by J. G. Maltos
I let my head fall back and I stare at the ceiling. I trail the beautiful and intricate lines that decorate the ceiling which causes me to slowly doze off. As I blink through my tiredness a shadow passes through my eyes. I jolt awake, frightened of what I just saw. I rub my eyes and take a large breath in.
I am not losing my mind. It is nothing. There is no one here. I repeat to myself. But, am I alone? I lift myself off the chair and walk towards the closet, hoping to find something decent for this meeting. It is now or never.
There’s a knock on my door an hour or so after Elite Helena leaves my chambers.
“I am here to retrieve the Princess.” Koura gives a heavy bow the moment I pull the door open.
I fiddle with the sleeves of the flowy light blue dress that hang like bells from my arms, brushing the air with any movement. The longer we stay in the room, the more time I have to hideaway. “Let's go, before I change my mind.” My hands shove Koura towards the exit.
He steps away from me and halts moments before closing the door. "They want intel on the people that held you as a prisoner," he says solemnly. "That's what the meeting is about."
He and I both know well that I'd rather have glass shoved underneath my toenails than have to remember those people. But I keep my tone light, no need to make things harder than they need to be."Well, let's get this over with.”
The walk from my chambers to the Elite Advisory Room is shorter than what I remember. Or maybe it is just the knowledge of what awaits me at the end of the hall that has me wishing I had a thousand more steps after the last one.
Either way, it doesn’t help that there was an unfamiliar air surrounding Koura and me as we walked. We both remain silent as he keeps his distance, walking with a determined expression toward the Advisory Room.
Occasionally, I feel him steal glances of me as if double-checking that I am there next to him. Maybe he thinks I'll run back to my chamber at any moment and he wants to make sure to catch me. I bite back a smile at the thought.
I wouldn't run away. Not now.
Not when just having him next to me gives me the extra ounce of courage that I need to fight through my fear. I catch one of his glances and give him a warm smile. His face brightens and offers his arm which I gladly accept.
"There." I hear the smirk in his voice. "Now you know what real muscle feels like." It’s a relief to know that he’s kept his light attitude after so many years. Everything has changed so much, his jokes and his teasing are beginning to feel like an anchor to me now.
I can’t help but laugh at his comment."It's not that impressive," I say as I give his arm a light squeeze. "The guards' were more impressive if I recall correctly. Actually," I pat his shoulder teasingly, "I might mention that to the Elite since they want to know so bad. Good idea!"
I quicken my pace, noticing how Koura fell short a step behind me, absorbing my jab.
"Now, Now." He catches up as I round the corner. "I could start a bonfire with those twigs" He scoffs. "Some guards."
What is left of my anxiety evaporates as I clench my sides in laughter. I had not laughed freely like this in a long time. I have always been on edge with every movement I made. A smile is plastered on my face as I hear Koura's deep laughter bounce off the walls.
His shoulders loosen while he laughs, causing the dimples in his cheeks to deepen. How much has changed. How much has Koura changed. He is not the same troublemaker kid he once was. But, I have also changed. The question is, into what?
Koura's laugh snaps me out of my thoughts. "Stop messing around,” I manage to say, "We shouldn't keep the Elite waiting. C'mon, twig."
I tug at Koura's arm, but he pulls me back toward him with a quick tug of my wrist. I lose my footing and nearly land on his chest. I peer up at him, expecting to see his surprised expression. Koura's lips tug into a teasing smirk.
"Only if." His breath fans my face, and I find it hard to concentrate on anything other than his woodsy scent. "You declare me the strongest man alive, Princess?" His eyebrows rise as he challenges.
I shove his face away from mine. "Most annoying man alive, more like." I chuckle.
"Well," he laughs as he adjusts his jacket. "You sure know how to mess with a man's ego, Princess." Koura offers his arm once more. "C'mon, wouldn't want you to blame yours truly for being late."
I eye him suspiciously and take his arm. I smile as he is still flexing as we continue our walk.
