Antares

Birds chirp in the distance the smell of freshly baked bread mingled with that of the sea. I open my eyes and find the sun is barely rising. Cerin and Selene sleep on either side bundled in their cloaks and hidden from sight under my wings.

"Where are you?" I send him, no answer. The wind ruffles the leaves of the trees falling like snow.

"Crimson?" Da-Xia sends. I had completely forgotten about them.

"What is it?"

"Where are you?"

"Near the mortal lands and vampire realm," I roll my neck in an attempt to get rid of the stiffness, "Ryan with you?"

"No, Cyrus is also missing. Alexander says to head into the Vampire Realm."

"Alright," I send as Cerin wakes.

"Where are we?"

"Not far from uncle Alexander's home," I say shaking Selene awake, "let's find some food then we'll head to your uncle's."

Cerin smiles while Selene rubs the sleep from her eyes.

"I want meat," Selene says as we stand.

"I'll consider it," I say tucking my wings away and taking their hands into my own.

The town is near the Undersea, there's a market set up. A man in his mid-forties is setting up tables, as fish cooks over a hot stone. Another tends a stall with dried meats and cheeses.

"Let's go there first," I say, leading them towards the second stall.

"How may I help…

"What's wrong?" I ask the man's eyes going from me to the girls.

"Your ears," he points.

"What of them?"

"Your fay," he says his voice clearer.

"I take it you don't see many Fay born," I say selecting pieces of dry meat.

"There's nothing here for them," the man says wrapping the meat in parchment.

"If you say so," I say, "that block of cheese as well."

"Yes Lady," the man smiles, "what brings you to Antares?"

"Just passing through," I say, "where can I buy fruit?"

"Head further into town you'll find venders near the fountain of Seren."

"Thank you," I say placing the bundles inside my satchel.

"Who's Seren?" Selene asks.

"She is the goddess sailors pray to on starless nights, may she guide them home."

"Will she guide us home?" Cerin asks.

"We are guided by a different light," I say stopping when Cerin halts. There's a stall with combs and hairpins it's caught her eye. We walk towards it her hand reaching for a comb carved out of obsidian night blossoms carved onto it.

"Little miss has a good eye," the crone says, "what about you?" Selene picks a hairpin carved out of white jade in the form of a rose.

"Here," I hand the crone three gold coins her eyes widening. I twist Selene's hair into a bun and use the hairpin to hold it in place, I do the same with Cerin's comb.

We pass several stalls some with fabrics others with gems. As we pass a stall with furs Cerin screams.

"They killed the wabbit," Cerin says in between sobs. The man tending the stall looks at me confused.

"Mortals will do that," I say picking her up, Selene just stares at the stall until the smell of burning hair fills the air. "Stop," I send to her as one of the furs burst into flames.

"Why would they do that?" Selene asks as we move away from the stall, lest I be charged for the furs.

"It's in their nature," I say as we reach the fountain of Seren. There are various vendors clustered together. The fruit stall we approach is tended by a girl no older than twelve, next to her is a woman sealing herbs some of which are deadly to certain immortals.

"Cerin," I say, her crying now sobs as she looks up, "pick," I nod towards the fruit.

It takes her a moment to realize what she's looking at. I set her down and she reaches for a persimmon.

"I want," Selene says.

"Go ahead," she reaches for a pomegranate, "four pomegranates, four persimmons, four apples, and four oranges," I say pointing at each of the fruits. The girl wraps everything up in parchment writing the price down atop.

"Where are you headed?" the herb vendor asks.

"Towards the mountains," I say placing the fruit in my satchel.

"Careful they say the Dark King is in a rampage he burnt that cursed place down."

"What cursed place?"

"Across the border, all that divided us is the forest none that enter ever returned."

"How do you know it was the Dark King?"

"Who else would it be?"

"There's the Dragon Realm, and the Vampires," I say webbing into the woman's head. It's all hearsay, granted she's not wrong.

"Vamps only care about blood," she argues.

"Still that leaves the Dragon Realm, after all, why would the Dark King travel this far just to burn down a place no one recalls?"

"Don't know," she admits, as something tugs at my core.

"Where are you?" I send.

"Nearby," Ryan sends, "why persuade her it wasn't me?"

