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Chapter Six
RUMBLINGS UNDER THE MOON
"And Ashley?" Queen Griselda's eyes glinted under the evening light.
Prince Gideon stood tall and straight in the middle of the throne hall, alone and quiet. His clothes still reeked of the smell of grass from Moorhollow, with bits and blades scattered about in the dark cloth. Beside his feet, a large burlap sack sat unmoving—save for the occasional breathing.
"I healed her," Gideon replied.
"Good. Let me take a look at this foul being."
Gideon nodded. None of the chandeliers were lit that night; the scattered beams of moonlight piercing through the window above the queen splashed enough illumination on the carpeted floor. He knelt by his side and pulled the opening of the sack back.
A young female face with pale skin slipped out of the lining, eyes shut and mouth closed. A large portion of her white hair was burnt into a dark crisp, and her clothes—a messy tunic embroidered with metals and wood—kept ruffled and torn from the fight. Her cheek sported a worn-down mark of a crown, drawn straight and firm.
"She turned out to be a girl," Gideon said. "Evard left her in our custody, but the king will take a look at her tomorrow."
The queen crossed her arms. "No, he'll not."
Gideon's mouth hung. "B-But mom—"
"No," she affirmed. "Send the king a formal invitation to pack his shoes and visit us here if he wants to see this beast himself. If he thinks it's not fair, tell him to blame it on his fool son."
The prince's lips twitched. He forced a bow, turned the other way around, and began walking.
"Son," the queen said.
Gideon stopped in his tracks. He faced her.
"Evard fought while you healed," she said, cocking her head. "Did Ashley see?"
Gideon gulped and nodded.
"Not much of a prince, eh?" Griselda spat. "Can you be a prince at all?"
The prince heaved a sigh. He kept his posture stiff and nodded.
"I can do it."
"Good." The queen smiled. "Good night."
With that, Gideon walked away from the hall, treading with heavy steps, leaving the fainted Cloud Cast behind.
I.
As the heat of the sun pinched at her skin, Ashley wished she never got out of bed at all.
Her recollections of the Moorhollow incident swam in her head in a mist, with the attack nothing more than an echo at the back of her head. On the other hand, she remembered her dream quite well: a pleasant Winter's Eve feast in a warm cottage she did not recognize. She had munched down roasted turkey, beef stew, and pan-fried fish without cease, chuckling and giggling as more and more food popped into existence after every empty plate. It had been the best kind of life—until Cosmo had dropped a little too heavy on her chest, jolting her awake.
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The Celestial Princess
FantasíaTo Ashley's grim misfortune, she grew up as an orphan in a town that hated orphans. For sixteen years, she lived under the hatred of the people around her without ever finding willing parents to love and care for her--and she is not surprised. Now c...
