Royal Affliction (The Anti-Princess Saga)

by Jennifer Marsh

  I swam into it, dragging Clifton with me. “Don’t let go.” He nodded. I wrapped my legs around his waist and threw my arms around his neck, holding him very tight. “Hold your breath,” I told him, unsure if he could breathe underwater as I could, and felt him breathe in deep before we were sucked down with the current.

  The water spun fast around us, as we revolved in the opposite direction. It was horror on one’s stomach. I closed my eyes and focused on holding Clifton as we were sucked down deeper and deeper until we hit something solid.

  When I opened my eyes the glowing whirlpool was dissipating, leaving nothing but crystal clear water in its place. Fuchsia and Mandarin colored fish were flitting through the nearby water. It was a beautiful and familiar sight.

  Keeping my legs wrapped tightly around Clifton, I loosened my arms to make sure that he was all right. He was fine, and, he was breathing. I kissed him with the relief that I hadn’t lost him just yet. He pushed off the ocean floor and swam to the surface, taking me with him.

  ********************

  I took a moment to look around my home. Kortis was as it had ever been. The ever-changing sky was a bright, yet light, shade of red and the intense orange sun was just peeking over the horizon. Time ran a little behind here. We were close enough to the shore to see the beautiful landscape. The sand was pearly white and a large stone castle stood alone in the distance. There were many tropical trees and plants blocking the other homes from view, but I knew they were there. The sight brought tears to my eyes. You never really know how homesick you are until you go back.

  Clifton was looking around with amazement in his eyes. “So you are really Quartessa, princess of this extraordinary place?”

  “Yes. I see that you can breathe underwater.”

  “I thought you told me to hold my breath for another reason.” He stared loving into my eyes. “I will always do whatever you ask of me.” His lips found mine as I embraced him, and for a moment I forgot where I was.

  “Ahem.”

  Kafkus was looking pissy. I hadn’t even heard him break the surface.

  “If you are quite finished, Princess, we need to be going.” A lone vein was throbbing on his neck.

  “Don’t be jealous, Kafkus, it doesn’t flatter you.”

  “I am not jealous. I just think that you deserve to be with a real man, one with an untarnished bloodline.” He started swimming towards the shore without another word.

  Though a few retorts were brooding in my head, I didn’t voice them. It wasn’t worth it. I just motioned for Clifton to follow him.

  The sand sparkled beneath my feet like millions of tiny opals. I dug my toes into it, relishing in its warmth on my bare feet.

  “AHHHH!”

  I spun around to see Clifton sinking deep into the sand. His legs had already been swallowed. The ground had just reached his stomach when I grabbed his arms and pulled with all my strength. I was too weak. “Help him!”

  “There is nothing I can do.”

  “You knew this would happen, didn’t you?”

  “Your father had a curse placed upon the land some time ago.” He laughed. “Any Boru that comes in contact with it will be swallowed.”

  I focused all of my energy on keeping Clifton from being sucked up by the sand. But just as soon as the sand had reached his neck, it stopped. His arms had been raised, leaving the two appendages and his head sticking out of the sand.

  “It appears that Kortis knows that he is Zolera as well.”

  “That’s good to know and all, but how do I get out of here?” Clifton asked while struggling to free himself.

  “Kafkus, go get my father!”

  “Why don’t you go get him?”

  “And leave the two of you alone so that you can finish the job? I don’t think so. You will get my father. If he dies, I will make sure that you do not live another day.”

  His smile faltered but it didn’t disappear. “I am not afraid of you.”

  I knew that he wasn’t afraid of me, but I also knew that he wouldn’t dare hurt me. If I challenged him to a duel, I would win. Not because I was stronger, but because my father would kill him if he killed me. I held my ground, staring him down. After a minute or so of this, he skulked off towards the castle muttering something incoherent under his breath. I didn’t care what he said as long as he did as I asked.

  I knelt next to Clifton in the warm sand. “I will get you out of this.”

