by L. P. Dover
“I wish you would tell me what happened to you, Meliantha. The person you are now isn’t the real you. You’re not some cold-hearted bitch from the Winter Court,” she says as she points at the window. “You don’t even garden that much anymore now that you’ve become a warrior. There used to be a spark of life inside of you that could brighten a room, and now it’s just...gone. I miss the old you so much, and I want her back.” Her eyes soften and she reaches down to take my hands. Her words are the truth, but I am who I am for a reason. She doesn’t understand that all I’m doing is protecting myself, and most of all, protecting my heart.
I let out an audible breath.
“People change, Elissa. I’m one of the Four which means my life is going to be in jeopardy while the dark sorcerer plots to take me. If Calista hadn’t trained, she probably wouldn’t have made it out alive. I have to be strong. I was a weak and timid little girl before, and I didn’t know how to protect myself. You may not understand, but being the cold-hearted bitch may just save my life one day.”
She nods her head and looks down at the floor.
“I know, Mel. I just wish things didn’t have to be like this,” she sighs. Her sadness makes my chest tighten with guilt and I feel bad for snapping at her. I give her a loving embrace and she hugs me back fiercely. I love her so much, and I wish that she understood the way my life is now. She sniffles and wipes away her tears. I smile at her, but I know it doesn’t come close to looking authentic.
“I’m going to go fetch my things and I’ll meet you downstairs, OK?” she says, trying to sound cheerful. I smile at her again before her retreating form leaves me to a room full of silence. Finally, I get a chance to have some peace and quiet before making this journey to the dreaded Winter Court. I look down at my packed clothes and for this trip I have traded my usual Summer clothes and replaced them with pants, long-sleeved shirts, and jackets. My gown for the ball, however, is not long-sleeved, so I’m sure I’ll be freezing the whole time. I’m going for a daring look this year. I unzip the garment bag to take a look at the one thing that is going to set me apart from the others. The ball is supposed to be a black and white affair, but there is nothing white or black in my bag. My parents are going to be none too pleased to see what I have in store for the ball.
My dress is a bright, fire red with an empire waist. The top is formed in a halter top style that wraps around the back of my neck. Red rubies are fastened across the top half of the dress with gold threading. They stop mid-stomach where the dress then flows gracefully down to the floor. The top fits a little snug and pushes my breasts together showing off the cleavage I now have. This is definitely going to get everyone talking, and I can’t wait to see their faces when I show up. Not even the people close to me know that I have this dress. With a big smile on my face, I begin zipping my dress back up in the garment bag when in walks Ashur, my Guardian.
He stops mid-step and stares at me wide-eyed.
“What do you think you are doing?” he exclaims in my mind.
I burst out laughing hearing his exasperation in my mind. I’m in my warrior leathers with my gold armor breastplate and greaves. I have my brown leather vambraces tightly secured around my forearms, and my thick, auburn hair is pulled into a tight braid that hangs down my back. My bow and arrows are strapped and secure on my back as well. Not only does Ashur carry our special Guardian dagger, but I also carry some special weapons of my own. My arrows have been fortified with both mine and Ashur’s blood making them just as lethal as the dagger. I have planned to ride to the Winter Court on horseback instead of riding in a carriage. I have no intentions of letting anyone stop me from doing this, not even my guardian.
“What do you think?” I ask sarcastically.
“I think you need to change, Meliantha. You are a princess and you should act like one.”
“Oh, by being the helpless pretty girl that relies on everyone to take care of her? No, thanks. I plan on changing into a gown before the ball, so get the sword out of your ass and calm down,” I tease.
He lets out an annoyed breath and speaks aloud, “I do not have a sword up my ass, but it’s my job to make sure you’re protected, and by the way you’re dressed, I’m assuming you plan on riding with the warriors?”
“That’s the plan, and I promise to stay right by your side…Achilles,” I laugh.
