A Game of Crowns

“The real lover is the man who can thrill you by kissing your forehead”

-Marilyn Monroe

One week had passed and I was somehow effectively able to dodge Tobias. Although, it did mean I’d become a hermit again. Enough was enough, though. I wasn’t going to hide. I hadn’t done anything wrong. I needed to get out of my room and play the game. I would not put the fate of Iron Forge on the back burner because I had been burned by a boy. I was better than that. I was a tad ashamed for hiding for so long, but no more. I threw off my covers with more enthusiasm than I’ve had recently.

Georgiana smirked. Her light brown eyes sparkled with laughter. “It’s nice to see you with some energy.”

I wrinkled my nose. Turned out I was an idiot after all for hiding. I hadn’t told her what happened with Tobias. She knew something was up but she didn’t know the specifics. I walked over to my closet and pulled out a random outfit; an emerald top with a black pencil skirt and black wedges. Wedges were easier to walk in than standard heels. I was not ready to tackle heels quite yet.

Thirty minutes later, I was freshly clean and changed. I sat in front of my vanity mirror while Georgiana applied a light layer of make-up. My hair was loose which reached the small of my back when straightened.

“You look beautiful as always, Miss Tate.” Georgiana smiled.

“Thank you, Georgiana. You know, you should take the day off. You’ve been with me non-stop since I’ve arrived. You deserve time for yourself. I can manage a day without you,” I said, winking at her through the mirror.

She grinned happily. “Are you sure, my lady?”

“Of course,” I said, turning to face her.

She laughed joyfully and waved goodbye. She seemed delighted with the idea. I waited for her to exit the room before taking a seat on a more comfortable resting chair.

Now what? Should I go downstairs for breakfast or wander the palace? I wasn’t very hungry and could probably wait till lunch; wandering the palace sounded perfect to me. Lessons wouldn’t be for another hour. My decision was made.

I went to a section of the palace that I had yet to explore. I believed it to be the wing where the council would stay when present in the palace. I had no clue to where The Trinity resided and I wasn’t too keen on finding out.

This section of the palace was older than the wings the participants lived in. It was darker here. It had an older regal feel to it. The heavy gold and brown curtains blocked out any natural light from the windows. The carpet flooring was dark while the walls were of a lighter pallet.

The grandfather clock at the end of the hall said I still had forty minutes to explore. I turned around to leave the dead end but a door that was slightly ajar grabbed my attention.

Every fiber of my being was telling me to turn around but my mind would not let me. Curiosity had me pushing the door open. Hopefully, curiosity wouldn’t kill the cat. The room was surprisingly bright. The walls and furniture were all a pristine white. The only darkness in the room came from the corner where a dark blue changing slide had been placed for the occupant of the room to change. The queen-sized bed was against the furthest wall from the door. The bed was made and the room was empty. Whose room was this?

I really should have left but my feet pulled me in further. I examined small vials of colorful and dark liquids on a nearby dresser. I played with the dream catcher by the bed. I found a journal on the desk laid open on an unfinished journal entry. I ran my finger across the parchment.

It read, ‘Mother’s kin have...’

It was as if the writer was called out and unable to finish their thought. The penmanship was an elegant cursive. Not many people used cursive anymore. It was an archaic form of penmanship; a beautiful form. I wish I had been able to learn but it wasn’t taught in regular schools anymore. I flipped through the rest of the journal but there was nothing. It was a brand-new journal.

“Found something that has caught your eye?” a voice asked from the far corner of the room, from behind the changing slide.

I jumped as a startled cry slipped through my lips. “Who’s there?”

A man stepped out from behind the changing slide. The first things my mind noticed was his body. He wore white loose pants and no shirt. His pale torso was beautifully crafted and his arms were subtly built. My eyes raked up his body to his face. My mouth went dry.

There stood the male sibling from The Trinity. He could speak. Well, at least one of us could. I was speechless and gaping at him unsure of what to do. Should I have run? Probably, but my feet weren’t working.

