Mariettedr’s Comments (group member since Sep 06, 2014)

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After his encounter with Princess Nayeli, Jon went to the Warriors Courters, ridding himself of the blood in his hair and on his clothes. He couldn’t shake Nayeli’s blue eyes as he washed the blood off him.
She seemed different.
Was there even one person in this world that truly knew her?
Jon nearly fell over Aiden’s white cat, stumbling into Aiden’s chamber. Jon made his way through the chamber, coming up to Aiden’s bedroom door. He loosened a long breath, giving two hard raps against the door before opening it.
He stopped in the door, finding a naked woman sprawled across Aiden’s bed. She was asleep next to him, not even bothering to pull a sheet over her naked body. Aiden lifted his head, gazing at Jon over the naked woman next to him.
“Jon,” he moaned. “We’re sleeping. I have to get up for Eldenwood in an hour, let me rest till then.”
Jon shook his head and wondered just how many women had gone through Aiden’s chamber these past eight months. The moment Nayeli left, Aiden confided himself to his rooms for weeks. He was barely ever seen. And then suddenly it was as if it had struck him that he was free to do as he pleased. He didn’t speak about Princess Nayeli, always shrugged it off whenever someone would bring up their native ally to the South.
But he had flourished in charming every woman that dared flutter her eyelashes at him. The Princess forgotten, Aiden toyed with his life. And Jon knew that, knew that even if Aiden refused to mention Nayeli, that she was still a conflict that he was struggling to understand. And apparently he was trying his best to avoid working on his struggle by filling his bed with meaningless woman.
Jon hesitated, his eyes resting on the naked woman in Aiden’s bed.
“Is something wrong, Jon?”
“She’s here,” he said. “The Native Princess.”
Aiden sat up in his bed. “Where?”
“Princess Nayeli Faye is in the fucking castle,” Jon found himself saying. And with that he turned on his heel. He didn’t look at Aiden again, he needed to leave the chamber. He was a free Aemazon Warrior. The troubles of a king should not matter to him. He shouldn’t care. It was because of meddling in the business of Kings and Princesses that his head was hurting tremendously. His ribs were bruised and cuts covered his back and arms. He had fought in the slums, coming up empty handed and robbed of his money.
In an hour Akira would wake and he would have to tell her that she was going to Eldenwood without her protector and without her supply of Ember. The thought pressed down on him, troubling him more that it should. It was the business of Kings and Princesses. Why did he had to go pry in their business?
“Fucking Royals,” Jon muttered once he entered his own room, coming to a halt and staring at a package on his bed.
The package was wrapped in brown paper, a blue and a red feather tied to it. Jon sat down on his bed, holding the package in his hands.
Why would she still give him the Ember when he had told her that he would not accompany her to Eldenwood?
Jon snorted and cursed.
Because she knew he wouldn’t stay.

Chapter Seven - Meeting In The Slums


Jon stared at the traitor in front of him, clenching his teeth.
“I paid you in full. Now hand me the goods and get out of my face,” Jon muttered.
“What will an Aemazon Warrior do with Ember?” the man asked. “Aren’t you alive enough, Warrior?”
“Don’t play with me,” Jon warned.
“Oh,” the man mused. “We are planning on playing with you quite a bit, Warrior.”
Jon became aware of movement around him. When he turned to look around, he noticed the scum moving in the shadows. He was in the slums, a few hours from dawn, and he was surrounded by a group of men ripping him off. He had paid for the Ember, much more than what served as a fair price and he had bought a lot, meaning that he had spent a lot of his money and he was about to lose it all. And get a beating out of it too.
“Just give me what I paid for and you can walk away in once piece,” Jon warned, the man in front of him already chosen as his first target to lunge at.
“How about we keep your money this time around? As an insurance that you would only buy from me in the future.”
“I don’t think so.”
“We can come to an agreement here, Warrior. And with your next supply, we can even deliver it to your fighting fields.”
Jon cursed, knowing the chaos that this man could cause.
“Don’t go near the fighting fields. If I smell any of your scum even thinking of nearing me in public, I will rip all of your heads off.”
The man laughed, his features wrapped in the night’s shadows. “It looks like we won’t be coming to an agreement then?”
“Give me the Ember. Or my money back.”
“No can do,” the man said, his voice a deadly soft whisper.
Jon was ready. He knew men would be coming at him from the shadows, but he wasn’t prepared for the amount of men that came at him. And they weren’t the normal scum he expected. To his surprise, the men could throw solid punches and they were armed. Jon had his knife out, defending himself, but soon his knife was hit to the ground by a rusty old sword.
They taunted him with their weapons, poking him with a sword in the ribs, a knife down his arm. A blow came from behind, a shock against the head. They wanted to knock him unconscious, he realized. What they would do with him then, he couldn’t figure out. But they knew he was an Aemazon Warrior. Surely they had a plan with him, either handing him over to the guard for illegal purchases or maybe even selling him.
Jon cursed and another blow struck the back of his head. He dropped forward, landing on his knees. His vision swam, but his anger took hold of his body, pushing him up. Jon rose and managed to grab the wooden cane that came for his head again. He got hold of the cane and pulled it out of the man’s hand. The lot around him jumped away, allowing him the space he needed to fight back.
The moment he was up and ready, they came for him again.
He tried missing the blows, and managed for a while. But eventually the wooden cane became shorter and shorter. He was fighting, but he wasn’t winning, he realized. But he continued to fight either way, taking every chance he could in plucking a weapon out of one of their hands. But he didn’t succeed.
A blow struck him on the head again, harder than the previous two. He could feel blood running down his scalp. He fell to his knees, his vision blurred.
He looked up, looking for the man that had betrayed him. At least he would take him down, give him a good few punches. His eyes met with the man and he was smiling down at Jon.
And then a sight in white struck the man from behind. He fell to the floor, abruptly still. Jon stared at him on the ground. He was out cold, not getting back up from the blow.
A white cloak looped past him, a sword glinting in the moon’s light. The men attacked, but the white cloak was ready for them, meeting each one of their blows. As the cloak danced between the men, putting them on their backs, Jon smiled. He knew that white cloak.
Jon struggled to his feet, dizzy from the knocks to his head. When he turned around, the white cloak dropped the last man to the ground and stepped away from him. The rest of the men were running. Jon stared in amazement as they fled from a girl.
Jon stepped closer to her but stopped the moment two bright blue eyes stared at him from within the white cloak. He stopped and stared. Her eyes seemed illuminated.
“Princess Nayeli?”
She shook her head, closing her eyes. Then the cloak dropped from her head, revealing black hair plaited with feathers. When she opened her eyes, she seemed calm, and came closer to him.
“You’re bleeding,” she muttered and threw a handkerchief at him.
He caught it, still shocked to find her in the slums once again.
Nayeli had left Adarmar Castle the day after she signed the King’s agreement. It’s been eight months since she left, eight months in which Aiden Estrella, his friend and King, had almost gone mad. A woman he didn’t even like had given him a broken heart.
But seeing her stand in front of him now with a sword in her hand and a battle won behind her back, Jon couldn’t imagine what more any man could want. Jon touched the back of his head, his hair wet with blood.
“I didn’t think I would see you down here ever again,” Jon said.
Nayeli didn’t stand still, she kept pacing back and forth in front of him like a restless cat trapped inside a small space. A silence stretched between them.
“Did you cut your hair?” Jon found himself asking.
She ignored him completely, not even looking at him. Her hair was definitely shorter. It was cropped off just above her shoulders.
Another silence stretched.
“Ember?” she finally asked, coming to a halt.
Jon’s heart stopped. “It’s not what you think-”
“I don’t care,” she snapped. “I don’t care,” she repeated.
Jon remained quiet, watching her lift her head to look at him.
“Duke Faure Jevric is dead,” she said, her blue eyes staring back at him.
Jon lowered his gaze. “Yes, Princess. He’s gone.”
Nayeli cursed brutally, starting her pace back and forth in front of him again. Jon watched her, waiting for her to react.
“Ember!” she said again, more to the night than to him.
“It’s not what you think,” he tried again.
“I don’t care,” she said for the third time. “I really don’t.”
“Then why so upset?”
She cursed again, turning to look at him. “Because of all the ways I thought I’d be able to persuade you into accompany me to Eldenwood, I didn’t think Ember was going to be my way to do it.”
“Accompany you to Eldenwood?” he asked in surprise, a bemused smile on his face. “Why would I do that?”
“Because you weren’t invited by the King to go.”
She held his gaze, glaring at him.
And she was right.
When dawn comes, King Aiden and Princess Akira will ride to Eldenwood for the funeral of Duke Faure Jevric. Jon was planning on going with, up until Aiden took him aside and told him there was no place for him in the travelling party.
There was no place for Jon in the travelling party because Aiden didn’t want Jon to go with Akira. These past eight months Akira barely ever left her rooms. The only times she left was when Jon forced her out into the gardens. Her room was permanently hanging with smoke and her eyes were always red.
At first, Akira burned too much of the leaves, leaving her head fogged and unclear. But they were able to perfect the amounts small enough to leave her sharp and very much awake. Her days were fresh and crisp, her tongue sharp as ever. Then at the end of the day, her spirit would dwindle. By eating the roots of the Ember, her eyes would close and she would sleep dreamlessly.
But to get hold of Ember was starting to get impossible. For days now, Jon has been unable to make a purchase. For days now, Akira would scream during the nights, leaded with sweat and horror. He couldn’t bear to see her in such states, therefore he was in the slums every night to find her the Ember she needed.
Since Jon had been unable to buy Ember for ten days now, Jon would have to watch Akira leave his side without her “medicine” once dawn came. At dawn he would have to tell Akira that she will be going to Eldenwood without it. And without him.
Aiden had said that Jon and Akira needed time apart. Which was probably true, but Aiden had no idea what he was doing. Aiden thought they needed to be separated because the only time Akira was seen in public, it was with an Aemazon Warrior next to her.
Yes, Akira was growing up, and soon the men of Adarmar would start courting her. It was something Jon had to accept. But it wasn’t easy. And it won’t be easy to see her leave for Eldenwood without him. She called him her protector. And now the protector was being left behind.
“Aiden doesn’t need me to go with him and I have no business in Eldenwood, why would I have to go?”
“Because you want to,” she said, watching him.
“If I must go, I will accompany King Aiden and Princess Akira.”
“Their party is full, I hear.”
“And why do you want me to go with you?” he asked.
“Because my party isn’t full.”
Jon snorted. “Oh, come on,” he said, bemused. “Out with the truth now.”
Nayeli smiled at him. “It’s a four day trip up the Adarmar River. And I imagine that we will be there for quite a few days,” she said, her smile never fading. “And I tend to get bored.”
“And I would be your jester of entertainment for the road?”
“Oh, won’t that be grand,” she said and laughed. “But no, I don’t want you to be my jester.”
“What do you want from me then?-”
“I want you to teach me to fight like you.”
Jon fell silent, his brow furrowing at her words. And then it was his turn to laugh. Shaking his head at her, his smile still on his lips, he continued. “Why would you want to learn the ways of the Warriors when you can defend yourself perfectly fine on your own?”
“Because I’m not strong enough,” she said, her voice serious.
“You did fine,” he said. “The scums ran away from you-”
“I don’t want to make people run away from me,” she said, frustrated. “I want to be able to hurt them.”
Jon’s smile faded, all signs of laughter in the past. “I told you to produce an heir, not to learn to fight.”
She remained quiet at first, but then she shook her head and looked up at him. “I will provide you with Ember if you agree to accompanying me to Eldenwood and teach me your fighting skills on the way there and back.”
Jon remained quiet.
“Mornings,” she bartered. “When dawn breaks and before we continue our travel, you can teach me skills I’ve never had the chance to learn.”
“All this because you tend to get bored?”
“I don’t see how you are going to get Ember any other way.”
“And where do you get Ember?” he snapped at her.
“It grows by the bunch in my homeland, you know that-”
“No,” Jon said, his voice firm. “Aiden doesn’t want me to go and therefore I will stay.”
“And what does Akira want?”
“Don’t play me, Princess,” he warned.
“I’m offering you a great bargain, Warrior. Think it over and-”
“I’m not agreeing to this,” he insisted. “I won’t betray Aiden.”
“It’s not a betrayal. You’re a free warrior, you can do whatever you want.”
Jon groaned. “No,” he insisted. “I’m not going with you. I don’t trust you or any of your so called bargains.”
Jon pushed past her, leaving her behind. He wanted to curse out loud, but then he heard her already cursing severely enough for the both of them.

