Pawn of the Crown

by Cheryl Oblon

  “Our castle is much more pleasant,” Marel said.

  I rubbed my neck. “No wonder they want to come to us for treaty negotiations and drag them out forever. It must be like a vacation. Clean air, unending food, and sunshine.”

  The droids went about unpacking. Zoma headed down to the bedrooms and returned with a frown.

  “What?” I asked.

  She shuddered. “There are three bedchambers, but ours are like closets.”

  “Functional. I’m getting that feeling. If this is how they treat honored guests, I wonder how people really live. Average people, I mean.” I was spoiled, and I knew it. Rich family and inheritance were a given, but my mother had made sure I volunteered time with humans in the big cities. Saw the more crowded living conditions of apartments and having to go to a park to play on grass.

  That was heaven compared to what I suspected Anela lived in. I adjusted the lights, and when they were at their highest, I still saw a haze in the air. “We’ll have to light candles at night.”

  Zoma carried her bag back to her room.

  “Candles? You brought candles?” Marel asked.

  “I’m not touching the flames.” I rubbed the small scar on my palm. Before, I’d briefly used a little pain to relieve pent-up frustration and emotion when I was locked in the castle, and my mother’s life and sanity were under investigation. “I feel all the negativity now and deal with it.”

  “Good. Anyway, I think we’re expected to socialize with our hosts in the evening, not just hide out in here. This feels like a place to sleep, change, and maybe stay if you’re ill. These are not rooms one lives in.” Marel frowned.

  I sighed. “One month.”

  As the three of us sat around the little table and tried to figure out what to do with ourselves for a month, I heard voices in the hall.

  Anela knocked, and a droid let her in. The servant was nervous.

  “The queen of the Bachal, Her Royal Highness Maeka,” Anela said.

  I stood, and the others followed.

  “How kind of you to visit,” I said with a slight bow.

  “Not at all.” The queen sat on the sofa. “You’re comfortable?”

  I sat back in my chair. “Very, thank you.”

  “May we speak privately?” She eyed my two attendants.

  “Of course. Anela, would you please give my attendants a basic tour of how to get to and from places? It’d be a huge help,” I said.

  She bowed. Marel and Zoma followed Anela out of the room. Neither was pleased.

  “Your attendants are very protective of you,” the queen said.

  “They’re also my friends. None of us have traveled much, so you’ll have to forgive us our shock at a different culture.” I smiled. “I hope you understand no offense is meant. We simply have never lived in another country.”

  She waved at the window. “Of course. You see why we like coming to you.”

  “Our worlds are a bit different,” I admitted.

  “Our industry is harsh. Our air is dark. We need to defend our castle,” she said.

  “Every castle needs defending.”

  She studied me. “Your own people aren’t discontented.”

  “Some people will always be displeased. They want more. They think they deserve more. Every country has such minor factions, whether they admit it or not.” I shrugged. “If those factions are kept in check and monitored, they don’t pose a real threat.”

  “Glad to hear it. We have some people who are less happy, but in growth, there is always adjustment and difficulty. Don’t you agree?” she asked.

  Nodding, I had to agree that change could be difficult. “I wasn’t ready for my role as Royal Seer, but when my mother died, I had to grow into the position. I’m still learning, but it hasn’t been easy.”

  She grinned. “You see exactly.”

  “How is your country growing, if I may ask?”

  “Well, we always try to expand our borders and numbers. My husband wants to leave a great land and a huge legacy for Faldar.” She leaned in. “How is he, really?”

  “He’s happy and learning about our culture in different ways. More time allows more in-depth experience,” I said.

  “He’s not losing his love of home, I hope,” she said.

  “No, not at all. He wants to understand his neighbors. It will make him a better king for the Bachal one day.”

  “And LeFawn. Do you think she’ll embrace our life?” The queen gestured to the room.

