Xander fidgeted frantically at his golden woven dress coat. Though he had drunk as much water as he could, and eaten a full breakfast, still his head pounded and his stomach felt sick. He sat beside his mother and father in the throne room where the light pained him. His eyes fixed on the floral patterns that engraved the double doors, just so he did not have to think about what was impending.
What if she was ugly? Worse still, what if she was stout? He felt himself gag and his mother shot him a disapproving glance. His mother hated rudeness and embarrassment more. The look was a warning.
After finding out about the princess' arrival, he had confronted his parents, charging into their private rooms nearly catching them in embrace.
'Why didn't you tell me?' he shouted.
His mother moved from the bed reaching for her robe.
'We didn't want you to be upset,' she answered.
'Well I'm upset now. Would it make any difference if I said that I didn't want to do this?'
'She is a wonderful young lady I can assure you,' his mother said.
'I won't do it,' he stomped.
'You will do what we command,' his mother snapped. 'Now leave and prepare yourself. You stink of those fae whores and Unicorn Juice.'
Then she pushed him out of the room slamming the door in his face. He had no other choice but to go and get bathed.
Chatter filled the room as Zolar’s subjects and courtiers gossiped between themselves as they waited for their future queen. Xander had heard whispers suggesting that they were glad that King Marlon had died first. It meant Zolar did not have to be ruled by a ruffian princess of Zilva just yet.
In the distance, trumpets sounded and horse’s hooves could be heard in the courtyard outside. Xander swallowed hard as he felt his head start to spin. This was it. The end of his life was near and he had nowhere to run. His father took his hand firmly.
'Are you well son?' he whispered.
'I am fine father,' he replied quietly.
'Well if it is any comfort her mother is a mer and you know what they say about mermaids,’ his father said a little sarcastically.
Xander tried not to laugh as his mother gave a stern look to his father. The rivalry between mers and faes went deep, each believing they were more alluring than the other.
Suddenly, the grand doors opened and the room began to fill with goblins, dwarves and gypsies dressed in poor attire compared to the finery in Zolar. The Zolar subjects gasped as they watched with certain snobbery at the display. Though Zilva and Zolar held a united front and had an equal share of Celestia, they held little regard for one another, especially as Zolar considered itself the better of the two.
He watched with a morbid fascination as the Zilvan court filtered into the throne room. Would he seriously be expected to rule amongst these people as king? he thought to himself. Then two gnarled goblins dressed in silver and white blew their horns and he realised quickly that his mother and father had already risen. It was then he saw her. First, it was the red hair that shone underneath the room’s lights. Then, it was the soft tanned skin that glowed inside the silver dress. Her beauty took his breath away. Maybe marriage was not such a bad thing after all. Just as his father said, mers were insatiable lovers even more than the faes.
'Queen Magda, may I offer you our deepest condolences,' his mother said hugging the Zilva queen.
Merrion followed suit, kissing the queen lightly on the cheek.
'Thank you my Lord and Lady. As promised I bring to you my daughter Princess Briganti,’ Magda said proudly, her head held high.
Merrion took Briganti’s hand and kissed it.
'You have turned into a true beauty, Princess.'
Briganti bowed her head respectfully, feeling all eyes upon her.
'Thank you my Lord.'
'And may I, in return,' continued the King, 'present my son Prince Xander.'
Briganti lifted her eyes and inwardly sighed. She instantly could feel and smell the faerie charm pulsating from him causing her stomach to roll. However, being half mer, her own charms were strong enough to repel it.
Every fae and mer had the ability to charm anything to do whatever they wished. It was a gift that Briganti hated and refused to use. She could not deny he was indeed handsome, though she knew that was all there was to him. She leant closer to Orlson and whispered.
‘Please don’t tell me I'm to marry someone I could break in a second.'
'It could be worse. He could be ugly,' Orlson whispered back.
Xander took his bride’s hand and kissed it as his father had done, his fae charm on full. Being so close to her he could now see the green of her eyes and he sensed she was attracted to him too.
'Princess Briganti, you are even more beautiful than I imagined,' he said.
'So are you Xander.'
The room gasped as she realised her mistake. She had not used his title, a stupid mistake. But, before she could correct herself, the doors from behind crashed open and with it came the smell of the sea.
Briganti closed her eyes at the fragrance of something familiar. Her body responding in the way that always happened when she was about to go out on to the water.
People began to scatter as the most beautiful beings she had ever seen entered the room. Soldiers with swords that shone in sea greens and blues filled the room and stood to attention. Their armour was made from the coral and bodies of sea creatures, which looked almost impregnable. Behind them, a bearded man, who wore a crown of pearls entered. As he did, Briganti noticed a look pass between him and her mother. So this was her grandfather, King Aquim.
He was tall with a powerful physique. His royal armour glistened and his tanned arms were tight with tension as he moved, yet there was some warmth in his eyes.
