Kemp

by Francheska Fifield

  "Yes."

  "She was beautiful. You look so like her."

  I don’t. Not physically. She has brown curly hair. We are similar in that way, though mine has streaks of red in it when the light hits it. She always said it came from her mother. Her features are soft and human. She has a peaches and cream complexion. Chocolate brown eyes. A smile that goes on forever. I am too Elvin to look like her. I leave my curls wild because it is the feature we share. No matter that my aunt complains that they are too human and not dignified.

  "I am nowhere near as beautiful."

  "I bet she wouldn’t agree."

  I smile. No. Talon is right. She always said I was the best of both worlds. Combined to make the most exquisite beauty that the world has ever seen.

  "You are right, of course. I do believe it’s a mother's job to love her child or children to distraction."

  He snorts and tugs me so that I turn and face what Avren left me. Dresses, armor, jewelry, and shoes. Everything I will need. Nothing so fancy exists anymore. These belonged to the empresses of old and no Elvin royal has ever worn anything so fine.

  "You should wear this one."

  I’d been looking them all over, but focus on the one Talon has gone over to and is stuck on. He fingers the material and looks over at me in shock. I go over, expecting something very uncomfortable, because it certainly looks like it will be. A long full skirt with a train that is as long as I am tall. It is a deep green, deeper than the leaves in an Elvin forest combined. Light sparkles almost like the sun breaking through the clouds. The dress shimmers and shines. A gauzy material wraps around the top, holding hundreds of shimmering crystals around the neckline breast. A sweetheart neckline makes it more risqué than I am used to. The sleeves trail to the floor, long and flowing. I rub the material in my fingers. It is softer than silk. Almost like the smoothest cream turned into a fabric.

  "It will suit."

  I nod. It is gorgeous. "It is not practical for anything but our purposes."

  He nods and moves it behind the partition before going to look for jewelry. I walk behind the partition and undress, using magic to slide the dress over my head without snagging it. I infuse the dress with magic to ensure the same. I can’t let it snag or be ruined. It causes the fabric to look like it is blowing in the wind, creating an even more distinctive look.

  "Here."

  Green slippers with low heels float over the top of the partition to land at my feet. I step into them and sigh. It feels like I am wearing my fur slippers, curled up in front of a fire, reading a book back home. I never expected it to be so comfortable.

  "These will match, I think."

  A necklace and matching earrings of emeralds and diamonds float over to me next. I fasten them on, not used to the weight they provide. Well, I will not blow away. The earrings alone will prevent that. They hang like a rope of emeralds and diamonds to brush my shoulders. The necklace rests an inch above my neckline and covers almost all of my naked skin. Diamonds and emeralds wink in the sunlight.

  "I know you don’t want to hear it, but you need a crown."

  "A coronet…"

  "A crown. You need to project a queen to be treated like one."

  Talon is right, even if I don’t want him to be.

  "Very well."

  "Come out here so I can make sure it sits correctly."

  I walk out as Talon turns, holding a crown that makes every other I have ever seen look like a child made it. Silver and gold twists like the limbs of ancient trees. Emeralds, pearls, and diamonds sit encrusted in the knots that the metals create. It looks like a crown for an Elvin queen. Today, that is what I will be.

  "I almost dropped this."

  I look from the crown to Talon

  "Do not drop and break anything; this all belongs to Avren and dragons love their hoard."

  Talon smiles, coming over to situate my crown atop my head, using some pins to keep it in place. Where did he learned this?

  "I think he will understand once he sees you. You look… majestic and… striking."

  When he steps back, he has artfully arranged my hair so that the curls look stunning rather than wild.

  "Where did you learn to do this?"

  "I have little sisters that all wanted to be princesses when they grew up."

  I didn't even know he had a family.

  "I cannot wait to meet them. Perhaps I can pry some circlets from Avren and they can dress as princesses for a day."

  He laughs and pulls me over to the full-length mirror.

  "They would love that. If you dress like this when they see you, they will want to be you specifically when they grow up."

  I look in the mirror. It isn’t me staring back. The person in the mirror is stunning. She is regal, elegant, and has a commanding presence.

  "I do not feel like me."

  "I think, right now, you are exactly who you really are."

  I take a deep breath, trying to keep the panic away.

  "I am not sure I can do this."

  Talon turns me to face him, hands on my shoulders. I am freezing; I know this because his hands are warm on the bare parts of my shoulders.

  "You can do this. You are the daughter of a crowned princess and a king. You have a dragon for a familiar, a Kemp, and have accomplished something no one else ever has. You made alliances with the mages. You can do anything."

  I release the breath that I have been holding and nod.

  "You are right. I can do this."

  He nods, smiling and bows before me, taking my hand and kissing the tips of my fingers before sliding a raw emerald ring on my finger. It takes up one entire section of my finger. He slips a bracelet with pearls and emeralds on my opposite wrist.

  "Now you are ready."

  He rises and stands behind me, staff in hand, ready for anything. I take one last look in the mirror and nod. I am ready as well.

