Aven's POV
12th day of Septimus, 1229
City of Faregothe
Almost Midnight
I blinked hard. The light from the eight hundred candles on the altar were burning my eyes. I quickly closed them and pretended I was listening to the high priest's muffled prayer.
"... and let Jannerus be a great ruler, just as his father, King Tenassius, was before him. He honored his legacy, and we believe Jannerus will do the same..."
I flicked my eyes at the surrounding faces in the hovering light. None of them knew really what great a moment this was. Slowly, I bowed my head and prayed that this would not be the last king of Faregothe. It had once been my father's job to protect all the kings of Faregothe in his lifetime—now it was mine.
The task of preserving his life had ultimately fallen into my hands since Raskul's death. We had always been the keepers of the kings, from our first, King Staifen Habashar, now down to his latest descendent, Prince Jannerus, about to ascend his throne.
Our bloodline was bred for war. From the moment we set foot in the castle as the king's bodyguard, we could take down a full army of well equipped warriors. Trained, sheltered from the outer world, and stolen at birth... we were a special breed only picked from the finest: the Arowan Family bloodline.
It was the quietest moment in Faregothe when the Crown of Ages was settled on the new king's head. Every room in the castle was bathed in complete and total blackness. That was to honor the solemnity and the gravity which came with taking the now vacant throne. Also, the city was in pure darkness as they waited for the bells to peel over the West Tower.
My black eyes traveled to the prince's face. He was perspiring under his heavy cloak and his shoulders were shaking. It was duty that brought him here, not choice. I knew Jannerus had not wanted to become the next king. It was his older brother, Makus's right. But Makus was dead.
I lowered my head, pursing my lips. His death was my fault. I had been supposed to follow him and his brother to the outer gardens one afternoon, but Jannerus had ran away from his brother to the Capperon Hall—the place where all the official counsels were held. I had given chase, thinking Makus would be alright—but I was fatally wrong.
I wished I could take back that move. Jannerus would have survived going into the middle of the counsel, even if he had interrupted his father's speech and gotten in trouble. But I could never have guessed that assassin would come over the wall and kill the Crown Prince. I could never have known—but it was my place to know, to anticipate those things. And I had failed.
His father, Severus, had forgiven me at once. It was his son, and heir to the throne, but he knew I had made the right choice. Makus was capable of defending himself, but Jannerus had always been weak since his birth. Severus honored my thoughts for the welfare of his family, and only mourned his son's death in moderation. He did not get angry at me, nor at his wife. But I think Queen Emiliae, his step-mother, would never see me quite the same again.
As I stood in my place of honor, beside the Arowan crested seat, I remembered my sister, little baby Eya. She was in the back of the church, and I knew she was probably standing on tip-toe so she could see. Our mother, Heaven, was the queen's cousin, and so she was an honored guest at the palace during all seasons. She had began to live here when my father died, and hence, I was able to keep a careful watch over both her and my little sister—my favorite, the fairest one.
I had grown into my duties with surprising ease and grace. They even surprised me. There was never a king who gratified me more then Great King Severus, but he had passed away during the second year of my guardianship. It put a bitter taste in my mouth. I had every hope his son would be as great a ruler. Even though Jannerus was weak, I saw a great strength in his character and build of mind. His mother loved him greatly, and I knew that somehow the situation, as dire as it was, would make them both.
I had faith in both the queen and her son. They were my friends. I was their trusted bodyguard. Nothing could have been happier. Nothing at all, I nodded with satisfaction.
I chuckled softly to myself at the thought of Eya. She was my dearest consolation in life. If I ever had a hard day, I would roll on the floor and try to make her laugh. She was precious and pure like the morning sunlight. I would do anything to keep her that way,even die.
But that was why I was born. To be dispensable, to die. That is why I could not fall in love. Because if I died and left someone alone, that would be worse than just keeping myself from love. Father fell in love foolishly, and he also died, saving his king.
