Queen's Blood
Chapter 1
The earthy scent of the kafe filtered up to tease Alexis' nose, she breathed deeply savoring the scent, her chance at the kafe was still several hours off and a foolish part of her hoped that the caffeine's effect extended to the scent. She had only been in service for a few months so her body and mind had not adapted to the new demands she made of it. Though she had come from a small territory in Terreille she had always known a certain level of luxury, for she was a queen by birth as was her mother and many females born to the Jarishan line. They had always been the ones who were served but now the tables had turned.
Before the purge that had shaken all the realms, Alexis' mother had come into line for the position of a territory queen. Her elder sister had held the position for nearly thirty years when she had made a fatal mistake; she had spoken against Dorothea the high priestess. Though Queen Verisa was not known for her intelligence, any who had grown up in the hard and merciless world that Dorothea SaDiablo had carved, knew the importance of holding your thoughts at all times.
Varisa had been a sapphire queen so it had served many purposes by eliminating a dark jewel threat. Dorothea had just reassured her hold of the small territory. Narissa was nowhere near a match to her sister's strength as she was chosen as the new territory queen she wore a rose jewel. Dorothea had also established an attractive warlord prince who served the priestess alone to act as consort to the new queen. Victor had taken his commands on with gusto wooing the young impressionable queen until she could make no decisions without his approval. Within three years she had bore two daughters both light jeweled priestesses and a sapphire jeweled son who would never rise past warlord. Nari recognized Victor as all three children's father and he received full parental rights.
Alexi still reflected on how strange it was to never have known your own siblings all three had been taken into "training" by Dorothea. She imagined it was in the infrequent visits that Narissa had with her children that tipped her off to the evil they endured. Her son would serve as a guard with his father's approval but when she saw the boy there was a brokenness in his eyes that was beginning to fester. Both girls wore the same stone as their mother a rose so they were allowed to serve at the altars but they would never speak about their training. They were the nieces of a traitor to the high priestess so were given special attention by more favored priestesses.
One time they returned home for a two week stay Narissa had said that they had taken a man to their chambers, a respected retainer in the house. The next morning the young man had been so disturbed that he had fled the premises without a word.
Shortly after their son the youngest of the three was born Victor had found a new playmate and ignored his queen. Only infrequently would he return to her bed to remind her of who wore the darker jewel. It was on just such a visit nearly twenty years after their son was born that Nari found herself to be with child. She had been even more pleased to have two daughters both born with the potential to be queens. Though she knew on some deep level that both girl would receive a darker jewel than herself she truly feared for them. So she acted in one of the few ways she could to protect them at their birthright ceremony she denied Victor as their father. Though born twins they were not identical in more than one way Alexia Jarishan the elder by five minutes received an blood opal as her birthright and her twin Marissa Jarishan received a summer-sky.
Nari had done the one thing to truly draw all of Victor's attention back to her for he wanted retribution for her denying him his rights. The next eighteen years for Alexi's mother was a living hell her consort became so abusive that he nearly shattered her. Even though Nari had never matched her sister for power intelligence was much more her weapon and so she waited until the day came that she could flee with the two children that she still had any hope of saving.
A day finally came when the realms of light were made aware of the shadow realm and the great migration began. Nari prepared them for travel to little Terreille but first she insisted that both girls offer to the darkness she had wanted them both to also consummate the virgin night but she knew that there was no one for them to trust.
Alexi smiled to herself remembering the wonder on her mother's face when she emerged from the altar room with an uncut grey it was an unknown for any to descend darker than three levels but something had pulled her deeper into that wonderful abyss. Many claimed that all dark jewels had been bred from the blood females but the darkness alone knew the truth. Her sister had emerged with a green stone and had been furious and enraged with jealousy.
The next night when they had been prepared to flee Victor had appeared with Marissa by his side. She had given them away it had only been that none wore a dark enough stone to challenge her that Alexi was able to ride the winds with her mother to reach the safety of the altar before her father could catch them.
