The Shadow Prince
7.
7.
Both of Anya’s hands were still trembling by the time she made it to her bedchamber. She looked down at the hand that The Black Knight held in his as she pressed her back against the closed wooden door. In her mind’s eye, it was almost like she could see the outline of where his hand once was, she could even still feel the heat of his hand against her own.
She pressed a hand to her chest to calm her racing heart and breathing. Everything had happened so quickly, from the angry man in the courtyard to the fleeting interaction with The Black Knight. The Knight whose name she still did not know. At that recollection, she began to feel immensely stupid.
Here she was, developing feelings like a silly little schoolgirl, over a man whose name she did not know. It was stupid. It was foolish. And most of all, it was dangerous. Dangerous because if he was who she thought he might be, any attachment, connection, or loyalty to him could be seen as treason by The Chancellor.
Anya was fortunate. Her father had pulled her from The Capital at a crucial age and brought her back home to serve as Wardoness in his stead. Because of this, she had been shielded from the harsh realities of what other women her age had to go through during this time of war and era of the Empire. She had to constantly remind herself that her life could look very different had her father not brought her home.
She could have been married off to some son of a Lord somewhere as a marriage alliance. She could have been sent to live in the thick of the carnage of the war; forced to endure bribery, lying, gossiping, and backstabbing rampant in The South. Things could have been awful for her, but she was fortunate. So very, very fortunate.
Pushing herself off the door she began to pace her room back and forth. She could not allow herself to become apathetic to life south of Duskcliff. Her comfortable life of privilege and peace could easily be stripped away from her. She had to protect it. She had to protect herself.
Anya did not join Kian for dinner. She didn't join him for dinner for two nights in a row. During the day, between working with the stationed soldiers, Kian sought her out, but it seemed like he was always just missing her. He was beginning to think that she was purposely avoiding him.
“Sir…” A voice called out to Kian as he crossed the courtyard. Turning, Kian saw the Duskcliff Scholar approaching him. Dressed in the famously identifiable dark brown wool robes, the Scholars were well-learned men who studied for over fifteen years at The Capital Citadel. There, these men learned about all the histories of Baccora, as well as science, law, and medicine. Every large estate and noble house had a Scholar who tended to record the estate’s personal history as well as acting as the law interpreter and medicine man.
“Yes?” Kian answered the Scholar.
“I am in search of Lady Anya, I have an urgent message for her.”
“I have also been searching for her.”
“Well, if you see her before I do. Please, inform her I am estimating the first winter storm to hit us in a matter of days, we must make preparations.” The Scholar said. Kian nodded, the Scholar dutifully bowed and went on his way.
Now all Kian had to do was find Anya.
He had wandered the halls of Duskcliff long enough to deduce that there was a strong possibility that Anya wasn't inside the keep. Every time Kian saw a servant pass, he asked if they had seen Anya, but none of them had. Eventually, Kian wandered out into the Sanctuary Garden. Standing at the garden’s entrance, he looked around, but it appeared that Anya was nowhere to be found.
Just as he was about to leave, a flash of color caught his eye. A small strip of green fabric stood out against the white bark of the Sagra tree. Kian took a few steps into the garden and made his way around the tree. Sitting on the far side of the tree’s trunk was Anya. She sat cradled in a seat made up of the tree’s massive ancient roots.
She was wearing a dusty green dress, with her hair braided into a crown on her head. The late afternoon light cascaded down through the vibrant Sagra leaves casting a warm angelic glow all around her. She hadn't yet noticed that he had found her. She was consumed with reading a book that was perched right on her lap.
For a moment, Kian just watched her. She had this look of concentration on her face that he had never noticed before. Her eyebrows were stitched together and her lips in a downward slope. She looked so stern, so serious; yet so beautiful. Watching her for a moment caused something to tighten in his chest.
Shaking the feeling, Kian took a step forward and cleared his throat, causing Anya to jump.
“Oh heavens…” She said, pressing her hand to her chest once she caught sight of him.
“Good book?” Kian asked, shoving his hands in his pockets before leisurely leaning against the tree.
“It is. You’d probably hate it though.” She said with a coy smile.
“Well, what is it about?” He asked, now sliding down the trunk of the tree to sit beside her.
“Umm… it’s… it’s like a fairy tale; but not like a children’s fairy tale. It’s a retelling, from an adult perspective.”
“That tells me nothing about what it’s about.” He chuckled.
“It’s about this girl who made a mistake and killed a sacred animal; she was trying to hunt to feed her family. As punishment for killing the sacred animal, the Lord of the Land makes her come live with him. The Lord is cursed though, and must learn how to fall in love in order to break the curse.” Anya explained.
