Ascension

I’d locked myself in my room.

Thorn would be in meetings with the barons all day. He was with Seidon so I felt relatively better about me not being in there. Ever since Thorn had made his huge revelation about what was happening two days ago, worry had all but clouded my mind.

When we were around each other I tried to make it seem that it didn’t bother me, but from the intense way he scrutinised my face when he thought that I wasn’t looking, I was sure that when I did slip he hadn’t missed it.

I’d taken the diary from its hiding place under the floor boards and sat with it in my lap. I’d read it again not sure what clues I was supposed to be looking for if any clues at all were supposed to be found there.

I came up with nothing, nothing of consequence that is. It was just strange, however, at how disjointed some of the entries had been. Some years were omitted altogether, which was quite unlikely as at least one notable thing happens every year or twenty years as was the case, in someone’s life. It was as if some of the pages were missing.

I browsed one section where I found the discrepancy. It was between the fifth of July nineteen hundred and the twenty-third of April nineteen nineteen. I passed my fingers between the pages of these two entries. It felt rough and when I held it up for closer inspection I could see small pieces of the torn sheets jutting out from the binding. It was hard to believe that I’d missed this the first time reading it, but I guess that I was too intrigued by the contents to notice anything else.

Almost twenty years of a person’s life had just gone, vanished. Not that twenty years was a long time compared to the centuries that we could live to, but at least one meaningful event must have happened. Someone else had read this diary and they’d found something they didn’t want anyone else to know about.

I bit my lower lip nervously as I pondered the possibilities of what might have occurred during that time, but my time might have been better spent staring at goats as I would still have gathered naught.

I skipped off the bed, counted three planks, and lifted the floorboard under my bed. I took out the dark brown pouch I’d sewn and slipped the diary in. I then rested it carefully in its nest and slipped the board back in place, pounding it once for it to be again level with the rest of the floor.

It was while sliding out that I noticed the dark bundle at the foot of my bed. On my belly, slid over to the other side grabbing the bag and pulling it out on the other side. I brushed the front of my dress as I got up. I rested the bundle on my bed and unzipped it.

“My archery gear,” I said as I taking out the quiver. I counted all fifteen of the gold-tipped arrows my mother had given to me. I put it down taking up the dark bow. I held the strings and pulled back. The string was as taught as I’d remember it to be. I smiled slightly as I rubbed my hand over the polished, black wood which made the embedded gold motifs appear even brighter against the dark background.

There was another item in the bag, one I’d not been expecting. It was my father’s sword. He’d had it for eons, it had served him well in many battles. It was the one he used during the battle against Ay after he’d killed Mond and had turned on our race. He was a young soldier of about one hundred and ten back then. I remembered him telling me the story after one of our training sessions during the summer.

His parents had died the year before of natural causes and he’d decided to carry on his father’s trade as a lawyer as they’d chosen to live among the human kind. That of course meant constant movement for him as people would notice that he wasn’t growing old. He’d been a chief magistrate at least twenty times in different towns. Him becoming the youngest ever (or so they thought) in the particular town. He accredited his success to people seeing that he was both good at his trade and as a person. He said he found pleasure in seeing justice served. But his happiness wasn’t whole.

It was a lonely time for him then he said. With both parents being dead, that meant that there was no one left to arrange his marriage for him. Not that they hadn’t tried, but on the numerous occasion that they did visit the Grand Corona, the result was always the same, his other half didn’t exist as yet.

All that ended for him though as he’d been recruited to Illumi’s army when the war started. He’d served for six months advancing quickly through the ranks as his prowess was again recognized there. His last mission before Illumi’s death was to deliver Ferrora, Sunna’s Corona betrothed to Mysad.

It was no easy mission getting out without Ay’s notice was hard enough but after half a year they’d discovered Sunna’s location in Jamaica. She was alone as Mysad had died a few months back. He then decided to serve under her.

Although Ferrora and Sunna were the perfect match for each other under Corona terns, it was never quite the same as other promise bound unions. They were happy enough as they came to love each other but Sunna’s love for Seidon hadn’t disappeared completely. She’d sometimes fallen into short spells of depression over the whole matter dragging Ferrora along into her illness as he now felt what she did. It was painful to watch at times he said. It was like two souls drowning none being able to help the other and so he had to act as a fishing net for them both.

