Heiress of Embers

by J. A. Armitage

He held me tightly, running his hand up and down my back, comforting me. I never wanted to let go, but if Jack was to tell my father that Milo was here, he'd be right up here demanding Milo leave.

  I pulled apart from him and sat down on the bed. "Did you find any spindles?"

  Milo shook his head in frustration. "No. Not one. The whole thing was a waste of time. I've spent the last two days terrifying elderly ladies while I searched through their houses on order of your father. No one has any spindles anymore. If the witch has one, she is long gone and has taken it with her. It was more than likely made out of magic anyway and if it was, we will never find it. I spent the whole time thinking about you."

  "You did?"

  He nodded and took my hand in his. His face was pale, lined with worry. "There's something I have to tell you and I don't know how."

  His shoulder slumped as if the weight of the world was upon him. A thrill of fear ran through me.

  "What is it?"

  "I was in the teams scouting around Zhore and the other nearby towns. That's why I'm back so soon. I didn't have too far to go. Here..." He pulled out a copy of a newspaper and handed it over.

  It was the Draconian Sentinel, the Draconis national paper. I'd not read the paper in days and now that I could see the headline, I realised why. It had been hidden from me. It was an announcement of Caspian and my wedding on the date my father had said. My hand went to my throat as I read the announcement. The whole kingdom was invited to a party I knew nothing about, to which I was the main guest. I threw the paper down in frustration.

  "He gave me a ring today," I said pointing to the box that still sat on the nightstand. He must have known about this announcement and didn't say anything. "

  I stood up and paced the room. "Why are they reporting this when the whole kingdom is falling to pieces?"

  "I don't understand it either," Milo said. He sounded so defeated. "I thought that the dragons would take up more column space but I suspect that your father has something to do with this. Maybe he thinks that the kingdom needs something to look forward to. Zhore is already preparing for the party. The town square was being decorated when I left."

  "I don't want to marry him."

  "I know," Milo replied softly. He stood up to face me and pulled me to him. "And I'm not going to let you. I told you I'd fight for you before and I meant it. If the law states that a suitor can win your hand in competition, then I'll fight for you. I know what I said when I left, but I was wrong. I missed you so much and realised what an ass I'd been. I'll always fight for you."

  I'd completely forgotten about the book that Remy had shown me. So much had happened since then. I guess I thought that my father wouldn't push a wedding on me with so much already going on. How wrong I was.

  "Azia." Milo looked right at me. "I don't want to lose you. I know we barely know each other and I know that I don't have a ring or the blessing of the king, but if I win this competition, will you marry me?"

  It was my second proposal in just over two hours. It was probably a kingdom-wide record. I'd gone over eighteen years without anyone being interested in me and now I had two men, both of which I'd only just met, willing to fight for my hand in marriage. Well Milo was, but I guessed that Caspian wouldn't want to lose face. He was a warrior. He would fight too.

  "Wait here," I said, unbolting the door.

  I strode right past Jack who tried stopping me.

  "You are not to leave the room," he said, holding his sword up.

  "Don't you think that's overkill, Jack?" Milo said behind me.

  "No, not really," Jack replied. "She sneaked past me once already. I can't let it happen again. The king will have my job."

  I pushed the sword away from my chest with my finger. He was all bluster. My father would be much more upset if one of his guards turned me into Swiss cheese than if I got out of my room again. "It's my father I'm going to see," I said to him. Please come with me if you don't believe me."

  Poor Jack looked nervous as I strode purposefully past him. I didn't turn around, but I could hear two sets of footsteps following me. One from Jack who didn't trust me and one from Milo who had ignored my order to stay where he was. I'd not wanted him with me when I confronted my father and demanded a competition, but as I walked I realised it made sense for Milo to be there. Technically anyone could enter, but only Milo and Caspian would.

