The Marked Ones (Fairytail Saga)

by Munt, S. K

  Tristan gaped at her. Had she not heard a word he’d said that night, about the depths of his feelings for her? Was his most soul-baring confession about his pain over Nigara and the way she made him feel alive a possible ruse to her? If it was, then she hadn’t attempted to see him at all. She was too blinded by Lincoln to try.

  ‘Ivyanne if you’re a virgin, than you shouldn’t be within five feet of this bastard!’ Lincoln reached for her left hand. ‘He doesn’t deserve you!’

  Tristan was in Lincoln’s face in seconds. ‘You know what? That’s it!’ he gave the other guy a gentle shove-it was enough to knock him back four feet. ‘Get out of my face, and my overpriced room!’ He turned to Ivyanne, more hurt then he’d ever been in his life. She’d made him believe that she could accept him, and yet the loathing in her eyes was unmistakable. It was ironic, but he saw now that she’d broken his trust, and wounded him dearly, more than he had her. ‘In fact, take Ivyanne with you too. I don’t need any of this.’

  ‘Huh?’ Ivyanne whirled on him, looking startled. ‘You’re kicking me out?!’

  ‘You still care?’ Lincoln demanded of her, incredulous.

  ‘Yes.’ Tristan snapped, ignoring the other man-he had eyes only for Ivyanne. ‘I’m free with my body-not my heart. You’ve just frustrated the first and shattered the second. You said you can’t even look at me-so don’t.’ He steered her towards the door, forcing Lincoln out behind her. ‘And don’t come back until you know what you want.’

  ‘But I don’t know what I want!’ She cried, as she pivoted, looking bereft.

  ‘No, you can’t have what you want.’ He corrected her, beginning to slide the glass door closed. ‘But if you can’t settle for me and leave me with some dignity, don’t bother at all.’ He looked over Ivyanne’s shoulder, in time to see a frustrated looking Lincoln throw up his hands and stride off in the rain. Ivyanne’s eyes followed his gaze, and when she looked back at him, her green eyes were glassy and anxious.

  ‘Go on. Chase after him.’ Tristan growled. ‘Because if you want me out of your life, that’s the best way to guarantee it.’

  Ivyanne’s face was a mask of desolation. With a cry of frustration, her eyes spilled over and she turned and hurried off-in the opposite direction to Lincoln. It was the first mercy she’d granted him since Lincoln had shown up, but he was grateful for it.

  When she’d vanished from sight, Tristan sagged against his door jamb, staring out into the rain, rubbing his forehead to hold back the tears. Now what? He thought. Fight or flight?

  He stood that way for a full thirty seconds, contemplating his next course of action, before he became conscious of being watched. He lifted his face, and found himself staring into Ardhi Kayu-Api’s glittering gaze. His rival was leaning against a palm tree in the garden next to the abandoned function room, the rain running down his chiseled cheeks, and a triumphant smirk on his face.

  ‘Did you enjoy that?’ Tristan asked, his voice deadpan even though his muscles coiled for a fight. This was the first time he’d seen Ardhi in years-and the boy hadn’t changed a bit. He still looked like a school-boy with a wicked grudge.

  Across the walkway, Ardhi straightened and grinned. ‘Immensely. Two birds, one big ass rock. I knew I could count on your nature blowing your chances with her, so thanks for proving me right.’

  Tristan cocked an eyebrow. ‘And what of your spineless, vindictive nature?’ He jeered. ‘Do you see a Happily Ever After coming your way? Because I sure as hell don’t.’

  ‘I’ll be the one to make her happy.’ Ardhi assured him, his smile bright though it didn’t reach his eyes. ‘Of that, you can be certain.’ Leaving the challenge in the air between them, Ardhi sauntered away.

  ⁓

  Ivyanne was surprised to find herself trembling with exhaustion by the time she beached herself onto the narrow strip of sand in front of her mothers house the next morning. She didn’t know if she was out of practice after two weeks of being as land bound as possible, or if her doomed love life had just wearied her to her bones-but she was definitely sluggish.

  Ivyanne pushed her upper body up with her arms and gazed up at her family’s stately though well concealed summer home, panting. The gloomy sky above it cast an ominous energy over the usually romantic looking place (either that or the terror of having this conversation with her mother was clouding her vision) and yet she still felt that twinge of gratitude within her heart, to finally be home, if only for an hour or so.