That problem he said, appeared to disappear after the birth of their first child Aube who was born after two years of their marriage. They’d found another reason to hold on. It was then that he decided to excuse himself from their court as it seemed that was no longer needed.

For the next two hundred years he’d occupied his time with more studying and he again dedicated himself to the practise of law as he’d given up on ever finding a mate. He’d considered the prospect of finding a human wife, but he didn’t see the profit as he would long outlive her and probably even their children.

It was the summer after he’d heard of the couple's death that he returned to Jamaica. He was quite surprised to find not Aube at the helm, but their youngest daughter Sonya. Sixty years old and beautiful he had said. It was then that he knew that he no longer had to be lonely as she had drawn him in a way no other woman either human or shifter had ever done. That and the fact that she’d said ‘I’ve waited half a century to meet you and now you’re here. And I suspect that you will be here for a lot longer.’ He ended the story by saying, ‘And the rest is history.’

I unsheathed the silver blade from the scabbard and ran my fingers over the blunt edge of the curved blade. The other edge was razor-sharp, but I didn’t test it with my fingers as I could end up with a deep gash and a scar because of the silver from which it was made. It was a beautiful weapon; the part closest to the hilt was the thickest and it became thinner and more pliable going down. My reflection was distorted due to the ornate designs engraved in the metal.

With both hands on the hilt, I waved the blade over my head twice before thrusting it forward. It was a bit heavier than the ones I’d practiced with back home but the balance was still good. The hilt was also wider as it was built for my father’s hands but I could easily change the length of my fingers to compensate.

There was a slight tap on my door and Thorn walked in. I couldn’t help myself but smile broadly at him as he walked over.

“Hi, you’re done earlier than I was expecting,” I said.

“I couldn’t finish fast enough. Ten hours of haggling tends to wear a man down,” he said coming to sit beside me. “Gearing up for battle?” he said as he looked at the display of weaponry on my bed.

“No, not yet at least. We still don’t know who our enemy is.” I said putting the sword down to hold his gaze. “But in the meantime, I think I should probably practice. I’m getting a bit rusty in my archery and I doubt if I remember anything dad or Seidon taught me about swordsmanship.”

“I could go sparring with you now,” he said holding up the blade.

“If you’re not too tired?”

“No, plus I think it will do me good to go outside.” he put the blade down and got up. “I’m going to change into something more comfortable. Meet me outside in five minutes.” he said as he disappeared out the room.

I carefully packed the arrows and bow back in the bag. I paused with the sword as I considered whether or not to bring it with me. I would use it but not now. Not against Thorn. The steel swords would have to suffice as we would be hacking at each other with dangerous weapons, it would be wise not to carry the ones that can actually cause us harm.

I zipped up the bag and chucked it back under the bed. I slipped over to the closet. I switched my sandals for more sturdy boots...soft skins, they were flexible enough to allow maximum movement, but snug enough to keep my feet dry and warm. I thought about changing into trousers, instead of the dress, but I didn’t see the advantage of that, besides I had nothing to hide. LA queen with no inhibitions. I wish. I opened the top drawer and pulled out a pair of bloomers...just in case. I slipped them on and rushed out the door.

I found him sitting on the last step. The end of his hair was lost in the cover of his loose black shirt and matching pants. He was also wearing soft skins of a similar colour. He had a piece of twig in his hands and it seemed that he was writing something in the thin cover of snow. On hearing my approach he turned and got up.

“Ready?” I nodded.

“Where is Diego?” I asked.

“Somewhere in the palace. I gave him time off as he’d been with me the whole day.”

“Well so much for his punishment.” I smiled.

“I am not much for punishment.” he smiled. “Besides I am a lover not a fighter.” he said softly.

I rolled my eyes and laughed. “That sounds so much like something Caleb would say. You two spent way too much time around each other this summer. I just hope that you rubbed off more on him than him on you.”

He kissed me on the forehead. “Now that isn’t something Caleb would do now is it?”

“No.” I smiled. He held out his hand which I took and the both of us started running through the forest, our footprints lost in the air as we made our way towards the games field.

He stopped only a fraction of a second before I did, causing me to jerk to a halt. “Is something wrong?” I asked as I watched his head sifting from side to side, scanning the area. “Rain?” I said gripping his hand much tighter. “Is everything alright?” I was becoming more anxious. When he didn’t answer, I started scanning the area myself; looking, listening for anything he was sensing. Then I heard it.

