Amythest dreams

Chapter one:

Iredesa looked around the grand room, utterly bored. Nobles, lords, and ladies glided around the room, their fine clothes flowing and sweeping to the sound of the music. Laughter and the tinkling of fine china echoed off the marble walls and floor. She stood on the outskirts, sipping a glass of wine, wishing she was anywhere but surrounded by these people and their fake conversations of good will and their underlying boasting of all their good fortune. She could see the way their eyes flitted around, looking for any weakness to use for their own personal gain. The way they whispered amongst each other about each other, all the while acting as if they were as thick as thieves. She couldn't stand the constant eyes upon her. The pointed glances as they wondered about when she would marry the lord her father was suppose to be giving her hand to. Giving... She hated that thought. As if her opinion or her own wants and wishes were irrelevant. As if she was cattle to be traded away to the highest bidder. No more than just a bargaining chip for a more ostentatious position in the court. That was the reason for the outlandish party. The never ending supply of food and drink and grandeur that set her teeth on edge. The lord in question would be arriving soon and her father wanted to make the best impression. Wanted him to see the splendor and honor of marrying the only daughter of house Fletcher. At this point she was sure that her father was desperate.

She was, by all accounts, what people would call an oddity, possibly even a spinster. Though none would be so bold as to say it in the open. At twenty years of age noone had dared to ask of her hand. Never mind her father was very wealthy and had high standing in the court. He was,after all, the man who had built the largest arrow industry throughout the kingdom. Never mind that Iredesa was by no means ugly. With hair the color of polished onyx and skin that looked to have been kissed by the moon. She was shapely enough. It was her eyes that kept any suitable match from striking a bargain with her father for her hand. Her eyes were the color of clear amythest. The people of Farenthia claimed that her eyes foretold of dangerous tidings. The rumor strengthened by the fact that her mother had died during childbirth. So her father had had to search far and wide to find a lord who was willing to look past her "affliction" and accept her hand in marriage, and the rather large dowrey her father had offered as a consilation to the joining.

Iredesa had railed at her father, content on never marrying if it meant that she would not marry for love but for power and money. Had begged and pleaded. Her father had ignored her cries, all the while looking stricken. He had always tried to be a kind and just father, allowing her the freedom to speak up and be heard. He had never hesitated in listening to her and taking her advice. But at this he would not, could not bend. At least, that was what he had said as he walked away and sealed her fate. She had cried herself to sleep that night, wishing she could run away from her duty. Two months had past since he had told her. Word had came a month later that Lord Kallan would be coming to "collect" her when the first blooms began to fall from the cherry trees. Her father had begun preparing for his arrival and the kingdom had been abuzz with the talk of the mysterious lord and his betrothal to the strange daughter of house Fletcher.

So here she sat, dressed in a dazzling topaz colored gown. Her hail coiled and piled high up on her with ringlets framing her face. A gorgeous necklace adorned with topaz and onyx cirlcled her neck and trailed down to disappear into the bodice of her dress. She felt that she looked like a shiny offering for her betrothed. It made her sick. Any minute now he would come waltzing in and her life would be over. She would become a pretty arm piece to show off. She would never again be allowed to stand in on meetings that were deemed for men. She would probably be lucky to be allowed to continue reading.. In public anyways, she thought to herself. There was no way she was going to give up the escape of books. Her father had taught her to read after she had begged him to. She had soaked up the words, lost in the fantasy and possibilities they offered. She would not give that up escape to her husband. No, she thought smiling, her betrothed was in for quite a surprise if he expected her to be quiet and obedient.

Noone had approached her to offer congratulations. They were all too terrified of her to actually get close. Which was just as well seeing as she preferred they stay away. She knew they only came to the betrothal party to glimpse her future husband and gain good favor with her father. And to gossip of course. She sighed, wishing the night was over and that Lord Kallan decided he would rather not journey to unknown lands and marry a girl that was an outcast of her own people. Suddenly a ripple of energy filled the room. Every hair on her body stood up as the crowd got quiet. Her father looked up from his cup with concern, excitement, confusion, and anticipation on his face. The man he was talking to, Edgar Hamilton almost broke his neck trying to turn around. It would have been enough to make Iredesa laugh had she not felt as if her body had a current of electricity running through it. He had arrived.

The room went quiet as the most stunningly handsome and also equally terrifying man walked through the double doors. He was tall and lean, and walked with an air of confidence. His hair was the color of the darkest night and his skin the color of cream. He wore a tunic of blue and silver that seemed to have been made of the finest fabric she had ever seen. But that wasn't what had captured her attention. His eyes.. They were so blue they almost seemed to glow and angled in a way that betrayed his race. This man was not human. Her eyes traveled to his ears to see that they were also angled. He was fae.

