by C. A. Sabol
Her life was glossed over with joy that seemed incomplete, and habits that could not seem to allow her to acknowledge the fear she felt. She couldn’t seem to be honest, even with herself. She didn’t even realize that Etoileon was still holding her close to him.
As Etoileon continued to hold his arms around her, he fervently hoped that she would stop crying soon. He was totally confused by all this. Selene was usually all smiles, sympathetic and happy. This poor girl, her body quivering with sobs, was so unlike the person he knew she could be. His grip loosened on her slightly, his hands unclenching and rubbing her back. He was still trying to comfort her. “Don’t cry, Selene,” he said. “Please don’t cry. It’s okay. Everything’s going to be okay.”
Her eyes opened up at his words. Behind his shoulders, Selene could just make out the faintest tint of a dark rainbow beginning to show in the partly clouded sky. She sucked in her breath. Her head started to ache with pain. Pushing away from him once more, she at last escaped on his lightened hold. Her feet tried to carry her to the door, but even as her consciousness started to slip she could feel her knees hit the floor.
“Selene!” she could hear his voice as he called to her.
“Etoileon,” she whispered back softly. Taking a deep breath, she let the world as she knew it fall away, as sleep descended on her like the rising tide.
“Selene!” he called out her name again as she slumped onto the floor in a dead faint. He knew that it was entirely his fault, too. He shouldn’t have argued with her at all. Turning her over onto her stomach, he checked her pulse and was relieved to find that she was going to be okay. She’d just fainted. “Selene. I’m sorry that I let this happen to you.”
His brain seemed incapable of logical thought as he let her slump against him. It took him more than a few minutes to realize that he could not leave her there. So Etoileon carefully placed his one arm under her neck and the other underneath her knees. Picking her up as carefully as possible, he looked down at her tear-stained face. Then he started to head for her room.
Reaching the end of the stairs, the thought that he would be blamed for this crossed his mind. He decided that when it came to defending himself, other than in physical combat, it was particularly not a good strategy.
HE WAS NOT USUALLY allowed in her room. This was her domain, the place where she and her handmaidens wandered almost as freely as the people did on the streets. This was the place where she got ready for the day and talked with her closest female companions. Etoileon had the feeling, from the way that her handmaidens were watching him so discretely vigilant, that he had been mentioned in more than a few of those conversations. He was not quite sure how to react to that.
Etoileon sat beside the Princess as she lay on her bed. His hand had reached out and taken a hold of hers some time before, but he was uncertain as to how long he’d been there.
Aura, whom he knew to be the Princess’ governess, sat in a chair at the far end of the room, watching him every so often as he sat. One of her handmaidens, the one called Kadrianne, stood perfectly aloof from the situation in a nearby corner; if Selene hadn’t told him before about Kadrianne’s discretion, he would’ve said that she was paying him no mind at all. The glazed, faraway look in her eyes belied the surprising amount of detail she was taking in and analyzing. He figured there were more than just these women watching him. He knew that Selene had three handmaidens; Kadrianne was the only one in his present sight.
He sat there for a moment, grimacing as he recalled the harsh words he had said to Selene. It had been their first real fight, and he couldn’t believe what had happened in the tower. He never would have said anything, if he had known that she would’ve collapsed from it. Her brother was no doubt going to chew him out for this later. She’d been so sad, and so angry. He’d never seen her like that before. Had he really hurt her that bad? His fingers took a firmer grip on her hand as he sat there.
“Selene,” he whispered to her, just barely audible. “I’m so sorry. Please forgive me.”
After a few more moments of silence, Aura got up and cleared her throat. Looking intently at Etoileon, he caught her gaze and sighed. She was clearly telling Etoileon that he was to leave now. He let go of Selene’s hand, and got up.
Aura turned away, and Kadrianne also straightened up and moved to the other side of the room, helping Aura to close the Princess’s curtains for the night. Through the window, Etoileon could see the starry night starting to take over the colored patterns of the Lunar Storms.
Etoileon knew he had to leave. Looking quickly back at the governess and the handmaiden, he hurriedly took one last look at Selene as she slept on, peacefully dreaming. He laid his hand softly on her cheek, affectionately brushing some of her hair out of her eyes.
“Sleep well, Selene,” he whispered. Her lips were curled into a smile and she sighed happily, still fast asleep. He smiled a bit. It looked like she was going to be okay.
SHE WAS DREAMING.
The water was all around her carrying her, supporting her. It was cool and relaxing; the only sounds she could hear as she floated in the sea were the waves, singing their quiet hymns. Her arms fluttered up and about slowly, trying to catch the rhythm of the water, moving with the infectious lull of it. She wanted nothing more than to be whisked away to another world—whisked away to be free of her bounds once more.
Her eyes for the moment were closed, as she tried to relax, to let the water take her along its path. She felt like she was floating on a cloud, making little or no effort to move along through the skies. She could feel her skirts swaying with the ripples, her feet dangling into the water’s depth. There was a warm light on her face, calling her to the surface, almost as though it were keeping her there.
