“Ellis?” Aine asked in surprise, her voice shooting up an octave from her normal tone. She didn’t usually see Ellis in her dreams unless Ellis herself made it so. Compared to Lyran’s face, Ellis’ face seemed an open book as she smiled down at her. “Hello, Aine.”
“Don’t tell me,” Aine began, half annoyed. “You know what happened?” Her voice trailed off in a faint mumble. She half expected Ellis’ smile to falter, but it didn’t; the corners of her lips moved further upward. Aine’s jaw dropped. She had taken the woman standing opposite her as one to show compassion, but something as sadistic as a smile at another’s agony, was not something she had anticipated.
“Aine,” Ellis replied as if guessing her thoughts, “I’m not here to mock you.” Her face was ever friendly as she prompted Aine to sit down on one of the familiar couches in the tiny cottage that was known to the princess as her place of residence. A fire crackled peacefully in the hearth. Aine reluctantly sat down and waited for the woman to give some kind of explanation as to why she had been summoned to the small cottage in the woods. She wasn’t looking forward to another pitying speech about Noah.
Ellis sat down in the armchair closer to the fire, but turned it around so she could face the princess. “I’m afraid there has been a minor misunderstanding,” she spoke in controlled tones, uttering each word separately and smiled again when Aine’s expression became puzzled. “About Noah, I mean,” she continued, ignoring the wariness that now flickered in Aine’s eyes. “Will you let me explain?”
“Explain what?” Aine asked, her voice cold. “There is nothing to explain is there? He died, and it’s my fault. Or are you going to tell me that you have personal connections with the Goddess and you can bring him back?” she snapped, completely out of character.
“Now now, Aine,” Ellis cut in, her voice slightly less sweet, “There is no need to be bitter. I’m trying to t-”
“No reason to be bitter? Ha!” Aine huffed. Tears were burning in her eyes again. She had thought it impossible to cry more tears, but it was a dream, after all, everything was possible there.
“First of all, the Goddess doesn’t believe in favors, and since you no longer believe in her, I know you’re not expecting any,” Ellis replied harshly, “What I’m trying to tell you,” she eyed the princess but foresaw no more interruptions, “Is that Noah is not dead.”
Aine stared at Ellis, her jaw dropping in disbelief. She then shook her head. “No, no, no, I saw him… I saw him, he was dying!”
“What exactly did you see, Aine. Did you see him, dead?” Ellis asked knowingly, almost smiling as Aine continued looking confused. “Do me a favor, close your eyes. Just breathe.”
Aine scowled at Ellis, perceiving her tone as somewhat scrutinizing. Another encouraging look from Ellis however, made her give in, much like Lyran’s look had, when he told her to go to sleep. Aine closed her eyes and breathed in deeply, regulating her breathing and inhaling the fresh scent of pine trees and the faint smell of mint. It calmed her immediately. She waited for Ellis’ voice to call her back again, but it didn’t come.
She opened her eyes slowly, finding herself no longer in the woman’s house. Pine trees surrounded her, cloaked in mist. She squinted against the cold and wet drizzle, her breathing still calm as she moved slowly through the fog. As limited as the world was by the white damp cloak, as limited were Aine’s feelings and thoughts. She could only feel calm.
“Hello, Princess,” a warm, husky voice sounded from behind her and she trembled as a soft hand rested on her shoulder. The sense of tranquility stopped her from whirring around. Instead, she slowly turned, stopping when she faced him.
“You didn’t seriously believe I died, did you?” Noah asked, a soft smile tugging at the corner of his lips as he reached out to brush away a tear that stained her cheek.
She looked up at him, not finding the words she wanted to say. Her bottom lip trembled, and she flung herself forward, burying her face in his chest. He smiled again, embracing her, softly stroking her hair as he felt her gentle sobs. “I wouldn’t leave you like that, darling…”
“I’ll explain it to you, when you’re less shaky, ok?” he cooed, murmuring into her hair. She half nodded, but still didn’t look up or speak, afraid that he would just disappear again. “I’m not going anywhere…” Noah answered her thoughts quietly. “Not unless you want me to…”
Aine shook her head in quick, panicked motions. “No, not like that, not like that ever again.” She rested her chin on his shoulder, staring into the distance but not really seeing. The white distance shimmered, and Aine’s eyes widened. For only a second, there was a shape, a man. It was him, the slit eyed man, his tongue forked. He was watching them. She gasped, blinking involuntarily, and then the figure was gone.
“What’s wrong?” Noah asked, pushing her back slightly to look at her as he grasped her shoulders.
Aine quickly wiped the horrified expression from her face, but still looked confused. “Nothing, I… I thought I saw something…it’s nothing…”
Chapter 23
The sun peeked curiously through the sapphire blue curtains, shedding light on the four-poster bed on which Aden quietly sat. He tugged gently on his boot, pulling it on. He wanted to be out of the room before the castle would wake up. Before she would wake up. He glanced over his shoulder at Aine’s unmoving form. Her sobbing had ended sometime after midnight and the sniffing not long after that. Aden could only assume she was asleep.
Her back was turned towards him and the door, but she appeared to be at peace now.
He straightened his shirt while he got up, checking his reflection in the mirror on the wall opposite the bed. He had looked better. Lack of sleep certainly did not flatter him, he thought. Making a mental note to shave later on the day if he had the time, he moved soundlessly away from the bed, casting a last look at the princess before exiting the room.
Aine breathed out softly as soon as Aden had left and closed the door behind him. She pushed herself up into a sitting position, her eyes red and burning. She hugged her pillow hard, swallowing down another salvo of sobs before they could surface. However glad she had been not to be alone when she was roughly awoken in the middle of the night, she was glad now that Aden had left. She couldn’t possibly tell him the reason for her distress; he would never understand. The loss of Noah was a burden she had to carry alone. It felt more heavy than she had ever imagined it would. Slowly, she lowered herself back into the bed, where the warmth of Aden’s body still remained.
Aden reluctantly moved away from the door. He had waited to listen at the door, but had not been able to hear any more sobs from the princess, much to his relief. However, he doubted that he had heard the last of them. Whoever this Noah was, she clearly cared for him. It frightened the captain a little, because he suddenly wondered if perhaps he was not the only man in Aine’s life. Though if Reinierd had killed him, as she had cried during the night, perhaps he was. Nevertheless, he wanted to know what had happened. Restless, he stalked through the corridor, towards the library. Damenstrius would have documented the men they had lost to Reinierd’s tyranny. He hoped to find Noah’s name on one of them, so he could find out who he was.
The castle had begun to wake up. The sun had become more strong and had begun to drive out the cold and dark of the night. Maids and other staff moved soundlessly and slowly now, emerging from their chambers to resume their positions in the kitchens, halls and stables. Aden caught sight of the maid he had appointed to be Aine’s handmaiden: a young woman in her thirties. Her family was poor and she could use the money. He had found her to be kind and caring, the kind of person he thought Aine needed, someone to confide in.
“Elsa,” he called, jogging down the corridor to catch her before she would be on her way to tend to Aine. The woman looked up and curtsied.
