Ro lifted her shirt to make sure that her bandage was still in place after all the bending and squatting she had to do to pick the herbs she needed for her fifth trial of making the balm. Ro had been so frustrated with her failed attempts that she was willing to work through the night to ensure that she treated the guard's son. She wiped the sweat beading on her forehead and glanced across the valley at the setting sun. The day was nearly gone and she had much work left to do. She had to cure the child. She had to get an audience with the King.
Ro bent down a final time to pick up her basket. It wasn't heavy, but it didn't feel light in her tired arms. Ro had turned to walk towards the work room when she felt the warmth of a familiar air. She felt a tension and a sense of aggravation wash over her. Arik. Ro turned to face the Halfling that approached her. The basket of peppervine fell at her feet and Ro stood in amazement at the figure before her. It had been so long since she had seen him. And there he was looking at her with his brown and violets eyes as if there hadn't been time apart.
"Why are you here?" Ro managed to say as Arik took his last footsteps towards her.
Arik bent down and picked up the basket. He twisted one of the herbs between his fingers, "Mystic peppervine is a strong herb."
Ro nodded, "I know that. I am using it to make a balm for the guard's son who has the blistering touch." Ro took the basket from Arik's hands, "So if you'll excuse me I need to get back to work."
Arik grabbed Ro by her forearm and pulled her back towards him. She hissed in pain and Arik immediately let go of her, "You should not be out here alone."
Ro met his eyes, "Obviously I'm not."
Arik cocked his head, "Why is this balm so essential that it requires you to labor until nightfall?"
"Why do you care?" Ro's words were harsh and her lips were tight against her scowl.
Ro's words hit Arik hard. The Halfling could sense her anger towards him and he knew that it was from when he stood and watched as Niall beat her. He could not blame her for her feelings. He had hated himself for not being able to so much as help her from the floor. He left her bleeding and broken on the ground like a wild animal.
"What would you have had me done?" Arik's eyes were heavy with concern, "The moment I stood up against my King I would have been berated. You would have been tortured in front of me for days or even weeks depending on how long it would have taken me to break."
Ro shook her head, "He wouldn't have done that to Lady Aurora. She's too valuable."
"Your condition matters not. The only thing that matters is that you are alive."
Ro tightened her grip on the basket, "I couldn't feel your emotions. It was like you weren't even there. You just stood there...and watched...and I felt helpless, Arik. I felt-"
"I know exactly how you felt." Arik took a step towards the human leaving only a few inches between them, "I felt everything."
Ro looked across the valley at the setting sun, "I am angrier at the fact that you never came for me. I waited for you. I thought that at any moment you would come to see me." Ro looked back at the Halfling, "Then I finally realized that what you told me was true. I only have myself here." Ro shook the basket, "I have to make this balm to heal the guard's son so that I can have an audience with the King."
"You are to be brought to Niall tomorrow."
Arik's sudden words threw Ro off guard. "What?" she blinked.
"Word has reached him of your recovery and he has requested an audience with you." Arik pulled the basket from Ro's arms, "I suggest you rest and ready yourself."
Ro nodded, "So that's why you're here." She muddled breathlessly. "I will see you tomorrow then."
Ro turned from him and left with her shoulders slightly slumped and Arik could feel her disappointment. He truly had not sought her out. He had just happened upon her. His body moved involuntarily toward her when he saw her in the garden. He had dreaded knowing that he would have to make contact with her again because he had tried so desperately to pull back the human emotions that had surfaced with her. He hated what he had become with her. The handful of visits with Helga each year were enough to keep his emotions at bay, but those few days with Ro were enough to bring back a part of him that had been dormant for ages.
When she reached the door Arik wanted to call out to her. He wanted to give her some form of comfort before tomorrow, but he let her go. There was no point. There was no comfort to give. She would be a wanted woman for the remainder of her life. She would be held as a prisoner, no, a prize in the Tempest Court for however long the King wished. Niall would not back down from the Ember Court. Even with their Dragons the King would not let her go. Niall loathed the Ember King and if he had anything in his power to stir up a hatred in him he would use it.
* * *
Ro had not gotten much rest. She had spent a good part of the night making four different versions of the balm. She had been so irritable and exhausted when she woke up. The guard was to bring his child in early to test the balms. Ro had been alert when the little male began to smile when one of Ro's balms was applied to his skin. It had begun to instantly clear up and Ro was so pleased with herself. She was so glad that she had accomplished what she had set out to do that she had forgotten about meeting with the King until Nina reminded her.
"Ro, there is a Halfling waiting in the garden to escort you to the throne room."