“And let me guess… the Lord falls in love with the girl.”
“Yes… eventually… although I haven’t gotten to that part yet.” She nervously chuckled.
“Your Scholar was looking for you earlier, did you speak with him today?” Kian asked
“No. I haven’t seen him.”
“He says a storm is coming. You might want to…” At the mention of an impending storm, Anya immediately got up and began gathering herself together to go see the Scholar.
“Yes… I need to speak with him. If he’s right, it would be early for this time of year.” She said. Kian also shot up to his feet and immediately began following Anya back into the keep.
“Are storms here dangerous?” Kian asked.
“They can be. The winds that come off the mountains have been known to topple simple buildings and ruin crops. The wind, coupled with the cold can make it especially deadly here. If the Scholar estimates the storm to be a bad one, we will need to make provisions for the poorest in the village whose homes cannot withstand wind.”
They speedily walked through the halls until they came to the grand library of the estate. Inside, standing in front of some sort of contraption made up of glass, water, and tiny glass spheres filled with different colored substances floating at different depths.
“My Lady,” The Scholar said.
“What’s this about a storm?” Anya asked.
“Look for yourself. The pressures are all off for this time of year. There was a drastic shift this morning, the bobbers went from one end to the other. Around the same time, I noticed a shift in the wind, and the Marble Birds stopped singing too.” The scholar said. Kian tried to keep up with everything that was said. The Scholar pointed to the contraption, the floating balls, and then to a bird cage that was filled with these little blue and orange birds that, had the scholar not pointed to them, Kieran wouldn’t have noticed them at all, they were so silent.
“The birds worry me,” Anya said.
“Birds?” Kian asked
“The Marble birds. They are native only to the Sharpstone Mountains. When a storm is approaching, they seek shelter and stop singing until the storm has passed.”
“There is only one way to know for certain: to go check Dagger’s Pass.” The scholar said.
“I will go myself, I don't trust anyone else's eyes. How long do you suppose we have?” Anya asked.
“Three days.”
“I will leave at first light tomorrow.” She said before abruptly turning to leave the library. Kian nodded at the Scholar before hurrying to follow Anya. He had never seen her so focused, so determined. It was like she was on a mission, and for the first time in a long time, Kian began to wonder if he should be worried at all about things.
“What is going on?” Kian asked her as he caught up to her.
“I’ll have to go make confirmation of an approaching storm through Dagger’s Pass. If the wild Marble Birds aren’t singing, then we know for certain a storm is coming, I will also be able to see the storm clouds forming on the other side of the mountain range.
“Dagger’s Pass, is it dangerous?”
“Not really. It’s just very narrow.”
“I will accompany you then,” Kian said.
“That won’t be necessary, I can be there and back within a few short hours tomorrow morning.”
“I insist.” He said, his voice dark and commanding. Anya immediately stopped walking and looked up at him. He had his hands clasped behind his back and he looked down at her, his eyes finding hers. Had his eyes always been that hazel? Surely they had always been hazel and she was just really noticing them now. For some odd reason, her mouth went dry, and her heart began to race. The intensity at which he was staring at her caused her to start to feel flustered.
“Very well then, we ride out at first light.” She said before starting to turn to walk away.
“And what about dinner?” Kian said.
“What of it?” Anya said, turning back to him.
“You haven’t been down to dinner for two nights now. I’ve come to realize I don't like eating alone.” He said, taking a step toward her, invading her space ever so slightly. He had to stop himself from visibly cringing at his own words. Had he really just made that admission out loud?
“Oh… well…” Anya began to nervously say. She didn’t really know what to say. She had been avoiding him on purpose. Wanting to keep him at an arms distance, a reminder that he was a Black Knight. He was supposed to be dangerous. He was supposed to be mean. He was supposed to be a monster whom parents tell their children stories about to make them behave. Yet he was proving himself to be none of those things.
“Well?” Kian said, stepping closer again. He was so close to her now that she could feel his breath from his nose on her face.
“I wasn’t feeling well, but I will be there tonight.” She answered him. She could hear her heartbeat in her ears and she suddenly felt very hot.
“Good. I’m looking forward to it.” He said with a smirk before taking a step back. Anya let out a breath she hadn't realized she was holding. He continued to smirk at her before slowly turning and walking in the opposite direction down the hall. Without wanting to draw attention to herself, she calmly, but quickly made her way back to her bed chambers.
For the second time in a matter of only a few days, she found herself, yet again, leaning against her door trying to calm her breathing. How she would be able to face him at dinner that night, she did not know; but she knew she was going to have to.
