Daerton’s fingers were long and elegant and never still. He picked at the threads of his robes, twisted locks of his hair, or fidgeted with the metal collar around his neck constantly. He had the pale skin of someone who had not seen the sun in years, almost transparent, the blue veins vivid against it and his eyes were night dark, intelligent, and wary. A contrast of light and dark, I thought, a man conflicted.
“This isn’t an army,” he had declared as we landed in the camp. “It’s half a tavern fight, at most.”
He paced the interior of my tent, touching, moving, and generally prying into every object left in the open. He picked up my smooth rock, and rolled it in his hand, his eyes coming to me. He knew that it was my rock, as if I had imprinted myself upon it.
“I’m not staying in here,” he said as Ashara and Mesandre laid the table with a meal. I was famished and took my seat with eagerness. The meat had been cook
I woke alone. There was a lot of noise outside; the camp was breaking up in preparation for our travel to Reknoc. I could hear Ashara instructing servants to move items from the other tent chamber. I sat up and fought back a moment of queasy dizziness. “Princess,” Ashara opened the tent flap. “Ah,” she said. “I was just coming to wake you. Are you well?” She noted my face. “Something has disagreed with me,” I told her. “I will be alright in a moment.” She ducked out and returned with both a bucket and a camp roll. “Here, Princess Liera, eat this slowly.” She set the bucket on the bed beside me. I ate a few mouthfuls of the bread, and the uneasiness in my stomach gradually subsided enough for Ashara to dress me, after which I sat gratefully at the table and slowly ate the food she had prepared for my breakfast whilst she brushed and braided my hair. “Aurien?” I asked her
The dwarven barracks were austere. Ten chambers, with a large bath chamber on one end, and room to spread bedrolls upon the floor. Mariene regarded it with satisfaction. “This will do the troops nicely,” he declared. He and Ruelke oversaw the movement of the soldiers into the caves. The servants, bards, and other camp followers were left to fend for themselves in the main cavern, making beds out of what they could unpack from the wagons. I was guided deeper, to where a series of chambers connected - an audience room, a bedroom, and a bathroom. Ashara made a bed for her and Mesandre in the audience room, against a wall, and then laid the bed in the bed chamber with the rugs and blankets that Aurien and I used, before departing to oversee the unpacking of our clothing. “There will be a feast tonight,” Aurien told me as we examined the rooms. “You will be expected to attend.” “Mmm,” I wanted not
I woke when Ashara and Mesandre brought tea and flat bread. “Eat this before sitting, Princess,” Ashara instructed. I ate the flat bread, half reclined in the bed before sitting to drink the tea. The nausea struck, beading sweat along my temples, but I fought it back. The maids watched my face and when the sickness passed, looked relieved. “Good. Let’s get you ready for the day then.” I followed them into the tent they had pitched for me, and stood whilst they washed my face and hands, and brushed and re-braided my hair. “Will you fetch Princess Liera’s breakfast, Mesandra?” Ashara murmured as she tied off my braids. “Did you sleep well?” she asked me when Mesandre had left, busily putting the brush and other items away into the chest. “Yes, thank you Ashara.” “We will move on shortly after you have eaten.” “Good.” “It’s sai
They were beginning, I thought proudly, following Leongrad’s gesture with my eyes and viewing them as he would, to look like a functional army. Ruelke’s hard work showed in their order even after marching all day. “I apologise,” I stepped away from Aurien to meet him. “We are not here as aggressors, I assure you.” He took me by the shoulders and kissed my cheeks with familiarity that was on the cusp of inappropriate considering our positions but was born from the close relationships our families had always shared. “In that case, welcome to Arden Retis,” he beamed down at me. “I don’t doubt there is a lengthy story behind your arrival in such a company.” He looked up at Aurien. “Amazing. Greetings mighty dragon.” “Greetings Lord Leongrad,” Aurien replied with dragon reserve. “This is Aurien, my dearest friend,” I looked up at my dragon. His scales gleamed in the sunlight
The main hall was already full when I entered, every minor notable of the towns and villages around Arden Retis had found their way to the stronghold, to marvel at the golden dragon in the bailey, and see the dwarven prince. Allician had managed to manoeuvre it so that she was seated beside Alaren, and their heads were inclined as they exchanged flirtations. It would be an advantageous match for both, I thought. Arden Retis was the nearest neighbour to Reknoc, tying the two together through marriage would create a solid border for Uyan Taesil. Lord Anterton greeted me warmly, and I was seated, predictably, next to Leongrad at the table. Leongrad followed my gaze to Allician and Alaren and smiled, leaning closer to me so that he could be heard over the revelry. “Considering Reknoc is our nearest neighbour, we have had very little to do with its people. You may have begun a new time of co-operation between the two ci
I woke into early dawn and staggered into the latrine off the bailey to empty my stomach into the ditch, leaning against the curtain wall. I looked up and met the eyes of a knight in the same pose. “The wine is no good here, Princess,” he offered with a wry grin. I smiled back, happy to accept the excuse. As I crossed the bailey towards the stronghold, I felt Aurien’s eyes track my progress. In the rooms assigned to me, I opened the chests and dug through, searching for my clothing. “Princess,” Ashara said as she and Mesandre entered. Mesandre carried with her a jug of mint tea and goblet. I accepted it and surrendered my search to Ashara. She produced a change of clothes and I sipped the warm tea as they washed my face and hands and repaired the night’s damage to my hair. They changed me into new clothes. I closed my eyes as they dressed me and t
Uyan Taesil had originally been an Elvish land, and the Elves positioned its strongholds according to defensive topography. The Vienthrey river threaded through from the ocean border near Vienthrey city and castle, spiking off in many smaller rivers and creeks, so that the entire land was crazed with water, requiring a traveller to transverse many bridges between one border and another. Water is the giver of life, and the taker of it. For Uyan Taesil, it gave fertile fields, and a lush trade, resulting in wealth and plenty for its people, but it also meant the rivers provided ample defensible positions throughout the land, and its strongholds were positioned accordingly, making it deadly for invaders. I might be the natural successor, and rightful queen, but I was leading an invading army. The most direct route from Arden Retis to Vienthrey, meant crossing two bridges defended by four strongh
As I stepped out of the walls with Leongrad, I signalled to Aurien, and saw him turn on the wind and wind his way back to us, landing lightly, before strolling at ease across the grasses towards us. “The horses barely shy,” Leongrad commented. “They’re growing accustomed to him,” I agreed, and reached up to touch Aurien’s nose as he came to a stop before me. “Amrynn has opened the stronghold to us. We will rest until evening. Daerton is making something called golems, and Alaren is preparing his men to scale the walls of Pres Helef and open the portcullis whilst their attention is on the golems.” “Golems,” Aurien was amused. “That should be interesting.” “Can you fly at night?” Leongrad asked him. He was slightly uncertain how to address my dragon. Aurien closed his outer lids slowly over his violet eyes. “Can you walk at night?” he replied mildly. “Yes, I can fly at ni