  “I know that you’ll try, but somehow I don’t think that your father is going to like me.”

  “When he sees what I see he will accept you.”

  “That’s if he lets me live long enough for me to explain myself.”

  I sighed, thinking of no more helpful words. I just sat there, stroking his hair and trying my best to comfort him without words.

  The sudden noise of footsteps in the distance caused me to spring to my feet, prepared to defend my man. I caught a glimpse of something purple coming at me and dropped my guard at once. “Violet!” I shouted and saw her smile.

  “Friend?” Clifton asked.

  “Best friend,” I answered through a huge smile and I felt him relax a little. Well, relax as much as he could with being held prisoner by the ground anyway.

  Violet’s name matched her well. Her skin was a very pale shade of lavender. Her hair was a darker, more plum color and it was long, much longer than I’d remembered it. It was loose, falling down to her lower back and swaying with her long, striding steps. Her eyes were two-toned, sky blue on the outside with a rim of lilac around her pupil. She was all Zolera; even though you wouldn’t know it by looking at her. Her purple tint didn’t match that of the traditional Zolera blue. Most of the Zolera witches were like that: different. My father had always said that it showed that they were more.

  She hit me hard and threw her arms around me in a hug so tight I could barely breathe. “How are you?”

  “I’m fine,” I lied. “How have you been?”

  She let go of me abruptly, looking as if I had struck her. “There is terrible magic upon you. It is feeding on your essence, sucking the very life from within you.”

  Her words frightened me a little though I tried to ignore it as I lifted my pant leg, exposing the silver jewelry strapped to my ankle.

  She clasped a hand over her mouth, stifling a squeal, and took a step back. “The Ring of Eccus? How did you get that?”

  “You know this thing?”

  “I do. It belonged to the Yaro but it has been missing for some time. We have had Yaro visitors from time to time to check in with the castles if there have been any updates in its status. They used it to gain the strength and life from others.”

  The Yaro were fire demons that inhabited the Eastern territory of Kortis. They were evil, power hungry beings that were always trying to become more than what they were. I could easily believe that they would use this ring on lesser creatures to gain their strength. But it wasn’t a Yaro who attacked me.

  “A Boru put it on her,” Clifton said and I jumped, momentarily forgetting he was there.

  She judged the head and hands protruding from the sand. “Who is this?”

  “This is Clifton, my Zezka. He is half-Boru and half-Zolera.” My words came out calm, but inside I was screaming. “Can you release him?”

  She eyed Clifton with interest and apparent conflict. “I can, but I will need your father’s permission first.”

  “Please?” I begged. I was hoping to have Clifton free from the ground before my father showed up. I didn’t like the idea of him being caged in and unable to defend himself. Not that it would be much use for him to be able to fight.

  “You wish me dead?” She was reminding me of the consequences of direct disobedience from my father when you were not his child. I’d been away too long.

  “We will wait for my father.”

  “Why did you bring him here?” She trusted me. If I loved this cross-species then she accepted him without question. She was afraid for him more
than me, and I loved her for that.

  I didn’t have a chance to answer before the clanking of what sounded like an army was fast approaching. I glanced right to see just that.

  My father, King Dobbin, was in full fury and marching at us with purpose. His skin was light, like mine, just a kiss of blue. It contrasted well with the lengthy, golden robes he was wearing. His long silver-blue hair and beard sparkled in the moonlight as did the large, golden crown perched atop his head. His deep cobalt eyes were livid as he gazed at Clifton and in his hand was a golden spear with filigreed edges. Not a good sign.

  Kafkus was at his side looking rather pleased with himself. Many others were trailing behind them. Some I recognized. Some I didn’t. But all of them had unsettling eyes, and all of them were armed.

  My father came to a halt in front of Clifton. As he raised his spear I threw myself in front of him. His men stayed obediently behind him.

  “Move!”

  I stayed where I was. “Father, please?” I begged while staring up into those angry eyes. I searched for some sign of compassion. There was none.