  I frowned. “I must confess, I think their romance was rather quick. It’s still a bit young. I’m sure your son wanted to create a match that would unite our countries and found LeFawn quite delightful. She is lovely, kind, and spirited.”

  “But?” the queen asked.

  “But I think she’s not yet mature enough to consider marriage. Being the youngest of the siblings, she has been more sheltered than any of the others were, so she seems younger than her age. I think she and Faldar might find better matches elsewhere. Not that they’ve broken off anything, yet. I simply think your prince might prefer a queen who knows when to step up. LeFawn has three older siblings who have done that for her for so long.” I hoped this was the sort of ground-laying Faldar meant.

  The Bachal queen studied me. “I see. Yes. My daughter has to speak up to be heard over her two brothers. If her nature were meeker, she’d be overshadowed.”

  “I hope I didn’t overstep. Perhaps LeFawn would be freed by marriage and step into her own rights as a wife and, eventually, a mother. Family dynamics have a way of putting us in a role.” I wanted to hedge my bet in case the queen overreacted.

  “You understand families very well. Royal families, especially, it seems. My son will take you on some tours around our lovely grounds tomorrow. Tonight, you just relax, and we’ll have a lovely dinner and some welcome entertainment.”

  “Thank you,” I said.

  “The world here is very different. If you don’t think LeFawn is up to the challenge, it’s best she bow out of the engagement sooner rather than later. We must get Faldar married off. He must have some sons.” She scrunched her face as if plotting.

  “He’s not that old. There is plenty of time for him to find the right bride and have plenty of sons.” I opened one of my cases that was set on the small table.

  I removed a bottle of wine and pair of glasses. “We had some barrels of wine delivered, but I brought a few bottles. Would you like some?”

  She nodded.

  I poured the wine and handed her a glass.

  “To your son’s happy marriage—whomever the bride may be,” I said.

  She lifted her glass then sipped. “Very nice.”

  “Thank you. I hope we’re not an inconvenience. Since you’re going through this growing pain,” I said. I wanted to say I hoped no one would go hungry for the court of Bachal to show off for us.

  She drank more wine. “Not at all. We want a good relationship. We know we had to ask for a lot from you, but friends help each other. We want that. Our son learning from you, why not have a prince here learning from us?”

  “Nemal is a great soldier. I’m sure he’ll enjoy learning about your culture and practices.”

  “You admire him a lot,” she said.

  I smiled. “I do. He’s kind and smart, but very strong.”

  “You’re planning on a future with him?” she asked.

  I slid on my mask of neutrality. Faldar had encouraged us to pretend to be together so we’d be less of a target, but if I jumped on that and offered it up, she might suspect. “He and I aren’t engaged or anything.”

  “But there is something. The way you look at each other. It’s different. It’s deeper. You should snap him up now. Don’t let other women get in your way,” she advised.

  “Thank you, but we’re a bit young in our country to marry. It is done, but he has an unmarried elder sister who should really be first.” There, I’d just half-admitte
d we were attached without actually saying it. Good enough for now.

  “When you’re in line for the throne, sooner is better. Children are critical to your place. You have a bit more time. But you need a daughter, no?” she asked.

  I did—sort of. “If I don’t have a daughter, the next seer will be chosen from among my family. There is always a way to go on if something happens. But I’d like a daughter, eventually. No rush.” I smiled and poured more wine.

  “And sons?” she asked.

  “Men can’t inherit my titles. But I have nothing against having a son. We don’t have as many children as you do. It’s a matter of resources and population growth.” I didn’t say too much because she knew this. The queen knew all this. She was feeling me out, personally.

  I dipped into her mind. She had no problem letting go of LeFawn, but for some reason, she thought I might be a good match for Faldar. I kept from laughing by taking a big gulp of wine. That wouldn’t happen—for so many reasons.

  “I must mention this. When you arrived, on your scan in, one of our guards noticed a device in your arm. He was worried about security. Our doctors reviewed the scan. It’s for contraception?” she asked.

