"You thought you could hide from me... Who are you? Are you an assassin sent to kill me? And how in the blazes did you get on my wall?" The little ball of light has appeared showing his full face now.
"No, I... I..." I stumble on my words not able to speak. The cool metal from his blade that he's holding at my throat stops me from talking. Instead I shake my head quickly trying to get my arm out of his grasp. He doesn't move, his grip only tighter now. He's too strong... I can't get away.
"Answer me now or I'll send you to the gallows. Why did I see you on the wall the other night. How do you look different from when I first saw you? Who sent you?" He demands holding my arm up almost lifting me off the floor while holding the knife to my neck. One swift movement and my life is over...
His proximity is overwhelming and my throat starts to close up. I don't know what to say. No one can know of my secret not even the King. "I'm not going to ask again, where-" He stops and I notice his eyes are on my wrist. Oh no... His expression softens seeing the mark left by my former Master. The young King lets go of my arm and moves away a step. My heart thumps in my chest. He's going to send me back now. Or slaughter me on the spot for running away.
"You're no assassin. You are a.. slave."
My breath catches in my throat and tears are starting to well up. "Please don't send me back to him. I can't go back to my master." Or to Hearthgrim.. I hold onto my wrist, covering the cursed partial mark.
The King shakes his head side to side closing his eyes. "Slavery is forbidden here, it should be everywhere... I would never send someone back to those sick bastards. I can assure you, Miss, you are safe here."
Did he say it's forbidden here? "So you're not sending me back?" I look up into his eyes as he puts his blade away. He shakes his head again and I start to cry from the relief that washes over me. Because of Elyse I made it to Adelaide and because of this city I am safe from Drakon. Divine Gods bless her kind heart and I hope her soul reaches the Golden Fields.
Footsteps echo from the floor above us as someone walks down the stairs. The young King's light vanishes and he herds me to the wall behind me. While the people chatter to each other, I glance at the young man, he puts a finger over his mouth. I think he wants me to stay quiet so I do.
Two women walk down not noticing us as their backs are to us as they step out of the building. Then it's quiet again with only our breaths filling the air.
"Sorry." He coughs looking away for a moment as he steps back. "Didn't want to get caught in here and I should apologize for scaring you like that..." He rubs the back of his neck then speaks up. "So you were," He pauses, eyeing me carefully, "running away then?"
I chew on my lip and nod. "Yes. I was about to be sold to another man and during my journey being transported a bandit stopped us..." That horrid masked man, may he rot on the side of that road. The image of bright red against his white undershirt spreading from his neck flashes through my mind. If I was just a little faster Elyse would be alive...
One of his dark brows lifts as he tilts his head to the side while he listens. His blue eyes skim over me, his stare sends a shiver down my spine making me want to shrink down into a bug and crawl away. I wonder if I could change my shape into something that small...
My fingers find each other and twist together. Why is it though when he looks at me I feel like I might faint, or maybe it is from earlier. Shifting too much drains my energy. "I was the only one that managed to escape and found my way here..." I say finally, not looking at his face. Not the whole truth but I didn't lie either...
His mouth forms a thin line. "That's terrible. I'm sorry that happened to you." He sighs looking out to the windows and rubs his face. "Would you like to come with me please?"
My heart stops. Go with him where? No King wants to deal with a slave like me. Unless he wants to use me like the other men have or take me to prison. I try to step away but he speaks softly. "I'm not going to hurt you, I just want to take you somewhere.. um for a change of clothes so you won't raise too much attention then buy you some food. It looks like you haven't eaten a proper meal in days."
I blink up at him. But before I can say anything he takes my wrist gently and pulls me deeper into the hallway to an unoccupied room. There are some empty wash basins and dry clothes folded on a counter to the left of us. The young man walks ahead of me to the clean laundry and grabs a white long sleeved shirt, a green and black plaid skirt, white thigh high socks and a pair of black leather shoes. I realize it matches his clothes, as well as the group of girls that I passed by earlier. Only he is wearing a white shirt with the plaid tie and light grey trousers.
Seeing my questioning look the young King explains that they are school uniforms the students wear. I don't understand why we need to wear the same clothes but I get what he is trying to do. I'll blend in by looking like a regular student, instead of a so called Doxy. The clothes I took must not be appropriate in this area. I take the clothes that are piled in his arms and he walks over to the open door and leans on the frame looking out into the hallway.
