The Arrangement

I watched Jessi handle royal business after talking to him for a few minutes, I had left the room.

Aven ran after me "That was amazing",he whispered.

"Thank you",I forced those words out of my mouth.

"We still need to practice doll, I have an idea that would impress the guests?"

"Let me guess, Ice skating?"I spoke unamused.

He raised a brow "How did you know?

"There's a huge ice skating room I wondered into once before",I looked Aven in the eyes.

"Oh so you found my secret hobby", he smiled.

"When do you want me to bathe in the spring,"I skipped the conversation.

"Now is fine, I would like to watch you though"

"Okay,"I replied.

He raised his brow again "Really, dear!"

I nodded.

We walked in silence until we reached a big round white door covered in vines. He opened the door then watched me enter. When I first laid eyes upon the spring I felt drawn towards it. I immediately undressed as I heard the door shut, all I could do was look at how beautiful the water was. I ignored everything, when my body hit the water an overwhelming sensation came over me.

I lie face up in the water floating around the spring, my hair endlessly flowing.

Aven sat in a chair and watched me. He pulled out a mini-notebook from his coat pocket along with a pen.

"Aven?" my voice echoed.

He looked at me in awe "Uh, yes darling" he put his mini-notebook on his lap.

"Why don't you join me?", my seductive voice echoed.

I slowly turned my head towards Aven.

"I wish I could darling but that might strip me of my manhood".

"Hm"

I couldn't think anymore, my body's actions were abnormal, the things coming out of my mouth were too

"Did my mother bathe here before?"

"Yes, regularly"

"And what are you writing in that notebook, darling?", I asked quietly followed by an echo.

"Come towards me and I'll tell you"

I stood up, water dripping from my hair.

I slowly approached him his eyes following my body.

He tossed me the notebook then stood up smiling "that's enough then, it's not like you to act like a succubus".

He tossed me a towel while he was at it.

He opened the door and extended his hand out for me.

"Let us go", his voice echoed.

I wrapped the towel around me and grabbed his mini notebook, then I grabbed his hand.

I spend all day with Aven, ice skating, tasting foods for the ball, and even horse riding, yet I haven't the time to read his notebook.

I lay on his room floor as he attended a meeting with his Father. I finally opened his notebook :

Note: I had witnessed a strange occurrence when I had broke my Lady's fingers. Her eyes. They were beautiful pleading eyes, they were different from her angry eyes. It made my heart skip a beat. Though I have strange intentions they are genuine.

Note: "When I first touched her she had a familiar smell, she smelled like her mother, when she first held me as a child, though I only met her because of my brute of a father, according to father she was his first love.

Note: My Lady had expressed no interest in me today, she said it was not a part of her ideals. She fell shortly after but I catch her every time. I love her every time she ridicules me, every time she says she hates me, every time she tricks me, truly a toxic romance isn't it?"

Note: "I had no idea Jessi was Evander, the boy I spent my childhood with, I respect him. He took the blame and took most of the beatings from my Father. But my father was fond of him, that's why he received the name "Evander"

Note: My Lady she's graceful as she dances, I'm surprised at her obedience. I rather have her fight with me and tell me the truth of her heart before she obeys me. Father once briefly told me the story of how he fell in love with My Lady's mother through dance, I could see why.

Note: She bathed in the pool. I noticed her breasts being especially sensitive as she stepped into the pool. I watched every reaction on her face. She seems like she's in a trace, they called the spring of kanathos the cursed spring since her mother spent so much time in the pool before she died. A man needs to know how to satisfy his lady. I watched her body closely, when the time comes I'll make sure she's fully satisfied with me.

I began to drift off to sleep before I looked at the time.

"It's midnight", I whispered to myself.

I immediately exited Aven's room to find Zane standing outside.

I walked with him in silence to his room.

He walked me to his room then closed the door, sitting on his bed in silence.

"Daughter of Letra. I need you to do something that the gods will forsake me for".

My heart skipped a beat.

He continued after a brief pause "Your mother possessed the type of power to bring a dead child back to like and I think you can too."

He made it sound like I had no choice then he broke down. He took off his hood.

I saw his silky white hair and his dull gray eyes filled with his tears.

He put his hands over his mouth then lifted his hand slowly beneath his chin.

"Please, help me"., his voice cracked.

I nodded.

"Where's your child?"

He stood up, walking further into his room then turned a corner, he lifted a rug, then lifted a trap door, a spiral staircase had appeared.

"Follow me, and grip onto my robe tightly".

I nodded.

The stairs were eroding. I watched my step but I looked at Zane as well.

"I feel your eyes on me. Do you wish to know why the gods have forsaken my daughter and I?"

I nodded.

"Very well then, a few years ago my fiancée had died giving birth and the baby had died as well. I was just fully elected to the council but only temporarily. I was overwhelmed, I had no time to think for myself and at the same time, I felt lonely, miserable, and alone. Queen Nessa came to my room that night to ask for advice since she suspected Nero had an affair. We were both vulnerable, she kissed me and it went from there, this was about a few years Aven was born. She became pregnant with my child, Nero did not touch her so he never knew. The gods had cursed us after she was born. She could no longer have children and our poor child cannot speak, she cannot hear, but she could see on the condition that she take my sight. The council had found out that I had a child, and the gods did not approve, so I shall serve life on the council. I will give my life before they take Nessa's and my daughter's life."

"Do you still love Queen Nessa"? I asked.

"I do, deeply."

We reached the room. Zane's daughter looked just like Queen Nessa. She smiled, she tried to get out of bed and fell.

Zane comforted her as she began to cry. He picked her up as she cried, he used sign language to communicate with her. She communicated back. Zane smiled.

"This is my little girl", he said.

She had dirty blond hair with bright green eyes. She stared at me and raised a hand, she did a gesture with her fingers.

"Who are you?", she asked.

I was surprised I understood her, I only learned a bit of sign language when I was a child.

Zane looked at me "I can teach you the spell, I've tried and tried all in vain, but I know you can do it since you have your mother's blood coursing through your veins.

I nodded. He went behind me and whispered in my ear, he asked me to repeat after him.

He then stepped away from me and his daughter.

I was startled. She immediately started screaming, holding her ears.

"Don't lose concentration and keep your eyes closed !", Zane yelled.

I finished reciting the spell, hearing the deafening silence of the room.

"Open your eyes now", Zane spoke.

He walked past me then kneeled towards his daughter.

"Hello, sweetheart".

She opened her eyes and looked up at him in awe.

She then started crying. She had responded to his voice.

He then heard hers "Daddy!", she cried.

He embraced her. They hugged each other tightly and Zane started to cry, she then told him not to cry.

"I'm glad you are able to stand now darling, you won't be as sickly now", he talked normally.

He glanced back at me "Thank you, Letharia".

It was the first time he called me by my name.

"You are welcome to come into my room whenever you wish unless the door is locked".

I nodded.

"Don't thank me just yet. I don't know just how long the spell will last".

"I know the terms and conditions of the spell, but with your power, it should last for a few years."

A brief pause followed "Daughter of Letra, you and Aven will have fine children, I'll see you at the ball tomorrow".