Royal Blood

by Faith Soprano

  Elloriann didn't say anything, she just kissed the top of Carla's head and hugged her a little tighter.

  They lay in silence for a long time, holding each other. The sun was destroying the safety of darkness through the cracks in the shutters. The day was upon them, and soon it would be time to get out of bed and face the world.

  Later, they talked to the servants with whom they spent the most time, to explain the situation and request secrecy. No one was surprised. In fact, most of the residents of the servant wing had thought that Carla and Elloriann had been together for a long time, and considered the conversation about the need for privacy superfluous.

  When the next combat training session came, they spoke to Sal, deciding that being honest was better than trying to hide and spend every next session in fear of being discovered.

  “Sal, we’d like to talk to you about something,” Elloriann said as soon as they entered the training room and shut the door.

  “Sounds serious.”

  “Well, it is.” She took a deep breath. “Carla and I are...together. Romantically, that is. My father likely would not approve. We’d like to ask if it would be possible for you to not tell him.” She waited for a response, but Sal was silent for so long that she became fearful and uncomfortable. “We realize that you are part of the royal guard and are loyal to the king. We don’t want you to go against that. We just hope you could maybe...not volunteer the information.”

  Sal nodded contemplatively.

  “I won’t tell the king. But he asks me directly, I won’t lie.”

  “That’s all we ask.”

  “I don’t think you need to worry about me giving you away though. We’ve been training for a while, and I haven’t told the king about that, now have I?” Sal smiled in an attempt to make their students feel better. “I understand that this is far more serious, but I haven’t spoken to the king directly since the day I was hired. It’s unlikely I’ll ever be in a position to give away your secret.”

  “Thank you, Sal.” Elloriann smiled.

  Carla let out a nervous sigh. She wasn’t sure if this was really a guarantee, but it was as good as they could ask for, so she had to accept it and try not to worry too much.

  “All right, now,” Sal said, picking up a bo staff. “Let’s get to training.”

  That night Carla went back to her room to pick up some personal items. They’d decided that she would keep her room, if only for the purpose of appearance and storage, but that she would effectively be living with Elloriann.

  It was fast, they knew, but it was something they both wanted. Though they both feared that going too quickly could damage their relationship, they also didn't know how much time they would have together at all, so they didn't want to waste any of it. Besides, Carla could always simply go back to living in her room if they ever felt like things were moving too fast.

  Carla had loved her room, her bed. But they seemed foreign now, like they weren’t really hers anymore. Like there was something missing. She thought of having to go back to living there on her own, and her heart clenched unpleasantly. Simply being in that room felt lonely now.

  It was a dangerous feeling, she knew. Because sooner or later, one way or another, Elloriann would be ripped away from her. And she wasn’t sure she could survive that.

  25

  Winter was winding down, and it was finally getting warm.

  Rich and Carla were starting to make preparations for the gardening season. The traders were tasked with acquiring new seeds. It was decided that flax, jute, and hemp would be planted that year, to see which ones would grow best.

  Almost every surface in Carla’s room was covered in pots and containers where seeds germinated and small plants grew until they could be transplanted into the garden once the weather got warm enough.

  Now that there were 2 experienced gardeners available at all times, it was tempting to plant as much as possible, but Rich and Carla had to remind themselves that while 2 was better than 1, it was still just the 2 of them, and there was only so much they could do.

  When time came to plow, almost every servant in the castle helped. With the new ambitions for the garden, a lot of soil needed to be plowed. Most servants were happy to help, because they all wanted to eventually enjoy the fruit the garden would bring.

  Potatoes, cabbage, pumpkins, tomatoes, cucumbers, carrots, strawberries, raspberries, grapes, and beets were planted. As well as some corn, rye, wheat, and a few types of beans.

  Every single apple tree survived the winter, though a few suffered some minor branch damage. That year, Rich and Carla planted some pear and plum trees as well.

  Rich finally got the opportunity to plant flowers. Carla planted as many herbs as she believed she could care for. A fairly large patch of land was given to camomile.

  Once everything was planted, the garden looked beautiful. It looked like a new beginning and filled everyone with hope.

  Elloriann helped in the garden more than she ever had before, because now it also meant helping Carla. There was a special kind of pleasure in helping your loved one. It didn’t feel like the tedious chore of doing something only for yourself. It felt like sharing a burden with someone you cared for, which gave the work more significance, and also somehow made it easier.

  Elloriann was beginning to wonder if she and Carla were becoming co-dependent, like Stav and Hannah, or like Rich and Johan once were. She wasn’t sure how she felt about such a possibility. Nothing made her happier than being with Carla, but she had also seen what losing someone you loved this much had done to Rich, and she didn’t want to experience that should something happen to Carla. Nor did she want Carla to feel the same kind of pain should something happen to Elloriann herself.

  Carla had such thoughts as well, but when she and Elloriann worked in the garden, all she could think about was her parents doing the same, and how happy they had been together. She knew that, co-dependent or not, losing Ell would devastate her, even if it was, in all probability, inevitable. So she intended to enjoy having Elloriann in her life for as long as she could, as much as she could. There were many things in their lives that complicated their relationship. Carla didn’t want to put more limitations on it for the sole purpose of avoiding becoming too attached.

