by Roxie Ray
Once I was clean, Meri-Dana brought a large fluffy towel forward, and I stepped into it. There was an adjoining door that connected the bathroom with my walk-in wardrobe. Meri-Dana followed me into it, and she moved automatically towards the soft, sheer gowns that Sophia had told me were casual wear and meant for everyday use.
“Hold on, Meri-Dana,” I said. “I actually think I’m going to opt for something different today.”
Then I led her to the smaller room of my wardrobe where the pants, vests, and armored corsets were kept. The clothes here, with the pants and separate shirts, were more similar to what I’d wear on Earth, but they still had a warrior princess vibe that I was excited to try. I picked a pair of dark trousers in soft leather and a dark blue, finely worked, corseted vest with thin straps that would bare my shoulders.
I put them on and stared at myself in the full-length mirror opposite the dressing table.
“What do you think?” I asked, turning to Meri-Dana.
“It suits you, my Queen,” she said. “But if I may say so, it is not complete.”
“No? What would complete it?” I asked.
Meri-Dana moved between my closets, and as she went, she picked out a few other pieces for me. She brought me an intricate piece of jewelry that had a series of blue and green stones woven through silver strands of metal. I frowned at the strange piece, wondering if it was a necklace.
“It is meant to sit upon your shoulders, my Queen,” Meri-Dana said, noticing my expression.
She placed it over and around my head, and laid it against my shoulders. My skin was still very visible from between the woven beads, but the effect was beautiful against the vest’s elegant simplicity.
“What is it called?” I asked.
“A midallin,” Meri-Dana replied.
Then she lifted up the two silver bracelets, both of which had been cut on a slant so that they looked as though they were pointing towards my elbows. I put them on and stared at my reflection in the mirror. I did in fact look like some warrior princess out of a fantasy novel.
“What should we do about my hair?” I asked Meri-Dana.
She smiled, and I could tell she was thrilled that I was asking for her opinion. “How about an up-braid?” she suggested. “It is both dignified and practical.”
“Go ahead.” I nodded.
In a matter of minutes, she had separated my hair into three braids, which she then wound together to create a beautiful up-braid as she called it. I smiled at myself in the mirror, feeling strangely comfortable in my new clothes. It almost felt like I had shed the skin of my old life.
“Thank you, Meri-Dana,” I said, touching her arm gratefully. “I feel wonderful.”
She bowed low as her cheeks went dark with color. “It is my honor to serve you, my Queen.”
“I need to get to the grand hall,” I told her. “I am meeting the king there.”
“I will show you the way, Your Grace,” Meri-Dana said immediately.
We left the royal chambers and took the elevator down to the ground floor of the castle. Meri-Dana led me through a winding corridor that had walls of marble inlay, floors of painted stone, and high ceilings that looked like they had been fashioned out of broken glass. When I craned my neck upwards, I saw a hundred reflections of myself staring back in wonder.
The corridor opened out into a room with turquoise blue walls and not much else. There were white pedestals arranged around the room, each of which held a different kind of vase, each one grander and more opulent than the one previous. Finally Meri-Dana brought me to an enormous, thick door that had a series of carvings imbibed into its surface. The carvings looked to represent natural scenes; I could make out flowers interweaving with tall trees and flowing water. It was so expertly carved that I found myself falling into it like a painting.
Meri-Dana pushed open the door, and I walked inside.
“I will leave you here, my lady,” Meri-Dana told me softly. “I shall be back tonight to tend to you.”
I smiled. “Thank you.”
She disappeared soundlessly, and I walked into the grand hall. I gasped as I took in the amazing space I was standing in. There was a massive tree that seemed to have broken through one side of the hall. Its trunk was massive and etched through with rings of earthy brown and rust gold. Some of its roots actually pierced through the floor of the hall revealing its dark crimson tint. The tree’s leaves were sharp, pointed, and alternating colors of golds and reds. The tree wove in and out of the castle’s walls with natural grace.
“Good morning, my love.”
I turned to Quatix with a start. “I didn’t even notice you there,” I admitted.
He smiled. “I don’t blame you,” he said. “Everyone who sees this room for the first time doesn’t notice anything but the Grand Aren.”
My attention turned to Quatix. He was dressed differently today. While he wore pants in a dark brown and a painted leather belt that covered his navel, he wasn’t wearing a shirt. I could see the sculpted ridges of his abs appearing from his belt and extending up towards his chest. I could also appreciate the beauty of his barely visible scales on the olive-toned complexion of his skin. I felt that now-familiar tingling between my legs as I took in his beauty.
“Is that what the tree is called?” I asked, trying to distract myself from my less than pure thoughts. “The Grand Aren?”
“This one is,” Quatix nodded. “But their breed is simply known as Aren trees. Many Svantians consider Arens to be sacred because of their healing properties. Everything, from its bark to its leaves, can be used in some poultice or other to soothe wounds, ease pain, and help you sleep.”
I gazed up at the giant tree and its magical leaves and felt as though I had just stepped into a world of fantasy, the kind you only ever read about in books.
