Frozen Memories: Heirs of Ethra

Collecting The Princess's Friends

“Well, you don’t look any worse for wear,” Keyvah’s comment seemed almost bordering on an underlying insult than that of a relieved compliment. “And I see that goes double for your little friend.”

“You almost sound disappointed, blondie.” Max took no time in servicing Keyvah with a snide remark in response to her less than cordial tone.

“Would it surprise you to know that I am?” She leered. “Just a little,” Keyvah gestured with her fingers in a heckling manner.

“That doesn’t surprise me at all,” Max replied. “It also doesn’t surprise me that you’re the spoiled brat daughter of what I only assume is some sort of high-ranking diplomat. Explains your character. Also explains why you don’t have many friends.”

This struck a nerve. “Careful, little guardian,” Her fangs shot from her gums, her angered gaze glowering at Max. “Your blood is far more enticing in this world than the last.” There was a threat in between the lines of those words and there was no doubt in my mind that most if not everyone sensed as much. “Don’t tempt me.” Her last comment was a confirmation of what I had expected. I turned to Max to intercede. There was a grin on her face.

“You could try,” Max scoffed. “Before you die.”

“Max!” I nudged her.

She smacked her lips in return and shifted her frustrated stare toward the other end of the room. It was after my gaze followed her and expelled harshly in near resignation, that I sensed the towering shadow of another next to me and I knew that it wasn’t any of my friends.

I glanced up and then back away. “I thought that you said you and these females were all comrades.”

Nervously I chuckled. “Well…not exactly.”

“Yea,” Max returned, her glare on Keyvah. “Friend is a strong-extremely strong….too strong a word, I’d say-”

“Yes, yes, we get it!” Amorah intervened. “Can we just stop prattling on for one second and get to the basis of this meeting?” She turned to me, “You’ve come to get us, haven’t you Mina?”

There was desperation in her eyes as she asked me this question. “Yes,” I simply answered. Sensing the relief that my words had on Amorah, I took her hand and smiled sympathetically, as I realized how lost she seemed to be. I then brought my attention to Keyvah, who for a split-second, had I not known better, carried that same look about her face. I walked past Amorah and Max to face the most-times bitter seeming vampire daughter. “Keyvah?” I said her name, but in saying that name, I had asked if she was willing to come with me. Where a frown was steady on her expression, it seemed that her eyes began to soften as it looked as though she wanted to confess something. “Keyvah, if you want to come then-”

“Mina, it’s-”

“Prince Adanis!” An excited voice greeted from behind where Keyvah stood. She immediately tightened her lips closed and sighed. She put on a smile and then turned around.

“Father!”

Her excited tone was more of an introduction to us than a genuine feeling towards the vampire. I didn’t see the reason for discord as he seemed courteous enough. Then again, the three seconds of his presence certainly was not enough time for a proper judgment of his character.

“And to what do I owe this pleasure?” Kevyah’s father asked on approach, and then his eyes fell on me. “Hm,” He murmured with a rise brow. He looked past me and then at Max, a surprised look upon his fair brow. “Well, well,” The vampire stepped closer, inhaling the air. “How…on ethra did you come across two such…lovely creatures, prince Adanis?” He took my hand without notice and placed his lips to them. Had I not known any better, I’d have thought I felt his incisor graze the back of my hand. “Their scent is even more delightful.” He grinned, his eyes darkening with a grin. “Is…this a gift?” He asked.

I immediately snatched away from him, “I am no object to be gifted to anyone!” I growled angrily.

“Father!” Keyvah intercepted my rage. “These…are my friends!” She quickly explained.

“Ah,” He watched me closely. “Your friend is a…guardian…and a nymph?” He sniffed the air. “You…certainly have an interesting taste in friends, my little Keyv.”

Adanis stepped forward. “Unfortunately, Leolel, I have no gifts for you on this visit.” He clarified. “This…” He gestured to me. “Is the princess of the Ethrian kingdom, Wilhelmina and her guardian.”

Keyvah’s father seemed…curious by this bit of news. “Ha, a nymph, and a guardian. Have not seen a guardian around these parts in nearly a millennium. “How delectable.”

“Yea, in your dreams, handsome,” Max countered.

