The Guardian Queen

Chapter Two

~ Ember

*

I clung to Aunt Beth’s hand for support as we made our way to the main floor of Eden’s enormous castle, my nerves growing with every step we took. When we reached a pair of ivory doors, I froze, wary of what kind of reception awaited me on the other side. “No matter what they say,” Aunt Beth said, squeezing my hand, “you always have me.” I relaxed a bit and replied, “I know.”

*

Aunt Beth released my hand and fell into my shadow as I reached for the handle and pushed open the lefthand door. Inside the parlor, morning light streamed through half a dozen towering windows. Considering the ample space, the circular room containted few pieces of furniture. Two rounded sofas were positioned opposite one another, and the absence of a coffee table showcased the beautiful antique rug in rich colors of blue, indigo, and gold.

*

At my approach, the man and woman, seated on righthand sofa, instantly stood. The man looked around the same age as Obsidian, and nearly as tall, while the red-haired woman at his side appeared to be his mother. Her green eyes lit up as she looked me over seconds before rushing to embrace me.

*

Stunned by the woman’s familiarity, my body went rigid. Though my brain recognized her as my great-grandmother, my heart viewed her as little more than a stranger, and I was at a loss on how to react.

“I can’t believe it,” she expressed, her voice dripping with emotion. I could practically taste the genuine affection she poured into her firm hug. “After all this time, I can’t believe I am finally holding my great-granddaughter.”

*

When the woman finally released me, she continued, “My name is Adora. But you can call me Nana Dora.” The younger man, who bore great familial resemblance, stepped forward for his turn to hug me. Afterward, he held me by the shoulders, examined my face, and stated, “You share your mother’s smile.”

“And her adorable little nose,” Adora added. “Do you see it, Uley?”

“I do.”

*

Ulysses Craddock’s gaze shifted behind me. “Annabeth,” he greeted stifly. “Been a long time.”

“Yes, it has,” she responded civilly. A brief moment of tension lingered in the air until Adora suggested, “Let’s sit down. We have much to discuss.”

*

Aunt Beth and I made ourselves comfortable on the plush ice-blue velvet sofa across from my grandparents. The tension turned into uneasiness as all four of us were unsure of where to begin. Eager to fill the awkward silence, I cleared my throat and said, “Um, forgive me for being so blunt, but… why are you here?” A brief look of surprise passed over Adora’s face. She looked at her son before turning back to me and replying as though it were obvious, “Well, to meet our granddaughter, of course.”

“I think what Ember means,” Aunt Beth interjected, “is why now? Surely you became aware of her existance months ago when the press first put her in the spotlight?”

*

My grandfather softly nodded and admitted, “We did.”

“So, if you wanted to meet me,” I said, “why did it take you this long to reach out?”

“Truthfully,” Adora began, “when we learned of our connection to an unknown, we assumed that someone from the royal guard would get in contact with us.”

“That’s no excuse,” Aunt Beth muttered. Ignoring her, Ulysses said, “Then, after you became the king’s companion, we began to wonder if the reason no one had gotten in touch with us was because you wished to keep your distance.” Adding her support, Adora concluded, “We thought perhaps you had no interest in knowing us.” I nodded in acceptance but remained lost on how to continue.

*

In my silence, Aunt Beth seized an opportunity, stating, “Oh just admit it! You were repulsed by the idea of being associated with an unknown.” Shifting to the edge of his seat, Ulysses clasped his hands and replied, “We admit to being embarrassed, but it had nothing to do with you being an unknown. Rather… well, because we are partially to blame that you’d become one in the first place.”

“What do you mean?” I asked.

“It doesn’t matter now. We cannot change the past.” Adora placed her hand on her son’s forearm and added, “All we can do now is try to safeguard your future.”

*

Ulyssess softly cleared his throat and continued, “We wanted you to know how deeply we regret staying away. We should have reached out to you the moment the news reached us that you were in Middlebrook.”

“Yes, you should have,” Beth bit back, crossing her arms over her chest. Distrust and resentment radiated off of her. I touched her shoulder and said, “Aunt Beth, it’s okay.”

“No, Ember, it’s suspicious at best.” Nodding, Ulysses replied, “We understand why you would feel that way, given everything that happened with Annalise. But I promise, we care for nothing but Ember’s well-being and the chance to form a relationship with our only grandchild.” Their words rang true. However, thanks to my empath ability, I suspected there was more behind their motives.

