by Jude Marquez
“Yes, mother. I understand,” Alik said quietly and squeezed his eyes shut. Whoever he brought back to this bleak place, this gray haven, they would have to have the endless patience of a saint. Alik’s life had not been an easy one and his choices exhibited that much.
“Then you can have this. If the person that you wish to marry agrees, then you can have that.” Aconi said.
Alik turned but did not look to his father. Instead he looked at his mother and he felt a piece of his soul curl up and die for the cruelty he had wrought upon her. Her eyes were wet and she was clenching the arms of her chair.
The loss of so many children wore her thin.
“When do we leave?” Alik asked.
ALIK LOOKED TO THE crown jewel of the Ataton Empire, Castle Stormholme. It rose from the sea like a warning, the towers and castle itself looking like they were just as organic as the cliffs that the waves pounded against. He had vague memories of visiting the place as a small child, of playing on the beach and watching an older boy swing a little girl in his arms. He remembered fresh bread, warms breezes from the ocean through the windows and an older girl reading to him about talking animals visiting the sea.
Issat approached him and leaned against the railing of the ship. "They are all beautiful," she said. Her dark hair rippled in the wind and her equally dark eyes studied his face.
Alik nodded but did not turn his eyes from the sea.
"Lissandra is intelligent and beautiful. Avelina is trained in all the fine arts of a queen and is gentle and kind and beautiful. Edmond is a fierce fighter and handsome in a way that soldiers have no business being," Issat informed him.
"And the future king? What are your thoughts of him?" Alik asked.
Issat had visited the Ataton Empire only the year before to train under Edmond.
"Eamon is-" She frowned and looped her arm through his. Instead of her usual fighting leathers, she had been dressed in a fine gown, a gown that his sister would have worn. "Eamon is quiet. He is-" She frowned and seemed to hesitate over the words to describe the Crown Prince.
"Just say it," Alik said through gritted teeth. The information had been kept from him for far too long and every time Alik had tried to speak to Issat about the royal family he would soon be a part of, she would be called away.
"You saw him as well as I. He is huge, hulking beast that moves like a cat. He is smart and cruel. He is protective of his younger siblings in a way that I have never seen before. He is terrifying to behold. But, he is not without his own kind of beauty," Issat whispered.
Alik patted her hand. "Thank you for the truth," he said.
"You should change before we land. It will be too hot for such things," she said and tugged at the high collar of Alik's dress suit.
"I will be fine," Alik said. "My father?"
"He readies himself to see his brother in arms. Your mother is fussing over-" Issat looked over her shoulder. "Everything. Here she comes."
Alik straightened up and turned to his mother. She was dressed in a lighter dress than she would normally wear up north and her arms were bare. Her bright blue eyes met her son's and she frowned.
"You should change or you will be smelling like a brothel before we are there an hour," she scolded. At home, in the northern islands, it was too cold to wear as little as it was rumored that the Ataton people did, even in their short summer months. The northern manner of dress consisted more of lined trousers, long sleeved doublets that laced high at the neck and tightly at the wrists, and heavy capes. All of Alik's clothing was heavily embroidered with gold and silver thread, marking him for royalty.
"I will be fine, mother," Alik said and turned back to the docks that they were rapidly approaching.
"Are you still upset?" She asked and Issat moved away, murmuring an excuse that Alik didn't hear.
"Why would I be upset? You are only parading princes and princesses in front of me to marry like we are breeding livestock. Nothing to be upset about," Alik replied and glared out at the ocean. "Nothing at all."
"It is the way of the world," Aconi said and slipped her arms around her son's waist and propped her chin up on his shoulder. "It is how I met your father."
"I would rather not marry than marry in such a manner," Alik replied though his tone lacked venom. However, even he could detect the exhaustion in his voice. This was an old argument, one they had been having for days now.
"Royalty can afford almost anything but even that is beyond our reach. We live to serve the people and the people will need more protection than we can provide." Aconi said. "You must consider their safety. The Ataton empire can provide a cavalry and army that eclipses our own. We can provide the money and the supplies that such an army would need."
Alik sighed but didn't reply.
They docked and the carriage waited for the king and queen and Alik's horse, Jericho, waited for him.
"You cannot ride in the carriage for once?" Alexios grumbled. His steel gray hair was swept behind his crown and he glared at his son. He had the slight build that his son had inherited but that was where the resemblance ended. Everything else in looks and manner, Alik took after the queen. Her blue eyes and light hair and fair skin were a fascinating combination on the prince and he knew people stared as he reached his horse.
"You have sold me off to your friend, father. I insist on a few luxuries," Alik replied and swung himself up on Jericho. His guards flanked him and they were off.
The villages were small and pleasant, the people there waved and cheered and threw flowers in his path. Alik played the part of the handsome visiting prince and smiled and waved as well. He cantered to a little girl and handed her a flower of his own. She blushed and ran back to a small group of friends and Alik waved at them all and rode off again. As they rode, the heat and humidity pressed in on him on all sides and he regretted not changing. The villagers wore short chitons or gauzy material that seemed to float around them and more than one small child was completely without clothes.
