Castle of Glass

The training area was quiet. The only knights around were Michael and Brad. Brad smiled kindly at me, but Michael had a mischevious grin on his face.

"Hey princess," he said. A table with a bow, arrows, throwing daggers and two fighting daggers waited next to him. He gestured toward it, waiting for my choice.

"You know my aim doesn't need more work." He smiled at me.

"You've had targets and moving dummies, but you haven't had to really fight someone." I narrowed my eyes at him. "So it's best we start to challenge you more."

"Where's Phoenix? He's supposed to teach me in archery."

"His skills are a little limited when it comes to this kind of combat," Brad interjected. "You'll never see David in the thick of battle. You, however, have decided to fight with daggers, as well as a bow and arrow. This means you'll do more than pick your enemies off from the sidelines, and we have to prepare you should an incident occur." I nodded. Brad was always able to explain things in ways easy to understand.

"So pick your poison, princess," Michael said, gesturing to the table again. I stepped up to it and grabbed the belt, attaching the daggers to my sides before adding a few throwing daggers. The quiver went on my back, and I noticed there weren't many. The bow fit easily in the palm of my hand. All edges were blunt iron, meant for sparring. Michael watched with pursed lips, hand on the hilt of his sword. When I stepped away from the table, he drew it.

I grinned at him. "Ready to lose, ser knight?" He grinned at me mockingly as Brad drew his sword and stepped behind me, shield in hand.

"Give us all you've got, Princess." I glared at him and his grin widened. "No holding back. That goes for you too, Brad."

"Ready Sayer?" Brad asked. I adjusted my grip on the bow and nodded. "Last one standing wins."

"See you in the dirt, boys." With that, I pulled off a throwing dagger and aimed it at Michael's gut before rolling out of the way.

Out of the two, Michael was the better swordsman, but Brad had strong defense. They'd both been expecting me to aim at him first, and his brief surprise gave me an advantage; I notched an arrow and shot at him, but he deflected with his shield. He edged closer and swung, putting all of his weight into it, but I caught the blow with my arrow and turned into him as he tried to pull away. I unhooked another throwing dagger and brought it in toward his chest, catching him between the ribs.

He grunted with the force and I flipped forward, bringing him crashing to his back. Standing, I threw another dagger at Michael, but he anticipated it and stepped out of the way. I notched another arrow and let it fly, catching him in the shoulder. He was forced back a step but continued his advance.

Brad was getting up behind me and Michael was close enough to swing. I waited just long enough for his swing to start before spinning out of the way, putting Brad between me and the blade. It caught him around the middle and I thwacked him over the shoulders with my bow. As he doubled over, I grabbed an arrow and jabbed it up into his side before pushing him away.

He stumbled, dropped his blade and fell, effectively losing the battle.

Michael grinned at me. "You've only got one arrow left, Princess." My chest heaved and I took the arrow, notched it and fired. As Michael dodged it, I tossed aside the bow and quiver and grabbed the last two throwing daggers, throwing one after the other. He deflected the first but the second bounced off his shoulder, angling up and hitting his ear before clattering to the ground. He hissed, hand flying up to check his ear, and I grabbed my daggers, inching closer.

We sparred briefly, each blow being blocked or knocked away. I started a flurry, but he knocked it away and swung at me. I ducked under the blade and caught his calf, causing him to fall to one knee from the blunt force. I then whirled away and brought my daggers up, crossing at his neck, as if to cut his throat.

"I win," I said triumphantly. He smiled.

"You sure, Princess?" I looked down to find his sword aimed at my ribs, angled toward my heart. I pouted.

Brad burst into laughter. "I shouldn't have expected any less. There goes fifty silvers." I raised my eyebrow at him while Mike's eyes narrowed. "We bet, who would win. It clearly wasn't going to be me." Brad laughed again, a from-the-belly kind of laugh. "Joe bet a tie, but most everyone bet on Sayer. Except Robert."

Michael mumbled under his breath, something like, "Knew I could count on Rob," and I giggled, pulling away as he dropped his sword. Brad started to pick up all the fallen weapons as Michael stood. "You did well," he said softly.

"I didn't win," I replied. He shrugged.

"It's only your first try. Don't feel torn up about it." I laughed and turned his face so I could check his ear.

"You're bleeding." He touched it briefly and looked at his finger before shrugging again.

"It's just a scratch. Should heal fine."

"Princess?" a soft voice interrupted. I glanced over to see my maid standing to the side of the training arena. "Apologies, m'lady, Eurydice has asked you to join her for lunch." I smiled, knowing it was probably more of a demand than a request.

With a nod, I said, "Go and draw a bath. I'll be there shortly." She nodded in return and scurried off, and I turned back to Michael, who studied me quietly. "Don't worry, I won't go bragging." He chuckled.

"Go enjoy your lunch, Sayer."



After freshening up, I went to the dining room where Eurydice waited. The lunch was on the table, but she hadn't touched any of it, which wasn't like her. She rushed into her food like she rushed into everything else. I sat across from her and waited for her to speak.

It didn't take long. She tapped her long fingers on the table and then she said, "I've heard whispers. Jakobi is planning something." I raised my eyebrows, intrigued. It didn't sound like he was throing a ball from the tone of her voice, so I waited for her to explain. "I think... I think he plans to separate us."

I paused, fingers twitching slightly before grabbing my napkin and settling it in my lap. "What makes you say that?" I asked her, starting to eat.

