by Ali Winters
He laid on a knee-high, stone wall, that separated the castle from the path that led to an open field, bordered by the Zandraya forest. The sun coasted slowly on its path through the sky, beginning to fall from its pinnacle height of the day.
“I didn’t feel like it this morning.” Lucian opened one eye and squinted up at the Queen through the bright sunlight. Her brown hair was pulled back in a simple, yet elegant style. Not a single strand out of place.
“You haven’t done much since we’ve returned. Are you feeling all right?” She brushed the hair back from his forehead, just like she’d done when he was a child.
Lucian closed his eye again. “I am fine, mother.”
“If I didn’t know any better, I would say that—” she started.
“Well, you do know better, so you don’t need to say anything,” Lucian interrupted his mother as he sat up to face her, swinging his legs over the edge of the wall so he could look her in the eye. Raina’s face held a pleasant smile. This usually meant she was up to something. It was always that same expression when there was more going on than what she was saying. Her face was too serene, too calm. Lucian narrowed his eyes.
“I wanted to talk to you about a matter that your father and I have been discussing.” She tilted her head, giving the impression that this was nothing out of the ordinary.
“What kind of matter would that be?” He raised an eyebrow. Yes, she was most definitely up to something.
“Well, what would you say to a more solid treaty between Earth and Mars?” Her face was still impassive, not giving anything away.
“I think that’d be great. Now that we have alliances with all of the planets, anything we can do to strengthen that would be a wise move on our part. It will put to rest any questions the other planets might still have about our right to belong. We must reassure them of our loyalty.” He gave her the answer he knew she wanted. He believed it, but she already knew all of it. For some reason, she wanted him to recite it. Lucian sat and waited for the other shoe to drop.
“Good, I am glad to hear you say that, because your father and I wanted to approach them about a joining of alliances.”
And there it was. The metaphorical “other shoe” hit the ground with a resounding clunk.
“When you say joining…” Please say anything else besides a joining ceremony—anything else. He begged silently.
“Your father believes a joining between you and Princess Scarlett would be the most logical move.”
“That’s what I was… I… I’m not interested in being sold off, and I doubt she is either.”
He’d met the Princess of Mars on Soleis, during the festival of Udaya. She had been perfectly polite, nice even—but not his type. His type was more independent than that. Someone who knew their mind and wasn’t afraid to be themselves. The perfect doll who would do, and say, exactly what they were brought up to think and say, held no appeal to him. At least not as someone he wanted to spend the rest of his life with.
“Lucian, you know it’s not like that.”
“It’s close enough. It’s an outdated practice that needs to end. We must be able to find ways to strengthen our bonds within the Alliance without a joining ceremony. Politics shouldn’t decide anyone’s personal life.” Running a hand through his hair, he added quietly, “It should mean something more than that.”
“I tried to tell him that you would resist, but he was insistent that I approach you about the subject. I just wanted to make sure.” She continued to smile that placid smile, but the sparkle in her deep brown eyes gave away her amusement at his discomfort.
He groaned. Lucian had never actually given a second thought about the idea of a joining ceremony, he’d never even realized how distasteful it was. That however, was before her. Queen Raina had baited him, and he’d fallen for it. What would she think about his sudden stance against it? She already suspected the truth on some level.
Fresh air would clear his head.
“On second thought, Mother, I think I will go riding.”
“It will do you good to get some fresh air. Have fun dear.” Her smile grew as she turned and walked back into the palace. Lucian shook his head watching her depart.
Wandering over to the stables, he went over their conversation in his head. It was clear what she had been doing but he still couldn’t avoid it. His father knew better than to suggest something so absurd. Yes, they were royal, and betrothals to strangers were rare, but those arrangements were made at birth, not when they were adults. There was more than one way to strengthen a treaty between worlds outside a joining.
Lucian entered the expansive, round, building. The stalls lined the wall, leaving a large open center. The spaces nearest the door were used for tack and supplies. The inside was kept almost as clean as the palace by a young apprentice and the stable master.
“Good afternoon, your Highness, I did not expect you today. Shall I saddle your horse for you?” The apprentice bowed as he addressed the Prince.
“No, thank you, Peter. I will prepare Preliator for our ride today.” Lucian walked past him to the stall where the large black Friesian waited. The horse walked forward and nuzzled Lucian’s shoulder.
“It’s no trouble,” Peter said, fidgeting as Lucian draped the green blanket, studded with gold embroidery, on the horse’s back.
“I don’t mind. I need to practice so I don’t forget how.” Lucian smiled, putting the man at ease as he placed the rich brown leather saddle over the blanket.
The wind whipped against his face as Lucian urged his horse faster. The pounding of hooves resounded around him as he raced into the forest. Light, filtering through the canopy of leaves, flickered rapidly over him and birds scattered as he passed them by.
“Whoa,” Lucian pulled on the reins and slowed the sleek black horse as they neared the river. Dismounting, he walked Preliator to the cool water.
He placed his palm on the large, muscular neck of his horse as it drank.
