Nightingale and Eagle; The Decision

Sadly, this will be the last of the Nightingale stories, unless I can think of other misadventures I can put my favorite immortal thief on.  Again, I should say that this is based on the characters of the Royal Thieves in the Top Games game “Evony; The King’s Return.”

 Nightingale struggled a little, different feeling this time as she knew she’d come back.  Something was different, something that didn’t seem bad but she just wasn’t sure.

 She opened her eyes, finding herself in the familiar surroundings of her chambers in the palace.  It’s where she most wanted to be, but she still didn’t know what was different until she ran a hand along the covers of her bed.

 A layer of dust puffed up.  There shouldn’t have been that much of a layer after only a couple of days, so she sat, wondering.  As she decided to see what was going on, she poked her head out of the door to see Duke totally surprised to see her. “So, you finally came back!”

 Finally? “Uh, yeah.  I guess it’s been a little longer than a couple of days.”

 Duke hugged her quickly, before putting her back on her feet. “Yeah, a lot longer.  It’s been six months since you gave your life at that pyramid.”

 Nightingale felt her eyebrows spring up.  Six months? “Yeah, so, uh, what happened?”

 Duke’s smile just beamed. “There hasn’t been a single undead attack since you did that.  You did good kid.”

 Nightingale straightened up. “Okay, but I have to see the king.”

 Duke held her shoulder as she tried to get past him. “Maybe wait for a little bit.  There are things I have to tell you…”

 Nightingale paused a moment outside the door.  All Duke told her was that Eagle had turned 30, and, according to the law, he was to select a bride to carry on the legacy of the crown at that age.  Duke had looked so solemn, telling her that Eagle had made his choice.

 Nightingale sighed.  It had been six months, so it was very likely Eagle had moved on from her, little knowing if she’d ever come back.  Besides, there was that “legacy” clause.

 She opened the door, stopping short.  Eagle held the hands and looked into the eyes of an incredibly beautiful woman.  Nightingale knew she wasn’t bad looking, many even called her beautiful, but she saw who he was holding hands with and immediately felt plain.  Eagle turned, his face splitting into a huge grin. “Night!  You made it!”

 Nightingale smiled as she stepped in, not sure why he’d be that glad to see her.  Was it real, what he’d said earlier?  The woman turned to her and gave a dazzling, welcoming smile that stabbed Nightingale straight in her heart.  She rose, as did Eagle. “Dulc, I’d like you to meet Nightingale, my best friend.  Night, meet Dulcinea, my future queen.”

Best friend?  The words felt so hot, so blistering.  Weren’t they more than friends?  How about all the times they spent talking in his room?  What about all those dinners?

Her perfect voice, in a fair Spanish accent, rang as she took Nightingale’s hand. “Ah yes.  Eagle has told me about you.  He holds you and your compatriots in high esteem.”

Nightingale shoved her disappointment and whatever else down as far as she could as she shook Dulcinea’s hand. “It’s a pleasure to meet the one that stole Eagle’s heart.”

She’d hoped the words she chose would get Eagle to notice them, but he didn’t seem aware.  Nobody had ever stolen from her, not like this.  Nobody had.  She’d tried to not sound vindictive or bitter, but she wasn’t sure she could hide it all.

Over the next few weeks, Nightingale had to fill her position as royal bodyguard as best she could for both of them.  It seemed so trivial, but she saw, during that time, how much brighter Eagle seemed.

As well, she had to consider so many things.  Eagle needed a lineage, something Nightingale couldn’t give him, since she couldn’t get pregnant.  She knew that, from the start.  Still, it did hurt every time she heard him and Dulcinea laughing.

Even, for a bit, she’d hoped that he’d make her his consort, his official mistress, but there was no precedence for that.

And Dulcinea was perfect.  She truly was more beautiful than any flower ever created, and she was so good, so wonderfully good.

In other words, she was perfect for him.  Her own inadequacies felt so magnified whenever she was around the two of them, as if she knew there were things she’d never be able to do.

But what would her jealousy get her?  One thing remained, and one thing only.  It would drive her insane if she tried to keep the delusion up, she knew it.

So, on one day, she came into the throne room, sighing, watching the only man she knew she’d ever truly love working on something unimportant at the moment. “Night?”

She tried to hide her tears, knowing what she was about to say. “Uh, Eagle.  You know that we’re wanderers by nature.  It’s been like we have an actual home here, something that we needed for a while, but….”

He cut her off. “What are you trying to say?”

She looked into his eyes, not trying to hide the tears anymore. “We need to leave, and soon.”