"What is the meaning of this?" Iredesa heard her father bellow as he stepped towards the fae man. "Who are you?" The man simply smiled, his teeth showing. "One would think that you would know the guests you invite into your home. Especially the ones you have betrothed your daughter to." His voice was like silk and ice. It made chills crawl down her spine. " Lord Kallan?" her father asked, taking a step back. Iredesa could hardly breathe from the power that radiated from Lord Kallan as he smiled even more, looking like a wolf who had found his prey. "It's Prince Kallan actually. Prince Kallan Sable. And you are Lord Fletcher. And this," he said looking at me with satisfaction, " must be my bride to be. Now that we are all acquainted I would assume that you humans do have some form of hospitality and would like to offer me a drink?"

Iredesas' mind seemed to be working slowly, but she finally realized that she was to marry a prince of the fae lands. One whos last name translated to darkness. One who radiated power from every pore in his body. "NO!" she said, standing up. Prince Kallan looked, arching one eyebrow in amusement. "No? You do not have basic manners?" Iredesa stepped forward, her skin heating with anger at his smug amusement. Not really caring that the fae were a powerful and deadly kind. Not caring that they were suppose to be on the other side of the barrier away from humans ever since The Gathering of the Hunt. Not caring at all that he could probably take her out with just a twitch of his fingers. "No I will not be marrying you. I refuse. Father?" she looked to her father, questions and confusion burning. The people around her stood quiet and nervously, not wanting to attract the attention of the fae that laughed from her denial. His laugh was like the sound of bells and swords all at the same time. Light and beautiful, yet sharp and brutal as well. It made Iredesa want to run. But if it was away from or towards him she was not sure.

"No? A woman telling me no. That is something new. And a human woman at that. I was under the impression that you human women really didn't have a say in your partner. That you went where you were told." Iredesa fumed at the man."I have never been one to keep my mouth shut. So why would I start now? She could have sworn that she saw a flicker of satisfaction in his eyes but when she blinked they looked the same as before. That strange blue and ice cold. She looked to her father yet again as he hadn't yet said a single word since Prince Kallan revealed who he was. "Father? Did you know? That the man you betrothed me to was Fae? That you were condemning me to a life on the other side of the border? Did you?" she asked, her heart pounding in her chest.

" Of course I didn't Iredesa. I would have never agreed to this union if I had. I had sent horses carrying letters throughout the land to find a lord for you. To find a man worth your unique beauty. His letter was the only letter that I recieved in return." Her father glanced warily at Prince Kallan. " When he agreed to the union I assumed he was human." Prince Kallan stepped closer, his face a mask of calm certainty. " That is why one should never assume who his talking to. And should never agree to give his daughter to a man he has not yet met." Her father stepped back and raw power flowed through the room. The guests gasped, some clutching their heads as it strengthened. "That is also why you should make extra special care when sending horses throughout the land telling tales of a beautiful woman with eyes that glow like amythest jewels and skin that is as white as the moonlight. And a dowrey that would make most humble men turn traitor to their lands to get. You bragged on the fair beauty of your daughter. On how she would make a proper wife and how any man would be lucky to have her. I answered. I am a man. You never asked if I was a human or fae man when you corrosponded with me. That was your own failing. However, you and I have an agreement. I have upheld my end of the bargain. I am here to collect what is rightfully mine."

" Rightfully yours? You arrogant, low down, egotistical... I belong to nobody. I am my own person and you do not hold any sort of claim on me! My father may have made a deal for my hand in marriage with you but you best have no doubt that I am no ones property." Iredesa yelled at him, stepping closer to him with every word until she was right up against him. She was close enough to him to be able to smell him. He smelled of lavender and what she could only describe as the night sky. Something stirred in her at the scent. She stepped back unnerved, but unwilling to let him have the satisfaction of knowing that she was affected by him. Prince Kallan chuckled, his laugh low and clear. " You will fit in nicely in my court I do believe Lady Fletcher. Now is this a party or should we just go ahead and skip straight to the end? I cannot dwell too long. It just wouldn't do for me to be tarrying here in human lands when my people are awaiting the arrival of their new princess."

Princess? Her? Iredesa balked at the idea. Surely Prince Kallan was joking. She would never leave her land. Much less to go be a princess to some fae kingdom that was surely a living nightmare. That would expect her to be subservient to her husband. She would be powerless seeing as she was mortal and the fae were not. They had gifts. Frightening and powerful gifts. The stories told her of fae that could make the elements do their bidding. And others that could control the horrid monsters that roamed the lands. Even fae that could take over the minds of others and force them to do horrible things to those they loved. Some didn't even look like man, taking instead the shape of beasts. They lived amongst the trees and even the water waiting for some unsuspecting fool to come close so they could drag them to certain death. Iredesa couldn't fathom living there. Much less with a man that she was certain would smother her independence and make her nothing more than something to be stared at. No. She would not be leaving with him. But he wouldn't leave without her. Of that she was sure. He'd crossed the border. Had ventured into enemy territory to take her as his bride. She wasn't sure why he did. She was just a human. But she knew that if she was to get out of this marriage she would have to run.

"Father. I'm going to retire to my chambers now. If you'll excuse me Prince Kallan." she said hoping that her heartbeat didn't betray her plans. She practically ran from the ballroom, barely even paying attention the the guests as they watched her with fear and curiosity in their eyes. As she slipped through the doors she could have sworn she heard the faint whisper "I told you that one was cursed."