‘I'm sure,’ Melia rolled her eyes. ‘How fortunate you are that I chose this path and decided to end your misery.’
Aeron uttered a short laugh and stared at her, ‘what is it about you that brings a lilt to my heart?’
‘Your enjoyment of rejection,’ she retorted. ‘And your misguided belief that I am not immune to your charms.’
‘Well it is hard for me not to try when I see you wearing a dress. I do not know what shocks me more, that you look lovely wearing a dress or that you have one at all,’ he winked.
Melia glared at him through narrowed eyes, ‘tell me Prince of Eden Halas, were you always blessed with a silver tongue or has it taken time to acquire the skill?’
‘A thousand years of practice actually,’ he responded, enjoying their verbal sparring intensely. He really had not expected to find her out here when he wandered into the garden this evening. He did not lie when he explained his thoughts about his future would come easier to him if he had the cloak of the stars above his head. However, her arrival was an unexpected boon and he thoroughly enjoyed this fencing match they seemed to engage in whenever they wandered into each other’s orbit. ‘Am I not sweeping you off your feet?’
‘You could not sweep me off my feet even if you had a broom,’ Melia snorted.
He pretended to suck in his breath as if he was wounded mortally, ‘you are harsh with me lady. Did I tell you that I enjoy that?’
‘You have no shame,’ Melia retorted and steered the conversation away from its flirtatious slant. ‘Are you alright?’ She asked and this time the concern was unmasked and unmistakable.
‘I am.’ He admitted with a grateful smile because he found it was easy to talk to her. ‘I have been at a loss for some time but today the King challenged me to answer a question that I have never entertained in a thousand years. Duty and tradition has bound me for so long that it was difficult to imagine any other way of being.’
‘I understand,’ she said touching his shoulder gently. ‘Before I fled Nadira, I grappled with such questions. I have always tried to be the good daughter for my father because he had gone against so many traditions to see me happy. I thought I would be dishonouring him by fleeing but then I knew that he would not wish me miserable for the sake of tradition. That was never his wish so I took charge of my life and I ran. Perhaps I live a less comfortable life than what I was accustomed to but I am happy. Especially when I am surrounded by people who have come to mean much to me.’
‘I am glad,’ Aeron replied sincerely. ‘Unfortunately my father is nowhere that understanding.’
‘Do you not get on with him then?’
‘I love him,’ Aeron admitted without hesitation. ‘But I do not think I have been the son he wished. Perhaps I am too much like my mother. I cannot harden my heart when I see someone in difficulty, no matter what race they are. My father lost everyone he loved during the Primordial Wars and he has never forgiven the Celestial Gods for using our people to cleanse the world when they were in fact preparing it for other races too.’
‘Really?’ Melia said with surprise. ‘That is a shame, I would imagine the Gods would have planned for you elves to guide the younger races and not hide away from them.’
‘My mother thinks that but my father disagrees. In fact, I was sitting out here contemplating how many of my people may feel the same way. Perhaps it is time for our isolation to end and for us to return to the world. Even if my father chooses to retreat behind the Veil forever, I cannot imagine all our people wanting the same.’
‘I think that there is much your people can teach the rest of us,’ Melia stated in earnest. ‘I think that if you choose to join the rest of us in the world, that can only be a good thing. Look what you have done as a part of the King’s Circle.’
‘I know,’ Aeron agreed on that point. ‘I have found more fulfilment in the last eighteen years than I have in one thousand. During those years, I have seen great and terrible things, felt despair and elation. I fought a war and helped restore a kingdom. That by my reckoning is living, not trapped in amber, where nothing changes except my growing boredom.’
Melia reached for his cheek without even realising she had done it, ‘Then live Prince. Live the way you wish. Be free to run because simply existing is not enough. You yourself know this by now.’
Her hand on his cheeks was soft and warm. He covered her hand in his and held it in place, liking the sensation of her flesh against his. For a moment, they did not speak because staring into each other’s eyes was a language in itself.
It was Melia who broke away first, realising they had crossed a line with each other without noticing it was there to begin with. With the stars above their heads, the beautiful scenery before them and only each other for company, Melia imagined anything that transpired now would only deepen this thing between them and so she withdrew. She knew better than to encourage this attraction between the two of them even if he did not.
‘It is late,’ she said stepping back, grateful that her dark colouring did not reveal the blush across her cheeks. Her pulse was racing and when she spoke, she sounded breathless, ‘I will leave you to your thoughts. Good night Prince.’
‘A lady should never wander about without an escort.’ He called out to her, trying to steady his own reaction as she moved away from him towards the Keep once more.
‘And when I find a suitable one, I will be sure to ask for him his assistance,’ she returned sweetly before disappearing into the darkness, leaving Aeron with a corresponding smile on his face.
******
When Melia returned to her room, she was rather surprised to find that Arianne was awaiting her. The Queen seated on the same chair occupied by Celene earlier that day.
‘My Queen, is there something wrong?’ Melia asked, wondering what could warrant Arianne's presence in her room at so late an hour.