Nina's words made Ro's heart sink. Before Ro made her way to the garden Nina praised her for her work and the Fairy guard thanked her for what she had done for his son. Ro was taken aback by the gratitude, but accepted it none the less. The human's walk to the garden was slow and her feet felt heavy. She wasn't sure what exactly was going to happen in the throne room. Niall could beat her more severely this time to give her another test. She shuddered at the thought.
When Ro stepped into the garden the Halfling's back was to her and she instantly knew that it wasn't Arik. And when Orin turned around to face her she met his gaze with a look of relief and slight disappointment. His arms were folded across his broad chest and Ro's eyes shot to the leather straps around his waist that were filled with daggers. Even in their Court the Halflings were armed. Ro swallowed hard as she walked up to the warrior.
"Well if it is not the lovely Lady Aurora." Orin's smile was cocky.
"Orin." Ro muttered.
He raised an eyebrow, "How gracious of you to remember the name of someone as lowly as myself." The Halfling wrapped a strong hand around Ro's upper arm and began to tug her behind him, "Come."
Ro felt a singe of pain from her abdomen as Orin pulled her along, but she would be damned if she told him about it. She wouldn't dare. The Halfling didn't let up until they were outside of the throne room. The Fairy guards that stood out front were less than pleased to see a human in their presence and looked down at Ro like she were lower than a dog. They addressed Orin and opened the door for him to enter with the woman. They told him that the King would be in shortly and to wait inside. Orin didn't speak to Ro until the doors were shut behind them.
"Do not test him." He warned her quietly.
Ro narrowed her eye brows, "What are you talking about?"
"You are brave with Halflings. Fairies are a different breed."
Ro was so confused about Orin's warning. She wasn't sure why he bothered to tell her anything. "I didn't plan on doing anything reckless."
Orin didn't say another word. The Halfling just stood beside Ro at attention waiting for his King to enter the room. Ro remembered the black floor with the specks of sparkle. She remembered being thrown across it and her blood that matched the curtains that hung loosely beside the floor length windows. The room wasn't as bright as it had been the first time she had seen it. It was a cloudy day today and the herbalists were worried for rain. Many of them had spent the morning covering the garden with leather tarps to protect the plants. Apparently storms in the Court were ruthless.
Ro noticed when Orin bowed in the corner of her eye. She looked up at the golden-haired King that had entered the room. His violet eyes were fixated on her and she dared not look away from him. The human steadied her breath and watched as the King took his seat on the throne. There was a change in the air as he took his place. The Fairy cocked his head and purged his lips as he looked at the woman. He analyzed every inch of her that he could see and seemed very satisfied as what he saw.
"There is a fire raging from the east coming to burn my Court." Ro loosed a breath at the King's word, "Many of my soldiers will be killed as will many in my Court." His eyes began to glow and Ro's skin crawled as an ice cold wind surrounded her. "The Ember King will have you to his household. He will do all that is within the power of his Kingdom to do so. He will mar all that cross his path." The King motioned his large hand toward Ro, "All for you. All for the great healer. Lady Aurora."
Ro wasn't sure how to respond. She had no idea what the King had intended to do next. She felt the sweat building up on her brow and noticed how much faster her heart was starting to beat. She had done it. She had proved herself. That was want she had wanted, but now she was going to find out just exactly what that meant.
"You will be safeguarded by my Halfling army. You will not dwell with the servants of my Court. You will reside among the noble. You will be regarded as a Lady and treated as such. My Court must know the value you have brought to this Court."
Value? Ro thought of herself as a liability, not something of value. She couldn't imagine how she would bring anything good to the Court. The Ember King was going to wage war on the Tempest Court in order to get her in his possession. That meant death like the King had said, but it also meant anxiety among the members of the Kingdom. No one would be able to rest easy knowing that war was on the way. Children would cry in their mother's arms over the loss of their fathers. Blood would stain the streets. Ro didn't see any kind of value in that.
"War will erupt." The King smiled and it caught Ro off guard, "However once he realizes that your life is at my mercy he will succumb to my will. You alone have given me the power to bring down the Kingdom of Fire and Ash."
Ro's knees started to buckle. She understood now. She was going to be held for ransom. It was obvious that the Ember King would want revenge for his father's death, but Ro couldn't see how it could be important enough to wage war and kill others in the process. It didn't make sense to her. The Dragon had told her that she needed to face what she had done. She had been willing to do that. She had wanted to go to the Ember Court and face whatever sins Aurora had committed. Now there was no way that she would be able to escape to do so. She would be guarded and watched constantly by the guards. She made a sideways glance at Orin who stood strongly with his shoulders back.
