With that Milli shooed the other girls from the room and closed the door behind them. Amri sighed in relief, glad to finally be alone, and looked into the warm water with a wince. She wondered if Ezra had handmaids to help her wash every day.
She took a moment to look around the room. She did not expect to find any hidden escapes, but had to look, nonetheless. There was a tapping on the door and the voice of Milli called to her.
“Do you need a hand dear? It doesn’t sound like you’re bathing in there.”
“No, I’ve got it.” Amri sighed, as she splashed her hand in the tub hoping to chase away Milli for a little longer.
She could hear the handmaid’s whispering on the other side of the door and wondered if it was about her. Amri eventually gave up exploring the room and faced the tub with a frown. She undressed and, as instructed, placed her clothes on the chair with her daggers on top. She was surprised that no one had taken them from her. They must not have seen her as any sort of threat, even with a weapon. Amri felt determined to prove them wrong as she stepped into the warm water.
It was a shock at first but then she slipped her whole body into the soapy water and breathed a sigh of relief. It was incredibly relaxing, even with the hushed whispers on the other side of the door. No wonder Ezra and Browen missed taking baths, not that she would ever admit that to either of them. She laid her head back, with the water up to her chin and closed her eyes. Once again, she considered how she was going to escape. Under the water she tried again to pry off the band. She even tried to use her daggers to bend the metal, but only ended up cutting herself.
She sighed in defeat and attempted to use the many bottles of soaps, brushes and scrubs to wash away the dirt and sweat that had been building up. She hadn’t gotten far when there was another knock on the door and Milli called again.
“That should be plenty of time, you should get dressed now and come out here.”
Amri sighed, if she couldn’t escape, she didn’t know how she was going to tolerate the constant instruction for a whole year.
The towels were the softest that she had ever touched and after she was dry, she opened the closet. Dresses of nearly every colour were hung up inside. She pushed past them hoping for pants of some kind and was disappointed to find none. Frustrated, she grabbed a red and gold dress from the hanger and tried it on. It was a little big for her small frame and felt unnatural to wear.
She looked back at her daggers and decided that she dared not leave the room without them. Carefully she pulled the belt on under the dress and fluffed the skirt to better conceal the twin daggers hidden beneath. Before she could check in the mirror to make sure they were hidden, there was another knock on the door just as Milli peeked her head in.
“Oh, my dear you look lovely!” She gasped in surprise and hurried over to Amri. “Red and gold suits you, we’ll have to keep that in mind. Come, come, we must do something about that hair and face.”
Little more than a passenger, Amri was then dragged across the sitting room and through the third door, revealing a large bedroom. There was a grand four poster bed that could have fit her, plus Miri, Ezra, Browen and Ralis all comfortably. Its frame was golden and the spread of blankets and pillows the same luxurious purple from the other room. Dressers and closets lined the walls but Milli directed Amri to sit on a stool before a massive vanity. The table for the vanity was covered in yet more mysterious bottles, jars, brushes, combs and trinkets. Wordlessly the five girls set upon her like hungry wolves on an unfortunate deer.
Adirra and Sabrin got to work on Amri’s hair, and quickly voiced their concern over how to work with something so short. Eventually they settled on a series of ornate gold clips that held her hair back revealing more of Amri’s face.
Joslyn handled the makeup and started applying a series of powders, creams and colours to Amri’s, cheeks, lips, and eyes. She hated every moment that Joslyn worked, and her face immediately felt itchy as the powders settled on her skin. But whenever she moved to scratch the itch Joslyn would smack her hand away.
Milli had begun to fuss over Amri’s dress pulling on the loose fabric and tightening the built-in corset so that it fit her small frame better. Eva helped as much as she could, but clearly did not have the same skill as the other girls. She was adjusting the skirts of Amri’s dress when her hand brushed against the hilt of one of the daggers. She gasped and looked up at Amri. The two stared at each other for a moment, then Eva resumed her work as if she had felt nothing out of place.
