Royalty Fantasy Boxset: Ember Dragon Daughter & Hasley Fateless (Fated Tales Series 1 & 1.5) (The Fated Tales Series: YA Royalty Fantasy)

by Rebecca K. Sampson

  “My daughter has found her pair!” Karwyn announced. She gestured to the man that Ember could not tear her eyes from. She inched closer to him.

  “Introduce yourself, so all may know the Knight of my Dragon Daughter,” the Queen commanded. She circled around them to Jedoriah’s side, folding her hands in front of her and wearing the smile of a cat that caught a mouse.

  Ember needed to know his name too. She held her breath, squeezing herself closer. In their surrounding glow, she could almost forget the sea of faces. Ember was sure he must feel the same, as his hand clenched hers and he pulled her to his side. Her pair took this intrusion in stride, startled but charismatic, the opposite of Ember’s anxious mind.

  “I am Noorworth Guard from Cruelindime,” he said. He took a bow to the crowd in a grandiose fashion and twirled Ember at his side with a flourish. She loved him already, carefree in a way that Ember felt she never could be.

  He circled his body around hers. They stared into each other’s eyes as the crowd began to cheer, their united voices becoming louder at the next statement from the Queen.

  “And Noorworth Guard now becomes Noorworth Knight!” Karwyn yelled.

  The crowd rallied, and the Dragon Matron clapped in excitement. She walked forward and embraced her daughter in probably the most tender exchange anyone has ever seen them in. Ember’s eyes didn't even graze their exchange or the stoic look that was Jedoriah Knight. She couldn’t help it. All she wanted to do was stare into Noorworth’s brown eyes.

  Noorworth seemed to have more awareness of their surroundings then she did, for Ember didn’t even notice when the crowd called for a dance and music answered that call. She did notice, however, when his arm moved from her waist to hold up her hand. The other hand following up to her back. Rather than beginning another swirling dance of their capital, he took her into the slow waltz that Cruelindime was known for. For once, Ember felt grateful for her dance lessons and the guides that Ahnika had shared with her. She was able to follow enough of his steps as to not trip him. A natural rhythm she knew she could keep up with for the rest of her life if Noorworth was her partner.

  Their eyes bore into each other, weights falling away each second. A trail of gold followed their movements until the whole room sparkled in their radiance, reflecting from the windows and the recently waxed floor. Their eyes shown and Ember’s eyes shed pearlescent tears again.

  “I’m Noor,” he whispered, introducing himself again.

  “I’m Ember,” she replied.

  “It's nice to meet you Ember.”

  “And you.”

  “I didn’t expect this.” He told her honestly, looking around the large circular room in surprise.

  “Me neither.” And Ember hadn’t. She had not anticipated what it would be like to have a partner in all of this, either. All she had wanted was to survive the attention. Instead, this was the few minutes of her life that made her feel like she didn't have scales.

  “So you’re the Princess.” His eyes spoke of a hesitance that the slow turning of his words echoed.

  “Yes, is that okay?” She asked, knowing there was nothing she could do about it.

  “I don’t know," he answered honestly. His bushy eyebrows knitted together, and Ember felt a strong urge to kiss the spot where the two met.

  “I don’t know either,” Ember said.

  Noor smiled brightly again, seeming almost relieved that it was strange for her too.

  “I can’t wait to know everything about you," his soft voice said.

  Ember smiled back at him, knowing completely what he meant.

  “You aren't much of a talker, are you?” Noor asked.

  Ember shook her head. “I'm more of a listener and a thinker.”

  “Great! I have a lot to say,” he joked and added, “a perfect match.”

  The song came to a close. Noor kept her in his arms a few seconds longer. He kissed her hands and rubbed his thumb across them.

  “Is this okay?” he questioned, his lips still hovering over the knuckles.

  “Yes,” she said. Every second since their eyes locked was the most stellar sensation she had ever experienced in her life. Everything was new. She had never been near someone this intimately before. And it was in a room with hundreds of people.

