The tallest tower in the castle, built by her father, was known as the Strategy Tower. As a child, Aurelie was told that it had been an ego trip that led Emile Dranoir to build the room for himself. A grand gesture of class division by a power hungry, young King. To be fair to Kaiden and Elizabeth, they really thought that this was the case.
All four of the walls were glass. Aurelie saw the river, the town, and the mountain. Everything. Wow! There was no door, only the glass balustrade that led through the opening in the floor.
A wooden table, like the one they had at the inn with the map of Highfire engraved into the wood, stood in the center of the room. This one was fancier and was circular instead of rectangular. The mountains stood out higher than the rest of the carvings. The leaves of trees had their own tiny patterns. It even had waves in its sea and little hooks where you could attach ships. Though the ships were not being used, and tucked away in a leather suitcase, along with other figures. Aurelie could make our men and horses but was not sure what else was hidden from sight.
The King stood with his back to her, his arms crossed behind his back. Her footsteps were loud enough to hear, but he seemed to be ignoring her presence.
"Morning," she said, creeping up to one of the chairs.
"Evening," he replied, still not turning back.
Aurelie took his tongue in cheek greeting and let the unpleasantness fade. The atmosphere, however, was set. Bitter and resentful. After surviving Orken at the inn, her father's temper was nothing in comparison. Not yet.
"I was told that this room was the peak of your madness," she said. Not to create an argument, or insight rage, but to introduce him to the man that had been created in her mind through years of casual dinner conversation. To reveal to him why she had yet to touch his hand or talk to him in a manner that a daughter did to her father. "They imagined that this would be her prison when you found out that she gave me away."
"She bled to death hoursâor was it days?âafter your birth. Memories are so cruel in how they fade." His head quaked in memory and thin, cruel acceptance. "Not prison. That suggests she would have let me put her in a cage. She gave up a little toward the end, but the flare inside he didn't fade." He paused, rocking on his heels. "People look at you and think of me," he snorted, "but if I were to take your mother and make a copy, it'd be you staring back. The way you bite your lips, left side never right, the nervous grapple you have with your fingers when you're plotting. I look at you and she stares back. I'd have liked it if you had her eyes, but one can never have everything."
"What color were they?"
"A dark brown that shone hazel in the sunlight. They turned black when she was mad, or in tears."
Aurelie caught her fingers stirring and stopped. She had hardly noticed them before he mentioned. That was her tell, she supposed. A mental note would have to be made to get rid of the habit. "Did she cry a lot?"
"Only in the last months."
"She didn't understand you."
His chest rose and fell in a deep breath. "If she did, you'd have grown up within the castle walls."
"Do you think she still loved you?"
He nodded. "A love like that doesn't just fade. She hated herself for it, I think, but she loved me still. Wouldn't let me leave her side in the end. Clutched the feeling out of my fingertips, weak as she was." He licked his lips and looked down at the table, trying to hide the vivid sadness. "The last thing she said was, 'You'd better follow me soon, you bastard.'"
Aurelie put her hand on the back of the nearest chair. The true reason for her visit was delayed long enough. "So," she started. Quick and direct. Tear off the scab and let it bleed. "I'mâ
The King turned, startling her. "Yes?" he dragged the word.
"Uh," she clapped her hands together and rubbed her thumb, "care to sit?
He shook his head. His expression was something between smug and fuming. It was hard to tell which while he stood there like an old man, bent over with his hands crossed behind his back and his damn lips puckered.
Why am I so nervous? It's not like he raised me. What's the worst he can do, throw me down the stairs? "Pregnant. I'm pregnant. There. Yes, good, now you know."
"Hmm." He dipped his head a couple of times. "Congratulations."
Aurelie sighed and pulled out the chair, sitting down. "That's all?"
"What did you expect?"
"I don't know. Another speech perhaps? Anger?"
"All of this," the King turned and moved his hand along the glass, "will be yours. Whatever's left. I can only guide you to make the right decisions. By no means can I make them for you. I've ruled. Done my part. Horrible as you may find it to have been."
That wasn't a reaction. Not really. He was withdrawing. Pulling down the hopes he had for her, and giving up. "This was neither a decision nor a plan. It just happened." Even with all the light shining through the windows, the room felt dark. "And I won't apologize for it, either."
The King didn't speak. The empty field ahead of him held his full attention. Aurelie saw a stretch of yellow grass through the gap between his arm and torso.
"Is there really nothing else to say?" she asked, hoping to awaken some fatherly feelings from him. "Have I exhausted all your words?"
"What does it matter what I have to say?"
"I am your daughter. This will be your grandchild. And the consequences of it all will fall on your head. It matters a great deal what you have to say. At least, it does to me," she said.
The pitiful silence continued to rule the room. Loud silence. Deafening. If ever its echo existed, it was in her ears that very moment. "If we find him . . . we can have a wedding and no one would even know. We just have to look. Niendry said that he wasn't dead. I think he might be trapped somewhere."
"You know," he said. "I saw you before you were born. Every detail. I saw you. Before your mother, before you were even formed, I knew that I'd have you as a daughter. I've been fighting for something greater for you before you were even connected to this world." He sighed. "I met with your necromancerâshe's not mine, Aurelie thoughtâand we've decided that it would be best if she remained here until she could make contact with the boy. Even if everything else failed, I can give you thisâhim. Whenever you want it."
Aurelie rested her elbows on the table and leaned her face into the palms of her hands. "You imprisoned Niendry?"
"If by imprisoned you mean, gave her a room in the castle as a guest of the Princess, then yes."
She looked up. "You're not mad that I had her over?"
The King turned, smiling lightly. "I should be, but to be fair to you, I quite like dealing with your messes. It's made the castle lively. I should know better than to encourage you, but I also see that you're a magnet for disaster. Whether you intend to be one or not."
"I certainly don't intend it."
"Come here," he said. "I can briefly see her."
Aurelie rose from the chair and approached the glass. It vibrated as if shaken by a weak earthquake. People had gathered on the large field that the King was watching. The scores of them held back by roped poles. A guard stood by each of the poles. Some waved their hands for people to back away and others had their head turned watching Valice approach the castle walls.
Guards marched ahead of her, tiny as ants from the distance. Aurelie counted about twenty lines of them. Valice walked a great distance behind them, but her steps were calm. The wing that was damaged was tucked back against her torso. She looked like a scaly chicken from so far away.
Trees toppled below her feet. They looked like tiny playthings compared to her. The glass shook harder with each of her steps.
"Are we safe up here?"
"I should think so," the King said but stepped away from the glass nonetheless.
Her prosthetic wing was being crafted at the castle. It only made sense that she be nearby instead of inside that filthy cave. Who knew how many diseases had gathered there?
"The guards will set up tents outside of the walls and keep anyone away. You will be moved to a different quarter, so that you have a view of her if you wish."
"No," Aurelie said. "I like watching the river." It is especially splendid during the night time when the moon is out. The slow waves sang her to sleep.
"Let's get down before this tower tumbles. It wouldn't be the first time your dragon destroyed the castle."
Aurelie followed him to the stairs. Growing dizzy due to the shaking ground and walls, she held firmly onto the balusters and waited for the King to be a good few steps ahead of her before she took a step. Just in case she fell and took them both down. "I better make my way down there. She'll want to see me since I didn't join the walk."
"I want you to come with me first. I have a gift for you and we've put it off long enough."
"Alright," she said. "But we should hurry. I don't want her to have her measurements taken alone."