by M. L. Greye
Tiara composed herself, while flashing him one of her more dazzling smiles. “Oh, it’s lovely! Far more beautiful than my last one.”
That was true – it was nicer. But then, her new home had belonged to the governor of Graymark. It was slightly larger than her real home, with seven rooms upstairs and a bathing room attached to each. Her real home had had only five. Also, her new home had a basement while her real one had not. But realistically Tiara shouldn’t count the basement, as it was a place she was not permitted to venture. It was the living quarters of the three servants who took care of the house and looked after its inhabitants. Tiara was allowed to wander through the main floor. There was a large kitchen, spacious greeting room, long dining room – where Tiara currently sat with the three Kendren officers – and a few other rooms, the purposes of which Tiara had yet to discover.
“Do you like your view?” The officer spoke again. Tiara struggled to remember his name.
“Oh yes, I’ve always loved the Ildatch Woods.” Tiara nodded her enthusiasm.
Her room upstairs was perhaps her favorite part of the house. It was painted in a soft blue and had a pretty brick fireplace in the sitting area. The room’s one large window had a cushioned seat for its sill, with soft white curtains to block out any unwanted sunlight. It was the view from the window that Tiara loved most about the room. The governor’s home was placed on the outskirts of Graymark, its front facing the city, its back facing the woods. And Tiara loved the woods. She had grown up fascinated with Ildatch. Seeing the forest from her window gave comfort to her recently troubled heart.
“They are beautiful,” the officer agreed. “I can see them from my window as well.”
Tiara flinched inwardly. She didn’t like being reminded of her current living situation. Even though she was always well aware of the fact, she hated other people to realize it. She was still not happy to be sharing her new home with the three officers – Archrin, Foehn, and what’s-his-name. Their presence forced her to lock her bedroom door at night. She didn’t trust any of them, especially Archrin. She really wished the governor hadn’t disappeared when the Kendrens arrived. He could have acted as a chaperone. Too bad the Kendrens killed him, Tiara grumbled to herself.
“Well,” Foehn suddenly stood, surprising Tiara, “I’m off to bed.” He glanced at Tiara and winked. “’Till tomorrow, my dear?”
“Tomorrow?”
“For our ride.”
“Oh yes.” Tiara had forgotten about Foehn’s plans to ride to Ildatch the following morning. She forced a smile. “Until tomorrow.”
The other officer stood as well, nodding toward Tiara as a farewell, and retreated after Foehn out of the dining room. Tiara was left with Archrin. She would have left too, if she hadn’t still been hungry. All her forced conversation had given her little time to eat. Tiara focused her eyes on her now cold plate, partially in an attempt to avoid Archrin’s endless eyes, and began to eat as quickly as manners permitted.
“Do I frighten you?”
Tiara lifted her head in surprise. She honestly had not expected his question. “What made you think I would be afraid of you?”
“When women fail to meet my eyes, that usually is the reason,” he replied, pushing his empty plate to the middle of the table.
“Don’t flatter yourself.” Tiara glared. “I avoid your eyes because I do not care to see what is in them.”
Archrin grunted. “Oh, but you’re just so interested to know Foehn’s every thought.”
Tiara winced. She knew he knew that she despised Foehn. What was he trying to get out of her? A confession? Tiara gritted her teeth. “What do you want, Archrin?” A chill shot up her spine as she said his name. The feeling irritated her, almost as much as his relentless gaze. He and his name should mean nothing to her.
“I want you to be careful, Tiara.” His voice had lowered to barely more than a whisper.
At the sound of her own name coming from his throat, her heart stuttered. Stop! Tiara commanded herself. She angrily balled her hands into fists beneath the table on her lap, digging her nails into her skin. There was no way she was about to permit him, a Kendren, to have any hold on her emotions. She narrowed her eyes. “Careful of what?”
“Foehn and Ganin may be ignorant to your obvious distaste for us, but they are loyal to the Kendrens.” He frowned. “I would advise you to hide your prejudices well.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” She glanced back down at her food. But she didn’t need to be looking up to feel the heat of his stare.