Merrion rushed to greet the man with over indulgent enthusiasm. Briganti knew it was very rare for the mers to come to land, unless they were called to court. Merrion had to be very careful as to how they were received through fear of offending. Especially since Celestia was made up of mainly water. The fear of the sea kingdom was a united one amongst the land kingdoms.
'King Aquim, welcome. To what do we owe this pleasure?'
'My High King,' Aquim bowed respectfully, 'I come to you in shame. The Scales of Lyberia have been stolen from the caves of Creaegon.'
Whispers filled the room once more.
'The Scales have gone?' Magda said forgetting her place for a moment. Aquim continued as though she had not spoken, causing Briganti’s teeth to set on edge. 'We believe Dryad is responsible.'
At the mention of Dryad’s name it was the turn of Marion to feel uncomfortable as Merrion looked at her sharply. Everyone knew that Marion and Dyrad shared a faint blood bond.
'But no one has heard from him in over thirty years. What makes you think it is him?' Merrion asked.
'Psyrens were spotted near the caves,' Aquim boomed. His voice seemed to bounce off the walls and since mers communicated telepathically under water, Briganti wondered if it was just as strange for them to hear their voices.
Briganti laughed. 'Psyrens? Psyrens don't work for anybody.'
Aquim looked at her for the first time and she saw something change in his eyes. 'You are right my lady, but my spies tell me that the psyrens passed the Scales to the salamanders that reside in Nepta and they work for Dryad.'
'And the guards who were protecting the caves?' Merrion pushed.
‘That is why we come in shame. The guards were bribed. They have paid for their betrayal with their lives.'
The whispers grew into one of panic. Without the Scales, Celestia would start to fall into chaos. Their once perfect lives would end up at the bottom of the sea.
These Scales were their foundation, a gift by the old gods to keep peace and balance for every being. It was the reason one kingdom was ruled by the sun and the other the moon. Two opposites in perfect harmony. Or that was the idea anyway. But whilst everyone was feeling panic an idea sudden
ly popped in Briganti’s head and she realised this could be what she needed to delay her own predicament.
'Your Highness,' she said in her most sincere voices. 'I have spent much of my life at sea and have one of the most powerful ships in Celestia. With your permission I would like to take my crew to Nepta and retrieve the Scales.'
Xander felt his stomach turn to ice as he felt all of Zolar’s eyes fall to him. As future king it was his duty to protect and fight for his land, not his queen's. He cleared his throat and stepped forward.
'I will go also, so both Zolar and Zilva will come down upon him.'
Briganti began to laugh but Orlson elbowed her in the ribs to stop her.
'Briganti!' Magda warned.
'Of course my lord,' she said through clenched teeth. 'The more the merrier.'
She turned and walked from the room leaving the escalating chatter behind. As she walked away someone grabbed her arm and she instinctively clenched her fists at her side. She turned and saw her own sea green eyes looking down at her. Aquim had followed her.
Up close, she could make out his lined face beneath his beard that almost resembled her mother’s kind face. But pride was always what separated the mers from everyone else and that was there too and she felt herself repel against him.
'Princess, do not be fooled into thinking I do not know who you are. I can smell the sea in your veins, even though you seem to suppress your abilities,' he said.
Briganti pulled her arm from his grip and turned to face her grandfather. 'I suppress what I have no need for,’ she snapped.
'Be warned the psyrens will test your weaknesses to get the better of you.'
'I have no weaknesses,' she said confidently.
'Ah, but you do. Your unacceptance of who you truly are is the greatest weakness of all,' Aquim said, his tone softening slightly.
'With all due respect my Lord, I have always known the sea and loved it, but it is because of your contempt for our people that I do not acknowledge who I am. So when I sail to Nepta I sail as my father taught me, nothing more.'
Magda watched as her daughter walked away and prayed that her own father would turn and recognise her. But as she started to give up hope, he spoke suddenly without turning. 'Magda, we need to talk.'
'My lord?' she said her heart aching for his love once more.
'You gave the witch a vial of your blood in exchange for a life of a High Queen,' he said sharply.
Magda bowed her head, tears filling her eyes. 'I did my lord.'
'You know what you have done,' he continued his voice still sharp.
'I did not know at the time, I swear,' she cried.
'I fear your blood will be what brings Celestia to its knees,' he said bluntly, 'and to think I would have put you on my throne. Your selfishness and desire has put your own daughter’s life in danger.'
'I beg you, please forgive me father. Allow me back to the sea where I belong, then maybe we can repair this.' Magda begged, now on her knees crying.
Aquim looked down at her and for a moment went to touch her face, but changed his mind. People were now looking their way and it embarrassed him that this so called High Queen was begging.
'The sea now calls you since the anchor is dead. Your daughter has a true and great heart and I would take you back for her. But when I saw the colour of her hair I knew the bond with the witch was still strong. If you go back to the sea it will be as a psyren or dead, that is your choice.'
Magda crumpled as Aquim walked away. Her lady in waiting rushed to help her up and she knew as she watched her father leave she had to make the right choice to even the balance.
Chapter Four
Celestia's Tales: The Lybiria Scales Page 4