Token of Loyalty

Chapter Six

Sindri glared across to Hyacinth. Hyacinth grimaced before she turned away her gaze. Sindri chuckled, finding amusement in how she didn't dare to hide her disgust towards him. There were two types of people in Gharash: those that hid their disdain and those that wore it on their sleeve. Hyacinth was the latter, though she chose to fake it in her choice of words.

The two stood at the end of a hallway. An expansive windowpane took up the back wall, flooding in low moonlight. Ta'lat waited behind Sindri, guarding him from possible threats. Sindri wasn't concerned. He knew Eglantine was in a place of weakness and was pinned up against a wall with nowhere to go. To bow to Taryn's might was a mercy for them.

Sindri rested a hand on the hilt of his sword, then smirked. Hyacinth's gaze flickered from it back to his mocking lips, daring him to do something, anything. Sindri didn't though. He basked in the terror and loathing of others, in the fear and anxiety that his movements created. It fed his ancestral craving to bend and break those who went against the kingdom of Taryn. It was upon his family's honor that he invoked action against his enemies, and he would continue to do so until his death.

Sindri wouldn't allow the name of Taryn to be dragged through murk and mire.

"What is it that you wanted?" Sindri demanded. He had come this way at Hyacinth's behest, but grew impatient with every passing second. He had no time to play games nor dance around matters.

Hyacinth scoffed, offense in her tone. "I see you still lack manners–"

"I don't need your scolding. Tell me what it is you want, now," he interrupted.

Her lips set into a hard, straight line when she clenched her jaw. She narrowed her eyes, cutting them between him and Ta'lat before she spoke, "Get rid of your guard first. I will not speak in the presence of a lesser."

Sindri grumbled beneath his breath before he glanced over his shoulder, indicating with his eyes for Ta'lat to excuse himself. Ta'lat bowed out of courtesy then turned on his heel and strolled down the hallway they had come. Ta'lat wouldn't go far, Sindri had spoken with him prior and had made sure he knew to only move out of Hyacinth's view.

Then Sindri focused to Hyacinth once more, huffing. "Satisfied?"

"Hardly, but it shall do," Hyacinth replied. She then closed the gap between them, keeping a little over an arm's length distance from him as she did. "I wanted to speak to you about the token you're receiving, in hope's that it will bring peace between Eglantine and Taryn. He is the perfect representative of Eglantine, and should you desire it, he can be more."

Sindri raised an eyebrow, confusion amidst his mind. "Why are you telling me this?"

"Eglantine and Taryn have had bad blood since..." she began, then stopped and corrected herself, "For five years, it is time our people see eye to eye and bring prosperity together to Gharash."

Sindri stared blank and motionless before he suddenly began to break out into roaring laughter. His booming chuckle echoed through the corridor, grating on Hyacinth's nerves. She furrowed her brow and scowled.