Selene has always remembered her dreams after she had awakened the next morning. But now there was something different. This was the first time she felt so awake, so very alive, during her dream. This was the first time she could feel the water beneath her, the air as it gently caressed her face. She could taste the sweetness of the ocean spray on her lips. She could breathe in the fresh crispness of the wind.
Selene opened her eyes, and marveled at the stunning beauty that surrounded her. “Wow,” she whispered quietly. Her voice carried along the way, resonating into the sky. “This is amazing.” It was almost as if she’d fallen down the waterfall, to find that the oasis had gone away along with the rest of the world.
Her gaze moved up to look at the sky above. It was a prefect shade of early night, a soft violet blue. There were even some tiny stars, despite the surprising amount of warm sunlight. There was a small glimpse of a moon’s crescent in the far reaches of the sky, but it, too, had a strangely warm glow. Her hand reached up into the air, as though she was checking to make sure she was trying to determine if she was asleep or not.
Out of the sky, from high above her, a bright light flashed out. Selene’s hands quickly flew to cover her eyes, and she suddenly found herself sitting on the sandy ocean floor, the bank of the coast just behind her. The sand clung to her skin and to her dress, making a mess everywhere. This is why I like the city life, she thought as she tried to brush off some of the scratchy sand. She paused in her task, as it was no doubt fruitless. She looked up into the sky once more, trying to see where the light had come from.
She glanced all around, and could not see anything. No hint of the incident was anywhere. Shrugging, she got to her feet and picked up her skirts, and headed for the coast. Looking around, she found herself a nice rock to sit on, to lie out on while she dried.
Selene had just sat down when her eyes caught sight of something glittering in the air.
“Huh?” she squinted, trying to make out what it was she was looking at. She stood up, planting her feet firmly on the rock.
That was when a great wind came, and it nearly knocked her to her knees. She flinched as she tried to block the wind from her face. It was over in a moment, however. Selene sighed. The wind had caused her sand-covered hair
to whisk out in all directions.
She sighed and tried to brush her hair out of her face. Leaning down, she cupped her hands to reach for some water, in order to bring her windblown locks back into order. Another wind came, this one soft and light. Selene smiled once again, this wind feeling almost like a tickle against her wet skin. She was just about to touch the water when something fell into her hand. “What?” she examined the object and gasped.
It was a feather. It was a beautiful, soft, pristine white feather that caught the shining sunlight on the edge of the quills, creating an enchanting impression. Selene carefully brought her hands close to her, in order to get a better look. Seeing the sun’s glimmer, she immediately recognized it to be what she’d seen moments earlier, glittering in the sky. Her fingers slowly stroked the feather, marveling at how beautiful and how soft and how perfect it was. Slowly she rose off her knees, her eyes still fixed on the feather. “It’s so beautiful,” she murmured, closing her eyes. And indeed it was. It was so magnificent and captivating, she could not look upon it for very long without hurting her eyes. Holding it close to her, it seemed as though the warmth of the sun had sunken into it as well as the light. Standing there, on the rock, she sensed a power seeming to radiate from the hidden folds of the feather.
She opened her eyes again, this time looking up to the sky. “But ... where did it come from?” she wondered aloud, looking throughout the vast sky once more. Seeing nothing, her eyes looked down at her present once more. Her eyes closed once more as she found herself lost in the light of the feather. A moment later, her dream disappeared in a flood of shining, shimmering light.
A song seemed to drift out from the sky; she thought if she strained her ears, she could hear a sound in the distance, almost like a voice. But perhaps it was only the wind and the sea.
THE GUARDIAN LOOKED down at his creation. The time had come at last; the Dark Plague’s final days of ultimate power had arrived. There had been much loss, much death and a horrible aftermath, but there was also much hope now.
The Spirit had been brought forth; the gateway was clear for the Prince to depart soon. The Light of Hope was sure to shine through the darkness that surrounded the people of Sapphira.
“WHAT?” DORIAN’S VOICE boomed as he shot up out of his seat and knocked over the tray he’d just been offered by a servant. His eyes were full of anger and shock as he looked down at his sister’s governess bowed low on the floor before him.
“Your Majesty,” Aura’s voice was tight with distraught, “It is true. Your sister, Her Highness the Princess, has taken ill. Her protector informed me that she fainted while he was watching over her.”
“That Orphan Boy,” Dorian gritted through his teeth in anger. Turning back to Aura, he asked, “Not one day has passed and already the drama is resuming.” He sighed. Where is she now?”
“The Princess’s protector brought her back to her room and placed her in the care of myself,” Aura assured him. “She will be fine, she just needs rest. Goodness knows that she’s had a hard day today, with all the political agendas going on around here.”
There was a subtle undertone to Aura’s voice that made Dorian think for a second time about her words. He smiled ruefully. “You are not implying that I would be responsible for such a thing, are you, My Lady?”
Aura delicately fluttered her eyes at him with innocence. “I would not dare to ever even think such a thing,” she said. She rose from her low bow and squared her shoulders. “However—“
“I knew it!” the King interrupted. “No doubt the Princess has said that she is blaming me for such a trying day. Am I right?”
