Fight for the Crown

by Emilie MacCauley

  “I don’t understand,” she whispers touching and exploring her new face. She feels every crease, and every outline even though nothing feels any different. “This...this is what I look like?” The three of them nod their heads with solemn smiles.

  After a half an hour of staring at herself in the mirror passes, Shadow leaves her in the hands of Lola and Solana. He excuses himself to help close Cirka for the night. Lola and Solana were more than thrilled to take Rowan off his hands, but she felt a sense of sadness parting from Shadow. One she can’t explain. As if he is comfort in a new place. Rowan has no time to dwell on these feelings as they lead her away from the booths and away from the main tents. They head toward a scattering of smaller tents near one of the corners of the gate. Each has a sign saying— no trespassing.

  “This is where we stay. We all sleep and get dressed in here. I know it’s not much, it’s about four or five to a tent. It’s kind of crowded but we have room for one more,” Lola offers while holding open the flap to their tent.

  The inside is more spacious than it looks like it would be from the outside. There are mattresses scattered on the floor and a rack filled with hangers full of clothes. The clothes range from dresses to shirts to pants. Although messy with shoes and blankets everywhere, it has a nice rose scent to it. There is a single lantern sitting on a small wooden desk providing them light. Sitting on one of the mattresses is a female hybrid. Gray horns are sticking out from her temple and spiral downward. At first glance she looks callous, but as she stands and makes her way toward Rowan, she knows she’s just the opposite.

  The hybrid wraps her arms around her, squeezing her tight. “Who’s our new friend?!” She asks excitedly.

  “Roe, meet Pepper. Pepper this is Roe. Shadow found her.”

  Pepper pulls back and while she looks beautiful, she doesn’t have a fae’s irresistible beauty. Hair covers the outline of her face like thick dark brown sideburns. The hair on her head is braided back and reaches the back of her thighs. Even her arms have a thick coat of hair covering her light brown skin. From the outside she looks tough, but her light brown eyes are soft with sympathy and kindness.

  “You must be tired and look at the dress you are wearing. It’s all ruined and your shoes…” she looks down at Rowan’s bare feet. “You can borrow our clothes if you want. I’m sure we’re the same size.”

  And right she is. Rowan puts on a pair of Pepper’s pajamas. The material is unlike the silk nightgowns she wore in the castle. This material is a soft, fleece, and enough to keep her warm through the entire night. She’ll need it considering all that’s offered is a thin cotton blanket. Rowan starts to shiver from the slight draft inside the tent.

  “Tomorrow will be an orientation of sorts. Shadow will probably find you and get you settled. Now that you’re in Cirvka you’ll have to pull your weight,” Lola says as she finishes brushing her glossy black hair.

  “But...I don’t have any powers,” Rowan frowns.

  “I’m sure Shadow will find something for you to do. Get some rest, you’re going to need it,” Pepper says before blowing out the candle enveloping the tent in total darkness. “Goodnight.”

  * * *

  CHAPTER THREE

  Rowan feels lost. The unanswered riddles inside her head have been keeping her awake all night. A Shevka princess one minute and a Dakra nobody the next. She is filled with confusion of who she is and where she comes from. Although she has never felt more comfortable than she does in this new body, she is disoriented with how much of a lie she’s been living. Do her parents even know she is Dakra? Her brothers and parents both have Shevka powers, they can’t be Dakra as well. Could she be adopted? She must be adopted.

  There is so much she doesn’t know about where she came from and how she ended up becoming part of the royal family. Was She glamoured before or after the Greenfallow’s took her in?

  With her family’s hatred of Dakra there is no way they would take in her in knowing her true blood status.

  The questions are an endless stream inside her head.

  Rowan has never really felt like she belonged at the castle. She was raised there, the palace is all she has ever known. Despite the lack of love, Rowan truly did love her mother and father. Constantly craved their approval and sought out their attention until she got older and realized they didn’t care about her as much as they did Arlo or her other brothers. She always thought it was because she is a female and youngest born, but now the fact that she isn’t truly theirs might answer why they have always cared less for her.

