Princess of Death (Three Provinces Book 1)

by Renee Travis

  Just as I got myself under control, Nergal came out. He opened his arms to me and I just melted into them, trying not to sob out my frustrations.

  “I am so sorry Best Beloved One. I did not think they would treat you that way; they are old fashioned,” he murmured into my hair, the fleeting thought passed through me that I needed a damn bath.

  “Fine, but when we get married I…”

  “When we get married?” He interrupted, tilting my chin so he could look in my eyes, “did you say when?”

  I tried to lower my head, embarrassed I’d slipped up. I had been thinking about it, I just hadn’t meant to tell him so soon. He wouldn’t let me, just kept eye contact, so intense that I felt the weight of his stare down into my core.

  “Yes.” It was the only word I could think of saying.

  “Yes,” he whispered, kissing me softly.

  “I think I’m going to throw up,” a voice said from behind us.

  “Lilu, what are you doing up here?” Nergal asked, holding onto me, tightly. Lilu looked pretty horrible, her cobalt skin was pale and grey tinged, eyes too bright and large in her skull. Her navy hair was a huge rat’s nest.

  “We decided she was no longer a threat, she is dying and we do not see the harm in allowing her freedom,” Adad said coming into the hallway. Geshti, Ekur and Nam followed him.

  “Speak for yourself my love,” Geshti was not happy, “I voted she be put to death at once.” The look he gave her was not friendly.

  “I agree,” Nergal’s response shocked me.

  “What would your mother say if she were here?” Adad speared him with a dark look.

  “She would say that Lilu is ill and in pain. Letting her suffer is a worse punishment than death,” Nergal sounded calm. Adad didn’t like that response and chose to ignore his son’s words.

  “Lilu, your magic is all but gone. You are dying, child. Soon you shall be with your mother.” Adad tried to kiss her forehead, but she hissed at him and the guards had to grab her arms before she could lash out. Saddened, I watched Adad take Geshti’s arm and lead her from the corridor.

  “Your mother must have been amazing for him to treat her like this,” I commented.

  “The First Queen was a kind, good woman, sweet in nature and beautiful,” Ekur told me.

  “Don’t you speak of my mother,” Lilu growled.

  “I am not trying to heal that bitch; your father can deal,” Nam shook his head, emphatically.

  “Could you heal her, do you think?” I asked him. I did pity her, Hallow Syndrome could happen to anyone.

  “I could try, but I don’t think so. Hallow Syndrome isn’t a virus or a bacteria. It is a mental disorder.” Nam frowned.

  “There is nothing wrong with me!” Lilu screeched as the guards pulled her away.

  “So they will what? Just let her wander around under constant supervision under she dies?” I thought it was really unkind.

  “I suppose. My father does not understand that her brain is deteriorating, he has never seen the end stages of Hallow Syndrome; when she will take to her bed from headaches and eventually fall into a coma and die.” Nergal sighed.

  “Then he should wander into your fabulous library once in a while and pick up a damn book,” Nam retorted.

  None of us had actually seen someone die from HS but we’d all read and seen pictures. In the end, every orifice in her body would leak blood, the pain from the headaches would drive her further into insanity until finally sleep claimed her and then death.

  “I will try to talk to him again later tonight, and to my step mother, perhaps combined, we can weaken his resolve to keep her alive.” Nergal took my hand and kissed my palm. It sent shivers up and down my spine.

  “I am sorry Best Beloved One, but you have to leave. I will send Namtar back to you as soon as he is done helping with our sick.” I could tell he didn’t want me to leave and that thought allowed me to push the tears back and hold onto my anger. I still could not believe that after all I had done they were basically kicking me out.

  “I don’t have to stay, Eshie, I can come back with you. They can deal with the illness themselves.” Nam gave me a worried look.

  “No, I know you’re interested. You’ve never seen some of this sickness up close and personal before.” I also knew healing would add to his power base.

  I packed quickly and efficiently, and within the hour I was waiting on an Adureed with Puabi flying around my head and Lahar sitting, patiently, next to me.

  “I will come to you as soon as I can,” Nergal said, kissing me sweetly as the Adureed came galloping up to us.

