Chương 57: The Fate of Riverlands

Ranin was led through the halls to Lady Riverlands' private audience hall. The lady waited there looking mildly annoyed. And behind her stood the practically giddy Silva, wearing a small cape as a fashion statement cut into two lines, one for each shoulder. Lady Riverlands stood at his entrance, saying in a dull voice, "I am sorry for this inconvenience of being burgled—""Celeste, I'm going to give you a choice." The lady stopped mid-sentence, warily curious as she crossed her arms and waited.

"In two hours, I am releasing a redcap and shadowkin to wreak havoc in these halls and take revenge for the slight your daughter has committed against the Hunt. Before that happens, you're going to send her out for the Hunt's mercy and pray for forgiveness."

Mouth open as she choked on her scoff, she said, "Ex- cuse me—""Your second option," he continued, barreling over her as the temperature of the room dropped, fractals of ice growing up his clothes and skin as his eyes glowed with power and rage, "will be to announce via your title that all Guard from within your lands are to be recalled to the Capital for angering a goddess."

"Are you out of your mind —""Eight hours, Celeste! Eight hours you have had my innocent guest in your dungeon slowly dying from exposure for the crime of stealing a gift given to her by her own goddess while the Hunt threw beasts at your walls, and I think it no coincidence that your daughter is wearing the cloak my guest skinned herself!"

"Now wait just a minute, surely—she's just a greenling, what you're suggesting is me sacrificing my entire territory. I get you're upset about your fucktoy but—""I have not once ever taken her into my bed, may the Goddess of Victory smite me if I lie. Unlike some people, I am loyal to my gods gifted mate and will be until the day I die." Lady Riverlands flinched.

"But surely—""You asked for Athereon. Well, your damn Seneschal had her given a hundred lashings for the crime of stealing, and I cannot stress this enough, the divine beast gifted to her by the Hunt."

"Wait, I'm confused—the mage Athereon is here?"

"Hidden in plain sight as a greenling huntress. And I think it no coincidence that the timing of the surge lines up with when her punishment began. Face it, Celeste. You left your daughter in the care of a fucking viper. Last night was divine judgement. Your only hope is that the Hunt is appeased by the life of your daughter and no one else." Silence fell between them. Slowly, Celeste turned to face her daughter.

"… is it true?" Her daughter, utterly bewildered, said, "I-I don't know—" But as her mother's eyes fell on the cloak, her face fell into pity for her daughter, knowing it was, indeed, true.

"No, I—she attacked me like a wild, savage animal! All over a stupid egg!" Exhausted and resigned, Ranin stated, "And all over that stupid egg, at least thirty fey died today, with more on their way. Pray, child, for the Hunt to grant you mercy. I pray she has none."

"You can't be serious! You'd trust her over—""That egg belonged to her. To have it presented to me like a gods damned gift told me more of your guilt than you will ever understand. You have had an innocent and brave warrior beaten within an inch of her life—" She choked out with a disbelieving scoff, "Brave warrior —""—one who had taken down a Bone Whale in front of an entire company of soldiers only hours before." Celeste had heard the report of a female hunter doing that but hadn't made the connection until now.

Resigned, she asked her daughter one last question, holding out to one last hope of her innocence, that this was all some big misunderstanding.

"This thief you found. Did she carry the stench of death with her when she returned to the castle?" Love what you're reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on. Her daughter wrinkled her nose and glared at the prince petulantly.

"I worry about his stability. The toff smelled like she'd just rolled in the pig's slop before letting one of boars rut her. Does the queen know—" She stopped when she saw the heartbroken expression on her mother's face. Celeste closed her eyes against her tears. Her daughter, her sweet, beautiful daughter, had never been one for battlefields. Had been sheltered away from the horrors of a surge and never known the true fear of one. As Celeste was one who had only known the song of battle, they had never connected.

She'd been relieved when her daughter had taken to Hawthorne, allowing her the freedom of seeking that glory once again. She'd always known Hawthorne's ideas on propriety were too rigid, but she'd thought that was what made her a better mother figure than herself. And now this. When she opened her eyes again, she saw the moment her daughter realized which side she was taking.

