Eye of the Ancients Pt. 01

Kai continued to cast curious glances in my direction even though I continued to make a concerted effort to ignore them. We had never really spoken more than a few niceties to each other in passing, so I was more than a little confused as to why he had been invited to such a personal conversation in the first place.

"So what do you think, Niece?"

I glanced up from my plate with a confused expression that was impossible for me to hide in time. I patted my lips with my napkin and looked around at the faces staring back at me. Even my aunt had joined the living long enough to glare daggers at me.

"I'm sorry, my lord. I don't believe I heard you."

His scowl was fierce and sent a shiver down my spine, but was quickly wiped away as soon as Kai looked at him. He turned the charm back on instead, but his features promised pain later. "I was discussing how beneficial it would be to the country if you were to marry the Commander. It would show our commitment to providing protection for our people."

My mouth fell open as I turned my head to look at Kai. He had dropped his chin slightly and was looking at me through his eyelashes with his eyebrows raised in a captivating way. I was at a complete loss for words. I couldn't deny that Commander Kim was insanely attractive, but it was the danger promised in his taught muscles and the nagging suspicion that he was just as good at hiding his true emotions as my uncle that had me very wary of agreeing to be his bride. But more than that, I couldn't understand why in the world my uncle would be asking for my opinion. That was almost scarier than the prospect of marrying a man I barely knew. Nothing the King ever did was for the benefit of anyone but himself, but I couldn't come out and say that.

"Well, Niece?" There was warning in his tone, fast and true. I had to think of something to say.

The corner of Kai's lips turned up into a sly smile.

"I...um...I think Commander Kim...would make a fine husband that any woman would be thankful to have." Just not me. My heart sank as my uncle tilted his chin and smirked. He knew I had no other option than to agree. Maybe even Kai knew it. My aunt snorted and looked away. She couldn't care less. She was just here for the jewels and the women that kept her bed warm.

"Wonderful," my uncle exclaimed with a clap of his hands. "Then we shall continue everything as planned."

It was almost as if I'd had a choice, but as I watched the King congratulate his Commander on a well executed exchange of property, I felt the weight of a future I didn't want fall heavily against my chest. I needed to get out of the castle. To throw the saddle on my horse and push him as far and as fast as his hooves would carry him, but to do that would mean my ultimate death. There was nowhere in that country, maybe in the whole world, where I could run that my uncle wouldn't find me.

After shaking his King's hand, Commander Kim walked around the long table to take mine, kissing it with his full lips. I felt like an animal caught in a hunter's cage as he smiled down on me like a prize he'd won. His grin was beguiling but held no joy.

"So maybe now you can start calling me Kai," he said, dipping his head low so he could look into my eyes. His were dark and hungry, spreading warmth and fear through my body in equal measure. I smiled at him and nodded weakly as I tried to control the panic trying to rise up into my throat.

Kai said other pretty things to me as my uncle looked on with crossed arms and a sadistic grin. My aunt had already retreated to her quarters. The promises leaving Kai's lips would have made any other duchess or countess wet themselves in glee, but I could only think of how I was trading one prison for another. He wasn't promising me anything more than a gilded cage I would never escape and an estate full of people who would simply replace me the moment my heart stopped beating.

Because wasn't that what had happened when my parents were murdered in their sleep? Their throats slit before they could even scream. They were buried on the mountain, their rooms cleaned, and my aunt and uncle moved in the same day. Everyone just moved on like it was nothing. Like they had never even existed.

Sometimes I wondered if they ever had.

***

I barely made it back to my chamber before my hands were trembling at my sides. I closed the heavy wooden door behind me and leaned against it, trying to stem the flow of energy that was pouring out of me like liquid fire. Breathing deeply was doing nothing. I was angry and afraid, which made it more difficult to control my abilities. Items on my desk and dressers started to rattle and shake against the wood, making tinkling noises like chimes caught in a whirlwind. My breath quivered in my chest with my attempt to calm myself. In the end, I realized I would just have to let it go.

