Chapter Three
He shuddered. She didn't know. She didn't know the extent of Akakios' power. True, she might have heard the rumors, though hushed up, but the rumors just portray a tiny part of him. There were a few that showed to what extent Akakios' cruelty reached. Like his potion that killed the queen.
He didn't even know how evil Akakios was. He only knew was that one time that he was in a tavern, waiting for someone in the mortal world. A drunken man was telling his tale to him, about how he was the queen's lover and how he met a fairy who made a potion that killed her. A fairy named Akakios.
According to the drunken man, the potion supposedly killed the queen slowly and painfully, while thinking of him the whole time. Akakios, the man told him, was notorious for his deadly potions and spells that killed people whatever way you wanted. Many sought him out for spells to keep their wives away, to make young women fall in love with him.
At first he ignored the man, deciding that he was drunk and didn't know what he was saying, but when he heard that particular rumor, he knew it was true. He wondered why the fairies didn't know of Akakios' notoriousness and decided that it was because they didn't really venture out into the human world.
He himself wouldn't have been there if he wasn't meeting someone. What will happen to his Aglaia when he dies? She should've listened to him and didn't return. There was no telling what will happen to her here. Even with him there.
~~~
"Your Highness, your father wishes to speak to you in the great hall."
Leopold nodded in acknowledgment to the servant. Another ball? He could announce another ball. Then he would see her again. What if she didn't come? What then? He'll have to take the risk.
"Tell my father that I have something I wish to do first." The servant nodded. "Is there something else your highness?"
"Yes, I wish to have another ball on the fortnight. Send servants to announce the ball tomorrow." He ticked off a few more instructions and dismissed the servant.
"Yes, Your Highness." The servant finished writing down instructions and scurried away to start the preparations.
He asked people to search for her but to no avail. Aglaia was an unusual name, you would think she would stand out. But there was no one with the name of Aglaia in the kingdom.
Maybe she was a foreigner. But then, why would she attend the ball for his father's trip? Was she a spy from another kingdom? Agmyll maybe? There were rumors of Agmyll's reluctance in the merger. Imagine what luck she had to have caught the prince's eye. Leopold sighed. Or maybe he was just taking this the wrong way.
~~~
Another ball! Aglaia had been waiting for word about the prince or the kingdom for days. She had been asking her friends to listen for rumors and now there was a ball!
"Are you sure?" Aglaia whispered to the little robin on her palm.
Yes. I was in town when the prince's servant made the announcement. I remember taking a bath in the fountain in the middle of town and talking to the other birds. Then all these horses come in with the prince's servants and all these people come rushing in and interrupt our baths. It was very rude really. I was about to–
Aglaia coughed. Robins can go out off topic sometimes. It was best to just sneak in when they take a breath. "Actually, I was wondering if you remember where the ball is going to be."
Well, I'm not really sure, having been very upset because of the disturbance of my bath. But I think he said tomorrow. Or was it yesterday?
Aglaia held her breath.
No, I specifically remember him saying it was on the fifth.
Aglaia sighed in relief. Tomorrow was the fifth.
"Thank you little robin. Would you like some bread?" Aglaia stood up, robin on her palm.
No, I should be going now. I have to start on our nest. The robin fluffed up her feathers and flew away.
Aglaia started to fly towards the house, deciding which dress to wear for the ball. She could still make it.
But she was delayed by a pair of fairy servants who informed her that Akakios wanted to talk to her.
Aglaia sighed. She didn't want to talk to Akakios right now.
"Tell Akakios that I am indisposed and I will see him as soon as I can." She started to walk around them to her house but they moved to the side, preventing her from going any further.
"Akakios wishes to speak to you now."
Aglaia looked at the servant that said those words. She knew him from somewhere. He was Akakios' personal servant Thais and terribly arrogant. He thought of himself highly because of his master. She nodded curtly and flew towards the palace.
~~~
"Where have you been? I will not tolerate this nonsense! You should be grateful I even chose you to be my bride!" Akakios bellowed.
Aglaia heard a snicker behind her and looked behind her shoulder, only to find Thais lingering by the door. He straightened up and looked her in the eye, not even covering up the snicker.
She hated the way Akakios and his servants looked at her–-as if she wasn't even a fairy. Just because she hasn't received her powers yet doesn't mean she wasn't a fairy. She could talk to animals, couldn't she? It wasn't her fault that fairies got their powers when they reached twenty.
"Aglaia! Are you even listening to me?" Akakios boomed out.
Aglaia looked back at Akakios. "Yes. Is that all?" For a second she thought of pointing out that she didn't even want him for her groom but Akakios was hard to deal with. The best way to deal with him was to just let things go.
Akakios sighed, as if she were a lost cause and shook his head. He waved her away. "Yes. Fine. Remember what I said. Pull another stunt like this and you will regret it."
