Dark Humanity

by Gwynn White

  Allan motioned for her to sit beside him at the long wooden table that stretched from one end of the chilly room to the other.

  Raina scooted beside him on the bench seat and scanned the others that assembled beside and across from them.

  “Morning,” Allan said. He sipped dark liquid from a small cup. He grimaced.

  Someone poured the same, strong-smelling liquid into Raina’s cup. She sniffed it and gave Allan a perturbed look. “What is this?”

  “Brew,” the young man that poured the liquid into each person’s cup said.

  Brew? Raina scrunched up her nose. That still doesn’t tell me anything.

  “Just try it,” he said with an amused look on his face.

  Raina noticed that everyone stopped what they were doing to watch her.

  She cleared her throat. “I’ve never had a brew before,” she said, taking the warm cup in both hands.

  An older woman that looked to be in her thirties, in a dark blue uniform reached over the table to hand Raina a dish of sugar cubes. Her blue eyes were friendly, and her bright red curls seemed to fight for escape from under her bonnet.

  “Well don’t try it without a little sugar and cream, love,” she said before plopping two cubes into the liquid.

  Raina smiled at her as she poured white cream into her brew.

  “Give it a stir and then try it,” the woman said.

  “Thank you,” Raina said and stirred the concoction. Her first taste was a pleasant surprise. Unknown flavors mixed and warmed her from the inside out.

  The young man that poured the brew set the pot on the table and sat beside her.

  “What do you think?” The woman smiled as she waited for Raina’s reply.

  “It’s quite good,” Raina said, taking another sip. She closed her eyes and sighed. “Delicious, actually.”

  “Good,” the woman said. “I’m Hattie. That’s Logan that was going to let you drink brew straight from the pot,” she said with a smirk.

  “What?” Logan shrugged his shoulders. He held his bowl out as a girl went around the table ladling out a thick porridge of some sort. “Some people like their brew straight from the pot. How was I supposed to know?”

  Raina glanced at Allan, who seemed to enjoy his straight from the pot.

  He put his empty cup on the table.

  “It’s okay,” Raina said. “I’m Raina. This is my brother, Allan.”

  Raina motioned to Allan, who already had a journal open as he poured more brew into his cup.

  “We don’t have that where we’re from,” Raina said.

  “And where is that, love?” Hattie’s blue eyes examined Raina and Allan.

  Allan nudged Raina’s leg under the table, making her smile drop.

  “Far east,” Raina said, hoping the questions would end there.

  “Ah,” Hattie said. “A lot of things are different in the east. No matter. Seers are always welcome in Rhene.”

  “No, they aren’t,” Logan said.

  Hattie shot him a warning glare.

  “Well,” Logan said, lowering his voice. “Not everyone likes being told what to do by holy people.” He turned to Raina, his bushy blond brows rising. “I'm just being honest. But, Seers are all right by me.”

  Raina smirked as porridge was ladled into her bowl. “Thank you,” she said, eyeing the delicious smelling concoction before her.

  “The same can be said for insolent barbers,” Hattie said.

  Logan scoffed. “That’s ridiculous. Everyone loves a good haircut.” He nodded to Hattie. “You certainly could use one.”

  “What do you do, Hattie?” Raina took a bite of her porridge. The flavor was entirely unexpected. Rice mixed with small chopped vegetables and sausages in a savory dish that she knew she’d want more of.

  “I’m the palace herb-mistress. With all of the illnesses going around in the Lower City, I make sure the royal family stays healthy,” Hattie said.

  Raina nodded. “Interesting.”

  “Not really,” Logan said. “All she does is boil flowers and call it healing.”

  Raina giggled.

  “Insolence,” Hattie said, shaking her head.

  Bells went off and everyone groaned.

  “Better shovel it in,” Logan said to Raina before taking a large bite of his porridge.

  Hattie sighed. “He’s right. You never know when you’ll get a chance to sit down and eat again before supper.”

  Raina glanced at Allan, who had finished his bowl and a second cup of brew. Raina took as many bites as she could before the next bell rang.

  The bells continued to ring two more times before everyone abandoned their meals and started for the two arches that led to the staircase.

  Raina and Allan followed the others but were stopped by a small woman with brown hair cut short to her jaw line, and thin brown eyes

  “Good day, Seers. I am Joleen. I will show you to your posts,” she said.

  “Lovely to meet you,” Raina said.

  “Likewise,” Allan said.

  Joleen smiled. “Seers are always so polite. I am pleased that the palace finally has someone of your rank here to bring a little religion to this place.”

  Raina and Allan followed her up the stairs that led up to the main floor.

  “It will take you awhile to learn the layout of the palace, but soon you’ll be experts in its many twists and turns,” Joleen said.

  “I hope so,” Raina said.

  Raina examined the paintings on the walls of the corridor when Joleen stopped and bowed.

  Her eyes rested on Prince Eryon as he stood before them.

  For a moment, he simply watched them, as if waiting.

  Raina realized that she’d forgotten to bow, and she did so, Allan following her lead.

  “Good day, Prince Eryon,” Joleen said.

  Eryon nodded. “I’ll take the Seer to my sister,” he said.