His smug grin snapped me out of my shocked state. I backed up and hit the desk.

“I’m sorry,” I stuttered.

I hated myself for stuttering. I wanted to show no fear.

He continued his parade towards me but instead of stopping in front of me he went for the door. He closed and locked it.

I swallowed roughly. What was he doing?

He turned abruptly. “Don’t be frightened. I am not going to hurt you.”

I was finally able to get my feet to move again. I made sure three pieces of furniture stood between us. I was ready to run to the closet and lock myself in if I had to. Pathetic, but if I had no other choice I’d do it.

He approached me slowly, hands in the air. He repeated, “I am not going to hurt you.”

A small strand of hair fell onto his face. He moved it behind his ear. The rest of his long, black hair was pulled into a low ponytail.

“Why should I believe you?” I whispered, hardly audible. I repeated myself in a steadier voice.

“Because you’re going to want to hear what I have to say.”

“Right,” I said, rolling my eyes.

“I’m not who you think I am.” He tried again.

“You’re not the sick freak who got off on mentally raping me in front of everyone with your powers of lust and darkness?”

He hesitated. “Yeah, I did that, but I had to. And don’t get carried away it wasn’t rape. I am sorry if you felt violated.”

What?

He took my silence as a sign to continue.

“I’m on your side. Please put that vase down and take a seat. I’ll gladly explain it all.”

I looked at my hand. I held a vase that I had no recollection of picking up.

“No. How about you move so I can leave?”

His dark eyes followed me as I tried to inch closer to the door he no longer stood in front of.

“If I do, will you come back? I’d really like to speak with you. You can bring Tobias.”

I nodded.

He eyed me warily. “I can tell you’re lying but as a show of good faith I’m going to let you leave anyway.”

He moved away from the door and I rushed towards it. As I laid my hand on the knob he spoke. “Do come back. I wasn’t lying. And my name is Rowan.”

I left the room quickly and didn’t look back. He was crazy if he thought I’d come back to his bedroom. I can’t deny I wasn’t interested to hear what he had to say but was it worth me being alone with him again? Then again, he did say I could bring Tobias with me the next time. I would have done just that but I wasn’t ready to actively seek out Tobias.

***

Madame Lorrelle led us through the monetary department of Iron Forge. It was responsible for paying the palace staff, the King’s army, and any bills Iron Forge may have. The monetary department held the purse strings of the territory. King Stefan had started the process of a charity for orphans of soldiers but his death put everything on hold. It was a shame.

We toured the training grounds of the palace guards and that was where my luck ran out. I ran into Tobias. Well, I ran into the male participant group, to be more precise.

The group was shirtless, including Sir Hawthorne. Madame Lorrelle gave a little wave to her man and he winked in return. She blushed heavily. The pair of them acted like two young kids in love. It was inspiring. Madame Lorrelle brought out a softness in his severe features. He was a handsome older man. I can imagine he turned a few heads in his day.

As for everyone else, they weren’t much to look at. Although, a few were worthy to watch. Lucas stood out as did Tobias. As much as I hated to admit it Tobias had a hold over me. It would take time to forget the beautiful, dark-haired boy.

“What are we doing here?” Ruby asked. Her caramel skin glistened beautifully under the sun.

“I brought you here for one reason. Starting tomorrow you will be training with Sir Hawthorne for your next trial. He will be teaching you basic hand to hand combat as well as basic strategy. Your trial will consist of you leading a small group of palace guards on a mission to retrieve an item. There will only be a certain number of items to be gathered. Those without an item will be sent home.”

Chatter broke out immediately at the news. Viktorya was quiet for once. Siobhan was the one with a big mouth today. “It’ll be easy. I have no doubt that I will be winning again.”

I rolled my eyes at her confidence. After her last win, she wouldn’t shut up about it. I guess she had a right to be a little big-headed about it but I wasn’t sure how much more I could take of her ego.

