Verdant Skies

There was a lively air within the tavern, the crowd chattering as a bard strummed on some stringed instrument and sang a melody praising the efforts of their soldiers. Within the corner of the tavern, Iris sat with Judar and Kouha as the pair drank the night away. But even amid the cheerful air and hefty load of bottles covering their table, she found herself glancing around the tavern with a slight grimace that was half-hidden by her tankard. Despite trying not to dwell on it, she'd found herself searching the shadows for any sign of 'Joel' or even Gyokuen.

Taking a sip from her tankard, Iris's grimace deepened at the bitter taste of ale washed across her tongue. If there was one thing she loathed about drinking at taverns like this one, it was the bitter ale they tended to serve. Inwardly shaking her head, she tried to focus on Kouha as he waved his arms about and laughed like some demented hyena while Judar merely smirked at him. But as the night wandered on and Kouha called for more rounds, she slowly withdrew into herself unwilling to tolerate another sip of the bitter beverage. Even with their vows to keep an eye on her, the pair didn't seem to notice what was going on even when she stood and announced her intent to leave.

Merely waving his hand, Kouha shot her a slight grin as he slurred, "See ya tomorrow!"

"Yeah," Judar held up his tankard, "See ya!"

Rather than linger and attempt to pull them with her, Iris began navigating her way out of the tavern and into the chilly air outside. Her shoulders relaxed slightly as the tavern door shut behind her, she closed her eyes for a brief moment and took a deep breath of the cool air. But even now the unease ate at her, she shook herself and began making for the nobles' district. Part of her cursed the fact that Kouha had thought it would be a good idea to travel on foot today especially when he planned to visit a tavern after their adventures, she supposed he thought the walk would sober him up.

Steps echoing softly off of the cobblestone, Iris noted that the streets were fairly empty save for the stragglers that were making their way home. Above her head, the moon shone like a sliver of silver. There was little comfort to be had as the sparse lanterns around her did little to banish the shadows, she pulled the heavy robe around her shoulders just a bit tighter against herself. There was an itch running up along the back of her neck, the feeling of eyes burning into her as the unease building within her grew and thickened. Fingers finding the hilts of her hidden blades, she toyed with them while carefully scanning the shadows.

Even as her feet brought her closer to the nobles' district and the lanterns shifted into lamps, Iris only felt her unease grow as the flickering shadows danced all the more unevenly. As she turned a corner just before the entrance of the noble's district and into an intersection where a few alleyways lay, she got a glimpse of a hulking figure before something caught her around the shoulders. Adrenaline jolted through her veins as she was pulled into an alleyway, she began tugging her hidden blade free as her eyes strained to see through the shadows quicker than was normal. Twisting against whatever was holding her, she managed to free as a guttural voice hissed behind her, "Fancy meeting you alone, Lady Iris."

There was a cry of pain as one of her hidden blades slid across flesh, Iris felt something warm splatter against her cheek though paid it little mind as a deep growl filled the air. Darting to the side as her eyes finally adjusted to the darkness of the alleyway, she hopped onto some badly damaged crates in time to avoid the hulking figure as a deep voice growled out, "Brother!"

Using other debris that was littering the ground, Iris managed to get above the pair as she caught a narrow ledge with the tips of her fingers. Using that grip, she swung herself up as a low voice hissed from below, "We can't let that bitch run away. Not when we're this close to finally catching her!"

Heart pounding in her chest, Iris debated her options. Using magic on the pair would be the easiest solution, they were far too close to the noble's district for her to be comfortable using it as Gyokuen likely had people on the lookout for strange activity now. Killing them was something she could do, it would be a bit more difficult without magic, she'd have to be far more careful though the possibility of becoming injured was more likely, especially with the big guy. Running away left a bad taste in her mouth, it was the safest option that would bring any undue attention to her. Mentally cursing as a large object was thrown at her, she jumped towards the other side of the alleyway where another ledge rested and let out a soft curse as she felt it start to crumble beneath her fingers.