The gates to Stormholme were opened and the guards fell back so that Alik led the way. He had heard rumors of how they dressed on this island, but even with the forewarning, he couldn't help but blink at the manner of dress of both the knights and the royalty that waited for him.
The women wore dresses that were gauzy or cut high. Some had artistic panels cut out to frame their curves and golden skin. Their arms were stacked with bracelets or their upper arms were encircled with bands of gold and silver.
The men wore chitons and not much else. Alik was used to this from his time in Cerith but it was so more prominent with both the villagers and the standing army dressed so similarly. Their sandals wrapped up their muscled calves, the bands encircling their legs stretched tight when they moved. Some of the men were tattooed along their arms and shoulders and most had their long golden brown hair pulled up and back in a complicated manner. It was a sea of skin and Alik did not know where it was appropriate to look. He looked over at Issat and the panic must have shone in her eyes because she smiled back at him and touched her shoulder, a suggestion of where to keep his eyes.
He had never been more grateful for his best friend because, for all intents and purposes, these people wore almost nothing.
The knights were short chitons made of pleated black leather. Their legs were on display, bronzed and muscled. They wore long capes of silver and helmets that differentiated them from the civilian men. Their swords gleamed and their shields were brilliant in the morning sun.
But it was the royal family themselves that almost made Alik choke on his own tongue.
The king and queen stood on the bottom steps. The king wore a chiton like the guards, but instead of black it was a blue so deep, it could have been mistaken for the same color as the guards. A white and gold tunic and a light cape completed his outfit. The queen wore a dress of light blue, gauzy and see through in some panels even as the material itself draped over her shoulders and fell to her ankles. She was a beauty herself, her crown shining
top of her head. Her golden brown hair created an intricate knot, keeping it off her neck. King Therris was broad and thick with muscle and his skin was golden tan. His arms were marked as his men's were, the tattoos an intricate design that disappeared underneath the sleeveless shirt he wore. His smile was bright and welcoming and he laughed when he saw Jericho prance up to the steps.
The four royal children were more breathtaking than Alik remembered.
As usual, Eamon and Edmond flanked their sisters. Eamon wore a pleated black chiton edged in silver and a cape of blood red. His arms were tattooed in a language and shape that Alik couldn't identify and snakes curved around his hips. There were words scrawled across his rib cage in an elegant script. Alik couldn't help but notice, of all the men here, he had more tattoos than any other. In both size and presence, he eclipsed all else present.
Next to Eamon was Lissandra. Her dress was as blood red as her brother's cape and her hair was braided around a diadem of golden roses in her hair. The dress had two high slits up to her hips and showed off her flat and tan belly. The top of the dress covered her breasts in a single band and left her collarbone, arms, and shoulders bare. Her arms were stacked with golden bracelets up to her elbows and her eyes were lined with kohl and her gaze was steady as she watched Alik.
Avelina was the smallest and her dress was a gauzy silver. Other than the color, it was a perfect match for her sister. The bracelets that stacked on her arm were silver to match the diadem in her hair.
Edmond was dressed like his brother; chiton edged in silver, cape red as blood. He wasn't as wide as his brother but he was well muscled. He lacked the tattoos that his brother had but his gaze was just as shrewd.
None of them looked as welcoming as their parents.
Issat joined Alik and she grinned at him. "Just as happy to have you here as you are to be here."
Alik glared at her.
"Go greet your future spouse," she hissed as Sir Ysac approached her horse to help her down. She had torn too many gowns trying to dismount a horse on her own.
Alik schooled his expression into something that was warm and dismounted Jericho as the royal carriage arrived.
"Prince Alik!" Queen Christenne called out joyfully. She was a kind woman, Alik recalled, and he gave her a genuine smile as she approached.
"Your Highness," Alik said and bowed deeply before being caged up in a warm hug. He saw Lissandra whisper something to Eamon and he nodded once and raised an eyebrow. Alik noticed that the two princesses were holding hands.
He couldn't help but feel guilt crash into him. They didn't want this any more than he did.
The youngest girl he wouldn't even approach, he already knew it in his gut.
"Was your journey safe?" The Queen asked him.
"It was. The water was perfect for the trip and the boat was more than comfortable," Alik said.
"Good to hear it. Only the best for you and yours, son," King Therris said and shook Alik's hand a little too heartily. He turned away almost immediately as King Alexios and Queen Aconi exited the carriage. Queen Christenne waited with Alik, slipped her arm through his and Issat joined them, a respectful distance away as King Therris greeted the arriving royalty.
As soon as the parties were all introduced they all turned to the royal children, who were waiting quiet and still as statues.
"Let me introduce you." The Queen said at Alik's arm. Alik held his tongue, wanted to say that introductions and insults had already been exchanged, but decided that the sensitive subject of Cerith was not one he wanted to broach here and now.
Queen Christenne gestured to the youngest man. "This is Prince Edmond, Captain of the Guard," Edmond bowed and straightened up. If Alik wasn't mistaken, the knights surrounding them watched him most closely.