She glanced at the food. "It has to do with us, I know that much for certain. And there's been rumors that Ronnie's trying to take you to his kingdom, since you're his cousin." I frowned.

"Well that's not a rumor. Ronnie's family has been trying to get me to go there for years." Her face paled. "But I wouldn't go. My home is here, with you."

She looked down at her plate. "You may not have a choice."

My frown deepened. "We shouldn't worry over speculation."

"We could ask the psychic. She'd know." I shook my head,

"She's already on thin ice with the king, you know that."

"If he never finds out..."

"Eurydice!" I glanced at Robert, standing guard just outside the door. He didn't seem to be paying attention.

"Even if we're not being separated, don't you want to know what's going on? It involves the both of us."

I frowned and sighed. "Okay, what do you want me to do?" She grinned at my resignation.

"There's an elf in the dungeons. He was her lover. He got caught smuggling something out of the kingdom..." I waved my hand and stood, lunch forgotten.

"I understand." Off I was, Robert trailing behind me.

The dungeons were cold, a breeze passing by me and raising goosebumps on my arm. I rubbed my arm and turned to my silent guard, smiling sweetly. "Bring me a blanket, Rob?" His lips pursed. "They're behind bars, I'll be okay for a few minutes." He paused and finally nodded, disappearing up the stairs, and I made my way down the hall, looking for the elf.

Everyone there looked gaunt and underfed. Hungry eyes watched me as I walked by, some asking for water. I frowned, realizing that I'd sent Robert away too soon.

There was only one elf, and he didn't look nearly as bad as the others, which I assumed was due to his being elven. His eyes were dull but alert, fingers moving over the floor sluggishly. He looked faintly familiar, although I was certain I'd never seen him before.

"Princess," he said, voice so soft I had to strain to hear it. "What can I do for you?"

I smiled charmingly. "It's nice to meet you, ser elf. My name is Sayer." He looked up at me through his lashes, but didn't return the niceties.

"I know," was all he said in response. His gaze turned away from me. "Your father and Andromeda speak highly of you. Eurydice, they say, is too headstrong. You? You know how to get what you want." He looked at me sharply. "What do you want?"

"You look very healthy for having been in here so long," I asked, ignoring his question. "How is that?" He looked away again.

"I conserve my energy," he replied after a moment. "I only use energy to pick up my food and eat it. I do not move from this position I'm in." He smiled after a second. "I'm very sore, and very cold, but I've lasted much longer than other prisoners, even the elvish ones." I studied him as Robert apeared at my side with the blanket. I took it and turned to him.

"Please fetch water and fresh bread for these prisoners."

"And what do I tell the cook?" I frowned at him, causing him to cower slightly.

"That I ordered eight loves of fresh bread. If he wants to question me, he can live in the dungeons." Robert nodded quickly and hurried off. I turned to catch the elven prisoner staring at where Robert had stood. After a moment, his gaze flicked back to me.

I held out the blanket to him, and after a second he took it, movements slow and calculated. After positioning it over himself, he let himself relax into the warmth, eyes closing slightly. "So you talk to my father?" I asked.

His hooded gaze raised to look up at me. "It started when he caught Andromeda sneaking me food. After the first couple times, he would come and wait for her. Then he would talk while waiting. At first it was about how worried he was he wouldn't have an heir. After you girls came, he would talk about you nonstop. It was almost as if I watched you girls grow." His gaze grew sorrowful. "I;m very sorry for your loss, Sayer." I shrugged off the comment and glanced down the hall, toward the steps. After a moment of quiet, he continued. "You're a very kind princess." I smiled slightly. "So tell me, Sayer, what are you really doing here? Surely not to spread your kindness to these lowly prisoners."

I thought briefly about what I wanted to say. He hadn't withheld anything from me so far, and there was no point in beating around the bush, since he knew I wasn't there for small talk. After a second, I asked, "What were you smuggling out of the kingdom?"

He smiled wistfully, looking at me but not really seeing me. After a short minute, he focused on me and said, "My son."

My eyes went wide and I blinked. I'd expected some kind of enchanted weapon or potion, or something. Not a child. "Why?" I whispered. He smiled, this one bitter.

"When your adopted father discovered Andromeda was pregnant with my child, he used the knowledge against her. He was planning to take the child and train him to be a warrior, to use his superior strength and abilities against his enemies. We did not want to subject our child to that, so we conspired to say he was still born and get him to the forest, where he would be safe with the elves.

"I knew it would look suspicious if I left my grieving lover after we discovered our child had passed on in the womb, so I arranged for some elves from the forest to meet me at the edge of the city to take the baby. But Jakobi saw through our ruse, and had me followed. The elves managed to get away with my son, but I was caught. Jakobi used my imprisonment to force Andromeda into his service, but because she doesn't know where our son is, she cannot find him."

I stared at him, not a word to say. I had never known my father to do something so cruel. The revelation left me feeling like a weight had fallen on my chest.

"Did you get to name him?" I asked softly. He nodded.

"His name was Bradford, after Andromeda's father." I turned my face away to hide my shock, swallowing. It was good that the elf hadn't been watching me. My gaze fell on Robert, who was making his way down the stairs with water pitchers, a maid following him with the fresh bread.

I went to grab some and a cup of water, bringing it to the elf. He took it from me, eyeing me quietly. "I never got your name, ser elf," I mumbled.

"O'rion, your highness," he replied. "Thank you for the kindness you showed me today."

"Thank you for sharing your story," I whispered back. Robert led me from the dungeons while I pondered what I had learned.