“The servants will see to your comfort while I fetch our mother and father,” Thaddeus said to Selena. “Anything that you wish, you have only to ask. You are home now, sister.”
With that, he was gone with Tinutai and the other Centaurs hot on his heels. A servant girl in billowing, sheer silk was instantly in front of her, thrusting a gleaming silver tray under her nose with a friendly smile.
“Tea? Water?” she offered. “Perhaps you would like something to eat.”
Selena was way too nervous to eat anything, but accepted a cup of water gratefully. She sighed happily as she realized the water was just as sweet here as it was in Goldun. She gulped it down greedily as the servant girl made a trip around the room to the other occupants. As if she sensed Selena’s insatiable thirst, she reappeared at her side with a pitcher once she’d drained the cup.
“Thank you,” Selena said before downing the second cup just as quickly. The servant girl bowed with another smile before leaving the room. The silence that followed only made Selena more nervous. The seconds seemed to drag by as they waited. Selena’s eyes remained locked on the door until the second it opened and she lost her nerve completely and lowered them to the floor.
The first glimpse she got of her parents was of their shoes.
~*~
Chapter Twelve
Queen Axonia was stunning, and not in the runway model sort of way. Hers was the kind of beauty that was warm and inviting, that made a person feel at ease the moment her lips split into a smile. Selena’s rapid heartbeat slowed as she looked into a face that was a lot like her own, only more intensely stunning. Brown eyes widened and a heart-shaped mouth parted as the woman who’d given birth to her rushed forward with an audible cry, her arms outstretched. Selena was immediately enveloped in emerald green silk as Axonia hugged her tightly. She smelled like exotic spices and her embrace was warm and possessive all at once. Selena felt tears choking her as she glanced over her mother’s shoulder and met her father’s eyes.
King Eldalwen could only be described as a big bear of a man. Blond hair fell down to broad shoulders and framed a weathered, stubble-roughened face. Deep, emerald green eyes stared at her from beneath bushy blond brows and the scar that had been so perfectly depicted in his portrait, slashed across his hardened, chiseled face. His chest was as wide as two barrels stacked side by side, and his arms were so humongous that a bear hug from him would likely kill her. Selena was not expecting the large, calloused hand to be so gentle when he rested it on her shoulder and joined her and Axonia in a group hug. Thaddeus stood to the side, watching with a wide smile on his face.
Finally, her parents released her from their grasp. Axonia gazed at her with tears in her eyes and Eldalwen eyed her appraisingly.
“Welcome,” Axonia said, her voice hoarse from her tears. “Welcome home, my daughter.”
“Thank you,” Selena said, fiddling with the hem of the leather vest she wore over a dusty white shirt. Standing beside her richly dressed mother, Selena felt drab and dirty. “Your palace is beautiful.”
“It is also your palace,” Eldalwen said, patting Axonia’s shoulder lovingly as she wiped her tears. “Your home. You cannot know what your coming here means to us.”
Selena cleared her throat nervously. “Um, actually I do. I was hoping we would get to talk about that.”
Eldalwen nodded, his expression grim. “We will, Selena, in due time. Thaddeus says that Selena is the name given to you in the world of men? This is what you prefer to be called?”
“You can call me whatever you want,” Selena said with a wobbly smile. She felt at any moment as if she would burst into tears. Seventeen years of wondering and waiting had ended and she now stood face to face with her birth parents. How could she deny them anything? If they wanted to call her Dixie, she’d let them.
“Selena is a beautiful name,” Axonia said. “I love it. I know that my husband is anxious to speak to you about some very important matters, but first I will see to your comfort and that of your guests. I hope that you will all stay for a while and rest before returning to your homes. Rothatin, it is wonderful to see you again. I am sure you would be more comfortable allowing my husband to see you to your usual quarters in the warrior’s compound? Your lady soldiers may come with me.”