“Milord?” she replied as Aden had come to a halt before her. He almost blushed, but managed to stop himself. “No need to call me that, Elsa,” he said, half chuckling. “I want you to leave the princess to sleep for a little while, ok? I think she might appreciate it.”
Elsa looked at him with a curious smile that made him blush for real this time, but instead of embarrassing him further, she nodded. “Yes, Sir. Will do,“ she said, “Anything else?”
“No, thank you, Elsa,” Aden replied quickly, then turned on his heels, resuming his route toward the library. Had he slipped already. Elsa’s look of curiosity suggested that she might suspect something. Had his words betrayed him? He shook his head, chuckling to himself. He didn’t really care either way. Elsa would probably be the first person to hear about his relationship with Aine, anyway, if the princess should choose to tell anyone. Still, the fact that he had blushed at the thought of anyone finding out made him feel younger than he was. It had even momentarily made him forget about Aine’s obvious heartbreak. As the look on her face as she had told him about the murder came back to him, his smile disappeared. He picked up his pace, almost jogging up the staircase to the second floor, where he turned the first corner and pushed open the heavy doors to the library.
As usual, the only one in there was Damenstrius. Apart from Aine, no one else had time to spend reading books. The staff was too busy running the castle, the villagers too busy rebuilding their houses.
Damenstrius looked up as he heard the creak of wood, and smiled when he saw the captain. “Good morning, Sir,” he nodded, looking at him expectantly.
Aden nodded briefly in greeting when he arrived at the librarian’s desk. “Good morning, Damenstrius. May you be able to help me inquire some information? I’m looking for the records of men that died at Reinierd’s hand.”
Damenstrius frowned, but got up from his chair and disappeared into the small back room.
Aden ran a hand through his disheveled hair, feeling strangely uncomfortable being left alone in the vast library. It was quiet, eerie. Perhaps it was because the library reflected the ruin that Reinierd had caused when his men had invaded the castle: the tall bookcases were mostly empty; the books that did survive singed and blackened. Still, he knew Aine spent most of her free time here. he realized that he best start to find the place a little less unnerving. To his relief, Damenstrius returned, carrying a stack of parchment and scrolls, some older than others.
He dumped the stack onto his desk with a dull, dusty thud. “Anything in particular you are looking for, Sir?” he asked, meanwhile dragging a heavy wooden chair to Aden’s side of the desk and leaving it there for him to sit down on. Aden nodded. “Recent records. I’m looking for a name.”
Damenstrius nodded, sorting the papers in front of him as he sat back down on his own chair. After dividing the cluttered records into piles, he placed several of them, old ones, at the corner of the table and unrolled one of the remaining scrolls. “Who are we looking for?”
“Someone named Noah. Male.” Aden replied, who had sat down and was peering down at the papers, but looked at Damenstrius without moving his head, to see if there was any sign of recognition from him. Damenstrius had been with the princess longest of everyone in the castle; if anyone knew this man, he was it. To his regret, the librarian’s expression was unchanged.
Damenstrius flicked his eyes over the scroll, picking up another, too, looking from one to the other. “This man, what was his profession? Was he a soldier?”
Aden shrugged helplessly. “I don’t know,” he replied. He watched as Damenstrius poured over the scrolls, picking up more and putting down others. He felt aggravated, having hoped that this man would be found easily. He wondered, “Actually, it was A – the princess, who mentioned him,“ he said cautiously, again looking for a sign of recognition on the older man’s face. Still none. Damenstrius looked up, looking confused. “She mentioned that name? I’ve not heard it before,” he frowned.
“Oh yes, in fact she seemed quite distraught about his death,“ Aden elaborated, hopeful.
“I’ve never heard of him,” Damenstrius said again, sounding concerned. “He’s not on these lists, either.”
He put the documents aside and pulled the older records back in front of him. Flicking quickly through the pages, he seemed more determined to find this Noah, because it concerned the princess, Aden guessed. After checking document after document in silence for almost an hour, though, the two men were no wiser. “He’s not in there,” Damenstrius said agitatedly. “Why is he not in there?”
He looked momentarily at Aden, however not expecting an answer. “We keep every record of deaths in here,” his voice held a sharp edge. It was clear to anyone that the librarian did not like things that seemed out of his control or knowledge. “Especially if it concerns Aine. I would know. I always know. Let me go talk to her,” he said resolutely, pushing his chair back.
Aden was quick to his feet as well. “No. I mean, she was finally asleep when I left her,” he said quickly. Damenstrius stopped his movement toward the doors and turned his head to look sharply at the captain, causing the latter to duck his head immediately. Why he felt intimidated by the older man, he wasn’t quite certain.
“When you left her,” Damenstrius replied, it wasn’t a question. “What, pray tell, were you doing there, captain?” His friendly demeanor had changed to a dangerously suspicious one.
Aden opened his mouth to reply, to make excuse to him, but then he closed it again, suddenly stubborn. He didn’t have to explain himself to this man. Damenstrius held no authority over him and he was not a child, though it felt strangely like facing a father who’s daughter he had wooed. For a moment, Aden didn’t reply, his mouth set in a straight line. Then, he spoke up. “Not that I have to explain myself to you, Sir,” he replied snidely, “But she was crying,” Aden looked at the librarian defiantly, with was almost a smirk on his face, even though there was nothing amusing about Aine’s distress. He felt challenged by the other man, who was demanding an explanation that Aden had no obligation to give. He didn’t often use his superior rank to get his way, or his right, but now, he took joy in the fact that he didn’t have to answer. A small part of him even thought about telling Damenstrius exactly where he had been and for how long, simply because he felt that the old man was too protective over a girl he was not related to. His conscience quickly deprived him of that thought. With that, any hint of a smirk or amusement changed to soberness; a loyal look. “She was crying, I tried to calm her,” he repeated, uttering each word slowly and carefully as he released the tension from his stance.
Damenstrius, though still suspicious, relaxed his fists, flexing his fingers. “Fine.” He muttered, returning to his desk without saying anything else.
Meanwhile in her room, Aine was staring blankly at the light blue ceiling. She had no desire to sleep, though she felt incredibly tired. Her eyelids were heavy and yet she refused to let them fall to a close. The prospect of sleeping seemed a threat now. The idea of falling asleep, of dreaming, scared her out of her wits. To dwell in her dreamland, to face her knights, save one, was not something she was ready to do. She couldn’t quite grasp reality, but she knew that the reality of Noah’s death would be too much for her to take.
She glanced around; the room seemed to blur out of existence as tears brimmed on her lashes. Why did it hurt so much? Had she been ignorant toward her feelings for Noah? She might not have realized they had been stronger than just a crush. In fact, now she had begun to realize that her feelings for her dream knight were superior to her feelings for Aden. But Aden was right here, whereas Noah – her train of thought was roughly called to a halt when she noticed the dark shape of a man in the room, by the balcony doors. She would have screamed, were it not for her immediate recognition of the man in question.
