Chapter 55 The Silence of Sorrow pt2
“I count the days, the hours, the minutes,” Elsie says, letting her voice trail off as she stands on her tiptoes for another kiss.
“My princess…my queen,” Zaries whispers between kisses.
“Is that cheese?” I ask, clapping my hands together loudly. “I love cheese, and I brought the perfect wine to go with it!”
Zaries shoots me a glare, but there’s no venom in it. They both know why I’m here as clearly as I do. To stop things from going too far before the wedding. Although Elysandra’s the one who makes sure I interrupt…
“I had her steal your mother’s best stuff!” Elsie tells Zaries as she pulls him to the blanket, flashing me a grateful look. They settle side by side, arms around each other as I make everyone a small plate of food and pour the golden wine for us.
“The wedding will be legendary. Just to have all the leaders of the three kingdoms under one roof is enough to shock everyone, but to unite in marriage? I’m so happy I’ll be there to witness this moment. I’m so happy for both of you.” I prattle on, ignoring their little kisses and the way they feed each other.
“Two of the three kingdoms will become one, the third kingdom bending the knee in subservience to your great and awesome power,” I continue, boosting their egos as they get lost in one another’s touch.
When this first began, when they shared their first kiss, I felt the pang of jealousy. But now I know this is how it should be and I’m thankful I helped their love flourish. It will never be me kissing the prince’s lips, but it’s because of me that they’re so in love. Any other emotions that try to surface are stowed deep down in my chest and locked away. I choose to only feel love for them, only happiness. I’ll always be a part of their lives, and that’s enough for me.
It will have to be.
“What if we get married in private, Elysandra?” Zaries asks, his voice thick with passion. “What if I get a priest to come here and marry us so I can take you here in this field?”
My cheeks flush as my mouth drops open in shock. “You can’t do that! The royal wedding must go perfectly! She’s s-supposed to be a virgin when you lie together under the eyes of your parents! If she does not bleed—”
Elysandra’s sharp glare makes my words die in my throat. My role has always been to interrupt. To ensure Elsie has time to get used to what she needs to do as a wife.
“Why would I want my parents to watch me be deflowered? You are here, you can vouch for us. You can tell them you saw me bleed.” There’s venom in Elsie’s voice, venom that makes me think back to the last time we were in Stormcoast.
The time she locked me in the closet while she let Malachi into the room. I had prayed all night that she didn’t do what I thought she did, but there was proof in the morning. Which explains the sudden change of heart.
Why she’s welcoming Zaries’ touch.
Why she wants me to watch…
Elsie pulls Zaries close and begins kissing his neck, and his ear, and then her angry eyes are on me again. She puts a finger to her lips, shushing me. Swearing me to secrecy. “Yes, let's call a priest. I cannot think of a more beautiful place to be deflowered, with only my best friend close by to witness the creation of our first child.”
“I’ll go fetch one now,” Zaries says, detangling himself from her arms and jumping to his feet. He looks excited, more excited than I’ve ever seen him as he runs for the edge of the grove.
“Elsie, tell me you didn’t!” I whisper, crawling up next to her on the blanket.
“Would you be silent, Ana? This is perfect. He doesn’t know the difference between a virgin and not. I just need you to vouch for me, do you understand? You will do this, Ana. You will do it for him, and I’ll pretend I don’t know that you’re in love with him!”
Her nails dig into my arm as she says the last words, the evil I’ve seen over the years flashing in her eyes.
“Tell him and I’ll have you flayed alive, Ana.”
Her words suck the oxygen out of my lungs. She doesn’t mean it, I know she doesn’t. But hearing her say those words to me is like feeling her drive a sword straight through my heart.
“Elysandra!” Zaries screams.
We jump to our feet, eyes darting to where Zaries disappeared into the trees. “Elysandra! ” he cries again, the desperation in his voice making my blood run cold. “Run!”
“Why is he telling us to run?” Elsie whispers, confused.
I grab her hand and try to tug her away from where Zaries is screaming, but she doesn’t move. The ground is beginning to shake, the sound of trees snapping and falling shaking everything around us. Above us, the tops of the tall trees sway, bend, and break as something huge pushes through the forest.
Zaries bursts through the tree line with a sword in one hand. He runs straight for Elysandra and snatches her hand from me. He doesn’t stop when she stays staring at the trees, yanking her behind her.
Fear makes my mind race as I turn my back on the trees and follow them. The terror coming from Zaries is infectious, making my heartbeat spike out of control as we run at breakneck speed away from the grove.
“What are we running from?” Elsie screams.
“Dragon!” Zaries roars.
Dragon? That can’t be! How could a dragon sneak up on us in broad daylight?
My answer is the ear-splitting roar of the beast as it gets ever closer. With its fury comes flames, flames that leap up around us and devour the trees as if they’ve been long dead. Heat as I’ve never felt before blisters my skin as I try to run as fast as the prince and princess.
As I run, I reach for my boot and grab the dagger I have hidden there. As quickly as I can, I hack my skirt off so my legs can run free. My underclothes and stockings are all that remain when I finally catch up to them. I don’t have my sword, just this small dagger, and I’m not armored. I won’t stand a chance against a dragon, but I’ll die to give my princess and the man I love a chance to escape.
I watch them skid to a stop and Elsie’s panicked scream ricochets off the inside of my skull. I slow myself as I run, the ground tilting upward. A hill, it must be, but the way the trees stop…
“It’s a cliff! Anara, stop!” Zaries turns, catching me in his arms before I can barrel over the edge myself.
I look up into my prince’s eyes and register this is the first and last time he will ever hold me.
“I’ll distract it, okay?” I gasp. “I’ll hold it back while you guys climb down.”
“Ana, look…” Zaries says, his voice filled with terror.