  He lowered his spear, touching it to the ground. “Please what? Please don’t kill this abomination of nature? No, daughter of mine, I will not stand for this, this thing in my kingdom.” His tone was very intimidating. My body wanted to move but I didn’t let it. I stood my ground. I had to stand up for Clifton, because I was the only one here who could.

  Kafkus stepped forward. “She loves him,” he said loud enough to make sure that everyone could hear. He wasn’t trying to help, he was trying to ensure Clifton’s death and I glared at him for his unnecessary words.

  My father looked even more enraged. “You love this, this thing?”

  “Please, just let me explain, at least give me that.”

  “It will do you no good child”.

  “Please, father?”

  “Since you are my daughter, I will listen to what you have to say,” he said and it sparked a glimmer of hope inside of me. A hope that died as he continued. “But nothing you can say will change my mind. When you are through, then I will kill him.”

  “Thank you, father.” I was a little relieved even though I knew I shouldn’t be. But if he would listen to me it was a start. I had to persuade him, I just had to.

  I proceeded to tell him, and everyone, Clifton’s story. How he had come into my life and about his parents. I told them about the fact that he had never associated with any Boru, except of course for his father. And about how he had mostly Zolera characteristics. Clifton stayed quiet while I spoke, and I was grateful for it.

  My father stood there, looking very stiff. His long hair and beard were the only part of him that was moving. His deep-blue eyes stared into mine, judging my words as I spoke and when I finished my father remained silent as if in contemplation of something he was not sharing. His eyes darted to the gap between my torso and arm where Clifton’s hand rested on the sand.

  “That ring,” he whispered. “Who was your mother, boy?” It seemed to be something that he needed to know, though I wasn’t sure why.

  “Drina,” he answered his voice shaky from intimidation. “My mother’s name was Drina.”

  My father swayed for a moment, then dropped to his knees, his spear falling to the ground at his side. “This…this cannot be. A Boru? Did you despise me that much?”

  It was very uncharacteristic of my father to show this much emotion. It was a sign of weakness that he seldom shared, even in private. But I knew why the name had affected him this way. Drina had been his first wife, his first love. I had never even thought to ask Clifton who his mother had been as I didn’t think that I would have known who she was (not that I had ever known her).

  Drina had left Kortis one night and never returned. My father had, beyond any doubt, loved her. He’d never gone after her and had remained hopeful that she would return to him one day. She never did, and now he knew that she never would. I think it bothered him that she traded his love for that of our kind’s enemy. He eventually took another wife, my mother, Avalon. I knew that he loved my mother, but looking into his heartbroken face, I knew that he still loved Drina. You never forget your first.

  I moved aside, allowing my father his first proper look at Clifton. My father would not be able to kill the child of his lost love. He wasn’t heartless.

  He gazed into Clifton’s face and his own softened. “You look a lot like your mother.” His eyes traced over Clifton’s soft features and shook his head. “I cannot kill you.” At once his face became sterner, more like the man I remembered. “I will never accept you as one of us, not with your Boru-tainted blood. Do you understand this?”

  “I do sir.” Clifton respectfully bowed his head as much as he could. “It is more than I expected sir, thank you.”

  My father turned to Violet. “Release him from the spell.”

  “My King, do you wish me to grant him full access to our land, or make this a onetime visit?”

  My father thought for a moment before addressing Clifton. “Do you wish to be able to return?”

  “I would like the option of coming back, yes.”

  “Do you wish us harm?”

  “No sir, I wish ill of no Zolera.”

  My father stared at Clifton for a moment, evaluating his truth. He turned back to Violet and nodded.

  My heart leapt. If he would allow Clifton to return, deep in my heart I knew one day he would accept him.

  Violet knelt down in front of him, placed both of her palms on his chest and closed her eyes.

  Kafkus looked infuriated. He would never speak ill against his king, but I knew he wanted to. His hand was clutching his sword so tight that his knuckles were turning white.