He shuddered. She didn't know. She didn't know the extent of Akakios' power. True, she might have heard the rumors, though hushed up, but the rumors just portray a tiny part of him. There were a few that showed to what extent Akakios' cruelty reached. Like his potion that killed the queen.
He didn't even know how evil Akakios was. He only knew was that one time that he was in a tavern, waiting for someone in the mortal world. A drunken man was telling his tale to him, about how he was the queen's lover and how he met a fairy who made a potion that killed her. A fairy named Akakios.
According to the drunken man, the potion supposedly killed the queen slowly and painfully, while thinking of him the whole time. Akakios, the man told him, was notorious for his deadly potions and spells that killed people whatever way you wanted. Many sought him out for spells to keep their wives away, to make young women fall in love with him.
At first he ignored the man, deciding that he was drunk and didn't know what he was saying, but when he heard that particular rumor, he knew it was true. He wondered why the fairies didn't know of Akakios' notoriousness and decided that it was because they didn't really venture out into the human world.
He himself wouldn't have been there if he wasn't meeting someone. What will happen to his Aglaia when he dies? She should've listened to him and didn't return. There was no telling what will happen to her here. Even with him there.
~~~
"Your Highness, your father wishes to speak to you in the great hall."
Leopold nodded in acknowledgment to the servant. Another ball? He could announce another ball. Then he would see her again. What if she didn't come? What then? He'll have to take the risk.
"Tell my father that I have something I wish to do first." The servant nodded. "Is there something else your highness?"
"Yes, I wish to have another ball on the fortnight. Send servants to announce the ball tomorrow." He ticked off a few more instructions and dismissed the servant.
"Yes, Your Highness." The servant finished writing down instructions and scurried away to start the preparations.
He asked people to search for her but to no avail. Aglaia was an unusual name, you would think she would stand out. But there was no one with the name of Aglaia in the kingdom.
Maybe she was a foreigner. But then, why would she attend the ball for his father's trip? Was she a spy from another kingdom? Agmyll maybe? There were rumors of Agmyll's reluctance in the merger. Imagine what luck she had to have caught the prince's eye. Leopold sighed. Or maybe he was just taking this the wrong way.
~~~
Another ball! Aglaia had been waiting for word about the prince or the kingdom for days. She had been asking her friends to listen for rumors and now there was a ball!
"Are you sure?" Aglaia whispered to the little robin on her palm.
Yes. I was in town when the prince's servant made the announcement. I remember taking a bath in the fountain in the middle of town and talking to the other birds. Then all these horses come in with the prince's servants and all these people come rushing in and interrupt our baths. It was very rude really. I was about to–
Aglaia coughed. Robins can go out off topic sometimes. It was best to just sneak in when they take a breath. "Actually, I was wondering if you remember where the ball is going to be."
Well, I'm not really sure, having been very upset because of the disturbance of my bath. But I think he said tomorrow. Or was it yesterday?
Aglaia held her breath.
No, I specifically remember him saying it was on the fifth.
Aglaia sighed in relief. Tomorrow was the fifth.
"Thank you little robin. Would you like some bread?" Aglaia stood up, robin on her palm.
No, I should be going now. I have to start on our nest. The robin fluffed up her feathers and flew away.
Aglaia started to fly towards the house, deciding which dress to wear for the ball. She could still make it.
But she was delayed by a pair of fairy servants who informed her that Akakios wanted to talk to her.
Aglaia sighed. She didn't want to talk to Akakios right now.
"Tell Akakios that I am indisposed and I will see him as soon as I can." She started to walk around them to her house but they moved to the side, preventing her from going any further.
"Akakios wishes to speak to you now."
Aglaia looked at the servant that said those words. She knew him from somewhere. He was Akakios' personal servant Thais and terribly arrogant. He thought of himself highly because of his master. She nodded curtly and flew towards the palace.
~~~
"Where have you been? I will not tolerate this nonsense! You should be grateful I even chose you to be my bride!" Akakios bellowed.
Aglaia heard a snicker behind her and looked behind her shoulder, only to find Thais lingering by the door. He straightened up and looked her in the eye, not even covering up the snicker.
She hated the way Akakios and his servants looked at her–-as if she wasn't even a fairy. Just because she hasn't received her powers yet doesn't mean she wasn't a fairy. She could talk to animals, couldn't she? It wasn't her fault that fairies got their powers when they reached twenty.
"Aglaia! Are you even listening to me?" Akakios boomed out.
Aglaia looked back at Akakios. "Yes. Is that all?" For a second she thought of pointing out that she didn't even want him for her groom but Akakios was hard to deal with. The best way to deal with him was to just let things go.
Akakios sighed, as if she were a lost cause and shook his head. He waved her away. "Yes. Fine. Remember what I said. Pull another stunt like this and you will regret it."