Arranged (26 page)

"Are the people here…nice?"

"Yes. Help everyone…" she trailed off as if she realized that they would never be as kind to Alison. "They will like you. You good human."

Alison sighed. "I…am afraid to meet them," she said, almost not believing that she had spoken her fear aloud, and to a Vidarian nonetheless.

Instead of grow angry with her, Naliya placed a comforting hand on Alison's shoulder. "Give time."

Alison covered Naliya's hand with her own. "Thank you, for everything."

Naliya smiled as she put the final changes on Alison's hair. She weaved a few beads into her hair, finishing it off. "Beautiful."

Alison ran a careful hand over the intricate hairdo. She had always done her own hair, except when Grandmother came around and insisted on making her look like a lady.

"Thank you," she said, sitting back into her pillows once again. Her leg ached. "I wish there was more to do than lay in bed. Back hom− on the surface…I went outside as much as I could. I was always moving." She frowned slightly. She would never see the sun again.

Suddenly Naliyas eyes widened. "Wait," she said as she got up and hurried to the door, letting herself out. After a few minutes of being alone, Alison wondered what she had said to make her run.

As more time passed, her mood dipped.

Then the door swung open and she returned, this time holding a big cloth bundle. "Hard to find," she said as she dumped the bundle onto the bed and out tumbled books!

Alison's eyes lit up like a child at Christmas time. She grabbed a hard leather bound book with yellowing pages and carefully opened it. To her pleasant surprise and relief, they were in English. She quickly grabbed another and opened it. English! A wave of strong emotion ran over Alison, making her feel like crying. "Thank you!"

Naliya smiled as she sat on the bed and grabbed one of the books. "Qu…queen bring."

Alison's attention fell to Naliya, books aside. "Can you tell me about the Queen?"

"She beautiful. Raasnna Emry love her lot. She nice. Same you."

"How did she die?"

Suddenly the girl grew uncomfortable. "Raasnna no want me talk that."

Alison sighed, wishing she knew the reason there was so much secrecy surrounding the Queen. "Well…thanks again for the books," she said, picking one from the pile.

Naliya bowed her head, taking her cue to leave. "I go help in…ki…with make food."

Alison nodded, patting her hair to feel it once more. "I'll be fine."

When Naliya left, she opened the book with a new excitement she hadn't felt in a while.

QWINN TOOK DINNER ALONE IN HIS room. He had finished many tasks today. As he chewed, he relaxed back into one of the large cushions in his room. He wondered what Alison had been doing all night.

Immediately, he tried to shove the thoughts away. He had promised himself he would stay away from her; give himself a break from the stress that seemed to surround all females, Vidarian or Human.

He took a swig of his wine, deciding that he would turn in early and for his own good that he would stay away from Alison another night.

He woke again before anyone else and felt the sudden urge to get away from the palace, at least for a while. He knew that if he didn't, he would go see her. She had haunted every one of his dreams that morning, though he could not remember more about them than that.

He needed to strengthen his mind against her or he would be like one of the weaker men in his kingdom. He did not want to be seen as the King who was ruled by a woman.

He made his way outside to the stables where the Ou'tani were kept. His Ou'tani immediately recognized him and began to huff in excitement. Qwinn patted a hand against its snout and pulled it from the stall. A ride would be the perfect way to distract his mind.

Once saddled, he rode along the outskirts of town. After a while, he slowed and turned to look at his palace, a sense of pride filled him at the sight. His kingdom was magnificent. It was greater than his fathers, and his father before him. Even on the surface, they had never been allowed to build as they did here. Though they were banished, they were no longer under the oppression of the human king. They were free in a sense. They could work their own land and build their own houses and statues to honor his people. After all the things he had been through with his people, who was he to be so affected by a woman?

A new sense of determination filled him. He wouldn't let a simple argument sway him from his mission. He would be the first King to have as powerful a bond to his queen. His children would have immense power. He would make sure of that. He had take control of the situation again.

He rode through the town. His people were just waking up and a few were setting up shop. He bought himself a loaf of bread with a sweet cheese for breakfast from a vender and walked his Ou'tani through the streets as he ate.

As venders set up, he saw plenty of things he could buy to win Alison's forgiveness, but he didn't want to get it with gifts. She wouldn't rule him. As he passed, people bowed their heads. He nodded back to them. Some brought forward their best products, offering him low prices. Eventually, he slowed and began looking at the items.

He bought new feathers and beads for his sister, a cloak for his father and a beautiful ring for the day he would finally purpose to Alison. He also bought her sandals and a shawl that was the color of the night sky.

He loaded his goods onto the Ou'tani. On his way back to the palace, he decided that he would see her. The sun had been set for many hours now; she should be awake.

The servants returned his Ou'tani to the stables and another took his packages to his room. He headed straight for the council hall; no doubt they had been missing him. Then after, he would visit Alison.

ADALIA TAPPED ON ALISON'S DOOR, cracking it open. Alison put her book down and smiled. "Hello."

Adalia closed the door behind her. "How are you feeling?" she whispered.

"I take it Qwinn doesn't know you are here?"

She smiled and nodded. "I thought you might be lonely. I brought you something," she said, handing her the staff that Qwinn had taken with him.

Alison quickly tucked it under the covers beside her. "Thank you."

"May I see your leg?"

Alison hesitated slightly then pushed back the covers more, exposing her legs. Adalia untied a small pouch from the belt around her hips and poured a black powder into the small cup of water that Naliya had placed beside the bed. She mixed it with her finger until the powder became muddy.

