by Jann Rowland
Tierra dipped her head in acknowledgment, but she could not take her mind off Wisteria. Every moment Tierra experienced in the sky realm had become enjoyable to her, even when not spent with Skye. Nowadays, being up in the clouds instilled her with a sense of relief. At the Groundbreather castle, she never knew when Wisteria would appear around a corner, spewing her vitriol.
“Well,” River said, “I am afraid I have sweated out here enough. I think I will go change and try to cool down.”
“Yes, I think I need to change as well,” Tierra said. “Skye will be here soon. We are eating lunch together today.”
“I hope you enjoy yourself,” River told her with a smile as they stood and began to walk away from the bench. “And make sure you tell that Skychild that you are much too good for him.”
Tierra laughed. “I might accidentally lose that message before I can give it to him, I am afraid.” She wiped some of the perspiration off her neck and grimaced. She would feel better after freshening up. If she hurried, she could manage a quick bath.
Tierra and River did not make it far along the garden path returning to the castle before they came across Wisteria. Tierra could not suppress the feeling that her sister had been spying on them, though she was not about to give voice to such a thought. Her paranoia would give Wisteria too strong a sense of satisfaction.
“Traitor,” Wisteria said by way of greeting, her upper lip curled.
“I am not a traitor, Wisteria,” Tierra said calmly. “Might I inquire as to whether you are enjoying the gardens despite the heat of the day?”
“Not a traitor?” Wisteria repeated, shaking her head. “You fool yourself, traitor. Terrain would not hesitate to feed you to the garms if he were here.”
Tierra stiffened at the insult. “You had better watch what you say, Wisteria—”
“Tierra,” River cut in, tugging at Tierra’s arm, “we should go.”
“Or what?” Wisteria said, ignoring River and looking unimpressed with Tierra’s threat. “You will go running to pull at the dirty skirts of your traitor of a mother? I do not fear her.”
“She is your mother, too, Wisteria, and she is not a traitor either. Furthermore, I do not believe that Terrain would disapprove of what I am doing in the slightest.” After all, Tierra had been inspired by the god to join herself to Skye, though she would not share something so personal with Wisteria. “I rather think he would be proud of me for helping put an ancient enmity to rest.”
“You would do well to open the Book of Earth,” Wisteria said, lifting her chin. “I am afraid you have forgotten how ill the Skychildren’s goddess treated Terrain. He would find you utterly despicable and depraved. Bedding a Skychild is like sleeping with swine . . . but at least a pig would not be quite as dirty.”
“If anything is dirty here,” Tierra said in a low voice, “it is your mouth.”
Wisteria gave a mirthless chuckle. “Does it please you, traitor, to know you will bear the Skychild’s filthy fledglings?”
“Actually, I would be honored and privileged to bear Skye’s children,” Tierra said with a haughty look of contempt. “I believe that our children will inherit the best part of both races and will be all the more beautiful because of it. Besides, Skye is a handsome man by any estimation. Any woman with half a brain would consider herself fortunate to be the object of such a man’s affections. I wish you luck in finding someone even a quarter as estimable as the man I shall marry. Of course, you will be required to find someone who can live with you, and I do not know whether that is actually possible.”
Wisteria’s jaw worked, though she was so furious that she could not retort immediately. It was unwise to bait Wisteria, but Tierra had grown tired of her sister’s behavior of late. It almost seemed as though Wisteria’s unpleasant nature had been held in check to a certain extent before, only for all restraint to be removed by Tierra’s engagement to Skye.
“May Terrain strike you down where you stand!” Wisteria finally managed. “And I know he will. You will get what is coming to you.”
“Why do you behave this way?” Tierra demanded. “What have you to hold against me? You have been this way ever since I was a child, and I cannot remember ever having done anything to you to provoke such treatment.”
Wisteria sneered. “You did not need to do anything. The simple fact of your existence is enough to offend me. I was five years old when you were born, and I remember it as if it were only yesterday. They always talked about how wonderful and beautiful you were, as if they believed you to be something special.
