Juleka gulped and nodded. “Yes. Cinderelron tracked the villain to his lair and battled against him. Cinderelron transformed into his unicorn form so that I could mount him and we could make our escape. However, the villain had placed bear traps throughout the surrounding forest. Cinderelron’s leg was caught in a trap, and I was forced to leave him behind. I should have stayed with him. I should have tried to protect him, but I ran home.”
Rapunzel gave Juleka a sympathetic look. “You were just a child.”
“Why didn’t you tell Ashe that Cinderelron was a unicorn shifter and that he has magic blood flowing through his veins?” Juleka asked curiously. “Ashe is no dullard.”
“It’s safer if he doesn’t know,” Rapunzel said. “All the unicorn shifters in Fantasia have been hunted down one by one by the League of Villains in order to gain immortality.”
“The villain who appeared in Rose City. I recognized his voice,” Juleka revealed, wrapping her arms around her torso. “He was the villain who kidnapped me and lured Cinderelron into that trap. He must be immortal now. Even if I wanted to kill him to avenge the man I loved…it would be impossible.”
“Loved?” Rapunzel’s eyebrows shot up to his hairline. “But you were just a child and Cinderelron was an adult when all of this happened.”
“I know,” Juleka said with a sad smile. “It was a plutonic love. But I did love him. I guess you could say he was my ‘first love’, and now I’m in love with his son.” Juleka reached out to gently touch her fingertips against the white unicorn on the painting. “I hope Ashe never awakens as a unicorn shifter. If that happens the League of Villains will come for him. But if that does happen…he needs to be able to defend himself. That’s why I’m guiding him on the path of becoming a hero from the shadows. It’s the only way I know how to protect him.”
“Must it be from the shadows?” Rapunzel asked.
“It’s…better this way,” Juleka said even as her blue eyes filled with tears. “Ashe’s father is dead because of me. I don’t know if he can ever forgive that. I owe them both so much.”
Rapunzel awkwardly put his arm around Juleka’s shoulders in an effort to give the girl some comfort. “Don’t blame yourself for Cinderelron’s death. That wasn’t your fault. You were only a child. What could you have done?”
“I could have stayed by his side instead of running away,” Juleka said. “I could have tried to fight.”
Rapunzel shook his head. “You would have died in the process. Cinderelron wouldn’t have wanted that.”
“I still regret running away and just leaving him there in the forest to die alone,” Juleka said forlornly. “This time, I will protect the man I love, whatever it takes. I’m tired of being a victim. A damsel in distress.” Juleka rested her cheek on Rapunzel’s shoulder.
“But princesses are supposed to be saved by heroes, and knights in shinning armor,” Rapunzel said consolingly. “That’s how it is in Fantasia.”
Sometime during Juleka and Rapunzel’s conversation Ashe had arrived at the tower and had started to use Rapunzel’s hair to climb. When he made it to the top, hopped onto the window ledge, and then down into the room the first thing he saw was Rapunzel and Juleka practically in each other’s arms.
Juleka’s cheek was resting on Rapunzel’s shoulder and they were both staring intently at the painting of the unicorn and the little girl. A muscle in Ashe’s jaw ticked in irritation and he cleared his throat to get their attention. “Ahem.”
Juleka gasped and quickly replaced the unicorn mask on her face before turning around to face Ashe. Ashe raised an eyebrow at his stalker. So Julie can show her face to Rapunzel, but not me? What the hell? The way Rapunzel had leapt away from Juleka was also incredibly suspicious.
Ashe grinded his teeth as the three just stood there and awkwardly stared at each other in silence. They probably would have continued on in silence if Snow hadn’t hopped down from the window ledge into the room at that moment. “Yo, Punzie. How’s Aurelion?” Snow’s carefree attitude broke the strange tension that had been building in the room.
Rapunzel walked over to Aurelion and stared down at his unconscious form. “He’ll live, the foolhardy meathead.”
“Phew. His battle against that monster was incredible!” Snow exclaimed, his sapphire eyes sparkling with admiration. “Now I know why they call him Fantasia’s ‘Greatest Hero’.”
“Fantasia’s Greatest Hero…” Rapunzel echoed, a dark shadow falling over his face. “What’s so great about that? Do you have any idea how much pressure that title places on Aurelion? He wants to be Fantasia’s symbol of peace in order to make villains think twice before committing evil acts. Aurelion wants the villains to fear him and that’s why he’s fighting this war on his own. He’s going to end up getting himself killed at this rate.”
