Royal Affliction (The Anti-Princess Saga) Page 6

  She was beautiful, just as beautiful as I’d remembered. Her long, wavy, sapphire hair rose and fell with each step. Her skin was around the same shade as mine, a soft sky blue. Her eyes were large yet fit her face perfectly. They were a brilliant sapphire matching her hair flawlessly, as if she’d handpicked the features. She was wearing a long, golden strapless gown that sparkled as if it was woven from real gold. It was.

  I ran to meet her and threw my arms around her in a tight embrace.

  “Oh, I have missed you so much, Quartessa.” She released me, but stayed close, looking at my face with unease. “You look ill. Are you feeling alright?”

  It was my father who answered. “Avalon, she wears the Ring of Eccus.”

  My mother placed a hand over her mouth, holding back a gasp that still slipped out through the cracks in her fingers.

  I was a little annoyed that everyone seemed to know what this damn thing was except for me.

  “I have sent some men to see Reyka. They should be back in a day or two, and we will find out how to remove it.” He placed an arm around her. “Will you please inform the cooks that our daughter is home and in need of food, as is her friend?”

  She raised her head to look at Clifton for the first time, and her eyes opened wide.

  “It is ok my love. He is Drina’s son.” She gaped at her husband. “Drina has passed from this life, but not before taking up with a Boru and having a child.” He gestured at Clifton.

  Her eyes filled with understanding. “Of course.” She never questioned her husband.

  I grabbed Clifton’s hand and led him over to my mother. “Mother, this is Clifton. Clifton, this is my mother, Queen Avalon.”

  Clifton bowed low. My mother held out her hand and Clifton kissed the back of it. “It is a pleasure to meet you, my Queen.”

  She smiled, yet she looked sad. “You look a lot like your mother Clifton. She was a dear friend of mine and I am sorry to hear of her passing.” Tears welled up in her eyes. “I need to inform the cooks of your hunger. Excuse me.” She turned and walked out of the room without another word.

  “Come, daughter, I need to have a word with you in private. Violet can keep Clifton company while we talk.”

  Violet bowed. “Yes, my King.” She grabbed Clifton’s hand and led him over to one of the couches.

  Chapter Four

  My father’s study was a large, circular room decorated with a burgundy stone floor and dark grey walls. Six large bookcases lined the wall on the opposite side of the room. They were filled with thousands of books of all different sizes. Some were very peculiar shapes, like triangles and stars. This room I recognized; it was exactly as I’d remembered it. As a child, I remembered playing with these books, pulling as many as I could off of the shelves and arranging them by color and size. My father let me. He was fun…sometimes.

  “I see mother didn’t redecorate in here then.”

  “No, it is the only room that she has not changed, aside from yours of course.” He looked around. “She knows that I like my own space.”

  He motioned for me to sit in his oversized, comfy lounge chair and pulled a smaller, less cushioned one closer for himself. He had always thought of me first for the most part. It was comforting to know that even though time had passed, it was as though it hadn’t. I had always been daddy’s little princess, up until Kafkus had asked him for my hand in marriage. Now it felt like old times, before my arranged marriage. It was comforting.

  I sat down in the soft chair. My father stood for a moment longer before sitting in his own. His long, golden robes draped around the chair, hiding it from view and making it look as if he was merely floating in midair.

  “I had hoped Kafkus would have reached you in time.”

  “In time for what? Did you know that I was to be attacked?”

  “I knew something was going to happen. When you left, I sent a few men to watch over you. To keep you safe.”

  “You sent people to spy on me?”

  He didn’t look surprised by my anger. “Not spy on you, but to ensure that no one would hurt you. I was concerned for your safety, Quartessa. The human world is no place for you.”

  “Well it didn’t work did it? I was attacked! Where were your men then? They weren’t there, and now I am going to die. Some help they were.”

  Tears formed in his eyes, humbling me a little. “We will get that thing off of you. I promise you that.”

  I said nothing. He had just made a promise that even he wasn’t sure he’d be able to keep. Maybe he knew something that I didn’t and wasn’t sharing.

  “Quartessa?”

  “Yes?”

  “In the human world, Zolera have been exchanging information on my orders. They have been trying to figure out what the Boru have been planning. It is bad.”

  His words triggered something in my memory. “I overheard two humans the night that I was attacked. They had been trying to figure out where a group of Zolera were meeting. It seemed as though they were being paid.”

  He contemplated that for a moment. “I was not aware of this. I will inform my men.”

  “Why would they need human help?”

  “Of that, I am not quite sure.” His face became quite firm, looking like he was trying to figure out how to say what he was thinking.

  “What is it?”

  “I would like you to stay, for good.” It was a plea, not a command.

  “Why?”

  “I have heard horrible things are brewing in the human world. I wish you to stay for your own safety.”

  “What have you heard?”

  “Nothing that I wish to speak of in front of you at this time. I just want you to be safe, daughter. Please tell me that you will stay.”

  “I will never marry Kafkus.”

  “I will never accept a half-breed as your husband.” There was such resentment in his voice. He didn’t even bother to hide it.