With her clean hand, she moved Alison's dress, exposing the purplish swollen skin. Alison winced at the sight as Adalia's frown deepened. She muttered angrily to herself in Vidarian as she scooped the salve out of the cup and worked it onto the leg with her fingers. "This will help you heal."

Almost immediately, Alison could feel a cold tingling coming from the strange mud. It seemed to emit soothing waves through her. For the first time since she broke it, she could relax her leg down.

"Leave it on. When the mud hardens, then you may just brush it off." She said with a smile, cleaning her fingers on the cloth also beside Alison's bed.

"What is it?"

"It is powder from the Paalnus flower. They were my mother's favorite because they smelt good. They are used more for their healing powers. I should have brought them to you sooner," she smiled apologetically.

A sweet scent hit Alison's nose and she drank it in greedily. "They do smell good."

"The flowers that grow down here are unlike anything on the surface," Adalia said, suddenly serious. "Vidar isn't all bad Alison."

Alison looked away awkwardly.

"I know my brother can be hard at times, but he cares for you. I shouldn't tell you that, though it's true."

Suddenly her throat went dry as she stared at the mud on her leg. "He doesn't."

Adalia leaned down, into her line of sight. "Trust me. I have lived with that infuriating man for centuries. He may not have a good way of showing it, but he does."

Alison's eyes suddenly met Adalia's. "Why are you telling me this?"

"Because I don't want you to think badly of us. I know your fight with my brother is none of my business, but your life in Vidar could be great. You could start over, be who you want to be, not what
they
tell you to be. Qwinn is afraid you'll leave. He's afraid because he cares about you. Don't you see?"

The things Alison had been so sure of when she had awoken began to slip. She had rebuilt her walls to keep Qwinn out, and Adalia was almost begging her to tear them back down. It shouldn't matter if Qwinn cared for her or not. It shouldn't matter that Adalia was helping her leg. None of it should matter. Alison felt as if she had this same fight with herself daily.

"I consider you my friend," Adalia continued. "It is selfish, but I don't want to see you run either."

"I'm in pain," Alison whispered. "Friends don't leave friends in pain when they have the power to help."

Adalia nodded. "He is hard headed Alison. He thinks this is the best way to convince you to stay," she rolled her eyes. "When he makes up his mind there is no changing it, but the Paalnus flower will help." She grabbed Alison's hand. "Perhaps if you convince him that you will not run, he will heal you?"

"How can I run when I have no idea where I am?" That wasn't a complete lie. She was pretty sure she could find her way out. But Adalia was right, she needed to convince him. She needed to convince both of them.

Adalia studied her for a long, silent moment. Alison tried to keep her face emotionless, but for some reason, Adalia had a way of reading her mind. Could she read the plans she had in her mind?

"Tell me about your life on the surface," Adalia asked softly.

Alison was surprised by the request, usually anyone she spoke with strayed from talk about the surface. "My father died when I was eight years old. After, I went to live with Uncle Jackson. He wasn't…very good with children. I raised myself."

"To lose your father so young," Adalia said sorrowfully. It almost seemed as if she really cared.

"I was very close to him…it was hard," Alison trailed off.

"What of your mother?"

"She left us when I was small…" She had never talked about her mother to anyone, not the way she was telling Adalia. "I don't even remember her. They say she was beautiful and smart," Alison shrugged. Something about Adalia made her feel as if she were in a safe place to talk about her hard life and not worry about being judged.

"My grandmother tried to help my father, but she only created more problems," she chuckled at the thought of her grandmother trying to tie bows in her hair only to have her rip them out when she was out of sight.

"You spoke once of a suitor that you disliked," Adalia encouraged.

"James," she sighed, starting to enjoy their conversation, though they were talking about tough times. She felt, as if by sharing, that she did not have to shoulder the burden alone. "He was handsome and wealthy, but had certain…ideas about how I should act and think."

Adalia shook her head. "Sometimes I feel that pressure, but from the council."

"Council?"

"Elders from the land that help Qwinn. They keep the traditions alive in our people. They want me to act more like an adoring sister, marry a man of status and have babies," she rolled her eyes. "I love to dance…I do not think that will ever go away."

"My uncle insisted I marry one of the men of his choosing…is it so strange to want to marry for love?" Alison asked.

"No. I believe in love. I've seen its power."

"Do you love Vin?"

Adalia looked to her in surprise then smiled shyly, "I do."

Alison had never had female friends, but she was thoroughly enjoying this conversation. For the first time in her life, she did not want to stop talking. "Does he love you?"

She nodded. "He has pursued me for half a century."

"Why don't you marry him, if you love him?"

Adalia's smile slipped away slowly. "There are many challenges surrounding our relationship. Our families…do not get along well."

Alison felt bad for Adalia. Being set up for an arranged marriage was horrible enough, but to be never able to be with the one you loved had to be worse. "I'm sorry."

Adalia smiled sadly. "Things will get better. They always do. What of you? Did you love someone on the surface?"

She shook her head. "My uncle would not allow me to meet men that were not of his choosing…When I was captured, I was running away. He wanted me to marry James, but I did not love him. I didn't even like him. I had raised myself, so I thought that I would do fine by myself. I wanted to find love, someday…"

"What about Qwinn?" Adalia asked.

Suddenly Alison blushed and turned her eyes back to the mud on her leg. "What about him?"

"Do you like him?"

Alison was completely aware of the fact that she was studying her face carefully. "He is…nice."

Adalia laughed, which instantly burst the awkward bubble surrounding Alison. They laughed together. "I don't ask because I mean to tell him. I am merely curious," she said when she could form words again.