"My Lady, the Halfling will now escort you to your new quarters. I hope that you find them accommodating." The King flashed Ro a wicked smile and then spoke to Orin in the Fairy language, "Remain with her until the Commander returns. She is not to be left alone."
Orin nodded in agreeance to the King and Ro had to resist the urge to make a disgusted scowl upon hearing that Orin would be watching her. The Halfling led the way out of the throne room and Ro was glad to be out of the presence of the Fairy King. Ro followed Orin with her head down. They passed by several Fairies and Halflings and human slaves and Ro dare not look any of them in the eyes. She was unsure if word had gotten out about who she was thought to be, but she didn't want to take any chances. The Fairies and Halflings would still look down on her despite her newfound status and the humans would despise and resent her for what she now was.
Orin stopped in front a closed door that matched the six others in the narrow hallway of the castle. It wasn't a large door and so Ro couldn't imagine the room being any sort of significant size and when Orin opened the door she realized that she was right. There was a small bed in the corner next to a barred window. There were several lit candles on a wooden desk that she could assume were flaming in the anticipation of her arrival. There were two doors to the far right of the room and she guessed that at least one was a closet. It was modest and quaint, but Ro was thankful for have a space to herself.
"This is where you shall stay." Orin moved aside so Ro could enter the room.
The floors were solid and didn't creak as she walked across them. Her boots clicked against the stone and she felt the wind chill from the small cracks under the window pane. It wasn't home. It wasn't a place that she wanted to be forever, but it was the first thing that she had in the realm that was hers. Ro moved toward the doors on the far right side of the room. She opened the door on the right to reveal the closet. It had been stocked with clothes and different sorts of shoes for her. It would be nice to have a clean change of clothes for every day, she thought.
When Ro moved to open the other door Orin stopped her with his words, "That door leads to the Commander's quarters. You are staying in his spare room."
Ro couldn't believe that she was going to be staying in a jointed space with Arik. Suddenly a rush of memories filled her mind and she realized that the clothes had not been provided for her because they had been left there for decades and this room had not been touched in years. Because it had been Helga's. Ro closed her eyes. She would be staying in Helga's room. Ro turned to face Orin. The Halfling had his arms folded against his chest as he leaned against the frame of the open door.
"Would you tell me something?" She asked.
The Halfling shrugged his shoulders, "That would depend on what you want to know."
His words were sharp and straight to the point, but Ro didn't let it phase her, "Why of all the rooms in the castle would I be staying in this particular one?"
The Halfling narrowed his eyes, "Too good for it are you?"
Ro shook her head, "No that isn't what I'm saying."
Orin motioned towards Arik's room, "The Commander made the arrangements so you would be close to him. He is to head your protection under the King's command." The Halfling took a step toward her unfolding his arms to expose broad chest, "We were given specific instructions to make sure that you were well taken care of."
Ro's stomach lurched as the Halfling stood just inches in front of her. He reached out and began to stroke her arm. She pulled away, "I would like for you to leave."
Orin shook his head, "I was told by my King not to leave you unattended." Orin used the hand that he had been stroking her with to grab her upper arm to pull her towards him. "You look so tense every time I see you."
Ro locked eyes with Orin, "That's because you're around."
Orin deepened his hold, "I would be glad to help relieve the tension you feel."
Before Ro could say some of the colorful words that came to mind, Orin pulled away. His head had turned towards the double doors across the room and cocked his head as if he was listening. He turned back to Ro, "Seems your nursemaid has arrived." Orin winked at her, "Until we met again." Orin left the room and closed the door behind him. Ro was so relieved that he was gone. She wasn't sure what his intentions were going to be the next time they were alone, but Ro made a mental note to be on guard around him from now on.
Ro could hear stirring coming from Arik's room and she made her way towards his door. Her hand was on the handle ready to swing it open when she heard a female's voice in the room. Shea. Ro swallowed and gently laid her head against the door and listened. She could tell by the tone in her voice that she was upset about something. Arik had just responded, but she only caught the last part of what he had said.
"Niall is putting our lives on the line for pride and it sickens me to think that you would not stand against it!" Shea's voice was thunderous on the other side of the door as she spoke in the Fairy language, "Arik, I do not understand how you could bend to his will so easily! You have always told the King your opinions. If there was one creature in this Realm that he would listen to it would be you."
