The seven

The light

Rosie —————-

Song: little boy in the grass - Aurora

I had barely enough energy to train today. But I had nothing better to do. I knew I would have to keep up with the king if I was going to get my friends out of where they were being kept. The king, Merek, had theorised with me that the other rulers had sought to capture and corrupt my friends. Hopefully they stayed as safe as they could.

I was sitting between big covers on my bed in my section of the cavernous room now. Defne was still asleep in the space beside me, she had books splayed around her, probably from my shelf , but I didn't mind, so long as that was what got her through everything then I suppose it was fine. I had seen the soft glow of light emitting from her palms onto the parchment late into the night ,so I didn't move to wake her just yet. She had worked hard to teach herself to read in the altered dialect printed onto those pages.

I shuffled  to the wardrobe and pulled on some tracksuits a baggy t shirt  and a grey v neck sweater. Honestly I was so unbothered at this point.

That was when I saw Isa and the Prince. Curled up on her bed clutching each-other like a lifeline.  All I could do was smile softly, I always knew she'd give in, and the prince did seem incredibly devoted to her, even if they did argue all the time. I wondered now if he had received other visions , ones of us, maybe about smaller things that didn't take such a toll on him as yesterday's had.

Maybe that was why he was so insistent on sticking near Isa. Fuck they were perfect for each other though. Bickering all the time and both flirting naturally and subconsciously with everyone they met. They'd be the death of us all. Maybe after this shit , they'd live on in the court of revels. I could imagine it clearly.

I moved through the room spaces into the cavern that led to the greenhouse and seating area. Smelling the soft spices of savoury and sweet goods that the court of revels provided us every morning. I always heard the movement of Adin's feet in the morning and today was no different. I brushed by him as I walked further, not bothering with pleasantries.

Once I sat at the plush bench I relished in the smell. I missed home, but something about these scents created a new image of what home really was.

I picked up some baked croissant type things and put them in my plate. I was sure they weren't like the bakery foods back on earth though. Every morning that the prince had come to collect us this week Isa had pestered him for the food's names and we had been awestruck at the sounds he had made to describe them. They had a slightly altered language than we had on earth we had learnt. The foods did taste slightly different too. But the currants and berries laced through them were still divine.

I'd have to make my own way today , through those dark tunnels that went under the court. If I got lost it wasn't my fault I supposed.

Once I had finished eating I put on my shoes and slipped away and out of the room quietly. Trying not to alert my friends more enhanced hearing as I left. I clutched my hand around a torch in the beggining of the tunnels and moved it with me as I wandered down the passages, keeping a hand lightly to the wall beside me so I wouldn't lose my way.

I had begun to think of the king. Was he worried for his brother. They always seemed a pair of jokers together , not caring about what they let slip past their lips, but he must be affected at the present. The prince didn't seem well at all.

I also wondered about where Arrchana had fled to. I had sensed in the day before that her darkness had lay hidden behind her when we were all at our lowest point, though I told no one I had seen it. Where could she have even been at present. I had only seen her speak to the guard she trained with , no one else apart from us three of course.