  There was a lot they did not yet know. While his body was almost stone still, Ember felt like she couldn’t stop shaking. She vibrated at the intense emotions coursing through her. Her wide shimmering skirt kept their bodies about a foot apart, and it felt way too far for their newly magnetized souls.

  A cough sounded behind them, and Ember turned to see Jedoriah with a crew of other men and women. Behind him stood the keyholders of the seven provinces, designated with their small key pins on their outfits.

  “Congratulations,” Jedoriah said dryly. “Our keyholders wanted to say the same.”

  He stepped aside and eyed their closeness as they spoke and hugged the people gathered. Soon it became more than the people sanctioned by Jedoriah, but a long procession line of most of the ballroom guests. Omanox greeted them, pulling Ember and Noor aside for a hug and congratulations.

  “Already pulled away from me,” Oma commented sadly to which Ember and Noor protested. Ember could understand her Oma’s feelings, however, they’d only know each other for a week and all new relationships needed time to grow.

  The keyholders spoke to Ember and Noor of their excitement and love for them, of their hopes and dreams for their family and what they’d like to see in their hometowns. Ember was touched by it, calling Cindrea over to her to take note of everything. She happily did so, in between asking Noor questions. They began to speak to the last of the keyholders, Amic from Borderain, and Ember and Noor found themselves laughing together at his easy jokes and smooth manner of speaking. There wasn’t enough time to continue their conversations, however, as Jedoriah came back to them to begin the meal celebrations.

  “We brought in an extra seat for Noorworth Knight,” Karwyn said as she walked past them.

  “We welcome you to come to visit Borderain. The performance we are working on will blow you into the sea,” Amic commented with a charming smile and a twinkle in his eye.

  “Lovely,” Oma commented dryly before dismissing them.

  They sat down to eat. Ember glanced at Noor from beneath her lashes every few bites. She found that more often than not, he was staring straight back. No wonder there were songs about the fating, stories and rhymes, poems and prayers passed along to children to explain the phenomenon. Ember did not pray often, but each look felt like a prayer answered.

  The night proceeded as planned: a series of dances, a course for dessert and drinks, and a group prayer to Aaleia right before the sun rose in the sky. The guests reveled in the night, dancing and thriving conversations surrounding Noor and Ember wherever they went. Trailing sparks never left their side, and Ember embraced her new life in the glow of love.

  A hand grazed her back, a brushed back piece of her hair, and even a tickle on the inside of her elbow as more people shared their hopes and congratulations. Every second was scrumptious and memorable.

  “I can’t wait to be alone with you,” Noor whispered in her ear, and she found she leaned into his hot breath. She couldn’t wait either.

  A booming clap was heard in the center of the room and all constituents paused, looking towards Jedoriah. He gestured for Ember and Noor. She hesitantly led her love to the head Knight. It must be time to make the announcement.

  “Dawn approaches. It is almost time to greet a new day with not only our Dragon Daughter but her Knight.” Jedoriah gestured to Noor, who waved at the crowd. They ate up the informality with smiles and cooing sounds.

  A new lineage would now begin, a Dragon Daughter raised away from the court and a Knight that had no idea of the formality the court required. In truth, they were a new royal family, raised among the people. Ember wondered if that was what bothered Jedoriah about her too, that she was not prepared from birth. She th
ought differently than him and their people knew that.

  Oma led the way, looping her arm around Karwyn as her face lost focus. Jedoriah walked closely behind. Ember and Noor followed them up the stairs and through the wide doors that lead to the public viewing balcony.

  Ember kept her hand in Noor’s as the balcony doors opened and the light from their fating became apparent to the crowd below. At once, the sea of shadowed faces surged closer. “Get back!” The guards called from below, pushing the groaning gates back into position. The crowd cheered loudly, all amazed to get a glimpse at the future Dragon Queen and her Knight. The sun peeked from behind the wall and began to soften the darkness of the sky around them.

  It was a wide balcony meant for the whole family to be visible in one swoop. Ember looked at the Queen, who leaned the most over the edge of the balcony. She cackled, her arms reaching for the sparks that flew over the edge. Oma stepped forward, pulling her daughter back by the waist with startling strength. Jedoriah peered forward as well, his face aglow as he stared into the crowd that grew louder at the second.