***
As nervous as Anya was over the dinner, it went rather smoothly. They resumed previous conversations from two nights prior and it quickly put Anya at ease. She hoped and prayed that he could not tell how nervous she truly was.
As much as she tried to keep things cordial and professional, Anya couldn’t help but still feel… feelings. She began to notice new things about him, like how the candlelight accentuated the sharp contours of his face, or how when he grew passionate about something, he would flex his hands and lean forward in his chair.
Kian felt immense relief to be joining Anya again for dinner. It annoyed him when she avoided him for those two days, and he couldn’t quite put his finger on exactly why it bothered him so much. He just didn't want to admit it but, he missed her. He missed her witty remarks, her playful banter, and her general kindness.
They were talking about the summer season at Duskcliff and Anya was going into great detail about how lush the gardens got. He almost stopped hearing the words she was saying because he was too busy just staring at her. The candlelight danced in her eyes and off her skin, and her hands moved with light airy movements. He couldn’t quite figure out in his mind whether she wore any sort of makeup or whether eyelashes were naturally that long, and if her lips were naturally that rosy. He found himself thinking about and staring at her lips quite often the rest of that evening.
By the end of the evening, both of them had returned to their separate bed chambers to lay in their beds thinking about the other. Both of them felt a mixture of emotions that conflicted with one another, mainly due to the fact that they were both stuck in impossible circumstances to ever be truly happy.
Morning came quickly, and Kian found that Anya had beat him to the stables for their journey out to Dagger’s Pass. It had been several weeks now since Kian last mounted Onyx. The obsidian-colored beast neighed and puffed out his nostrils at the sight of his master, and the feeling of a saddle on his back again.
Standing in the stall beside Onyx was a rose-gray colored horse. The horse was slightly smaller than Onyx and was a mare. She stood at a decent height, and her build was more sleek and slender than Onyx’s warhorse frame. Anya stood beside the creature, her leather-gloved hand gently caressing the side of its neck. Anya looked at peace and happy beside the creature. She had a tranquil smile on her face as she softly spoke to the animal.
“Her name is Shadow,” Anya said, feeling the Knight’s presence over her shoulder.
“She’s beautiful,” He responded, he too reaching out to stroke the horse’s neck. Had he been commenting on the horse or the horse’s rider?
“We should get going,” Anya said, turning to him. She was surprised to see him fully clad in his armor. The Duskcliff leather workers did a fine job mending the pitch-black leather armor that The Black Knight wore. Now that it was fully cleaned and polished, she could really see the details put into it. The front of it had The Chancellor’s personal insignia of a dragon and worked into the leather were divots to make it look like it was made of lizard scales.
Had she not come to know the man underneath the armor, she could understand how terrifying the appearance of a Black Knight could be. She thought for a moment to herself how peculiar it was going to look, her riding out dressed in a light lavender cloak and grey riding suit, and he clad entirely in black and towering over her in height and stature.
Anya grabbed Shadow’s reins and went to lift her foot into the horse’s stirrups when she felt two strong hands around her waist. In one effortless moment, Kian lifted Anya up onto her horse before nonchalantly walking away to mount Onyx. Kian thought it would have been the most chivalrous thing to do, to help a lady onto her horse. Yet as his hands met her waist and his heart beat wildly in his chest, a nervousness he hadn’t felt since the first time he faced battle blooded through his veins. He had to quickly turn away to take up Onyx’s reins.
“Lead the way.” He said. Anya gave herself no time to think about the interaction that had just taken place, instead, she shoved it to the back of her mind and nudged Shadow in the side with the heel of her foot, urging the beast to trot along.
They rode in silence, the early morning air crisp, and the light of the sun bright and warming. As they rode, the hot breath of their horses could be seen puffing out of their nostrils, and the sound of their hooves against the stone roadway echoed off the landscape around them. Morning songbirds began to take flight and fill the air with their song, but nothing could be heard coming from the two riders.
Anya rode ahead while Kian kept up close behind, something that was frustrating to Onyx. Kian and Onyx spent most of their lives together alone on the road, Onyx wasn't accustomed to having to be a follower and not a leader.
“Easy…” Kieran softly said to his horse as the beast gnawed at its bit.
“Did you say something?” Anya said, turning around in her saddle.
“To Onyx, he’s growing restless.”
“Well, we are almost to where we will have to leave them for the rest of the journey.”
“Leave them?”
