Royal Blood

by Faith Soprano

  “You must be Licky,” Carla said, extending her arm for a handshake.

  “And you must be Carla.” Licky took off one of her gloves to shake Carla’s hand. “I’ve heard a lot about you. It’s about time we met.”

  “You’ve heard a lot about me?”

  “Oh yes. Everyone’s abuzz about the new person that made Rich excited about gardening again, and then stole the princess’ heart.”

  “I...” Carla’s mouth dropped open.

  “Oh, don’t worry. Everyone’s really happy for you and Ell. Well...everyone who knows.”

  “Right.” Carla blushed and lowered her eyes. When she composed herself, she finally took a proper look around the workshop. It was truly impressive in size. Even the room Carla and Licky were currently in was quite large, and there were doors leading to more space. “So, you’re the great inventor of Evlirone,” Carla said, staring at a contraption, the purpose of which she could not guess even remotely.

  Licky let out a derisive giggle.

  “No, I’m the great inventor of this castle. There are plenty of other inventors in Evlirone, I’m sure. Some probably greater than me. I just got lucky.”

  “You invented that...carriage with pedals, didn’t you?”

  “Pedal car, yes. I’m sure other people elsewhere have invented something similar.” Licky moved into another room, inviting Carla to follow her with a wave of her hand. “I think some things are just meant to be invented. They’ll be invented sooner or later, probably by several different people in different places, but only 1 of them will be given credit. Usually the one that has the resources to work on the invention rather than just think it up.”

  Licky put a kettle on the fire and started preparing tea for her guest.

  “That’s why you asked for the job at the castle?” Carla said. “For the resources?”

  “Yes. I could have build the steam car years earlier, but I didn’t have the money. Working at the castle gives more opportunities. But, of course, after the storm, my funding has been limited, and my work has been focused on survival rather than innovation.”

  “That’s unfortunate.”

  “Yes, well. These things happen.” Licky invited Carla to sit down at a table in the corner of the room, then poured tea for both of them.

  “This castle is really fond of tea,” Carla mentioned, taking a careful sip of the hot brew.

  Licky smiled.

  “King Talon’s fault, I’m afraid. He likes it so much, that’s the one thing we’ll never run out of, I think. Even people who didn’t like tea before now drink it if they live in this castle. I’m just glad it’s not coffee, I hate that stuff.”

  They drank in silence for a while. Carla looked around the room they were in now. It had a bed, a wash basin, a wardrobe.

  “You live here?” she asked. “Right by your workshop?”

  “It’s convenient.” Licky shrugged. “I don’t have to go anywhere.”

  “You don’t like to leave, do you?” Carla asked carefully.

  “I can’t really. I mean, I suppose I can. But...well. Something happened to me, during the storm.” She gestured vaguely toward her scarring. “I’ve had a hard time going outside since then. Even leaving the workshop is difficult.”

  “I’m sorry.”

  “Thank you.” Licky forced herself to smile with questionable success. “You’re free to take a look around the shop, if you’re curious.”

  “I am, actually.” Carla set down her mug and rose from her chair. “What are you working on right now?”

  “I’m experimenting with different types of oil and wicks for lamps to see which ones are the safest, last the longest, and give off the most light.” She smiled at Carla, who was politely attempting to feign interest, but failing. “I know, it’s not terribly exciting, but it could save us a lot of funds in the long run. I have one of the traders’ pedal cars in for maintenance though, you could come see it if you haven’t already.”

  “Oh, I’d definitely like to see that.”

  “I’m trying to think of a way to improve the wheels, find a better material to cover them to absorb the shocks while riding. Rubber seems ideal, but it doesn’t last. I’m sure there’s a way to strengthen it, but chemistry isn’t my strongest suit, plus resources are limited, so it’s a slow process. Maybe this one isn’t mine to invent, but we’ll see.”

  “I wish I could try riding it,” Carla said, circling the pedal car in wonder.

