Tatyanna tried to walk toward the bathroom to get a look at herself, but Galena wouldn’t let her. “Now, it is time for make-up.”
Tatyanna groaned, and bit her tongue. She held herself back from speaking out about what she wanted, knowing Galena would shut her down faster than she could get the words out of her. She sat there and did what was instructed of her, letting Galena have her fun.
“You know, I am the mother of three boys. I hope that this child is a girl. I would love to have my own daughter one day, where I can turn her into a princess any time I want,” Galena said as she smoothed cream on Tatyanna’s face.
“What is your gift?” Tatyanna asked, feeling Galena lightly tap something on her lips.
“Haven’t you figured it out? My gift is being a mother. Ever since I was a child, I wanted to help others, I would baby the other kids if they were sick, helping to nurse them back to health, holding their hands and reading them stories. My gift is serving others. It is what brings me the greatest joy. Now, open your eyes, go look at yourself in the mirror, and tell me what you think.”
Tatyanna was a bit scared about the final look, and took a deep breath. She squared her shoulders and did as she was told. The transformation was amazing. She truly felt, and looked like, a princess, inside and out. Galena had made her skin glow, and her eyes looked bluer than she had ever seen them. She didn’t apply that much make-up as Tatyanna had feared she might. She just enhanced her natural features, and gave her the confidence to be the person everyone expected her to be.
Tatyanna turned around suddenly, saw Galena at her back, and threw her arms around her into a tight hug. “I love it!” she said, meaning every word. Galena patted her on her back, gave her boots to wear, and told her not to be late, but Tatyanna didn’t miss the hint of moisture in the other woman’s eyes. “I don’t know what my future will be, or where I will end up, but if you want, you and your kids will always have a home with me.”
Galena looked to be on the verge of tears and just nodded her head quietly. Tatyanna fled the room so she wouldn’t cry, and quickly put on her boots. As she left the cabin, she walked smack into Emmett. She hadn’t seen him much since they have arrived.
“Wow, what happened to you?” he asked shocked, looking his princess over from head to toe.
“Galena happened to me,” she laughed. “I told her I was fine just being me, but she wouldn’t take no for an answer.”
Emmett held out his hand to stop Tatyanna. “Why do you try so hard to be normal? Embrace who you are. Embrace the person you are meant to be.”
Tatyanna felt herself nodding her head in agreement. “I’m trying. It is just so hard, after everything that has happened to me. I thought I wanted to be normal, after being different for so long. Here, different is the norm, and it will take me a little bit to get used to that.”
“Don’t let it take too long. We all see the wonderful person you are, and who you will become. It is long past time that you can see that, too.” He tilted her chin up so he could see her eyes. “Okay?” he asked, quietly receiving another nod for Tatyanna. “Good, now, come on. Marek is already talking to his men about the changes to the game tonight.” He all but dragged Tatyanna behind him in a hurry to catch up and hear the rules.
Chapter Thirty-Nine
Changing the Game
As they got closer to the center of the village, Tatyanna could hear Marek’s voice, sounding as if he were assigning teams and calling out names of people she didn’t know. They broke through the trees, and she saw two distinct groups on either side of the clearing. One group was made up of more women than men, whereas the other group had the rest of the men and a handful of women.
Tatyanna recognized the dwarf race, with weapons strapped to their backs. She recognized various hunters, with their companion animals next to them, bow and arrows harnessed to their backside. All the people were in different styles of clothing and hairstyles based on where they came from. It was something she would have to ask about later. She couldn’t tell what each person’s power was, and couldn’t wait for the game to start, but she was surprised to see people carrying their weapons.
When about ten people remained standing in the open clearing, Tatyanna tuned into Marek’s speech. “This year, I will not be a leader of a group. The leaders will be Gavin and Medo,” he announced. Gavin punched the air in excitement, and Medo gave a painful expression and his shoulders dropped. “Gavin’s second will be Lilly, and Griffin will be Medo’s.”
