Chapter 444 - 445: Like A Vow.

Chapter 444: Chapter 445: Like A Vow.

Those are the very words that Khobi has spent a lifetime waiting to hear.

And they continue to echo in his ears long after they were given life --long after Khojin Frost pulls away again --quickening his pulse and breaking his palms out into a sweat.

They came for him, like he always knew they would. And they’ve come to take him home.

​His face is starting to ache; his cheeks pulled tight from grinning too hard for too long, and he scrubs a sleeve over his red eyes to wipe down his face.

New tears spring up almost as soon as he washes the old ones away; now that they’ve started they don’t seem like they’ll ever stop.

Khojin Frost gives his hair an affectionate ruffle, like it’s okay even if they don’t, and distantly Khobi becomes aware that the Captain has stepped forward to greet Gurdet.

He doesn’t quite catch all of the exchange; mind still reeling and ears still ringing and eyes still leaking even as he scrubs his sleeve across his face to get them to stop.

​"...Thank you for escorting them here safely, as requested," Gurdet’s busy saying, when Khobi’s vision finally stops blurring, "I’m sure it was an inconvenience, straying so far from home."

​"Not at all," the Captain hums back conversationally, and Khobi is a little surprised to catch him sending a sidelong glance his way.

But maybe he was imagining things; the moment he blinks the guy’s eyes are back on the king like they’d never strayed even for a moment. "I rather enjoyed my last visit. I’m very much looking forward to this one."

​"One can only hope," Gurdet replies, tone light as he peers over the rims of his glasses to offer the Captain a meaningful glance, "...As I’m sure you can imagine I would prefer that you and your men kept your reasons for being here to yourselves."

​"Not a trouble, Your Majesty," comes the easy response. Clearly this is a man accustomed to speaking with kings. "My men know how to be discreet, and our Prince is conveniently on his way here as we speak. It wouldn’t be strange for us to have been sent on ahead to clear the way."

​"Very good," Gurdet decides, with finality, and the Captain takes that as his cue to take his leave; clicking his heels together and dropping into a deep bow, and then turning to offer Khojin Frost and Mozry the same courtesy.

​"It’s been a pleasure, Your Majesty," he tells him, and Khojin Frost doesn’t so much as bat an eyelid; just dipping his head back with an easy, "And you, Captain." But Khobi has little time to wonder at the interaction, because that’s when Khojin Frost straightens up and sets his gaze upon the table of strangers staring down at him.

​" –Pardon the intrusion," Khojin Frost states cordially as the door clangs shut behind the Captain. He doesn’t relinquish his hold on his wife or his nephew; arms stretched protectively around them both like there’s nothing more precious to him in all the world, and now that he has them both he won’t ever be parted from them again.

"We appear to have interrupted your dinner.

Gurdet-san, I presume?"

​"No pardons necessary," Gurdet replies airily, waving away the formalities, "It’s quite the honour to have the Iron Heart grace my halls. I’ve heard such good things, Khojin Frost."

​Khojin Frost’s laugh bounces off the walls as he ruefully admits, "I wish I could say the same."

​"Please forgive the irons," he says wryly, amused by his response whilst also a little taken aback by his flippant tone, "I had reason to believe that you might try something... unnecessary ."

​"Trust is earned," Khojin Frost concedes, and while his smile doesn’t fade, some of the jovialness falls away from his voice, like it only does when he’s getting serious.

"...And we agreed to come quietly for Khobi’s sake. But make no mistake, Gurdet-san; we didn’t come all this way just for to hand us over to Silas."

​The mere thought immediately makes Khobi’s blood run cold.

Hand them over to –no, he wouldn’t; surely he wouldn’t do something like that...

​The horror must show plainly on his face because Gurdet raises a hand to intercept the protests before they start.

​"Such accusations ," he tuts, shaking his head. "Whatever would give you such an idea? And please don’t stir your nephew up like that, I’d rather not be yelled at today –" There’s something reproachful about the way he looks down over his glasses at Khobi, and immediately talks over him before he can do just that, " –To my knowledge, Silas doesn’t know you’re here, and I’d prefer to keep it that way. But should he hear –and I’ve no doubt that little spider will –I can’t well be seen to be welcoming his oldest and most hated enemy into my halls with open arms now, can I?" It’s rhetorical, obviously, and has Gurdet’s nose scrunching with distaste, "...Better that he hear you’re my prisoners, than decide that I’ve betrayed him."

​Prisoners .

​The word rings in Khobi’s ears like a death knell, and a heavy knot of guilt twists tight in his gut. Because that’s not fair; that’s not what he wanted, not how this was meant to go at all. But the moment he opens his mouth to tell Gurdet just that, fists curling tight at the idea of his family being caged because of him, one of Khojin Frost’s hands comes down on his shoulder and squeezes lightly; his words and his eyes and touch oddly placating, like he understands his anger but would ask that he contain it.

​"...It’s fine, Khobi," Khojin Frost murmurs, and despite the softness, there’s something measured and sharp to the way he eyes Gurdet. "... For now ."

Clearly this has come as no surprise to him, and for all Khobi’s blazing indignation, the hand on his shoulder makes him deflate somewhat.

It makes him think of those words his uncle had uttered to him under his breath; both solemn promise and simple truth, and understands that Khojin Frost is here as a prisoner because he chose to be, and that he has no intentions of remaining one.

​We’re going to get you out of here .

​As if his uncle has read his mind, he winks.

​"...And when he hears?" Mozry counters curtly, voice and commanding as she levels Gurdet with a narrowed look, "What then?"