Kingdoms of Lies and Intrigues (Return of Vesna book 2)

Chapter 16 A Strange Case of Enchantment

The food was mouthwatering but Evaline had her fill, her stomach near bursting at the amount of food she had imbibed. At some point a woman joined them, she had strange runes marks tattooed on her arms and shoulders. She wore an off shoulder white tunic with matching leggings and a golden sash wrapped around her waist.
Remus introduced her as Sita. Her skin had the a golden bronze cast that was flawless, her features were slightly softer than Remus but similar. Evaline had to admire the beautiful woman whose dark hair was held by golden combs cascading down her back in ringlets. Her smile exposed beautiful pearly while teeth that sparkled every time she flashed a smile. She explained that she too was a dragon, one of the few that remained when the gods had chosen to leave.
"How old are you exactly?" Evaline was curious
"Thousands of years." Sita chuckled, glancing briefly at Remus. "The mortals have forgotten that we exist but the Fae have not. There was a time when our people had peace but that all disappeared when the unseelie decided we were to be banished."
There was no bitterness in Sita's voice as she revealed this fact "Don't tell me, I think can guess why the bond of friendship may have disappeared. King Soldar. "Evaline said. She was slightly tipsy from the wine but she wasn't drunk. She was leaning back against the pillows ignoring Uma and Xion in fact she didn't care that they had disappeared.
Sita arched a perfect brow. "No, it was before that. The seelie had become wary of our presence and accused us of destroying their homes. I have to admit some of our elders may have been mischievous but no one was harmed. They managed to convinced all Fae that we should be banished from the seelie lands and they succeeded in convincing the unseelie we had to keep away. Now, tell me, how come your a seelie without memories?"
"If I could answer that then I probably wouldn't be here," Evaline snorted. "I sustained a massive blow to my head that took my memories. I was lucky to have found refuge with a Mangalese priestess who took care of me and......." she stopped herself before she revealed anything about Darren
"And?" Sita prodded.
"And took care of me in the mortal lands."
"But you have your powers, surely the mortals would have sensed this immediately."
"My powers were taken and hidden, I don know how but it was suddenly restored to me by my unseelie friend Havah." Evaline explained. She was telling them more than she should.
Sita glanced at Remus who only shrugged. "So your powers were restored when you came to Irinthar?"
"In retrospect, but not quite. We were trying to run from the Icor snake and the only way to destroy it was through my powers."
"So you killed an Icor snake." Remus stated in surprise.
"It was that or be its next meal."Evaline shrugged looking at the two dragons who stared at her in surprise.
"You saved you friends." Sita finally said in awe.
"I didn't know I was seelie until Havah explained it to me," Evaline mused. "In the beginning I was angry because this.... this part of me had been kept hidden but I've come to realise that ........" she paused as the thought just struck her, they managed to survive because she had this powers.
"That?" Remus prodded.
"It's not such a bad thing to be a seelie." Evaline mouth lifted and a glow seemed to emanate from her arms. Their gazes shifted to her glowing arms witnessing the rune marks as they came to life.
"The runes are attached to our emotions, if you embrace your powers, begin to accept them, they will respond in the same degree." Sita explained. "But I can see that your powers are bound."
"It had to be binded, I'm still not so sure how to use them properly. Without my memories I wouldn't know how to ...." she paused as she witnessed them considering her.
"Sometimes not knowing how to use ones powers or skills for that matter can be dangerous but then , if your emotions are aligned with your powers you can control them." Remus stated as he regarded her.
"Why don't we put it to a test," Sita suggested. "You see nymph over there, the one with the pink hair?" EValine looked toward the captivating nymph with perfect features, a sparkling white gown studded with jewelry and nodded. "Her costume is glamor. Would you want to know what she looks like without the pink hair?"
"I'm not sure," Evaline hesitated.
"Pink isn't the real color of her hair," Sita stated. "Now reach out with your emotions and ask for the true color of her hair to be revealed."
Evaline threw caution to the wind and did what she was told.  Centering her thoughts she looked at the pink hair and asked for its true color to be revealed. She focused on the hair and waited but nothing happened.  She tried several times more and gave up. "I think I'll need to activate a rune" she muttered.
"There's no need, try it again and this time reach out with your emotions."
Evaline tried again, reaching our with her energy she laced it with her emotions when suddenly something shifted inside her and all she saw was the nymph, her pink hair began to unravel into a dark color and the nymph whose hair was once pink was covered in jet black hair.
Remus clapped in triumph smiling as he drank his wine. "Now that is how you do it!"
"And I didn't have to activate a rune" Evaline said in wonder as she sat up turning back to the dragons she was completely taken aback. The feeling made her shiver slightly as she wrapped her cloak around her.
"The trick is in commanding the power, not the other way around." Sita nodded her approval. "If you did have command of your full powers what would you do with it.?"