Strange, this man doesn't want to watch at all while I change. I keep an eye on him anyway to make sure he doesn't peek. After I've changed I fold my old clothes into a pile then I decide to pull back my hair into a braid like I saw one of the girls wear, although I am sure it won't look exactly like theirs. I tell him I'm done and he glances back and nods in approval then frowns.
"Do you want to wash up your face? It has got a bit of dirt on it." His gaze falls to my lip but keeps his mouth shut about the cut and the blood.
Heat rises to my cheeks from his stare. "Oh, yeah." I didn't realize how filthy I was, must have been from my landing. What I need is a proper bath. I'll have to bathe when I get back to Ms. Trelawny's. There's a mirror behind me and I grab a cloth from the counter and wet it in the sink then wipe my face and wash my hands since there is soap. The cut stings when I touch it with the cloth as I wipe the now dried blood away.
Whatever a 'Doxy' is, it is not a well dressed or clean person. The King must think of me as one upon seeing me like this...
"Good, we can go eat now without people staring at us.... At least not at you mostly. Not that they would stare at you. You are very pretty but now that you look like that, they won't perceive you in a certain way... You looked fine either way. I'll shut up now." He pushes off from the doorframe showing a lazy smile but I can see his cheeks are starting to get rosy and he gestures me to go first. "Let's go eat."
What a strange man, he likes to talk a lot... Did he say I was pretty?
When I step out into the street the King stands close behind me and tells me to go down the hill. As we walk along the side of the street I can feel his hand hovering my shoulder to guide me on where to go. A shiver runs up my spine at the feel of it there. Please don't touch me... He hasn't touched me since we were in the corridor nor did he watch me undress, which is a good sign. He was also right about getting attention from people on the street, they're not looking at me though. They're mostly looking at the King. After a couple steps and a turn later we come up to a bakery. The smell of fresh bread fills my nose and I can't help but take in a large breath.
The King smiles at me as he holds the door open for me. For the first time I can feel my cheeks heat up at a males dazzling smile that doesn't make me scrunch up. He has a great smile, his teeth are straight except for one front tooth that is slightly turned out and they are not stained with a yellowish colour. I've always been told to smile because it made me prettier for the men but around him, I don't feel that. A kind genuine smile that is meant for me, not as a way to seduce me. And for the first time I return that smile not out of habit. It is out of sincerity.
"Please sit while I get us something."
I do as he says feeling out of sorts while standing here in the middle of the flagstone floor. I don't want to cause any trouble and I don't want to be sent somewhere. Not to another prison to be caged up like some animal... There's little wooden tables placed around the room so I take one near a window.
There's so many people walking around, so much going on. The afternoon sun beats down on the street. I can even feel the heat from it through the window, it is much warmer here than it is where Drakon lives. I think I could sit here all day and watch these people go about their lives.
"I hope you are not a picky eater."
My gaze shifts to the young King standing before me holding two plates full of food. I shake my head vigorously and lean back as he sets a plate down in front of me. "Thank you." I say looking into his bright blue eyes.
He bows his head slightly and a small smile appears on his lips. "You are welcome."
The King picks up his food but watches me closely as I study mine. We have the same meal and he's holding it in his hands. It's two pieces of bread but there's other food placed between the two so they're stacked. I lift up the top slice of bread revealing a green leaf of some sort. Looks like cabbage or maybe lettuce and a square white slice of.. something, as well as a slice of meat and a slice of a wet red fruit... The King clears his throat. "Have you not had a sandwich before?"
I peek up at him putting the piece of bread back and shake my head. He's holding his sandwich between his hands so I do the same then he takes a bite out of it. All of the layers of food at the same time in one bite.
I take a mouthful from mine. So much flavour, the different layers of foods mixing into one. This has to be the best meal I've ever eaten in my life. I chew down a couple more bites then the King speaks up.
"You still haven't told me your name."
I lower my sandwich onto my plate. His stare holding mine and I look down at the table and shake my head. The King shifts forward waiting for me to respond and he lets out a sigh when I don't.
"Look. I promise you that you are safe. Just tell me something about you... How long have you been a slave? Who was going to buy you?"
My face starts to heat up. Why is he asking such questions. I have to tell him something. Do I lie like I have been with the girls or tell him the truth? Can I truly trust him though? I know for sure that I can't tell him that I can shape-shift. If he knew I had magic within me.. Plus he already knows that I'm a slave. I won't tell him everything, after today I won't ever see him again.