Hi!

Yes, the Native Princess has got quite a lot of secrets. They will all be revealed within time.

Enjoy the next few chapters! The story continues 8 months later ;)
Thanks for reading.
Mariette

Nayeli ran into the river and once she met the water, Aiden grabbed her from behind and plunged into the water with her. The renowned waters of the Adarmar River were as hot and warm as ever, even if winter was threatening the lands with snow. The water of the Adarmar River was famous for its unexplainable temperature and Nayeli could only marvel at the warmth on her skin. The water welcomed their cold bodies, heating them up. Their clothes were left with their horses on the side of the river and her heart jumped at the thought of having Aiden so close to her without any clothes on. She had expected him to be angry with her today, to push her away, but she was pleasantly surprised when he had pulled blankets out for them to lie on once they had reached the river. They had not lain on the blankets for long when Aiden surprised her by starting to take his clothes off.
She would never forget that mischievous smile that had played with his mouth.
She had always been one for a challenge and it was probably time for the King of Adarmar to know that she would not back away from it. She had been brave then, removing her clothes as well, but now that she was in the water with him, her heart was racing.
She took in a nervous breath as Aiden brought her body closer to his. She wanted to see his face, so she flipped around to look up at him. His hands came to rest on her hips, guiding her closer. His eyes were kind, holding her gaze. Boldly, she reached out to touch his lips with her wet fingers, her thumb tracing over his mouth. He remained still and quiet, waiting for her to say something. But she didn’t speak, she could only stare at the man in front of her.
He reached out to guide her long hair away from her chest. It drifted over her shoulders in the water, darker than ever, to reveal her upper body. He stared down at her and marveled at her flawlessness.
“Going ridiculously senseless again?” she whispered to him, repeating his words of the night before.
“I should be mad at you,” he said. “I should be fighting with you.”
“The agreement is signed,” she said, shaking her head playfully. “Nothing to fight about.”
“Isn’t this,” he gestured at the river around them, “supposed to be what betrothed pairs do? Instead I’m letting you leave.”
“This is what free people do,” she said, putting her arms around his neck. “We’re free, Aiden.”
“And if I kiss you?” he asked. “Would you be trapped again?”
“I would be freely happy,” she murmured and brought her mouth closer to his.
“I don’t understand,” he whispered against her lips.
She closed her eyes, leaning her head against his. “I truly hope that you will one day.”
“Why can’t you explain it to me?”
“Next time you see me, we would both know that we made the right decision.”
“And until then?”
“We’ll be friends,” she said and craned her head back to look at him.
“When will I see you again?” he murmured to her.
She smiled playfully. “Soon.”
He kissed her then, pulling her body into his. Their legs tangled together in the water and his back stiffened when she wrapped her legs around his hips. He broke their kiss to lazily lift an eyebrow at her. She smiled innocently back at him, playing with his hair at the back of his head.
“Nayeli,” he warned.
“It’s alright, Aiden,” she whispered as she pulled her mouth closer to his ear, embracing his head. “I’ve always been ready for you, remember?”
He wrapped his arms around her completely, his face in her neck. “Are you sure about that?”
“I’ve never been surer in my life,” she breathed into his ear.
He brought his lips to hers, clutching her bare body against his own. She tasted the salty tang of the river on his mouth as his kisses grew hungrier and it made warmth danced through her veins. Her stomach knotted at their closeness and the heat of his desire filled her. His driving kisses joined them together, their bodies entwining in want.
Aiden’s hands trailed down her back and he groaned into her mouth. Tightening her grip around his neck, she held on when Aiden took hold of her and started walking out of the water with her. He made his way to their belonging, her legs still wrapped around his hips.
She held his gaze as he lowered her onto their blankets. He looked down at her and stopped. Giving them both the chance to breathe, Aiden locked their gazes together. Her eyes roamed his face and her lips parted as invitation. A lazy smile touched his features and he covered her lips with his warm mouth again. She closed her eyes and savored the feeling of him. She wanted all of him, everything he was willing to give her after what she had done to their betrothal. A pang of regret pricked her heart once she realized what she was giving up. She moaned his name against his mouth and tightened her hold on him with her legs. In that moment she felt like she never wanted to let him go. The man she had pushed away was abruptly her only desire.
Aiden’s mouth left hers and she took in a sharp gasp of air. Her eyes opened once she felt his tongue trail over her breast. Her cheeks were flushed red and her heart was throbbing in her ears. He whispered her name against, his lips touching her burning body. She lowered her gaze and stared down into his eyes. His eyes had gone dark with desire, watching her pant under his touch. The way he was making her body respond was foreign to her and she desperately wanted to understand how she could yield so easily. He was even more compelling than she had given him credit for. He was kind and he was gentle, but the next time he kissed her, it was the spellbinding desire of Wildness she tasted on his lips.
Her back arched towards him in craze and her hips met with his. She wanted them to be one in their Wildness for one another. Aiden moaned against her lips and craned his head back to look down at her. He asked with his eyes, his breathing gloriously uneven. Holding his eyes, she granted the permission he craved.
With a nod of her head, Aiden made her heart go aflame.

Chapter Six - It Is How We Had Met


When Nayeli walked into the stables, the horses became restless at the smell of her. The stable hound barked and ran around her, sniffing her and barking some more. She was not one for dogs, never have been. Nor one for wolves, for that matter.
“You’re upsetting my stable,” someone said from within one of the horses’ stalls. She turned into the stall, finding Aiden with a brush in his hand. He was brushing a horse, looking over its back to where she stood in the door.
“Good day, King Aiden,” she said, leaning against the frame of the stall door.
“Good day, Princess Nayeli,” he said, brushing the hide of the horse. “And to what do I owe the pleasure of your company?”
She crossed her arms. “I came to say farewell. I’m leaving before the end of day.”
“You’re leaving already,” he said, more to himself than to her. He finished brushing the horse, putting down the brush and stepping around it to face her. He stood in front of her, watching her.
“I signed your agreement.”
“Our agreement. If there’s something you don’t like, speak now.”
“Our agreement then,” she said, nodding her head.
He dusted his hands off on his clothes. “It’s so fitting,” he said. “That we say goodbye here.”
She unfolded her arms, waiting for him to continue.
“It’s how we met, well officially, you and me. You came to me in the stable in your homeland and after a series of questions, you shook my hand.”
The memory made her smile. “You remember that,” she said softly.
“You expected me to forget?”
“Yes,” she said, shyly. “I didn’t think you would take a seven year old girl seriously.”
“Well, I did. And I still do. She was quite the shrewd girl.”
“Not really,” she said, weakly. “But I’m glad you remember her. It makes me happy to know.”
“Well,” Aiden said, and held his hand out to her. “I guess this is goodbye then.”
Nayeli stared at his hand, her heart silent in her chest. She stepped forward to take his hand. She reached for him and once their hands touched, he pulled her into his chest, embracing her.
She leaned into his touch, welcoming the smell of him. Even if it was mixed with that of the stables. She breathed him in, holding onto him.
“I’m planning on riding up to the Adarmar River. Would you like to join me?” he asked into her hair.
“I’m leaving in a few hours.”
“Leave tomorrow,” he said, his lips touching her ear.
She tilted her head, looking up at him. “And what will we do at the river?”
“Well, it’s a sight to behold. And even better with company to share it with.”
“You won’t find my company unpleasant on a day like this?”
“It’s exactly on days like these that we need to show each other friendliness. Because we are allied together now. Maybe even friends.”
“Friends?” she snorted.
“I’ll show you,” he mused. “We are going to be the best of friends.”

Princess Akira lied on her bed with the doors and curtains closed. She had lit Ember leaves around her bed, causing it’s odor to traveller through the room. Smoke hung in the air. Akira lifted her finger to play with the gray shadows of the smoke.
Did she light too much of the leaves?
She laughed by herself. Great seas, she surely did feel better. He headaches gone, stress reduced to nothing. Ember leaves might just be the answer to every one of her problems. Akira smiled, stretching herself out on her bed.
A knock at the door made her jump. She laughed out loud, feeling silly that a knock could make her startle so easily. Akira slid off the bed, pillows falling to the floor. She waved some of the smoke away around her head, opening the door a few inches. A maid stood on the other side.
“Milady,” the servant said, curtsying. “You have a visitor in your sunroom.”
Akira groaned. “Tell that simpleminded Duchess that I’m so, so very busy. Or maybe you should tell her that I will be busy for the rest of my life.”
The servant frowned at her, lowering her head as she spoke. “Princess Nayeli Faye seeks an audience with you, Milady.”
Akira shook her head, trying to clear her head. “Why is the Princess here?” she asked.
The servant shrugged. “Do you want me to ask, Milady?”
“No,” Akira mumbled. “Tell her I’ll be out in a minute.”
Akira closed the door quickly, waving smoke away from her. There wasn’t time to dress in fresh clothing, so she pulled a light cloak from her wardrobe, pulling it around her smoke-infused body.
There was not time to pull her hair in order, she decided, as she made her way out of her room. She closed the door behind her, not wanting the smell of smoke to follow her to the sunroom.
Once Akira entered the sunroom, Princess Nayeli stood, her hands folded into her lap. “Princes Akira,” she said in greeting, bowing her head.
“Princess Nayeli,” Akira said, returning the bow of her head. When Akira looked up, Nayeli then seems hazy. Akira blinked a few times, sitting down in the furthest chair from Nayeli.
“I came to apologize for last night,” Nayeli said.
Akira leaned back into her chair, looking at her. “What is there to apologize for?”
“I made my own interpretations of your dreams. I didn’t want to upset you.”
“You seemed to be the upset one,” Akira said, feeling as if her words were leaving her mouth very slowly. Nayeli didn’t seem to notice.
“Do you dream about the red and blue alpoca often, Princess?”
“I dream of tigers and snakes now.”
“A snake?” she asked.
“And a stag.”
“What happens to them?”
Akira shook her head. “I don’t like to talk about it.”
“Akira,” the princess began. “My people are very good with analyzing dreams. I can help you with this.”
“You think you can analyze it? They are not real.”
Nayeli moved uneasily in her chair. “I suppose not.”
A silence stretched between them.
“Did you bring me apples?” Akira asked.
Nayeli’s eyes lifted, watching Akira. “Are you hungry?”
“No,” she said, shaking her head. “But I won’t say no to some meat. Yes, I’m hungry for meat. It’s funny, because I don’t normally like meat that much.”
Akira laughed at herself. Why would she tell that to the Princess of the Maya Isles?
“You share the appetite of companions in your dreams. Did you dream last night, Akira?”
Akira sat up in her chair. Her body felt heavy, but she kept it upright. “How did you know that I dreamt? Is the castle taking about my fits?”
“No,” Nayeli said, quickly. “I am only offering you my help. Like I said, I can help you with these dreams.”
Akira shook her head. “I can’t accept help from someone else in this regards. I promised.”
“You should write to me,” Nayeli pressed. “Tell me about your dreams. Maybe there would be someone to help you.”
“Your people might be able to take them away?” she asked, holding onto the rail of the chair, suddenly feeling weak and her eyelids heavy.
When she opened her eyes again, Nayeli was kneeled in front of her, watching her. It startled her, falling back into her chair.
“Why would you want to get rid of them, Akira?” she asked, leaning towards her.
“You never call me by my name,” Akira mumbled, widening her eyes to look at Nayeli. She was so close to her now.
“Tell me what you had dreamt,” Nayeli asked, not very nicely.
“Of tigers and snakes and stags!” Akira declared.
“Why do they all appear in one dream, Akira?” Nayeli asked, trying to catch Akira’s wavering attention.
“I want to go back to my room,” Akira said. “And I want you to leave.”
Nayeli shook her head in frustration. “Don’t worry, Princess, I will be out of your castle before the end of the day.”
“You’re leaving? But the Courtas Days only began yesterday.”
“I’m not marrying your brother, Akira. I’m leaving.”
That was able to clear Akira’s head for a moment, long enough to keep her eyes open and to look at Nayeli. Her hair had feathers in, blue and red, and she was dressed in her native clothing. She also noticed that Nayeli’s eyes were red and her cheeks puffy. Had she been crying?
“Why are you leaving, Princess Nayeli?”
“Because the alpoca won’t survive the tiger,” she said softly. “And I can’t be in this castle when that day comes.”
Akira’s brow pulled together. “I’ll write to you,” she found herself saying. “If I see the alpoca in my dreams, I’ll tell you.”
Nayeli’s face saddened. “You won’t see it again, Akira.”
Akira wanted to feel sad, but the Ember leaves didn’t allow her to feel it. She knew that, and well, it gave her courage to continue. She reached for Nayeli’s hand, holding it.
“The snake bit the stag in my dream,” she began and Nayeli’s eyes widened. “Once the stag was dead, the tiger and the snake fought over it.”
Nayeli lowered her gaze away from her, closing her eyes for a moment.
“But it’s the wolf that gets hurt most in their fight.”
“The wolf?” Nayeli asked, her eyes opening. “You never said there was a wolf?”
“The wolf is always there,” she said. “Always. He will never abandon me. He protects me against everything else.”
“A wolf?” Nayeli asked again.
“I’ve dreamt of the wolf and the tiger fighting, too. But they don’t hurt each other in their fights. Not yet, but they will. Oh, Nayeli, I fear the tiger most,” Akira said, her lids seeming to get more heavy by the second. “The tiger will hurt the wolf. I’m sure of it.”
“Why?” Nayeli asked, clutching her hand tighter. “Why does it want to hurt the wolf?”
Akira wanted to sleep, to rest. “Because the tiger wanted the stag for itself.”
“But isn’t the snake to blame for the stag’s death?”
“Yes. But the wolf won’t know that,” Akira said, pulling her hand out of Nayeli’s. “I need to rest.”
“Akira, you don’t look so good. Are you alright? Can I help you back to your chamber?”
“Don’t go into my chamber,” Akira snapped. “I will get there myself.”
“Are you sure? Let me call a servant for you?”
Akira smiled at the Princess. “Don’t fret so much, Princess. You should spend your last few hours with my brother. Usually when he’s upset, he hides in the stables.”
“How do you know he’ll be upset?”
“Oh, he’s upset alright. I’m sure of it.”
Nayeli moved in front of her, but her vision has gone blurry and unclear. She heard Nayeli move away from her. She wanted to say good-bye, but her head was clouded and her eyes were closing. She was almost close to being asleep when Nayeli spoke from the far end of the room.
“We’ll fight the tiger together, Akira.”
And then sleep took her.