He left his wife alone with two children,but I became the man of the family. I took care of them both, but when I saw the depth of Mother's pain, the way she missed Father, it made me want to cry. She was beautiful—and I could never leave a girl like that behind.
The high priest, Kellakan, reached down to the velvet cushion at his feet. The Crown of Ages was a million years old or more. Everyone held their breath. I clenched down hard on my knife handles. This was a moment when everyone's life was held in the balance -- anything could happen.
I slowly let out my breath as the high priest lifted the heavy golden crown with his aged hands. It wouldn't help to be nervous.Then Jannerus glanced nervously at his step-mother, sitting a few feet away. Her hands were clasped severely in her lap, but I could tell she was afraid too. We were all feeling it, us in the tight inner circle at the palace. We knew how dangerous this was, and yet how hopeful to think that the Habashar Legacy was still continuing.She had to be proud to be the co-mother of something like that.
I grinned to myself for a second. I liked how realistic the queen was. She rarely hid what she was feeling from anyone. It must have been her genuine personality that pleased the king enough to marry her. Their marriage had pleased my father, so it pleased me too. She loved her step-son like he was her own, and defended him in the same way. There was enough trickery in life. I liked how simple her way was, yet how effective.
I heard Jannerus take in a quick breath as the crown touched his head, then his shoulders relaxed. He must have accepted what a great duty he had just been given. I was effected by it too. I blinked away a faint mistiness in his eyes. I knew all about duty, and what a heavy burden it could be. We were partners now, to keep the kingdom running smoothly. It was I who kept him alive at all costs, and he had to take care of the rest of the kingdom. That was a pretty big task, I thought to myself. But could we do it? Could we work well enough together?
I sensed I would be working with his mother more than him. Jannerus listened to his step-mother in everything, and she still disliked me because of Makus. I tried to let it slide at the moment, because it was a special occasion. But I knew she would mention it sooner or later when all the details of coronation were settled.
The prince stood up and turned to look at his people. Granted,these were his royal relations and friends, but still.... the whole world stood on the threshold to see him. I caught his eye. I was to walk with him when he went to the balcony. From there, he would wave to his people. I sighed. This was my favorite and least-favorite part of serving a king. I had to be in the limelight for a little while. Everyone made way for the assassin with the bare knives.
Prince Jannerus pretended to fold his hands as we walked along,but leaned down to whisper to me, "How do I look, Aven?"
I kept looking straight ahead at the stairs we were approaching,but I couldn't help grinning. "Like a king."
Jannerus nodded. I could tell he was pleased. "I guess I am,now."
We reached the foot of the stairs. I fell into step two beats behind him, a figure swathed in black with an edge to him that was menacing. Even I knew that. My appearance was impressive -- and that was the lightest word I could use. Most people were afraid of me.
I turned around halfway on the stairs and stared at the people,making them back-off with my eyes. They saw the look, and fell down a few steps, just trying to give us room. I came up to the top of the stairs just behind the prince, girding his back. We stepped out into the balcony together in the same stride.
He turned and looked confidently at me. "Its nice... Aven. To have you here."
I saw the hesitation, but disregarded it and loosened my shoulders to relax. "Nothing to it," I said as I smiled at the thousands of faces below.
They saw me for what I was. As the Arowan, I received nearly as much honor in these kinds of things as the king did himself. That's because I would give my life for him. For that, I stood tall with my black shoulders back, my head high. Maybe if I hadn't had intense black eyes coupled with wavy black hair I wouldn't have been unnerving to most of these people. But usually, they didn't notice me. On normal occasions, not as important as this, I was only the hooded, cloaked figure in the darkest corner, watching everyone. But that would have scared anyone, and it did. I wasn't the Arowan for nothing.
The people waved back to our gestures, cheering. I grinned at the prince, and moved closer to the railing to look down directly below us. Someone was lifting up a child to see; I caught a whiff of some chestnuts being burnt. It unsettled me, and I frowned at the crowd. I was aware of all smells and sounds—most heralded danger or indifference.