“The path up to Dagger’s Pass is too narrow for a horse, we will have to go by foot.” She explained. They had already been riding for over an hour, and Kian was beginning to wonder what he had gotten himself into. Had he known they were going to have to travel by foot, he wouldn’t have worn his armor. As fearsome and protective as his armor was, it was cumbersome and heavy.
As they traveled, the terrain became more rocky and sparse vegetation. It was clear that they had gradually climbed in altitude. The road became narrower and narrower and the peaks of the mountains drew closer.
“We go by foot from here,” Anya said, bringing Shadow to a halt and dismounting. Walking the horse to the side, she tied her horse off at a nearby post that was put there purposely for access to the pass. Kian also did the same. There were few times in his life when he ever felt nervous and uncertain. This now became one of those times. He was unaccustomed to not being in charge, so to wholeheartedly follow Anya into a land unfamiliar to him, felt foreign.
“It’s an hour up.” She said, leading the way further down the road. It didn’t take long for the road to become nothing more than a shoddy footpath. Soon boulders and large rocks blocked their path, and it was clear that the path was becoming steep as they had begun to scale the mountain. On more than one occasion, Kian had to stop to catch his breath, yet Anya was able to continue climbing.
The pathway got so steep at one point, they began to almost crawl using their hands and feet. Reaching upwards to grip the rocks, and ensure they had good footings, they continued onward. Anya reached up and stuck her hand between two strong boulders, but the opening she stuck her hand into gave way. She lost her grip and slipped backward. Acting quickly, Kian reached out and steadied her, ensuring she wouldn’t tumble all the way down.
“Are you okay?” Kian asked her.
“Yes. Thank you.” She said, reaching forward again to pull herself further up the path.
They finally reached a plateau in their climb, an ideal spot to catch their breath. Turning around, Kian grew uneasy at the sight of how far up they had climbed.
“You can see Duskcliff from here,” Anya said, pointing towards the ancient estate, which from that height looked like a mere dollhouse. Kian stood in awe at the sight, it was like he could see all of Baccora from there.
“Just a little further,” Anya said, Kian hesitated for a moment before turning to continue following Anya. Anya walked toward was seemed to be like a crack in the rock, but in reality, it was the path continuing onward, through the mountain.
It was tight, both walls of the rock scraped at Kian’s chest and back as she squeezed his way through. They worked their way towards the opening at the other side, light streaming through along with a frigid breeze. It got narrower toward the end to the point that Kian had to use his strength to push his body through. His eyes took a moment to adjust to the bright light. As he squinted and focused, a sight unlike any he had ever seen before came into focus.
They stood on an overlook of sorts, almost like a cliff that dropped off the mountain’s face. From this viewpoint, they were now looking out into The Void. Kian’s jaw hung slack in wonder at the sight that he saw.
A thick forest of Sagra trees as far as his eyes could see set the land on fire with their red, orange, and pink leaves. The forest was dense, a total sea of trees, consuming any and all other types of vegetation. His eyes also went skyward, looking at the bright blue sky but then meeting a dark greying sky out in the distance.
The storm
“I guess you don’t need those birds to tell you a storm is coming,” Kian said
“It’ll arrive at Duskcliff before nightfall,” Anya concluded. A harsh wind burst over the trees and slapped them in the face with an icy blast.
“We should head back,” Kian said, blinking away the tears the wind caused.
“We have to hurry. Storms can move quickly.” Anya said. Kian didn’t want to turn back just yet, the view into The Void was absolutely breathtaking. Again he hesitated, taking in the sight once more to ensure it was imprinted on his mind, before following Anya back into the crack in the mountain.
She had already hurried back in before he did. He hadn't realized how long he had lingered looking out into The Void, it was obvious that she managed to make her way through faster than him.
“Anya…. Wait…” Kian grumbled as he heaved himself through the tight space.
Breaking through onto the other side, he saw Anya just standing completely still, frozen in place. Her back was to him and her palms facing him, silently urging him into stillness. Something had changed in the air, Kian could feel it. Following Anya’s line of sight, Kian looked down toward what she was frozen in fear over.
A Mountain Bear.
Mountain Bears were creatures of legend. They were solitary creatures, growing to be some of the largest animals in Baccora, they moved stealthily, stalking their prey. Their jaws, claws, and teeth were razor-sharp and could easily slice through armor and bend steel.
“Don’t move,” Anya whispered to Kian. Kian did as he was told, freezing in place, but slowly, ever so slowly, moving his hand to grip the hilt of his sword.
The beast had its back to them and its nose sniffing the path. It was clear that it had caught their scent trail and was stalking them.
“Get behind me,” Kian whispered.
