Mark of the Princess (24 page)

They passed through them and found instantly that they were in the main castle. The walls were decorated with all sorts of crystals gems and tapestries. In the distance of the long hallway they saw two figures walking toward them, they had two guards walking in front of them and two behind. The male faerie was dressed in fine dark colored linens and had a gold crown sitting atop his chestnut colored hair. He wore a cloak like the other Magi, but his was made of velvet and was embroidered along the edges. His face was square and he was tall and built. The female who walked alongside him was almost as tall as he, her dark blue dress was tight around her torso and flared out at her hips dragging behind her. She had a thin crown that sat delicately atop her black hair. Her build was somewhat athletic, but her eyes were soft.

“Brennus!” The King exclaimed as he got closer. The three others turned to look at Brennus as they did not expect such an informal greeting.

“Your majesties, this is Princess Alannah of the Forest of Meira in the Kingdom of Meira, and her friends Prince Kaleb of the Forest of Talom and Tristan of Talom as well.”

“Kaleb and Tristan! You have both grown so much since the last time we saw you!” The Queen sounding genuinely surprised and excited to see them

Alannah whirled to face Kaleb and Tristan. Her face, contorted in confusion.

The Queen stepped closer to look at them. “Why the last time you were here you were just becoming men and now look at you.” The queen turning her gaze to Tristan “Tristan, still causing trouble?”

Tristan chuckled, “always in good fun my queen.”

Queen Calla rolled her eyes and looked at Alannah, “Always the prankster, this one. You’d think he had born to pixies! And you Kaleb,” turning to face Kaleb once more, “I am sure that Alessa will be so glad to see you again.”

Brennus looked at Kaleb and gave him a smirk.

Kaleb, acting like he didn’t see him continued looking at the queen as she spoke, he couldn’t see Alannah’s face but could feel her eyes burning into him.

“Yes, Alessa, how is she?” Kaleb asked clearing this throat and still averting Alannah’s eyes.

“She is well thank you. Around here somewhere I am sure.” Queen Calla responded, looking around the hallway, half expecting her daughter to appear.

“Alannah, we have spoken to your parents and they are on their way over here to meet with you. Kaleb, we spoke to your parents as well to give them news that we will provide shelter and anything else you may need.”

“I am in your debt Queen Calla.” Kaleb bowed.

“As am I, your highness.” Alannah quickly followed

“Kaleb, you know that kind of formality is not required between us friends. Alannah, I appreciate it, but it is truly my pleasure.”

“Come. Let me show you to your rooms so that you can wash up and change and then join us in a meal. You must all be famished. I hope you do not mind but two of the Magisters will be joining us so that they can be informed as well of the past days events.”

He could tell she was bothered. “You never
let
me. You were more interested in Brennus’s tale of the Magi kingdom.”

“I was not more interested in what Brennus said.” Kaleb knew he had hurt her. He hadn’t meant for it to come out that way but it was already said.

“Well, you sure didn’t give chance for anyone else to speak.”

Alannah pulled away from him, facing forward, she opened her mouth to speak but nothing came out. He was right. She had been paying more attention to Brennus.

But why? The one I had been falling for was Kaleb. Right?
she thought to herself.

Once they reached the main stairway Calla reached out and grabbed Alannah’s hand. “Come, my dear. We need to get you into a proper dress.”

“Oh, majesty that is not necessary. Your hospitality is enough.”

“You are a Princess, Alannah. I will not have you walking around in torn dirty clothing any more than I would my own daughter.” Calla finished, leading Alannah up the stairs and to the left wing of the castle.

“Thank you Lilian.” Lilian didn’t look as young as most other handmaidens. She actually seemed to be quite a bit older than Alannah. She had dark red hair with some grey streaks, her dress plain but not dirty or ragged.

Alannah passed a mirror and took a look at herself. She hadn’t seen a mirror since the day she was taken. Her hair seemed longer somehow. But perhaps that was because it was all down. It was untamed. Her pointy ears dirty enough to blend in with her dark hair. Her beautiful bodice and skirt
were
dirty and torn. She had small cuts and bruises from the fighting and the climbing around the mountains. She looked at the scars from the injuries that Brennus had healed. The arrow had left a small circle that looked almost like a heart. The cut on her arm was nothing more than a thin line now. She looked at her spell casting mark. They were like vines that began beneath her bicep and swirled around not quite meeting, new vines stemming out where previously her arms were bare. One crawling up her arm and the other crawling down. She smiled. She sprouted her wings to see their condition.
Not as dirty as the rest of me but they could use a wash
.

