No reviews! Noo! In any case, I want at least three reviews before I update the cliffhanger!
Chapter 4: A Little Drop of Bliss
I yawned. I awoke and my back ached from the hard ground. My stomach rumbled from the lack of filling food. My thighs hurt from the hard riding and the sores. But, the excitement of truly being gone was still there, the desire to find more in the world was there, burning brightly as ever. I smiled. Maybe I could bear this with dignity without truly betraying how aching I really was.
I failed. As soon as I exited my tent, I winced; my foot had stepped on a rock, straining the muscles near my thigh. Ceara saw me. She didn't say anything. I sighed and came over to get breakfast, stew, and sit on a spare log. When I grimaced from the pain as I sat, she spoke up.
"I have a curing ointment, if you'd like it, Ade." She smiled kindly. I looked down at the steaming stew. My stomach rumbled. I wanted royal food… "I don't mean to impede on your manly honor and all." I looked up, slightly annoyed, but found her grinning. "Just tell me when you'd like some."
I saw her caring look (was there something else?) and smiled back. "I'd like some, thanks."
She nodded and stood, "We'll be arriving in a town soon – think of a fake name for yourself." I dipped my head in acknowledgement and kept shoveling food into my mouth. "Eat slowly – your stomach needs to accept the food." She glided gracefully away. I ate; when there was no food, I reached into the pot, only to find it picked clean. Hadn't she just scooped some out for me?
When she returned, she looked into the pot. "Hungry are we? Well, just remember that around noon when we have a half-day of more hard riding."
How I hate how true her words are! Around noon my stomach heaved. I stopped near a grove of brushes, throwing up that morning's breakfast. I never want to see what food looks like once I've eaten it ever again! I felt cool hands on my back. I looked up, smiling, though not deviously, was Ceara.
"I tried to warn you." She said plainly. I nodded. "Are your sores better now?" I nodded again. They were a lot better. Her ointments worked like magic!
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
I hit the dummy far harder than I needed to. I knew I shouldn't go after Ade. He told me not to go after him. I want to! But I can't! I lost my temper and whacked the straw dummy. It fell to pieces. My posse looked on.
"Well, get a new one!" I snapped, sheathing my sword. A lordling rushed away to do my bidding. I'm the crown prince, so can't go after my twin! I've sent men out, but to no avail. A lordling placed a new dummy and I continued to whack it with my sword.
Another figure walked into a square. My posse looked worried; then scattered. I looked up. Lord Bamien and Lady Cyrun were there.
"How may I help you, my lord, my lady?" I asked courteously. Their silver hair shone in the light of day. I wonder how they got it so true silver…
"You gave us a letter – written in Draconic – a few days ago." Lord Bamien said. "We'd like to ask you a few questions, could you come over?" I obliged. Lord Bamien was one of my father's most trusted advisors. "Do you know what 'Mäunea' means?"
"No, my lord." I replied. "My mother never bothered to teach us the language of Dragons, though I hear it is becoming popular."
"I see." He replied. Lady Cyrun interrupted.
"It means 'duty'. Did Ceara ever say anything about needing to go with Ade?" She asked, twisting a bit of hair.
"N- no." I said, uncomfortable. "Why?" Lady Cyrun raised an eyebrow. "Ade does act silly around her, but I figure it's just him being, well, himself."
"Does Ade ever make rash decisions?" Lord Bamien.
"No, that's my duty." I gave them a quirky smile. They knew our temprements. "The last time we – he – made a rash decision Ceara was there to dissuade him…" I trailed off. My eyes widened. "You think she went with him to protect him?"
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
He is doing better, diary, he's not mixed up the sides of the tent… yet. I'm happy he's learning so quickly – we'll need to get to a city to pick up more food. He has yet to get over the rich-food desire. He didn't mix up woodwort and woundwort yet. He makes me laugh, though. I like laughing. I know going into town with him will probably ruin the little bit of "decency" I have left. He's trying to dig a fire pit, I'd better be there.
Hopefully this time the fire pit won't be a square! (Another thing his father did while Queen Katharine was bringing him back from Asnarinith's cave).
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
"Sheesh, you'd think I'd make this thing a square or something, with the way you're fawning over me!" I said sarcastically. Ceara looked worried briefly, then recovered.
"Of course not!" She laughed. "Who'd make a fire pit a square?"
"My father," I said through a snort. My hands were sore from the reins of the horse and my back aching from the bad bed. But I still enjoyed the escape. Occasionally, I felt light bits of anger or irritation in the general direction of the palace. Those made me laugh, Aram must've truly been angry to send me his emotions this far away.