Princess Nayeli found the doors to the council room open. She hesitated before stepping through. She expected to find Aiden at the head of the table with his councilors surrounding the table, but instead Jon May was sitting at the end of the table, waiting for her.
“I thought I was meeting with the Council?” she asked.
“The Council already met.”
She frowned. “Without me?”
“Aiden knew what you wanted, the rest were mere formalities,” he said. There was a stack of papers lying next to him, he gestured towards it. “The agreement is ready for you to sign. Have a seat?”
Jon started to explain the terms and conditions once she found a chair. She listened, holding her head high and refraining from shouting out loud. Because that was what she felt like doing. She wanted to cry out, scream at everyone around her. She knew she was treading on dangerous territory. Failing to meet the requirements of an agreement made by Kings was going to cost her. There were going to be people, lords and dukes in Adarmar that wasn’t going to accept her failure to marry their King.
But she couldn’t marry him. The alpoca would not survive the tiger, she reminded herself.
“You will sign over your kingdom to King Aiden Estrella,” Jon continued. “It would be as if you married him, except without a joining ceremony and you don’t have to live in Adamar Castle. You can go back to the Maya Isles.”
Nayeli nodded.
“You will be Duchess of the Maya Isles now. But King Aiden granted you keep your title, as Princess Nayeli Faye. But don’t misunderstand your position in this kingdom,” Jon said. “You’re no longer a Princess, even if you are called one. You have the position of a duchess. You have the same say as any other duchess.”
“Then why call me something I’m not?” she asked.
“Because of respect for your father,” Jon said, turning a page over. “Your kingdom is rich in farms and lands, you will keep providing Adarmar with your harvests. Your kingdom will be provided for first, of cause, and whatever surplus you have will be sent to Adarmar. Adarmar will pay fair charges for it.”
She nodded, her eyes on the table.
“Maya Castle and ground will solely belong to Princess Nayeli Faye, not to King Aiden Estrella.”
He eyes jumped up to look at him. “What?”
Jon let out a sigh. “He refuses to take ownership of your castle.”
Without pausing, Jon continued. He read through the rest, granting most of her kingdom to Aiden. She knew what it meant, she was signing her kingdom over to him. But it would have been the same if she married him. At least this way, he was free of her.
“There are going to be authorities in this kingdom that won’t like this agreement,” Jon said, looking at her now, the papers pushed to the side. “Powerful men and women in Adarmar are going to challenge your authority, Princess. If you had married King Aiden you would have been safe. But you’ve distanced yourself from the only person that can protect a native like yourself. Adarmar would be sending reinforcements into the Maya Isles and into Maya Castle.”
“Eyes for King Aiden?” she asked.
“They are there for your protection. If something were to happen to you, your people will rise against Adarmar.”
“Nothing will happen to me,” she said, crossing her arms.
Jon cleared his throat. “Can I make a suggestion?”
“Is this “suggestion” coming from Aiden?”
“No,” he said, his brow furrowed. “If you let me, if you allow me to speak openly, I can give you very good advice.”
“Go ahead,” she said, her shoulders set and ready.
“I really hope it was you that I ran into in the slums,” he began. “Because that was a woman that could fight for herself.”
She didn’t answer him, but held his eyes.
“You’ll need that courage. The people of Adarmar is going to challenge you every chance they get. They won’t be as polite as in the past. You have duchess status now, and people will make sure you know that you have been de-graded. Accept the King’s men into your kingdom. The sooner your kingdom would merge with ours, the less painful it would be for everyone.”
“I wasn’t planning on fighting against it. I know this is what my father agreed to and what is best for my kingdom. I’ll sign the agreement.”
He pushed the stack of papers closer to her.
“I’m just saying that you should be ready for what is coming.”
“I’ve always been ready,” she said, taking a quill and dipping it in ink.
“It’s a good agreement for you,” Jon said, watching her sign it. “He was kind to you. I wouldn’t have been.”
“Explain to me how it works,” she said, ignoring his previous words. “You are an Aemazon Warrior, right? What does that mean? What do the Aemazon Warriors stand for?”
Jon looked surprised at her question. “We are the strongest warriors these lands have ever seen.”
“That is not what I meant,” she said, placing the quill on the table. “You are five hundred men without a leader. You weren’t born in Adarmar, yet you stay here. Yet you are loyal to King Aiden Estrella.”
Jon shrugged. “We follow whoever wins our loyalty.”
“And the King won your loyalty?”
“When he was eighteen years old, he travelled to the Domain Kingdom. As you know, it is a savage kingdom. Not a safe place for a young prince to walk around. We were bound to a Duke in the Domain Kingdom. Enslaved, if you will. We slept with chains around our wrists, spent our days with them. He used us in their fighting pits. Selling us off to whoever was willing to pay the highest bid.”
He fell silent, watching Nayeli.
“There was something about a young man stepping into a pit and challenging the leader of the Domain Kingdom.”
“Aiden did that?”
“He was reckless. Young, and utterly stupid. He lost the fight, beaten to a pulp. He was thrown into the mud like a sack of potatoes.”
“What did they do to him?”
“They tried selling him to the highest bidder, of cause.” Jon shook his head. “His father bought him,” Jon continued. “Aiden wasn’t even aware that his father had followed him into the Domain Kingdom. Luckily he had.”
“Did his father buy you too?”
“Buy five hundred warriors? Gods, no. He placed his money to better use. He bribed the guards of the slave jails to leave the gates open. Every last one of them. Then he took his son and returned to Adarmar.”
Nayeli almost smiled.
“Of cause we hated the King of the Domain Kingdom, still hate him. So we didn’t even hesitate to search for the young boy who was willing to challenge him. A few weeks later, Aiden woke up with an army surrounding his castle. We’ve haven’t left since.
We choose who we follow. We can’t be bought or bound by an agreement. A piece of paper won’t hold us. And the seas hear me, neither will chains bind my wrists ever again.
We follow the code of the wolves, I guess. The Aemazon Warriors are bound together like them. They choose their loyalty, it can’t be chosen for them. And we remain together, us Warriors, the bond unbreakable.”
“You are Pack,” she said and the term seemed to please him immensely. He smiled at her, a genuine smile.
“Yes, we are Pack.”
“And is King Aiden Pack to you?”
“You can only be an Aemazon Warrior if you’ve been invited to join.”
“Has Aiden been invited?”
“Yes,” he said. “But he declined. He would never be able to be free like us. We can go wherever we want, follow whoever we choose. He can’t. He will have to choose his kingdom every time, every day.”
Nayeli nodded, understanding.
“But we aren’t her to discuss me,” Jon said. “Is there anything you would like to counter in the agreement?”
“No,” she said. “I agree to it.”
“I will give it through to the Council then.”
Nayeli’s body felt heavy when she stood, her heart a magnet to the floor. She stood, her eyes on the agreement, pausing.
“Any last advice, Aemazon Warrior?” she asked.
“Yes,” he said, also standing. “Produce an heir to your kingdom as soon as possible. This agreement won’t stand without you in the Maya Isles. You are your father’s last heir. Who knows what would happen if you weren’t there to honor it?”
“Are you going to offer the same advice to your King?”
“He’s not my King, he’s my friend. And I’m sure he already knows it, I don’t have to say it.”
“At least he’s got Princess Arika.”
“Yes,” he said with a long, weary sigh. “The Princess Akira.”
Nayeli wanted to ask him what his long sigh meant, but before she could, he walked for the door. He disappeared into the hall. Nayeli frowned, still deciding what his words could have meant.



҉

Chapter Five - The Snake, the Stag & the Tiger


“Where is she?” King Aiden asked.
The guards pressed open the doors to Akira’s chamber, allowing the King access. Still in his nightwear, dawn barely with them. He moved into her chamber, passed the sunroom and into her bedroom. Akira was on the floor, crying hysterically. Jon was already there and was already kneeled next to her, whispering softly to her. She screamed at him, crawling away from him.
“Jon?” Aiden asked, staring at his sister in horror.
Jon stood, looking worriedly at Aiden. “She thinks I am a tiger. She’s scared of me and refuses to let me touch her.”
Aiden kneeled in front of his sister. Her head was on the floor, eyes open and crying as if she had lost a loved one.
“Akira,” he said softly. “How can I help you?”
“Kill the snake!” Akira shouted at him, covering her face with her hands.
They both looked around in the room, as if the might find a snake rolled up on the floor.
“There’s no snake, Akira,” Jon murmured to her. “It can’t hurt you because it’s not real.”
“Then why does it feel so real?!” she screamed.
Both men on their knees now, they quietly spoke with Akira.
“They are only dreams,” Aiden said. “Calm down and let them go.”
“Push them out of your mind, see that it is dawn and you can wake up and leave the dreams behind,” Jon murmured, quietly getting to his feet to open the curtains. Breaking dawn slowly slipped into the room. Akira started bewildered at day breaking.
“Calm down, Akira,” Aiden murmured.
Her sobs stopped, her eyes staring out the window. Jon opened all of her curtains and even the doors to her balcony. Cold wind pushed through, snow blowing into her room. Akira turned onto her back, her breathing calmed. The last few tears left her eyes, but she was calming down.
Jon and Aiden kept quiet, watching her on the floor. When their eyes met, Aiden nodded his thanks to Jon.
Jon gave a step closer. “She’s calming down,” he said. “Let me take care of her? I’ll make sure you know if she needs you. But I think I can take it from here.”
Aiden hesitated, but eventually he nodded.
“When she’s better, I will come back.”
“She’s going to be very tired. Rather let her rest.”
“Yes,” Aiden said, his eyes on his sister again. “Please get her off the floor.”
“I will,” Jon said.
Aiden left, his heart heavy. Seeing Akira on the floor made him think of Nayeli’s fever from the night before. Was she sick? He had no way of knowing, no one of her culture he could ask. The closest person her knew as a native was Duke Faure. And he wasn’t going to ask that man anything.
Outside Akira’s room, Aiden turned to one of the guards. “Would you please go to Councilman Frances and ask him to arrange a meet? I want every one of my council there.”




