Blood Bond

The promise of 'unrestricted access' to the keep also seemed to be an empty one.

"I'm sorry, Princess. But no one is allowed to visit the prisoners without the sealed approval of a Regent," The captain of guards said stiffly at the entrance to the lower levels. The sight of the guards stationed here had stopped me on my way to see Saleic. It was quite heavily defended.

"But I am a Regent. Or have you not heard?"

The grizzled, pockmarked-face man in armor winced. He cleared his throat. "The explicit approval of Marshall Quintus is required."

I looked over the well-built man. Wild, sandy hair, barely-shaven. He didn't have the bearing of a guard. Probably a Rodinarian soldier without the colors.

I placed a hand over my chest. "Can I at least see Steward Lorne and Master Alarc? It would comfort my heart to know they're well."

The captain refused me again, but just before he did, his eyes took the barest glance over at the elf guard stationed to the side. That told me all I needed to know about who was actually in charge there.

We made our way over to the Academy dormitories where the Princes resided. Apparently, they were taking advantage of the invasion to get an Aethelgard education as well.

A steady stream of students filed past us, teenagers in uniforms of dark cloth robes with silver tassels and leather jackets with yellow stripes.

When he saw me staring, Kael explained, "they're coming back from class for their noon-time break."

That's right, he's only graduated recently.

There were groups of kids chattering with one another. Friends, girls and boys, laughing, cracking jokes, pushing each other about with carefree smiles on their faces. It could be a scene from any high school on Earth; only the setting was different.

A twinge twisted my chest. I was supposed to be going to class with my friends. We would have been laughing with each other, oblivious, just like these kids. I thought of Sam, Chloe, Kyle… and Naomi. My fingers touched my lips. I could almost taste her again: the heat pouring in between my parted lips. I hope she's forgiven me for that night.

"Is that the Second Princess?"

"She's a regent now isn't she?"

"What's she doing here? A speech about her traitorous brother?"

I was attracting attention left and right. Meris and Anya had draped a black shawl and veil over me, but that made me more conspicuous amongst the throng of school-uniformed students. The intricate lacework running up my sleeves and the strands of black pearls that connected the sleeves to my index fingers didn't help matters. Neither, I suppose, did the sight of Meris and Kael trailing after me.

The stream of students had come to a standstill with every gaze fixed on me.

I recognized a few of the faces, the students from the dance who stepped up onto the dance floor, the young lords and ladies who were standing by the intricately laid out food tables. Silence followed in my wake, and a couple of them dropped down onto one knee. I acknowledged them with the barest dip of my chin.

A servant welcomed us into Saleic's room in the dorms. It was more like a fancy apartment with multiple rooms including a guest foyer, probably a place to stay for foreign dignitaries visiting the Academy.

The old, grey-haired man announced my name and title. There was no response, and it didn't seem like the servant expected one either. With an apologetic smile, he led us further into the living room.

Sun glared through the windows of the dark, spacious room, creating a sharp contrast between light and dark. Saleic was sitting by the side table, his figure cut by that split so that half of him seemed to glow with bright intensity while the other side was hidden in the shadows. He was hunched forward with his head drooped.

I lifted my veil, pulling it over my head and approached him from the shade. "Prince Saleic. It's me, High Princess Elara. I've heard… you've been asking for me?" I glanced over to the old servant for confirmation, and he nodded a few times while looking hopefully at Saleic.

Saleic's head listed from the dark into the light. His blue hair shone bright, highlighting the tangled nests. He lifted the face which was so prideful and sneering when we first met. Now those eyes of dark shale were frosted over glass.

His head jerked back, and the sound that came out of him was like a dying groan. "Princess? You're alive!" His hand shot out and grabbed hold of mine. Kael stepped forward, but I held up my free hand to warn him back.

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I reached over to smooth out the thickets in his overgrown, sun-lit hair. "Yes, Saleic. I'm here."

His hands caught mine, pulling them to rest between his own. His eyes were deranged as they roved over me. "You can't be," he breathed out raggedly. "Are you a ghost? Haunting me? When they held you down. I knew what they were going to do! Just like with her."

I shot a glance at Meris and Kael and saw their tense postures. "Saleic, no. I'm fine now."

"He brutalized her, my beloved Lina, just to teach me a lesson. I tried to stop it, but I was powerless. I just watched as they tore off her dress. Just like they did with you."

