Page 4

Lucian

Past

How na?ve I’d been then, not having a clue as to my mother’s motives in ordering me to keep an eye on the Leonine clan’s welcome hall for when Princess Kerainne had her first death. That naivety almost prevented me from seeing her again.

It was embarrassing standing at the gates to the Leonine matriarch’s palace every day, flowers in hand, and turned away like I was a commoner rather than a prince.

I blamed my scheming relatives for that, but I came to realize the fault was mine.

I should have said something at that awkward tea.

Convinced her that I had no intention of pushing a betrothal on her when we’d only just met.

I still don’t understand why my clan leaders wanted a marriage pact with the Leonines so much.

It’s not like they’re wealthier or more powerful.

Both clans are equal in that regard. Nor do I understand why they wanted to rush the matter.

Luminite courtships usually take centuries.

And for this one, it was clear that I needed to come to her.

The day after I learned Kerainne returned to Medicia, I transported myself down to Aisthanesthai.

The world of Aisthanesthai was not what I’d expected.

As I was an infant the last time my family visited Medicia, all I’d had to go on were the scrying spheres, books, and my mother and father’s derisive words about how inferior the realm was to Luminista.

The air was different, more biting, though not from temperature, more like it had more substance.

And the smells. From the grass and dirt at my feet to the various trees, bushes, and nearby stream, the variety of so many different scents nearly overwhelmed me.

The sounds were equally overpowering, with the chirping of birds, droning of insects, rustling of leaves, and whispers from the pine boughs.

Had my parents truly brought me to this world?

Doubt filled my mind. If they had, that meant they’d have had to kill me for our return to Luminista.

And that wasn’t something that was usually done with infants.

Generally, a luminite was encouraged to try not to have their first death before they stopped growing.

A glimpse of a road brought my mind back to the mission at hand. We didn’t have many roads in Luminista. There was no need when everyone could fly or open a portal. The road must be for human, faelin, and leprechaun traders.

Although I could have released my wings and flown to Medicia, I decided to walk on the road. It gave me time to adjust to the sensory bombardment of this world and recite what I’d say to Kerainne if she let me see her.

I wouldn’t exactly lie about my romantic interest in her.

But I wouldn’t bring it up because I feared she’d feel pressured.

There’d been a rebellious glint in her eye, both when she’d chosen to accompany me to Jagwolfe territory rather than greet her own clan, and then it returned when my mother and Lucretia brought up a prospective betrothal.

During my walk, I saw many different varieties of wildflower. I’d originally intended on creating a bouquet with my magic, but decided gathering these, using physical work rather than metaphysical, might mean more to her.

Yet, just as I bent down to pick some bluebells, I paused. Kerainne had access to all these flowers as this was her family’s lands. What if she found the gesture to be lazy? I remained frozen with indecision for an embarrassingly long time.

Finally, I decided to proceed with the wildflower bouquet, and if there was a second of derision in her eyes, I’d conjure a second bouquet of lilacs. The way her eyes had lit up at the sight of the lilac trees around the Leonine welcoming hall showed me she loved them.

The walls of the kingdom of Medicia sparkled in the sunlight.

I could make out the golden spires of a tower above them and near the center.

My steps halted as my gaze returned to the wall.

It was beautiful, made of smooth, gold-veined marble melded seamlessly with magic, yet I couldn’t discern the purpose of such a barrier between this beautiful forest around the road and the village.

Then, like with the road, it dawned on me.

Luminites weren’t the only bipedal beings here.

Just like on the rapidly declining Earth, invasions and war could happen.

A stone of worry sank in my belly at the thought of Kerainne being attacked by savage humans or the even more formidable faelin.

I breathed my thanks to the fates that at least the latter were considered allies.

I’d expected to find guards at the gates, but not only were there none, the gates were wide open. The Leonine rulers must be unconcerned about invaders as of now. My shoulders relaxed. Perhaps the walls were a precaution, or simply mimicking the style of other holdfasts to blend in.