Even if he hadn’t minded the idea of arranged marriage, that’s not why he had refused Princess Scarlett. It wasn’t that he was shallow, in fact, it was the opposite. If she had been interesting, he would have been more than happy to consider it. She was after all, pretty, with long red hair and orange eyes. It’s not as though he preferred wavy black hair with grey eyes, flecked with gold.
Lucian groaned, shaking his head. What was he thinking?
Reaching in to his pocket he pulled out the crystal pendant. The prism captured light, causing it to dance, multihued, along the palm of his hand. He’d been carrying around this ridiculous thing since the party on Soleis. There had to be a way to return it. The weight of it was a constant reminder that he’d crossed a line. Not that he had been aware of her status when he saw her that first time, still, it irked him that it had been common knowledge for everyone—except him.
He wanted to be rid of this trinket. Princess Oriana was most likely looking for it, but correspondence between individuals on different worlds wasn’t much of an option. The only time they were in contact was for occasions such as Oriana’s centennial. There wouldn’t be another such gathering for at least a year, and the next one scheduled would be her joining with Prince Caelan.
Lucian gripped the pendant tightly in his fist. He would never find a discrete way of returning it to her. He could however, throw it in the river. Then all of his problems would be solved.
Lifting his arm, he was ready to be free of this puzzle. Seconds later, he dropped his arm back down to his side. He couldn’t do it. There had to be some other way to deliver it to her.
With a frustrated sigh, he pocketed the small crystal.
Preliator whinnied and shook his massive head.
“Ready, my friend?” Lucian asked, pulling himself back up into the saddle.
Oriana
Tick, tock. Tick, tock.
The clock on the fireplace mantel of the sitting room marked each passing second with its unyielding tick.
The window was
open and a refreshing breeze ruffled the thin, shimmering, curtains. Oriana sat on the edge of her chair, ankles crossed and hands neatly folded in her lap. Her back was beginning to ache from the rigid posture. Blinking was the only movement she’d made in the last hour.
Prince Erik of Eris sat across from her. He leaned back against the rounded chair, eyes roaming about the room in disinterest. His dusty black hair combed back; not a single strand was out of place.
Eris was the closest planet in the Outer Ring, almost part of the Kuiper belt itself. Life outside the Inner Ring was different—or so she’d heard, though how exactly she had no idea. Perhaps that was the reason for Prince Erik’s unusual behavior. Uniform peace had finally been reached within the Inner Ring and King Orion was the first to attempt an extension.
“I’m glad that we are finally reaching out to the Outer Ring for allies.”
“Yup,” he agreed. Though she couldn’t be sure he’d even heard what she’d said.
“With more resources available, we will be able to have a greater number of materials to work with. This could be a great benefit to all the worlds,” Oriana continued, though she didn’t know why she bothered, because this time he didn’t even have the courtesy to respond.
Erik’s eyes remained glued to the clock, watching the seconds tick on and on.
Oriana turned her head to where Celeste was sitting. The woman widened her eyes, blinked a few times rapidly, jerking her chin in the Prince’s direction once. Oriana furrowed her brow. She’d tried talking to him already, but he had shown no interest. Celeste jerked her chin toward him again. Oriana’s eyes shot to Edin—Erik’s escort—who had his dusty gray hair pulled back into a low pony tail. The edges of his mouth turned up in a comforting manner as he nodded politely in return.
Digging her nails into her palms, she fought the urge to groan. She had already been over every topic she’d been drilled on and her guest had shown no interest in any of it. The long list of subjects was growing shorter and shorter, leaving her at a loss. Prince Erik had given her little more than one worded answers.
“So—” Oriana began a little nervously as her hand reached up to touch her necklace, still missing since the night of the masquerade. The loss of its weight around her neck left her with a sense of vulnerability.
“So?” He lazily rolled his head around to face her.
She cleared her throat. “Are you enjoying your visit here so far?”
Erik shrugged. “You tell me, Princess, you’ve been with me almost my entire visit so far.” Abruptly, he stood up and walked over to the crystal fireplace, pacing back and forth. “Is there anything to do here?”
“There are the gardens—”
“I meant, something fun,” he interrupted, his lips pressed into a condescending smile.
Oriana bristled at the Prince’s rude behavior and bit back a comment she knew would only make things worse. So, he was bored. It’s not as though she was having the time of her life either. She had never met such a disrespectful person before in her life.
Her eyes shifted between the Prince and his escort, Edin. They were a stark contrast with each other. The Prince was too casual in his manner, as though he hadn’t suffered the same lessons she had her entire life. The hours of practicing her posture, the way she addressed others—and most importantly—how to act when she was a guest in someone’s home. Her eye twitched as she glanced back at their escorts.
Celeste and Edin sat on opposite sides of the couch, both watching over her and the Prince like a pair of Star Hawks. Edin’s face remained neutral. He had kind black eyes that, like the Prince’s, did not reflect the light like a pair of black holes. The man had tried, unsuccessfully, to help guide this awkward meeting between her and Erik. It was startling that his escort, born without royal blood, acted more proper than the one who belonged to the royal family. Erik slumped, complained, and couldn’t be bothered to attempt any rapport for their future negotiations. She had to admit, she’d never actually left the palace, but soon that would change. Soon, she would be taking over in her parents’ wake, as would Prince Erik.