*

Offering a hopeful smile, I said, “I’m glad you decided to reach out now. I’ve always wondered what it would be like to have a bigger family.” My grandfather and great-grandmother sighed with noticeable relief and their shoulders visibly relaxed. They spared each other a brief smile before turning back to me. “We are so pleased you feel that way,” Adora said. “Perhaps that means you will be open to our offer.”

“Offer?” I repeated. Ulysses looked at his mother, who nodded encouragingly. He returned his attention to me and said, “We’d like you to stay in Eden… with us.”

*

My eyes grew wide, thrown by my grandparents’ out-of-the-blue invitation to relocate to Eden and live under their roof. I fought the urge to turn them down flat. Instead, I respectfully replied, “I’m… um, I’m touched by your offer—” Sensing my rebuttal, Adora interjected, “Ember, you come from a long line of noble guardians. Please allow us the opportunity to take you under our wing and teach you all about your heritage.”

“God chose you for a reason, Ember,” Ulysses pointed out. “And while we are immensly proud of what you’ve managed to accomplish with your limited understanding of our world, you remain half the person you were meant to be. Until you know where you come from, you’ll never be the ruler you were created to be.”

“Your reign will span decades. Our time with you, however, is much more limited. Please grant us just a couple years in which to impart many centuries worth of familial wisdom before you pursue your destined path.”

*

Speechless, my mouth hung open. Nevermind the fact their rationale was laced with insults, the mere suggestion of not returning to Ilia alongside Phoenix was inconceivable. Ilia had granted me my first taste of belonging, a belonging that was instantly dwarfed the moment I stared into Phoenix’s golden gaze, and one that had solidified with the acceptance of our bond and shared destiny. Merely the thought of parting with him, even temporarily, felt just plain wrong. I didn’t need to look at Aunt Beth to know she was just as flabbergasted by the idea as I was.

*

Doubling down, Ulysses continued, “From observing your trial, we understand there was much your mother never told you. I can’t imagine how lost and alone you must have felt when you discovered the truth of who you are.”

“She wasn’t alone,” Beth refuted in quiet anger. Paying her no mind, Adora professed, “It would be a great honor to teach you about who you were meant to be as well as what you are capable of.”

*

On the surface, their words seemed so well-intentioned, yet I resented them and their offer that might have been welcomed four months ago. Much had changed in those months— I had changed. No, change wasn’t the right word. I had transformed.

*

My epiphany from that morning ran through my mind. Recognizing my true self shine through in my reflection and with it the understanding that Phoenix had always seen the raw truth beneath my facade made my grandfather’s reasoning downright laughable. If I had any remaining doubt about who I was, I felt certain the only person on earth qualified to enlighten me was my soulmate himself.

*

Ulysses leaned forward, resting his forearms on his knees as he said, “Please understand that we only have your best interests at heart. There is still so much about our kind that you do not know or comprehend.”

“What makes you so confident you are the right person to teach her?” Aunt Beth challenged, clearly as agitated by the conversation as I. My grandfather’s less-than-friendly gaze turned on her as he confidently answered, “Apart from being her grandparents— our invaluable experience and collective wisdom.” Looking back at me, he went on, “Ember, you cannot hope to rule the guardians without knowing what it means to be one.”

*

Again, I was rendered speechless. Peering into the faces of my mother’s family, all I saw staring back at me was judgment. They viewed me as nothing more than a newborn fawn with wide, innocent eyes. They hadn’t the faintest clue what I’d been through the past four months, say nothing of the past twenty-four years. Otherwise, they never would’ve even thought to imply such nonsense. Still, these were my elders, and despite the pang of hurt over their judgment, I chose to proceed with as much grace as I could muster.

*

“With respect,” I calmly began. “I am no longer the unknown I was when I arrived in Middlebrook.”

“Oh, we would never suggest that you were,” Adora promptly corrected.

“You just did,” Aunt Beth said under her breath.

“We’re merely pointing out that there is still so much more for you to learn. And we believe that the best way to educate you would be for you to stay with us for a while.”

“Two years?” I clarified.

“It’s a start.”

*

Again I supressed the urge to turn down the offer outright and replied, “Look, I know you mean well, but can’t you see how that would be impossible for me? Aside from a number of reasons I can’t leave Ilia, do you really expect me to live apart from Phoenix for two full years?”

“If he truly loves you he will see that this is what’s best for your future.”

“Spoken like someone with no comprehension of destined companions,” Aunt Beth stated with a roll of her eyes. “Ember cannot be parted from the king for an extended period of time without suffering crushing anxiety.” I spared my aunt an inquisitive glance, and she replied in a whisper, “I’ve done a little research since you told me.” My heart swelled with affection for Beth, and from her support I gained renewed fortitude.

