Chapter Six- First Impressions

Lamentations 2:18- "…let your tears flow like a river…"

Fareari wanted to take over Hidon.

The realization swirled though Tielle's mind and clouded her senses. She stared, shocked, at the two Farearian princes in front of her and clenched her jaw and fist in unison.

Hristen smiled. "I see that the idea of Hidon under a Farearian rule angers you. Excellent."

The man's arrogance made Tielle want to leap up and rip his head off…

With some effort, Tielle forced her hatred down. It would do no good here, not when both men were armed and she an unarmed prisoner. All she'd do is get herself shot.

"Now," Hristen continued, "I must leave and report to Father that you have, in fact, arrived safely. Chayden will tell you the rules."

Hristen left, the door automatically closing behind him. Tielle turned to Chayden and glared at him.

He seemed to take no notice. "You will notice, first of all, that you are unable to open your door from the inside. Even if you do manage to, using methods that I cannot imagine, there will be an armed guard standing outside of your door at all times. Trying to escape will be futile, unless you are willing to jump-" he gestured to the deck, "but even then, there are watchmen patrolling the grounds if you do not break your neck."

"So I have to stay in here all day, every day?" Tielle protested. "What if I want to talk to Arilana?"

Chayden shook his head. "You will not be in here all the time. If you prove to be cooperative, you will be allowed to see your sister on supervised expeditions through the forest. If you are uncooperative, you will not be allowed to see your sister and will be confined to this room.

"You will also join Hristen and I for our midday meal once a Standard week. This will be required, and failure to attend will, again, result in a loss of the opportunity to see your sister."

Tielle wondered why they would want to have lunch with her but just asked, "Will Arilana also be coming for lunch?"

The prince shook his blond head. "No. As you are the Crown Princess, my father wants Hristen to provide a report on your activities once a week."

And he doesn't really care about your younger sister, Tielle read between the lines sarcastically, hating the Farearian and his rules and explanations. Although his explanation still didn't satisfy Tielle as to why she had to join them for a meal once a week.

Whatever. No matter. They're Farearian; they don't make sense. If they did they would have not kidnapped me while negotiating a treaty with my world.

Prince Chayden watched this fierce princess with admitted fascination. She emanated with hatred, anger and defiance, whereas her sister had radiated of fear, submission and timidity. What made the two so different? Perhaps Tielle's position as Crown Princess has instilled more pride and haughtiness in her personality.

Chayden's thoughts were interrupted as the door behind him slid open. "Your Highness," a page stepped inside, "this was what the prisoner had with her." He held up a bag and Chayden took it from him.

"Thank you. Dismissed." Chayden rummaged through the belongings and felt the princess's resentment at him looking through her possessions.

Dresses, brushes and similarly unimportant items filled most of the sack, but Chayden also found some books. He frowned and paged through one, reading,

Do you not know?

Have you not heard?

The Lord is the everlasting God,

the Creator of the ends of the earth.

He will not grow tired or weary,

and his understanding no one can fathom.

He gives strength to the weary

and increases the power of the weak.

Even youths grow tired and weary,

and young men stumble and fall;

but those who hope in the Lord

will renew their strength.

They will soar on wings like eagles;

they will run and not grow weary,

they will walk and not be faint.

The last five lines of the passage had been underlined, and Chayden wondered if this nonsense was supposed to mean anything. "What's this?" he asked aloud, looking up at the princess.

She rose from the bed and took it from him. "It's one of my Holy Books."

Chayden cocked a brow. "Holy Books? You mean religious teachings?"

The princess curtly nodded.

"You Hidonians are monotheists, are you not?"

"Yes, we believe in only one God."

Chayden shook his head. How could one god ever be powerful enough to create a universe, a galaxy spanning farther than the imagination could dream, with billions of peoples, each different? It was impossible, which was why Farearians believed in many gods, each different from the others.

The princess's impatience levels grew. "Yes?" Chayden asked. "What do you want?"

"Well, can I have my stuff or not?" The princess gestured to her bag, now lying forgotten on the floor.

"Oh, yes, that's fine," Chayden replied absentmindedly, leaving the room as the princess eagerly grabbed the rest of her Holy Books and placed them in the dusty bookshelf.

King Faihn shut off the view-screen and leaned back in his chair, a wicked smile playing across his lips. So the princesses had arrived at Purification Retreat, had they? Perfect. The retreat was deep in one of hundreds of forests on Fareari, and since no one knew that it was he who had kidnapped the princesses, no one would search for them there.

Once he decided to reveal himself, he would have extreme leverage with that fool King Partini, and he would be able to claim Hidon as his. But if the pompous King of Hidon refused to give Hidon to him…well, he had killed "innocents" before, and he would have no qualms about doing it again.

And if the princesses were destroyed, Grand Duke Klane would ascend to the throne and eventually become King of Hidon. Klane resented his older brother and his older brother's power and prestige, all of which could have been his if not for a twist of birthright.

Klane had proven useful in notifying Faihn of the princesses' unexpected trip to Fareari. Perhaps Faihn would be able to make further use of this traitor who was only to eager to do anything if it hurt his brother's family.

Tielle gazed over the treetops of Fareari. Darkness was quickly descending upon the land, and who knew what the next day would bring?

The captive princess gazed over the foreign and uninviting world, reflecting on her day. Hristen had proven to be hostile and arrogant, showing no remorse or pity for the princesses who had been placed under him. Chayden, however, had seemed less spiteful, although he had shown no great compassion or sympathy for either princess or their dilemma.

In short, Tielle and Arilana had been captured, separated, and placed at the mercy of malicious enemies, with no allies or friends.

None but God, Tielle reminded herself, and He is greater than a thousand allies of any kind. He will protect us.

He must.

And Tielle finally gave into her grief and sank to the floor, weeping bitterly.

After a night of restless and nightmare-filled sleep, Tielle awoke and rose from her bed. She carefully dressed and got ready for the day, even though she had no idea what it would bring.

It was still dark, Tielle having woken up in the morning according to Hidon's day cycle, but not Fareari's. Tielle belatedly realized that she didn't know Fareari's day cycle.

Eventually the sun started to creep over the horizon, and Tielle took her book of the Prophets outside with her as she watched the sunrise. I will probably be reading a lot more of my Holy Books in the future, she told herself wryly. There's not going to be much more to do.

After about an hour of reading, Tielle heard the door inside slide open. She stood up and went back inside to see Hristen, with the smirk that was becoming familiar firmly etched in his face. "Ah, good, you're up. So is your sister; she wants to see you. Chayden will be taking you two outside."

Tielle followed Hristen downstairs and outside, where Arilana, Chayden, and a couple of other guards were waiting. "I won't be coming," Hristen told his brother and left. Good riddance, Tielle thought spitefully.

Chayden and the guards led Tielle and Arilana to a small pond in the midst of the forest and watched from a distance as the two talked.

"How is your room?" Tielle wanted to know. "Is it very big?"

Arilana nodded vigorously, her eyes wide. "It's huge. There's a dresser and lots of windows, and a very soft bed, although I didn't get much sleep last night." Her voice trembled slightly, and Tielle read between the lines. Arilana was sensitive and easily shaken. This experience was too much for her.

"Hey, it's okay," Tielle soothed her, "we're together, and Fareari is beautiful, and we'll get back to Hidon. Prince Chayden told me we would."

Arilana's back straightened. "Then we will. Prince Chayden's nice; he wouldn't lie."

Tielle glanced over a Chayden, who was watching them with interest. She quickly turned away and looked back at Arilana. What did Arilana see in Chayden that inspired such confidence in him? Was Tielle missing something?