by Ivy Clyde
“But, I don’t have any money,” said Gilly, hanging her head. “The herbs are quite expensive. They wouldn’t let someone like me have it.”
Getting to my feet, I headed to the mound of chests the maids and servants brought into the room after my arrival. After checking them, I found the small chest of gold coins. Taking a handful, I beckoned Gilly.
“Take these,” I said, dropping as many coins as her small hands could hold. “Since, it’s getting cold these days, buy yourself some new outfits too.”
Gilly was staring at the gold coins with wide eyes. Her mouth trembled as tears leaked down her cheeks.
I kneeled down beside her. “Don’t cry, Gilly. I’m not sure if they’re bad for your wounds.”
Her small shoulders shook as she broke down completely. Her knees touched the ground and she wept. I patted her on the back and said soothing words but it had the opposite reaction. She started crying harder.
“What’s wrong, Gilly? Are you all right?”
“I…I am fine!” she managed to say between the large sobs choking her.
“You know what? Let’s get you some good food to start with,” I said, pulling her back to her feet. “You need the energy to go look for everything. I was silly to even suggest so much work when you’re already sick.”
“Silly? No, no…” She hiccupped and looked up at me with big shining eyes. Her cold, apathetic expression melted away. “No one ever showed me so much care as you!”
Suddenly, I understood why she suddenly broke down. Being Deirdre’s maid couldn’t have been an easy job. Someone as cruel as her would torture her maids and servants on a daily basis. It must have surprised and confused Gilly to see me offering her something as basic as medicine.
“Come sit with me,” I said, leading her toward the couch. Making her sit on the edge, I asked, “How old are you?”
“I turned fifteen two months ago.”
“Wow, you’re young,” I whispered, brushing away a lock of matted hair from her eyes. “How old were you when you started working for Deirdre?”
“I was twelve.”
“I’m sorry,” I said. Holding her hand in mine, I gave it a gentle squeeze. “I’m sorry about every bad thing that happened to you.” Silent tears poured down her cheeks but she was calmer than before. “But you’ve got to be brave, you know? Life is giving you another chance. Take the money and get the things you need. I would have got them for you but I’m still adjusting and getting to know this place.”
“I will do as you command, My Lady,” said Gilly.
“You can call me Moira. I don’t mind.”
Gilly shook her head hard. “I can’t! I can’t!”
“Okay, okay!” I held onto her shoulders again before she threw another tantrum over being treated like a person. “Listen, I believe you’re supposed to have a room for your own use too. Might not be as grand as this but you can ask one of the maids to show it to you. Go and have a rest.”
Gilly slid off the couch and gave me a deep bow. Her thin frame still trembled from the effort but her eyes shone with a new light. She approached me and grabbed my left wrist. Her strength surprised me. Next moment, something hot seared my skin.
Gilly moved away, revealing a strange symbol on my wrist. “This connects me to you now, My Lady. Press on it anytime you need me.”
“Wow, really?”
“I am yours now, My Lady.” She bowed again and walked away from me. Crossing the room, she reached the door and went out, leaving me to stare after her.
Being in a strange palace didn’t seem to faze her at all. Gilly walked away like a confident soldier. Or perhaps, she knew her way around royalty and other high fae. Either way, she wasn’t as clueless as me.
Not even an hour had passed and I was already bored. The room was gorgeous but there was only so much I could stare at the frescoes on the ceiling. I already missed the castle of Belenus Court and the students. I never felt lonely there despite not attending any classes. The library was always open and it was always fun to eat my meals in the dining hall with everyone else.
I stumbled over to the large bed and decided to test it. The coverlets and pillows on it screamed luxury and opulence. I brushed my hand over the soft, velvety fabrics. With nothing better to do, I climbed up and settled under the soft, warm sheets. Both my exhaustion and the cloud-like mattress helped put me to sleep within minutes.
