Chapter 22 — Meddling

Just as the prior time meeting with Ayla’s cousin’s family, Xyn felt he was intruding on their grief and didn’t have anything useful to contribute. Lady Elaine did thank him for helping bring their grandson to them, and Ayla queried him about the Shadow Raven’s intentions toward her ‘nephew’ which he answered as best he could. From what he could tell, the land god didn’t desire any harm to come to the child, perhaps it was even the opposite.

The mother was also welcomed by the family. Lady Elaine was insistent that Jainna properly join the family as Fenton’s widow and the mother to their new heir, particularly, after Master Garrin became excited about the boy’s apparent Void bloodline. Fenton’s parents were also pleased that their son had been able to create such a legacy for the family.

Xyn was preparing to excuse himself to continue his meditation when a messenger arrived to formally request Xyn, Yillian, Ayla and Alennil attend dinner at the main house.

Ayla was worried. She had found out from Master Garrin that Fredrick had taken Diviner Ephrem and left Ravenhill in a hurry after Yillian had teleported them to the ruins near Mirewood, so her parents’ dinner invitation likely didn’t involve Fredrick. But it did involve Xyn, Yillian, and Alennil. And Xyn had already met with her parents once.

Upon arriving at the manor, the servants guided the guys to guest rooms to store their packs and freshen up. Ayla’s maid was there in the foyer waiting for her and grimaced at the ruined dress and, maybe more so, the blood-stained bandages visible through the fabric’s cuts and tears.

“I’m glad to see you return to us, but really, milady, you should take better care of yourself.”

“I know, Pella,” Ayla acknowledged and started for her room with Pella keeping pace. “Do you know why father invited us to dinner?”

“No, only that we have a guest and that he requested you wear something formal,” Pella reported. “I caught a glimpse of the guest and thought she might be a friend of yours considering her age, but I didn’t recognize her, and her clothes looked foreign.”

Some memory tickled the back of her mind, but Ayla couldn’t quite make the connection and decided to put aside the worry for now.

Once in her room, she let Pella towel her clean and arrange her hair. Pella sucked in a breath at the sight of her stitched sides. The elf’s ointment had done an excellent job stopping the bleeding and aiding the gashes to close, but there would still be faint scars when fully healed.

The dress Pella picked out was a new arrival that Ayla didn’t recognize and was a beautiful shade of green that matched well with her eyes. After Pella helped her into it, Ayla found a note in the pocket. One glance at the pretentious handwriting was enough for Pella to give her an apologetic grimace. Oh well, it wasn’t the dress’ fault.

The guys were cleaned up and waiting for her when she returned to the reception area outside the dining hall. Xyn was still wearing his clan robes but formal wear had been found for Yillian and Alennil.

“Baron Orthal and Lady Remia are inside the hall awaiting your arrival,” their head butler announced, immediately ushering them all in.

Inside the dining room, her parents were seated at the table as expected, but Ayla’s attention was drawn to a young woman in elegant clan robes who was seated in the visiting seat of honor.

No way…

“Oh!! Is this the girl, Xyn? Ho-hoh, I can see why she caught your interest. What a promising and inspired choice!”

“Grandma Kaylie?!” Xyn blurted out in surprise.

Grandma?

A flutter of petals coalesced back into the woman as she appeared behind Xyn while chopping the top of his head with her hand before landing lightly.

“Ow!”

“Mind your etiquette, Xyn. Is that how a disciple should address one’s master?”

She reformed again. This time in front of him.

“This disciple greets his master!” Xyn called out, striking his fists together and bowing his head.

“Much better.” The woman nodded with satisfaction then turn toward Ayla. “Now let me get a good look at this lovely young lady.”

Oh, no.

The woman appeared beside Ayla, sniffing, then re-appeared in different locations around her with an intent gaze as if evaluating a prize horse.

“Oooh, she’s started to awaken her Fire bloodline. Hmm, hmm.” The woman’s smile curled upward greedily. “Could it be…?” A delicate chuckle followed, reminding Ayla of holiday bells. “Should I tell? No, I think it’ll be more fun to keep it to myself.”

The casual pressure Ayla felt from Xyn’s grandmother was terrifying. How dense was her aura?!

“So, what do you think of my grandson? Cute, huh? He makes you want to tease him, right?”

“Um…” Ayla wasn’t sure what to say… “Lady… Kaylie, The Eternal Flower?”

“Yep, that’s me! Heard about me, have you?” The woman’s youthful eyes twinkled with amusement—and hidden power—as she placed an arm around Ayla’s shoulders and started guiding her toward the guest side of the table. “Come. You can sit next to me. I’m sure we have much to discuss!”

