I was sitting on the window seat in my room, thinking about the young prince, he was so handsome. He kept trying to catch my eye but I didn't know if I should; until I gave him his water anyways. I kept replaying the moment in my head, I bowed gracefully in front of him and this time when he tried, I looked straight into his eyes. They were so handsome, I could see the fighting spirit inside of them, but there was also love and tenderness. I sighed again thinking of the feeling I got when his hand touched mine, so rough from the sword at his side, but they were soft and warm. It made me feel like I had swallowed a jar of butterflies, and now they were fluttering helplessly around my gut. My thoughts were interrupted by the knocking on my door.
"Come in!" I called. The door opened and Keda was standing there. "Oh Keda you know you can just walk in, you don't have to knock."
"Mistress, your mother wishes to speak with you," She spoke slowly and her old eyes looked sad.
"Oh my dear Keda!" I said running to her and throwing my arms around her neck, I know it was childish but it made her smile. "Why is there such sadness in your eyes?"
"Your mother wishes to speak with you," and that was all she would say.
"Oh Adelhaide my child, please sit with me on the sofa," my mother said as I entered her rooms.
"You wanted to speak with me mother?" I asked softly.
"Yes, about what you said earlier, about you not being a child; you are right." It took every nerve in my body not to let my mouth drop in surprise. Could she really be going to give me more freedom? To finally be treated like a young woman my age should be treated? My head was exploding with all the possibilities of finally being recognized! Walks without her beside me, trips to the market with my own carriage....
"I've decided that you will be attending the Young Women’s School of Courtesy in the city of Vaslemick."
I couldn’t speak; every dream in my head just blew up into tiny shards of glass that pierced my heart. After the pain in my heart dulled I managed to ask her when.
"You will be sailing to the city in three days, I have instructed Keda to pack everything you need."
Vaslemick is a port city in the far east of Roscrea, it sounds like a charming place, but to go to it on such conditions! To be trapped in that school like a song bird in a cage, singing a tune of heartbreak. But with father gone there was nothing I could do or say about it other than...
"I will prepare."
********************************************************************************
"It's too bad we cannot stay for a couple more days," I said to myself as I walked through the back gardens of Ember manor. "I would love to take a ride out on these plains."
"If it would please you, I will take you."
I looked for where the voice was coming from, but I didn't see anything. There was a little giggle then a light thud behind me. I turned swiftly to see Adelhaide straightening from a crouch position. I was confused at first but then looked up at the rustling branches she had left behind.
"Did you just jump down from that tree?" I asked.
She put her hands behind her back and looked away, "Please don't tell mother, she gets furious with me when I climb trees."
"Your secret it safe with me," I said, bowing slightly so that she knew that I ment it.
"Thank you, your highness."
"Please just call me Kieji," smiled at her, getting a small grin back.
"So about my offer?" she questioned.
"Oh yes!" I said quickly remember what she had said before I saw her, "I would be honoured if you would take me." She didn't say a thing, just made a gesture to come with her hand and took off towards the stables. She sure could run fast for a girl wearing leg restircting clothing. Adelhaide called to the stable boy to ready her horse and another for me.
"You look a little unsure of yourself, Kieji."
I looked at the tall lean horse, so different than the stockier builds that I was use to.
"Oh its nothing...I have just never ridden a horse like this before."
"Your horses are different in Akiviri?" she asked shocked.
"Well yes." I answered as I mounted the gelding.
She took me across the plains along a small steady stream; Adelhaide had many questions to ask, and I sometimes couldn't fully answer them before she asked another.She asked how I learned to speak Roscrean so well, and why I didn't have a funny accent like the captain. I answered that I had taken lessons in many different languages. Adelhaide asked many questions about my home and family, and mostly about how the women of my society lived. She was not the shy Adelhaide I had first seen in the presence of her mother; she was really a curious young woman full of so much energy and life! Why would she keep that hidden in her home?
