Starfall (The Fables of Chaos Book 1)

by Jackson Simiana

“By the Creator’s good grace, the fire he started did not burn down the entire castle, but much of the chantry caught alight before the servants were able to put it out! It was very dangerous indeed, and a very silly decision made by your father.”

  Katryna could not believe the words she was hearing. Aunt Rashel’s worn, crooked teeth were hard to look away from, due to the huge grin across her face.

  “Is that where the smoke marks on the walls of the chantry came from?”

  “Yes!”

  Katryna’s palm met her forehead. “Father told me a candle had burned a tapestry.”

  “The liar!” Rashel laughed. “Anyway, upon questioning, your father denied it, out of fear of repercussions. He did not intend for the fire to get out of hand like it did. He had not foreseen the consequences of his actions.

  “But, he felt guilty. He knew he had done the wrong thing and was conflicted about whether or not to come forward. So, after confiding in me of what he had done, I stepped forward and took the blame for starting the fire.”

  “What? You took the blame? Why would you do that?”

  “Because that’s what you do for the ones you love. You protect them at all costs. I knew that the consequences of admitting I started the fire would be far less harsh than what Giliam would have received. He was the eldest child, the prince who was to become king one day!

  “Expectations were far greater for him than they were for me. I knew he had learned his lesson. So, I made the decision to take the fall for his mistake. It was, after all, a mistake. He let his emotions get the better of him and lacked the necessary foresight.”

  Katryna nodded. She was astonished that her father, the man who was so strict with rules, so hard on her when she was growing up, had done such a reckless thing, and had never told her about it.

  “Why do you tell me this?” Katryna asked. If there was a point to the story, she could not see it.

  “Because I want you to know that no one is perfect. Not even your stubborn, perfectionist father,” Aunt Rashel said. “You can’t let your emotions get the better of you. Use the head that you’ve got on your shoulders when facing these obstacles and try to think outside of the circle you have drawn around yourself. That barrier is good at protecting, but not much else.”

  Katryna kissed her aunt on the cheek, thanking her for the kind words. Her leg stopped shaking.

  As they finished their fruits, Katryna thought about what Aunt Rashel had said on repeat in her head.

  Think outside of the circle…

  An idea came to her, something she had learned when she was young. She recalled her lessons with the strange Magisters, of how a woman can never rule in Camridia… unless…

  It was a possible leg-up in the situation unfolding.

  Katryna stood up after finishing the last piece of prickly peach. “I need to be heading off now, Aunt Rashel. I am to meet with the Emberian diplomats.”

  “Perhaps you can convince them to take us home with them.”

  Katryna gave her aunt a hug.

  “Thanks for getting me out of the castle for a little while,” Risha said.

  “I thought you would need it.”

  Aunt Rashel smirked. “I really did.”

  “Me too.”

  Chapter 16 - United

  Preparations for the Uniting Tourney, being held to commemorate the marriage of Wesley Seynard and Ciana Blacktree, were well underway by the time Jodie Blacktree had awoken from a restless sleep.

  Jodie unlatched the shutters, sending in a beam of white sunlight to illuminate her quarters. She looked around for her husband, but Petir was nowhere in sight.

  He must have already awoken.

  She braided her long, obsidian-coloured hair, leaning against the outer frame of the alcove and peering through the windows to the city below.

  Andervale was alive with activity and celebrations, from the farmlands around the Andervale plateau, the poorest city streets, and the alfresco markets, all the way up the hill of Chateau Cardell.

  All these festivities for her sister-by-law and new brother-by-law’s wedding. King Tobius was renowned for flaunting his money, and House Seynard was probably the second wealthiest royal family in Alyria- so the extravagance was not at all surprising.

  The Church of Luminance, the colossal heart of Caldaean worship of the Moon Mother, stood solid and proud like an ornate statue. Its white stone exterior and scale about the surrounding buildings made it stand out amongst the ocean of colour. Jodie was fascinated by the two decorative crescents upon its roof.