“No…. We can not move.” Anya said. The bear was slowly starting to turn toward them, and soon they would both be in its line of sight.
“Get behind me,” Kian commanded once again. Anya’s heart was racing, the bear was getting closer as it sniffed their trail. There was a possibility that they could make it to safety by going back through the crack, but for how long would they be trapped by the bear on the other side? Anya moved quickly, jumping behind The Knight.
This caught the bear’s attention. Catching their sight, the bear roared in dominance and began to charge toward them. Kian unsheathed his sword, the ringing of the metal echoing off the rocks around them.
Anya watched with wide eyes as The Black Knight unleashed his fighting skills against the bear. The bear slashed its paws, swiping at The Knight’s sword, its claws clipping the metal, sending a loud ringing echoing through the mountains. Anya backed up against the wall of rock behind her as the battle between man and bear raged in front of her.
Kian was a formidable fighter. Throwing all his rage into fighting the beast and protecting Anya from harm. For a brief moment, he stumbled, tripping on a rock and falling backward. On his back, Kian raised his sword. The bear jumped on him, pinning him to the ground, his jaws clenched around the blade of his sword.
The beast’s killer jaws were growing closer and closer to Kian’s face and neck as he used all his strength to hold the bear at bay with his sword. The bear’s hot breath and saliva dripped down onto Kian, and the beast’s paws ripped and tore at the rock and ground around him.
Anya knew she had to do something, she had to jump in somehow. She carried a simple dagger on her thigh. Releasing it she rushed forward and jumped onto the bear’s back, plunging the blade into the back of the bear’s head.
The bear released the sword and lurched onto its hind legs, throwing Anya from its back. It let out a loud roar as it tumbled backward, and staggered away before dropping dead. Anya quickly scrambled to her feet and assessed the situation. Confirming the bear was dead, Anya leaned against the rock wall to catch her breath.
Kian quickly stood, dropping his sword, the metal clanging against the ground. He was covered in dirt, bear saliva, and his own sweat. Running his fingers through his hair, he pushed his locks out of his face and turned towards Anya. She had been fearless and quick thinking. She had saved his life.
He found his feet moving before his mind caught up with everything. He took three large strides toward her. Anya stood up straight, her heart racing as he aggressively approached her, reaching for her. Scooping one hand behind her neck and the other at the small of her back, Kian brought her to him and brought his mouth to hers. Kissing her with such passion it made her dizzy. Anya reached up and wrapped her arms around his neck and melted into the kiss, kissing him back like he was the cure to an affliction she had long suffered.
Anya was beginning to get lost in the kiss, allowing herself to accept it and even want more of it, but reality quickly set in. As the adrenaline wore off, Anya came to her senses and broke the kiss. Pushing him off of her she stepped away, holding her hand to her mouth in disbelief.
The kiss had been something she had foolishly fantasized about. She never thought it would actually happen. The girlish excitement and happiness that she felt at that moment quickly faded as thoughts about treason and The Chancellor set in.
“I’m sorry… we shouldn’t have done that.” She said, her back to him. For a moment Kian was confused. Was she rejecting him? She couldn’t be. No… when he kissed her she kissed him back, he felt how her arms wrapped around him, pulling him closer. Her hesitancy was due to something else.
“The apologies belong to me. I acted with indiscretion.” He said, taking a small step toward her, hoping she would turn back to face him. Slowly, Anya turned back to him, her hand still lightly pressed to her lips.
“Is it not treason for a Black Knight to develop attachments toward another?” She asked. Anya could forgive the kiss if he had just acted out of fleshly desire and a moment of weakness. What she could not forgive was the possibility of him having any real feelings for her, because that would mean she would have to face her own feelings she had for him.
“It is…”
“Then why did you do that?”
“Because… because…” Kian began, trying to organize his thoughts to figure out how to answer her. His feelings for her had been festering inside for a while. From the moment they met, practically. Yet he had not yet figured out how to verbalize them. “Because… you are unlike any other woman I have met in the realm. Because you are the most beautiful woman I have ever met. Because you are kind and strong, and good. But mostly because you treat me like a human.” The words bubbled forth from his lips.
“These past few weeks I have tried to ignore my feelings for you and maintain my loyalty to The Chancellor and my vows as a Black Knight, but I can not ignore them any longer.” He added. His sincerity took her breath away. She did not know what to say in reply, she did not even know how to reply.
“I do not even know your name.” She softly said
“I think you do know it.” He slowly said, taking a step toward her.
“If I do know your name… it is treason to say it.” She whispered. He was upon her now, towering over her, his eyes kind but intense as he searched her face.