Tatyanna wasn’t sure who was more upset by this news, Gavin or Medo. She found their expressions interesting. She suspected there was something between Lilly and Medo. It was more on how they reacted toward each other when the other was near. Gavin looked just as heartbroken as Medo, but more pissed, as she saw him clench his jaw and give Marek an evil glare. Whether Marek saw it or not, he chose to ignore the reactions and smiled, showing he had made that pairing on purpose. She wondered what he was up to, and added it to the list of questions she was accumulating in her head.
“The rest of us will be free. We can switch sides at will, and we might even be spies. The point of this game is to watch your back, because you won’t know friend from foe.” He glanced around the group to make sure everyone understood him. “As you can see, I told you all to bring your weapon. Yes, we are playing a game, but you can still hurt each other, just don’t maim, or kill, someone from the opposite side. This drill is to make sure everyone knows what to do during battle. Our healers, and those who are not combat trained, have already gathered to help tend to the injured.”
Marek clasped his hands behind his back and started to pace, as if he were debating something. “Lastly, the flag; the goal this year is not to capture a flag. Instead, the goal is to capture the leader of each team.” He made eye contact with both Gavin and Medo, turning to their seconds, “It is your job to protect them with your life. If they get captured, then so do you. Once both leaders are captured, I will reveal one more surprise. Until them, each team needs to gather on their prospective sides, and you have fifteen minutes to plan before the bell rings to alert the start of the battle. If I see anyone violating the rules, you will be removed from the game and placed in the barracks for questioning later.” Marek’s eyes traveled over both groups, waiting to see if there were any questions. When he received none, he clapped his hands twice and yelled, “Dismissed!”
Watching everyone scatter to their sides, including a few people from the group who were free to switch sides, and others, like Emmett, stayed behind. As she surveyed the group that was left, she realized it contained Emmett, Dimitri, Kwyk, and Terran. She wondered where Cale was, because she hadn’t seen him since they last spoke.
“Come,” Marek spoke, motioning with his fingers for everyone to walk closer to him. “I need you guys to play both sides, and keep an eye on things. I have reason to suspect we may actually have spies in our midst, and we need to find out who they are. Tatyanna will be with me, but if we should see anything, she can communicate with Terran. Everyone else, keep your minds open in case I need to reach out to you.” Everyone nodded and then left, leaving Tatyanna alone with Marek.
She turned to him, surprised to see the leader in him, but knew it fit him perfectly. She didn’t have the chance to say anything to him, before his mouth connected with hers in a hot, hungry kiss, as if he had been craving her touch all day. She sank into his embrace, thriving off the explosiveness and warmth. As soon as it began, it was over, and Marek was distancing himself from her, causing Tatyanna to lose balance and almost pitch forward at the sudden loss of her support.
Marek took a shaky breath, running his hands through his hair, surprised he had lost control. He found he couldn’t think straight around her. He was going to have to learn to withhold that weakness before it cost him his life, or worse, hers.
“Come.” He held out his calloused hand to hers, and she grasped it without any hesitation. He held out the opposite hand and swirled it over his head twice, w
hispering words she was unable to understand. They were gone from the clearing, and standing on top of a hill overlooking the battlefield.
“What happened?” she asked, letting go of his hand and taking a step back, only to see Marek was invisible and basking in hues of reds, yellows, and oranges, the colors one would see in a fire. “What the…” she started to ask, even more perplexed.
Marek smiled at her and held out his hand again. Tatyanna was amazed to see the colors consume her, and she, too, became invisible. “It is the power of the Phoenix. I can make myself invisible to all, or allow a few people to see me. Whoever touches me in this form will also be invisible, until the connection is broken. We also traveled by way of the Phoenix. It was faster and easier this way, than to climb the rough terrain to get up to this point. From here, we will be able to see over the entire battlefield,” he said, waving his other hand before them.
