Chapter 7
795 Words
Siorin leaned over the balustrade, her fairy man fluttering around her head animatedly, and Rivyn stepped up onto the ledge to kiss her. She whispered something to him, and he laughed, lifting himself up and climbing over the balustrade before drawing her into his arms and dipping her back in a picturesque kiss.
"Ah, young love," Leamoira greeted me, smiling at the couple indulgently. A servant handed me a crystal glass of sparkling wine. I would have preferred a tankard of ale, I thought, as I sipped it. "It's lovely to see. Well," she refocused on me. "That was rather exciting," she said. "You and Akyran ride as if you have no fear. I suppose that comes of your being a war mage."
"I guess," I saw Akyran look up at us, and an expression of alarm crossed his face. What was it that he feared Leamoira might say to me, or I to her? I wondered immediately upon seeing that expression.
"Something is afoot," I complained. "Eltarin and my parents are here, Akyran is watching us now as if he's worried what we will say..."
"Ah," she laughed with heartily false lightness. "He's not very discrete, is he?"
"No," but I wasn't sure what he wasn't being discrete about. "What is he up to?"
"Oh, no," she shook her head. "I won't be the one to tell you, seeing as he's already angry with me."
I blew out a breath in annoyance and surrendered my glass to a servant that hovered ready for it. "I guess I should go greet my parents, as they are here."
She lifted her wine glass to her lips and turned to the field. I saw Akyran, over her shoulder, start and begin to cross towards us. I wondered what look she had sent him to elicit such a response, even as I turned on my heel and headed into the rambling castle. I heard his footsteps behind me as he ran to catch up, slowing as he did so until he fell into step beside me casually.
"Where are you off to?" He asked me as if he had not just sprinted in order to fend me off from my destination.
"I thought I might visit my parents before the ball this evening," I told him.
"Do you have time?" He suggested. "Shouldn't you be bathing and getting your hair dressed?"
I turned to him quizzically. "When did you become so concerned with my apparel?" I asked him.
"Well, one of us ought to be," he caught me by the elbow and drew me to a stop before redirecting our path towards the wing of the castle that held our chambers. "I'm sure Fiena is frantically awaiting your arrival."
"She can wait a little longer, it would be rude of me not to greet them…" I said, but he was determinedly steering me in that direction. "Akyran," I protested. "You are acting most oddly today."
"I was thinking about the jewels," he said his jaw set. "And I have a trinket I picked up, which you should wear."
"A trinket?" I was confused and distracted. What manner of trinket might Akyran have for me?
"Yes," we were in the wing where we stayed, and passed my door. It was open, and I saw Fiena spot me and react, giving chase.
"My lady," she called out after us. "You should bathe!"
"I'll return her in a moment," Akyran told her over his shoulder. "See," he said to me primly. "I told you."
"This is not my first ball," I reminded him. "I know how long it takes me to get ready."
He opened his chamber door and ushered me inside.
"Ah, my Prince, I am ready for you," Ithyles strode into the room from the bathing chamber. "My Lady Reyneris."
"Ithyles," I greeted him. Akyran had released me and was digging through the partially unpacked chests of clothing.
"Where is -? Ah," he straightened and carried over a small pouch. "It's not really gaudy, but you said your dress didn't need it," he opened the neck of the pouch and drew out a necklace. The fine gold chain glittered in the sunlight. There was a locket attached, oval in shape and tooled with a Fae rose.
"See," he said, opening it with his thumbnail. "You and I."
Inside were miniature pictures of us both delicately and beautifully worked. "Oh, Akyran," I was stunned. This was not just a trinket he had randomly picked up, but something chosen and made for me. "It's beautiful." It was a lover's token, and coming from any other man, I would know it to be so. From Akyran however, I was just confused by its meaning and his intention in giving it to me.
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