‘Nothing is wrong,’ Arianne quickly assured her, aware of how self-conscious Melia felt at being in the Keep. In the woods it was simple, she, Celene and Melia had been on a quest, equal parts of important triad. Here in Sandrine, that dynamic was no more. She was the Queen and no matter how much Melia or even Celene for that matter tried, they would never be able to forget that. ‘I came to your door and entered when I realized that you were not in your room.’
‘I am sorry,’ Melia apologized. ‘I have difficulty sleeping indoors and thought a walk might help my slumber this evening.’
‘As is your right as my guest,’ Arianne smiled beckoning her to sit down so that they could talk. ‘I did not mean to impose upon you Melia but I did invite you to Sandrine for a reason.”
‘I am at your service as always, my Queen.’ Melia replied sincerely and meant it. Arianne had extended a hand of friendship that she never dreamed possible and whatever the Queen asked of her, it could never be enough.
‘Then call me Arianne, as you did when we were fellow travellers,’ Arianne implored.
‘As you wish,’ Melia nodded, trying to rise to the friendship this noble woman was offering her. ‘Arianne.’
‘Good,’ Arianne smiled, glad that bit of nonsense was dispensed with. ‘Melia, as I said, I had reason for inviting you here to Sandrine Keep. I hope you do not think me presumptuous when you hear why.’
Melia's brow arched, intrigued. ‘Please continue Arianne.’
‘Yes,’ Arianne nodded slowly. ‘For your consideration and your invaluable assistance to me and my son, I wanted to do something for you when I returned to Sandrine.’
‘I did not require a reward,’ Melia started to say when Arianne cut her off.
‘I know that,’ the Queen answered. ‘However, I thought that I might aid you in your own quest since you were gracious enough to ensure that I survived mine.’
‘I do not understand,’ Melia looked at her in confusion.
‘Let me ask you one thing first,’ Arianne stared back. ‘Who exactly was your mother?'
Melia swallowed, not expecting to have this conversation today
, especially with the Queen of Carleon. However, she suspected Arianne had purpose for asking and Melia was bound to answer.
After a lengthy pause, Melia finally spoke.
‘I am not sure. I know her name but little else. My father claimed she called herself a River Daughter but since I have begun my search, I have made little headway in finding out what that means.’
‘I have heard the term before,’ Arianne stated.
‘You have?’ Melia's jaw dropped in shock. Finally, after all these years of searching, someone who had the answer she sought! It was almost too good to be true! ‘You know them?’
‘No,’ Arianne shook her head hating to dash the hope she saw in Melia’s eyes and quickly added, ‘I know of them. They were supposedly sprites who served Dalcine, the Water Wife.’
‘Sprites?’ Melia's shock continued to grow. Was she some kind of a River Daughter? ‘My mother was not human?’
‘It has never been truly discovered what they are though they are known to take mortal lovers for a time. Men seem to suit their purposes best for they are not immortal and they are somewhat disposable,’ Arianne tried to explain it as kindly as possible but there were some truths that were simply unavoidable. ‘I asked my mother when she last journeyed here to see my son what she knew of the River Daughters along the Yantra, particularly of one named Ninuie.’
‘And?’ Melia asked, her voice hushed as is she dared not speak too loudly for fear of ruining the revelation.
‘Lylea knew nothing of Ninuie,’ Arianne replied and saw Melia's crestfallen expression before continuing. ‘However, prior to the Shadow of War, Tor Iolan was occupied by the Disciples and they used that terrible place to commit all manner of atrocities against Eden Halas. It is believed that the Disciples may have captured and killed River Daughters in their dungeons.’
Melia said nothing for a moment because her heart was turning into stone and threatening to shatter. She would have wept at the unfairness of it, the cruel trickery of fate that would allow her to come so far and search so long only to be met by this unhappy conclusion but she could not. She could not because she knew that Arianne was wrong. Perhaps only some of the River Daughters were killed in Tor Iolan. She could not deny the source of the intelligence but she knew her mother was not among the dead.
‘Not my mother,’ Melia whispered after a while. Her eyes closed when she answered, ‘my mother is not dead.’
Arianne took her denial to be borne of frustration and grief and sought the right words to speak that would not cause Melia any more sorrow than she already felt. ‘Melia, you must face the possibility. I encountered some of Balfure’s Disciples. They were beyond darkness. They existed in evil and every waking thought of their existence was to serve Balfure in any way possible. The River Daughters if they were indeed servants of a Celestial would have compelled the Disciples to destroy them, to ensure they did not ally themselves with Dare.’
‘I do not doubt your words,’ Melia answered after composing herself and regarded at Arianne again. ‘I believe you and the Queenly lea’s assertion that many of the River Daughters were killed but my mother is not one of the dead.’
‘How can you be so certain of this?’ Arianne asked, starting to understand that her denial of what was almost certainly the truth, may have some foundation other than her stubborn refusal to believe.
‘I simply know,’ Melia replied, reaching for Arianne's hands and holding them entwined in hers. For the first time, she really did feel like Arianne's friend and she loved Arianne dearly for the inquiries made on her behalf but she could not believe that Ninuie was dead.
‘You must trust me in this. I know that she lives and thanks to you, I now have a place to begin my search, a place that is more than just unsubstantiated rumours. I must go to Tor Iolan and see for myself.’
