The Queen of Hope (Tower of Glass series) (The Throne Of Glass Book 1)

by Anna Lacroire

  Will I ever remember?

  Will I ever have to?

  Chapter 5

  After Chateau school the next day, Oriana, Cordelia and I decided to go for a walk in the land in front of the chateau. We all wanted to go again and just admire the outside of the wonderful chateau. I just wanted to lay in the fresh, soft, green grass on my back and half look up at the sky and half look at the chateau. I felt like I was really beginning to like this ‘new world.’

  Cordelia as normal, was overseeing that Oriana and I had eating our lunch and that our hair and robes were tidy and ‘suitable’ before we left. I couldn’t see what all the fuss was about as I was just going to lay in the grass, but still I decided that I was just going to please her wish – why shouldn’t I?

  I was wearing one of my favourite soft light velvet dresses, with a laced floral bodice insert. I did worry that the bustline was too low. When I asked Cordelia she just raised an eyebrow in agreement. Oriana saw this and interjected – women are meant to be seen and be proud of all their assets. So, bearing that in mind and realising that time was getting on as I stood there and admired myself in the large, jewelled mirror in my room – I hurried and decided to go as I was.

  We left by the same long corridor and passed again through the large, spectacular door. How it was so thick yet so easy to open, I just don’t know but it was.

  Once outside the sun was shining gloriously again and everything under it was peacefully, humming along in a gentle manner. We picked some flowers, drank from the waterfalls and ate some wild strawberries that were growing near the lagoon., slipping quite easily into the natural rhythm of the landscape. Then we laid back and relaxed in the grass. As I lay there I asked the girls:

  “What do you think of that mirror in our rooms girls? The one with the all the stones and the figure at the top of the mirror.?”

  “I haven’t a clue, what you’re on about,” said Oriana as she started to re-braid her own hair, playfully.

  “We don’t have a mirror as ornate as yours, “ said Cordelia.

  “In fact, we don’t have an ornate mirror at all. Ours is just a plain mirror. No stones and no sculptures on it either.” She followed up, sounding somewhat annoyed.

  “Really!” I said, sitting up suddenly on my hands.

  “Yes, she’s right.” Replied Oriana. “Ours is just plain and boring. I wonder why yours is so special, oh you - the chosen one!” said Oriana humourlessly.

  “Oh – I thought we all had a mirror like that.” I said, beginning to feel a little awkward that their mirrors were not as nice as mine as well as feeling perplexed as to why did I have a mirror and a cup actually like this?” I slumped back in to the grass and started to think again about the cup and the figure in the mirror but with the warmness of the sun, seeping softly into my skin, I started to feel snoozy, so I just closed my eyes.

  As I lay there contently, I listened to Cordelia and Oriana chatting away happily but then their words suddenly started to become fainter and fainter until they were entirely drowned out by the sound of hooves. Thundering, galloping hooves. They suddenly got so loud that I realised that they were upon us and so I sat up quickly and opened my eyes, smelling that hot, horse fur was very near.

  I had to hold my hand up to my eyes as the sun was shining brightly, in the huge, cloudless, blue sky above me. I could just make out the silhouettes, sitting on the horses.

  “Oh sorry – didn’t mean to scare you!” said Mabon, as he jumped down from his horse energetically, cracking a great big smile. He was wearing a floaty, white shirt that bellowed out from his small waist, which led to his even smaller, tight thighs that were standing in some equally tight trousers. The other two stayed on their horses and sat, tall and straight as they looked down on us.

  We have just been on a country kantar, it was great fun. We came back as we could see you leaving the chateau and thought you may like to join us.

  “We don’t ride!” said Cordelia, quickly.

  “You mean we don’t have horses – yet.” Oriana cut in quickly.

  “Well we can help you with that.” Hearne said also with a great smile on his face. “Come on, up.” He gestured as he leant down from his horse with his arm outstretched.