  “Take your time, I know there is a lot going on. Plus I think I will be busy trying to manage things at home,” I told him. I feathered my lips across his jaw line and mounted the steed.

  I did not look back. It was time now to focus on Adura and my Estate and think about what was to come.

  I took my time going home. I was lonely, though Puabi was entertaining and camping, as always, I found tedious and trying. The Adureed dropped me off about two moon rises later.

  Sarlu greeted me at the front door and I was pleasantly surprised at the changes that had taken place during my absence. The house was completely settled, everything cleaned, stocked, uncovered and unpacked.

  Since the moon had only just risen, my staff was bustling around with morning chores. I could smell breakfast cooking and a maid humming as she dusted,

  “Sarlu, you have done a great job!” I praised her as she led me into the library. I sat down and almost as soon as my butt hit the chair a cheerful dark maid brought me tea and toast.

  “Thank you Princess, I am glad you approve. While you were gone I brought on a Healer. She is married to an animal doctor and I have put them in the free standing servant’s quarters behind the house with the gardeners.” She seemed very pleased with herself.

  “Good. The staff is fully functioning now? You have all the help you need?” I asked her, sipping the tea carefully, it was made just the way I liked it with milk and sugar.

  “Yes, this house is ready to be your home now. A place of pride for all of us.”

  “Were there any messages while I was gone?” I was curious as to whether my parents or siblings had bothered to find out what I had been doing.

  “Yes. Your brother scried while you were helping the Alus.” I loved that Sarlu spoke plainly and factually, without fluff, it was refreshing.

  “I’ll give him a call after I eat, bathe and change.” I decided.

  “There are several maids from whom to choose a lady’s maid, Princess, and they are quite anxious for you to do so.” There was laughter in her voice.

  “Why?”

  “Because being the future Queen of Adura’s lady-in-waiting will give them a great honor.”

  “How many am I supposed to be looking at?” I had never had great people skills and I didn’t want to hurt some poor girl’s feelings.

  “You have five maids, three of them are up for consideration,” Sarlu answered in her normal no nonsense way.

  “Why not all five?”

  “The scullery and kitchen maid do not have the qualifications.”

  “Well, let’s get it over with.” I set my small breakfast down and pulled my legs underneath me, hugging my knees. I was tired and didn’t really want to deal with this sort of power struggle. I knew whichever maid I chose would probably lord it over the others. Staff politics were almost as bad and any other.

  “Alright, girls!” Sarlu called for them.

  As if they had been waiting, they all came rushing in at once and bowed low to me, ugh.

  “Please don’t, I really hate that custom,” I grimaced; they stood up quickly as I looked them over.

  They were all about my age; so young and pretty, each flowed with vibrancy and energy which was a good sign.

  “Okay… so…what now?” I looked questioningly Sarlu.

  “Girls.” It was a one word command.

  The first curtseyed,
I let it go, she was just trying to be polite, after all. She was tiny, very delicate looking. With skin quite black and eyes that were dazzling sliver. Her hair shimmered silver and white, literally sparkling. She kept her hair short and it was cut in an almost boyish way. I noticed Sarlu had chosen to keep the uniforms basic and modest. Each girl wore a simple black, short sleeved shift dress that cinched their waist and came to their knees with matching flats. Though this one had an apron that matched her hair.

  “You are an Astariae.” I don’t know if I could have sounded more surprised.

  “Well, I am half Star Nymph, I am called Igigi. I am much honored to retain a place in your household.” Her words were formal, voice clear and bright.

  “I hired many Half Borns. It seemed a good idea to show that we did not discriminate.” Sarlu explained.

  I agreed with her decision, I was just surprised. In our society while the natural creatures of Salas were treated with equality, respect and dignity, those born from two races, as we called them, Half Borns, sometimes were looked down upon. I had never really cared, but my family only hired Full Borns. They didn’t care of what, per say.