She pushed herself up, scolding at the figure. “I wish you would stop doing that!” she snapped at Lyran, her expression hard despite the tears that still stung. Lyran approached her quite slowly, a look of concern on his face. He sat down on the edge of her bed, reaching out to touch her cheek where a tear had run down her skin. He said nothing as he brushed it gently away with his thumb.
“What are you doing here?” Aine asked, turning her face away from him, shying from his touch. Lyran made no attempt to touch her again, but the look on his face was unchanged. “I know what happened,” he said, observing her closely as he waited for a reply that never came. Aine stared at the floor, her expression hard. “I don’t want to talk about it,” she said in a low voice without looking up.
“I know,” he replied, “But you need to sleep. Come on, lay down. Close your eyes. Trust me.” His voice was compelling. Aine turned her head slowly to look at him, sighing. Then, without objecting, rested her head back into the pillows, not bothering to ask herself why she felt so at ease. There was something calming about Lyran, the mysterious man who’s name she still did not know, but didn’t need to know, anymore. There was trust. That was enough. “Sleep,” he said quietly and smiled as he noticed her stifle a yawn. “You’re safe.”
She believed him then, closing her eyes, no longer fearing the consequences of sleep. Come what may.
Her back was turned towards him and the door, but she appeared to be at peace now.
He straightened his shirt while he got up, checking his reflection in the mirror on the wall opposite the bed. He had looked better. Lack of sleep certainly did not flatter him, he thought. Making a mental note to shave later on the day if he had the time, he moved soundlessly away from the bed, casting a last look at the princess before exiting the room.
Aine breathed out softly as soon as Aden had left and closed the door behind him. She pushed herself up into a sitting position, her eyes red and burning. She hugged her pillow hard, swallowing down another salvo of sobs before they could surface. However glad she had been not to be alone when she was roughly awoken in the middle of the night, she was glad now that Aden had left. She couldn’t possibly tell him the reason for her distress; he would never understand. The loss of Noah was a burden she had to carry alone. It felt more heavy than she had ever imagined it would. Slowly, she lowered herself back into the bed, where the warmth of Aden’s body still remained.
Aden reluctantly moved away from the door. He had waited to listen at the door, but had not been able to hear any more sobs from the princess, much to his relief. However, he doubted that he had heard the last of them. Whoever this Noah was, she clearly cared for him. It frightened the captain a little, because he suddenly wondered if perhaps he was not the only man in Aine’s life. Though if Reinierd had killed him, as she had cried during the night, perhaps he was. Nevertheless, he wanted to know what had happened. Restless, he stalked through the corridor, towards the library. Damenstrius would have documented the men they had lost to Reinierd’s tyranny. He hoped to find Noah’s name on one of them, so he could find out who he was.
The castle had begun to wake up. The sun had become more strong and had begun to drive out the cold and dark of the night. Maids and other staff moved soundlessly and slowly now, emerging from their chambers to resume their positions in the kitchens, halls and stables. Aden caught sight of the maid he had appointed to be Aine’s handmaiden: a young woman in her thirties. Her family was poor and she could use the money. He had found her to be kind and caring, the kind of person he thought Aine needed, someone to confide in.
“Elsa,” he called, jogging down the corridor to catch her before she would be on her way to tend to Aine. The woman looked up and curtsied.
“Milord?” she replied as Aden had come to a halt before her. He almost blushed, but managed to stop himself. “No need to call me that, Elsa,” he said, half chuckling. “I want you to leave the princess to sleep for a little while, ok? I think she might appreciate it.”
Elsa looked at him with a curious smile that made him blush for real this time, but instead of embarrassing him further, she nodded. “Yes, Sir. Will do,“ she said, “Anything else?”
“No, thank you, Elsa,” Aden replied quickly, then turned on his heels, resuming his route toward the library. Had he slipped already. Elsa’s look of curiosity suggested that she might suspect something. Had his words betrayed him? He shook his head, chuckling to himself. He didn’t really care either way. Elsa would probably be the first person to hear about his relationship with Aine, anyway, if the princess should choose to tell anyone. Still, the fact that he had blushed at the thought of anyone finding out made him feel younger than he was. It had even momentarily made him forget about Aine’s obvious heartbreak. As the look on her face as she had told him about the murder came back to him, his smile disappeared. He picked up his pace, almost jogging up the staircase to the second floor, where he turned the first corner and pushed open the heavy doors to the library.
As usual, the only one in there was Damenstrius. Apart from Aine, no one else had time to spend reading books. The staff was too busy running the castle, the villagers too busy rebuilding their houses.
Damenstrius looked up as he heard the creak of wood, and smiled when he saw the captain. “Good morning, Sir,” he nodded, looking at him expectantly.
Aden nodded briefly in greeting when he arrived at the librarian’s desk. “Good morning, Damenstrius. May you be able to help me inquire some information? I’m looking for the records of men that died at Reinierd’s hand.”
Damenstrius frowned, but got up from his chair and disappeared into the small back room.
Aden ran a hand through his disheveled hair, feeling strangely uncomfortable being left alone in the vast library. It was quiet, eerie. Perhaps it was because the library reflected the ruin that Reinierd had caused when his men had invaded the castle: the tall bookcases were mostly empty; the books that did survive singed and blackened. Still, he knew Aine spent most of her free time here. he realized that he best start to find the place a little less unnerving. To his relief, Damenstrius returned, carrying a stack of parchment and scrolls, some older than others.
He dumped the stack onto his desk with a dull, dusty thud. “Anything in particular you are looking for, Sir?” he asked, meanwhile dragging a heavy wooden chair to Aden’s side of the desk and leaving it there for him to sit down on. Aden nodded. “Recent records. I’m looking for a name.”
Damenstrius nodded, sorting the papers in front of him as he sat back down on his own chair. After dividing the cluttered records into piles, he placed several of them, old ones, at the corner of the table and unrolled one of the remaining scrolls. “Who are we looking for?”
“Someone named Noah. Male.” Aden replied, who had sat down and was peering down at the papers, but looked at Damenstrius without moving his head, to see if there was any sign of recognition from him. Damenstrius had been with the princess longest of everyone in the castle; if anyone knew this man, he was it. To his regret, the librarian’s expression was unchanged.
Damenstrius flicked his eyes over the scroll, picking up another, too, looking from one to the other. “This man, what was his profession? Was he a soldier?”
Aden shrugged helplessly. “I don’t know,” he replied. He watched as Damenstrius poured over the scrolls, picking up more and putting down others. He felt aggravated, having hoped that this man would be found easily. He wondered, “Actually, it was A – the princess, who mentioned him,“ he said cautiously, again looking for a sign of recognition on the older man’s face. Still none. Damenstrius looked up, looking confused. “She mentioned that name? I’ve not heard it before,” he frowned.
“Oh yes, in fact she seemed quite distraught about his death,“ Aden elaborated, hopeful.
“I’ve never heard of him,” Damenstrius said again, sounding concerned. “He’s not on these lists, either.”
He put the documents aside and pulled the older records back in front of him. Flicking quickly through the pages, he seemed more determined to find this Noah, because it concerned the princess, Aden guessed. After checking document after document in silence for almost an hour, though, the two men were no wiser. “He’s not in there,” Damenstrius said agitatedly. “Why is he not in there?”
