“It makes sense that they would instill that fear in you.”
“Why do you say that?” Ember asked, startled.
“Jedoriah saw your kidnappers daily in the castle, probably for hours a day. Even a glimpse of them would be enough for him to know you were close.”
“Was one of his guards getting his child tutored? Why would they interact so closely?”
Oma seemed puzzled by the question, her head pulled back as her spine straightened.
“Because they were your mother’s ladies in waiting. Didn’t you know?”
The world spiraled.
“They told me they were tutors for the children of the guards,” Ember answered, not comprehending how this part of her life could also be a lie.
“No, my dear, they met the first day of Karwyn’s debut ball. They were assigned to help Karwyn and met in this hallway."
Ember stared at her closed bedroom door as if she could see through it. Her moms had been in this room, had fated in the hall next to her. Their life had begun here with her birth mother.
“I… didn’t know.”
A tear rolled down Ember’s face. The queen had known them. They had likely been friends. And yet, they stole her.
“Oh Fireheart, it’s okay,” Oma said as she scooted closer to Ember on the bed. She laid her head down and took Ember into her arms. It was a slow and endearing move, a movement filled with so much love that Ember immediately began to tear up.
“Tell me about them,” Oma said, stroking Ember’s hair. Jedoriah made her feel welcomed in an uncomfortable way, acting as if she had always been there and should accept all tasks without question. Duty, loyalty, it all blended together for them. Cindrea, Amir, Wally, they were all more understanding of the war raging inside of Ember. And now Oma, a breath in the fire.
“My moms… It felt real. It still is real. I thought they were my family,” Ember whispered the last word. It stung her. She held it in her heart. Family.
Ember told her everything, about how she was raised to hide her scales, that she was told they were a gift. She told her that her moms had always talked about their love for teaching and that they told her they were tutors here.
Ember shared her fears, that Aaleia and Mutrien had cursed her too. Oma’s eyes told her that no, it was not her fault, but she did not say a word then as Ember spoke from her heart.
She shared the day her moms died too. It was not an easy conversation, but one Ember was finally able to have. She believed Oma wanted to know what her granddaughter had been up to without her. And she wanted to tell her, to tell anyone, that her parents weren't bad people. She didn't understand why they took her, but she knew they couldn't be bad. And she loved them.
“I think you are right,” Oma had said then, “they were the first to report to me her changes. They could have had a twisted sense of duty.”
It was the story she wanted to believe, but she needed more concrete answers than that. But still, she was more at peace with her current situation. She felt lighter after their hours of talking. Oma paused occasionally, asking questions and sympathizing with how strange this situation must be for her. She hoped she could share these same comments with Hasley when they met again. Then she could bond with the only person that thought to be kind to Ember, despite how often Ember pushed her away or acted strangely. Finally, she could share all of herself with Hasley. She looked forward to that happening soon.
Ember was tired after their long conversation. Her head lolled back on the pillow, and her eyelids drifted downward in heavy blinks.
“Tell me about dragons. Where are they?” Ember requested in delirium, only half awake but wanting her last thoughts to drift away from loss.
“The dragons are far away, where the sea can't catch them and the stars listen to their story,” Oma answered in the dark, stroking Ember’s hair. Ember smiled softly. She didn’t understand, but it seemed peaceful. Like a bedtime story.
“Do you have a pair yet?”
Ember barely registered it. A pair? She didn't need to be fated. She had her Oma now, a real companion. First, she needed to survive her debut ball, then she’ll think about the future.
Cuddling closer to the body next to her, Ember’s eyes fluttered closed as the dawn peaked over the sea.
“Cindrea, don’t be lazy,” a stern voice said.
Confused at why anyone would call Cindrea lazy, Ember’s thoughts muddled and reformed.
“There are spots on that plate,” the same deep voice said with disapproval.