They were interrupted by a knock on the door to the main room and Milli hurried over to answer.
“Oh, Mr. Darwood, we’re almost finished here.” Milli said nervously in the other room. “Could we have a few more minutes?”
“I’m sorry Miss Milli, I must take her now or she’ll be late for her first dinner.” The voice was that of a refined older gentleman. “I’m sure you girls did an impeccable job with the time you had.”
“We will see.” Milli sighed, then called for the others to join her in the main room.
Amri tried to stand in the elevated shoes that she had been given and felt as if she would fall flat on her face if she tried to move faster than a crawl. Eva took her hand and helped her keep balance as they entered the sitting room. The man who waited at the door wore a crisp black suit and had a head of entirely grey hairs. His delicate mustache had been carefully manicured into a slight curl and he gasped as he looked at Amri.
“I was told that her name was Kirra?” Mr. Darwood murmured, he looked as if he had seen a ghost.
“Yes.” Milli responded, looking proudly at their handiwork.
“And where are you from Lady Kirra?” The old man asked, looking her over as if trying to solve a puzzle.
“Nowhere.” Amri snapped, she loathed being treated like some noble.
“Ah… well.” Mr. Darwood gathered his wits again and stood straight as he offered his arm. “I am Mr. Cornelle Darwood, the head butler here at the castle. It is my duty and honor to escort you to dinner this evening.”
Amri hesitated. She did not want anything more to do with this but was pulled forward by Eva who handed Mr. Darwood Amri’s arm. Mr. Darwood then bowed his head and the pair entered the hallway.
“Forgive me for my earlier behaviour Lady Kirra, you reminded me of someone I knew once. No matter. I do hope that everyone has done well in explaining your role for the year. This first dinner is an important one, our King-Regent likes… to use a metaphor... to throw his pet to the wolves on the first night. I do hope you have some modicum of manners; you’ll need them if you wish to survive this evening.”
“And if I don’t?” Amri asked. She felt nervous as she struggled to walk in the strange shoes.
Mr. Darwood looked at her sympathetically. “I am not allowed to instruct you, the King-Regent wants to see what you’re like before the lessons begin. But… a kind word of advice, do not speak unless spoken to. Focus on your dinner and nothing else. And if you are asked any questions, answer honestly and speak as well as you can.” He patted her hand that rested on his arm. “I wish you luck.”
They passed into a large entry hall and descended down the staircase that wrapped around the room. Hanging on the wall, in a huge gold frame was a portrait of, undoubtedly, Queen Zarrennia. While Amri had never seen the Queen before, her resemblance to Ezra was uncanny. The imposing woman was as pale as the moon and had long black hair that coiled around her body like shadows. She wore all black which made her pale skin seem all the paler, and her cold condescending eyes followed Amri through the room as if she were actually watching her. On either side, almost hidden from view, was Ezra and presumably her twin Arze. They stood on either side of the Queen with equally intimidating expressions. The two looked like mirror images of their mother aside from their electric green eyes and youth. But what was more of a surprise to Amri, was just how identical Arze was to Ezra, he l
ooked like a male version of her with shorter hair.
Set on the other walls of the impressive room were more portraits of the King-Regent and his retinue, along with figures who Amri could not even guess as to their importance. She noted however that one of them was an Orc, dressed in battle hides. His skin covered in blood red war paint. And another was of a Human, dressed in blues and silvers. He had brown hair and sad blue eyes.
The butler pulled gently on Amri’s arm as she marveled at the art around her. “You’ll have plenty of time to admire the art later on my Lady.”
She was brought through more halls and doors until they eventually arrived at the dining hall. It was a long room with an equally long table at its center. More portraits of the Queen, King-Regent and their respective retinues lined the walls. Waiting below the paintings, like statues, were servants holding trays of warm food and pitchers of drinks.
