Chapter 15
Fiere moved through the passageways avoiding the guests and arrived in the royal garden. He slowed his pace and wandered at length between the trees and blossoms gradually making his way to the royal mausoleum. The guard outside came to attention quickly recovering from what was probably considered the most boring post in the keep with very few visitors to attend to.
Fiere asked the guard to unlock the mausoleum and stepped inside.
He crossed over to his mother’s sarcophagus where he knelt in silence before standing and then lying over his mother’s resting place.
He still cried every time he came here which, he told himself, was not often enough. He missed his mother dearly and longed for her presence. She had always had such wisdom which she shared willingly with him. She was perfect for his father and tempered his rash and impulsive spirit which seemed to have broken free since she had passed.
Fiere loved his father and knew that his father loved his mother. He knew that his father’s behavior since his mother’s death was his mechanism to cope with her loss including this marriage to Maica. There was however a distance that had opened up between Fiere and his father although neither of them admitted or spoke of it.
He prayed to his mother and the gods. “Oh mother of my heart, may blessings be upon you always where you are, looking down upon us. Forgive your loved ones who remain for often forgetting you, your love, and guidance. I pray that I may be united with you again when I pass from here to the next life.”
Fiere paused wondering if he should ask for what he asked next. He decided it would be best for him to do. He doubted his father would visit the crypt where their ancestors were buried.
“I ask that you understand my father’s decision to take another woman. Be at peace for the consequences of his actions are no longer your concern. I know he still loves you as he always did although he still struggles to accept your departure. This is his way of coping with your loss so please forgive him. ’Tis hard to love the shadow of a soul physically.”
Fiere paused as he considered his next words. “Please understand Mother, that if I leave here it is by my own choice. My choice to leave father and his new wife and a kingdom over which I shall never reign. I pray that you shall ask the gods to guide father to do what they will. Give me strength to deal with his new wife too. I am not partial to befriending her so it is always a test of my patience to remain calm and civil. Guide me and give me strength and help me find love in my heart for all.”
He was sure his mother would understand. She never harbored any resentment and he wished he could be like her in that way. Then he fell into silence and took comfort in just being as close to his mother as he physically could be.
Time marched on and the guard eventually entered the mausoleum behind him. It was cold, and everything was covered in dust. A musty, damp smell hung in the air adding to the chill. The crypt was colder than the air outside. It was built half in a mountain with no windows and so it received little light and warmth. Fiere shivered as the cold crept under his cloak and seeped into his bones.
“Sire. The day is waning. ’Tis almost time for dinner.”
Fiere acknowledged the guard and said goodbye to his mother. He had lost track of time in the crypt and now found himself hurrying to his chambers.
When he arrived at his chambers he sent word to Shay that he would fetch her soon. After a quick bath and change of clothes, he made his way to Shay’s chambers. He knocked at the door and Shay let him in.
She closed the door behind him and he looked at her, speechless. Her long black hair was brushed and tied into a simple ponytail while some of it was left to hang loose on either side of her face, framing it and contrasting against her perfect pale skin. She looked at him, her large hazel eyes asking if he approved of her appearance.
She wore a pale blue gown he had ordered sent over to her. The gown fit her perfectly flaring at the waist to hide her feet and shoes. The top of the dress fit her snugly without revealing too much.
Fiere whispered, “God’s blessings above! I knew you were beautiful when I met you in your simple dress yesterday but I could never have imagined you could be even more beautiful.”
Shay blushed and twisted her hands together nervously. “Thank you, your highness,” she said delighted at his response. She looked down though, feeling shy because of his honest reaction. No boy had ever reacted to her in such a way and she felt her heart skip a beat at the genuine honesty of his remark and appreciation.
“How is your father?” Fiere asked, concern evident on his face.
“He will be fine. Meerde has looked in a few times today and seems pleased with his condition.”
“I am glad to hear that,” Fiere replied. Then he offered Shay his arm. “May I now escort the lady to dinner?”
“Most certainly,” Shay smiled and linked her arm in his.
They left Shay’s chambers and made their way to Fiere’s chambers. Shay realized she had forgotten her manners with the fuss Fiere had made of her appearance and complimented Fiere on his appearance too.
Soon they were settled on the balcony of Fiere’s chambers. The balcony overlooked the royal garden which was well lit with torches and they could see to the royal mausoleum. They could hear the fountains running water in the garden below.
