"Lady Delilah Bankroft," her name was announced as the doors to the parlor opened. She was led into a sitting area where a man waited for her. Her eyes widened as she took in his sandy blond hair, combed back and tied at the top of his neck with a black ribbon and those beady brown eyes that held so very many secrets.
"Lady Bankroft," he smiled as he rose to greet her.
"Duke Falon?" she felt as though her tongue was going to choke her.
"Yes," he held out his hand to encourage her to take a seat across from him as a cup of tea was poured. She followed the hand on the teapot up to a young man with dark hair and dark eyes.
"Gannet?" she whispered.
He quickly looked up at her, confusion evident on his face. "My Lady?"
"Oh, sorry," she returned her attention to the duke.
"It seems as though you've done your homework, that's good," he smiled at her. "As His Imperial Majesty's personal biographer, you will need to familiarize yourself with many people in the palace. Your position also requires a great deal of discretion. You may come across secrets that may not be published or spoken of in any way. It will be my job to approve of everything you write down and I will do so every evening."
"I… understand," she answered slowly. She never considered placing a biographer into the story, but this was interesting. She wondered where this story line could take her as a contract was placed before her.
"Your quarters will be in the Southern Palace where guests stay while visiting, which means you may come into contact with vassals and royalty from other realms. We expect you to remain mannerly at all times."
"Yes, Your Grace," she nodded.
"Her Imperial Majesty's secretary, Lady June will meet with you in the morning to tutor you in palace etiquette and Lady Zara will assist in acquiring attire appropriate for palace functions. You will receive a weekly stipend while compiling and writing the biography and given your final earning upon completion. If we are agreed, please sign."
She smiled excitedly. She was now a character in her own book. She had many ideas on how to incorporate herself into the storyline and plot and couldn't wait to wake up and write them down. Until then, she was going to enjoy this dream to the fullest.
She signed her name across the bottom and grinned while pushing the document back to the secretary.
"Welcome to the Imperial Palace. I hope you enjoy your stay."
"As do I."
***
The emperor walked down the hall of the Western Palace, running his fingers through his hair as he sighed loudly. He turned a corner and nearly ran straight into the queen as they stopped and burst into laughter.
"My apologies," he smiled as she regained her balance.
"No worries…" she frowned as she suddenly became dizzy.
Virgentarth too felt dizzy as he pressed his hand against his forehead. "What was that?"
"A… presence," she blinked her eyes a few times. "I can't… explain it."
"Why do I suddenly feel… free?" he shook his head.
"Exactly. It is as if… the inner voice giving me direction is suddenly gone."
They stared at one another for a moment until Catira suddenly spoke again.
"Do you know of the ancient circle in the woods?"
"No."
"Take a walk with me."
It was not a request; it was a demand—and he did not mind it one bit. He immediately glanced over his shoulder at his personal guard and cocked his eyebrow. "You're dismissed for the day."
"Your Majesty," his personal knight stepped forward.
"I promise to take care of him," she took his hand, a playful laugh echoing through the hall as they both disappeared through a ball of golden light and reappeared in the stables.
"I feel like I'm a prince again, shirking my tutors."
"You are the Emperor," she grinned at him while tacking up her mare. "Please tell me this isn't the first time you've run off to clear your head for a few hours."
"You're a poor influence on me, Your Highness," he teased her playfully.
"Shall we add that to my title?"
He laughed loudly while adjusting the straps on his steed. "Can we even attempt to lengthen your title to rival that of Galba's? Let's see… The Graceful Raven, Catira Morgana Rhianne Guntram, Queen of Midir, Ruler of the Magi, and Poor Influence of His Imperial Majesty The Dragon of the Navan Empire…" he stopped to take a breath, "to the detriment of all of Adhara."
"I'm not sure Lord Nolan would enjoy writing that out several times per day. I may have to compensate him for the healing of his writing hand."
"Or grant him early retirement," he agreed.
"No, no, no… I would cease to function without my dear Nolan. I'm taking that man to the grave with me."
"I thought you could commune with the dead?" he quipped.
"You jest, but I would become the realm's most avid necromancer should my dear secretary pass before I abdicate my position."
He continued to laugh at her as they both stepped into the stirrups of their horses and mounted.
"Do try to keep up," she glanced over her shoulder at him before taking off into a gallop.
"Lead the way!" he followed her as they raced off toward the woods, running at full speed for nearly a half an hour before he yelled up at her. "Please tell me you know where you're going!"
She slowed down and turned to him. "Can you not feel it?"
"What should I feel?"
"Close your eyes and focus."
"What should I focus on?"
"You'll know," she whispered as she brought her horse up to stand shoulder to shoulder with his. "Feel it."
He stared at her a moment before closing his eyes.
"Cast with your dominant hand. Receive with the other."
He slowly lifted his right hand and waited until his palm began to warm. A vibration slowly moved up his arm and climbed his shoulder until he could feel a presence in the deep forest.
"Now… follow your instincts and lead me to the circle," she watched him.
He opened his eyes and tracked them to the right before walking his horse in the direction of the ancient circle. Suddenly, a path opened to them and they arrived.
"How did you do that?" he turned to her.