"Saleic, stop. It's over now." I hissed at him. A vase shattered on the ground. I turned to find Kael holding Meris back.

"I was too cowardly again to run to you. But then you yelled at me to save myself. And I saw the flames coming at you from all around."

"Saleic, stop." His blabbering was bringing the wrong kind of images and sensations into my mind: of light searing my eyes, of heat burning up skin.

He wouldn't stop. "I saw your hair being consumed by fire, your skin turning bright and melting. I heard your…"

SMACK!

My hand stung as I whipped my hand across Saleic's cheek. His head snapped away from me. "Saleic, I was there. I know what happened all too well." I slammed a hand against my chest. "The pain is inside. No need to dig it out."

His head was drooped again in the shadows. "Please… forgive me."

"I'm not here to forgive you. I have a request. It's not a demand, and it's certainly not an exchange for absolution. It's just an insane, unreasonable request from me." I reached over and turned his face toward me so that I could look into his eyes. "Will you do it?"

After a moment, he blinked. His dark eyes were clear again, and it seemed that he finally saw me for the first time today. "What is it?"

If he had agreed right away, I would've probably stabbed him right then and there with my palm-fang. At least a predictable zombie is better than the zombie state he was in. But there was lucidity in his eyes now. He could make a decision and hopefully follow it through.

I leaned over him and whispered into his ear. "I'm going to rise up against the Regents and Deepwood soon. Will Veridia stand by my side when the time comes?"

Saleic stared at me for another long moment, perhaps debating if I had really gone mad or not. Finally, he got down onto his knees. "If my princess will have me. Then I pledge my house and Veridia to you."

"Master!" the old servant cried out, but Saleic ignored him, fixing his entire attention on me.

Could I truly trust him? I know not. But I know I couldn't bring myself to turn him using blood. There was a certain innocence in his despair. Plus, he was only slightly older than the Earth me.

"I accept your pledge." I parted his wild, blue hair and planted a kiss upon his forehead. Then he took my hand and placed his lips upon the back of it.

—

Saleic tried to make some small talk, an awkward compliment about the jewels in my hair, and the frills of my dress. I asked about troop size, and what was left of his command structure. But the air in the room became suffocating. The dam to the memories that he had picked away at was beginning to fray.

In the end, I had to flee.

After stepping out of the door, I escaped to a garden terrace to get some fresh air. I leaned up against the railing, taking in deep breaths as I looked over the concentric rings of different color flowers spreading out below. The wind swept up from below, lifting up my hair. It carried the scent of petals and freshly cut grass.

I sensed Kael approaching from behind. I felt his gaze upon the back of my neck, and his heart was pounding in hard thumps over the chirping of birds.

"Do you think I can trust him?"

"Yes, though I'm unsure he could rally the numbers needed. This path is a perilous one, Your Highness. Please, reconsider."

"There are no safe paths. Don't worry, I'm not relying on just him." I leaned back against the railing, trying my best to throw up a carefree smile. "And if I'm forced to play my last hand. Well… they and all of Aetheria will be in for a shock." That manic laughter threatened to take hold of me again, but it was Kael's brown eyes that held me. The lines that marred his face were the same as the ones descending into the darkness. He won't let go. Behind him, Meris hung a few steps back, her body shaking, still having trouble holding herself in check. I turned back to the guilt playing out over Kael's features. I suppose now is as good a time as any to confront this.

"It wasn't your fault. The decision to stay behind was mine." I inhaled sharply as I felt myself approaching the hard part. "I know I said 'I love you', and I do. But…"

"Not in that way," he finished for me. The words were like the ones forming in my mind, but the sound of them pierced me like broken glass. "You are precious to me, Elara. I always cared for you…" His hand reached up toward me, stopping halfway. The memory of that touch felt warm against my cheek. "Like a sister. You're my ward. It just can't be."

The wind blew between us, a soft, gentle whisper.

"Oh that's right." A weight pushed against the corner of my eyes. I wiped at it. Why would I be sad about this? I have Naomi. Who needs someone in this world? "Once this is all settled. You should go talk to Astrid again. I think… you'll find the answer you were hoping for this time around."

That's right, the path that she was set on is now mine.

"You… knew?"

After wiping my eyes one more time, I walked past him and punched his shoulder. "Of course I did. Why did you think I tortured you so?"

When I got to Meris, I took hold of her hand. She was at first surprised, but then she looked into my eyes, laden with held-back tears, and she… knew. We stepped out of the garden, walking side by side.