Amáne of Teravinea - The Chosen One (The Teravinea Series Book 1) (27 page)

“Dismount this instant.” She was livid.

“Yes, Healer.”

I unfastened the buckles on my right side first and swung my hurt foot around in front of me. Usually, I dismount swinging that leg over the back of the saddle. I thought bringing it over the front would be less painful. It proved not the best solution as my entire leg throbbed with agonizing pressure. I inhaled sharply as I tried to breathe into the pain. Luckily, Ansel read my face and jumped up to my assistance. Before he could take one step, the Healer put her hand up to stop him. He slowly lowered himself back into the cushions.

“Dismount, Amáne.” She repeated.

Knowing I was on my own, I put on a determined face. I unbuckled my left calf straps, grabbed my walking stick and lowered myself down to Eshshah’s foreleg. I didn’t understand why
the pain was so severe. I could put no weight on my foot. Unlacing the large boot, I let it drop. I cringed as more pressure rushed into my injury.

Turning my thoughts to Eshshah, I made a silent plea for her help. As if the Healer could read my mind, she said, “Eshshah, leave her be.”

I fought my temper enough to suppress it, but my stubbornness kicked in. Setting my jaw, I made an effort to hide my pain. I slid off of Eshshah’s foreleg to the floor and hobbled to the couch near Ansel. I eased myself down and exhaled slowly as I faced the Healer.

“It appears to me you have a problem with authority, Amáne. That’s a poor trait in a dragon rider.” I winced. There was nothing more devastating she could have said to me. I had no reply.

“Do you need to be reminded that you are a dragon rider now and that you are part of a bigger picture?” I shook my head in answer, even though it was more of a rhetorical question. She went on, “You were on your own for too long at the start, but it is not just about you anymore. You have an obligation to the other riders, to Ansel and to all of Teravinea. You are now our hope — every thing you do affects us all. This joy ride, when you don’t even know the status of your injury, could have had disastrous results. Like it or not, the survival of the kingdom hinges upon your health. Do not play so lightly with it.”

Turning to my dragon, she said, “Eshshah, you know about duty more than any other creature in this room. You also know the power of persuasion this girl has on all of us. You must not let her talk you into this kind of foolishness when you know better.”

My remorse knew no bounds — I had brought Eshshah down with me. Ashamed, I silently asked for her forgiveness, which
of course she granted.

The Healer turned her wrath back to me, and continued, “You will not jeopardize everything we have worked for — more so than it already has been.” She shot an angry glare at Ansel, then back at me. “Did you not pay attention to Ansel’s story and how a desire for self-satisfying pleasure ended in disaster?”

I sunk even lower at that cut. Chancing a glance at Ansel, he looked like he had been punched in the stomach — a wave of darkness crossed his face.

Finally, the Healer appeared to be calming down, if only slightly. “Maybe one day you will lead, Amáne, but until that time, you will answer to me. Is that understood?”

“Yes, Healer.”

With that, she stormed out of the chamber.

I stared at the floor, fighting the tears and wished this was another of my nightmares that I could wake up from.

Ansel turned to me. In an angry whisper, he said, “Maybe your sneaky acquaintance doesn’t know the Healer very well.” Then he rose from the couch and headed out of the room.

Closing my eyes, I released the breath I’d been holding. I picked up the bowl on the table in front of me. It took all of my self control to resist launching it at his head. Instead, I hurled it out the entry — like he had done the day before with the cup.

I awoke a couple of hours later, still on the couch where I had cried myself to sleep. My recent shame washed over me making me want to close my eyes again to try to forget. Ansel sat at the ledge working on my walking stick. He followed through on his promise to finish it, although I thought it was perfect already. Evidently, he wasn’t angry with me anymore. Absorbed in his project, I watched as he buffed the carved dragon at the top of the staff. I didn’t want to disturb him, so I lay still and followed his hands with my eyes.