The sky outside the windows had darkened by the time I woke up. Stretching my legs under the sheets, I looked around the room. Someone had come in to light up a dozen lamps, filling the space with a soft, golden glow.
It was a bit disconcerting as I’d slept without noticing anyone’s presence. What if someone came in to hurt me? Would assassinating me be that difficult? After last night’s attacks, I felt even more paranoid. As if the queen’s schemes weren’t enough, I had to deal with petty jealousy from the girls of the nobility as well.
My stomach groaned.
Climbing off the bed, I looked around the room and spotted a round tray covered with a gleaming, silver cloche. I walked toward it and lifted the cover. Delicate little tartlets sat on the plate. Picking them up, I crammed them all in my mouth, chewing the tasty treats. They were delicious but not enough to fill me up. I needed something more substantial like bread or pasta at the moment.
Brushing the crumbs off my clothes, I walked to the door and opened it a crack. There was no one outside the doors.
Slipping out, I walked down the corridor. It felt daunting to be roaming around the palace hallway like this but until now, no one had asked me to stay inside my room. Assuming I had the freedom to roam the palace, I kept following the corridor.
Several diverting corridors came my way but I kept walking straight, hoping to see where it led to. If I could find the Peach Garden, I would be able to find my way to Leon’s quarters.
The corridor ended at the mouth of a tall doorway. Beyond it, lay a garden but it wasn’t filled with blossoming peach trees. This one was more landscaped like a traditional Japanese garden with artful pieces of rock, flowering shrubs, elegantly twisted trees, and small, cascading waterfalls.
The moon shone brightly overhead, bathing the garden in tones of silver, gray, and white. It seemed like a place to be enjoyed at night because all the flowers blossoming here were either white or black.
I followed a narrow, paved path through the garden, enjoying the sights around me. A cold breeze blew by, playing with the loose curls of my hair. Something caught my eye just as I was deciding whether to go back or stay.
Moonlight reflected off a figure crouched by a thin, gurgling stream. The sound of my wandering footsteps must have alerted him to my presence because as soon as I came to a halt, he turned around. Long waves of glossy blond hair cascaded down the man’s shoulders. He was so beautiful, I stared at him without blinking.
Surprise flitted through his features. He gestured at me, calling me silently toward him. I felt no danger from him, so I approached him.
“Who are you, child?” asked the man. He looked barely over thirty himself but then, I took a closer look at his deep blue eyes. They were the most intense eyes I’d ever looked into. This man was ageless. Hooking a finger under my chin, he tilted my face to him. “I have never seen you before in the inner palace.”
A nervous chuckle escaped me. “I am new here,” I said. “I was brought here today.”
“Brought?”
“I am Moira Nelson,” I said. “Queen Brenna asked me to stay in the palace from now on. Do you live here too?” His long, flowing robes and loose hair told me he definitely lived here to be walking around the garden so casually but I decided to be polite.
“This is my home,” he said simply. He leaned down, bringing his face level to mine. “You have no idea who I am, do you?”
“No. Who are you?”
“I am Drustan.”
Drustan? As in King Drustan? I stared at him, wondering if it really was the king or someone else with the same
name but who would openly use the same name as the king in the palace? And, he’d just said this was his home.
The stranger chuckled softly and reached out to gently pat me on the head. “Do I scare you, Moira?”
“No.”
“Good,” he said, straightening up. “Come take a walk with me.”
I tried to remember everything people told me about King Drustan but no matter how much I wracked my brain, nothing came up. Everyone spoke of the queen. Everyone warned against the queen. There was nothing anyone said about the king other than his heartbreak after Rowan’s mother passed away.
I glanced up at the incredibly beautiful man at my side, starting to notice how all the three princes had the same curve of chin as him and how their noses were the same as his. They were as tall as him too but only Leon inherited his long, slim fingers that poked through the loose flowing sleeves of Drustan’s robes.
“How do you find my kingdom?” asked Drustan.