Sitting in the center of the room, I held onto the objects around me and called them closer. They moved around my head without a sound. I concentrated on each one, allowing them to pass through the air as carefully as I could. I realized controlling them would be a better use of my powers anyway instead of trying to deny whatever I was. The objects orbited my body like the planets around the Sun as I sat and contemplated on my emotions.

I had never known where my powers came from or why I had been chosen to be their unfortunate host. The only thing I could do was try to keep the world outside from finding out about them. Of course my uncle and aunt knew about what I could do but, thankfully, they were as interested in keeping them quiet as I was. I was grateful that he had never tried to use me in battle or local skirmishes. The idea of using what I could do against other people was even more disturbing than knowing I could move things with my mind in the first place.

The door to my chamber creaked open and closed as Corsica slipped inside. She was another person who knew about my abilities, but I had the utmost faith in her. She would never disclose anything so sensitive to anyone outside the castle walls. I was grateful for her in moments like those. She was my only real friend.

"Was it that bad," she asked, sitting on the edge of my bed and watching as a bottle of perfume drifted in front of her face.

"He's promising me to the Commander of his army."

Corsica took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. "Well, it could be worse. At least he's not old. Or unattractive."

"No, but he's just like my uncle. He thinks women are put on this planet for the sole purpose of pleasing men. I wanted to be with someone who valued my mind. Who wanted to be with me for the relationship we could build. Not for the political benefit it would provide him and his family."

"But how often has any woman in our world been granted such a thing? We all have a role to fill in this life. Women are the caretakers of the home. We are the silent backers of our partners."

"I thought my life could be different."

I almost felt Corsica roll her eyes. "So, because you're a princess, you thought you could be granted something the rest of us could never hope for? If nothing else, it's even worse for you. You have to do what's right for your kingdom. You have a position to fill and all eyes watch you."

"Maybe that's exactly what I don't want."

"Well, unfortunately, we can't help the station to which we're born. Or the responsibilities we have due to that station. We all have things we must do whether we want to or not. And for you, marrying the Commander is yours. It could be worse. You have no idea the demands placed on those around you."

I looked at Corsica as her eyes burned into mine. There was a deeper meaning to her words that was lost to me. I could manipulate objects. Not people. I sighed and sent the objects around me to their rightful places. Corsica was right, as much as I didn't want her to be. Though her words hurt, I didn't think there was any malice in them.

"On the bright side, you're getting better at your control."

I snorted out a humorless laugh. "Well, if there must be a plus side, I guess that's it."

As the last item sat down, Corsica stood. "Well, now that you have calmed down, I must take you to the seamstress. Your uncle would like your gown to be finalized by this time next week, which means you need to have a final fitting."

"I get so tired of the pomp and circumstance," I whined as I stood with her.

"As I said, your life could be much worse. If the hardest thing you must undergo is to wear pretty dresses and lie down with handsome men, I'm not sure you should complain about it with someone like me."

Again, her words stung, but I didn't say anything. She had never spoken to me so harshly before. Perhaps the stress of the upcoming ball was getting to her as well. I knew that several of the royals coming for the event were staying in the castle, so maybe her job had become more difficult. Maybe she was having to deal with more spoiled debutantes and selfish lords than usual. If so, it would definitely explain her sour mood. In an effort to make her life easier, I clamped my mouth shut and followed behind her through the halls without a word. Her friendship was more important than whining about my life. Besides, she did have a point. My life was nowhere near as bad as some of the people I'd seen earlier at the bazaar.

The seamstress's hut was in a small corner of the back garden. I had been there many times over the course of my life and it never failed to lift my spirits. Roses and jasmine vines climbed the outer stone walls and wove around each other over the front door. More flowers spilled from pots on the front steps and boxes under the leaded glass windows. Moss grew on the shady roof and mint poked out between the cobbles leading to it so that each step released a sweet burst of earthy perfume into the air. It was like a storybook cottage and I loved walking into it.

