Chapter Text
"What is this?" General - soon to be Queen - Janai asked, sounding at a loss, spreading her hands in confusion rather than giving a proper salute.
Lyrennus glanced at the elves to his own shoulders, telling them with a mere look to stay close, and approached until he no longer had to raise his voice to be heard. "The Moonshadow know what it is to lose so much of our home," He replied evenly, meeting her gaze, letting her remember for herself just who had taken it from them. "Our assassins have returned. Upon receiving the news we have been released from our . . . contract, in light of the destruction you have faced, we come to offer what little aid we can."
"Why?" The younger man to Janai's right asked, frowning, his own staff thudding lightly on the ground as he gestured. "Ze Moonshadow have paid your debt. You owe us nothing. It was ze Sunfire Empire zat burned Moonshadow Forest during ze war against you. Why would you then offer us aid?"
Setting his jaw, Lyrennus answered him coolly. "Yes. We owe you nothing. We never owed you anything - we paid for crimes committed by exiles. Why would we change our steps now, when you need aid?"
"We do not need-" The man started, and stopped when Janai raised a hand, his jaw dropping as he looked at her.
Janai met Lyrennus' gaze with furrowed brows and a shadow in her eyes that he felt down to his own soul. "Ze Sunfire kingdom thanks ze Moonshadow for your generosity." She said gently. "I recognize you must also ensure I keep my word, in granting your freedom formally once I am crowned. It will be done. For now, we need healers, and gatherers. We were not prepared for an evacuation outside ze city, and our people need food, water, and healing."
Lyrennus nodded over his shoulder. "Ayela is the head of the gathering guilds within Moonshadow Forest. She and her people will provide additional sustenance. Orion is the head of the market guards. He and his guild will provide you with whatever other supplies we can spare, and assist in constructing temporary shelters."
Ayela and Orion both nodded and split off from him to find their respective use areas. Their guilds followed. Janai saluted them with a tired nod, and she looked at Lyrennus curiously. "And you?" She asked.
"I am Keeper Lyrennus." He said, tapping his own staff in the dirt, more out of habit than anything. "I am the head of the Keepers, tasked with preserving my people's ancient histories, ceremonies . . . and souls." He gestured at the few elves left behind him. "Your people's funeral rites are different than our own and we will not infringe upon those. But the souls of the living need help in the wake of great loss as well. We know that ache well. We offer listening ears, and what advice we can to help."
Janai exchanged glances with both the man to her right - he must be Prince Karim - and the human woman to her left. Lyrennus had a strong suspicion this was General Amaya. While he'd never seen her in person, she resembled Prince Callum rather strongly, and the assassins had mentioned she had grown close to Janai since her capture. Her lack of speech and the presence of a redheaded human man in her periphery, signing, was another strong hint.
"Thank you," Janai said with a long sigh. "We have lost many of our own priests in ze destruction of ze Sun Spire. I do not know if your philosophy will be of much help, but your ears are appreciated at ze very least."
Karim tapped his staff on the ground and she looked up at him and gave a nod. He continued to Lyrennus directly. "Those most in need of your help will be around ze infirmary tents." He said bleakly. "Zey are ze ones who have lost the most."
Lyrennus nodded. "I regret that we can spare so few healers," He said. "The Keepers and assassins have split such duties between us for centuries within the forest. We can provide some little medical aid as well, with the supplies."
"Please do," Janai said, and saluted him again. "You have our thanks, Keeper."
He nodded to her, slowly, with a pointed reverence. "You have our empathy, young queen." He tapped his staff once more to summon the few elves that remained with him, and sought out the Sunfire elves' infirmary tents.