The question took Evaline off guard, glancing back at the nymph who ran from the hall in embarrassment. "I would save the royal mortals from the clutches of the unseelie and return them back to the mortal lands." She responded with conviction.
"And then what?" Remus asked boldly.
"And then....." Evaline paused "I ......I ....." she stuttered " I suppose I would prefer my memories returned to me so I can find family."
"The citadel is not a safe place, the ruling prince can be an obnoxious..." Remus began
"Bastard!" Sita finished
"I was going to say fiend but Sita said it better," he remarked bitterly. "He May be a demon but his loyalties are fickle."
"What do you mean?" Evaline asked alarmed.
"It's best not to make deals with him for he has a way of going against them.  He doesn't really care about anything or anyone except for power," Sita supplied. "He could have granted us our freedom but instead he banished us as well which is why those of us that remain serve the custodian for she is the only one that showed mercy."
"That can't be right, to be denied your freedom isn't fair."Evaline was disturbed by this. "Every creature has a right to choose."she didn't know where that statement came from but she meant it.
"If the only choice is survival you take what's given." Sita sighed before turning away and looking at the dance floor. "Come Remus let's dance, I like this music."
"How about joining us Evaline" Remus tugged at her hand but Evaline pulled back shacking her head. "
"I can't dance."
"Suit yourself," Remus released her hand and joined Sita on the dance floor, they started to gyrate to the music, their bodies moving to the haunting melody that was almost hypnotic. Her eyes followed their movements mesmerized by the way they seemed to melt into each other.
Back in Pretoria there were times when her fellow maids had formed a circle outside the laundry area and hummed to music, some of them breaking into a dance, laughing and cheering. She and Eve would watch them and sometimes she would wish that she could do what some of them did but it was hopeless, she had two left feet.
Shaking her head she was brought out of her musings when a heavy thud beside her made the pillows bounce. Turning to the intruder she was surprised to find a flushed Xion leaning back on his elbows as he watched the dance floor.  He held out his goblet to a passing server who filled his cup.  He drank thirsting wiping his mouth with the back of his hand he grinned like a churlish boy, his eyes squinting as he regarded her. This side of him was certainly horrifying, Xion enjoying himself did not bode well.
"Eva why are you hiding yourself when you can enjoy all this." He swept a hand loosely about and sipped his wine once more.
"Your drunk," she exclaimed balefully. "Have you forgotten why we are here?"
"I may drunk but I haven't forgotten a single thing little seelie." He started laughing. "The wine is absolutely divine and the custodian has been so generous with us.  In fact she promised to help us find the citadel but I'll leave that for tomorrow, tonight we partake of this wonderful hospitality." He paused eyeing her curiously  making her grit her teeth, averting her gaze she turned her attention back to the dance floor.
"Why aren't you dancing? Everyone's doing it, even your dragon friend and that delicious lady with him."
"I don't want to !" She replied coolly.
"That's rather unsociable," he remarked candidly.
She turned a wrathful gaze his way. "Im not being unsociable I just don't want to loose my head which is the complete opposite of what you've become."
He sat up abruptly disturbing the pillows behind him  "What?"
"This isn't you my Lord."
"It's Xion and this is me!" He exclaimed in mock indignation, spreading his hands, the liquid in his goblet splashed onto a pillow.
"How can you say that when your normally so......" she began grimacing at him.
"So?" He raised a brow.
"Trite!" She almost screamed.
"I may be..."
"Uptight? Obnoxiously proper?"
Surprised he preened into her face but she pushed him away keeping a safe distance from him. "That's just the soldier in me but the real man, well he knows how to have fun. Maybe I should teach that there is a side of you that can appreciate that."
"I don't think you.....ohh!" He stood straight and was pulling her with him when she tried to pull away from his strong grip. For a drunk he certainly packed strength! She found herself pulled roughly into his chest making her almost loose her balance. "What are you doing?" She was horrified.
"What else, let's dance . It might knock the chill off your shoulders."
"Noooo!" She bellowed but her protest was in vain for his grip was strong as he pulled her into the floor. "I can't!"
"You can Eva, I'm sure you've done this before."
"No I haven't, " she protested vehemently her eyes growing round. "I can't dance." it came out of her lips like a lame excuse for he was suddenly behind her, her back crushed to his massive chest as he held both her hands.
"That can be fixed.  Now follow my lead, take two steps to the right, one to the left and a step back," he stared guiding her through the steps.
It was impossible to pull away from his rocklike grip as he guided her through the sensual music. The steps changed and she found herself self being turned around to face him.  He was tall, she had to look up to catch his expression which seemed amused. Without warning he twirled her and made her dip, she thought she would fall but he caught her before she fell , one leg stretched out, his body moulding into her position as he brought her up and crushed her into his chest. She clutched his shoulders for her dear life when he started to sway making her traitorous body join him in the rythmn of the music.