"I don't have a name." I tell him shrugging my shoulders. "They just used 'girl' to address me. And I've been a slave for as long as I can remember, Your Majesty."
He scratches the stubble on his jaw. "Barthenon is the only place I can think of where slavery could still be legal. But you came from our northern wall... You must have travelled a long way if you did come from Barthenon. How did you know about the wall anyway?"
"My friend..." I swallow my sorrow, looking down at my hands so he doesn't see the tears forming. "Her name was Elyse... She was captured many years ago and sold off as a slave to my master only a couple years ago. We were planning an escape and she told me to find this city. Now I know why she wanted me here. She thought I could start a new life in Adelaide." That was the most I've ever spoken to anyone. It was more than I wanted to tell him but it just slipped out. I hope that's enough for him to stop asking me questions.
The Kings' brows knit together as he ponders. His chin is resting on the heel of his hand and he drums his fingers on his upper lip. Not knowing what to do with myself, I finish my sandwich before I start staring at him. That gaze of his is unnerving, it's a whole different feeling when he looks at me though. Any other man I could easily hold gazes with, except for him. And I can't trust that. Not until I know for sure.
"How about Diana?"
"What?"
"For a name." He grins at me.
I scrunch my nose. "No."
He chuckles, nodding and rubs his chin again. "Beatrice?"
"Do I look like an elderly woman?"
The King throws his head back in laughter making me giggle which catches me by surprise... I didn't know I could laugh. His eyes dance with amusement and my heart throbs at the sight. "Oh, how about Camellia? I could call you Cam for short."
I bite my lip taking it into consideration then bob my head, it is better than Star.. Sorry Cherry. "I like it." I tell him with a small smile. A name. I have a name that is mine.
"So do I. Nice to meet you Camellia, my name is Sebastian Hawthorne, King of Adelaide, firstborn son of King Velan Hawthorne and Queen Eva Whitmere." He lifts up his hand and holds it in front of me so I can shake it.
Although his hands are strong and much larger than my own, he has a gentle grip when his fingers wrap around mine. The warmth feels nice against my cool skin. Sebastian, it's a nice name. It seems to suit him.
"Nice to meet you, Your Majesty." I say while bowing my head.
A wide smile spreads across his face making his eyes close up then waves his hand. "No need for formalities. Just call me Sebastian if you like."
Our eyes meet and my cheeks start to heat up again. "Um, okay." I say then look away. I'd feel more comfortable by addressing him by his title since he is a royal but if he insists then I shall obey.
A thin line forms where his mouth is after looking at his wristwatch. "Well I have to get back to the university, I only had enough time for lunch."
"Oh." My shoulders slouch. I was enjoying this with him. But he is a king and I'm still a slave on the run. A nobody. We lead different lives and he most assuredly saw pity in me.
"Do you want to join me?"
I look back at him. "What?"
"Join me in class at the university. You can see what it's like." He stares at me for a moment and continues. "I think it would interest you. Furthermore you look the part of a student so why not take the advantage of it."
Join him in school, get a glimpse of what people are being taught. Elyse told me about the bigger cities having schools and how education is important. Is that really a good idea though? Maybe by going I will learn more about this world and how to be in this city. I have nothing else to do and I could gain some knowledge. Now that the king knows I'm not an assassin, I don't have to worry about being caught and look for another place to stay. "Sure." I smile nervously at him.
When we come up to the door of the university Sebastian opens it to let me go first. As we walk through the hall Sebastian asks me how old I am.
"Guess." I wish I knew how old I was. Elyse told me that people celebrated the anniversary of their births. They would receive gifts from family members and have a party and eat cake. I never got to do that since I don't know.
"You don't know how old you are do you?" I give him a shy smile and when I shake my head he looks me over then says. "Well I would have to say 20 or 21."
I shrug and nod. My guess is as good as his. I don't know exactly how old I am or even what day I was born but I feel like I could be around that age. "That feels about right."
Sebastian chuckles stopping in front of an open door leading to a room. "Then that makes us the same age, if you are 21." He comments with a grin then motions me to go in first. 21 years being alive, as a slave. My goodness that's a long time now that I think of it.
For some reason I'm nervous but I step in to a spacious room. The floor slopes down creating a bowl shape with a tall skinny table sitting in the middle at the bottom where it is level. Four rows of chairs with even smaller tables mounted to them line the floor as well. There's people already sitting in most of the seats.