Oriana sighed and slumped back in her seat. If he wasn’t going to care, then she could at least make herself comfortable.
“It’s about time.” Erik’s relieved tone startled her. Confused, she lifted her eyes to meet his. Arms stretched out across the mantel, the expression crossing his face was more of a smirk, than a smile.
“Sor—”
“It’s about time you relaxed.” He waved a hand in her direction.
“I am just trying to do my duty,” Oriana said defensively. This guy was beginning to chip away at her nerves.
“Look, I get that. I’m here to do my duty too, but I’m not here to act stuffy and boring. Our parents are in the stateroom, bored out of their skulls, talking about treaties and trades. I’m not going to worry about any of that a moment before I have to.” He walked over to her and held his hand out.
Oriana eyed him warily. The second she’d relaxed his mood shifted. She placed her hand in his and allowed herself to rise.
“We are supposed to get to know each other,” she informed him. This was something he should already know. His entire demeanor had changed in an instant. Was everything up until now just an act to draw her out?
“And we will.” He smiled mischievously, still standing a little too close for her comfort. “But I will get to know the real you, and you can get to know the real me. That way, when we meet in the future, we can be friends and whatever talks we have will be less tedious.”
That was… unexpected. Erik had a point. Dropping her eyes to her hand still held in his, she gave a light tug. His grip tightened, and he took a step closer.
He oozed charm, his smile, his eyes, his proximity—all of it was vastly different from just a few moments ago. Oriana stepped off to the side and twisted away, finally freeing her hand from his. This sudden change in his demeanor threw her off kilter and she didn’t like it.
He invaded her space just like… Lucian. His name flashed across her mind. However, she remembered, his demeanor was entirely different than the way Erik acted. Her mind wandered back to her party. His easy smile. Warm brown eyes invaded her thoughts. The smell of the star flowers glinting in the sunlight, was thick in the air.
“I knew you could smile.” Erik’s voice broke through her thoughts.
Immediately, her expression became neutral. Had she been smiling at her memory? Shaking her head, she stepped around him and walked to the window. “It is a nice day. I think a walk sounds pleasant, don’t you?” Oriana asked, glancing at him over her shoulder.
“Only if you don’t get all formal and boring on me again,” he teased, raising a brow as he tilts his head.
Oriana turned to face him, her foot catching the edge of the carpet. She stumbled, catching herself against the corner of the chair. Heat burned its way up her neck and onto her cheeks and she could swear she heard him stifle a laugh.
“I don’t think that will be a problem,” she answered, righting herself and meeting his gaze.
“Glad to hear it.” Erik grinned, striding over to her and jutting out his elbow for her to take.
If he wasn’t going to make a big deal out of her lack of grace, then neither would she.
“Thank you.”
“Of course, Princess. Shall we?” He gestured with his free hand toward the door.
The long walk had been refreshing. Oriana’s skin was still warm from the sun, relaxing her. She had lowered her guard to Erik as he let his personality show. The rude, arrogant Prince had transformed into a passionate visionary. His viewpoint on the Universe was unusual for a prince or anyone of high standing. Not interested in idle gossip Erik, instead, had inspired her to have a greater interest in how the Universe worked.
Eyeing him from across the room as he spoke passionately about his views of the Universe, Oriana couldn’t help but begin to admire him, even with his ever present arrogance.
He will be a
good ally to have one day.
The door to the sitting room burst open. “Erik, It is time to leave.” King Mobius strode purposefully into the room.
Oriana startled and jumped to her feet, her heart pounding rapidly in her throat.
Erik stood with a casual grace and straightened his shirt. “That was rather fast. I expected to be here—”
“Now,” the King interrupted him with a tone sharp enough to cut diamond.
Erik turned to her and shrugged with one shoulder.
“It was nice meeting you Princess Oriana.” He bowed.
“It was a pleasure meeting you as well, Prince Erik.” She curtsied in return.
Her eyes moved from the Prince’s face to the King’s. Narrowed coal-black eyes locked on her. Oriana sucked in a sharp breath.
The fierceness of King Mobius’ gaze betrayed his otherwise emotionless expression and caught her off guard.
Oriana watched in silence as the two Erisians took their leave. Edin murmured a farewell to Celeste and followed behind them. Her mind whirled with the sudden end of the visit.
“That was strange…” Celeste said, approaching Oriana.
“Are negotiations always so fast?”
“No, never. You must speak with your father,” she advised and pushed Oriana out the door, before rushing off down the hall in the opposite direction.
This had been the first time she’d been involved in such a meeting. Her parents, King Orion and Queen Vega, would be meeting with all planets again—regardless of how new or old their alliances. It would give them a chance to reinforce their contracts, as well as give her the opportunity to create relationships with the princes and princesses she would be working with.
Why would King Mobius look at me like that? So strange… Oriana pondered.
Shaking off the lingering burn of the King’s gaze, Oriana walked through the double doors that remained wide open.
As she walked through the deserted halls, her skin prickled with a strange energy.