Fiere was eager to learn more about Shay and her life.
“Tell me about your life.”
Shay tried to keep details simple. “I am truly just a simple peasant girl your highness. My father is a writer and a hopeless romantic. It should be obvious considering how we have traveled the countryside seeking my mother who appears to have run away.”
Shay drew on as much fact as she could while omitting details of earth.
“Ah. But something is to be said for a love which draws a man to a woman across so many miles.”
“Perhaps,” smiled Shay. “But is it not pointless if that love shall no longer be returned? Is it not better to suffer a broken heart, heal and love again?”
“Perhaps. But for the greatest loves, a broken heart is as good as a knife in the heart. It can kill.”
Shay thought of her mother posing as Maica now. “It can indeed kill, your highness. In so many ways.”
Fiere changed the subject. “Do you have siblings?”
Shay shook her head. “No. I am an only child.”
Fiere seemed to accept what she told him although he always seemed to want to ask something throughout their conversation. There were times she would catch him looking at her and she sensed he was trying to assess her and not just admire her beauty.
Fiere told her his history and when he was finished he lapsed into a brief silence. He told her much about his mother and how he missed her. Shay listened intently and saw the similarity between Fiere and herself. The difference was though that his mother was truly gone while hers had seemingly transformed into a truly despicable person.
Fiere stared off into the night. It struck Shay that he had been distracted by something throughout their dinner. Finally, Shay could not resist asking Fiere about her observation.
Fiere sighed. “There are times when it seems much comes together at the same time to challenge us.”
“Is now one of those times?” Shay asked.
Fiere nodded. “Indeed. I have many questions and I do not have all the answers.” He looked at Shay expectantly then.
“Do you think I have some of the answers Fiere?”
Again he sighed. “Sadly yes and I must ask you the questions despite that I fear you will not want to speak with me again.”
“Well, we won’t know if you don’t ask me,” Shay smiled but Fiere noticed nervousness enter her demeanor.
“Being the prince of a kingdom and, until today, heir to the throne of Ethlerry,” he added sorely, “I cannot take things and people at face value.”
Shay nodded although her curiosity was piqued by Fiere’s comment about being heir to the throne. “I understand. Please continue.”
“After I found you yesterday in the forest, I sent one of the guards, Bradell to check on something. We have been friends since childhood and I know I can trust him.”
Shay nodded slowly. She believed she had an idea where the question was headed.
“He is the best tracker in these parts. He misses nothing and I trust his opinion.”
Shay watched Fiere. He was concerned about how she would react.
“Yes?”
“My lady, there were no tracks to or from the place we found you except the tracks we made when we left to come here. It is as if you appeared from nowhere and your attacker and the horses disappeared as if by magic.”
Shay had not quite expected that Fiere would be so to the point and was unprepared with her answer. She took a deep breath and turned away from Fiere walking slowly trying to gain time and think of something to say. At the same time, she did not want to lie to him again. Then she made a decision.
She turned to face him and a slight breeze blew her hair over her face. She brushed it aside.
“Your highness, I will answer but first let me put this in perspective for you.”
“Very well.” Fiere remained still admiring Shay’s beauty while he waited for her answer.
“Indeed, Bradell is right. We did appear from nowhere. It is sorcery that brought us there but without any intention of meeting you. We did not plan to be there to meet with you because of some evil plan if that is what you think. We landed there to escape from my father’s attacker. I do not know if my father intended to bring us here and I have not been able to ask him. I fear it was simply the first place he could manage to take us after we were attacked.”
Fiere nodded digesting her words. She appeared to be sincere and he had no cause to doubt her although he still asked himself if he was missing something because he was so taken by Shay and her beauty right then.
“Why did you not tell me sooner?”
“Your highness, I did not know who you were when we met in the woods yesterday. But this world is entirely new and strange to me. I could only imagine that if I had told the truth about having arrived here by some sorcery, we would have been viewed as being suspects immediately. Perhaps imprisoned or worse. I merely wanted to save my father and have him treated for his wound. I had no other agenda. I do not know how sorcery is viewed here but I had to be careful.”
Fiere nodded. Her explanation was logical enough. “So how does the sorcery work?” Fiere asked.
“I….I don’t know.” Shay realized that her answer was not adequate but she did not want to tell Fiere about the book. She was sure he would have it removed from her leaving her with nothing.
“You don’t know?” Fiere sounded incredulous.