  Oriana needing no further encouragement, she just jumped up and grabbed his arm and was sitting snuggly on his horse, behind him, with a great big smile that said” I’m so pleased with myself.” Her legs straddled either side and her arms were tightly clutched around his waist before I could even blink!

  “One down – two to go.” Said Custennain, very seriously and sarcastically. “Come on – or are you too scared to go on a horse?” he continued cusadly.

  “Oh, I am sure they just need some encouragement!” joined in Mabon.

  Feeling like all eyes were on me and feeling a little under pressure, I rose from where I had been sitting and replied,

  “Scared! I don’t think so, scared of what?” I said as I took Custennains hand. Which actually I wished I had yanked hard to pull him off the horse himself – just to teach him a lesson.

  Cordelia, followed my cue and also mounted - behind Mabon. Once sat behind Custennain, I realised how tall he was and how wide his shoulders were - they blocked out the sun before me. As my front was pressed up to his back, I sensed his rigid posture and his soft hair as it touched the top of my nose. I had to turn my face to the side as it started to tickle my nose. I wanted to itch the end of my nose but feared if I removed my hands that were tightly clasped around his strong waist that I may fall off. Now I really didn’t want to give Custennain the benefit of seeing me make a total idiot of myself. As my nose carried on itching, I started to contemplate if I should - all three horses, turned and galloped off, with Mabon shouting out, ” Don’t worry – you’ll see!

  I immediately looked at Cordelia and saw she had the same look of worry in her face as I think I must have had in mine as we gripped on for dear life.

  The higher we climb,

  the harder we fall.

  Chapter 6

  As we galloped across the beautiful lands in the dazzling sunshine, my hair spun out behind me like a veil in strong wind. I gripped Custennain hard and tight with my hands and my legs gripped even harder behind him as they straddled across the horses back and fell onto each side of the horse.

  The noise of the wind whipping past me as we rode, pulled me in to a vortex of deep focus, blocking out everything else but the ride. The sound of the thundering hooves beneath me pushed me back and forth in the large, soft, leather saddle in a regular and forceful motion – I was obliged to follow the rhythm as it repeatedly pushed me back and forth, back and forth, all the time getter closer to Custennain, then pulling me back, then pushing me into him again. The saddle was really soft and my long, velvet robe made me slip about in it, so I had to hitch up my robe to my upper thighs and tuck lengths of it under my buttocks which were equally spread across the back of the back of the horse, right behind Custennain. As I hitched up my robe, it revealed my bare, white legs and tightly laced, leather calf boots, their tall heels rested in the metal stirrups. Hardly the boots to be riding in, I thought.

  At each gallop, my body seemed to move nearer and nearer into Custennains’ back and I was aware that my breasts were now sitting very tightly and neatly into his strong, broad back, they were pushing up against him. The top part of my bodice in the dress had come loose which was revealing more and more of my soft white breasts and the thin, untangled, leather lace of the bodice whipped gently against my skin in the wind, making my pale skin blotchy. I was so pleased he couldn’t see this, pleased no one could see.

  I tried to pull the bodice in together again, at the top with one hand as we rode but I couldn’t get enough of a pull on it with one hand. If I used both hands at this speed, I would surely fall. My mouth was now near the back of Custennain’s right ear – as I tried to keep my head turned to the side whilst we rode.

  My breath grew sharper and shorter, taking fast gasps o
f air in between each rollock as we rode. As much as I felt uncomfortable about being this close to him, I couldn’t move myself away from Custennain – the nature of gravity was pushing us together.

  His long hair blew away from his face revealing his strong jaw line and olive skin, his hair was soft and pushed gently against my face. It had a pleasant, masculine smell – so different from my perfumed body oils that I love soaking into my skin after a hot bath. It felt intense to be this close to someone who I hardly knew and whom didn’t really like me. But I was pleased to be behind him as like this, I could observe everything in this new land – including him but he couldn’t see me. He could only feel me.

