I dismount Dakota at the stables, old Castor taking her reins. I caress her muzzle, silently thanking her for the ride.
It's something I do often. Riding with Dakota in the woods beyond the mansion's grounds, only the wind blowing in my hair and the excitement and adrenaline pumping in my system.
It clears my mind of everything else instead of one question: Where would I end up if I'd just keep on?
"My Lady!", Celia's frantic voice grabs my attention. She runs in my direction from the mansion and, from the almost scared look on her face, I can tell that something happened. Or more likely someone. "Lady Clarissa has been looking for you", she says once she reached me.
There it is!
"Why?", I ask, because if my aunt is ever looking for me, then it has to be for two reasons.
One: I did something she doesn't agree of.
Two: We have guests and my presence is required.
It has to be one of those or it could be both. You never know when she finds a new fault in my actions.
"You have guests", Celia responds.
So the second one. I should be relieved that I'm not going to be scolded this early in the afternoon, but all I feel is a knot of nerves forming in my stomach. I feel the telling prickles on the tips of my fingers and the pain will soon follow.
I hate guests!
I close my eyes and take a deep breath, keep it in my lungs for a few seconds and then release. I repeat the action a few more times. When I know it's safe and the shadows calmed down, I open my eyes again; I see Castor and Celia looking at me with something akin to worry on their faces. They might not know what is happening but they know it's not good.
"I'm coming", I tell Celia and, after a little nod in my direction, she scurries off to the house.
I pet Dakota's neck one last time and let Castor take care of her. With a last longing gaze at the woods, I begin to walk the exaggerated twenty meters to the mansion.
The Conrad mansion is set on a hillside, twenty chimes from the closest town. Even being the only residence in 30 km vicinity, the mansion's grounds are edged by an iron and bricks fance, the one separating the woods from the grounds almost fallen. The woods leading to The Mad Forest. It's not as if I'd dare wonder this far. I'd be insane. No one has ever gone alone. They say 'something worse than faeries live in the deep forest'.
But all my life, every time I looked at the forest, I felt like it was calling to me. It gives me a familiar warmth, something I can't name, but, deep inside, I know I've felt it before.
As I take the last step to the back door, I can already hear aunt Clarissa's voice in the foyer. Even though she's trying to keep it as low as possible - for the guests in the next room, no doubt - it's clear that she doesn't succeed.
She's speaking to Celia, which I'm sure told her I'm on my way, but as soon as she sees me entering the foyer, a scowl takes over her perfectly caked face.
"Where have you been?", she hisses at me.
I look at my hands still dressed in riding gloves. Isn't it obvious?
"Riding?", I raise a sarcastic eyebrow at her as it is completely unnecessary to even ask, given my attire and the fact that it is a Wednesday.
I go riding three times a week: Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Sometimes even Saturday, if staying home turns out to be too much. The other days I like to take challenges: going into town, reading a new book, painting something other than the view out the window. But of course she wouldn't care about my schedule unless it benefits her.
"Ugh, I don't have time for your shenanigans", she waves me off as if she has better things to do than keep a conversation with me, not taking the hint of my sarcasm as always.
That's why I did it in the first place. You can talk to her any way and she will interpret it as she wants. My uncle used to tell me that I have no filter. But if she's not going to be good to me, why should I pretend?
"Go change into something pleasant. We have guests. And try to act presentable for once", and with that she turns on her heels and disappears in the living room.
My eyes are stuck on the place she's just been in front of me, blinking in surprise. "Presentable", I voice in disbelief. I turn my head to Celia, who just stood there all this time, so fast I almost got a whiplash. "Me?!", I point to my chest.
Poor little thing just nods, confused and concerned. A smirk takes over my lips and a little giggle gets stuck in my throat wanting to come out, but I remember that aunt Clarissa and her guests can hear, so I compose myself.
Oh, aunt Clarissa! After all these years she should know better. I'm not one to follow orders, especially when the person giving them does not hold any power whatsoever. Without her deceased husband's title of 'Lord of Farwell', she wouldn't even have a title.
Lewis Conrad was my mother's brother. He and his wife took me and Mom in from the moment she was pregnant with me. I've lived all my 23 years here. I never knew another home. When I was six, Mom died and I was left here with them.
It wasn't always animosity between Clarissa and me. Before she had her sons, twins Darwin and Archie, she used to consider me like her daughter. But after she gave birth, she started to cast me aside. Her whole attention was on her little boys, not that I was jealous, but, as a four year old, you feel things on a different level. With my mother not even glancing at me, as if I was the biggest mistake of her life, Clarissa was closest to a mother figure than anyone else.