When she had finally stopped interrogating me, I asked some of my own questions. I learned that her older brother, Kieran, had taught her how to defend herself; and kept it a secret from her parents. I could not understand why it was so bad for women to learn the arts of war, to learn how to protect themselves.
"It is not custom." She said with sadness in her voice, "women do not play a part in politics or war."
"In my country women are a very valuable part of our country, and they are recognized for it. We even have a circuit of soldiers who are just women!"
Adelhaide’s face filled with longing, "It's not just the battle I want Kieji...it’s the freedom that men have."
"Freedom?"
"Yes, I feel as if my heart and soul are trapped inside this huge cage," She gestured at the land around us and Ember manor getting closer in front of them. "It's all just a cage, an illusion of space."
Adelhaides eyes were started to line themselves with tears.
"Adelhaide" I stopped my gelding and turned to face her, "What is wrong?"
"My cage is about to get smaller," she said as a tear slid down her soft cheek.
Without thinking I took her hand, "Please do not cry," It was a pathetic thing to say, but I didn't know what else I could say or do to comfort her. Adelhaide looked down at my hand and I quickly withdrew it back to my reins.
"What are you doing Keiji?" I thought to myself, "You cannot act like this."
I didn't know what was stirring inside of me, but I just wanted to hold her close. I wanted to take her pain away, take away the cage and let this little song bird sing her heart out as loud as she could.
We rode the rest of the way back to the manor in silence, her tears had stopped and she seemed to have withdrawn herself.
"Thank you for taking me Lady Adelhaide," I said after dismounting.
"The pleasure was all mine Prince Kieji," She dipped into a curtsey without looking at me, and hurried out of the stables.
I was running. I had to get to Kieran, he was dying. I could see his blood stained image in my head as the light faded from his eyes. NO! KIERAN DON'T LEAVE ME! I could see him ahead of me, just lying there, I tried to run faster, but my legs were so heavy. I was crawling trying to reach him; my hand was so close to touching his. If I could just touch him! PLEASE DON'T LEAVE ME!! All of a sudden he was gone and it was kieji lying there in front of me. His hand came up and touched my face, his brave eyes full of love and pain. "I'll see you in the afterlife...." My heart was breaking in two as his heart stopped beating. KIEJI!!!
I woke up with Kieji's name on my lips; my blankets littered the floor around my bed. What was the meaning of that? I've always been scared that my beloved brother would not return to me, but Kieji, why did he replace Kieran? I slid off of my soft bed and slipped on my tunic. A walk outside might help clear my mind. I walked quietly down the halls, my bare feet making no noise as I made my way through the darkness. I stopped when I heard a slight creak around the next corner, listening carefully I inched my way towards the wall, flattening myself. "If you want to hide in the dark use the gift the gods gave to you." Kieran had said that on the first night he found me sneaking outside. He had taught me to use my gift of alteration, like father had taught him to use his. Women were forbidden to use any of the gifts other than restoration, I didn't know why, and no one would tell me either. So mother taught me how to use restoration, little did she know that I had learned how to harness alteration anyways. I was double gifted; it was very rare to have two of the six known gifts. I cleared my mind and thought of myself as the darkness, altering the makings of my body to the air around me. Someone was coming around the corner. I held still, so they would not hear me.
"Meow."
Startled I looked down. A cat? I laughed at myself and let my defenses drop. I pulled my chenif over my nose to cover the bottom half of my face and continued on. I walked around the corner; it all happened so fast. Once I walked around the corner I was pulled down and thrown against the wall. Feeling the size of his hands on my wrists I assumed it was a man. My face was being pressed against the wall making it hard to breath. My anger started to rise. This is my home! I ripped my right arm out of his grasp, which surprised my attacker. I his grip on my left arm to swing him into the wall next to me, but before I could pin him there his leg caught mine and I was falling to the floor. Before he had time to come after me I swung my right foot at the back of his knee, as soon as he started to drop I grabbed for his left arm and flipped him face up on the floor. I was on top pinning him to the ground. Looking at my attacker I saw that he was wearing a face mask. Quickly with my one free hand I undid it. Kieji! He seized the moment to push me off and our roles were reversed. I was so stunned. I had just fought with a prince...
