Power
2463 Words
Mother waited for me in the Greathall. She wore a simple forest green chiffon gown the shade of her home realm,the dress seemed to almost be sewn onto her body. The delicate fabric gathered at the sides, anything to accentuate her wide hips.
She looked every part the graceful Queen, as I made my way to her throne she gave me a sweet smile, her honey golden brown eyes wrinkling at the corners , she was breathtaking.
I took a knee at the foot of her purple velvet lined throne arms outstretched, head down, my hair hanging freely like a curly halo.
“Your majesty” I teased , keeping my head down, turning my eyes up to look through my long lashes to see if my mother would play along. What I saw was her hand over her mouth trying with her entire body not to burst out in laughter at her clown of a daughter.
“ cough, cough, well princess you may rise” she kept her voice even and Queenly but the smile still played on her lips.
Inching closer to her on my knees I grabbed her hand. I was more than determined to get my mother to crack, it was a constant game between us.
Gently placing my lips on her opal ring was the one thing that would hopefully send her over the edge , but just as she was about to let out what i hoped would be an amazing giggle her voice sounded like wind chimes on a soft breeze, a rolled up parchment hit me directly in the center of my head making me gasp as my father the high king plopped down in his matching throne.
Giving me a stern look that said cut it out. “No more playing Elowen, time for work”
“ Yes my lord!” i spoke back straight chin out and that did the trick mothers voice filled the GreatHall with laughter, father just shook his head beaming at his lovely Queen.
All joking aside, I knew if we all were here then today was important so I needed to be on my best behavior.
“Darling daughter?” Father spoke, turning to me as I took my seat right next to the Queen.
“Yes?”
“ Where is your crown?”
“W–well it seems in my hurried state to make it to the hall i might have left it?” my lips set in a thin line shrugging just enough to make me look apologetic.
He turned away from me and at the snap of his rough fingers the court wizard appeared out of thin air, my crown dangling between his fingers.
“Forget something??” Azabel chitted.
Azabel was not only my very good friend but also my uncle 15th in line for the throne Prince of Gemheld.
“ I feel as if you would lose your head if it was not atop your neck”Azabel remarked, placing my crown lightly on my wild locks. It was a term of endearment.
“So my love, what brings us all together this day?”father questioned.
“Well dear husband we will be hosting a guest that as it seems comes with a great chance at an alliance between our torn lands.” I listened earnestly trying to understand the meaning behind their words, what type of alliance did this guest offer? What is my role in this? why did i need be present for this meeting?, my thoughts cut short as a royal guard stepped forward from the doorway to the hall and suddenly everything was quiet as he announced, “Prince Dane Drake crown prince of Drelvder first born son of king Drenan and Queen Miyra!” His face was an unreadable mask of grace and steel, no emotions shown –not a single one, nothing of the cocky boy I met on the mezza, I realized a switch had been flicked off in his mind .
I didn't realize I had been holding my breath till he bowed, his face nearly touching the ground.
“Rise, young prince, you are most welcome, our home is yours”I could hear the false sweetness in mothers tone. She surely played her role well no doubt in that.
“Thank you my Queen for your unfaltering hospitality.” his mouth set in a hard line.
The bridge of respectful and outright defiance was thin, blurred almost but whether the king and queen notice or not one cannot say.
As far as i could tell the only people who noticed the edge in his tone was myself and Azabel.
“You are most welcome, please come closer. I would very much enjoy introducing you to my daughter, the crown princess lady Elowen fen Galassmire sole heir and your future wife.” as the words left her lips like a cure placed on my soul, the world slowed and felt off its axis my stomach doing little backflips, the word(WIFE) brought the feeling of bile rising steadily in my throat . The fear must have been very clear on my face as Azbel took quick steps around Dane directly to me as I threw up all over the fool.
I could hear everyone calling my name.
“ELOWEN!!!”
“ELOWEN!!” someone shook me not so gently as my vision blurred and I slumped forward into the cold darkness.
+
Coming back into consciousness my head pounded. With a groan I opened my eyes to the soft glow of my room. Someone had carried me to mine very own bed, a big and extra fluffy fur lay over me instead of my usual thin silk sheet. Sitting up took some serious effort as nausea almost took over again, but thankfully subsided when I took a big gulp of a goblet of water placed on my side table. Taking a steading breath i dared look around and to quite a surprise i look over to the corner of my room and prince Dane was sitting upright in a tall backed reading chair peacefully snoring, light pouring in from my open window danced across his sleeping face– his stupid sleeping face i thought his face made me wat to trow up again . Why the hell was he in my room, my private space? This man I had hardly spoken no more than a few words with who now would own me. I hated him and was disgusted with my mother. How could she do this? She gave me no choice at all.
Every quiet word the long night in her office she had known this whole time had been waiting for that damn letter. Did Dane know when I told him who I was that I was to be his bride ? yet he had shamelessly flirted with me before even before he knew my name.
Anger was heavy in my mind. I was going to rain hell, how dare I be treated as if I were a mere pawn to be used at their discretion, some scheme thought up by the Queen hell bent on an alliance.