"There you are Eva, your dancing."
And she was.....
Time seemed lost in the moment they remained on the dance floor dancing.  She found herself laughing and joining the females swaying to the beat of the music that grew louder and faster.  Something magical was happening.  The banquet hall seemed to morph into a garden of sorts with scones hung by trees, the sky was dark with only a splash of stars hanging like a canopy of gems glistening in the sky.  XIon was behind her, holding her hips as he turned her here and there, their bodies flushed against each other and something sparkled within her as she felt his hands travel to her waist then spread out to her arms. Wrapping her in an embrace he rested his chin on top of her head while she braced her palms against his chest, eyes closed she felt his heart beat evenly and it lulled her.
"Are you alright?" He asked softly against her ears.
She pulled back slightly to stare into his face, his eyes were like limpid pools of clear saphires that seemed to glow in the darkness.
"I never thought I could dance like...." she paused.
"Like?"his voice was soft, like a whisper
"This," she replied simply. They were swaying softly to a slow melody her body answering to his call, moving in time to the music.
His one hand came and traced the outline of her face down to her jaw before it traced her mouth. Unbidden her lips parted as he face drew closer then, without warning his mouth was upon hers,softly, like a butterfly's wing it moved against her lips. The pressure grew deeper as his lips locked firmly against hers, she opened her mouth wider and she felt his tongue gently at first before it glided into her mouth, she could taste the flavor of the wine on his lips. His  hand locked her head in place deepening the kiss while his other hand slid to her waist and pulled her deeper into a crushing embrace.
A deep feeling within her core cried out to be released as she felt her pulse quickened. A soft moan escaped her lips as she tasted more of his mouth. She was enjoying the feel of his lips against hers her body aching for more a she moved closer within his arms. The hand on her waist glided down to her buttocks grasping her covered flesh he pulled her closer. She could feel the outline of his strong sinewy muscles beneath his clothes, his body calling to her own.
In their heady lustful stupor surrounded by the canopy of trees and perfumed hyacinth serenaded by the soft orchestra of crickets and a flute playing a haunting soft tune, they were completely oblivious to three figures that hovered just a few feet away. On the second floor of the ruined palace standing on the balcony overlooking the scented garden stood the custodian. On either side where the two dragons Sita and Remus who regarded the scene playing out before them.
"Well, well," the custodian clicked her tongue. " What an interesting turn of events wouldn't you say Remus?" Her smile was calculating as she looked to the dragon who only grunted. "And here I was thinking you'd charmed the young seelie with your courtly manners. It seemed you've lost your touch."
Undeterred the dragon refused to rise to his mistress's bait. "She didn't know how to dance."
"That's besides the point. What did you discover?"
"She has no memory of who she is," he replied stonily his gaze never lifting from the couple locked in enthralling embrace.
"Tell me something I don't already know." Uma barked sharply
"She killed the Icor snake." Sita said
"So it was her. How did she do it?"
"Havah gave her powers back to kill the monster. But that's not all, her powers were contained by a rune. She marks the runes on herself to summon her powers."
"Uhhh, that must hurt. So her powers are dormant." The custodian stated both dragons shared a look. "If Havah thought to use her to destroy those abominable creatures then we can play a game. "
"But I thought we were to help them get to the citadel" Sita frowned.
"Of course we will. I never go back on my word. But first we play. Every seelie enjoys mischief every now and again."
"But if she's......"
"Hush Sita! Your becoming annoying. I suspect the spell of the seelie will end shortly. Remus escort them to their room. Later in the day we start the game."
Both dragons bowed as the custodian left.
Back in the garden, Xion lifted his head staring at Evaline's flushed face before pulling back. Stepping away from their embrace he turned around looking at the wall of tree in front of him. Catching his breath his body was tingling with the memory of her soft flesh. The taste of her fresh in his mouth. He turned abruptly facing her, bracing himself for a tongue lashing but instead he found her staring at him her lips swollen from his kisses,her body poised. She looked like a vision in a dream with her golden her cascading down her back, her eyes luminescent and the scent of her perfuming wafted around them. He couldn't make out her reaction to his lustful attack but he did feel extremely guilty for having taken advantage of her.
"I'm ........" he put a hand behind his neck. "I apologize I shouldn't have taken advantage of you like that."
He was back, she thought. For a moment she thought she caught a glimpse of Xion that was so unlike his normally austere demeanor. "It must have been the wine."
"That's it.  I drank way to much than necessary. You were right, I should have stopped after a couple of cups." He managed to say.
She turned away from him looking about her in curiosity.  The garden was filled with hyacinth flowers and soft light , only a few feet away from the hall and yet she could have sworn that was were they actually were.staring at the garden devoid of people she wondered how they got there but dismissed the thought immediately "we should......"