Already seated at the long table was the King-Regent himself. He looked up boredly from his plate as the pair entered and watched Amri take a seat across from him. On either side of the King-Regent were his four advisors who were idly chatting amongst themselves about politics, none of them seemed interested in the newcomer.
“You’re late.” The King-Regent hissed with his smooth voice.
“Forgive me, my Lord.” Mr. Darwood bowed.
The conversation halted and all eyes were on Amri, she wanted to disappear. She felt a cold shiver as her eyes fell upon Ceeril and Zaphir again. The iron band around her wrist suddenly felt heavy and she struggled to ignore it.
“Allow me to introduce you to Lady Kirra, our King-Regents new pet.” Mr. Darwood announced with a practiced indifference.
“My, my, you do clean up nicely don’t you?” The King-Regent smirked as he looked over Amri with hungry eyes.
“Can we finally eat now?” The largest of the Na’tyr grumbled.
King-Regent Razmir glared at his advisor then snapped his fingers with a bored sigh. The servants moved as one and presented plates of food before the six people at the table. Amri’s stomach immediately rumbled at the sights and smells around her. There was a perfectly seared steak with a delicious smelling cream sauce on the side, oven roasted garlic vegetables drizzled in melted butter and a soft, fresh from the oven, bun. The servants also poured her a glass of red wine and offered her a selection of spices to apply to the food which she declined, not knowing any of them.
The five Na’tyr across from her started eating without hesitation, and as much as Amri wanted to, she resisted the call of her stomach. The sight, while delicious, made her gut twist with guilt. She knew so many in Madaria who were starving to death and here she was presented with a feast that could feed a family.
“Do you get off on rebelling?” The deep voice of the King-Regent interrupted Amri’s thoughts and she looked up to see him staring at her from across the table. “What good does it do for you to starve yourself. If you’re so desperate to leave my castle, there are much faster ways to kill yourself.”
Amri recalled the brief advice from Mr. Darwood and immediately ignored it as she stared back at the King-Regent. “The people of Madaria are starving and you have all this food! Why don’t you send some over?”
“We do.” The King-Regent cocked an eyebrow at Amri in addition to a cruel crooked smile. “We provide most of the food that feeds the Queen’s armies. But you didn’t answer my question.”
“You didn’t answer mine!” Amri snapped back to the King-Regent’s delight. “Feeding the Queen’s armies doesn’t count, what about everyone else!”
“They are the Queen’s problem.” He answered with a dismissive gesture. “I am King of Esper, not Madaria.”
“You’re the King-Regent, you answer to her. The Queen’s problems are also your problems.” Amri hissed back. She had noted the apparent soft spot and had aimed for it.
The jab did more damage than Amri had expected and the King-Regent stood. He glared down at her with his wings flared out. His retinue looked back and forth as if watching a sporting match. Finally, the King-Regent sat down, and his cocky smile returned. “You’re going to be fun. It’s been awhile since I had good sport. Now answer my question, do you get off on rebelling?”
Amri blushed not sure how to answer.
The reaction seemed to be answer enough and the King-Regent returned to his food. “If you do not eat your food it will be tossed in the trash, and no one will get to eat it. Does that make you feel better?”
Amri scowled back at the King-Regent even as her stomach rumbled. She struggled with the morality of it and eventually broke down to enjoy a few mouthwatering bites. She wouldn’t be able to escape if she starved.
For the rest of the evening she was ignored while the Na’tyr talked about economics and taxes. Finally, as dinner ended, she was hurried back to her room by Mr. Darwood.
“You shouldn’t tempt him.” He chided her. “He has killed for less.”
Amri shook her head in shock. “What do you mean?”
“You’ll see soon enough if you keep pushing him. Please my Lady, keep your thoughts to yourself if you wish to survive your time here.”
When she was finally left alone in her room, she took her time and thoroughly explored. Again, she found no secret exits or hidden cubbies to stash things. The balcony was only large enough for maybe three people to stand shoulder to shoulder and looked out to the city, now aglow with lights. She wondered if Ezra, Browen, Ralis and Miri were looking up at the castle and working on a plan to get her out.