Jon lifted Akira’s body, finding it as light as a feather. She didn’t fight him this time, instead she nuzzled herself into his arms. He got onto her bed, still holding onto her. She pulled him onto the bed with her, not wanting to let go.
“I’m sorry,” she murmured.
“Don’t apologize,” he said, wiping hair out of her face. Her face was wet with sweat, her hair sticking to her forehead.
“I’m glad you are here.”
“Where else would I be? I’m your protector, remember?”
“And the only one that knows how to help me,” she said, her voice leaden with emotion.
He shook his head. “It won’t be necessary. You’re alright now.”
“Do you have some leaves or roots?” she asked.
Jon remained quiet.
“So, you do have. Why haven’t you given them to me?”
“They are not good for you, Akira.”
“The leaves make me calm, refraining from having an episode like I just did. And the roots give me dreamless nights. How can that not be good for me, Jon? It is exactly what I need.”
“We’ve been able to go without Ember for weeks now. You need to learn not to rely on it.”
Her face hardened. “I don’t want to dream, Jon. It’s only getting worse. Last night was the worst I’ve ever experienced.”
“And you pulled through,” he said, staring down at her.
“Barely,” she whimpered, tears starting in her eyes. “Why must I be cursed with these distraught dreams of animals and human voices crying out? Why can’t I eat Ember roots and sleep dreamlessly?”
“Don’t cry,” he murmured, wiping tears off her cheeks.
“I’m sad all the time. I cry all the time.”
“Ember is not the answer-”
“I want to feel better, Jon!” she said, struggling out of his arms. “I want to wake up each morning without having to scream myself awake!”
“And what do you think Aiden will say when he finds out?”
“He won’t find out,” Akira snapped. “And, besides, if you don’t want to be part of this, I will find someone else to supply me.”
“You can’t trust anyone else-”
“Then why don’t you help me, Jon?!”
“I want to help you-”
“Then give it to me,” she snapped.
Jon stared at her, shaking his head. “Only if you make me a promise first. One you are going to keep as long as I live.”
Her brow furrowed. “What kind of promise?”
“You will only use Ember when I provide you with it. You will accept it from no other person, no matter who the person is. You will only use what little amount I can provide you with.”
“You want to regulate me carefully. I can understand that.”
“Is it a promise you can make me?”
“Yes, of cause,” she said with a nod of her head. “I wouldn’t want it any other way. You know I trust you, Jon.”
“All right,” he said softly. He dug into his pocket, taking out what little Ember he had bought in the slums. “This would do for a while. Use it sparingly. These are hard to come by.”
“I know,” she murmured, lowering her eyes away from him. “Thank you, Jon.”
“Please, this is not something I want you to thank me for.”

Sara wrote: "Wonderful! Your story is very intense. I am love with your book! I hope to see more..."

Hi Sara

Much more to come, this is only the beginning of a series of exciting events. The Native Princess is quite the wildcard.

Will post more today.
Thanks for reading.
Mariette

Mariettedr wrote: "Aiden didn’t reach for her again and she took the chance to lower her head to the cold floor. Pressing her head onto the cold helped. The burn in her veins felt lighter, but her hands were still si..."

Hi Elizabeth

Yes, a making this a whole book. I've written most of it, busy with the last few chapters. I will post more on it today.

Thanks for reading & please feel free to give advise or ask questions.
Mariette

Aiden didn’t reach for her again and she took the chance to lower her head to the cold floor. Pressing her head onto the cold helped. The burn in her veins felt lighter, but her hands were still sizzling where they pressed to the floor. She prayed that Aiden didn’t hear it. Then she collapsed her entire body onto the cold floor, embracing the iciness of the surface.
She took in big gulps of air, forcing herself to calm down. The sizzling ceased and the burn of desire in her veins started to fade. She knew Aiden was still watching her, but she had to forget about him in order to find calm. Because everything about him wanted her veins to burn.
Pulling herself together, she rolled onto her back, allowing the cold to bite into her backside. Once her breathing evened, she swallowed, and turned her head towards Aiden. He was watching her intently in his silence.
“I can explain,” she said, sounding out of breath.
“What are you?” Aiden asked quietly, unmoving.
She sat up, frowning at his dark silhouette. “My fever runs high,” she said, taking in a breath. “When I get worked up, it sometimes fires up-”
“And just like that you are able to stop it,” he said softly. Her heart almost gave way when he shook his head at her. “Something else you didn’t tell me.”
She took in a big breath, and when she allowed it to leave her lungs again, she felt tears burning in her eyes.
“Explain to me exactly what just happened, Nayeli.”
“It’s just a fever-”
“Your eyes were glowing bright blue,” he cut her off. “And then you pressed your body to the cold floor.”
Tears left her eyes. “I am different than your people,” she said softly. “I have a fever that runs high and I am able to stop it quite fast.”
“And if you don’t stop it?”
“I get very sick.”
“And why did your fever start when we kissed?”
“I don’t know,” she mumbled, tasting the salt of her tears. “It wasn’t supposed to happen, it shouldn’t have. I thought I had control over it.”
Aiden remained quiet.
“It’s nothing that can hurt you,” she added. “Well, it’s nothing you can catch from me-”
“That didn’t even cross my mind, Nayeli. What I am concerned about is what else is there that you are keeping from me?”
Tears ran freely down her cheeks. “So much, Aiden. I won’t know where to start.”
He fell silent, staring at her.
“I’ve been writing letters to my council in the Maya Isles, discussing a matter I’ve taken up with them before I left.”
“And what matter is that?”
She didn’t answer him, instead she lowered her head down onto her knees. She trembled slightly, holding onto her legs. Aiden got to his feet and stopped next to her. He lifted her body up effortlessly, bringing her to her feet. He seemed concerned for her, but his features hardened.
“What matter, Nayeli?” he asked again.
“I don’t want to marry the King of Adamar,” she said softly, looking up at him. “I want to go home, Aiden. And I want to stay there.”
He gave a step away from her, shock lining his features. “What?” he mumbled in surprise.
“Our marriage was arranged ten years ago to cease war between our kingdoms. For ten years we’ve had peace. We can continue, leave things as it is. We don’t have to marry each other, Aiden. I’ll sign a treaty with you, sign my loyalty to you, but I can’t marry you.”
He shook his head. “Our fathers made this agreement-”
“Our fathers are no longer here-”
“It doesn’t mean we don’t have to honor them!” he exclaimed.
“But I was sold to you when I was seven years old!” she shouted back. “For ten years I was forced to visit your castle. I don’t fit here, Aiden-”
“It’s because you never wanted to be a part of my kingdom! You weren’t willing to learn our ways-”
“And you aren’t willing to learn mine,” she spat. “Except when they say that you could claim me before we are married-”
“Yes, because that would have made everything better. Were you honestly going to let me do this to you when you aren’t planning on marrying me?!”
She took a step back from him. “I wanted to give us a chance-”
“It was not the way to do it, Nayeli.”
She stared at him, shocked by his words. He ignored her, picking up their clothes. He presses her dress back into her hands. He started to get dressed. Once he had his pants and shirt back on, he realized she wasn’t moving.
“Would you please put your clothes back on?” he asked.
She moved, starting to put the dress on. She felt dazed as she climbed back into the dress. Once her dress was pulled up, Aiden looked at her again. He stopped in front of her, handing her his jacket.
She pressed it away. “I don’t need it,” she said softly.
“Nayeli,” he said, lowering the jacket away from her. “This agreement was made by our fathers. I won’t break my father’s word. But I won’t force you to marry me either. Is this what you want?” Silence fell. “Think over your answer very carefully, because I won’t ask you again. And this would be your decision. Your choice.”
She wiped a tear off her cheek. “I truly am sorry, Aiden-”
Without warning, Aiden brought her closer to him, pressing her lips to his. He kissed her carelessly and she allowed him to.
“Please, make sure it’s what you want,” he breathed against her lips.
“I have to go home,” she whispered.
He kissed her again, longer than the previous kiss, holding her body against his. “Change your mind,” he moaned into her mouth.
Tears left her eyes and she could taste them in their kisses.
When Aiden released her body, she stepped away and touched her mouth. “I don’t belong here,” she said. “Please understand-”
“I will never understand,” he said bluntly. He dusted off his jacket, pulling it on over his clothes. “I will never understand,” he repeated.