  “Remove your concealment, daughter. You are home now. I wish to see you in your natural form.” I slipped the ring off and felt myself change. “Much better.”

  He held his arms out to me and I ran into them, hugging him tight. “I missed you father,” I said, a tear leaking down my cheek. “Thank you for sparing my Clifton.”

  “Oh I have missed you more, Quartessa. You are my only princess after all.” His voice changed into a rougher tone as he continued. “As for your man, he will never truly be one of us. You know that?”

  “I remain hopeful that one day you will change your mind, father. But for now, I respect your decision.” I let him go and turned around to see Clifton standing, once again, on top of the sand.

  “King Dobbin, she wears the Ring of Eccus,” Violet announced.

  My father froze, his face turned just a tad troubled. His eyes asked if it was true.

  I lifted my pant leg and showed off the silver metal again. Gasps and whispered conversations filled the air around me which didn’t help my nerves on the subject.

  “How did this ring come to rest upon you, Quartessa?” My father’s voice was calm and steady. It showed no sign of emotion, but his face gave him away.

  “I was attacked by a Boru last night.” I couldn’t bear to look at him. I felt ashamed. I should have been able to prevent the attack, should have fought back harder. “He placed it on my ankle. How do I get it off?”

  “That I do not know.” He moved closer and bent down to touch the object. It burned a little from the contact and I winced. “How did a Boru acquire it? It is Yaro magic.”

  “I don’t know father.” I had hoped he’d have more answers than I did.

  “Violet, please do all you can to get it off of her.”

  “I can do nothing for it my King.” Violet looked miserable. “I have felt its power. It is far too great, even for me. You will need to consult with Reyka. The ring is not meant to come off until its wearer is dead.”

  My body trembled at her words. She could have broken the news to me in a better way.

  Reyka was the Yaro King. From the stories that I’d heard about him, he was an unfair and cruel ruler. Many feared him. I was one of them. My father was not. I wasn’t sure that he would be too eager to help me. Yaro wer
e neither allies nor enemies of my kind.

  My father clapped his hands together. “Byron, Barossa, Quino, come!”

  The warriors fell in line, coming to kneel before him. Quino gave me a nervous glance before facing my father.

  “I want you to pay a visit to Reyka. Tell him that we have his missing ring and that we wish to know how it is removed. Please find out all you can.”

  They bowed before heading off to the castle to prepare for their long journey.

  My father stood beside me now and placed a comforting arm around my shoulder. “Come daughter, let us go inside. I am sure you and your...uh, friend must be hungry from your journey. I will have the cooks prepare some food. Then, I am sure that you could do with some rest before we receive our answer.” He guided me towards the castle with Violet and Clifton following behind.

  As we walked, I took in the memorable appearance of the beautiful stone castle that I’d grown up in. Golden ivy crept up its sides, covering more than I remembered. There were four tall towers, one in each corner. My old bedroom was in the tower on the front left. I used to love sitting on the bench in front of that large window. The picturesque ocean and sky made it my favorite place to perch. I could sit there for hours at a time and just get lost in it. I was home. It had been so long since I felt that I belonged anywhere. But I knew that I couldn’t stay, and that hurt.

  If you judged the castle from the outside you would think that it would be dark and musty, but it was the complete opposite. It was warm, friendly, and inviting. The walls were a soft beige color and they were smooth and flawless. You would never guess that uneven stone lay behind them. The floors were a nice, dark, hardwood that reflected the light. There were white leather couches sitting in the heart of the room and an oriental-looking tan rug spread out on the floor between them. This room would not have looked out of place in a human home, except for the golden lanterns that lined the walls. They were illuminated by bright blue orbs hidden inside. The glow cast dancing aqua lights on the walls behind them.

  “I see that mother has been redecorating.”

  “Your mother has taken it upon herself to redecorate almost the entire castle in your absence.” He shrugged. “It makes her happy, so I do not complain. She has been trying to keep herself busy.” I heard a loud shriek that echoed through the entire room and spun to see my mother power-walking towards me.