He must have felt my stare. Before long he turned around and caught me watching. Ansel met my eyes and shot me an easy smile. It seemed to light up the entry even more. After a final swipe with his polishing cloth, he jumped up and brought me my staff, taking a seat beside me to observe my reaction.

I examined his new addition, small gold stones for Eshshah’s eyes were inlaid into the wood. He had found the perfect color.

“I love it. Thank you. It’s beautiful.”

He paused in anticipation, “I believe this is the part where you throw your arms around my neck.”

I rolled my eyes.

Then changing his tone, “Amáne, first of all I’m sorry it took me so long to say this to you, but I haven’t offered you yet my condolences for your loss. My aunt told me you were very close to your mother, and I’m sorry she was taken from you. Secondly, I want to thank you for being there for me last night, and I apologize for my childish behavior.”

I didn’t know if by ‘childish behavior’ he meant his show of emotion because of Farvard’s death — which was not childish at all in my opinion; or the stunt he pulled when he jammed his knife into the table. I refrained from asking and simply nodded in acceptance of his apology.

“Ansel, now it’s my turn to apologize for getting you involved in my bad behavior this morning.”

He replied, “It was my fault. I should have stopped you. You know the Healer is right — the three of us are bound by duty, through no choice of our own. You as dragon rider; Eshshah, born of the Royal Dragon line; and myself as heir to the throne. In addition to duty, Eshshah’s line has an ancestral bond to the Royal House of Drekinn, which in turn binds you ... to me.” He smiled, shrugged and added, “In truth, I’m not opposed to that bond.”

I ignored his comment but needed to address something that troubled me, “Yes, you’re right. We are bound by our obligations. That’s why you can’t oppose us going back to the castle for a dragon egg. The Healer says we need an egg ... so —”

“Can we not discuss that now?” He entreated.

I would have preferred to get it out of the way — to make him understand that Eshshah and I have been training for this mission and that he must not deny our quest. I reminded myself of
the trauma he had undergone through his capture. I wasn’t up for a fight, so I let it go with a shrug of assent — for now.

Pleased that he had gotten his way, he completely changed the subject. “Tell me about your life in Dorsal ... your friends ... the suitors who seek your affections. Your poor mother probably had plenty of eligible men knocking at your door to negotiate for your hand.”

I laughed. “Absolutely not! Thankfully, no one is interested in me. If any had been foolish enough to ask my mother, then she would have put them to right. I have no inclination for anyone to have my hand, or my heart for that matter. My mother would not have participated in any such negotiations, anyway.”

It could have been my imagination, but I thought I caught a hint of relief or satisfaction, along with slight disappointment cross his face — just briefly. Why, I couldn’t guess. But he continued his interest in my life. Being the topic of this conversation made me a bit uncomfortable. But strangely, it didn’t really matter — I actually enjoyed his company at that moment.

“What about your sneaky friend, Kyle ... or Kole ... or ...”

“Kail. No. He only has eyes for Fiona, for which I’m glad. I think most of the time he forgets I’m a girl, anyway.”

His eyebrows raised in surprise. “What? I’m liking him less and less.”

“Oh, that’s never bothered me. If you haven’t already noticed, my femininity is not one of my finer attributes.” I waved my hand over my tunic and tights as an example.

“I have noticed ... and I disagree.” I met his eyes to see if he was teasing me, but they showed his sincerity. A nervous twinge rippled through me. He continued. “May I tell you what I think is your finest attribute? Besides your beauty, of course.”

I blushed. This was the second time he had referred to me as beautiful. No one except for my mother, and Fiona, had ever said anything about my being beautiful. My mother didn’t count and Fiona, I thought, was just being kind. I found compliments were not pleasant for me, but I tried to hide it. Still, as awkward as I felt, I was also curious as to what he might reveal.

“Sure, I guess.”

“I think it’s the fire in you — your spirit — your courage. Your mother named you well. Amáne, Water, it quenches the raging fire — it gives you your balance. Then you link to a beautiful dragon named Fire. It all fits.”

