Allegiance (25 page)

I was positioned at his side, so the view I had of him was of his profile—perfect and proud. And as I watched him I felt nothing but loathing for all he had done to my family—repulsed that he would use his awesome strength to destroy us. My hate for him rushed through my blood and all I wanted to do was turn around and run. I couldn’t believe I was going to make this commitment to him. I had to look away. I glanced back to Leif. He was watching me, his dark eyes piercing.

I know you’re hurting, Marla, but everything will be all right. You will see. Turn back to my father and relax. I am here with you.

I turned around again but there was no way I could relax.
This is so hard, Leif, I wish I could push him off his pedestal.

I know, but after this, believe me, the desire won’t be so strong.

But that’s what I can’t stand most of all! I hate the thought he’ll have his kingly power over me after everything he’s done.

But, you need it. Now hush, beloved, he is about to speak.

We wouldn’t want to miss that would we,
I said. But Leif didn’t answer and I became quiet, waiting for the king’s all-powerful words just like every other faery present.

His voice rose into the air, loud and strong and clear. I wondered how he managed to throw it so—the volume seemed impossible. ‘Today I, King Telophy, offer the bond of allegiance to all those present within my circle. I agree to honour and protect my new subjects and receive with affection the gifts of their acceptance of it.’

The cheer from the crowd was deafening.

What gifts, Leif? I haven’t brought him a present!
I was panicked at my oversight but then I heard the echo of my betrothed’s laughter.

He means your devotion to him, Marla, your obedience and respect, and the little piece of you that you will give to him today.

Oh yeah, the very thing I’d been dreading. I needed to stop getting side-tracked and pay attention. King Telophy held a hand up to still the crowd after a moment’s enjoyment of their adulation. The result was instant obedience.

He held his hand open to the person directly before him. ‘Come to me,’ he commanded. Number one walked the few paces and dropped to his knees as number two took his place and the circle moved around. I could see why the dais was positioned so—the guy’s lips were poised directly over King Telophy’s feet! Eww! Leif had
not
warned me about this! I wanted to look away, but couldn’t. Like every other person here, my eyes were drawn to the
spectacle. I was compelled to watch as the young man looked up to the mighty king above him and spoke the words I would soon speak, before leaning forward and clutching my future father-in-law’s heels. I felt a groan come into my throat at the realisation that I would be doing the same.

I can’t do it, Leif!
I screamed from my mind.
I will not kiss his feet!

He is not kissing his feet, Marla.

Looks like it to me! And look how much your father’s enjoying it!
The king’s eyes were closed, his face tipped to the sun.

In my mind I heard Leif sigh.
Please believe me, Marla, you need to do this and I promise it will not be as you imagine. When you have his allegiance he will care for you. He will love you. He will have no choice.

The king opened his eyes after a moment and allowed his subject all the time he needed to express his love and reverence. Eventually the guy moved away, visibly exhausted, taking his place at the end of the circle as the mighty King Telophy gestured number two forward.

When my turn came I had to hand it to the king—he was professional. I expected him to be hostile, maybe give me a cold stare or even a sneer as he called me forward. But he welcomed me in the same way he had the others, his expression warm and inviting as he told me to come to him. I was shocked. He’d
never
looked at me that way before. With wobbling legs, I stepped forward and went to my knees before the man who’d destroyed my family.

I looked up to him, my eyes locking with his as I said, ‘I, Marla Tobias, accept with gratitude the offer of allegiance you have made me. My wish is for you to make me your subject. I give myself wholly and without reservation into your service and protection. I promise to honour and revere you and follow your lead all the days of our allegiance.’

As I spoke the words to him, the resistance I felt towards him, towards this very process, slipped away from me like water through a sieve. And as that happened I felt something move inside of me. It began like a tingling in the tips of my toes, moving up my body rapidly, gaining strength until it heaved inside of me, pressing against me like a wild thing desperately looking for an outlet. Unable to stop myself even if I wanted to, I leaned to King Telophy, gripped his ankles with my hands and pressed my mouth to his feet.

The experience was unlike anything I’d been imagining. I welcomed it. A moan escaped me as my lips parted and the outpouring of a part of me began. I felt my very essence flow from my body in a great wave from between my lips and into him. To give him this gift of me felt divine, necessary, like I wouldn’t be complete without this experience. When the zinging inside of me was emptied into him I sat back and looked up. He was watching me, smiling—a genuine smile—for me. There was no self-satisfaction, no cruelty about his mouth. There was only his smile, warm and kind and abundant.

As he had with the others before me he allowed me my moment to recover from the experience, and when finally I stepped away from him and took my place at the end of the circle, I felt spent, like I’d just run a marathon.

I’m so tired
. It was just a murmur inside of my mind. I didn’t think Leif would actually hear it.

Of course you are, my love, you have just given part of yourself to him
.

Eventually the king came to the last faery in the circle. If he was gleaming before, he was radiant now—full of the collective power we’d gifted to him. He raised his hands to the sky and the cheering began. As we’d been instructed, we all joined hands, enclosing the circle around him. And then he released from
himself a great burst of hot light. It came from every part of his body and saturated all who stood within the sunstones. It stayed within the circle, rebounding from the stones when it struck them into whoever happened to be close. I cried out when his light came into me—it hit me with such force, filling my whole being with love and light and bliss. I was connected to him. I was connected to the universe, and I knew, regardless of everything, I loved him. I adored him.

Later, when I had time to consider it, I would loathe myself for it. But now, overcome, I fell to the ground, giddy and exalted. When I came back to awareness I looked up. All of the king’s newly sworn subjects had done the same. Slowly we rose, only to fall at our king’s feet again. He lowered his hands to silence the roaring crowd.

