Mark of the Princess (2 page)

“Father, I cannot live my life in fear of Maligo!” As soon as the words left her mouth, she noted her insolent tone. “Apologies for my tone, father.”

“I do not expect you to live in fear of Maligo. I expect you to be sensible Princess Alannah.”

She winced at hearing her name spoken in such an unfatherly tone.

“Since we took his birth powers he has become a master of potions and spells. Will you have me believe that the attack today was not done on his orders? Saros belongs to him! He was sent for you!” Cupping her face in his hand, his voice became softer, more concerned. “Alannah, you of all faeries should know what he is capable of. I will not lose you to his revenge. Do you understand?”

“Yes Father, I am sorry.” Alannah looked away, disappointed for hurting her father.

~
Chapter
2~

The wind made its way through the maze of trees, rustling his dark wavy hair. Kaleb tried to think of the information he was to relay to his father regarding the trainees that were left in the Kingdom of Meira, but thoughts continued to turn to the beautiful fae he had met that morning. The way the sun’s rays captured the subtle streaks of red running through her hair, her ivory skin so perfect it seemed like that of a porcelain doll, and the way her eyes held a hint of sadness when she spoke of her restrictions.

“You look like you’re lost!” A familiar voice said from the shadows.

The prince’s best friend Tristan, stood still and proud against a tree. His power, envied by many of the male faeries was to be able to blend against anything he touched.

Of course, the prince’s powers were just as coveted. One of his powers was that he has telescopic vision and could see any figure or creature that was miles away as if it were no more than a foot from him.

Tristan leaned forward taking his hands off the tree, instantly regaining his own color and clothes. “You are back quickly. I thought you were going to be at the Kingdom of Meira for another day.”

“I was, but by this morning the Masters had already tested the new fae that I had taken over there to train and they did not need me anymore, so I walked around for a while then came back.”

“I do not.” Kaleb said defensively
facing forward again. “It’s just that all the girls I have chosen to get acquainted with recently have been,”

“Dull, air headed, boring,” Tristan interrupted.

Kaleb started walking again, “Not to my liking,” he continued weaving in and out of a line of thin trees growing along the worn path just outside their kingdom.

“You mean not to your standards.” Tristan said faking a very sarcastic bow toward Kaleb, “You know I’m right.” He said lifting his head and looking at the prince with one eyebrow raised.

The prince shook his head and made his way back to the path.

“I’d rather say I’m picky.”
The prince said, shaking his head and continuing to walk.

“You can
say
what you want, but your bar is set pretty high my friend.” Tristan chuckled under his breath.

The two continued walking through the forest in silence for a few moments, each lost in their own thoughts.

* * *

Prince Kaleb and Tristan had been best friends since before their powers had developed. Having parents that were also friends made the union almost predictable. They learned to use their wings together, learned to use their powers together, and even on occasion, battled against Elves ,Goblins, Gremlins or any other creature that came to do harm in their kingdom, together.

Theirs was a bond that was unbreakable. In school, they were as mischievous as two boys could be….

“O.K. Class, we will now begin on the history of Faeries. Who…” The bewildered teacher turned to face the class and found a student missing from his chair. ‘Not again’ he groaned grumpily to himself. He glared at the adolescent faerie with the empty seat beside him.

Laughter filled the room as Tristan emerged from a bookshelf next to his empty desk. “Well, you’ve proven your loyalty once again.”

“Always, my friend” Kaleb stated proudly.

For what seemed like hours on end they would sit and talk about everything from memories to future adventures…

* * *

Finally breaking the silence that had developed between them, Tristan leaned in closer to Kaleb, “so, who is this girl that has you so mystified?”

“I do not know.” Kaleb ran his hands through his hair as he pictured her once more, “The meeting was somewhat abrupt.”

“Abrupt?”

“Yes, she had been running through the forest when she ran into me. I had thought someone was chasing her but it turns out she was merely enjoying time alone. Something she does not seem to get very often.”

“Make no sudden movements.” The low grinding voice came from behind them.

Kaleb knew that the sharp pain he was feeling in his back was coming from some sort of blade.

“Your jewels, now. And no magic or this blade goes deeper.” Kaleb looked over his shoulder and could just barely see the bald head and wrinkled grey skin of the armed goblin.

“Look, we do not want any trouble.” Kaleb glanced over to the thief’s partner, who had just asked Tristan to get on the ground.

“What you want, matters not! I believe I requested something of you!” The grinding of the goblin’s voice, oscillating in Kaleb’s ears.

Kaleb looked over and winked at his best friend. Tristan closed his eyes and put his hands on the ground. Slowly, he seemed disappear on the spot. The goblin thief that had his foot on Tristan's back jumped in terror.

He looked around frantically in search of the missing faerie.

