31-Confrontations
Arianwyn awoke early and dressed in a work dress. The early morning was the only opportunity she had found to practice her Dragon Gift in private. After starting one of her nicer dresses on fire, she took care to dress in her former servant garb. Tess and Marie ensured that she had a fresh garment on hand each day.
Halvard and Edmund were waiting for her. They had adjusted to the new routine easily. Sigurd and Wymond would meet them at the soldiers’ training arena and take over. Arianwyn took deep, calming breaths on the way over. She still seethed whenever she thought of her argument with Rael. Unfortunately, she could not seem to banish the fight from her mind. And no matter how ridiculous she told herself she was being, she still hurt from his treatment.
As they approached the arena, Halvard increased his pace, entering the compound ahead of them to ensure her privacy and safety. Her body guards had refused to leave her alone until they had surveyed the area after the attack in the stables. Rael almost replaced them, but Arianwyn would not allow him to assign any others, insisting it was an accident. At Halvard’s signal, Arianwyn entered the compound. Edmund and Halvard remained outside to avoid injury.
Arianwyn walked to the far end of the sand, away from the barracks. She hoped the extra distance would give anyone foolish enough to enter from the barracks door a fighting chance. She did not trust that Captain Alberich’s orders to stay out of the arena in the morning would hold forever.
Captain Alberich had set up several training dummies the night before for her. She turned away from the dummies, running through a few warm-ups before attempting tightly controlled mayhem.
“Fire. Fireball.” She held her hand stretched out in front of her. A ball of flame hovered over her hand, pulsing. The strength of each Voice, she had discovered, varied with the amount of concentration she gave the Element. The more she practiced, the fewer words she needed to control what each element produced. She practiced allowing her concentration to wander while trying to keep the fireball alive in her palm. She carefully kept her arm extended. This was where she had caught flame before. “Stop. Earth. Soldiers.”
Five soldiers oozed up from the sand. To this point, Arianwyn had found her mudmen to be the most useful in Earth. She could use them to practice on and, so long as she was conscious, they were practically unbeatable. She gave several orders to the soldiers, again practicing giving an order and allowing her concentration to wander. Three soldiers collapsed while her attention was elsewhere. Arianwyn frowned. One less than yesterday, three more than she liked. “Stop. Water.”
She paused. Except for the kalapa, she was uncertain what else could be done. She glanced around the arena. Not a hint of water. She sighed, frustrated. :If you can call up fire, why not water?: Parvati asked.
Arianwyn shook her head. “Waterball?” She held her hand out, eyebrow arched skeptically. Nothing happened.
:Do you mean it or not?:
“Waterball!” In horror, she watched as her hand shriveled, a thin line of water flowing up over her hand. “Return! Stop!” Her hand reformed. She flexed it uneasily. :There’s water in my body?:
:You do have blood. And sweat.:
Arianwyn shuddered, rubbing her hand. Water would take some getting used to. :Remind me to have Captain Alberich leave a bowl of water here,: she thought at Parvati. She took a breath and bent to pick up a small amount of sand. “Wind. Funnel.” She held her hand out again and watched as the sand swirled into a miniature tornado on her hand. Master Aldous had instructed her to read about the plains. According to the book, these funnels were common and highly destructive. Arianwyn could not imagine one stretching from the ground to the sky. She let it go, turning to the dummies.
“Wind. Fire. Water.” She faced the first dummy. The combined Elements colored her vision, blending and separating. “Burn,” she ordered the dummy. It was encased in flames, the heat causing her to step back. “Freeze.” She had discovered that you could not freeze something without wind and water. Dragon had pointed out the freezing rains. You could make something really cold, but if you wanted ice you needed water, fire and wind. She released the Elements and stared at the pile of ash.
“Arianwyn?”
Arianwyn spun, muttering rapidly. “Fire, Wind. Fireball.” The elements hovered over her hands, ready to be hurled. Bernie stood halfway across the arena, staring wide eyed at her hand. “Stop.” She watched him for a moment, uncertain, before crossing the arena to him. She put on what Alyssa called her commanding face and spoke in a firm voice. “It’s dangerous to enter the arena when I’m practicing.”