“Ladies, we will take a fifteen-minute break.” It was obvious Madame Lorrelle wanted time to see her husband. I tried hard to hide my grin.

Madame Lorrelle walked over to Sir Hawthorne and laid a heavy kiss on his lips. He chuckled. He let the guys take a break as well while he spent time with his wife.

Half of the guys went to mingle with the rest of the girls, others sat down to drink water, and the remainder continued to spar with the palaces sparring partners.

A guy named Killian was crafty with his hands. He must have had some previous training. He was interesting to watch fight and easy on the eyes. His dark hair and heavy-set eyebrows made him seem dark and brooding. His sleek body glistened with sweat. I wasn’t the only whose attention he caught. Several of the women were watching him as well.

Lucas came to stand by me. “He’s caught your eye, hmm?”

I would not blush. I was tired of being embarrassed for finding someone attractive.

“He did. He’s nice to look at,” I said, not taking my eyes off Killian. He threw his opponent down and twisted the man’s arm behind his back. The man tapped the ground three times before Killian let go of him.

“He’s made an alliance with Ruby,” he said.

“Lucky Ruby.”

He scoffed. I finally looked at him. “What’s up, Lucas?”

“I was wondering if you’d like to have dinner with me tonight.”

He looked so hopeful. I didn’t see any harm in saying yes. I wasn’t tied to anyone. So, why not? “Sure. Come by around seven, I should be ready by then.”

His smile lit up his whole face. He walked away whistling.

“You know, it’s not nice to give someone false hope,” said a voice I knew all too well.

“Who says it’s false hope?”

“I do,” Tobias said smoothly.

I finally looked at him. His hair was pushed aside and slightly matted to his forehead from all his sweating. His cheeks were tinted pink, his lips were still as tempting as usual, and his eyes still saw everything. He noticed my eyes as they raked up and down his body. I looked away quickly, seeing him without a shirt only brought back memories from his tryst with Viktorya.

I replied to his earlier statement. “And why do you think it’s false hope?”

“Because,” he said. The blue of his eyes seemed to darken. “There’s only one outcome on who you end up with, Penelope. And that’s me.”

His words clawed at my guarded heart. I would not let myself fall so easily. I looked away from him.

“Penelope, nothing happened. I mean, I kissed her but I wasn’t intimate with her. I couldn’t go through with it. Every time I shut my eyes all I could see was you.”

Every nerve ending in my body begged me to believe him, but I couldn’t.

“Even if what you say is true, it’s not just about that. At the first sign of trouble, you ran into someone else’s arms. Instead of talking it through with me you found a way to hurt and embarrass me; and who did you choose to enact your revenge with? Viktorya.” I hesitated before saying my final words. “Please leave me alone, Tobias.”

I could feel his presence behind me until he decided to leave me be. I closed my eyes tightly as my heart clenched and caused a wave of pain to flow throughout my body, all the way to my fingertips.

“Alright ladies, let’s carry on,” called Madame Lorrelle, although, she was still busy giving Sir Hawthorne goodbye kisses.

“Trouble in Paradise,” chuckled Viktorya.

“Shut up, Viktorya. I know nothing happened. He couldn’t stand the thought of being with you,” I said baiting her. I needed to hear the truth from her lips.

“Maybe not, but I guarantee you he’ll be mine at the end of this. You’ll go back to being a farm girl, pigPen.”

I rolled my eyes at her attempt at name calling.

She continued, “That’s if you have a home to go back to. I hear your parents are poor and might need to sell everything off.”

She laughed and turned her back on me.

Where had she heard that? She could say whatever she wanted about me but not my family.

I knew I said I wouldn’t condone violence from myself but that was before I knew Viktorya.

I aimed my body at her and was about to launch myself but a pair of arms encircled my waist from behind me.

“She’s not worth it,” whispered Tobias. “If you want to take out your anger on anyone you can do that with me.”

The heat of his breath on my ear stunned me. The effect of his arms around my waist was calming. A second later he released me.