  Vana appeared at the front door within seconds, rushing out to meet Ivyanne with a large smile on her gracefully sculpted features. Ivyanne noted the strands of white in her mother usually dark golden hair even from ten meters away, and frowned. She’d only been gone two weeks and yet the slight sign of aging in her mothers face were apparent. And troubling. Had Vana slept a wink in her absence? The dark circles under her pale green eyes seemed to attest that she hadn’t.

  ‘Darling!’ Vana reached her and knelt to a crouch, her white wrap dress flaring out behind her as she embraced Ivyanne’s damp shoulders. ‘Oh my goodness, I’ve missed you so much! I was hoping you’d be by to visit soon!’

  Ivyanne glanced down at her legs, noticing that it was taking longer for her tail to dissolve this time. That was usually the way, after a long swim, and it had taken over to navigate a path home through the Cumberland Islands-fishing boats were out in force that day because despite the overcast sky, the water was still and calm and almost glassy. As a result, Ivyanne had been forced to swerve and dodge almost the whole time.

  ‘I missed you too.’ She whispered, returning the embrace. The scales were dropping from her legs and being caught by the broken froth of the small waves, but she still had at least a minute to wait until she’d be able to stand. ‘But I’m not here for a social visit, mother.’

  ‘Oh?’ A look of apprehension clouded the queens’ faded green eyes when she pulled back slightly. ‘Do elaborate dear.’

  Ivyanne frowned at her. ‘I’m here to give you a piece of my mind.’ She arched an eyebrow. ‘You’ve been meddling, haven’t you?’

  ‘Ahh...that!’ Vana chuckled, squeezing Ivyanne again. ‘Give me a nice, tight, angry hug then baby. It feels just as good to me.’

  Ivyanne rolled her eyes and returned the embrace. At that moment, she felt the pressure which had been binding her legs together begin to alleviate, until they flopped apart. Ivyanne let go of her mother and worked the bikini bottoms into the right place, tying the ends together and flicking away the flaking scales. Then she got slowly to her feet, shaking her head to un-cloud her vision. Her mother helped her with one hand.

  ‘Why are you angry at me child?’ Vana asked. ‘Are things not going well?’

  Ivyanne tiled her head to the side. ‘Oh don’t you start the innocent act with me too! I’ve had quite enough from Tristan and Ardhi, thank you very much!’

  A ghost of a smile haunted Vana’s face. ‘So Ardhi showed up?’

  ‘Of course he did!’ Ivyanne allowed her mother to lead her to the front porch. ‘But he wouldn’t have, if you hadn’t encouraged Tristan to follow me there!’

  ‘Tristan told you that?’ Vana asked, looking slightly surprised.

  Ivyanne’s legs were still trembling. ‘That’s not the point, is it? Mum I asked for time-and yet you wound the clock forward on me! What did you say to get him here, huh? Did you bribe him with the crown or something else?’

  ‘I’m insulted that you’d think so poorly of Tristan or myself.’ Vana sat down on one of the cane chairs she favored, and motioned for Ivyanne to take the other one, handing her a pure white towel from the railing. ‘Calm down please, and maybe then we can discuss this like adults.’

  Ivyanne’s mouth snapped shut. She actually felt sixteen again-and she didn’t like it.

  ‘Hello princess!’ Saraya, her mothers assistant, appeared suddenly at the door, pushing open the screen with one hand and smiling at her. With her glossy black hair and full, pouty lips, she was one of the prettiest
Court-Zara children and had been her mothers’ assistant for almost twenty years-since Saraya’s own mother had retired from the demanding position. ‘Good to see you! Can I get you a drink?’

  ‘Hello Saraya,’ Ivyanne smiled at her weakly. ‘Well, I could go a coffee-’ she glanced at her mother, evaluated her surprised expression, then changed her mind. ‘Actually green tea would be good, thank you Saraya.’

  ‘Sure thing! Be right out.’ Saraya was gone, her retreat soundless. At almost fifty years old, she still possessed a girlish, pixie-like demeanor and flitted about almost silently.

  ‘I hope that caffeine is the only drug you’ve become addicted too,’ Vana said, looking concerned and disapproving.

  ‘No mother, I’m smoking crack.’ Ivyanne shot back.

  Her mother pursed her lips. ‘You’re lucky your father isn’t here to hear you speaking like this young lady.’

  Ivyanne almost laughed-her father Ash, was a pushover compared to her mother! ‘Well excuse me, but I’m surprised that I’m not. Do you have any idea what it’s been like for me up there? I think I’m losing my mind! I actually spent last night sleeping in a ball at Oyster point because I couldn’t face my roommate, Tristan cast me out of his room and Ardhi has apparently shacked up with Pintang!’