  She had never understood the religion, but damn, there was no denying that she truly admired the opulent designs it had inspired in Andervale.

  Every flower seemed to be blooming in the Midsummer Gardens at the centre of town. Jodie loved exploring the gardens as a child when her family would visit Andervale. She had a fondness for picking flowers of as many different colours and types as possible and seemed to always be amazed at the sheer variety the natural world had to offer her.

  She missed that curiosity, the innocence of youth.

  The streets were bustling with every sort of person. Peasants, whores, farmers, lords and ladies, merchants, drunkards, children.

  Kites with long silver and red streamers flew high above the terracotta tiles and lime-mortared buildings. Some were the shape of the crescent moon, others in the shape of House Seynard’s spear sigil.

  Paper confetti floated through the air on the gentle sea breeze, thousands of pieces, like falling snow.

  Bands played through the street parades as taverns on every corner sold their stocks of wines and ales. Street vendors took their carts along, full to the brim with sweet fruits, smoked meats, and seafood delicacies.

  They look as small as ants from up here! It was truly a sight to behold- a magical celebration of colours, smells, and sounds.

  Jodie could not help but smile at the joyous morning before her. The jousting would begin soon, followed by the ever-popular melee.

  Jodie must have overslept, she realised. But she wasn’t tough on herself for it- it had been a rough night with Wesley.

  There was a knock on her door.

  “Come in,” Jodie said as she put on a long, maroon dress, tight around the stomach to highlight her slim figure.

  Ciana, her sister-by-law, entered Jodie’s quarters, looking stunning as ever.

  It was hard not to feel intimidated by Ciana’s beauty when in her presence. She wore Caldaea’s colours, yellow and white with her dark hair plaited in three strands and coiled around her head. Her cut hand from the ceremony the night before had been bandaged with a white linen cloth.

  “Morning, sister,” Ciana said, shutting the door behind her.

  Jodie kissed Ciana on the cheek, embracing her warmly. “How’s the hand?”

  Ciana shrugged. “Still aching. These damn westerners and their moon blasphemies. They’re an archaic bunch.”

  “Shhh,” Jodie said, pulling her sister-by-law away from the door. “None of that, now. We aren’t at home anymore, who knows who could be listening on the other side of that door.”

  Ciana turned back, looking the door she had stepped through up and down for a second before brushing the thought off. “And, how are you? Did you sleep well?”

  “I never sleep well in Caldaea. The air is too humid, and the nights are too loud.”

  Ciana smiled.

  I’d kill for those thick red lips, Jodie thought to herself. “I overslept. The tourney will be starting soon,” she said as she cleaned her face with a damp washcloth.

  “Oh, how exciting,” Ciana said with an eyeroll and grouchy expression.

  “Now, now. King Tobius has dedicated a lot of time and resources to today. The whole city is celebrating for you. You must remember to maintain your composure, like I taught you.”

  Ciana did not alter her expression.

  “Try to look happy!” Jodie said with a smirk. “You’re married now! To a prince!”

  “If you
can call him that. You saw the way people treated him last night. His own father practically emasculated him!”

  “Ciana, you need to maintain your composure.”

  Ciana forced a fake smile on her face, squinting her eyes and waving her hand gracefully in the air as if to appease a crowd of onlookers.

  Jodie chuckled. “Much better.”

  “If I’m being honest, I almost feel bad for the Seynards,” Ciana said, taking a seat in a opulent cushioned armchair that had probably been crafted in Dawnhill. “The kingdom is rejoicing. Knights and nobles have arrived from across the continent. All this money and effort for a sham wedding.”

  “It’s too late to regret anything now.”

  “I regret nothing.”

  “Good. Look at it this way- Wesley is the first-born prince. A huge wedding with every luxury is to be expected from such a rich kingdom. King Tobius has wanted Wesley to find a wife for as long as I can remember. Just play their games, for now.”

