by Emma James
“Lady?”
“Yes?” Angelica opened her eyes and gasped when she saw that Aerdan was looming close. She stepped backwards, blushing furiously.
Aerdan snickered. “We are almost there,” he said. “Enjoying the view?”
Angelica followed Aerdan’s gaze and gasped again. They had just emerged from the dense forest, and now they were standing on a lush green hill that sloped downwards and led to an enormous stone structure. A high wall, that looked at least five stories, stood tall before an immense castle. Brightly-colored flags waved from each turret and Angelica counted at least fifty large windows with soaring views over the surrounding kingdom.
“Wow,” Angelica breathed. She resisted the urge to pinch herself once again. “Is this…”
“My home?” Aerdan raised an eyebrow and smirked. “Yes.” He squinted and took Angelica’s wrist in his hand, pointing to a turret on the far side of the castle. “That is my chamber,” he said.
Angelica flushed. “It’s huge,” she said. She swallowed. “And…you’ve always lived here?”
Aerdan gave her a suspicious look. “Unfortunately,” he said.
“I thought you were an explorer?” Angelica cocked her head to the side.
“Indeed I am, but I am other things as well,” Aerdan said quickly. “Come on, this way,” he added, jerking his head to the side.
To her surprise, Aerdan led Angelica away from the castle, towards the edge of the high stone wall. As they got closer, she began to feel nervous once again. Her ears were filled with the loud sounds of people shouting, laughing, and shrieking. A strange mix of smells wafted under her nose, among them roasting meat and the perspiration of a huge crowd.
“This is a big city,” Angelica said anxiously.
“Is the city of York large as well?”
“New York is huge,” Angelica said, her dark eyes widening as Aerdan led her through a wooden door that somehow managed to look both crudely-hewn and strong. Inside was a huge dusty courtyard, filled with wooden stalls featuring every kind of ware imaginable. Angelica could barely walk without tripping – every inch of the yard seemed to be filled with life. Children skittered around, yelling and tossing balls back and forth. Chickens and goats and cats twined around Angelica’s ankles.
She looked down nervously. “Can they all…well, can they all talk?”
Aerdan chuckled. “No,” he said. “Brynx is special. He was given to me as a birthday present years ago.”
“I see.” Angelica bit her lip. “And you don’t find it strange?”
“What?”
“That your cat talks,” she said patiently. “You don’t think that’s a little odd?”
“No,” Aerdan said. “It isn’t that rare,” he said. “But it does take a complicated spell.”
Angelica’s mouth went dry. “You mean…magic?”
Aerdan burst out laughing. “Lady, what else could I mean?”
Angelica stayed silent as Aerdan led her through the crowded courtyard. Passing a stall featuring salt fish and venison jerky, her mouth began to water. Despite her caution, she could feel curiosity starting to get the better of her. This wasn’t just some crazy vision – this was a strange land, somewhere obviously foreign. And Angelica had somehow landed right in the middle of it.
Aerdan led Angelica out of the noisy courtyard and across another long lawn. Her legs were starting to ache – they’d been walking for close to an hour. Angelica was stunned when she realized she’d barely traveled half the length of the castle.
“This way,” Aerdan said. He grinned mischievously and Angelica’s heart fluttered. He ducked under a stone ledge, then led Angelica into a grimy alley. She frowned.
“Where are you taking me?”
“We’re almost there,” Aerdan said. He began to whistle, puffing out his chest and looking every inch the powerful Commander. “Just a few more minutes.”
Angelica’s palms began to sweat – she wished that she’d asked Aerdan to buy her something to eat. She felt totally helpless: her pockets were empty, she didn’t even have her keys! But her curiosity was growing, and all thoughts of food were pushed from her mind when she saw the large arena looming ahead.
Angelica’s mouth went dry. “What is that?”
Aerdan laughed. “It’s where we’re going.”
The sound of a lion roaring cut through the air and Angelica shivered.
“Don’t worry, lady,” Aerdan said. He led Angelica through a side entrance and the two walked down a long, shadowy corridor. The arena was made of stone and the walls emanated a chill that Angelica felt to her bones. It was the closest to cold that she’d felt since first waking up in the clearing.
When they stepped out into sunlight, Angelica gasped. They were standing in the middle of a huge arena. It was easily the size of an NFL stadium. Except instead of a grassy field covered with lines and markings, the bottom of the arena was filled with sand. Sure enough, a caged lion stood at one end of the field. Just looking at him made Angelica shudder, even though she was over a hundred feet away. The lion paced his cage, looking angry and mean as his dark mane ruffled in the breeze.
As Aerdan led Angelica through the rows of seating, she couldn’t help but notice that everyone was staring at her. The arena had been empty when she and Aerdan had first arrived, but it was filling rapidly.
“Is there going to be some kind of fight?” Angelica asked nervously.