Ember squinted one eye open and spotted her bedroom door ajar. Through it, she could see Cindrea setting her meeting table. She carried a stack of plates with one arm and a handful of cutlery in the other. Cindrea faced away from Oma as she attempted to put down a plate at each seat. Oma, clad in the same clothes from last night, crossed her arms and followed Cindrea’s movements with a stiff back and squinting eyes. Ember had never seen anyone be rude to Cindrea before and her reaction to it was not what she expected. Cindrea seemed willing to take the verbal lashing and judge of her work without complaint, though her movements were more rushed. Having never seen her flustered before, Ember decided to intervene.
Ember groaned loudly and stretched, letting them know she was waking up.
“Good morning, Fireheart!” Oma said brightly, the mood immediately shifting. She glanced at Cindrea struggling with the plates before walking to Ember’s bedside. Sitting up, Ember smiled warmly at her grandmother.
“Good morning, what’s this?” Ember asked, her head tilted around Oma to see back into the living room.
“We’re having breakfast together as a family,” Oma said with a smile, brushing a hair from Ember’s face.
“Don’t we usually do this in the gardens?” Ember said, pulling back her soul-thread sheets and reaching for her robe.
“Yes, dear, but we overslept. Breakfast was two hours ago.”
Cindrea deposited a bouquet of flowers to the center of the room and bowed at the both of them before leaving them alone. Ember was about to call out and say she could stay but then Jedoriah strode in without knocking, a servant behind him carrying a tray.
A full family breakfast then. Ember sat down on her hands to prevent from fidgeting, waiting for her mother to walk through the door.
“Good day, Embrence Dragon Daughter,” the servant squeaked. His voice more high-pitched than expected for his filled-out figure. She smiled at him, and he tripped, strawberry pasties spilling on the table. His skin turned practically purple in the mortification of his blunder.
“We’ll take it from here,” Oma said, taking the tray from his hands before he could apologize.
“Thank you, Dragon Matron,” he sputtered again in that high voice as he rushed through the door.
“So much incompetence,” Oma muttered. Jedoriah agreed, taking a pastry for himself before shutting the open door. Was Karwyn not joining them? Ember had never been in a room with Jedoriah in such an intimate setting before. Ember glanced at the closed door.
“Here we are,” Jedoriah commented as he buttered a piece of toast. Oma rolled her eyes. Seeing her grandmother being both strong and caring, while also commanding… she wondered if that was how Karwyn would have been. What would her and Jedoriah’s relationship be like? Those thoughts fleeted through her mind before stumbling back to the weird scene unfolding before her.
“Ember,” Oma started and Ember smiled at the use of her preferred name.
“What we wanted to talk to you about today is your mother,” she continued.
“Is she okay?” Ember asked.
“As okay as she always is, but Jedoriah,” she gestured to him, “mentioned to me the situation in the forest and how you reacted to the death. Given what I’ve been coming to think these past few years, Jedoriah’s experiences, and the public’s thoughts on the topics as well…” Oma trailed off. She took a bite of toast and Jedoriah picked up the thought.
“We want you to lead a new project, have a cau
se to share with our people. We think the Fateless is a good opportunity for you to bring goodwill and change to the kingdom.”
How in the world would the pain and suffering of others benefit her? Ember blinked, trying to push the thought away and understand his meaning.
“Especially as a voice of the people,” Oma added.
“What kind of project?” Ember asked cautiously.
“We believe that you would be perfect to head a community home project. Some place for those that become fateless to move into so that they can be comfortable, cared for, and part of a research project for us to learn more about how to resolve their illness,” Oma finished, sharing her wide smile with Ember.
Unsure of how to react, Ember grabbed a pastry and took a bite. Thankfully there was no predetermined nutritional food for Ember here from Jair Doctor. The few chews didn’t give her much time at all to think but at least it schooled her features. No more disappearance and death? Actually pursuing the cause? It seemed to Ember like something that should have happened a long time ago. Maybe it would have if the Queen hadn’t been inflicted.
