by Neha Yazmin
That thing about getting enough sleep this week to carry her through the next several? It didn’t quite go to plan. She felt wide awake and… refreshed. She shouldn’t have had the cup of tea with her breakfast. But breakfast isn’t breakfast without tea. Breakfast was the first meal of the day, one that had always fuelled her body for training and riding. Breakfast got her ready for the day ahead, not for sleep.
She sighed. It would take time to re-train her mind and body, make it work differently.
Tossing and turning in her bed didn’t help, and she’d never been the kind of person to lie still and do nothing. She got up, dressed in her new brown pants, boots, and jacket, and made her way to the guards’ training field, taking her crossbow with her. It had been too long since she’d practiced with one. Would her aim be as good as before?
The field to the west of the castle was where the Royal Guards trained, the Head had told her during his tour yesterday. There were only a handful of guards around her. Was everyone was on duty now? Well, the night guards were obviously sleeping after their shift.
There was no tent to provide shade from the sun, like the one in the Royals’ training field in Adgar. That meant the tan she’d picked up on the ship would continue to deepen if she trained here every day. She was the darkest person in Roshdan, she was sure of it, which was funny considering how she and her family had been the fairest people in Adgar—Royalty stayed out of the sun at all times.
Before she knew it, she was falling back into her rhythm, shooting arrow after arrow at the targets she’d set up. All apart from the first few practice shots hit the bull’s eye. Then, she found herself longing for a normal bow and arrow, so she retrieved one from the weapons room that opened to this field. While she was at it, Aaryana grabbed a belt of throwing knives, too.
Oh, she’d missed her weapons. The ones strapped to her now were just shadows of the blades she had back home. But again, she felt complete, now that she was armed, and she channelled all her energy into shooting arrows and throwing knives.
The day was slowly warming, the sun climbing higher and higher with each arrow that bulleted through the air, each knife that stabbed the centre of the targets. She tried not to think about the person that used to oversee her training, as she picked up the crossbow again, her belt and quiver now devoid of knives and arrows. The temperature was rising, so she shrugged off her jacket, only to put it back on again after a couple of minutes. It wasn’t that warm in this Island, and it was late summer now rather than the middle of the season.
She fastened the button at the bottom of her brown jacket, allowing the mild breeze to caress the bare skin of her throat and chest—the tight-fitting blouse underneath had quite a low neckline. A lot of the women’s blouses and tunics that she’d seen in the market yesterday were like that, more revealing than what she was accustomed to. The fashion in Adgar, it seemed, was more conservative than she’d thought.
For such a cool climate, Roshdani women were more adventurous than she’d expected when it came to clothes. Then again, it could be that they layered up the various garments during the colder seasons. Indeed, her jacket was thin and snug enough that she could top it with a heavier, bulkier jacket or overcoat when winter hit. She could wear a long-sleeved tunic over the blouse she was in now when the summer months made way for the cooler autumn days.
“There you are, my Lady,” Jeena said as she rushed over a minute later. “I’ve been looking everywhere for you.”
“Is everything alright?” she asked, tucking away a few strands of hair that had escaped her high ponytail. It wasn’t as tight as Myraa used to do it. Her friend’s face hovered in her mind, making her chest feel tight.
“Yes,” replied the girl. “His Majesty has agreed to give you an audience.”
Aaryana wasn’t surprised. Of course, King Keyan would meet with her.
“That’s great, Myraa. But you could have waited until you next saw me.”
The servant girl gaped at her for a long moment, before shaking her head. “You don’t understand. His Majesty has agreed to see you. Now.”
“Now?” That did surprise her.
“He is currently holding Court in the Throne Room. You should hurry there.”
Aaryana left every weapon and target she’d been using, bar the crossbow that belonged to her. She would come back and clear things up after seeing the King.
As they half-jogged to the Throne Room, Jeena asked, “My Lady, who is Myraa?”
Aaryana halted before stumbling forward again. “Where did you hear that name?” she almost whispered.
