Every bit of furniture in the library was a light wood, almost more grey than it was brown. Ember itched to trail her fingers along the shelves and study tables. The books were stacked to the ceiling, and giving a cursory glance around the room, there was next to nobody here enjoying the tombs except someone she assumed was the librarian. The shorter woman sported her green hair in a tight top knot, skin a deeper brown than the shelving. Ember watched her move one book from her cart back into the stacks.
They would have loved this. Actually, they must have. With the small doors along the wall, those must be the tutor rooms for the guards and servants’ children. Clues sparked through her. Which books had they read? Who would they talk to on the staff?
“There you are, come, hurry up,” Ahnika said, poking her head out from a door to the left of the tall entryway. Amir nodded in her direction, patting Ember on the arm.
“I’ll be right there,” Amir said to Ember, pointing at a table a few paces from the door.
“Thanks,” Ember said as she moved her way to the ajar door. Inside, she saw Ahnika, shuffling through some papers on her desk. Her high waisted trousers accentuated her figure. Ember liked her style.
Ahnika’s desk was cluttered with books, piles segmented in what she assumed were purposeful stacks. Ahnika took a sip from her stone mug. There were over a dozen torches in this small room, more than she had seen in other comparable spaces. There were three small desks across from Ahnika’s busy table.
Ember took the closest desk to her teacher and Ember was reminded how uncomfortable she felt in her overly formal dress.
“Since we only have two weeks until your debut into society, we’ll have to start with the most pertinent information and work to fill in the gaps after that.”
Picking up some paper and writing tools, Ahnika handed them to Ember before straightening her own pile of papers on her desk. Ember thanked her, realizing she’d probably need to write many more notes than what these pages could hold. The instructor glanced down at her own personal notes before speaking.
“So tell me, Ember Dragon Daughter, what do you know about how your kingdom is run?”
“When the Dragon Daughter finds her fated pair through Aaleia, that person becomes their Knight. When they have their own Dragon Daughter then Mutrien has given her the right to be Dragon Queen.”
“Yes, all very good, that is part of the process. We pass on our royal crown based on the birth of the next generation, symbolizing the acceptance of your rule as a mother to your child and to the kingdom. The other kingdoms have different rules across the sea, some systems basing the passing of the crown on the death of the monarch,” Ahnika lectured, leaning against her desk.
“Praise Aaleia, that is not our way. If the Queen, long may she reign, were to become incapacitated or die by illness or an assassination, then the Dragon Matron will take over as monarch until the next Dragon Daughter produces an heir.
“The Dragon Matron, as you know, is the former queen, living in the palace opposite this one in Cruelindime. She is available for guidance and support.”
Cruelindime was another province her family had avoided along with Azororion.
“What happens if the Dragon Matron has also passed?” Ember couldn’t help but ask. She made a chart on her piece of paper, the succession drawn out with little effort. It didn’t seem like enough people. Too unstable. What would they have done if they hadn’t found her?
“Then the Dragon Daughter will ascend before she has her child.” Ahnika sat on the edge of her table, settling in to talk with Ember. She had a feeling the royal family was Ahnika’s favorite topic. Her blue eyes were practically sparkling at each word.
“What if there was no one left?”
“You mean if the whole royal family were dead?”
Ember nodded. That could have been their reality; they must have had some sort of plan. What if the Dragon Matron passed and the Dragon Queen was completely taken over mentally by the fateless? It was a miracle that her birth mom was not farther gone, Ember realized.
Ahnika appeared almost stricken by even saying the thought out loud. She questioned, “Why would you ask such a thing?”
“Shouldn’t I be asking those questions?” Ember asked her. All thoughts beyond survival would take a while to form in Ember’s mind.
“Aaleia and Mutrien would never let that happen to Ashkadance,” her new instructor responded, oblivious to the fact that it was something that the people were actually worried about. She had heard those conversations whispered in the streets, that kind of dissent and lack of confidence grew quickly. Ember hadn't been found, and the crown didn't have another heir. It was no wonder the rebel attacks were more frequent and the public sympathy for them rising.
“I just wanted to know all the variables,” Ember followed, feeling suddenly like this wasn’t the person she should be discussing this with. Ahnika either ignored or didn’t care to see that her answers made Ember uncomfortable. Instead, Ahnika continued, bringing up another topic that Ember didn’t particularly want to be involved in.
“And the fating,” Ahnika began, “Do you understand the reason for it?”
“To find your other half,” Ember responded automatically, spouting the line she had been told since birth. As a child, she didn’t like thinking that she was only half of herself, but the thought made more sense the older she got. Though how anyone could find their other half in a dragon was a startling thought. What kind of person were they, Kariana and Drakul, when they were together?
“Yes and no. It is considered by the crown and our scribes that the fating is Aaleia’s way to help you meet your full potential, whether that be good or bad.” Ahnika held her arms out as if good and bad were displayed easily, one side versus the other.
“It’s your companion that will help drive the stakes and get you to where you need to be. Whether everyone takes that opportunity or goes in the opposite direction is up to them. Aaelia does not judge whether your balance in the world is good or bad. She helps every person strive to their best.”