“In a way, yes,” Aerdan replied. “And I thought this would be a good way for you to learn about Zheka.”
Angelica shivered nervously as Aedan led her inside a shaded box. The inside of the box was completely different from the rest of the arena. Rich wooden furniture filled the elegant room, and silk tapestries shimmered in the breeze. Angelica’s stomach twisted when she saw a small, elegant table inlaid with ivory and mother-of-pearl – on top, there was a bowl of what looked like grapes…and a human skull, glowing in the semi-dark of the private room.
“This is beautiful,” Angelica said, looking quickly away from the skull.
Aerdan nodded. “Yes,” he said. “It truly is.” Angelica watched as he settled down comfortably in one of the chairs, kicking his feet up on the ledge that overlooked the arena. After a few seconds, she settled down next to him.
Soon, the arena was filled with people. Most of them were clapping and jeering, but Angelica noticed some of them were booing, or lifting large flasks to their mouths. She swallowed nervously and looked around, gazing at the different costumes and outfits.
“This much be a rich land,” Angelica said softly. “Everyone is dressed so well.”
“Show days are what the Zhekan people live for,” Aerdan said proudly. “This is where we show off just how carefully we’ve honed our craft.”
“And what is your craft?”
“Look down there,” Aerdan said. He pointed towards a ring of men. They were the biggest, hunkiest men that Angelica had ever seen – they all looked like over muscled athletes. Their muscles were oiled and gleaming in the bright sun, and they wore tiny loincloths of leather. Their heads were shaved, and their bodies were covered in blue and black tattoos, just like Aerdan.
“What do the tattoos mean?”
Aerdan chuckled. “The blue bands indicate a triumph of strength,” he said. He leaned close to Angelica and flexed his bulging bicep. Sure enough, it was ringed by three blue bands. “Those were awarded to me on my fifteenth birthday,” he said. “I was able to lift a tree trunk into the air for thirty seconds. It weighed more than nine grown men.”
Angelica bit her lip and nodded. “And the black?”
Below in the arena, a man stepped into the center. Unlike the warriors, he was fully dressed and holding what appeared to be a bullhorn. He was on the smaller side, with close-cropped curly hair and tan skin.
“That’s Brantly,” Aerdan said. “My mother’s page.”
“Is she here?”
Aerdan laughed. “Queen Zornaya?” He rolled his eyes. “She wou
ldn’t dare to show up at an event like this. It’s considered undignified for royal women, aside from feast days.” He stretched and reached for the bowl of grapes. Angelica cringed when Aerdan’s fingers brushed against the skull. “Want some?”
Angelica shook her head. “I’m fine.”
Brantly held an arm up in the air and the arena fell silent – so silent that Angelica could have heard a pin drop into the sand.
“Ladies and gentlemen,” Brantly called. “You are in for a treat today!”
“I don’t get it,” Angelica murmured. “What are we going to see?”
Aerdan smirked. “The triumph of the masculine will,” he said. “It’s crucial to Zheka.”
“How are they all so strong?”
Aerdan sighed. For the first time since they’d met, he looked frustrated.
“Men – even royal men, such as myself – are laborers in our world,” he said. “The women hold the positions of leadership. My mother is the most powerful person in the kingdom of Zheka.”
“You’re a prince!”
“A commander,” Aerdan corrected. “My father, Commander-in-Chief Thurban, won my mother’s heart by championing over six men in the arena.”
Angelica’s eyes went wide again. “Six men? At once?”
Aerdan nodded proudly. “When the time comes for me to marry, I will be expected to do the same,” he said.
Angelica noticed that he didn’t seem so thrilled about that.
“Where are the women? What do they do?”
“They practice their skills, just as men practice theirs,” Aerdan said. “The women of Zheka are magic wielders. Healers, spellcasters, witches. They are called many things.”
“Witches?” Angelica’s mouth went dry. “How?”
“We are born with inherent power,” Aerdan explained. “But men are forbidden to use this power. Men are encouraged to succeed physically and abstain from the use of magic.”
“That hardly seems fair,” Angelica said. She frowned. “How do you feel?”
Aerdan shrugged. “Does it matter? That’s the way things are.”
“But you’re an explorer,” Angelica said. “So that means your mother must be pretty lenient with you, right?”
Aerdan didn’t answer. Below, in the arena, a loud trumpet sounded. Despite feeling like she should look away, Angelica couldn’t help but lean over the ledge and watch the proceedings below. She clenched her hands into tight, nervous fists and balled them at her sides.
Two men strode into the arena, each bearing large swords. The blades gleamed in the sunlight and Angelica could see the sweat dripping from each man’s forehead. She gasped as one of the men gripped his sword with both hands and swung it powerfully around his head.
The crowd went wild.
This is bad, Angelica realized nervously. What kind of a place is this, and why the hell did I have to end up here?
“Are they going to kill each other?” Angelica asked nervously.