  Raina swallowed as he folded his hands behind his back and looked her up and down.

  He was a complete opposite of his brother, a few years younger, but the exact same age as Raina and Allan. With dark hair and bright blue eyes, he was handsome in a different way. One that Raina noted as innocent.

  “I will see at supper then,” Raina said to Allan.

  Allan nodded and gave Eryon a look.

  “See you then.”

  Raina watched Allan and Joleen take a different direction to the vaults where the ancient texts were kept.

  “You two must have remarkable minds to be made Seers at such a young age,” Eryon said.

  Raina nodded. “I suppose so.”

  Eryon smiled at her. His eyes were soft and sincere. “Maybe you can teach me some things as well.”

  “Depends on what you need to learn,” Raina said.

  “I’m sure I can think of something,” Eryon said, leading her through a room filled with guests of the palace enjoying cups of what smelled like the brew from earlier.

  “I’m a lover of history myself,” Eryon told her.

  “Then my brother would be the better teacher for you.”

  “But your brother doesn’t have eyes like yours.”

  Raina paused, giggling. “Yes, he does. Our eyes are identical.”

  Eryon smiled. “I admit that I didn’t notice.”

  “You and your brother are almost too much,” she said. “You’re both way too charming to be taken seriously.”

  Eryon looked back at her, his smile fading. “Oh,” he said. “I see. My brother has laid claim on you already. Figures. He’s a quick one.”

  Raina raised a brow. “That’s ludicrous. No one has a claim on me.”

  Shrugging, Eryon continued through the room. “Right. Whatever you say, Seer.”

  Raina frowned as Eryon led her to the royal study where Arela awaited her presence.

  Raina couldn’t get Eryon’s words out of her head. What did Aric really expect from her?

  Chapter Seventeen

  Princess Arela stood from h
er writing desk when Raina entered the royal study. Her hair was styled in big curls that hung long pass her shoulders. Her yellow dress brought light to the room, along with her smile which brightened Raina’s mood instantly.

  “Hello, Princess Arela,” Raina said with a bow of her head to the young princess.

  Arela nodded. “Hello. Let’s go to the battleground.”

  “The battleground?”

  “Yes,” Arela said, crossing the distance between them. She picked up her cloak from around the chair’s back and pulled it over her shoulders. “Come. I want to see the warriors.”

  Warriors?

  “Are you sure that is okay?”

  Arela gave her a mischievous grin. “I can do whatever I want. I just need a chaperone. That’s what you are, Seer. My chaperone. Do you think I really care about religion and what the gods used to do when they were in this world?”

  “I suppose not,” Raina said, folding her arms across her chest.

  She wouldn’t admit that she was relieved to learn that she wouldn’t be stuck training her pupil in the history of the gods. That was Allan’s subject. Raina would much rather teach the princess to defend herself, and use a sword and shield to make her the men of that kingdom look like amateurs.

  “Good,” Arela said. “We understand each other then. Now, will you take me?”

  Raina shrugged. “Fine. I will take you.”

  “Lovely,” Arela said with a grin. “Let’s go!”

  Raina wanted nothing more than to take off her cloak’s hood without being discovered. From what Raina had discovered so far, the humans in Rhene wouldn’t know what any of her tattoos meant.

  As she walked alongside Arela on the smooth dirt road, Raina had to remind herself that it was not the humans that she and Allan had to hide from, but a powerful goddess that could destroy the entire kingdom in seconds.

  The battlegrounds were in an area of the city that felt and smelled different, like urine, sweat, and the excrement left behind from the horses that trampled along the road. It was clear that the princess was not safe there by the disorderly patrons that filled the arena’s spectator area.

  The men were rowdy, with their mugs of ale filled high and spilling onto the stone ground.

  “Why do you want to be here,” Raina asked, noting how Arela’s eyes lit up at the sight of a young man waiting near the entrance of the lower arena where the fighters used poles instead of swords.

  Arela glanced at Raina. Her smile widened. “Come,” she said. “Meet Frintz.”

  Raina sighed. “I don’t think this is a good idea.”

  Arela pulled her by the arm. “Don’t spoil this for me. Father would kill me if he found out I went to see a lord.”

  “I don’t want to spoil anything. I just want you to be careful.”

  Arela nodded. “Noted. Now, wait here.”

  Raina folded her arms across her chest as she watched Arela run to the young lord. Frintz had long hair much like Aric’s. Such a style must be popular amongst the citizens of Rhene as Raina looked around she say many of the men wearing their hair the same way.

  A smile came to Raina’s lips as she watched Frintz embrace Arela.

  That smile quickly faded when someone grabbed her from behind.

  He squeezed her bosom, laughing loudly in her ear. The strong smell of ale on his breath and his tight grip on her chest infuriated Raina.

  Instinct clouded her judgment.

  She jabbed her elbow into his gut. He grunted, and Raina turned to punch him in the face. He fell to his knees, and she kicked him square in the face.

  He cried out so loudly that everyone around them turned to stare.

  Raina sidestepped him when he reached for her with his large hands.

  The loud chatter quieted as Raina stood before her assailant, his hand cradling his broken jaw. He stumbled, disoriented.