“What about the other heroes?” Ashe asked. “Rose Kingdom is full of them.”
Rapunzel sighed. “Most of them are useless. They’re more concerned about their hero rank, fame, and money than what it really means to be a hero. Aurelion fights for the people. Not for himself.”
“But Aurelion has you guys now,” Juleka pointed out in a hopeful voice. “He’s not alone anymore.”
“True. He has Snow and Ashe,” Rapunzel agreed. “Unfortunately, I can’t become a hero.”
“Why not?” Snow prodded.
“Reasons,” Rapunzel answered shortly.
“Well, at least you’re able to heal any injuries he sustains in battle,” Ashe pointed out. “You keep him alive so that he can fight evil another day. That has to count for something.”
“Yes…about that,” Rapunzel said, rubbing the back of his neck. “I didn’t heal Aurelion’s wounds completely. This means he’ll need a few days rest before he can resume training you two.”
“Why not?” Snow asked, his brow furrowed in confusion.
“He needs to suffer the consequences of his reckless actions so that he’ll cherish his life more,” Rapunzel growled, glaring down at Aurelion.
“Legendary heroes can bleed too apparently.” Ashe nodded, and looked down at Aurelion with newfound respect and admiration. “How will we know when Aurelion has recovered enough to resume our training?”
“I’ll send word to each of you by Fairy Post,” Rapunzel informed them.
“Well, there’s no reason for me to stay, so I’ll get going,” Ashe said, starting to head to the window.
Snow shot Ashe an aghast and slightly hurt look. “No reason to stay?” He shot Juleka a look. “But your cute stalker is here visiting. You can’t just leave her. Why don’t you spend some time with all of us before you go?”
Ashe turned around and raised an eyebrow at Snow. “Doing what exactly?”
“Well…there’s got to be some booze around here somewhere,” Snow said, looking around the room. “We could all enjoy a drink together.”
A shuttered expression settled over Ashe’s face. “I don’t have time for socializing. I have chores, er, I mean important things to do.”
Snow’s shoulders sagged in disappointment, but then a mischievous glint formed in his eyes. “I suppose that means I’ll have the pleasure of Julie’s company all to myself.”
Rapunzel was going to point out that he was there too, but then he noticed the dark look on Ashe’s face and snapped his mouth shut.
“Whatever. I don’t care,” Ashe snapped. “She means nothing to me. She’s just a nuisance.”
“Some other time then,” Snow said in a blasé tone. “I’ll invite you out for a drink at my favorite club. Keep an eye out for my fairy.”
Ashe made a noncommittal sound before stalking over to the window, hopping up onto the ledge, and then using Rapunzel’s hair to climb down the tower.
Ashe rode back ‘home’ to the château. He snuck into the kitchen through the backdoor, changed out of his suit, and put on his usual threadbare clothes. Ashe had just put away his suit and was about to start on dinner when Lord Tremaine abruptly entered the kitchen
at a fast pace that was causing his floor-length, white fur coat to billow out behind him and reveal its bright red lining.
“Ashe! There you are!” Lord Tremaine exclaimed in a frustrated tone. “I’ve been looking for you. Where have you been?” He took out a cigar, lit it, and began to smoke.
Ashe flinched guiltily. “I was, er, cleaning the chimneys. That’s probably why I didn’t hear you calling for me.” Ashe couldn’t help but notice the strange suit that Lord Tremaine was wearing. The suit was solid white and was completely covered by short, inch-tall silver spikes. How is he going to sit down in that thing? Ashe almost snorted, but luckily managed to hold it in. His gaze went to Christian’s shoes that had been made out of white leather. Overall, it was a strange, otherworldly outfit.
Lord Tremaine gave Ashe a condescending look as he took in Ashe’s slovenly appearance. “Ah. Yes. That makes sense.” Christian blew out a stream of smoke. “Well, I need you to get started on dinner immediately. I’m hosting a dinner party. I’ve invited only my closest friends, so we’ll only need five extra place settings at the dining table tonight. My sons will be dining in their rooms. Think you can handle it?”
Ashe knew that Lord Tremaine wouldn’t take ‘no’ for an answer so responded accordingly. “Of course, Lord Tremaine. How many courses?”