Whether it be a curse or plague or some other concern entirely, this would give her cause to find out.
“What would I do in this project?” Ember asked, dusting the powder from her fingers and staring excitedly at Oma.
“It would start with awareness, bringing the people in on our commitment and dispelling some of the ideas we’ve let grow over the years.”
“Yes, we should present your participation at the ball," Jedoriah added.
“That’s only a week away,” Ember stated deftly. This seemed like a large project, not something to rush into and share at the first opportunity.
“It will help morale,” he replied and Oma agreed, citing this needed to be shared at the peak of interest. She hated how often that reason defined actions. Was it best to talk about something before the details were ironed out? Would the kingdom be happy or upset this was her first campaign to bring to them?
Ember regretted the thought immediately as Oma and Jed then began to plan the new initiative right then and there. Apparently, they had already decided a lot of the initial needs of the project before bringing it to her.
Ember felt as if her brain was melting after hours of conversation and planning. There were even two locations already chosen to be repurposed for these community homes, one on each side of Ashkadance. They scheduled a day for her to visit the closest location so that Ember could add her input into the changes they were doing to the internal structure of the homes.
Servants came in at the ring of a bell to provide paper, maps, and writing utensils and at one point, Cindrea as well to leave a letter on the couch. Ember noticed the handwriting immediately to be Hasley’s and stood from the table.
She heard the conversation between Oma and Jedoriah move towards the topic of the ceremonies for the ball as she opened the seal to the letter.
Her smile fell as she read. Why would Hasley leave it like this? Her first letter back to Ember had been long, excited, a little messier than her usual penmanship but it was a surprising topic. And here? Hasley had only one line to share.
Amlin won’t let me go to the ball. I’m sorry.
-Hasley
Part Two
Ember Dragon Daughter
Ten
Be Kind
Her debut ball was in an hour. One hour. Tied in with the annual Aaleian celebrations, it had been a full house this week. Every waking moment the past few days were spent with Ahnika in various lessons and dress fittings. There was even a last minute dancing lesson with Wally. But what prepared her the most was the guidance from Oma. Ember loved having her grandmother available to answer her questions and help aid her speeding thoughts.
Ember felt like only moments had passed since she met Oma. While she hadn’t been involved in the castle’s preparation for the ball, she had seen how everyone else around her was preparing. More staff were cleaning, her measurements had been taken, sample fabrics were shown, and Ahnika had spent two whole lessons going over the traditions of this day with her.
The combining of the Aaleian ball with her debut set a new precedence. For prior Dragon Daughters, the two celebrations had been separate so that each occasion could shine on its own. Ember wished she wasn't the one breaking the trend.
“No one is ever ready until they are forced to be,” Cindrea said softly as she dusted gold powder over Ember’s exposed shoulders. Ember supposed that was true, but it didn’t make her feel any less vulnerable with her newly short hair. She fiddled with the length, a full inch above her collarbone. No hiding now, in more ways than one. Her relationship with Cindrea had grown too. While a little more maternal than a regular friendship, Cindrea had that tough love that Ember needed to hear every now and again.
“It’s a strong look for tonight, Ember, embrace it,” Oma said in an attempt at reassurance.
After getting into her dress, Ember turned back around to face the floor length mirror. Her breath caught in her throat.
The deep blue dress was tight at the center, coming up to a sweetheart cut. It billowed out at the waist in a storm of fluffy material that Ember didn’t have a name for. It had little shining green gems inlaid into the big bell of a dress. Oma moved the material in the light, and it reflected twinkling fractures of color around the room. This blue was so dark it was almost black, a color that seemed to become a regular in her wardrobe.
Ember's chest fluttered looking at the dress. She rarely felt such a want for physical items. After a life on the move, literally, she didn’t feel an attachment to anything she owned prior to this new life. But this... Ember felt pride in how she looked for the first time.