So they had entered the shadow realm Narissa had set up for them to serve in a province queen's circle but when they arrived they were forced to wait to be fetched at the work fair. The queen who her mother had spoken with never showed so the two women were forced to take the first offer they received and that was why Alexi now balanced the over loaded trey in the home of a village queen and her mother worked as a laundress.
There was not the level of depravity that existed in the homes of the queens in Terreille but Hannah, the queen they served, was more than overjoyed to see other queens brought so low. Thankfully a few days after their arrival the entire realm was shaken by the psychic storm and word had been received that a great attack by Witch had purged Dorothea's taint from the world, still Alexi could not understand what had happened. Now though the cruel comments and nasty tendencies on Lady Hannah's part had eased.
It had been only two weeks since the attack and news still filtered in only this morning a note had been received for Lady Hannah and her consort. Alexi new she could have floated the tray in but she had been informed by Hannah that she preferred her coffee served by hand. Years of being raised in a tainted court had taught her caution so she abided by their queens wish for even with the dark jewel she wore Alexi had a vulnerability she was still a virgin and could be broken.
Hannah lounged in pretty silk robe over a matching gown before a cheery fire that reminded Alexi of her own chambers back home, with the large overstuffed chair where she like to read. The queen was a petite brunette with vivid blue eyes and lips that made pout a sensual thing she had all the traits that would draw strong males even though she was only an opal queen.
One of the few things that Alexi had been able to conceal was her dark stone for most that she met wore a light jewel and could not detect the grey. "My lady your breakfast," Alexi said as she placed the oversized tray on a small café table next to the window.
"I would like you to set up a trey next to me here at the fire," Hannah's whinny voice was one of her truly obvious flaws. Alexi did as she was ordered and when the lady appeared comfortable enough she bowed and slipped from the room.
"Ahh, Lexi there you are," the oily voice of Prince Jerome Ilshar seemed to drop over her like a wet blanket.
"Prince, how may I serve you?" When she had been told how to address him she had nearly choked on the words even now it was a struggle to say them.
"I know one way I could serve you," he intoned as he reached for her but Alexi slinked back casting her eyes to the floor. She cupped her hand and called in the grey but not wanting to give away her secret unless forced.
"I serve her Lady and she wishes me to prepare food and see too chores in the home there is nothing in such work that a Prince need bother himself with," she could predict the look on his face the sneer as she acted out the part of a twit.
"Of course, why don't you see to my chamber there are some corrections I wish to show you." Even as a twit she could spot that obvious of a ruse but there was no civil way to remove herself from the hall.
As she opened her mouth to argue a wave of such dark power washed through the house that Jerome's face became ashen and the coldness that proceeded the dark brooding presence. Then with the force of a hammer a pain ripped through her stomach so severely that she nearly cried out, the moon blood she had been suppressing was back with a vengeance. Somehow she was trapped with a man she could never trust but who was so distracted by a much darker and more dangerous presence that she feared she would not survive this encounter.
Both turned to meet the furious burning eyes of truly ticked off Eyerian warrior who wore a stone with such dark power that she knew he could shatter her no matter when it was. Instinct led her to snap up her shields around her as the angry Lucivar marched down the hallway.
"Where is Lady Hannah?" Prince Yaslan demanded. "Who the hell are you?"
Unfortunately he wasn't speaking to Jerome so Alexi was on the spot, "I am Alexia Jerishan I serve Lady Hannah."
"Don't pull any shit on me a Grey Jeweled queen does not serve a lighter jeweled queen," those words were pure challenge.
"I serve for I came from Terreille with my mother but we were unable to establish the contract that we had hoped so we accepted Lady Hannah's terms. That is why I serve," something about her words seemed to soothe the man a little but not much.
"That won't be much longer," he promised icily as he turned towards the study. In mid step he froze his eyes burned into hers a dark savagery was there as every instinct bred into the warlord princes surged forth. She was an unprotected female who had just started her moon time that was the call to arms for one such as Lucivar. "If you move one inch until I finish this business blood will be spilled. And you get in there."
Lucivars growled order sent Jerome scurrying away, Alexi still wondered if he really was a warlord prince for he lacked the backbone she would expect. Those golden eyes pinned her in place as she all but trembled in fear from the power the swarmed around the prince.