  Jodie could remember, even as children, when Wesley’s father had poured every effort into constructing strong diplomatic relations in order to find Wesley the most suitable bride. Betrothal to a powerful family was all that mattered when it came to his son. He was a man who wanted his son to have a glorious rule at any expense.

  “If it wasn’t for that man’s greed, the whole border conflict would never have begun in the first place,” Ciana complained. Jodie could detect the resent in her voice. “Thousands of our men dead, years of turmoil and instability. And for what?” She callously raised her arms in the air. “For this?”

  “You know there’s more to it than that. As the other half of the marriage family, we are expected to attend and engage with the festivities. No more complaining.”

  Ciana picked up a red apple from a fruit platter left on the table from the previous night. She crunched into it. “Ah-huh.”

  Jodie stepped up to Ciana and took her hand. “For all this to work, we need to continue how we have been. That means going about your wifely duties as I trained you, attending your wedding celebrations. Dance the dance, sister. Until the prince breaks, and then you will be free of him.”

  And I will be free as well.

  Ciana nodded. “You’re right.”

  “I know this is not an ideal marriage for you. But it is only the first. You will have another wedding, one day. With a man who is suitable and charming. I promise. It shall pay off in the long run, you know this. So, you shall not bring this up anymore, even to me.

  “No more complaints, no more talk of blasphemy or discussion of the border conflict. We are two royal princesses; it is not our place. When in public, we discuss fashion and food and the handsome knights fighting at the Tourney. Who knows who could be listening to us right now, or who could walk in that door as we speak?”

  “You’re right,” Ciana repeated, taking another bite of the apple. “Damn my father for forcing me into this.”

  “At least Ashen will not suffer any longer, now that peace has been struck.”

  Ciana grimaced. “He thought he could just give me away to some useless prince without even asking me. I thought he cared for me.”

  “He does care for you. He made the decision he thought was best for everyone.”

  “It’s not what I wanted!”

  Jodie yawned as she put on her shoes and jewellery. She hadn’t gotten much sleep the previous night and was feeling it weigh heavily in her head like a headache.

  “I take it you had a late night?” Ciana asked, noticing Jodie’s tiredness.

  “I met with Wesley in the early morning, as planned. Only got a few hours’ sleep.”

  Ciana nodded. “How did he take it?”

  “As we expected,” Jodie said without a shred of emotion. Playing with Wesley’s heart and mind was where she felt the weakest and most vulnerable. She had to keep focus on not letting it affect her.

  It’s too late now to go back.

  “I heard him sneak out quite late, he didn’t return until dawn,” Ciana said.

  “He was quite devastated.”

  “Didn’t seem too worried beforehand.”

  Jodie gulped. “How do you mean?”

  “Well…he was able to consummate our vows without too much fuss. Seemed nervous at first, but that wore off fast.”

  Jodie was taken aback by the statement. Of course they were going to sleep together, what were you expecting? It is tradition, she told herself.

  She made sure to keep her feelings deep down and hidden. She needed to maintain face and continue the path her and Ciana had already begun down.

  Ciana was not exactly pure before her wedding night, Jodie knew. She had had lovers in Dawnhill before, despite her young age. Jodie trained her to feign innocence and naivety for her big night so that no one suspected as such; if her father were to find out that she was not a virgin, it would be disastrous for the Blacktree name.

  Any feelings Jodie had once had for Wesley had vanished with time. So why did the thought of Wesley laying with Ciana make her stomach twist? Perhaps the thought of him enjoying sleeping with such a young woman?

  “You look surprised?” Ciana said.

  “I… I am surprised. I wasn’t expecting him to be… capable, so soon.”

  It made her wonder though, what was going through his head? To claim that all he ever wanted was her, yet be able to be intimate with another only hours before?

  She could not tell if she felt jealous or resentful. Nonetheless, it did not matter.

  “That’s good news,” Jodie said. “It will make things easier for us in the long run.”

  “The sooner we break him, the sooner I can leave this shithole,” Ciana laughed. “Never thought I’d miss Dawnhill so much.”