Once he broke their kiss, she inhaled and pressed her head against his chest. His lips touched the top of her head, holding her against him.
“You must be cold,” he said into her hair.
“I’m not,” she murmured.
He shrugged off his jacket, letting go of her momentarily. Putting the jacket around her shoulders, he pulled her closer, meeting their lips again.
“Can’t we just stay here?” she asked against his lips.
“Not in this cold.”
He took her hand and she expected him to lead them back to the great hall, but instead he went deeper into the gardens.
“Where are you taking me?” she asked.
“You’ll see,” he murmured over his shoulder.
He guided them perfectly through the dark night, not falling over a bush once. He must know the garden by heart, Nayeli decided. He led them to the greenhouse on the far side of the garden. Pulling her into the greenhouse, he closed the door behind them. It didn’t help the cold much, but at least they were out of the snow.
“Is my jacket helping?” he asked.
“I’m not cold,” she said softly, now very much aware that they were alone. They’ve never truly been alone before. The silence between them stretched. Aiden’s eyes didn’t leave her for a second.
“What?” she asked, her voice sounding loud in the silent space.
“I like it,” he said, his voice softer than hers. “The silence.”
“You don’t prefer dancing in front of your people? Entertaining them?”
“Not when I have to share you with them,” he said, laughing nervously.
“Because of the alluring dress?”
“Because of your feathers.”
She remained silent. Another silence spread.
“Don’t understand me wrong. But you wore the feathers in your hair tonight, and for the first time in so long, it feels like I am seeing you again.”
“Seeing me again?” she asked.
“The girl I met ten years ago.”
“I was seven.”
“You had a full head of feathers, even more than tonight.”
“Tell me more about her,” she said, pulling his jacket closer around her.
“Well, you were friendlier then.”
Laughter bubbled out of her throat.
“Seeing you being yourself tonight, it made me jealous to share you with them. I wish I could dance with you until the sun rises, but I want to do it with a cleared hall. Just you and me.”
She walked closer to him, a smile playing with the corners of her lips. “We don’t need the great hall to dance alone.”
“No, we don’t. But I can’t do it in here either.”
“Why not?”
“In here I don’t want to dance. In here I want to kiss you some more.”
“I never liked dancing anyways,” she quickly said, touching her hand to his chest.
He laughed, his features drawn into a smile in the dim lighting.
“No,” he said, catching her hand on his chest. “Not chaperoned, who would stop us from…well, from not-stopping?”
For some reason she liked the sound of it. She liked doing whatever she wanted, always have. She didn’t have time for their customs anyways. Aiden’s kingdom believed that a man had to marry a woman before claiming her. But her people believed it to be the other way around.
“Do you know I’m dressed like this, Aiden?” she asked, trying not to sound shy.
“To drive me utterly insane?”
“Well, yes,” she murmured. “And it’s also my custom.”
“I know-”
“No, you don’t, King.”
He remained silent, watching her.
“You believe you should marry a woman before making her yours. We believe differently. We believe a woman should be ready to accept the man first. Then she will dress like this. And then she will accept him, if you know what I mean.”
Aiden was still silent, unmoving.
“We believe the woman should lay with her intended before marrying him,” she said softly, so softly that he was barely able to hear her.
Aiden took in an unsteady breath. “Why didn’t you tell me that?”
She lowered her hand away from his chest, dropping her eyes to the ground. “Because it’s not your custom. And your rules sounded so much stricter than ours. I don’t really care, the marriage was arranged, and so whether we are compatible in bed or not doesn’t really matter.”
Heat now lined her cheeks.
“You don’t care whether we are compatible in bed?” he asked slowly.
“I meant to say that I don’t care for the custom, neither of our customs in this regard. I decided to leave it up to you.”
Aiden lifted her head with a finger underneath her chin. “And what else did you leave up to me?”
She stared up at him, holding his eyes. “I waited for you to kiss me first.”
“How long have you been waiting?” he asked, bringing his lips closer to hers. Her stomach started to knot.
“I didn’t know I was waiting until you kissed me tonight.”
Their lips met, folding together. His tongue found hers, his hands both in her hair. He pulled her into him, breathing her in. The leather strip around her head came loose, her blue feather falling to the floor. He didn’t stop to pick it up, instead he kissed her more fiercely.
Carelessly, they started to take off each other’s clothing. Pulling at his shirt and pants, she was able to get them off. He took hold of her dress, but paused then.
“I don’t want you to get cold,” he muttered against her lips.
“I don’t get cold,” she groaned and pulled the dress down over her breasts. The dress didn’t tie at the back like most of her dresses, it merely hugged to her body, so it was easy to pull off. Once her dress fell to the floor, Aiden took in a sharp breath, slowly giving a step away from her.
They stared at each other’s naked bodies, pausing to take each other in. The lighting was dim, but she could clearly see the silhouette of his warrior body. He was beautiful, she decided. As if he agreed with her, he stepped closer. He cupped her head in his hand, staring down at her.
“You are going to have me ridiculously senseless at this rate.”
She laughed, reaching for him.
Stepping into each other’s arms, their lips met. Their bodies pressed together, they melted into each other. She felt whole then, one with the man she was intended to marry. He touched her hips, his hands warm and lovely against her skin.
He whispered her name, his lips moving into her neck. She savored the feeling of his lips on her skin. It felt like fire was burning in her veins, like coals were pressed against her skin with each kiss he planted over her shoulders and neck. Desire burned in her stomach. With her hands on his back, she found herself wanting to tug her nails into him.
“Your skin is beautifully warm,” he murmured to her.
And then she knew. Something was going wrong and it was happening fast. Nayeli’s hands found Aiden’s chest, slowly pressing him away from her.
“Nayeli?” he asked, still dazed by their kisses.
“I can’t be in here,” she blurted softly. Then she cursed.
Aiden stared at her, surely shocked at her foul mouth.
“My clothes,” she muttered and kneeled down to the floor. Except she didn’t come back up, she lost her balance, and fell to her knees.
“Nayeli!” he said, startled. He dropped down next to her, pulling her closer to him. But she pushed him away immediately. He let her go and she moved away from him.
“Don’t touch me, Aiden,” she demanded. “Don’t touch me!”
“No,” he objected, reaching for her again. But he stopped once she glared at him. “Nayeli, your eyes are glowing-”
“Just get away from me and shut up,” she spat.

Aiden was staring at her, looking at her like he had never done before. It made her heart jump, and her breathing uneven. He must have taken it as being out of breath from dancing, because he didn’t stop, he held onto her. His lips touched her ear when he spoke to her, giving her chills. The hall rapidly felt much warmer than before. Her cheeks felt flustered as the song started to slow.
The flutters stirring in her stomach had her heart in a knot. She was glad the song was coming to an end, she couldn’t be in his arms any longer. It was smothering to think that her body liked being pressed to his, liked feeling his lips touch her ear. As if the heat in her veins weren’t enough, he still held onto her when the song ended.
She lifted her gaze to look up at him. They came to a halt, staring at each other. His hand cupped her face, their bodies still touching. It was no longer a secret that her breathing was uneven. To her relief, neither was his. People were moving off the floor around them, but she remained pinned underneath his stare. It wasn’t the stare of a King. It was Aidan, and only Aiden. He looked at her as if he could–
Aiden kissed her.
In front of all his Lords and Dukes, he kissed the Native Princess.
His lips moved against hers and she allowed her own lips to move along. His kiss wasn’t kind and polite, it was a kiss from a man than knew what he wanted, Nayeli realized.
It scared her, but she didn’t pull away until the kiss began to slow. The moment their lips left each other, the hall erupted into applause. Jumping at the noise, Nayeli stepped away from Aiden and looked around the room. When she looked back at him, he was turned away from her and walking towards the door. Her heart quickened.
She didn’t know which way to go, back to her seat or back to her room? Instead she found herself following the direction Aiden went in. She sped up once she reached the doors, moving out into the cold night. It was dark outside in the gardens, but she continued forward. Soon she was wrapped in the night, she squinted and moved forward. He went this way, she was sure. She could smell him.
As if he knew she was following him, he came to find her. She knew it was Aiden the moment he touched her. She closed her eyes and savored the feeling of being close to him. His warm lips covered hers in the silence of the night. He held her body close, pulling her into him. Now no one was staring at them and she could kiss him the way she wanted to.
She placed her hands on his hips, holding him close. His kisses were mesmerizing, her mind clouded like never before. She slipped her hands in underneath his shirt and placed her hands on the warmth of his skin. He tangled one of his hands in her hair, holding her mouth to his.

Aiden stopped in the middle of the great hall, folding his hands into each other behind his back. He waited as the hall quieted down and everyone found their seats. He was excited to dance with Nayeli. For some reason he looked forward to holding her in his arms and moving with her.
The hall went quiet. Aiden bowed in Nayeli’s direction. She hesitated for a moment, but then she stood up from her chair and moved towards him. Her pale red dress moved effortlessly along with her body. She must have been aware of his eyes on her, but she didn’t react to it. She stopped in front of him and met his eyes.
He waited for her to curtsy, but she didn’t. She stood watching him, the room silent around them. Aiden waited for her, becoming utterly aware of the stares around the room. Just when he thought she wasn’t going to, Nayeli smiled mischievously, and then she curtsied.
A smile played with the sides of his lips, shaking his head at her. He moved forward and took her hand, turning her and twirling her in front of him. All eyes were on her, so he decided to twirl her twice. It looked like she enjoyed it when he showed off with her, because when he pulled her into his arms, she was smiling. He couldn’t take his eyes off her smile. It was as if he was seeing it for the first time in his life. As if she was able to hide it from him until now.
She moved with him effortlessly, her feet finding their way across the floor without hesitation. What Aiden admired the most were the set of her shoulders. She carried herself confidently when she danced. All signs of the shy girl vanished when she moved with him. He couldn’t help himself. Selfishly he held her closer to him. She didn’t fight it. Their bodies touched and remained close during their dance.
The song came to an end far too quickly for his liking. When the music stopped and Nayeli wanted to step away, her held onto her. She looked up at him in surprise.
“One more,” he murmured to her.
“Is that your custom?” she asked.
“No,” he said with a smile on his lips.
Taking in the people coming their way, she stepped closer to him again. He took the opportunity to take her back into his arms. She felt good against his body, he thought, trying not to stare at her revealing chest. Couples started moving around them.
“It’s because you’re beautiful,” he whispered into her ear.
She stiffened for a moment, and then danced again. “Excuse me?”
He pulled her body even closer. “They stare at you because you’re so goddam beautiful,” he breathed into her ear.
She held onto his body, holding herself close to him. “You don’t find me silly in this dress?”
“There is nothing silly about the dress,” he said, a grin on his face.
“And the feathers?” she asked, her voice softer.
“Without the feathers,” he breathed into her ear. “Without them you wouldn’t be who you are. I like seeing you like this, Nayeli.”
“It’s our custom,” she whispered back, her eyes dropping away from him momentarily.
“I know,” he said and twirled her again, beholding the sight that she was. Feathers circled her body as she turned. He caught a smile on her lips and it made him look at her lips like he had never done before. Just then he decided, she was definitely the most beautiful bird he had ever seen.

҉

Akira returned to her seat after shaking off Duke Faure. Lords and Dukes were coming from around the hall to greet King Aiden and Princess Nayeli. Aiden didn’t talk to Nayeli, he only stole long looks in her direction, making sure he looked away when she might turn her head towards him.
Akira wanted to smack him over the head, but refrained from doing so and sat down instead. To her surprise, Jon was also staring at the Princess. He wasn’t really staring, more like glaring. Akira leaned forward, breaking his view of Nayeli.
“Everything alright?” she asked.
His glare remained on his face. “Just observing.”
“You don’t like her?” Akira asked, her voice lowered. “Or do you like her a lot? She is beautiful to look at.”
Jon laughed. “I’d rather look at you,” he said softly, knowing very well how dangerous his words were.
It made her feel warm inside, and shy. All at the same time. Before her cheeks could flush or her ears could heat up, she reached for his glass of wine again. He reached for the glass playfully, trying to stop her from taking it. But she was quick and had the glass pressed to her lips in no time.
“Duke Faure and wine, all in one night. What’s next, Akira?” Aiden asked, leaning towards Akira and Jon. She scowled at him.
“Do you drink, Princess Nayeli?” Jon asked, raising her voice for her to hear him. He looked over at Nayeli.
Nayeli lifted her head, slowly turning her gaze towards Jon. She held his eyes for a moment, watching him intently.
“Not really,” she replied, unwavering from his gaze.
“Not really?” he repeated. “Is that a yes or a no?”
“If not a yes, a no then,” she snapped.
Akira had never seen the Princess snap at someone. Her brow furrowed, did Jon do something to upset her? Jon and Aiden were good friends. What would Aiden say if his wife and friend didn’t get along?
Aiden cleared his throat loudly, putting his glass of wine down. “Jon, would you step outside with me for a moment?” he asked, getting up from his chair. He didn’t wait for Jon to reply, he knew he would follow. Once they were both gone, Akira looked over at Nayeli.
“Excuse the men,” Akira said, weakly.
Nayeli looked at Akira from the corner of her eye, seeming unsure of how to respond. Akira sighed and hopped over into Aiden’s seat. Once she sat down next to her, Nayeli stiffened slightly.
“Men will be men,” Akira said. “Especially those two. Don’t bother with them too much. Just ignore them, I know I do.”
Nayeli shook her head. “That is very dangerous advice. Princess.”
Akira frowned at first, and then she laughed out loud. Nayeli startled at her sudden laughter.
“I apologize,” Akira said, touching her temple. “It was just an unexpected response.”
Nayeli seemed to relax slightly as Akira got her laughter under control. Akira touched her temple again, taking in a breath and looking at the Princess with a smile.
“Do you have a headache, Princess Akira?” Nayeli asked.
She lowered her hand away from her temple. “I get a lot of them,” she confessed, but she waved it away. “I just need more sleep.”
“Is there something that worries you and keeps you up at night?”
Akira shook her head, her smile faded. “No,” she said quietly.
“Dreams then?” Nayeli asked, turning to look at Akira.
Akira stared at the tanned face and head of feathers watching her. She was a sight to behold. Blue feathers and a red dress. Akira frowned. “Last night I dreamt of a red and blue bird.”
Nayeli held her gaze. “What kind of bird was it?”
“It looked like a raven, except it wasn’t black, it was colorful.”
Nayeli’s eyes bored into Akira’s. Princess to Princess. “It’s called an Alpoca. It looks like a raven, but it’s slightly larger. It’s colors are red and blue.”
“I didn’t know that.”
“It will only be found in the forest of my homeland. Why did you dream of a red and blue Alpoca, Princess?”
Akira shrugged. “I don’t know. But it ended very sadly for it.”
Nayeli swallowed, going quiet. “What happened to it?”
“It was eaten by a tiger,” Akira said and she felt the ball and its people drop away from her slightly. Thinking about her dreams saddened her, making her twirl out of control. “It screamed as it died.”
Nayeli’s icy eyes turned even colder, watching her. “What did the cries sound like, Akira?”
It was the first time Nayeli had ever called her by her name, it didn’t go unnoticed to her.
“Like a little girl,” Akira heard herself saying. “She was crying hysterically. But she couldn’t fight the tiger.”
“She can,” Nayeli said softly, a mere whisper.
“What?” Akira asked but was interrupted when Aiden and Jon returned to the table.
Once Jon pulled out his chair, Princess Nayeli stood.
“Please, excuse me,” she mumbled and left in a twirl of feathers.
Aiden furrowed his brow at Akira. “Everything alright?”
“Yes,” she said and moved over to her seat again.
Aiden and Jon sat down on either side of her, but she couldn’t shake Princess Nayeli’s words. Akira reached under the table, finding Jon’s hand. He stiffened once she touched him, but she needed someone to hold on to. What did Princess Nayeli mean when she said a bird could fight a tiger?