  Why didn’t they ever tell her the truth?

  She starts to wonder if maybe her true lineage was kept secret for horrible reasons. Was she stolen from another family? Did her mother want a daughter so bad that she would go to great lengths to steal a baby?

  If they wanted a daughter so bad, why did they not cherish her? Was it her lack of magic or lack of being biologically hers. Was she really such a disappointment?

  Rowan doesn’t know what to feel about this. She has this new face and this new past that she knows nothing about. She doesn’t even know what powers she may harvest as Dakra—if she possesses any at all. It makes sense why she was never able to heal or have super strength or growing abilities like the rest of her family. But it still doesn’t explain why she has never had magic in general. There’s this whole new side to herself that is unidentified.

  Who knows what she could be capable of?

  “Did you get any sleep last night?” Pepper asks. Rowan turns to look at the hybrid laying on her side on her mattress.

  “Some,” Rowan sits up and stretches her arms over her head. She looks around to see that Solana and Lola have left.

  “They have booths to run. I, luckily, don’t have a show until later. Very rarely do I get to sleep in,” she seems happy curled up in her bed.

  “You perform?” She asks with amazement. Rowan always loved the performers. She always wondered what it would be like to get in front of a large crowd and have them cheer for you.

  “Don’t get too excited. I’d much rather be working a booth. Having all those Shevka staring at me like I’m a freak,” she huffs. “I hate it.”

  “Oh. I’m sorry,” she frowns regretting her thoughts.

  Pepper stands and turns her back to Rowan while rummaging through the clothing rack for something to wear. Rowan notices a long tail sticking out from Pepper’s behind. She stares until Pepper snaps, forcing her out of her gaze. Rowan apologizes again but she shrugs throwing some clothes at Rowan.

  As a princess, Rowan is used to dresses. Dresses are all she has ever known. Sometimes they can be quite comfortable and freeing. Unless they are gowns meant for balls or meeting important lords and other royalty. Those dresses require corsets and Rowan loathes corsets. Aside from the pajama set she wore last night, this will be the first time wearing trousers and a tunic. Wearing new clothes seem like a fresh start.

  Rowan always wore dresses and Roe will wear pants and a tunic.

  She puts on the brown corduroy cropped pants that cuff at the ankle and a white shirt with gold embroidery at the collar and hem. Normally this style is for a male, but it seems to be normal apparel for all genders at Cirvka. If she ever returned to the castle looking like this they’d mistake her for a little peasant boy due to her small stature and shapeless figure in this outfit.

  Rowan looks into the tiny mirror on the desk and stares at her unfamiliar face. Her shoulder length orange hair is vibrant with color. Her previous white hair always made her skin seem pale and drab in comparison. Her orange hair makes the tone of her skin come alive with warm colors and a slight pink blush. Rowan used to love her blue eyes, she thought they were her best feature, but her red eyes, which look amber colored today, are just as unique and beautiful.

  “I’m sure Shadow is waiting outside for you,” Pepper gives her a soft smile, before motioning to the tent flap.

  Pepper is right. When she exits the tent Shadow is leaning by a lamppost wit
h his arms crossed. He’s been waiting for her. In the daylight he looks different. His dark clothes match the shadows that seem so desperate to hide him. His eyes which she initially thought to be black, are more of a light brown color. He’s tall, but not as lanky as he looked last night, he’s thick with a muscular build. His hair is slicked back and out of his face making his jawline look sharp and defined. He walks over to her with a tight smile.

  Stopping in front of her, he makes eye contact and says, “Ready to get started?”

  “As ready as I’ll ever be,” she scratches the back of neck. Being around Shadow makes her nervous. Aside from never having friends, she has gotten acquainted with female maids and nannies, but never has she talked to, or been with a male who was not her brother or father.

  Shadow turns on his feet and escorts her across Cirvka grounds toward a long and narrow building hidden behind a gathering of trees. It’s strange to see a building here considering everything is either a booth or a tent. It’s strangely quiet. The only noise heard is the faint sound of guests entering Cirvka and muffled music sounding from the performance tents in the distance. The building is so far away from everything, it’s no wonder why there isn’t anyone in sight.

