My Shadow and His Flame

Thirteen-Lord

Layden

Lord Layden Cyrus. Sounds too fancy for me. I just want to see my family again. I wonder what they are thinking. Maybe the royals sent them a letter or something. I just don't know what they told them. Maybe I can get Rori to sneak out with me. I met her on a night she snuck out. There's no doubt she can do it again. 

There are a few things I know for sure now. I'm going to be tied to the royal family in some way, I am a suitor for the future queen, and I am in grave danger. 

Do the royals truly think that I am the only Morer with a greater ability? They can't think that. Guards are going to search for them. Inspect every Morer family they can find. Or maybe they won't do anything. Knowing that there are others out there, they won't want to discover them. Make a big fuss over it all. The royals can't house every powerful Morer out there. I just wonder how many of us are out there, and why are we like this?

Since I am now a Lord, I have to start learning the ways of the courts. My teacher is a strange lady. I have already forgotten her name. She seems to be a slim, middle-aged woman with a face full of makeup. From the photos around her classroom, it looks like she's unwed and has no children. 

I'm already in her room before her. When she enters, a stench comes with her. Overload of a flower perfume, probably a rose of some sort. It's very overpowering, but the woman embraces me as if she has known me for years.

"Hello my darling. My name is Cordelia Hadeon," the woman says. A member of the Queen's family. "Just call me Cordelia also. No need for miss anything."

"Who are you to the Queen?" I say. The question comes out before I can even think it.

She laughs a little. "I'm her younger sister. I see you like to get straight to the point. Can be good for some situations, but you'll need to be able to hold it," Cordelia says.

The woman seems trustworthy. Throughout our session, she teaches me some proper manners. Eating etiquette, posture, how to speak to certain people. Basically making a new person out of me. Layden Sterling is no more. They are possibly even changing my first name because it is too Morer like. Whatever that means. Landon or Leyton they think. Don't want to change it too much I guess. 

I can't tell what Cordelia does and doesn't know. I'm unsure if she knows I'm really a Morer and not some lost child of Cyrus.

Our session finally ends. Cordelia is actually a sweet woman. Much less intimidating than her sister. Rori had never mentioned her aunt. Come to think of it, I really don't know much about her life. 

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I want to learn Rori's past. I want to understand every part of her. The way I feel about her is unexplainable. It's like a fire started inside me when I'm near her. I first felt it when I met her in the woods. She is just so different. I can't tell how I feel about her. I hardly know if anything will ever happen. I just know I need her in my life. 

The royal children and I are escorted to a meeting room. When we enter, the King and Queen are sitting at a table. We fill in the rest of the seats.

The King speaks, "Some things have been decided about everything that has been going on. Layden, your royal name for the time being will be Lord Landon Cyrus. We still have not decided where to go with Rori's future husband. We narrowed it down to two suitors. Layden, if you are not chosen, you will become Rori's consort. If she would like to bestow another name for you, she is allowed to once she rules. Rori, we may not know who your husband will be until after your coronation." I get to be close to Rori no matter what. That's good at least. 

I'm going to be stuck in the royal world forever. I'll never be able to see my family. My whole life I will have to live a lie. 

A harsh female tone starts, "The gala has been moved to tomorrow night. Instead of the normal dancing with every suitor, you will dance with your betrothed. Shadow, you will dance with each suitor that was named for you yesterday." The Queen called Rori that nickname. Rori looks down in her lap.

"So the four of us don't have much changing," Ve says.

"No, I guess not," the king says. He stands, "You are dismissed."

Our escorts come to retrieve us. I still get to be Rori's since I'm most likely to be her consort anyways. The palace has emptied of majority of the courts so we can roam free. The twin girls stay in one of their rooms together while the rest of us go to the balcony. 

"Can I know about the blood now?" I ask them. 

Ve speaks, "It's just the way court people's blood dries. Everyone has red blood but when we are cut, a few seconds later the blood turns black." So that's our great difference. The way our blood dries, really? Clearly power division isn't it anymore. Dried up blood is.

"So that's are great difference? Dried up blood," I scoff.

"Well, we thought our great difference was our abilities, but I guess that's not true anymore<' Bray says. 

After an hour or so, Bray and Ve leave. It's just Rori and I left on the balcony. She is sitting with her head in her hands. I get up from being across from her to sit to her right. I move my hand to her back.

"What's wrong Rori?" I ask.

She picks up her end and turns to me, "Everything. This whole mess. Its all my fault. I should have never gotten you this involved. I shouldn't of made you my guard." The fire inside me builds again. Flame explodes inside of me.

"Its not your fault Rori. Its nobodies. It was bound to happen at some point," I tell her.

She shakes her head, "You deserve better. You're to good to be tied up into this life. This life...it's exhausting."

"Don't worry. Really, its okay. One good thing happened though."

"What good could have possibly come out of this."

"I met you."

She picks her head up and turns to me. A slight smile on her face. I smile back and place my hand on her cheek. "We're gonna get through this ya know. No matter what, we're gonna have each other," I tell her.

Her face falls into my hand, skin glowing so beautifully. She picks up her head and stands up.

"Come on, I wanna show you something," she says sticking her hand out to me. I take it gladly and leave the balcony with the Princess. 

Hey guys! dont forget to like. also i wont be posting chapters as often since school has started again. I am hoping AT LEAST a chapter every week but my goal is 2-3 a week.