“Well, I have always known that you were never anything special, and this dalliance of yours has only proven my point. You may think that marriage to this Skychild can give you an advantage that will allow you to steal my kingdom from me, but I assure you it does not. I would destroy the kingdom before I would allow a filthy traitor like you to rule it!”
Stunned by the ferocity in her sister’s voice, Tierra could only gaze at Wisteria in wonder. She was not afforded any further opportunity to consider her sister’s attitude, as a slight noise caught her attention.
Turning, she saw her father striding toward them. It was easy to see from his expression that he had either heard something of their conversation or knew from their belligerent stances what they were conversing about.
“Wisteria, I have asked you repeatedly to drop this subject,” he said. “The decision has been made, and the results will show that we have chosen the correct path.”
Though his tone was implacable, Wisteria did not show any sign of being cowed; rather, she glared at him, much as she had been glaring at Tierra since the confrontation began.
“Now, I will not hear another word about this,” Tillman said. “Is that clear?”
“Yes, sir,” Wisteria said, glowering.
King Tillman seemed to realize that Wisteria had no intention of heeding his order, as his eyes narrowed and his lips tightened into a firm line. “Wisteria, I will not have you disobeying me in this. There is too much at stake to allow your petty hatreds to undermine what we are trying to build. I require your solemn promise that you will cease this behavior.”
“Or what, Father?” Wisteria asked. “I do not fear you. But I do fear our god. And I know that he will be displeased with what you have done.”
And with that, Wisteria turned on her heel and marched away. Tillman watched her go, staring at her receding figure until she turned a corner and was lost from sight. Tierra was not certain what could be gained from Wisteria’s words and actions. Tillman was king and would be for some time, and it was not unprecedented for a ruler to pass over an heir and appoint another. While Tierra was happy with her future position as queen to the Skychildren and did not wish to also rule over the Groundbreathers, she knew that Wisteria was dancing on a knife’s edge at present.
Her father seemed to suddenly realize he was not alone, as he turned to Tierra and said, “If the entire conversation was anything like the last part I overheard, then it cannot have been pleasant.”
“It was not,” Tierra said. “Wisteria has always been difficult to speak to, but ever since I returned from the sky realm . . .”
“. . . Wisteria has been insufferable,” Tillman finished for her. He then turned to River and said with a smile, “River, thank you for supporting Tierra. Wisteria is not easy to handle.”
River made some small noise that seemed to indicate agreement with Tillman’s assessment, and then the king returned his attention to Tierra.
“Tierra, I think it would be best for you to avoid your sister altogether. She will eventually realize that it is better to accept your marriage. The connection between the Groundbreathers and the Skychildren will be too deeply ingrained by the time she inherits the throne for her to be able to change anything.”
“Not if she is determined enough,” Tierra muttered.
Tillman inclined his head. “We will worry about it when the time comes. For now, stay away from her. I know it will be difficult since s
he has been seeking you out, but do your best.”
“Yes, Father,” Tierra said. She leaned forward and kissed his cheek, and he gave her a smile in return.
Then she turned to enter the castle with her cousin, leaving him behind.
“I think you must have the most unpleasant sister in the world,” River said as they walked down the corridor.
“And you are just discovering this now?”
A grimace was River’s only response, and soon they parted. Tierra did not wish to continue thinking about such unpleasantness. Skye would be here shortly, and she wished to look her best for him. With that thought in mind, she hurried to her quarters to prepare. Skye was a much more pleasant subject to consider than her sister could ever be.
It was as much a relief for Skye to escape for a few precious hours in his fiancée’s company as it was for Tierra to escape her sister.
Since the defeat of Hawkins and the Fenik, the sky palace had been a bustle of activity, and it seemed as though there were no end to the number of people who wanted Skye’s opinions or rulings on a variety of matters. Though he had never thought to inherit the throne until he was much older, he had been raised to be king of the sky realm, and he had known his services would be needed often. Still, he had never imagined that the demands on his time would be quite so onerous.