  “What is this place?” She asks.

  “Headquarters,” he replies walking up the stairs. “First things first,” he holds the door open for her. She takes a step inside noting how dim it is from lack of candlelight. There is a spacious room with a desk and cabinet full of paper documents. There is a long corridor with three rooms on each side. Rowan’s nose scrunches with how creepy the place looks. “We must get you a collar.”

  “Is a collar necessary?” She touches her neck. The collar looks tight and uncomfortable and she really didn’t see a reason to have one on. It’s not like she’s going anywhere.

  “We all have one,” he points to his. “It’s just to keep track of the performers,” he shrugs it off like it’s no big deal.

  “Okay,” she responds warily as he digs in the desk and pulls out one of the many metal collars sitting in the drawer. “Here we go,” he opens the collar and wraps it around her neck. He fiddles and adjusts the size so it comfortably fits around the column of her throat before locking it into place with a snap.

  “What am I going to do if I have no talents?” She stares down at her feet and mumbles.

  Shadow grabs her chin tilting it upwards. He shakes his head, “Keep your head held high.”

  She smiles softly then frowns. Her mother used to tell her that all the time. She’d say having your head down makes you look like you’re embarrassed. Makes you look like a coward. Keep your head held high and show your enemies how strong you are. “I just don’t know where I fit here,” she sighs. Is there anywhere in the lands she fits in, she wonders pessimistically. Maybe with the humans?

  “You’re Dakra. You belong with us. We will find a place best suited for you, but for now you can help Lola or Solana with their booths.” Shadow places his hand on the small of her back and leads her out of the dreary building.

  Approaching headquarters is a group of large males. She instinctively grabs onto Shadow’s shirt when she makes out the identity of the one in the middle. She lets go quickly when Shadow stares down at her with a raised brow. Her cheeks blush.

  “Prince Arlo,” Shadow bows his head slightly. “What can I do for you?”

  “Can’t I check out my own Cirvka for my entertainment?” My brother is surrounded by two palace guards wearing silver armor with King Syro’s insignia on their breast plates. On either side of the guards are two Dakra fae in fancy colorful costumes who look to be performers. His head is held high and he looks pristine as always being a Shevka fae. His blond hair is neatly combed with his crown perfectly placed on top of his head. He’s dressed in white with fitted pants tucked into black boots and an undershirt tucked into his pants while his deep blue vest reaches just above his hips. Over the vest is a white coat that is short in the front and in the back it’s longer with two pieces breaking off into long points. “Who is this?” He stares at her with an intimidating smile. Her entire body begins to tremble. She has a hard time meeting his eyes as if he’ll somehow recognize her. If he does, he doesn’t let on.

  “This is Roe. She is our newest addition,” Shadow introduces.

  “Your Highness,” Rowan whispers while curtseying.

  “Interesting. I can’t wait to see her perform in one of the shows. Tomorrow.”

  “Tomorrow?” She looks between Arlo and Shadow.

  Arlo chuckles. “You better teach this one not to open her mouth unless she is being directly spoken too,” he stares Shadow down with menacing eyes. “I look forward to tomorrow.”

  Arlo walks past them and into the building. Rowan is fixated on the words her brother said. She has no idea what her oldest brother would be doing here in the first place and she also had no idea what he could mean by ‘my Cirvka.’ Arlo spoke with possession as if he is the one who owns the place, but how didn’t Rowan know this. He walks the grounds as if he has been to Cirvka a million times and not the handful of times they went during their childhood.

  “What is the prince doing here?”

  “Remember how I told you I may run Cirvka but I answer to a higher power?” He asks and Rowan nods. “Prince Arlo is one of the higher powers.”

  Her eyes widen in surprise. There is so much Rowan doesn’t know, so much she has always been sheltered from. Rowan can’t stop asking when this happened and why he would want to be in charge of Cirvka. He hates low blooded creatures, he’s likely taken on this project to make sure the performers at Cirvka are as miserable as he likes.