“Tiara.”
Again with the heart! She grimaced, not willing to raise her eyes. “What?” She hissed.
Suddenly he was beside her – up from his seat across the table and into the chair at her left. Tiara gaped at him. How had he managed to move so quickly and quietly? “Tiara,” he repeated, “either accept your new way of life, or conceal your plans for escape better. Because underneath his lack of thought and originality, Foehn is a duty-bound Kendren.”
Tiara couldn’t help but gawk at him. “And you aren’t?”
His eyes hardened. “I fight with my world.”
“Your world?”
“In war there are always two sides,” he answered. “I just happen to be fighting on the side opposing yours.”
Tiara snorted, not caring that it didn’t make her sound ladylike. “You act as if you don’t have a choice in the matter, as if which world you come from dictates what you fight for.”
“Doesn’t it?”
“No!” Tiara fought to keep herself from shouting. “The only thing that depicts who you are is you. Where you come from is just a fact. You choose your own actions.” She shoved herself away from the table and stood, no longer hungry. Archrin stood as well, but she disregarded him, turning instead to the dining room’s door.
He caught her elbow before she was able to leave him completely. She struggled to pull away. “Let me go.”
It was no use; his grip was like a steel vice wrapped around her arm. “Tiara.” His voice was suddenly soft, the Tlaidian lilt more prominent.
Tiara glanced up, somewhat startled by his change of tone. “Yes?”
“Keep your emotions more guarded.” He released her. “It’s far too easy to read them in your eyes.” With that, he saluted her in Kendren fashion, one hand sliding from shoulder to shoulder, and headed from the room, his steps silent on the marble floor.
* * * * * *
Grennich was breathtaking. From its white sand beaches to its salt covered birches, it was beautiful. The actual village, which was twice the size of Willowvale, sat just beyond Water’s Pathway, directly between both the Crellin and Dantean Seas. Grennich’s unique position allowed it to experience both the warm winds of the Crellin and the icy gales of the Dantean at the same time. This gave the village several different temperatures, depending on which sea one stood closer to. But no matter where Olinia went, she could still feel the moist, salty brine that the two winds offered. And she loved it! Zedgry was right. Grennich was much more enjoyable. The salty air felt wonderful on her skin, while the ever-present fog that rolled off the Dantean fascinated her. She was sure she could never get used to the low hanging cloud.
But Grennich’s close proximity to the seas was not the only aspect Olinia loved about its location. Grennich sat up against a range of low rising mountains. The range was rather small, perhaps puny in comparison to other mountains, but there were enough of them so as to encircle the village. The mountains offered Grennich its own little alcove to live in, which gave the village a feeling of being separate from the rest of the world.
It was here that Olinia and her escort, Dallyn, had been for the past three days. She’d been introduced to Sadree and Denon’s children, as well as their grandchildren. The grandchildren had surprised Olinia. Both Sadree and Denon looked to be in their mid-twenties. Olinia had known they were much older than they appeared, but she had not expected them to be quite that old. It was as if they didn’
t age at all. Olinia would be the same way though. Now as an adult Wend, she wouldn’t be aging much for the next few generations. It was a benefit of having Eveon blood.
Other than spending time with her guardians and meeting their family, Olinia had walked through the village and along the beaches, almost always alone. Dallyn’s sister lived here with her husband and children, so he spent most of his time with them. In fact, Olinia hadn’t seen him since the first day they arrived. But that didn’t bother her, nor did her few hours of solitude. In truth, she enjoyed being alone. It gave her time to think…usually about Will.
In Willowvale, he was always around her, but never hovering. No, instead he’d watch her. Sometimes he’d smile or laugh, and then watch even more closely for her reaction. It was hard for him to smile, but he did it because he saw it made her happy. Olinia knew it wasn’t hard to make her smile, but whenever she didn’t, he’d try to pull one out of her. He seemed to know exactly how to do it too, which didn’t seem fair to her. Will was so difficult to understand. His moods often confused her. Why was she constantly left guessing while he was able to read her so easily? Olinia frowned. That was the one thing she hated. True, her gift required some effort and concentration, but she was always greeted with a person’s thoughts. Never had she encountered someone like Will before, at least, not since she had acquired her gift. When she focused her mind into Will’s, she found only silence.