He looked momentarily at Aden, however not expecting an answer. “We keep every record of deaths in here,” his voice held a sharp edge. It was clear to anyone that the librarian did not like things that seemed out of his control or knowledge. “Especially if it concerns Aine. I would know. I always know. Let me go talk to her,” he said resolutely, pushing his chair back.
Aden was quick to his feet as well. “No. I mean, she was finally asleep when I left her,” he said quickly. Damenstrius stopped his movement toward the doors and turned his head to look sharply at the captain, causing the latter to duck his head immediately. Why he felt intimidated by the older man, he wasn’t quite certain.
“When you left her,” Damenstrius replied, it wasn’t a question. “What, pray tell, were you doing there, captain?” His friendly demeanor had changed to a dangerously suspicious one.
Aden opened his mouth to reply, to make excuse to him, but then he closed it again, suddenly stubborn. He didn’t have to explain himself to this man. Damenstrius held no authority over him and he was not a child, though it felt strangely like facing a father who’s daughter he had wooed. For a moment, Aden didn’t reply, his mouth set in a straight line. Then, he spoke up. “Not that I have to explain myself to you, Sir,” he replied snidely, “But she was crying,” Aden looked at the librarian defiantly, with was almost a smirk on his face, even though there was nothing amusing about Aine’s distress. He felt challenged by the other man, who was demanding an explanation that Aden had no obligation to give. He didn’t often use his superior rank to get his way, or his right, but now, he took joy in the fact that he didn’t have to answer. A small part of him even thought about telling Damenstrius exactly where he had been and for how long, simply because he felt that the old man was too protective over a girl he was not related to. His conscience quickly deprived him of that thought. With that, any hint of a smirk or amusement changed to soberness; a loyal look. “She was crying, I tried to calm her,” he repeated, uttering each word slowly and carefully as he released the tension from his stance.
Damenstrius, though still suspicious, relaxed his fists, flexing his fingers. “Fine.” He muttered, returning to his desk without saying anything else.
Meanwhile in her room, Aine was staring blankly at the light blue ceiling. She had no desire to sleep, though she felt incredibly tired. Her eyelids were heavy and yet she refused to let them fall to a close. The prospect of sleeping seemed a threat now. The idea of falling asleep, of dreaming, scared her out of her wits. To dwell in her dreamland, to face her knights, save one, was not something she was ready to do. She couldn’t quite grasp reality, but she knew that the reality of Noah’s death would be too much for her to take.
She glanced around; the room seemed to blur out of existence as tears brimmed on her lashes. Why did it hurt so much? Had she been ignorant toward her feelings for Noah? She might not have realized they had been stronger than just a crush. In fact, now she had begun to realize that her feelings for her dream knight were superior to her feelings for Aden. But Aden was right here, whereas Noah – her train of thought was roughly called to a halt when she noticed the dark shape of a man in the room, by the balcony doors. She would have screamed, were it not for her immediate recognition of the man in question.
She pushed herself up, scolding at the figure. “I wish you would stop doing that!” she snapped at Lyran, her expression hard despite the tears that still stung. Lyran approached her quite slowly, a look of concern on his face. He sat down on the edge of her bed, reaching out to touch her cheek where a tear had run down her skin. He said nothing as he brushed it gently away with his thumb.
“What are you doing here?” Aine asked, turning her face away from him, shying from his touch. Lyran made no attempt to touch her again, but the look on his face was unchanged. “I know what happened,” he said, observing her closely as he waited for a reply that never came. Aine stared at the floor, her expression hard. “I don’t want to talk about it,” she said in a low voice without looking up.
“I know,” he replied, “But you need to sleep. Come on, lay down. Close your eyes. Trust me.” His voice was compelling. Aine turned her head slowly to look at him, sighing. Then, without objecting, rested her head back into the pillows, not bothering to ask herself why she felt so at ease. There was something calming about Lyran, the mysterious man who’s name she still did not know, but didn’t need to know, anymore. There was trust. That was enough. “Sleep,” he said quietly and smiled as he noticed her stifle a yawn. “You’re safe.”
She believed him then, closing her eyes, no longer fearing the consequences of sleep. Come what may.
Chapter 22
“I don’t suppose you have any idea where we are?” Noah asked his fellow men as they walked across a lush green hillside.
Donan shook his head quietly, looking around. They had put their fight behind them, having decided that it was because they were tired and naturally short tempered. Of course, they both knew that neither of them had the physical ability to even be tired, but it was better to have a reason for their fighting than to take it seriously, even if the reason was untrue.
The six men frowned upon their surroundings. It was a setting almost too green and lush, even for high summer. “The princess must be in a good mood about something to have brought us here…” Kalos suggested.
“Well, I don’t like it one bit,” Noah said, in a bit of a huff, which made Donan chuckle a little. They reached the other side of the hill not much later, not surprised to find that the valley beyond the hillside was as lush as the hill itself.
There, among the swaying high grass, they found Aine. Noah paused on the hillside a moment, almost losing his balance. He hadn’t attempted to conceal his opinion about her before; he thought she was pretty, but now her beauty seemed to be almost angelic. Even Donan halted for a mere second, brutally reminded of Queen Liana, the woman he once loved. Aine sat in the grass, the sun shining down upon her in a sparkling white gown that floated around her like liquid pearls.
“Well, someone’s feeling cheery!” Ant shouted as he approached the princess, instantly breaking the silence and disrupting the suspended vision. Noah rolled his eyes and walked over, too. Aine looked up and flashed a bright grin at Ant as she got to her feet. “You like?” She beamed, pirouetting to show her dress to the smallest of the six men. “Very classy,” Ant agreed, nodding.
Donan smiled as they all stood around her. “Tell me, you look pleased about something?” he asked, encouraging her to enlighten them.
“Oh! Something wonderful happened today!” she said, twirling around in a very girly way, a way that made Noah cringe with suspicion. “You were right, Donan. I can’t rule a kingdom on my own. But now I don’t have to…”
Donan grinned, looking at his friends with a pleased glance; they all returned it, except Noah. His eyes clouded for a moment, but then he was completely expressionless. Donan shot him a warning look, which reminded Noah to bite back the words he wanted to say. Instead, he offered her a forced smile. “Congratulations,” he muttered, bowing his head formally.
Aine smiled brightly, a smile that went through the bone. Noah closed his eyes a moment. It was better when he didn’t see her, it didn’t hurt as much. Even though she hadn’t actually said anything, Noah knew exactly what she was talking about. She was the kind of girl that couldn’t hide any of her feelings because they showed on her face, bright and clear. There was a man in her life; no question who it was either. Noah had seen it the first time she had talked about the army captain. The fact that Donan had anything to do with her meeting him, made it worse. He had probably talked to Ellis, Noah realized. He had once done the same, when Donan had felt for the former queen as strongly as he felt for the princess now. Still, Noah doubted Donan had done it out of spite towards him.
