CANTER CENTER STREET
Lydia could see the whole city from that high up. At some point in her childhood, she had a dream that she would make it to the tower of Aery and look down on the beautiful city gates and the world that lay beyond it. Sadly, her father would never take her to the castle or to Aery but she could see it now, ever so beautiful. The radiant sun bouncing over the gold coloured roof tops as it tucked itself behind the high tower and when she looked down, she didn't see the grassland beneath her or the townfolk, the size of ants as her sisters had described to her. No, how she wished for such a pleasant sight.
She saw a crowd beneath her. So close, she could recognise their angry faces as they held up their arms and their mouths moved in unison. Chanting and incoherent curses in the air. A cold splash fell over her. Lydia gasped for air. Water, she had hoped but it was far from it. The smell of something acidic and pungent crossed her nose and polluted her tongue. Kerosene. She tried to move but her hands were numb— and strapped to the sides of the pole.
In that moment, the sound of the city burst fresh in her once muffled ears and she could hear their chants. Words she had not heard in many years.
"Burn the witch! Burn the witch!"
Her eyes fell to the crowd as she stared down looking for a familiar face. In the distance, she spotted her half sisters, Emery and Estelle. She could not make out their faces but she recognised them by the blue robes they wore. A signature attire of House Sonnet. She could bet a diamond key that they were both giddy with glee. After all, with her gone, no one would know the secret of House Sonnet but them.
"Cast from amongst us the demons of old!" The high priest of Aery and Canter yelled at the top of his voice.
"CAST FROM US!" The crowd cheered.
"Cleanse us with the water from the seven divine rivers!"
Lydia squirmed and tugged at her restraints. It was starting. She knew the ancient chants that the ancestors had used to banish evil spirits but she had never once imagined that they would be used on her.
"Cleanse us, Oh great spirits"
"And shield our tents and homes from the evil eye of those who wish to harm us. We offer this one. A practitioner of the forbidden arts and a worshipper of the seven evil gods. Today we shall put her gods to the test against the seven great divine. We cleanse her spirit of evil with the fire of Aeiron." He lifted the torch into the air and Lydia watched the flames light up from nothing.
"Ael Rayis Nar!" he belted.
"AEL RAYIS NAR! NAR! NAR!! NAR!!!" The common folk chanted and yelled the words of old. She had not been taught the tongue of the old masters but she had read enough books and heard the phrase one too many times. No translation was needed to understand. "LET THE WITCH BURN! BURN! BURN! BURN!"
She closed her eyes and a tear dropped from her eyes into the flames as she awaited death. However, it did not come. A commotion erupted and she could hear the neigh of horses.
"Sir Alan Benevigne of the King's watch!" Someone announced. Her eyes opened at the sound of a familiar name. She looked down the stake to find the blonde haired knight already staring up at her. He grimaced and she could swear she saw his jaw clench as a sliver of anger crossed his face but it was gone in an instant and he was flashing her a charming smile.
"What is the cause of this interruption?!" The high priest exclaimed. "The Seven divine will not tolerate such disrespect!"
"If they can tolerate watching a young girl burn then they can tolerate my humble interruption." Alan responded. He dismounted his stead and walked up to the podium. A young squire ran up after him to hand him a golden scroll. A royal decree.
"An official decree from his majesty King Caster Artebury of The seven Isles of Ilyin, requesting…" he retracted, turning to the squire beside him. "Hm must be a minor misinterpretation. I'll read it again. King Caster Artebury of the Seven Isles of Ilyin commanding the immediate release of noble Lady Lydia Yves Sonnet of House Sonnet. Any opposition against this decree will be immediately PUNISHED by Sir Alan Benevigne of the King's guard. That's me." he rolled up the scroll and handed it back to the squire.
Lydia's eyes widened. She let out a defeated breath and tears began to stream down her face. She had been saved. Saved by the king and his knight.