Sebastian walks ahead of me with a grin on his face. He takes a spot in the row in front of us and sits in the outermost seat. I follow and sit next to him on the other side.
"So what are you learning here?"
"In this class I am learning the history of magic."
"Really?" How long has magic been around?
"Yeah. I don't know if you know this but Adelaide is a holy city. This is where magic is derived from. Where the Divine then later Fae originally lived millennia ago."
"Wow." The birthplace of magic. Right here in this city. That's probably another reason why Elyse wanted me to come here. So that I could learn about magic. Maybe that's why I feel so at ease here too...
Sebastian smiles. "If you have any questions feel free to ask the professor."
"Professor?"
The young King nods his head. "Yes. He's the one teaching us. He'll be standing behind that lectern."
In the distance a bell tolls and a man which I'm assuming is the professor walks into the room from a side door and steps up to the skinny table or lectern, is what Sebastian called it.
"Welcome back students. I trust you had a good lunch." The older man eyes his students over his spectacles including me. He tilts his head then pushes his spectacles up the bridge of his nose. "Looks like we have a new face in here today too."
All eyes are on me now and I feel heat rising to my face as I sink back into the chair. The king shouldn't have brought me here. Why are they looking at me like that?
Sebastian speaks up leaning forward. "This is my.. cousin Cam Whitmere, a distant relative. She's visiting from Hampsteid and came to celebrate my coronation. She wanted to see the university here. I thought you wouldn't mind if she participated just for this afternoon to get a taste of the curriculums that this marvellous institution has to offer, Sir." He says patting my back between the shoulders.
Cousin? What is a curriculum?
The Professor squints his eyes at us as he steps around his lectern. "Ah, well I can see why you'd be interested then Lady Whitmere since they don't teach you much over there, let alone the history of magic or Fae in Hampsteid. Well I don't mind educating fresh and eager minds Your Majesty." He strokes his white beard in thought. "I'll allow her to join our class today." The Professor bows his head to Sebastian then turns his attention back to me. "I am Professor Ozcan, you may feel free to raise your hand if you have any questions. Welcome to History of Magic."
Sebastian was right in taking me here, I don't know why he thought of it but I am glad he took me to this class. I nod my head excitedly as he turns his body so he's facing the black wall and the rest of the students shift their gazes on to him. The Professor starts writing on the wall with a small white stick. Oh no. I hope he doesn't do this the whole time, I don't know how to read or write.
After he writes the letters he drags the stick across creating a line under the words. Then he starts speaking to the class while flipping through a book that is placed on the lectern as well. "As you've read in your texts from last chapter, we've discussed how the humans and the Fae folk mated thus creating a new species that were born half Fae and half human. Does anyone remember what we called them?"
A few students raise their hands to answer and the Professor points to a black curly haired girl. "They were called Azures."
"Correct Ophelia."
Human and Fae? That bandit also called me an Azure. Was he right? Are there more like me?
"Turn to chapter 12 and we will discuss how these Azures innovated the human history and their learning of magic."
"What is a Fae?" I whisper to Sebastian. Elyse has mentioned the Fae but I thought they were ordinary creatures, like an orc or a pixie.
He is mid flipping a page of his book and he glances up at me. "An Immortal Being. You know Guardians of Silver Stone Vale, Keepers of Magic. Humans centuries ago practically worshipped them and their gods. We still do in this city."
So that's where humans learned magic from, from the Fae folk. And somehow they mated and made the Azures all those years ago. Were they born with magic like the Fae or were they taught it too? I wasn't taught magic so how am I able to use it?
I raise my hand up. I need to know how I was born with magic and where these Fae are now.
Professor Ozcan sees my hand and nods.
"How rare is magic and how many Azures are there? Can anyone use magic? Are there Fae still around?"
The Professor shakes his head slightly and let's out a sigh while the students laugh to themselves quietly. "Magic is rare for humans. Few can have the ability and patience to be taught it because it takes many years to master magic. Even with the training and practice you can't do that without the aid of a Zythine crystal which are imbued with magical qualities giving a human the chance, although small, of wielding magic. Being born with magic like the Fae is very rare now a days as well because you would need a close ancestor of Fae in your bloodline to be able to wield magic without an enchanted item. One parent with full Fae blood and a human or both parents being Azures. First generation of course. Which both scenarios are highly unlikely since no one has seen either of those creatures in over 600 years. Not even here in their Holy City."
