Faetal: A New Adult Fantasy Dark Prince Romance

by Deiri Di

  "Was that dangerous?" She asked, breaking into his flurry of activity with a question.

  "Poisonous bite," he replied as he checked the underside of the tub. He rolled up to his feet and turned to face her. "Could you..." He pressed his lips together and looked down at the floor. "Could you please not tell my brother about this?" he asked, gesturing with the lizard corpse.

  Mari understood precisely what he was feeling. It was like being called up to the board in a classroom and writing the wrong answer. He almost failed to be a bodyguard, and judging by his age, he can't have been doing it for very long.

  "Is Vladmir your brother?" she asked, trying to make her words sound gentle. He did just save her from a nasty bite.

  Chase started to nod but hesitated in the middle of the motion. "Half," he said.

  "Poor Vladmir!" Mari said, her mind following the only logic she knew. Vladmir was the older of the two; his parents either divorced or one died.

  The chagrin that had infused Chase's face vanished in an instant to be replaced with a flash of anger.

  "It must be so hard," Mari continued. Knowing that the beautiful perfect Prince had been through hardships only made her love him more. She could support him and help him get through the pain. It was what love was for.

  "Consort Tirile and Queen Skuld are in good health," Chase said, his face now neutral of expression.

  "Ah..." Mari went to the next plausible scenario. No divorce, no death - Chase must be a bastard. "The Queen must be a very kind woman to let you work in her castle and get to know your brother as you have."

  Mari thought the Queen must be a bit of a pushover. She was the Queen! She didn't have to put up with her Consort cheating on her like that.

  Chase's nostrils flared.

  "My mother, the Queen, thinks it is good for me to do my brother's dirty work, like keeping his idiot human safe from the inevitable assassination attempts," he spat back, biting off each word. "Though I am not technically a sanctioned, full-blooded child of the official Royal Couple, I am next in line after Vladmir unless he produces a child, so if you would be so kind, try not to make assumptions which you know nothing!"

  Chase grabbed one of the armchairs, planted it to face the door, the back of it to Mari, and sat down.

  Mari sat down in the other chair and couldn't decide if she was angry, hurt, or ashamed. There was also a darker sensation - suspicion. It rose out of the manic affection she felt for Vladmir; her mind started chasing itself around in circles, paranoid for Vladmir's safety. If Vladmir was out of the way, Chase would be next in line for the throne. How did Chase see that lizard anyway? She was much closer to the bed, and she didn't see anything. What if he knew it was there and was just trying to get into her good graces so that he could get an opportunity to kill the Prince?

  That wasn't right - Chase had just saved her life. If he wanted to hurt the Prince he could have let her be killed.

  There was something wrong with the way her mind was working, but every time she tried to focus on it, something dragged her mind away.

  Her hand reached up and grabbed the necklace Vladmir gave her.

  She was just being silly and shouldn't think about such things.

  Before she had time to think more about her sudden change of thoughts, in stormed the brownie troop. They twisted her hair up into an uncomfortable arrangement of silver bells and clasps and painted her face with a variety of powders and creams. Mari didn't enjoy wearing makeup, she never did at home, but she didn't protest as she didn't think they would take no for an answer. She did try to get more information.

  "What are you getting me ready for?" she asked them.

  The little women paused, looked at one another, and then resumed working on her.

  "They have been instructed to speak to you as little as possible," Chase answered for them.

  When they were done, Mari went to take a look in the mirror. The result was fantastic. She looked just as good as any of the prettier girls at her school. As much as she hated makeup, she finally understood its purpose - it took the average and made it artificially beautiful.

  She turned to find Chase looking at her, a peculiar expression on his face.

  Mari thought for a moment that maybe the decorations had helped her appearance in his mind. That thought was soon brought down a notch.

  "You look like a cream puff," he said as he opened the door and gestured for her to follow.