This is the down side to my mother. She did love me and cared for me greatly but she had been raised to serve this kingdom and protect it at all cost no matter what even if she lost me, her one treasure in that process.
I felt like fire, pure fire, and I wanted to burn everything to the ground. I sat and stewed in my anger letting it overtake me, so much so that I didn't notice when Dane had awakened.
“You're even beautiful when you're angry princess, you took quite a tumble. How are you feeling?”a smirk playing on his lips.
“GET OUT!” I screamed venomously at him.
He stood up swiftly, his gaze on me intense, his face showing some kind of internal battle.
“You should choose your battles wisely princess” his tone was cold and far away as he marched to my door and left slamming it in his wake.
Maybe he's just as upset as me. The thought was gone as soon as it entered my mind, he had known what he had come here to do. me as his prize, i would make him run before anything could be set in stone, run like a pup with his tail between his legs run all the way back to the iron men.
+
I decided to spend the rest of the day in my bed i refused to see anyone even Breena, i needed to hide to come up with a plan, a plan to make prince Dane leave of his own devices, i needed him gone before my ball and i didn't have much time seeing as it was only a few days off.
I started a list of abhorrent things high lady’s could do to scare off a potential suitor , it started with,
. 1 chew with my mouth open
.2 speaking my mind
.3 playing with weapons
.4 wearing pants
.5 showing my ankles
.6 burping at the dinner table
.7 playing in the mud
Just to name a few.
My want and need to tell Breena my plans was so heavy as if i could taste it but she would tell me not to go through with my plans, that i should be satisfied with what i was gifted she was ever a high lady , but me i was a wildfire a warrior and belonged only to myself.
So if prince Dane didn't want to be burned alive he would go before the embers caught his ego on fire.
Breena and Azabel came to check on me in the morning as I still denied visitors.
“Please my lady let us in” Breena pleaded through the thick cherry wood door.
Yet I continued to ignore them but not to be. I just needed time to sort my thoughts and muster the courage to go through with my plan which should be simple enough.
So to begin this day i was quite excited because today was wednesday and on wednesday i got to train. After I pulled my leather body armor and strapped the heavy steel blade to the cross body holster made just for it, I pulled on my boots and tied my mane back in a lazy ponytail. I felt so ready indeed that horribly I felt my body almost begging for the pain that would follow today's lesson.
As i strode up to my door i thanked the Goddess it opened inward because Breena and surprisingly Azabel had their ears pressed to the wood and the moment i swang it open they hit the floor losing their balance stepping back out of the way they looked up at me a sheepish smile, “we just wanted to know you were alright” Breena whispered as Azabel helped her stand. I shook my head. I can't believe I have such devoted friends though I was suddenly sad as I realized my parents had not taken the time to check on me .
“Thank you I'm just very in my head right now sword training should help though” i smiled weakly at them both “can we walk with you to the training grounds?”Azabel chimed in. Although Azabel was technically my uncle, I thought of him as more of a cousin. He was 22, so much closer in age to me than my father, his brother.
he's the youngest of 15 and just the thought made me happy i was an only child.
The sky was clear and the breeze was pleasant and fragrant, lavender, our main export and what Gemheld was known for. Its scent lingered on the breeze.
The pitch was full today, full of knights in training and current knights training them.
I looked around for Raine whose short copper hair you could see from a mile away yet it seems as if he's not here even though today is our one day to train. I dismissed Azabel but didn't dare send away Breena. I know she would just insist on staying by my side. She took being my lady in waiting very seriously.
Taking a seat on a bench right on the outskirts of the pitch i would either wait for him to show or borrow a young knight to spar with but as i waited and waited the pitch began to clear and with no sign or Raine i might as well just go off on my own maybe do some stretches or some cardio exercises to keep myself from becoming stiff and out of practise.
Time passed and I found a small square in the back of the pitch and started with my warm ups stretching one leg then the other.
I truly hated the idea of using a practice dummy but I could tell as I looked over the other knights as they averted their eyes from me that I would find not a one to train with , they feared greatly that they would hurt me, so unmoving dummy it is.
Running drill after drill slashing my heavy steel blade at the straw target, sweat pouring down my face.
I didn't want to think about my fate but my mind began to wonder as i continued hacking at the dummy anger rising in me and i got to the paint that i could no longer hold it all in me, i took a running start jumping a few feet from my target my feet almost silent on my the dirt surface then i flew blade over my head a loud growl ripped from my throat i was so light i was airborne then i pulled my blade through the target cleaving it in two like butter.
I felt so powerful and every head was turned towards me eyes wide, mouth agape as I fell to my knees panting. I felt as if everything was drained from me sweat hit the earth, while i braced my hands on the dirt i felt like i fall over, when a cool and gentle yet strong hand held my chin tilting my face up till our eyes met and something in me snapped into place as he stared me down like i put the stars in the sky and everything i felt before the hate the anger melted away in the infinite pool of Danes eyes of pure starlight.
“You are the most heavenly creature I have ever had the pleasure of knowing” his voice dark and husky as his eyes devoured me.
- Writer
