For Lord and Land

For Lord and Land
By: Delilah deSora
Part 2
Chapter 8

**

It takes many generations of men to build a better world.

And only one fanatic to tear it all down.

-Priorden Llyr
Emperor’s Leviathan
Year 1040


**

Dante groaned and peeled open eyes gummed shut with sleep. He rubbed them vigorously, feeling every action of the last three weeks in his muscles as they ached in protest. Flinging off the heavy red blankets Dante’s feet touched the cold marble floor. He made a mental note to thank Ardel for remembering to extinguish the fire when he’d left and padded into his own room.

Sunlight streamed in from the skylight, catching the blues and greens of the sinuous leviathan that dipped and twined along one wall. Dante reached out and gently ran his fingers over the individual scales, awed as he always was by the creation. Ardel had a matching piece, a large dragon with wide wings in his room. Whatever hand had created them had truly belonged to a master. He was grateful that both pieces had survived the harsh fate of time so that he could take pleasure in them.

A yawn caught him by surprise and he gave into it heartily. He eased into his pool, swimming to the deepest point and diving down to lay among the rocks. Sunlight filtered through the water, creating a foreign land of glittering light and playful currents. He smiled and reached out, reminded of days spent playing through the reefs that ran parallel to the coast. He wondered if he could get Ardel to bring him some fish. It would amuse him to have their simple company. He jerked as there was a sudden mass disturbance in the pool and he shot to the surface in surprise. A metal pot was quickly sinking to the bottom of his pool and sharp waves lapped at his chest from its passing. Frowning he turned to stare up at the large dark form standing at the edge of his pool.

“What do you want?” He demanded.

His former commander watched him with emotionless eyes. “There is something we must discuss.”

Dante sighed and swam to the edge of the pool, hoisting himself out with strong arms. “Look, I know I wasn’t supposed to . . .”

Pain flared through his arm as he was grabbed and the older man shoved a needle deep into the trapped arm. He snarled but before he could protest his vision swam as the drug did its workealiealing away his consciousness.

** Dante groaned and woke with a massive headache. Two men were supporting him by his arms and he weakly tried to force them off of him, receiving a strong backhand across the face for his efforts. His teeth sliced the inside of his mouth and he spat blood defiantly at Dorjan’s feet. They stared at each other for a long moment before the Lord General snorted.

“It seems you don’t learn asl asl as you used to, slave.”

Dante lifted his chin proudly. “I am not a slave.” He stated firmly.

The Knight met his stare. “Yes, Leviathan, you are.”

Dorjan glanced at the two men on either side of him and nodded. Dante struggled futilely as they dragged him into an unbearably hot room and dropped him on the floor. He pushed himself up onto his hands and gasped. Three fires blazed along the walls and he shrank back from the heat against a pair of legs.

Dorjan kicked him closer to them and he hissed, raising a hand to shield his face.

“Why are you doing this?” Dante demanded, “I have done nothing to deserve this!”

The older man shook his head. “I do this because I have to, because the Empire requires it. The only thing holding this Empire together is the belief that Ardel Aidan is a god. Nobody wants to go to war against a fire god. No one must know how fragile he is. No one must know of the madness that comes with his gift.

“And no one must know about you, Leviathan.”

Dorjan’s eyes flashed darkly. “You endanger us all with your actions! You threaten to drag the entire Empire to its knees! I won’t allow that. I have spent my entire life protecting this Empire. I watched it nearly fall apart twice. Everything, everything I do I do for him. I will let no harm come to him or what he represents. Not even you.”

Dante blinked against the heat as Dorjan turned and left, the heavy door closed firmly behind him. The fires seemed to flare higher and he shuddered as the heat rolled over his skin, encountering the power within him and slamming against it again and again, determined to evaporate it and leave him as nothing more than an empty shell.

He didn’t know how long it was before Dorjan returned, staring at him as he huddled against the only wall free of the raging fires.

The man spoke but he didn’t pay attention to the words. Only protecting himself from the horrid heat mattered. Only that.

A sharp smack brought him back to himself.

“You knew you werenllowllowed to leave. You don’t exist in the outside world anymore. There is no other world for you than the Emperor’s bed. All that is there for you out here in this world is this hell. Do you want to be here? Do you?”

He shook his head negatively.

