Mountains Vast and a Kingdom So Red

Chapter 68

Rebekah does not see the benefit of ordering clothes from a catalog so she says to Simmons that Xirna can pick outfits brimming with affluence from her closet as well as Mikah's for the trip. The Queen appears rundown but Simmons has not a single hunch until he reflects on it. She almost lost her beloved. She might lie to herself, a refrain that the illness was genetic and not organized by cunning, but the fabric of the lie will puncture and she will come to her senses. Her brother sides with the Princess; this may be an ease, for now. Gerran's absence stirs confusion, but a man with a tinkerer's brain cannot stay kept forever.

The nymph is still not awake even though the hour is half past twelve. Simmons occupies himself by reading the box that holds the remedy to sea sickness and once that mundane task is complete, he journals at the kitchen table. Dark clouds polluted the sky during his errand and now rain falls in masses.

Mikah stalks into the kitchen, half dead, and manipulates the coffee press. Her boyfriend joins her and brushes a tendril of hair away from her ear. Simmons tamps down the pang in his chest—he cannot fault young love. He has had it once. Mikah sits down across from the Head Servant.

"Ryder would like to see you off on the trip," the young highness says. "He can come here. I imagine that arrangement works well."

"Yes. It would bring me joy to see him," he says simply. Ryder is a good lad as far as he can gather from Mikah's perspective.

"That guy has a mean right hook, but yours is meaner, babe," Leviys says, wrapping an arm around his lover's waist, practically siddling her against him.

"I am a fighter. But I could not fight you."

"Because you think you can't defeat me?"

"Because it kills me to see a bruise on your face. But..."

Simmons tunes them out and decides to wake up his travel companion. Harsh realities await.

Xirna is picky, taking her time roleplaying clothes that do not belong to her. Simmons studies the diminishing space in her bag. He descends the stairs midway and calls for Mikah. Mikah listens to his request with grace and extends her wand to the pile of glamorous clothing and shoes to shrink them. She lowers her head and explains she needs Urisis's help to put an enchantment on them so they can return to the correct size post arrival.

"Or I can have more luggage?" The nymph suggests but Mikah does not humor it and she crosses downstairs.

"It is makes us less conspicuous to pack light," he tells her and the fairie considers this.

"I thought we wanted to be very conspicuous."

"Yes, but after the boat."

King Odin knocks on the door. "I counted on you being here. My richest welcome to you, Xirna."

She appears at a loss on how to respond to the King.

"You have the documents for passage?"

"Yes, your grace," Simmons says. "I am most excited to get going."

Odin shakes his head. "No you are not. But I wish you well. I am going to check on my son." And he leaves them to their lonesome.

Urisis comes to the estate the same time as Ryder and they linger in the garden speaking to Mikah. Simmons moves from the window and excuses himself so he can greet the soldiers. Urisis hugs him and Ryder hugs him too; the second hug makes him come close to suffocated due to the young man's strength.

"Hi. You are doing this? You are ready?" Ryder asks.

"How are you aware of the trip?" Simmons asks him.

"The Princess told me. A half of half a detail, I promise, but I know you will not be around for a few months."

"You seem pale," Urisis notices. And Simmons breathes to return blood to his cheeks, if that helps.

"I had faith our country contained a winged fairie. I am wrestling with the results of it, however."

"Is she within?" Urisis asks.

"Yes, and she needs your help with the spell."

Her posture is regal as she passes through the estate and Ryder's is more relaxed, boots polished but not without wear. Simmons leads them to the proper room where Xirna occupies herself with the hazel wood plant.

"Hi. I am here to help you," the Purist says and forgets to wave as she begins holding onto the clothes.

"Hi."

"I am Ryder. Soldier in the Armada."

"You did not look for me," Xirna says with a hint of teasing.

"Hopefully, I get the next one," he says with forbearance.

Urisis recites unfamiliar words that make the Head Servant's ears spin. She finishes in a few moments and explains that in order to unlock the enchantment, Xirna needs to beat all the items against a hard surface.

"How interesting," the nymph says, bringing herself a bit closer to Urisis.

"That is how I sum up magic too," the Purist says. A soft smile dons her lips.

"May I know the region you are traveling to?" Ryder asks the fairies.

"Nirminda. My village," Simmons says. "It will be wise to set up with family first." He leaves out the part that his family could be dead, alive, or vegabounds. But he has some ties there.

"Wish I could locate it on a map," he says and Urisis scoffs at him.

"Underachiever. It is south east of the capitol, guarded by a river."

"Has lovely agriculture," Simmons adds. He is not convinced he will feel a sense of home coming, but perhaps this is what he needs after serving the Royal family for decades. A fresh start. Staking a claim to the life that what was his before the sadistic father damaged it.

After looking at the floor for a few moments, he misses Urisis turn solemn.

"I applied pressure on Azichaedus. He told me you plan to reintegrate yourself in fairie society, climb higher than you ever had before."

"Yes. This is the agreement between Gerran, Mikah and myself."

"And me!" Xirna says.

"Do you have status?" Ryder asks her.

"I will hustle to get it. Once a fairie's ego becomes too big it makes them...putty."

Simmons sighs. This female has plenty to learn.

Ryder clears his throat. "I will check if Tess has anything brewing on the stove."

Not that Urisis would ever lose her nerve, but the grip she holds on herself loosens as she regards Simmons.

"Do you believe in the ten stones?"

"I cannot say I do," he says charitably.

"Okay. This will take more effort." She rests her hands on his shoulders. "You are a good man. But good men do not flit among rulers. You can be a great one."

Xirna's eyes widen. She has no prior attachment to magic unlike him who has lived it through the years.

"They will bless you with a talent if you permit them. Can we exit to your room?"

Simmons glances at Xirna and she nods, so he exits with Urisis. And upon entering his quarters, he shuts the door.

"We need a talisman. One that represents your hope," she instructs.

"What kind of talent?" He asks.

"I cannot say. I do not know. I do not know how it will unfold, but it will reveal itself."

He is not assuaged, however, he does not have the power to say no. "Let me look."

Simmons qualifies as a minimalist but he has to have something of worth. He checks underneath his duvet, checks his closet, checks his pockets even. Thinking it over, he realizes how disorganized he has become, stashing items of his throughout the estate. But a letter from Tess. It resides somewhere in the kitchen. Urisis is not pleased but she waits for him to grab it.