  I didn't want to have a competition. I was too busy. I had the dragons to worry about, not to mention this Morpheus character that Caspian mentioned, that I still wasn't sure was real or not. But if I didn't at least propose a competition, my father would have me married off before I had chance to do anything about either of those problems, and despite everything that Caspian said, He'd probably keep me at home like a good little wife.

  My first stop was my father's bedroom, but it was empty save for my sleeping mother and her own maid.

  "I'm looking for my father," I said to the maid. "Do you know where he is?"

  She shuffled her feet nervously. "I believe he is in the main hall talking to his men. A lot of them are back today."

  I nodded my thanks and once again brushed past Jack.

  He looked no happier to be following me than I was of having him follow me.

  I found my father exactly where the maid said he was.

  The great hall was filled with men but the overall atmosphere was one of defeat. None of these men had found a spindle and they never would.

  I saw Caspian in the corner talking to one of the men. When he looked up, I beckoned him over.

  "Did you send word to your friend yet?" I asked.

  "Of course. As soon as I left your room.." His eyes flickered down to my hand.

  "I see you are not wearing my ring yet."

  "Actually, that's why I'm here," I said. "Please come with me."

  My father seemed surprised to find his daughter with three men in tow. "What's this?"

  "I tried to stop her sire, but she's a wilful one," Jack pointed out.

  My father sighed. "And that's exactly why I asked you to guard her." To my side, Jack sunk back. I would have felt sorry for him if he wasn't so intent about keeping me locked in my room.

  "I do not want to marry Caspian," I said. I turned to Caspian. "I'm sorry. The ring you gave me is truly spectacular, but I cannot marry you because you gave me nice jewellery."

  "Not this again," My father huffed. "I'm well aware of your thoughts on the matter. Indeed, you've not stopped telling me them , but as I've already told you, you have no choice and I do not wish to discuss this matter with you again. As you can see I'm extremely busy with my men. As soon as they all get back from looking for spindles I'm sending them up the mountains."

  "I do have a choice and it's the law," I said, standing my ground. I brought my hands up to my hips. "Remy found it in a book."

  My father raised an eyebrow? "What has Remy got to do with this?"

  "Everything! He found a book of old Draconis laws. One of them states that if there is more than one suitor for the heir to the throne, a competition should be held to decide between them.

  "More than one suitor?" My father blustered. It was clear that he didn't want to be having this conversation, but tough luck, because I was going to have my say. "That's preposterous," he added.

  "I agree," Interjected Caspian, pushing forward. "I'm the only person that has asked you to marry me!"

  "Actually, that's not quite true," Milo said, standing forward. "I just asked her."

  Caspian's face dropped. "You can't."

  "He can," I said. "I never accepted your proposal. You gave me a ring, but you can see for yourself that I'm not wearing it. I've not accepted any proposal and seeing as my father would not let me accept one from Milo, it will have to go to competition."

  My father brought his hand up to the back of his neck and closed his eyes. "I don't know of this law. I've never heard of it." He spoke through gritted teeth.

  Just then, Remy's voice echoed through the hall.
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  "Aza!" He ran towards us, the book of laws in his hand. He passed it to my father.

  "Page thirty two," I said, a self satisfied smile on my face. I gave Remy a wink who beamed at me.

  My father turned the pages.

  Caspian bridged the gap between him and my father. "You can't listen to this Alec? Just because something is written in an old book doesn't mean it's true. Besides you are the king. You make the laws."

  My father found the right page and read it quickly.

  "It's true, I do make the laws..." he said, slowly.

  "But it's Urbis that passes them," I added, raising my eyebrows in triumph. "And changes in law can take months...years even." I folded my arms and gave Caspian a smirk.

  Beside me, my father sighed. "Fine. If this is the law, then so be it. We will have a competition but let it be known that I'm not happy about this. I have way too much to deal with, without this nonsense too."

  "You could just let me wait until I'm ready to be married then pick who I want," I said.

  He shook his head. "No. The wedding will go ahead. It's already booked." He looked to Caspian. "I trust you can win this."

  He then snapped at one of the guards who ran right over.