Candles lined the mantle over a hearth where a fire popped and crackled. The noon sun had failed to burn off the chill of morning, but the fire was handling it quite nicely. The seamstress sat by the fire with a pile of pale chiffon the color of my skin cascading over her arms and legs as if she was being swallowed whole by it. There were ruffles of fabric everywhere and I was blown away by her ability to control it. My teachers had tried to teach me to sew, but such intricate skills escaped me. My fingers were too stubby and my patience too thin for such a hobby to stick. I'd been much happier with horses and swords, much to my family's dismay.

Brynwyn didn't look up as she continued attaching clear stones to the fabric. It sparkled in the low light of the room, casting reflections on the ceiling and floor like dappled sunlight on the surface of the sea.

"Good morning m'lady. Are you here to try on your gown for your ball?"

"Yes ma'am. I'm excited to see what you've created for me."

Brynwyn smiled down at her work as she tied off a knot under the final stone and tucked her needle into the pincushion tied to her wrist with a satin ribbon. She sighed and heaved her bony body out of the chair that creaked as her frail weight left it. She fluffed the fabric out in front of her and I couldn't help but gasp at the beauty of it as she held it up by the thin shoulder straps. The back was so low, I wondered if it would cover my backside and it was almost obscenely sheer, though the carefully placed appliques covered in pearls and clear stones seemed to cover the most important parts. Brynwyn noticed my reservations and was quick to explain.

"Your uncle was the one that picked out the fabric and specified the design."

"So he wants me to go to that ball practically unclothed?"

The older woman smiled apologetically. "I've added enough volume to the skirt that it will be full and hide your lower half well. There are undergarments sewn in also. The stones and beads around the bodice will hide the rest."

I thought about it more as I looked it over, noticing Brynwyn's face falling just slightly. Not wanting her to feel bad about her beautiful creation, I smiled wide and reached for her hand. She threw the dress over her arm and allowed me to take it.

"I love it, Bryn. It's simply stunning. Your work is always magnificent."

She sighed in relief. "I know it's a departure from your usual style, but I think it will work well for the occasion. You're becoming a woman and this dress will show that to everyone in attendance. They will look at you and see your mother, God rest her soul."

Brynwyn was one of the few people left on the estate that still remembered my parents. Tears bloomed in my eyes at her kind words. "Do you really think so?"

"The whole country will be captivated by your beauty."

I sniffled and wiped at a tear that had made its escape down my cheek. Biting my lip, I pushed down my feelings with a deep breath and straightened my back. "Well, let's see what it looks like on me."

It took nearly an hour for Bryn to help me into the dress and note all the adjustments that needed to be made. Most were due to me spending more time at the stables training with Aeron, but I couldn't tell her that. She wouldn't have thought it proper for a young woman of the court such as myself to be spending time with a single man, much less spending it getting dirty and learning to use a sword. No one would have. Not even Corsica. As far as she knew, I was always out riding with Ferdinand.

Once Bryn had made her notes and helped me back into the dress I'd worn in, Corsica and I made our goodbyes. I told Corsica I wanted to go for another ride, so she bowed and made her way back to the castle. With it being so close to my ball, my lessons had been suspended so I had more free time than before. As long as I was back before the evening meal, no one would miss me. I waited until the door closed behind my maiden's back, then took off in the opposite direction of the stables.

My regular lessons might have been suspended, but there was one that I never missed.

***

I held my skirts as high as I could and rushed to the blacksmith's quarters in a clearing deep within the forest that lined the back of the estate. The ground was softer and more pungent there, so I took my slippers off and carried them in my hands to keep from messing them up and leaving evidence as to where I'd been. When the trees fell away to reveal the small cabin and attached barn, I broke into a run.

"Aeron," I called as loudly as I dared. At my call, he popped his head out of a side door and smiled so wide, it took over his whole face. His silver hair glistened in the overcast light, showing off the magic that had given it its color. He wasn't a witch on his own, but had been touched by one as a child which had turned his hair a pale, iridescent silver. Those in town shunned him as cursed, but I'd been able to convince my uncle to allow him to apprentice with the blacksmith when he'd shown up at our gate a year before, begging for help. I couldn't let him starve and had spent that whole year making sure he was well fed and taken care of. When the blacksmith passed away a few months later, Aeron took over his job.