As the meal was served, Nayeli came back to her seat to eat. She didn’t want to offend the Royal Family by not excepting their meal. She sat down next to Aiden, avoiding looking at him. Instead she looked down at the plate in front of her. Her stomach yearned for the meat served. She couldn’t stop herself from finishing off the entire plate. She ate every last piece, from the meat to the very last pea. Once she was done, she found herself hungry for more. Pulling herself together, she gently pushed her plate aside.
She will have to learn to eat more during the day if she was going to marry into this family. Not that the food wasn’t enough. It was more than enough. She just didn’t have time to eat today. After their walk in the gardens, she had to get out of the castle’s walls. She had discovered a small side gate at the side of the castle that only a handful of guards watched. She has been able to bribe them quite often and sneak through. She didn’t know if they weren’t telling anyone because she was paying them well, or maybe because she was going to be the King’s wife. Surely the Queen could do whatever she liked? Even if that meant sneaking out of the castle.
To her relief, Aiden finished his entire plate as well. The rest of the table struggled to get that amount of food down. Except the Aemazon Warrior, he finished his plate too. Well, eventually. He took longer, staring at Princess Akira most of the time. Was he in love with her, Nayeli wondered, or was he just very protective of her? Either way, she should be wary of a man than walked the slums late at night.
Their plates were taken away. Nayeli felt a sudden calmness, knowing that her obligations as the Queen-to-be were done now. The formalities were done and soon people will start dancing. She would use that chance to slip away and go to her room.
“They are waiting for us to dance first,” Aiden said softly. She wasn’t sure if he had spoken to her, so she looked around first. Making sure there wasn’t someone else standing behind her.
Aiden turned in his chair, looking at her. “Would you like to dance with me, Princess?”
She found herself staring at him, her eyes moving towards his lips for a second and back again. A smile found his face. “I’m not sure if I would be able to dance like your people.”
“I’ll show you,” he said, his voice kind and lowered between them.
“And if I look like a fool?”
“Then we will look like fools together.”
She shrugged. “The entire room is already staring at me like I am a fool, I guess five more minutes won’t be any different.”
Aiden shook his head and continued. “It’s our custom for the King to walk to the middle of the room and once everyone is seated, I will bow in your direction. Once I’ve bowed, you will stand up and join me. Stop in front of me and curtsy. Curtsy is when-”
“I know what a curtsy is,” she said, fighting a grin. “Just because I don’t bow to you, doesn’t mean I don’t know how.”
Aiden looked offended.
“Did you roll your eyes at Duke Faure earlier?” she asked, not being able to resist the question.
“Why? Didn’t I do it right?”
It made her smile. “Try being more subtle next time.”
“But you’re not subtle when you do it.”
“I’m the Native Princess,” she mused and raised an eyebrow at him. “I can get away with it. Our ways are so different, remember?”
“Well, I’m rolling my eyes and you’re curtsying tonight,” he said and got up, a smile on his face. Her heart thudded once she realized she had to dance in front of all the people here. Dukes and Lords would be watching.

Chapter Three - The Courtas Ball


King Aiden was seated in the middle of a long table, the dance floor and the rest of the great hall as their view. To the King’s right, Akira was seated, and next to Akira, Jon sat. Jon leaned forward in his seat, looking over at the empty seat to Aiden’s right. The princess was running late. She had been out of the castle for the entire day. He could not find her anywhere. Leaning back in his chair, Jon took another gulp of wine.
“Looking for someone specific?” Akira asked him, a fond smile on her face. Jon turned to smile at her. She was wearing navy blue like her brother. She was slipped into a dress than circled her chest and hanged freely to the floor. She looked beautiful for the Courtas Ball. But he wasn’t allowed to think that.
“No one specific,” he shrugged.
Akira laughed at him. “As if I would believe you! It’s the Courtas Days! Women are probably lining up for the Aemazon Warrior. Would you at least spare me a dance?”
“I’ll spare you more than one,” he said, founding himself staring into her alluring young eyes.
“If you have a moment later on,” she said, her voice lowered. “Can we talk outside?”
His gaze lowered away from her face. “Not with Aiden nearby.”
“You’ve been avoiding this conversation for days now. We have to talk sometime or another,” she said and reached for his glass. Jon watched her as she lifted his glass of wine to her lips. She drowned half of it.
“You know drinking doesn’t help.”
“I had so little sleep last night, I can’t even care right now.”
Jon lifted his head, ready to reason with Akira, but instead he saw Princess Nayeli entering the great hall. If he was ever unsure about whether or not she had been down in the slums, he was sure now. Her straight, black hair was loose around her shoulders and a leather strip was tied around the top of her head, the strip leading across her forehead. Next to her left ear, a blue feather hanged upside down, its end tied to the leather strip. Pieces of her hair were brought together in a few soft, thin plaits. At the end of the thin braids, more blue feathers were tied to her hair. She had hair of black and blue moving around her back and shoulders.
The same as last night.
҉

She was dressed in a subtle red, a mop of black and blue filling her back. Her dress was nothing that he had seen her wear before. With winter at their front door, she was wearing a dress that fitted her scandalously perfect. It hugged every curve her figure had to offer her young body, falling softly to her feet. Her shoulders were bare and the top curves of her breasts showed sophisticatedly. He will have to ask his men to make more fires in the hall for her. She did not even attempt to bring something along for the cold. Selfishly, Aiden was glad. She looked beautiful.
And so different. He had not seen her with feathers in her hair in ten years’ time. He could remember the day he had met her quite clearly. She had been seven years old back then. He remembered thinking she looked like a storm of blue and red feathers. Aiden smiled at himself. At first she had been shy, hiding behind her father. But later she had caught up to him outside at the stables. She had asked him a series of questions and once she was done, she held her hand out to him. He had taken it that day in the stable, a mere boy, and shook it. It had been so much easier as children, deciding everything over a shake of hands.
If only she would shake his hand now.
Aiden stood abruptly. He wanted to run to her, to take her hand before anyone else had the honor. He made his way across the hall, his eyes not leaving her for a moment. People were staring at her, watching the Native Princess. His people. They did not understand her, did not know her culture. He wanted to take her hand, claim her, and walk her to her seat as his fiancé. His heart rumbled in his chest, everything and everyone else in the room invisible to him.
He was closing in on the Princess, but then a man stepped up next to her. Aiden stopped.
Duke Faure Jevric stepped up next to Nayeli. Her face lightened up at the sight of him. And she looked relieved. Relieved, because the son of an old friend was standing in front of her. A man she was actually fond of. Duke Faure had had a native mother. She had died when he was a boy, but his father still honored his mother, telling him about the ways of the natives. Nayeli had always favored Faure because they were similar. Or at least, he was the closest thing to a native that she could befriend in Aiden’s Kingdom.
Aiden wanted to curse, but held his tongue as Duke Faure held out an arm to her. She smiled shyly and took it. Aiden felt a fool, rushing up from his table for nothing. He could go back to his seat, but every eye on him would notice his defeat. Instead, Aiden turned towards the door.
Outside the great hall, Aiden struggled to breathe normally. Puffing in and out, his breath created the linings of ghosts in front of his mouth. It was snowing outside, winter falling down on him. He ignored the snow, sitting down on a nearby garden bench. He held his head between his hands, his eyes pressed shut.
But he could only see one thing behind his closed lids.
The Native Princess and her feathers.
He cursed and opened his eyes. There was no one outside with him, too cold for his people’s liking. But he embraced the cold, taking in big gulps of fresh air. His breathing started to even.
Once he had convinced himself that he was calm enough, he stood. Calm enough not to rip Duke Faure’s head off, Aiden thought. Dusting off snow from his jacket, he ducked back into the hall. Inside the hall he was welcomed by warmth and normalcy. The ball had continued as if nothing had happened. Nothing did happen, Aiden told himself. No one knew his aim was to escort the Princess to her chair, they probably thought that he just needed fresh air and went outside to get some.
He found the Princess sitting in her chair, the seat next to his. Duke Faure was still standing next to her, talking away. He was a handsome young man, Aiden knew. He had heard the women of the kingdom fretting over him. He even caught Akira stealing a look at him. Aiden thought of the way Nayeli had rolled her eyes at him that morning. Standing behind Duke Faure, Aiden tried it. He rolled his eyes.
“King Aiden?” Princess Nayeli asked.
He had to refrain from jumping, instead he pushed past the Duke and towards his chair.
“Princess Nayeli,” he said in greeting, bowing his head.
She bowed her head as well. “King, Aiden.”
Aiden held onto his chair, steading himself. “Why, and if it isn’t Duke Faure,” he started.
“King Aiden,” the Duke said in greeting. “I thought that it was time I attend a ball at the Royal Castle-”
“Especially with Princess Nayeli here,” Aiden added.
“Well, yes. It’s been a long time since we’ve seen each other-”
“She’s always so busy, I hope she finds time for you.”
Akira stood abruptly. “Duke Faure,” she said, smiling elegantly. “Would you be so kind to accompany me to go get a drink?”
Aiden remained quiet, his eyes still on Duke Faure.
“Why, I would like nothing more, Princess,” the Duke agreed.
The Duke leaned closer to Nayeli, murmuring something to her. Aiden was just about to ask him what he had to say to his fiancé, when Akira pinched him. Hard. He turned towards his sister, glaring at her.
“You’re acting like a jealous fool,” she said through smiling teeth, her voice lowered between the two of them. “Pull yourself together, Brother.”
His glare softened, watching his sister. He knew she was right, he knew he was a simpleton when it came to situations he couldn’t control. He couldn’t control his future wife, he realized.
He also realized that he didn’t necessarily want to.

Chapter Two - To Jest With Him


Jon leaned against the wall, letting out a long sigh. He was in the king’s gardens at the back of the castle. It was early morning, the bite of the cold night still chasing him. Slipping his hands into his pockets, his eyes moved over the gardens, stopping once he sees a smile on Aiden’s face.

Was she making him smile?
Jon scowled, carefully watching the Native Princess at Aiden’s side.

When Jon got out of bed this morning, he was planning on going to Aiden to expose everything that happened during the night. But when Jon came to the King’s chamber, he was told that the King had already been requested for a walk.

He thought it would be a Lord, a Duke, or maybe that silly Duchess Leilani. But when Jon walked into the back gardens, every guard in sight had their eyes on the pair. The Native Princess was no longer wearing her absurd native clothing, she was dressed like a Princess. She wore a green gown with a white cloak wrapped around her shoulders. He had seen her wear the cloak before.

