Chapter 1: Princess and the guardsman
The eagle is wise, he knows the skies well. Every screech sent the mice and hare fleeing in terror from the lethal predator in fear of his talons pinning it to the earth and he was the birds next victim. King of the skies they said, a leader amongst the birds; proud and magnificent. He scanned the earth below him, sighting a stray hair, he circled twice before diving, his talons exposed ready to catch the fleeing mouse in a death grip. My sight was ruined when the bird vanished behind a wall of pines and my shoulders slumped.
I ruffled my skirts, straightening the wrinkles there and shifted my position in the backbreaking chair so that my back had nothing to lean against and the aches subsided. Behind me stood my servant, Tya, whom shifted her weight, clearly tired from standing in a single position for two hours, waiting for me to give me the order.
Today was the day I would finally meet him. I had heard he shared many of my interests and that he was the perfect match for me, so mother said. I was both excited and raged at the same time. How could father make an alliance with a rival kingdom and expect his daughter to except a hand in marriage from the Prince whom I held accountable for my brothers death?In my head there would be no marriage but possibly a small friendship-No. No friendship at all. He was my enemy, I could only take the pleasure of killing him as soon as his left foot hit the royal carpet in the throne room. Father would be furious but I wouldn't care.
So many emotions. A smile pulled at my lips when I glimpsed a small spec emerging from the forest entrance, down the path from the castle court yard. Here they come. My revenge for you is set, my Prince. The hair on my neck stood at the cold thought settling over my mind. Then I frowned and gazed into my lap. A dress wouldn't do for such a task. I pivoted in the chair to see Tya fiddling with the hem of her dress. I'd asked her to find a dress that suited the banquet we were to have this evening. It pleased me how fitting it looked on her, though she seemed to not like it so much, the sudden change of style out of place to her.
"Retrieve my warriors armor, Tya,"I said in a soft but firm tone.
The girl jumped and threw her head up to meet my gaze, steadily.
"My warrior armor, Tya,"I repeated,"Fetch it for me now."
"My Lady, your father expects you in a formal fashion this morning. I don't think he would want you to ruin the first meeting on the day we swear alliance to King Salmon wearing your warrior armor."Tya's voice was small.
"My father may have an alliance with them but that doesn't mean I have to."
"But you promised him and Lady Kira you would behave."The girl protested, almost pleaded.
The seriousness in my expression faded and my gaze fell to the ground.
Promise me you will behave, Nira.
For the kingdom father. I promise.
That's my girl.
I could vaguely feel my father arms tightly around me, his lips pressed to the crown of my head as he mumbled a thank you. Why did I promise?A spell must have been under me that night in his chamber. I sighed, there was nothing I could do but keep that promise because it was one of the vows I'd said the day of my coronation all those years ago. Tya was waiting for me to answer her, her posture, straightened. I averted my gaze to the approaching horsemen in the distance and said only one thing in my mind.'You will pay when this day ends, little Prince. I swear it.'
I was just rising from my chair when the door to my chamber opened and I started, catching a shriek in my throat. Tya didn't move, her body stiff, eyes cast to the ground. The guardsman bowed to his waist and when i recognized him as my closest friend, Orik, I smiled and strode towards him.
"Your father awaits your presence in the throne room, my Lady."
I smiled at his respectful tone."Good morning, Orik. Has my new armor come in yet?"
The young man shook his head."No my Lady. The blacksmith works on your breastplates now as we speak."
I saw his eyes skim me briefly before glancing over his shoulder then meeting my gaze. I had to keep from giggling as he stepped into the room fully, closing the door softly behind him and wrapping his arms around my torso. Our foreheads touched and his lips caressed mine, smooth and warm. The scents of ash and metal were heavy on him but as a warrior myself, I welcomed it. My arms rested on his broad shoulders, wrapped around his neck, I breathed his breath as he did mine.
We both knew that this moment together would be our last. Orik and I were close but the bond was stronger than most would think. I'd known him since we were merely children. He was my mentor in swordsmanship. He was my right hand in the battle against King Harold and no one could possibly replace him.
"My Lady, this is our last morning together."Orik's low tender voice broke the momentary silence and I fell against him, my heart taken into his chest.
"I can't believe my father is making me do this."I moaned softly.
"He knows how to keep his kingdom safe and you understand that don't you?"
"Yes."
Orik slid a large hand to my cheek and smoothed his thumb across my skin, wiping away the single tear that trailed down in a lightning path from my eyelid. I closed my eyes and let my hands run over his form in a slow pace to remember each curve of his body. I felt the prickle of his whiskers along his jaw and the sharpness of his cheekbones, memorizing everything into the deepness of my brain.
"Your tense. Relax."He breathed in my ear.
"He's making me bow to the man who murdered my brother. How can I relax when I have to be around him every second of my life?"A hint of a growl masked itself in my tone but Orik caught it. He clasped the long rope of hair at my back and brought it over my shoulder to his face, breathing deeply.
"Moon flowers and buttermilk. A scent I shall never forget, my sweet flower."
I smiled at his words and our eyes met. His were a dark brown, like the bark of a tree. In them I could see the past, when we fought side by side against the rivals and no one could possibly out match us. Our skills were that of the ancestors Cine and Sabon, warrior Gods of our people, legends. Orik. He was like the descendent of Sabon. Perhaps I was Cine. Out skills were legendary after all. The guardsman had a glint in his chocolate eyes and he kissed the crown of my head.
"I will accompany you to the throne room, my Lady."
I blinked."Your not going to say anything?"I was surprised and disappointed. I was marrying the enemy. Didn't he care?
"There's nothing I can do Nira. I know you grieve for your brother still but this is how the kingdom stays safe. Forever. Please don't do anything rash."Orik grasped my hand in his, squeezing lightly but I shook it off and stumbled backwards, not able to believe what I was hearing.
Orik and I may not have had a relationship as deeply as we wished but didn't he love me?Wait, love?I shook my head trying to clear it. I knew as well as anyone that royalty were forbidden to socialize with men not of royal blood. We couldn't have what we wanted. What I wanted, I wasn't sure how he felt about me but he had always come to me in the mornings each day and we would be together. Wasn't that love?Wasn't what Orik and I had as a relationship, love?I'd never had my first kiss. Never asked it of him. Could I ask him now? I thought of what his answer would be if I even asked him if he loved me. No of course. It was never meant to be.
"My lady?"
My breath caught and body stiffened at Tya's voice right behind me. Orik turned on his heel and strode to the door. My heart sank. Tya moved to my side.
"My Lady, we must go. The riders are at the gate."
I cringed at the girls words but let her clasp my wrist and pull me out of the room. Orik flanked behind me as did two other men and we exchanged no other contact with each other. I knew that things between us were going to change, drastically.