  “They are here for you,” Noor whispered in her ear. He seemed almost dumbstruck, overwhelmed by the sheer volume of people that came to the capital. All to stand outside and see a glimpse of their future rulers. His breath lingered behind her ear, arms encircled around her, and she shivered, not used to having someone so close and actually appreciating the proximity.

  “And now for you,” she answered back, gripping his arm with her own. She feared to let go, his love floating away with the receding star-clustered sky. Could he truly be hers, forever?

  As the subtle pink and blue hue climbed up their world, Ember found a moment of peace despite the chaos below. As she looked back and forth between Noor and her people, a crowd of citizens that a few short weeks ago knew nothing about her, she became energized.

  At Oma’s nudge, Ember raised her hands up as she had seen Jedoriah do to request silence. The effect was immediate, even in the low light. The crowd hushed in a wave, reverberations coursing through them as neighbors and friends nudge each other into silence.

  “Hello!” Ember said to the crowd, waving dumbly to them. They echoed the sentiment back in a crash of joy that she felt in her bones.

  “I have some news for you,” Ember called out to them. She had agonized the past week over what to say, what details to impart and what would mean the most to them. She hoped her intentions came to the surface.

  “We all have been touched by the plague of the Fateless. We have all lost people to the incurable sickness.”

  The tone immediately moved to somber. She took a deep breath and continued.

  “From today onward, we are going to house those that have been infected. We will work with our doctors and scribes to understand what is happening to our people. We will keep them safe. And hopefully, one day, we will heal them!”

  Ember exhaled, relieved to have spoken her memorized speech. She leaned back into Noor, relieved and grateful to have started down this path. Now she waited. What would people think? Did they want this as much as she was surprised to find that her heart wanted it too?

  For a few seconds, silence and shock was the only response. But then one person clapped. And another. A hesitant murmur ate through the crowd. Ember felt twisted in a knot. They wanted this too, right?

  A few more claps echoed and soon, the response was overwhelming. The rushing of applause mirrored Ember’s own galloping heart, pulling her out of her body. She felt numb, tingling across her skin as thoughts swarmed her. What if she failed? What if there actually was nothing she could do to help these people? Noor gripped her hand, and Ember felt grounded again, pulled back to the here and now. Ember mentally reaffirmed her commitment to this new path, a responsibility to people she avoided most of her life. Life trumped death, and this project would keep more of her people live.

  Ember glanced at the Queen. It was not apparent to the crowd, but from her vantage point, Ember could see how the Dragon Matron was holding her daughter back from the balcony. The look on Oma’s face was unforgettable. A mother, protecting her daughter, in the only way she knew how. Jedoriah’s face did not mimic that same concern. Instead, his eyes glinted with wide pupils. The louder the crowd got, the harder his stare burned.

  Ember turned away as the sounds from the crowd expanded outward, as each person told and retold what those close enough to hear had witnessed, applause and shouts became renewed.

  For the first time, Ember felt like she was part of something bigger than herself. Swept into this life, she had pledged to survive. There was more to it now. So much more.

  Thirteen

  A Kiss

  There was a man in Ember Dragon Daughter’s bed.

  “You’re actually here,” Ember whispered to herself, staring down at the lock of curls that spilled across her pillow case. Even in sleep, Noorworth Guard - No, Noorworth Knight, looked like someone too perfect to exist. There wasn’t any snoring, nor any funny sleeping faces. He was still, near silent sighs escaping from a small opening in his mouth. And a little bit of drool.

  “Should I not be?” he said with a muffled voice as he rubbed his face. He stretched wide, his arms and legs momentarily taking up all the space in their bed. She smiled at his ease and as if on instinct, he opened his eyes and smiled back at her.

  “Hi,” he said to her, a sing-song quality to his morning voice.

  “Hi,” she replied back, horrified at her hoarse morning voice.

