"Why the stinking...rotten...double crossing..."
Dahlia laughed as she pulled my nightdress over my head. "He'll keep you on your toes will that one, and that's half a marriage right there. You want someone who will excite you. Life will never be boring with that one around."
I splashed down into the bath, letting water drip all over the sides. I was going to kill him. Excitement? I would slice his head off way before I got to my honeymoon night. I wanted to please my father; I really did, but if I was going to survive my first week of marriage to that creep, I would have to be in a different room from him. We would, quite literally, kill each other.
"You know..." I shouted back through the open door to my bedroom where Dahlia had gone to tidy up. "If I don't marry him, that means he's available. Maybe, he'd like a beautiful maid by his side?"
"Get away with ya! I'm an old woman. What would he do with the likes of me? He's got rich blood, that one. Oh, if wishes were pennies, we'd all be rich."
She drifted off into song, leaving me to soak and think of everything she'd said. Caspian really was good looking. Fantastic looking. Carved by the gods gorgeous, and yet, he drove me crazy.
I wasn't ready for marriage. All I'd ever seen of it was my mother and father, and they pranced around like newlyweds all the time. I couldn't see Caspian and I being like that. Tempestuous was the best way I could think to describe a marriage with Caspian, and that was being nice. Bloody awful was the real term I was thinking of.
He didn't even want me. He wanted power. Maybe he wanted to overthrow my father. It wouldn't surprise me. He wasn't beyond lying and subterfuge to get what he wanted. I'd seen that for myself.
"Urgh," I said, which turned into a gurgle as I lowered my face into the water. If wishes were pennies...I'd be a mermaid like the people of Atlantice, and I'd never get out of this bath ever again. As it was, I wasn't a mermaid, and lying with my head under the water would drown me, so I had to come up for air eventually.
After my bath, I let Dahlia choose my clothes and dress me. I usually fought her every step of the way, preferring to choose my own clothes and dress myself, but this morning, I didn't care what I wore. What did it matter when I was nothing more than a prisoner in my own room? When she was done, I sat by the window as she brushed my hair—another job I hated having done for me.
Outside, hundreds of guards crowded around the courtyard. One of the men I recognized as Gerard, the man who trained the guards and was the highest in command of the army. He was shouting orders, getting everyone into groups. Next to him, stood Jacob, the man who'd argued with my father about the wall being erected around the Fire Mountains, a grim expression on his face and his arms folded across his chest. He didn't look any happier with the thought of going out to find spindles than he'd been about erecting a wall. He was the type of guy who wanted action, and in his case, that meant taking his men up the mountains and killing all the dragons. As I watched, another group set out on horseback. I looked for Milo, but I couldn't see him amongst all the other young men with helmets on. As the men set out, the number in the courtyard became smaller, and I was forced to realize that I'd already missed him. He'd already gone, and with him, my heart. It wasn't a dangerous mission, and yet, my nerves were on edge as though something bad was going to happen.
"You were around when my mother woke up the first time, right?" I asked Dahlia.
Dahlia had been my maid my whole life. She'd also been my governess when I was very young before my parents brought in tutors for my brothers and me. If anyone knew anything about Derillen, it was she.
"I wasn't one of the staff here at the palace that was cursed along with your mother," she replied. "They were all given a pension for life and told to leave and have fun. It was a generous settlement, by all accounts. They were given the option to stay if they desired, but none did. They'd all given enough service, and they had enough money to live the rest of their lives comfortably. Your grandfather was a very generous man. I was hired just after that. Your grandmother hired me.”
My grandparents had died when I was young. I barely remembered my grandmother at all.
"She was a lovely lady," Dahlia continued. "Busy, though. She was in charge of filling the castle with staff again. Your grandfather might have been generous, but he wasn't very clever. He let all his staff go at once, and so, your grandmother spent weeks trying to find staff again. My first few weeks here were hectic. I was doing about eight people's jobs already when you came along."
