Part One ~ Fire and Ice
Chapter Twelve ~ Princess
"I hate you." I spat, pulling on a pair of boots I had had thrown at me, as the supreme asshat himself -Orion- had appeared in my room just after noon, stating that if I wanted to really get out and about like I had said yesterday he was going riding today.
He just smirked, leaning against the door. His bloody bat wings once again invisible- although I had a sneaking suspicion from the ever so unbalanced way he had leaned back, it was a new thing for him to be lacking them.
Throwing my hand up in a crude gesture I straightened the boots, then looked over myself in the mirror to the armoire that had been replaced as I slept.
Despite the horrific place I was in, their clothes weren't half bad- in fact the dresses here did not require under layers, or corsets, and were obviously not made by mortal hand like all clothes were back in Terrasen and the world I called home.
Shaking my head I hissed silently, this place and all of its beings and belongings could not sway me from returning home.
I glanced at Orion, who was studying me in silence.
An impulse came over me, a stupid one, but without giving it a second thought, I imagined my mind empty, without those flames and icy winds I kept imagining, biting at any dark claws that came near when I least expected it.
I felt them now, and saw a flicker of surprise cross his face as I felt those claws soften as they fell onto the barriers of my mind without resistance. And then, without so much as a flicker of forethought to what I was doing, I imagined the most horrendous screaming, throat-tearing wailing of sonless mothers and mates who have lost their other half in battle of stories.
Orion flinched slightly by what must have been a sudden surprise, and I felt those black claws retreat, followed quickly by my flame and ice returning to beat of any remaining darkness.
Striding over to him I patted his arm, "Stop waiting for my to lower my guard, you won't get a chance."
Looking out of my door to the hall I frowned- "Now, where's the exit in this place."
Orion, who I couldn't see, let out a puff of a laugh which tickled the hair on my neck, and gripped my arm, making me turn to him.
"Oh there's no exit on this palace for you."
I had one second, studying his chiselled jaw, long- straight nose and high cheekbones for a sign of what he meant before there was a sucking in my ears, and my vision disappeared to pure darkness.
A weightless dark too, it felt like there was no longer gravity holding me, instead a silent ageless dark pressing in on all sides.
Opening a mouth to scream, I felt his free hand clap over my mouth and felt a leg brush next to mine as he took a step towards me.
And when his leg stopped, bright light appeared with a shocking start, along with air and wind, making me shut my eyes and slap away his hand.
Coughing I hissed and ripped myself free of his grip, pulling away so fast I tripped on the earth beneath me, and fell flat on my ass.
Orion chuckled shaking off his hand in comedic pain, watching as I patted the ground, realising it was definitely not the marble palace we had just been in, and instead was a grassy cleaning somewhere.
"Guess I should have told you not to breathe before I winnowed."
Winnow? What?
Blinking my eyes against the light I rubbed my arms over my mouth, his scent lingering on my skin in a way I hated, "What are you talking about? And what was that dark place? And where are we?"
The grass beneath my hands was short, and a pale green mixed with clovers and moss' like the stuff far in the Caraverre mountains. There were a few plants I'm sure Gav could have identified but all I could do was sit in the grass, mind suddenly carried away from the strange travel to the scent of pine caressing my nose, and stared up at the trees which lined the clearing.
It almost felt like home, though I was sure the winged, or rather wingless, male would not bring me there.
Standing quickly I took one last stare at the woods around us, trying to drown myself in the smell I hadn't realised I missed.
But eventually the moment was over, and the hope that had filled my chest for a moment deflated into the most heart-wrentching loss.
I might never go home.
No, I cursed myself, I cannot think like that or I am already lost.
Straightening I wiped my hands over myself quickly, brushing off any lingers fronds of grass.
"Well are you going to answer any of my questions?" I snapped, turning my gaze back to Orion.
But he was staring past me, smiling at something behind me.
Or someone, I came to understand as I turned on a dime, and was greeted to a flash of dark skin and a fist to the nose.
Shrieking I took a step back, crashing into Orion, my hands coming up to grab my face, as I snapped my head up- eyes searching for my assailant. Orion's hands found my elbows and held me steady.
It was a girl.
With bat wings.
My face, hot and throbbing, was nothing to the shame of just having a blow landed on me by a girl I could now see stood a handful of inches below me and who of course, was part of whatever bastard breed Orion was.
Hissing I kept one hand covering my face, praying to whatever gods still lived that it was not crooked now, the other hand batted away Orion.
"How dare you hit me." I snapped, feeling my red hot fury creep up my neck, probably the same shade as the blood that was slowly dripping from my nose.
The girl, short as she was, was built like a wrestler and skin a few shades darker than Orion's, only smiled and shook off her hand, "Oh yeah she's definitely a princess if she couldn't block that."
Orion moved for the first time, pushing past me to ruffle the girls hair, which was for the most long and falling down to her shoulders, with two small buns on either side of her head.
The girl hissed and aimed a blow to his stomach which Orion dodged and looked back at me, his eyebrow quirking.
"Arin you should have at least asked her to jump in a sparring ring before humiliating her."
Fury, redder than the heart of a sun burned through me and I spat on the ground, wiping away the slow yet disgusting trickle of blood that was flowing from my hopefully unbroken nose.
My saliva was mixed with the scarlet, but I did not spare it a long glance.
"So that's how your people fight? With dishonour and brute strength?" I snapped, glaring daggers at the girl who turned back to give me a sarcastic smile, "No wonder you all look like some bastardised cross between animals and fae with those wings!"
The girl made a move to step forward, but Orion held her arm, giving me a frown.
"Perhaps ladies we can save the brawl until after our afternoon activities."
Standing straight, I felt the fae blood in me finish it's work on my nose, the blood no longer falling, although I'm sure my face looked like a state.
It probably made me look like an Ironteeth Witch.
And with that thought, I straightened up, levelling the short warrior with my best royal stare.
I was the child of two royal fae lines, I ran with Witches and Wyverns and Shapeshifters alike, and I would not let some jumped up faerie tell me any different.
Obviously, my vigour did not work as the girl gave me a flat look, sniffing in distaste but no longer looking like she was on the warpath.
Orion looked relieved, the emotion passing over him for a brief second before he looked back to the girl.
"Ardere, this is Arin, one of my friends. Arin, this is Ardere-"
"The mate." The words were like oil in the girls mouth, although she looked less jealous and more annoyed. "I'd rather not be around either of you if mate bonds are catching- I'd rather die than be stuck to some asshat for eternity."
Giving me a flat look she turned, dark membranous wings tucked in tight against her body as she made for a barn I had not spotted behind her in the clearing.
Orion watched her as she spoke, a small smile playing on his lips, as he turned to me.
I crossed my arms, eyebrows knitting together as I looked at him. "I'm not going anywhere with you or her. Not until I get answers."
He just shrugged, turning to follow his friend. I had not noticed when his wings had returned, but they were there now, darker than spilt oil on a moonlight ocean, perched upon his back.
His voice sounded loud as his spoke, still moving away from me, "But if you want your sword back you might do well to follow along."
Goldryn!
Guilt chased me as I realised I might have forgotten my real reason of return to this world.
Hissing I launched forward, not about to let my chance to retrieve Goldryn slip.
First I get the sword. And then I get out of this wretched land.
All the way to the barn I couldn't help but imagine sticking Goldryn's bright blade into Orions annoying back.