  “I’ll take you to Lola’s booth. I’m sure she could use some company.”

  Compared to nighttime, the booths are much busier. Lola has a line of Shevka who are waiting to hear her fortunes, spells, and curses. Shadow opens up the back of the booth for her. She enters and he shuts it without a goodbye. She sits in the back of the booth on a nearby stool and watches Lola work her magic. Despite actually being a sorceress, most of what she is doing is fabricated. She gives ambiguous fortunes and tells them old tales of what they can do for fertility or love or whatever it is the Shevka wants. She gives them spells and curses to use, but nothing permanent and nothing that will kill.

  “Finally, the rush is over!” Lola slumps to the ground and exhales loudly.

  “The rush?” Rowan yawns. She’s never been so bored. She wishes she at least had a book on her to keep her occupied.

  “Before all the performances start the Shevka check out the booths. We call it the rush.”

  Rowan peers out the window booth. There’s not a single Shevka in sight. It’s ominously quiet and she starts thinking of Pepper and wondering if she’s the one all the Shevka guests left to go see perform. Her stomach tightens with nerves. She doesn’t know anything about performing and yet she is forced to perform in front of her brother tomorrow. She’ll be made a fool of if she is asked to display the powers she doesn’t have.

  “Want me to read your fortune?” Lola’s eyes brighten.

  She shakes her head. “I’d rather not.”

  “Oh come on! We have nothing better to do than sit here until the next one comes.”

  The younger Rowan would jump at the opportunity to get her fortune told. The same younger Rowan that was told no by her mother and dragged away from the booth when she was once a Shevka guest of Cirvka. She is now unsure if her fortune is anything she wants to hear. That might make her a coward but yesterday had one too many surprises. She is still trying to wrap her head around this sudden identity change that unmasked her as a Dakra female with orange hair and red eyes.

  “Are there Dakra out there who don’t have their own respected powers?” She inquires timidly.

  “Unless you are human all Shevka, Dakra, and other creatures have powers.”

  “What if you all are wrong? What if I’m not Dakra but I’m human?” She swallows hard. Low bloods may feel they don�
�t belong in a society ruled by Shevka, but it is humans who truly don’t belong. Humans were coaxed into this world long ago in exchange for something only Shevka or Dakra powers could provide them with. Now they are used as slaves for both low and high bloods. All the servants and chambermaids in the castle are human, which again explains why no one has ever seen through her glamour. Only a select few low bloods have that ability. Shadow included.

  “We’re not wrong,” she says pointedly. “You are Dakra.”

  “How can you tell?”

  “Dakra emanate a certain energy force, as do Shevka, but each one feels different. Shevka energy feels light and airy where Dakra energy is heavy and strong.”

  “How come I can’t feel these energies? How come all of you could see past my glamour but I couldn’t see past my own? How can I be a powerless Dakra?” She stands from the stool feeling outraged.

  Lola frowns. “I don’t know.” Standing, she walks over to Rowan putting a comforting hand on her shoulder. “We will figure something out. Don’t worry about it, friend.”

  “Thanks,” She wraps her arms around the sorceress and holds her tightly. The word friend. She has never had a friend before and hugging certainly wasn’t appropriate for a princess. The motion and the warmth of another being holding you is everything Rowan has ever needed and wanted. To have companionship and to have someone on your side, care for you, protect you, and trust you, is a basic need she has never had. Her life had been lived in solitude for so long and although this is new and unfamiliar, she is no longer afraid.

  “I’m sure Solana is concocting a potion now to enhance whatever power is buried inside of you,” Lola pats her back with reassurance.

  They part from their hug and sit on the two stools in the back of the room talking with each other. Lola says that the performances can last hours and this is usually the most boring part of the day. She checks the time and says they still have an hour before another rush, so they should get something to eat. The dining tent is full with Cirvka workers. The food smells bland compared to the sweet smelling aroma coming from the booths selling treats. Lola points out Shadow and tells her to go sit with him while she grabs two trays of food.