Max’s outburst seemed to have caught not only the elder vampire off guard but his surrounding underlings. He looked at me and then Adanis, both with amusement written across his expression. “That’s new.”

“What’s new?” I asked him, stopping Max before she potentially further cause disruption.

“Usually, guardians are seen and not heard,” Leolel said to me as he looked at Max. “In the days of old, your tongue would have been split and removed for your forward tongue.”

There was no underlying aggression when he said this, which was, oddly enough, what concerned me about this vampire. To me, his display in response to Max’s candor was quite calm. I knew then that this vampire had potential to be a snake. One could never know what was under his sleeve.

“Just an observation, of course.” He said, evidently noticing my hard stare.

“Well hidden under a suggestion, I suppose.” I challenged him.

He simply smiled. “I guess that’s not new,”

“And to what would you be referring?” I asked once again.

“The femlin royalty…always speaking just a tad recklessly..” He said, this time a hint of bitterness in his expression before he said. “I fear that’s why your kingdom has always reigned with chaos.”

“I guess I will have to fix that then,” I retorted boldly. “Recklessness and all.”

The vampire coven leader smirked. “Your candor is…intriguing, young princess.” He commented. Whether it was a compliment or not, I honestly did not care at this point. He then switched his attention over to Adanis. “I assume there is a reason for your visit aside from teasing me with…fresh meat.” Leolel’s eyes steadied themselves on me with a malicious smile upon his lips.

“I am only here on behalf of the princess, Elder Marsh.” Adanis glanced my way to confirm his reasoning for our presence.

“Ah, and to what do I owe this pleasure, princess of the Nymphs?”

“Well,” I said. “I’ve come here to collect my friends.” I didn’t bother dancing around the topic.

My words obviously surprised the vampire, as he took a step back and then scoffed. “Your friends?” He asked. “By friends…you mean your little half-blood there and my Keyvah?”

The insult in his tone, let alone his words, was driving my patience up a wall. “No,” I said with an obvious attitude. “I’ve come to see if Amorah and Keyvah would like to leave with me. I have not come to take a nameless vampire and some object that you assume is yours.”

He laughed, nodding his head, and crossing his arms. “As I said, princess….you can have the half-blood, but not my heir.”

“Keyvah,” I ignored his words. “It’s up to you whether you wish to leave with us,” By this time, Amorah had already stood by Max and I’s side. “I will not force you to do anything that you do not want to do.” I reassured her.

“You wouldn’t have the power to do that,” Keyvah replied. “But then I’m sure you know that.”

“Princess,” Adanis stepped in between Keyvah, her father, and I. “We should take our leave. You have one friend. I suggest you leave the elder’s daughter where she stands.”

I knew that she wanted to accompany us, but I also noticed from the tight grip that her father had on her shoulder, Keyvah didn’t seem to have much of a choice. I nodded. “Okay,” I simply obliged. “Invitation is always here,” I told Keyvah, no matter how much we dislike one another. “Let’s go.”

Max and I turned to leave but I felt the reluctance in Amorah, and suddenly felt pity for her. I stopped while Adanis was saying his apologies for his company’s candor as well as goodbyes and stood next to Amorah. “If you don’t want to leave her, you certainly do not have to, Morah,” I said to her. “It is entirely up to you.”

Amorah stared at Keyvah, who in turn watched her. “I know that she doesn’t want to be here, Mina.” She whispered to me. “We can’t just leave her here!”

“Yes, we can.” Max interceded. “Listen, Amorah, I get it. I do, but…right now, Keyvah is safe, and we know that. What we do not know is where Killian, Nixon, Thorne, and Roman are. They are our priority right now.”

“Max is right, Morah.” I agreed with Max’s thoughts. “We will revisit this later, but for now, I need to find the others. I need to find my brother.”

I could tell from her expression and the struggle to look away from Keyvah. “You’re right.” She admitted, though bitterly. “Keyvah is not the half-blood whose life means less than nothing here.” She said, loud enough for Keyvah to hear her. When I looked at Keyvah, there seemed to be hurt from Amorah’s words. Amorah looked at Max and I, a determined look taking the place of her solemnness. “Let’s go find the rest of our family.”