*

Adora, however, ignored Aunt Beth entirely and charged forward, saying, “You need to trust us, Ember darling. There’s a great deal you need to learn about our family’s history, where you come from, your abilities, and even yourself. Let us help you determine what kind of queen you want to be.”

“With us,” Ulysses said, hoping to bolster his mother’s argument, “you will have infinite possibilities for your future. Not to mention the protection of our good name and benefit of our unlimited resources.” Seeing my hesitation, he added, “Ember, this is what your mother would want for you.”

*

A sharp scoff flew out of my mouth before I could hold back as the conversation took a downward turn. “What my mother would want,” I murmured in irritation. Aunt Beth, understanding the weight on my heart, spoke up, “You have a lot of nerve saying that to her.”

“This is Ember’s decision. Not yours,” he snapped back, obviously annoyed by her interference. However, my loving aunt would not be dismissed. She dug her heels in, stating, “I will support Ember in whatever choice she makes. But I will NOT sit in silence while you invoke her mother’s name, claiming to know her will. You lost that right the day you turned your backs on Lisa.”

*

Attempting to curb his rising ire, Adora placed a hand on her son’s shoulder and calmly said, “We didn’t come to hash out the past.”

“You cannot pretend like the past has no bearing on the present.” Ignoring Aunt Beth again, Adora continued, “Ember, we have so much to offer you. For starters, the promise of a bright and shining future.” I laughed sarcastically and replied, “If you truly believe that is within your power to promise, then clearly you haven’t been paying attention.”

“We know, you’ve endured so much the past two days—”

“Two days? Try five years!” I exclaimed, losing what was left of my patience. “I’ve taken one hit after another since my mom died.”

“All the more reason you should let us care for you and ensure that what happened with Annalise does not happen to you.”

“Mother,” Ulysses sharply reproached.

“I don’t understand what you mean by that,” I said, looking from one to the other. Adora bit her lip, already punishing herself for saying too much.

*

When neither my grandparents nor Aunt Beth decided to elaborate, I sighed and said, “Can you at least explain what you fear will happen to me if I don’t accept your offer?”

“The mere fact that you need to ask is proof of how little you understand about the guardian way of life.” I empathetically deduced no ill intent in Adora’s comment though it was hard not to take it as an attack. I shrugged it off and replied, “You may be right. Although I can’t imagine what more could happen to me that hasn’t already, there is still so much I have to learn about our world, especially if I hope to rule it.” I shifted to the edge of the couch, straightened my shoulders, and continued, “I do know this, however, that despite all obstacles, I’ve managed to not only find myself but I’ve earned the respect of the general public. I’ve accomplished a great deal lately without your guidance. So, what makes you certain that I need it now?”

“Because the greatest threat to your future isn’t public opinion,” Adora claimed, “it’s within the walls of the castle itself.”

*

My eyes narrowed in confusion and I asked, “What are you talking about?” Ulysses looked at me with certainty and stated, “It is the king you need to be wary of, Ember.”

“Excuse me?”

“Okay, that’s enough,” my aunt blurted out, jumping to her feet.

“Stay out of this, Beth,” my grandfather growled as he also abandonded his seat. “I know what I’m talking about.”

“No, clearly you are just as blind as you were twenty-five years ago!”

*

“I’m sorry,” I said, puzzled, “but just to clarify— you believe the greatest threat to my future is Phoenix? As in, my soulmate?”

“Don’t be swayed by emotions, child,” he replied, angering me further with his dismissive tone and derogatory form of address. “Your nascent love only serves to lead you astray. The king will use that to his advantage and snuff out the light God has instilled in you.”

“You’ve only known him a short while, Ember darling,” Adora pointed out. “You don’t know the kind of man he was before you entered his life, or before he became king for that matter.”

“I know far more about his past than either of you!” I snapped back, losing the battle with my rising anger. I could handle an attack against myself. But I would not tolerate shots fired at the man I loved.

*

I was not the only one losing patience with the conversation. Adora’s previously calm tone was tinged with annoyance as she said, “Such a display of niaviety only proves our point.”

“And your display of arogance and superiority only proves mine.” Adora bit her lip in irritation as I went on, “You don’t know me. You don’t know Phoenix. And you certainly don’t know what we’ve been through together. To imply otherwise is a disrespect I will not tolerate.”