  “It is. The queen put it in when I moved to the castle to stay. Better safe than sorry. She has experience with teenagers.” I tried to downplay it, but I did resent that.

  “You don’t seem like the young woman who’d need it. Birth control isn’t exactly hard to understand or come by. But with your population control measures, it must be normal. Though, the other women in your party didn’t have it. Nor did Nemal.” The queen shook her head.

  “I had to go through some special circumstances when my mother died. It’s part of that. When I marry, I’m sure it’ll be removed,” I said.

  “You’re not allowed to remove it? You didn’t have a say in getting it, did you?” she asked.

  “I obey my queen in all her requests, commands, or suggestions.” I sipped my wine and tried to think of how to change the subject.

  Chapter 9

  I settled into my room and rested for a bit. With my tasks fresh in my mind, I needed to center myself. I sat in bed with my tablet in front of me. Attempting my great aunt’s approach at a trance was all I had to try right now. Alone seemed the best way to start. That way, if I failed, no one would know.

  People thought I had such powers, but they didn’t understand how random the brain could be. How reading another person’s mind wasn’t always straightforward. And my father didn’t have my telekinesis, but he was telepathic and had known my mind all my life. He had an advantage when it came to telepathy. If he wanted to carry on a conversation with me, mentally, he could. But if he didn’t want to share his thoughts with me, he’d block me out. I’d gained power, so maybe my range had extended as far as locating him. I could sense him if he was close enough…

  That was all I needed to do for us to catch him. But I wasn’t experienced in tracking people through my mental impression, and this was a foreign country I didn’t know. Trying to describe a place or explain it to Johey would be a challenge.

  I controlled my breath and cleared my mind. The question that echoed in my mind was all I focused on. Where is my father? I repeated it and silenced every other worry and fear. I trusted my great aunt and her gifts and tried over and over. I saw a vision of inhospitable terrain with shacks and misfits. No image of him came clear, but my fingers moved. I knew this wasn’t Lazrel. My father was in Bachal, as the reports had indicated. From that little hovel area where I felt him, I looked around in all directions. Nowhere could I spy the castle or even its dragon guardians dotting the sky. Of course the sky was full of pollution, but the castle’s silhouette and size would be hard to miss if it were near enough to this location.

  When there was no change in anything, I pulled myself from the trance. I rubbed my eyes and could remember the scene like it was a painting. Without even a glimpse of my father, I knew he was hiding in a run-down area. But it was an area without any street signs or address markers, which made the vision less useful.

  I glanced at the tablet to see if I’d typed anything like my aunt had so easily done.

  I had. Not my best sentence, but I’d had my eyes closed.

  Tooo far awayy now…

  I deleted the sentence and resisted throwing the tablet across the room. The result was lousy, but the trance had worked, technically speaking. While this approach didn’t seem active, it’d sucked my energy, and I needed a nap.

  After a rest to recover from the trance, it was time to dress for the evening. Anela helped us get ready for dinner. She eyed our gowns nervously.

  “Is something wrong?” I asked.

  “You will get a lot of attention,” she said.

  The dresses weren’t overly revealing. Not at all. “The Bachal queen’s top was lower cut,” I pointed out.

  “It’s the contrast. Nudity is nothing here. But the flowery and feminine cloth. No weapons. Women here don’t dress like this, so it will be tempting.”

  “Who says we don’t have weapons?” Zoma hiked up her skirt enough to reveal a mini laser gun. Not enough to kill, but enough to cause pain. “I designed the cloaking mechanism myself. It’s now part of all of my clothing.”

  Marel waved, and fire erupted into the air. She was a member of the first family.

  “You have dragon fingers,” Anela said with a grin.

  “I do. Don’t worry about us. Kimess’ powers are scary, and she can kill with a look. We’re safe,” Marel said.

  “As powerful as the king has said Lady Kimess is, you may well have to prove your powers. The men here show no fear. Don’t be afraid to show your powers. Everyone will respect you more,” Anela said.