  "Go to the editor of the Draconian Sentinel and let him know that the wedding is still on, but we don't know the groom yet. Tell him that the last post was a mistake. You'd better tell him that we are abiding by law and holding a competition for the princess's hand in marriage."

  He threw me a look of agitation and threw the book back to Remy before storming out of the room. Caspian followed, trying to get him to change his mind.

  "Good job Remy," I said, pulling my brother into a hug. He squeezed me tightly, but this time I had company in his arms. He'd pulled both Milo and Jack into the hug with me. Next to me, Milo smiled, but the squashed face of Jack next to him showed only an expression of pure terror.

  "Unsquash Remy," I grinned and Remy let go.

  "What now?" asked Milo.

  "Now? I guess we read this book thoroughly and figure out exactly what to practice for the competition.

  12th January

  I woke early as the first light of dawn trickled sunlight through my curtains.

  I'd spent hours practicing swordmanship with Milo in my room the night before and now my body ached. Muscles I didn't know I had burned, but if it meant I was getting better and Milo was getting better, I could survive a little pain. It had taken my mind off everything else going on. Things I couldn't control. The dragon situation, Morpheus, my upcoming wedding. I didn't want to think about any of it and so I didn't. I practiced sword fighting till I was too tired to do anything else.

  No one had come to my room to drag him out so he'd stayed late, leaving me with a kiss way after dark. I jumped out of bed and opened the door expecting him not to be there, but he was. Dark circles blotched under his eyes, but when he saw me he broke into a delicious grin.

  He moved forward and kissed me.

  "My shift finished half an hour ago, but I didn't want to go without seeing you first."

  "I'm surprised you are still working in this part of the castle."

  "Me too," Milo said, lowering his voice. "but I stayed for my shift and no one complained. Well, Jack complained, but he always complains." He gave me a beautiful smile. "He left an hour ago."

  He nodded his head towards another guard who had taken up a spot. This one was new. He was also mean looking and huge. My father really didn't want me to leave it seemed. When he caught me looking he gave me a leery grin.

  "I have something to show you," I said to Milo, ignoring the other guard. "Do you think you'll be able to come see me later?"

  "Show me now?" he asked, stifling a yawn.

  I pulled him close and whispered in his ear, not wanting the other guard to hear. "You are tired. Go home and sleep. You need to be more awake to see this."

  I'd deliberated all night about breaking my promise to Vasuki. I'd promised to tell my father about him and not tell anyone else. I'd failed miserably on the first part. My father didn't want to hear anything to do with Dragons. And here I was wanting to tell Milo about them. I needed to tell someone. I wasn't even going to tell him, I was going to show him.

  He gave me a brief kiss goodbye and left. The other guard glared meanly so I shut the door, only to have it opened a few minutes later by Dahlia.

  "You're dressed already," she said, noting the dress, I'd just pulled on.

  "Always a tone of surprise," I said back to her.

  "Well at least let me brush your hair," she said, bustling into my room. "I wouldn't want you putting me out of a job now." I stuck my tongue at her and sat on the chair, facing it out to the moorlands. It was too cloudy to see the peaks of the fire mountains, but I imagined the dragons were flying around as they always did.

  "Have you ever heard of Morpheus?" I asked as she ran the brush through my hair, tugging the tangles out. I wasn't sure I could believe what Caspian had told me.

  "He's one of the gods...God of sleep, I think," she mused aloud. "I don't know. There are so many of them. I don't know how people keep up with who they are worshiping these days."

  "Don't you believe in the gods, Dahlia?" She'd never mentioned them, and I'd always took her as a non-believer like I was.

  "It's all stuff and nonsense if you ask me. How can there be so many gods? It doesn't make sense. People believe what they want to believe. They believe whatever suits them."

  "That's what I thought, too, but..."

  "But?"

  "Caspian was talking to me about a world run by a god named Morpheus, and I'd never heard of him before."