Even though he had closed his eyes for only a second, it was a sharp cry and the sound of unsheathing swords that pulled him back to reality. He automatically pulled his own sword, and when his vision returned to him, he found himself and fellow protectors surrounded by Reinierd’s men. The cry had been from Aine, who was locked in Reinierd’s grip, held by the sharp edge of a blade.
“Getting sloppy there, boys…” the king smirked. “Had you not been distracted, I might not have this little birdie here…” He caressed Aine’s cheek, a motion that made the girl shudder and Noah’s blood boil. “Let her go, filth!” Noah growled, slowly advancing on the king. Donan eyed the men around them nervously, to his regret realizing that Reinierd had discovered the key to her dreamworld. His imagination was his only limit.
“Ah, no-no-no, soldierboy!” Reinierd warned, pressing the knife into Aine’s skin. She gasped and jerked as the blade cut her skin, tears springing into her eyes. “I wouldn’t do that if I were you,” the king said, “Wouldn’t want her to die before you do. I want her to watch.” He sneered. “And with my men over here,” he waved vaguely at the well armed men around them, I think that won’t take too long.”
Donan cast a nervous look to Noah, who shook his head in return. Not good. He gripped onto his sword a little tighter, letting his eyes waver to a petrified looking Aine for only a moment, until his sword collided with another. Before long, the others, too, were defending themselves, shouting things to Aine she could not quite hear. The clatter of swords was like thunder, their voices but whispers on the roaring wind. Reinierd’s blade still pressed against her throat, more real than ever. He was talking to her, too, but she didn’t hear him.
When the first blood was drawn, it all rushed back to her, in a swirl of noise; Noah’s cry tore her eyes towards him. His chest had been pierced by his opponent’s blade, and although the opponent now lay on the ground, Noah had fallen to his knees and his tunic and shirt were stained with a dark crimson. “One by one they fall. Hurts, doesn’t it, precious?” Reinierd sneered.
“Noah…!” Aine cried, struggling violently against Reinierd’s iron grip. Noah had gripped his tunic, but it seemed little use to stop the blood from leaving him. He looked at her; and for the first time there was fear in his now dull eyes. Aine’s eyes were wide with fear and horror. She had seen a man die before, that night in the forest when she had returned to her castle; Noah looked very much like that man, now. She jerked, screaming, trying to pull herself out of the king’s grip. “Noah!” she screamed, panicked, blinded by fear and anguish. “Noah!” Suddenly another voice reached her. “Aine! You’ve got to wake up!” It was Donan’s, or was it? “Wake up! It’s just a dream! Wake up!”
“Wake up!“ Someone shook her shoulders, and she jerked upwards with a cry. “Noah!” For a moment, she felt disorientated; around her there was the dark familiarity of her bedroom, and sitting on the bed was Aden, his eyes filled with worry. She exhaled and buried her face in his chest, bursting into tears.
“Hey, shhh…It was just a dream…” Aden said quietly, holding her and stroking her hair softly. “What scared you so, hm, darling?” he asked, “I could hear you screaming all the way through the corridors…what’s wrong… Who’s Noah?” He then drew her face up so she would look at him, though something else immediately caught his attention and he touched her neck and drew back his hand in shock. “You’re bleeding!” he exclaimed, quickly throwing aside her bedcovers and pillows, but not finding anything sharp, in or near the bed.
Ignoring his last remark, Aine continued crying. “He k-k-killed him…” she managed, gasping for breath in between strangled sobs. “Noah… he’s dead.”
“Who is Noah! Who killed him? Why are you bleeding. What the hell is going on?” Aden exclaimed, feeling more confused than he had ever felt in his life.
“Reinierd, he…” Aine tried, but then a wave of sobs washed over her again and she flung herself back into her pillows.
Aden, who had quickly diagnosed that the cut on her neck was not one of mortal importance, got up and stalked through the room, yanking the curtains aside, but the balcony doors were locked. There was no one in the room but them.
Exasperated, he ran a hand through his hair, turning back to look at the bed. She seemed so fragile now, shaking with tears. He sighed and walked back towards her, sat down and gathered her against him, just holding her. “It’s alright… I’m here… you’re safe. No one can hurt you now…” he murmured, resting his chin on her head as they sat in the dark. Safe.
Donan shook his head quietly, looking around. They had put their fight behind them, having decided that it was because they were tired and naturally short tempered. Of course, they both knew that neither of them had the physical ability to even be tired, but it was better to have a reason for their fighting than to take it seriously, even if the reason was untrue.
The six men frowned upon their surroundings. It was a setting almost too green and lush, even for high summer. “The princess must be in a good mood about something to have brought us here…” Kalos suggested.
“Well, I don’t like it one bit,” Noah said, in a bit of a huff, which made Donan chuckle a little. They reached the other side of the hill not much later, not surprised to find that the valley beyond the hillside was as lush as the hill itself.
There, among the swaying high grass, they found Aine. Noah paused on the hillside a moment, almost losing his balance. He hadn’t attempted to conceal his opinion about her before; he thought she was pretty, but now her beauty seemed to be almost angelic. Even Donan halted for a mere second, brutally reminded of Queen Liana, the woman he once loved. Aine sat in the grass, the sun shining down upon her in a sparkling white gown that floated around her like liquid pearls.
“Well, someone’s feeling cheery!” Ant shouted as he approached the princess, instantly breaking the silence and disrupting the suspended vision. Noah rolled his eyes and walked over, too. Aine looked up and flashed a bright grin at Ant as she got to her feet. “You like?” She beamed, pirouetting to show her dress to the smallest of the six men. “Very classy,” Ant agreed, nodding.
Donan smiled as they all stood around her. “Tell me, you look pleased about something?” he asked, encouraging her to enlighten them.
“Oh! Something wonderful happened today!” she said, twirling around in a very girly way, a way that made Noah cringe with suspicion. “You were right, Donan. I can’t rule a kingdom on my own. But now I don’t have to…”
Donan grinned, looking at his friends with a pleased glance; they all returned it, except Noah. His eyes clouded for a moment, but then he was completely expressionless. Donan shot him a warning look, which reminded Noah to bite back the words he wanted to say. Instead, he offered her a forced smile. “Congratulations,” he muttered, bowing his head formally.
Aine smiled brightly, a smile that went through the bone. Noah closed his eyes a moment. It was better when he didn’t see her, it didn’t hurt as much. Even though she hadn’t actually said anything, Noah knew exactly what she was talking about. She was the kind of girl that couldn’t hide any of her feelings because they showed on her face, bright and clear. There was a man in her life; no question who it was either. Noah had seen it the first time she had talked about the army captain. The fact that Donan had anything to do with her meeting him, made it worse. He had probably talked to Ellis, Noah realized. He had once done the same, when Donan had felt for the former queen as strongly as he felt for the princess now. Still, Noah doubted Donan had done it out of spite towards him.
Even though he had closed his eyes for only a second, it was a sharp cry and the sound of unsheathing swords that pulled him back to reality. He automatically pulled his own sword, and when his vision returned to him, he found himself and fellow protectors surrounded by Reinierd’s men. The cry had been from Aine, who was locked in Reinierd’s grip, held by the sharp edge of a blade.