“Say it. There is no one to hear.”
“I… I…”
“Say.. it… I want nothing more than to hear what it sounds like in your voice.” He practically begged, his voice slightly cracking. It then dawned on her: when was the last time he actually heard someone say his name? Someone who was a friend?
“Prince Kian,” She said quickly. Kian’s eyes fluttered shut at the sound of his name on her lips.
“Again.” He asked.
“Prince…”
“No… no titles… just my name.” His voice broke with emotion.
“Kian” It sounded like a melody when she said it, causing the hair at the back of his neck to stand up.
“Yes…” He said, almost shedding a tear. Anya reached out and took both his hands in hers and gazed up into his eyes.
“Kian.” She affirmed. Stepping forward and standing on the tips of her toes, Anya kissed him again. Quickly this time, being careful not to linger longer than what might be appropriate. Yet, nothing about their situation was appropriate.
The wind whipped up the mountain, blasting them with its icy breath and taking them by surprise. Anya jumped forward into Kieran’s eagerly waiting embrace and they held each other briefly for warmth as the wind abated.
“We need to get back before the storm sets in,” Kieran said, taking her hand and leading her down the path.
“Saying nothing more about what had just transpired between them, they slowly made their way back down to their horses and back to Duskcliff.
Both of Anya’s hands were still trembling by the time she made it to her bedchamber. She looked down at the hand that The Black Knight held in his as she pressed her back against the closed wooden door. In her mind’s eye, it was almost like she could see the outline of where his hand once was, she could even still feel the heat of his hand against her own.
She pressed a hand to her chest to calm her racing heart and breathing. Everything had happened so quickly, from the angry man in the courtyard to the fleeting interaction with The Black Knight. The Knight whose name she still did not know. At that recollection, she began to feel immensely stupid.
Here she was, developing feelings like a silly little schoolgirl, over a man whose name she did not know. It was stupid. It was foolish. And most of all, it was dangerous. Dangerous because if he was who she thought he might be, any attachment, connection, or loyalty to him could be seen as treason by The Chancellor.
Anya was fortunate. Her father had pulled her from The Capital at a crucial age and brought her back home to serve as Wardoness in his stead. Because of this, she had been shielded from the harsh realities of what other women her age had to go through during this time of war and era of the Empire. She had to constantly remind herself that her life could look very different had her father not brought her home.
She could have been married off to some son of a Lord somewhere as a marriage alliance. She could have been sent to live in the thick of the carnage of the war; forced to endure bribery, lying, gossiping, and backstabbing rampant in The South. Things could have been awful for her, but she was fortunate. So very, very fortunate.
Pushing herself off the door she began to pace her room back and forth. She could not allow herself to become apathetic to life south of Duskcliff. Her comfortable life of privilege and peace could easily be stripped away from her. She had to protect it. She had to protect herself.
Anya did not join Kian for dinner. She didn't join him for dinner for two nights in a row. During the day, between working with the stationed soldiers, Kian sought her out, but it seemed like he was always just missing her. He was beginning to think that she was purposely avoiding him.
“Sir…” A voice called out to Kian as he crossed the courtyard. Turning, Kian saw the Duskcliff Scholar approaching him. Dressed in the famously identifiable dark brown wool robes, the Scholars were well-learned men who studied for over fifteen years at The Capital Citadel. There, these men learned about all the histories of Baccora, as well as science, law, and medicine. Every large estate and noble house had a Scholar who tended to record the estate’s personal history as well as acting as the law interpreter and medicine man.
“Yes?” Kian answered the Scholar.
“I am in search of Lady Anya, I have an urgent message for her.”
“I have also been searching for her.”
“Well, if you see her before I do. Please, inform her I am estimating the first winter storm to hit us in a matter of days, we must make preparations.” The Scholar said. Kian nodded, the Scholar dutifully bowed and went on his way.
Now all Kian had to do was find Anya.
He had wandered the halls of Duskcliff long enough to deduce that there was a strong possibility that Anya wasn't inside the keep. Every time Kian saw a servant pass, he asked if they had seen Anya, but none of them had. Eventually, Kian wandered out into the Sanctuary Garden. Standing at the garden’s entrance, he looked around, but it appeared that Anya was nowhere to be found.
Just as he was about to leave, a flash of color caught his eye. A small strip of green fabric stood out against the white bark of the Sagra tree. Kian took a few steps into the garden and made his way around the tree. Sitting on the far side of the tree’s trunk was Anya. She sat cradled in a seat made up of the tree’s massive ancient roots.