“Well this is where you will end up every time you forget what you are.” Dorjan fell silent for a moment. “What I want from you is very simple. I want you to tell me what you are.”

Dante shuddered and buried his face in his arms.

“Tell me and I will give you this.”

He peered up at the man with half mad eyes and grabbed from the glass in the knight’s hand. Dorjan pulled back too fast and slapped him sharply again, sending him crashing back against the wall.

“Tell me! You get nothing until you tell me what you are!”

He licked his lips futilely. Part of him screamed at him not to say it, not to fall for this man’s tricks but part of him was sobbing. It was so hot! His skin burned and his mind was a wash of confusion. He was frantic with the need to get away from this place and that single desire overrode the small part of him that protested.

“Leviathan,” he whispered through cracked lips.

“And what is that?” His tormentor demanded.

Dante closed his eyes as a new pain coursed though him. “ . . . a slave.”

Dorjan reached down and Dante nearly tore the glass he was offered from the knight’s grasp. He swallowed the water gratefully; only aware that something was amiss by the faint tang it left on his tongue. He stared at the glass in confusion and up at the man. The knight stood and backed away, pausing at the door as the first wave of pain struck him and sent him writhing against the floor.

“A reminder,” Dorjan replied gruffly, “Your body is no longer your own, Leviathan, and it can and will be turned against you if you forget your place.”

The door closed behind him, cutting off the sounds of the Leviathan’s betrayed screams.

**

Ardel sighed in relief as he shrugged off the temporarily replacement for his old court robe. It had belonged to his father and as such was too big around the chest and much heavier than the one he was used to. He chased off the hovering servants wishing a moment of peace after his hectic day. As his fingers searched out all the pins holding his crown in place he peered through the curtained doorway. Dante’s form was visible against the large rocks at the bottom of his pool and he smiled softly, pulling the heavy crown off his head and turning back to his own room.

“My lord?”

He bit back a snarl of annoyance and being disturbed and flung the door to his room open. “What is it?” He demanded, making the thin messenger shrink back.

“The scholar you sent for has arrived, my lord.”

Ardel frowned. “Scholar?”

“Sibley Varden of Wyrllyr.” The messenger provided.

Ardel felt a thrill of excitement course through him and he ushered the man out of his way as he closed the door firmly behind him. “Take me!” He ordered.

The messenger led him to a secluded audience chambers where a lone man sat, a pile of packs at his side. He rose and bowed deeply before Ardel could get a good look at him. “Up!” Ardel snapped, “Let me look at you.”

The man straightened and Ardel froze.

This man looked like he had just come out of one of his childhood books where pictures of fantastic creatures played among their elements. He was tall, taller even than Ardel himself, but there was a delicacy about him that made him look like he was made of porcelain. His skin was extremely pale, a sharp contrast to the long black hair that fall down his back. High cheekbones made his bright blue eyes the prominent feature of his face and Ardel had to force himself not shiver at the piercing gaze he received.

It felt like this man could see through to his very soul.

Ardel made a show of peering at the papers he had been handed, though he knew all the information in them by heart. “You are Sibley Varden?” He asked.

The man bowed his head in acknowledgement.

“You have had a long journey then. Sit.”

Sibley sat with a grace that made Ardel flare with jealousy. He’d been hoping to meet this man and find him lacking in every way so he could ship him off to some dusky office somewhere and never think of his again. That his Leviathan’s former lover might be more desirable than he had never occurred to him.

“You are a long way from home, Sibley. You do realize this position will require you to stay here for the duration of your service?”

Again the man nodded.

Ardel snorted in irritation. “Do you ever speak?” He snapped.

Almond shaped blue eyes blinked slowly. “Yes, my lord.”

Ah gods, Ardel thought, even his voice is intriguing! He knew that he was a desirable man but next to this creature from the south he was beginning to feel like an ugly basilisk whom no one could even bear to look at it.

“How many will you need quarters for?” Ardel asked suddenly, feeling sly at having come up with the question. If Sibley had been unfaithful . . .

“Just myself, my lord.”

Ardel snarled mentally. “Yourself? Surely you did not come alone!” He feigned surprise.

The scholar’s eyes lowered to the ground. “I have no one with whom to share this journey, my lord.” He said softly and his hand came up to twist a ring on his finger . . . in the exact same motion Ardel had seen Dante do unconsciously on a number of occasions.