*

“You’re right,” Ulysses admitted, attempting to be the voice of reason. “It’s true, we know very little of your relationship with the king. Regardless, trust that we speak from experience when we say you can’t truly know the kind of person you’re with until his power and authority comes into question. He will turn on you in an instant should there be any possibility of you surpassing him.”

*

Aunt Beth crossed her arms again and muttered, “Oh this is ridiculous,” proving we were still of one mind. Ulysses matched Beth’s stance, crossing his arms as he argued, “Guardian kings have ruled alone for over a thousand years. Meaning, King Phoenix has had ZERO examples of co-ruling to follow.” Looking from Beth to me he added, “He will expect you to know your place and that place is in his shadow.”

*

“You only know Phoenix as king,” I replied with a deceptive calm while my anger simmered beneath the surface. “You have no idea what kind of man he is at heart.”

“I know he’s done nothing but put a target on your back since you set foot in guardian territory.” When I inadvertently rolled my eyes, Ulysses held up a hand and began counting off what he considered to be Phoenix’s greatest offenses. “In your brief time as his companion, the press has raked over the coals, you’ve been subjected to the harsh scrutiny of the Royal Court, put through a trial by the Council of Elders, and, the cherry on top, sentenced to a smiting ritual!” Judging by the redness creeping over his face, I wasn’t the only one losing a battle with anger. “Have I left anything out?”

*

Before I could utter a word in rebuttal, Aunt Beth beat me to the punch. As she inserted herself directly between me and my grandfather, I was floored by the way she jumped to Phoenix’s defense. “If you’d bothered to show up before today,” she said, “you’d know the lengths His Majesty has gone to for Ember’s sake. He’s more than proven his devotion to her, sheltering and protecting her with his life. He’s put his own reputaion on the line, risking even his own reign, to ensure her future. Above all this, he’s given Ember the support and freedom to choose her own path.”

“Pfft,choice,” he scoffed. “Oh yes, who cares that she was put through the public torment of a smiting?” Facing Adora, he facetiously added, “If ever again her life or reign are threatened, we needn’t worry, mother. Surely her choice will save her.” His sarcasm stoked my ire.

*

I promptly got to my feet, gently nudging my aunt out of my way as I stared down my grandfather and asserted myself. “You claim to have all this vast experience and unrivled wisdom, but your ignorance betrays you.” Ulysses pursed his lips and replied, “Clearly your mother never taught you to respect those who’ve come before you.”

“It is only out of respect for you, which you’ve yet to earn by the way, that I’ve allowed the conversation to go this far. My mother taught me that genuine respect should go both ways. And you’ve proven your lack of respect for me by challenging my ability to navigate this world without your aid and questioning the relationship between me and my destined companion. I may not know much about you, but I strongly suspect you’d never tolerate the same remarks you’ve made toward me.”

*

Ulysses clenched his jaw and took a deep breath. When he exhaled, he said, “I’m sorry, Ember. In my desire to protect you, I’ve neglected to treat you with the respect you’re due.” I suspected that Ulysses’ willingness to exercise humility stemmed from past experience— an experience Adora either didn’t share or hadn’t learned from. “If you hope to obtain the admiration of your subjects,” she said, “you’d be wise to yield to those who know better.”

“Mother,” Ulysses warned out of the corner of his mouth. Ignoring him, she went on, “Perhaps if you possessed as much maturity as you think you do, you’d understand where we are coming from rather than getting unessecarilly defensive. We are on your side, after all.”

“I’ve yet to see any evidence of that,” Aunt Beth countered.

*

“When I said your ignorance betrays you,” I explained, “I meant that it’s obvious you don’t see the significance of what’s happened lately.”

“What significance?” Ulysses questioned.

“The events that you so callously blame on my companion were in fact the result of destiny asserting itself. Phoenix had no power to prevent the trial or the ritual; they needed to happen, if for nothing else than to prepare the entire guardian kingdom for the return of the queen.”

“I’m not sure I believe that to be the case.”

“Then believe this— it is only because of what I’ve endured these past four months that I can stand here before you ready to persue my destined path. All the while, Phoenix bravely put aside his fear for my safety to support me through it all. So don’t you dare criticise my companion when you cannot begin to understand his perspective.”

*

“Ember’s right,” Aunt Beth said. “As difficult as it has been watching her endure it all, everything that’s happened recently was meant to be. And I doubt any of us have suffered as much as her destined companion.” Directing his response to me, Ulysses said, “Have you even considered the idea that you have taken the path of most resistance and that it is entiry possible for you to have achieved the same results without near as much turmoil?” The greatest change I’d undergone in the past forty-eight hours was the acceptance that I was born to be queen. And deep down I knew— a queen wouldn’t stand for being spoken to in such a way. However, regardless of that acceptance, fighting a lifetime of inner nature was easier said than done.