  When reading about the fating in school, all the books said it would be difficult to conceptualize until the connection snapped into place. Ember was now part of that group of people who understood, but also did not at the same time. It was as if their feelings jumped to the end, to their height of growth that would have happened over time in any mature relationship. But it was instant. It was breath.

  While things with her moms were muddled and confusing, this certainty was welcome in her life. The feeling she had when she met her birth mother, Karwyn, was beautiful and similar, but not the same. Although at the time, she had envisioned fating would be similar. It was not. The world was sharper. The light in the room was brighter as she stared into his eyes.

  “You have the rest of my life to stare at me. Don't do it while I have bed head and drool on my face,” Noor said as he turned onto his back. He rubbed his eyes and despite what he said, stared straight back at her.

  “You know, that’s a security risk,” Noor commented as he stood up, leaning his back against the headboard and gesturing to the balcony.

  A cold breeze drifted into the room tickling Ember’s shoulder blades, and she looked down. She wasn’t in her dress from the night before, that would have been impossible to sleep in. She vaguely remembered stumbling into her room gripping Noor’s hand, refusing to let him get too far. With little fanfare, Cindrea pulled her into the bathroom. As the door closed, his head tilted with it to watch her until the last possible moment.

  “This is the only way in and out of the room with the exception of a hatch for bringing up food and water in the hall.” Ember heard Amir Captain say from behind the door.

  “But over here,” a sound came to her right, “there is a hideaway.”

  Cindrea wasted no time disrobing Ember, and the sharp cold brushing her skin made her jump.

  “You’ll wear this tonight,” Cindrea said as smooth silk passed over her shoulder. Ember barely paid attention to it, despite her usual unwillingness to Cindrea helping her dress. Instead, she stared into the wall, waiting to hear her Knight’s voice.

  “Good morning,” Ember said, still wondering if she was asleep.

  “Is that how you greet your Knight?” He asked, his new title a joke on his lips. While Ember wouldn't be the Dragon Queen until she gave birth, the Dragon Daughter’s pair immediately became a Knight. While not the head Knight, for Jedoriah held that position, Noor would be once she was crowned.

  “How should I greet my Knight?” Ember asked, feeling a flut
ter in her heart.

  Noor wiggled back down onto the bed, finding the headboard uncomfortable. His shirt was wrinkled from sleep.

  Nothing had happened, physically, from the night before. While Ember thought about it, she knew she needed more time before jumping into that level of intimacy. They hadn't yet kissed— that Ember didn't want to wait for. The thought made her stomach flipflop.

  Instead, they had talked and held each other. They would do so much more of that, for which Ember couldn't wait.

  “You know, I don't know.” He smiled at her, new to this experience as well.

  His gaze turned more guarded as he said, “I am a big believer in honesty. Honesty and bread are probably my two favorite things.”

  “I agree on both counts,” Ember tried to joke, but she could tell the conversation would grow more serious.

  He pushed some of his floppy curls away from his face, smiling at her, but his voice was hesitant.

  “Everyone wants to get paired. Well, maybe not everyone. But you expect it. I knew it’d happen for me, but I never factored helping rule Ashkadance as part of the deal," he admitted.

  “Neither did I. I didn’t consider anything grand for my life at all,” Ember said. “My two favorite things are beads and sleep. Combined with honesty and bread, we'd have had some great nights at home if it weren’t for…” Ember gestured to her scales.

  “Sleeping, eating, talking, and making bracelets in bed sounds like a great way to live. Especially with someone as beautiful as you next to me. But I think we’ll have more to do most days of the week.”

  Knowing that they both had some trepidation about their upcoming responsibilities opened up a tunnel between them and words came out in a rush.

  They talked about life before the palace and their prospective life after. The fear of being alone and the loss of both Ember’s moms through death and then through a tainted memory, how hard it'd been to accept that she wasn't born to them. That Ember Julimore was a lie. Noor shared his own parental concerns, how their relationship was strained and not as loving. He teared up when he spoke about his sister, who died after becoming fateless. Killed for being fateless, he tried to say but couldn't mouth the words. She wondered what he thought of the community homes.