“That is the goal, yes,” Aerdan said. She glanced over her shoulder and was stunned to see him lazily picking at his cuticles. He wasn’t even watching the fight.
“This must be a really violent place,” Angelica said softly. She bit her lip. “Is that true?”
Aerdan shook his head, sending his long dark hair flying. “Not exactly,” he said. He sighed. “I understand why one would be under that impression, but no, Angelica. Zheka is a peaceful place.”
“Then why the hell are those guys trying to hack each other apart?” Angelica gasped in fear as the fight began in earnest. The two men had thrown down their swords and they were wrestling in the sand, throwing hard punches and kicks. When one man wrapped his hands around the other’s throat and began to squeeze, the crowd jeered loudly.
“It’s too fast,” Aerdan explained. “They want a long fight.”
“But how can people be so thirsty for blood if this isn’t a violent place?”
“Because this is the only time where such violence is seen,” Aerdan said. “We never fight. There are no wars – Zheka is one of the most peaceful kingdoms in the land. Mother – that is, the queen – says that women can lead with little violence, but the same cannot be said for men.”
“And she allows this?” Angelica braved one more glance into the arena. When she saw that one of the men was now limping and bleeding profusely from an eye socket, she shuddered.
“Mother knows that sanctioned violence keeps the people happy,” Aerdan said. He shrugged. “She hates it, of course – she says it’s nothing but childish. But people would revolt if we did not have the tournaments.”
Angelica’s stomach turned and she felt hot bile rushing up her throat. Bending over, she vomited quietly between her feet. From the arena, loud cheers and cries filled her ears.
“I can’t watch this,” Angelica moaned. “It’s too awful!”
Aerdan was silent. He got to his feet and offered Angelica his elbow. “Come with me,” he said. “This might all be a little much, I’ll take you to the castle and introduce you to the Queen.”
Angelica leapt to her feet. Anything has to be better than this, she thought, trying to block the sounds of screams and cheers from her ears. I just want to go home!
CHAPTER FOUR
Aerdan
As Aerdan led Angelica into the castle, he couldn’t keep from sneaking glances at his female companion. It wasn’t just that Angelica was a new face – she was easily one of the most beautiful women Aerdan had ever seen. She didn’t have the ample curves and large breasts of many Zhekan woman – instead, she was slim and slender, with pale skin, long dark hair, and dark eyes that flashed whenever she seemed to grow particularly passionate about something.
It’s just because she is a stranger, Aerdan thought as he led Angelica through the main entrance. Still, he had to admit it was fun just to watch her – she could barely walk through a room without craning her neck and gazing up at the ceiling. He could tell that she was completely overwhelmed by the land of Zheka. I should feel guilty, Aerdan thought as Angelica followed him up a long spiral staircase. But she’s going to be such a distraction. Mother and Father will forget all about forcing me to wed once they see her!
“What’s going to happen when I meet your family?”
Aerdan shrugged. “Lady, I am sure everything will go smoothly,” he said. “Please, this way.”
Aerdan dipped his head to a roomful of servants as he led Angelica through the halls and towards his mother’s chamber. Queen Zornaya spent most of her days responding to letters and mail delivered by the strong falcons kept in her menagerie. Aerdan knew that Zheka was facing more desperate circumstances than it had in a long while – his entire life, in fact. The neighboring land of Glasule was desperate for a royal alliance, but Aerdan knew he couldn’t marry Muertha. Princess Muertha had never been a particularly attractive option – she was plain, and notoriously prudish.
Especially compared with the lady Angelica, Aerdan thought as he snuck a peek at Angelica’s backside. She was clothed in a strange pair of blue, stiff pants and a loose black shirt that didn’t quite conceal her small breasts. Aerdan felt a stirring in his loins as he watched Angelica’s slim frame parade in front of him.
Angelica whirled around and crossed her arms. “You were staring,” she said. She cocked her head to the side.
“I wasn’t,” Aerdan lied. He cleared his throat. “This way,” he added. “Not much longer.”
The halls and rooms grew more lavish as Aerdan approached his parents’ living quarters. In addition to Aerdan, Zornaya, and Thurban, the castle was home to many servants, slaves, and royal cousins. There were also several unoccupied royal apartments. Aerdan had always known that Zornaya had wished for more children – families in Zheka tended to be quite large – but the gods had not blessed her.
It’s all up to me, Aerdan thought. It was something he remembered quite often…usually whenever his mother was around, chiding and scolding him for not living up to her standards. Aerda
n hoped that Angelica would captivate and charm his parents. Anything to keep their attention away from me and Muertha, or any other woman in the kingdom, he thought as he led the way to a small, ornate chamber.
“This is beautiful,” Angelica said softly. Aerdan nodded.
“Yes,” he said. “The Queen has exquisite taste.”
Angelica’s eyes were wide as Aerdan led her through the chamber. He took a deep breath, then knocked on a concealed door.