Olinia sighed and sank onto the sand beneath her bare feet. She had been walking along the beach facing the Crellin Sea, but was now done moving. She picked up a handful of sand and watched as the tiny particles slid through her fingers, disappearing into the wind. She shouldn’t care about knowing what the Ethon was thinking anyway. He eventually had to leave her realm. It would be best not to become attached.
She let out a short laugh. It was a little too late for that. She’d spent too much time beneath the gaze of his stormy eyes. She was going to miss him when he left. But how deeply? She frowned. From now on, she needed to be careful. She didn’t want to be hurt when it came time for her to let go of him for good. This meant that there were to be no more midnight conversations, not that they had had many – just the one right before she’d left. Olinia deliberately ignored the sudden image of his eyes in her head. Yes, she would keep him distant. She was not to allow herself to get any closer to him than she would Dallyn. Olinia grimaced. Why did she have the feeling that this was going to be easier said than done?
* * * * * *
“Riders ahead.”
Will glanced up. He and Zedgry had been riding through Relivaynt for the better part of the day. It was now early afternoon, placing the sun directly overhead. Will squinted. Sure enough, at the top of the next hill, a group of saddled horses were making their way downward. Will counted at least twenty. He turned to Zedgry and noticed that he had pulled his horse to a stop. Will did the same.
“Who are they?” He asked.
Zedgry frowned. “Part of Relivaynt’s cavalry.”
“How do you know?”
“They’re all in red.”
Will glanced back at the approaching men. He had to squint again to see that they all wore scarlet tunics over chainmail. “What are they doing out here?”
“Good question,” Zedgry replied, without moving his eyes from the men. “My guess is a routine ride to stretch their horses’ legs. We’re not too far from Oldron’s castle now.”
Will nodded, watching as the riders drew rein, creating a circle around Zedgry and him. There were twenty of them.
“Hallo, there.” Zedgry dismounted – a sign of peace. “We’re searching for the Castle Relivaynt.” He smiled, rubbing his horse’s nose with one hand. “Could you tell us if we’re heading in the right direction?”
One of the men dismounted and removed his helmet, showing that he also meant them no harm. Will noticed the man’s graying beard. He assumed this was the group’s leader. Will slid out of his saddle as the man eyed Zedgry. “What business have you with Lord Oldron?” His accent was crisp and ringing. Will had never heard its like before.
“A request,” Zedgry replied.
The man’s brow furrowed. Will glimpsed deep lines at the corners of his blue-gray eyes. “What sort of request?”
Approaching hoof beats caused all of them to turn. Five more riders joined them. One wore a long, scarlet gown beneath leather armor. The men of the circle stepped back, opening a path for her to enter through. Her light laughter filled the space as she took off her helmet. “Do not tell me that your men are already tired, captain. I shall be rather disappointed, indeed.” She easily slid down onto the ground, grasping her reins in one hand.
“No, my lady.” The captain smiled tightly. He gestured to Will and Zedgry. “We came across these travelers, seeking your father.”
Lady Aeorin. Will understood now why her face was so familiar. The blonde haired, green-eyed beauty was the only child of Oldron. He had briefly met her during his last trip to Relivaynt.
She turned to him and Zedgry, her eyebrows furrowed. It only took a moment for her to recognize them. “Oh, Lord Zedgry,” she dropped into a deep curtsy, “you have returned.”
Zedgry bowed at the waist. “Lady Aeorin,” he straightened, “you remember my friend Will Patten, of course.”
“Of course,” she smiled shyly up at him, while her sea green eyes stared mischievously.
Will smiled, more to himself than for her benefit. Her smile was dazzling. He assumed she had preyed upon the hearts of many young men with that little maneuver. “It’s nice to see you again, Aeorin.”