With a soft grunt, Iris twisted about and leaped towards the other wall where a ledge sat further up. Her fingers barely caught the edge and she scrambled to climb on top of it, she inwardly sighed at how solid the thin ledge was Rather than linger, she measured the distance to another one and jumped toward it as curses echoed below her. Her inner dragon was seething at having to 'play it safe', she ignored the seething ball of rage as she worked towards climbing onto one of the rooftops in hopes of actually getting out of the alleyway. Just as she was pulling herself up, she felt something sharp slide into her side and it was only her will to keep moving that kept her from falling as the pain seared through her.

But the pain worsened as a sharp tug pulled at whatever was stuck in her side, Iris's fingers dug into the wood, and her side was ripped open. One of the men spat out, "How the fuck didn't she fall? Or even scream?"

Bile rose in her throat as the pain worsened, Iris managed to gather up the strength to finish climbing onto the roof. Breath coming in short bursts, she looked down at her side and saw blood coating her side as it dripped down onto the roof below. Sweat prickled along her body as she felt a numbness sweep over her, Iris pressed a hand to her side with a soft curse and tried to figure out a way to fix the situation. Only to realize she could hear rattling from down below, she glanced behind her and her eyes widened as a hook coated in crimson lodged into the wooden railing. Swallowing as she realized the two trying to hunt her down for whatever reason weren't about to give up so easily, she forced herself up and began running.

There were curses behind her, Iris didn't bother to glance back as she needed to get somewhere safe where her side could be tended to. And with the nobles district so close, she just needed to make it to Kouen's palace. Her steps faltered once she reached the edge of the rooftop, she swallowed heavily and glanced back to see the two steadily catching up to her. With a grimace, she began making her way down with the pain in her side worsening with each movement. As soon as she hit the ground, she rushed through the still-open gates of the nobles district while mentally cursing that there were no guards present.

Each breath she took became labored and ragged, the pain in Iris's side worsened with each step as her head grew fuzzy and her vision blurry. Even within the maze-like streets of the noble's district, she could hear the two men pursuing her with increasing intensity. As soon as the familiar gates of Kouen's palace came into view, she felt a blinding sense of relief though didn't stop moving until she'd reached the gate and stepped past it. One of the guards on duty caught her as she'd begun to collapse. His face went pale as he noticed her state, he spoke with a shocked gasp, "Lady Iris-"

"T-two men," Iris cut him off with a shaky voice, "Chasing after me, I-please, you have to get them,"

There was a rush of movement as Iris's vision darkened and her consciousness faded from the guard touching her injured side, she found herself being carried into the infirmary as orders were being barked out. Only when her head was slowly dropping onto the pillows and she could feel the magicians trying to heal her did she finally allow herself to fall unconscious, she felt bad for causing them trouble.

His chest thrummed with unease as yet another day passed and Iris hadn't sent her usual letter, Koumei slowly sank into his chair and barely spared a glance towards the maps littering the tables nor the strategic diagrams that had decided to grace his desk. Head slowly falling against his shoulders, he glanced towards the most recent sketch that Iris had sent him and a small smile slid across his lips. Breathing a low sigh as he glanced at the papers before him, he finally began to address the paperwork that had been waiting for him though paused as the door to his temporary office opened. Bowing softly to him, the messenger spoke in a somewhat hesitant tone, "Urgent messages from home, M'lord."

Two letters were held out to him, Koumei's heart caught in his throat as he recognized both seals. The crimson-red of the imperial family and the more subdued of his own informants. Taking the letters with a slight nod, he spoke softly, "Thank you. Please have Prince Kouen come here, I believe he needs to know of this."

"Yes sir," The messenger bowed again before leaving the room.

Fingers sliding across the seals, Koumei swallowed harshly as the unease he'd been feeling prickled against his neck like a warning. His mouth went dry as the temptation to open the letters before Kouen arrived struck him, he tapped the seals for a brief moment before simply setting the letters onto his desk. Letting himself rest against his chair, he muttered a soft curse while hoping that his intuition was wrong for once and Iris was all right. As Kouen entered the room and glanced at him with a raised eyebrow, he explained, "Urgent letters from home, one using our family seal and the other from my informants."

"Shit," Kouen walked towards his desk, "Have you-"

Seeing Kouen gesture towards the letters, Koumei shook his head, "No...I thought it best to wait until we were together," He met Kouen's eyes as his stomach twisted and dropped, "I...I can't stop the feeling that they're connected to why Iris hasn't written us, En."

