The Light of Miera: A Guard's Request (Book 1)

1 - Chapter Three

Even now she chastised herself for stealing the occasional glance of Arafrey's rear in her fitted cream robes – but it was quite alluring...

They turned onto Avenall road going East, passing by the boutiques with the overpriced clothes and ornaments favoured by the noble Frey, heading towards the residential area. The boutiques were grown from trees, formed with artes to incorporate them into the structure of the building. Many of them had imported glass for grand display windows, where exquisite and ridiculously expensive robes were proudly displayed.

The noble district was closer to the city temple, a magnificent building grown from the roots of the Life Tree. The Life Tree's thick body stretched far beyond the canopy above them, the glow of the Manastream flowing through it causing a soft luminescence at all times.

They arrived at the home of Lierin and Tierin, a lavish building grown from oak with flowerbeds of bluebells framing a stepping stone path. Arafrey rang the doorbell, looking to Reyla, each hoping no one would answer.

A young woman in a white apron answered the door. She guided them through the wooden halls and out into the rear garden were the twins awaited them.

Reyla ducked away to begin her sweep, leaving Arafrey exchanging pleasantries.

Arafrey didn't like the twins all that much, but their father was a prominent politician and they had grown up in the same social circles. The pair peacock'ed their noble status often draped in luxurious fabrics and doused in overpowering perfumes, their flat noses held high with permanent entitlement. They always wore matching dresses with many layers, this time in a soft blue. Their drab hair was woven into intricate braids that raised above their heads making them seem taller than they were. Few Frey wore make-up of any kind, but they had an unnatural paleness to their face and a rouge about their cheeks suggesting they did.

Reyla thought perhaps their flashy clothes and hair were there to distract from the plainness of the twin's features and foul personalities. It didn't.

The three women began gossiping while Reyla finished her sweep of the manicured garden, setting herself with her back to the wall and a clear view of the table. She half-listened into the conversation, but it was like an arrow to the heart when the topic inevitably turned onto the subject of men.

"What about you Arafrey? Who're you taking to the festival? Tierin still hasn't been asked by anyone" Lierin spoke at speed, often forgetting to pause for breath. Although both twins were well-spoken Tierin was generally quiet and let her sister speak for her, not that she had much choice in the matter.

"I hadn't thought about it" Arafrey spoke quietly, attempting to change the subject in vain.

Of course, she had thought about it. Arafrey thought about it a lot, but the Princess would rather go alone than have to spend the night pretending to like some noble hoping to win her affection. She tried to play along with her parents and do what was expected of her, but Arafrey always felt guilty about leading her suitors on.

"Well you can't go alone, that would be horrible. And you can't go with just anyone."

Arafrey ignored her. She took a spoon off the table and stirred her green tea before lifting it to her lips.

"I heard Bodair is taking some commoner friend of his," Lierin continued without prompting. "Can you even imagine?"

Arafrey rolled her eyes loudly. "It's really not that big of a deal. She's a childhood friend."

"What kind of a noble, high born would want to marry him after he's been dating a pig?"

Although it made Reyla's blood boil, 'pig' was a frequently used slang name the upper class used to describe those less fortunate than themselves.