***
I enter the palace that is my prison. It has been my entire life, though more so the last few years. The cold emptiness of the place just screams death and darkness, from the dark stone walls to the black marble floor. The only light is from the scones on the walls, casting a warm but dim light causing long shadows. I see my father pacing in the entrance hall; my mother quietly standing in the corner like the good wife she’s always strived to be. Unfortunately for me, being a good wife apparently means being a lousy mother.
“I see you ditched your guard yet again,” my father booms as he barrels towards me, his hand raised. He strikes my cheek hard enough that my knees buckle and send me to the floor. I hit him with a hard look as I try to ignore the agony in my jaw and notice my mother hasn’t moved or made a sound, not that I’d expect anything less at this point.
I gather myself and stand in front of him because showing weakness in these walls is not an option. “Yes, well, when your guard threatens to rape me and then let his friends do what they please to me afterwards, I figured I’d show him the repercussions of his revolting actions. Considering he’s one of yours, I shouldn’t have been surprised,” I snarl, the bite in my voice hits its target, and my father lashes out again. This time I stay standing and prepare myself for his long-standing form of punishment.
“It should have been you that died that day. Your brother was worth so much more than you. He at least understood his place in this family. Your allegiance was more to the Winter Court because of that murderer than to your family, and now you embarrass us further by cavorting with Hunter filth. My guards could and should have done with you as they wanted, maybe then you’d have realized just how far you’ve fallen. You’re a disgrace to our name, to our family. You are less than worthless.” The words pierce the armor I learnt to put up a long time ago, but the guilt from the fact that I’m still here and Edimere isn’t, it haunts me daily. I’ve always known my parents blamed me, but they’ve never said anything quite so direct as this.
“Well, I’m glad he’s not here to witness this. He would be ashamed of who you have become since he died. He’d have gone against you for hitting me too, and you know it, but I guess I’m not the only one tarnishing his memory, am I?”
A roar escapes him as he attacks me again. I zone out as I fall to the floor, and he showers me with his anger. The kicks are the most brutal, and I wish I could say this was the first time. I hear his pants, the exertion getting to him as he leans down and places cuffs on my wrists, I see the runes cut into them along with the bright green stones and know what’s coming before I feel it.
“Let’s see how quickly you forget your place this time without your powers to help you heal.” The venom in his voice doesn’t escape me. “Maybe next time you want to dishonor our family by sleeping with animals, you’ll think better.”
“My entire family are animals; it’s not a surprise I fell in love with one,” I force out. Just breathing hurts as I feel my strength drain thanks to the cuffs.
“Take her to her room and lock the doors. Do not leave the door unsupervised unless on my order. She wants to cavort with filth, she’ll be treated as if she’s nothing better than the filth she claims to love.” He signals to the guards who are placed around the room. I grew up with these people watching out for me, and not one person says a word. I groan as I’m lifted, and the pain in my body is highlighted with each step taken towards my rooms. I hear the creak of the door open, before feeling softness below me.
“I’m sorry,” I hear softly before my door closes, but think nothing of it as the world fades to darkness around me.
***
I peel one of my eyes open, the other too swollen to open. The light that shines through the windows makes me wince and jolts my body. The sharp movement makes my entire body ache, the pain stealing my breath. I lay back down and try to catch my breath as the night before slowly filters back through my mind, and I’m filled with a different kind of pain.
Oberon.
I wouldn’t wish the cages on anyone, and I can’t imagine what it’s doing to the Demon in him, being confined in such a small space, and that’s if he’s not in chains.
I try to sit up, but the pain shoots down my arms, and I hear the clink of my latest accessory. Elven cuffs. The best way to render a Fae powerless and essentially human. The power that runs through my blood is extinguished, meaning that I can’t heal my broken bones, I can’t defend myself, and I also have absolutely no chance to escape. I try to climb out of bed, but my legs don’t have the strength, so I fall and groan once again as my body takes on further damage. Struggling into a sitting position of sorts, I notice the new bars on my windows. As if the cuffs weren’t enough, the entire room is a magical dead zone. Freaking wonderful.