"Princess Avelina, Head of Charity and Taxes." Avelina curtsied and Alik was treated to the sight of her bare thighs. He immediately turned his eyes back to the Queen who did not look bothered at the sight.
"Princess Lissandra, Head of State and Affairs," Lissandra curtsied and Alik kept his eyes on her shoulders as Issat had suggested earlier.
"And the Crown Prince Eamon," Christenne finished.
Eamon bowed deeply and Alik almost flinched away when he met Eamon's eyes. It seemed like maybe when Eamon claimed they were friends, he was exaggerating. Alik couldn’t help but feel the sting of that and the coldness of his eyes.
Though...
If Alik was not mistaken, Eamon was looking at him as though he were deciding something he hadn't considered before.
Alik's choice of bedmates were not well known but it was sure to be known to the royal family, what with his insistence of his choice of which sibling he wanted to marry.
"It's very nice to see you again, Prince Alik," Eamon said and descended down the steps with the confidence of a man who was absolutely sure of his place in the world. "I believe the last time you were here, on our islands, you were just a boy.”
Eamon's voice hit Alik as though it were a physical thing and it was like being tumbled through cool water and smooth rocks. There were a great many things that had faded in his time since Alik left Cerith.
Alik fumbled for words for a moment and then cleared his throat. "I believe so. I remember the sea and a book about talking animals visiting the sea but not much else, I'm afraid."
"Opal and the Ocean," Lissandra and Avelina said immediately.
Edmond nudged Avelina gently. "I'm sure they'll read it to you again if you ask nicely."
Eamon shot his siblings a glance over his shoulder and the three of them straightened up immediately. When he turned back to Alik, he smirked as though to say, Do you see how I have this under control? Alik had to hold back his wince. Sibling rivalry was something he once dreamed of.
"I can show you and your council to your rooms," Eamon said and stepped aside.
"It's only Issat and me," Alik said and looked back to his friend who hovered nearby.
"Of course," Eamon said, as though it were perfectly natural for a Crown Prince to travel with only one in his retinue. "Right this way."
Alik looked back to see the other siblings descend on his parents like eager puppies.
The great hall was enormous and filled with a light that the Grayhaven castle had never seen. The windows were stained glass and Alik felt like he was walking through a hall of jewels, falling down on him from on high. Alik longed to take his time but before he knew it, they were at a flight of stairs. Eamon offered Issat his arm immediately and even she looked surprised when she took it. "Your home is breathtaking," she said softly.
"I love Stormholme," Eamon said quietly. There seemed to be a weight behind his words that Alik didn’t quite understand and desperately wanted to ask about. He wondered what it would be like to love your home with such reverence.
"It has been in your line for many generations, has it not?" Alik asked. He stopped to admire a tapestry of maroon and violet, woven together in such a pattern that it was worth more than a glance.
"It has," Eamon said as both he and Issat paused. "My grandmother worked on that for most of her life. My grandfather was fond of saying that the only thing more beautiful was her."
"It is a masterpiece." Alik agreed and they continued up the stairs.
At the first landing, Eamon directed them down a hall. They passed a gilded set of doors with wolves carved into them.
"Those are my rooms," Eamon said. "Should you need anything after hours and for some reason cannot find someone to help you, I can usually be found there."
Issat and Alik exchanged a glance but Alik said softly, "Thank you, Your Highness."
They walked past open windows that faced the fields below and more tapestries in the hall. At a huge pair of double doors, Eamon tugged them open to reveal three separate doors. "The choice is yours although I have to say the door on the left has the best view."
Issat tipped her head at the door and Alik opened it. Issat opened the doors to the room in the middle.
"That would be wonderful," Issat replied when she realized that Alik was gaping at his room. She stole a look at Eamon and he smiled at her. It was a pleasant look on him.
He ducked his head and left them to their rooms. The Crown Prince was just as contradictory as she remembered.
Issat went into Alik's rooms and she realized the reason for his lack of words. His room was dominated by three large windows that looked out on the ocean. There was a large four poster bed that was piled high with pillows. It was done in greens, golds, and blues. The floor was covered in a thick rug that she sank into.
There was a handsomely carved desk in the corner, with corners gilded in gold and a chaise lounge by the fireplace.
"I suppose there are worst ways to spend a month," she said.
"Indeed there are."
Chapter 3
Eamon wasn’t sure what he was thinking, having Alik and Lady Issat so close to his rooms. There were a number of rooms ready for the royal guests but he felt compelled to show them the ones in his wing, with the views of the oceans, and the comforts that his own home featured so lovingly.
It felt strangely like he was showing off.
Which was ridiculous. He did not care what Prince Alik thought of his home. It was his home and he loved it and his family loved it and that was all that mattered, in the end. It did not matter if Alik thought that it was a good home, a place that would not only be suitable for a family but also a happy place to raise children.
What Prince Alik thought did not matter in the slightest.
In fact, it would really be better for all involved for the Prince to select one of Eamon’s siblings and then be on his way. Perhaps Avelina would become the queen to the north and secure their families holdings and then Eamon could live out the rest of his days among his men and leading them to battles throughout the lands.
