The Phoenix People

Chapter One

The tree was located in the middle of the hedge maze, the one that every resident of the castle could easily navigate with their eyes closed. It was a tall, proud oak, just perfect for sitting under while reading or watching the clouds through the multitude of leaves.

Everyone knew that it was my preferred place to be in all of the palace. However, although I was usually swamped with people hoping to gain power through mine, they all left me to my own devices when I was under the tree, out of respect, I suppose.

The only people who frequently bothered me there were Handmaiden-for-Alexia and my sister, before the latter disappeared - and even they tried to disturb me as rarely as possible. It was as if everyone could sense that I needed an escape place, somewhere to be me and enjoy my books.

It was an overcast and yet muggy day, the day that my life changed forever. The sky was threatening rain, so I had brought my book bag, enchanted by the High Mage to be entirely waterproof, lest the skies open. As it was, the air smelled of rain, but I was steadfastly (or stubbornly, depending on one's viewpoint) remaining curled under the tree, attempting to ignore the air's familiar smell and the sky's dull color.

"Princess Alexia!" Handmaiden-for-Alexia's familiar voice rang across the small meadow that was the center of the maze. Although she had obviously, from her askew hair and rumpled skirt, dashed through the maze to fetch me, she was barely out of breath. I had always wondered how she had the stamina that she did.

I sighed at her approach. So much for reading. "Yes?" I asked, annoyed.

"Your brother requires council with you, mi'lady." While she spoke, Handmaiden-for-Alexia didn't look at me, instead staring at her feet and curtsying as she said "mi'lady." It made me rather uncomfortable, but there was no use in telling her to do otherwise - it was just the way things were done, after all.

Shoving my novel into my book bag, I climbed to my feet and tried to wipe the dirt off of my dress, to little avail. "I suppose he wouldn't wait for me to change?"

"I'm afraid not. He seemed rather urgent, mi'lady." Again, that infuriating curtsy!

Gritting my teeth with exasperation, I followed Handmaiden-for-Alexia out of the hedge maze and across the wide castle park to the building itself.

The massive park was truly beautiful. In the spring and summer, the trees were heavy with emerald green leaves and exotic flowers bloomed in all colors of the rainbow. All of the scents bonded to smell of an earthy, refreshing perfume, scents from orchids and lilies mixing with roses and tulips, along with the dirt they rested in. During the fall, many plants bearing fruit began to ripen, and almost every Highborn in the palace spent their lunch in the park, eating off of the bushes and trees. During that time, the leaves also exploded in violent reds, vibrant oranges, and warm browns. In the winter, the tree branches hung heavy with snow and the bushes glistened with icy cobwebs and icicle chandeliers.

Handmaiden-for-Alexia and I walked up the polished stone staircase that led into the castle. There were exactly forty-two steps to the top - I had counted them many times as a child. I counted them now, wondering why the king wished to hold council with me. I was only seventeen, and aside from extensive knowledge of fictional worlds and people from all of the novels that I had read, I knew next to nothing about the world. My brother, on the other had, was twenty-eight years of age and had been king for a decade. What knowledge could he possibly hope to gain from me?

The castle doors were kept firmly closed, even now, in the middle of another insufferable summer. I could guarantee that every window was cracked, however. Although rain threatened, the heat still enveloped the palace like a blanket, making everyone sleepy and slow.

I watched absentmindedly as Handmaiden-for-Alexia fished her necklace out of her bodice. The chain caught in a lock of her dull brown hair and she winced. Running a hand through her short hair, she pressed the locket to the door. It glowed faintly and the door swung open. We hurried inside and it swung shut behind us, as silent as a feather.

While the heavy doors could be opened manually, no one saw the point of going to so much trouble over and over again throughout the course of a day when the Highborn residents of the castle were nearly always accompanied by a Lowborn servant of some sort. If not, the Highborns had their own necklaces - although I had never seen a fellow Highborn wear them. It was easy enough to call over a Lowborn from whatever meaningless task they were doing and have them open the door for us.

Inside the castle, the air was even more oppressive. I knew there would be cooling charms in the throne room and the Highborns' chambers, but anyone who was anywhere else had to work through the heat. A pang of sympathy for the Lowborns struck me before I shoved it away. They were already filthy - what harm was a little more sweat going to do?

I tried to ignore the guilt I felt at this thought.

The doors leading to the park entered into a typical palace hallway. The ceiling was ten feel above us, stone just like the floors and walls. Identical doors stood closed at random intervals along the wall, hiding their rooms' contents - even I hadn't been in all of the rooms in the castle.

However, I knew how to get to the throne room from anywhere in the castle, comfortably familiar or no. In fact, my sister and I had once played a game where we blindfolded each other from different places - the park exit, the dining hall, my bedroom - and had the other girl then navigate unassisted to the throne room. Thanks to this seemingly meaningless childhood activity, I quite literally could find the place blindfolded.

As Handmaiden-for-Alexia and I grew closer to the throne room, tapestries and murals began to line the walls in more and more frequency. The finest were saved for the royal bedrooms and throne room, but these weren't by any means poorly crafted. My favorite tapestry was hung up right before one arrived at the throne room's grand double doors, located in the point of the "T" that two intersecting hallways created. 

The tapestry depicted a dirty maiden who was completely naked, the only thing protecting her modesty being her incredibly long, silver hair. She was leaning over, looking into a pond. The angle of the tapestry was to her side and facing down slightly, so one could see the beautiful, queenly woman reflected in the water as well as the original. The reflection's hair was twisted into an elegant bun, a shining golden crown pressed against the hairdo. She was wearing sharp, fierce makeup and was incredibly beautiful. 

It was based off of the legend that many Highborns, adults and children alike, took for fact: a changeling girl even more perfect than the daughter that she had replaced had become queen of Fairmeadow and opened the ethereal doorway for her fellow fey folk to come through from another world into ours. These fey folk, when mated with humans, would later create Highborns, while the humans who refused to associate with the fey would remain boring and talent-less - the Lowborns. The Fairmeadow royal family - myself and my brother being the only surviving members - were said to be descended from the changeling girl. I had no idea how much truth was behind the tale, but the Highborns did indeed share the tapestry woman's high cheekbones and wide eyes, along with her full lips and delicate nose.

The throne room doors were firmly closed, as per usual. I recalled, when Father was ruling, that the doors remained wide open. Anyone - any Highborn, that is - who wanted to hold council with the king could schedule an appointment and see him relatively quickly. This was not the case with my brother.

Handmaiden-for-Alexia again held up her necklace, pressed it against the right door, and said in a clear voice, "Princess Alexia and Lowborn 9752 for council with King Audric."

The door swung open after a short pause as the extra enchantments protecting the throne room mulled over our request. I led the way inside, again wondering what on the planet my brother would need me for.

I stopped dead when I saw the scene before me.