Darkefyre (On Hold)

Two

Ulhart patted my back vigorously and I coughed a bit. Air flooded my throat and I took everything. Swallowing deep mouthfuls of air. It was thick with the scent of roses from the garden below, Ulhart's sweat and the smell of tobacco.

"Panic attack." Ulhart whispered before I even had a chance to ask.

I still gulped air like a starving fish. I slowed my breathing and tried again.

"Do you know anything about him?"

"He's the third sibling out of the Melketh family. So not as entitled as you think. He wasn't born into expecting anything. He's a warrior, a rather good one I hear." He chuckled.

I looked at Ulhart sideways briefly, before bringing my eyes back to my lap. My hands had worried the fabric of my dress, and there were several new solid wrinkles.

"What you hear isn't always true." I whispered, maybe quietly enough he didn't hear me.

"He'll be a great match for you. Andromeda would have liked him."

I hissed when Ulhart mentioned my mother. Anger rising in my throat.

"What would you know of her!" I spat hastily.

Ulhart recoiled as if I had slapped him. Grimacing, he scooted away from me a bit; as if his shoulder touching mine was on fire. I glared at him, none to lightly; before he stood up and paced to the window. His riding boots clacking on the tiles. I watched as the setting sun bathed his face in a golden pink light. His moustache twitched. A perpetual twitch that happened when he couldn't find the right words to express what he wanted. His hands gripped the stony ledge as his eyes followed a bird off into the distance. I watched with him.

"It's hard, I know that now. You see me as the bad guy because I'm a Chronicle soldier, but I'm also your uncle. The closest thing to family, and I know you resent me for that. Your mother was a kind soul; and she would have wanted you to have the things she didn't." He lowered his voice and sat back next to me.

"She would have wanted you to have a chance at happiness. Even if it is through an arranged marriage." He started biting his nails and I tutted at him. He stopped. Many emotions roiled within, anger and sadness, before I blurted out my reply.

"I don't care! I'm sorry but she's not here anymore. How can anyone tell me what she would've wanted. When she's not here." I yelled, throwing myself back into my coverlet. I heard, rather than saw Ulhart sigh. I felt his hand on the bed by the side of my knee, then it was gone. I looked up and Ulhart too, was gone. I sat up rather petulantly and stared at the sky outside; the clouds turning pink, then orange. Then the true shade of midnight blue that always seemed to calm my nerves. I sat up eventually.

Shae entered through the secret door, her arms laden with wicker baskets bursting with laundry. I looked up and another maid was with her. Shae elbowed the maid and she curtsied low; or as low she could. Her arms were full too.

"This is Saffy. She works in the kitchens most times." Shae's solemn eyes caught mine, and she smiled faintly. I nodded to Saffy. Noticing her chestnut brown hair fell to her waist and was in two messy braids, with plain gold rings attached to the ends.

Every servant in Ansmere had them. Depending on rank, depended on what colour. All castle servants had plain gold except those who were higher up. They had enamelled blue ones. Including Shae. Her cap was askew, and a scar covered the majority of her right cheek. It was still quite red, so it was recent. It marred her face, but for some reason it gave her the look of inner strength and defiance. Saffy looked straight back at me. Her back straight, was full of pride. I stared and watched as she went to the chest of drawers nearest the bathing pool. Her movements were slow yet graceful. She hadn't learnt that in the castle. Shae coughed gently. I looked at her. She was by the big mahogany armoire; filling up the drawers and crude steel hangers with colourful robes.