"Huh?" I asked, taking a step back. "But I can only defend."
"And defense is what we need!" Torian snapped. "That's why I wanted you on my side. My sister needs us, and you were born to Summer parents. Rain needs Hawke, and he has been with us, and been loyal since I came here. He's the reason I even found Silver Oaks. He's..."
"Your best friend," Rain supplied. "So why don't you just make him Summer?"
"He's a wildling," Wilder pointed out.
"So?" I asked, leaping on her idea easily. "Torian's the Summer Prince. If he claims Hawke as his advisor? His general? Fuck, make him a Summer Duke, Torian, equal to Wilder.Lethim swear his loyalty to you!"
"I will," Hawke said quickly. "Tor, you know I will."
"But..." Torian shook his head slightly, more like he was confused than denying it. "Hawke, you're a wildling."
"And I'm your best friend," Hawke said. "Fuck the title. I don't need one, nor do I care about it.Youare the one who helped me figure out how to control my talents.Youshowed me how to even use the seasonal magic I can pull. So let me be your right-hand man, Torian?" He stepped forward. "I will be loyal."
"I'd rather you were belligerent," Torian admitted. "Agree to that, and I will."
"I swear it on my wings," Hawke said, sinking to a knee before Torian. "And I swear to uphold the values of Summer, to serve and protect you and all that you hold dear, as well as serving the power you will inherit, regardless of who claims your crown." He looked up. "I vow to be your man, Tor, even when it isn't easy."
I stepped back, moving to drape my arm over Rain's shoulders. "The words, Torian," I taunted, "are 'Rise, Your Grace."
"What does that mean?" Rain whispered at me.
Torian just placed a hand on top of Hawke's head and bowed his own. "Rise, Your Grace, Duke of the Elysian Fields and Advisor to the Prince. In exchange for your loyalty, I offer my own, as far as I can give it."
"That's a deal I'll take," Hawke said as he stood, and then he leaned in and hugged Torian, slapping his back to keep it from getting too awkward. "A duke, huh?"
"Yeah, and we just fucked everything up," Torian pointed out.
"Yeah," I agreed, smiling at Rain. "We have a talking crow, a shadow that brings crowns, a way to kill the Wild Hunt - "
"Two," Hawke corrected. "I got one too."
Which made me grin. "Good point.Twoways to kill the Wild Hunt, and yet you know what the most important part is?"
"That I'm fucked?" Aspen asked.
I laughed. "That's Rain's job. No." I looked from her to her brother,then to Hawke, over to Wilder, and leaned to even see Jack before my eyes landed on Rain again. "Draw the lines, people. A royal bastard."
"Jack!" the bird declared.
"I actually meant Aspen," I told him. "But you have a point.Tworoyal bastards. Two mismatched advisors." I gestured at Hawke and myself. "Two pretty cool royals." This time, I gestured to Torian and Aspen. "A traditionalist who is fucking a wildling, so not very traditional at all." I flashed a grin at Wilder. "And a whole lot of fucked-up magic." I gestured to myself, Hawke, and then to Rain.
"And?" Torian asked.
I leaned in and kissed Rain's temple. "Have you figured it out yet?"
"Nope," she said, "but I'm not the one who knows how this goes."
"Oh shit!" Aspen breathed as my idea hit her. Rain's words had been the last thing she needed. "The old way doesn't work! That's what Keir has always complained about! Summer, Winter, and Wild does nothing but divide, so fuck the lines. We, the six of us, as screwed up as our arrangements are, make a full and complete court!"
"But that's not how it works," Torian insisted.
Hawke chuckled. "Yeah, so I guess it's time we break the rules." He nudged Torian in the side. "We're pretty good at it, Tor."
"Yeah," he agreed, looking over to nod slowly at me. "We are. Rain, I think you chose well - that man does belong here. I think he might even be the noblest of us all."
"Knight!" Jack crowed, nodding in agreement. "Morrigan-Knight. Court!" And he slung his bill up and down as big as he could.
