Heir of Golden Storms

“What is wrong with you?” Thalia yells as she pushes me with all her might. I almost stumble and let my wine fall from my grip. She pushes me again. She came asking what happened to North and I told her. “And you!” She has turned to face Hesperia. “I do not care who you are, but you do not want to cross me!” She turns to storm off.

“I am Princess Hesperia of the Court of Swarm!” Hesperia yells after her. “You do not talk to me that way!”

Thalia returns to face her. “Only cowards hide behind titles! The next time that you mess with North, you will be answering to me! And you!” She comes back to me. “I expected more from you!” She is yelling but I feel a hint of disappointment in her voice.

“You do not know me, Thalia,” I tell her.

“I do not?” she laughs. “Believe me, I know plenty more of you than what you know about me.” She grabs me by the wrist. “I do not care what you had planned on doing for the rest of the night; you are coming with me to search for North.”

“I paid for another two wines. Take them,” I call back at Hesperia and Caspian. It is my way of saying that I will be all right. This seems to make Thalia a little madder.

She pulls me away from the crowd and away from Hesperia and Caspian. When we are away from the plaza, Thalia stops. She lets go of my wrist.

“Where did they take her?” Thalia asks.

“Probably to the cells,” I tell her. “Calm down. They are going to keep her through the night and release her in the morning.”

“No, you do not understand. She is not going to spend the night in a cell,” Thalia says. “Now, take me there. And I am not asking.”

I roll my eyes. I walk through alleys and streets until the music cannot be heard. I stop in front of a small stone building with a wooden door.

“Here it is,” I say, indicating with my hand that she should go in.

Thalia goes in first. I stay near the entrance. She walks towards the knight sitting behind a desk. He is not wearing a helmet.

“I am here to bail someone out,” Thalia says.

“Name of the prisoner,” the knight asks. He is not even looking at Thalia. She is a princess. She should at least be spoken with eyes on her.

“North,” Thalia says.

“Bail is fifteen gold coins,” he says. I almost spit out my wine. Before Thalia could eat him alive, I step in.

“Fifteen gold coins? Isn’t that kind of greedy?” I ask as I step in. “What are you going to buy with it? Some manners?”

The knight raises his head. His eyes widen when he sees me. He stands up and moves away from the desk. He kneels on one knee and lowers his head, looking at the floor. “Your Highness,” he says.

“Don’t you know that a commandant is the only one who can accept bail money?” I say, walking slowly towards him. I take a sip from my wine. “Even if you, officer, would be a commandant, the bail price is usually five gold coins.” He raises his head to answer, but I say, “No, no,” and he lowers back his head.

“The commandant is out,” the knight answers. “She left me in charge.”

“Ah, why would she leave you in charge?” I ask. I move towards the entrance to the cellars and see that there are only four people in the cells. The night is just starting and there are already four people. “Does she not know that you are a thief and someone who does not even respects the princess of the Court of Storms?” Thalia might not like using her title, but I will.

“A princess?” he asks, raising his sight towards Thalia. “I-”

“Head,” I say, and he lowers back his sight.

“I am sorry, my lady. I did not know.”

“Even if you did not know who she was, it is your job to know,” I say. I take another sip from my wine. “Insulting a princess is considered insulting the whole court. Now, you must know what the punishment is for it, right?”

“Yes,” he answers. “Cutting the insulter’s tongue off.”

“Cutting his tongue off,” I repeat, tasting the words in my mouth, or is it the wine? I am too tipsy to know. I crouch in front of him. “You do not want me to cut your tongue off, do you?”

“No,” he says. His voice trembles. Perfect.

“Well, I think that we can get to an agreement,” I say, standing up. “You could free every prisoner in here and we will forget that this ever happened.”

“Of course,” he says. He stands up and is about to look at us.

“Head,” I repeat.

He lowers his sight. He walks towards the cellars and opens them one by one. The prisoners start walking out, thanking their prince in the process. North is the last prisoner to walk out. Her face is red where Hesperia slapped her. I wait for Thalia and North to walk out before I leave the disgusting cellars.