  I managed to glimpse down and saw the strong legs of the horse, move ferociously, through the air, his hooves churning up small parts of soil each time. Custennain’s legs were strong. I could see the shape of his large leg muscles as they flexed to grip the horse. His face was in total concentration, his eyes set straight in front of him as he steered the horse with utter precision. One hand, held powerfully, the black, leather reins of the horse whilst the other hand held the horse whip. Every so often his right arm moved back towards me, near to my bare thigh as he flexed his strong arm to gentle whip the horse. Each time he did this the horse lunged forward a little quicker pulling me and Custennain together, faster and faster we rode. We seemed to be miles and miles away from anywhere and I was hoping that we would stop soon, the inside of my thighs were beginning to feel sore with all the friction.

  Custennain must have read my mind as we started to slow up. As he turned behind quickly, his cheek touched mine, embarrassed I pulled back and saw his eyes fall straight on my bare leg and then up to my open bodice. He said nothing, but looked, then turned back round. Feeling totally embarrassed I discreetly pulled my robe down from under my buttocks and covered my legs again. I started to do up my bodice and as I did, I slipped quickly out of the saddle. My flesh felt on fire.

  “Hey, be careful.” said Custennain as he moved towards me catching me with one strong hand and pulling me back into the middle of the saddle again with the other, to be seated right behind him again. The sheer force of his body as he moved towards me created a small wind and blew my hair from my face. I blushed and felt my face cheeks heat up.

  “Oh thanks,” I replied casually, like it was nothing.

  “Come on – let’s get off here and walk up to it.” said Mabon as he drew his horse with Cordelia upon it, alongside me. Hearne arrived within seconds alongside him. I turned my face towards them but pushed my chest right into Custennain’s back as I didn’t want them to see my bodice undone. Feeling really embarrassed, I was relieved that Custennain and his brothers just chatted at this point, deciding amongst themselves as though we weren’t even there.

  As I descended from the horse, I felt relieved that there was no more bobbing about. I also felt relived not to be so close to Custennain – as it was so intense. My two sisters had also demounted their horses and were walking towards me.

  “Look!” Cordelia said as she pointed. We followed her pointed finger and looked. We were looking at the edge of what looked like the world. We seemed to be standing on a cliff, sandy at the edges with mosses of soft gentle grass, cushioning in-between hard, spurts of sun cracked earth. What we looked out onto seemed to be trees - a forest and all around the outskirt of the forest were glittering lights, which seemed odd as it was daytime. To the right of what we could see, the light seemed to get brighter and brighter, then a glare, a flash! For a moment I held up my hands up to my eyes, feeling momentarily blinded. As I pulled my arm down, I saw my sisters, Hearne, Custennain and Mabon do the same. Something seemed to move quickly across the sky – a flash perhaps. The boys had reached us by this point and we were all looking out. Looking at what had decided the glare.

  In front of us was a monumental tower, as tall as the sky, beautiful, bright and ostentatious. Reflected upon it was the sky and the mooning clouds as they floated gently around it. The entire tower seemed to be made of glass and right at the top, the pinnacle was a small pyramid shape. As beautiful as it was, it seemed out of place here, on the edge of a forest and just besides a cliff top. Whilst standing and looking at it, I could not decide if it was silver, glass or crystal.

  “It’s great, isn’t it?” said Mabon, breaking the silence.

  Oriana replied, “Sure is. What is it?”

  “Ah, if only we knew. We do not. All we know is that this mysterious tower has something very magical about it. We don’t know how to get in it – but we have tried. Believe me we have tried. But we had to run at each opportunity that we became close as it is placed on the edge of the forbidden forest, you see down there?” he said.

  “The forbidden forest?” asked Cordelia

  I could see the colour drain from her face. “It’s ok – don’t panic.” Cut in Hearne. That is why we are up here. Here we are off the radar as this cliff is grown upon the natural minerals form the gifted Crystal palace from the divine ones. We are protected.”

  “So you hope!” stated Oriana.

  “We are, don’t worry.” Mabon said coolly.

  “So why are we here then?” I asked. Thinking that what was the point of coming here.