My curiosity peaked. "What happened with that? Did my parents go to an adoption agency?"
She stopped tugging my hair for a second. "I don't know, lovey. I was cleaning the rooms one day when I was handed a baby. I don't know where you came from. I do remember how surprising it was. Your parents were still in that lovely honeymoon phase. They never left their room except for food."
I blushed at the thought of my parents on honeymoon. Their love was already barf-worthy.
She began tugging at my hair again, pulling through the knots. "I remember thinking it was odd that they'd adopted so soon after marriage. Barely three weeks after the wedding. But I was just a maid. I didn't ask questions. They were wholly unprepared for you, too. They had nothing. No crib, no clothes apart from what you were wearing, and that was no more than a cut-up piece of blanket. I wrapped you up warm and took you to Zhore with your mother. She bought you the best of everything that day. She might not have been prepared, but already she was in love with you."
"Why wasn't she prepared?" I asked perplexed. "Surely, if she'd adopted me, she would have gotten everything ready?"
Dahlia shrugged. "As I said, it's not really my place to say, but I got the impression that she wasn't quite expecting you."
I mulled this over. How could she not be expecting me? I didn't know much about adoption processes, but she must have known. How does anyone adopt someone without knowing? The more I thought of it, the more I realized that Dahlia was right. My mother was meticulous about everything. There was no way that she would not have had everything ready for a baby. Yet another mystery to figure out.
"What happened after that?"
"Eventually, they decided to hire a nanny, and as I'd already been looking after you, I volunteered for the job. They still wanted me as a maid, so I took on both jobs and have been doing them ever since. A few months later, your mother fell pregnant with Remy, and life went on."
She was cut off by the sound of shouting outside. Standing up, the pair of us gazed out of the window. Dahlia grabbed my shoulder and brought her free hand up to her chest. The dragons were back, and this time, they were angry.
As we watched, guards rushed at them, only for the dragons to retaliate, breathing their fire, smoking the warriors and knights.
I screamed as a group of knights got the full effect of the flames, falling to the ground, still on fire long after the dragon's fire had ended.
"Please don't let Milo be in there!" I whispered to myself, tears coursing down my cheeks.
"He set out a couple of hours ago, lovey," Dahlia assured me, gripping my shoulder tightly. I could only look on in fear as the dragons skimmed the ground, knocking over knights, burning everything in their path.
"I have to do something!" I cried, grabbing my sword from under my covers.
Dahlia's eyes widened at the sight of it.
"Now, where do you think you are going with that?"
"I'm going to fight!" I'd beaten the dragons before, and I'd do it again. Last time, I'd used magic. This time, I was going in with a sword. I'd use both if that's what it took.
"You stay right here!" Dahlia demanded. "I don't think your father would want you to..."
I didn't listen to the rest of the sentence. I was already out of the door. What I hadn't anticipated was Jack blocking my way.
"Move," I ordered sternly.
"Sorry, Your Highness, but his Majesty's orders are to keep you in here safe. Where is it you wish to go?"
"She wants to g
o out and fight the dragons," Dahlia told him. I could have fought him. I would have won too. He had more training than I did, but I was younger, and I was desperate. The thing was, I didn't think my father would take too kindly to his daughter killing one of his guards. Deciding against it, I ran back to my room, bolting it from the inside before Dahlia could follow. If I couldn't help on the field, maybe I could help from a distance. I'd produced a tower of fire that had made the dragons bow down before. There was nothing to say I couldn't do it again from my window. I flung the window open, just in time to see the dragons flying off into the skies. The fight was over. The pasture was littered with the bodies of men. At least twenty were burned beyond recognition. Many were injured. More still ran out to help in the fight. They would be of no use, beyond helping the injured and taking away the bodies of the dead. I scoured the men for my father. He wasn't there. Unlike Milo, who would blend in with all the others because of his uniform, my father would be easy to spot in the crowd. He wore the uniform of a king, not a guard.