I give him a huge smile and he shakes his head and rolls his eyes. He hates it when I call him that, but he does look like the actor who played Achilles in the movie Troy. Calista and I had watched that movie in the mortal realm a while back. Ashur is very tall with his six-foot four frame and warrior body. His dark blond hair touches down below his shoulders and his eyes are the greenest I have ever seen, they’re almost as bright as Calista’s. He’s a very good-looking man and I mean it as a compliment when I tell him he looks like Achilles. He happens to be over two centuries old, but his body only looks to be in his late twenties. That’s one of the advantages to being a faerie. Thankfully, he has no romantic feelings for me, but I have seen in his mind how he feels about my friend, Elissa. Needless to say, I have seen my friend unclothed in his mind one too many times.
“You know I hate it when you call me Achilles,” he groans.
“And I will keep calling you that until you give in to me. Either way, this is how I’m going to the Winter Court, end of discussion,” I argue.
He throws his hands up in the air and relents, “Fine, Princess, but when the king decides to scold me I’ll happily point him in your direction. Are we clear?”
I give Ashur a huge smile and say, “Thank you, and don’t you worry, I can handle my father.”
Ashur looks around at my bags and begins to pick them up. I help him with the remaining bags and we head down to the foyer of the palace where everyone will be waiting. On the way down, Ashur speaks silently, “Are you going to be OK going to the Winter Court, Princess?”
This stops me cold, and he must notice because he shifts around hesitantly before meeting my eyes. He continues, “I only ask because I’ve felt the torment inside of you all these years, but I’ve never said anything about it. I just want to know what Kalen did to you that made you close your heart. I know you’re with Finn now, but you still keep your heart guarded.”
“That’s the thing, Ashur. Nothing happened between me and Kalen,” I say aloud. He gives me a disbelieving look, so I continue more forcefully. “I’ll be fine. I’m strong now and nothing and no one is going to hurt me anymore.”
His eyes go gentle when he murmurs, “I know you’re strong, but you are mine to protect, and I don’t want to see you get hurt.” Hearing his words softens my heart a little, and I can feel a slight burn behind my eyes; however, I quickly brush it away and smile. He’ll make someone very happy someday, maybe even Elissa.
“Thank you, Ashur. Elissa would be very lucky to have you,” I respond, waiting for a reaction.
He just smiles and shakes his head. I was expecting him to say something, but instead he leads me on our way. We make it to the grand staircase and I see everyone down below standing around waiting on me. I did take a little extra time in preparing for departure, but I’m not exactly in a hurry to get to the Winter Court. I look at each one individually as I make my way down the marble steps. I see Elissa giving Ashur a timid smile, and I sneak a peek to my side to see Ashur return it with one of his own.
“Do not say a word, Meliantha,” he warns silently.
“I’m not Ashur, but I think you need to tell her how you feel.”
His reply is a grunt so I just laugh and continue on down the steps. My sister, Ariella, is in her own world checking over her bags. Training with the warriors has changed her in a good way. She still likes to play her tricks and cause mischief, but the past five years have turned her from a self-centered girl to a woman. In a few months she will be twenty-one and everything will change for her once she gets her guardian. I know there are plenty of warriors that are dying for the chance to be her protector. I ta
ke my eyes away from my beautiful blonde sister to my brother Drake. His fire red eyebrows are raised and he’s smirking at me with a quirk to his lip. I know he’s not surprised to see me in my warrior attire, but I think he is waiting to see how I handle our parents. Finn is standing off to the side and he has a huge smile on his face. His glowing amber eyes are feasting on my body with pride and it makes me smile. He always says he loves me in my leathers and that the way it hugs my body turns him on. I normally just roll my eyes at him when he says stuff like that, but it’s nice to be admired. I spent years with the warriors never noticing me, and now it’s like they can’t get enough. It’s been very interesting the past couple of years. I take a deep breath before looking at my parents, and when I see them their shocked expressions are just what I am expecting. Leave it to my mother to make an outburst.
“Meliantha! Just where do you think you are going looking like that?” my mother, Queen Tatiana, argues.