The moment she forgot about me, I felt something unpleasant take root inside of me. I became self aware and fearful that I had done something to keep people at a distance from me. I tried to be distant from uncle Lewis too, because, in my mind, there was already formed a future when he would forget about me once he's sons would start to grow. For over seventeen years, I learned to take care of myself, preparing myself for the moment I would be completely alone. They hired me a nanny and tutors along the years, so I know everything there is to know and more. But loneliness is a constant partener when you have no one to tell about how your day went. I guess I had only myself to blame. As a child I thought that I was the problem, I was to blame for all of them leaving me. As I grew up I became to know the truth: I wasn't the one to blame, but I managed to keep them all away.
Almost all of them.
Despite my trying to put distance between us, uncle Lewis did everything in his power to show me that someone cares for me, that I matter. He died six years ago. It was one of the moments he would keep me company and take me on a stroll on the mansion's grounds, just the two of us. We were riding in the woods when he had a stroke, falling from the horse's back in just a second. When I saw that he wasn't moving I was so scared, I didn't know what to do. I rode back to the stables and screamed for help and, after a few chimes, Castor arrived and I took him to uncle Lewis. A couple agonizing bells later, the doctor came out of the room we took him in and gave us the dreaded words: I'm sorry.
She blamed me. She didn't say it, she didn't have to say it. Her expression said it all when she looked at me with tear stricken face. I saw the accusation clear in her eyes. From that moment I became something she only tolerated in this house. She tried to turn the boys against me too, to make them see the monster I was, but over the years we formed a strong sibling bond. If there is someone in this house to know me at least a little bit, then there are the twins. They know almost all my secrets.
So she should know better than to think I would do what she says. And who am I even going to impress here? It's not like the King of Achelous himself came to our humble house.
I wait a few chimes before entering the living room. Let her think I actually listened to her. I can already feel the satisfaction surging through me at the expression she will try hard to hide.
"Prepare some tea, please", I tell Celia as I straighten my spine and, with my head held high, I begin to walk.
I hear voices when I'm at the door and enter the room while undoing the jacket's buttons. All voices cease to silence as my boots click the tiled floor with each step and I look up from my business as if in surprise. There are seven people in the room and all are looking at me with different expressions.
Aunt Clarissa is sporting a strained posture, hands clasped tight in her lap, eyes unblinking as she takes in what I'm wearing for the first time and realizes that I didn't listen to her. Darwin and Archie sit on either side of her on the couch and, while Darwin looks at me slightly amused, Archie seems agitated. He looks at me as if pleading to help him escape this room.
And when I look at the other couch, a coffee table separating the two, I know why, and the surprise I feel this time is not faked.
There are four imposing men, two sitting on the couch and two standing at the back of it as if protecting the other two and ready to strike at the first light of danger. And, given their attire, I guess they are. The two of them are dressed in the royal guard's uniform. Navy blue with silver water drops pattern. One of them has a scar on the right cheek, tracing from under his green eye to the corner of his thin lips. The other has a stubble like he didn't even care to shave it before coming in a house full of commoners.
The men on the couch are both wearing suits, the blonde's is dark blue and the brunette's is black. I don't know who they are, but there is no mistaking what they are. Their pointed ears stand at attention as if to warn us to behave.
Fairies. Elves. In another word: Royalty.
Because that's what they are. On this continent, while us humans are commoners, the fairies are Royalty. It doesn't matter what species, the power matters in this world. They have magic and we don't.
And when I said that all seven of them are looking at me, I meant it. Black-suit takes me in with indifference and Blue-suit seems kind of interested. The guards seem bored, but they track every one of my movements, which is none at this point because I'm too stunned to do anything instead of taking them in and wondering what they are doing here.
After a few moments of awkward silence there is the sound of a throat clearing and that's what puts me into motion again. With a frown between my eyebrows and attention stuck on them, afraid that if I take my eyes off of them they would do something, I make my way to the grandpa chair, the only place unoccupied, and only then I dare move my eyes to the others and raise an eyebrow to my aunt, silently asking for introductions. She gives me a displeased gaze and then proceeds to introduce us.
Gods, I hate guests!
I may be disrespectful for not even bowing their way given the fact that they are royalty and I'm not, but they didn't do anything yet to gain my respect. As for now, we are strangers.