She was wearing a dusty green dress, with her hair braided into a crown on her head. The late afternoon light cascaded down through the vibrant Sagra leaves casting a warm angelic glow all around her. She hadn't yet noticed that he had found her. She was consumed with reading a book that was perched right on her lap.
For a moment, Kian just watched her. She had this look of concentration on her face that he had never noticed before. Her eyebrows were stitched together and her lips in a downward slope. She looked so stern, so serious; yet so beautiful. Watching her for a moment caused something to tighten in his chest.
Shaking the feeling, Kian took a step forward and cleared his throat, causing Anya to jump.
“Oh heavens…” She said, pressing her hand to her chest once she caught sight of him.
“Good book?” Kian asked, shoving his hands in his pockets before leisurely leaning against the tree.
“It is. You’d probably hate it though.” She said with a coy smile.
“Well, what is it about?” He asked, now sliding down the trunk of the tree to sit beside her.
“Umm… it’s… it’s like a fairy tale; but not like a children’s fairy tale. It’s a retelling, from an adult perspective.”
“That tells me nothing about what it’s about.” He chuckled.
“It’s about this girl who made a mistake and killed a sacred animal; she was trying to hunt to feed her family. As punishment for killing the sacred animal, the Lord of the Land makes her come live with him. The Lord is cursed though, and must learn how to fall in love in order to break the curse.” Anya explained.
“And let me guess… the Lord falls in love with the girl.”
“Yes… eventually… although I haven’t gotten to that part yet.” She nervously chuckled.
“Your Scholar was looking for you earlier, did you speak with him today?” Kian asked
“No. I haven’t seen him.”
“He says a storm is coming. You might want to…” At the mention of an impending storm, Anya immediately got up and began gathering herself together to go see the Scholar.
“Yes… I need to speak with him. If he’s right, it would be early for this time of year.” She said. Kian also shot up to his feet and immediately began following Anya back into the keep.
“Are storms here dangerous?” Kian asked.
“They can be. The winds that come off the mountains have been known to topple simple buildings and ruin crops. The wind, coupled with the cold can make it especially deadly here. If the Scholar estimates the storm to be a bad one, we will need to make provisions for the poorest in the village whose homes cannot withstand wind.”
They speedily walked through the halls until they came to the grand library of the estate. Inside, standing in front of some sort of contraption made up of glass, water, and tiny glass spheres filled with different colored substances floating at different depths.
“My Lady,” The Scholar said.
“What’s this about a storm?” Anya asked.
“Look for yourself. The pressures are all off for this time of year. There was a drastic shift this morning, the bobbers went from one end to the other. Around the same time, I noticed a shift in the wind, and the Marble Birds stopped singing too.” The scholar said. Kian tried to keep up with everything that was said. The Scholar pointed to the contraption, the floating balls, and then to a bird cage that was filled with these little blue and orange birds that, had the scholar not pointed to them, Kieran wouldn’t have noticed them at all, they were so silent.
“The birds worry me,” Anya said.
“Birds?” Kian asked
“The Marble birds. They are native only to the Sharpstone Mountains. When a storm is approaching, they seek shelter and stop singing until the storm has passed.”
“There is only one way to know for certain: to go check Dagger’s Pass.” The scholar said.
“I will go myself, I don't trust anyone else's eyes. How long do you suppose we have?” Anya asked.
“Three days.”
“I will leave at first light tomorrow.” She said before abruptly turning to leave the library. Kian nodded at the Scholar before hurrying to follow Anya. He had never seen her so focused, so determined. It was like she was on a mission, and for the first time in a long time, Kian began to wonder if he should be worried at all about things.
“What is going on?” Kian asked her as he caught up to her.
“I’ll have to go make confirmation of an approaching storm through Dagger’s Pass. If the wild Marble Birds aren’t singing, then we know for certain a storm is coming, I will also be able to see the storm clouds forming on the other side of the mountain range.
“Dagger’s Pass, is it dangerous?”
“Not really. It’s just very narrow.”
“I will accompany you then,” Kian said.
“That won’t be necessary, I can be there and back within a few short hours tomorrow morning.”
“I insist.” He said, his voice dark and commanding. Anya immediately stopped walking and looked up at him. He had his hands clasped behind his back and he looked down at her, his eyes finding hers. Had his eyes always been that hazel? Surely they had always been hazel and she was just really noticing them now. For some odd reason, her mouth went dry, and her heart began to race. The intensity at which he was staring at her caused her to start to feel flustered.
“Very well then, we ride out at first light.” She said before starting to turn to walk away.
“And what about dinner?” Kian said.
“What of it?” Anya said, turning back to him.