“Getting sloppy there, boys…” the king smirked. “Had you not been distracted, I might not have this little birdie here…” He caressed Aine’s cheek, a motion that made the girl shudder and Noah’s blood boil. “Let her go, filth!” Noah growled, slowly advancing on the king. Donan eyed the men around them nervously, to his regret realizing that Reinierd had discovered the key to her dreamworld. His imagination was his only limit.
“Ah, no-no-no, soldierboy!” Reinierd warned, pressing the knife into Aine’s skin. She gasped and jerked as the blade cut her skin, tears springing into her eyes. “I wouldn’t do that if I were you,” the king said, “Wouldn’t want her to die before you do. I want her to watch.” He sneered. “And with my men over here,” he waved vaguely at the well armed men around them, I think that won’t take too long.”
Donan cast a nervous look to Noah, who shook his head in return. Not good. He gripped onto his sword a little tighter, letting his eyes waver to a petrified looking Aine for only a moment, until his sword collided with another. Before long, the others, too, were defending themselves, shouting things to Aine she could not quite hear. The clatter of swords was like thunder, their voices but whispers on the roaring wind. Reinierd’s blade still pressed against her throat, more real than ever. He was talking to her, too, but she didn’t hear him.
When the first blood was drawn, it all rushed back to her, in a swirl of noise; Noah’s cry tore her eyes towards him. His chest had been pierced by his opponent’s blade, and although the opponent now lay on the ground, Noah had fallen to his knees and his tunic and shirt were stained with a dark crimson. “One by one they fall. Hurts, doesn’t it, precious?” Reinierd sneered.
“Noah…!” Aine cried, struggling violently against Reinierd’s iron grip. Noah had gripped his tunic, but it seemed little use to stop the blood from leaving him. He looked at her; and for the first time there was fear in his now dull eyes. Aine’s eyes were wide with fear and horror. She had seen a man die before, that night in the forest when she had returned to her castle; Noah looked very much like that man, now. She jerked, screaming, trying to pull herself out of the king’s grip. “Noah!” she screamed, panicked, blinded by fear and anguish. “Noah!” Suddenly another voice reached her. “Aine! You’ve got to wake up!” It was Donan’s, or was it? “Wake up! It’s just a dream! Wake up!”
“Wake up!“ Someone shook her shoulders, and she jerked upwards with a cry. “Noah!” For a moment, she felt disorientated; around her there was the dark familiarity of her bedroom, and sitting on the bed was Aden, his eyes filled with worry. She exhaled and buried her face in his chest, bursting into tears.
“Hey, shhh…It was just a dream…” Aden said quietly, holding her and stroking her hair softly. “What scared you so, hm, darling?” he asked, “I could hear you screaming all the way through the corridors…what’s wrong… Who’s Noah?” He then drew her face up so she would look at him, though something else immediately caught his attention and he touched her neck and drew back his hand in shock. “You’re bleeding!” he exclaimed, quickly throwing aside her bedcovers and pillows, but not finding anything sharp, in or near the bed.
Ignoring his last remark, Aine continued crying. “He k-k-killed him…” she managed, gasping for breath in between strangled sobs. “Noah… he’s dead.”
“Who is Noah! Who killed him? Why are you bleeding. What the hell is going on?” Aden exclaimed, feeling more confused than he had ever felt in his life.
“Reinierd, he…” Aine tried, but then a wave of sobs washed over her again and she flung herself back into her pillows.
Aden, who had quickly diagnosed that the cut on her neck was not one of mortal importance, got up and stalked through the room, yanking the curtains aside, but the balcony doors were locked. There was no one in the room but them.
Exasperated, he ran a hand through his hair, turning back to look at the bed. She seemed so fragile now, shaking with tears. He sighed and walked back towards her, sat down and gathered her against him, just holding her. “It’s alright… I’m here… you’re safe. No one can hurt you now…” he murmured, resting his chin on her head as they sat in the dark. Safe.
Chapter 21
"Do you plan on going to Ponder Cove and ask the people there to swear their allegiance to us?” Aine asked as she and Aden walked side by side, casually enjoying the garden’s grandeur.
“Perhaps,” Aden began, a little hesitant in his answer, “It depends on the situation here, really,” he looked to her and smiled vaguely. “Better make sure that Reinierd can’t get to you here, first.”
His smile grew more confident, and reflected slowly on her lips, too. “Why do you care about me so much, why do you worry?” Aine asked, feeling a little confused about the Captain’s protective ways. “I’m not made out of glass, you know…”
“I know you’re not,” Aden replied rather quickly, not wanting to offend her. He stopped walking and turned to her, stopping her in her tracks as he placed his hands on her shoulders and looked intently at her. Even though startled, Aine did not back away, like she would have, had it been any other person. “I know you’re not, but you’re our only hope, Aine. You’re our future!” he said, almost desperate for her to understand was he was saying.
“Why does everyone keep saying that?” Aine replied, pulling away, now, frowning. “There is nothing special about me, nothing at all! I’m just another person, there are plenty of others that are capable of ruling a kingdom. I, for one, do not think I can do that. I know nothing of war, or ruling a kingdom, or-” she stopped when Aden gripped her arm and pulled her back to face him.
“Prin- Aine…” he said, quite softly, speaking her name with fragile tenderness, “You keep forgetting, you’re not in this alone…” he let go of her arm, just looking at her for a moment, not saying anything. Then, very slowly, he reached up, softly touching her cheek, still looking at her as his fingers caressed the gentle curve of her cheek. “I’ll help you…, if you’ll let me…” he whispered.
Aine looked back at him, but closed her eyes for a moment when he touched her, feeling suddenly lightheaded. When she opened her eyes again, he was closer to her than she had thought he was. Slowly, she edged forward. “How…?” she replied, breathless.
“I’ll stay by your side, if you’ll have me… I’ll keep you safe, I’ll protect you…” he swallowed, “You’re my future, I’ve known it for a long time, even before we met…I’m meant to be by your side. Together, we’ll end this war…”
Aine smiled slowly at him, inching forward just a little more. She half chuckled, and so did he, out of sheer bashfulness. Their laughter faded, as easily as it had come, melting into a kiss as their lips met, soft and gentle.
Then they parted, but stood together, just smiling at each other, like young children. Aden realized that she was, in so many ways, still a child, but he found her engaging, with her gentle ways and her sweet eyes. It might even been her bashfulness that made her extremely beautiful.
“Aden…” Aine began, looking a little worried, now, and he knew exactly about what. He smiled, shaking his head lightly as he interrupted her.
“You don’t have to tell anyone anything. Not yet, it’ll all fall into place…” Alexander Aden said, stroking her hair softly, “And you can call me Alex when I’m with you, if you don’t mind me calling you Aine…” a boyish grin crept onto his lips as he saw her smile.
“Of course, Captain,” Aine replied, almost mocking. They shared another smile and then a kiss, in the solitude of gardens, with only the flowers as their audience.