“You look like a true warrior today, my love,” Quatix said, taking my hand and twirling me around so that he could see my whole outfit.
I smiled, remembering that I had dressed the part. “Thank you,” I said. “Meri-Dana helped me dress this morning.”
“Ah,” Quatix nodded. “How do you like your new handmaid?”
I smiled. “To be honest, I wasn’t completely happy with the idea of a handmaid at all. It seems so unnecessary.”
“That is what I thought you’d say,” Quatix said. “Which is why I only picked one for you.”
I frowned. “Are you saying it’s traditional for royalty to have more than one handmaid?”
Quatix’s smile was slightly amused. “It’s traditional for royalty to have at least three handmaids. And for queens, the number is usually between five and seven.”
My eyes went wide. “Well, thank you for sticking to one.”
Quatix chuckled under his breath. “I chose Meri-Dana for you myself,” he said. “She has extensive experience and she’s polite, courteous, and kind. I believe she will serve you well.”
“She’s lovely.” I nodded, taking his hand. “I like her already.”
“Wonderful.”
“I had a question about the note you left me,” I said, just now remembering. “Did you write the note in English?”
“I wrote it in native Svantian,” Quatix replied. “It’s the translator — it affects the way your eyes read and interpret the message.”
“Amazing,” I breathed.
This planet was equal parts magic and science. I looked up at the magnificent tree before me and basked in its warmth.
“Was this the surprise you wanted to show me?” I asked.
Quatix knitted his eyebrows together and shook his head. “The surprise is down below, in the catacombs of the castle.”
“The catacombs,” I repeated, realizing instantly what he meant to show me. “The Gnosees!”
“Indeed, are you ready to meet them?”
“Yes!” I said enthusiastically, and Quatix began to lead me through the hall toward a small, obscure door that was tucked into a corner next to the Grand Aren’s trunk.
I realized that the entrance was only about a foot taller than he was. Any particularly tall Svantian entering through here would have to duck.
Compared with the golden sunshine of the castle’s upper floors, I stepped into cool darkness. It took my eyes only a moment to adjust. There were large torches fixed onto the walls in neat metallic holders; the fire burned bright orange, throwing shadows in every direction.
I was standing at the head of a broad passageway, cordoned off on the right with a thin balustrade that looked down over a massive space, which was a lot grander than I had anticipated. Quatix led me down the passageway that ended in a straight staircase. When we reached the bottom, I realized the space was separated out by a series of depressed arches, whose flat points were decorated with carvings.
Quatix took my hand, and we walked through a series of arches until we came to another door. This one was significantly larger than the previous one. The door would have been ordinary if it wasn’t for the magnificent detailing of an Aren tree that had been sculpted onto the surface of the wood in thin silver, protruding out in three dimensions.
Quatix stopped at the door and turned to me, keeping a firm grip on my hand. “The Gnosees are tricky creatures,” he told me. “They live to create chaos, but within these walls they are prevented from doing so.”
“How?” I asked.
“I have imbibed the walls with magic to ensure their protection,” Quatix explained. “It also reinforces the planet’s magical force.”
“The planet has a magical force?” I asked.
“It is what keeps the Gnosees in check. They cannot spread their chaos as long as they remain on Svante. The planet has a force that keeps them in control. But the moment they leave Svante’s atmosphere, they become weapons, unchecked they can devastate the galaxy.”
“Wow…”
“They can do you no harm,” Quatix assured me, as he stroked my hand. “But with their powers of chaos stripped from them, they will try other ways to get inside your head. You must resist.”
I frowned. “How can they get inside my head?”
Quatix smiled. “You’ll see. Come.”
I stiffened immediately as he opened the door and pulled me through. The room we were in was lit in the same way as the arched hall we had just passed through. Torches lined the walls and threw their light on the pillared space we were standing in. I felt a strange hum reach me from all sides, almost like there was a current in the air. I turned to Quatix questioningly.
“Can you feel that?” he asked.
“What is it?”
“The magic,” Quatix replied.
I heard the scurry of fast, running paws, and I gasped and moved closer to Quatix. “Is that them?”
Quatix nodded as he pulled me through the hall. The further in we walked, the more I realized how large the space really was. Echoes bounced off the walls, and I saw a series of tunnels and caverns leading off from the main room.
Quatix stopped slowly and gestured toward a pillar behind which I could spy a small, furry creature peeping its head out at us.
“Is that a Gnosee?” I asked, moving forward a little to get a better look. I kept a firm grip on Quatix’s hand.
The creature scurried out from behind the pillar and looked at me with large, intelligent eyes that were filled with curiosity. Its face had almost human characteristics, with long eyebrows and large almond eyes. But it also had cat-like features, though its body was more similar to a rabbit, covered in grey-brown fur with small, burrowing paws. It also had large floppy ears and thin whiskers that protruded from its button nose.
“Oh my God,” I said. “It’s so unbelievably cute.”
“Thank you, my Queen,” the creature said in a high clear voice that took me aback a little.