***

Back in my chambers, I search for the bottle of wine I hid in an empty vase. The first time that Thalia was in this room, she found it and drank a little from it. I replaced the bottle with one from the kitchen and the other poured it from the balcony to the grass. Wine is best to drink once it is open and not a second later.

I sit on the sofa and take a gulp from the bottle. Princes should be delicate and drink from a goblet, but what they do behind everyone’s back is no one’s concern. My head spin as I continue drinking and thinking.

North. Why did she had to be my partner at lecture? Why did she had to meet Thalia? I try to say that I hate her, but no words come out. I cannot lie. It frustrates me enough that I do not hate her, even though I believe I do, that I throw the half bottle of wine towards the nearest wall.

I stand up and try to walk to my second hiding place. Above one of the dressers, a bottle of wine lays in hiding. I climb on the nearest chair and grab the bottle. I almost fall from the chair, but I do not. I sit back down on the sofa.

No, I do not hate North. I envy her. I envy her freedom. I envy how no one recognizes her. I envy how much she does not have to give up in order to be here. I envy how she can dream of love while I must live with marrying Thalia for an alliance.

Thalia. My mood lowers, lowering my desire for wine with it. The first night, she let me go with Hesperia and Caspian to the Moonlight Festival. She held my secret without asking for something in return. Now, I cannot stop thinking that the only thing that she wanted was for her and North to have a good time at Fairdell. And I, because of my prideful self, could not even keep an eye for them.

I stand up, the room spinning with me. Holding tightly the bottle of wine, I try to walk to the door of my room. I open it and step out. As I walk through the hallway, being closed to the left wall in order to hold to it if I am going to fall, I hear laughter.

Easton steps into view at the end of the hallway. He is with some friends, all laughing and wobbling. My mind takes a second, but I remember. Tomorrow is Easton’s wedding. This must be his bachelor party. I see that Zephyrus, Haldol and even Blaise are with him, and Easton could not even bother to invite me.

I slip to the stairs before they notice me. I walk down to the second floor. I can still hear the laughter as I make my way to Thalia’s room. I knock on the door and she opens the door for her to see.

“Can I speak to you?” I ask. She looks back inside.

“Yes, but outside,” she says as she slips outside, closing the door behind her. “North is sleeping.”

“Why is North sleeping here?” I ask. It feels strange as the question comes without feelings, instead of judgement in it.

“Do you not know where she lives?” Thalia asks. She sits down, with her back on the door, and pats the floor at her right, indicating me to sit. I sit down, trying not to fall. “She lives at the Court of Winter. That is two courts away. Do you wonder how she makes it every day to school?” I shake my head. “She walks through the coldness of the Court of Winter. She then continues walking at the other court, asking anyone with a horse and a carriage if she can sit with the hay and they can take her to where they are heading. From there, she walks, or asks for another ride, to the edge of the Court of Miracles. When she gets to the Court of Miracles, she walks through the forests, with a knife hidden, to lecture.”

“I am sorry,” I say, because I mean it. She must go through all that almost every day to come to lecture and to go back to her home. Meanwhile, Hesperia, Caspian and I make her life difficult when we see her, and she still has not quit lecture. For me, lecture is a waste of time, but I have not thought how much it meant to North.

“You do not have to apologize to me, but to North,” Thalia says.

“No,” I answer. “I have to apologize to you too. I acted like an ogre. I acted selfish. All I had to do was to keep an eye for you and North for anyone like Hesperia, but instead, I put myself first without a reason. I am sorry.”

“Acted selfish? I thought that selfishness comes to you naturally,” Thalia says, trying to lighten the mood.

“But it will not anymore,” I say. “I will try my best to make North’s life better at school and I will try my best to stop judging you without even knowing you.” I smile. “If we are going to get married, might as well get to know each other.”

“I would like that,” she says, smiling back.

“All right, then you start,” I say. “Tell me something about yourself.”

***

The next morning, I wake with a headache. I sit up. At least, I made it last night to my room, even if I do not remember how. I move to the edge of the bed, groaning in the process. Someone knocks on the door and does not bother to hear an answer before entering.