Ardel stiffened. “That is a very pretty ring. May I see it?” He asked.

Sibley pulled back slightly, as though he had been asked to do something undesirable, a faint pain showing in his eyes but he obediently held his hand out.

Ardel’s eyes narrowed. “Take it off. I cannot see it from there.” He demanded.

Blue eyes flashed up to meet his before the man remembered his place and lowered them again. He slowly lowered his hand and after a brief hesitation pulled the ring from a long delicate finger. Ardel held out his hand and the ring changed hands.

Holding it to the light Ardel immediately recognized the significance of its twisting band and felt ugly anger flare within him, waking the flames and making them boil dangerously.

“You wear a promise ring yet bring no one with you. How strange.” He commented, eyeing the man. “Surely your sworn lover is not so cruel as to force you to make this trip alone.”

“The man whom I have promised myself to has never been cruel to me, my lord,” Sibley said, his eyes fixed on the ring, “We have been separated . . . by fate or other means I cannot say but wherever I go I know he travels with me in my heart, as I with him.”

Ardel quickly handed the ring back to the scholar lest his rage at the thought of another man holding a claim to his Leviathan cause him to melt it into nothing more than a puddle of liquid and pour it through the cracks. “That is a sad story. I . . . admire your dedication. I hope you find another man to take the place of the one who has left you.”

Sibley slipped the ring back onto his finger, a gentle smiling playing across his lips as he stared at it. “No, my lord,” he said, his strange eyes coming up to pin Ardel to his seat, “Dante will always be in my heart, no matter how the fates try to part us.”

Ardel met the blue eyes and felt a sliver of fear creep through his spine.

Somehow, he realized, despite all their careful planning and intricately weaved lies, somehow Sibley Varden knew.

**

Ardel stormed back to his room, slamming the door behind him in anger. He was beginning to think inviting the Aquilaen scholar to his palace had been a bad idea. More annoying, however, was the knowledge that he may not have been the one playing the other for a fool.

No! He shouted at himself. It was ridiculous to think that the strange man knew his former lover was still alive. Nobody knew! Certainly not this delicate pale man from a conquered kingdom. He doesn’t know anything, Ardel told himself for the hundredth time. He doesn’t know anything at all!

He flung himself down onto the bed and turned . . .

. . . straight into the point of a sharp sword being the signal of the Knights of Aidan. He stared up at the formidable man holding it to this throat and froze.

“Dante?” He whispered in surprise.

**

Dante sighed and leaned his head against the wall. He could hear Ardel moving about in the next room but couldn’t bring himself to go check on him. He burned with humiliation over Dorjan’s punishment and his body was too weak for him to do what Ardel would want of him.

He closed his eyes against the ache in his body. He didn’t know what he’d been given with the gift of water but whatever it was had turned his body against him. Pain had become his entire world as all of his muscles had tightened and his stomach had rebelled. Breathing had been more difficult than it had ever been and he had sworn that he would die.

But he hadn’t died. Dorjan would never let him die. They needed him, Dante reminded himself dryly.

He damned well thought he would though.

“Dante?”

He jumped and forced open his eyes, peering around but Ardel was not in his room. He frowned when a second male voice reached him through the curtained doorway.

“Not quite.”

Dante was on his feet and through the doorway before his mind could register whom the voice belonged to. When he reached the next room, however, he froze, staring at the scene before him.

Ardel lay sprawled back against the bed, staring up his brother’s sword. Cian was staring down at withwith a look Dante had seen before. It had been the same look his brother wore when he had to kill some rabble-rouser who was unarmed and blubbering about turning over a new leaf.

It was a look that meant he didn’t care what words the man devised to explain himself; he was going to be just as dead whether he begged for forgiveness or shouted rebellion with his dying breath.

“No!” Dante shouted, shoving his brother as hard as he could.

The older man whirled and they both crashed against the ornately carved table, sending it and them crashing to the floor. Dante saw his brother’s sword raise and closed his eyes firmly against the pain he knew was coming. There was a sudden flare of fire and his brother’s pain filled cry reached his ears.

Hands dragged him back and he blinked as his brother dropped his sword and worked desperately to put out the fire that was crawling up his arm. He whirled and caught Ardel with frantic hands.

