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The True Nature Of All
Chapter 3: Growing Up in a Palace of Ice
Airlia smiled gently as she awoke. It had been hard to believe that it had been two years already that she became the Princess of a kingdom of ice. Every day it began the same; she would wake up and bathe, having had a tub of hot water brought in seeing as the kingdom was far too cold for running water. After having bathed, she would dry herself and pick out the outfit to wear. Usually the dresses were in shades of cream, blue, or green to accent her unique eyes. She would learn more of the proper etiquette of being a Princess and transition to being a Queen. She never slouched, and never showed any pain or sadness that she may be feeling. For a Queen or Princess who showed any such emotion in the cold kingdom, would be considered weak. She was generally given one day out of the week to be free of such lessons and could do as she pleased.
She had chosen to learn self-defense from Glou and Albel. They were pleased and commented that a Princess or Queen could avoid kidnapping by at least knowing basic defenses in either hand attacks or swords of various sizes. She had chosen to learn hand moves that day. To support that, she wore a dress that gave her the widest range of mobility. It composed of a cream top with a forest green skirt. She left her room to go down the stairs to the main hall on the first floor to find the pair waiting for her. They headed down the stairs again into where the dungeon would be, except they went straight into the room after getting off the stairs. It led into the treasure room that had no one in it. Glou smiled, as everyone got ready for the next lesson in hand strikes.
"Remember young Airlia that if your opponent grips your arms behind your back," and to emphasize, Albel would perform the task as if a true kidnapper. "Step either back or forward to throw them off balance and kick them in the knee or upper thigh to lock their leg. That will get them to release you momentarily enough to jab them either in the stomach or up towards the face. Then proceed to get away." She proceeded to kick Albel in the knee that was nearest her and followed with a mock jab to his throat and proceeded to run to Glou.
"That was superb. Don't you think Albel?" Glou said as Albel nodded.
"That's not bad for a girl. I even felt my knee hurt slightly." He limped his way over, making her feel bad. She took one of the herbs that she kept on stock and applied that gently to his knee, rubbing it in the left knee thoroughly and he smiled as he offered his hand to help her up. She took it smilingly.
Suddenly Vox arrived. "Princess, it's time to meet with your father." Airlia smiled tightly as she nodded rigidly. In truth, the Princess distrusted this man, but could not place as to why. He, after all, was the uncle to her father. However, she always avoided him at every chance she could. Usually Albel or Glou escorted her to her father where she would be safe from his hungry eyes. She kept quiet during the walk to the dining hall.
"Have you been listening Princess Airlia?" Vox demanded as she simply stared straight as they headed upstairs. He sighed and began again. "You must choose a suitor soon, or one will be chosen for you. He might not be as nice as I am being right now…" He said with a hint of malice at the end. She stopped and looked at the man that was demanding to be her suitor.
"If you put it that way, I may have to beg a friend's forgiveness for what I will say, but if he will have me, I'd choose him over you any day." She started to walk away as he gripped her wrist painfully.
"You don't want to choose Albel, for there are things in this world you don't understand. He may never forgive you for that. Boys like him don't like being tied down to anything, especially girls who need to be doted upon or Princesses." She glared and accidentally slipped and landed on his foot. A painful yelp escaped Vox's throat as he reached his hand back. As it was going to crash down another hand gripped it harshly.
"That's quite enough Vox. Leave Princess Airlia alone right now. I'm removing you as of now from the post of second in command." A strong voice rang out as two men suddenly swooped upon the situation. A dark flash of two-tone hair told her one of the two was Albel. He stood next to her, hand on the hilt of his sword, ready to defend her at any cost.
The voice revealed who the other was. "Thank you Albel and Glou. Vox doesn't know the meaning of the word 'no' apparently. He must have missed that class in school. However, I have two knights to thank for my rescue." She said as Glou kneeled down so she could kiss his cheek. Then she turned so she could kiss that of Albel's cheek to show them her thanks. Albel stuck close to her as they made it to the main hall leading to the throne room.
She stopped before entering her father's room. "Can I talk to you both before speaking with my father? Something Vox said has worried me deeply." Upon seeing both men nod, she escorted them into her room. Shutting the door, she sat down in the blue stained chair.
"I fear that Vox is pushing me to pick the man whom I shall marry when I become of age. He all but threatened me, saying I might not end up with a good person." She was close to tears, but managed to restrain herself from showing weakness. Glou's eyes expressed the anger that was reined tightly.
Glou walked over to her, cupping her chin with his calloused hand and forcing her to look up at him. "I'm sure Albel wouldn't mind a marriage of convenience to protect his Princess from such danger until Vox is no more, should it come to that." It was then that tears flowed freely. Albel was unsure of this girl. She hid her emotions usually so well, that this expression of fear, pain, and sorrow made him worry.
"He warned me that the only one I'd willingly choose might not appreciate being saddled down to a woman who needs to be doted upon, which I'm not that type. He said it also applied to Princesses." Albel growled as he grabbed her offered right hand and knelt to her as he had at her coronation.
"Princess Airlia, I swore my fealty to you with a promise that I would always protect you as your chosen knight. I would be honored to keep you safe, even if it meant marrying you to do it. I would never let anyone harm you, even if you chose another to be your husband, if he was to lay a hand on you, he would have to go through me." A kiss on her hand later her tears were dried and a bright smile was seen on her face as they got up and headed back for the door and left the room.
They entered the King's room after knocking on it and hearing a "Come in please." Upon entering, they saw an unwelcome sight of Duke Vox and a knight that was known as Shelby standing to the left of King Airyglyph XIII, whom looked determined to do something. Albel stood to her left while Glou stood to her right. Both father and son looked ready for a fight.
