Throne of Blood

Prodigy apprentice

I let all my clothes fall to the floor stepping into the wide tub. The water blissfully burned at my skin, the smell of the added jasmine oils wafting in the air. I submerged body under the water my head following before resurfacing. I scrubbed every inch of myself, giving my scalp extra care. I settled against the tubs back, smiling as I finally realized I'd made it out of Hopchill. I began to hum the song my mother use to sing to me every time she was in a good mood. She sung it that day in Fiyiat. It had been the last time.

When I emerged from the bathroom I donned a simple night gown, toweling my wet hair. Cassius was seated at the desk two bowls of steaming stew in front of him.
"Come eat before the food gets cold." He said glancing over me. His eyes stopped on mines and I nodded sitting in the chair across from him.

"What will you do in the capital?" I asked no longer able to bear the bouts of silence.

"I'll be getting married." He said watching me. Unable to stop myself I clicked my tongue.

"That's unfortunate." I spooned stew into my mouth.

"For you or me Resa, and do be honest." He smirked and I almost choked.

"I only meant that you're young." A horrid lie.

"Many others would find 20 a quite suitable age to be married." He knowingly smiled.

"It's bullshit. My father would have had me married to Erwin Friar as soon as I turned 18 in four months."Erwin wasn't the worst option, but he certainly wasn't a good one. I would rather die than be a farmers wife, expected to do nothing but bear a child every year to work the land.

" I came just in time then."

"You did. Not in time for my face,but to save me from the claws of Hopchill. I will forever be in your debt."

"One I will never cash in."

"Then I'll  likely cash it for you."I looked up at him and for a moment we looked at each other through a roaring silence until finally I swung my spoon down into the bowl of stew breaking his  gaze. I now knew exactly whose company I held, and I wasn't sure if I was crazy to not be afraid or thrilled our new king wasn't exactly the monster everyone thought he was.

"Tell me about your childhood." He said suddenly, casually leaning back in the chair. Whether intentional or not him bringing up my childhood softened the mood and me along with it. I felt the tension fade from my face and my shoulders relaxed as I thought of my mother.

"My mother was born in Canese. During the spring we'd take the trip, just the two of us since father never wanted to leave the shop. He was stuck in his work and left me to my mother.She'd take me through all the pretty small towns, and we'd stuff our hair with flowers and join the town parties every night we stayed. Those trips were the only times I ever truly saw my mother happy. In Hopchill she tried to put up a brave front,but she couldn't fool me. When I was 7 we came here. It was the last trip I had with my mother before she fell ill.  She took me out for tea and she met with a man I'd never seen before. His green eyes could rival my mother's in brightness. He was tall dark haired, obviously trained but a gentleman and I think even then I knew there was something special between them because she really smiled. When we returned my father had a mistress and a child already pass his second birthday. My mother fell ill soon afterwards and when she died I was no longer allowed to be a child. No longer allowed warm springs in Canese or the sight of her smile. My childhood was brief and all that remains in memory of it was those small moments of having her there."

"My mother hailed from the castles of Rewin. My bastard father didn't deserve her. The northern lands are quite different from these, there has always been whispers of magic running through the royal bloodlines of Rewin and Canese from the land. My mother brought some with her to Turan. She snuck out the castle at night to the sick houses and no one ever knew the queen had come to save them. When she was alive I never used the magic in my blood but when she died and my father sent me to the battlefield all I had was that magic. I could handle a sword but there were men twice my size, my strength and I had nothing to close the gap except magic. What my mother used to heal, I used to slaughter."

"Well I suppose neither of us had much of a childhood." I sighed looking over at him. I stood up going over to the bed to rest.

"There's something I'm curious about." He said standing and then sitting across from me. I pulled back the covers and slid under them."What gave me away?"

I snorted and he raised in eyebrow in question. I climbed in beside him looking over.

"Honestly, I'm embarrassed I didn't figure it out as soon as I saw your eyes. The hair was another clue, but the fact you'll be getting married when you return to the capital gave it away. No weddings except for the Kings can take place in the next two months."

"Another ridiculous rule I need to get rid of."