by Eve Langlais
At least I have tomorrow evening to look forward to, she tried to comfort herself as she watched with growing dismay every single noble in attendance begin to queue up for a chance to speak with the supreme king.
However, within half a mark of passively watching her people welcoming the king with very little variation, her mother once again discreetly brushed her hand. “Your father and Elion will represent our family for the remaining duration,” Queen Isilya whispered. “We must attend to the rest of our duties. Come.”
Miriel didn’t need to be told twice. The two royals quietly left the throne room through the king’s entrance behind the dais. Everyone was so fixated on King Kirion that she doubted their absence would even be noticed.
“He only looked at you once in greeting,” her mother said as soon as they were out of earshot of the guards protecting the door they had just exited. “I feared his reason for coming was to ask for your hand, but now it appears I was mistaken.”
“But his queen still lives, does she not?” Miriel asked, still anxious despite her mother’s reassuring words.
“Yes. However, it has been nearly six thousand years since their union, and the throne of the Second Realm remains without a direct heir. It is not unheard of for the supreme ruler to take on a second wife if the first fails to produce a viable heir. That is not a life I would ever wish for you, but should His Supreme Majesty ask, your father would have no reason to refuse without it being seen as a great insult to the House of Elerren.”
“I can think of one reason,” Miriel said softly as they began to ascend the stairs to the royal wing.
“It has been well over a hundred years now,” her mother said firmly, “and I have not heard so much as a whisper of suspicion.”
“But you said so, yourself. King Kirion is different–powerful. Standing so near to him today, I could literally feel that power. You are still worried.” Miriel smiled wryly. “I can see your worry in your eyes no matter how you try to hide it.”
The queen shook her head. “That worry is for all of us. If not to seek a new bride, what other dire situation would have him leave his lands without its king on such an important day as the solstice?”
“I wondered that myself,” Miriel admitted.
“For now, all we can do is prepare ourselves for tomorrow’s various ceremonies. We shall know if our worries are warranted soon enough.”
Chapter Two
Miriel couldn’t help scrutinizing both the faces of her father and King Kirion as both monarchs conversed in low tones at the high table while the rest of the nobles celebrated the solstice with music and dancing within the palace’s great hall. As always, she sat next to her mother, politely refusing any offers to dance with her usual shy smile. After all this time, she wondered why anyone still bothered with her at all, especially when everyone believed her reticence was because her father had promised her to the heir to the Malviri throne.
Neither king looked anything other than calm, their bodies relaxed. Even the power King Kirion had been radiating since he had first appeared in the throne room was noticeably muted. Really, their appearance was of two old friends catching up after a long absence. Still, Miriel couldn’t relax, not quite able to shake the feeling that their calm was merely the calm before the storm. They had, after all, along with Elion, spent the entire evening and most of the night talking about the High Powers–only–knew what. Even her mother did not know what had been said as she had not gotten the chance to speak privately with her husband before the various rituals of the winter solstice had begun.
Not wanting to get caught staring, Miriel turned her eyes back to the dancers. Her eyes immediately picked out Elion and his wife as they gracefully twirled among the couples. Her expression turned wistful. What she wouldn’t give to be able to join them. If only she dared allow someone to touch her, to feel the embrace of someone other than her family…
She mentally shook herself. There was no use in wishing for something that quite possibly could never be. No matter how much her mother insisted that enough time had passed without incident, Miriel knew that she would never stop worrying that someone would learn her secret.
A few of the unwed noble daughters hovered in small groups of three and four near the high table. Rumors of their supreme king’s purpose in their lands had been running rampart throughout the palace since before the king’s arrival yesterday, and the consensus seemed to be, as Miriel and her mother initially had believed, that King Kirion sought a second bride. Given that everyone already believed her promised to another, perhaps they hoped to catch the eye of King Kirion, especially now in this more casual setting where he was infinitely more approachable. Her mother may not wish for her to become a Royal Consort, even to the supreme king, but the fact remained that it was a very coveted and prestigious position.
Miriel wholeheartedly wished them success. As long as she remained within eyesight of King Kirion, there was no way the queen would allow her to excuse herself from the hall for the night as was her usual habit during these types of celebrations, but especially during the winter solstice. More than the bonding rituals with the land that her father performed every year that were important for every Sidhe under his rule, this day held even more meaning to Miriel in the form of a secret that not even her parents knew, one she feared they would forbid her from indulging in should they ever learn it. Having the young nobles dance with the king would provide the distraction she needed to slip out unnoticed.
However, after another mark had come and gone, it was beginning to seem as though King Kirion had no desire to indulge the hopefuls, and it was becoming increasingly harder for Miriel to hide her impatience. She chanced another look at him and was startled to meet the gaze of the king as he looked back at her with a rather impassive expression. Just how long had he been looking at her? She smiled politely and gave him a nod of acknowledgment before turning her attention to her mother without waiting to see what reaction, if any, he would give her.