“Put it out!” He begged, his voice cracking as fear coursed through him.

His lover blinked at him in confusion and Dante shook him hard until the flames flickered and died. Crying out in relief he crawled over to his brother and clasped his hands in his face.

“Cian!” He sobbed, pressing a kiss to his brother’s forehead.

The man beneath him stiffened and he suddenly found himself thrust back at arms length, his brother’s dark blue eyes staring at him in confusion. “Dante?”

Dante nodded. “What are you doing here?” He demanded.

Cian’s eyes flickered to the man behind him and back to study his face. “You’re not dead!” He exclaimed.

Dante frowned. “Of course not!” His eyes were suddenly drawn to the chain around his brother’s neck and he snatched the silver ring that hung from it. “Where did you get that?” He whispered, “I thought they had destroyed it!”

“It was in your coffin.” His brother replied.

Dante stiffened. “My coffin?”

Cian nodded slowly. “They sent me back with a coffin and a body. I was told to tell everyone that you had died in a fire but then mother . . . she told me that the Emperor had killed you so I opened the coffin and . . . I thought it was you!”

Dante shook his head. “I’m fine Cian. I’ve been here all along.”

His brother’s eyes narrowed as they took in his state of dress and he fingered the light cloth robe.

Dante flushed and pulled back, drawing the robe tighter about himself. “I am fine.” He said firmly.

“Well I most certainly am not!” Hissed a voice from behind him.

Dante whirled to stare at Ardel. The Emperor had stood and Dante recognized the look of fury in his eyes. He stood and stepped towards his lover. “It’s alright,” he whispered, “Cian is my brother. He just misunderstood. No harm was done.”

He reached out and placed a hand on Ardel’s face . . . and felt his power fail them both. He gasped and pulled back sharply as the fire surged towards him. Fortunately Ardel felt it as well and the sudden worry that flooded through him banked the dragon’s fury.

“Are you alright?” Ardel asked sharply, his green eyes narrowing.

Dante licked his lips and repressed the shudder that came with the Emperor’s words. “I’m fine. Just . . . tired.”

Ardel’s eyes narrowed farther and Dante couldn’t stop the second shiver that tore through him. “Later,” he whispered so his brother wouldn’t hear, “please.”

Ardel hesitated but finally nodded. Behind them Cian had struggled to his feet, his arm tucked firmly against his side. “Dante, let’s go home.” He whispered.

Dante turned back to him and he felt as though his heart were breaking. “I can’t.” He murmured. “I have to stay here.”

His brother frowned. “Why? What’s going on, Dante?”

Dante opened his mouth to reply but Ardel cut him off. “Nothing that you should be concerned about, knight.” The red haired man growled.

A look of pure rage flared across Cian’s face. “If it concerns my brother it concerns me!” He hissed, “And if you think I’m leaving him here like this you are both a fool and a sadistic bastard!”

Ardel actually stepped back in surprise. “How dare you!”

Cian took a step forward and Dante immediately wedge himself between them, though his brother didn’t seem to notice. “I saw you that day. At the river,” Cian snarled over his brother’s head, “I saw what you did to him you sick creature! I don’t care if you’re the Emperor or even Aidan himself! I will not allow you to continue ripping people from their families and lovers and make them dance to your tune!”

Dante felt the flare of complete rage the overtook his lover and he flung himself on Ardel, holding the thin arms pinned at his sides and screaming as the fire flared over him and destroyed what little was left of his power.

The world was nothing but pain and fire.

And he screamed.

**

When he came back to himself he was resting against the bottom of his pool. His mind was slow about providing him with answers as to why he felt so incredibly stiff and drained but when it did he shot to the surface in fear. His brother was at his side on the edge of the pool in an instant and he searched desperately for the other man whom he knew should be there.

“Where is he?” He demanded, “Where is Ardel?”

His brother hesitated but finally replied. “He left with Errol.”

“Errol?” Dante asked, calming.

Cian nodded. “After the Emperor and I dumped you in the pool he had a guard bring Errol and demanded to know what was going on. Errol . . . he was silent for a moment before speaking. He told the Emperor that Dorjan had summoned you because you’d broken a rule and left the rooms. Dante, how could you let them do this to you?”

