Harper came into the greeting hall first, dressed in his mage robes and without his shackles. Those had been removed at Wren's insistence because he knew Harper well enough as one of his most prudent generals that he trusted him not to harm anyone. That, and with Cadence in the castle, Harper had more motivation not to cause issues. They had decided to keep the boy away from all this because it was more likely to end in death than peace, even though Wren wished that everything could work out all right. Life was never that kind to Songs.

Wren sat beside Talamayas as Shan brought Riff in, still in chains, no one feeling safe to have his constraints removed. Riff walked, despite it taking arduously long with the ankle manacles jerking each step short. Riff was as he had always been, powerful even chained, his grey eyes darker than any of the Songs and full of malice and hatred for vampire kind. They had allowed him to keep his pitch mage garb, bordered by red song notes on the trim of his neck and sleeves, but he was filthy, covered in grime and dirt from the dungeon floors. His resplendent red braid was frayed in several spots but still swung tied just below his hips until Shan came to a stop below the thrones.

It struck pain into Wren's heart to see his best friend and first general caged, yet there was no despair or plea in those hard eyes. Songs didn't beg, not for their lives nor those of their people. They merely suffered in silence until opportunity arose, and then they conquered. The pride of the Song people burned within Riff's eyes as he stood tall in the face of his captors, persisting even when Shan kicked out the back of his knees and sent him to the floor.

Wren stood as immediately as his general fell, but a hand from Tala stopped him from going to his friend. Wren wanted to, to kneel with Riff, to press his face to his, and to save him. Yet everyone here knew that the only one who could save Riff was himself. It was his decision to choose peace or pain that would seal his fate. Riff was too dangerous to be let go.

As soon as Riff was stable on his knees, he lifted his pitch eyes and laughed, his smile twisting his face into something truly sinister. The deep rumble from one such as Riff was like the roar of a lion before it lunged for its prey's throat even as bound as he was.

"Back to being a fuck toy for a tyrant?" Riff's low voice rippled like a beast snarling. With his hands shackled behind his back, he lifted his body as straight as possible on his knees, and Song pride radiated from him as he refused to bow even went already bent.

"Riff, I am not a toy of any kind here." Wren had to sit back on his throne so he didn't shake Riff into behaving like a human being. Riff never had and he wouldn't now. Showing any compassion would only be read as weakness here.

"Keep telling yourself that every night he bends you over, Wren." Riff kept at it.

"Riff, I am a leader here, just as I was with our people. I am no slave and I do not wish you to be a prisoner. No more of our people have to die. Let this be the end of it." Riff had already given Harper a quick glance the moment he'd entered the room, and that was all he intended to pay the man who had betrayed him. It was different for Wren because he was Riff's superior, then and now, but that didn't make the disdain any better.

"No." The word tore Wren apart inside. "Talamayas Sol slaughtered our people, warriors as much as helpless children, and I will never live side by side with that murderer. I cannot accept any offer of peace that is not accompanied by his head on a plate."

"That serves no one but your selfish urge for revenge, Riff," Wren bit out only for Riff to scoff, throwing his braid to the side as he whipped his head with it.

"It was an honor to serve under you when you lead our people to glory, Wren Song. You were the fiercest mage the world has ever known, second to none but me in physical combat. What sits before me now though is a coward, a man too weak to fell his enemies, who chose to lick the feet of those who trample on him just for the privilege of still breathing. More than anything, I pity you. Had I been there when you needed me most, I could have saved you before this monster tainted you. For that, I am truly sorry, Wren."

The feral anger faded in Riff's final words, his expression softening so much that Wren stood despite Talamayas look of warning. All Riff wanted was to save him. Wren walked down the few steps from the dais to the ground, and he knelt in front of Riff so that he no longer talked down to him. Riff was his friend, his general, and the strongest of his people. On the floor, he met Riff's eyes to try and find a way out of the fate that seemed an eventuality, but no matter how Wren tried, he could find nothing bendable within Riff, and tears rose to Wren's eyes.

"If you cannot accept peace, it will be your death, Riff." Wren gave him one last chance to save himself.

Riff stared him down, his soft expression lingering as his face leaned just so much, and with a slow raise of a single eyebrow, Riff spit in his face. Talamayas was up with a snarl before Wren could even wipe the spit away, and his tears fell as he sank in front of the man he'd once loved most in the world as a friend. Shan grabbed Riff by the hair, and Wren was about to command him to stop when Vice stepped in and pried Shan's fingers from Riff's skull. Threat lingered between Vice and Shan as they faced off, but Vice spoke first.

"There is no reason to make this more painful for Wren then it needs to be." Vice's words had Shan stepping back and conceding, and Vice grabbed Riff's manacles where they were chained behind his back to hoist him back to his feet.

"Traitor," Riff hissed at Wren as Talamayas helped him up and held him against his chest. "Both of you!" Riff screamed as he spun on Harper, but Vice took out an ankle so Riff was on one knee again.

"Vice. Take care of him, please." Talamayas' tone was clear in what that meant, and Vice bowed with respect to his masters before he dragged Riff out of the greeting room. "That is all right, isn't it?" Talamayas asked Wren when they were alone. "We agreed that he can't live if he didn't accept peace, and Vice loves you enough to know how to end Riff's life with the least suffering. That is the best I can offer, though I know it will hurt."

"Vice is the best option, yes," Wren said, the words coming off of his lips as heavy as his heart, and his stomach twisted in knots. "I need some time alone, Talamayas." Wren eased his mate away with a hand, and he could feel Talamayas stiffen under his fingers. "I love you, please don't doubt that, but this is hard for me. I need to cry and scream and break down in a way that I cannot share with you. Riff is my people, he is my friend, and yet as your mate, I must choose our house over the love I bear for him."

"Wren." Talamayas looked to be thinking of a way he could keep Riff alive without hurting him as much as he was, but there was no way that was safe for their people. It was a sad truth Wren had to accept as the leader of the Sols.

"It's all right, Talamayas. I will be all right. Just not now. Please understand," Wren pleaded, part of him wanting to take Talamayas' hands to sooth him, but the other wanting to shove him away with as much magic as he could muster.

It wasn't Tala he wanted to strike out at though. It was himself. So few of the Songs lived, and yet he had to give one up for the safety of the rest and of the people he had chosen. This was his life now, and he would never wish it any different. Some days would just be difficult, and that was a fact that would never change regardless of who he chose to love or protect with all of his heart. For now, he would grieve, fight and rail at the cruelty of fate, but in time he would heal, and he would live his life as best he could with the man he loved and those who were not so torn by war that they could not accept peace.

XXXXX ~~Do not worry. There be a few more chapters for Vice and Helia ;D ~~XXXXX

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Word Count: 1547