“I guess His Highness does not wish to indulge in the dance this evening,” Miriel remarked softly, hoping her mother would offer further information.
The queen looked back at her thoughtfully. “He is not known to indulge in such things, no, but I have only been to the supreme king’s palace three times in my life and never during such an important celebration as the solstice. However–I am certain he would accept if I were to offer your hand for a dance.” The last was said with a hint of a question.
Miriel smiled tightly. “You know why that cannot be, Mother. Besides, I was merely making an observation. It just seems a shame that you are also missing out in an activity you love while you both play host. Although I cannot offer to partner him, there are plenty of others to offer in my stead.”
Her mother started to answer, but broke off mid–word when both kings suddenly rose and began making their way towards them. Miriel felt herself go rigid as she watched them approach. It was all she could do to struggle to keep her rising anxiety from her expression as she stiffly followed her mother to her feet to receive them.
“My pardon, my ladies,” King Kirion said, his voice still seemingly cutting straight through her, “but I must withdraw from the festivities for a moment.” Then suddenly the full weight of his gaze was leveled at her. “I would hope you both would join our conversation when I return.”
“It would be my pleasure, Your Majesty,” Miriel found herself saying politely, not entirely sure what to make of his words, fairly innocuous words, had they been said by any other. If only she could get a read from her father, but his expression gave nothing away.
Nodding to the queen, King Kirion left the great hall, three of his guards trailing him. Miriel studied his back as he left, but his demeanor still did not betray what he was really thinking.
She turned to her father. “Is everything all right?”
A strange emotion flashed in his eyes, but it was gone before she could try to decipher it. “That remains to be seen,” he replied e
nigmatically.
“Father…” Miriel trailed off, not sure what she wanted to ask or even if she should ask anything at all.
The king smiled and leaned over to kiss her on her forehead. “Do not worry, my little Elle. Whatever our supreme king’s purpose here, it is not the one I initially feared.”
Miriel frowned. That did little to alleviate her own anxiety as her father never did specify what those fears were.
He held out his arm to her. “Come. Let us join your brother in the dance while we await His Majesty’s return.”
Chapter Three
Sitting alone back at the high table, Miriel watched her parents closely as they danced among the courtiers, waiting for her best chance to fall out of their line–of–sight. The moment her parents’ backs were turned to her, Miriel quickly slipped into the crowd and headed for the exit. At the door, one of the palace guards silently fell into step behind her.
“I am going up to the royal wing for a moment,” she informed him over her shoulder.
True enough, but that didn’t mean she planned on staying for long. She had no idea how long King Kirion would be away or how long he planned to socialize with them when he returned. This was probably her only chance to continue on with her usual solstice plans, if only for a few moments. It would have to be enough.
Once in her bedroom, Miriel spared only a few moments to grab her hooded cloak and to change her slippers to a pair of ankle–high boots more suited for walking through snow should she encounter it this year. Then she headed for the balcony.
The night air was chilly, but pleasantly so after the stifling warmth of the great hall. She walked over to the stone balustrade and leaned over slightly to peer into the darkness of her garden far below. Occasionally, the palace guards would patrol the pleasure gardens, and after nearly getting caught sneaking out of the palace by one such guard a couple of years ago, Miriel always made sure her garden was empty before descending.
When she was certain there was no one below, her eyes swept the balconies of both her parents’ suite and that of the guest rooms as an extra precaution, but they were all empty. Satisfied, Miriel walked over to where the circular balustrade met the palace wall and reached out to tug on the thick vines growing along the wall, testing their strength until she was certain they would hold her weight.
With one final glance around to make certain that she was alone, Miriel carefully climbed onto the balustrade, her hands grabbing onto a couple of thick vines tightly before she reached out a leg to find a foothold within the tangled stems and leaves. Once secure, she slowly began her decent.
“That is certainly an interesting way of entering your garden,” a deep voice suddenly remarked from somewhere above her, making Miriel almost lose her hold when she jumped nearly out of her skin.
Tightening her grip, she looked up wildly at her balcony, her heart threatening to tear out of her chest, but she could see no one. She was close to the bottom, so she opted to just jump down the rest of the way. Once on the ground, she began to frantically inspect all the balconies within sight above her, but they all appeared just as empty as before.
“Up here, on the perimeter wall,” that same voice said with a hint of amusement.
Miriel froze. She finally recognized that voice. Of all the people to catch her now…
She slowly turned around and lifted her gaze upwards. And there King Kirion sat along the top of the wall, his legs dangling over the far edge and his upper body twisted around in order to stare down at her. He was too far up for her to see his face properly, and that fact made her heart begin to beat more frantically. What in the name of the High Powers was he doing up there?
“Your Majesty,” she greeted with a bow of her head, not sure what else to do in this awkward situation.