Dante shuddered and turned, treading water until he reached the side his brother stood on. “I didn’t have a choice. What did Ardel say?”

Cian knelt next to him. “Nothing. He just fell quiet and all the fires in the next room seemed to take a breath and then . . . gods Dante they exploded! I’d never seen anything like it. I thought we’d all bur dea death!”

Folding his arms against the side and resting his head on them Dante smiled wearily. “I’ve seen it. You can always tell Ardel’s mood by how the fires are burning. What happened next?”

“He told me to stay here with you and not take you out of the pool until you woke. Then he told Errol to follow him and stormed out.”

Dante sighed and closed his eyes. “I hope he doesn’t harm him. Dorjan is just doing what he thinks is best for the kingdom.”

His brother made a noise deep in his throat. “How can you say that after what he’s done to you? I hope the Emperor burns him to a crisp!”

“I’m not condoning it, its just . . . I understand it. That’s all.”

They existed in silence for a few long minutes. “You won’t come home with me, will you?” His brother asked wearily, the weight of the world in his worlds.

Dante sighed and shook his head. “No. He needs me, Cian. You’ve seen what happens when the rage gets the better of him. It’s best for us all if I stay with him.”

“But why you?” Cian demanded, “Why you?”

“Because I’m the best person for this task.” Dante replied, lifting his head and opening his eyes. He frowned when he realized the Cian was keeping an arm tucked firmly against his chest, out of sight. “Let me see.” He said, holding out his hands.

Cian shook his head. “Leave it be, Dante.”

His frown deepened. “Cian . . .”

“It’s dead. The Emperor’s fire ruined it. I don’t want you to see it.”

Dante shrank back. “But without your sword arm . . .”

His brother sat down heavily. “Father wants me to return anyway. With you . . . gone . . . he has no one else to take over.”

Dante shook his head sadly. “I never wanted this.” He whispered. “Enough of us have been hurt already. How many must pay for Aidan’s folly?”

His words were met with silence.

**

Dante sighed and stood, carefully placing Tamerin Llyr’s journal back in its place on the bookcase. The seat behind the massive desk called to him and he took it, lifting the quill from its holder. He had so much to record but his mind was a jumble of confusion and he finally was forced to replace the pen, leaving the stack of pages before him as blank as they had been when he’d arrived nearly half a year ago.

He leaned back in the soft chair and rubbed his face. Winter was well on its way and he could feel the moisture in the air as the winds changed direction, bringing the briny ocean air over Ardae. It was terribly faint but for someone born beside the ocean he could sense it. Perhaps if they were lucky it would even rain. It had been so long since any water had fallen on the dust covered city.

He let his hands fall away from his face and they came to rest on letter he had received from his brother. Cian had returned to Wyrllyr safely after giving Errol his resignation and swearing on his own life that he would tell no one what he had seen or heard. The sandy haired knight was taking on more of Dorjan’s duties in light of Ardel’s restrictions upon him. Dante was just grateful that Ardel had kept enough of his temper to keep from killing him. Dorjan was currently on a probation of sorts after Ardel’s tongue-lashing. Apparently, though, not everything had been told to the Emperor for Ardel thought that Dorjan had just spoken with him about leaving the rooms. He seemed oblivious to what else had been done during the session and Dante’s pride wouldn’t let the damning words past his lips.

Dante was glad to read that his parents were cooping with his “death” but he was troubled to read that his brother had returned and found Sibley gone. His father was under the impression that Sibley had been accepted to the University in Fiorn but couldn’t say for sure. All anyone had known was that one day Sibley had been haunting his father’s library as he always did and the next day all of his belongings had been packed up and all that was left of presence was a short resignation letter on his father’s desk.

He sighed and carefully folded the letter. Placing it in the locked drawer of his desk he sat back and fingered the promise ring he wore about his neck. He longed to slip it on his finger but a part of him told him not to. Years ago they had stood together under the moon, the waves tugging at their bare feet as they promised their lives to each other and exchanged the traditional symbol. As much as he would have liked to keep that promise he knew he could not.

Sibley’s vision played through his head and he smiled softly. He slipped the ring back inside of his robes and rose.

His former lover had been right.

There was someone else who needed him.

And he had a duty to perform.

Where Sibley was he wished the man luck and future love.

That was all he could do.

**

-End Part 2-