Eshshah hummed in approval.

I sat there dumbfounded. Finally my profound response was, “Oh.”

This was all too embarrassing for me. I couldn’t continue any more discussion that involved me as the subject matter. Before it led to my irritation, I recovered my senses, cleared my throat and turned the conversation.

“So what’s life like being a prince hiding behind the title of lord of a manor? It must be magnificent to be surrounded by lavish things — elegantly beautiful ladies vying for your affections.”

Disappointment crossed his face as he realized the conversation was now directed back at him. He could only return the courtesy and answer my question as I had answered his.

“It has its advantages. The ladies are elegant, yes, some are beautiful, but mostly they bore me. Weak, oblivious to anything outside their small circle of concerns. ‘Who is hosting the next ball?’ ‘When will the latest fashions arrive?’ ‘What new expensive silks has the mercer imported?’”

He turned to me and sighed. “In truth, Amáne, it’s all rather frustrating. A long time ago I used to know who I was. It pained me to see the destruction of all that my father had worked for, yet I was not able to do anything about it. My people suffered under Galtero’s rule and I couldn’t help them. It was killing me, so I guess I just gave up — my gaining the throne became an illusive dream.”

It was as if a dark cloud obscured the sunlight that had been in the room. Instead of giving in to the vortex that threatened to take us down, I fought it. I sat upright, leaned in to him and rested my hand on his arm. “You can never give up hope.” I said fervently. “You must have faith in the future. Remember what the Healer said about Torin’s prophecy — the first part has already come to pass.

“Look at me.” I brought my face closer to his and drew his eyes toward mine. “It will be through Eshshah and me that you will see victory. Hope, Ansel — hope does not disappoint — you must believe that to be so.

“You said I had fire in me ... well, then let me share my fire with you. I’m sure there was a time you fought for what was right for the kingdom. You must take up your fight again. I won’t let you give up. Not when it’s so close ... not when Eshshah and I are fighting alongside of you.”

I could see a spark light his eyes — a small flame ignited. The dark cloud passed, and he allowed a slight smile to change his countenance. That smile alone was like sunshine. We held each other’s eyes for a few heartbeats — until my heart pounded in my ears. The sound frightened me. I became aware of how close we were. I felt the heat from his body. Confused, I removed my hand from his arm, turned my face away and stood up with the help of my walking stick.

“Come on, let’s go find the Healer,” I said, hoping he had not heard my heart beating so loudly, “If I’m lucky, she’s not angry with me anymore, and we can see if she wants Eshshah to catch us a big fish. I can teach you how to prepare it, Dorsal style. Maybe this time you’ll at least try to eat it instead of mangling it.” I shot him a sidelong look and then went in search of the Healer. Ansel followed.

That afternoon found the three of us in the kitchen working together on our midday meal. Well, the Healer and I were working and Ansel just got in the way. Every time I turned around I practically ran into him.

Finally, before I got too annoyed with him, I gathered the last of the potatoes from the bin and deposited them on a table. “Here, I have a job for you.” I handed him a knife. “You can chop these potatoes. Please cut them small.”

The Healer gave me such a look of disapproval, I stopped short. Then she looked at Ansel, who was already happily employing the use of his blade. Pursing her lips, she shook her head, and then turned back to her task without saying a word.

It dawned on me I had just ordered the Prince of Teravinea to perform the menial labor of a scullery maid. At first I was ashamed at giving him such an assignment, but when I glanced over at him I noted he was completely engrossed in his chore. I had to turn my face and hide the smile that came to my lips. Only with concentrated effort did I manage to stifle my snicker.

Seriously, I thought to myself,
I need to start thinking of him as who he really is, and start giving him the respect due him
. He was King Emeric’s son, and someone so above my station. The fact that I’d treated him as my equal shamed me —
how dare I be so insolent
.