Airyglyph XIII knew at that point that his daughter made her choice subconsciously. He smiled as Vox began to present his case. "Your majesty, you know that traditionally the son or daughter of the King had to choose a suitor at this age. She refuses to name one, so one must be chosen. There is none other than myself or Shelby that are well suited to running this kingdom." Airlia glared at the man with such a baleful glare, that it would have melted the everlasting snow surrounding the kingdom. Albel and Glou nudged closer to their Princess to shield her from the wandering gaze of the two men.
"Father, I know it is tradition, but must I choose between the two of them? It is like choosing between two porcupines from the mountains. They are both dangerous in their own ways." She said as Albel suppressed a smirk knowing she saw them for what they were. Airyglyph nearly choked on her description. He disliked his uncle, but couldn't afford to make any more enemies than what he had. However, if his daughter chose her knight, then he would support her over his uncle on the matter. He wanted nothing more than her happiness since she gained so many responsibilities when she should be enjoying her childhood.
"Then, I assume that you have chosen your consort?" the King of Airyglyph said calmly.
Airlia smiled and was about to say something when Albel spoke first. "If her highness would deem me worthy, I would be honored to be her consort." Arzei looked to his daughter and saw her smile and nod.
He stepped forward. "I recommend that you become captain of any of the three brigades, it will help you to learn managing people. However, I think that would be fine for you to become her consort." He saw the relief that came and went in his daughter's eyes and knew he made the right choice. He dismissed Vox and Shelby without another thought.
"Count Glou, I thank both you and your son for protecting Princess Airlia. I hope that it was not an inconvenience to help her out of that little mess. I knew about the law, but I had hoped that Vox would at least try to be pleasant to her to try and charm her before demanding that. However, he picked Shelby to increase his chances of her picking him in the heat of the moment. I knew they had not planned on the turn of events that came about. Thank you young Albel, you are truly an asset to the kingdom." Albel bowed with a proud smile that he was able to protect his lady.
Airlia, Albel and Glou left the safety of Arzei's room to go back to her own. She went to her bookshelf where there was a familiar book waiting to be pulled out. It was the very same book that Albel had received from Aquaria XVII two years ago. He had given it to her the morning after her coronation in Airyglyph. It brought tears to her eyes; it had made her that happy. She often experimented in trying to make remedies for everything. She had personally cleaned up the unused workshop at the southern edge of town. Albel was there as was Glou and Gareth. They took the trash out and placed it into boxes that would be put to making fuel. The room was colder than it was outside, so Gareth excused himself to get a few things that would better insulate the room if the Princess would be spending any time there.
He returned a little later with some building materials. He went to work quickly; He moved everything away from the walls and began to insulate it so that no one would freeze in there. During that time, Glou began to build a fire in the furnace that was in there. In a few hours, even though it seemed like minutes, the room looked more beautiful than ever with the clutter gone and much warmer. They had all gone to the inn courtesy of Glou to have lunch.
Arzei hadn't expected them to have lunch at the castle because they were trying to make the workshop safe and warm for the young Princess. She was trying everything in her power to help keep her people healthy, so it would be worth it. It was a simple meal of beef with a salad that the ingredients had been imported from Peterny. With their stomachs full and the meals paid for, they left to return to the workshop. The difference of the room temperature and cleanliness had amazed them again. With a bright smile on her face, Airlia turned to the group and bowed, "Thank you everyone for your help. I couldn't have done it without you." While everyone was amazed that was done so quickly, they knew it would give the Princess some refuge from the evil that was in Vox. Gareth had to excuse himself to go back to his duties.
With Airlia's bright smile, it was hard for others to not smile. This made Albel smile despite himself. He promised to protect her, and even though he viewed her as his sister, somehow things were going to change; he knew it, deep within himself. The day passed, too fast, in the eyes of both children as well as Glou. They tried to make a remedy in the book, but it didn't work. "Having been your first time, it was no surprise." Glou said with a gentle smile. It brightened their faces extremely.
They left to return to the castle just in time for dinner. Airlia was all smiles until Vox joined them for dinner. She kept close to her father and her knight. Dinner was slow, but she eagerly engaged in conversation when she was asked what they were up to today on her day away from studies.
"Father, Count Glou, Sir Albel and Gareth helped me today to fix the workshop up so I could try to make herbs for those in our kingdom that cannot afford medicine". Vox snorted softly trying to interject that she shouldn't be doing anything of the sort. She looked up at her adopted great uncle. "What is it Vox?"
She asked as he glared at her. "As Princess, it is unbecoming of you to be going to a workshop, never mind to clean it up. What if you became ill because of being out there so long?"
This time it was Count Glou who said something, "As Princess, she gave an oath to help her people, no matter what. So; rather than to just rot with knowledge of the past, trying to catch up on what it has taken us lifetimes to learn and teach her ways to protect herself, she wants to be a positive support to the community."
Arzei smiled, "Vox, silence. As Princess, so long as she does not place her life in danger, she may do as she pleases. Airlia, you look tired, would you like to sleep some?" She turned to her father with a smile.
"Yes, I would father." Airlia said with a bright smile. Her blue-green eyes were bright with happiness; however, the light was slightly dimmed with exhaustion. She went to stand when Albel helped to pull her chair from the table. He escorted her to the room next to where they were eating, her bedroom. Once he was sure there was nothing hiding, he allowed her inside to change and kissed her hand to ensure she had a good sleep. Once she was changed out of her outfit that would be solely for combat and compounding, she placed the book back on the shelf and crawled into bed to sleep for the night.