  ‘So it’s worse than before?’ Vana asked, her expression going from stern to curious as she fiddled with the black pearl ring on her finger.

  Ivyanne nodded. ‘Much. Every time I think I’m going to be okay, something even more disastrous happens! I honestly don’t see how I’m going to choose a prince. I have half a mind to head off for Oahu this very afternoon and marry the only one not giving me a headache.’ She rested her elbows on her table and went to rake her hands through her wet hair, caught her mother’s pointed expression and instantly straightened, and began wringing her hair with the towel, like a lady probably ought to. ‘You shouldn’t have sent Tristan there. I was doing fine until he came along!’

  ‘Hmm...’ Vana leaned back in her chair, eyeing Ivyanne carefully. ‘That amazes me. I rather thought Tristan would prove to be excellent, uh company.’

  Ivyanne’s face began to feel hot. She averted her mothers’ eyes, uncomfortable. ‘He’s okay,’ she said quietly. ‘I mean, a bit deceitful, but...’

  ‘Fun?’

  Ivyanne looked up. Vana’s eyes were twinkling. Ivyanne laughed despite herself. ‘Yes, okay? He’s a lot of fun. One might say, too much fun.’

  Vana laughed. ‘Oh! Well, that makes me happy, at least!’

  ‘Well don’t get too carried away,’ Ivyanne said quickly, remembering Tristan’s gutted expression from the night before and wincing. ‘Even if we were bonding, we’ve hit a wall now. And I don’t know how to fix it, or if I even want to.’

  ‘And is that Tristan's fault?’ Vana asked briskly. ‘Or Lincoln Grey’s?’

  Ivyanne felt her heart hit her feet. She stopped toweling her hair, gaping at her mother in horror as she realized just how sheltered-and observed-she had been growing up.

  22.

  Mother and daughter sat in such heavy silence, that Ivyanne was only just aware of Saraya coming out, placing a delicate, gold plated cup of steaming green tea in front of each royal, then scampering back inside rather hastily.

  When the door swung shut behind Saraya, Ivyanne leaned towards her mother, knowing her expression mirrored her horror. ‘You know about Lincoln?!’ she squeaked.

  Vana exhaled heavily, toying with the platinum band on her ring finger now. Because of her long life span, Vana had already had to replace her wedding ring three times. This one was only a few years old, and sparkled on her slightly hobbled though unblemished knuckle. ‘Of course I do Ivyanne. I know everything that’s gone on, every second of your rather young life. Really, if it weren’t for Lincoln Grey, there wouldn’t even be much to know, would there? Now.... or even when you were a teenager.... it’s always been about him.’

  Ivyanne absorbed this, shock turning to astonishment as she realized her mother was even more aware of her indiscretions if she was eluding to Ivyanne’s past! ‘Aubrielle....?’ she managed to ask.

  Vana looked confused. ‘Why no..... have you told Aubrielle ?’

  ‘Some,’ Ivyanne whispered. ‘So how-?’

  ‘It was my job to watch out for you Ivyanne-you’re a crowned princess and my only heir.’ Vana said quickly. ‘Either myself, or another pair of eyes, were always on you. Even when you believed you were off my radar.’ She smiled. ‘That unfamiliar tourist on the beach, the ticket girl at the movie theatre when you went to see Godzilla..... that little kid who came crashing through the woods and discovered your tree fort....’

  Ivyanne was floored by the invasion of privacy. ‘You know everything?!’ her head was spinning. ‘Mother! I cannot believe you!’

  ‘Then you under-estimated me.’ Vana laughed. ‘But I’m not surprised. Quite the actress, wasn’t I? It makes sense... you see you never really understood how valuable you were, and still are, to all of us. Measures had to be taken, so I took them, as any smart mother would. While turning a blind-eye to let you explore the world somewhat, unchaperoned, as every young girl needs to.’ She picked up an antique silver spoon on her saucer and stirred the tea. ‘As you will one day, for your own children.’

  Ivyanne doubted she’d ever put her children through such a thing. ‘So when I was sixteen....and you told me we had to stop returning to the Seaview...it was because of Lincoln?’

  Vana nodded. ‘Yes. I’d hoped you’d grow out of it, but your feelings for him began putting you in uh, inappropriate situations.’

  Ivyanne blushed furiously. ‘Mum I never-’

  ‘I know.’ Vana said. ‘But your restraint was waning, darling. I had to sever the ties between you two, and so I did.’

