Moonbloods Season One: The High Warlocks Wife

9 Azga

As promised, Emris sent a Maid to wake me early in the morning. Daybreak was just minutes away. I dressed in a soft leather riding style pats and dress coate, soft leather, knee high bits, laced up the sides. My hair was in a simple braid, tied with a green strap of leather. I pulled in my cloak and gloves as I walked down the hall, Hali and Niko by my side.
"How long will we ride for?" I asked Niko. He glanced at Hali, a concerned look on face. "When we go through the Vandarien Gates our  journey to the Capital begins. We will reach the Negera Forest by night fall where the Drodic's will be waiting for us."
I chewed my lip. "We will be spending the night there?" I asked. Niko nodded. I wasn't sure what that was supposed to look like. Was I supposed to share a room with him? I wasn't sure how I felt about that. Or traveling such a long way for a time on horse back. However it was definitely better then feeling sea sick.
"Nalia, there you are."
I turned to face Yesmina who had appeared behind me. Her bright eyes and white hair gleamed in the bright snow around us. "Are you ready?"
I nodded. "I think so."
She smiled. "Emris will be along shortly. He is speaking to my father of some political matters."
I shook my head. "What matters?" I asked her. Yesmina smiled again.
"Nothing important," she assured me. "Probably boring anyway."
I raised and eyebrow and turned to look at Niko, who was glaring at Yesmina. He offered me an unsure look. Right. He was Skavi. His voice didn't matter here.
"Where is the Prince now?" I asked her. Yesmina shrugged. "On his way," she assured me.
I nodded. Was purposely avoiding my questions? I turned to go back inside but Yesmina moved to follow me, causing me to turn and face her once more. She immediately stopped again.
"What are you doing?" I asked her.
Lady Yesmina shook her head, a confused look in her face.
"There are no guards present," she pointed out. I glanced around and the shrugged. "Niko is protection enough," I assured her.
Lady Yesmina laughed. "A Skavi is not protection-"
"Stop calling him that!" I snapped.
Lady Yesmina sneered at me. "They are Skavi!" she insisted. "It is part of Dark Fey life. I understand you are Mortal but the sooner you learn our ways, the easier it will be for a you... "
I shook my head. "What do you mean?" I asked her.
Lady Yesmina sighed. "Emris doesn't want to marry you. He will put it off for as long as he can. He despises the fact that he is bound to you." I wasn't sure why but my chest filled with this odd, painful fullness. Then I realized.
Disappointment.
It didn't make sense. I had no reasons to feel that way. I hadn't had any expectations of Emris. Only I was disappointed. It bothered me that he despised me. Perhaps that's why he had said so little to me. But what about the whole wanting to make me smile thing? That was odd. And then killing Hiram? Making my brother Lord of Summer Crest? Emris was confusing enough at it was and now I had my stupid feelings to deal with? What's wrong with me?
"Well," I said as nonchalantly as I could. "The mighty Prince should take comfort that I feel the same way, then."
Lady Yesmina raised a surprised eyebrow at me and laughed. "Perhaps he won't keep you around," she mused. "That mouth of yours is surly to get you a beating or two."
I felt my heart sink. A beating? Would he do that, even after killing Hiram? I looked up at Yesmina who laughed. "What? You think just because he killed your rapist he cares for you?" she demanded.
I felt my face harden. "Stop it!"
"You think that you will get to live because you are a Moonblood? Emris will keep you until you give him a son and then burn you at the stake-"
I resisted the urge to slap her. "I said stop it!"
Lady Yesmina smirked. "Why?" she asked me. "Can't handle the truth?"
"Yesmina!"
I felt my heart, beating erratically, pound against my chest. I turned to face Emris. He was staring at us.
"What is going on here?" he wanted to know. I watched his eyes wander downward. I followed his gaze to my fisted hands at my sides, shaking uncontrollably. Lady Yesmina bowed her head. "Just telling our lovely new Princess what to expect at the capital, Your Majesty."
I kept my face as impassive as I could as Lord Melbourne and Lady Yesmina walked over to the Maids and stable boys who had their horses. I sighed.
"They are riding with us?" I asked Emris when stopped beside me. "Of course," he said. "Lord Melbourne is my advisor and his daughter, the Lady Yesmina is head of security."
I shook my head. "They are not royalty?" I asked him.
Emris shook his head. "Of course not." I had figured as much. "Was there a reason for your question other then the obvious?" he asked me.
I looked up at him. "The obvious?" I asked him, not sure what he was getting at. Emris laughed and pulled his riding gloves on. "You are jealous, Princess," he said as flexed his fingers into the thick glove. "You shouldn't be."
I sighed. "It's a little hard when I know my time is limited, your Majesty. And I'm not jealous."
Emris waved at the people around him. "Leave us!" he ordered.
I felt my heart sink as I turned to face my beautiful grey horse, touching her neck, gently leaning into her. "Nalia, you shouldn't say things like that. It looks and sounds bad."
I nodded reluctantly. "I'm sorry," I said. Emris shook his head. "You misunderstand. I am glad you are jealous. However, your need not be. Yesmina is here on orders of her King. Once we return to the capital, she won't be around as much."
I felt a little relief but it was short lived when I remembered about the supposed reception we were supposed to have. "Yes, Your Majesty."
Emris sighed and reached up to touch his hand to my chin, making me look up at me. I jerked my head back and stepped back, turning to face him now.
I watched him lower his hand to the hilt of his sword, his face calculating. "Do you have everything you need?" Emris asked me. I nodded, looking at the full saddle pack attached to my horse. Hali had packed my back and I trusted she provided me with everything I needed.
"Yes."
Emris stared at me for a moment his eyes frustrated. I didn't understand what his deal was. We were completely alone now, everyone having already gone through the gate, so it wasn't like he had to pretend.
"I'd like you to enjoy yourself," he told me. "If you want something, all you need to do is ask."
I gazed up at him until, unexpectedly, Emris leaned forward, his lips just nearly brushing the top of my head. "You smell nice," he said in a low voice. I could hear the smile as he spoke. Before I could think of what to say, Emris smirked at me and turned away, hitching himself up onto his horse.
"We should be going," he reminded me. "Everyone is waiting."
I nodded and pulled myself up into my grey cloud of a horse. I spread my cloak out around me, covering my legs and knees with the thick fur as a stable hand handed me my gloves. Once settled, I urged my horse to follow Emris though the castle gate.
"We will be back here before you know it," Emris assured me. "In a months time we will be back and it will be just you and me."
I didn't answer. I couldn't even picture my life a month from now. A month from now I could be married and pregnant. I shuddered. I did my best not to let my wild, circling thoughts drive me insane.