Chapter 5 Remember

The king is not what I expected. There’s no crown, no mighty arrogance like my father had or even my brother-in-law. Nothing screamed power in the ways I’ve grown accustomed to. 

No, I can feel it. 

The way to court stands to attention, hanging onto his every word. The way the people beside him near the thrones stand a step back, each pair of eyes on him. His eyes, a pale blue, are sharp, but not cruel.

“You are now a part of our court,” he says, gesturing around him. “You will find that we do not cling to tradition, nor do we hold onto old grudges. The past is the past, young one. There is no one here who wishes you ill.”

I nod, keeping my head slightly bowed. 

“Every child of mine has a job to do to protect this kingdom,” he continues, voice strong and proud, gesturing toward the two rows of six standing beside him, “and so do their spouses. The same will be expected of you.” 

A smile stretches across my lips before I can stop it. Better that then stuck hosting balls and learning to sew with the other ladies of the courts of my homeland. The king notices my smile and smiles back, looking over toward his right side. 

Magic clings to all of them.  

“Prince Caelen,” the king said, and the one sitting directly to his right stands up, bowing slightly to me. He’s broad-shouldered, steady, and looks much like the King himself but his hair is cut short. He’s wearing robes of dark greens, looking like he belongs amongst the trees instead of in court like this. “He’s the Warden of the Forest. He protects our trees from beast and human attacks alike.” 

“Princess Vaelyr,” he says, and the woman sitting next to Caelen stands up. She too looks much like the king, but her white hair is cascading down past her waist. Her robes are earth colors, warm browns and tans. “She’s our connection to the beasts in the trees. She reasons with those that can be reasoned with, often partnering up with her twin, Caelen.”

Before the king continues, one of the brothers stands and says, “Father?”

“Yes?” 

“Should we overwhelm her with all of our names and positions? Perhaps it is better that she gets settled and then we introduce ourselves?” He looks like a nervous one with his hair cut short and gelled back. His robes are tan and dull, though I’m sure that’s by design. Each one shares the white hair, much like their father. 

“Ah,” the king nods, smiling before looking over at me. “This is Prince Elric. He’s the Keeper of our Archives and perhaps the more socially conscious one. I suppose he is correct, though. I’m sure it’s already a lot. Felix, take your fiance to your quarters. I will have food brought to you both. Tomorrow, we’ll start really getting to know each other.”

“Yes, father,” Felix says, bowing his head.  

He walks up to me, offering a small smile and his arm. I release Liora, hooking my arm through his and letting him walk me back the way I came. There’s a walkway leading up and around the tree that he leads me to. He shifts, making sure that I am between him and the tree. He walks so easily as if there isn’t a death drop inches from each step he takes. 

I feel like I should say something, literally anything. No words, though, make it past my lips. What do you say to your new fiance who you will now be sharing quarters with. Do they have no shame?

“Are you afraid?” Felix asks, not looking down at me. 

“I…I’m not sure,” I admit. “I feel like I should be, but everything is too pretty to hang onto it for too long. So, about our quarters-”

Felix throws his head back and laughs, turning toward me with a smile. He pats my hand resting in his, “don’t you worry. There are separate rooms. We will not be staying together tonight.” 

“Oh,” I sigh, relieved, leaning slightly into him. “Thank you.” 

“Of course,” he shrugs. “What do you think we are? Animals?” 

“No, I,” I chuckle breathlessly, “don’t know. There’s just so much unknown about your people. All I’ve ever been taught is how savage your armies were.” 

“Yes,” Felix nods, looking almost apologetic, “we know of the damage we have caused.” 

I nod, knowing no other response. 

His quarters are half way up the tree. It opens up into a living area with chairs and a table. There’s a wall with books and what looks like a cauldron sitting over a fireplace. Little balls of light color the place in a golden glow. There are three doorways carved into the wood, separated from the main room with sheer curtains. 

“That there,” he says, pointing to the right side, “will be your room for the time being. The closet is stocked, and I had some books and paintings from your people put in there. This isn’t my usual dwelling. Once the wedding is done, we’ll travel to my permanent address.”

“Well, thank you,” I tell him, smiling up at him. “You are very considerate.”

“We are stuck with each other,” Felix says, bowing his head, “might as well make it as easy as I can.” 

I nod, smiling before heading toward my room. He nods, watching me go without a word. Moving the curtain to the side, I step into the small space. The massive bed takes up most of the space, though the blankets are thick and the pillows are stuffed. 

I smile. 

Just like home.

I turn toward the wardrobe. There were two sides. One held dresses styled much like my home, heavy and thick. The other side had more dresses like I have on, light and flowing. 

I look back toward the curtain, tears brimming in my eyes. 

He’s not trying to erase my home; he’s trying to help me keep it.