There was a mixture of emotions in Kouen's eyes, a hand slowly reached out to grasp the letter holding their family seal, "One way to find out," Kouen spoke softly as he cracked the crimson seal and settled down in the chair across from Koumei, "Read the other one, Mei. I'd rather that we have all the information at one."

Nodding as he reached for the letter, Koumei cracked the seal and unfurled it with practiced ease even as his hands shook slightly. There was a lump in his throat as he read what had been written, the realization that Iris had been attacked despite their precautions hit him like a ton of bricks. He wanted to strangle Kouha and Judar or drop the pair in one of Agares's volcanoes for daring to let her wander off alone. His fingers tightened around the parchment, the knowledge that Iris had to be placed in a healing coma to ensure her survival due to how her body was rejecting the magician's magic made him ache. His chest eased at knowing those who'd attacked her had been captured, he felt a bolt of fury run through him at the fact they couldn't be questioned properly as no one could access Iris's potions right now.

Letting the letter drop, Koumei's eyes burned as the heavy weight of everything struck him. Across from him, Kouen's eyes burned into the parchment in his hands as if he wished to light it on fire. His jaw clenched as he finally looked up at Koumei, he dropped the parchment on the desk with a soft snarl. Speaking softly, Koumei explained what had been in his letter and watched as Kouen's expression darkened with each word. As he finished, he settled heavily into his chair, "And now...now we have to wait until she's healed enough to allow them to let her out of the coma."

"We need to return," Kouen snarled with a dark expression on his face, "I'll gut Gyokuen-"

As much as Koumei would love to hear his elder brother speak of dismembering their stepmother, he had to bring them back down to earth, "We can't, En. No matter how much either of us wish to, we have to finish this campaign. We...we can't leave."

His office felt too stifling as the weight of everything settled over them, the knowledge that their responsibilities currently outweighed their need to be with Iris. Damning as it was, the desire to rush back to Kou and be with Iris had to be pushed aside for the moment. If they were absent for any period of time before things were settled, the entire campaign could be thrown into disarray and everything would be ruined. With this delicate balance, they had to stay here and keep to their original plan.

Jaw clenching as his fingers clenched into fists on the desk, Kouen took a deep breath, "You're right, Mei. As much as I want to tear through Gyokuen and be with Iris, we can't abandon the campaign," A bitterness that was echoed within himself layered each word, "We have to see this through."

With a solemn nod, Koumei knew the bitter truth of their situation was clear to both of them, "I'll send a letter back," He took out a piece of blank parchment and readied his quill, "I'll ensure our urgency to return once the situation permits is expressed," Kouen nodded to him, "Though I'll be demanding updates on Iris's condition and the situation in the meantime. This way, we can have something to grasp onto while we work on finishing this damn thing."

There was a reluctant nod from Kouen, the dark look in his wine-red eyes remained and Koumei had a feeling he was thinking of various ways to make Gyokuen pay for what happened to Iris. With a slight grunt, Kouen stood as he planted a hand on his desk, "Ensure you express my thorough displeasure over this happening. I will be sending along a letter to Kouha informing him that we will be spending time together upon our return. I will be educating him about just how bad it is to disappoint me. Apparently, he needs a refresher."

Shivers rolled down his spine as Kouen turned and began walking away, Koumei was reminded of why his elder brother managed to keep all their siblings on a leash. Even Hakuryuu despite the boy's attempts to distance himself listened to Kouen, he shook his head while continuing to pen the letter. His mind drifted to Iris and the quill in his hand started to bend, he ignored the way his eyes burned and his chest felt as if someone had punched him. How could she have gotten hurt so badly? With all their precautions, it shouldn't have been possible, and yet...it had happened. Something had to be done, he had to ensure she was safer so there were no next times.

Before the news of Iris had hit them, Kouen had barely counted the days and only noticed when Iris's letters arrived. Now though, he noticed as the days turned into weeks. Each new day with only a trickle of information relayed by the palace, the small tidbits by Koumei's people left a hole inside him where there had once been warmth. There was a void that made the campaign's progress seem irrelevant even as they conquered more villages and towns, the cities beginning to fall not even bringing him the small sense of pleasure it should have. Even during the strategic discussions and tactical planning, he found his mind drifting towards Iris and longing for her.

