Another week rolls around and it is as if Christmas had never been, To cheer us all up I chose the rainbow as the picture this week. A rainbow to represent my Demon and his Prince. Their world doesn't know it yet but the two of them will be rainbow in their time of darkness.
I am
exhausted. The meeting was long and difficult. It is difficult to sit quietly
when men are arguing that you and your people are little more than animals and
should be exterminated. It is fortunate that these men were in the minority,
and I was able to go a long way to sway even them. I cannot be entirely sure,
but I believe the meeting was successful and that my sham union with the
princess has been accepted. The king appears pleased, at least.
I am glad it’s
over, at last. Now I can rest with my true love and drop the pretence that I am
enamoured by his sister. She is nice to me now, but I will never forget the
expression in her eyes as she tortured me, or the heel of her show piercing my
body. Without my prince’s healing touch the wound would have killed me.
My prince is
asleep, laid out on the chaise in the room where I left him. His mother, the
queen, watches over him with a gentle, loving smile. A flush of gratitude
washes through me and understanding passes between us. She nods as she rises,
an unspoken blessing on our union.
The princess
leaves with her mother, and we are alone. Although I am tired, I am in no rush
to retire. It is too pleasant to sit and watch my prince sleep. He is peaceful
in repose. The worried frown that seems to haunt him, even when his lips smile,
is released and his brow is un–creased. He is the most beautiful creature in
creation and I am made breathless by his glory.
Castien
stirs and a lock of golden hair falls across his brow. When I brush it back his
eyelids flicker and his beautiful eyes open and gaze at me with confusion, but
only for a moment.
“Tian.” My
name flies from his lips, the sweetest word I have ever heard. He does not ask
about the meeting, does not care whether we are alone or in company. My love
throws himself into my arms and that is where he belongs.
A greedy
kiss precedes his inevitable question. “How went the meeting? Are you
accepted?”
“I believe
so. Your father, at least, is pleased.”
Castien
breathes a relieved sigh. “Then all goes well. What will happen next?”
“I don’t
know. Your father is still in Council. We were excused due to weariness from
the journey.”
“And the
torture,” Castien says, bitterness lacing his voice.
“That is
past. We must set our eyes to the future and we will soon be together in my
home where you may enjoy the hospitality and acceptance of my people.”
“I know
where we can be together sooner than that,” Castien says, the gleam in his eyes
making clear his intention.
Guards wait
at the chamber door. They say nothing, but escort us safely to the prince’s
chambers. They, at least, know the truth.
We make our
way to Castien’s chambers by a different route and arrive far more quickly than
I expected.
No sooner
is the door closed behind us, than Castien throws himself into my arms and
takes my breath from me with the intensity of his kiss.
“Take me to
bed,” he gasps, his voice rough with desire. Although I am exhausted, I will
deny him nothing. He is a little thing, so I lift him in my arms and carry him
to the bed. He kicks and giggles in a manner that many would consider more
befitting of a woman, but I know he is no woman, and his unmanly behaviour is
no more than an expulsion of fear, and realization that all his dreams are
suddenly within his reach.
I realize
the full truth of my words when I lay him on the bed and he gazes up at me with
sad eyes, once again taking on the grave demeanour I resolve instantly to
forever change to joy.
“I never
thought I would have someone to love; not like this. In truth I didn’t believe
I would live long enough.”
“You are
well now.”
“That’s not
quite what I meant.” Castien gives me a weak smile. “My father has always
wanted me to be more like him. As Jandra is. If she had been the prince, and I
the princess, he would have been happy, and proud of us both. But alas that was
not the case. Nevertheless he has spent my whole life trying to fit me for the
role he had designed for me, believing a true king must have strength of arm
rather than of mind.”
Castien
gives a deep sigh. “I have known for some time that it was inevitable I would
be forced into riding at his side into some skirmish or other. If I managed to
keep me seat on the horse long enough, and I did not turn tail and run at the
first clash of swords, it would not be long before I would be killed, or taken
which might have been far the worse.”
“Surely he
would not have dragged you into a battle when you were not fit for it.”
Colour in
my prince’s cheeks suggest my words stung and I wish I had bitten off my tongue
before I caused him pain.
“I did not
mean to suggest you are not good enough to ride at your father’s side, only
that you would not have been properly prepared and––”
“Any
physically fit, and mentally able and not heartsick at the sight of blood.” He
sighed. “Don’t pull back your words. I know what I am.”
“You are a
light that shines in a dark world,” I say, meaning every word. I believe he
sees my truth and is heartened by it, “a rainbow when black skies weep. There
are many who can ride into battle and kill a man; there are few who have the
wit and purity to save them.”
Now go check out the other amazing flashers for this week. I'm sure you'll join us in welcoming the wonderful Louise Lyons to our merry band.
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