Nights of Fire & Ash

Chapter 16

I had been training on my sword positions for what felt like months before I was able to swiftly wield it correctly. By the time Summer Solstice was on our doorstep, I had began actually participating in sword play with Caythan and Heldius.
"Take it one step at a time, Princess." Caythan snapped as I almost lost my balance on a particularly difficult move that I had been practicing. I swung my sword too low at Heldius, and he easily blocked it. I knew that they took it easy on me since I was human.
"Watch your back," he guided me, and I felt another sword at my spine. Impossible, Heldius was fast, but he hadn't been that fast with me.
"Well, it looks like they have yet to reach you how to keep all your sense open." I heard a smooth voice say behind me. I huffed at the idea that I had technically just lost. If we had been in actual combat, I'd be a goner.
"She's hardly a Fae, Your Highness. I don't think she would've heard you coming with those human ears." Caythan defended me. I hated when he did things like that. I could take care of myself.
"Fair enough. I think we should change that, though. Having a human amongst our highest generals looks quite odd to the other courts and possibly to the human realm. I don't need anyone asking questions." He purred at me. I furrowed my eyebrows at him. Whenever we discussed the Mountain, Makiel hushed the topic, eager to keep me from knowing more.
"You honestly think that she could travel up that mountain, face the monstrosities that await anyone treading there, and come back from the lake?" Caythan questioned him. I had never seen outright defiance from any of the generals, so even questioning him made my stomach tighten, anxious for the backlash.
"I think that if you are taking time to train her every day that there needs to be a reason why. If you want to keep training her, she needs to pick a date that she will make the commitment to the Mountain journey and the Goddess herself." My chest tightened at the thought. Another order, another order coming from another male who just drug me around behind him. I was so tired of being treated like I didn't have my own thoughts or wants in life.
"And that's an order?" I snapped back. I could hardly contain my words. I wasn't his soldier.
"Yes, you have 2 weeks to assess your abilities and decide how long you are going to train for. Tatiana made the Journey, you can as well if you'd like to stay. You made it quite clear that you no longer could live in the Human World." I fumed. I turned back to stare at Caythan to see Makiel stalking off behind the Summer King, fuming with rage.
~~
She couldn't be forced into this life. He couldn't walk around and pretend that no one had a mind of their own. The people of this court were going to have choices and free will, but once he convinced our father to name him the crown prince after my one stupid mistake, they no longer had that ability.
"What is wrong with you?" I seethed at his arrogance. Playing with people's fate like he was some kind of god.
"Whatever do you mean, brother?" He plopped down behind his ridiculously oversized chair behind the desk that was destined to be mine.
"You cannot force her to make that trip up the mountain." He cocked his head at me while he poured himself a glass of brandy. "The Mother said that that journey was only made to grant humans the ability to safely produce with the High Fae. It was supposed to help us continue our lineage without inbreeding. You cannot possibly think that forcing that sacred journey will be good for our kingdom! You selfish, arrogant-"
"Watch your tone, brother." He cut me off mid sentence. "This is no longer our kingdom. The day that you chose to step on the Mountain instead of allowing the fate of the Mother to prove her allegiance for your mate was the day that the kingdom was no longer yours. For 100 years, you lost all respect from the kingdom and our father."
"Don't you speak about her." I snapped and sent a chair flying towards the wall. It splintered in the impact.
"Your dear, darling Saesha. I wonder how she screamed as those monsters ripped her limbs. You know, human flesh is so soft and pliable." I had heard enough. I couldn't take his taunting any longer. I charged for him, leaping over the desk. The glass shattered as it hit the floor, and I wrapped my hands around his throat.
"You will take it back. You will tell her she doesn't have to follow through with this nonsense! No one should have to do this for a stupid treaty that no one pays attention to any longer!" I barred my teeth at him. My snarl was uncontrollable. I could feel his burning heat underneath my own, but I could easily over power him. Being the Summer King did not mean he was stronger than me.
"Makiel!" I heard screaming behind me as soldiers flooded into the study behind us. Their duty was to protect the King, but I was done with his bullshit commands. The floor boards beneath us began to scorch due to our flames, but neither of us forfeited the fight until I was pried off of him by three soldiers and Aillard.
"She will do the journey, and if she doesn't, I will send her straight to those vigilante humans in her village!" The King called out behind me as Zathrian and Heldius arrived to help drag me back up the stairs.
I only roared in response