  I leave the queen’s chambers, hoping that Avren has spelled everything to not be able to be stolen. If any of the elves get in that room, there will be nothing left. I walk on, partially thinking it will serve Avren right to be robbed of his possessions, while trying not to feel bad about how it will feel to have the things – that you spent a lifetime collecting - taken from you. I can’t stop myself from worrying over it.

  "Talon, please have a servant fetched. We will need someone to do errands. I will be visiting the healing rooms, the kitchen, the library, the barracks, and then the throne room. I need someone to show me around and introduce me to everyone."

  "I will have someone summoned."

  I see his magical message take off and split into pieces, shooting off in many directions. It will find the one to best suit our purposes and they will come to me. Efficient. I head to the healing rooms first. I want to check in on my father.

  A servant catches up as we reach the door.

  "Make sure food is prepared for my champion and I in an hour. We are both famished and have had nothing to eat all day. Something quick but filling, I have a long day ahead of me. Wait out here for me when that is done."

  She nods and takes off, swift as a bird and just as silent. I stride into the room like I own it and cower everyone with a look.

  "Your highness, your Kemp tried to enter earlier and we sent him away on your orders…"

  "Very good. You two are relieved. Go to the kitchens and get something to eat. You will have very little breaks after today. Use magic to follow the servant that Talon tagged. She is going to the kitchens first then back here. If you need any help, have her assist."

  Both mages take off after their hasty bows. Only Talon has been practicing court etiquette, but even they know not to mess with someone in this much finery.

  "All of you healers go as well. This is your one chance to get a break from the patients and get something to eat. Or you may sit outside of the room."

  They don’t wait to be told again and hastily retreat. I nod to Talon, who erects magical walls and a ceiling that block sight and s
ound out. It looks like frosted glass but is not cool to touch. Inside is my father, Talon and myself. Just how I need it to be. I sit in the chair next to my father's bedside. He is sitting now, but still looks wretched.

  "I will find a way to undo this father."

  "I know what these cuffs are. Their magic cannot be undone."

  The cuff still sits on the same wrist, refusing to come off and refusing to transfer the magic back. Talon sits against the wall, reading a book on ancient artifacts. He is very good at anticipating my needs.

  "I did not know that my Kemp and familiar had planned this."

  "You have a dragon for a familiar as well as a Kemp. My, my, my. I never thought you would amount to much and now you have stolen my kingdom."

  I look away, sighing. "I know you do not believe me. Elves never trust anyone. But I honestly had no idea this was going to play out this way. It’s true I came to convince you to leave the human kingdom and mages alone, but I planned to challenge you the honorable way."

  "I believe you, daughter. You are too like your mother to have plotted this up. She was in no way a dumb woman, but neither was she very good at pretenses."

  That is true. My mother had been honest. Diplomatic, but honest.

  "You will stay king of the Elvin lands."

  "We both know if that is true it will be in name only."

  I look at my father. The pinnacle of power cowed. His skin already looks ashen and sunken. His power has left him and everything about him, including his presence, has deflated.

  "Did you ever regret… not searching for mother's killer?"

  "I found her killer the day after her murder. They were quietly executed and the family members that knew stripped of their titles and possessions and exiled."

  I look at him, unable to form even a single word sentence. He never let on that he cared, in fact he publicly said good ridden to human baggage.

  "I let you and everyone believe otherwise because there was no reason for an inquiry. She was not Elvin. I owed her family the death of her killer. That is why. They left her in my care and I failed. I righted my wrong. Nothing more, nothing less.

  "Elainne, you were never an elf, not truly. You were happier with your mother. When she and my nephew died as part of a plot to bring hostilities to the nations; your aunt and I, well, we both knew it would be best for you to live there rather than here. Looking at you now, perhaps we were wrong. I do not think you are human, but neither are you Elvin, and I could not leave my throne to one not purely of our people.

  "You know I never loved your mother. Our marriage was forced upon us both. I did respect her for how she handled it though. She represented herself with so much more dignity in our marriage than I did. I was a bit proud of how she was able to carry herself here, away from everyone and everything she had ever known. The day you were born, I even liked her a little. It was the only day we showed real affection for one another. Even then, I knew that you would be her child and not mine. Now look at you. Heir to two kingdoms. A dragon to serve you. You will rule the entire continent, maybe others. I am glad your mother and cousin died. It set my blood to be on the path to ruling the world. Even as I hate you for what you have done to me, I am truly proud as well."

  I rise and walk through the spell, the wall falling down around me and dissipating into nothing. Talon follows, keeping anyone from being able to see the tears rolling down my face. How dare he! How dare my father be truly proud of me for something I don’t want. How dare he find fault with me up until this happened, making me more like him. How dare he be glad that she died.

  "This way, your highness."

  Talon manages to pull me away from the foot traffic into an area that sees less than its share of visitors. I slowly drop to the floor, his magic arranging my skirts as I go. I can do nothing but cry into my hands.