“Ma’am. Your bath is ready.” Lilian dashed out of the small room found recessed within the walls past the fireplace, hurrying over to Alannah and helping her undo her corset. Once she was in the bath, Lilian sat behind the tub helping to wash Alannah’s hair.

Lilian let out a gentle laugh. “Goodness no. She is the King and Queen’s daughter. Alessa and Kaleb had some of their training together. They were very good friends.”

Alannah didn’t want to ask too many questions for fear of having Lilian say something to Alessa. She sat quietly in the tub while Lilian ran a brush through her hair and helped clean her wings.

Later, Alannah followed Lilian through the maze of hallways to the dining room, passing walls made of smoothed wood and some made of smoothed stone. For a moment she stopped to glare out a rather large window constructed of many different color crystals, the view of the village was amazing. The dining room reminded her much of the one in her own home. There was a large table with beautiful carvings. Most of the drapery and seating was decorated in hues of dark blue, dark reds, and grey. The crystal goblets sat delicately on the table with the family crest carefully etched on each one.

Everyone else had already been taken to the dining room by the time she arrived. As Alannah walked in, all the men stood up. She looked first at Kaleb, standing in his new clean clothes, his blue eyes piercing through her. She was almost lost in them but her attention was drawn to the dark marks that could be seen beneath the soft linen shirt. She looked then at Brennus sitting just a few chairs down from Kaleb, wearing a similar shirt in black, his markings creeping out from under the rounded collar reaching up to his neck. His grey eyes fixed on her.

“You found your way!” Tristan exclaimed breaking the awkward silence, and admiring the new clothes she wore.

Alannah laughed slightly. “Not really. Lilian showed me the way.” She turned to look at the King and Queen, “you have a beautiful home.”

“Thank you my dear.” The King responded, sitting back down in his chair which resembled more a throne than a dining chair.

“You look “stunning” “amazing” Both Kaleb and Brennus spoke at the same time surprising everyone. They gave each other an annoyed look before looking back at Alannah and taking their seats.

Alannah felt her cheeks get warm and wondered if anyone else saw her blush. She touched her bodice self consciously. The bodice and skirt she wore with its dark and light blues made for a beautiful contrast to her green eyes. Her hair was picked up around the back of her head with wavy tendrils falling around her face and some down her back.

“Thank you. Both of you.”

As soon as she took her seat she saw that all the attention had turned to the doorway once again. In the doorway stood a beautiful young faerie, more beautiful than most that Alannah had ever seen. She had long very dark hair like her mother, the dress she wore seemed to hang perfectly on her thin but athletic build.
She curved in all the right places
Alannah jealously thought to herself. Alannah who was not overly voluptuous had never until this moment felt that she might not have enough curves. Her skin was tanned and she had marks covering most of both of her arms. Her eyes were slightly slanted making them look cat-like, and were a light lavender-blue much like the dress she wore.

Brennus glanced over at Alannah who had begun to fidget with her glass and utensils. He could tell she was trying to hide all her negative emotions.

Calla walked over to Alannah and put her arm around her.

“Alessa this is Princess Alannah of Meira.”

Alannah curtseyed slightly as did Alessa. “It is a pleasure to meet you Princess. Any friend of Kaleb and Tristan,” she paused, rolling her eyes at Brennus, “and I guess Brennus is a friend of mine.”

The servants brought in dinner just as the Magisters walked in. They sat across from Alannah, eager to find out information of the past few days. Alannah felt embarrassed that for the time they had been waiting she had only been thinking of her feelings for Kaleb and Brennus, her jealousy toward Alessa, and her new powers coming in. She had forgotten that she had to re-count the events in the castle and all she had learned there and from Brennus about Maligo’s plan, and most horribly enough, she had forgotten about her own sister that laying in a room fighting for her own soul.

The evening went on with Alannah and Brennus telling all of what they learned and experienced thereafter. Brennus thought for a moment of mentioning Alannah’s mark but decided to keep it to himself for now so as not to alarm anyone. For a brief period Kaleb and Tristan also mentioned their journey through the forest, particularly what happened to Evyette.

The Magisters said very little as the stories went on and the remaining dinner was removed to make room for desert. The King and Queen also listened intently occasionally making comments to each other.