  Ivyanne absorbed this, understanding that she’d always known Lincoln had been part of the reason Vana had stopped their annual trips to Seaview. Only she thought her mother had been wary of their friendship-not aware of their relationship! She suddenly felt very foolish.

  ‘But you let me go back! And you knew he was still working there?’ Ivyanne was beside herself. ‘Why didn’t you forbid me from returning? Have you any idea what a tangled mess I’ve been dealing with?’

  ‘Let me see..’ Vana was smiling softly. If she was angry at Ivyanne for years of lying to her, she didn’t show it. ‘I imagine you’ve had to think on your feet quite a lot. You probably had to create an alias of sorts, and cover that alias’s tracks as well. I guess a disguise of some sort was necessary, not to mention an almost hourly ability to lie, sometimes layered lies, to several people, all at once.’ Vana took a sip of her tea, her eyes dancing with merriment over the golden rim as she basked in her daughters rapt distress. ‘You wouldn’t have wanted to, but I bet that at least once or twice, you were forced to sing, to aide yourself, and you probably even lay awake at night, judging yourself, keeping a careful eye on the lines you didn’t want to cross and yet being forced to cross some anyway. And amongst all of this, you were more than likely engaged in a minute by minute tug of war, your head against your heart, or your lust against your values.’ The queen returned her cup to the table. ‘To sum up-all of the things you should have been doing over the past ten years, to develop your skills to live amongst not only the humans but your own kind, compacted into two, incredibly strenuous weeks.’ Vana smiled widely at her daughter. ‘Am I close?’

  Ivyanne gaped at her, too floored to form a sentence.

  Vana sighed. ‘I know you loved Lincoln in a way you couldn’t love any of the Marked son’s, and the guilt of how you left him has been preventing you from even trying to. I didn’t want you there, but I knew you had to reconcile your past with your future. You needed closure-a way to make things better for him, to finally forgive yourself and move on- without the haze of teenage hormones getting the better of you.’

  ‘But I still care for him deeply!’ Ivyanne said. ‘Being close to him again hasn’t changed that! And if my hor
mones are less rampant now then it’s news to me!’

  ‘But Lincoln hasn’t been the only cause behind your blossoming sensuality, has he?’ Her mother demanded gently. ‘Which is precisely why I sent young Tristan along. You’d have to be made of stone not to react to his charms.’

  Ivyanne looked out at the flat, grey sea. It reminded her of Ardhi’s eyes on one of his ‘down’ days. ‘I should have been allowed to decide that for myself.’ She said softly. ‘When I was ready.’

  ‘But that time wouldn’t have come if I didn’t force it. Ardhi and your father have been poisoning your mind against Tristan for years.’ She touched Ivyanne’s hand. ‘I had to get Tristan and you together alone, so you could come to your own conclusion about his character-which I’ve never found to be anything but delightful.’

  ‘You’re right. He’s wonderful.’ Ivyanne sniffled. ‘But so is Link. I wish I’d never seen him again! It’s making it harder-not easier!’

  Vana sighed. ‘That’s a shame-and I understand. Were I older, and able to turn him for you-’

  ‘Don’t even suggest that.’ Ivyanne swallowed. ‘I need you.’

  Vana smiled sadly. ‘You’re too kind to ask that of me, I know. But even if I could-I wouldn’t. Not when there are three fine young men with lineage for you to choose from now, an option I never had. Just as you currently have no option but to make a clean break.’

  Ivyanne looked her mother in the eye. ‘But how? Lincoln’s never stopped loving me mother, and it’s been killing him slowly since I left. He thinks I’m the little sister of the girl who broke his heart-and still he’s fallen for me.’ She shook her head. ‘I can’t crush him a second time, not now that I know the damage I did as Ivanna. The guilt will eat me alive.’

  Vana’s expression became serious. ‘My meddling put you back in this situation Ivyanne, I admit that. But your weakness, both then and now, your inability to let him go-is the true cause of his pain. And as future ruler of this kingdom, you need to learn how to make hard decisions.’ Her mother stood up and frowned out at the overcast sky. ‘We never would have gotten to where we are if Anna hadn’t-or if the Court Zara women were too soft to raise children alone and put the needs of the human fathers’ out of their minds.’ She shrugged. ‘Being a mermaid means doing things that might not sit well with the human side of us....but if we don’t, the siren side will never survive. It’s not cruelty-it’s self preservation. Believe me darling, eighty years ago, a human male-even Lincoln-wouldn’t have thought twice about hurting you. It’s the strength we exhibit as women that have helped progress that. You know this- you studied our involvement with the suffrage movement.’