Hearing the name on someone else’s lips filled her with sadness and dread. Had something so horrific happened to her friend that the news had travelled this far north? This quickly?
“That’s what you called me out in the training field.”
Oh. “Oh, sorry about that, Jeena,” was all she said and accelerated her pace.
The maid got the hint and didn’t push for details. Aaryana wasn’t ready to discuss Myraa with anyone. It was different with King Keyan, when she’d told him about life in Adgar and of everyone in it; he was the King.
Jeena told the aide outside the Throne Room that this was the Lady Aaryana that the King had summoned, and the young man bowed to her before heading inside to inform the King that she’d arrived. The doors remained open and she could see the King sitting on that unique Throne of his, one that she hadn’t been able to properly appreciate when she was last in this room.
Now, she could see that it was truly the strangest thing she’d seen, for a Throne. It seemed to have been made to look like a person, a person bent in the right places to create a chair for a King or Queen. But this person was composed of three different… creatures.
Aaryana focused on the armrests of the Throne, wanting to make sure she had interpreted it correctly. Yes, they were a pair of arms, muscular and twice the size of her own limbs, palms facing up, the fingers slightly parted. King Keyan was resting his arms on them, his palms touching the dark metal palms of his Throne. If he wanted to, he could thread his fingers through the gaps between the metal fingers, grip it.
Spreading out on either side of him were wings, taller than they were wide. The back of the chair was fashioned to look like the wings of an angel! When the Kings and Queens of Roshdan leaned back in their seat, did they feel like they were being embraced by a heavenly being? When her eyes climbed to the wingtips, she realised with an inaudible gasp that the wings weren’t woven out of feathers, but rather flames. Each feather was a flame, each flame was a feather. Wings of flame…
The third and final portion of the Throne, the legs, sent a small shiver down her spine. There was curvature to them, like the conventional legs of a Throne, but they were shaped like the tail of a fish, scales and all. The tail of something that was half-man, half-fish—no, half-sea folk. A higher sea folk. A being that was more human than all the creatures of the ocean.
Strange, that the Throne of Roshdan should pay homage to angels and sea folk. And the human arms in the middle, keeping the wings and tails apart, like a middle child might try to keep their two siblings from bickering too much. She would have to ask Jeena about this Throne and what it symbolised.
There were three steps leading up to the platform on which the Throne sat, carpeted in red, with four smaller, more conventional-looking Thrones on either side of it. Three for his children and the empty one where his wife had sat for the short period that she’d been Queen.
When the aide returned to usher her inside, she wondered why the King hadn’t remarried. And where were the two Princes? Quin was seated on the other side of her mother’s empty throne, but the two that were to the King’s right were unoccupied.
Aaryana approached the dais and bowed as gracefully as she could with the crossbow in her hand. She felt the eyes of the handful of Courtiers in the room—as well as all the guards that lined the walls—as she straightened up and gave a small curtsy to Princess Quin. The girl smiled at her, no
t necessarily friendly and welcoming, but polite acknowledgment.
“How was your first day—or rather, your first night as a Royal Guard, Aaryana?” the King asked her in a friendly and inquisitive tone.
“Excellent, Your Majesty,” she replied. “I thank you for letting me have the honour of serving you. Your Majesty is most kind.”
With the watching audience, she decided that it was best not to mention the very handsome advance on her monthly pay, or the crossbow—the two things that she actually wanted to thank him for—in case the Courtiers got jealous and started scheming against her. She lifted the weapon, though, and held it across her chest, so he could see what she was referring to.
“Is that what I think it is?” gasped Quin, eyes narrowed at the crossbow.
The thing must be quite expensive, then, a popular model perhaps, considering the astonished and slightly appalled look on the young Princess’s face. She clearly wasn’t impressed that her father had gifted Aaryana something so lucrative.
“Yes, it is,” the King replied to his daughter before quickly adding, “My dear Quin, why don’t you introduce Aaryana to everyone?”
His daughter scowled at him but he pretended not to notice as he waved a hand towards the Courtiers in the room, all of whom averted their gaze from him. They were eavesdropping, of course. From gossip and rumours, or from the King’s mouth, she didn’t know, but she was certain that everyone in this room knew who she was. A banished, disowned former Princess.