“I’m sorry. I been wantin’ to talk to yeh, but haven’ found the place.” Arianwyn stopped short, looking up at him. Bernie stepped forward abruptly and hugged her. “Yeh should marry me!”
Arianwyn pushed him away. Parvati growled angrily in the back of her mind. “Bernie, I’m engaged.”
“It should be ta me.”
“It would have been…but I’m not the same anymore. I’m not free to make those choices. We discussed this.”
Bernie held her shoulders, watching her. “Arianwyn.” He said her name slowly, as if tasting it for the first time. “I love you.”
Arianwyn flinched and stepped back, away from his hands. “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.”
He grabbed her hand. “Do yeh wish ta marry the king? Do yeh love him?”
Arianwyn met his eyes. She thought of Alyssa. She thought of Parvati and Charon. Ethelinda blazed across her mind. “I have to.”
“Yeh didn’ answer my question. If yeh say yes, I’ll never bother yeh again.” Arianwyn pulled her hand free and turned away. She knew he would never understand. A year ago, she wouldn’t have understood herself. “Aria, please.”
She bit her lip and reached the door. “Bernie, I’ve given you my answer already.”
His face turned red with fury again. “You're not the only one playing games, Jinny. You ruined everything when you ran away.”
She stopped and stared. “What are you talking about?”
Bernie came closer to her, his voice low and tight. His hands were fists again. “I've been trackin' the slave trade,” he snarled. His mountain accent was thick. “You showed up, the perfect bait.” Her jaw dropped as she stared at him. “Oh yes, I used you first.” His lips pulled back in a feral grin. “Doesn't feel so good ta be the one used, does it?”
Arianwyn jerked the door open. She walked out without looking back. Mentally, she cursed Nami for making her be so blunt with Bernie. A second voice whispered that it wouldn’t have been so bad if she had been honest with him to begin with. She scrubbed her eyes angrily and decided to curse Bernie, too.
Her vision swam as she marched across the courtyard. “Lady Arianwyn, are you well?” Sigurd asked, surprised. She shook her head, not saying a word. Almost she allowed her feet to carry her to the King’s Study. She changed her mind, heading toward her chambers. She had no desire to see him either, not when he didn't want anything to do with her.
She walked into her room, ignoring Willow and Alyssa in the antechamber, and threw herself on her bed. Her emotions poured from her eyes and she sobbed into her pillow. Her mind kept reviewing her treatment of the two people she cared for most—and kept reminding her that neither returned the feeling. She wished she could change the way events had transpired. Now both were angry. Both likely hated her, she decided. If they had ever cared for her to begin with.
She curled up, biting her lip hard. Her shoulders shook as she struggled to regain control. She was not certain how long the tears fell. She didn't care. Someone knocked on her door. She rolled over and pulled her pillow over her head, ignoring the knocking. She was not ready to face anyone yet. The door opened and closed. “Go away,” she mumbled, sniffling.
“Are you injured?”
Arianwyn jumped to her feet, curtsying and rubbing at her eyes. “Forgive me, Sire, I wasn’t expecting you.”
Rael pulled her up, lifting her chin and inspecting her
face. Arianwyn pulled her chin free and avoided his gaze. “Are you injured? And if so, where and who did it?”
She took a deep breath and met his eyes. “Do you want to marry me?” she blurted out.
He let her go, a frown pulling his eyebrows together. “What are you talking about? We’re engaged, aren’t we?”
“Well, yes. But that’s because of the dragons. You said earlier that one woman was as good as another. Do you want to marry me?” She felt her hands trembling. Her insides twisted the longer she waited.
Rael stared at her. “This was not the conversation I was expecting,” he muttered. Arianwyn wiped her eyes and took a step away from Rael. Rael’s hands twitched, coming up as if to hug her then falling back to his side. He took a deep breath and stepped forward, wrapping his arms around her. “You must understand something about my parents. It will help.”
Arianwyn stood stiffly a moment, and then wrapped her arms around his waist, leaning into him. She gripped him tightly, as she had not done with Bernie. Feeling Rael brush a strand of hair back, she knew her answer to Bernie would be yes if he asked a third time. She wanted to marry Rael. “What is it?” she whispered.