  “Oh, Andervale isn’t that bad,” Jodie said. “Of all the places in the world to be, we at least are in a beautiful one.”

  Ciana shrugged. “If you say so. Come now, we need to get to the tournament before it begins.”

  Down within the outer bailey of Chateau Cardell by the main gatehouse, servants and squires were setting up the tournament field, with half-statured Anai slaves in rags going about most of the heavy work.

  The oval-shaped field was enclosed by wooden fences, with empty spectator boxes rising on one side, enough to seat thousands of nobles and city folk. Enormous flags and banners with dozens of sigils and colours hung around the tourney field.

  Knights in shining breastplates and coloured capes were gathering outside their tents, tending to their horses, sharing drinks, and kitting up.

  Jodie and Ciana made their way down to the tourney grounds. Together, their beauty forced onlookers to stop and stare. Both women shone like gemstones in their natural splendour, adorning expensive dresses and accessories, walking side by side with strength and grace.

  The grounds were alive with excitement, watched over by dozens of city watch. They were directed by the captain of the watch, Sir Isec Batir, up into the spectator box reserved for the royal families. It sat in the centre of the row of boxes along the tourney grounds, offering a splendid view of the field as it was in the final stages of preparation.

  Jodie spotted her husband Petir, seated next to King Emery. The men both wore tightly-fitted black tunics decorated with silver stones, the colours of House Blacktree.

  Like father, like son.

  “She’s finally awoken!” Petir joked. His unshaven face scratched Jodie’s mouth as he stood up and forced a kiss on her.

  “Too much wine the night before, I think,” Jodie lied.

  “Not to worry, you’ve arrived just in time,” Emery said, remaining seated.

  Behind him were a group of his royal guards in their House’s colours, including the red-faced Ser Yelin Mortimer.

  “The jousting will be starting soon,” Emery explained.

  His ruffled sleeves blew with the breeze. The king’s golden crown sat neatly on his smooth black hair. Jodie wondered to herself if she’d ever actually seen him without it on.
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  Jodie took her seat with Petir, while Ciana shuffled over to sit in between the Blacktree and Seynard families.

  On the far side of King Tobius sat his two youthful daughters, Dena and Lisbeth. Dena had long brown hair, while little Lisbeth sported red curls.

  The seat between Tobius and Ciana remained empty; Wesley had not shown up yet.

  The two royal families sat in a single row at the back of the spectator box, a space reserved for the best views of the grounds. Ahead of them sat many nobles, lords, and officials, who were trading bets, telling stories, and discussing the event.

  Dena, the oldest of Wesley’s sisters at fifteen, leant over towards Ciana. Her corset was tightly wrapped to hide her developing womanly body. Tobius did not want wandering eyes on his daughter.

  “You look beautiful, sister,” Dena said in a nervous voice.

  “Oh, thank you so much. You look amazing too, I love your hair,” Ciana replied, admiring the girl’s plaited brown locks.

  “Will you be staying in Andervale, now that you and Wes are married?” Dena asked.

  “Yes, yes, she will,” Tobius interjected. “She will be the next queen of Caldaea, once I pass, and your brother is king. Her place is here now.”

  Tobius looked over to make sure Ciana showed the proper expression. Jodie noticed Ciana maintain her composure despite a simmering frown.

  “I look forward to exploring this amazing kingdom with my new sisters,” Ciana said, forcing a smile.

  Dena grinned; she was an easily amused girl. Jodie used to pretend to play kings and queens with her when they were both younger and her family would visit from Stonebridge.

  However, unlike Jodie, Dena had not yet outgrown the fantasy.

  Adolescence had not been as kind to Lisbeth as it had Dena. The younger princess had a scarred and spotted face from acne and had not yet grown into her looks.

  “I hope you had a productive wedding night,” Tobius laughed, leaning over to Ciana. “Your new sisters are very eager to have a niece or nephew soon!”

  Ciana fought through her disgust with her new father-by-law. The man was positively revolting at times.

  “I pray each minute to the Creator for such a blessing,” Ciana lied.