“Perhaps,” Aden began, a little hesitant in his answer, “It depends on the situation here, really,” he looked to her and smiled vaguely. “Better make sure that Reinierd can’t get to you here, first.”
His smile grew more confident, and reflected slowly on her lips, too. “Why do you care about me so much, why do you worry?” Aine asked, feeling a little confused about the Captain’s protective ways. “I’m not made out of glass, you know…”
“I know you’re not,” Aden replied rather quickly, not wanting to offend her. He stopped walking and turned to her, stopping her in her tracks as he placed his hands on her shoulders and looked intently at her. Even though startled, Aine did not back away, like she would have, had it been any other person. “I know you’re not, but you’re our only hope, Aine. You’re our future!” he said, almost desperate for her to understand was he was saying.
“Why does everyone keep saying that?” Aine replied, pulling away, now, frowning. “There is nothing special about me, nothing at all! I’m just another person, there are plenty of others that are capable of ruling a kingdom. I, for one, do not think I can do that. I know nothing of war, or ruling a kingdom, or-” she stopped when Aden gripped her arm and pulled her back to face him.
“Prin- Aine…” he said, quite softly, speaking her name with fragile tenderness, “You keep forgetting, you’re not in this alone…” he let go of her arm, just looking at her for a moment, not saying anything. Then, very slowly, he reached up, softly touching her cheek, still looking at her as his fingers caressed the gentle curve of her cheek. “I’ll help you…, if you’ll let me…” he whispered.
Aine looked back at him, but closed her eyes for a moment when he touched her, feeling suddenly lightheaded. When she opened her eyes again, he was closer to her than she had thought he was. Slowly, she edged forward. “How…?” she replied, breathless.
“I’ll stay by your side, if you’ll have me… I’ll keep you safe, I’ll protect you…” he swallowed, “You’re my future, I’ve known it for a long time, even before we met…I’m meant to be by your side. Together, we’ll end this war…”
Aine smiled slowly at him, inching forward just a little more. She half chuckled, and so did he, out of sheer bashfulness. Their laughter faded, as easily as it had come, melting into a kiss as their lips met, soft and gentle.
Then they parted, but stood together, just smiling at each other, like young children. Aden realized that she was, in so many ways, still a child, but he found her engaging, with her gentle ways and her sweet eyes. It might even been her bashfulness that made her extremely beautiful.
“Aden…” Aine began, looking a little worried, now, and he knew exactly about what. He smiled, shaking his head lightly as he interrupted her.
“You don’t have to tell anyone anything. Not yet, it’ll all fall into place…” Alexander Aden said, stroking her hair softly, “And you can call me Alex when I’m with you, if you don’t mind me calling you Aine…” a boyish grin crept onto his lips as he saw her smile.
“Of course, Captain,” Aine replied, almost mocking. They shared another smile and then a kiss, in the solitude of gardens, with only the flowers as their audience.
Chapter 20
The following days passed slowly and without trouble for the young princess, who felt rather at ease, back in her castle.
There was no prominent threat from Reinierd or his armies, at least not one that Aine had heard of. She trusted Aden to inform her of such a threat if there was one. The captain had taken on the job of being not only her protector, but also her military advisor. The former advisor had not survived the invasion of the castle by Reinierd's forces.
The role of the military advisor, up until now, had been to carry out any action, without much discussion, that seemed right. Now, more because of Aden's wishes than because of Aine's, the role of military advisor included discussing the military positions and opportunities with the princess.
Aine was glad Aden was a patient man. He would sit down with her and quietly explain his strategies, as many times as were necessarily to make her understand.
This morning, Aine got out of bed when the sun had forced it's way through the curtains. Her dreams had been fairly uneventful, with little appearance from any of her dream knights, leaving her to have a good night's rest instead of troubled sleep.
An hour and a half passed, spent washing, getting dressed and eating breakfast in the dining hall. Much to Aine's regret, both Damenstrius and Aden were not there. They had probably already had breakfast. Aine knew it was mostly her maids that made getting up in the morning into such a timely business.
When she finished, Aine declined her maids' suggestions to wash up another time. They seemed overly corcerned about her hygiene and health. She walked through the castle, that smelt uncomfortably new. The old smell had always made it feel much more like a home. Even the cold drafts through the corridors had been strangely comforting. There was none of that now. All she had was Damenstrius, who smelt like the old castle, or at least his clothes did. He smelt like books. It was the only familiar scent in the entire castle, and therefore Aine enjoyed his company considerably. Sometimes, Aine had the luck to be in Aden's pleasurable company, but, with his duties as captain, he was often away, or busy in the study.
With the knowledge that the captain usually came to find her if he did have time to spare, or military plans to discuss, Aine decided to go to the library to see Damenstrius instead. It was on the second floor, and covered the third as well, with tall bookcases that stood like intimidating pillars against the walls. For a library, it was uncharacterically empty. Most of the books and manuscripts had been lost to the fires, during the invasion. As Aine entered, she could see Damenstrius sitting in the back of the large room, scribbling away on documents on his desk. She never bothered to ask him what they were about, but she knew, almost for certain, that Damenstrius was making record of the on goings of the town that had slowly begun to form around the castle. Whereas the people had been living in makeshift homes not a month before, ever since she had arrived, they had begun to rebuild the city; the first basic houses had already sprouted from the earth.
"Hello you..." Aine said softly as she approached, eventually stopping as she reached his desk. Damenstrius looked up and smiled. "Oh, hello, Aine." he replied, moving his documents away.
"Are you busy?" she asked, to which he shook his head mildly, though she knew that he had been.
"Never for you," he replied, "What can I do you for?" he smiled, folding his hands on the desk as he watched her.
"Nothing, really, I was... just..." she shrugged, "Looking for conversation, I suppose."
Damenstrius observed the princess as she wandered over to the nearest bookcase, just behind his desk. She looked at the books the same way her mother always used to, full of wonder and intrigue. It wasn't even about the inside, even the backs of the books seemed to interest her. The librarian smiled in memory. "I'm sorry there's not much left..." he spoke quietly, not wanting to disturb her.
She looked over her shoulder, smiling slightly, fondly. "It's not your fault, is it?" she said, walking back towards him. "I don't blame you for anything, Damenstrius, ever."
He smiled again, taken by surprise by the sweet tone of her voice. She had always been distant from him, but lately, it seemed different. Maybe it was just him, he thought, warming up to her more. But just maybe, it was the other way around.
"Do you think the war will be over soon?" she asked, the hope shimmering through in her voice. "I really want it to end."
Damenstrius thought for a while, then replied, "I don't know, Princess. I do know Aden's trying. He's trying to rally up enough forces to keep us safe at least," he was saying, but paused when he saw Aine's slight blush at the mention of the army captain. It was something he had not seen before, with her, and even though he wasn't her father, he felt an immediate pang of protectiveness for the girl. He masked his frown by running a hand through his greying hair, "We've been at war for a long time, Aine, there's no telling when it'll end."