  “You can. Though I would advise against doing it at night. It’s fairly safe, but its maneuverability is limited. When I try out new materials for the wheels though, you could help me out by test driving.”

  “I’d like that,” Carla said with an excited grin.

  They went on to talk for a very long time. Licky explained to Carla how the steam car worked, and Carla listened in fascination. Licky enjoyed talking about her own inventions and those of other people, though she was no teacher, and was often unaware that other people didn’t have the same understanding of technical aspects as she did; so sometimes Carla had to stop her and ask for a simpler explanation.

  The sun was rising. Licky made more tea and they sat back down at the table.

  “This was fun,” Licky said, “you should come more often.”

  “Perhaps I will.”

  “I like visitors, but everyone is always busy. Besides, not everyone likes being in the workshop. They think it’s not safe.”

  “They have a point.”

  “That they do.” Licky smiled into her mug. “I suppose you’ll be needing to check on the garden soon.”

  “Yes. Rich is probably waking up now. We’ll be watering soon.”

  “Are you always awake at night?”

  “No. It’s just...Ell’s away, and I couldn’t sleep.”

  “Ah, I see. I like nighttime. I feel safer in the dark.”

  “I do too.”

  They watched the sunrise for a while through a small window in Licky’s living space.

  “Listen...” Licky said in a serious tone. “Don’t hurt Ell, all right?”

  “Why would I hurt her?” Carla asked in confusion.

  Licky was attempting to give Carla a speech that people often gave to the new lovers of people they cared about. Such a speech often contained a request that their friend not be hurt, and sometimes there would be threats. Carla had never been in a relationship before, nor did she have a lot of experience watching other people, so she had not expected to be given such a speech and had no idea how to react.

  “Sometimes people in relationships hurt each other,” Licky said, “without even meaning to.”

  “But how could I prevent myself from hurting her if I didn’t mean to in the first place?”

  Licky laughed quietly.

  “You know what? You’re right. That was ridiculous. Forget I said that. Just...try not to hurt her on purpose.”

  “I wouldn’t. I love her.”

  “Good. She’s a wonderful person. And I think you’re not so bad yourself. I’m glad you found each other.”

  Carla smiled. She couldn’t help thinking that it wasn’t all quite so simple. That finding each other wasn’t all it took to stay together. That sooner or later, circumstances beyond their control would try to tear them apart, and whether or not they would persevere remained to be seen. But she didn’t say it out loud. Because Licky was being kind and supportive, and there was no point to upset her with troubles she could do nothing to fix.

  Licky knew, of course. She knew that Carla and Elloriann’s relationship would face difficulties because of who and what they were. But she didn’t say anything about it either. Because she could see in Carla’s eyes that she was never not aware of the danger hanging over their love.

  They finished their tea. Carla thanked Licky for the tour of the workshop and promised to come by again when she had the time. Licky told Carla that if she ever felt like the tools they used in the garden could be improved, she was always welcome to come by with re
quests.

  Then Carla left the workshop. The door was closed. And they were both, once again, alone.

  27

  When Elloriann and King Talon returned, many of the castle’s inhabitants came out to greet them. Well, they mostly came out to greet Elloriann, whom they loved and missed. The king was just their employer. They respected him and appreciated his relative fairness, but no one particularly cared if he was in the castle or elsewhere.

  Elloriann parted ways with her father and joined the small crowd of servants that was waiting for her in the courtyard. When she saw Carla, her first instinct was to embrace her, kiss her, hold her for a very long time. But she didn’t risk it. Not with her father so close by.

  Carla stretched out her hand, and Elloriann gave it a brief squeeze. Then everyone went to the servant wing where the table was set for dinner, and the rest of the servants were waiting to welcome Elloriann back to the castle.

  Elloriann ate, then took a bath, then finally went to her quarters, where Carla soon joined her.

  As soon as the door was locked, they were in each other’s arms, holding on as tightly as they could. When the tension that had accumulated over the time of Elloriann’s absence at last released from their bodies and they both felt better, they started kissing, then removing each other’s clothing and kissing some more, and touching everywhere they could reach.