"I did nothing," she smiled gently at him before dismounting and tying her horse to a tree. He followed her as they stepped up to the edge of the circle. There, she stopped and pulled a gem from her glove, an offering that she placed on the ground before stepping in beyond the stones.
He reached for his chest and struggled to breathe for a moment before relaxing his shoulders. "I remember this place. My grandmother brought me here quite often."
"She's here now as well," she smiled as she nodded over his shoulder. "Can you see her?"
He turned around and searched for her. "No, but… I see her face in my mind."
"She's very proud of you for accepting this part of yourself."
"I constantly learn new things when I'm with you," he turned to face her. "You make me feel young again."
"Come," she lead him to the middle of the circle and sat on the warm grass, a very unladylike move for a queen, yet so very her.
He followed, sitting across from her, and waited.
She raised her hand and produced four spheres that hung in the air between them. "Earth, Air, Fire, and Water. Do the same thing you did to find this circle and tell me which calls to you most."
He raised his right hand and held it up to each sphere, slowly moving down until he had felt the energy of each one. He then raised his eyes to meet hers. "Fire."
"You are The Great Dragon," she nodded her head. "At least your priests named you well."
"I like the name my mother gave me better, though."
"Aiden?"
"It's the name I went by until my coronation. Soraya's the only one who calls me that now."
She nodded her head silently.
"I'd like for you to as well."
She nodded her head again as she looked away, her cheeks flushing in the warm sun.
"Which element calls to you?" he asked.
"Air," she answered quickly. "Scales and feathers carry many meanings. The Dragon and The Raven… fire and air… consider that fire suffocates without air or that air feeds fire… Fire is passionate and can engulf friend and foe alike… air is light and ever-changing, quirky, and flirty… together they can create or destroy."
"Soraya fears that I will become dangerous as my magic grows."
"People often fear what they do not understand, just as The Fierce Tiger did by marrying our last High Priestess and making her a Queen. He thought he could control the Magi by marrying Deandra. It was his will to make his progeny more powerful and potentially creating the first Empress Magi."
"There is so much I am unaware of…"
"You are a descendant of Queen Deandra and your grandmother Empress Marie was also Magi."
"And what of my brother? Do you know anything about him?"
"Your mother was not Magi, but his was. The Honorable Concubine Nadia was the daughter of Queen Zakimi."
"So theoretically, he's more powerful than me."
"He also grew up learning and using his magic. I fear…" she looked away. "Everything I know about what is happening has led me to believe that it is he, the Lost Prince Kieran, who is stealing magic to become powerful enough to overtake the empire."
He stared at the ground, his mind muddling over this new information. "Is that why I can only win with you by my side?"
"That is not guaranteed…"
"You met with your High Priestesses after the banquet. What did they see?"
She sucked her bottom lip into her mouth as her gray eyes met his blue. "The prophesy remains the same. The current path we are on will take us to our vision."
He reached out his hand and stroked her cheek with a smile. "Why do you seem so saddened by that?"
"I don't like hurting innocent people, and we are going to hurt your wife."
"Even though she doesn't love me?"
She frowned before glaring angrily at him. "How can you think that?"
"You said yourself, fire is passionate. She is… not. She wants to be a good wife for the good of the empire. She is an amazing empress, she's beautiful, highly intelligent, gentle… yet she knows nothing of love or how to express herself to me. I wish she loved me, but the only reason we share a bed occasionally is to attempt a pregnancy that will keep the multiple marriage supporters off our backs."
"Does the fact that she's trying to keep you from taking on another wife not prove her love?"
"That can also be seen as self-preservation."
"This is why I hate politics," she smirked at him.
"Aid me in my decision. One kiss is all I ask," he dropped his eyes to her full, pink lips. "Will your air fuel my passion, or snuff it out completely?"
"You already know the answer."
"Yes, but we have to begin somewhere, don't we?"
"We do," she smiled impishly. "You assume that I desire your lips as well."
"If I'm mistaken, we'll leave this very moment and never speak of it again…"
"Aiden," she called his preferred name for the first time, which caught him off guard. "Just shut up," she reached across to press her lips against his, ending their bickering immediately. He grabbed onto her shoulders, pulling her closer as their lips slid across one another, an intimate dance of heat and air that stirred their guts into a frenzy. She opened her mouth to catch her breath, giving him the opportunity to dart his tongue across hers, joining the dance as they tasted one another before falling back onto the grass. He finally let go long enough to suck in a breath before pulling her bottom lip into his mouth, a smile curling the corners of his lips as he opened his eyes and looked down at her.
"There's your one kiss," she whispered, running her fingers through his thick, black hair.
"Hmm," he hummed, resting his forehead against hers as they lay together in one another's arms. "I have much to think about."
"We should first focus on the reason I am here."
"Of course," he smiled. "It will be difficult now, though…" he nipped at her lips.
"I can seal your memories until…"
"Don't. You. Dare," he sighed as he pushed himself up, brushing the grass and dirt from his shirt before helping her to her feet.
"I have no wish for the empress' supporters to cause an uproar and end up storming the tower. We need to be careful and do this properly."
"I agree. That is why I have much to think about," he sighed.