It was whistling through the forest, slicing through the ice and thin leaves on the bowed branches. It wasn’t one just approaching, but before I could start the calculations, Thorn forcefully pulled on my hands, “Get down!” he shouted. I followed his instruction without hesitation, laying with my face and body pressed against the frozen earth, his body domed over mine acting as a shield.

I forced my head from under his hands so that I could get a better look at what was going on. Arrows. They were flying everywhere. Some flying over our heads, others becoming lodged in the nearby trunks, others passing straight through, leaving a hole as the only reminder of its passage.

I heard a grunt coming from above me, followed by splintering pain that I felt down to the bone in my leg. “Rain,” I said shifting under his body.

“I’m fine. Just stay down. It is almost done.” his weight suddenly bearing down more heavily on me, pinning me in place.

He was right the swishing sounds were becoming more and more infrequent until they stopped altogether. It was quiet for a few seconds but Thorn still lay over me. The throbbing in my leg subsided, but only minimally.

“Rain, I think it’s over now.” I said trying to wriggle free, but only my head became loose. I was stunned a bit at the eerie shadow that stood directly in my face. It was my reflection, mangled by the ice and darkened by the ever-present night of Tir na n-Óg. The image then crumbled into smaller blocks that rolled away from us. My chest suddenly expanded as it was released from the extra weight caused by Thorn’s body.

I pushed myself up slowly until I was sitting half crouched. I was fine except for the throbbing pain in my ankle. Thorn was sitting at the roots of the pine tree nearby. He was pulling something, a twig I thought, from out of his foot. I crawled over to sit beside him.

“You were caught,” I said looking at the arrow embedded in his leg.

“I’m fine, it is just a flesh wound,” he said. I pretended that he hadn’t spoken. As no one in his condition could be considered fine.

“Let me have a look at it,” I said with whatever calm I could manage. I didn’t do very well as I was freaking out. “It seems it is embedded in the bone.” I said after a quick examination.

“We should get back into the palace before there is a fresh assault.” he said getting up, me rising with him.

“Shouldn’t we try to take it out before we go?”

“No that would cause a lot of bleeding and I might be too weak to move for a good while.”

“Can you walk?” I asked as he balanced on one leg.

“I think I can manage,” he said before putting his weight on his injured leg. He stepped forward but lost his balance but had to steady himself against a tree. “Maybe I could use a little help.” he said with a slight smile.

I put my hand around his waist and his arm settled around my shoulders. We were going at the pace of a three-year-old and there were much faster ways to travel. The palace was still a good distance off and the wound was beginning to heal around the lodged arrow, which would further complicate an already difficult matter. “I could carry you.” I offered.

“As a bird, or cat maybe but it would not be wise for me to attempt shifting in this state. And it would be more than ridiculous if you tried lifting me while I was man.” he said with a bit of humour. “But I don’t think that was what you were offering,” he said looking into my eyes. “Right?” he asked, his smile slowly fading away when he saw that I was not joking.

“Rain I could...” I started.

“Aurora no!”

“I am perfectly able to...” he cut me off again.

“I am well aware of your capabilities but the answer is still no,” he said with such austerity that would have shaken me on another occasion but I shook it off as nothing.

“This is a pride thing,” I said turning to him. He didn’t answer but only tightened his jaw and quickened the pace at we which were moving.

“Men and their stupid pride. It doesn’t matter that we are still in the middle of the forest with arrow shooting maniacs hidden among the trees, with another attack probably high on the horizon, and here we are crawling at the pace of an earthworm when we could be inside the palace getting help by this time.” I muttered under my breath. From the periphery, I saw the corner of his lip tilt only slightly. “Men and their stupid pride,” I said more audibly as we continues or trudge towards the palace.

Seidon had spotted us from his window and had come down to help. I was not pleased that I had to wait in my room while Seidon and the doctor were attending to him in his chambers, but he’d asked me not to come up as it would be hard enough for him feeling the pain himself and then watch the pain reciprocated in my face as I felt the things he did.

I was half-past frustrated and a quarter-past angry with him for shutting me out like this but I was fractionally happy that he did as I couldn’t stand seeing him suffer. This reminded me too much of the time that I had to cut him with the sword again as a cover story for Omayra’s treachery. He’d promised that I’d never had to endure anything like that again. I guess this was his way of keeping the promise.

I heard something tap slightly on wood, but it took me another few seconds to look up from my clenched fists and recognise that the sound was coming from the door. I unfolded my legs swiftly from off the white ottoman and went to open the door.