  Talon reaches over and pulls me close, hugging me like a child. I am a child. A child that had lost their mother. One that has done so much for a father that can never truly love me. A child that is sick of being a child. I am sick of being used and having my will trampled upon. I am tired of it all. It ends today.

  After a few minutes, I am able to get myself under control. I thought facing my mother's room was hard, but it held her comforting presence even after all this time. My father just disappointed me more than I could have ever thought possible.

  "If you are ready, your highness, we have things to see to."

  I nod. "Keep looking through that book. I will not let anyone else choose my path for me."

  He nods. He doesn’t bother denying what he is doing. I like that about Talon. So far he is proving to be a bigger help than hindrance. The real test will be surviving in my uncle's court.

  "I wish I had paid more attention to my mother's beauty lessons. She tried to make me a proper lady."

  Talon casts a spell and a warm breeze blows around us. It relaxes me and dries the tears.

  "Use a mild spell to hide the puffiness of the eyes and you will be perfect."

  I tilt my head to the side.

  "You can do that?"

  He sighs and grabs hold of my face, chanting under his breath.

  "My sisters learned how to hide pimples when they were ten years old."

  I am less adept at magic than a ten year old. Great. Then again, I never hide my flaws. It became a point of pride… or spite… to accentuate them so my father would disapprove of me even more than he already did.

  "Thank you. I shall rely on your superior knowledge for all future clothing choices."

  He smiles and nods.

  "It would be a pleasure to be of use."

  I smile and squeeze his hands in mine, take a deep breath, and leave the room. I am ready to be a queen.

  Chapter Sixteen

  Talon

  Elainne wraps her confidence, fake or real I know not, around herself and goes in search of the first person to feel her wrath. Everyone seems to understand that she is projecting her father because they step out of the way, bowing and scraping as she passes, never speaking out of turn or whispering behind their hands. That phase of her life is over.

  I follow closely, trying to scan everyone for ill and magical intentions. One of the mages greatest weapons is being able to see the pull of magic. Magic rests deep within the soul. When someone is going to use magic, they have to summon it forth from the depths to the surface, where they can use it. It is a replenishable life force.

  "Where to, your highness?"

  "Viktor tried to visit my father."

  I wouldn’t want to be him, dragon Kemp or not.

  "I believe he has taken over the library."

  "So he can burn anything that will help me against him and Avren."

  I can’t believe her biggest allies have turned on her. Viktor been the one to tell me that she is the only one he can see being worthy of serving. I heard that at the mages village he even offered to pick up and leave their lives behind, so she could find somewhere peaceful and safe where she would not be judged because of her birth. Now… now he has turned on her, and he and Avren are forcing her into a life she doesn’t want.

  "Viktor. If you torch a single book, I will have you beheaded."

  I should have paid more attention. Viktor has a bunch of seemingly random books piled up in the center of the room with Avren taking a deep breath. They are going to use dragon fire to burn every magical volume.

  "Elainne, I am doing this…"

  She holds up a hand. I don’t see her cast a spell, however, he makes the motions to speak but nothing comes out.

  "Avren, I command you to circle the borders and keep a look out for enemies. You report to the nearest guard station if you find them. Then, you will contact me so I can give orders to the unit and you, if I permit you to stay and help. Is that understood?"

  Avren is her familiar. He has to obey a direct command. He bows his head and flies off. She looks pained. She wants her subjects to have free will. It has to hurt, to take one-step closer to wha
t they want to stop them from making her something she doesn’t want to be. Her world has become its own little paradox.

  "Viktor, you will help the librarian return these books to their shelves, and after that you may come report to me. If you find anything you think I would like to read, you will bring it to me or I will sever our Kemp bond so fast that you will get whiplash. Is that understood?"

  He nods once but says nothing. This time I am not sure if it is by choice or not.

  "Come Talon, I have some people to see about obedience."

  We turn to leave, but she stops at the door, turning to glare at Viktor. It is the glare death wears when someone fights her grasp.

  "Viktor, you will stay away from my father and the other injured or so help me I will not just sever our bond, I will kill you."

  She walks out, not waiting for any response. I look back at him. He looks so sad and alone. Also, proud. Is this what he wanted? To break her and make her become something more… more violent and self-serving? Will that not destroy the very reason he thinks she deserved to rule? What are Avren and he really thinking?

  I follow, not asking her highness what she thinks. Doubt is the last thing she needs. She is at war. Not just with her father's courtiers; now her own familiar and Kemp plots against her. She is a ship in a storm. I will have to be one hell of a heavy anchor.

  When we arrive in the throne room, she looks up at the man still hanging close to the ceiling.

  "Are you ready to come down and obey, sir, or shall I make this example more painful? I was hoping to avoid torture or killing, because the dragon attack left the army weakened, but if I need to I will use it. Make no mistake about that."

  Either she has a hell of a court face or she is not joking.

  "I am ready to take my place in service, your majesty."

  She brings him down and he is turned away, but I am looking close enough to see her flinch. That kicks her where it hurts most.

  I summon magic and fling it out, looking for nefarious intentions. I find fear and even some curiosity, but no rebellion. So far, this is going well.