by Riley Walker
“You can do whatever you want after the wedding. While I am still your King, you will obey me and the rules I have laid down. Frannie, I am only trying to protect you. You are my daughter first and I will always do what I think is best for you and your safety. Please, do not push me on this decision.”
I give my Father a hard glare, turn on my heels and leave his study in a huff. Again.
17
Peace Offering (Edrick’s POV)
The King summoned me shortly after I witnessed Franchesca storming out of his office. It seems Chess has finally decided to take her Royal responsibilities seriously. I can’t say I am not proud of her for standing up and being the leader I knew she could be, but I’ll be damned if I allow her to visit the Inferior camps. Not only are the Renegades dangerous, but Chess has no formal training and her powers have not shown themselves yet. We do not even know what they will be or how beneficial they will be in winning this war.
Right now my focus is getting her to interact with me. She will not speak or look in my direction. I know she thinks I have betrayed her by being with Bianca but I had no idea of what had transpired between her and Winston. Bloody bastard.
I never loved Bianca. The only reason I agreed to see her was to get Chess out of my head. I felt like my entire world was ending when she left three years ago. If I thought I had any kind of chance with her, I never would have let her go. Now I find out that we were fated all along. How did this happen? She is still promised to Winston but she was made for me.
I will win her back. I will do whatever I need to gain back her trust and her love.
I pace my room trying to come up with a plan. Nothing I can think of would work in showing Chess how truly sorry I am.
Coffee!
The night I found her in the library she kept talking about missing her coffee. I know exactly what to do gain her attention.
If I go first thing in the morning, I can be back by midday. I make my plans to travel back to the Earth Realm.
I forgot how harrowing it is to portal hop. Gerald has once again graciously offered to pick me up and drive me back to the university. I am grateful that while Chess was living here, she had him and Mary looking out for her. We travel in comfortable silence on the thirty minute drive back. Once we reach the university, I get out of the car and Gerald leaves for his office on campus. He will pick me back up in an hour and take me back to the portal.
I find her dorm room on the second floor and use the spare key Gerald gave me. The front room is their living and kitchen combo room. On the counter I spot her beloved coffee maker. Keurig I believe she called it. I reach for the machine and accidentally knock over a bowl of milk onto the floor. The smell of sour milk instantly hits me as I reach down to clean it up. I wonder how long this has been sitting out. By the smell, it had to have been there for a few days. I finish wiping up the mess I made, grab the machine and the box of pods she used when she made me a cup. Looking around to make sure I don’t leave anything behind I spot an overturned mug by their small couch and papers littering the table. Not seeing anything else Chess will need to make her coffee, I exit their dorm and make my way to the building Gerald told me he would be at.
An hour later I am back in the Light Kingdom and in search of my Chess.
18
MIA
Today I am going to do my own research on the Inferiors and the Renegades. I make my way towards the library only to be stopped short by Mother.
“Franchesca, where are you headed to in such a rush?”
“Good morning, Mother. I was just headed to the library to catch up on some reading.”
“I was hoping we could sit down today and finalize your and Winston’s wedding plans. His Mother and I are anxious to finally set a date for the near future. The sooner we align the Light and Dark Kingdoms, the faster your Father and his Advisors can defeat the Renegades and settle this nonsense.”
“The way the Inferiors are treated are not nonsense Mother. It is a travesty for any of our people to be treated so poorly and denied the most basic essentials.”
“Never mind the Inferiors Franchesca. All you need to do is concentrate on your upcoming wedding.”
“Whatever you want is fine Mother. You and Winston’s Mother can plan everything. Just tell me when I need to show up.” I huff and continue on to the library.
The first thing I realize is there are no books on the Renegades or the Inferiors. I do however find a book on the fated. It seems that the last Royal fated pair was my great, great, great grandparents over a century ago. Before them, I can only find mention of three more Royals who found their fated. The books mention their eye color changing to the lavender and each couple was blessed with multiple births.
Most Royals only have one child. I wonder if being with your true one is what allows the multiple births to happen?
Lost in words on the pages, I never hear Edrik enter the library until I see him sit on the couch opposite of me. He is slumped forward, his elbows on his knees, head in his hands.
“Can I help you, Knight?”
He looks up at me and I am startled to find lavender eyes staring back.
“Edrik! Why are you not wearing the amulet? Anyone could see you. Do you want my parents to know we have bonded?”
“Chess, it is ok. I took it off when I came in here to see you. I will not hide my true self from you.”
I notice a gym bag at his feet, “Did you bring me something Edrik?”
He pulls the bag up onto the couch and begins to unzip it.
“I want you to talk to me Chess. I want us to talk again. I have missed you and brought you a peace offering”, he shrugs, giving me that sweet half smile. From the bag he pulls out the last thing I ever expected to see. A Keurig? Wait, that is not just any Keurig. I would recognize mine and Shelby’s machine anywhere. The picture of us is still superglued to the side of it.
“How did you get this?”
“I went back to the Earth realm this morning to retrieve it for you. I remember how much you loved your coffee and I wanted to bring you a little piece of your other home back.”