“Vitali what the hell just happened? Why were there arrows flying all over the place? My husband was hurt and we could have been killed for crying out loud!” I said slamming the door after he’d come inside.

“I am deeply sorry Your Majesty. I had no idea that you’d been outside at this hour. If I’d known, I would have never sanctioned the target practice this afternoon. I am sor...”

“Sorry doesn’t cut it!” I said vehemently. “The whole purpose of the Guard is that they are here to protect us. Instead, they are the ones putting us in danger. It was much safer in Jamaica when it was just me and Rain.”

“I am truly sorry Your Majesty.”

“You will be sorry.” I said sharply. “If you will excuse me. I think my husband will be wanting to see me now.” I said chauffeuring him to the door.

He bowed slightly and headed out in front of me. I closed the door and quickly headed up the stairs.

“Your Majesty,” said Diego who was standing at the entrance of his door.

“Is he alright? Is everything fine?” I asked.

“I didn’t hear much but from what I gathered, I learned that it went straight to through to bone. His Achilles tendon was also partially severed, so it might take a few hours for him to be able to walk properly. Luckily though, no major vessels or nerves were affected.” he sighed. “I just wished I had gone with you when he let me off.”

“I don’t think that it would have made much of a difference and you would have probably ended up injured, probably even worse than any of us, trying to protect us.”

“But that is exactly why I am here. My safety is secondary to yours. I knew that something like this would happen.”

“What do you mean you know that this would happen?”

“It was in the note that I gave you a few weeks ago didn’t you read it?” he whispered.

“No, I didn’t get around to it as so many things were happening at the same time.” I said looking into his brown eyes.

He took me by the arm and led me away from the door. “There are certain things that I am bound to keep as a secret even from you.”

“What secrets?” I whispered.

“I cannot say. But what I can tell you is that when we join the Guard we had to make certain promises. Each monarch may think that they have full control over us and what we do, but it is not so. They bind us with their own promises, but we also have made our own set to ensure our own freedom and movement.”

“What does this mean?”

“I have already said too much. But what I couldn’t say I’d written down in that note, that is why it is imperative that you read it. It affects not only your safety but the whole clan’s. The Royal Guard may be your greatest protectors but they could become your greatest enemies.”

“Are you saying that we should disband the Guard?”

“I am in no position to say what you should or shouldn’t do. That decision lies solely with you and the king. But what I am saying, is that you should be careful.” The door opened. “I can say no more on the matter. Read the note and then it is up to you to decide what is best.” he stepped away from me and moved back to the door. A man who I assumed to be the doctor walked out. He gave us a brief nod before continuing down the hall.

I clearly remembered the note of what he spoke, it was in one of my pockets somewhere. If I tried to look for it, I probably wouldn’t find it. “Wait here,” I said to him before I walked into Thorn’s room.

He was on his bed sitting reading, with the injured leg propped up on a pillow.

“Aurora,” he said acknowledging my entrance.

“Are you alone?” I asked.

“Yes, the doctor just left and my father had stepped out earlier. Why what is it?” he said giving me his full attention.

“I haven’t all the facts as yet, but I will tell you soon. Do you have paper and a pen nearby?”

“I think so in that drawer over there. But what is going on?” he said lifting his leg to hang it over the side.

“No don’t move,” I said stopping him before he got up. I then flicked over to the desk he’d indicated to. I found what I was looking for and closed the drawer. “I’ll be right back. Don’t move.” I said before skipping out the door.

“Your Highness?” said Diego appraising my jerkiness.

“I want you to write what it is you’d written in the first note.” I said handing him the implements.

“You lost the first note?” he said frowning. “If someone else finds it…” he started.

“They won’t. I didn’t lose it, it would just be more convenient for you to re-write it given the expedience of the matter.” I said handing them to him again, this time he took it. I had to wait about a minute or so before he was done.

“You should destroy this after you’ve read it,” he said still clutching onto the paper.

“I will,” I said taking it. I unfolded the sheet and eagerly read the contents. “Are you serious?” I said finally taking my eyes off of the paper and back up to his face.

“I am afraid so,” he replied blankly. I walked over to the other side of the corridor, scanning the paper once more before I folded it within my fists.

“Why, why have you told me this? You are one of them, aren’t you? How will I know what you have said is the truth?” I said stepping up to him?

