Mathieu (White Flame Trilogy) (17 page)

Sighing heavily, Nathan nodded and withdrew into his own space. “…It seems that the King of Unith had constructed a fairly elaborate plan to start a war with us. He sent a squad of his own soldiers after you and Avian. You were supposed to be killed in the ambush and she secured. He planned to claim that the Princess was taken as a hostage to start a way.” The redhead stopped, giving Mathieu a moment to take in what he had already been told. Nathan continued. “She was supposed to be somewhere in the backwoods of nowhere until after the fighting was settled. So, when the King’s spy saw Avian alive, he knew that he couldn’t let her reach home or the whole plan would have been pointless. Unfortunately, this man decided that killing Avian would be better than the wasted effort.”

Mathieu looked Nathan in the eyes, all the repressed anger he had held in check against the King for abusing Avian coming to a head at the realization that every pain he was feeling right now was because of that scum for a leader. Somehow though, it didn’t surprise him that the King was behind this. Over the years he had been there, he had watched the man and his daughter drift apart until things were no longer even casual between them. One thing now was for sure: If the King wanted a war, he was going to get one. “I’m going to destroy that man. I’m going to take everything he loves: his wife, his power, his throne, and
I’m
going to rip them away from him before I kill him.” There was something cold in his voice, a conviction not often heard.

“We were thinking something of the same thing.” Nathan said, holding out Avian’s glasses. “We want you to join us. You belong here and we’re working towards the same goal now.”

Mathieu took the thin black frames and turned them over in his hands. “So it seems we do.” It wasn’t even a hard decision for him. “However, we’re going to need help. I know of a few people that would benefit us greatly.”

Nathan stood and laid a hand on his shoulder. “We can discuss these things later. Today, we mourn a great tragedy.” The man left Mathieu sitting on the upper floor alone with his thoughts and Avian’s glasses.

~*~

Avian’s grave was set on the edge of the property, just inside of the wall. The headstone stood just under a tall, bushy tree covered in deep blue leaves that tittered softly in the breeze. A stray leave fluttered by.

“It’s an Emotion Tree.” Kiev walked down the hill beside Mathieu, speaking in a respectfully soft voice. She clad in a modest black dress, accompanied with a veil over her blonde hair. “It’s quite a rare treat. The leaves change colors to reflect different emotions.” 

Mathieu looked up at the tree, the dark blue that signified sadness made him feel the tiniest bit better. He took a deep breath and looked down at the small rectangle of upturned ground, the headstone proudly proclaiming it as the final resting place for Avian. The wording was simple,
Here
lies Avian: a leader, a friend, and a force for change.
“Is…is she in a nice coffin?” Mathieu asked, kneeling down and touching the dirt.

Kiev put a hand on his shoulder. “Yes. It took Lenore a full day to make it and she lined it was down and satin.” The blonde smiled, “Kind of a tribute to her being a
Princess. She looked peaceful.”

“Who is Lenore?”

Kiev pointed to a petite brunette woman standing at the back of the group of people, looking out of place and nervous. “She’s our blacksmith.”

Mathieu nodded and looked away, back to Avian’s grave. “Oh, I see.” He stood and followed Kiev, approaching the small group under a black tent. The sky crackled ominously with thunder in the distance. He stepped in among a group of people he didn’t know. Some of the faces he recognized, like Solomon, Mina, Elise, Nathan, and the two girls, but the rest were strangers. They all were dressed in black, faces somber.

Nathan was the first to look up at the pair as they entered, and a sad smile touched his lips.
“Mathieu.
Kiev.” Kiev nodded and touched Mathieu’s shoulder before going and standing beside Solomon, immediately starting up a hushed conversation.

Elise beckoned Mathieu over, taking his hand in hers before squeezed it. “It’s good to see you again.” She tucked a strand of his hair back behind his ear. “We were thinking that maybe you should speak if you feel up to it. You knew her best.”

Mathieu swallowed hard and closed his eyes, nodding. He needed a moment to gather his thoughts, and to stop him from crying. It took a few minutes, but eventually his eyes opened again and he was ready. “O-okay…” Mathieu looked at the grass by his feet, using the toe of his borrowed shoe to itch his ankle.

“We should start now.” Nathan turned to the group at large. “Let’s sit.” On the order, everyone took their seats; they seemed to be predetermined. Mathieu moved passed the others and stood beside the grave. He touched the rose carved into the headstone with hesitant fingers.

Swallowing thickly, Mathieu leaned against the tall stone, turning to face the others. “This is rather hard to articulate. I suppose that…I should start with what kind of person she was…” His gaze swept over the group, seeing genuine sorrow in their eyes. “Avian was the kind of person that always did what was right. Rules were merely obstacles to be overcome if she could help someone by breaking them. But she was sweet and funny, one to be adored. She never let the bad keep her down for long.” His face tilted up towards the sky, a few drops of rain starting to fall. One landed on his cheek.

“There wasn’t a person that met her that didn’t come to appreciate her overpowering personality.” He continued. “It’s going to be hard to live without her by my side. She accepted me as I was and I will carry her memory with me.” Taking a deep breath, he cupped his hands and blew into them softly. Energy left his lungs, forming into a small flower held between his palms. Avian had always liked when he made her energy flowers. With steady hands, he let the bloom fall to land on the grave. “Rest well, Avian. I love you.”