By this time Viktorya was already several steps ahead of me. “I hate you,” I grumbled to Tobias

“No, you don’t, but you can keep saying it if helps,” he said smugly.

I smoothed out my clothes and walked away from him to follow Madame Lorrelle.

***

I somehow managed to lose my group. Where the heck had they gone? I wasn’t that far behind. They must have taken a right instead of a left at the entrance hall from the training field. I turned around and was about to go down the other hall when I noticed Thelonious acting suspiciously sneaky. He hadn’t seen me so I quickly ducked around the corner.

He moved a long tapestry aside to reveal a narrow door. He quickly slid inside and shut the door behind him. The tapestry fell back into place.

Should I follow?

I needed to find out what he was up to. He was a dangerous man and if he was acting suspiciously I needed to know why.

I took the plunge without giving it much thought. I moved the maroon tapestry of the royal family tree aside and quickly opened the door. I slipped in within seconds. No one had seen me. I had to hope this door led somewhere other than one room. If it was only one room behind this door then I’d be caught spying.

I whirled around and found myself in a dimly lit hall. This hall was different than the entrance hall I had just come from. The walls were bare; they and the floor here were made of thick and heavy stone. I hurried down the narrow space and stopped when I came to a round room. The room contained eight doors. There was no way I’d find Thelonious now. I was about to give up when I heard voices whispering behind one of the doors.

I knew I was pushing my luck but I pushed an ear against the door, trying to get a better listen.

A voice whispered harshly, “When will your crew attempt to break in again? Your last attempt yielded nothing. I need results, you understand?”

That had to be Thelonious. He was behind the previous attack on the castle, not another territory.

Another voice whispered back, “We will do things in our own time. We almost got caught when we murdered the King for you. This time I will make the plan and you will follow, understand?"

The conversation seemed to be coming to an end. I needed to get out of here before I got caught.

I pulled back from the door just in time. I could hear footsteps getting closer. If I ran for the exit I wouldn’t make it out before they saw me. I looked around and came to only one conclusion. I had to pick a door and hide. I opened the door adjacent to the one they were in and quickly hid inside.

I was perspiring heavily. Why had I chosen to wear my hair down today?

I looked around the room I had entered and nothing caught my attention. It looked like a storage room. It held old furniture and other knickknacks. The room was dark. The only light came from a small window at the end of the room. A tickling sensation on my neck made me jump and smack my hand across my neck. It had to be a spider or some bug. This room was giving me knots in my stomach. It had to have been enough time for Thelonious and whoever else was down here to leave.

I cracked open the door and peeked out. There was no one. I sighed, relieved to be able to get out of that room. I walked across the circular room to the exit. In the middle of the room was a dark stain that seeped into the stone. I wondered what had happened there to leave such a mark.

The trip down the hall was a quick one now that I knew where I was going. I opened the door to the main hall and peeped out from behind the tapestry. Fortunately, there was no one. I slipped out and hastily shut the door.

I wasn’t going to find my group now so I decided to head to my room for a shower and a fresh set of clothes.

I turned down the hall towards the east wing and ran straight into a hard chest. I looked up and found Thelonious smiling.

“Coincidence running into you here,” he said, pulling something out of my hair.

It was a spiderweb. “Been exploring, have we?”

I felt my blood drain from my face. I hastily pasted on a smile. “I was. I got separated from Madame Lorrelle and decided to do some exploring in parts of the palace that I’ve yet to see.”

“Find anything interesting?”

I quickly shook my head. I needed to regain my composure. I was sure I was giving myself away.

“How has the playing of the game been going?” he asked.

“It’s been going,” I said stupidly.

“Remember who your friends are, Penelope. We can make you go far.”

Did he know I had overheard? There’s no way he could know. The spider web couldn’t have given me away, could it?

“Have a pleasant day, Miss Tate. I’ll be seeing you,” he said as he walked away.

Today was just not my day. First, I ran into Rowan, then Tobias, and now Thelonious.

Priestess, help me.