A banging on my door rattled me. Pulling back the bolt, I saw Dahlia. Behind her stood Jack.
"Go and look at what has happened!” I screeched at Jack. "You are keeping me in here, but look at what is happening. Does my father even know?"
Jack strode past and glanced out of the window, his face paling from the scene below. I chose his moment of shock and ran out of the room. I wasn't going to fight anymore. There was nothing left to fight, but I would tell my father. His men needed him now more than ever.
I found him exactly where I thought he'd be, holding the hand of my mother.
"I told the guards to keep you in your room," he began when he saw me.
Out of breath, I wheezed. "The dragons have attacked. Some of your men have been killed...outside."
He stood up and strode past me out of his room. I followed along in his path, almost having to run to keep up with him. Outside in the courtyard, the non-injured men were already bringing in those that weren't so lucky. Embers floated in the air like fireflies. The injured were being brought into the castle. Those that didn't make it were being laid out next to each other. The smell of burning flesh invaded my senses, making me want to throw up, but my father stood tall. If he noticed the wretched looks on the faces of the burnt men or the stink of the charred remains, he didn't show it. He called to one of his men. When the man turned, I almost fell over in shock. It was Ash. Ash dressed in the uniform of a knight. The only distinction between his uniform and that of the others was a plume of red feathers coming out of the top of his helmet.
"Yes, Father?"
"Get someone into Zhore immediately. I want all the doctors, physicians, nurses, and healers brought up. As many as you can find. We'll also need someone to deal with the bodies. They will need identifying, and their relatives will need to know."
"Yes, sir," Ash saluted. When had all this come about? Ash was only sixteen. Why was he wearing a knight’s costume, and why was he not acting like the snot-nosed kid I knew and loved?
"About the dragons?" he asked.
My father sighed. "I don't know. I had hoped that the sightings were just flukes, but now, they are killing. I always respected them and knew when to leave well enough alone, but it seems I am being forced into doing something I do not wish to do. Gather your best men, and I'll see them tomorrow about going up the mountain. You are in charge of that. I want only my best warriors up there, but they have to know what they are letting themselves in for. Get Hollis to help you. I want them all here by tomorrow. Let's sort this mess out first, though."
Ash saluted again. Hollis was here, too? He was only fifteen. Why were they knights when I was older than them? I knew they were taking the knight's training, but all this time, I thought it was just to keep them occupied.
"I'll do it, Father," I said, standing forward. "I'll go up the mountain." Fear gripped me at the thought of it, but I had a weapon no one else did. I had magic.
My father glared at me as though he'd only just realized I was still there.
"You should be in your room."
"No! If Ash and Hollis are fighting, then I want to, too. You can't lock me up because I'm a girl."
My father sighed through gritted teeth. "I'm not locking you up because you are a girl, Azia. I'm locking you up because I love you, and I don't think you are safe."
And my brothers were? Both of them had just narrowly missed being barbecued.
"But..."
"But nothing. Either go up to your room, or I will get someone to carry you up there."
I stood my ground. This wasn't the ideal time to be arguing with my father, but it was too important not to.
He nodded his head at someone behind me, and two sets of arms grabbed hold of me. I screamed and writhed against them, but these were big burly men. Even though my sword was at my side, my arms were held in such a way that I couldn't get to it.
"Make sure she gets to her room safely," My father said to them. He turned to walk away.
"Fine, I'll go to my room quietly," I screeched. "No need to have these two take me."
He turned and considered it a moment, then nodded his head.
Turning to the side, he shouted to someone who turned out to be much worse than the two burly guards.
"Caspian, my friend. Please, will you escort Azia back to her room and make sure she doesn't get lost along the way."
Caspian looked up from one of the injured men. He was performing some kind of spell on his burned leg. As I watched, the skin on the man's leg healed. When he was done, he came towards me and took my arm.
"With pleasure."