“I know Lady Rozlene is keen to meet her,” he said in a stricter tone. An order.
Quin nodded to her father, eased to her feet, and descended the steps. She was wearing a pale-blue gown, the fabric shimmering in the light streaming in through the large windows, like sea water under a bright sun.
The Princess stopped in front of Aaryana, pursed her lips at the crossbow, and said, “Shall we?”
Aaryana bit her bottom lip. “Apologies, Your Highness,” she said, eyes dropping to the floor. “I just wanted to ask His Majesty one more thing…”
Quin sighed and rolled her eyes but gestured for Aaryana to go ahead and address the King once more.
“Your Majesty, the Head of the Royal Guards said that I am free to spend my free my days as I wished, like my fellow colleagues. As long as it does not displease you. Would it displease Your Majesty if I were to spend the next few days exploring your beautiful Island?”
“I don’t see why not. Aaryana, you’re not my prisoner.” His face was kind but firm, in a way that challenged anyone to argue with him.
If Wyett was present, he most certainly would have argued with him.
“Thank you, Majesty.” She bowed her head before asking, “Are there any parts of the Island that I should avoid? Any forbidden forests?” Or mountains? she wanted to add.
She recalled Wyett telling her that the Nidiyans were left to themselves in those icy mountains, but she needed to know if she’d get into trouble if she was caught trekking up the Nidiyan Mountains.
“Back in Adgar, everyone was warned from setting foot in the Old Forest in the north, lest we encounter the deadly beasts that dwell there.”
“Why am I not surprised that your forbidden forest is in the north?” He chuckled to himself. It seemed as though he wanted to mention the mountains, also in the northern part of Roshdan and rarely graced by the people of the Island. “Anyway. Back to your question. No, I don’t think we have any regions that you won’t be able navigate, with your considerable talents.” He grinned.
Aaryana sighed, relieved. He would have told her, if the mountains were prohibited. “And the rebels?” she dared ask. “Where are they holed up? I wouldn’t want to—”
“The rebels won’t bother you,” he told her, all signs of humour gone. His tone, the set of his mouth, made clear that he didn’t want to speak further on this topic.
Aaryana curtsied to him, murmuring her thanks, and turned to Quin with a nod. Grim-faced, the young Princess glided towards a group of women chattering quietly by a table laid with water, fruit juice, and bowls of fruit. Aaryana fell into step beside Quin and murmured her thanks. Quin didn’t acknowledge it.
To the three people that she led Aaryana to, Quin said, “Lady Rozlene, Lady Lizbeth, Erisa, allow me to introduce you to Lady Aaryana.”
Quin nodded to each of them as she said their names so Aaryana would know who they were. The oldest of the three females, Lady Rozlene, was the most beautiful woman she’d seen of that age. Probably no older than the King. She had raven-black hair and big brown eyes, and the warmth in her smile was enough to draw one from Aaryana as she gave a small bow to the group.
The youngest of the trio, Erisa, was one of those girls that looked young but you immediately knew they were older than they looked. She was obviously Lady Rozlene’s daughter, with the same eyes, the same wide mouth, and almost the same black hair. The only difference was that whereas her mother’s tresses were glossy and sleek, Erisa’s had no sheen, no life, despite the volume to it. Volume that her mother’s hair did not have.
She looked familiar, but Aaryana didn’t think she’d seen anyone with such large brown eyes back in Adgar. Or such dull-looking black hair. As Lady Rozlene welcomed her to Roshdan, thanked her for saving their King, and congratulated her on becoming a Royal Guard, all the while throwing curious glances at the crossbow, Aaryana’s eyes kept drifting to Erisa’s hair. Have I seen her before? Noticing her attention, Erisa smoothed down her hair self-consciously. Aaryana made an effort to keep her gaze on Rozlene as the woman prattled on.