"Go back and retire." He finished taking a step but waited until she turned to walk ahead.  This was terribly awkward.
Evaline spotted Remus at the mouth of an archway leading back into the hall. "There you are.  I thought I saw you leaving. Tired?"
The sound of Remus voice jolted Evaline from her stupor of mixed emotions. "Yes, we should retire."
"Of course," Remus bowed and led the way with Evaline following at his heels. She remembered her satchel and went to retrieve it as did Xion his before they followed Remus out of the banquet hall which was still filled with creatures.
Evaline was acutely aware that Xion followed behind her as they marched through three corridors before reaching a grand staircase leading to several floors. They ascended quietly, their steps echoing as they made their way to the second floor. Her lips still tingled with the unbidden kiss that had consumed them in the garden. What happened exactly? There was such a rush of emotion within her, something deep spurted to life holding her under a spell of absolute wonder only to come crashing down around her. The aftermath seemed to send a chill on her warm flesh.
They stopped in front of a massive black door encased by two pillars. They had walked down a corridor of doors and stoped right in front of this one. Remus flung the door open taking the lead in walking inside. Xion had to bend slightly for it wasn't quite as tall as him but the room had a high ceiling with a rotating fireplace on one side, a couch two chairs, a table with a wash basic and a huge grotesque bed that dominated the room.
"Here we are." Remus turned around a smile plastered on his face that didn't quite reach his eyes. "Rest now, in the morning the custodian will share breakfast with you."
"Uhm " Xion looked about him ignoring Evaline's gaze completely. "Where are my quarters?"
"This is it. We only have one room to spare."
"One room!" Evaline exclaimed sharply. "But you have so much more in this floor alone."
"We're full" Remus shrugged. "We weren't expecting any guests. In fact the occupant of this room was distressed when we had to tell him to leave." He paused sweeping his hand around the room. "I'm sure you can reach a compromise," then he left, just like that , closing the door behind him with a click.
"Wait!" By the time Xion managed to gather his wits, the dragon was gone. He tried the door handle but it wouldn't open. "We're locked in," resting a palm against the door he turned to look at Evaline.
The artic Lord had returned freezing any kind of emotion she may have felt at his sudden reclusive behavior. Looking about she turned back to face him, schooling her expression into a stoic mask she dropped her satchel on the ground beside her and started opening the clasp. "You can take the bed, I'll be better off on the couch," she eyed the furniture seeing that is was just about her size.
"Nonsense. You take the bed, I can take the couch" he sounded grim.
"I wouldn't like to argue but looking at size and the couch, it isn't a match. I'm smaller and more capable of finding comfort on it. Besides I've slept on worst." She pulled out the map
Xion was about to argue but he decided against it. It was an extremely awkward moment, one where his brain was still fuzzy from the wine. Plus she did have a point, he needed his rest if he were to survive anymore trials, a soft pounding started at the base of his scull which meant the alcohol was starting to flush from his system. Removing his vest, he walked to the bed and flung it to one side, sitting on the edge he started to remove his boot. Chest bear all the way down to his waist he pulled the blanket and a pillow from and lay it on the couch before returning to the bed. Opening his satchel he rummaged through the herbs thinking he should drink a brew to end the pounding nightmare that was creeping up his scalp.
"Can you make out these herbs, my head is starting to split," he squinted his eyes trying to focus on her wavering form.
She turned to him sighing before approaching his outstretched and, looking through the herbs she pulled one out and took the skin he handed her. Pouring it into the tin with the herb she twirls it before handing I to him. Their fingers briefly connecting, an electric current passed through with Xion reacting immediately by snatching the tin.
She turned away from him abruptly and removed the fur lined coat before sitting on the floor to open the map. Tears gathered in her eyes but she quickly wiped them away and studied the lines on the map. The symbol of the valley was still there and not far from it stood a tower. If they played their cards right tomorrow they would be on their way and this would just be a memory.
Folding back the map carefully she went to the couch and prepared to bed down turning to check on Xion, his soft snores meant he was deep in slumber. Dropping to the couch she pulled the blankets on her and tried to call for sleep but her eyes kept on watering.
In the three years she had been in Pretoria she had never been kissed by any man, at least not the way Xion had done. It was her first truly passionate kiss, one that should have been delivered by someone else but instead it came from a man she could not make out. One who abhorred her seelie side, and yet in that moment when he held her in his arms she had caught a flash of tenderness that she never expected only to be doused like a cold splash of water. She didn't know what was more cruel, that Caspian wouldn't return her feelings or that Xion treated the intimacy like it meant absolutely nothing. He even cringed when she handed him the tin.
She vowed that from this moment on she would ignore him and remain determined to remember that he had a heart of ice. She was not about to thaw that organ.