  “I am Tiamat, Princess, and I’m really happy to be here as well. Sarlu pretty much rescued me from an arranged marriage, which would have really sucked.” The next girl rambled, I liked that. She seemed much more relaxed than the other two. Her hair was fire red, pulled back curls; there were two tiny green horns on the top of her head. She had deep green eyes that were very almond shaped and her skin was white with a faint shimmering of iridescent green.

  “Are you a Dragon Demon?” I asked, standing up and moving towards her. Demons, aside from Alus, were uncommon. They did not tend to live together and when they did, were more like close knit small family groups.

  “Yes!” she exclaimed.

  “Sarlu saved you from an arranged marriage?” I gave Sarlu a puzzled look, she just shrugged.

  “Yes, because I am Half Born, most normal Dragons will not take me because I am deformed. But a rich Marmos offered to pay my father handsomely for me, it was a good choice, but this is better.”

  I could not help but laugh. Dragons from Adura loved nothing more than money and chaos, Dragons in Nannaru were money and fire, while Biri Dragons tended to just be about the gaining of riches and hoarding. Fairly predictable.

  “You are not deformed, Tiamat,” the last girl said sharply.

  “I am, Beletseri, but you are nice to say it isn’t so,” Tiamat grinned. She bounced around and shook her firm back side at me, “see no tail,” facing me again she held out hands, “no claws and I cannot shape shift.”

  I chuckled at her, “I think you will fit in nicely.” Focusing my attention on Beletseri.

  “And what is your story?”

  “Tiamat wouldn’t come without me; we grew up in the same village. We are best friends.” Her voice sounded familiar.

  “Beletseri’s mom and step dad run one of the major funeral parlors!” Tiamat’s words just seemed to burst from her.

  “You are not a Half Born.” It was pretty obvious. She was the tallest and roundest of the three. Her skin was a pretty peaches and cream complexion, not quite Aduran.

  “I am, kind of. My real father is a sailor from Nannaru.”

  Well, that explained the complexion and the eyes, which were the pale purple of Singing Lavender. Her hair, though and I suspected her magic was all Aduran. Her hair was so black it had blue highlights. It was not the loose curls of Tiamat, but tightly wound ones, a waterfall of them down her back.

  “He did not want you?” It was a hard question, but she had made me curious. I had not spent a lot of time with girls my own age before.

  “He did…does…but my magic…it is Aduran based and I cannot survive elsewhere. He comes once a year and takes me with him on his ship for a week.” She glowed as she spoke of her real father. I wished Namtar was there, he would love to hear about someone who had been on the water.

  “It wasn’t scary?” Igigi asked.

  “No, I love it, it’s thrilling,” she answered.

  “What is your magic, you feel familiar to me…. Death?” That had to be it.

  “Yes, very minor and it only works sometimes. But I get visions or omens before people I know die. I can feel it when they do, feel their soul pass into the underworld. It is like part of my brain is taking records of how many deaths we have each year. My mother put me in charge of the obituaries and death records because of it.”

  “And you would rather be here than somewhere you can use your magic on a daily basis.” I could not understand that.

  “I would rather be with Tiamat, doing something, anything else, somewhere, anywhere else.”

  THAT, I could totally understand.

  “Okay the. While all three of you are awesome. I think Beletseri and I will complement each other better. But I want you guys all to know this is your home. Feel free to come to me, Sarlu, or even my companion Namtar if you have questions or concerns.” I really wanted to have a family environment for my staff.

  Igigi looked let down and excused herself quickly, but Tiamat squealed and hugged her BFF.

  “I just knew she would pick you!”

  “Princess, are you sure? Tiamat has so…so..so much more…personality then I do.” Beletseri whispered over Tiamat’s shoulder.

  “I am sure.”

  Tiamat released her friend, squeezed her hand and then stepped away.

  “Tiamat, I believe that you may go and start your other chores with Igigi.” Sarlu dismissed her. The Dragon girl danced off.

  “Well, at least life will never be boring with her around,” I mentioned.

  “Never. We’ve been best friends since…well, always. It is a quality I have always wished I held,” my new Lady’s Maid told me.