“Your highness. Forgive me. I do not know. My father opened the portal that brought us here and pulled me through. I was not strong enough to stop him. I can only ask him how he opened the portal to here.”
Fiere seemed skeptical.
“So is your mother really lost?”
“Yes, your highness. She disappeared some time ago. I had no idea what happened to her but when my father opened the portal to this world, I could only believe that she is here somewhere.”
Fiere seemed to ponder something for a moment.
“What is it, your Highness?” Shay asked.
“When did your mother disappear?”
Shay’s stomach turned. In her heart, she knew immediately what Fiere was thinking. “About six months ago,” she replied.
“How long is a month?”
“Normally about thirty days. Sunrise to sunset.”
Fiere seemed to calculate something in his mind then he shook his head. “The time difference does not match.”
“I do not understand your Highness,” Shay was terrified but tried to remain as calm as possible.
“I was curious as to how the timing of your mother’s disappearance compared with the arrival of Lady Maica. But the time differential is not close enough.”
“You thought my mother is Lady Maica?” Shay feigned surprise and disappointment. “But then surely I would have recognized her, your Highness?”
“There is that,” replied Fiere. “It’s just that Lady Maica appeared out of nowhere and your mother disappeared into nowhere. And now, here we are.” Fiere studied Shay intently for a moment.
“But you are right. You would recognize her wouldn’t you?”
“Of course I would!” Shay said indignantly.
“And you do not recognize the Lady Maica?”
“No…not at all,” Shay replied. Perhaps too quickly. She realized that Fiere was testing her. He was leading her into a hole so big she could not get out of it if ever she were found out. She hated herself for it. For lying and being led. But she could not think fast enough to avoid what was happening.
Fiere had no idea just how correct he was in his thinking. The passage of time was calculated differently here so the time which Fiere compared Lady Maica’s appearance with that of Shay’s mother’s disappearance, did not match according to him. But Fiere did not know that.
Fiere reverted to asking about when he had found her and her father in the woods. “So there was no attacker in the woods? The attack happened before you arrived there?”
Shay nodded.
“Where were you when you were attacked?”
“At home. I do not know why my father was attacked. Maybe he found something to do with my mother. I want to ask him.”
“What sorcery does your father practice?”
“I do not know anything about his sorcery. It was a surprise to me when he used it yesterday. I can only say that it allows one to travel from one point to another as I have experienced.”
“That is amazing. I have heard of such sorcery but never met someone with the ability to practice such magic. He must be very powerful. Perhaps we could use a man of your father’s talents when he recovers.”
“I do not think my father would accept. We want to find my mother.”
“If you were to stay perhaps we could aid your search. I would be happy to speak with my father and ask his permission. The kingdom resources could be made available to help find her.”
“Thank you, your Highness. But I couldn’t. Your kindness is too much. I beg you to please not to say a word of my father’s abilities. Please remember, you found us in the forest. We did not come here looking for you or the royal family. We truly pose no threat.”
Fiere decided not to press the issue. He stepped closer to Shay then and took her hands in his.
“You seemed afraid of Maica today in your father’s chambers.”
Shay was amazed by Fiere’s perceptiveness. “Not afraid. She just seemed so…..overbearing.”
Fiere nodded. He had experienced that Maica could be overbearing too. “You miss your mother very much don’t you?”
Shay nodded.
“Do you know why she left?”
“I don’t believe she left. I believe she was taken.”
“Something to do with the sorcery your father uses?”
“Maybe.”
“Tell me about her.”
Shay hesitated at first struggling to reconcile her loving memories with the woman she saw today. She dug deep to find the affection and love she felt for her mother which she felt was now diminished.
“She’s not my mother. She’s my best friend. I can speak with her about anything and everything. It’s as if there is no age difference between us. She understands my friends and me and what we like and don’t like. She understands what we think about and worry about. I have no secrets from her and she has none from me. Or so I thought…”
“What do you mean?”
Shay had almost said too much. “I mean… I don’t know if she was taken or if she left of her own volition. If she chose to leave she must have had a plan. A reason… a secret.”
“You don’t know that Shay.”
“I know. I wanted to hope that I was right. But now, I just don’t know anymore. When so much time passes without any answers one’s mind starts to wonder about all possibilities.”
“I am sure you will find her and all your fears will be put to rest Shay. I will do what I can to help.”