Selena had no choice but to follow Axonia, her mouth agape in slack-jawed wonder. Was this what being queen was like? This woman knew how to command. Not one person questioned her authority or her requests. Everyone just fell in to do as she asked. Selena caught Titus’ gaze before turning the corner. He smiled and nodded.
Go and get to know your mother, he said into her mind. I will find you later.
Selena and the four female Fae warriors followed Axonia up a white and pink veined marble staircase and down wood-paneled halls. Selena was hoping for a bath and change of clothes so that she could stop feeling so out of place in such a decadent setting. Her prayers were answered after Axonia had shown the Fae women to their rooms and left them in the care of her handmaidens.
“Come, I will take you now to the family wing of the palace. I hope that you like your room. I haven’t changed the décor since you were born, only changed the furnishings in hopes that you would be found someday.”
Selena remained silent, but smiled encouragingly and nodded. She didn’t know what to say. While she had been living a comfortable, albeit somewhat boring, life in Twin Oaks, her family had been waiting for her return for almost two decades. That had to be exhausting. Selena tried to concentrate on memorizing the turns they were taking as Axonia led her through winding hallway after winding hallway, but it was futile. By the time they stopped in front of a carved oak door, Selena was completely lost.
The room was just as decadent and fine as the rest of the palace, and as Selena stepped into the room she almost wished Zoe was with her. Her friend’s estimation over her parents’ wealth had been seriously understated. The room was done in rich shades of red, yellow, and gold. Gleaming solid gold was everywhere, edging the furnishings and frames of paintings lining the walls. A raised platform sat in the center of the room with three steps leading up to a massive canopy bed. The oak posters held red and gold embroidered curtains that were tied back with red tasseled ropes. Just like everywhere else in the palace, the windows held no glass and allowed the mugginess and spicy smell of Damu to filter in. Yet, somehow the room was still a comfortable temperature.
Black tiles lined the floor beneath her feet, each one hand-painted with red or gold depictions of birds. A sitting area near the large, open windows held a couch, two armchairs, and a chaise. In another corner of the room, a floor to ceiling window held a cozy window seat that was lined with cushions and pillows. A large, oak armoire rounded out the room with another oak door leading to the room beside it.
“What do you think?” Axonia asked, after Selena had turned and inspected her surroundings.
“It’s so beautiful,” Selena said, suddenly feeling even dirtier. “I’ve never owned such expensive-looking things before. It’s funny, I feel so at home here, but out of place at the same time. I hope that makes sense.”
“Absolutely. It will take time for you to adjust to your new life … that is, if you plan on staying?”
Selena didn’t miss Axonia’s questioning tone and hopeful gaze. She sighed. “I honestly don’t know what I want to do yet. I came here to ask Eldalwen for help. You see, my friend—”
Axonia stopped her with a wave of her hand. “There is no need for us to speak of this now,” she said gently. “I know that you have many doubts and fears, but I also know what you are capable of, what you can become. I hope to be able to show you what I know before you make you decision. But for now our priorities are a bath, clean clothing, and a meal for you and your companions.”
Selena nodded. “Okay.”
Axonia gestured to the second doorway. “Through this door you will find your private bathing room. My handmaidens have already prepared it for you. Take all the time you need
. You will find clothing in your size in any color and style you could imagine in this armoire. When you are finished, simply pull the bell rope near your bed to call on a servant. Someone will come to escort you to the dining hall for the evening meal.”
Axonia quickly exited the room, leaving Selena standing alone in the middle of it. Glad to finally be within reach of a bath, she nearly ran for the door leading to the bathing room. The floor and bathing pool were lined with more of the painted black tiles and the walls were splashed with beautiful murals depicting Damu’s desert. Near the pool stood a servant girl swathed in pink; she gestured toward the small, round table beside her.
“There are towels here as well as scented oils for your use. Just a few drops of whatever fragrance appeals to you in the water will do.”