Of course, since Skye was about to become king, that made him a novelty. Furthermore, the sky realm’s ordered existence had been upset drastically in recent days, what with the murder of the previous king, the battle with the Fenik, Skye’s upcoming marriage, and the opening of relations with the Groundbreathers. It was only to be expected that the necessity of putting everything to rights would create a hectic atmosphere.
He pushed these thoughts aside as he reached the entrance to the Groundbreather castle, where an escort waited for him. At times, Skye would meet Tierra in the castle gardens, thereby foregoing such formalities, but Skye and Tierra knew it was important for others to witness the cordial and loving relationship between them. They wanted everyone—both in the sky realm and on the ground—to see how Skychildren and Groundbreathers could coexist peacefully and happily; it was part of their plan to fix the poor relations between their people. Consequently, it was necessary that they be visible at least part of the time.
The Groundbreather escort awaiting Skye’s arrival gave him a smile and a bow. “Greetings, Prince Skye.”
Nodding in greeting, Skye said, “I trust you’re doing well on this warm summer day, Grayrock.”
“Indeed, Your Highness,” Grayrock said with a nod. His eyes then dropped to the basket that Skye had in hand. The smile gracing the Groundbreather’s lips betrayed his amusement.
Skye’s cheeks flushed, and he mumbled, “I thought it would be pleasant to have a picnic with the princess today.”
Grayrock laughed. “Ah, to be a young lover again! Please, Your Highness, follow me. Your ladylove awaits, and I do not wish to detain you!”
Suppressing a snort, Skye followed the man. Grayrock often performed escort duty for him, and the Groundbreather enjoyed ribbing Skye.
Skye enjoyed a similarly casual relationship—within certain boundaries, of course—with a number of the Groundbreather guards and servants now. It was as though they had been looking for an excuse to accept him into their fold, and his wedding with Tierra had provided just that. Skye felt more confident every day that he was making progress in demonstrating that Skychildren were just as estimable as any Groundbreather. Of course, it was possible that many of the Groundbreathers at the castle had already known such a thing and had simply worried about expressing such feelings in front of a queen who despised Skychildren.
Grayrock showed Skye into the royal sitting room, where Tierra awaited him. He was not generally taken directly to her rooms, as there were certain formalities placed on his movements now. Groundbreather propriety could be rather restricting at times.
Tierra stood as he was announced, her bright smile meaning the entire world to him. “Skye!” she exclaimed.
Though they had seen each other recently, it was all Skye could do to keep from rushing forward and taking her into his arms.
Instead, he reacted calmly, smiling back at her and saying, “I brought food for a picnic. I thought it might be nice to eat lunch outside.”
“Oh?” Tierra said with a raised eyebrow. “This is a pleasant surprise.”
Grayrock had disappeared by this point, and Skye grinned at Tierra. “I can’t be completely predictable.”
Skye moved forward and took his beloved into his arms. He knew he would have just a moment before a Groundbreather servant ventured in to complete some vague or imaginary task in the hopes of getting a glimpse of what was happening between the two young lovers. Servants in the sky realm would have behaved in a similar fashion. Nosiness was universal.
Skye pressed a kiss to Tierra’s forehead and then pulled back and grabbed her hand. “Let’s go outside. I’m sure you know a good spot.”
“In fact,” Tierra said with an ill-suppressed grin, “I do know a shady tree with a rather comfortable patch of grass beneath it.”
“Then please lead the way, my dear. I hope you are as hungry as I am.”
Tierra led Skye to the tree to which she had referred. It was a large and shady maple, replete with fresh leaves and offering a retreat from the sun’s hot rays. A breeze stirred the heavy, muggy air, relieving some of the heat, and Tierra raised an eyebrow and looked at her fiancé.
