The Falling (Book I)

Dowry

William woke me up by placing a warm hand on my belly. I sat up, stretching my arms high above my head. I stood and flattened my wrinkled dress as best I could. He was already dressed in a nice black tunic and trousers, his boots looking like he had just cleaned them. His hair was damp and tied in a low ponytail.

After he kissed me good morning, I noticed a huge round fruit in his hand.

"Are you hungry?" he asked and bit into the fruit.

I shook my head. "I should get back before anyone notices."

He pecked me on the lips one more time when he saw my unease. "We will see each other soon."

I nodded.

After he ended the summoning, I was back in my dark room. I went to my window and opened my curtains. As the dim light of Hell entered, I noticed my three trunks were out and filled with my clothes. A forest green, velvet gown and heels had been placed on my bed.

I glanced outside to judge the time. There were quite a few demons out and I figured it was late morning.

"My lady." Amnon's guttural voice startled me. I whirled around.

For being large and in heavy armor, he made no noise when he moved. He bowed his head in submission when he saw lightning crackling at my fingertips. "Forgive me, I did not mean to startle you."

The lightning dissipated and I relaxed. "No, no, it is alright. I am sorry for almost attacking you."

He chuckled, probably thinking something along the lines of my attacks would not hurt him much. "You were gone all night."

I grab the dress off my bed and headed to the bathroom, my back stiff. Of course, he would have noticed my disappearance. "Did you speak to anyone of it?"

"No, my lady."

"Keep it that way." I slammed the bathroom door shut.

[Are you sure you can trust him?]

No, but he is under my command. If he has not said anything yet, he will not.

I slipped out of my wrinkled dress from the day before and slid the velvet green dress on.

When I exited the bathroom, Amnon stood in the corner of my room beside the door. One of the servant girls hoisted the last trunk up and left the room. I looked around my room slowly, memorizing every little detail. The tiny scorch mark from when I was eighty and I sneezed lightning. The bookshelf crammed into a corner filled with books I had read a thousand times over. I blinked back the tears.

"You do not seem happy, my lady," he observed.

I sniffed and smiled shakily at him. "No, I suppose I do not. But I will go through with it because it is expected of me."

He shook his head and uncrossed his arms. "You will because you want to live. Highborns always try to lie to themselves by saying they do it because it is their duty."

I wiped at my eyes to catch any stray tears. "...You are correct. I am doing this because I want to live. If I had a choice I would run the opposite direction from that lonely castle."

"You do not need to convince me. I am your shadow, my lady." He said.

I had to admit I had my misgivings about having a bodyguard, especially one who still made me wary, but there was something comforting about the way Amnon seemed to know how I felt.

And disconcerting.

"Melanie, get down here!" Father's voice sliced through the air from downstairs.