His very soul seemed to ache, the desire to see her curling handwriting fresh rather than the old letters kept within the chest beside his bed. He burned to feel her against him again and taste her on his lips. The wish to hear her voice even if she was angry at him. Frustration festered within his chest into a wave of relentless anger, a seething resentment that fueled his every action. Even if his conscious mind knew that he couldn't have been there, he still berated himself for being unable to protest her. There was a sweeping numbness that swept through him, a way to compartmentalize the pain and keep himself focused on the campaign. But, deep down, he knew that the numbness was a façade, a thin veneer over the ache of worry and the gnawing fear that gripped his heart.

Often during nights when he retired, Kouen found himself drifting out into the rain in an attempt to wash away the misery engulfing him. The weight of responsibility and the burden of leadership felt heavier without Iris by his side. He found himself longing for her warm touches, the soft press of her body against his side, or even the gentle way she'd hold his hand. His fingers grew stiff with how tightly he gripped them in an attempt to feel her presence, the stinging of his eyes seemed to lessen as he strained to hear her voice within the pounding rain. Even as his mind conjured only shades of her smile, the numbness in his chest couldn't shield him from the realization that his world was incomplete without her.

There was an uneasy silence as they settled in for the night on one of the few dry days, Kouen settled heavily into his chair and stared unseeingly into the walls around him. The ache in his chest was palpable, and he couldn't escape the yearning for letters that never came. His fingers ran through the disheveled mess of his hair, he closed his eyes as Phenex's voice echoed softly within his mind, "Starting to realize it, aren't you?" He stiffened and started to grit his teeth at the realization that she wasn't going to stop prying, "Feelings, dear King," An amused lit curled through her voice, "They can be quite troublesome, can't they?"

Jaw clenching as he opened his eyes and stood, Kouen headed towards his bed, 'Now is not the time-'

There was no heat in his voice though, Kouen jolted slightly as he realized how little strength was actually in his words. Phenex's mental arms curled around him and he nearly sighed as warm feathers brushed against him. Voice a gentle coo, the Djinn murmured, "There's never a 'right time,' My king. Yet, here you are, surrounded by the storm inside you."

His throat nearly tightened, Phenex's warmth kept it back as he finally sank onto the bed. Voice softer than normal and hoarse, Kouen's eyes slid shut, 'I-Phenex, I need to focus on the campaign. We need to finish it-'

"To return to her," Phenex sighed into his ear as her warm nearly felt physical and he almost wanted to sob as the numbness within him was shredded allowing the full extent of his feeling to the forefront, "But at this point, My dearest king, how can you do any of that if you can admit why? Why you're fighting so hard? Why does every battle feel so empty when before your passion was so great? When the days all blurred together in a beautiful mess...why...why...?"

His chest felt heavy with all the emotions swirling through him, the realization of what he was truly dealing with hit him harder than a physical blow. Any attempts to deny the truth would fail, he couldn't escape it any longer with Phenex continuing to probe at him and dismantling any attempt to erect a wall around his feelings. Body slowly slumping into the bed below him, he breathed out, "Iris"

There was a shift within him as the storm of emotions seemed to change, the one emotion he'd been attempting to leave unnamed finally drifted into focus as the void was filled. Phenex let out an almost purr-like sound as she nuzzled into his neck, "Just as I told you so many months ago, the feelings you have are no weakness, my king. They're a wonderful strength capable of amazing things. Now...tell me...what do you feel towards her? What do you feel towards your darling dragoness?"

Shifting to lay on his back, Kouen still felt as if Phenex was lying on top of him though simply took the comfort being offered to him. Eyes closing as the words left his lips, he felt the first smile in what felt like weeks curl across his lips, "I love her, Phenex. I love Iris."

As if time had begun moving at a snail's pace, Koumei felt as if each day grew longer even as they blurred into weeks. His mind seemed to sluggishly grasp the information needed to work on their strategies, he found himself putting little effort into what diplomacy was truly needed for this campaign. He grasped at what little information of Iris's condition was passed their way though it felt hollow compared to the letters she'd sent them. There was a growing void within him, a numbness that grew as each day passed and they were no closer to being able to see Iris again.

