A Curse to Break

Chapter 1

A breeze blows by stirring the leaves in the tree overhead. One leaf breaks free, beginning its slow, leisurely descent. I track it for a second before letting my eyes drift shut. Soon the autumn air would turn cold in preparation for the fast-approaching winter. When that happened, I wouldn't be able to escape outside. Well, I still could. No one would care if I came out to freeze in the garden. They wouldn't care if I spent my days out in the freezing cold, but they'd whisper that I was finally losing my mind and they already had enough to whisper about. I didn't feel like adding lies to the whispers.

Opening my eyes, I let my head fall to the side, silently watching the gardeners tend to the garden below. Like the rest of the servants here, they ignored me. Not even the servants wanted anything to do with me, but at least they had the decency not to whisper about me while I was around. Maybe they just felt bad for me.

Lena Levine. Unwanted bastard daughter of the king and a married woman. They could have at least been discrete about it. Everyone knew. Lord Levine, the queen, all my half-siblings, and everyone at court, even the lowest of servants. The rumors had been well rooted long before I was born and they weren't going away. It hadn't helped that my mother only made it all too clear she didn't want me and Lord Levine only tolerated me. The king had of course denied that I was his and refused to acknowledge me, but everyone knew the truth and the treatment I received from my 'family' and the royal family had only solidified the rumors. The rumors turned to whispers that refused to fade.

I had grown up hiding in the shadows, doing my best to be unseen and unheard. If no one noticed me, the whispers would stop, if only for a little while. The little whiles like these are what kept me sane. They were my only refuge from a life I never asked for. For a few minutes, I could pretend the whispers were just that, whispers.

A bell tolls in the distance. I sit up. The toll comes again. It's loud and deep, not the alarm bell. It's the announcement bell. I blink, brow furrowing as I settle back down. There was nothing of note happening today. Princess Claudia's birthday was still a couple of days away. Guests were arriving, but that was no reason to be tolling the announcement bell unless, of course, the guest arriving was royal. Then it would be to announce their coming arrival and give the court time to gather in the courtyard to greet them.

I jolt back up. The court had been buzzing with the news for weeks. King Randolph had invited King Axel to attend Princess Claudia's birthday and he had accepted. If the announcement bell was tolling, he had arrived and I may be unwanted, but I was still expected to attend. If I didn't, mother would be furious because my absence would be noted just as much as, if not more than, my presence. To her, it would be worse if I didn't show up because then there would be whispers about what I could have been off doing instead of being where I was expected to be. Whispers that would be more reminders of the child she didn't want.

I dash through the garden, the gardeners paying about as much attention to me as they had when I had been laying under the tree. I slow to a hurried walk when I reach the palace. Inside, the servants I pass do glance my way. As I near the main entrance, I can see other nobles of the court heading out. The fact I wouldn't be slipping into the crowd alone is little comfort.

I silently slip through the crowd towards mother and Lord Levine, falling into place beside mother. She's saying something to Lord Levine, so my arrival goes unnoticed, at least by her. I glance about at the court slowly falling into place around King Randolph, Queen Daphne. Princess Claudia, and the young Prince Hunter. Queen Daphne's attention is on Princess Claudia, gingerly fixing her daughter's hair.

There's a sharp tug at my hair. I look over in surprise to find mother tossing a leaf to the ground. Her eyes meet mine, hard and annoyed.

"If you're going to insist on rolling around in the dirt you could at least attempt to clean yourself up," she hisses quietly at me.

I quickly drop my eyes to the ground. "Sorry mother."

"Then act like it and stop embarrassing us."

I nod silently, keeping my eyes on the ground. I kick myself for not checking before I came. Someone else must have seen the leaf in my hair. What must they have thought? What good was not being late if I had made an entrance that didn't go unnoticed?

Finally, the bell falls silent. Another sound takes its place though: horses. I look up as the trumpets sound, announcing their arrival. Seconds later, the party enters the courtyard.

The first to enter is a mix of soldiers in our colors and what I assume are the colors of King Axel. I can easily pick out Daniel and Dimitri in their uniforms, sitting tall. No carriage enters though. Instead, the soldiers part to allow two finely dressed men. Neither bears any insignia on their jacket, but it's clear that one of these men is the king. Which one though?

The dark-haired man pulls his horse to a stop, his fair-haired companion following his lead as he dismounts. He begins to walk forward, not bothering to wait for someone to take his horse. His hand comes to rest on the sword at his side, fingers casually curling around the hilt. I suppose that would make him King Axel, the feared Blood King.

As he continues his calm, sure pace, I've no doubt he had earned that title, that the stories were at least based on truth. His neighboring country had declared war. King Axel had marched his army through, obliterating any resistance. His country had been strong before, but now it was stronger, protected by the fear and respect the war had brought and the title he had won for himself.

King Axel doesn't so much as glance at anyone present. If anything, he looks bored, disinterested in his surroundings. Though considering his men don't follow, he's probably highly aware of his surroundings and was more than capable of taking care of himself. He was the Blood King after all.

Finally, he reaches King Randolph and comes to a stop. After a second, King Randolph holds out his hand.

"King Axel, welcome to Mordon. I trust your journey was comfortable."

King Axel takes King Randolph's hand. "It wasn't the worst I've had." King Axel's voice is calm, dismissive almost. He releases King Randolph's hand. "You've quite the court."

"This is only half of it," King Randolph replies easily. "Come," he motions to the entry of the palace. "Let us talk inside."

"Very well." King Axel half turns to look back towards his party. "Varian." The call is as much a request as it is an order.

His companion, who had been holding onto both of their horses merely nods. He holds the reigns out to a soldier who takes them with a bow of his head before coming to stand beside King Axel. With Varian at his side, King Axel turns back to King Randolph expectantly.

King Randolph calmly turns, leading the way back to the palace, King Axel at his side. Queen Daphne, Princess Claudia, Prince Hunter, and Varian follow behind. Once the doors shut, the court begins to disperse, the welcome done. Before I can slip away, Daniel and Dimitri are standing before mother and Lord Levine.

"My boys," mother crows happily, stepping forward to embrace them.

Though they don't look happy about it, they allow it. When Mother comments on how they smell, they make objections, pointing out they've been traveling. Lord Levine easily steps in, getting Mother to relent. I stand silently as the reunion continues. I couldn't exactly just slip away now.

Finally, it comes to an end. Lord Levine tells his sons he expects them to appease their mother before dinner, taking Mother's arm to lead her off. For a second, I think I'll manage to escape without having to do anything. That hope shatters when Daniel looks right at me.

Before I can do anything, his arm is around my neck pulling me roughly to him. The wool of his uniform scratches at my cheek. It's easy to see why mother was quick to comment on their smell. When I try to pull away, he pulls tighter, using his free hand to ruffle my hair.

"Look who came to welcome us home, Dimitri."

Dimitri looks over at me, not bothering to hide the look of disdain that crosses his face. "You're already filthy enough Daniel." He turns on his heel, heading for the doors.

Daniel laughs, releasing me so he can follow his twin. "What's a little extra dirt to wash off?"

"Welcome home," I mutter, attempting to straighten my hair. Would the scolding I would have received for not coming have been that bad? I sigh, giving up on straightening my hair. No. It was better to do as expected, to do my best to remain unseen and unheard.