“Thank you,” Selena said, waiting for the girl to leave before rifling through the vials. Five minutes later she was undressed and neck deep in water that was scented with a combination of oils that made the water, and her skin, smell very much like the scent of spices that seemed to cling to the air here.
Selena didn’t want to leave the hot, relaxing water, but knew that she couldn’t avoid the dining room and her new family forever. There was still that talk with her father to get out of the way. And of course there was Titus. They still had to come up with a plan for saving his family. Selena left the pool reluctantly and reached for a towel.
~*~
Selena had never been more full in her life. The people of Damu sure knew how to put out a spread. Roasted meats, cheese and crusty bread, roasted nuts, rich custards and sauces, fragrant rice and beans, all filled the massive dining hall with tantalizing smells. Then there were the desserts; more of the roasted nuts dusted with cinnamon, tiny tartlets dotted with fresh cream, and a variety of fruit that Selena had never seen or heard of. When her fingers closed around a plump clutzia fruit, her eyes met Titus’ and the two shared a private laugh over memories of their first kiss. There was also wine, which her brother kept pouring into her goblet. Selena had never tasted wine, being under the age of twenty-one, but she supposed there were no such laws in Fallada because no one seemed inclined to stop her.
It was sweet, but she could taste the vinegary alcohol behind it. Intriguing. She took another long swallow and felt dizziness rushing straight to her head. She set it aside after the first initial buzzing raced through her veins, deciding to take only small sips until she was used to the potent brew. She didn’t want Titus to have to carry her back to her room.
It would be my pleasure to do so, Titus’ voice was teasing, but his eyes were full of heat as he watched her from across the table. How did he do that, manage to turn her knees to jelly with just one look? He made her feel beautiful; which, for the first time since the Fae party in Goldun, Selena actually embraced. The garments she’d chosen from her armoire were a lot like Axonia’s and the other servants. A navy blue silk top with long, sheer sleeves stopped just above her belly button, while fluttering harem-style pants flowed around her legs. The matching slippers were dotted with clear gems, and a silver headpiece covered her head and ended in a point between her eyebrows, draping down over her hair in delicate silver chains. Zoe would be green with envy.
You certainly look the part, Princess, although I do like you in leather and a vest, Titus said with a chuckle that echoed in her head.
Selena smirked. I still have that vest and those leather pants somewhere … unless the maids carried them off and burned them.
Titus frowned. Now that would be a pity. Although, I could get used to watching you walk around in that getup. I especially like your … ahem … shirt … if you want to call it that.
Selena’s cheeks turned crimson as she tried to turn her thoughts back to food. It was hard, but she managed to get through the meal with dignity.
Once the food had been taken away, Eldalwen turned to her from his place at the head of the table.
“It pleases me to see you seated at the family table, daughter.”
“Thanks,” Selena said, still a little uncomfortable around the guy she was supposed to call ‘dad’. He was just too intimidating for words. “I’m happy to be here.”
“Thaddeus and I would like to take you on a tour of the palace this evening. You might find the war room to be of particular interest.”
Selena’s breath caught in her throat at the same time a flicker of annoyance sounded off in her head. Eldalwen certain hadn’t wasted any time.
“War room?” she asked, trying not to get off on the wrong foot with her dad and brother.
Thaddeus smiled and took a sip of his wine. “A history in portraits, weapons, and armor that depicts the warrior past of our family. I’m sure you’ll be interested in some of the wind-harnessing tools.”
Selena sat up straighter at his mention of wind. Her earlier questions surfaced and her need to avoid all talk of war was pushed away.
“Wind-harnessing?”
Eldalwen wrinkled his brow. “You do not know about wind-harnessing?”
She shook her head. “No. All I know is that I can run really fast. I discovered it when I was about ten.”
Eldalwen’s laughter was hearty and full. “My dear, the strength of Damnunians is not in their speed, but in their power to feel and manipulate the very air around them. Wind, is your gift, Selena.”