“I haven’t seen much of it yet, but it is incredible” I said. “My whole life was spent with the humans, so everything I see here is new and different. I discover something new every day.”
“How I wish I could see the world with your eyes.” A soft sigh escaped him as he came to a stop under a blossoming tree laden with white flowers. A gentle night breeze showered us with petals. Drustan looked up at the moon peeking at us through the foliage. “I cannot wait to escape the palace so I can explore a new world.”
“Why do you want to give up the throne? You’re still so…” I stopped talking. The king may look young but he’d lived at least a thousand years. Instead, I said, “You’re still so healthy.”
“My body may appear healthy but my mind is fatigued.” His hand rested over his breast. “My heart is broken. A person like me is not fit to be on the throne anymore. I must leave the throne in stronger hands to save my people.”
“Have you decided who you want on the throne?”
Pain flashed through his features. His face turned a shade paler and he took a sharp breath. “How easily you ask such a question,” he said through clenched teeth. “Only a babe would ask something so dangerous with such innocence.”
“I’m sorry,” I said at once. “I apologize, My King.”
He glanced at me but shook his head. “It is not your fault. You don’t understand the ways of the world yet.” He let out a long sigh. “I feel so much sadness for my people. My sons are battling between themselves. And here I am, incompetent and too broken to do anything.”
“Were the princes good with each other before?”
“Yes, they were inseparable as children. They were born so close together and grew up at the same time. For a long time, they were like bosom friends.”
“Bosom friends?”
“Best friends as they say in the human realm,” said Drustan with a faint smile on his lips. “They made me so proud and happy.”
“They are really great,” I said. “You should be proud of them.”
Drustan’s sapphire-like eyes widened. “You think so, Moira? You don’t find Rowan too cold, Leon too aggressive and Cade too vile?”
A laugh escaped me before I could control myself. Drustan looked even more surprised. “I thought that about them in the beginning,” I said. “I thought they were all assholes.” Drustan’s lips curved up in a smile. It was strange how easily I could talk to him. He wasn’t cold or scary like his wife, the Queen. “But, I have come to know them better now and think they’re all really great in their own ways.”
“Tell me what you think of my sons.” Drustan stood straight with his hands behind his back, giving me his full attention.
“Rowan is extremely tough, both physically and mentally,” I began. “He can come off as cold and uncaring but the truth is he is amazingly caring and thoughtful. He would bleed and sacrifice himself to protect someone he loves.” My mind went to the night he rescued me from Deirdre. I still didn’t know what he had to give up so she wouldn’t tattle about the incident to anyone.
“What about my other two sons,” Drustan prompted.
I smiled and gave a nod. “Leon acts tough but he is hiding the softness inside him. He doesn’t say what he wants but will chase the thing without accepting he wants it.” A chuckle escaped me as I thought of the ridiculous proposal he made me the first time. “Don’t tell him I said this but he’s an amazing artist.”
Drustan grinned. “My son is gifted in music and art. It’s too bad he thinks he must hide his skills from the world.”
“He doesn’t want people to think of him as weak.”
A sigh escaped Drustan. “It is really my weakness. I couldn’t show my son how very proud I am of him and his artistic gifts.” He glanced at me and said, “Tell me about Cade.”
“He is the one with the thickest mask,” I said. “He hangs out with the worst kind of people but deep inside, he is loyal and kind. He would do anything to protect the people he loves.”
Drustan stayed quiet for a while. Everything was still and quiet around us except for the faint gurgles of water flowing down a stream. I glanced up at the king who seemed in deep thought.
“Thank you for the gift, child,” he said after a while. Turning to me, he gave me a sad smile. “My sons still haven’t changed but I’m afraid the masks they wear would soon become part of their faces. They will forget who they are and become who they are pretending to be.”
“I won’t let that happen!”
My surprised face was reflected in the depths of Drustan’s eyes. I couldn’t believe I just shouted, making the king jump back in shock.