“My lady,” the captain’s voice brought her attention back around, “shall we give them safe escort to your home?”
Aeorin nodded. “I am sorry to cut our ride short, captain.” She smiled sympathetically.
“Another time,” the captain replied, replacing his helmet onto his head.
The combined group headed off in the direction the Relivaynts had come from, toward the Castle Relivaynt. The captain rode at the front, followed by Will, Zedgry, and Aeorin. Aeorin had strategically placed herself between the two of them and was currently involved in some conversation with Zedgry that required little input from Will. He was left to enjoy the scenery.
Relivaynt was full of ancient green forests and rolling hillsides, covered in both short and tall grasses of varying shades of green. There were no roads in Relivaynt, except for the few found in the larger villages and townships. For the most part, Relivaynt was untamed land. It carried a free spirit that Will found intoxicating.
“Do you have a favorite, Will?” Aeorin’s voice pulled him from his thoughts.
He blinked. “Favorite?”
She laughed lightly, a sound resembling music. “I knew you were not listening.”
“I’m sorry.” He frowned. “What were you asking?”
“Do you have a favorite dance?”
“Dance?”
She laughed again. “Yes, a certain set of steps arranged in a pattern to one song or another.”
“Oh.” He glanced past Aeorin’s corn silk head to Zedgry. The Lantz was leaning back in his saddle, practically reclining, with a wide grin on his face. He was clearly finding Oldron’s daughter amusing. Will returned his eyes to Aeorin. “I don’t think you would know any of the ones I’m used to.” An image of a college party flashed across his inner vision. He seriously doubted any Other Worlder would be able to relate to the blaring music and flashing lights.
Aeorin looked startled. “Are there no waltzes even in Ethon?”
“No, we have them. I just don’t know any.” He shrugged.
“Was there no one to teach you?”
“No, I just never cared to learn,” he admitted.
“Oh.” Aeorin fell silent, her face grim.
“Why do you ask?”
“My father is hosting his annual Grand Ball for his birthday within the next few weeks,” she answered. “I was telling Lord Zedgry of the many exotic dances my father pl
ays, in order to cater to every royal in attendance. You see, his guests are not all from our world, so we must try to please everyone. I was simply requesting your favorite.”
“Why?”
Zedgry laughed. “It’s because we’re invited, Will. She was hoping to learn of how to cater to our needs.”
“Oh.” He couldn’t think of anything else to say.
“Do you like to dance?” Aeorin asked after a moment.
“Sometimes.”
“Could that sometime be at my father’s ball?” She grinned at him teasingly.
He offered her a small smile in return. “Maybe.”
Apparently satisfied, Aeorin turned to Zedgry, continuing a previous conversation. Will removed his attention from them once again, shifting his gaze to the dark haired captain. He realized he still didn’t know the man’s name. Had Aeorin mentioned it earlier? No, he would have heard it. Names were easy to remember. Well, for him they were. Will frowned at the captain’s back. Aeorin should have introduced them. He decided to ask her who he was. As he shifted his eyes from the captain, he noticed the man’s body suddenly stiffen. Will blinked. Then, all at once, the captain whirled around to face the group, causing Will and his friends to pull their own horses to a short stop.
Aeorin gasped as she struggled to calm her startled mount. “Captain?”
He ignored her. Instead, his eyes glared past to his men. “Prepare yourselves.”
A low rumble of surprise passed through the Relivaynts. Will exchanged glances with Zedgry. The young Lantz was pale, his dark eyes wary. Will steered his horse around Aeorin, putting himself closer to his friend. “What it is, Zedge?”
“Nagreth,” he hissed so that only Will could hear.
“Here? Are they attacking?”
“No,” Zedgry shook his head, “too few of them, not quite thirty.”
“Where?”
Zedgry chuckled darkly. “We’re surrounded, Will.”
Will’s eyes darted past Zedgry to the outlying trees. He and the others were currently in a clearing the size of a baseball field. Old oaks, saplings, and low ferns encircled them. “If they aren’t attacking, then what do they want?”