"Come in!" I called. The door opened and Keda was standing there. "Oh Keda you know you can just walk in, you don't have to knock."
"Mistress, your mother wishes to speak with you," She spoke slowly and her old eyes looked sad.
"Oh my dear Keda!" I said running to her and throwing my arms around her neck, I know it was childish but it made her smile. "Why is there such sadness in your eyes?"
"Your mother wishes to speak with you," and that was all she would say.
"Oh Adelhaide my child, please sit with me on the sofa," my mother said as I entered her rooms.
"You wanted to speak with me mother?" I asked softly.
"Yes, about what you said earlier, about you not being a child; you are right." It took every nerve in my body not to let my mouth drop in surprise. Could she really be going to give me more freedom? To finally be treated like a young woman my age should be treated? My head was exploding with all the possibilities of finally being recognized! Walks without her beside me, trips to the market with my own carriage....
"I've decided that you will be attending the Young Women’s School of Courtesy in the city of Vaslemick."
I couldn’t speak; every dream in my head just blew up into tiny shards of glass that pierced my heart. After the pain in my heart dulled I managed to ask her when.
"You will be sailing to the city in three days, I have instructed Keda to pack everything you need."
Vaslemick is a port city in the far east of Roscrea, it sounds like a charming place, but to go to it on such conditions! To be trapped in that school like a song bird in a cage, singing a tune of heartbreak. But with father gone there was nothing I could do or say about it other than...
"I will prepare."
********************************************************************************
"It's too bad we cannot stay for a couple more days," I said to myself as I walked through the back gardens of Ember manor. "I would love to take a ride out on these plains."
"If it would please you, I will take you."
I looked for where the voice was coming from, but I didn't see anything. There was a little giggle then a light thud behind me. I turned swiftly to see Adelhaide straightening from a crouch position. I was confused at first but then looked up at the rustling branches she had left behind.
"Did you just jump down from that tree?" I asked.
She put her hands behind her back and looked away, "Please don't tell mother, she gets furious with me when I climb trees."
"Your secret it safe with me," I said, bowing slightly so that she knew that I ment it.
"Thank you, your highness."
"Please just call me Kieji," smiled at her, getting a small grin back.
"So about my offer?" she questioned.
"Oh yes!" I said quickly remember what she had said before I saw her, "I would be honoured if you would take me." She didn't say a thing, just made a gesture to come with her hand and took off towards the stables. She sure could run fast for a girl wearing leg restircting clothing. Adelhaide called to the stable boy to ready her horse and another for me.
"You look a little unsure of yourself, Kieji."
I looked at the tall lean horse, so different than the stockier builds that I was use to.
"Oh its nothing...I have just never ridden a horse like this before."
"Your horses are different in Akiviri?" she asked shocked.
"Well yes." I answered as I mounted the gelding.
She took me across the plains along a small steady stream; Adelhaide had many questions to ask, and I sometimes couldn't fully answer them before she asked another.She asked how I learned to speak Roscrean so well, and why I didn't have a funny accent like the captain. I answered that I had taken lessons in many different languages. Adelhaide asked many questions about my home and family, and mostly about how the women of my society lived. She was not the shy Adelhaide I had first seen in the presence of her mother; she was really a curious young woman full of so much energy and life! Why would she keep that hidden in her home?
When she had finally stopped interrogating me, I asked some of my own questions. I learned that her older brother, Kieran, had taught her how to defend herself; and kept it a secret from her parents. I could not understand why it was so bad for women to learn the arts of war, to learn how to protect themselves.
"It is not custom." She said with sadness in her voice, "women do not play a part in politics or war."
