Heart's Gift

Eric

I had only slept for a couple of hours. I was still so tired, but something was keeping me awake. A wriggling in the back of my mind that told me to run. Where was I supposed to go? I was on a ship in the middle of the ocean, with no idea of who I was or how I got here. No… I needed to stay put until I could learn more.

I sat up in my bed and looked around. It was dark, the only light coming from the windows as the moon shined brightly outside. Ashley must have extinguished the lamps when she left. I wondered if I could find her, get her to talk to me more. Even if she couldn’t tell me much, I would feel better if I wasn’t alone. I decided to try.

After standing from my bed, I crossed to the door and swung it open slowly. When I peeked my head out, two guards were looking at me curiously. One was heavy set with a sweet looking face, and the other was smaller, not much taller than me, with a beard and Viking-like tattoos of wolves and ravens on either side of his face. I couldn’t help gulping and shying back a little bit.

“Um… Hello.” I said nervously. “Can…can I come out or am I supposed to stay? I wasn’t really told the rules.”

They looked at each, eyebrows raised, then back at me, both with smiles. “Of course you can, majesty.” Said the smaller one. “We’re here to protect you, not keep you locked away.”

I heaved a sigh of relief. “Oh, good.” I cleared my throat and opened the door completely. “Well, thank you for watching out for me.” I gave a nervous grin and passed by them, emerging on the deck.

“Majesty?”

I turned back, and this time it was the heavier man speaking. “Yes?” I said.

The larger man set down the weapon I had only just noticed he was holding, a large, very intimidating mace, and shrugged off his coat. “You’re in your nightdress.” He said simply, offering me the intricately designed coat.

I looked down at myself and blushed. The breeze on deck was whipping around me, gentle as a caress, and plastered my dress to my skin, revealing every curve I was gifted with. I grabbed the coat quickly and pulled it on, gripping the edges tightly around me to cover myself. I couldn’t even thank him, I was so embarrassed. I just nodded my thanks quickly and continued out farther to open air in pursuit of Ashley.

I didn’t make it very far. I caught sight of the sky, only hours ago lashing out with the fury of gods, now clear as I have ever known. The stars were so bright and glistened like millions of gems of many colors against the silky black sky. I tried searching for something familiar, a constellation I might know, but nothing stuck out. I was seeing shapes in the stars- dragons, faeries, minotaur- yet as soon as I laid eyes on them, they came to life and shifted into something else. I felt myself smiling in awe.

And then I saw the moon. It was huge, full, and bright. I watched as the surface shimmered rainbow hues, drawing me closer to the rails to steady myself against something stirring within me. I felt a strange calmness in my heart. Where before my thoughts were in turmoil, there was now only silence, peace. The more I stared into the great pearlescent orb, the closer I felt to tranquility.

“The moon has healing abilities.” A man’s voice, soft as the moonlight’s caress, crept into my mind. “At least, that’s what I’ve been told.”

I broke my gaze from the beauty before me and turned my head to the speaker. He was tall, with dark hair ruffled by the sea breeze and dark eyes, turned to the moon. I couldn’t really make out much, even with the bright moonlight, but he was handsome, very handsome, ridiculously handsome. He came to stand next to me and placed a slender hand on the railing, the other plunging into a pocket of his long, dark coat.

I didn’t know what to say. Except go away. I had been feeling rather good until he approached me. Now I was feeling nervous again, shaky, and a little scared. He looked at me and I sucked in a breath. His dark eyes had to black and seemed to penetrate through me to my core. It felt more like he looked into me more than at me, searching for some deep, dark secret I had hidden away even from myself. His smile was pleasant but held a touch of mischief that wasn’t unappealing for his features.

Now I really had no idea what to say.

“Our queen is silent.” He said quietly, teasingly. “I have been told I do that. Something about being intimidating. Never seen it myself, to be honest. Then again, one can never truly see oneself the way others do, can one?”

I just blinked at him, caught in that gaze. Then he looked away, and I released a breath I didn’t know I was holding. He was looking at the water below us, just watching the waves lap against the ship.

“Who are you?” I asked, trying to sound polite.

He grinned fully, still looking at the water. “Eric. Forgive me if I don’t bow, my queen.” He said. His tone seemed playful.

I shook my head before joining him in watching the water. “I don’t like it anyway.” I sighed. “I don’t like any of this.” Why did I say that to this perfect stranger? And I mean perfect.

Eric was chuckling quietly. “You don’t like that you’re the queen?” He teased. “Most women would kill for the position.”

“I’m not most women.” I replied. “At least, I don’t think I am.”

I felt him look at me, saw in the corner of my eye as he turned to me and observed me, leaning smoothly on his arm on the rail, coming more to my level. “You don’t think?”

I shook my head. “I don’t remember.”

Eric scoffed lightly, still gazing at me. “A side-effect of our king’s Heart's Gift, I’m afraid.”

I looked at him sharply as he mentioned the king. “What do you know about him?” Maybe he could tell me things Ashley wouldn’t. Maybe I could learn what was going to happen to me.

His grin shrank to a smirk, his brows coming lower over his penetrating eyes. “I know more than most people.” He said simply.

I hesitated, feeling uneasy. “Can you tell me anything? About what he’s like?”

Eric looked out at the water again, then up at the moon. “He’s like the sea. On a good day, he’s calm, collected, loving. On a bad day, he’s the storm to avoid, a force no one can stand up to. Fortunately, the stormy days are rare.”

I blinked at him. “So he’s-“

“Just like any other being. You can’t know someone based on what others tell you.” Eric grinned. “Some would call him a games master and make up stories about how he plays with others for his own pleasure just because they don’t like the way he runs things.”