"Niall wants control of the Ember lands and their resources." Ro could hear Arik's footsteps as he paced. "This has been the ultimate goal of all the Courts for years and this will be our only hope." Arik's footsteps stopped, "You know just as well as I do that the Ember Court is the most powerful. The most dangerous to the Fae. If the Ember King wished it he could burn our Realm to nothing, but ash and embers."
Shea spoke again, "Why wage this war? The Ember Court hasn't so much as sent a spark out into the Realm in decades."
"By now the Ember King knows that Aurora is here and alive and he will do anything is his power to retrieve her."
"I heard that Niall plans to use her as some sort of bargaining tool."
Arik huffed, "You heard correct. Aurora's presence will be made known throughout the Tempest Court and will undoubtedly be made known to the surrounding Courts and Kingdoms. Niall wants the entire realm to know that it is he that possesses the great healer and that it is he that will finally take down the Ember Court."
"Arik, the solution to this problem is simple. We must give her over. Let the Ember King have her. It is our only hope to save our soldiers. To save the innocents of the Court."
There was a long pause. Ro couldn't hear any movement and could only guess as to what was going on behind the door she was leaned against. Suddenly, Ro felt a small draft of wind seeping from the crack underneath the door. She closed her eyes to open herself up to feel Arik. He was torn. He felt confused and angered by something that Ro couldn't pin point. Shea had only made him feel worse about whatever was troubling him.
"Arik..." Shea's voice was soft. "I will go now, but do not forget what must be done. You know just as well as I that the healer must go." There were footsteps and then Ro could hear the sound of lips smacking against flesh, "Thank you for the training session. I felt well today. I believe that the healers have done their best work yet against the glistol."
There wasn't another word spoken. Only the sound of footsteps and a door opening and closing. Shea had left Arik in his quarters and Ro felt her hand gripping the handle so hard that it hurt. She wanted to open the door to ask him what everything that had been said meant. Ro let go of the handle. Her hands were at her sides and she closed her eyes and listened. She heard the sound of footsteps again. Ro backed a good ways away from the door and waited for Arik to open it.
Her heart fluttered a bit when Arik walked into the room. He had obviously been doing some sort of strenuous task. He glistened with sweat. His shirt soaked with it. The training session with Shea must have been quiet the feat. The scar on his face was more noticeable with his flushed cheeks. He seemed exhausted and Ro knew that she was the last person that he wanted to deal with.
"Training?" Ro asked.
"Always." Arik's tone was flat.
"So I guess you'll be babysitting me again."
Arik cocked his head, confused at Ro's words.
"You're going to be my nursemaid again."
Arik nodded his head, "Seems to be a position I cannot escape."
Ro looked down, "There is one way."
Arik arched an eyebrow.
"I overheard you talking to Shea...and she's right." Ro folded her eyes across her stomach. "If I go to the Ember Court it will save so many lives. And you won't have to deal with me anymore. All I need is my brand and then Alston will continue to watch over Helga."
Arik's eyes were deadlocked onto Ro's face as he crossed the room to stand in front of her, "This is no longer about a brand."
Ro's mouth fell over slightly, "What?"
"You took the brunt of an iron sword for me. You put your life at risk for my life." Arik placed a hand on his chest, "I am indebted to you. I cannot allow for you to meet death in the Ember Court."
Ro hung her head.
"You are not a prisoner. You are a permanent guest of the King. You will have all of the fineries and flares that the Court has to offer."
Ro sighed, "I don't want any of that. What good are luxuries when people are dying for you to have them? I know that the Fairies and Halflings here already look down on me. I can't imagine what they will think once a war breaks out. And don't even get me started on the other humans. They will continue living as slaves while I am treated like royalty. Even the children are-" Ro took a sharp breath. Children. An exhale. Annika. How could she have forgotten about the little girl. "Arik..." Ro was breathless. "Where is Annika? What happened to her?"
Arik's lips formed a straight line, "There is somewhere that I must take you."
"To see her?" Ro asked impatiently.
"Yes." Arik looked away from her, "I will come back for you after I freshen myself."
Without another word, Arik left the room and closed the door behind him. Ro closed her eyes. If Arik was going to take her to see Annika then that meant that she was still in the Court. Surely that meant that she was there to stay. Ro suddenly felt a wave of happiness cut through her. If Annika was staying, then Ro had a chance to help her. With her newfound Lady status she could make a request for Annika to be her handmaiden or something of the like. She nodded. That would ensure the little girl's safety. It was the only thing that she would be able to do to help her and prevent her from going to auction in the future or worse. Ro opened her eyes and stared at the door to the left waiting with a rapid heartbeat for Arik to return.