  I smiled. “Good to know.”

  The door buzzed, and Anela answered it. The queen, Nemal, and Johey stood outside.

  The queen wore a large fur and a gleaming sword. Even women showed off weapons here. But they were all shifters. They had other powers that went with their shifted forms, like flying and fire breathing.

  “You look lovely,” the queen said uneasily.

  Nemal extended his arm to me. For a second, I thought he should offer to escort the queen, but her son was in the back. Very orderly and old fashioned, I took Nemal’s arm. Johey had Marel and Zoma on either arm so the women were all accounted for.

  We proceeded down a long hall, walking for some time before we reached the throne room that had been decorated with weapons and animals’ heads. The long tables were made of wood, and most of the people attending the dinner were men. I felt the stares. The thoughts were filthy, and I blocked them.

  The queen and prince took their places, and we seated farther down the table, all facing the open area in the center of the room. Dancing later? It felt odd. Lazrel had a dining hall and throne room for very separate purposes.

  “Are you okay?” Nemal asked.

  I nodded. “You?”

  “I’m fine, but the way men are looking at you…I don’t like it,” he said.

  I rolled my eyes. “I think I can protect myself. They’re very different, but that’s the point. To understand them better.”

  “Any sign of your father?”

  “No. No feelings of him being near, either,” I said. “Knowing him, he’ll wait a bit. Let the guards get comfortable with a routine before he tries to slip in and make contact.”

  “He’s not dumb,” Nemal said.

  I leaned in to him. “Catch him alive, if we can. But we’re not leaving him here to create chaos in our world. He’s smart, but if your uncle must hunt him down and bring back a body, I don’t really care.”

  Nemal squeezed my hand under the table. “Uncle Johey and I will handle it. You just keep us posted.”

  Nodding, I watched as the servants dished out large hunks of meat on the bone. I wasn’t going to ask the source. A potato was added next to it. Wine was poured. No soup, no salad courses. I knew I’d be takin
g those balanced diet supplements our doctors had given us. I didn’t want digestive issues on top of all the new information and work I had to do.

  Once the king started eating, we began. I took small bites. The flavor wasn’t bad, but I was used to more variety. The servants stared at the food as though it were a feast. As the meal went on, not everyone stayed in their seats. Some men stood and walked about, strutting. A few were bare chested while all seemed to be in pants made of animal hide with full codpieces beneath the clothing.

  “What are you staring at?” Nemal asked.

  “What are they wearing?”

  “Don’t stare at them. That’s like inviting them to approach you,” he said.

  I averted my eyes. Truthfully, I hadn’t realized I was staring, but the differences drew my attention. Other than the servants, the women rarely wore skirts but showed a great deal of cleavage. If this was their best attire, I was woefully overdressed. Not that I owned anything that would fit in.

  The king stood, and horns trumpeted to get everyone’s attention.

  “My people, we have honored guests among us. They are not used to our ways, but are open to them. They welcomed us kindly during negotiations, and we will show them our culture!” The king clapped his hands.

  The crowd cheered, and the ceiling flipped open. In swooped black and red dragons, pegasi, and griffins. The main door opened, and unicorns and a large three-headed dog charged through. The shifters were all exotic beings believed by ancient humans to be myths, but that had proven to be real. Natural animals didn’t shift. Magical realms were wondrous, and I admired the powerful dragons and winged horses.

  “Quite a display,” Nemal said.

  “It is.” The shifters almost danced on the ground and in the air. Finally, the flying creatures landed, and all of them shifted to human form. I looked down at my plate. Anela had warned us of nudity.

  “Don’t look too innocent,” Nemal said.

  I glared at him. “Don’t keep coaching me like I’m a child.”

  By the time I looked back to the crowd, the shifters had put on basic clothing similar to what Anela wore. They were servants forced to perform? Great warriors on display were one thing, but I didn’t like how the servants were treated. But people were cheaper than droids, at least here.