  The first time they had to be separated for a long stretch of time was when the king was going away on a diplomatic trip and wanted his daughter to accompany him. Elloriann had never enjoyed those trips, but now it felt like torture.

  She sat on her bed in her travel clothes, her bag packed. Carla sat behind her and rubbed her shoulders in silence. She felt like she was sending Ell off to war, even though it would only be a few days in another land, talking economy and politics.

  “He’s not intending to find you a husband there, is he?” Carla asked quietly.

  “No. He’s just taking me with him for show. He thinks it makes him look better, like a family man, and a protector. I suppose it’s true. But I, as a person, am irrelevant in those meetings.”

  Carla silently kissed Elloriann's shoulders, unsure of how else to comfort her.

  It was almost time to go. Ell opened the bottom drawer of her bedside table and took out a small jewelry box. Inside it was an emerald pendant on a chain of white gold. She showed it to Carla before putting it on.

  “This belonged to my mother,” she said. “The only piece of jewelry I haven’t sold after the storm. It’s all I have left of her. I don’t like to wear it, but Father insists that I do so at important meetings. He says it makes me look regal. What he means to say is that it creates an illusion of wealth where almost none is left.”

  Carla wrapped herself around Elloriann’s back and kissed the back of her neck.

  “It will only be a few days,” she said reassuringly.

  “That can be a very long time.”

  “I know.”

  There was a knock on the door. Gerome came to collect Elloriann. It was time to go.

  Elloriann kissed Carla deeply,
desperately, like it was the last time she would ever get the chance to do so, just in case it was. Then she dropped her head into the crook of Carla’s neck and inhaled her scent.

  “I love you,” she said into Carla’s neck.

  “I love you too,” Carla said, hugging Ell hungrily. “Come back to me, all right?”

  “I’ll do my best.”

  They smiled at each other, then went out the door. Elloriann and Gerome went to the carriage station, while Carla went to the servant wing, back to her room.

  She couldn’t sleep that night. The bed that had once been the reason she’d chosen this room for herself now felt stiff and uncomfortable. The darkness she usually loved now seemed empty and terrifying.

  It would only be a few days. But those days would be painful, lonely, and cold.

  26

  It was tedious. Unbearably, unbelievably, indescribably tedious.

  Not because Elloriann didn’t enjoy politics or diplomacy, – in fact, she enjoyed them quite a lot, having studied them for many years – but because her father would not allow her to actually participate in any important conversations. If she ever tried, he would cut her off immediately, give her a condescending smile, and never allow her to continue.

  He still treated her very much as if she were a child. Many parents failed to realize that their children had grown up, because to a parent, to some degree, their child always remained a child. But in the case of Elloriann’s father, the problem lay with the fact that he barely ever spent any time with her. He hadn’t seen her grow, hadn’t watched her develop, learn, and mature. In his mind, she remained a baby, because he never saw her become an adult.

  Which, of course, did not prevent him from planning marriage for her for the purpose of forming political and territorial bonds, but that was a distressing thought for another day. At the moment, Elloriann stood beside her father and listened as he discussed a potential military alliance with King Dulzu of Sideo.

  “Mordielle is just too unpredictable now,” Dulzu said. “They’re hostile and volatile. And that prince...oh. When he takes over, I fear we may as well be expecting a war.”

  “That’s what I fear as well,” King Talon replied. “My land has recovered well after the storm, but we are still weakened. I’m not quite certain we could partake in a war on our own right now. I fear for my people, and for my family.” He put his hand on Elloriann’s shoulder.

  She couldn’t help it, she just couldn’t – she rolled her eyes.

  No one seemed to notice, however, so the conversation went on unimpeded.

  “I think it would be wise for us to forge an alliance beforehand,” Dulzu said.

  “Yes, of course.”

  “I propose that you give us a 30% discount on all trades, and we station our troops in your land to help protect your borders. Your people will sustain them, and they will be at your immediate disposal should you need them. If Sideo is ever attacked, you will provide your military to aid us in battle.”

  Talon took a moment to consider the offer. It wasn’t a fair offer by any means, and it wasn't quite what Evlirone needed. Stationing Sideo's troops at Evlirone's borders could be helpful in case of a surprise attack, but that was something that Evlirone's military would likely be able to handle on their own. Potential long-term conflict was really where the land would need help the most.

  Nonetheless, Evlirone was in no position to set conditions. If Mordielle did ever decide to start a war, it would almost certainly attack the nearby, weakened Evlirone first. Sideo had a strong, well-equipped military force. Whatever the conditions, an alliance with Sideo would cause Evlirone to appear more defended, and as such, it would be a less tempting target for Mordielle or any other hostile land to attack.

  Talon feared that if he attempted to negotiate, he could lose this alliance altogether.

  “No,” Elloriann said.

