A child of an ancient house and the merciful, powerful fae should not beg.
Tahlen lowered his head to study Zelli more intently, his hair falling to where Zelli could easily have touched it. “You could order me to let you go.”
Zelli tore his gaze away from the pretty fall of hair. “Your oath is to Grandmother first.”
Tahlen drew his dark eyebrows together. “You can’t mean to go alone.”
Zelli had not thought out all the details, only that he would have to go soon, possibly even by morning. But it was true, he had never even been to a waystation by himself. He might need some guidance.
“Youwillnotgo alone,” Tahlen continued, once again knowing what Zelli might have said before he could say it, “because it could be dangerous. That was the original objection, Zelli. You can’t be in danger.” Tahlen said this as though he could make it so with just words, shaping each one so clearly that Zelli was slow to realize he was staring at Tahlen’s lips. “Then I will go with you.”
Startled, Zelli jumped, then stood gaping at Tahlen for far too long. “But you don’t approve,” he managed at last in a whisper, “and Grandmother needs you.”
“She needsyou,” Tahlen countered. “And no one else would agree to this, no matter how charming you’ll try to be. They won’t defy The Tialttyrin.”
Zelli nearly sputtered. “But you will?”
“I wouldn’t consider it defiance. Not with…” Tahlen shut his mouth with the rest of his sentence unfinished. He could be resolute even half-dressed and unbound. “She knows your determination. She’ll probably guess your intentions by midmorning tomorrow, and if she can’t stop you, it will reassure her to know I’m with you.”
Which was true. She likely wouldn’t even punish Tahlen for it. Zelli frowned at him anyway. “But… you wouldn’t mind? I had no intention of…”
“I know.”
“…Dragging you into trouble,” Zelli finished, lifting his chin to give Tahlen a displeased glare for the interruption. Tahlen stared back at him as if surprised once more.
He would be less surprised if he stopped assuming he knew all of Zelli’s thoughts, Zelli decided, before crossing his arms and glancing away. “Your sister will not be happy with me.”
It made Tahlen sigh. “You worry about everything but what you should. You won’t have much time until your grandmother will anticipate your plans.”
“Yes, I am incapable of being discreet when I feel something strongly,” Zelli agreed testily, having heard those words from his grandmother already. “I was… I had no definite plans, you understand, but I was thinking of leaving early this morning, before dawn, while the fog remains.”
“Earlier than that if you want enough of a lead that she won’t send the other guards after us to haul you back and bury me in some dungeon.”
“I’d never let her.” Zelli looked up sharply, then eased his shoulders down. “She wouldn’t. She respects you too much. Me, however….” He abandoned that thought as he followed Tahlen’s meaning and his mind began to plan around it. “We could leave now, unless you want a few hours of rest.” Zelli would not rest, not with his thoughts leaping forward. “I have only to pack. You really will?” He regarded Tahlen in absolute confusion. “I’ll do my best to ensure no trouble for you.”
Tahlen gave him not even a hint of an expression for that. “Pack light, with clothes for the chill of night in the valley where the fog settles. And… do you have any armor? I’ve never seen you in any.”
“What for?” No one would expect Zelli to fight. No one thought him capable and he wasn’t sure they weren’t right. “There is some in the treasury that belonged to family members in the past. I could…”
“Ancient armor will not help you if it’s not in good condition.” Tahlen’s voice at least had grown stern. “Wear layers then, many of them.”
“But it’s not truly cold enough yet for—oh. For protection. An armor of sorts.”
“I’ll look for mail in your size. If you don’t change your mind,” Tahlen paused there, then went on as if aware that Zelli’s mind would not change, “then I’ll meet you by the kitchens whenever you’re ready.”
“Really?” Zelli could not help the smile on his face as relief and a funny, elated feeling sank into his bones. He swept forward recklessly, nearly taking Tahlen’s hands before he recalled himself. Tahlen stared down at him, wide-eyed, mouth open. Zelli beamed at him. “I will make you proud. I swear I will. And I will allow no harm to come to you if I can possibly prevent it.”
Tahlen shook his head. “Iam supposed to swear toyou, Zelli.”
Zelli nodded excitedly. “Yes, but I would never demand your body for mine, Tahlen. You’re far too precious for that.” He stepped back, bumping into the door when he had trouble breaking Tahlen’s stunned gaze, then turning to slip outside and close the door quietly behind him.
Two
Perhaps Zelli hadn’t fully thought about traveling alone because he’d known it might make him hesitate. He thought about it now, letting it sit alongside the knowledge that he would be attempting this with Tahlen. Even though Zelli would undoubtedly embarrass himself more than once, he moved faster at the idea of Tahlen’s company.
Tahlen had gone with Grandmother on one of these trips; he would know what to do. And he believed it was right, as Zelli did. After all, if Tahlen had wanted to stop Zelli, it wouldn’t have taken much to hold him or bring him to Grandmother and tell her all. Tahlen was over twice Zelli’s size… though plenty of other adults were. Tahlen just made Zelli feel it more than most.
Zelli took the back staircases to his room, mentally assembling which belongings he would need and could fit into the pack he had traded with someone in the village to get a few days ago. The corridors were empty at this time of night, the guards stationed outside, far from the personal apartments of any Tialttyrins and their guests within. The corridors were also considerably warmer than those in the guards’ living quarters, something Zelli absently frowned about as he slipped into the large family bathing room. His private bedchamber had a room for bathing and personal grooming, but the communal baths were centuries-old and used the steam within the mountains to keep the room and the water warm at all times, and Zelli was in a hurry.