The high priest walked up to Sir Alan. "The Crown cannot and should not interfere with the matters of the spiritual realm. This woman has been caught performing dark sorcery which is forbidden in the realm—"
Alan pushed him aside and walked towards the pole. "That's the King's order, Tuller. Would you like to go against it? I'm sure you wouldn't. He's the king. If the king says no sacrifices to the seven. Then no sacrifices shall be done. Someone! Cut her down"
Lydia closed her eyes as she felt the pole lower and she came closer to the ground before stern muscles engulfed her. She tried to stand but her feet gave away. Sir Alan lifted her off the ground and set her on his horse before getting in behind her. Suddenly, she heard a cry.
"Why?! Why are you saving her? She's a witch. She will doom us all! She'll… she'll curse the king!" Emerie yelled. The crowd murmured, seemingly agreeing with her.
Lydia looked up at Sir Alan to find his cold gaze piercing deep into Emerie's heart. For a moment, she thought he would pull his sword from his sheath and bring down her sister.
"Out of the way! Little lady!" Another guard yelled.
Estelle pulled her sister out of the knight's way as the horse galloped through the path the crowd had created. West. They were heading west and she knew where they were going. The palace.
"You saved me." she whispered..
"I didn't save you, My lady. Not me. Nor the king. I fear where you might be headed might be even worse than death by fire"
That was the last thing she heard before she passed out against Sir Alan's cold armour.
The next time, she open her eyes. She laid in a bed that was not hers and she could hear fire crackling not far from her and something smelled good.
"You're awake" A soft voice caused her to sit up straight. She turned to see the most beautiful woman she had ever seen standing on the other side of the room in a green dress as she stared down at the fire. Her hair cascaded down her back till it almost touched the ground and a crown of little gemstones sat primly on her head.
"My queen?"
Queen Iris walked towards her bed. "The king is away on official duties. You've been asleep for two days thanks to the Millin smoke. Otherwise, you would have seen him"
Lydia's turned to the table to find smoke wafting sofly out of an oil lamp. Lydia realised that she had been far too comfortable with letting the queen stand while she sat in bed. She shot up to her feet and made a curtsey to the queen.
"You saved me from the clutches of death, your grace. I am not worthy of your mercy. I will do anything you ask of me"
"Anything?" she laughed softly. "Usually when people say stuff like that, they have a list of a million and one things they would not do for me. Stand girl. I only need you to do one thing. The king didn't save you out of the kindness of his heart. You are his bargaining chip."
"I am nothing to the king. The house Sonnet is not even one of the great house of Ilyin. I'm afraid I don't understand" Lydia stepped back.
"The king has a decree for you, Lydia of House Sonnet. You will go to Artem and marry the Lord of Artem. Never to step foot in Canter ever again"
Lydia felt a bile rise at the back of her throat. Artem? She had never been to Artem yet she had heard stories. Of all the Seven Isles, Artem was the most dangerous. Most people would consider it cursed. "My queen… Artem is—"
"Cursed? So they say. That is the King's decree. If you refuse, the High priests will be glad to have you back" The queen replied. A certain coldness had overtaken her tone.
Lydia blinked twice as she stared into the fire. She could almost see her future. Two choices lay in front of her. Become the high lady of a dangerous place or Burn. "As the king commands. I accept his decree"
"Good!" Her cheery tone returned. "I spoke to your father and your sisters. They do not wish to see you in Canter. Neither did they agree to hand in the Totem medallion of house Sonnet. A shame. I've heard it's the prettiest one." The queen stretched out her arm and dropped something into Lydia's hands.
She uncovered it and it glimmered from the light of the fire. A green medallion shaped like a four leaf clover and lined with gold and emeralds. The totem of House Benevigne.
"Your majesty, I cannot accept this" Lydia bowed, handing it back to the queen. "This belongs to your house and the king—
"It's not mine. It belonged to my sister. Take it. You'll need it where you're going. Lucky for us, we got it back from him." Lydia could sense the queen's coldness from the way she glared at the totem. "Take care of it and say hello to my sister for me"
"Your sister? Lady Amber is in Artem, your grace?"
"Not Amber. Eliana. She was his last bride."