“How do the scribes know that?” Ember asked, shifting in her seat. This wasn’t what was taught in her schooling. She scribbled a few quick notes. That explained some of the subtle changes in the campfire story Jedoriah had shared.
“Well, as you know the scribes help monitor the world, inscribing its history and their observations. They’ve noted that since the First Fating, more of Ashkadance’s citizens hold one to three purposes in their lifetime rather than jumping around between purposes until they die. People are more defined with their intentions and meeting those goals with the support of their fated pair.”
Ember was going to be a jewelry maker. She had decided on that purpose for herself. Now she was here, a future queen.
But if her purpose was to be queen, how would a Knight help with that? As her confidant so she could take on the challenge more eagerly, or as a means to help her co-rule? Take on duties she could not? How would she help this person? She wondered what their goals would be.
“To sum it together,” Ahnika furthered, “your pair helps you reach your full potential.”
But then another thought came to Ember’s mind. “Why does Mutrien only bless the royal family with one child at a time?” Ember asked.
Aaleia found each person’s pair. Mutrien created their children. Together, they balanced love, purpose, and life. There were celebrations each year to cover those balances. The Mutrien ball was a few months away, and Aaleia's in only two weeks. Ember felt incompetent for not realizing that connection. Pairing the ball with the reminder of the goddess definitely did help morale.
“All rulers in Ashkadance have one child to discourage conflict.”
“How so?”
“If there is only one heir, there is no competition. No rivalry. No jealousy. This keeps our kingdom safe.”
Having one heir didn’t seem like a safe bet in Ember’s eyes.
“Then, of course, there is your dragon history,
” Ahnika continued. She moved around her desk to pull a book from one of its drawers.
Ember perked up, curious on this topic. She scratched at her scales from beneath her shawl, a habit that would be hard to break.
“Here,” Ahnika said, handing Ember a worn leather book.
“What’s this?”
“Your family tree, going back to Drakul and the dragons he named as his family before he became fated to Kariana.”
Ember accepted the book, excited to read that history and learn more about these mysterious figures that she had only ever dreamed of. She couldn’t wait to tell Hasley about it in her letter that night. She knew her best friend would want to hear any insight she gained on the dragons, including the scaled portrait of Kariana’s baby— the first Dragon Daughter of Ashkadance.
“Other things we will be covering is how each province governs itself through the keyholders. Our history, the disappearance of the dragons, the merfolk conflict, of course. A short history of Grydagia and Faeinto from before the wall—”
Ember listened on, but her thoughts lingered on her moms. She wished they were here instead, explaining the missing pieces of her past.
Nine
Let Me Go
“Embrence!” Jedoriah called, opening the door to her room without notice. It had been one week since she had been in the palace, and the ball was quickly approaching. With friendships slowly forming among her new companions, she didn’t feel as cut off as she expected to be at the palace. That could not be said for her relationship with Jedoriah.
Her body immediately reacted in discomfort to his call, her pulse skipping erratically. He hadn’t visited her since she was forced into this castle last week. Ember closed the box of beads she was sorting through and stood from her small table. Cindrea glanced up from her spot on the couch but did not seem concerned. Would she one day feel that indifference to the Knight of the kingdom visiting her room?
“I have a surprise for you,” he said as he opened the door wider. An elderly woman shuffled forward, her smile wider than her face. It was a cheshire look, pulling her teeth out from her mouth but much warmer than Jedoriah’s serpentine grin. Her eyes sparkled, green depths with gold specks.
“Hello, I’m Ember,” she said, meeting the older woman half-way. She glanced back and forth between her and the rod straight form of Jedoriah.
“I know who you are. I’d recognize you anywhere, even without the scales,” the old woman spoke with a laugh, gesturing in a hobbled fashion to Ember’s exposed marks. While it hasn’t gotten easier to show her scales this past week, she was trying to get used to keeping them uncovered while she was more isolated in her tower. She knew that her ball gown would feature them, so she was trying to open herself up to how that would feel while she wasn’t surrounded by hundreds of eyes. She shuddered at the thought.
“Though you probably don't know me,” she continued, “I’m Omanox Dragon Matron. I’d be honored if you would call me Oma though.”
Ember’s eyes widened. “You are my grandmother?”
Reaching her, Oma opened her arms for a hug and said, “Yes, Fireheart, I am.”
Her voice warmed Ember’s fears. Her moms had been orphans, or at least, that is what she had told her. Ember had never had the figure of an older matriarch in her life. She didn't know it was something she needed until now.
Ember stared at the woman’s long thick white braid. It fell down past her back like a dragon tail, but it barely moved as she shuffled forward.
Ember accepted the hug, the only physical touch she had welcomed since that first day. Being in Oma’s arms felt like a warm day in the sun, despite it actually being a cold bitter night. Oma herself was not warm, however. The cold air from Ember’s balcony window chilled her skin. Ember ushered her forward into the warmth of her bedroom. She stopped by the balcony to close it.