  “Alright. I will be calling my brother in the morning so make sure my mirror is clean. Have the Healer’s husband look at Lahar and Puabi and then make sure they are fed and settled in. I don’t need you to start my bath, that is what I am going to do, but I will need assistance dressing my hair. You can do a decent braid, yes?” as I rattled off instructions; she looked a little overwhelmed for a second, then nodded and took off.

  “Again, Sarlu, you did an excellent job with the hiring. I cannot wait to see if the rest of the staff is as…unique.” I yawned. Have I mentioned I do not like to sleep outdoors? I have? Huh. Well, what I really wanted was a bath and then a nap in my soft comfy bed.

  “They are. I tailored the staff to your personality. I told you this sort of work is my specialty, my magic.” Sarlu raised an eyebrow at me.

  “Good. I think I will leave you to do, well whatever it is you do, and go to my room.” I yawned again.

  “Princess, do not forget I will also need your food and meal preferences,” she called after me.

  I didn’t really respond, just grumbled. See, being a Princess isn’t all jewels and parties, magic and adventure.

  Chapter 18

  “Should I bring the mirror in now?” Beletseri asked as she removed the remnants of my breakfast from the little table near my bed.

  “Yes, please.” Standing, I shrugged into a black robe and took a moment to make sure I didn’t look totally disheveled. My hair was piled high on my head under the circlet Mash has sent me. I looked relaxed yet regal.

  Sitting on the end of my bed I waited for Beletseri. She brought in a full length mirror that Sarlu had bought specifically for this type of calling. It was in a black filigree patterned frame, five or six feet high and two feet wide. Sarlu had wheels installed on the bottom of the stand that held it up.

  “Is there anything else you require of me?” my new maid asked.

  “Not right now, thanks.” I gave her my friendliest smile and turned my attention to the mirror.

  Leaning in I touched the cold surface, said a Word and the mirror blurred as a face appeared, spectral and distorted, swirling from the beyond. I was a little shocked; usually what talks is the bit of per
sonality the magic maker has installed in the mirror. And the magic Word just activates it. Sarlu, however, had purchased a mirror with a Mirror Spirit trapped in it.

  “Your Majesty. How may I help you?” the distant echoing voice of the Mirror Spirit asked.

  “I need to place a call to the Princess Ishtar.”

  The face in my mirror rose what I thought were eyebrows at me, “this may be difficult; Biri mirrors have been refusing Aduran calls of late.”

  “I think my sister’s mirror will be more hospitable.” Though the information was helpful.

  “I will try. When you are done however, we must discuss the arrangements of my use.” It disappeared before I could comment. Mirror Spirits were a pain in the ass.

  Within minutes the mirror blurred and then my sister’s image appeared in the glass.

  “Eshie!” she exclaimed, scooting forward so her nose was almost touching the glass. She looked just like I pictured her in my mind. She was in a pale blue nightgown with a high collar and I could see her breakfast tray next to her, half eaten waffles, cooling.

  “Oh, Ishtar! I am so glad to see you. How are you, is everything ok at home?” firing questions at her, I moved closer, losing my composure.

  “Things here are crazy! The weddings plans are way more than I can handle so Mare and Lord Dumuzi’s mom are taking care of most of it. I haven’t had much to do. It’s lonely here without you and Mash,” she rambled. There was this look in her eyes however, and I wished we could speak telepathically.

  “You should force your opinion on them; this is going to be your wedding after all.” I smiled at her, sometimes she was still so young, as we all were.

  “I can’t. You know how Mare is.” She sighed, leaning back a little, “will you be coming to the wedding?”

  “I do not think so… Things in Adura are…complicated.” My throat felt tight as I told her. I didn’t want to miss my baby sister’s wedding. But I did not think I would be allowed back into Biri any time soon.

  “Oh,” tears welled in her chocolate colored eyes and I watched her struggle to hold them back, “Mash said he couldn’t come either.”

  “I am so sorry Ishtar, truly I am. But you should know things in Salas are changing and you should be prepared for it. Don’t let mother and father control you. One day you will be queen of Biri, be a queen you can be proud of.” I was not sure how much I should tell her, but her eyes widened and she looked behind the mirror to where I could not see. I was afraid she was being monitored.