Chapter 13

A Chapter by SylphXanas

She hurried back inside and went to her room to deny what her heart told her. Once on her bed she fell asleep and dreamt of her homelands. She wandered with a nameless something following her, wanting her, needing her. She ran as hard and as far as she could, it kept up with her and she was not game to turn around to find out what it was. She called on the Pegasus and when it came she had it fly her as fast as it could, the thing kept pace. She couldn’t tell if the unknown thing wanted to hurt her but she didn’t stop to find out. The Pegasus landed in the middle of a town, she hid behind a column with her eyes closed and her heart racing. Something touching her cheek. Fear gripped her heart in a vice as she woke. She moved herself through space and appeared on the other side of her bedroom, hidden by a deep shadow.

‘What?’ Skylar jumped. ‘Petra?’ He jumped to his feet.

‘Your Majesty, I’m sorry.’ She said softly as she walked back to the bed and sat down as she covered her face and tried to calm down.

‘I'm the one who should be apologising, I scared you.’

‘No, I was just dreaming.’

‘What were you dreaming of?’

‘My home.’ She took a deep breath. ‘More of a nightmare actually.’ She felt him sit on the bed and put an arm over her shoulders.

‘I do have one question Petra?’

‘Hm.’ She leaned on him a little.

‘How did you vanish?’ He watched her as she lowered her hands and turned her head to look at him.

‘I never meant to do that while I was here.’

‘Why?’

‘I think I have enough troubles without showing all the things I can do.’ She watched as he looked at her.

‘Just how much more could there be Petra?’ He asked and she sagged a little, her head landing on his shoulder. ‘I take it that means you still have a few tricks up your sleeve.’

His hand moved from her shoulder to her waist and placed a light kiss on the top of her head, sending her heart soaring. ‘One or two.’ She stood up, needing to put a little space between them.

‘Do you know how one of your people can live that long, or is it that they just look the same?’

‘It’s possible that they were related.’ She didn’t want to tell the truth just yet, she needed to think about it longer. She needed to talk to Great Mother, but knew that wasn’t an option.

Skylar was about to tell her about his families’ ability to shed tears like hers, but something in his heart stopped him. ‘Has Rose told you about the gathering next week?’ He asked changing the subject.

‘Yes, it sounds like you’re both going to have your hands full.’

‘That’s an understatement, it’s meant to be a celebration, but it always ends up with people having arguments.’

‘Really?’ She asked.

‘Yes, it generally starts with the young men chasing the young women, then that gets the girls fathers backs up, they have a go at the boys’ fathers. Then the mothers get in on the act.’ He smiled at her. ‘Sometimes it can be very entertaining, but I am not in the mood for it this year.’ He watched Petra as she walked to the window and looked at the cliffs. ‘You are still upset about something.’

‘Just remembering gatherings I’ve been to.’

‘At home?’

His voice was so soft and soothing, it warmed her heart. ‘Yes, I loved those times, family and friends all around enjoying themselves.’

‘Was it a good home?’

‘Oh yes. They were times it actually felt as if nothing could hurt us. Father and mother would make sure those times were a haven from the danger that stalked our land. One year just before my mother died, she held a costume ball on the day of festivals and you were allowed to come as anything you wished. After much deliberating, I decided I’d go as a maiden of the gods. Father actually went out with me to collected the feathers for my wings.’ She smiled as she remembered.

‘How old were you.’

‘It was the week after I turned sixteen, that’s the age my people believes a child comes of age.’ She sighed deeply. ‘I should have had an older sibling.’

‘Why?’ He asked hoping . . . praying she would continue.

‘Because I could not save my . . .’ She stopped and suddenly her stance changed. ‘I'm sorry Your Majesty, I really shouldn't ramble on.’ She sighed, glad she had realised what she was about to say and stop herself. ‘It used to be a beautiful land.’ Her door opened and Rose entered. ‘Rose.’ She smiled.

‘You still don't seem strong Petra.’

‘I’ll be fine.’ She watched brother and sister, the connection she felt to them grew by the day.

‘Well enough for a short walk?’

‘Only a short one.’ Skylar said firmly as he wished Rose had waited a few more minutes. He knew Petra was about to tell him something important, but the opportunity had slipped from his fingers.

Petra recovered fully before the gathering started and found she rather enjoyed watching the large group interact. The whole time the young men chased the young women, they in turn had their eyes on a particular man, but not once did she see Skylar watching any woman. She did find that one man, a Duke from a distant county, watching the princess and herself, it made her uncomfortable. A week before everyone started to return to their own homes they all sat eating dinner, Rose and Skylar noted Petra's reserve.

‘Are you alright?’ She whispered as she leant over a little.

‘Perfectly, but it feels like something . . . interesting is coming.’ She smiled to reassure her, but deep down she waited. She thought it was a little like standing on that cliff waiting for the wind. As she returned her attention to her plate she felt the man’s eyes on her again.

‘King Skylar, may I make a formal request.’ The handsome young Duke asked from further down the table.

‘Yes Duke Benson of course you may.’ His voice, though happy, held a shade of grey.

‘I formally ask for you to give me Petra to be my bride.’ He knew he had missed out on asking for his sisters’ hand. But if he wanted to have influence with the king in any way, he had at last found a way to get it. The friendship held by the young princess for her first was widely known. He could tell her what to tell the princess to tell the king who in turn doted on his little sister.