“Not at all,” Aura snapped, her tone surprisingly sharp. It was not like a lady such as herself to object strongly to the King. “She has said nothing to me on the matter at all. I suspect she hasn’t said much to anyone”—she paused briefly as her face hardened in her expression—“except to maybe her protector about anything.”
“Most likely she would tell him something,” he agreed. Selene couldn’t even let a day pass before she’d decided to go hopping off to see him again, Dorian thought. It looked like his worst fears were confirmed.
“Of course, Your Majesty.”
“And he just brought her back after she fainted?”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
Dorian lifted a questioning eyebrow. “Do you like this protector of my sister’s, Aura?”
Aura was surprised somewhat by the unusual question and even more curious at his tone. She looked up at the King and replied, “I do not think that he is traditionally suitable for her close company,” she admitted with the pride of a member of the High Court. “But there are certain things that cannot be denied, and one such thing is their friendship.”
“Do you think that he really is the one meant for her, despite all my hoping to the contrary?” His voice was soft and more wondering than condemning.
Aura sighed. “I’m sorry, Your Majesty, but it sure looks like it.”
“I had a feeling that it was going to happen. I am left only with the question, then, of how this fits into the prophecy.” His thoughts seemed to drift from the realms of reality for a moment. Still staring off into space, he asked, “My Lady, did you happen to sort out the handmaiden business for Selene?”
The governess nodded. “Yes, I spoke with the applicants earlier today, prior to lunch. The two I took into consideration for her are supposed to start tomorrow, Your Majesty.”
“Good. It looks like you’ve done your job for today then,” Dorian waved her off. “You’re dismissed.”
SELENE SHOT UP OUT of her sleep, her eyes practically jerking open. Her hand flew to her heart and found it was racing, but she felt like she had slept for a week. Seeing that it was dark outside, it took her a moment to realize it was early in the day, though dawn had not arrived just yet.
She leaned back and tried to relax. It was then the memories of the day before came crashing down on her. All her words, all the anger and frustration she’d thrown out ... all of it directed at her protector, her dear friend. Selene felt more than sorrow at what had happened. She now felt guilty and angry with herself. All she wanted to do was have the pain go away. Better yet, she thought, it would’ve been better if the whole thing had never happened last night.
She sat still on her bed for a long moment, her thoughts pondering at the situation she now faced. A flicker of light in the corner of her eye suddenly caught her attention. She turned to face what had distracted her. A second later she was speechless in surprise.
It was a beautiful, familiar-looking white feather, brilliantly shining a faint light. Selene, deeply entranced by the feather’s appearance, was suddenly able to recall what had happened that night while she had been asleep. With surprisingly steady hands, the princess reached out and touched it.
The feather was no less soft or delicate than it had been the first time she’d held it. The white quills all glittered with a soft light. Selene picked it up and held it to her heart, much as she’d done before in her dream. The warmth seemed to trickle into her very blood, sending a feeling of serenity through her. Such peace she felt. Hearing the footsteps coming up the hallway, Selene jerked out of her peaceful thoughts and hid the feather under her covers, just in time for the door to open.
“Yes?” Selene asked, seeing Kadrianne’s anxious glance as her faithful handmaiden came in. “What is it, Kadrianne?”
“Good morning,” Kadrianne bowed. “I’m so glad to see that you’re awake at this hour, Your Highness. We all were quite worried about you when you fainted. We weren’t sure when you were going to wake up.”
A brief memory of the darkened hues of the sky flashed across her mind. Confused, Selene’s gaze went up to meet with Kadrianne’s. “Oh ... I fainted? How long have I been out?” She started to move around anxiously as though she feared that she’d been asleep and hadn’t moved for days.
“Oh, don’t worry, Your Highness. You fainted only last night. You gave us all a f
right.” Kadrianne came closer and smiled softly. “Especially a particular young man.”
“Etoileon.” Selene thought once again about her quarrel with him. She felt the feather beside her as she held it carefully away from Kadrianne’s gaze. She wondered suddenly if it had been a gift from him. Her thoughts of the matter disappeared as her handmaiden spoke up in answer to her question.
“Yes. He was here for nearly an hour after you fainted.”
“Here?”
“Yes. Her ladyship, your governess, as well as Yana and I were all present. I was certain that the King would punish him. I haven’t been able to find anything out in regards to that though, Your Highness.”
“Why would he get in trouble?”
Kadrianne gave the Princess a meaningful look, one that said she knew more than she was letting on. “Because, no doubt her Ladyship would’ve told the King and that you’d fainted under his watch. You know how eager Aura is to get someone else in trouble other than herself.”
She knew that Kadrianne was not exaggerating. Selene did not know what to say. She simply was determined to go find Etoileon and apologize at once. He did care for her. He had to. And she had to tell him how she felt about him. I bet if I’d just been honest from the beginning, Etoileon wouldn’t have gotten so angry with me in the first place, Selene thought. She smiled a tiny smile as Kadrianne began to open the drapes and pick up some of the clutter in the room.