One by one, the others came to join him. Some muttered a few words about the joy of having met her, some left small gifts. Nathan and Elise both commented about how well she would have ruled; Mina sang a song in a language he didn’t understand; Kiev said she had gotten along well with Avian; Solomon said that with time, the young woman could have become very
dear
to him.
Mathieu just stood there silently.

After a long time, the group moved inside. Everyone sat around the large table Mathieu had been reunited with Avian at while Mina passing out tea. People that Mathieu didn’t know kept telling him that it would be okay; he didn’t feel like it would be. It wasn’t like before where the pain and guilt had been crushing, but it still hurt to think that she was gone. As tempting as it was to hole back up in his room, he wouldn’t let himself do that.

“Hey,” he turned to Kiev who was on his left, “who are these people?” He hopped that talking would help distract him.

She pointed around the room, naming people. There was Lenore, the blacksmith; Lucian, the newly appointed official liaison to Unith; Elric, a healer; and Darcia, a sword master. There were others, but he couldn’t keep them all straight, so he stopped trying. The sullenness of the room was beginning to suffocate Mathieu. He had said his goodbyes and now he was ready to move on. Move on, but never forget his best friend. Now, however, his mind had something more important to focus on: revenge.

Tesla and Nikola slunk into the room eventually, winding around his legs. Both of the Shadowriders ended up curled together in his lap, purring and trying to make him feel better; for once they stayed out of his head. Looking down at the two, he looked into Tesla’s eyes and stroked the reddish fur.

“…It’s time to move on,” Mathieu said, his voice soft. Everyone seemed to hear him, though. “Avian is gone and I will miss her, but it’s time to move on and show the
bastard who started this just what kind of nest he kicked. I don’t really know any of you, so this may not mean much, but I won’t take this laying down.”

Nathan, who was directly across from him, smiled encouragingly, and Solomon nodded with his arms folded across his chest. “What do you plan to do?” Nathan asked.

Mathieu rubbed the space between his brows. “Well, I need a way to reach out to a few people that I know back in Unith.”

“Who?”
Mina said, tilting her head.

Mathieu turned to her. “A woman named Narrie, she’s a user too, and Venee. Narrie should come to us, if possible, but I need to reach out to Venee, to see if she can help us. Her family heads the covert intelligence for the King. Her knowledge is useful. Oh, the man that taught Avian how to fence, too. Demetri Uliff.”

“This woman, Venee, she is ueful in what way?” It was Solomon who spoke this time, leaning forward in his seat and resting his arms on the table.

Mathieu bit back the growl in his throat. Everything about this guy, from the first time they had met to the way he had acted with Avian, pissed Mathieu off.
“In the’ none-of-your-business’ kind of way.”

Solomon smirked and raised one eyebrow. “It
is
my business. Don’t get snitty with me because you couldn’t do your job.”

“You don’t know shit. Everything you say makes me
want to punch you.” Mathieu said under his breath, not looking away from the blond.

“The feeling’s mutual, kid
.
” Solomon chuckled. Both men were on their feet now, leaning over the table, eyes locked in challenge. It was easier for Mathieu to hate the blond than examine the truth in the man’s words.

“Enough.” Nathan’s voice broke the tension between them.
“Enough, you two.
Mathieu, Solomon is the General of my army. Solomon, just…behave
yourself
. You two
will
learn to work together.” The redhead said.

Solomon made a noise of protest, eyes darkening slightly. “This is ridiculous. He can barely control his gift, he’s a child, and he doesn’t belong here. I save him and I dealt with his mopping, but I will
not
be forced to listen to him prattle on without knocking his block off.” The blond sat back in his chair, looking away. Nathan’s visage flashed with an indescribable look that had Solomon backtracking, literally and figuratively. “I mean, it’s just that he’s untrained, and he might be more of a hindrance than a help, I mean and uh…” Solomon’s green eyes were casting around for help.

Elise’s hand came to rest of Nathan’s forearm. “Shh Nathan, relax. Tempers are running extremely high tonight. Loss makes people irritable, so let’s all calm down; you, too, Solomon.” Many people around the room nodded and sighed.

“Where should I put Mathieu up, Nathan? We don’t exactly have any open rooms.” Kiev was looking out through the glass walls at the setting suns, “And I think that sleep might be best for everyone.”

Mina grinned devilishly and nudged Josette, who was sitting next to her. “I think that Mathieu should bunk with Solomon. Teach them to get along. Plus, it‘s one of the few rooms with an attached bath. They could
share.
” The glare that Solomon was aiming in his sister’s direction was one that could only be withstood by a twin.

Nathan laughed heartily and beamed at Mina. “That is a brilliant idea, Mina. Solomon, go make accommodations for Mathieu in your room.”

Emerald green eyes narrowed as Solomon stalked off towards one of the rooms Mathieu had passed earlier, everyone watching him through the glass walls as he slammed stuff around, making ’accommodations’ for Mathieu.

“Uh, Nathan…The clothes that I was wearing when…er…” Mathieu started, trying not to look at the very angry Solomon like everyone else was.

Nathan turned, giving Mathieu is undivided attention. “Ah, yes. Your clothes were ruined.”

“Oh…well then…”

Kiev held out the pocket watch Avian had given him so long ago. “Your clothes may be gone, but I saved this. It looked special.” She was smiling at him.

“Ah! Thank you…” He took it with shaking hands, rather shocked. Mathieu hadn’t even thought about the pocket watch, but if he had, he would have been sure it was lost for good.

The blonde lady nodded. “We’ll look into getting you
some clothes tomorrow. Until then, you can continue to wear Solomon’s clothes.”