No Fae or Azures in that long? That couldn't be possible.
"Why?" I ask. The professor looks startled by my question and presses two fingers between his eyebrows.
"Cam..." Sebastian says quietly next to me.
"Because of the Great War child." He replies with a frown. "Anymore questions?"
"What do the Azures look like?" The students whisper quietly but the Professor answers.
"Well.. Legend says that they closely resemble the Fae except for their fingers. Azures have five just like humans, while the Fae have four. Their eyes aren't as big. They still have the sharp features as the Fae including the pointed ears and different hair and eye colours. Such ethereal creatures they are. It is said that their beauty is like no other too." The professor says staring off at a wall. "Legend says some humans fall under a trance when their gaze meets with an Azures'. You can only wonder what a human would do if they ever came across a Fae." His gaze falls onto me. "Their grace and strength surpass any human's... They are highly revered here including the Fae of course. What an honour it would be to meet one."
The class falls silent then the Professor clears his throat looking to the rest of the class. "Moving on." He says loudly and continues reading from the book and writing on the black wall behind him. Amazing, I want to know more but I don't raise my hand for the rest of the class. Instead I just sit on the edge of my seat and listen.
The first Azure became an Emperor that united the Fae and humans creating a large kingdom called MystHaven. Humans and Fae lived in peace creating more and more Azures for centuries until about 700 years ago.
A greedy King from a bordering territory somehow learned to subdue magic from any creature. And also siphon it to himself making him more powerful than any High Fae. The King Oryn II eventually rallied enough lords and other rulers to overthrow the Emporer of MystHaven thus starting the Great War or The Cleansing is what the people from the other territories call it.
The end result didn't turn out well for either side, countless lives were lost. Oryn II conquered MystHaven and drove out the Fae and enslaving what was left of the Azures or enemy humans. Most of the Azures were wiped out. Oryn II built Adelaide and it became a fortress because of the surrounding territories that were still trying to gain power from Oryn II. Oryn II became mad in his solitude but his reign lasted for 5 decades until he was finally overthrown. As the years went on, King after King have been overthrown trying and failing to regain that powerful magic. War after war were forged and ebbed with either victory or loss only soon to be lessened as the power died or was forgotten.
During those years more Fae and Azures suffered the consequences to a point of extinction. There hasn't been a Fae or Azure sighting in hundreds of years.
Since Sebastian's great-grandfathers rule they wanted to change the separation between the Fae folk and humans since it has been the most peaceful. In hopes of gaining some strength back, they've been trying to contact them but unable to do so. The professor thinks the Fae moved to Silver Stone Vale where they can live and be protected by the Ancient Forest. No human has survived venturing into Silver Stone Vale. Whatever beasts that are lurking in the forest don't want humans wandering around.
So much history and violence, all because of a greedy man wanting power. I want to ask another question but a bell tolls. Professor Ozcan looks up from his book and shuts it. "Read Chapter 12 tonight and I want you to answer the questions 1 through 20. All written neatly please. I'm talking to you Mr. Dotham." I follow his scolding gaze to the young man slinking further into his chair. "Dismissed." The Professor waves a hand in the air and the students start to get up.
"So is this what you do all day?" I ask Sebastian as he gathers his things and walks up the steps.
"Three days out of the week I'm here. Then I have my private classes and of course my other duties as King."
"Oh." He sounds busy. I wonder what it would be like to live in his life for a day. To be a Prince or a King for that matter. Having warm food, a warm bed, a family that cares for you.
He holds the door open for me and I step outside. It's still odd how nice he is treating me though. Usually a man would only do what they wanted, they weren't polite or treated me like a person not like how Sebastian has been talking to me. He is kind. Just like Elyse said, even if she did mean the previous one, that Adelaide was ruled by a kind king... But I don't know what this ruler truly wants yet.
An extravagant carriage waits on the street in front of the stairs. It must be for Sebastian. We take a couple steps down then he turns to me. "Where are you staying?"
"Um. Just down by the main market at a place called The Lucky Star."
Sebastian's eyes widen then he blinks at me. "The Lucky Star?"
I frown. "Yes... Why?"
Sebastian sighs, slightly shaking his head. "Unacceptable. Before we part ways I am going to get a proper room for you to stay in. Not in some whore house."
"What? Ah!" I yelp as Sebastian grabs my wrist and pulls me into the carriage.