Demon's Height

Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Liorn was gone. He had gone before her and Melinia noticed that morning that she slept in the bed alone. He wasn't sleeping next to her nor was there any morning sneaking around as she gave out a sigh in peace either from comfort or relief.

With a knock the Nurse entered the chamber holding a tray. "Morn' me lady" She spoke in her accent that Melinia was starting to become accustomed to. She sat up and smiled at the old-aged woman who took care of her. "Morning Mya" She answered back as she sat up and let the woman place the tray over her lap.

They sat and conversated about the uproar in the town about the previous marriage festivities. Melinia had one thought she really wanted to ask. "Thank you, Mya, I have a question to ask"

"Ask away child" Nurse Mya suggested with great kindness. "How is it that you are not afraid of my lord?" She asked in a hushed voice. Nurse Mya laughed hysterically as if Melinia had told a great jest. "Ah me Lady, the trick is to see through to him. Ye birthed him since he was a wee lad then ye watch him grow, ye see through thy shield" The nurse explained.

Melinia realized that she really didn't understand what the Nurse had just explained to her. With a blank expression on her face the nurse gave a smile and picked up a red rose that was on the tray. "Like the rose, after you prick the thorns off this beautiful flower ye can finally hold thy flower in hand without pain. But thy flower is now vulnerable without its thorns, it's open to ye to break it." She handed her the single rose. "Courtesy of ye King" She explained.

Melinia looked at the rose spinning the beautiful flower in a circle trying to find out what the Nurse had just told her, trying to find the secret to understanding Liorn.

In his study, Liorn sat on a chair at his desk staring into the message that was sent to him. The message was sent from Kitar, a small Ducal north from Fawn. The letter stated that the treaty of their unstable relationship is now receding and the Archduke has new authority over Kitar. For some unknown reason they want to wage a small civil war within its own territories to fight against the government and the bandits that called it home.

It is true Liorn never actually had contact with the council of Kitar. Even though they were close in region the two never "gambled" much. A couple of seasons ago he had heard about Kitar's Grand Duke's initiation but nothing was ever said about the outcome and they had all but given the City to the thieves.

He rubbed his temple and leaned back in the chair. In this time he didn't want to think about any treaties, wars, political problems. He wanted to daze off and think about his wife and how to get in her good graces so that she was no longer afraid of him. Perhaps he would give her space to herself and she might become less tense and hopefully- pray to the gods- she would be less afraid of him.

Liorn imagined her beautiful real smile.

He remembered once when they were both younger when he was about twelve, his council and King Regent was taking place for him, met at Shimon for an audience. He was young at the time and was unable to take his place on the throne as he ventured off from the others and found three sisters playing in a river. One was taller than the rest and he knew now that was Princess Lucianda, at the age of sixteen, second eldest Princess Tristani, three years younger, and Melinia who babied all of them. They all laughed in their peasant garments in the river catching water and fishes that swam upstream. After he watched as one of the nursemaids came and scolded at them for getting dirty then told them to get cleaned for their snack.

Melinia stayed behind to catch this fish she had her eyes on the whole time they played. One of the guards from Fawn shouted for the young Prince making Liorn flinch making rackling noises from the brush he hidden himself in. She had looked his way and then walked over to the bush. Liorn ducked so he was well hidden from the young Princess for if she found him, she would blow his cover. Melinia had snooped around the brush for a little and ran to the river and grabbed a small dandelion from the field next to the river and placed the flower in front of the brush. "A flower for the fairy" She squealed in happiness and ran off to her own maid.

Unconsciously, Liorn held a small crystal necklace in his hand and rubbed it on his palm. That day back then he took the weed and ran to his councils with the weed in his pocket. He got scolded by the lieutenant in charge and by the King Regent. When they got back to Fawn, he pestered his nurse to keep the weed alive. She took him to a blacksmith and had the blacksmith "freeze" the weed into a crystal. Liorn closed his eyes and prayed into it. "Please make her love me". Then hid the crystal back in his tunic before looking at the other stacks of messages that littered his desk and required his signature.