I turned to Quatix with wide eyes. He smiled. “You didn’t quite believe me when I told you they could speak, did you?”
I laughed softly and turned back to the little creature. The Gnosee stood on its hind legs with its paws balled up at its chest. “I am greatly honored that you have come to see us, beautiful Queen.”
“Amazing,” I said, dropping Quatix’s hand as I moved forward.
I sank to my knees and held out my hand. The Gnosee moved forward instantly on all four legs and placed one small paw in my open palm.
“Have you come to save us?” it whispered to me, glancing back at Quatix as though it were scared.
I frowned. “What do you mean?”
“We are starving, noble Queen,” the creature said sadly, still speaking so low that I had to lean in to hear him. “We must fight for scraps in this horrible darkness. The beasts that work for the king come down here often to light the fires. We are terrified of them; they are monsters that take pleasure in our pain. We have tried countless times to burrow our way out, but the castle’s walls are too strong. Please, will you help us? I beg you, noble Queen, save us all.”
My heart ached for the creature, but I couldn’t imagine that Quatix would trap them down here if they were so miserable. I got to my feet and walked over to Quatix.
“The poor thing says it’s starving,” I said. “And that your guards treat them —”
“Rosa, my love,” Quatix said, giving me a small smile. “Did I not tell you that the Gnosees would try and get in your head?”
I stopped short. “Wait, so… they’re not treated badly?”
Quatix chuckled. “They have all the space they need and all the food they desire. They are content here — the only thing they aren’t able to do is spread their chaos. The only thing they have left are their words, and they use them often to spin great tales that work to their advantage.”
My cheeks flushed with color as I realized how close I had come to believing the Gnosee’s lies. I turned to the creature with one raised eyebrow.
“You little minx,” I said.
The creature stood back up on its hind legs and laughed. “It was worth a try,” it giggled, before shooting off into the shadows.
I turned and saw several more Gnosees scurrying around the pillars that surrounded us. They were all equally cute and alert, but I saw them for what they were now — tricksters.
“How many do you have down here?” I asked.
“At last count, one hundred and seventy-three,” Quatix replied. “There are two female Gnosees who are pregnant now. Their gestation period lasts about three months, and they only ever produce one pup at a time. So in a few months we will have one hundred and seventy-five Gnosees in the castle catacombs.”
“Is that considered a big number?” I asked.
“Huge.” Quatix nodded. “Moving them into the castle was a stroke of genius. They’re safe now from poachers and predators alike. This is the largest population of Gnosees Svante has ever seen.”
I saw Quatix’s expression grow weary as he spoke. I moved a little closer and wrapped my hands around his arm.
“You’re worried, aren’t you?” I asked. “About what will happen if outsiders knew about this?”
“I am,” Quatix said. “No one is aware of how many Gnosees are in existence, let alone that there are so many in such a concentrated area. If the wrong person gets their hands on any one of these creatures, it would lead to disastrous consequences. I can’t imagine what would happen if they managed to steal away all of them.”
“You won’t let that happen,” I said confidently.
“It may be out of my control.”
“What do you mean?” I asked, seeing the way Quatix’s body tensed with worry.
“Brags found out what a vuter is,” he confided in me. “Apparently, it’s a rare and powerful gem, one that gives its owner the power to control the Gnosees.”
I felt goose bumps prickle my skin. “Does it actually exist?”
“I think it does.” Quatix nodded.
“Why didn’t
you tell me all of this sooner?” I asked.
Quatix sighed. “I didn’t want to worry you. I’d just brought you to Svante, and I wanted you to be able to enjoy it instead of burdening you with the worries of a ruler.”
“I thought you said I would rule by your side?” I asked pointedly.
“I did —”
“Then I shouldn’t be shielded from the worries of ruling,” I said, squeezing his hand. “I want to share the burden with you. Isn’t that the point?”
His ice blue eyes burst with emotion as he wrapped his arm around my waist and pulled me to him so that I was pressed up against his chest.
“I suppose it is.” He nodded as he leaned in and kissed me passionately.
His tongue parted my lips, and within seconds, I was wet and breathless. I summoned up every ounce of my self-control and leaned my face away from his. I could feel a hundred bright little eyes on us.
“We’re not alone,” I reminded him.
“Let them watch,” Quatix growled, as he pulled me to him hungrily.
14
Quatix
I watched Rosa as she walked through the sunroom. She was wearing a dull gold, one-shouldered sheath gown that flowed to her ankles. It’s sheer fabric left little to the imagination, and I could see her perfect shape beneath the romantic silk.
She turned back to me and smiled. “What are you doing?” she asked.
“Enjoying my view,” I said pointedly.
She blushed immediately and glanced at the guards standing at the balcony just a few feet away.
The sunroom had been built on the second floor of the castle, and the balcony extended out from the castle. Rosa moved forward, her eyes going wide as she realized that we could see part of Vandor from our vantage point. A handful of Svantians were milling about outside the castle’s walls; two children were playing by the giving well, and they waved enthusiastically when they caught sight of her.