Her voice rough with grief and unshed tears, the tone flat like her deadened heart, Lady Riverlands said, "Silva Valsteste of Riverlands, I hereby strip you of all your worldly possessions. Strip now. Walk out into the woods and face the Hunt's judgement, or I will have the Guard drag you kicking and screaming." Her daughter paled and the Seneschal screeched in disbelieving rage as Celeste invoked her power over her.

"Hawthorne. Strip yourself and walk north through the woods. If you reach the river in Everwinter, you will have survived your trial and can assume the Hunt has granted forgiveness. My one mercy is this: take Silva with you and face your trial together. Head north and cross the boundary. Once you do, your titles will be returned to me. For this dishonor, you are no Family to me ever again." Already, the magic was working, the lady's hands going towards the lacings on her fancy dress.

"Mercy? My lady, see reason, all this for a toff that tumbles with the prince—" She added to the order, "Be sure to strip my daughter and drag her into the woods if you must. If you don't, I will have my Guard do it." Her daughter began to wail and beg while the older woman screeched endlessly about going against the natural order of the world and divine retribution.

Celeste made herself stay, listening to her daughter's wails of grief as a punishment for herself, silently pleading with the Hunt to have mercy on her foolish daughter for a stupid mistake. The Hunt ignored her. Assured that the two of them were taken care of, Ranin made his way to the stable, found the first saddled horse with some life to it he could find, and took off for the gate. The guards didn't bother stopping him, though they stared with confused exhaustion at his unattended state.

He had never needed attendants or guards and only kept them around to keep up appearances. And Cirn had stayed to guard over the little woman. The redcap and shadowfell were waiting at the treeline, neither looking like they had much in the way of rest. The redcap was pacing and gave him a dismissive glare before seemingly deciding to ignore him. The shadowfell, their eyes unnaturally just slightly too large and a mass of visible tendrils around their body, focused unerringly on him. Dismounting, he sized them up.

They were too wound up to be gentle.

"In one hour, I am releasing you to take revenge on the castle on behalf of the Hunt and Athereon. I ask that you spare the innocent. Someone has hurt her and taken her things, and I ask you find them for her." The redcap had frozen at the beginning of his speech, and now snarled out, "They fucking did what —" Zhadin, a deceptive calmness to them, asked, "Why wait?" Ranin's lips pursed in a cruel facsimile of a smile.

"Because the two main perpetrators are headed here to face the Hunt's judgement."

"What did they do?" Ranin paused, unclear still on the details of what exactly happened.

"… what I know is she claimed she had stolen her divine beast from me. For this, they gave her a hundred lashings." The rage was not an immediate burst. No roar. No growl. No shifter posturing. Instead, the manic redcap simply straightened, his body eerily still. Zhadin, meanwhile, turned thoughtfully to the castle like they were considering a picnic. The only sign of their agitation was the tendrils that overtook the lower half of their body.

"… I see." The redcap's even voice sent a shiver through Ranin's spine.

"And you let this happen?" Ranin pressed his lips together as he considered it. Considered all the points that, looking back, were blindingly obvious mistakes.

"I did not mean to, but I recognize the part I played. If it is my head you come for in an hour or two, I will not fight it. All I ask is that you have mercy on those who knew nothing of this event, those entirely ignorant and innocent of these crimes." Then he bowed to them both. Straightening, he turned on his heel, mounted the horse, and returned to the keep to await judgement.

By the time he'd returned to the castle, the entire town had turned out to watch the naked Seneschal screaming about unnatural laws while dragging the begging nude daughter along behind her. Seeing the crowd, he amplified his voice to boom out over them while casting a silence spell on the pair.

"These two have committed blasphemy against the Hunt and go to face her judgement in the forest. Last night was the Goddess of the Hunt retaliating against Riverlands for the slight committed. Return to your homes and pray to your gods that their lives and those taken last night are enough to appease Her rage, for in one hour, Her judgement will be dealt with by two of Her fey on those who have wronged Her chosen. Athereon lives again. Pray for her mercy."

The mob, incited by rage and grief for their own lost ones, spread the word quickly. He returned to the keep, hoping it would be enough, while Lady Riverland faced down an angry mob, her own Guard having abandoned their posts. In her grief, she fell to the mob's rage, torn apart by the very people she had sworn to protect before the two hunters ever stepped foot in the castle walls.