The Great Hall expands beyond what I could have imagined, holding crystal chandeliers of overwhelming size. It is meant to hold hundreds of guests during times of celebration, although I doubt there has been any reason for celebration in years.
The hall appears to be a winter wonderland encased in a room. The walls are painted an ice blue. The only source of light is the sun that shines through a wall of glass that overlooks the whole kingdom. The extravagant floor is detailed with different types of snowflakes that sparkle as the sun hits them. The hall is empty of tables and chairs but I can only imagine how magical this place will feel like filled with people.
My silence must have alerted something in Koura. He lightly jabs an elbow to my shoulder, pulling me away from my thoughts. The pit in my stomach returns as my eyes falls on the large double doors at the end of the seemingly endless Great Hall.
Koura places a hand on each of the marble doors but pauses before turning to me. Whatever playfulness he had in his eyes is completely gone.
"The moment it becomes too heavy," he insists "Tell me. I'll get you out of there in an instant."
"Hopefully, it won't come to that," I say honestly, nodding toward the door with faux determination. "Let's not keep them waiting any longer."
I take a large breath as I feel someone's heavy glance land on me. My eyes move frantically trying to find the source of the stare but it is just Koura and myself.
I am going crazy.
“I will escort you out with just one word,” he promises. His hazel eyes hold my own. For a second, I remember the golden eyes I had once seen in the cells and the feeling of happiness and relief it brought. Now, the memory only brings the feeling of emptiness and hopelessness. His promise brings a mixture of emotions that I have no time to sort out.
He offers one last supportive wink and pushes the marble doors. Slowly, a large table unfurls before me. Elites from all the kingdoms turn to look at me. A few smiles match their gaze but there are a few that stay expressionless. Blood rushes through my ears as I feel the weight of their stare.
I haven’t had much training on public speaking but my father once said to me that the only way to reach people’s hearts is if you speak from your own.
I take a hesitant step into the room and stare back at them with the realization that I am a stranger to them, and they to me. Who knows if they are as accepting as Koura would want me to believe. My fingers flex in primal anticipation, ready to fight in any given second. I feel Koura's hand on my back, pushing me forward ever so lightly, but I unwillingly flinch at the contact.
This is not the cell. I tell myself. I am safe.
Koura's questioning eyes burn into the side of my face as he drops his hand to his side.
I offer no explanation as I take in the scene in front of me.
Down the table, I notice Frost Elite Theon at the head alongside his wife, Elite Helena. I meet their vibrant ocean eyes and they give me a welcoming smile that almost outshines the crystals adorning the sleeves of their wardrobe. To their right, a familiar face beams back at me. Given the crystals that also hang from her sleeves and her young blue eyes, I recognize her to be Frost Elite Theon and Helena's daughter, Kairah.
What I find most astonishing is the Elites sitting at the table are majority women with their husbands standing behind them. I notice first, Fire Elite Rosa Amberrian wearing a burgundy red dress that fades like a flame around her feet. She may have fire in her veins but her expression is as cold as Elite Helena's frost. Her husband, Fire Elite Joseph Amberrian, however, is the complete opposi
te of his wife. His smile brings comfort to me I did not know I needed.
Next to them, I notice Air Elite Florence Vienturah glaring at someone across the table. They both wore loose white robes that trail behind their every movement, so I can only assume they are from the same Kingdom. Tales my mother had told me flows back into my mind.
Air Elite Florence is an extraordinary woman. She is the oldest ruler at the table. She had to fight to claim her title as an Elite. Her husband also stands behind her, ignoring everyone at the table. Elite Stephen Vienturah is a generous ruler from what I remember being told. He is quite a handsome man for his age. His gray hair stands out against his dark tan skin.
My mother always insisted women could be part of the Elite counsel; she fought tirelessly to give voice to the Elite women. It appears her dreams have come true. My eyes sting at the idea of my mother not seeing her hard work become a reality.