The door opens briefly, and one of the girls from the kitchen scurries in, placing a tray on the table on the other side of the room, before opening my voile curtains, letting in more light and making the bed, all while ignoring me in a pile on the floor. She leaves without acknowledging my existence. I guess the loose friendships I had with people around here aren’t as strong as their fear of my father. I can’t really blame them considering how he treats me; I wouldn’t wish this on anyone.
I struggle over to the table, assessing my injuries as I go. Without my powers, this is going to take weeks to heal fully. I slowly lift the lid on the tray and let the aromas fill my senses, a nice distraction from my current situation. I lift my fork to my mouth and try to savor the flavors, but my pain and worry for Oberon cloud everything.
My father’s temper is legendary, and really, what he’s done to me is nothing. Just the tip of the sword for him. But with Oberon locked away, fully subdued, and at my father’s mercy, I don’t want to imagine just how creative he could get. All because I asked Oberon to be reckless for just one day. I never imagined that us just being us for a day could end this way. We’re usually so careful at his insistence, but I was tired of only having stolen moments. I wanted more. I guess you really should be careful what you wish for.
Chapter Two
I lose track of how long it’s been since I was locked away in this room, but I’m starting to lose my mind. I know that it’s been at least two weeks because most of my bruising has gone down, and the only real pain I have left now is more just discomfort from my ribs, but the loneliness makes it feels as if it’s been at least six. I look in the mirror in my bathroom, the only one that has escaped my frustration thus far and see the toll of being separated from my magik. I have cried and shouted, pled and begged at the doors for someone to let me out, to help me or at least just talk to me. I got so angry at one point that I destroyed what I could of the room with my waning strength and my injuries, but all that happened was they came in and wordlessly fixed things or removed them, just adding to my desperation.
My thick and shiny hair is limp and lifeless, and my skin has lost its healthy glow. I only know it’s nearing the end of the day because the sun is low in the sky. I miss it’s heat on my skin, the wind in my hair. My kind is not meant to be separated from nature, not like this. We are of the earth; it feeds the essence of who we are. Even with the cuffs, the outdoors would’ve helped.
I’ve not interacted with anyone since my father ordered I be locked away, despite trying to talk to the people coming in and out of the room and the guards on the other side of the locked door.
I hear the door to my room open, and at this point, I don’t even bother to pay attention to whoever it is. I’m sure it’s just my dinner being delivered. Just another wordless face passing by, forced by my father to treat me like I barely exist.
“Emilia?” The voice echoes through my rooms, and I wonder if I’ve actually lost my mind to the point of hearing voices inside my head. I make my way back to my bedroom and see my mother’s handmaid, Trestella, standing at the end of my bed.
“Emilia, look at you. What a mess.” Her disapproving look just pisses me off.
“Yes, well. It’s
not like I asked to be beaten and have my powers taken away,” I say with snark; how dare she.
“Don’t you take that tone with me, young lady, your father is hard, but I’m sure you deserved every part of your punishment. Disgracing your family like that, as if they haven’t been through enough. Ungrateful little bitch. However, despite my personal feelings about your lack of punishment, your parents have asked me to remove the cuffs and prepare you for dinner, so that is what I will do.”
“I’m not hungry,” I protest. It’s stupid, but I’m so sick of my life being ruled by other people’s wishes. No matter how much I want these cuffs gone, I can’t stop my rebellion at the orders.