“Thank you, your Highness.” Shay continued, “I have always held my parents’ marriage as the golden example of what love is between a couple. I have measured every person, every relationship against their standard. I have not had many relationships,” Shay admitted quickly, “but I do measure them against my parent’s relationship. My mother tells me I shouldn’t but I do it without realizing it.”
Fiere smiled wistfully, “That’s beautiful.”
“No. It isn’t,” Shay laughed. “It’s terrible. It’s wrong. No one can ever have the same relationship as another.”
“I know that,” Fiere clarified, “I mean it’s beautiful that a couple can have a relationship that shines so beautifully for others.”
Fiere had listened intently and enviously as Shay described a relationship similar to that he had with his mother when she had been alive. He could never have described it the way she did.
Shay was silent for a moment then before tears flooded her eyes and rolled down her cheeks.
Fiere stepped forward and took her in his arms. “There. There. It will all work out. We will find your mother.”
Shay’s tears became huge, silent sobs.
“Why did she have to leave?” Shay cried. “What was the one thing that was so bad she couldn’t tell me? Did she not love us enough to tell us? If not me then my father? Is everything I believed in a lie? Have I based my life on false morals?”
“Not at all,” Fiere assured Shay. “You don’t know that she left. She might have been taken. Do not be so hard on her.”
Shay calmed eventually and dried her eyes. “Forgive me for ruining our evening, your Highness. We shall have to have another dinner to make up for this one.”
“ ’Tis no matter Shay. You have much on your mind right now and needed someone to talk to. I am simply honored that you trusted me enough to share your feelings with me.”
Fiere’s words cut like a knife. He had been nothing but kind and caring and yet she persisted in lying to him.
“Thank you, your Highness. You are too kind,” she replied. Then, perhaps as if to try and steer away suspicion from her and any link with Maica, she said, “If I could be so bold as to say so, Maica scares me. I do not believe she is a pleasant person.”
Fiere faced Shay. “You are not the only one to think so. But what can I do? I have only my father left and he is besotted with her. Then to crown it all,” Fiere laughed at his pun, “I found out today that she is with my father’s child and I am no longer first in line to the throne after they are married. Unless my father changes the law.”
Shay reached out and took hold of Fiere’s hand before she could stop herself.
“I am so sorry your Highness. Will, your father change the law?”
This news was too much. She felt sick to her stomach. She could sympathize with Fiere but this was just too far. She had thought that maybe her mother would return after she had been in the chambers today but….. nothing. She had not even sent a message or anything.
“He says he will speak with Maica about it,” Fiere replied. Shay had however become pale and Fiere was concerned, “Are you alright my lady?”
Shay nodded, “If it’s all the same I think I had best be going now. I do not feel well and I am concerned for my father.”
Fiere nodded his understanding but he held on to her hands preventing her from moving.
Shay looked at him questioningly.
“Can I say something before we end this evening?”
Shay nodded not knowing what to expect.
“Perhaps I am simply a fool for the beauty of a woman but I do not want you to leave. I want to get to know you better and spend a lot of time with you. I believe we have much in common and I want to help you find your mother and be there for you while your father heals. It is such a short time but I have not met anyone such as you and I would like to know you better.”
Shay was speechless. She did not know what to say. Fiere was nothing but open, honest, and kind to her and perhaps she could consider a relationship with Fiere, but not now. He was so kind and sensitive but there was so much she had not told him and needed to tell him. She did not want to destroy what could be through betrayal and lies at such an early stage.
“Thank you, your highness,” she replied. He was a kind, gentle man but he deserved better than her. She was doing nothing but betray him as much as he was doing all he could to care and help. Shay felt the self-loathing rising in her again and pushed it down as best she could. How could she deserve someone like him? How long would it last and what would her motivation be?
He reached up and took her face in his hands then tilting it up to his as he bent his head to bring his lips to her level. Shay closed her eyes as her lips stretched for his, so eager was she to kiss him. Their lips met softly, gently brushing each other. Then Shay pulled away. It was not fair to lead him on. She did not deserve him and he deserved better than her.
Prince Fiere looked at her puzzled.
“Forgive me, your Highness. I cannot do this.”
Shay thanked him for the dinner then turned and walked to the door of his chambers. She opened the door to his chambers before he could do so for her.
They said good night and then Shay returned to her father’s chambers. Fiere watched her go. He was puzzled but also thought that maybe her resistance was for the best.