Tatyanna stared out at the wooded area, but didn’t see anything special about it. It looked like any other forest, except here the earth life was thriving, instead of frozen or dead. “How long until the battle begins?” she asked, anxious to have his undivided attention to answer some much needed questions, but didn’t see how that was possible.
“Now,” he said, holding up his right arm toward the sky, and she watched in fascination as a giant phoenix came shooting out of his hand, spreading its large wings to flank both ends of the forest for all to see. She heard several warrior cries and the beating of a drum and then silence.
“What is happening?” she whispered.
“Why are you whispering?” Marek asked with an amused tone. “The phoenix protects us from anyone seeing, and hearing, us.”
“Oh,” she said in a normal tone. “So why can’t I see anything?”
“Think of it as a chess game. Each side studies the board before making its first move. It might be a while before we see any action. If it was me, I would send out the animals to check to see what the other side is planning.”
Tatyanna took a few steps forward, still holding onto Marek’s hand to see out over the ledge. “Okay, well, this is getting boring.”
Marek merely laughed at her impatience. He let go of her hand and waved his hand over his head twice, and she watched as his form flickered in and out, before stabilizing. “Have a seat,” he said, gesturing to a nearby boulder. She gratefully sat down and waited for Marek to do the same, but instead he walked toward the other end of the ledge, keeping his back to her.
“You have questions. Go ahead and ask. We may not have any privacy moving forward.”
“I have so many questions. I don’t know where to begin,” she started, but then thought back to her dream. “I had a dream earlier.” She watched as Marek’s shoulders tensed, but he didn’t say anything. “I dreamt we exchanged vows,” she said, watching again for any recognition from Marek, and saw that his stance stiffened again at words. “Are we married?” she asked.
“No. We were brought together, and promised to each other.”
“What does that even mean?”
“It means we are betrothed.” He let the words sink in, waiting for her to object. Tatyanna sat there silently, and he continued, “Your mother sent a messenger to my parents to come to the castle on important matters, and to bring me. Rumor has it, your mother had the sight. She knew the end was near for her and the other royals, and did her best to send a warning. Instead, both our fathers died.
“As your mother watched her husband die, a big piece of her died too, and every day after that, she died a little bit more. She knew she didn’t have much time left and did what she could to set certain plans in place to protect you. One of those plans was me. If we were betrothed, she knew I would die trying to keep you safe.” Marek turned around to face her, and Tatyanna was startled by his serious expression. He walked toward her, and he dropped down on one knee, raising his fist to his chest and bowing down to her. “I give you my allegiance, my Queen, and you have the power of the Phoenix, whether you choose to marry me, or not. I will not leave you to walk this world alone. You are my future, and I live to protect you.”
Tatyanna was taken aback by his declaration. If she didn’t choose to marry him, he would continue to uphold the promise he once made her, no questions asked. It was a huge step. She didn’t even know how she felt about him…or did she? Tatyanna didn’t know where she belonged in this world, but when she was with him, she felt like she did. She bent and lightly brushed her hand down the side of his face. “I don’t know what your world is like, but I was raised in a world where if someone was interested in the other person, they would take them out on dates and get to know them better. I realize we don’t have the luxury for that, but it would please me if you would court me as best as you can. We have more pressing matters to deal with in this world than to get married, but maybe when it is all over, we can finally unite the way our parents planned.”
Marek looked over in her eyes, and grabbed her hand in between both of his, kissing her fingertips. “So, is that a yes? Will you marry me?”
She smiled, feeling giddy, and nodded her head, “I will.” He swiftly leaned up and kissed her, sealing the promise before them. Their intimate moment was ruined when Tatyanna heard clapping coming from behind Marek. She scooted back, breaking the kiss to see who was there, and wasn’t surprised to see Emmett.
“It’s about time,” he said, grinning like a fool. “I thought I’d have to watch over the queen for all eternity. Glad to see you two finally realized the obvious. We’ve all been waiting for this moment.”