I instantly thought of Ashley. Is that why she told me those things? Because she didn’t like his methods for running his kingdom? Then again, I couldn’t jump to conclusions about her either. Not until I met this king for myself.

“What’s his name?” I blurted. I realized I had never even asked Ashley this. It would be important to know his name, I would think.

A twinkle flashed in Eric’s eye. “He doesn’t want you to know yet.”

“Why?”

“He wants to introduce himself properly.” Eric explained. “We’ve been given specific instruction when it came to your questions about him. We can only tell so much. Only give so little of our own opinions.”

“Why has everyone else been given instruction and I’m left to muddle through what I should do?” I was beginning to feel frustrated again, an ache building in my head. “I can’t even remember who I am aside from my name, and all anyone seems to agree on is that I’m a queen for a place I’ve never heard of. You can only say so much, but I need to hear more. I need to know what I am doing and who I am supposed to be doing it with.”

Eric tilted his head as he turned it to me again, amusement etched across his face. “You need to learn patience, my queen. Like your Heart's Gift, it will take time for you to learn everything you need to learn.”

I was sure I looked shocked because he started laughing again. “You know about my magic- er... Heart's Gift?”

It took him a moment to stop laughing. “I do. I’ll be one of your teachers once we reach the palace.” He explained. “Have you been able to do anything so far?”

I blushed. I was going to be taught by this perfect, strange, appealing man? I wasn’t sure I could handle those eyes for extended periods of time. “I uh..” I cleared my throat. “I exploded?” I gave him a nervous grin.

He raised an eyebrow. “And?”

Apparently, people exploding was a common thing. I took a deep breath. “Silver flames shot out of me. Burned the couch I was sitting on, some floor and the wall.”

His whole demeanor changed the minute I said Silver. “Silver?”

I shook my head. “I was told by my-my handmaiden,” That was awkward coming out of my mouth. “that they were silver and it’s supposed to be really rare and primal. Or something like that.” I felt embarrassed.

He was silent, his eyes piercing into my soul again, brows furrowed, searching. “Silver…” He whispered. “That would explain a lot.”

I raised an eyebrow. “What do you mean?”

He shook his head, suddenly smiling again. “Nothing. Well, nothing I can explain at this very minute. But-“ He added when he saw my look of irritation. “I promise, everything will be made clear to you once we reach the palace.”

Just then, I had another question. “Can you at least tell me what the palace is like?” That should have a straightforward answer with no more “wait and see”.

Eric’s smile turned soft and sweet as he contemplated how best to answer. Then he gazed at the moon again and pointed. “You see how the moon has a crystalline quality to it? The way it shifts colors?” When I nodded, he continued. “The palace walls are like that, glistening at night, shining brightly in the sun, like a beacon. The surface has no flaws and when seen up close, billions of tiny crystals can be seen as the source of the shimmer. It’s the pride and heart of Draumur, a welcome sight to weary travelers and a heaven for those who live within.”

I felt myself smiling, leaning on the rail as I gave him my full attention.

“I don’t even know how many rooms there are. I’ve wondered the halls trying to count them but always end up losing my place by finding something new I had never seen before. It’s almost as if it’s alive and building on itself. Sometimes I think it hears the thoughts of those wondering the halls and builds on the ideas they come up with.” He stopped for a moment, thinking. “ I won’t say more about the rooms. I don’t want to spoil everything for you. I want you to feel the amazement I’ve always felt when entering the vast halls of the palace.” He winked and continued.

“The real treasure is the throne room. The thrones themselves, really. Tall, ornate, golden seats for the king and queen, encrusted with diamonds and emeralds and rubies, and gemstones of all kinds. The way they were placed create the image of a mighty dragon for the king whose claws grip the arms, daring anyone to oppose it. And a demure phoenix for the queen, it’s tailfeathers flowing to the floor, wings spread above its head, opening itself to welcome those who would have need of its council.”

I felt in awe of his explanation of the two thrones, wanting to see them for myself, forgetting for a moment that one was now mine. I got lost in his voice so easily. It was so smooth, caressing my mind as it created the images within. I found I had moved closer to him, staring up at him with admiration. I felt so strange, comfortable as I listened to him.

“My queen, you will never see such a sight as the two thrones. Such magnificent pieces of art.” His voice had gotten softer and I watched as his eyes drifted to my lips. “Beautiful, like you.”

He was leaning closer, so close, and I was waiting for him. I wanted to kiss him. I wanted this man to take me in his arms and ravage me, all from his story of the palace and the thrones. I wanted it to happen, felt myself opening the guard’s coat and dropping it on the deck. His hand slid over my cheek, barely grazing my skin, to lace through the hair at my neck. I closed my eyes and opened my lips to his…

Something sharp pierced my mind, a voice I could almost recognize. Get away.

I stepped back quickly, right as his lips would have touched mine, and covered my mouth, eyes wide with horror. He just stood there and leaned on the rail, a sly smile on his lips and a glimmer of malice in his eyes.

“I think I should go to bed.” I breathed. “I don’t know what just happened… What you just did to me… But I didn’t like it. Please don’t do it again.”

Eric inclined his head, his expression unchanging, but didn’t say anything.

I turned from him and raced back to my cabin, leaving the coat where it lay, passed my guards, who were staring shocked, without a word, and through my door, all thoughts of finding Ashley long ago vanishing. I slammed it hard behind me, leaned against it as I locked it. I couldn’t breathe. My chest was so tight with emotion and trying to catch my breath.

What the f**k just happened out there? How did that man do that? He made me so comfortable, so… willing. There had been no warning. It just happened. He had to have been using magic. He did say he was one of my teachers. Was that his idea of a joke? Would the king have allowed it had he known?

My mind was spinning again. I felt more lost than before.

The only thing I knew for sure, without reason: Eric was dangerous.