  Mari trailed down the hall after him, trying hard not to trip on the layers of her dress that flowed around her.

  They passed by two huge double doors that were propped open. On either side stood a slender elven soldier standing to attention in gleaming silver armor. As they walked past the door, she looked through, taking in the sight.

  A long table stretched out in the room. At the far end, the table was raised on a dais so that the few seats there could see everything. There were three seats at that end of the table and two on either side of it. The center chair, the largest and the most elaborate of them, was empty, as was the one to its right. A handsome elf occupied the seat to the left with gray streaks through his raven hair. The seat on the far right side of the raised section of the table was occupied by an elven woman with long blond hair that trailed down over the back of her seat to brush the floor. The woman was striking in her own right, her gown was more elaborate than anyone else's at the table, and she had chains of gold entwined in her hair. What caught Mari's attention wasn't the woman's beauty or expensive decorations. It was the fact that the woman was staring across the room at them, staring right at Mari.

  They continued just a little bit past the large dining room to a much smaller one where Prince Vladmir was waiting.

  He smiled, warm and sincere, as Mari followed Chase into the room. He took her hand and drew her into the seat next to him.

  "Seeing you brightens my day," he said, kissing her hand. "The time has dragged by without you beside me."

  His words made butterflies dance in her belly. It was amazing how he knew the right thing to say; he was perfect.

  "How was everything in your room? I know it is small, but the corridor is defensible; I had to pick your safety over your comfort."

  Mari glanced over at Chase. He'd asked her not to bring up the lizard. He had saved her from it, but she didn't trust his intentions. He'd shown he disliked her based purely on the fact that she was human. He insinuated that if Vladmir was out of the picture, he would be next in line to the throne! There was a chance that he could have put the lizard there himself as an attempt to gain her confidence so that he could gain power over the Prince - maybe even lead him into an ambush? She couldn't trust anyone but Vladmir.

  That thought wasn't right. Mari winced, trying to follow her doubt; she lost it just as soon as she noticed it was there, her thoughts returning to a comfortable pattern. Someone was out to hurt her to hurt him, and it could be anyone, even someone Vladmir trusted to protect her.

  Chase scowled at her from his position, standing by the door.

  "The room was wonderful," she said. She took a breath, ready to bring up the poisonous lizard.

  A soldier entered the dining room, stealing her opportunity with the mesmerizing sparkle of his chain mail. "Her Divinity, ruler of the Fae, Queen Skuld," he announced.

  The Queen entered the room.

  The first thing Mari noticed was the fairies. Delicate silver chains ran down from a belt around the Queen's waist, each one ending in a little collar that was clasped around a fairies neck. Each fairy had pieces of the Queen's multi-layered gown attached to it. When Mari looked closer, she could see that some of the fairies held the parts of the dress in their small hands, while some of the others had the fabric pinned to their flesh. As the Queen moved, the fairies moved with her, flying within the confines of the chain. The overall effect made the Queen look as if she was floating along with tiny attendants.

  The Queen herself was a striking woman, and it was apparent where Vladmir had gotten many of his f
eatures. She had multi-shaded blond hair, and though her blue eyes were reflected in both of her sons, the cat-like shape and delicate yet defined chin were things that only she and Vladmir shared. With his black hair, solid tan, and non-uniform face, Chase stood apart from them like a large freckle on smooth, creamy skin.

  The Queen took her seat across the table from Mari and gave her a sharp look.

  "So you're the thing my son has chosen," she said, her voice soft like a feather pillow that is hiding a knife.

  With every carefully chosen word that came out of the Queen's mouth, Mari realized that this would not go well. She didn't belong here. She stuck out like a sore thumb next to the elegant beauty and poise of every person of the court. She didn't know their manners, their protocols. How was she going to impress this powerful woman and convince her that she was the right girl for her son when she couldn't even convince herself of that?

