Important Matters
Alaceandra
Some time passes before a knock sounds on my door. I have been puzzling over a way to let Philos know I have received her message without giving away what the message is or how to do it without interception. I miss my friend. Although the company of Sorin and Sam is nice, there is no better comfort than in the arms of your best girl especially one as informed as she. She has been the one who has guided methrough all of my crisis whether they be political, trivial or social over the years. Although she prefers women herself, she has even been good at providing a rational or an empathetic ear to my troubles surrounding my feelings for Sorin and Sam. She is the one who pointed out my crushes on them early on and even though she has teased me about it ever since, her levity when it comes to intense situations has always been a dear comfort to me. I would really appreciate her views on my current situation here in Helomasi or any insights she may have about the kingdom and truthfully it would also be nice if she could provide some clarity as to my growing infatuation with the prince.
He is both an asshole and annoyingly intriguing. He elects to cast me secretive looks whenever we cross paths, ensuring Sorin and Sam are not watching. I cannot help but be curious as to what those glances mean. I also wonder what he might have told me had Sorin and Sam not interrupted in the gardens. Would he have shared with me more of his secret plans to go against our fathers? I guess it is good to know that he has other plans than to play pawn in our parents' game, but his still seeing me as a pawn even within his own plans does not bode well for me. He is a puzzle, and I cannot help but want to solve him, let us hope I do not lose pieces of myself in the process.
As I muse at what I assume Philos would say to the clusterfuck my life has turned into, another knock echoes through the room. Sighing aloud I hoist myself from my bed and pad over to the door. I start to reach out before thinking better of it. “Announce yourself” I yell at the door. No one responds. I crack the door slightly, peering through in curiosity and finding a note at the foot of my door, I snatch it up.
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Please meet me in the gardens in the morning before breakfast. Alone. There are important matters to discuss.
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I look around. The gardens?Maybe the Prince wrote this?I furrow my brow at the note. It had to be. Those are the prince’s gardens, who else would want to meet me within them? I look around and notice a servant walking away from my room, his movements stiff and jerky. As he starts to turn the corner his eyes meet mine and I quickly duck back into my room. My heart is pumping a thousand miles a minute.Something was wrong with that man.His eyes were bloodshot and unseeing. His face unnaturally pallid.What was he doing outside my room?I crumble the paper.Hopefully this meeting with the prince will provide me some answers. I try to push the man from my thoughts. Walking back over to my bed, I lay down. As soon as my head hits the pillow, I fall asleep.
Chapter twelve
Risky Choices
Alaceandra
Iwake up early the next morning, sweating. I had nightmares the entire night before but cannot recall their contents, which is strange. I dream vividly every night and usually can recall at least bits of every dream I have, but this morning the memories have escaped me, leaving me with a sour feeling in my stomach. Shaking my body to get rid of the awful feeling, I throw off mycovers, and I stumble out of bed before my body convinces me to sleep for any longer.
Padding over to the bathroom, I complete my morning routine. Staring into the mirror, I sigh. It is hard to navigate a place that I have no knowledge of to begin with, but couple that with being avoided at every corner by staff, and being watched by a stranger who is supposedly your future husband?This is starting to feel impossible.If that were not the least of my problems, there is still the mystery of the lights and red glowing rock. I am dying to continue to investigate it, but I understand Sam and Sorin’s hesitation. Diving headfirst into the unknown does not always prove beneficial, especially when you are already in dangerous waters. Despite this, I cannot help but be so curious, I know there is only so long I can go until I lose my resolve to be safe. It has gotten me in trouble on numerous occasions and a person does not change overnight. Truly, I am happy that there is mystery to solve. At least now I feel as if I can have some purpose here outside of my father's plans. Those lights were unlike anything I had ever seen before.
I bite back tears. I thought that, maybe, if I were able to get away from Tikilium and my father, I could explore more of the world. Get to know more about the kingdoms surrounding me and maybe even have a chance to visit Philos. If these last couple weeks are any indication of what my life will be like here… then maybe my father is right. 'You are just another chess piece,'my father's voice invades my thoughts. 'A pawn will always be a pawn, no matter whose hand it is in. Know your place. Submit to it. Curiosity will only lead to your death in the end.'
I slam my hairbrush onto the sink.No. No!I will take control of my future if it is the last thing I do.Starting with this note.I snatch the piece of paper from the counter.
Stalking out of the bathroom’s warm embrace, I find clothes have been laid out for me once again this morning and my bedhas been made. Today there is a light-yellow dress. It has the same silky texture as the dress the day before along with leg holes and pockets. This one also has a vine design around its hem, although this design is a lot more subtle and delicate than the day before. I quickly get dressed and then let out a short huff of breath. I find a piece of paper and scribble down a note thanking my handmaiden for the beautiful selection and leave it on my bed. While I have paper and pen, I also scribble out a note to my pretend Fadres and Credour letting them know they can find me in the garden if they need me.
Shoving the prince's note into my pocket, I resolve myself to the fact that I will have to once again face the prince alone. I set my shoulders back and leave my room.
Chapter thirteen
Endearments and Endangerment
Alaceandra
As I reach the red, wrought iron doors leading to the garden, I notice the space is looking suspiciously dark. The sun is nowhere in sight and shadows are cast along the stony floor sending chills down my spine. Pushing open the heavy, ornate metal cautiously, I peek my head out. Nothing immediately jumps out at me, but a shiver runs down my spine. The gardens did not feel so foreboding when I was with Sam and Sorin, norwith the prince. The oppressive tension in the air is ringing all kinds of alarm bells in my head. I could have sworn I saw the sun beaming through the castle windows on my way here.
“I definitely should not go in there,” I mutter to myself. “This is how people die…” I stare into the dark garden, but something within me will not allow me to walk away. Taking another longing look behind me, I walk into the dark landscape. Each step I take causes the dread to build within my gut until it becomes downright unbearable.Fuck this...I am about to turn tail and run when something slams into me. Screaming, I fall to the ground. An image gets blasted into my mind of the rocks outside of the castle walls, but instead of them just glowing, they blink between black, white and red. The image shifts to a rock covered in dirt with strange lettering etched into it I cannot quite make out through the haze of the vision. I reach for it, but it disappears beneath my fingertips. As abruptly as the vision came is as abruptly as it disappears, and my mind is basked in darkness. I flutter my eyes open again, groaning, and squint at the sun now beaming above me. I am no longer at the entrance of the gardens, but instead in the clearing I was in when I met the prince last. Something moves in the wood line. I jump up and try to maintain my balance as I brace myself for another attack. I scan the area for a weapon. A stick lays several paces in front of me, and I lunge for it, holding it up to ward off whatever entity is watching me.
As I take a breath in, I realize the air is much lighter than it was when I first entered. “How long was I out?” I mutter aloud.Or was I even out at all?Feeling more and more paranoid of my surroundings, I raise my voice to yell at the figure watching me. “Who are you?” There is a slight tremble in my voice.
A soft chuckle sounds from the figure, the voice familiar.Is that… the prince?I squint into the darkness and see a flash of his lavender eyes.
“What are you doing here?” I ask. He walks into the clearing, his eyes returning to their normal color.
“I was just checking on you, little dove, you rushed out of the gardens so quickly earlier after your watch dogs came, and I have not seen you in these gardens since. Now I find you in the middle of my clearing. Truly I can ask you the same question.”
Dropping the stick to the ground, I pause, “Little Dove?” I wipe my hands of dirt.
He smirks “Well, aren’t you supposed to be a symbol of peace for our fathers? It only suits.”
“I did not think we were in a pet name phase.”