  An hour later, they were embracing each other in bed, content and relaxed. Elloriann wanted to tell Carla all about her trip, but Carla fell asleep on her shoulder, too exhausted after the sleepless nights she’d had when Elloriann was away. Conversation would have to wait till morning.

  When the sun began to rise, Carla was still asleep. Elloriann didn’t want to wake her, so she decided that she’d just stay in bed, serving as a living pillow for Carla for as long as her bladder would allow.

  Rich had told Carla the day before that he’d be fine alone in the garden, and she could take the day off if she needed it. She would certainly need it, though at the moment it looked like she would spend much of the day sleeping.

  Elloriann eventually had to get up, carefully removing herself from under Carla’s slumbering frame. By the time she was done with her morning ablutions and made tea, the sun was fully up. She stood by the window with her mug, watching Rich water the plants. It was a hot summer and frequent watering was required. They were very lucky to have a river nearby or else they would be looking at water shortage by now.

  “Ell?” Carla’s sleepy voice came from the bed.

  “Hey!” Elloriann set her mug on the table and crawled back into bed to give Carla a quick kiss and settle in her arms. “You didn’t sleep very well while I was gone, did you?”

  “I almost didn’t sleep at all.” Carla buried her face in Ell’s neck, happy to finally have her back. “So, how was the trip?”

  “Not bad. We made a decent alliance with Sideo. Well, I did.”

  Carla raised her head to stare at Elloriann.

  “Really? Your father finally let you participate in negotiations?”

  “No, actually. I cut in.”

  Carla stared at her for a moment, then succumbed to giggles.

  “How did he react to that?”

  “He’s being quite melodramatic about it right now, but I think he’s glad about the alliance, at least. The deal Dulzu had offered him was terrible. I rejected it and offered one that was much better for us.”

  “How did you manage that?”

  “I sort of...bluffed.”

  “Bluffed?”

  “I pretended that we didn’t need the alliance as much as we did.”

  Carla’s mouth dropped open.

  “Risky.”

  “Not really.” Elloriann shrugged. “The queen of Sideo, Dulzu’s mother, died less than a year ago. She was a gifted strategist, but Dulzu isn’t. He's aware of his own weaknesses and afraid of being alone in a war, so he’s desperate to make alliances. He overreached with his initial offer, and Father was willing to take it simply because he thought we couldn’t get a better deal. I couldn’t let that happen.”

  “How do you know all this?”

  “Well, that’s one of the advantages of being left out of important meetings until Father decides I'm needed for emotional impact. I have to spend time socializing with other royalty and upper class guests. It’s tedious, but a wonderful way to gain information. It’s not always accurate, but with enough sources, I can get a decent picture. Dulzu’s younger siblings, for example, were very helpful.”

  Carla smiled into Ell’s shoulder. She was silent for a while before speaking again.

  “You’ll be a great queen someday.”

  Elloriann tensed up at the thought.

  “I’m not sure if I want to be. I don’t not want to be, but I’m not sure that’s what I’d choose for myself if I had other options.”

  “What would you want to be then?”

  “I don’t know.” Elloriann sighed. “The truth is – I actually really don’t have any other options. It’s a position you’re born into and you are never given the choice not to take it.” She ran her hands through Carla’s hair. She always found it very comforting, like touching young grass. “Would you want to be a queen?”

  “Me?”

  “Yes. If I were to marry you, you’d be a queen of Evlirone.”

  “Your father wouldn’t allow it.”

  “That’s not relevant right now.” She wanted to say that her father wouldn’t always be there, but it felt strange and cruel to imply that life would get better after her father’s death. “My question is would that be something you want?”

  “I...” Carla had never in her life considered the possibility of being a queen. There was never a scenario which could lead to that outcome. Except now, apparently, there was one. It wasn’t likely to be the scenario that would actually play out, but it was not impossible. “I want to be a farmer,” she said.