I glance through the room one last time and notice an empty chair among them. My eyes narrow at knowing who the missing people are—Elite Zara and Amir Tydeahn. My hands ball into fists at the thought of his memory and I force the last few steps it takes to reach the table.
A familiar smell hits me like a punch in the gut. It is so sickly sweet, my temples throb as I become consumed by it. My mind runs through lost memories, trying to pinpoint where it was I came across that sweet perfume—and why it deepened the pit in my stomach. I freeze when I catch a slight movement on the corner of my eye. I start to slowly move my head, trying to be discreet but the shadow quickly disappears.
What was that?
Someone clears their throat, pulling me from my thoughts. Everyone's eyes remain fixed on me and my breathing quickens at so much attention. I subtly wipe my palms against the thighs of the dress, hoping no one notices the moisture that has built up as a result of my nerves.
Elite Theon demands the attention of the room and my chest feels lighter as everyone's gaze moves away from me and to the head of the table. Unlike me, he remains unfazed by the spotlight.
"Welcome, Everyone." His voice carries easily through the room. "To the gathering today. I'd like to start by formally welcoming Princess Althea into the Frost Kingdom." His blue eyes trap mine, but there is no malice. "After years of captivity, we have been successful in aiding her freedom—all with the help of Lead Soldier Koura, whose efforts have been tireless since he reached the Prime Age."
The sound of clapping envelopes the room, but my chest tightens once again, this time at the mention of Koura. In the Kingdoms, the Prime Age is when a soldier is granted full access to their powers and can learn full control of their element. It is still so young in terms of powers since it still takes years before the soldier is sent out on the field. If what Elite Theon said is true, Koura must have been seventeen, at most, when he took on the added stress of being in charge of my extraction.
I can't help but turn my head toward him. He's standing straight, head held high, and arms clasped behind his back. He catches my eye and winks—so fast I'm sure no one else would've caught it but me. I turned back to the table. My heart flutters and I hold myself still.
"I'm sure there is much to discuss," continues the Elite Theon. "Was there anything you would like to add before we begin, Princess?" And just like that, the Elites return their anticipation to me. Great.
I give a slow nod, fighting against the urge to shrink into myself. "I would like to express my appreciation—" My voice holds no strength compared to Elite Theon, but if my inexperience is obvious, the table shows no disdain in their faces. "—to the Elite in welcoming me into the Kingdom. I hope to repay such kindness—” I gaze at the Elites on the table, “—to the Frost Kingdom for all of their efforts, and to Koura. Who searched for me endlessly. Words cannot express how I truly feel." I remember faintly the way my mother's soft words would guide me in our royal etiquette.
Back forward. Knees bent slightly. Eyes on the ground. Exactly, Thea!
The motion seems so foreign to me now that my bones ache against my weight. When I raise my head, I'm glad to see the rest of the Elite bowing their heads to me as well.
Elite Theon waves a hand toward the empty seat. "Then, please. Take a rightful seat, Princess."
Koura carefully places a hand at the curve of my back, but this time I do not flinch away. As he walks me to my seat at the end of the table, I feel him subtly close to my ear.
"Remember. Just say the word and we're out."
"I can do it," I whisper back.
There is an uncomfortable silence as the Council waits for me to settle in.
Theon wastes no time in jumping to the case. "Let us begin with your capture."
Should've told Koura to get his running shoes.
I shift in my seat as everyone waits. In an instant, any shred of courage I had becomes a speck of dust in a sea of their attention.
"Very well. I shall try my best to accurately recount the events of my capture," I say, eyeing the table. “I simply ask for your patience. If at any point I am disrupted, I'm afraid I won't be able to continue."
Kiarah leans forward abruptly and the crystals on her sleeves clank amidst the silence of the room. "Of course! Take your time." She gives me a well-intended smile, but I can only manage a nod in response.