“What are you doing still in bed?” Oberon says. He has a tray of food in his hands. He puts it on the bed beside me. “Today is your brother’s wedding! You are supposed to be ready by now!”

“Stop shouting,” I say.

“I am not shouting, my prince,” he says as he rushes to the bathroom. I hear the faucet opening and the water running. He is drawing me a bath. He returns to the room. “Where are your clothes for the wedding?”

“I do not know,” I say as I take a bite from the bread that is on the tray.

“Are you hungover?” he asks, walking towards me. He checks my face. “You are! I am going to fetch for your clothes and a cup of tea to see if it can alleviate your headache.”

He rushes out of the room. I take a bite of the cheese that is on my tray and the bread before putting them back and walking towards the bathroom at my own slow pace. I close the faucet, because a minute more and it was going to flood my bathroom. I try to take my clothes off, but my head spins and I must keep my head up. When I am done, I jump on the bath.

“I brought you your clothes,” Oberon says, entering the bedroom. “I am leaving them on your bed.” He then appears on the bathroom. “Here is your tea.”

“Leave it on my bedside table,” I say.

“No,” he says. I do not like when Oberon does what he wants. The problem is that the king has blessed him to look after me. He will do what is necessary even if it goes against my will. “Drink the tea and I am not leaving until you do.”

He pushes the teacup to my face. I take the teacup, not before glaring at him, and start drinking it. It burns my tongue and throat, but it is refreshing because it focusses my body on it, instead of the dizziness and nauseas. When I am done, I put the teacup back on the plate. Oberon looks at it, checking if there is any more tea left, and leaves.

I stand up and dry myself with the towel. Oberon has taken my dirty clothes away. I continue walking to the room, where my clothes are laid. They are hideous at first sight.

An elegant white jacket is laying on my bed with golden buttons. It has a gray shoulder pads with gold on its sides and around the neck is also gray with gold. A white shirt lies on the side. The pants and boots are also white. For my luck, there is not any hat.

Gray is the color of the Court of Spirits. Since Easton is marrying Gracin, princess of the Court of Spirits, his court must wear something with gray on it, indicating the support on their marriage. The Court of Spirits must also show their support wearing something white or gold.

I put the clothes on, not caring how I look with it. I notice that the dizziness has lowered in intensity when I lower to pick the Cursebreaker. I strap it onto my belt and walk out of the room. I lower the stairs, but when I reach the first floor, I notice that I must go to the wedding with my date. If I do not arrive with Thalia, father will sure be outraged. I turn around to the second floor.

“Coming,” Thalia shouts after I knock on the door.

When she opens the door, she is wearing a white dress with no sign of purple but with fading gold and gray. She has made herself, or a servant, a braid and tied it around her head. I cannot help but stare with my mouth open. I could get accustomed to seeing her in my court’s colors.

“Close your mouth or a bug might enter,” Thalia says.

“You look beautiful,” I say.

“I know,” she answers, and I extend a hand towards her. She takes it and I move her hand so that her arm rests on mines.

Behind her, North walks out. She is wearing also white, a dress that looks like Ailsa’s dress that she wore yesterday morning. The only difference is that it has been altered to have gold around the waist and fading gray on the bottom.

“I asked Ailsa if I could borrow her dress and instead, she gave it to me,” Thalia says. “I sent some servants to make it North’s size and add the colors of the wedding.”

Even though Thalia and North are not part of the Court of Miracles, they were invited by someone from the Court of Miracles. I had the obligation to invite Thalia and she invited North. They must wear our colors at the wedding because no other color can appear if it is not part of the marrying courts.

“Where is the queen of the Court of Storms and the princesses?” I ask Thalia.

“Oh, they left yesterday back home,” Thalia says. “They had things to do, but they will be back for our wedding.” I nod.

“North,” I say, who is standing next to Thalia. She looks at me, but not at my eyes. “Starting the day after tomorrow, a carriage will be at your house every morning to take you to and from lecture.” It is the closest thing as an apology that she would get. I was drunk last night; apologizing does not come easy to me.

“How could I ever repay you?” North asks. It is normal for faeries to do a favor for another favor. She wants to know what the scheme behind it is.