When her eyes traveled up, however, Ember began to feel a cold sweat leak from her pores. Her scales looked lovely too, the gold powder heavily concentrated on her shoulders were dusted onto her scales in a gradient. They would be adorned and celebrated today in a way that Ember had never had before. She didn’t know how to feel about this fact, this new reality she was thrust into. But she did know one thing: she still felt like she didn’t belong here.
Ember wiped away the sweat from her brow as Cindrea began to braid the crown of her hair. They had decided on minimal jewelry for the evening, only two dark blue stones dotted her ears. If only Hasley could see her now.
Ember had sent an additional note to her friend in the form of a formal royal request, addressing that Amlin had to permit her to go. She was either already lining up to join her at the ball or she wouldn’t show up at all. A response wouldn't come in time for Ember to know.
“Stay still,” Cindrea said as she tugged a strand of Ember’s hair. Ember stared at her reflection as Cindrea completed the small braid at her temple. Her head moved again despite Cindrea’s request as she tilted her head to the side, confused briefly when she saw her face duplicate in the mirror. This face, however, retained the long hair that she now missed.
Karwyn stood by the ajar door, her eyes meeting Ember’s in the mirror.
“Hello,” she greeted, hands folded in front of her. Her hair contrasted with the glimmering gold of her gown. Their outfits stood in opposition to each other. Ember in a deep blue of the early night, Karwyn the hue of the morning sun. While Ember’s skin tone had become slightly less ashen with proper nutrition and ample rest, she still leaned closer to grey in an undertone. That was the main difference in Karwyn and Ember’s appearances. The pink undertone beneath Karwyn’s pale skin complemented the yellow of her dress. Not a touch of grey reached the Queen. Her outfit was complete with a slim golden tiara, the only crown Ember had seen her wear in the two weeks she had lived in the Azororion palace.
Oma spoke before Ember could think what to say.
“Come in, daughter. We are almost done,” Oma said. She gestured towards an empty chair next to the racks of dresses that did not make the cut.
Karwyn Dragon Queen obliged, sitting down and delicately crossing her ankles. Ember wondered
if some of her own Princess training would be so ingrained in her that she would do them no matter the circumstance.
“A fitting choice for your station,” Oma said as she surveyed the final hairstyle, her hands on Ember’s shoulders as she looked into the reflection of her eyes.
A knock sounded at the door.
“Finally!” Oma exclaimed. Wally came into the room, holding a tray of treats and a pitcher of water from the kitchen per Oma’s request.
He stopped dead at the sight of Ember’s hair and dress. He nodded, pondering the change before replying: “That’s a good look.”
Ember smiled wide at him, giving herself a moment to not doubt the situation.
“I love the sparkles,” he commented as he placed the tray down on the table.
“Me too,” Ember replied automatically. It reminded her of her different boxes of beads and jewelry at her apprenticeship.
Wally jumped when he saw the Queen before skittering into a bow and turning to do the same for the Dragon Matron.
“Your staff has no penchant for procedure,” Oma complained. Ember was starting to see clearly what things set off the Dragon Matron.
Amir Captain knocked as he strode in. He paused and exclaimed aloud when he got into the living area. “Wow!” He turned his head and saw the Dragon Matron. “Pardon, Omanox Dragon Matron. I did not see you there.”
Oma’s face showed less displeasure towards Amir than Wally. The bow that he transitioned into was a lot more graceful than any of the other occupants of the room. He understood.
And as the moment came, it faded. Cindrea hid a smile with an angle of her head, picking up the comb again to adjust part of Ember’s hair.
“Stop. There is nothing to be done to improve her.”
The room grew silent briefly at Karwyn’s words. She stood from the chair and began pulling her own hair as her face washed with a myriad of emotions. Ember wasn't sure what to do or how to react.
Royalty Fantasy Boxset: Ember Dragon Daughter & Hasley Fateless (Fated Tales Series 1 & 1.5) (The Fated Tales Series: YA Royalty Fantasy) Page 9
