The Zodiac Stone

Chapter Seven: The Aries Princess

By now it was an event everyone waited for, some even rising early to see them all. It had even been given a name: The Char Race. Char was the Aries' class name.

They were the only clan allowed to leave Saziel to board at home rather than with the other clans. And that was solely because they were royalty. The Aries were the beginning of the calendar and seen as such, as the firsts. They were given every privilege and were even given their own mess hall for them alone and only if accompanied by an Aries could one venture into the Hall of Chars. They received extra tutelage and anything they wanted. Most were granted, even ignorant requests. If the scholars didn't obey they could feel the wrath of the parents, and the Aries ruled everyone.

A golden chariot with splashes of pale blue and light teal careened through the air. Gold ornaments decorated the sides and rim of the bowl. Two avaeyas's pulled it through the air, a creature the Aquarius weren't allowed to have as transport animals.

It was a magnificent creature that bore brilliant and bright colors. These two in particular had lighter shades which were rare, and because of that they had been specially requested by their owner, Caedra, the Aries's highest ranking princess. They matched her ride, shade for shade.

The avaeyas drew the chariot up to a raised platform, their tall, spindly legs, thin but strong running the gusts of wind as if they ran on ground. Each had four legs with two-hoofed toes and large feathered wings that stretched from their shoulders across their backs. Their slender body ended with a small tuft of a tail that had a slight curl over their rounded rumps. Their round black eyes were as soft and as gentle as their nature. But it was their heads that were the most interesting, sporting a long nose that narrowed down the barrel and widened again at their muzzle. Ridges ran both edges of their jaw and below their chins and over their heads they had thin, membrane tendrils that ended in fan-like feathers. Some avaeyas's even had some running from their chin to their neck, but only two had ever been found in existence. The Libra's had documented the more tendrils an avaeyas had, the older the creature was.

The two pulling Caedra's chariot had pale green and blue colorings to match her paint. They had only a few tendrils at the tops of their heads indicating they were still young. Caedra had them finished in studded gold harnesses that shone with the light of the bright sun.

The Aquarius driving the chariot pulled it to a stop on the platform designated for the privileged Aries's.

Aine stood watching, leaning his elbows on the stone rail. He was situated between two columns and watching the Char Race. He had been up early that morning, having a bad night and not really slept. Every time he had closed his eyes he saw himself being pushed from the castle's parapets and had given up on sleep.

The Aquarius driver let the reins drop and stepped out first. He raised a hand and guided Caedra down from her seat.

She stepped off gracefully, her wooden gold heels clicking on the stone. Her driver gave a tilt of his head and stepped back into the chariot to settle in to wait for her day to be over.

Aine hadn't been the only one to be watching as she descended the steps from the raised platform. A small crowd of students rushed toward her, all wanting to touch a hand of the princess who would someday rule them all, if her father ever passed. He had been on the throne for more than one hundred and seventy-two years. There had been a rumor that he had even stopped aging long ago and still retained young, unblemished, unwrinkled skin, bright eyes, and a straight, un-hunched spine.

Her smile spread across her face and Aine wondered if she pretended to like the attention or actually enjoyed it. He didn't know her well enough to actually know.

At least he had a moment to himself where Vhagn wasn't anywhere around to harass him. He was tired and bruised still from his last encounter with Vhagn. He could even feel the heat against his skin when Vhagn reached his fiery fingers toward him.