*

Adora attempted to bridge the gap, saying, “We only want what is best for you, Ember. To guide your education, your training, and to prevent you from going down the same path as your mother.” Tried as I might to tell myself that the past was in the past, the fact that it had repeatedly steered the conversation led me to percieve its influence over the present. “If you intend to base your argument for me staying in Eden around what happened in my mom’s past, then you will have to explain what that was, as well as your part in it.”

*

Once again an uneasy silence fell over the parlor. Hesitaion and deep seated regret rolled off my grandfather as he looked to his mother for guidance. After Adora nodded at her son, he faced me again and let out a long sigh of concession. “Annalise was incredibly gifted,” he began. “If not for…” he cleared his throat, “outside interference, she could have earned a place on the Royal Court, possibly even higher.”

“Outside interference?” I questioned.

“He’s talking about your dad,” Aunt Beth explained, staring daggers at Ulysses.

“Of course he’s talking about Jonas,” Adora confirmed with disgust.

“She was destined to become a renowned guardian,” my grandfather clarified. “If not for him, Annalise would have become a great leader and person of influence in our society. She had the talent and fortitude to go make guardian history.”

*

It didn’t come as a surprise to me that my mom had great potential. Even after becoming a part of the guardian world, I always considered her one of the most resourceful people I’d ever known. What triggered my confusion was trying to picture her serving as an active guardian much less as a member of the Royal Court. It simply was not in line with her personality.

*

“She didn’t want that,” Aunt Beth uttered, confirming what I already knew about my mom.

“She had no idea what she wanted,” Ulysses argued. “By the time she graduated from the academy, she had already fallen under your brother’s spell. I was her father. I knew what was best for her.”

“Like you know what’s best for Ember? Taking her away from her destined companion?”

“Not permanently,” Adora clarified. “We merely want to ensure she is mature enough to be her own person without the influence of her love of the king.”

“I know who I am,” I stated.

“No offense, dear, but you didn’t even know you were a guardian until a few months ago.” There was an edge to her voice that hadn’t shown itself before.

“Until you have fully embraced who you are,” Ulysses added, “King Phoenix will snuff out your light just like Jonas did to my Annalise. He stole the path that was rightfully hers… and he got what he desrerved for it.”

*

My heart dropped. Knowing my grandfather didn’t aprove of my dad was one thing. But hearing the lack of feeling in his voice when he referenced his death came as a shock I wasn’t prepared for. In search of an ally, I turned to Aunt Beth only to find the color drained from her face. She glowerd at Ulysses and hissed, “You heartless bastard. To speak such things to Ember about her own father, the same man your daughter loved—”

“Don’t go there, Beth.” he replied dismissively. “Surely even you can see that Annalise’s death was entirely avoidable. Even if it wasn’t, it is thanks to Jonas that we missed out on the past thirty years of her life!”

“And surely you see that without Jonas there would be no Ember.”

“Everyone has at least one redeeming quality.”

“How dare you!” As Beth took one angry step forward, I instanly seized her arm.

*

My aunt’s head snapped in my direction. Seeing the resolve on my face, she retreated. A raw power swelled inside me, mixing with my fury and disolving what was left of my self-control. Sensing the storm brewing, Adora stood beside her son, showing support by grasping his arm. This only fueled my anger. “Now I see why Mom never wasted a single breath on you,” I uttered. “You aren’t worth a second thought or an ounce of grief—

“Ember—”

“I am speaking!” My royal voice asserted itself, overpowering my nonconfrontational nature.

*

“I believed I was honoring my mother by giving you the chance to establish a relationship with me. But so far you’ve done nothing but insult my intellegence, belittle my understanding of our world, criticize my companion, and disparage the memory of my father. My mom would never expect me to stand for such a degree of insult nor would she want me to.”

*

My fists clenched tightly and the atmosphere in the room morphed into something foreign and sinister. Though speaking the truth of my heart should have eased the mounting pressure inside me, it only grew more severe. My family felt it too, apparent by the pale palor on their striken faces.

*

As I fought to regain control of myself, all attention suddenly snapped toward the entrance as the parlor doors flew open and smashed into the wall. Eveything fell unaturally quiet and the tension threatened to implode as a tall, broad figure loomed in the doorway with a powerful stance. No one made a move nor said a word, but stood paralyzed by the calculative gaze of the guardian king.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~