"Like you need the fame?"

"How cruel," he sends as we walk away from the herb vendor.

Ryan leans against a tavern called the MorningStar. He smirks as we approach.

"You look terrible," he says in greeting.

"I must reflect you," I say as he leads us into the tavern. Few tables are filled, we walk towards the back taking a seat in a corner.

"Why didn't you answer?"

"I was in the middle of something," he says as a wench with auburn hair sets down two cups of ale before a pudgy man.

"I wonder what that something was?"

"Jealous?" he smirks.

"Not in this lifetime," I say reaching into the satchel and taking out one of the apples.

"What will you have?" the wench asks her eyes lingering a little too long on Ryan.

"What would you recommend?" he asks.

"The lamb stew," she says her eyes still on him.

"Father Cerin can't eat that," Selene says causing the wench to finally acknowledge us. Her face goes from one shade of red to the next. The girls just smile at her their sharp teeth showing.

"He's old enough to be your father," I say handing the apple to Cerin, "do you have anything that isn't made with meat?"

"I.. yes," she stammers.

"Well?"

"Oh yes there is mashed potato with cabbage."

"That won't do it has milk."

"Do you have cabbage on its own?"

"I don't know."

"We'll find out."

"Of course."

"Old enough to be her father, really?"

"You're an Ancient," I say cutting open one of the persimmons.

"We don't make special dishes here," a stubby man says his hair partially graying.

"And you are?"

"The names Magnus this here's my place," he says as if the hobble were in where something to be proud of.

"Considering your wench ogled my husband as if he were the last piece of meat, I suggest you start making special dishes."

"Look, lady…

He doesn't get to finish saying whatever nonsense he was about to spew. Ryan holds him by the collar.

"My daughter cannot eat meat or anything containing milk. We've traveled far and wide and only wish a meal for our troubles. Your wench has insulted my wife, my children and even myself. Do you see how nothing you say justifies the insult to a Queen?" The man looks at me I just roll my eyes. The girls just stare him down.

"You agreed to leave the titles home," I say picking imaginary dirt off my fingernails.

"It seems necessary," Ryan says setting the man down, "now you will steam some cabbage and bring us some oats along with tea."

"Of course," the man says running off.

"Oats and tea?"

"I don't know," he waves a hand, "that's what came to mind."

Some of the other patrons throw glances in our direction. Probably trying to figure out which of the Vampire Lords has come down the mountain. The wench brings three bowls of lamb stew, four cups of tea, steamed cabbage, and oats. The girls just stare at their food uncertain as to how to proceed. I take my spoon and show them how to scoop food up, gently blowing to cool it down. They mimic the action Selene shaking her head at the taste of the bland stew. Cerin spits out the oats and wrinkles her nose at the cabbage.

"Don't be picky," I say crumbling some of the dry meat into Selene's stew. Ryan takes the tea and pours it onto the oats mixing in persimmon pieces. Cerin smiles taking a spoonful.

"If your royalty why are you here?" the man the wench handed the two cups of ale earlier asks.

"That doesn't concern you," I say between mouthfuls.

"I think your all talk," the man continues.

"Why do you care?" Selene asks, her obsidian eyes locking with the man's, "why don't you go?"

"I should go," the man says.

"Stop," I whisper to Selene, "you can't do that here."

"Why?"

"The locals won't understand."

"We should hurry," Ryan says as the man snaps out of the trance.

"Agreed," I say lifting my hood the girls mimic handing me their hands as we make our way to the exit. Ryan tosses some gold onto the table erasing all trace of us.

"Where too?" I ask as a carriage drawn by invisible horses comes to a halt. "Seriously," I send.

"What?" is all he says, as that same magic opens the carriage doors.

I shake my head stepping in, Cerin and Selene follow Ryan stepping in last.

"We could just teleport," I say as the carriage takes off.

"Where's the fun in that?" he says.

"Alexander suggested we all meat at his manor."

"Makes sense."

"Did you have to burn it all down?"

"Cyrus got greedy."

"What if there were others?"

"I think if any innocents lived there you would have found them."

"Did you get his blood?"

"Yes."

"Good," I say as Cerin falls asleep.

"What happens now?"

"We wait and see."