“It is the truth. I am one of them, but some of my ties were loosened when I was assigned solely to the protection of Your Majesties. There is only so much I can do in my role to protect him, as my allegiance is torn. You aren’t bound to two masters as I am, so there might be more that you can do in this instance, as my hands are currently tied.”

“I will consider what you've had to say,” I said after a deep moment of silence.

“That is all I ask.” I inhaled softly and nodded.

I moved over to the door and let myself into Thorn’s room. I didn’t turn around immediately as I tried to hide any traces of indecision from my face before I faced him.

“Aurora,” he said from the bed.

It was then that I released the knob and turned to walk over beside him.

“What was all that mumbling about outside?” he said sitting up.

“Diego was just updating me about your condition,” I said coming to sit beside him. “How bad is it, and don’t edit,” I said leaning into his chest.

“I will be bed-ridden for a couple of days, but after that, I will be as good as new.” he said raising his bandaged ankle for me to see. “What did you need the paper for?”

“And the Guard, what are you going to do about them?” I said avoiding his question.

“What about them?” he said knotting his eyebrows together, clearly not pleased with my attempt at a diversion.

“Are they going to be let off the hook? You could have been killed.”

“It was an accident, Aurora. There is nothing to be done.”

“But...” I started.

“But nothing. Vitali already explained about the target practice.”

“And just what were the targets? Us?” I said sitting so that I could get to look in his face directly.

“Of course not. What would you have me do? Dispose of the whole Guard?” I frowned but didn’t answer. “No! The answer is no Summer.”

“I don’t see what their purpose is here Thorn. They are the ones supposed to be protecting our lives, yet they’re the ones who just endangered it.”

“It was an accident. It will not happen again.”

“You are right it won’t. The next time, the incident won’t be so accidental, but it will be too late by then, as we will all be dead.”

“I don’t understand where this is coming from. Why are you making much ado about nothing?”

“It is not nothing. Read this I said handing him the paper folded between my fists.”

“What is this?” he said unfolding the note.

“You asked me why I needed the paper. That’s the reason.” He no longer hesitated in reading the paper.

“Where did you get this?” he said after reading the note.

“Is it really relevant who I got it from, have you seen what it said?”

“Yes, yes I did.”

“And?”

“And my decision still stands. I had full knowledge of this. Nafad had filled me in on certain things I should expect before I got here.” he said waving the paper.

“My dad?” I said surprised that his name had come up in this.

“Yes, you would be surprised at the amount of influence he had on Lune politics during his time here.”

“Really?” I said suddenly becoming uncertain.

“I am still new to this, but I hadn’t stepped into this job totally naïve. I know you don’t agree with me on this particular matter, but it is for the best, at least for now as we don’t know definitively what might happen in the future.” he said as he brushed fingers down the line of my jaw.

I tried to smile but my face had become uncooperative. “Have you ever considered the possibility that my abduction was just a test run for something bigger? I mean, if someone really wanted to abduct me, why would they only carry me as far as Ireland, in a house owned by your family.” I said as I rubbed my knuckles together.

“Poor planning or extreme stupidity,” he said with a slight chuckle.

“It is not funny,” I said frowning.

“You’re right, it’s not.”

“I think whoever it is out there might be after you and everyday that goes by puts you in even more danger. I am not doubting your judgement on this matter Rain. But I just think the fewer people we have around us, the better it is as it narrows down the number of potential assassins. It would just make me more comfortable, happier if fewer people were around. You do want to see me happy right?”

“Of course I do. That isn’t even a question.”

“Well?” I asked crawling closer to him. I’d never had to depend on the seductive/needy/devious/manipulative side of my nature to get what I wanted, as he’d given me anything I asked for without a second thought. This time he was being stubborn, so I had to try a new approach.

“I know that you also want to see me happy and comfortable right?”

“Yes, I’d do anything,” I whispered at the base of his neck, letting my lips slightly graze his skin.

“Then it makes me happy to have the whole Guard here with us.”

“You don’t fight fair do you?” I said moving away from him.

“You started it,” he said with a slight chuckle.

“Well, I tried.” I sighed and then fell back on his chest.

“Does that mean that you will quit worrying so much?”

“No, it just means that I have to find another alternative.”

“That doesn’t make me very comfortable.”

“You got what you wanted. The Guard stays. I just have to find another way to get what I want.”

“Aurora,” he said disapprovingly.

“My mind is set Rain,” I said, effectively ending that sword fight.