“Five courses, should be sufficient,” Lord Tremaine drawled, walking over and extinguishing his cigar on a plate. “That means I want an aperitif, followed by hors d’oeuvres, then an entrée, which you can serve along with the salade, and last, of course, dessert should be served.”
“Understood,” Ashe said.
Lord Tremaine raised an eyebrow at Ashe. He was surprised by how obedient the young man was being. “Good. Here.” Christian placed a bundle of folded clothes he’d been carrying onto the table in front of Ashe. “It’s an old suit of mine. I can’t very well have you looking like that as you serve my distinguished guests. Your current appearance may make them lose their appetites.”
Ashe startled at the unexpected request. “Do you want me to wash my face?”
Christian let out an exasperated huff. “What do you think, you fool? Yes,” he hissed. “I don’t want you looking like a slave. A household as large as ours should have several servants, and I just have you, so you’ll have to do, for appearances’ sake.”
“Very well, Lord Tremaine,” Ashe reluctantly agreed, swallowing a lump of nervousness.
Christian narrowed his eyes suspiciously at Ashe. “You’re being awfully complacent tonight.”
Ashe raised a challenging eyebrow. “Do you want me to be difficult instead? I can easily arrange that.”
“Don’t get cheeky, slave,” Christian chided, waving his hand at Ashe in a dismissive gesture. “Hurry up and get started on dinner. You know what will happen to you if my guests are displeased.” A sadistic smile spread across Christian’s face.
Ashe shuddered. “I know.”
Christian left the kitchen, his fur coat billowing out behind him, and slammed the door on his way out. Ashe let out a breath of relief as soon as he was alone in the kitchen again. Lord Tremaine’s presence was stifling.
Ashe started by making the aperitif - a cocktail made from lemon juice, gin, sweet syrup, and champagne. After that, he began to work on the hors d’oeuvres - a puff pastry-based fig and goat cheese tarts, which he placed in the oven to bake. The entrée he decided to cook was medium-rare duck breasts that would be served with a sauce made from cherries, shallots, and balsamic vinegar. The salade Ashe would make was going to be peas, carrots, goat cheese, and almonds drizzled with honey. For dessert Ashe decided to make a simple chocolate mousse.
After Ashe put the duck in the oven he went upstairs to take a quick sponge bath. Then he dressed in Lord Tremaine’s old suit. It was a gray and white pinstriped suit that was frayed around the edges, but still rather nice. When Ashe looked at his reflection in the full-length mirror, however, he swore. “Shit!”
He looked way too similar to his usual appearance when he frequented the casinos in Glass City. Ashe prayed to God none of Lord Tremaine’s guests would recognize him as the mysterious ‘Heart Breaker’ of Glass City.
At nine o’clock Lord Tremaine’s guests started to arrive at the château. Ashe waited for Lord Tremaine to ring a bell before he grabbed a silver tray with six aperitifs on it and made his way into the dining room. Ashe kept his head lowered as he walked around the dining table and set down a glass before each guest.
Ashe was about to return to the kitchen when Lord Tremaine called out to him: “Ashe. Where do you think you’re going? Can’t you see my guests need their water glasses filled?”
Ashe nodded, picked up the pitcher of iced water from the table, and started to fill the glasses of Lord Tremaine’s guests.
“You never told me you had such a handsome servant, Lord Tremaine,” a velvety, seductive voice purred.
“You think so?” Christian drawled. “You have awful taste, Doriana. He’s just a lowly servant.”
“Young man, look at me,” Doriana demanded in a haughty tone.
Ashe hesitated to comply with the lady’s request. If she happened to recognize him from his casino outings he would be in deep shit.
“Lady Doriana gave you an order, Ashe,” Christian said dangerously.
Ashe raised his head and met Doriana’s inquisitive stare. The woman studied Ashe’s handsome face for a moment and then licked her red lips slowly. “Gold eyes. That’s rare. Even here in Fantasia. You look familiar. Have we met?”
Ashe flinched. “No, Milady.”
“Is that so?” Doriana said, not sounding very convinced.
Ashe risked giving the voluptuous woman a quick once-over. Doriana had long blonde hair that was extremely straight. She was wearing a red tube dress that only went to the middle of her thighs. The dress was positively scandalous. Only a whore or courtesan would wear such revealing or provocative clothing, but…as Ashe’s gaze went to her cleavage where a diamond and ruby necklace glittered, he knew that she was a highborn lady. That necklace must have been worth a fortune.