  "Your Majesty," Mari started, hoping that that address was the correct one. "I don't know your ways, and I do not understand why anyone would think I was worth hurting. I do know that your son has brought me here to keep me safe... so I would like to return the favor by learning as much about your culture as possible... so that I can aid him in any way possible... so if it pleases you... I... uh... so thank you for inviting me to dinner."

  Mari knew she sounded like an idiot.

  Both Vladmir and the Queen were looking at her with identical expressions on their faces. They looked perplexed. Mari felt her stomach sink. Her little speech had been that bad; she'd made a fool of herself.

  Vladmir recovered first.

  "Don't worry, my love," he said, taking her hand in his. "I promise you will not have to worry about such things. I will take care of everything."

  Mari knew that in traditional love stories, that was what the man was supposed to do. He was supposed to keep her safe and handle everything, and she knew that he would. He was the Prince, her Prince charming, and she wouldn't have to worry about keeping herself safe because he would do it for her. For some reason, it didn't make her feel as relaxed as it should have - instead, it created a little ball of anxiety deep inside her. She hadn't told him about the lizard. His idea of safe might be different than reality.

  No, he was perfect.

  The anxiety faded.

  "I think you've chosen well," the Queen said, rising back to her feet. "I don't need to see any more."

  The Prince stood and bowed low to his mother. "It pleases me to have your approval."

  The Queen smiled, waved her hand in a dismissive manner before leaving the room, fairies flitting along with her.

  The Prince turned to follow her.

  "You aren't staying?" Mari asked, dismayed.

  "No, my love," he said, bothering only to turn around. "There are things I must attend to. I am truly sorry, but I must leave you."

  With that, he was gone before Mari had another chance to protest.

  A brownie trundled in and placed a plate of food in front of her and another at the empty seat across from her.

  Chase sat down and began eating.

  Mari felt nauseous. She hadn't had a chance to talk to the Prince about Chase, and now she was stuck eating dinner with him, isolated from the rest of the court and alone in the knowledge that she had been about to break her word to Chase.

  She began to eat.

  Halfway through the silent meal, Chase put down his fork and looked over at her.

  "Thank you for not mentioning the lizard," he said, the words coming out in a rush. As soon as the sentence was out, he put his head down and began shoveling the rest of the food in his mouth.

  Mari felt a stab of guilt and didn't respond.

  After they were done, Chase led her back to her room. She walked through the door and then turned around and began to shut it, anticipating finally getting some time away from her love's bastard, possibly evil, brother.

  He stepped into the room and passed her before she managed to swing the heavy door even halfway shut.

  Mari stayed there, her hand still on the door.

  "I would like to go to sleep now," she said as he began checking the room, looking under the bed, flipping back the sheets, and running his hands along the headboard.

  He finished his inspection of the bathroom and walked back over to her.

  "Go to sleep then," he said, putting his hand on the edge of the door above her head. She released the door, stepping back from his sudden invasion of her space. He swung the door shut and slid the wooden latch into place.

  Mari was terrified. She had been stupid. She should have run after the Prince, shouting her suspicions about his brother at the top of her lungs. Instead, she had waited, giving him the benefit of the doubt. Her stupidity had landed her in serious trouble. She was alone in a room at the end of an isolated hallway with the man who had the most reason to want the Prince out of the way.

  Chase took a step towards her.

  Mari squawked and turned and ran for the armchairs.

  She heard the sound of Chase pulling his sword free.

  She needed a weapon! What had a heroine done in one of her books? It was a bar fight scene. Mari remembered and pushed one of the chairs over. If she could break one off, she would have a club. Sure, it wasn't much against a trained swordsman, but at least she would have a chance. She had to maim Chase at least a little so that Vladmir would know of his betrayal. The thought of Vladmir being unprotected in his trust of his brother smashed her like a mallet; she had to survive and warn him!

  Mari stomped down on the chair leg. Her foot hit it and pain shot through her heel. Her shoes were soft little slippers that protected her feet from the cold but did nothing to allow her to stomp without consequences.