I was expecting her hostility, but to avoid a screaming match, I say nonchalantly, “I’m going to the Winter Court and I’m going to ride with the warriors alongside Finn and Ashur. I’m no longer a child or a frilly little princess that has to hide inside of a carriage. I am proud to be who I am, and this is my decision.”
My mother looks at Ashur and he gives her an apologetic look. She huffs in aggravation before walking out the front doors. Drake gives me a grin and a thumbs up before walking out after my mother. Ariella just shakes her head and smiles before leaving the room. Finn and Elissa decide to hang back with Ashur and me; meanwhile, my father comes up to me and takes my face in his hands.
“We’re just worried about you, dear. The dark sorcerer will come after you one day and we need to be careful. This is the first time you’re venturing out, so you can’t blame us for wanting to keep you safe. You’re an excellent fighter, but that doesn’t mean you’re invincible.” He looks back and forth between Ashur and Finn and commands, “Watch her, both of you. I don’t think you want to know what I’ll do to you if something bad happens to her.”
They both look like they’re trying to swallow a brick and it takes everything in me to keep from smiling. They bow their heads and reply together, “Yes, Your Highness.”
My father turns around and makes his way out the door. The servants are milling about gathering my family’s things to load them into the carriages. Ashur gives a quick glance to Elissa and then turns to me.
“I am going to get your horse ready. I will see you out there,” he says silently.
He nods to both Finn and Elissa and then strides toward the front doors.
Elissa watches him saunter away and quickly exclaims, “I’m going to go, too. See you out there!” She runs off to catch up with Ashur and trails beside him on the way out the door. I can’t help but smile as I watch. Ashur needs to find someone that will love him, and Elissa would be the perfect woman.
Finn leans down to kiss my cheek and whispers, “You look amazing, Mel. You and leather go together perfectly.”
I smile and give him a wink while looking appreciatively down his body. He has his long hair pulled back and he’s wearing his complete warrior gear. Tonight he’ll be in a tuxedo and on my arm the whole night. He’s my date for the evening so wearing his warrior gear will not be needed. Hopefully, he can keep my mind off of a certain Winter Prince.
I reach up to run his long, silky hair through my fingers before asking, “Will you wear your hair down for me tonight?”
He smiles and moves closer to me, “I will do whatever you wish for me to do, Mel.” Giving me a wolfish grin he continues, “That way it’ll already be down the way you like it when I take you to bed tonight.”
He leans down to quickly kiss my lips before gathering his things to exit out the front doors. He’s such a good man, and he deserves someone so much better than me. Thankfully, he’s never told me he loves me, which I’m glad about. I want to keep our relationship uncomp-licated. He doesn’t seem to mind the arrangement we have now. My family knows that I am seeing him, but they keep their thoughts silent from me. They know that once I find the one I am drawn to it’ll be over between me and Finn. The thought makes my heart ache with the loss of one day losing him. He’s been an amazing friend and a passionate lover to me for the past five years. I do have my heart guarded by a thick wall, but I still feel enough to know that I’ll miss him when the time comes.
I guess my time of procrastinating is over since I’m now standing alone in the foyer. I walk to the front doors of the palace and I look around at the land that doesn’t feel like a home to me anymore. The sense of belonging just isn’t there, and I don’t know where I belong. I really hope to figure it out someday.
I have never been to the Winter Court before, but I have been through parts of the Mystical Forest. My horse, Prince Ashe, has been my riding companion ever since I was a little girl. I remember being little and trying to tie a purple ribbon in his hair. He didn’t like what I was doing and made sure to let me know by nipping my hand. It hurt and I remember crying like a baby. I never tried to tie ribbons in his hair again. Prince Ashe is a midnight black fae horse with sparkly silver eyes. He’s a little bigger than a mortal horse and his life longevity is five times as long as one, too. He’s all dark with his black saddle and reigns, and boots that are black as night with silver spikes. He looks like a menacing creature, but he is as gentle as can be.