  “You stupid wench,” he spat at her, blood dripping from his mouth. “I’ll break your neck.”

  Raina folded her arms across her chest once again and glared back at him.

  Lowering her voice, Raina leaned forward. “No. You will leave,” Raina said to him, her eyes narrowed, hiding the fact that the whites of her eyes went black whenever she gave a command that muted the will of another.

  He stood tall, wiping his blood onto his brown leather shirt. He nodded.

  “Yes, I will leave,” he said, and without another word he turned and left the battlegrounds so quickly one would think his life depended on it.

  It did.

  He broke through the crowd, uncaring of who stood in between him and his path.

  Raina turned back to keep an eye on Arela, who didn’t notice a thing.

  She avoided the looks that the other men and women gave her. They prepared to watch the next battle but continued to stare.

  They kept their distance, stepping close to the arches that looked out to the battle stage.

  A small smile came to her lips. How long had it been since she had a real fight? Her body craved it. War and battle were what she was born for. Being deprived of her use of her power was simply unnatural.

  Inside, Raina secretly dared anyone else to try their luck with attacking her.

  Chapter Eighteen

  When night arrived, Raina was ready. The events of the day had opened her mind to what being young really meant.

  Back home in Latari, life was all about training, duty, and following orders. Here, the youth wasn’t much different, but there were ways to experience life outside of following what was expected.

  Raina twirled the ends of her long hair around a finger as she sat on the bench in the garden. The sky, with all of its stars and calm beauty, captivated her. Knowing that beyond those clouds awaited her homeland, made her strain for a better look as if she could somehow see Aden if she tried hard enough.

  She almost didn’t hear Aric approach her. When he stood before her, in a crisp white shirt and leather pants, he clearly dressed to fit in with the citizens of Rhene and not as royalty. That made her like him even more.

  Still, there was no denying he was of royal blood. Just from his presence alone; tall, self-assured, and regal, it was clear that Aric was destined to be king.

  King of what, though? Raina would give anything to have him as her king back in Aden.

  She blushed at the thought of marrying Prince Aric.

  “I wasn’t sure if you’d be here,” he said.

  “I’m a woman of my word,” Raina said.

  He gave her that charming smirk that made her self-conscious of her appearance and held a hand out to her.

  “Come with me. I promise to have you back before it gets too late.”

  Raina took his hand and stood. She wasn’t sure if it was appropriate for a Seer to be seen out at night with a male companion.

  “Where are we going?”

  “You’ll see,” Aric said.

  Raina took her hand back. “Tell me.”

  “You don’t like surprises?”

  “No.”

  Aric chuckled. “Fine. I’m taking you to the sea.”

  Raina’s eyes brightened. “The sea?”

  “Yes. Have you seen it before?”

  She shook her head. “I have not.”

  He stepped backward and motioned for her to follow. “I’ll show you. I think it might be the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen…before you of course.”

  Raina smiled. “You must speak to all of the pretty girls this way.”

  “Maybe,” Aric shrugged. “But I actually mean it this time.”

  Sighing, Raina followed him. Could she trust this handsome young charmer?

  Traveling from the palace to the shore yielded many curious looks at the young pair. Raina kept her eyes averted, wondering exactly what the guards and noblemen were thinking. She wondered why she should care, and remembered that she and Allan were there to hide.

  Raina hugged her arms to keep the chill of the wind coming off the sea at bay. The dark water was un
like anything she’d seen.

  How could the Abyss be such a stunning place? Aden’s seas were red, and were never as still as the body of water she saw before her. The waves seemed to always thrash and churn in the seas of Aden. This one, however, calmed her senses and enchanted her just by looking at it.

  “You know how to charm a girl,” Raina said.

  Aric chuckled. “That I do,” he said. “But what would it take to make a girl like you believe that my intentions are pure?”

  Raina turned to him. “You’ll just have to show me.”

  Their gaze locked for a moment too long. Raina looked away. He made her feel weak.

  She stepped closer to the rocks that looked out over the coast and sat down.

  Aric sat beside her and together they sat in silence.

  The water was beautiful but haunting. It reminded her of the sea at the bottom of the Cliffs of Ranoun. Only months ago, Raina and Allan had been sacrificed there. Raina had thought that her life was over when they were forced to jump, but somehow the spirits of the Cliffs had chosen to spare Raina and Allan.

  It was a miracle.

  Still, Litha was determined to ruin their lives.

  “What are you thinking?”

  Raina shook her head, breaking herself away from those bitter memories. She forced a smile.

  “Nothing. I just wondered what it's like to be royalty.”

  Aric shrugged. “Boring, honestly. I’d much rather be a lord. At least, they have more freedom and still have a decent amount of wealth.”

  “Is that what’s important to you? Wealth?’

  “Not really. I can see a totally different life for myself,” Aric said. “One where I have a family far away from any kingdom. Deep in the woods, by a waterfall. I can see myself tending my own land and watching my children play in the woods.”

  “Really?”

  Aric laughed, shaking his head. “Not really. What would I do in the woods? No, I’d take a small cottage in the Lower City. Listen to me when I tell you that the people there know how to live. They definitely have more fun.”