Daughter of Water

Chapter 23

"I am not going to even try to argue with you. This must be the rebellious stage young ones go through." Clarence didn't know what to do with my actions after Curtis reported back to him. Now the old man was pacing back and forth outside of the bathing chamber of my room. An actual wall separated us but a curtain hung in the doorway into the bedroom.

"I am not going through a rebellious stage Clarence. I never went through one on the surface and I am pretty sure that I am not going through one now." A tiny little line was my view of Clarence as he paced. Each moment that passed had his face growing brighter and brighter with the emotion that had taken over me as I rescued that girl in town.

"That does not give you permission to go into the city and risk your neck. Many lives have been lost to the Fiers. The lives of my son and daughter in law and every member of this house have lost someone close to them. Have you learned nothing? You even lost your parents and yet you will disgrace their name by trying to kill yourself." That foreign emotion began to flood me again and abruptly stood from the suds, the water splashing around me.

"Clarence!" His pacing stopped. I stepped out of the bath and reached for my robe, the white silk soft against my skin as I slipped it over my shoulders and tied it off around my waist.

I pulled back the curtain between my room and the bathing chamber and was met with Clarence's face.

"Listen and listen well Clarence. I am the princess. I am the future of this kingdom. If I am to even get close to reaching the throne and the castle, you have to work through the people. They will be the lock to getting in. I am the key and if you want me to continue to pursue this dream of the Liquis reaching back up to the throne and taking power again, I suggest that you allow me to do as I wish. I risked my life for a young girl's who was accused of being me. I will not allow any more girls to die for my sake. If so, then it will be the number of holes I shall put into Fier. But until we are able to kill Fier, I shall do as I wish and will continue to make my rounds in the city. The only way I can be this strong princess you want is to be in an extremely angry mood so please, entertain me... if you dare." I brushed past him and felt my resolve to be strong already fade with my anger. The fuse was slowly going out with Aberdeen's closeness but it can only help so much before the anger will rise again.

I can feel your anger my lady. But something is fueling it and we must find a way to calm it before you end up abandoning the throne. I pecked the stripe on my steed's head as I nearly sprinted past him to my closet.

"I know Aberdeen but it is not something I can control yet. It kept me alive in town and it is keeping me acting and sounding like a princess. Maybe it isn't such a bad thing." Footsteps sounded behind me and a throat being cleared echoed around me. Before I could take my bath robe off, I turned around and looked at Clarence who was practically fuming.

"My lady Arina, please understand that if you use anger to rule your people, you will be no better than the Fiers..." I froze and everything around me did too. I could see Aberdeen slowly moving towards me and Clarence's hesitation at speaking out at me like he had. The little flame of anger was instantly washed over by a tidal wave of water and sorrow. I lowered my head and nodded before turning back to my clothes.

"Thank you Clarence, you may take your leave." I did not move again until I heard my door shut. When the little click told me that he had truly left the room, I fell to the ground, erupting into tears that glowed as they fell. My hair around me lit up with a dim light and I let out my pain.

I was acting like the very tyrant I was trying to kill.

A snout set itself on my shoulder and I felt a warmth from my steed pass from him into me, trying to calm me.