Within the temporary office, he'd claimed inside the city they'd recently conquered, Koumei sat heavily within the padded chair after pacing for a long while. There were papers scattered across the large desk, the maps sprawled across the tables within the room shifted slightly on the cool breeze that wafted in through a partly open window behind him. His skin was becoming chilled beneath the light robes he wore, the cup of tea on his desk had long since grown cold. And yet none of those facts truly registered, he was trapped within his whirling mind as a chaotic storm of emotions and thoughts tried to pull him in every direction.

Leaning heavily against the chair, Koumei's fingers trailed along his desk as the rain outside poured down in a torrent that seemingly mimicked the turbulent storm within him. His chest seemed to grow heavy each day even as the void grew larger, the absence of Iris had stirred up emotional turmoil the likes of which startled him to the core. scattered across his desk lay the sketches she'd sent him, the echoes of warmth they brought somehow easing the ache in his chest as memories of their time together filtered through his mind. Eyes closing against the images, he finally allowed himself to address the emotions running through him as images of Iris flickered through his mind.

Faint laughter trailed through his subconscious, Iris's brilliant emerald green eyes flashed through his mind's eye as he felt the ghost of her press against him. His chest tightened and loosened all the same, he felt his eyes burn and took a deep breath. His feelings drifted to the forefront, the ones that he knew the names of and the single one that he'd been refraining from putting a name to. Void as he'd taken to calling it, the pressure of it almost crippled him at that moment as a voice within his mind hissed with the reminder that nothing good had ever come from such a thing. But that voice lingering in his mind was silenced as more memories of Iris filled his mind, the time they'd spent together and the sheer strength she'd shown.

As each memory sank in, Koumei realized with a jolt just what that feeling was truly called. His throat felt tight as he gripped the edge of his desk, he opened his eyes and found them peering at the lone dragon sketch that lay on his desk. Iris's most recent sketch resembled her dragon form. Hand going to the sketch, he spoke softly as lightning flashed outside and lit the room in a bright arc of white, "I love her. I love Iris..."

In the silent confines of the Infirmary, the rhythmic sounds of Iris's slow, shallow breaths were the only audible evidence of life. The dim glow of two lanterns cast a delicate play of shadows on the walls. Laying on one of the beds at the back of the room, Iris's figure was shrouded in the soft glow of the moon filtering through the curtains. Tending to her pale form, a pair of maids dutifully carried out their nightly duty of attending to her. Beside the pair, a thin magician wearing pale blue robes murmured silently as he did a final check for the night. Outside of the room, a pair of guards patrolled the hallway with great care wearing stern expressions.

Unbeknownst to them all, a silent intruder was making their way through the palace. Only as inexplicable drowsiness crept over them did they realize something was amiss, the guards collapsed against the walls first as their eyes drooped and they slowly fell unconscious. No sound was made as the intruder stepped around the two guards with barely a glance towards them, they merely stepped towards the Infirmary door as a small beam of moonlight illuminated their form for a brief moment. Black attire draped across their form, a thin smile curled across an uncovered mouth as black eyes gleamed with malicious intent.

Within the Infirmary, the two maids and Magician worked unknowing of the danger approaching them. Dutifully the maids straighten the blankets around Iris, one of them smoothed her unruly hair with gentle hands. The Magician murmured as he waved his wand over Iris and marked things down on a piece of parchment. One by one, they all slowly started to feel themselves become drowsy. Heads started to loll as their bodies began to waver, the maids slumped against the nearby beds as they found themselves falling unconscious in short order. There was a slight widening of the eyes from the Magician, a strained murmur as he swung around only to falter as his body stumbled and slumped across Iris's bed in an ungraceful heap as the door swung open.

As the Magician's eyes slid closed, he saw the intruder walk into the room with that thin smile curled across their lips. Stepping past the unconscious bodies with little care, the intruder cast barely a glance at the Magician before reaching the head of Iris's bed. Hovering over Iris's still form, the malicious magician's eyes glinted with malevolent intent. Seemingly materializing within their gloved hands, a slim dagger made of a blackened material glinted in the moonlight. Raising the dagger over Iris's throat, the malicious magician licked their lips and began plunging the blade downward.