I quickly gave my back to the crowd and pushed the prince backwards at the stairs. "Something's wrong," I whispered tensely. "Get off this balcony!"
He gave me a bewildered glance, then numbly obeyed. I caught a blurred vision of his mother, peering angrily at us from the throne room, holding her skirts above her slippered feet. I anticipated along, boring talk about how I did my duties, but I forgot that in the next instant as the guards swung the balcony doors shut. I nodded with satisfaction as they rattled the chains to lock it.
Then the arrow struck. It came through the barred window on the left of the throne room, where the shutters were open against the night sky. The arrow came straight as a line, and struck the floor with a loud snap.
All the heads in the throne room turned, terror and shock on their faces. I waved them back, afraid of more arrows following, but walked boldly into the middle of the floor and bent down to pick it up. A red bird was painted crudely on the back.
I studied it carefully, then looked up. "Does anyone know what a Red Bird means?" I asked.
The room swept silence. I glanced at Jannerus. He was standing next to his mother, and I noticed with slight amusement that she was holding his arm protectively—or maybe out of fear? I nodded affably and set the arrow inside my sash.
"The prince is fine," I assured her, walking up to them and taking the prince's other arm to lead him away. "I'll make sure he gets to his chambers safely. And I'll be there all night. Don't worry, Your Majesty!"
She scuffed at me, ready to say something, but me and the prince had gone swiftly to the door before anyone could retort something to my commands. We walked down the hallway outside, then I slowly let goof his arm and just went casually along next to him.
"Your mother worries too much!" I said, feeling the annoyance of having her constantly watching and judging.
"That's just how she is," Jannerus excused her generously. "I like her."
"Glad you do," I said shortly, holding a door open for him."She is your mother!" I tried not to roll my eyes as he went in ahead of me, then I followed.
We walked in silence for awhile, thinking, then I took the lead as we neared his personal chambers. "Let me go in and check. Stay here," I cautioned. The prince was safer in the hallway while I stepped inside, and as usual, he didn't complain except for grunting.
The burgundy curtains were floating in the summer breeze, and the bed was turned down for sleep. Everything else was as it should be. I gave a satisfied nod, then gestured to him from the doorway. He came in and took of his heavy robe.
"Suffocating in that thing," he said, laying it down on the dressing table and sitting on the stool. "Do you think I should just go to sleep? I feel like I should be doing things for my people!"
"Don't worry," I said carelessly, opening the weapon case and checking all my knives. "You've just been crowned. They think you'll be resting for your next big day. You waved, didn't you?" I grew distracted as I made sure everything was in place, and distanced myself from the prince as I usually did, when it came time for retirement. We both liked to think our separate thoughts at night.
"Does this mean you're now officially my guard?" Jannerus said, looking at himself in the wide mirror. He looked skeptical,like he couldn't believe it was him.
I hardly looked up. "Yeah. But its assassin. I kill people,remember?"
"I've never seen you harm a soul," I heard him reply.
I looked up, indignant. "I'm pretty good at it, actually!" I declared. "I learned from the best."
"Yeah, but you'll never tell me who!" Jannerus said, staring hard at me. "Maybe you should."
I shook my head, almost amused as I got up. "Nah. I've never even been tempted to tell a soul." I went sedately to the wide window frame and pulled the shutters in from the walls to close and latch them. His next words threw me off.
"Do you believe in falling in love?"
I stared at the shutters and my hands closing them. "Why?"
"I don't know," the prince shrugged. "I need to fall in love if I'm ever going to marry."
"You better," I said offhandedly, "or the line of Habashar will be ended." I looked desolately out the window at the far off hills, tinted blue and cold with the fleeing of the Western sun. If I never got married, my line would be ended too. I guess I had no choice.