Kaleb felt the pain of blade lessen as the other goblin stared in amazement at the ground which now seemed empty. Kaleb took advantage of the Goblin’s amazement, and turned quickly and using his power produced a gust of wind and energy, propelling the goblin backward about ten feet into a tree.

Before the other goblin could help his friend, a hand seemed to pop up from the ground, grabbing his ankle.

The dry, dead leaves seemed to take form as the ‘ground’ began to rise. Sheets of debris rising in the form of wings. Twigs and leaves as if taking form to create arms and legs. Tristan kicked himself off the ground and flew twenty feet in the air, dropping the goblin he had been holding by the ankles.

“We? You’re the one that scared them. You should have seen the look on the face of the goblin trying to rob you, when you started coming out of the ground like that.”

The laughter was roaring…

“It was priceless!” Kaleb said barely speaking through his laughter.

* * *

Alannah sat by her window taking in the scent of her favorite black jade rose bush. She allowed the sweet smell of the dark red roses to surround her.
So many dreams of exploring and discovering, and yet so many boundaries
, she thought to herself. She ran her finger over the marking inside her wrist. Her family crest. All faeries are born with tattoo-like markings. Some, symbolizing their powers or skills and advancements within them. Others were symbols of their lineage. Each faerie is born with their family’s crests marked on the inside of their wrist.

“Are you alright?” The most angelic of voices filled her room.

Alannah turned her head and took in the sight before her.

Queen Nalani was very much the grown version of her only daughter. Her Auburn hair full, fell nearly to the ground spun in almost perfectly structured curls. Her long green flowing gown clung to every inch of her thin frame, before expanding around her hips and falling heavily to the ground. Queen Nalani had eyes that could very well light up a room, for that is where most of her power came from.

From behind the hazel eyes, lay the power to change the day in mere moments, as she had on the day of her daughter’s birth. Refusing to give birth to her daughter on a gloomy day filled with rain, lightning and thunder, she took matters into her own hands. Her eyes lightened as she looked up at the sky, the rain began to get lighter and lighter until it was no more. The clouds moved and revealed the sun which birthed a rainbow through the highest trees.

Alannah had walked over to the mirror and examined the other markings on her arms and shoulders. Indications of the powers and abilities she was born with. They were small still, but as she mastered the powers, the markings would spread. Delicate flowing lines that would show what she is capable of.

“Mother, when will I have my powers?” Her voice slightly hesitant.

“Patience, Alannah, no one knows when their powers will come in,” she sighed, recounting the numerous times she has heard the same question, “and besides, you have gifts you were born with.”

The stubborn daughter huffed crossing her arms.

“Like what, potion making? Big Deal. Not very good unless you are in a room full of ingredients and a cauldron.”

“Now, Now Alannah. You also have a gift of spell casting.” Nalani raised her hand indicating the mark on Alannah’s bicep. “You are just too lazy to practice, and I don’t understand why. Magic is all around you. You simply have to want to know how to manipulate it. The energy and glamour is there for the taking. All you have to do is will it.”

The petite woman made her way across the room, and sat beside her daughter, grabbing her hand. “Why would you want to wait only for the powers that you are born with? You are a
faerie princess
Alannah. Your abilities run deeper than you know.”

Alannah sighed heavily at the last statement her mother made as she stood and faced her, “and what of this?” Alannah pulled her tresses over her shoulder so that it cascaded down her front and turned so that her back was to her mother.

Nalani looked at her daughter’s unique mark. She had stared at it in wonder so many times it was etched in her memory. The mark on her daughter that no other had been able to interpret. The inside looked like a strong oak tree surrounded by elements and among all those things were fae wings.

“Alannah you know we have tried to find someone to interpret your mark.”

“Yes, but how do we know that it’s not this very mark that is keeping me from obtaining my powers?” She asked, swinging her hair back over her shoulders until it laid on her back and turned to face her mother again.

“How
can
we know that when you do not even bother trying to master potions, or spell casting?” Her mother asked standing from the bed “You are limiting yourself Alannah. We may not know exactly what that mark means, but I have the feeling it is not hindering you.”

Nalani began to make her way out of the room.

“As for today,” she said, turning quickly to face her daughter again, “Your father only wants to protect you. I shudder to think of what could have happened had Greer and Xavier not found you before the attack.” Her eyes glimmering for a moment with fear.

~
Chapter
3~

Saros’s dark wings glided him wobbly through the air to the small cave above the waterfall.

“Ah, you have returned.” The low and sinister voice came from deep within the cave.

Maligo was a malevolent faerie. It was as if the greed, malice and selfishness most faeries lacked summed themselves in him. Although Maligo was stripped of his powers, the spell that he had put upon himself and Saros that allowed him to see through Saros’s eyes did not waver. He walked over to the bird, sprinkling a fine white powder of his wings and chanting some healing spells. The fissures began to close reluctantly, leaving behind a scar.