“Out for a breath of this wonderful mountain air?” he asked without any discernable inflection.
A question full of many traps. This was why she had stuck so closely to her mother’s side ever since the supreme king had arrived, fearing to be caught alone with this powerful elf. There was no way she had the skill to match wits with a mind that had lived for millennia.
However, she forced herself to look up at him again even though what she really wanted to do was run away. “Something like that,” she agreed, but did not elaborate. “It seems we had the same thought,” she added, hoping to steer the conversation away from herself.
He regarded her silently for a long, uncomfortable moment. Miriel could feel the tension rising in her shoulders as she struggled not to fidget beneath his scrutiny. Although he was at least three stories above her, she could feel his gaze on her as though his eyes were physically touching her.
Then suddenly, between one blink and the next, the king disappeared.
What in the– was all her bewildered mind managed before King Kirion just as abruptly faded into view only a step before her, causing her to flinch away.
“Apologies,” he said. “I did not mean to startle you. I just assumed you knew of my phasing ability.”
Oh, of course. Miriel relaxed minutely.
She shook her head and offered him a small smile. “No apologies needed, Your Majesty. My mother did speak of it to me once, but the reality of it was–surprising.”
“Would you care to join me up above? I would very much enjoy speaking with you for a moment before we must rejoin the celebrations.”
Miriel’s heart sank. Though the cold would likely drive them indoors within a mark or so, King Kirion would definitely insist on escorting her back to the great hall. Once back under the gaze of her parents, there was no way she would be given the opportunity to sneak out a second time.
Seeing no way around it, she simply nodded, afraid her voice would betray her disappointment.
It was only when he had already stepped closer and his arms were sliding around her waist that she realized with sudden panic that he was touching her. Then the world all around them blurred, and she was standing on top of the perimeter wall before she could even finish gasping. Miriel instinctually clutched at his robes as a cold gust of wind hit her, then immediately dropped her hands to her sides in horror. One did not simply grab onto the supreme king for any reason!
Seemingly unaware of her distress, King Kirion released her and then stepped over to the edge where he proceeded to settle himself down in his previous position. Miriel stood frozen for a few tense beats before she forced her legs to move. She carefully seated herself beside him with about an arms–length of distance between them, making a big show of arranging her skirts in order to give herself time to calm down.
He had touched her, and by some miracle, it did not appear as though he had noticed anything amiss. She didn’t want to press her luck by allowing him a second chance.
“Do you enjoy high places?” Miriel asked, once again trying to steer the conversation away from herself.
“Just places where I cannot be easily disturbed,” he replied.
Miriel bowed her head. “Then I am sorry that I intruded on your solitude.”
“You did not,” he assured her. “I chose to call out to you, remember?”
She glanced back at him. His eyes were fixed on her in that same intense, unfathomable expression he had worn since the first time she had seen him. She quickly looked back down at the hands she had threaded in her lap.
“You must think me strange.”
“More a curiosity rather than strange,” he said. “I simply did not expect to see the mild–mannered and shy Lithviri princess climbing down the face of the palace with such practiced skill–in her court finery no less. Were you perhaps off to meet someone you did not wish others to see?”
Miriel couldn’t help the short laugh that burst from her lips at his bluntness. “I always feared that were I caught, that would be the king and queen’s first thought as well, and that they would not believe any of my protests.”
“Word has it that Arandur has promised you to the Malviri heir. As it is not a love match, I
would not find it amiss that you had a paramour.”
She looked at him sharply. “You have heard that rumor even in your own lands?”
His eyes narrowed slightly. “Rumor?”
She nodded, shifting a bit in sudden discomfort. This was not something she should even be discussing with the supreme king, but she only had herself to blame for encouraging his questions instead of trying to redirect their conversation to a safer, more appropriate subject.
“My father has made no such offer to the Malviri king,” she admitted reluctantly. She paused and then added a bit sheepishly, “I have a habit of walking alone, away from the crowds and noise, for at least a couple of marks every solstice. It is a time for me, alone, to remember the past, a time that even my parents do not know I indulge in. The palace guards would insist on accompanying me were I to enter my garden the usual way. Thus, I use the vines instead.”
“Understandable,” he said as he turned his gaze outward to the mountains in the distance.
In that moment, the supreme king looked so sad. It made Miriel want to reach out and lay a hand onto his shoulder in comfort. She gripped her skirt tightly in both fists to prevent herself from acting so rashly.
“The past can be a heavy burden,” he continued, his eyes still fixed on some point ahead. “That is why I am pleased to share this, my own time of solitude, with you on this night.”
“I–am barely into my second century of life,” she ventured hesitantly. “I cannot even fathom the weight of a millennium, much less eight. I am not certain how much comfort I can offer you, Your Majesty.”
“Your presence, alone, is enough,” he said. He turned to her, the heat of his gaze cutting straight into her so that her chest seized painfully in a surge of confusing emotions.