“My father married my mother because of the dragons. But they did not ever come to love each other. My mother loved another man.” Rael's body was tense, his voice tight with emotion.
“Who?” she whispered.
“Thane Malcom.” Arianwyn pulled back, staring up at Rael. He smiled tightly down at her. “Oh, yes. Ethelinda is my half-sister. Father and mother were married for four years before she quit the marriage and left to be with the thane.”
“Where is she now?”
“She's dead.” His voice was flat, unemotional.
Arianwyn swallowed. When Rael pulled her back in, she did not resist. “That's why you were so angry with me and Bernie,” she said.
“Yes. I remember my father suffering. The kingdom also suffered. It is as I told you earlier. It would be better to end our marriage now than to begin it.”
Arianwyn nodded. “I understand, Your Majesty. But that doesn't answer my original question, Sire. Do you want to marry me?” She held her breath, waiting, hoping she wasn't the only one who wanted to be wed.
Rael sighed. “Yes,” he muttered. He brushed his lips on the top of her head. They stood silent for a moment longer, and then Rael took her shoulders and moved her back to look at her. The flinty look of anger was back. “Now, I have answered your question, you must answer mine.”
A blush climbed up her neck. “It’s nothing,” she muttered, avoiding his gaze again.
“Of course it is. Sigurd said you were nearly in tears the entire way here. Alyssa said you didn’t speak a word to her and have been crying in here since you arrived.”
Arianwyn stepped away from him, turning to the wash basin. She washed the tears from her face. In the mirror, she saw Rael fold his arms, scowling at her back. “There’s someone here I was going to marry once,” she finally muttered. His shoulders stiffened, the black fury she was coming to know so well crossing his face. She spun, stepping back towards him. “I was crying because…well, it’s not fair to him. I no longer wish to marry him, but he is a good man. If I hadn't hurt him, he wouldn't have said what he did today.”
Rael’s shoulders relaxed slightly. “You are not interested in him?”
“Not anymore. I believe I told you that yesterday,” she snapped, emotions swinging from sorrow to frustration at answering the same questions over and over again.
“Why did he pursue you further today? What did he say? Did he hurt you when you answered him today?” Rael's voice was little more than a growl. His hands dropped to his side and curled into fists.
Arianwyn's energy fled and she slumped. She rubbed her brow, Bernie's last words echoing in her mind. “No, he didn't hurt me,” she said. “No more than I deserved, anyway, and what he said doesn't matter anymore.”
“Good. Now I don’t have to kill him,” he replied, striding toward the door.
“What? You cannot be serious!” she gasped and lunged forward, grabbing his arm.
“Maybe I’ll send him to the southern border. If he survives that, perhaps he can deliver more useful information about the Soulless. And he'll be far enough away that he won't make you cry anymore,” he continued. He didn't stop walking and ended up dragging Arianwyn a few steps.
Arianwyn’s eyes narrowed and she stepped away from him. “You will not send him away! He is a good man who kept me safe when I needed help. And you are not helping matters by treating me like I’ve committed a crime!”
Rael paused, turning to look at her. “You never loved him.”
Her mouth flapped open and closed a few times before she could blurt out, “I must have! I was planning on marrying him!” Rael grinned. In one step, he reached her. He wrapped his arms around her, picking her up and spinning her. “What are you—“ Rael stopped spinning and cut her off with a kiss.
He set her down abruptly, stepping away from her. He rubbed the back of his neck, a sheepish grin still lurking. He looked as embarrassed as she felt. “You do love me. And I will keep you safe now,” he said. “Bernie will be sent somewhere he can find another woman. Not the southern border,” he said hastily at the look she gave him. “And I do believe you.” He hesitated and then stepped to her again. Arianwyn's heart thumped a painful beat in her chest. With one hand, he pulled her close to him, the other stroking her cheek and then cradling the back of her head. Their lips met in a gentle, brief kiss. He released her and left the room.
“Wind,” she whispered. “Breeze.” She needed something to cool her cheeks.