  Talon turned to face her so fast, his head spun.

  “Elloriann, dear, I don’t think you–”

  “Father, please...” She put up a hand to silence him. “I know you want what’s best for our people, but don’t sell us quite so short.”

  King Dulzu looked at Elloriann with a mixture of surprise and condescension, seeing her for the first time as a person, and not merely entourage to her father.

  “You need us,” he said with a patronizing smile.

  “That’s where you’re wrong, your majesty. We don’t need you. We could use your help, certainly, but we don’t need you.” She could see her father staring at her in shock and anger, his mouth hanging open, but she did not react. “It’s true that our land suffered more than most in the storm, but it’s been almost 6 years now. We’ve rebuilt. Not to mention that most of the damage was to our factories and farms. There was minimal loss among our military. Besides, Mordielle may or may not attack. It could be decades still before Rondall takes the throne, and by then who knows what will have happened to him and what kind of person he’ll be. It would certainly be wise for us to align regardless, but not at such expense to us. It would be more beneficial to spend our resources to expand our own military instead of spending them on your troops. And, forgive my honesty, your majesty, but the trading rate you’re suggesting is quite preposterous.”

  For a while there was silence. King Talon had finally closed his mouth, but the color had drained from his face. King Dulzu looked at Elloriann with a rather different expression now. The condescension was gone, replaced by something between respect and anger.

  “What do you propose then?” Dulzu said at last.

  “If Mordielle or any other third party attacks either of our lands, we unite our forces against them. Any future military alliances with other lands that either of us consider are to be discussed between us first. We buy from you first, unless a significantly better offer is given elsewhere. We give our best trade offers to you before anyone else, at a 5% discount.”

  “15%.”

  “10.”

  “Deal.” Dulzu extended his hand and Elloriann shook it. He gave a nod to his people to prepare the proper documentation to officiate the alliance. Then he turned back to Elloriann. “I look forward to doing more business with you in the future.” He turned to King Talon and gave him a polite bow before excusing himself.

  Elloriann finally turned to face her father. She couldn’t quite tell what he was feeling. His face was neutral, maybe a little angry. She allowed herself to feel uncertain for a moment, though it did not show on her features.

  The king himself wasn’t completely sure what he was feeling either. Anger, certainly. Humiliation. There was also a bit of pride, even though he was trying to force himself not to feel it, to remain angry at his daughter for embarrassing him like this.

  “Never do that again,” he said in a flat tone.

  “I wouldn’t have to if you’d let me speak instead of using me as a political decoration.”

  The king fumed, anger finally drowning out everything else.

  “You are still a child, you will do as I say!”

  “No, Father. I haven’t been a child in a very long time. The sooner you understand that, the better it will be for you, for me, and for Evlirone.”

  She turned around and walked away into the mazes of Sideo’s castle, leaving the king one on one with his emotions.

  *****

  Carla couldn’t sleep again. She’d managed a few hours the previous night, her exhaustion causing her to crash into sleep, but a nightmare woke her up soon after, and she spent the rest of the night staring at the ceiling.

  Now as sleep was evading her yet again, she decided to take a walk, instead of lying alone in her room, letting her mind travel to the most unpleasant of places.

  She walked around the servant wing for a while, then went outside. Even after having lived there for quite a long time, she was still amazed by just how large the castle was. It was smaller than the one in Mordielle, but still immense. It took her almost an hour to circle it at a leisurely pace.

&nbs
p; She didn’t feel any more capable of sleep, so she went for another round. The guard outside the front entrance was sleeping. Carla woke him gently. He panicked at first, but when he realized it was one of the servants who had woken him, he sighed in relief and thanked her. If his superior had found him sleeping, there would be consequences.

  Carla kept walking. She eventually went into the back entrance, which Sal was currently guarding. They smiled at each other as Sal let her through.

  It was easy to get lost in the main castle. Carla had a general idea of which direction to go in order to get from the back entrance to the hallway that connected the main castle to the servant wing, but she fully expected to get lost anyway. She didn’t mind. It was still better than lying awake alone in her bed.

  With the royals gone, there weren’t a lot of guards inside. Most of them were at the front gate and castle entrances, as well as by the treasury.

  Most of the castle was dark, but eventually Carla came across a door that had light behind it. And a bit of noise as well. She stood just outside it for a little while, curious but apprehensive.

  “Come in!” a voice came from behind the door.

  Carla hesitated for a moment, but eventually opened the door carefully to peek inside.

  It was a workshop. A very large, messy workshop, filled with various tools and equipment, most of which Carla could not identify.

  She walked inside, trying to find the person who’d invited her in.

  Finally, the owner of the mess around her popped up from behind a table to face her.

  For a little while, they stared at each other. That happened to Carla quite a bit. She imagined her new acquaintance wasn’t new to the staring either.

  “Birth defect,” Carla said, pointing at her own face.

  “Fire,” the workshop inhabitant replied, indicating a burn scar that covered one of her cheeks. The scar actually went down to her neck, chest and back, but only the part on her face was currently visible.