Selena gasped. She remembered clearly the night that the Minotaurs had attacked. A rush of power surging all around her as she screamed had surrounded her like a gushing wind. It had knocked the ugly beasts right off their feet.
“Oh my God,” she whispered. “So there is more to my abilities than just running away.”
Thaddeus leaned toward her from his place beside her at the table. “Whenever you run, you are pulling on the strength of the wind to propel. It pushes you along, makes you faster. It can do the same for your fighting skills. It can be used to strengthen and quicken your blows, and it can also been used as a force against your opponent.”
Selena’s eyes widened as she realized now why everyone had been waiting for her return, why she was so important to them.
“They think I can fight,” she whispered as she stood. Her chair scraped the marble floor noisily and her fingers gripped the chair’s edge tightly. “You think I can fight!” she exclaimed, louder this time.
Axonia stood as well and began circling the table toward her. “Darling, no one expects anything from you.”
“Of course you do!” Selena bellowed, backing away from Axonia’s comforting hands. “It’s all I’ve heard since I got here. The Red Dawn, the battle against Eranna, and the return of the firstborn daughter of Damu … it’s all pointing right at me!”
“Selena, it is your destiny,” Thaddeus said, standing at her side. “It is what you were born to do.”
“Look at me!” Selena cried, gesturing toward herself wildly. “Do I look like a warrior to you? Well, I’m not! I can’t fight. I’ve never even been in a schoolyard girl fight. I can’t throw a punch let alone use a weapon. You’re going to have to find somebody else to fight your battle. I only came here because I wanted to solve the mystery that’s been plaguing me since I was a kid. I wanted to know who my parents are and where I came from. And I wanted to help Titus rescue his family.”
Eldalwen’s jaw was tight and his lips pressed tightly together as he stood also. “A lot has changed in your life over the past few days, and I understand that you have some reservations—”
“Reservations? No, try this one on for size. I. Can’t. Do. This. Can’t do it. Won’t do it. Got it?”
No one answered, and no one tried to stop her as she turned and fled. She half expected Titus to try, but even he hung back as she stormed from the room. The hallways began to blur into one long maze as she tried to find her way back to her room. She stopped and turned, trying without success to find her way. After a while, she found herself wandering aimlessly and feeling pretty guilty. She was sure her parents and brother only had the best intentions. Besides, i
t was their home that would be destroyed if this Eranna person succeeded. Their way of life would be destroyed.
So would Titus’, she reminded herself.
Then why was this so hard? Why couldn’t she just put on her big girl undies and be the woman Damu needed her to be? She didn’t know why, and hated herself for it. Not just for not knowing, but for being so damned scared.
After roaming for quite some time, Selena came to a dead end. The hallway she was in lead to a stone door. Selena frowned. It was strange, since none of the other doors in the palace were made of anything other than oak or gold. Curiosity gripped her and propelled her toward the door. There was no handle, yet when Selena got close to it, it swung open on its own. Selena stared up a dark staircase, knowing that if she were in a movie theater she’d be yelling at the idiot standing at the bottom of a dark stairwell to run. She’d never believed in ghosts, but then she’d never believed in Faeries either and here she was in a palace in the desert in a magical fairytale land. Weirder things just had to be on the horizon.
With a shrug, Selena made her way up the stairs, deciding that once she found her way out of here she would have to find her parents and apologize for her outburst. Maybe even take them up on that tour of the war room. As she neared the top of the curved stairwell, a soft glow lit her path, making her feel a little less creeped out. When her feet hit the landing at the top of the stairs, she realized that she had climbed one of the palace’s many towers. The circular, one room tower held a stone pedestal covered in a red, silk cloth and no other furnishings. Axonia stood behind the table, a wide, nearly flat bowl and silver pitcher of water resting in front of her. The glow of the moon filtered in through the skylight above and kissed the queen of Damu with an ethereal glow. Selena paused in the doorway.
Daughter of the Red Dawn (The Lost Kingdom of Fallada) Page 15