I entered the city and gasped at the variety of structures and luminites as far as I can see.

In luminista, each clan’s territories followed a consistent theme of architecture and dress.

Not so in Medicia. There were adobe buildings next to wooden cabins, adjacent to glass and steel structures.

Luminite merchants wore everything from silk Kimono to cotton togas, to leather breeches and beaded leather shirts.

The last was more startling. Luminites couldn’t kill.

So that meant they’d acquired such garments from beings who could.

When I recovered from this culture shock, I approached a vendor selling cold beverages. I pulled some coins from my bottomless pouch at my belt and asked for directions to the Leonine palace.

“Turn left on Lilac Road, then keep following Lion Road.” He ignored my coins and handed me a delightfully cold bottle.

I sipped the drink on my walk to the palace. It tasted like a berry I could almost identify and soothed my parched throat. My legs were a little sore from all the walking, but I didn’t see many luminites here letting their wings out and flying, and I was determined to follow the region’s customs.

The palace came into view, a marvelous quartz and gold structure with multiple towers and large balconies that formed a pleasing cohesion to the eye.

But when I reached the steps to the Leonine stronghold, my sore muscles cried out at the prospect of climbing them.

So I cheated and carefully released my wings through the slits cut in the back of my tunic.

Doing it that way hurts more than letting them burst out, but I preferred to keep my clothes.

As I flew over the mass of stone steps, guards assembled in front of the palace doors. I spread my hands, one clenching the bouquet of flowers tightly, to show I was unarmed as I slowly landed ten paces in front of them.

“I’m Lucian, Prince of the Luminita Jagwolfe clan. I’m here to call on Princess Kerainne.”

The guards sheathed their swords and two split off from the group of twelve and escorted me inside.

The anteroom was high-ceilinged and lined with sculptures of great cats before opening to an even more cavernous throne room.

Rich royal purple carpet with gold tassels made a wide path to the steps and dais where two carved and cushioned thrones sat for the Queen Natalya and King Consort Kiernan.

At the moment, both were empty. Marble pillars rose to a dizzying high ceiling with a colored-glass roof in the shape of a cat curled in a ball.

More lion and lioness statues posed between the pillars, each taller than Lucian.

Three balconies leading to upper floors overlooked the throne room.

Kerainne Leonine appeared on the highest balcony. Before I could call out a greeting, she leaped off it and instead of letting out her wings, stirred the molecules in the air around her, bringing them closer, so she drifted down as if sinking in water.

She landed softly in front of me, and once more, I was struck mute by her beauty.

Now, dressed in her royal finery, a peridot gown of green velvet with gold rope trim that matched her eyes and hair, the latter of which was piled high in an intricate braid pattern that resembled roses.

Threaded through her golden braids was a darker gold tiara studded with emeralds.

I dropped to one knee and held out the bouquet of flowers.

After an embarrassing long pause, I recovered my words.

“Princess Kerainne, please accept my apology for my family’s rude behavior as well as this token of my admiration.

I swear, on my honor, that I had no idea my matriarch was trying to arrange a betrothal.

I don’t know you well enough to move that fast.”

Kerainne’s eyes danced with what suspiciously looked like amusement.

However, she accepted the flowers and gestured for me to rise.

“How can I resist such a sweet apology? And such a grand gesture, coming down to my heathen world with the extra inconvenience of your having to die to return home.” She paused and suddenly frowned.

“Unless you’ve come to persuade me to return to Luminista with you. ”

I shook my head. “I merely wish to be in your company and get to know you on any terms. Also, I’m very interested in exploring your people’s kingdom amidst this strange world and so many other beings.”

Her smile returned. “Then I’ll be glad to give you a tour.

And what do you mean, so many other beings?

All you lack are humans, faelin, leprechauns, and demons.

That’s not so many. Do you not have not have animals in Luminista?

When I saw the forests and rivers and lakes, I’d thought your world wasn’t much different. ”

“We have animals, just not nearly as many as here.” I told her about my walk to Medicia and all the creatures I’d seen and heard.