for so long…\” he revealed. \”Fairies will rise up against the oppressor… at least that's what the propaganda is saying about me.\”

He turned toward the view of the city again and there was an unusually warm smile on the older man's face.

\”But ask anyone in my clan what they think of me and you'll know the truth… I'm the goddamn Breaker of Chains, man… I'm the Spartacus of the Fayne,\” he laughed to himself, but somehow, his smile never reached his eyes.

\”So it's like that in the south, huh,\” I noted. \”Well, thanks for the insight.\”