I grab our mini Keurig and hold it close to my heart. I have really missed this thing.
“Did Shelby not care about you taking it? I bet you had to buy her a new one,” I chuckle. Leave it to Shelby to figure a way to get a new, probably bigger coffee maker.
“Not at all Chess. She was not even there when I arrived. Gerald still had a spare key so I was able to let myself in. Speaking of your roommate, she is quite a slob. Your kitchen and sitting area was a mess.”
Wait, what? Shelby is never a slob. She is so meticulous about her things I caught her several times making my bed as soon as I got out of it in the mornings.
“What do you mean it was a mess?”
“Well, I knocked over a bowl of foul smelling, sour milk trying to get to the coffee maker. There were papers thrown all over the table and a penguin mug sitting in the middle of that mess.”
I feel all the blood draining from my face.
“Chess. Princess, are you alright?”
“Edrik, did you say a penguin cup was left out?” He nods his head in response. I jump to my feet, setting the Keurig down and begin running back to my room. I am no more in my door when Edrik grabs me by the shoulders and spins me to face him.
“Talk to me Chess! What the hell is going on?”
“Something is wrong with Shelby. You do not know her. Shelby is an orphan and on top of being OCD about being clean, that penguin mug is her prized possession. It was the only thing she had left of her dad. She drinks out of it every day, then washes and puts it up as soon as she is done using it. She won’t let it out of her sight, much less leave it out because she is so afraid it will get knocked over and broken. Something is wrong Edrik. I can feel it.”
“Ok Chess. Take a deep breath. I will go back and check on her. Maybe she was just running late?”
“No! You said yourself there was a bowl with spoiled m
ilk in it. She would never leave something like that out. Besides, milk doesn't spoil in a day. That had to have been sitting there for at least a few days.”
“Maybe she is staying with someone? Another friend? Boyfriend?”
“She will not sleep anywhere else. She has abandonment issues and she doesn't like being away from home. I could not even get her to stay the night with Gerald and Mary. Something has happened. I have to get back.”
I grab the closest pair of shoes I can, throw them on and grab for my bag.
“Chess, wait. I cannot let you just go back to the Earth realm.”
“You can try to keep me here all you want but I. Am. Going.”
I shove past Edrik and start jogging down the staircase.
“Princess!”
He grabs me by my wrist, “When I said I could not just let you go back, I meant I cannot let you go back alone. I am coming with you.”
I give him a small smile and we run all the way back to the portal.
Edrik and I make it back through the portal and this time I actually land on my feet. I still have to keep my eyes closed until the nausea passes but it has gotten a little easier. There is no one waiting on us this trip but I remember I still have my phone in my bag. I bring it out and try to call Shelby first. It goes straight to voicemail. I try Colton next. He answers on the first ring.
“Franchesca?”
“Colton! Please tell me you have heard from Shelby.”
“I’ve been trying to call her since I got back in town three days ago. I have stopped by your dorm room twice and she didn’t answer the door.”
I knew something was wrong.
“Colton, I’m at the park thirty miles east of town. Do you think you can come get me?”
“Of course I can. I’m leaving right now.”
I began to walk back and forth, up and down the road. Edrik tries to talk to me but I just can’t stand still. My only focus right now is getting back to the university and finding my best friend.
Twenty minutes later, Colton pulls up in his older model, blue Ford pick up and Edrik and I climb in. Colton gives me a hug and a strange look.
“Franchesca, what happened to your eyes? Did they change colors?”
My eyes? I turn to look at Edrik and notice for the first time his eyes are back to lavender.
“Edrik, the amulet does not work here.”
“Amulet? What are you talking about Franchesca and who is he?” Colton is starting to sound annoyed now.
“I’m sorry, Colton. Edrik, this is Colton my other best friend. Colton, this is Edrik my...”
“Boyfriend”, Edrik cuts in.
Boyfriend?
“The eye color is a long story but I will try to explain as much as I can on the way there. Just please, start driving.”
On our way back to the university I attempt to explain everything to Colton. “My name is Franchesca but I am not from the Netherlands. I am the Fey Princess from the Light Fey Kingdom. My parents are the King and Queen and Edrik is actually a Knight.”
“Also the boyfriend,” Edrik mutters. I look at him and sigh.
“Anyways, our Kingdoms are under attack from the Renegade Resistance. I am worried that they went after Shelby to get to me.”
“Why were you here? If you are a Princess in another realm, why come here at all?”
“This is where my life becomes a Jerry Springer episode. I am betrothed to Winston, the Dark Fey Prince. It is an arranged marriage. My ex-best friend, Bianca, got a little too close to him at my eighteenth birthday, plus he spent years disrespecting me and flaunting every bimbo he could find in my face. I had enough. I wanted to live a life of my choosing, not one that had been chosen for me. So, my nanny Gretchen helped me get here and put me in touch with her brother Gerald Jones.”
“Professor Jones is a Fey?”