In a detached way, Ashe supposed that she was stunning. But there was something about her…something not quite right that made the hair on the back of Ashe’s neck stand on end in warning. Looking at Doriana made Ashe feel like he was looking at an illusion or mirage. It just didn’t feel real. Ashe had to admit to himself that this woman did look vaguely familiar though.
Doriana ran her index finger playfully along the neckline of her dress suggestively upon noticing where Ashe’s gaze lingered.
She thinks I was staring at her breasts. Ashe realized, flushing.
“Ashe!” Christian snapped with an air of impatience. “Hurry up and bring out the hors d’oeuvres.”
“Yes, Lord Tremaine.” Ashe quickly took that opportunity to escape Doriana’s scrutinizing gaze and fled for the kitchen.
In the kitchen, Ashe put on his oven mitts, opened up the oven, and took out the tarts. As he waited for the tarts to cool he thought about the Lady Doriana. He frowned when he realized he’d definitely seen her at a casino in Glass City before. She was too young for his purposes so he’d avoided her, of course. She must have noticed him too. I am so fucked.
After giving the tarts sufficient time to cool, Ashe placed them on a silver tray and carried them into the dining room. Ashe served the hors d’oeuvres and left the dining room swiftly. When Ashe returned to collect their empty plates twenty minutes later, one of the men at the table addressed Ashe this time.
“Did you really make these tarts yourself, young man?” the man questioned in an impressed voice. “It was delicious.”
A chill crawled up Ashe’s spine. He recognized that voice, but from where? When Ashe turned to regard the man he was taken aback by the man’s red eyes that glittered like rubies. The man had a very distinctive appearance, and Ashe knew right away that he was looking at none other than King Reginald of Apple Kingdom. Ashe had seen the King’s portrait in the Gla
ss Gazette, although in black and white.
Reginald was wearing a red and gold suit, gold cape, and there was a golden crown decorated with rubies sitting on his head. With Reginald’s wavy, shoulder-length golden hair his appearance could almost be described as angelic. Personally, Ashe was reluctant to use the word ‘angelic’ to describe this man. There was something dark and malevolent lurking behind his beautiful appearance that instantly put Ashe on his guard. “Your Majesty.” Ashe bowed.
“I am not the only King seated at this table,” Reginald said. “You should show all of us the proper respect, boy.”
Shit. Ashe had no choice but to see whom Lord Tremaine’s guests were at this point. His gaze was drawn to a man with long black hair, fierce, cunning golden eyes, and an impressive pair of horns that curled out of the top of his head. The sorcerer was wearing a black suit along with a black cape that had a purple lining. “King Maleficent.” Ashe bowed. Maleficent nodded in Ashe’s direction in acknowledgement of the greeting, but remained silent.
The man seated to Maleficent’s right drew Ashe’s attention next. This man had shoulder-length, wavy, black hair, and sunken, coal-black eyes. He had a gaunt face with hollow cheeks and there was an unhealthy gray-tinge to his skin. In an unsettling manner, his face reminded Ashe of a skull. The man was wearing a plain black suit. Ashe’s brow furrowed since he didn’t recognize the man and had no idea of who he might be.
Christian noticed Ashe’s blank look and benevolently decided to help him out. “You have the honor of being in the presence of King Gothel of Bones Kingdom,” Christian introduced nonchalantly.
The Demon King Gothel! Ashe thought in alarm, and his gaze immediately went to the top of the man’s head since he expected to see horns there. Ashe frowned when he realized there weren’t any, but he quickly recovered and bowed respectfully. “King Gothel.”
The woman seated to Gothel’s right had scooted her chair closer so that she could loop her arm around Gothel’s in an affectionate manner. The woman had violet-colored eyes that seemed to be glowing with an eerie inner light. Her wavy brown hair cascaded around her shoulders in chaotic waves. She was wearing a brown, Steampunk-style dress decorated with vertical purple stripes. Instead of normal, ordinary buttons the dress had brass cogs that served as buttons. Her unusual dress made Ashe think that perhaps she was from another realm, but the pointed hat on her head told him that she was a witch.
Ashe and the Glass Sword Page 14