So the Princess was able to beat him to the King, Jon nodded. It meant she didn’t want the King to know about her indiscretions. She made sure she was at the King’s door first, occupying him to ensure Jon did not have the chance to talk to him.

The Princess came to a sudden stop, yanking off her cloak and handing it to the King. Her arms must have been cold, but she ignored it, and sat down next to a thick bush of titsle leaves. Jon stared. Her bare arms and face did not have a single bruise on them. There were no traces of her fight in the tavern mere hours ago. Jon stepped away from the wall, his eyes wide.

Her teeth had been red with blood. Yet, there were not any traces of a broken lip or a black eye. In fact, she didn’t look like she had been drinking the previous night at all. She looked as fresh and vibrant as ever. All signs of common clothing and native feathers were gone.






King Aiden walked next to Princess Nayeli, stealing peeks at her every now and then. He had found it odd that she bothered him with a walk so early in the day, but he did not complain. He had been already awake and pleasantly surprised that his future bride was showing an interest in him. Maybe it was the start of the Courtas Days.

The Courtas Days consisted of five days each year where the kingdom celebrated love and marriage. Aiden had made sure he invited his bride-to-be to visit specifically during these days. He had seen the men of his kingdom finding the courage to approach women during these days. Many marriages came out of it. Well, many passionate stories as well, but that was not Aiden’s aim today. Today he wanted to talk to her. He wanted to ask her what she adored in life, what she did in her free time, and if she had any specific pastimes. He knew none of these things.

His thoughts were interrupted when he heard her sniff. She had stopped, no longer following next to him. He turned around to look at her and a smile found his face once he saw her moving her little nose around.

“Anything the matter, Princess?” he asked.
“I smell…” she started to say but quickly cut herself off. A quick blush touched her cheeks.
“Well, what is it?” Aiden asked, curiosity flaring.
“Will you hold this?” she asked and pulled her cloak off her shoulders. “I don’t want it to get dirty.”
“Of cause,” he said, stepping closer to take the cloak from her.

Gods, she was beautiful, Aiden thought. She had clear, tanned skin. Ice blue eyes glanced up at him shyly. Then she bowed down in front of a titsle bush. His brow pulled together, watching the Princess reach in underneath the bush.

“Come here,” Nayeli whispered.
Aiden gave a step closer to her, bowing down next to her.

Nayeli turned to look at him, amused. “Not you,” she said and reached further in beneath the bush. She made a soft kiss-kiss sound at the bush and a moment later she had a bundle of white fur in her hands.

“It’s a little kitty,” Nayeli murmured, more to herself than to him. They stood up and Aiden watched her cradle the little thing against her chest.
“The cat matches your cloak,” Aiden said, and as if she only remembered her cloak then, she took it out of his hands. She threw the cloak around her shoulders, tugging the cat into her cloak with her.
“She’s so beautiful,” Nayeli said, her eyes not leaving the white bundle. “What do you do with the cats you find in the garden?”
“Well,” Aiden started, thinking out loud. “It’s the first cat I’ve found here. Don’t know if the garden keeper knows anything about her. How do you know she’s a female?”

He watched at the Native Princess rolled her eyes at him. “Men know nothing,” she murmured at the kitten.

“Did you just roll your eyes at me?” he found himself asking. He regretted the words immediately, knowing how they would sound to her. She would think he was questioning whether she sees him as an authority figure or not. He wanted the question to be playful, to jest with her. But instead, ice blue eyes watched him through her pitch black hair.

“I guess you should get used to it,” she said, her words slowly and carefully placed. She raised an eyebrow at him, waiting for him to reply. But he could only stare, could only hold those bold blue eyes.

She shook her head lightly, turning on her heel and walking away from him. Words jumped back into his mouth again.
“Did you just turn your back on me?” he found himself asking. He wanted to kick himself, punch himself, anything that would hurt. Where were these insecure questions coming from and why were they blurting out of his mouth without permission!

She flipped around, still holding the cat. “Excuse me?”
“I apologize,” he began, shaking his head. “What I mean to ask is whether you would like to keep her?”

Her brow furrowed. She looked at him as if she didn’t understand him. He stepped closer to her, gesturing at the cat.

“Would you like to keep the cat?” he asked, his voice kind. “You can raise her here in the castle.”

The Princess looked down at the cat and then back at him again. Her face expressionless, she spoke. “I can’t,” she said softly. “I will be away. I can’t take care of her.”
“I’ll take care of her until you return in a few weeks.”
“You should take her then,” Nayeli said, her eyes lowered to the ground.
Aiden took another step closer to her, reached out and rubbed the kitten behind her ear with a finger.
“She’s shaking from the cold,” Aiden said, his voice lowered between them. “And probably hungry too.”
Nayeli held the kitten out to him. “You should take her.”
“Aren’t you going to help-”
“I have to go,” she said, pressing the kitten into his hands.
He took hold of the little body. “Nayeli,” he said, trying to stop her from running away from him. “Please. Let me walk you back to your rooms.”
“I’m not going back to my rooms,” she said, her back to him.
“Where then?” he asked, trying not to sound demanding.

“I’ll see you at the Courtas Ball tonight,” she said over her shoulder, turning away from him and doing what she did best. She walked away from him.




“You must have her confused with someone else,” Aiden said, staring at Jon as if he had gone mad.
“It was her, Aiden. I’m sure of it.”
“Are you telling me that Nayeli handed a man his ass down in the slums? Those men are unforgiving and murderous fighters.”
Aiden shrugged on his finely-tailored jacket for the ball. He was wearing navy blue, the Royal Family’s color.
“The moment she dropped, everyone moved away, thinking her dead.”
“Yes, and I’m sure that girl’s head is hurting pretty badly today. But that girl is not Nayeli. I don’t think she has ever lifted a punch in her life.”
“You’re wrong,” Jon muttered, getting up. He was dressed in black, the color of the Aemazon warriors. He straightened his jacket. “She’s more dangerous than you give her credit for.”
“She lost the fight. What makes her so dangerous?”
Jon shook his head impatiently. “She took blows like a man would. And she doesn’t have a single bruise to show for it.”
Aiden’s brow furrowed. “That doesn’t make any sense, Jon. And like you said, she was dressed commonly. Is it possible that you confused her with someone else?”
“It was the Princess Nayeli,” he insisted. “And she knew who I was. She called me by name and she didn’t correct me when I called her by hers.”
“And if it was a native girl with a dangerous excitement for adventure? Wouldn’t she want to be called a princess?”
Jon shrugged. “I don’t know. Perhaps. But I do know if she wasn’t so drunk, she would have owned that man.”
“Drunk and fighting in the slums,” Aiden said and expectantly, a smile found his lips.
“You’re smiling?”
“The thought of marrying someone with a taste for adventure doesn’t sound too dull right now.”
“Your walk this morning didn’t go well?”
“She’s never going to like me,” Aiden admitted, starting to button up his jacket.
Jon crossed his arms, watching Aiden. “It was quite arousing,” Jon mumbled and Aiden lifted his eyes to meet with his.
“What was?”
“Seeing a beautiful girl fight for herself. Not allowing herself to stay down. She kept getting up, even if she had to drag herself to her feet. Carrying herself with a confidence I haven’t seen in a woman before.”
Aiden’s face hardened, glaring at him. “I’m not sure I like it when you declare that you are aroused by my future wife.”
“But like you said, that wasn’t Nayeli,” Jon defended, and turned towards the door. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I promised your sister that I will walk her to the ball.”
“Akira is a mere sixteen,” Aiden said, his voice raised. “Don’t forget that.”
“Akira is untouchable and forbidden. To me and every man alive. I won’t forget. But maybe Princess Nayeli isn’t? It’s the Courtas Days, King Aiden, maybe you should find out.”

Hi Guys

This is the first chapter in my new story. Would love some feedback.

Thank you
Mariette

Jon May, the Aemazon Warrior

It was late, about an hour after midnight, when Jon walked down the dirt road and heard the commotion coming from the Falcon’s Tavern. It was a wicked part of town and finding a couple of drunkards in a fight would not be a surprise. But there was something that told him to turn into the tavern and see what the uproar was about. He could hear a few heavy punches were being thrown along with a few pieces of the furniture.

Before entering the tavern, he checked his pocket to see if his Ember leaves and roots were still there. It was expensive stuff and hard to come by. He had been negotiating in these debauched parts of town for weeks now only to get a few dried roots and even less leaves. It had cost him a lot too. It was uncanny how much these dealers asked in return for a few pieces of an illegal plant. He tugged the roots and leaves safely back into his pocket.

When he opened the door to the tavern, a mop of black hair and feathers jumped over a table, colliding with the man on the other side. To his shock, he realized it was a young native girl. Straight, black hair filled her back. Pieces of her hair were plaited together with feathers sticking out the ends. Blue and red feathers moved amongst her hair as she got her grip around the fool’s throat. She had a foul mouth, cursing into the man’s ear. She had her back to Jon, holding the man in her grip. Jon laughed, not feeling sorry for the man at all. It will teach him a lesson in taunting a native woman.

Jon moved towards the bar, keeping the fight in sight. He ordered himself some ale, knowing well that it would be of poor quality. But he needed it after the day he had. He leaned against the counter, waiting for his drink. When it arrived, he dropped a copper on the counter and lifted the tankard to his lips. It tasted even worse than he could imagine, but he took another mouthful.

He turned his attention back to the fight and found that the man had gotten out of the girl’s grip. There were a few feathers lying on the floor, but the girl was still up. She was swaying on her feet, her eyes never leaving her opponent. She was drunk all right, and struggling to keep herself together for the task at hand. The man spat blood. It didn’t fall far from the red and blue feathers lying on the floor. Then he lunged at her.

She caught his blow best she could, but her strength was failing. She was drunk and tired. Her head slammed into the floor with a thud too loud. Jon stood away from the counter, sudden worry clutching his heart. Having a dead native girl found in an alley would not be good for the King. Not with the Native Princess currently in his castle.

Jon drowned his last bit of ale and placed the tankard on the counter. The man now had the girl pressed down on the floor, his hand pressing down on her throat. She was kicking and trying to get out underneath him, but to no avail. Jon started his move towards the fight, only to stop the moment the girl threw the man off her. To his surprise, there was plenty of fight still left in her. She jumped to her feet, swinging around to block a blow from her opponent.

His heart stopped.
The moment the girl swung around, his heart went still.

Like an ice cold finger being pressed to his spine, Jon stared at Princess Nayeli as she caught the man’s blow, pushing him away from her. He was too dumb-struck to move. He could only watch as the young girl trembled on her feet. She was barely able to hold herself upright. Blood was leaking out between her lips, her teeth red with blood.

She was going to collapse, he realized, and before he could step towards her, her eyes rolled back and she dropped. Like a copper falling to the floor, her knees gave way, and she landed in a heap of feathers.

The tavern keeper cursed out loud, barking at everyone standing around to watch the fight. No one wanted to go near her, not wanting any part in the death of a native girl.

Life suddenly returned to Jon’s lungs, and he moved. It was clear that none of the lowlifes in the tavern had recognized the Princess, they thought she was a mere native girl passing through. Well, he hoped so. Within moments he had her over his shoulder. People hissed around him, the tavern keeper barking something at him. He ignored it all, holding onto the Princess on his shoulder.

She weighed a lot more than he bargained for, but he held her in place as he stumbled out of the tavern. Once outside, he realized that he had nowhere to go with her. He couldn’t take her back to his chamber next to the Aemazon courters. Surely someone would see him and he had no plan in getting caught with an unconscious Princess over his shoulder.

He started walking, needing to get her away from the tavern. He took his first right, following the street down to the end of town. Soon they were nearing the beach. It was beyond cold this close to the water, but he had no other place to take her. He lowered her unconscious body to the ground, finding himself pacing back and forth next to her.