Ayla’s growing feeling of dread was confirmed accurate when her mom spoke up happily, “Oh! That’s a great idea, Kaylie! Xyn, you can have Ayla’s spot next to me so we can all get to know each other better.”

No, no, no!

Her father’s encouraging smile told her all she needed to know about the reason for why a legendary explorer and retired elder of the guild she had just joined was visiting with her parents, and it had to do with that damnable feline that was currently doing his best to ingratiate himself with her mother! Were her parents really planning to ship her off to the Beastlands?!

While allowing herself to be guided and taking the seat she was being guided to, Ayla’s mind was frantically seeking a way out of this trap. Whatever she did, she would need to be careful not to offend Xyn’s grandmother. Not just because she was ridiculously powerful, but because the woman could likely make Ayla’s time in the Society terrible beyond belief!

The conversation started out with innocuous questions about Ayla’s training and things she liked, with her parents adding in stories of their own. The master of the Way of Dancing Petals also regaled them with stories of her own adventures.

Ayla was so nervous that she didn’t even notice when the food had arrived, but she persevered, carefully deflecting any probing questions about her interest (or lack of interest) in Xyn. Because Xyn’s grandmother looked so young and had such a sense of engaging charisma about her, Ayla almost let slip some embarrassing things. Thankfully, she caught herself in time.

During a lull in the conversation, Master Kaylie’s voice came into her ear as if the woman was leaning close, “Cuddling up with a big furry tiger of a man is surprisingly nice, you know?”

Ayla just about spurted out the wine she was sipping, but no one else seemed to have heard. Placing her goblet on the table, Ayla glanced at the woman and received an amused smirk.

Just what was this woman even telling her? Though if the stories and legends were to be believed, that woman who was sitting beside Ayla had traveled many lands and likely seduced a great many powerful men… and had apparently settled down with a Kyrren? By choice?

Ayla knew she’d regret asking, but her prurient curiosity drove her to ask anyway, in as discreet a voice as possible, “But, don’t cat-kin and the like have… you know, right?”

“Mmm, mmm. I understand your concerns. But all is easily remedied with a bit of carefully stitched sheep intestine and creative use of aura. Yup.”

.

.

.

Ayla’s mind blanked out there for a moment, and she was thankful to have no memory of whatever traumatic imaginings had just passed through her brain.

She would just ignore it. She definitely didn’t hear what she mistakenly thought she heard. When her eyes drifted to Xyn, the half-Kyrren, she forcibly stopped that wandering train of thought. Nope. Don’t want to know. Don’t think about it. Don’t think.

Ayla reached for her wine again and took a gulp before focusing intently on her remaining meal—or that was the plan.

“Oh? I’ve never seen that reaction from Ayla when we discussed Fredrick,” her mother observed. “Could it be that you have feelings for Xyn…?”

How’d she get to that?!

Catching the smugly satisfied face and wink from Xyn’s grandmother, Ayla knew she’d been set up.

She could only groan inwardly at Xyn’s suddenly hopeful expression. Fortunately, her father came to her rescue.

“Ah, Remia dear, don’t put her on the spot like that. We were just saying that we should let Ayla decide her own future, weren’t we?”

They were?! That came as news to Ayla, who looked between her grinning mother and father in surprise.

“Why so surprised, Ayla?” her mother asked. “We’ve always taken your desires into account. It’s just that we were worried for your future since you weren’t being particularly proactive in taking control of that future for yourself.”

“Ah…,” Ayla could see what they meant. She had been constantly focused on her martial arts and her duties as a knight.

“That, and your father wanted the mining village…” her mother added with a wink.

“Have you really given up on Fredrick?” Ayla asked, hardly believing that it was so after so many years.

“To be honest, your mother and I have become disappointed with him of late,” her father admitted. “But as annoying as Fredrick is, at this point, turning him down is sure to cause problems, so we were hoping that you would have been more responsive to his efforts and that his… ardor could be directed in ways that would better both of our Houses. It was a lot to ask of you, Ayla.”

Ayla nodded in understanding. “Thanks, father. I’m sorry I wasn’t able to meet your expectations.”

Her father shook his head. “No, it’s my failing for thinking more of the benefits to our territories and not choosing better. Though maybe your mother and I were simply fortunate that Senna’s marriage worked out well.”

Her older sister was sent to the northern part of the kingdom to marry a baron there. From the letters sent home, Senna did seem happy. Ayla’s older brothers had also found wives, with Bennan currently as Baronet of South Fields and Denathen living as a combat mage in Duke Haverin’s employ.