Chapter Twenty Six
Ezra
Ezra felt like she had explored every part of the massive city and there was still no sign of Miri or Ralis. She had been through a quiet market district with all the shops closed for the festival. Then moved through a tight residential district whose buildings barely had space to breath against one another. Beyond, was what she could only describe as some sort of industrial district. It was filled with massive buildings which pumped a constant stream of smoke into the air and rested against the outer wall of the city.
She continued along the wall and returned to a relatively cleaner part of the city where she spotted the massive train station. The inside was dark, and she moved on. Eventually she came into a part of the city that was decidedly better off than the rest. Massive homes with space to breath were clustered proudly between luxurious gardens and cultural buildings. While the rest of the city felt like a ghost town, here soldiers in a variety of colours watched with suspicion as she passed. She hurried through and again found herself at the edge of the massive festival.
Desperate, she decided to search the clocktower yard. The festivities there were in full swing as she carefully searched the thick crowds. It was a struggle to not be distracted by the delicious smells of specially cooked meals and baked goods. Her stomach rumbled loudly as she passed a particularly delectable smelling stand offering freshly baked breads. The events of the festival were also intriguing, and she wondered if Verta had similar celebrations that she was unaware of. The most impressive of the displays was a showcase of new inventions by the citizens of Esper. Tables were lined with strange contraptions that sputtered steam or smoke. Some spun wildly or moved in an uncanny fashion, while others made odd clicking sounds moved of their own accord. In a rare patch of open cobblestones, children played with strange mechanical toys which emulated animals. A metallic frog hopped forward as a key twisted in its back to the delight of a pair of young boys. And another group of children raced miniature mechanical horses that moved with an unnatural stiffness.
Ezra was careful to keep her face hidden as she dared only a brief moment to glance at the wonders around her. It took her hours to move through the dense crowd and, as she suspected, there was no sign of Miri or Ralis.
She returned to the empty streets to start again. She searched every dark alleyway, checked the gallows, and even dared a
peek into some of the quiet shops and taverns. Still nothing. It was getting dark and her stomach’s constant reminders that she hadn’t eaten since breakfast were becoming uncomfortable. As she searched the flame licked at the corner of her mind. It was a constant temptation that only became harder to ignore as the hours ticked by.
Ezra guessed that it was some time after midnight when the yard emptied and the festivities of Summerfest finally ended. Just to be certain, Ezra spent yet another hour exploring the once crowded space to no avail. She was hungry, tired and out of options. Then it started to rain.
Desperate and frustrated, she found a dirty alcove to hide from the rain. For once didn’t care about the grime around her as she leaned her back against the aged stone building.
Browen was presumably safe and had convinced the soldiers to let him join. She forced herself to believe that over the grim alternative. He was better than most new recruits would be with a sword, but if one person recognized him it would ruin his already foolhardy plan. Either way he was beyond her reach, not without exposing herself to soldiers who would absolutely recognize their missing princess.
Amri was safe too. From everything that she knew about the King-Regent’s strange habit, Amri would be safe, for now. At least she would be sleeping in a nice bed and get to enjoy a luxurious breakfast in the morning. Ezra chuckled at the irony, at how their roles had been reversed. She wished that she knew more about how Amri had survived so long on the streets. Anything to help her at least get through this first horrible night.
Then there was the fate of Ralis and Miri. She had found no sign of them. She had no clue where they could have gone. At least the gallows were empty every time Ezra passed them. Other than continuing to explore aimlessly, she had no idea how she was going to find them.
She slammed her fist against the back of the alcove and a flash of green flame erupted from the impact. Ezra looked to her glove hand, all of this power and she could do nothing but wait. Teeth gritted in frustration, she had to force herself to calm her mind and slid down to the wet cobblestones. She needed to relax, before the flame used her to turn the entire city into ash.
Sunken Wind Page 26
