The Princess And The Stones

"What are you talking about? We've never met me before, have we?"

"Oh haven't we? Esmaeiria, darling, I do believe you've forgotten that there isn't a secret in the world you could ever keep from me, not when your right within my grasp." his voice, smooth as velvet and soft as petals, whispered, as he held on to her hand and pulled her near. "Now, you and I both know that the lies between us needs to end forthwith. Are we not above such childish tricks at this age, as young adults, as a man and a woman?"

Maria sighed, her shoulders falling. "I suppose it would be stupid to continue this, as you have not the decency or respect for those around you to keep from intruding into another's mind. Now, I might as well keep this brief, what do you want from me, boy?

“Now let's not make false assumptions. I can hear thoughts as if they were spoken words, you of all should know my princess, my Essie, how this curse works. I have heard many things that have scared my mind for years, and at the same time, beautiful things I wish to not forget.” A smile crossed his lips, and allowed her hand to fall to her side.

Silence filled the garden, the weak noises of the morning birds faded into nothing. Oreon's eyes remained calm as Maria began to grip on to her oversized sleeves. When left alone to fall, they draped half a foot passed her hands, as Asiatian tradition demanded, but at that moment, her white knuckles peaked through like tiny whitecaps on the mountains.

She hated the thought of him watching her like this, knowing that inside, he was feeding on he fear, torturing her with his eyes, and ravishing what his former bride had become. By the glint that had suddenly appeared in the soft gray eyes, she knew that he sensed everything she thought. Iriech... Stupid mindreader...

Courage began to return to her as she stomped her foot and began to demand for what she wanted. “You've yet to answer my question. What do you want from me? I've no doubt been revoked any right to the throne by this point, even if I were to return, plans would have already been made for my sister. I'm no longer the child who longed for your company as if it were the only thing that mattered in the world, and quite frankly, I'm not worth the effort of the duke's son by this point.”

“Now now Princess, you give yourself so little recognition. You're quite desirable after all this. You've always been an interesting one, Essie, even more so now, and one would have to be either blind, stupid, or perhaps both not to acknowledge that...” he paused to awkwardly clear his throat, “that oyu've become a beauty, to say the least. Yes, beautiful interesting, and if your intellegence hasn't decreased in the last three years, smart as well.” Four barely audible words escaped his lips with spite. “So much unlike her.”

Maria's blood began to boil within her veins, and her teeth ground together with force she never knew her jaw had. “Oreon, this shall be thrice, what do you want with me? I shall not leave with you, I refuse to return home, and should you turn me in, they'll never find you again!”

Again, he smirked that stupid smirk that the 12 year old within the princess was melting for. “That book you were reading, on those old rocks, stones, whatever one chooses to call them, the proper translation was drowned with the downfall of proper language. I presume you are familiar with the abilities of these crystals?”

“They can create miracles. Unite the five stones, and you get a wish for each. That's correct, is it not?”

“Aye, that's exactly it. So, you aware that they can change the past then, yes?” he asked.

Maria raised an eye brow, and rested her weight against the fence behind her. “Yes, I'm well aware, but how does this concern you?”

The next words he said weren't painful to hear, but shocking to say the very least. "I'm going to help you find them."

"Why would you want to help me completely change my past? I believe it's without explanation that in the rewritten history you and I would never have met." 

"And perhaps that's for the best," he admitted with a sigh,"I'll finally be free from whatever spell you've had on me all these years! Either that, or you'll fall for me once again, and the world will go back to the way it is supposed to be." 

Maria rolled her eyes. "You're so full of it. But I suppose you know much more about the crystals than I do," she sighed, " very well, we'll work together."

"I'll make arrangements to get us into Cavendalg first things tomorrow." he said, but Maria refused. 

"I'll make arrangements, you get everything else ready." 

That sparkle he so much dreaded as a child was still in her eyes. "I suppose I should trust you."

"I suppose you'll have to.

***************************

“Rajen! Rajen report to my quarters immediately!” 

Rajen jumped in his seat at the sound of the horrendous screech that echoed through the rebel's underground halls. His stubby legs struck the underside of his table and the golden foamy beer went flying across the room, landing in a puddle on the rotting wood floor.

“Averach!” he swore to himself, bitterly whipping some of the spilled drink of his clothes. It made no difference, they were stained beyond repair as it was.

"Her Ladyship desires a word with ya Rajen!" a drunken thug yelled from opposite end of the bar.

"Ah shud up Denny! I'm goin' I'm goin'." Rajen snapped. Under his breath, he muttered the words, "Leadeh's lil brat."

The leaders daughter lived in the upper quarters of the underground tunnels. Rajen found her in her private room, her strawberry blonde hair twisted into a bow on the top of her head, hands rested behind her head and feet up on the desk.

"What is it now Ayjiena?"

"Rajen, she's alive!" the girl snapped, throwing her feet on her desk and slammer both fist down onto the aging wood. The rage in the eighteen year olds face made her seem ten years older, at the very least.

"Who's alive Jiena? We got rid of e'reyone you asked, no one you don't want living' is gunna live!"

Ayjiena let out a frustrated scream and aimed her finger at a little girl in the corner. At no more than 15, the girl was scared for her life. "The sensor! She says that the princess is alive! Why is she still alive?"

Rajen shrugged. "The gals wrong. The princess been gone for years, she can't still be alive if they ain't found 'er yet!"

"Rajen, she's alive and she's going to get in my way! I want her gone, her body at my feet! Now! Everything my father and I have worked for will be gone if she lives!"

"Aye Jiena, I'm gunna personally get her. Now ya calm down missy, it'll get done."

"It had better," Ayjiena hissed, "It had better."