I sighed and heaved myself away from the window. I pulled out a brocaded chair from the prince's writing desk and straddled it backwards. "And how do you propose to fall in love, Jannerus?"
He cocked his head. "I guess I'll have to throw a ball. That's how my father did it."
"Did he?" I couldn't hold the laughter out of my voice, but at least I tried. "Is that how he met your mother, or Queen Emiliae?"
"Queen Emiliae. Mother was his true love since his childhood.Can you really fall in love from your childhood, Aven?" The prince looked perplexed.
I shrugged my shoulders, feeling tired all-of-the-sudden. "Iguess you can. Anybody can do whatever they jolly-well feel like,"I muttered, staring sleepily at the floor.
"That's nice. But I haven't." Jannerus stood up and walked to his bed. "Will you be near the door, Aven? I feel suddenly afraid of massacre now that I'm king. Its a weird sensation."
I scooped myself up from the chair and sauntered to the heavy oak door that led back to the hallway. "Um... yeah. I'll always be around. I sleep right over there." I pointed, making sure he saw me. My bed hung by chains from the roof of a small cell just beside his bed chamber. There was a small adjoining door that had a latch only I could handle, and it enabled me to come in during the night I thought something was wrong. My senses were tuned higher than most people, so I heard danger lurking close by before Jannerus even snorted in his sleep.
I chuckled as I closed the heavy door behind me. First, I would make sure my mother and little Eya were comfortable for the night and didn't miss me too much. I missed them an awful lot. Maybe it was just that reason to made me go, night after night, to my mother's chambers. Maybe it was I that missed them so much I used that one sanctioned excuse to see them often. But I used it till it was thread-bare. Mother and Eya were the dearest creatures in my life.
Mother's door stood open, just a crack of light slithering down the stone stairs to the hallway below. She left it open so I could come in, even if it was late. She usually expected me late, since I couldn't easily get away from my duties, but she stayed up, even after putting Eya to bed.
I found her sitting beside her window, fingering a lace shawl Father had given her. I crossed the room to her side quickly, and put my knee up on the window-seat beside her.
"Mother," I said, summoning her back from the realm of memories.
She started, then gazed at me lovingly. "You came. I thought you would never get here, with Jannerus being the king now and..."
Her eyes met mine. "What's the matter, Aven? You look sad."
"Just sad to see you sooner, Mother," I said, choking on the emotion. "Will you sing me a song, please? I just feel... tired,that's all."
I pulled up my knees and held them close to my chest while she sang an old aria, something my father had loved to hear. It filled her chamber, and still didn't wake baby Eya, sleeping contentedly, a white face framed with black hair against the pillows.
I couldn't help myself from getting up and going to kiss her while she slept. She was delightful even when her eyes were closed, her breathing regular. I could sit and watch her sleep, and feel suddenly safe and sound, like no ocean or hurricane or evil could penetrate the safety of that circle, where my baby Eya breathed.
Then Mother stopped singing. "Its late, Aven," she said.
I sighed and got up, forlorn to leave either of them. "You will be alright?" I said cautiously, not trying to hide how I cared for them in my voice.
She stroked my cheek with one hand, then put the lace shawl over my shoulders. "To keep you warm while walking back," she said, as if to excuse her sentimentality.
I grinned at her. "Not enough. But your love does that rest."
Her smile made me warm inside, and I left them both gladder than I had come. I closed the heavy door behind me, and made sure it latched securely on the inside. I didn't want any night visitors to disturb either Eya or my mother's sleep.
The prince was fast asleep, stretched out on his covers, when I returned, so I went into my little room and swung onto my chained bed. It was suspended hair to make for easy combat if someone entered, and in case I had to keep a prisoner in there. They couldn't easily reach me from the floor.
The lights were all blown out, even the sun, and I slept. I dimly remember hearing a metal object hitting the floor in the other room,then I out of bed like a streak of black energy and inside the prince's chamber.