  I leaned back in my chair and crossed my arms. “Then I can promise nothing.” Not that I wanted to marry Clifton, but I would like to know that I could if we ever reached that point.

  “I told you that I will not kill him and you should be satisfied with that. You ask too much daughter. I will never accept him as Zolera nor as a prince of our kind.” He shook his head. “No, Quartessa, you will not make me choose between your safety and your happiness because you know which one will win.”

  His mind was set, but so was mine.

  My mother walked into the room. She appeared uneasy after she saw the look on her husband’s face. “Your food is ready dear.” She was gone.

  I gazed into my father’s heated face and my own anger matched. There was nothing that I could say. Nothing I wanted to say. The reason he had called me back here was so he could control me like he always had. He’d called it keeping me safe. Ha! I knew that it was much too late for that. My life was being sucked from me as I sat there, staring at him. If I was going to die, it was going to be in a place where I was free. I hated him for bringing me here, to the place that I loved more than any other. It had been hard enough for me to leave the first time.

  I left my father to rage alone. I didn’t care much about anything else he had to say. I was pissed!

  I made my way to the dining room. Food was scattered on the large oak table and empty plates were set off to the side. They had already eaten. Clifton and Violet were sitting at the table laughing. They looked so comfortable together that I felt like I was intruding.

  The moment that they saw me, the laughter stopped.

  “Am I interrupting?” I asked with a raised eyebrow. I couldn’t believe it, I was jealous.

  Violet rose from her chair and bowed. “No. Sorry, Princess. Clifton was just asking to hear stories about you.”

  I sighed. “Sorry guys, I didn’t mean to take my frustrations out on you.” I sat myself down in the empty seat between the two of them and Violet rejoined the table as well. “I see the two of you are hitting it off. Violet is my best friend. We’ve k
nown each other since we were about six. I’m sure that she has about a million embarrassing stories about the stupid things that we have done together.”

  She laughed. “There was the other time when we drank too much Maja and we—”

  “Ok, let’s not embarrass me anymore than you already have.” I gave her a glare that plainly said “shut up.” I loved Violet but she never did know when to keep her mouth shut.

  Clifton placed a hand on my shoulder. “Oh, come on Tessa, I would love to hear more.”

  “Tessa?” she giggled. “Is that what you are going by now?”

  I shrugged. “It’s more…human friendly.” I grabbed a plate and filled it with salmon and calamari (my favorite!).

  Clifton let me finish eating before asking about my father’s request.

  “He wanted to ask me to stay.”

  “Why can’t we stay? I like it here.”

  I looked into his soft face. I didn’t have the heart to tell him that, if we stayed, it would not be a happy existence for us. My father had agreed not to kill him, but he did not order others not to kill him. It was only a matter of time before someone challenged him. He would always be in danger here. We couldn’t stay. “If we stay, then I cannot be with you.”

  “Why not?”

  “Because my father forbids me to be with a mixed-blood.”

  “I am sure that he will change his mind,” Violet said with unfounded optimism.

  I shook my head. “No, he won’t. That’s why we are leaving as soon as possible.” I had hoped that my father might change his mind someday, but that dream had died with our little chat. He would never change his mind, I was certain of that. “You are welcome to come back with us, Violet.”

  She looked deep into my eyes and I could see that she wanted to but there was also fear. She was afraid of what lay outside the safety and comfort of Kortis, her home. She was afraid of leaving all that she had ever known for something that she knew nothing about. I knew that feeling all too well.

  “I will think about it,” she replied which sounded remarkably like a no.

  I yawned, not realizing just how tired I was.

  Violet stood up. “I will let you two get some rest. We can catch up more tomorrow. It was very nice to meet you Clifton. I am glad that Quartessa has found someone that makes her happy.” She smiled, then turned and walked away.

  Clifton pulled me into a sweet embrace. “I like Violet. She is very nice, and she thinks the world of you.”

  “She seemed quite taken with you.”

  “Jealous?”

  “A little.”

  “Well there’s no need.” He brushed the hair out of my face. “My heart is only for you.”

  I leaned in and pressed my lips against his. “Let’s go to my room.”

  “Won’t your father mind?” I just shrugged and grabbed his hand.

  I escorted him through the castle and up the long spiral staircase that lead to my tower bedroom. When we reached my door he picked me up, cradling me in his strong arms.

  My room was just as blue and gold as it had ever been. The walls were bewitched to look like you were underwater, like you were in a sort of reverse aquarium. The water moved like the current of the ocean and fish swam in and out of view. There was a king-sized four-poster bed against the far wall. The wood was dark mahogany and it was decorated in gold satin.

  Clifton’s eyes darted everywhere. “I love it. Can you have it done to my apartment?”

  “Only if Violet joins us there, she did this for me as a present on my thirteenth birthday.”

  “I hope she does,” he said with sincerity.

  He carried me over to the bed and plopped me down. The bed sloshed under me, causing my body to mimic the ripple. He laughed. “A waterbed huh? I always wanted one.”

  I reached my arm out and grabbed the top of his pants, pulling him to me. He lost his balance and fell face first onto the bed. He plopped so hard that the bed rose where I lay, knocking me off the bed and onto the hard, stone floor.

