Chapter 11
I savored the moment.
The heat lingered on my skin from his touch. My tears had dried out. Nothing remained. I pretended to sleep. Evver was continually worried about me. She wouldn’t stop until I slept. I tried to ease my breathing slowing it enough for her to believe my act. I heard a contented sigh. The sound of her creaking cot gave me great satisfaction. I hated this. She was hurting more because of me. My appearance down the well only brought more pain to her gentle heart. Now I understand she had been in pain long before I had made my way to the castle on a smelly troll's back. It seemed every day I added to her young life more complications, not to mention stress.
I struggled with the sheer impossibility of what had become of my life. My bullies in the real world seemed like newborn puppies compared to Tommit and Drayben.
I was growing more desperate by the day.
Tomorrow I will have fittings for my wedding gown. How was I going to make it thru? At first my knee-jerk reaction was to run. Then my heart stopped me. No matter what I suffered— if I disappeared, then Evver’s punishment would certainly be dead. Drayben didn’t mince words. He had told me when I was “chosen” to be Tommit’s bride what would happen if I didn’t happily comply. My skin crawled, thinking about Tommit’s touch. I rolled over to watch her sleep; it pleased me to see her chest rising and falling peacefully.
I had never had a sister or even a close friend.
At seventeen, the feelings I had for the tiny girl, were so new. In the short time I had known her I had grown to love her immensely. My heart swelled. I knew I would suffer any torture, endure any pain to keep her safe. Perhaps I could ask for her freedom as my wedding gift.
Yes.
If I had to endure Tommit’s touch I could deal with it to save her.
Never would I have thought at seventeen years old that I would be trying on wedding gowns and thinking of my fiancé. I wanted true love. The type of love that your heart stops because he touches you, when you look at each other and there is no one else on the planet. It was the way I felt about Cassius. Growing up I had heard stories about love at first sight. All my life I thought people were making it up; love at first sight. It had to be a complete impossibility.
How could you love someone, who you hadn’t known forever?
My feelings for him had turned into another wish that I would have sent down my wishing well. I was coming to accept my fate it made it easier watching Evver now. Cassius wouldn’t be storming the castle on his white horse with his steel sword raised. It was too dangerous. I wouldn’t want him to risk his precious life for mine. Knowing him and Evver were safe and alive could get me through anything.
Evver was sleeping fitfully.
I wondered what her dreams were showing her. Wanting to get up and soothe her but I was well aware the anger that would ensue if she realized my subterfuge. I gently rose out of my bed and found my way to my window seat. I looked over the kingdom I would soon be queen over. It was strange, as I had only been in the town square once and that was in the middle of the night. I longed to wander the streets during the day to check out the shops or to stop to talk to those around me.
It had been daylight when I was carried thru the kingdom by the smelly Cronan.
A trip I was grateful to have slept thru. There were no memories. I didn’t want to imagine the faces of the people seeing the towering troll carrying me like a sack of potatoes. I could see lights from the window fires burning on touches around the kingdom. I was left wondering where Cass laid his head tonight. Was he thinking of me? Or did he sleep restfully relieved I was soon to marry Tommit?
My heart ached to see his face, feel his touch one more time.
Part of me longed to flee into the midnight air, to have even a moment of freedom. The thought of being free from all the watchful eyes called to me. I wondered if I would ever be allowed to walk out in the open in the town square on my own. Would I always be a prisoner? I continued staring off into the twinkling night. My heart was heavy with possibilities, so many questions, it was completely overwhelming. My heart shuddered at the surprising touch.
I turned to see Evver with her hands placed firmly on her hips. The look in her eyes reminded me of the many times my mother had caught me sneaking out of bed to watch my favorite show.
“Aurora What are you doing?”
“Sorry Evver. I just couldn’t sleep.” She looked at me with compassion as she sat across from me on the window seat.
“What’s going thru your mind?”I looked at the girl I loved, would give my life for, my happiness for. She seemed to be reading my thoughts.
“You can tell me Aurora, I’m here for you.” Hearing her concern caused tears to start forming. Reaching her arms out to hug me she settled into my chest. The love she showed me was unlike anything I had ever experienced.
Hugging her, she had her diminutive head resting against my heart.
“Oh Evver, I just hate it. I hate that you’re not out there flying and being a happy child. I hate how I’m being forced to marry someone who I despise. I hate how everyone is being treated in Paradan. I just hate it.” Evver was nestled against me listening to my heart beat. After a moment she replied.
“Cas is going to fix this. He will. He will save us.” Her voice broke. Then with just a whisper “He will.”