  “Perhaps you could be both.” Elloriann kissed the top of Carla’s head.

  “Perhaps.”

  They lay in silence for a while, wondering, not for the first time or the last, where their path would take them. As much as they tried to live in the moment and enjoy every second they had together, they couldn’t ignore the problem forever. Perhaps they could go years without having to worry about the future, or maybe just a few months, until King Talon would find another suitable partner for Elloriann to marry.

  Sooner or later, they’d need some kind of plan. But so far, no viable solutions were presenting themselves, and looking at the future felt like staring into the sun. It hurt, and all they wanted to do was look away.

  28

  The next day, Elloriann worked in the garden to help make up for Carla’s absence the day before.

  Sometimes the king would catch glimpses of her through a window of the throne room. It had angered him at first that his daughter, the princess, worked in the garden, but he learned to accept it overtime. He could forbid her such behavior when she was younger, but it was true that she was, in fact, no longer a child.

  Talon often worried that she would not grow up to be a capable queen, but what she’d done in Sideo had helped quell his uncertainty. He still felt angry and humiliated by her behavior, but at the same time, it comforted him to know that she had acted like a queen, and a great one at that. She knew what the land needed and she did what she had to to provide it. She had acted the way her mother would have. Queen Elgadara was always the one to take risks – something her husband both feared and admired. And even though she’d never had her mother in her life, Elloriann was really taking after her.

  Rich was removing weeds, while Carla and Elloriann installed stakes for the climbing plants.

  “Is this even necessary?” Elloriann asked. “I think Rich always just had them lying down on the ground.”

  “It’s fine to let them lie,” Carla explained, “but if we let them climb, there’s less of a chance that fruit will be damaged, it’s easier to harvest, plus th
ey might actually give us more fruit this way.”

  “Oh. I suppose Rich didn't do it to save himself the work when he was alone.”

  “Or, perhaps, he simply didn’t have the motivation to do it.”

  “Fair point.”

  They worked in tandem, installing stakes, then passing twine between them. Carla would have managed the task on her own just fine, but having Elloriann there made it easier on many different levels. Elloriann could see how happy Carla was to have her there and decided she would be helping in the garden more from now on. Even if it did mean their co-dependence would only grow stronger.

  “I’ve met Licky,” Carla said as she was gently guiding a cucumber plant up a stake. “I couldn’t sleep, so I wandered around and came across her workshop.”

  “How did that go?” Elloriann asked with a smile.

  “It was great. She showed me what she’s working on and promised to let me drive the pedal car.”

  “Oh, that’s great fun, you should definitely do that.” Elloriann watched Carla carefully. She could see the tension and uncertainty in her body. She wondered how it happened that she could now practically read Carla’s mind through her body language, and whether this ability went both ways. “You’re curious about why she doesn’t leave the workshop, but think it’s too rude to ask.”

  Carla lowered her head. Sometimes, when she felt like she had done or even thought something reprehensible, her body still reacted in a way it had when she was a slave.

  “I don’t want to pry. It’s none of my business. It’s just...I think she’s lonely there. She seems like a very sociable person. Isn’t there anything that can be done to help her?”

  Elloriann lowered herself to the ground beside Carla. They were both plucking at weeds now.

  “When the storm started, Licky was in a tool shed. It was out in the middle of the field. It’s not there anymore.” Elloriann tried to keep her voice calm and even. “It was hit by lightning when Licky was inside. It caught fire. She managed to get out, but her clothing was burning. She put the fire out, but she was in the middle of the field, and the storm was getting worse. No one knew she was out there. She crawled up to one of the bigger trees and tied herself to its trunk with what remained of her jacket.” Elloriann took a deep breath to steady her nerves. “She was there for hours, slipping in and out of consciousness, not knowing whether she would survive or not. Since then, whenever she tries to go outside, she panics. She can’t breathe, her heart starts hurting. She just...can’t do it.”