While Ayla was lost in thought, the servants came around and cleared the plates and bowls, replacing them with servings of deserts.

Her father cleared his throat to gather everyone’s attention. “I waited until the last course of the meal because I didn’t want to sour the mood at the beginning, but Sir Alennil, it is time that we address your actions sneaking onto my brother’s property with the intent to steal from his deceased son and proceeding to maliciously assault my daughter and her companion in the process.”

Alennil quickly stood and bowed deeply, his head lowered in supplication. “I thank you for your restraint and hospitality in the face of my unacceptable behavior, and offer my utmost apology, Baron Orthel. Please know that my House had no knowledge of my involvement in such matters. I acted on my own and willingly submit to the lord’s judgment.”

Her father let the tension linger for several moments before letting out a resigned sigh. “Fortunately for both of us, my daughter has seen fit to spare your life and make use of your talents. I will defer to her judgement in this matter, but you will only get this one reprieve. Even though I consider your father a friend, if you act against this family again, I will send Master Garrin to render our judgment.”

Alennil nervously swallowed. “This unworthy diviner is grateful for your leniency and will do his best to atone for his crimes.”

“See that you do. Note that I am not unaware of your claim that you were coerced into your prior actions and associations. Dealing with such things alone is always unwise. Make use of this chance to ask others for assistance in rectifying whatever unsavory secrets or unfortunate situations are being used against you. I won’t demand that you lay your circumstances bare at this table, but remember, there is always a choice. Some choices are more honorable than others.”

“I understand, Baron.”

“You may sit down. Let us set such unpleasantness aside and finish enjoying the results of the cooks’ and servants’ effort. They have worked hard to produce such a meal on short notice.”

Xyn thought the dinner had gone well, though he was a bit worried as to what stories about his training Grandma Kaylie had secretly been telling Ayla.

When he arrived at the suite of rooms assigned to his grandmother in response to her summons, Xyn saw that his companions were already sitting around a table together with his grandmother having tea.

“Good, you’re here, Xyn.” Grandma Kaylie motioned toward the empty chair. “Have a seat so we can get started.”

“Yes, Master Kaylie,” Xyn replied properly and did as he was told, curious what this gathering was about.

“Alright, I want you four to tell me about this investigation,” Grandma Kaylie told them, her eyes and expression serious. “You go first, Xyn. Yillian can fill in the gaps. Then Alennil. And Ayla will wrap it up for us.”

Xyn related the entirety of his experience since entering the Mirewood and the strangely frequent tangleweed encounters there, to meeting Yillian and Arienos, through to the current. Yillian’s version of events added more detail about the cultists and the particulars of their research. Grandma Kaylie listened intently only prompting for clarification a few times.

Alennil tried to be vague about his reasons for joining and his experiences with the cult, but Grandma Kaylie readily forced him to give more details whenever she suspected him of hiding something important. As a result, Xyn learned about how the cult was providing medicine for Alennil’s younger cousin who had an illness from birth. He was going to need a replacement for that soon, and after reading through Fenton’s research, he thought it might be the key to an actual cure that would permanently free him from the cult’s service.

Ayla’s face had hardened when Alennil admitted to his involvement in some of the despicable acts that the cult engaged in, and while she commended him for wanting to help his cousin, she also expressed stern encouragement toward him seeking a medicine that didn’t involve continued reliance on such terrible people. Alennil’s mood notably improved when Yillian reluctantly volunteered that Master Arienos might be able to assist, even though the half-elf didn’t know what price his master would seek.

Having acquired Alennil’s suspicions about the cult’s organization and the likely identities of some of the members, Grandma Kaylie turned to Ayla for perspective on the political ramifications of the current situation. Xyn had read about human politics and intrigue during his studies but found the interrelationships between the families and their statuses as related by Ayla to be overly complicated and difficult to follow. The Kyrren way was much simpler.

Eventually his grandmother was satisfied that she had gathered sufficient information to understand the situation and let out a long sigh before taking in each of their gazes. “You all plan to go to this Tower next?”

Yillian nodded. Alennil grimaced, showing his dislike of the idea. Ayla followed Yillian’s lead, and Xyn did as well. From what Xyn understood of the discussion, the Tower was where they would be most likely to advance the tasks Master Arienos had assigned.

“Hmm,” Grandma Kaylie considered for a moment then came to a decision. “Xyn, you’ve done well, and I’m proud of you, but I think the mages of this Tower are too much for the four of you to handle with your current strength and experience.”

She paused to make sure she had their undivided attention and added, “So, I’ll be coming along.”