He gave her an innocent grin and set the basket down. He then began to dig inside it, pulling out a multicolored blanket which he spread out on the ground. He saw her admiring it, and he told her, “This is an early wedding present from Nova and Jay. I thought it seemed an appropriate occasion to use it.”
Tierra had only fond memories of the two Skychildren who had housed her, Skye, and Gusty during her first trip to the sky realm, and knowing the blanket was from them only increased her delight.
“It is beautiful,” she said in wonder, bending down to touch it. “And soft, too.”
Skye gestured for her to be seated, and she did so, carefully arranging her skirts on the blanket. He sat beside her and began to pull more items out of the basket as she watched.
The food he brought out was a mixture of Groundbreather and Skychildren cuisines, and Tierra felt impressed by the variety. From the Skychild side of things, he had brought a selection of spiced eggs of various birds that Tierra could not name; roast fowl seasoned with rosemary and other spices; and a steaming savory stew of tomatoes, celery, carrots, and duck that Tierra knew from experience was especially delicious. Alongside those were some Groundbreather dishes, including a squash and sweet onion mixture popular in the castle, a portion of roasted venison, and some sharp cheese with a loaf of light bread.
Upon noticing her scrutiny, Skye explained, “I wanted to make sure there were some foods you were accustomed to. While I was your . . . well, you know . . . I didn’t pay much attention to what you liked to eat. I still feel like there’s a lot I need to learn about you. I was the victim of intentional blindness for most of my time in the ground realm. I don’t want to make that mistake again.”
Tierra placed a hand on his leg. “Skye, when it comes to things that count, we know what we need to know about each other. For instance, I know that you are a kind and generous man. And if you do not know that I despise pickled herring, then I do not think our relationship is the worse for it. After all, seeing as you are the king of the sky realm, I sincerely doubt you shall be making my meals.”
Skye laughed. “Point made. But you can’t fault me for trying to learn more about my fiancée, can you?”
“Certainly not! To the contrary, I find it rather endearing.”
They chatted happily as they ate, trying to speak of mundane things rather than the heavier matters that weighed on their minds most of the day. The conditions beneath the tree remained pleasant due to the persistent wind that stirred the air, and the uncomfortab
le heat Tierra had experienced when seated outside with River seemed like a thing of the past.
They had not finished eating when Skye abruptly pulled his hand away from the loaf of bread and looked at Tierra with a slight smile tugging on his face.
“What is it?” Tierra asked with a frown, discreetly trying to wipe her face to ensure there was nothing on it. “Are you well, Skye?”
“Perfectly all right,” he said, his eyes dancing. “I wanted to wait until after we ate, but I don’t think I can wait any longer.”
Intrigued, Tierra raised an eyebrow and waited for him to explain himself further.
“I have something for you,” he said with a secretive grin. “Well, something for both of us, I guess.”
Smiling at his excitement, Tierra said, “Please, do tell.”
He dug into a side pocket. As he did so, he told her, “Close your eyes.”
She rolled her eyes once before closing them, a grin pulling at the corners of her mouth as she feigned exasperation. When he tugged at her arms, she held out both her hands, cupping them together.
A cool metal object dropped into her palms, and Skye clasped her fingers over it, covering her hands with his.
She opened her eyes and looked at him in delight. “A bracelet!”
Skye looked pleased by her reaction. “It’s a Skychild tradition for a couple to wear matching bracelets. The unbroken circle serves as a symbol of how the relationship will never end; it shall continue throughout the ages. My feelings for you, Tierra . . . they’re indescribable. I feel as if our hearts were meant to be one, as if all my life I have been searching for you. And now that I’ve found you, I never want to let you go.”
Her heart swelled with love and joy, and she looked down as he took his hands away so that she could see the bracelet. It was a simple band with a hinge on one side and a clasp on the other, and it appeared as if it would fit around her wrist snugly but comfortably. It had no other adornments, but that did not detract from its beauty. In fact, Tierra thought that had it been set with jewels and fancy scrollwork, its beauty would have suffered.