“I’m sorry,” I said quickly. “I didn’t mean to startle you.”
Drustan smiled. “No, Moira but I think I understand you better now. You are in love.”
“In love?”
He gave a nod. “You are in love with all three of my sons. And they are in love with you.”
I would have laughed and told him he was kidding but the somber light in his eyes told me he was absolutely serious, that there was nothing I could say to refute him.
“Why do you look so scared, child?” he asked in a gentle voice. Coming closer, he leaned down to my level. He really was treating me like a kid. I couldn’t take offense over it as he really was centuries older than me.
“How can I be in love with three men?” I said. “Shouldn’t it be just one person?”
“That’s some strange notion the humans developed,” said Drustan. “Our hearts and souls are as vast as the universe. They are ready to grow bigger to accommodate more things and people to love. There is no limit to how much we love.”
I considered his words. “So you’re not angry I love all your sons?”
“Of course, not. You’re the girl with the lumina mating seal on your body. You were meant to be mated to my heirs.”
“May I ask you something, sir?” I asked.
“Sir…” An amused grin flitted across his lips. “No one has ever called me that.”
“Your Majesty, I mean?”
“Speak freely, Moira,” he said with an elegant wave of his hand. “Think of me as an elder, not a king.”
“Thanks,” I said, hoping I wouldn’t offend him with my question. “You married three women in your life. Did you love them all?”
“I loved them all,” said Drustan without a hint of hesitation in his voice. “I loved them so much that I allowed them to break my heart to pieces.” He looked at me with grief-stricken eyes. “I haven’t been the same since Cynthia left me,” he said in a choking voice. “She was barely much older than you but she was destined to be my mate and live a long life with me. However, she was snatched away from me and I couldn’t do a thing to save her.” His beautiful face crumpled in pain as he clutched at his chest. Tears ran down his cheeks, alarming me.
“Your Majesty,” I gasped.
He turned his tear-filled eyes toward me. “See, how much it hurts to think of her? I don’t even care I am shedding tears before a child.”
“Tears don’t make you weak.”
He blinked at me and stared at me.
“You are allowed to feel hurt and pain. Rejecting those feelings is real weakness.”
To my surprise, I was pulled into a sudden hug. The king held me against his chest in a gentle embrace as he stroked my hair with gentle hands. “You are such a precious child. I can see why my sons have fallen for your charms.”
“How do you know they love me?” I asked, my voice a little muffled as my face was pressed against his lean, hard chest.
“They allowed you to see what really dwells in their hearts,” said Drustan. “They trust you enough to let you see through their innermost feelings.”
“What about your other wives?” I said.
“One of them has turned against me,” he said in a pain-choked voice. “And the other is too afraid to be close to me.” His eyes swam with tears. “Someone has poisoned my queen against me. She is no longer the wise woman she once was.”
I placed a hand over his arm and gave it a gentle squeeze. The tears streaming down his face glittered in the moonlight. There was so much grief inside his heart, it was making me cry too.
“I don’t know if I’ll see you again soon,” said Drustan, folding his long arms around me. “But let me part with one word of wisdom. Trust. You must always be truthful and honest with your mates. Never hide anything from them even when you think it might hurt them. Be open and honest and you will keep your and their hearts from shattering like mine. Do you understand, child?”
I gave a nod. “Trust and honesty,” I repeated.
Moving away, he brushed the tears from my face. “You have been crying my tears. What a beautiful heart you have.” He smiled at me despite the teardrops clinging to his long lashes. “My sons are lucky to have you as their mate.” Leaning down, he brushed his warm lips against my cheek and straightened up. “Goodbye for now, Moira.”
He left me under the tree and drifted away along the garden path, disappearing around a bend in the distance. White petals rained down on me as another gust of cold wind shook the branches. My body shivered, reminding me how cold it was. Rubbing my hands, I turned around and walked back to the door which would lead me back to my room.