  Dahlia tutted. "Well, the fae are a law unto themselves. They follow their own rules. I have to say, I'm glad that you are not being forced to marry him anymore. I don't like him much. "

  "You've changed your tune," I said, remembering how she'd practically drooled over him last time he was mentioned. "Why not?"

  "I've heard rumors that he's not nice to the staff. I know I'm not supposed to talk ill of your parents' guests, but I'm not sure either of them knows him like they think they do. Yes, he's utterly gorgeous, but that doesn't account for much now, does it?"

  I gave her a wry grin

  Dahlia thought the same of him as I did now that she'd finally seen past his pretty exterior. It was nice to have her on my side, even if she was practically yanking my hair out as she talked about him.

  "Do you think Milo has a hope of winning against Caspian...in the competition I mean?" I assumed she already knew. Very little escaped Dahlia when it came to matters in the castle.

  "I don't know. I've not seen either of them fight," She said, gathering my hair up and beginning a braid. "They've got quite a bit of competition too, so who knows really."

  My ears pricked up. "Competition? What do you mean?"

  "You don't think it's only them interested, do you? Once the story broke of the competition, every man in the land wanted in."

  "What?" I asked queasily as she wrapped a ribbon around the end of the braid.

  "Yes," she answered cheerfully, unaware of the nausea rising in my stomach. "Your father has been fielding inquiries all day. I don't think he's very happy about it. He's passed it to the castle admin staff to deal with, but they are swamped too."

  "Other people want to marry me?" I gulped.

  She moved around to get a look at my hair from the front. "Oh, yes. There's a line a mile long outside the castle wanting to join in."

  "No!" I stood up and wandered to the window. As she had said, a line of men stretched as far as the eye could see. One of them saw me and pointed up to the window. Suddenly, I had the eyes of hundreds of men looking my way. I shut my curtains quickly.

  "This was only supposed to be for Milo and Caspian," I croaked.

  "Yes, well, if you open a can of worms, you have to be ready for the birds."

  I sat back in my chair, feeling faint. I'd had enough on my plate juggling two men that I
didn't want to marry; now, I had a whole army of them.

  "Why would anyone want to marry me?" I squeaked.

  "You're a beautiful young lady, Azia. Why wouldn't they?"

  "No one looked twice at me a couple of weeks ago," I argued.

  Dahlia went to my bed and began to pull the covers straight. "I'm not sure that's true. You've always had your admirers. My son often asked about you when I went home. He's always had a crush on you."

  "He has?"

  "Yes. He was first in line to join the competition this morning. I told him he was a fool, but he wouldn't listen. I just hope your father doesn't come up with something too awful for it. I wouldn't want him getting hurt."

  This wasn't supposed to happen," I complained. "I don't even want to get married. I'm only eighteen years old. I want to travel and see things. I want to know what it's like to be me before I know what it's like to be a part of someone else.

  "I was married with a child on the way at your age," she said, plumping my pillows. I didn't have the opportunities you have. You are a princess. Just because you are married, doesn't mean you can't experience life. It just means you'll share those experiences with someone else. Besides, rumors about that fae chap of yours aren't the only ones going around the castle. I've heard that you are getting very close to that young guard.

  I felt the blush rise to my cheeks. So the castle staff were talking about me. Didn't they have enough to talk about?

  "I really like Milo, but he knows I don't want to get married so young. He's only doing this competition so I don't have to marry Caspian."

  She put the last of my pillows back and placed her hands on her hips. "You have a great opportunity here. You have the best men in all the land lined up outside wanting to marry you, not to mention two in the castle."

  "But most of them will only want what comes with the position," I sighed. "The castle, power, money."

  "True," she nodded, "but the bravest will win."

  "No, the best fighter will win, but will that necessarily be the best husband?"

  "No, I guess not," she agreed, picking up a duster and beginning to dust. "Maybe your father will come up with a fair competition. I know he's under a lot of stress at the moment, and he's making some poor decisions, but I really do believe he has your best interests at heart. He will make it fair, and you never know, you might find the love of your life in all of this."