‘Tor Iolan!’ Arianne exclaimed, never expecting her words to send Melia to that dark place when she had sought this audience. ‘There is nothing there! It has been cleansed of all evil since the death of Balfure and the end of the war.’
‘If the River Daughters were there once then that is where I must go,’ Melia said firmly. ‘It is a place to start.’
‘How can you be so sure that she still lives?’ Arianne asked.
Melia did not answer but she knew because she could still hear the screaming in her dreams.
Chapter Three:
Travelling Companions
She should have known this would happen.
The Queen of Carleon cursed herself for being a fool and not anticipating this reaction when she gave Melia the news that her mother might have perished at Tor Iolan. The race of men could be notoriously stubborn when their mind was set upon a course. She should have suspected by Dare's fine example of this both irritating and admired trait of his race that Melia would be no different.
Why should she? The woman had spent years searching for her mother, years! Of course she would deny all that effort was for nothing by persisting in the belief her mother still lived. Arianne could not begin to imagine what it must be like to find the reason for one's purpose in life had suddenly disappeared because of a Queen’s good intentions. Everything that Melia had become since arriving in the Western Sphere was defined by her search for her mother.
If that search was over, what was else left for her?
Unfortunately, Arianne's understanding of the situation did not alter the unacceptable turn of events. Melia's determination to journey to Tor Iolan was folly. Tor Iolan was located in the woods of Iolan, a deadly place even before the Disciples had tainted it with their evil. There were creatures within its woods that were ancient when her mother was young. While an effort had been made by the lord of that realm, to drive out the darkness within it, it was far from cleansed.
As far as she knew, Melia knew little of Eden Iolan other than its existence and for her to attempt to journey through its forests with any knowledge of what awaited her was sheer recklessness. Arianne had argued these points strenuously the night before when Melia had made her intention to leave for Tor Iolan known to the Queen. However, short of ordering Melia not to go, Arianne could not dissuade her from going.
All night Arianne thought long and hard at what she ought to do, aware that she needed an answer quickly because Melia was suddenly not going to linger in Sandrine now that she had this information. In fact, the watch guard had confessed her desire to leave right away so Arianne did not even have the benefit of time to ponder what was to be done. Dare noted her anxiety through the twilight hours and though he asked the reason for her restlessness, Arianne could not bring herself to betray Melia confidence.
The solution however, when it finally came to Arianne was painfully obvious.
******
Arianne rose early that morning after gaining Melia’s promise the night before, not to leave Sandrine Keep without first letting the Queen know of her departure. Fortunately, the watch guard was still a creature of duty and would not disobey Arianne's request even she were not bound by a promise. This allowed Arianne time to put her plan into motion as she left Dare in their sleeping chambers the next morning. Going to the stables, she hoped to intercept the Prince of Eden Halas before he embarked upon his morning ride.
Unlike the rest of their circle, Arianne did not make light of Aeron’s obvious attraction for the lovely watch guard. As much as their bantering might be amusing to those who witnessed it, only Arianne knew of delicacy of the situation. Aeron was not prone to making attachments lightly. While she knew he had shared company with other elven ladies in the past, what she saw of his affection for Melia was of an entirely different order.
And only she understood how tragic it could be for both of them.
Whether or not he knew it, the greatest gift Arianne’s father had given her was been the gift of mortality. By being his daughter, Arianne could choose whether or not she lived as an elf or a human. The choice allowed Arianne to live a mortal life with Dare and it was not a decision she regretted, with the
knowledge that someday she would watch Dare pass on and follow him soon after.
Aeron did not have the same allowance.
He was a full-blooded elf, the son of a King. There was no choice for him and like all elves once he mated, that bond would be forever. Not even the death could alter that. In the light of that kind of finality, it was no wonder that he made no serious attachment. Furthermore, she knew the union of his parents left him thinking that choosing unwisely could be a lasting mistake. If he cared about Melia or any human for that matter, Arianne knew that he would have to sit by and watch that love grow old and die.
As much as she wished the best for Aeron and Melia, she knew that any relationship between them would only result in pain.
******
Ever since he began his stay at Sandrine, it was Aeron’s habit to ride out of the city for a few hours in the morning. He was, by his very nature, an elf of the wood and this urban living was not natural for him. Arianne was the same but she had grown accustomed to it in a way Aeron had not. He still needed to feel the forest air around him as frequently as possible. The few hours where he was allowed to explore the wilds around Sandrine Keep was more than enough to satisfy the need, though he suspected that after while even this would not be enough.
Sooner or later, he would leave simply to get out of the city.
Arianne entered the stable and found him saddling his steed Idris, the horse that had been presented to him by Yalen, King of Angarad during the first days of the Shadow of War. Since then, Idris travelled with him everywhere.
‘Aeron ,’ Arianne called out to the Prince in elvish. When they were alone, they often reverted to their native language. He was gently brushing down Idris's flank and looked up at her at her call.
‘You awaken early my lady,’ Aeron stopped what he was doing and bow gently at her in greeting. ‘I thought I was the only one who chooses to ride at this hour.’
Avalyne Series 02: The Easterling Page 4