53. Malachite Returns to Opal Night, Part 4

First, thanks to everyone for your congrats and lovely posts! I'm still trying to believe it actually happened and I have a Hugo in my house!

***

Feather had never been in a room with that many consorts. They were in a hall near the colony's massive atrium, and she and Bright sat on a platform with an unused tea set, facing the young first consort called Umber and a much older consort called Sunshadow who had been the mate of Onyx' birthqueen, who had died a few turns ago. The younger consorts sat at a distance, listening avidly as the mentor Spiral repeated the story of the Fell attack and the long journey from the east. 

The age and fineness of the carving, the skill in the way the light glowed softly from the flowers and vines, made Feather simultaneously jealous and intimidated.  Some of the consorts like Umber had groundling forms that were bigger and more muscular than any consort Feather had seen before. Spiral had told her that Opal Night's position on the fringe of the Reaches had opened them up to attacks over the turns, and they had to breed for strong queens and warriors. It was one of the reasons the Arbora wanted the eastern court to rejoin them.

It all seemed so fraught and so complicated.  Could they really fit into this court? Feather was torn between hope and the fear of disaster. 

Spiral finished the story, and the consorts were silent. Finally Sunshadow said, "The reigning queen's consort didn't survive?"

"No." Feather felt a lump form in her throat, for a number of reasons. She had a sudden bad feeling she knew what they might want Malachite to do.

Umber glanced at Sunshadow for permission, then said, "We have some suitable unattached consorts. Arranging the introductions is going to be the difficult part, unless Onyx--"

"I don't--" Feather began, realized she had interrupted, and winced in apology. But there was no point in letting this conversation continue. "I don't believe Malachite will consider a new consort." She didn't know why she hadn't realized they would ask for this. It was such an obvious solution. But their court had been so small and in some ways so isolated that it had just never occurred to her.

"Why not?"

Feather was still floundering. Bright glanced at her and then told them, "She was very attached to Dust--"

Umber was impatient. "Of course she was. But--"

"She thought he was alive," Feather managed. She had to make them understand. They had all thought he was alive. "He wasn't. He only lived a month after they attacked us. That was long enough to..." She gestured helplessly. They knew about the half-Fell children. "She hasn't recovered. She hasn't even pretended to recover." She couldn't explain it any better than that. "I won't take an offer of a consort to her, I can't."

The room was quiet and she felt the weight of all their gazes on her. There were young consorts in here who had probably hoped to be chosen by Malachite, to elevate their position in this new court that would form from the old one. That Umber, the current first consort, and Sunshadow had been willing to let this happen, showed a commitment to the process that Feather wasn't even sure she understood.

"I see." Umber eyed her for a long moment, then sighed and looked away. "If you're certain." 

Spiral said, grimly, "Then they'll have to fight."

Umber turned back to Feather and Bright. "You have to swear that your Malachite won't kill Onyx. It would destroy this court."

And Feather understood. Umber was trying to keep his queen alive.

She took a sharp breath. "I swear."

***

Feather didn't see any point to putting off the confrontation. She sent Bright and the others who had come with them back to camp despite their protests, and she walked the long way around the mountain-tree roots to where Malachite waited in front of Opal Night's entrance.

Clouds had moved in and the sky threatened a light rain. Feather spotted Malachite, who was now standing on the colony's sheltered entrance platform, barely thirty paces from the big doors. Feather groaned to herself. 

As Feather climbed the winding pathway up through the rocks and root fragments, Malachite cocked a spine at her but said nothing. For the old Malachite, the one who had existed before the Fell attack, it would have been a baffling rudeness not to at least acknowledge if not greet an approaching Arbora. For this new Malachite that Feather was still learning to know, it was normal.

Feather reached the platform, and shifted into her groundling form. She let out a long breath.  "They're going to push Onyx to fight you. But you can't kill her."

Malachite's spine didn't even twitch. She didn't look at Feather. "I can."

Feather gritted her teeth. "I promised you wouldn't."

At that, Malachite's spine did twitch. "Did you?"

"This is the only way. You're just going to have to learn to get along with her." Malachite turned to look down at her, to focus all her attention on Feather. It was terrifying, and it shouldn't be, and it made Feather angry. She hissed. "Don't look at me like that, I'm not afraid of you. I've seen what you're willing to do for us. This is nothing. Giving a young hotheaded queen a thumping and then letting her take back enough power to save face, that's-- that's not even... It's nothing! You've done the impossible. We've done the impossible. Don't you dare ruin all we've done just because of some stupid queen posturing--"

Feather was somehow sobbing on Malachite's scales, while Malachite patted her absently. "Stop this," Malachite said.

Feather glared up her. "Only if you swear."

Malachite's spines twitched, but she said, "For you, I swear it."