Breaking The Balance

Breaking The Balance - The Consequences Of Honesty

Jordan's POV

No matter how many times I attempted to reason with Andor's insane plan, I couldn't stop him. He was determined and his dreams were something that I didn't want to stand between. Sure I had more experience with the anger of the gods and their subjects, but he needed to speak his mind – release the emotional weight that had been building up on him for the past decade. So, I did as I was told. When he announced to everyone else that he was going to be speaking, I flew over slightly earlier than the agreed time – finding the perfect spot on top of a roof in order to conceal my presence as well as assure Andor that I was still backing him up.

We met at the docks, Andor arriving first and glancing briefly at where I was hidden with a small smile on his face. I watched as the others all arrived, glancing around quickly and seeming slightly saddened at my lack of presence, bringing a small sense of belonging as I prepared to act on a split seconds notice. We all fidgeted quietly, trying not to disturb the tense silence that had fallen upon the dockside but impatience was beginning to settle in and people were seeking answers to their unspoken questions.

I could see everyone from where I was crouched – the chimney I was hiding behind giving me enough room to peer around it and remain my cover. Tom was bouncing from foot to foot, his hand twitching on his sword and frustration coating his face as he constantly searched the perimeter for someone who wasn't there. Tucker and Sonja were standing next to one another, holding hands and staring across at Andor with concern crossing their faces – the sense of foreboding clearly hitting them as well. James looked relatively calm; then again it was always hard to tell what emotions he was experiencing when you couldn't see past his hood into his eyes.

Lieutenant Al and the King strode into the dockside, irritation and impatience being the prevailing emotions covering their usual stony faces. Al's gaze swept across the dock searchingly, checking everywhere in some frantic search for danger – as if Andor had set a trap to injure his King. Andor wasn't the thing he had to fear here and part of him knew it as his gaze flittered to those present, spotting that someone was missing. Alarmed, his head whipped to the rooftops and I froze in position in fear of being spotted and Andor's big moment being ruined. Thankfully he seemed to glance straight past me, shaking his head as if admitting to everyone that his paranoia was getting to him after all these years.

I watched in concern as Andor pushed himself up onto his feet and dusted off his boomerang, holding it gently in his hand as he began to pace back and forth underneath the archway that I was hidden on the roof of. He cleared his throat quietly as if he was trying not to disturb a speaker at a funeral which caused everyone to look over at him properly, waiting with bated breath for Andor – the normally quiet spoken and kind man to display his thoughts and feelings for all to see. The King's eyes were filled with caution as Andor met his gaze briefly, speaking in a passionate tone that stoked the flames of loyalty to Ianite in my heart:

"Ahem... I have heard that the greatest persuasion is nothing more than telling the truth. So I speak in the voice given to me by my mother, Freya. I make no grand overtones or guttural whispers for dramatic effect. I am only Andor. My voice trembles. I've come to ask my father a question."

The King's head jerked upwards at the mention of his wife's name and hidden grief danced in his eyes, fists clenching at his side as he clearly relived the pain he was blaming on my lady. The Lieutenant watched his King carefully, hand twitching closer and closer to his sheathed sword as he listened to Andor speak.

"Father, I know you are listening too. Haven't you noticed? Do these wings look like the product of some frivolous magic? Whom do you suppose the statue at the bridge represents? Not Mianite. I am an Acolyte of the Wounded Goddess. I have always been. WE worship Ianite."