Marek stood up and turned toward the other man, receiving a gentle punch on his arm. “It would have been better without an audience. What do you want?” he asked, none too gently.
“I was bored. The others would have come up, but knew better than to risk themselves climbing up this mountain.”
“How did you get up here?” Tatyanna asked perplexed.
“I flew.” At her confused expression, he clarified, “I can turn into any animal, you know. I prefer the cat, but for this purpose, becoming a bird was just easier.”
“Next time you decide to interrupt a private moment, don’t. Just fly around, and watch from afar.”
Emmett laughed. “I can’t wait to tell the others.”
Tatyanna furrowed her brows in thought. “No,” she said. “Just tell Terran and Dimitri, and no one else.”
“Why do you want to wait?”
“I don’t know how to explain it, but I am worried about something, and wish to share it with you guys later.”
Emmett knew better than to question her and nodded his head. “Well, I guess that is my cue to leave. I’ll see if anyone has made the first move yet. I was watching over Lilly and Gavin, and Lilly was threatening to beat Gavin to death if he didn’t send a scout out.” Marek laughed, glad he wasn’t the only one who threatened death on the boy. Emmett squatted down on his heels, and ducked his chin to his chest. He transformed into a large black bird, with a white line down his breast. He bowed his head at Tatyanna, and flew off into the opposite direction from where he came in from.
Marek turned and back toward Tatyanna, “So about that kiss? Think we can pick up from where we left off?” he asked saucily.
“No,” she said. “I think the moment is lost.”
“Shame.”
“Can I ask you some more questions?”
“Ask away. I have nothing to hide from you.”
“That’s a first,” she said sarcastically, receiving a raised eyebrow from Marek, “Yeah, yeah, I know. You guys were only protecting me. Whatever. It’s done.” Before she could ask anything, she felt an arrow brush by her cheek, grazing it lightly. Marek instantly transformed from the lover to the warrior, pulling a knife from his waist, and standing in a defensive pose. His eyes shifted all around them, trying to see where the arrow came from.
“It was just an accident,” she said, taking light of what happened.
“No, I don’t think it was,” he said, qui
ckly becoming invisible, and reaching out to her. “That was a warning. We are not here to kill, or to maim, the enemy. As far as everyone else knows, you are not in this fight, and therefore, off limits.”
Tatyanna’s back stiffened at the implication of his words. This may have started out as a game, but it had quickly turned into a battle. She faced forward, holding on to Marek’s hand tightly, waiting to see what would happen next.
Chapter Forty
The Battle
Tatyanna could see Emmett flying over the field, weaving in and out of arrows being shot at him, as if he had done this hundreds of times before. She could see he was thoroughly enjoying himself. She also saw several small animals running toward the other side but was unable to see what they were. Squirrels? Mice? They were fast, and gone in a blink of an eye. She saw movement to the left, and squinted in order to see a man dressed in black silently move through the trees, stalking his prey before pouncing, whipping out a blade and slicing it across the person’s arm before continuing forward. She watched in fascination as he went from one prey to the next, only giving them a knife wound before continuing on. She thought the attacker would stand out in the sea of green, because he wore black, but when he moved, he became a shadow. Tatyanna lost sight of him several times.
Marek tracked Tatyanna’s eyes to see what she was staring at so intently, and smiled. “That’s Kwyk. He is the best of his kind,” he said, counting five guys he had already removed from the game. As soon as someone was injured, they instantly disappeared to be treated by their side’s medical team before being able to enter into the game again.
“He is a rogue. A thief, a killer, a skilled marksman. He is anything he wants to be. I discovered him several years ago when he tried to pick my pockets and was shocked when I caught him red-handed. I saved his life from death, and he has been with me ever since,” he said, watching the man make his way deep into the other side, before climbing a tree and settling in it lazily, cleaning his fingernails with the same knife he had used to injure several people.
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