‘I’m sorry but that is not in my power to give you.’ The darkness grew in his voice.

‘Of course it is Your Majesty, she sits beside you own sister.’

‘That is not my point Benson.’ He stared at the man and let a little of his feeling show through before covering it again.

‘Then you, as king, will need to explain why you of all people cannot permit it.’ Benson let his eyes travel to the woman in question. She was beautiful and held her tongue when she was meant to. As far as he was concerned, she would make the perfect wife. He paused, if only he could have the woman he really wanted. He pictured her in his mind, sure she was not as perfect in face and body as this woman, but to him she was the prize of prizes. But he could never take her as a wife.

‘For a start, I have no power over a woman’s heart, and am not in the practice of treating a woman as a slave. That is what she would be if I just handed her over to you like she was a bit of property. I thought you knew me better than that.’

‘But she is just a companion.’

‘And if you think that, why would you try for Lady Petra’s hand.’ Rose asked darkly without looking up from her plate.

‘Princess Rose, this is the way of things, as I’m sure you found out when your brother arraigned your marriage.’

‘My brother did indeed arrange my marriage, and he took note of where my heart laid.’ She finally looked up and gave him nothing short of an icy stare.

‘Duke Benson.’ Petra surprised everyone in the room when she stood and spoke to him, she allowed them to feel her strength of self.

‘Yes Petra.’

‘That is Lady Petra.’ Skylar cut in with a very dark tone.

‘Sorry, yes Lady Petra.’ Benson looked around the room and found every pair of eyes on the woman that stood next to the princess, including the Kings.

‘If it would be appropriate, may I have a semi private word with you sir.’

‘We can take a walk in the garden.’

‘No, the other end of this room will be adequate.’

‘Of course.’ He went to walk towards her but stopped as she indicated the far end of the room and headed the other side of the table to meet him there.

Rose grabbed Skylar’s hand under the table and found he needed it as much as she did.

‘Sir, I understand the honour you do me by asking for my hand, but I need to ask why you are not following your heart.’ She looked him directly in the eyes and saw it pass through him for a second.

‘I am.’ He stepped a little closer to her, but she stepped away letting him know she would not give the wrong impression to those who watched them.

‘No sir, you are doing what your mind is telling you is the only thing that will be accepted by others.’

‘They are the same thing.’

‘Why would you bind yourself to one woman while your heart is already owned by another?’

‘There is no one else.’ He said in a flat voice.

‘My people believe that the person you bind yourself to in life, is the person you will spend eternity with.’ She watched his eyes closely and was happy to see him thinking. ‘Why take the risk that in the afterlife you will have to put up with a woman that is not in love with you.’ She saw him lick his lips as his eyes flicked back to the rest of the room, they all watched him. ‘Don’t worry about them, I’m not letting them hear us.’

‘Who told you about the woman?’

‘Your heart and eyes, no other knows and I won’t be the one to say a word.’

‘I’m unable to have that woman.’

‘I think you own her heart as completely as she owns yours. Don't let others dictate the rest of your life Duke Benson.’ She gave him a smile as her head tilted. ‘Or how much happiness you will have in this life.’

‘But she is just . . .’

‘The woman you love. As far as the heart is concerned we are all the same.’ She lifted her hand and passed him a daisy.

‘Where did that come from?’

‘Go from here to the garden and there you will find her.’ She waited as he took the flower. ‘Go gently for this night, just hand her the flower and wish her a good night.’

‘Then what?’ Benson could not tear his eyes from the little flower in his hand, instead of white petals it was iridescent pink and purple.

‘How about a small and gentle note, a poem, she is a woman that will be won over more by nature than a show of wealth and power.’

‘But.’

‘Oh Benson, stop over thinking, it’s your heart you need to let take the lead at the moment.’ She smiled as he turned and left the room. When she sat back in her place still smiling she noticed Rose and Skylar watching her. ‘He really had no interest in me.’

‘Fool.’ Skylar said only loud enough for his sister to hear.

‘So where has he gone off to?’

‘To the gardens, there he will find the one he really is in love with.’

‘Who is it?’ Rose asked.

‘I’ve promised I wouldn’t say a word.’ She looked around the room then back to Skylar. ‘I just hope people have flexible minds. I’ve never believed a person’s position determines how their heart loves.’

‘If they say anything about his choice, I will step in.’ Skylar grinned at her then turned to the man on his other side.

‘What was that flower you gave him?’

‘The lady in question loves daisies and this one I made in her favourite colours.’ She cupped her hand on the table, there on the white cloth sat a periwinkle rose.

‘It’s beautiful.’ Skylar said as his sister picked it up.

‘It’s something I can do when thinking of a person’s heart.’

‘Thank you.’ Rose said smiling to her. ‘And what about your heart Petra, has anyone caught your heart?’ To her surprise, pain again passed over her friends face only to vanish like it had never been there. She looked down to her hand as she cupped it. On the white table cloth was a magnificent silver coloured flower; hundreds of tiny petals circled a golden centre. She picked it up and just looked at it for a while before placing it back on the table.

‘Some hearts are beyond finding piece in this life.’ She turned to her other side and spoke to an older woman that chatted happily about her younger days and her many suitors.

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