"It was after my element training session. I was meant to meet my Council in the Advisory Room— for our weekly lesson on Elemental History—but I must have been more tired than I thought. I remember entering my chamber for a quick rest and next thing I know, it was the middle of the night—“
I felt a small hand shaking me in my sleep, the hushed anxiety blended in with the chaos in my dreams. It was hard to decipher what was my dream and what was real. The urgent feeling of needing to wake up crept into my skin. My eyes burned with sleep as I struggled to pull them open. The sight that welcomes me becomes one of many forever engraved into my mind.
Koura's mother, Lady Pamela, was inches away from mine. The little moonlight that strayed through my window enlightened her already wide, hazel eyes. All I thought was what a pleasant surprise it was to see her because that meant that Koura wouldn’t have been far behind. He may have been the main source of my crying as a child but he was always there to protect me.
Chaos rang from the halls, dissipating all sense of sleep I had left in me. I turned and ran toward the window that was consumed by the smoke that traveled from the burning building below. A loud bomb goes off, shaking the walls and the window. I gripped the frame to steady myself.
"What is going on Lady Pamela?" My heart pounded within my chest at the sight of chaos outside my window.
"I'm sorry, child." Palema rushed and ripped me from the window, away from the chaos. "But we have to go. Gather your gear—we must head to safety."
“My boots! I had used them earlier today for training,” I explained.
“I’ll retrieve them. Now hurry, child! We don’t have much time.” Lady Pamela urged as she ran out the door to search for my boots.
A loud bang sounded within the room. I looked around frantically, trying to pinpoint the noise. I rushed to my closet and pulled my fighting gear over my nightwear. I was finishing up slipping on my thick long sleeve when I heard a gurgling cry at a distance. Lady Pamela!
"Don't you dare lay a hand on her!" My mother's voice thundered down the hall. The sounds of footsteps grew louder and louder.
They were getting closer.
My heart raced so fast I was surprised it didn't burst out from within my ribs. In seconds, my legs sprinted beneath me and slid under my bed. The floor burned a graze on my hands and knees from the friction.
The door slammed against the wall and I bit back a cry. My breath quickened and sweat collected on my forehead. From beneath the bed, I saw my mother's familiar shoes race into my room and rugged boots trail in behind her.
"We simply want the girl," hissed the man. "And you will give her to us."
"I will never tell you where she is !" My mother's raspy voice yelled back.
I tried to keep still from under the bed, but the desire to protect my mother overtook me. I moved a trembling hand towards the pocket of my training jeans. It was empty and I realized with a whimper that I left my gear on the bed.
A loud smack rang within the room, and my mother fell inches away from me. I clutched my hands against my heart, feeling her impact against the hard floor. My heart quickened, my sweaty hands balled into fists, wanting to kill the man who hit my mother.
"The order was to take the girl alive-" his screechy voice explained, "but if you retaliate, we will defend ourselves.” His boots crept closer to the side of my mother's face. "It would be a shame if you force my hand. Especially after we gave you a taste of your own medicine."
My mother turned her head, away from his taunts, just as the man pulled out a dagger. Her eyes widened the moment they met my own. She must have believed I made it out with Lady Pamela. Tears brimmed both in my vision as well as hers.
Her hand twitched toward me, but she pulled it back into a clenched fist. Our eyes never left each other. I blinked away the hot tears that were trailing down my flushed cheeks and collecting to a puddle next to my balled fist.
"I'm sorry," she whispered out so quietly, I almost thought I heard wrong. "From ashes to dust, my mind and body will return to the earth. My love will branch just as strong. For I am with you like the air you breathe.” I bite at my fist trying to suppress the sound of my hysteric crying. Fight, I wanted to scream out to her, use your abilities! But fear held my tongue.
He laughs one loud and emotionless laugh. "That was lovely, but not the answer I am wanting. Back to the Earth, My Queen."
The blade split the air, straight through my mother's heart and into the marble floor. The blade twisted in her chest and the gasp from her last breath escaped her battered lips. Her eyes never left my own.
My breathing became jagged, fighting my inner struggle to scream and fight. I had yet to reach the Prime age, so without my sword and my abilities I was useless.