I walked with him through the castle, my mind whirring, my nerves in tatters. It was as if my whole life was a lie. First, I was magic, and no one knew; then, I find that I'd suddenly appeared out of nowhere as a baby, and now my younger brothers were knights. Ash and Hollis, the two least knight-like people I'd ever met. Although I had to admit, I'd seen a strength in Ash's eyes I'd never seen before. Maybe he needed something like this to finally become a man. Maybe they both did. It royally sucked that I couldn't join in, though. My father had told me it was nothing to do with me being a girl, but, of course, it was. I was only a girl, fit for dresses and parties, and marrying the first guy that would have me because I was too frail to do anything alone.
Anger surged through me, and when I got to my room, I pulled my arm from Caspian's and slammed the door in his face, bolting it once again for good measure.
I could only watch on helplessly from my window as the men below did what they had to do. Far up in the skies, the dragons circled harmlessly like they had done for years.
I wondered what had changed to cause previously peaceful creatures to suddenly turn violent? It wasn't an omen, I was sure of that. It had nothing to do with superstition. Something else was at play, and I was going to find out what.
I didn't care what my father said. I would go up those mountains, and I would figure it out for myself.
10th January
My stomach rumbled as I got together everything I would need for my trip. There wasn't a lot to pack, just my sword plus some warm clothes. It was cold at the bottom of the mountains. I needed to prepare myself for a lot worse at the top. If only I had burn resistant clothes, too. That would help, but in my closet of pretty dresses, I had no such thing. I could have asked Caspian to conjure me some up, but that would mean waking him at three am, and he was bound to ask questions. It was pointless, anyway. If the dragons wanted to fry me, no amount of clothes would help, fireproof or otherwise. They'd just sizzle my head instead.
With my backpack crammed with extra layers, I stole down to the kitchen. Getting past Jack had been easy. It was dark, and I'd walked quietly down the corridor in the opposite direction to where he usually sat. He'd not seen me. He was asleep. Getting out of the castle was another matter. I couldn't count on all the other guards to be asleep. As it was, the castle was almost empty. Most of the guards were out on various missions, and in
a twist of irony, the worst situation the castle had been in for eighteen years meant it was at its least guarded.
I knew the kitchen staff worked early, but I hoped that three am was early enough to miss them. The kitchen was empty. I pulled some food out of the fridge and made up some sandwiches, two of which I ate. I'd barely eaten the day before, and I was starving. Food had been brought up to my room, but I was too angry and pig-headed to eat any of it. My mistake. I needed the energy to complete today's climb. I figured it would take me at least five hours to get near the top. When I got there, that's where my plan ran out. I wanted to see the dragons without them seeing me. I wanted to try and figure out what was wrong without upsetting them.
Pulling some chocolate bars and a flask of tea into my bag, I stole out of the kitchen and into the night.
I slipped out of the back gate into the woods where Milo and I had spent hours practicing sword fighting. I only hoped that all that practice would come in handy. Fingering my sword to make sure it was still there, I felt a moment of reassurance. I strode through the woods purposefully, not daring to stop or even to consider how dangerous my plan was. I should have left it up to my father's men, but I knew that it was something more than an omen or the dragons coming down the mountain for no reason. In my heart, I knew something much deeper was in play, and the only way to figure it out was to head up the mountain. My father's men would go in there, all noise and bluster, and get themselves killed without being any closer to finding out what was going on. I might not have a set plan, but I knew I would play this a lot more carefully than any man in a suit of armor could do. I was not only going to come out of this alive, I was going to come out of it a hero, and if I had to kill a dragon or two...well, so be it.
At least, that's what I told myself as I crept up to the wall, blocking me from the mountain. I could have tried to come up with a way to climb over it, but I could see in the distance that it had not yet been completed. Of course, it hadn't. It would take months to surround the mountain, and many of those tasked to the job had been sent out to look for a spindle instead.
Heiress of Embers Page 3