"In my country women are a very valuable part of our country, and they are recognized for it. We even have a circuit of soldiers who are just women!"
Adelhaide’s face filled with longing, "It's not just the battle I want Kieji...it’s the freedom that men have."
"Freedom?"
"Yes, I feel as if my heart and soul are trapped inside this huge cage," She gestured at the land around us and Ember manor getting closer in front of them. "It's all just a cage, an illusion of space."
Adelhaides eyes were started to line themselves with tears.
"Adelhaide" I stopped my gelding and turned to face her, "What is wrong?"
"My cage is about to get smaller," she said as a tear slid down her soft cheek.
Without thinking I took her hand, "Please do not cry," It was a pathetic thing to say, but I didn't know what else I could say or do to comfort her. Adelhaide looked down at my hand and I quickly withdrew it back to my reins.
"What are you doing Keiji?" I thought to myself, "You cannot act like this."
I didn't know what was stirring inside of me, but I just wanted to hold her close. I wanted to take her pain away, take away the cage and let this little song bird sing her heart out as loud as she could.
We rode the rest of the way back to the manor in silence, her tears had stopped and she seemed to have withdrawn herself.
"Thank you for taking me Lady Adelhaide," I said after dismounting.
"The pleasure was all mine Prince Kieji," She dipped into a curtsey without looking at me, and hurried out of the stables.
I was running. I had to get to Kieran, he was dying. I could see his blood stained image in my head as the light faded from his eyes. NO! KIERAN DON'T LEAVE ME! I could see him ahead of me, just lying there, I tried to run faster, but my legs were so heavy. I was crawling trying to reach him; my hand was so close to touching his. If I could just touch him! PLEASE DON'T LEAVE ME!! All of a sudden he was gone and it was kieji lying there in front of me. His hand came up and touched my face, his brave eyes full of love and pain. "I'll see you in the afterlife...." My heart was breaking in two as his heart stopped beating. KIEJI!!!
I woke up with Kieji's name on my lips; my blankets littered the floor around my bed. What was the meaning of that? I've always been scared that my beloved brother would not return to me, but Kieji, why did he replace Kieran? I slid off of my soft bed and slipped on my tunic. A walk outside might help clear my mind. I walked quietly down the halls, my bare feet making no noise as I made my way through the darkness. I stopped when I heard a slight creak around the next corner, listening carefully I inched my way towards the wall, flattening myself. "If you want to hide in the dark use the gift the gods gave to you." Kieran had said that on the first night he found me sneaking outside. He had taught me to use my gift of alteration, like father had taught him to use his. Women were forbidden to use any of the gifts other than restoration, I didn't know why, and no one would tell me either. So mother taught me how to use restoration, little did she know that I had learned how to harness alteration anyways. I was double gifted; it was very rare to have two of the six known gifts. I cleared my mind and thought of myself as the darkness, altering the makings of my body to the air around me. Someone was coming around the corner. I held still, so they would not hear me.
"Meow."
Startled I looked down. A cat? I laughed at myself and let my defenses drop. I pulled my chenif over my nose to cover the bottom half of my face and continued on. I walked around the corner; it all happened so fast. Once I walked around the corner I was pulled down and thrown against the wall. Feeling the size of his hands on my wrists I assumed it was a man. My face was being pressed against the wall making it hard to breath. My anger started to rise. This is my home! I ripped my right arm out of his grasp, which surprised my attacker. I his grip on my left arm to swing him into the wall next to me, but before I could pin him there his leg caught mine and I was falling to the floor. Before he had time to come after me I swung my right foot at the back of his knee, as soon as he started to drop I grabbed for his left arm and flipped him face up on the floor. I was on top pinning him to the ground. Looking at my attacker I saw that he was wearing a face mask. Quickly with my one free hand I undid it. Kieji! He seized the moment to push me off and our roles were reversed. I was so stunned. I had just fought with a prince...
No comments:
Post a Comment