"Your turn." She said suddenly.
"What?" I asked, completely perplexed by the woman.
"Your turn to teach me something."
"Huh?" What was she talking about? She was sitting on a spare log while I attempted to start the fire.
"It's your turn to teach me something new." She repeated.
It dawned on me. "You're admitting you don't know everything?" I asked, incredulous. I looked back at her and winked.
She stuck out her tongue. The spark hit the tinder. I turned suddenly and leapt, pulling her down onto the dirt. We wrestled. My practices had made me strong, though she was still stronger. Luckily, I knew more of hand-to-hand combat than she did (a thing my Uncle taught me). Soon I was above her, panting hard. Her arms were pinned above her head. Goddess how beautiful she looked!
"Beg for mercy!" I taunted. Unfortunately, I'd forgotten her super-strong legs. She broke free and rolled out from under me. Laughing madly, she wrapped her legs around mine, effectively restraining them. My arms were free so I grabbed her wrists and held them tightly. Somehow she had maneuvered herself above me.
"We'll call it a tie." She said, a small smile on her lips. Forgetting I hadn't surrendered, she loosened her grip on my legs. In a flash, she was under me and I held her to the ground. "Mercy."
I released her. Laughing beautifully, she dove onto me, using all her strength to pin me. "Mer-" What she did surprised me most of all.
Before I knew it, I had another pair of lips on mine.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
I felt a drop of that feeling of bliss. I stopped, baffled. The lordling hit me square on the head, but I was unfazed. I heard apologies being said, but ignored them. Why had Ade sent me that little bit of emotion? With that, I could find him, no matter how far. He effectively kept his emotions under wraps.
I called out to the guards. "Get my horse mounted. I want a squadron of soldiers. Request my parents, Lord Bamien and Lady Cyrun NOW!" I was yelling orders to lordings and ladies-to-be in harsh tones. I didn't care that I was ordering servant's work. There really wasn't any around. I pulled off my armor and entered the palace, heading for a smaller meeting chamber.
I sat and rang the bell. Nervous, a servant appeared. "My Lord Prince called?"
"Yes, get a tray of refreshments. I want no servants to attend me or anyother member. I want the favorites of Queen Katharine," If the servant noticed I didn't say my father first, he made no comment. "And Lady Cyrun. Get mulled wine for my lord father, Lord Bamien and myself." I narrowed my eyes. "And make it snappy!"
In less than a minute, five drinks appeared in the room. It was faster than any other service. Carefully, I blocked the servants' door (but not obviously) and sat in my high-backed chair. The requested attendees arrived.
"My Lady Mother, my Lord Father." I bowed to them. "Lady Cyrun and Lord Bamien." I bowed to the couple. Lady Cyrun nodded. "I have called this meeting for a specific reason." I breathed deeply. These four knew of Ade's connection to me via "twin powers", kind of corny, but there was no true name for it. "Ade has unknowingly sent me a direction of his location." I pointed toward where the emotions came from. When I felt a slight twinge of a warm feeling (love?) I tried not to blush. "I can find him now. I know he'll move, as he will do every day, but we'll need to move fast to catch him."
I heard a choked noise. "No," My mother said.
I turned to her. "What?"
"I won't send you after him. He left for a specific reason." My mother, Queen Katharine, said softly. "He'll return. I cannot and will not send you after him, no matter how dire the circumstances."
"I agree. Ceara left because she was duty-bound to protect her prince." Cyrun commented softly.
I was outraged. "By making out with him?" I immediately regretted using commoner's slang. Mother would reprimand for being so… direct.
"I don't understand." Lord Bamien said, cocking his head in an animalistic way.
"She is freaking kissing him! That is no protection!" I yelled.
Lady Cyrun's eyes glowed. She looked knowingly at my mother who nodded. In some odd way, they had communicated. Did all women have the connection Ade and I shared.
"My daughter had good reason for leaving. In her note, written in Draconic, she explained why. She had vowed to protect Ade." I didn't bother asking why she didn't vow to protect me. "She was determined to live out that vow," His throat clenched. "Even if it meant giving up her own life."
At that moment, I felt a large (far bigger than anything, even when Ade and I were close) of anger and distress mixed. Worried, I turned to my father. His jade eyes studied me calmly.
My eyes must've shown what I felt for he said, "I forbid you to go." With that, he swept out of the room.