“Stop being an ungrateful little brat. If you’re not hungry, don’t eat, but you are still going downstairs.” She reaches forward and grabs my ribs, which still ache, and squeezes to reinforce how powerless I am against her. She laughs as I try not to show my pain before she unclasps the cuffs that have bound my powers. I hear the noise at my windows of the bars being removed, and relief floods me. I can get out. As soon as they’re gone, I feel my power coming back to me, like a long-lost friend. My fingers and toes tingle as the sensations come back. The trickle of power fills me slowly as if it knows I’m fragile from being cut off for so long. I feel its warmth as it fills me, healing me as it reaches my broken and aching parts. I contentedly sigh once I feel fully connected again and pray never to be cut off from the earth again for as long as I exist. “Now, go get yourself cleaned up and presentable. I’ll be waiting outside to escort you down to the dining room.”
I look down and the silk shorts and camisole I’m wearing; they’re pretty gross at this point, but in my defense, I had no real idea how much time was passing, and I slept a lot to keep the pain and loneliness at bay.
“I want to know where Oberon is. How he is.” I don’t care if I’m acting like a petulant child, after being locked up in here with nothing but my thoughts for company, I need information.
“And I want to be able to magik money in the world, so I don’t have to put up with your shit, but wants don’t get us anywhere, so I suggest you get a move on before I drag you downstairs as you are,” she spits at me before spinning on her heel and leaving the room, slamming the door behind her.
I turn and head back to the bathroom, normally she wouldn’t dare to speak to me in such a way, but apparently, my parents have made it obvious to the household that I am not of any importance, and so it’s free reign. I turn on the shower and undress in seconds. I let the scalding hot water beat down over me, letting it invigorate my body along with my powers, which are almost at full capacity. I feel the hum of them under my skin, a feeling I don’t normally pay attention to, but one I’ve missed dearly. I shut off the shower and reach deep into myself and finish healing the broken ribs from my father’s heavy swings.
I dry and dress quickly in the long black dress that is hanging in here, I’m sure courtesy of Trestella. Despite not wanting to see my parents, I want information. I finish touching up my face in the mirror, adding some kohl to line my eyes and a deep red to my lips before presenting myself before the ogre that waits for me. She looks me up and down, with a small sharp nod of approval, then leaves the room, obviously expecting me to follow, so I do. I don’t want to ruffle more feathers than I need to, even if she is a raging bitch. The guards and other members of the household refuse to meet my eyes as I walk from the room. I straighten my back and raise my chin; I will not let them see how broken I’ve felt, though I’ve no doubt they heard me at my weakest. I refuse to be that person again, and for now, they will only see what I let them.
I follow her to the small, private dining room my parents favor when they’re not entertaining the rest of court. My parents are both sitting at the long dark table, and my father motions for me to sit to his right, so I do. The tension in the room is thick, despite the insincere smiles on their faces. I don’t trust those smiles; they’re almost creepy. Smug even. I am shocked, however, to find that we are not alone. At the table sits my father’s most trusted and closest friend and his wife.
“I trust you’re feeling better,” my mother says, clasping her hands in front of her. Her acting could win awards
“Oh yes, I’m splendid.” I can’t help the sarcasm that overrides whatever politeness they expected as I find the strength not to roll my eyes.
“Emilia, you will watch your tone.” My father slams his hand on the table, startling Mother. I guess the pretense isn’t going to last long after all.
“Or what, you’ll beat me and send me to my room again? How original.”
“No, but I will punish your lover further.” He chuckles, sending shivers down my spine. “He’s hard to make scream, but the sound is exquisite once it happens.” A dark smile graces his face, and any appetite I may have had disappears at the news of Oberon. Apparently, his friends know of my situation, not that I’m surprised. They probably helped him come up with more creative ways to elicit screams.
“You need to release him; he has done nothing wrong but love me,” I demand, only just managing to keep the quiver from my voice.
“I do not need to do anything, and you are not in a position to barter here.” I take a deep breath so as not to lash out. Usually, my anger is non-existent, at most, a low simmer, but not here, and not now. Not with this.