“Leave us, Jed,” Oma commanded, her voice not offering any room for negotiation. Ember was startled to see he didn’t fight the order. Instead, Jedoriah bowed before backing out the door. While his face showcased his displeasure, he didn’t speak his thoughts aloud. Her heart unclamped and she could now focus on her full attention on Oma. Cindrea took the opportunity to follow him out from her seat in the corner and grant them privacy. She left her sewing basket beside the couch.
“Come, get warm,” Ember said, helping Oma to sit on her bed. She pulled out her fur throw blanket and wrapped it around her grandmother. It was freeing to be in the presence of someone maternal again. The way that Oma looked at her, with a hope that was almost palpable, it helped Ember feel that hope again as well. Ever since she came to this dreary palace, it had been small isolated smiles across hours of cold, moments she felt welcome with her guards and ladies mixed in with a complete lack of control.
“I can't believe you're here,” Oma whispered, reaching out to pet a strand of Ember’s hair. “You have no idea how hard it was for us when you disappeared. We were prepared for a happy time, a coronation and a christening, but all that was left was the fateless curse.” She shook her head, referring to both the chaos and the sickness that had infected her only daughter. Oma’s tanned skin appeared brighter in the firelight of Ember’s bedroom. Ember made note that Oma too, considered it a curse. Those that said curse, plague, or used them interchangeably seemed to have an intent. A plague could be an accident. A curse was on purpose.
“It took her that quickly?” Ember asked. No one else had been willing to go into the details. As far as Ember could see, her mother did have random spells where she said the uncomfortable and unconscionable truth. While other moments, she said the fantastical things you would never believe. Regardless, her fateless symptoms looked different than that of the man in the forest. A side-effect of her dragon heritage, most-likely. She was almost lucid in some moments and that must make going mad even more difficult.
“No, it was slow,” she recalled. “We didn't see it happening until it was already gripping her. She went on a diplomatic mission to Grydagia. There was a shipwreck and that retched merman didn’t return her until days later,” Oma named the beasts as if it were a burning brand. “She met Jedoriah the day she returned and Mutrien blessed their union with you. It was beautiful how it all came together, despite the wreck in the sea.”
Oma tightened the fur around her, small thin fingers curling in what looked like pain. Ember almost looked away, not wanting to disturb Oma when the memories plagued her.
“I was not with her when the ship took on water. I was here, mourning the loss of my pair. I believe this trip is when the fatelessness took hold of her. As the pregnancy progressed, she changed. By the time you were born, she was gone to us.”
Oma’s eyes glistened, remembering how her daughter used to be.
“Why did the merfolk take her? Not much is shared in school about the reasoning,” Ember asked, hoping she wasn’t stepping over a boundary she shouldn’t cross. If Oma and Jair Doctor believed it was the merfolk that infected her, possibly even purposefully, shouldn’t Ember be made aware of that threat too?
“They were prideful because they were half beast. They claimed to talk to Aaleia and Mutrien, commune with them as the old kingdom heirs could. They said a message needed to pass on through them to our kingdom. They cursed her," Oma confessed.
Ember was shocked by that detail. That ability had been said to be possible to the royals in the First Fating but not any other generations. If the merfolk could still commune with the gods, what were they saying? How could they have cursed them?
“What did they say was the message they had to pass on?”
“That a new heir was coming, that the ways of our people had to change,” she emphasized the words with an ungraceful curl of her mouth. “It was a threat,” Oma concluded, her eyes grave.
“So we brought up the wall. Initially because of their treatment of Karwyn, saying we had to listen or they would keep her. The other kingdoms did not help, leaving our calls for aid unanswered. When the Fateless started
spreading and the rebels grew… I had to keep our people away from the water and the dangers they posed. These outside influences, we can’t have that.” Oma shut her eyes, circling in memory.
“We rallied. We knew we had to protect our people from further infection and influence from the outside world. We closed up our lines. No more trade, travel, or merfolk. With no foreign aid received, cutting ties with Grydagia and Faeinto seemed like a necessary sacrifice to keep the merfolk away from my kingdom.”
Before Ember could interrupt to ask more questions, Oma grabbed her hand, rubbing her thumb across the tops of them.
“I wish you would have known her before. She was bright, curious, rebellious like her father, but still, she was something special. They damaged her, and it spread to our people. She wasn't the same after that.”
Ember felt that description like a weight on her chest.
“I wish you had been here my first day,” Ember said honestly.
“Me too, Fireheart. At least you had Jedoriah here with you,” Oma responded, patting Ember’s hand.
“I don’t feel… safe around him,” Ember admitted. She re-adjusted the comforter. Feeling like she could speak freely with this woman, even though they have only met moments ago.
“How does he make you feel unsafe?” Oma’s eyes narrowed.
“My moms always told me to stay away from him, that he wasn’t who he seemed. When the royals visited the provinces, we’d run away, hide in alleys. I know now it was because they were hiding me, but I don’t think all of that fear was for one reason. And honestly, he is cold around me. Intimidating. It’s like he wants me to be even more afraid.”
Oma’s eyes moved from squinted to speculative.
Royalty Fantasy Boxset: Ember Dragon Daughter & Hasley Fateless (Fated Tales Series 1 & 1.5) (The Fated Tales Series: YA Royalty Fantasy) Page 8