“I must say,” Lady Rozlene was saying to Quin, “I was disappointed that your brother managed to convince so many of the Council to vote against appointing Lady Aaryana as His Majesty’s personal guard. Poor Seth, he decided not to vote at all when he saw the look Wyett gave me when I voted in favour of hiring her.”
“You’re on the King’s Council?” Aaryana blurted out. “Lady Rozlene,” she added as an afterthought.
The woman laughed. “Yes, I am. And I really couldn’t have thought of anyone better to protect our King.” She sighed.
For as backward as this Island seemed to be, they at least had one woman on the King’s Council. Adgar had none from outside the Royal Family. Unless, Rozlene was related to the King? No. Quin would have said if Rozlene was a cousin or aunt or whatever.
“Yes, I heard that Wyett behaved poorly in that meeting,” Quin said hesitantly. “But I’m surprised he was rude to you,” she said to Rozlene. “He should know by now that you support Father in all his decisions.”
“In all his decisions that I agree with,” Rozlene corrected in a strict tone. Quin raised an eyebrow, to which the older woman said with a smile, “Is it my fault that your father is always right?”
Erisa laughed out loud and Aaryana realised with a gasp why the girl seemed familiar. She had seen her before, right here in Roshdan. And only yesterday. At the market, when she’d gone shopping for clothes before her first shift. Erisa had caught Aaryana’s eye because she was wearing a long cloak in the warm weather, hood up. Underneath that hood was the same wide mouth, the big brown eyes, and the same lifeless hair.
No. She hadn’t seen Erisa yesterday. Because the girl under the hooded cloak didn’t have black hair. That girl’s hair had been a completely different colour to Erisa’s.
“Anyway, at least it was agreed that you should remain with us, Lady Aaryana.”
What Rozlene meant was: If you can’t protect the King, at least you can protect the rest of us. She probably didn’t know that Aaryana had been assigned to Wyett’s rooms. If she did, the woman didn’t show it.
“His Majesty is very kind,” was all Aaryana said. Then yawned. And cupped her mouth, horrified. “Oh, I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean to—I’m just tired after my shift last night. I couldn’t sleep, so—”
“Oh, there’s no need to apologise,” Rozlene assured her. “Erisa can walk you back to your rooms, can’t you?” She turned to her stunned daughter and gave
her a pointed look. “It will be good for you to make friends your own age.”
The girl seemed inclined to say, I have plenty of friends my own age, but nodded to her mother instead. Aaryana was inclined to say that she was probably a couple of years younger than Erisa, even if both of them looked eighteen, but decided to shake her head at the girl instead.
“You don’t have to take the trouble and escort me, Lady Erisa. I can find my own way back.”
“I’m sure you can,” said Erisa, smiling a little. “But I would very much like to accompany you, anyway.”
Aaryana nodded. The girl turned towards the exit and gestured for Aaryana to lead the way. Like her mother, the girl sent frequent but swift glances at the crossbow as they walked and Aaryana couldn’t hold back her curiosity any longer.
Stopping a few paces away from the closed doors of the Throne Room, she turned to Erisa and asked, “Why does everyone keep staring at this thing?” Aaryana held the weapon up for emphasis.
Erisa only asked, “How did you end up with that?”
“I didn’t steal it, if that’s what you’re asking.”
The girl shook her head. “I know you didn’t.”
Aaryana still wasn’t sure if she wanted to reveal that the crossbow was a gift from the King, especially since Rozlene seemed to be quite close to the Royal Family, clearly had influence and power in this Kingdom.
“Then, what’s so special about it?” She shook her head, bewildered.
Erisa hesitated, chewing on her bottom lip. “That crossbow is—”
She stopped mid-sentence. Aaryana realised it was because the doors had opened behind her. There was plenty of room for people to walk around her and Erisa to the dais, though; they weren’t in the way. Only, Aaryana hadn’t heard the person on the other side of the threshold step inside.
And Erisa was staring at that person, lips slightly parted. Aaryana had a sinking feeling in her stomach that it was Wyett. She was right. As she twisted on the spot, Aaryana met the Crown Prince’s glare.