He should just take her back to the castle and tell them what happened. Tell them that he found her this way in a tavern. Aiden was going to be fucking furious, Jon realized. And he’s going to want to know what Jon was doing in this part of town. Jon cursed, the Ember roots in his pocket heavier than ever. He looked the Princess over in the dim lighting. She was dressed in common clothing, wearing pants and a loose shirt. Not nearly dressed like a Princess. Not nearly warm enough. There were streaks of red and blue painted across her face, her tribal colors. He had to stare at the amount of feathers in her hair again. She never wore feathers in the castle. In the castle she wore gowns like the Duchesses. And her face was never painted either.

The moment the Princess moved on the ground, his warrior heart almost jumped out of his chest.

She mumbled a few curse words, making him raise an eyebrow, and then she reached for her head. She moaned softly, turning onto her side and lifting her head. Her eyes droopy, she looked around the beach. When her gaze rested on Jon, she mumbled something he couldn’t hear, and then slowly started her struggle to her feet. Surprising him yet again, she managed to get herself upright. She stared at him through pieces of black hair and a painted face. There was dried blood on her lips.

“Are you going to try and fight me, too?” she asked.
“You think you can take me?” he played along.
“I have the fight of a tiger in me,” she said, sounding out of breath.
“Not when you’re this drunk.”
“I had…” she began, a smirk on her face. “Very poor tasting ale. I think an old man’s piss might just taste better.”
Jon kept quiet, staring at her hanging eyes.
“We should get you back to the castle-”
She cut him off by cursing. “You’re Jon May,” she said. “Aren’t you?”
“And you are Princess Nayeli Faye. The Native Princess.”
Her face dropped. “You know who I am? That is going to be a problem, isn’t it?”
He nodded his head. “Yes, it is.”
Another curse left her mouth.
“Do you do this regularly?” he found himself asking.
“Drinking, fighting or cursing?”
“Drinking.”
She swayed on her feet. “I decided to have a little party by myself,” she said with a shrug. “After all, I am getting married in a few weeks. I was rejoicing in my excitement.”
He shook his head. “You should get back to safety and sleep it off.”
He wanted to reach for her, but she stepped away from him. “In mere weeks I will be their Queen,” she said, turning away from him. “They feel nothing for me.”
Jon stopped, listening to the dangerous words of the Native Princess.
“They could’ve killed me and no one would have cared. Just some native girl in a depraved tavern.”
“We should return to the castle,” he said, attempting to occupy her thoughts.
But she turned on him, glaring at him. “I got out of my bed, surely I can get myself back into it.”
“You’re not suggesting that I leave you to walk back alone?”
“I never asked you for anything,” she said and turned on her heel. She walked away from him. He didn’t try to stop her. But a few minutes later, he followed.

Chapter one - The Native Princess of the Maya Isles


Princess Nayeli Faye

Princess Nayeli pulled her cloak tighter around her body, shielding from the cold. It was her favorite cloak, white as the snow that fell around her. Her gaze was on the Aemazon Warriors on the field, one man in particular. Jon May. He was tall and handsome, dark hair and olive eyes. He was a part of an army of men that could not be bound to a place, only bound to a person. He was a twenty five year old man with an appetite for battle. He was also a trusted friend of King Aiden Estrella.

At this moment, he was throwing his King to the ground carelessly. It was boys at play, Nayeli decided, but it entertained every man on or off the field. Men were gathered around them, watching them chase each other around with wooded swords. They barely used the swords, finding it easy for the one to strip the other of his weapon. Now they were rolling together in the mud. The snow fell lightly around the two men but they barely noticed, too eager to win the battle at hand.

Nayeli’s eyes rested on King Aiden. Her heart quivered, restless in her chest. He was handsome, yes, but it was the way he carried his shoulders that always caught her eye. He was tall and broad-shouldered. He carried his warrior body like he was born to be the King of all men, of the world. Some said it was confidence, since he was ruler over one of the strongest kingdom known to date. Nayeli closed her eyes, thinking about Aiden’s dark eyes and full lips. His chocolate hair and tanned skin. He was beautiful in a way only a King could be.

“Enjoying the view, Princess?” a voice asked next to her.
Instantly annoyed, Nayeli opened her eyes to look at Duchess Leilani Kubovy.
“Duchess Leilani,” she said in a way of greeting, her gaze moving towards the fight again.
“He’s wonderful to look at, isn’t he?” the Duchess asked, her tone mocking. Nayeli held her tongue.
“Don’t you just think it’s so disrespectful of that Aemazon Warrior to throw the King to the ground like that without shame?”
“No,” Nayeli replied. “It would be disrespectful to pretend the King is the better warrior when he is not. It’s a fair fight, we will know the winner any minute now.”
Leilani didn’t reply to that, she merely smirked impishly. The two of them kept their eyes on the men, a few minutes of silence passing.
“I was surprised to see you here,” Leilani finally said. “You haven’t been to the fighting fields to support him before.”
“And you have?” Nayeli asked, refraining from groaning out loud.
“Why, yes. I come here often to support King Aiden. He’s usually pretty much completely drained after his training. I make sure I send word to his chamber maids that he would be returning for a bath. The King doesn’t mind it when I accompany him back to the castle. It’s quite a long walk back.”
Nayeli clenched her teeth, holding back words that would shock the Duchess out of her boots. They were ugly black boots anyways, Nayeli thought.
“It’s cold out here,” Nayeli said, not feeling cold at all. “Good-day, Duchess Leilani.”
Nayeli turned to walk away, but the Duchess turned around with her, still at her side. Nayeli stopped to look at Leilani. There was a polite smile on her lips, but Nayeli didn’t trust it for a moment.
“Anything on your mind, Duchess?” Nayeli asked.
Leilani feigned hesitation, her smile staying in place. “Princess Nayeli,” she started. “We’ve become friends, you and I, and therefore I feel like I can speak frankly.”
Nayeli pulled the cloak tighter around her body, listening. When Leilani didn’t continue, she realized the woman must be waiting for her permission. The permission to speak “frankly”.
“Yes, Duchess?” she asked, her voice soft.
“Oh, please, call me Leilani,” she said, smiling at her.
Another silence stretched between them.
“Was there something you wanted to say, Leilani?” Nayeli asked, annoyed and eager to walk away from the woman in front of her.
“Why, yes,” she began. “It’s just that you are a seventeen year old girl. And Kind Aiden is a man that is turning twenty six this year. It’s a nine year difference.”
Nayeli’s cheeks felt hot, her ears burning inside her cloak. She remained quiet, not trusting her voice to speak.
“You’ve been betrothed since you were seven years old,” Leilani continued. “It’s been ten years of peace with your kingdom, why is there still the need for you to marry him?”
“It’s an arrangement made by our late fathers-”
“Exactly!” Leilani claimed. “Why should the two of you give your lives for an agreement that was made ten years ago? Our kingdoms are at peace, it’s not like you are planning another war, is it?”
“No,” Nayeli said and lowered her eyes. “No.”
“Then why is there the need of this marriage?-”
“It’s not your place,” Nayeli heard herself saying, cutting off the Duchess. “I am engaged to by married to King Aiden. There is nothing either of us can do about it.”
“But maybe if you-”
“I’ve heard enough,” Nayeli insisted and the Duchess took a step away from her. Without exchanging another word, Nayeli moved past her and towards the castle. She didn’t look back once, not trusting herself to have another look at the beautiful Duchess Leilani Kubovy.



King Aiden Estrella

Aiden’s chest heaved in and out, wearied and tired from fighting. He held a hand out to his friend on the ground. Jon laughed with a hoarse throat, taking his hand and pulling himself up.

“Did you let me win?” Aiden asked, holding his friend’s gaze.

Jon grinned. “I guess you will never know.”

The men that surrounded them were thrown into discussing their fight. Jon wiped mud from his face, spiting some out as well. Aiden grinned at that, wiping some mud from his own face against his shoulder.

“I see your number one admirer is here,” Jon said, mockingly.

Aiden looked across the field, finding Duchess Leilani making her way closer to the field. She lifted a hand to wave at him. He nodded his head in greeting, looking away again.

“One of her servants is probably already running to draw you a bath with lavender scented water,” Jon continued.
Aiden lifted a brow at his friend.
“Please tell me you take her into that bath with you?” Jon asked, lowering his voice.
Aiden smirked. “That, my friend, is one woman I cannot touch.”
“How come? Distant cousin or what?”
“Trouble,” he muttered, scratching his head. “More trouble than I would like to handle right now.”
“Because of your current guest at the castle?”
“Oh,” Aiden mused. “Is there someone visiting me at this time? Because no one different than my usual company has spoken to me in days.”
Jon took a moment before speaking. “She was next to the field when we started our fight. She was watching you.”
“Yes, well, that is all she’s been doing since she arrived at the castle two weeks ago. Watching me.”
“This will be her last visit before you have to marry her.”
“And thank you for stating the obvious, Warrior May.”
“The obvious being your future?”
Aiden shrugged it off. “There is nothing I can do about it.”
“You are King Aiden Estrella-”
“What is done, is done, Jon. I’m marrying Princess Nayeli before the last snow of the winter sets. And that is that.”
Jon raised his hands in defense. “That is that, then,” he said, lowering his hands again, and adding to his words. “Enjoy the bath.”




Princess Akira Estrella

Princess Akira Estrella stood on her balcony, her head tilted back and enjoying the touch of the first snow on her face. Small, wet hands touched her face and settled on her clothes. The morning was crisp and fresh. She took in a breath of life, tasting the beginning of winter.

When she lowered her eyes, she looked down and saw Jon standing underneath her balcony. He waved up at her, a polite smile on his face. She returned his smile, feeling a bit foolish for standing in the snow. He was covered in mud, no doubt having had a busy morning of training.

“You shouldn’t be outside in the cold, Princess,” he said up to her, nodding his head and walking into the castle. She shook it off, looking up at the sky again.

A knock at the door made her jump.
She thought that maybe it could be Jon, but she decided that he won’t be so bold as to come and knock on her door in broad daylight. He was loved by his King, but that did not mean he could overstep his boundaries. He was after all, only a warrior.

Akira went to open the door and found Duchess Leilani Kubovy standing in front of her with a basket of apples.

“Princess Akira,” she said and bowed her head.
The Duchess was making her rounds, Akira thought, bowing her head in greeting. “Duchess Leilani. Are these lovely apples for me?”

“Why, yes,” she said. “I thought that something healthy would be in order this morning, the starting of winter at our door and all.”
“Thank you, Duchess,” Akira said and took the basket of apples from her. “Was there anything else?-”

The Duchess pressed her way into the room along with her apples. Akira stepped aside, letting the Duchess into her room. She felt like groaning out loud, but refrained from doing so.

“This won’t do!” the Duchess fretted. “Allowing the winter’s bite to openly flow into your room just won’t do. Had the chamber maids gone mad by leaving this open?”

Abruptly, Leilani had the doors to the balcony closed. She fretted on about the cold in the room and complained that there should be a fire in the heath. Akira took an apple out of the basket and bit into it. If she had to listen to Leilani ramble, at least she would enjoy an apple while doing so.

“The King had quite the audience this morning at the fighting fields,” Leilani said, coming to sit down opposite Akira. “He fought that friend of his. It was quite the show.”
“Who won?” Akira asked, eating away at her apple.
“The King showed that Aemazon Warrior his place. You should have seen the way that man was handling the King during their fight. Disrespectful.”
“He’s an Aemazon Warrior, it’s their way.”
“Nonetheless, he must realize that is he fighting a king.”
Akira wanted to roll her eyes.
“Princess Nayeli was there, too,” she said then. Akira sat up in her chair, her interest peaked.
“She was? Did she see him win his fight?”
“No,” Leilani said, shrugging. “She said the fight was tedious and left.”
“Tedious? A fight between Aiden and Jon? No one ever finds that kind of fight tedious.”
“Maybe she couldn’t handle seeing the way our King was being thrown to the ground. Maybe she was embarrassed and thought that he would lose the fight.”
“You think so?” Akira asked, her eyes drifting to the floor. “Do you think it’s because she is so different to us? Our people differ a great deal.”
“That might be it,” Leilani nodded, a smile finding her face.