There was a shattering sound before the malicious magician found themself flung to the side, the blade being wrenched from their hands by the force of whatever hit them. Forcing themself to twist about, they managed to slide to a stop and get a look at whatever had stopped them only to pale at the hulking figure standing in the place they'd once stood. There was a deep snarl on that bearded man's face, a soft voice sounded from the shattered remains of the window, "Nev, the desire is there, but you need to knock him unconscious. After all, Iris's dear ones need as much evidence against the bitch as possible."

There was a grunt before the malicious magician's vision was filled with red before he fell unconscious, Neville barely spared the unconscious form a glance before turning to his little sister with a grimace. He extended a hand over her pale form as Luna slipped into the room from her perch on the broken windowsill, "Must we wait until tomorrow, Luna? If I even heal her a small amount-"

"You know the risks, Nev," Luna placed a hand on his arm, "Now c'mon, we need to ensure Ginny has tried to venture into the main palace. Amusing as it would be, I'd rather not have to leave so soon after arriving,"

Fingers clenching into a tight fist, Neville nodded with a deep sigh and turned from his little sister who looked like a shadow of herself.

The transition from the depths of unconsciousness to the faint stirrings of awareness was a gradual process for Iris. There was a fog that clung stubbornly to her senses making the world around her a distant dream, the subtle ebb and flow of an itch she could never quite scratch urged her into consciousness. Her limbs felt heavy and unresponsive, the sensations created by her own body felt alien for reasons that eluded her growing awareness. Consciousness flirted at the edge of her perception, a soft pull coaxing her into wakefulness. Distant murmurs were her first inkling of true awareness, the faint rustling of fabric and brush of something warm across her temple. Shadows danced behind closed eyelids which felt increasingly as if they'd been weighed down, the uncomfortable feeling of grit beneath her eyelid slowly tugged her into consciousness.

As the world began to solidify, Iris became aware of a persistent throb in her temples. The dull ache seemed to resonate with the rhythm of her heartbeat though she felt puzzled. Her puzzlement shifted to confusion as her nose caught the scent of herbs, they barely hid the sterile scent of a medicinal environment that had once plagued her younger years. Her entire body itched in a way that old foreign magic could cause, the faintest traces of it finally beginning to fade. Her mind struggled to make sense of these fragmented sensations, the slowness of her mind set her on edge.

As the murmurs grew more distinct, the familiar patterns of emotions coating them filtered into Iris's ears. Concerned-edged voices, the edge of something undefinable curled within both voices that were within the room. As a hand touched hers, she felt a distinct sense of warmth slip through the haze still keeping her within the cool depths of slumber. Latching onto it, she managed to open her heavy eyes.

Indistinct shapes filled her blurry vision, the light within the room around Iris was nearly too much for her. The faint figures she could see moved with a distinct purpose though what that could be her mind wasn't able to grasp at the current moment. As she blinked slowly and her vision began to clear, the sight of a somewhat familiar infirmary stretched out before her and she felt confused as to what she was doing there. There was a soft voice from the side, one of the gentle ones that felt familiar though she couldn't drum up why, "Lady Iris?"

Head slowly shifted as she felt another gentle touch to her hand, Iris blinked at the woman who was standing beside her bed. It took her far too long to realize it was one of the maids who usually attended to her needs. Opening her mouth, she tried to speak, but only a hoarse sound that left her throat aching could be produced. There was a soft gasp from another area within the room, another feminine voice called out, "I'll go grab one of the Healers. Get her some water, Cassie!"

There was a rush of footsteps as the maid beside her moved to do as ordered, Iris was helped into a sitting position as her body groaned in protest at the movement. She let out a soft gasp as her side jolted at the movement and the memories of the attempted assault hit her like a ton of bricks. The maid murmured apologies, "I'm so sorry, M'lady. I'll get you resettled once we get some water into you."

Drinking a small sip of water, Iris slowly sank back into her former position. She breathed out a heavy sigh while whispering hoarsely, "I-h-how long have I been unconscious?"

There was a long moment before the maid answered, the look on the woman's face was apologetic as she carefully adjusted Iris's covers, "A month, M'lady."