“It is free, no debt due,” I say. They are no takebacks when faeries speak.

“Thank you,” North says. I feel Thalia put her other hand on my biceps. She is pleased with my decision.

We walk downstairs to the main hall, where is packed with people. The wedding is outside, on one of the gardens at the back. Of course, faeries with title prefer to stay inside where the sun does not hit them until the very last moment. They do not want their skin to wrinkle, even though we do not grow old.

“Ah, little brother, you dressed well,” someone says from behind me at the stairs. I turn to see Zephyrus and his wife, Tinley.

It is not the same thing that I could say to him. Ever since he married Tinley, she dresses him great, better than what he used to wear. He is wearing the same clothes as I am, but his white seems shinier, his gray blends neatly with the gold, and the gold seems opaque with the white and gray, not drawing too much attention to it.

His wife, Tinley, half-sister of Hesperia, comes from the Court of Swarm. Every time I see her, she dresses more beautiful than the time before. She has blonde hair and dark green eyes. The problem with her is that she feels mightier than anyone, the same way that Zephyrus does with his brothers and sisters.

“And you, Storm Princess, look lovely today,” Zephyrus continues. He looks at North, who is looking at his feet. “And who might you be?”

“She is North, a friend,” Thalia answers.

“Oh,” Zephyrus says. He shifts his head towards me, his long golden hair dancing with him. “Your future wife is speaking for you. You will have plenty of time to show her how to behave properly.” He lowers the steps. “I need to speak to you later, little prince.” With that, he leaves with Tinley.

“I hate him,” I say under my breath. It makes me glad to be able to say it. It means that it is the truth. I look at Thalia. “I will let him know not to speak to my future wife as if she were a filthy animal.”

“Sure thing, but do not start drama right now,” Thalia says smiling, a fake smile.

“You are right,” I say, trying to fake a smile. I have lived my whole life gulping down my feelings. I can fake for a few hours.

I walk with her, and North closely behind us. I wave at every person who recognizes me or feigns knowing me. When we arrive to the garden, I see that hedges have grown magically overnight and they lead towards where the wedding is taking place. A red carpet leads between the hedges and stops where Easton is standing with his gray suit. He is wearing his wife’s colors and Gracin will wear our colors. I tell North to save Thalia and me seats on the back of Easton’s side.

“Congratulations, big brother,” I say when I am standing in front of Easton.

“Little Rowan,” he says, and he embraces me on a hug. “I am pleased that you came.” Pleased, not happy.

“Of course,” I say. I cannot even say that I am pleased by seeing him marry Gracin. She should not become part of this family.

“Congratulations, Prince Easton,” Thalia says. He also hugs her.

“Play your cards right and you will be the next one standing here,” he tells her.

“Of course, I will,” she says. If she could lie, I know that she would have said that she could not wait.

“Well, we will leave you to your wedding,” I say smiling.

I turn and leave with Thalia. I find North saving us two seats. Thalia sits beside her and me beside Thalia. The wedding starts and we all stand up. Gracin is marching in. She is wearing a white dress. Her black hair shines with the sun. She is smiling, I do not know if it is real or not. We sit back down.

The wedding does not happen fast. At one point, I am looking at the sky, searching for odd looking clouds. When they end their vows, I twist my attention towards them. This is now the part where Easton will grant his first miracle to his wife.

Easton takes his gray jacket off and unbuttons his shirt. He gives them to Zephyrus, who is his best man. Father steps in with a round golden vase in his hands. He dips two fingers inside and quietly starts drawing golden lines. He draws a horizontal line on Easton’s forehead, three verticals lines on each cheek, and one traced from the neck to each hand. He silently, but smiling, continues making lines on Easton’s chest and back. When he is done, Zephyrus hands him a cloth where he wipes his hands. He then places his right hand on top of Easton’s head, and holds Easton’s hand.

“I give you the court’s blessing,” father says smiling. He retreats.

“What miracle would you like me, your husband, to grant you?” Easton asks Gracin.

Before Gracin could answer, a servant faerie comes running through the hedges, screaming. “The court is in da –” but before he could finish, an explosion comes from my right and from the side of Gracin’s guests.