The creatures all flock to me when I go through the Mystical Forest, and needless to say, they do so today. The sprites of the forest are flying everywhere, sitting on my shoulders, playing with my braid, tickling my back, and flying all around me. I’m reminded of Snow White and how the animals followed her around and helped her do things. I guess I’m the faerie version of her. I actually do have three rambunctious sprites that help me with my gardening back in the Summer Court. They have agreed to do my gardening while I’m away and have been doing so for a lot longer than that. I hope someday my heart will find the joy in gardening like it used to. I look around at all the little furry animals milling about and following us, and I give them all a warm smile. Once I acknowledge them, they head out on their way.
We ride for a few minutes more and I begin to feel the wind changing course. The breeze is no longer the warm breeze of the Summer, but the crisp and cool breeze of the Fall. The trees up ahead are changing colors so I know we are close to passing through my sister’s court. I’m pretty sure Calista and Ryder have left already to head to the Winter Court. Calista used to visit me a lot by using Nixie to port travel. Nixie helped save my sister in the Black Forest and she also has the ability to port travel anywhere in the Land of the Fae in a matter of seconds. The dark sorcerer held her captive until Calista came along and promised to keep Nixie and her family safe in return for her help. Nixie and her family live out in one of the forests here in the Fall Court, and from what I hear, they are enjoying it greatly.
The color of the leaves is so beautiful, and I can see why Calista fell in love with Fall. The leaves are swirling and dancing in the wind while the cool breeze caresses my hot Summer skin. I feel like I belong with the cooler air, but the Fall is not where I belong. I’ve grown apart from the Summer Court, and I ache to find my place in our realm. Even though I have my family and friends, sometimes the loneliness takes over, and it feels like I am drowning in it.
“I don’t like where your thoughts are right now, Meliantha.”
I jerk my head to look at Ashur and I give him a dark look. I don’t need him searching through my mind right now, especially when my thoughts are going to be harder to shield once we make it to the Winter Court. His eyes hold concern, but that doesn’t stop me from snapping at him.
“I’m fine Ashur. My thoughts are my own and I would greatly appreciate it if you would mind your own business and stay out of my head.”
He nods, but the concern is still there.
“Very well, Princess. I’m sorry to have distressed you, but we’re almost to the Winter Court. Would you like yo
ur coat? It’s going to be a lot colder there than you are used to.”
My head aches from stressing about this trip and I close my eyes hoping it’ll ease off. I’m sure the bitter freeze of the Winter wind is going to feel like nails biting into my skin, but I shake my head, refusing the offer. I feel bad for snapping at him so angrily, but I’m confused and terrified about what lies ahead when we reach our destination. With him butting in, it didn’t help matters.
“I’m sorry, Ashur, for snapping at you. I’m just a little tense right now. Thank you for offering my coat, but I will decline.”
He gives me an amused expression and shakes his head, probably from me not wanting my coat. If the warriors can stand the bitter cold without protection, then I can. His eyes lock on something straight ahead and I turn to look at what he’s staring at. Up ahead, the distinction between the Fall Court and the Winter Court is apparent. It’s amazing how things change from mild to extreme. The dividing line between the courts is clear. On one side, the green grass and the colorful leaves of the trees are present. The sky is still blue with a mixture of clouds. On the other side, there are thick snow clouds and the snow is cascading down in abundance. I can already see from here that the land is beautifully covered in white powdery snow. It sparkles and glistens like diamonds. We are almost to the dividing line when the temperature starts to change. A shiver rolls down my spine and my traitorous mind says that maybe I should rethink putting on my coat. No, I chastise myself. I can’t look weak.
My teeth are silently chattering and my hands begin to shake from gripping the reigns so tightly. I close my eyes from the chill of the wind because it’s starting to make them water and burn. As soon as I open them, the Winter Palace comes into view. My throat tightens and I struggle to swallow. This is going to be a test for me, a test to see how strong I am. I take a deep breath and with determination, I steady my gaze at the palace. I will pass the test, and I will come out on top.