Of course, I'd had more reasons than just that one to find a way for him to stay.

When I reached the cabin, I leaped into his arms and pressed my lips against his. He spun me around and pressed my back against the cabin wall, tilting his head to deepen the kiss. His hands wandered into my hair, holding the back of my head so that I couldn't pull away. Like I'd dare to. I smiled against his lips and held onto him until we were both breathless.

Aeron eventually pulled away and once the coldness of the air around us hit my lips, the memory of the morning's events came back to me and my smile fell. Aeron noticed right away. He tilted my face up and ducked his so that he could look me in the eyes.

"What's wrong? Are you well?"

I smiled, but it was weak and didn't reach my eyes. "I am, but I have terrible news."

"What is that?"

"My uncle has decided who I will be promised to at the ball."

Aeron let his hand fall to his side. He looked down at the ground and let out a heavy sigh. Then he looked back up at me, returning my smile with a sad one of his own. "Well, we knew this day would come. There was no way he would choose a blacksmith with a background like mine." He bit his lip for a moment before continuing. "Who did he choose?"

"Commander Kim."

Aeron drew in a sharp breath. "That bastard? How could he?"

I winced at Aeron's anger, though I had expected it. He hated Kai but he wouldn't explain why he did. "We knew he would pick someone advantageous to him and his plans. I just don't know how Kai fits into them. He said it was to show the people that he was serious about the country's protection."

Aeron scoffed, turning away from me and throwing the wrench he was holding onto the ground with so much force, it buried several inches into the dirt, wobbling slightly as it settled. "More like he wants to remind us all that his commitment is to war and keeping us all under his thumb." He turned back to me with an apologetic look on his face. "He wants us to see that even you, the kingdom's darling, cannot escape from his power and authority."

I laughed humorlessly and turned away. "I'm hardly the "kingdom's darling". I'm sure that's not why he chose Kai."

Aeron took my shoulders so he could turn me around to face him. "You underestimate how much the people love you. To them, you're a symbol of hope."

I blushed under his words and under his lips as they pressed gently against mine.

"Promising you to that man is just your uncle's way of destroying the hope of anyone who dares to oppose him." Aeron's voice was darker and more ominous as he spoke those words. A shadow fell over his face as his eyes darted away from mine to stare at the wrench still sticking out of the ground.

"I wish there was something I could do to show him he doesn't own me," I whimpered, leaning my head on Aeron's shoulder. He wrapped his arms tightly around my back and propped his chin on top of mine.

"Well, maybe you could convince Kai into letting you have a lover or two."

I gasped and leaned away from Aeron so I could look up into his eyes. "You're not serious?"

He chuckled and let me go. "Why not? I hear kept men are popular among the aristocratic women these days."

"Would you really share me?"

"If that's what you wanted. I would do anything for you."

I scoffed and pulled his wrench up out of the ground, knocking as much of the mud off of it as I could. "Well, Kai wouldn't. He's not that kind of man."

"Of course not. He's too insecure about his manhood."

I giggled and smacked Aeron on his shoulder. He laughed brightly, ducking away easily from my second swipe. "You're terrible!"

"Am I wrong, though?"

I giggled more and shook my head, unable to talk anymore. He probably wasn't. Kai did seem like the type to overcompensate for his...shortcomings.

Aeron took me by the hand and began backing toward the interior of the cabin. "Well, he's not your husband yet. So maybe I can give you something to remember me by."

I bit my lip and glanced behind me. Though I knew no one would expect me to be here as I'd been coming to see Aeron for months and had yet to be caught, the idea had my stomach doing little flips. Even if our country wasn't completely puritanical on the virginity of women before their wedding days, I knew my uncle would not hesitate to punish me if he found I'd been fooling around with the blacksmith in the middle of the woods. But right then, none of that mattered.

I followed Aeron into the back of the cabin where he kept his quarters. "I don't have a lot of time before I'm missed."