‘You are mine,’ he declared. ‘You are protected.’ Then he stepped down from his dais and walked amongst us—smiling, talking, welcoming each of his new subjects in turn. I was in thrall of my king, watching his every move, and when he came to me and brushed his fingers against my cheek, I knew it was evident in every feature of my face.

And for a moment, at least, the past did not exist.

The after-party went on until after nightfall. I was overcome with happiness and drank too much wine. I was running wild with Claudette—who was just as intoxicated and ridiculous as me—hugging friends and strangers alike, telling everyone I loved them and just generally being a pain.

‘Jackie!’ I said when he approached me with his new friend. I couldn’t remember her name, tried for about a second and, failing, threw my arms around his neck and squeezed. ‘I love you, Jackie!
So
much!’

He wiped the back of his neck. ‘Geez, Marla, how much have you had to drink?’

‘Hardly anything.’ I hiccuped and held on to him as I caught my new friend’s arm with my free hand. ‘This is Claudette. Have you met Claudette?’

‘You’ve introduced her about ten times now.’

‘Oh, sorry,’ I said, joining Claudette in a fit of giggles before taking another big mouthful of wine.

Jack held me away from him. ‘Listen, Marla, Ameyah and I have to get going.’ Ameyah, that was her name!

‘Already? That’s outrageous! The party’s just started. Have a drink.’ Claudette pushed one of the goblets she was holding into his hand. He took it and put it on a nearby rock.

‘Aren’t you gonna drink it?’ I asked.

‘I can’t, sweetheart, I have to go.’

Claudette picked the goblet back up and had a good long
drink as Jack pulled me into his arms. My head was spinning horribly. I let it fall onto his shoulder for a moment. ‘Take care of yourself, Marla, okay? I love you.’

‘I love you too, but it’s a party, don’t be so serious.’ I put my hands on my hips and scrunched my eyebrows together. He morphed into two, and then one, and then two again. The fake frown slid from my face as I erupted into giggles.

‘I have to go.’

‘Stay,’ I whined, wrapping my arms around him again.

‘I can’t,’ he said, disentangling himself.

I pushed away from him and jabbed him in the belly. ‘You know what, Jack, you’re a real party pooper!’

He said no more—just took my hand from where it continued to poke him and kissed my palm before leaning down and joining his lips with mine. Then he left with Ameyah. Geez, he was in a serious mood. It wasn’t like Jack at all. Oh well, he’d get over it. ‘Come on, Claudette, let’s go find Leif. I feel like annoying him.’ We skipped off together but couldn’t find my betrothed anywhere.

I didn’t see Leif again until I woke up beside him the next day. I had a horrible headache and wondered if it was a side-effect of the allegiance ceremony. But when the memories of the previous evening came flooding back I knew the ceremony wasn’t the reason. I recalled myself going wild, tearing off the beautiful shell pink dress Atara had given me and flinging it to the breeze, dancing in the fountain with Claudette and splashing anyone who dared come near. I remembered racing Claudette to see who could finish the drink first, laughing, falling down and refilling the goblet. I recalled chuckling as I tumbled around the wide
branches of the safforin tree with my new friend, gathering the fruit in our arms then sitting on the lowest branches, dripping with fountain water and dropping squashed fruit onto the heads of whoever was unfortunate enough to walk beneath us—giving ourselves away with giggles when the victim looked up. Then I recalled Leif, taking my face in his hands to be sure I had his attention, telling me goodnight and to be safe because he had to leave me to go on patrol for his father. And, oh my God, Jack—kissing me goodbye! He was gone. He’d run away with Ameyah and I’d been too drunk to notice! Suddenly the dizzy ache in my head didn’t even matter. I buried my face into my sleeping betrothed and groaned.

After a moment, I felt his free arm close around me.
What’s wrong,
he asked silently, too sleepy for speech.

Go back to sleep, I’m sorry I woke you.

Tell me,
he insisted.

I was trembling and he held me tighter, attempting to calm me with caresses. But I was too distressed. Jack had been telling me goodbye and all I could do was carry on like a fool.

‘Jack’s gone,’ I cried. And then the tears came in a rush. ‘Marla, hush,’ Leif said quickly. ‘Tell me what you speak of.’

‘Ameyah ran away so you couldn’t take her to Earth and… Jack went with her. He wouldn’t let her go by herself. They’re in the forest—all alone. How will they survive?’ I choked on a sob. ‘And I was so stupid last night. I didn’t even realise what he was doing. But I should have because I knew he might. I’m never drinking again!’

‘It’s usual to feel exhilarated after the allegiance ceremony. There’s no shame in wanting to celebrate.’ He frowned. ‘I wish I could have stayed with you.’

‘But Jack’s gone, Leif, and the forest is enormous. And what about those shadow creatures?’

‘Jack is clever and Ameyah is wise to the forest. And Marla, the Shadow Fae have only one thing on their minds—stealing sun. They are no threat to humans.’ He hesitated for a moment then added, ‘I’m not quite sure how I will explain their disappearance to my father though.’ He was quiet for a while. He didn’t even ask me why I’d not confided in him. He already knew. ‘It might be best if you stay silent,’ he said finally.

‘I don’t know if I can. If your father asks me, I’ll have to tell him what I know.’

‘Stay away from him then. Let me tell him. Hopefully he won’t think to ask you what you know of it.’

‘Would he be
very
angry with me?’

‘Don’t worry,’ Leif murmured.

I buried my face into him again. The king
would
be angry—he’d be furious. And oh, I didn’t want him to be. It was ridiculous how I felt about this man who had destroyed my family, this king I was now tied to. I couldn’t comprehend my feelings. I wanted to…
please
him. How could I? But I knew if he walked into this room right now, it would be an effort to stop myself from falling to my knees before him. Half of me was appalled, the other half elated. I had no way of knowing how I could possibly unite these two halves.