Quiet Laughter

It’s over. Everything that was, is now gone.

Tighe Abracomas sat in the judgment hall of the king and queen still reeling in shock over the verdict his people gave her.

“It is with much sorrow and grief that we administer the judgment of exile to Royal Kimura.”

It could have been worse, he knew. She could have had her powers stripped or even her soul and body destroyed by Banoskete. Or simply, if no one was inclined to awaken a Banosk, drop her in a lake with boulders tied to her feet.

As it was, Royal was given her part of their parents’ inheritance and left in a human town. She wasn’t upset. In fact, his sister was laughing and admiring her marks of exile. Tighe had to admit they looked nice on her.

Royal was enjoying her exile, so why couldn’t he?

“Greetings Knight Abracomas.” a familiar voice murmured in his ear suddenly. Tighe was on his feet, wide eyed and seeking escape routes all in the time it took for him to gasp and turn.

Garai Lian Kaikala. The name was synonymous with words like prestige and status. Noble born and courtly behaviors. His father was Garai as was his fathers before him. His mother was a hand maiden to the Queen herself at one time.

He was built like a bull. Large, tan muscular legs, arms and chest. No hair except that on his head graced his skin.

His hair was a crimson color, at least naturally it was. Right now it was a mulberry purple. Lian had begun this weird ritual of dying his hair different colors every time he came back from his duties.

His eyes, a dark golden color seemed so warm at first glance but as a person continued to watch, Lian’s eyes got colder and harsher.

“I didn’t scare you now did I, old friend?” he was saying good naturedly. Lian placed a friendly arm around Tighe and held him close to his side as he began walking out of the room.

“You already know.” Tighe replied not even bothering to fight his way out of Lian’s hold. They walked out of the judgment hall and passed the Lady’s Garden and finally out into the streets of their world.

“Our world is such a beautiful place, isn’t it.” Lian said with pride. “Clear blue skies full of bird species that humans would have annihilated. Beautiful forests they would have plundered.”

“You do realize you are dissing my mother’s father.” Tighe told him quietly. “And his family and their families and theirs after that.”

The nobleman snorted, “I’ll just pretend you didn’t just say that.”

Tighe sighed, “You generally do whenever I mention I have human blood flowing through me.”

Again Lian snorted, “You could not help that your mother was the product of her mother’s whoring ways.”

Tighe sighed, “My mother was the product of her father’s interlude.”

The older Fae stopped and looked at his friend aghast. He moved him from his side to in front of him.

“How could you say such a thing about your grand-sire, the great Dysna Ganiron? A man who fought in the Tuatha War, who led the charge of the Light Brigade, who..”

Tighe cut him off, “-was a womanizer and a drunk who cared only enough about his family to leave them his name. I’m not even willing to discuss the rumors he had sex with a troll.”

Lian snorted and drew Tighe back to his side then began walking again.

“I’m going to pretend you didn’t just say that.”

Dinner at Lian’s aerie was an elaborate affair. First there were the appetizers; succulent clams steamed in the finest Elven wine with thick drawn butter. Next there was the soup and salad. Tighe opted out of the pumpkin-apple soup and instead had the spinach salad and dressing. Next while Lian sipped a shot of Blavod vodka, Tighe snacked on a small bowl of snow ice cream. After the main course of sea bream with artichokes and caper dressing was served, the two men retired to the sitting room.

“Did you enjoy dinner, Knight Abracomas?” Lian asked he sat next to Tighe on one of the brown suede couches. “I always strive for excellence more whenever you are close.”

“Ah, dinner was fine.” Tighe replied nervously. “Everything was…very fine.”

Over the years, he had learned whenever anyone, especially Garai Lian called him by his title, the person in question was about to do something Tighe wasn’t comfortable with. It was under his title that he received the letter telling of his father’s death. He was called into the judgment hall to testify against his baby sister by his title, he was dismissed by his title and removed from the room with the uttering of his title.

Frankly, Tighe was beginning to hate it.

Lian smiled and scooted closer to the younger man. “Why so suddenly frightened, old friend? Have I done something to make you wary?”

“Not really.” he replied watching as the distance between him and Lian slowly vanished. He licked his lips nervously and blushed when Lian’s intense gaze went to them.

Tighe didn’t need the three Weird Sisters or Circe to see where this was headed. He quickly stood up and made his farewells as he backed toward the exit. But using the Fae ability to teleport, Lian beat him to the door.

“Tighe, must we play this game.” he told him with his hands on his hips and a sigh as Tighe spun and faced him. “I invite you over, we eat a ‘fine’ meal and the moment I wish to have a discussion about future brides, you clam up and run.”

“I don’t know about you, honored Garai but a discussion of such things don’t require you being so close to me.” Tighe replied. “For that matter, why do you even care?”

“I care because I will not have any daughter of yours be of unsavory blood since she is to marry my future heir.”

Tighe giggled, “Is there something I’m missing? A daughter of mine marry a son of yours? Garai Lian, neither of us are married or have any children.”

Lian smiled, “Not now we don’t, but soon we will and then your pure-blooded, pretty daughter will marry my heir, a pure-blooded male of the Kaikala line.”

Tighe giggled again, “You have to be joking.” he giggled again but stopped when he saw the fierce expression on Lian face. His heart began to beat fiercer.

“You are the last of your line, Tighe. You must have an heir and you must have a daughter. For me!”

Tighe began to back away from Lian again, “What if you marry and you have all girls. What then Garai?”

“Damnit Tighe!” Lian shouted and teleported right in front of him where he viciously grabbed a hold of Tighe by the shoulders and shook him roughly. “One time, just once call me by my name! Lian! Say it!”

Tighe’s head whipped back and forth cruelly again and again. His knees buckled under the onslaught but Lian’s sheer strength kept him up.

“S-stop it.” Tighe stammered drifting off into unconsciousness. “S-stop…Fraella

…help…m...”

Far away, in a settlement of the realm of man, Royal Kimura froze and listened. Her Fae senses reached out to what the winds had carried her and analyzed it.

“Fraella…help…”

Intense astonishment hardly touched her suddenly pale face. Ice crept through her veins. Her hands began to shake and her thoughts went into hyper drive.

“I knew it! I knew this would happen!” she growled in her native Japanese. She shook her head while muttering words her mother would clearly blush at as she pulled her golden blond hair back into pigtails, slung on her gun and knife belts and stormed out of her house.