"This is my niece Riona, Sir Rios, Your Highness", she says, gesturing to me and announcing the two with a strained smile in my direction.
So not the king, but the prince. And if my memory serves me right, then Black-suit is the Royal Adviser.
"It is a pleasure to finally meet you, Lady Riona", says Blue-suit, aka prince Killian, while standing. He closes the distance between us and takes my still gloved hand in his and brings it to his lips for a brief kiss. Sir Rios makes a sound of agreement and nods in my direction, not bothering with pleasantries.
"The pleasure is mine, Your Highness, Sir Rios", this time I nod at each of them.
Although, the question remains: why are they here?
At that moment Celia enters the room with a tray filled with tea and cookies and we both take our respective seats. As she passes by my side I stop her before she can put the tray on the coffee table. I take one of the cups and put it on the little table beside my chair and then proceed in taking a napkin and putting cookies on it. But then, something in what he said begs my attention.
"'Finally'", I say it quietly, interrupting their new subject of conversation, while placing the napkin full of cookies on the table and narrowing my eyes at the prince as he looks confused. "You said 'It's a pleasure to finally meet you'", I quote. "Why finally? How do you even know I exist?", I ask suspiciously.
"Riona", aunt Clarissa warns me silently.
"No, ma", Darwin intervenes, "let her. She asked a valid question."
She takes a breath and then decides that she can't win this dispute. "You can go, Celia."
"They are right. From the moment they came, we exchanged pleasantries and smiled at one another, but not one conversation was around the reason why they came in the first place. And we all know that the royalty doesn't bother with commoners", says Archie after Celia closed the door behind herself, finally snapping out of his stupor and entering in his role of future Lord of Farwell. "Not to be disrespectful, but why are you here, Your Highness?".
The guards are now narrowing their eyes at us, but the other two are looking at each other as if communicating silently. I heard that the elves can mind-link each other, but I never saw it happening. I haven't been close to one to begin with. After a few moments, they look at us and then the prince brings his sea blue eyes on me. I try not to recoil.
"I guess you're right, Lord Archie", he looks at Archie before refocusing on me. "I'll start from the beginning, if that's alright with you?"
Aunt Clarissa lets out an annoyed sigh as if for her it doesn't matter and the boys murmur in agreement. I nod while sipping my tea, trying to look casual.
"As you know, I am Prince Killian of Achelous", he puffs his chest as if it is something to be proud of. His smile is meant to be charming, but it's just creeping me out.
I suppress the urge to scoff. Arrogant much?
"When my father the king, Gods rest his soul, was still alive and reigning, your mother, Lady Riona, Lady Vera, was one of my mother's personal maids. They were confidants. I was nine at that time and she used to take care of me and my brothers sometimes. When your mother found out that she was pregnant with you, she asked my mother to let her leave so that she can give birth and raise you in her childhood home, with family. I'm sure you already know that", he looks expectantly at me.
"I don't", I look at him unimpressed.
My mother would never bring her past in the present. In the few moments she was lucid and would tolerate to be in my presence, she would read from her poetry books while I was expected to sit silent. When I would dare ask something about her, she would close the book harshly and either tell me to never bring up her past again, with a slap as punishment, or would just get out the room as if she didn't hear me, but, both cases, she would proceed in ignoring me for the next few months, pretending I didn't exist. At some point, I gave up learning about the woman who gave me life, knowing she would only hate me more. Hence, even to this day, I don't know a thing about both parents.
"Oh", prince Killian lets out visibly uncomfortable. "Well, as I was saying... she asked my mother to let her come home with the promise that, one day, her child, you, would come to live in the castle."
"As a servant", I conclude.
Because of course she would make promises in the name of an unborn baby.
I feel the anger rising inside me for the woman I tried to please all my first six years of childhood. To try to make her look at me for once with something other than anger and malice. To touch me just once with the loving hand of a mother instead of slaps when I 'misbehaved'. To see me.
Archie and Darwin laugh suddenly, clearly sensing my change of mood. And for another reason.
"Ria? A servant?", Darwin laughs out in disbelief.
I throw a glare in their direction and let a smile take over my lips. They always know what to say. Though they're right.
"Not a servant", Sir Rios frowns at us. "Our king needs a queen. We thought that you might be perfect, Lady Riona."
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Dictionary:
- chimes: refers to minutes 2 chimes=2 minutes
-bells: refers to hours a couple of bells later= a couple of hours later
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