  “Well we thought we would all try going down to it to see if maybe you could figure it out. Six heads are better than three – or one if you count just the one with the

  brains! “ Mabon said confidently whilst he turned and grinned at the others.

  “But how will we get down there.” asked Oriana.

  “I can’t even believe we are even contemplating this.” bursts out Cordelia

  I kind of felt that for once, Cordelia’s normal, over cautious, over reacting was a good thing.

  “Oh come on.” said Mabon coyly.

  “Yes, come on.” added Oriana as she met his side.

  I was just in the process of thinking maybe yes when Cordelia grabbed me and pulled me to one side.

  “Have you forgotten what mother said to us, just a few days ago? What she said about the dark war lords. Have you forgotten what would happen to us if we entered there? Are you really willing to risk your life, your life for them!” she finished as he whirled round and glared at the three, standing men.

  Catching a glimpse of Custennain without him noticing as he was engrossed in his talk with his brothers; looking and pointing at the tower, discussing how they could get in and what they had already tried and why it hadn’t already worked, made me realise that actually I was being totally illogical. Cordelia was right. This was a totally crazy idea. Just as I turned to start convincing Oriana as I knew she was willing to agree to anything that Mabon suggested, I heard a sudden noise like a …

  “Quick, duck.” shouted Hearne. They have seen us – the dark lords have seen us. We need to move fast and dodge the arrows. Quick back to the horses.”

  “I thought we were immune.” I said, hitching my robes up as I ran towards the horse.

  “We are from them, up here, but not from their faithful, forest trolls. The trolls carefully craft from rose thorn, arrows. The points of the arrows have the poison of thee most dangerous fungi applied to their points.

  Once hit by one of the arrows, you only have a matter of minutes to find the slippery elm leaf to apply to the wound. Slippery Elm is not always that easy to find if at all in these parts and the leaves must be freshly pulled. Dried, their healing powers are weakened and may not work. And even if you do pull through, their arrows are tainted with the power of the dark war lords who have charged the points with lies. One touch of the arrow and the dark magic of the war lords will plant lies in your head.” Custennain quickly said as he had grabbed my hand to pull me along faster and faster, as we ran for the horses.

  I quickly looked back to check if my sisters were Ok – they were, we were all running. Running for our lives.

  Chapter 7

  The ride back to the chateau was fast, very fast. Much faster than when we left and with the force of the ene
rgy of the dark lords, zesting towards us through the forest trolls – it was no wonder.

  Once we got back to the Chateau, Custennain jumped off first and turned to give me his hand to get down.

  “No need,” I replied confidently.

  I turned away from his tall, acclaimed physique and golden hair to focus. As I turned, I could feel his eyes beaming into my back and down to my thighs. I was pleased that he had pulled me along, coming back from seeing the tower but I suddenly remembered a familiar phrase from my father: ‘distance is everything when you need to maintain control.’ He would often say this when referring to difficult people or situations that he was unsure of.

  With this in mind, I started to descend from the horse, gripping the saddle tightly but just as I put one leg out to touch the floor, my robe pulled and I slipped, making the horse move forward a little. I managed to grab the rein holder that sits at the top, middle part of the saddle and Custennain took the reins that were dangling to the side of the horse’s mane to steady the horse as I found my balance.

  I hadn’t noticed it before and why would I as Custennain was in front of me on the ride. But my eyes met it head on. As I slipped, I realised that I was a looking at something that I had seen before. The rein holder was sculpted into being the same small figure which I had on my mirror in my bedroom. I slipped off the saddle, in deep thought to find myself beside the horse. I turned to face Custennain and was just about to ask him what this little figure was when Mabon spoke.

  “Now don’t say a word to anyone where we went today.”

  “No – one,” replied Cordelia

  “No-one” all three, men replied together.

  Although I wanted to question why, I was also very tired from the events. I needed to mull over what had happened, what we had seen and what the things in my room meant. The sun was passing over and the day had given me lots more to think about. I was grateful to walk back through the great door into the chateau where we found our mother a little cross.