Dinner is brought out to the table, and conversation skips to idle chatter about the courts and the gossip that is the lifeblood for my mother and her gaggle of bloodthirsty friends. My presence is no longer noted, so I sit quietly and shove the tasteless food down my throat. All I can think of is Oberon and what my father might have done to him. I need to get him out, so I spend the rest of the meal plotting, trying to come up with a way to free him rather than pay attention to the monotonous talk of torture and who did what better than who around me.
When dessert is taken away, my father’s friends stand and say their goodbyes, and my mother escorts them out, leaving the two of us in a long and painful silence. I want nothing more than to leave this room and try to work out how to fix this mess I’ve gotten us into. We wait until my mother returns, and to my surprise, rather than my father standing to leave, my mother sits back down opposite me, refusing to look at me. I look towards my father, who looks disgustingly pleased with himself, like a cat who caught a bird and devoured it, and a flood of apprehension fills me.
“Did you enjoy your meal, Emilia?” His smirk prods me, and I’m sick of playing nice. He’s up to something, I just know it.
“What do you really want, Father? I know you have no care for whether I enjoyed myself or not.” I know there’s more to this. He looks too happy, and not just because he’s taking pleasure in my discomfort.
“You have missed some very important news recently while you’ve been out gallivanting, but a treaty has finally been agreed in the last few weeks between the courts. The war is going to end, we will resume the cease-fire, and your older brother can finally come home.” I gasp at the news. The courts have been fighting longer than I care to think of, and Erion has been gone since the day after Edimere was killed.
“Erion can come home? I don’t understand . . .” My eyes bounce between my parents. It doesn’t make sense.
“There are conditions to the treaty. For the courts to truly be at peace, we must come together with a joint goal. Earon and I have decided the best way to do this is a joining of the courts, and the Kings of Autumn and Spring are in agreement. Everyone is tired of wartimes.” It takes me a moment to understand, but then it dawns on me.
“A marriage?” I already know the answer, but I want them to say it.
“Yes.” My father nods, and my mother’s eyes stay downward, not looking at me. I stare at her, hoping for some sort of clue.
“I don’t understand what this has to do with me. Surely Princess Araya of the Autumn Court will marry Prince Cade, and it is done. They are aligned, and it makes the most sense.” The Autumn Court has always aligned itself with Winter, as
the Spring has aligned with us.
“Not quite.” The glee on my father’s face makes sense. Dread fills me, and I feel paralyzed until my anger breathes life back into me.
“I will not, and you, above all others, know why. How could you ask me to marry the man who killed Edimere? We shared a womb, came into this fucked-up world together, I will not marry the monster that took him away from me!” My shouts echo around the room, but my parents stay seated, unfazed.
“You will if you want your animal to live. King Earon has decided that the three royal courts shall put forward candidates of royal blood to win the prince’s heart, and the one he picks shall be his wife, giving whichever family he picks a new height of power. For you and the Winter Prince to be wed could mean no war ever again. The Autumn Court is already too close to the Winter Court. Strategically it gives us no advantage.” His words trickle out, and everything makes sense. “And just to add an incentive, to make sure you are selected, if you fail in winning the prince’s favor, I will kill your Hunter. Slowly. And I will make you watch. So, you can see the results of your actions, and he will know that you failed him. More importantly, you will know you failed him. Either way, I win.”
My stomach drops, and I swallow to stop the rising bile. I wish he wasn’t serious, but I know he is. It’s the perfect plan for a man like my father, and the glee on his face leaves no room for interpretation of his feelings about it all. I will suffer either way, but if I am successful, he gets his favorite child and heir back out of the line of danger, and if I fail, he gets to torture Oberon and me for however long he sees fit. I cough as the bile rises again, and I fight it as my father watches on, the smug look on his face makes me want to burn it off.
“Mother, you cannot let him do this. I am your daughter! You can’t think that this is fair or a good idea. THAT MONSTER KILLED MY BROTHER!” I feel the tears run down my face as my mother dismisses me.
Summer Princess (Dark Fae Book 1) Page 4