"Damenstrius, do you happen to have a map of Ponder-" Aden walked into the library, his nose burried in parchment, until he looked up and saw that the librrian wasn't alone. "Oh!" he said in surprise, "Good morning, Princess." A bow followed his greeting, and he looked at Damenstrius. "Should I come back later?" he glanced at Aine, waiting for an answer.
"That's quite alright, Captain," Damenstrius began, observing the princess rather than him. "A map of Ponder Cove, you were saying?" he asked, getting up from his chair as Aden nodded. "Give me a minute." he said, walking to the back of the library into his private study.
"Are you doing well, Princess? Glad to be home, I expect?" Aden asked, making casual conversation.
"Quite so, Captain," Aine replied, equally casual, "I have you to thank for that," she added, "I don't believe I've expressed my gratitude?"
Aden smiled. "No need, Your Highness. It wasn't just me, but it was entirely my pleasure to be of help."
"Ponder Cove?" Aine asked.
"Yes, the city in the valley on the coast near Din Isle." he explained. "The city has not shown allegiance to anyone, but it would be a good strategic move to have them on our side. Din Isle is their land, and it would be a safe place for you, isolated but safe, should Reinierd try to attack here."
"Ah..." Aine said, and looked up as Damenstrius returned, with a map.
"Your map, Captain." he said and looked to Aine. "I've got to finish this, Princess. Perhaps the captain could keep you company for a while?"
Aine's eyes shot to Aden, who looked slightly uneasy, but nodded. "Of course," he replied. "We could take the horses out, if you'd like, Princess."
Aine struggled to hide her excitement. "I'd like that, I'd like that very much."
There was no prominent threat from Reinierd or his armies, at least not one that Aine had heard of. She trusted Aden to inform her of such a threat if there was one. The captain had taken on the job of being not only her protector, but also her military advisor. The former advisor had not survived the invasion of the castle by Reinierd's forces.
The role of the military advisor, up until now, had been to carry out any action, without much discussion, that seemed right. Now, more because of Aden's wishes than because of Aine's, the role of military advisor included discussing the military positions and opportunities with the princess.
Aine was glad Aden was a patient man. He would sit down with her and quietly explain his strategies, as many times as were necessarily to make her understand.
This morning, Aine got out of bed when the sun had forced it's way through the curtains. Her dreams had been fairly uneventful, with little appearance from any of her dream knights, leaving her to have a good night's rest instead of troubled sleep.
An hour and a half passed, spent washing, getting dressed and eating breakfast in the dining hall. Much to Aine's regret, both Damenstrius and Aden were not there. They had probably already had breakfast. Aine knew it was mostly her maids that made getting up in the morning into such a timely business.
When she finished, Aine declined her maids' suggestions to wash up another time. They seemed overly corcerned about her hygiene and health. She walked through the castle, that smelt uncomfortably new. The old smell had always made it feel much more like a home. Even the cold drafts through the corridors had been strangely comforting. There was none of that now. All she had was Damenstrius, who smelt like the old castle, or at least his clothes did. He smelt like books. It was the only familiar scent in the entire castle, and therefore Aine enjoyed his company considerably. Sometimes, Aine had the luck to be in Aden's pleasurable company, but, with his duties as captain, he was often away, or busy in the study.
With the knowledge that the captain usually came to find her if he did have time to spare, or military plans to discuss, Aine decided to go to the library to see Damenstrius instead. It was on the second floor, and covered the third as well, with tall bookcases that stood like intimidating pillars against the walls. For a library, it was uncharacterically empty. Most of the books and manuscripts had been lost to the fires, during the invasion. As Aine entered, she could see Damenstrius sitting in the back of the large room, scribbling away on documents on his desk. She never bothered to ask him what they were about, but she knew, almost for certain, that Damenstrius was making record of the on goings of the town that had slowly begun to form around the castle. Whereas the people had been living in makeshift homes not a month before, ever since she had arrived, they had begun to rebuild the city; the first basic houses had already sprouted from the earth.
"Hello you..." Aine said softly as she approached, eventually stopping as she reached his desk. Damenstrius looked up and smiled. "Oh, hello, Aine." he replied, moving his documents away.
"Are you busy?" she asked, to which he shook his head mildly, though she knew that he had been.
"Never for you," he replied, "What can I do you for?" he smiled, folding his hands on the desk as he watched her.
"Nothing, really, I was... just..." she shrugged, "Looking for conversation, I suppose."
Damenstrius observed the princess as she wandered over to the nearest bookcase, just behind his desk. She looked at the books the same way her mother always used to, full of wonder and intrigue. It wasn't even about the inside, even the backs of the books seemed to interest her. The librarian smiled in memory. "I'm sorry there's not much left..." he spoke quietly, not wanting to disturb her.
She looked over her shoulder, smiling slightly, fondly. "It's not your fault, is it?" she said, walking back towards him. "I don't blame you for anything, Damenstrius, ever."
He smiled again, taken by surprise by the sweet tone of her voice. She had always been distant from him, but lately, it seemed different. Maybe it was just him, he thought, warming up to her more. But just maybe, it was the other way around.
"Do you think the war will be over soon?" she asked, the hope shimmering through in her voice. "I really want it to end."
Damenstrius thought for a while, then replied, "I don't know, Princess. I do know Aden's trying. He's trying to rally up enough forces to keep us safe at least," he was saying, but paused when he saw Aine's slight blush at the mention of the army captain. It was something he had not seen before, with her, and even though he wasn't her father, he felt an immediate pang of protectiveness for the girl. He masked his frown by running a hand through his greying hair, "We've been at war for a long time, Aine, there's no telling when it'll end."
"Damenstrius, do you happen to have a map of Ponder-" Aden walked into the library, his nose burried in parchment, until he looked up and saw that the librrian wasn't alone. "Oh!" he said in surprise, "Good morning, Princess." A bow followed his greeting, and he looked at Damenstrius. "Should I come back later?" he glanced at Aine, waiting for an answer.
"That's quite alright, Captain," Damenstrius began, observing the princess rather than him. "A map of Ponder Cove, you were saying?" he asked, getting up from his chair as Aden nodded. "Give me a minute." he said, walking to the back of the library into his private study.
"Are you doing well, Princess? Glad to be home, I expect?" Aden asked, making casual conversation.
"Quite so, Captain," Aine replied, equally casual, "I have you to thank for that," she added, "I don't believe I've expressed my gratitude?"
Aden smiled. "No need, Your Highness. It wasn't just me, but it was entirely my pleasure to be of help."
"Ponder Cove?" Aine asked.
"Yes, the city in the valley on the coast near Din Isle." he explained. "The city has not shown allegiance to anyone, but it would be a good strategic move to have them on our side. Din Isle is their land, and it would be a safe place for you, isolated but safe, should Reinierd try to attack here."
"Ah..." Aine said, and looked up as Damenstrius returned, with a map.
"Your map, Captain." he said and looked to Aine. "I've got to finish this, Princess. Perhaps the captain could keep you company for a while?"
Aine's eyes shot to Aden, who looked slightly uneasy, but nodded. "Of course," he replied. "We could take the horses out, if you'd like, Princess."
Aine struggled to hide her excitement. "I'd like that, I'd like that very much."
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