32-Thanes
The nobles began arriving nearly two weeks before the wedding. Arianwyn stood on the top step into the castle, hand tucked into Rael’s arm. The first to arrive was Thane Julius. A young man, near the same image as he, hovered behind the man. Thane Julius and the man bowed to them. Julius darted a furtive, angry glance at Arianwyn, before hurrying away to ensure his servants unpacked correctly.
Thane Cael and Lady Blythe arrived the next day. Arianwyn was pleased to see them, descending the steps to hug Lady Blythe and kiss her on each cheek. “You’re looking well. Have you been sold off yet?”
Blythe laughed. “Not for lack of trying, Lady Arianwyn,” Cael muttered, sighing. “Perhaps your upcoming marriage will provide more opportunity to put her through her paces,” he added slyly.
Blythe laughed again. “Careful, Father, I tend to chomp at the bit.”
Thane Malcom and Lady Ethelinda arrived towards the end of the week. Ethelinda descended from the carriage, hair swept up immaculately and dressed in a low cut, midnight blue dress. The sleeves hugged her arms and covered her hands, a small loop hooking around her middle finger. She approached Rael and Arianwyn, pausing to curtsy as her father bowed. “Your Majesty, it has been too long.”
“Thane Malcom, Lady Ethelinda. How was the journey?” Rael asked. Arianwyn's hand tightened on his arm. She forced the smile to remain on her face while her stomach churned with revulsion.
“Tolerable, Sire. Perhaps we will be able to visit more often to discuss matters of state,” Ethelinda answered, eyes lowered demurely. She took a deep breath and glanced up at Rael through her lashes. “I would be willing to meet this evening, if you need to,” she purred.
Arianwyn glared, smile forgotten, and answered before Rael could open his mouth. “Lady Ethelinda, you are too kind. I’m so thrilled that you are willing to spend your precious time advising His Majesty and me. However, we will not require your assistance planning our wedding, which is currently our main concern.”
Ethelinda’s eyes flashed in anger before she smiled up at Rael. “Perhaps another time,” she said to him, ignoring Arianwyn.
As the two walked off, Rael patted her hand and chuckled. “Jealous? I didn’t think you were the jealous type,” he whispered.
Arianwyn tossed her head. “Your Majesty, I am hardly jealous. I am territorial. It’s com
pletely different. Just ask Parvati.” Rael laughed outright, a sound mimicked in the back of Arianwyn’s mind by Parvati.
Thane Merari and Lady Vespa were the last to arrive, though they had the shortest distance to travel. “How was your journey?” Rael asked.
“Enjoyable, Your Majesty. The fields have been turned and the roads are being maintained in the cities. I can only hope Thane Malcolm has had as much success in the south if you expect any guests to arrive.” When Merari's back was turned, Rael rolled his eyes at Arianwyn. She bit the inside of her cheek to keep from laughing.
After the arrival of the thanes, a part of each day was spent in the company of their daughters. Arianwyn relied heavily on Alyssa’s help. She had never been in charge of entertaining anyone before. In the weeks before the thanes’ arrival, Alyssa insisted on preparing all kinds of entertainment. Arianwyn was grateful for that insistence now.
“I’m surprised to see you feeling so well. I heard you were attacked during the winter,” Blythe said, sipping a cup of mid-morning tea in one of the gardens. “Have you found your attackers?”
Arianwyn shook her head, setting her cup carefully on the table. “We have no leads,” she said, watching each of the women.
“I’ve noticed you seem to lack leadership in general,” Ethelinda smirked. Arianwyn stilled her shaking hands, folding them in her lap. “It does not surprise me that you cannot find leads now.”
Blythe glared at Ethelinda. Vespa glared back at Blythe, clearly following Ethelinda’s lead. “Lady Alyssa, will you take Lady Vespa and Lady Blythe to the solarium? The musicians should be ready for us soon.”
Alyssa stood, curtsying. She gestured to the other two and they left, each darting surreptitious glances over their shoulders. “Lady Ethelinda, we are now in private. Say what you will.”
Ethelinda blinked, staring at Arianwyn. Her cheeks flooded red. “You stupid peasant,” she hissed. “You should not be here, but you seem insistent on ruining everything. Well, enjoy your time as a queen. It won’t last long,” she smirked, standing. Arianwyn watched her leave, stomach tight.
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