“Yes, Professor Jones is a Fey, but you must keep that to yourself. Anyways, he and his wife Mary helped me get started, enrolled me into the university and the rest is history. Edrik came back the day of your graduation to bring me home because the Renegades found me and it became too dangerous for me to stay here any longer.”
I chance a look over at Colton to judge his reaction to hearing all of this. He is staring out of the front windshield, his knuckles are white on the steering wheel.
“Colton, are you okay?”
“I’m not sure I believe all of this craziness Franchesca, but I’m just as worried about Shelby as you are.”
Well, that wasn’t exactly the response I was hoping for, but at least he didn’t kick Edrik and I out of his truck. He put the truck into drive and we sit in silence the entire half hour trip to university.
When Colton pulls into parking lot of our dorm, I see a shadow on the ground and look up and see a hawk. A brown hawk with tips as black as tar. I would recognize that hawk anywhere. Before I can say anything the hawk turns and flys off.
We make it to the dormroom and I notice the mess in the kitchen and lounging area as soon as I walk in the door. On the table amongst the mess of papers lays Shelby’s beloved penguin mug. I pick it up and carefully wash it out then set it on the counter. I take a deep breath before I open the door to our bedroom. I am so worried about what I might find on the other side.
Everything has been overturned. Both our mattresses are in the floor, our desk chairs lay on their sides. Papers from our desk are strewn everywhere and clothes are thrown all over the place. I slowly walk around the room taking it all in. Who could have done this? When I get to my bed I see my pillow and laying on top of it is a feather with tips black as tar.
I grab the feather turning to Edrik and say, “I know who has her. I recognize this feather. Look at it Colton.” I practically shove it in his face, “Don’t you remember the hawk that would always show up when the three of us were out in town? I saw it again in the Fey Kingdom the night we were together in the garden, Edrik.”
“Seriously Franchesca? You think a hawk took Shelby?”
I ignore Colton and run to the closet to start grabbing every bag and suitcase that is in there and begin packing frantically.
“Chess, what are you doing?”
“I am packing up everything. I refuse to leave Shelbys things here for someone else to go through or to take them. Everything she owns is in this room and I won’t leave anything behind. Besides, I still have things here and I don’t know when we will have the chance to get back. So start grabbing whatever you can.”
I toss the bags to Colton, the suitcase towards Edrik and I begin with the clothes in the closet. I hear a strangled cough and when I turn around, I find Edrik sitting on the floor, one of the dresser draws by his feet. He lifts his hand and dangling from his fingertip is one of my red push-up bras. He looks at me and quirks his brow.
“Princess, is this one yours?”
I feel my cheeks flaming hot.
“Yes, Eddie, now get to packing.”
I turn back to the closet and finish grabbing all the clothes and shoes that have been left behind. I take my bag to the front door and stack it on top of the suitcase Edrik has already filled. Colton is finishing with all the papers scattered everywhere and I see Edrik standing in front of my old desk. I walk over to see what has caught his attention and stop when I realize what he has. In his hands are my sketches.
I spent so many late nights dreaming of my Knight and drawing his face to help ease the pain. Edrik looks up at me I see a softness mixed with confusion in his lavender eyes. I take the sketchbook from his hands and drop in my bag.
“Did we get everything?” Colton asks.
I look around the bedroom and see that it is completely empty. On the way to the front door, I stop by the counter and carefully pick up Shelby’s penguin mug. I wrap it up in paper towels and place it gently in one of the bags. At the last minute I remember to grab the sassy mug Shelby bought me.
“We’re good. Let’s get out of here and go find our friend.”
19
Piggyb
ack
No. Absolutely not Colton. You cannot go back with us.”
The three of us are standing in the park outside of the portal. It seems my other best friend has decided to be stubborn and is demanding to return to the Fey Kingdom with us.
“Not only is it too dangerous, but my parents would never tolerate a human in the Fey kingdom. Also, if you have any latent Fey blood in you, it will awaken.”
He stares at me with confusion on his face, “What does that mean Franchesca?”
“It means you could change. I will not be responsible for that or your safety. I truly care for you Colton, but coming with us is impossible.”
Edrik throws our bags through the portal and grabs my hand. I turn towards the portal thinking I have won this argument, but at the last moment Colton clutches onto my wrist and is dragged through the portal with us.
Thank goodness each portal hop gets easier. Too bad Colton has latched onto my wrist so when he lands ass over end, he brings me down with him.
Ouch! Dammit that would have been an awesome landing.
“What the fuck, Colton? What part of no did you not understand? Get up and carry your butt right back through that portal this minute!”
I nudge him with my toe but he is not moving.
“Colton! Colton! Oh my god Edrik, we killed him!”
Colton starts moaning, “Quit screaming, woman. My head is hurting and I think I might throw up.”
“Franchesca.”
I look over to see Edrik glaring at me.
“We cannot take him back to the castle.”
I shrug my shoulders and rub my temples with my fingers, “Well Edrik, he is here now. What is done is done.”
I nudge Colton again with my toe.
“Stand up you big baby. It’s time to meet the parents,” I say in a singsong voice. No way am I telling Colton that I had the same reaction after my first portal hop.