  “You alright?”

  I lay there, stunned for a moment, before starting to laugh. With difficulty, I climbed back onto the bed.

  Clifton was lying on his side with one arm propping his head up. His brilliant aquamarine skin looked good against the gold satin sheets. His long, dark hair fell around him, framing his face. I cuddled against him, enjoying his warmth.

  He traced his fingers down my back. “How did I get so lucky?”

  I lifted my head off of his chest and smiled at him. “Probably the same way I did: sheer dumb luck.”

  “No, it wasn’t luck. It was fate.”

  I wasn’t sure that I believed in fate. Fate was just another way of saying that I had no control over my own life. If the universe had everything planned out for me, I didn’t want to know. I didn’t tell him any of this though. I let him have his moment.

  ********************

  Clifton lay next to me, sleeping, and even though I was tired, sleep didn’t come as easily for me. I tossed and turned trying my hardest to get comfortable. My brain just wouldn’t shut off and let me sleep.

  Irritated, I hopped out of bed and perched myself on the comfy sofa that overlooked the ocean. I tried to get lost in it as I used to, but the last couple of night’s events clouded my mind, making it hard to feel peaceful.

  A lone person was walking on the beach. Though it was dark, I could make out the long wavy shimmering blue hair and golden robes that only royalty wore.

  “Gader,” I called out and he turned and smiled up at me. “I’ll be right down.” I pulled my clothes on, kissed Clifton on the forehead, and made my way down to the beach.

  I was happy to see that Gader had waited for me. I hugged him hard.

  My brother was a handsome man with long, wavy, sapphire-colored hair, similar to my mother’s shade but somehow manlier, and eyes that were more white than blue. His skin was darker than mine, almost the same shade as Kafkus’, deep cobalt. He had soft yet strong facial features. He looked like a king, there was no denying it.

  “What are you doing up so late?”

  “I could ask you the same question, dear sister,” he said in his, always proper voice. He gestured to a piece of driftwood, and we both sat down.

  There was a long and uncomfortable silence that was made even more awkward when he spoke. “So, I hear that you have found yourself a suitor.”

  I wasn’t sure how he would perceive Clifton, so I said nothing. Instead, I stared off into the water. I wasn’t really looking at it.

  “I am happy for you, Quartessa. I truly am. But I want you to be careful. How long have you known this man?”

  “Technically, I have known him for a month. But we didn’t really start speaking until a couple of days ago.” I thought it best to be honest.

  “Around the time that you were attacked?”

  “You think that Clifton had something to do with it?” I asked, unable to believe it.

  “I meant nothing except that you have not known this man long enough to be able to trust him. When I first met Gwinny it took me a long time to realize that she wanted to actually be with me, and that she did not just wanted to obtain the title of Queen someday.”

  His words irritated me to the core. “This isn’t about Clifton wanting rank. He didn’t even know that I was a princess until Kafkus outed me.”

  “Ah yes, Kafkus, what about him? He was looking forward to seeing you most of all. That was why he volunteered to fetch you. I am sure that he was none too happy to see you with another man, especially a mixed-blood.”

  My brother and I typically got along great, but the real that reason he was acting this way was becoming very clear. Gader and Kafkus were best friends as they’d been for many years. I guess that since I had left to avoid marring him, Gader had now turned against me.

  “Look Gader, I would understand if I had agreed to marry Kafkus then changed my mind and left instead. But that is not what happened. Kafkus was forced on me, and I
didn’t want to be stuck in a loveless marriage.”

  “I would not say that it would be loveless.”

  “I don’t love him.”

  He stared at me with complete exasperation, as if I should already know what he was about to say. “Kafkus has always loved you. When we were ten, he told me that he was going to marry you someday. I never took him seriously; that is, until I started to notice the way that he looks at you. It is the same way that father looks at mother and Gwinny looks at me.”

  I felt my face grow hot with a mixture of anger and embarrassment and I sprung to my feet. “That is very different. You and father both chose your wives. My life was being planned for me. You could never know the feeling, Gader. You have never had to endure the pain that I have. Though we grew up together, we have had two different lives. You could never relate to what I have been through. And even if Kafkus feels the way you say he does, that does not change the fact that I do not love him, nor will I ever love him. And you trying to force him down my throat doesn’t help!”

  “I was only trying to explain. I know that father has been hard on you, but it is only because he wants what is best for you. Can you not see that?” He was trying to make me understand, but I couldn’t. I saw no reason in his words.

  “You defend him? You defend the man who has single-handedly pushed his only remaining daughter out of his life? I was hoping that we could be like old times, but I can see that that will never happen. Why don’t you go back to your perfect wife and stay the hell out of my life!”

  He bowed his head. “My perfect wife and I had a fight. That is why I am out here so late.”

  Though I was still angry with him, he was my brother and I wanted to be there for him. I pushed aside the annoyance that he had caused me and sat back down. “What did you fight about?”

  “She has been pressuring me for children.”

  “Let me guess, you don’t want kids?”

  “It is not that I do not want them. I just do not want them now. I enjoy it being just the two of us. Besides, it is not like we do not have many childbearing years left ahead of us.”