  Mari swore, hopping on one foot as she grabbed the other one. It hurt!

  Chase had his sword out, and his knees were bent, ready for anything. He was turning in a circle, looking around the room with caution.

  She stared at him, foot in hand. The mad reasoning that made her panic in the first place slinking away from her mind. She felt very stupid. Her face began to burn with the declaration of her embarrassment.

  After a few moments, he straightened and sheathed his sword.

  "What was that?" he asked, his voice laced with annoyance. "There isn't anything in here."

  "I... you..." She said, still holding her foot and feeling like a complete and utter fool. She could feel tears welling up in her eyes. Her foot hurt - a lot.

  "And why did you knock over the armchair and stomp on it?"

  "I wanted... I needed a weapon. I thought I could break... I think I might have broken my foot."

  Chase started laughing.

  "Spooking at nothing and injuring yourself in the process," he said. "Now, sit down and let me look at your foot."

  She sat down in the other chair.

  Chase knelt at her feet. His fingers wrapped around her ankle, his touch gentle and light as if he was afraid to touch her. He pulled off her slipper. She could feel the warmth of his skin over the fading pain in her foot. The tips of his fingers stroked the bottom of her foot, pressing into the hurt area with firm pressure. She didn't wince - the pain was decreasing with every passing second.

  "Just bruised," he said, his fingers lingering. "Now, can we go to sleep?"

  He dropped her foot and moved away from her with an unexpected speed like he couldn't wait to get away from her. He ended his sudden flight next to the mat that sat at the end of her bed.

  "You're sleeping in here?" she asked.

  He raised an eyebrow. "You're a quick one, aren't you." He shook his head, unbuckling his sword belt and laying it next to the mat. "I have to be with you at all times."

  "But you can't sleep in here!" she protested. She never shared a room before, and she didn't want to start with some guy! Especially one that wasn't Vladmir!

  Chase snorted.

  "You're a human," he said, settling down. "Touching you would be like touching a goat. No self-respec
ting elf will go near you."

  That was an awful thing to say.

  "What about Vladmir?" She insisted.

  "I'll get in trouble if I get you a proper response to that," he said, laying his head down on the mat. He rolled over on his side, his back to her.

  Mari fumed. He was a horrible person.

  She went behind the screen, got changed into the sleeping gown that was waiting there for her, and then climbed into bed. The bed itself was soft. It felt like the mattress was entirely made out of down, and it was heaven. It made her feel better, knowing that her bed was so comfortable and that Chase had to sleep on a thin mat on the floor.

  It was then she thought of another source for his unpleasantness towards her. He was a bastard, but still Royal Blood, so why was he stuck being a bodyguard for her when he could be living his life or learning skills that royalty needed to know? She stayed quiet for a few moments after the revelation, still stung by his put-downs about her being a smelly human and comparing her to a goat. Knowing where his discontent came from didn't make his cruelty any less tolerable.

  "This is a punishment for you, isn't it?" she asked.

  Chase's voice floated up from the end of the bed. "At least you aren't a complete idiot."

  Mari pulled the covers up to her neck and nestled down in them. She was still going to have to talk with Vladmir. Putting up with Chase's disagreeable mood was not what she signed up for.

  Mari heard Chase whisper something but couldn't make out the words. A buzz ran down her spine again, stronger than before, and the light in the room went out.

  [ 6 ]

  Mari woke to darkness. The artificial light in the windowless room had not come back on, and the room was pitch black except for a small glow of light that peaked out from under the door. She was groggy, exhausted, and wanted to fall back asleep. She rolled over, struggling to find a comfortable position.

  A few moments later, she realized there was a reason that she woke up. Voices were coming from outside the door to her bedroom. It was shut, but the material was thin enough that she could hear parts of the conversation. Mari grumbled to herself and, without much success, tried to ignore the voices and sleep.