“You haven’t been down to dinner for two nights now. I’ve come to realize I don't like eating alone.” He said, taking a step toward her, invading her space ever so slightly. He had to stop himself from visibly cringing at his own words. Had he really just made that admission out loud?
“Oh… well…” Anya began to nervously say. She didn’t really know what to say. She had been avoiding him on purpose. Wanting to keep him at an arms distance, a reminder that he was a Black Knight. He was supposed to be dangerous. He was supposed to be mean. He was supposed to be a monster whom parents tell their children stories about to make them behave. Yet he was proving himself to be none of those things.
“Well?” Kian said, stepping closer again. He was so close to her now that she could feel his breath from his nose on her face.
“I wasn’t feeling well, but I will be there tonight.” She answered him. She could hear her heartbeat in her ears and she suddenly felt very hot.
“Good. I’m looking forward to it.” He said with a smirk before taking a step back. Anya let out a breath she hadn't realized she was holding. He continued to smirk at her before slowly turning and walking in the opposite direction down the hall. Without wanting to draw attention to herself, she calmly, but quickly made her way back to her bed chambers.
For the second time in a matter of only a few days, she found herself, yet again, leaning against her door trying to calm her breathing. How she would be able to face him at dinner that night, she did not know; but she knew she was going to have to.
***
As nervous as Anya was over the dinner, it went rather smoothly. They resumed previous conversations from two nights prior and it quickly put Anya at ease. She hoped and prayed that he could not tell how nervous she truly was.
As much as she tried to keep things cordial and professional, Anya couldn’t help but still feel… feelings. She began to notice new things about him, like how the candlelight accentuated the sharp contours of his face, or how when he grew passionate about something, he would flex his hands and lean forward in his chair.
Kian felt immense relief to be joining Anya again for dinner. It annoyed him when she avoided him for those two days, and he couldn’t quite put his finger on exactly why it bothered him so much. He just didn't want to admit it but, he missed her. He missed her witty remarks, her playful banter, and her general kindness.
They were talking about the summer season at Duskcliff and Anya was going into great detail about how lush the gardens got. He almost stopped hearing the words she was saying because he was too busy just staring at her. The candlelight danced in her eyes and off her skin, and her hands moved with light airy movements. He couldn’t quite figure out in his mind whether she wore any sort of makeup or whether eyelashes were naturally that long, and if her lips were naturally that rosy. He found himself thinking about and staring at her lips quite often the rest of that evening.
By the end of the evening, both of them had returned to their separate bed chambers to lay in their beds thinking about the other. Both of them felt a mixture of emotions that conflicted with one another, mainly due to the fact that they were both stuck in impossible circumstances to ever be truly happy.
Morning came quickly, and Kian found that Anya had beat him to the stables for their journey out to Dagger’s Pass. It had been several weeks now since Kian last mounted Onyx. The obsidian-colored beast neighed and puffed out his nostrils at the sight of his master, and the feeling of a saddle on his back again.
Standing in the stall beside Onyx was a rose-gray colored horse. The horse was slightly smaller than Onyx and was a mare. She stood at a decent height, and her build was more sleek and slender than Onyx’s warhorse frame. Anya stood beside the creature, her leather-gloved hand gently caressing the side of its neck. Anya looked at peace and happy beside the creature. She had a tranquil smile on her face as she softly spoke to the animal.
“Her name is Shadow,” Anya said, feeling the Knight’s presence over her shoulder.
“She’s beautiful,” He responded, he too reaching out to stroke the horse’s neck. Had he been commenting on the horse or the horse’s rider?
“We should get going,” Anya said, turning to him. She was surprised to see him fully clad in his armor. The Duskcliff leather workers did a fine job mending the pitch-black leather armor that The Black Knight wore. Now that it was fully cleaned and polished, she could really see the details put into it. The front of it had The Chancellor’s personal insignia of a dragon and worked into the leather were divots to make it look like it was made of lizard scales.
Had she not come to know the man underneath the armor, she could understand how terrifying the appearance of a Black Knight could be. She thought for a moment to herself how peculiar it was going to look, her riding out dressed in a light lavender cloak and grey riding suit, and he clad entirely in black and towering over her in height and stature.
Anya grabbed Shadow’s reins and went to lift her foot into the horse’s stirrups when she felt two strong hands around her waist. In one effortless moment, Kian lifted Anya up onto her horse before nonchalantly walking away to mount Onyx. Kian thought it would have been the most chivalrous thing to do, to help a lady onto her horse. Yet as his hands met her waist and his heart beat wildly in his chest, a nervousness he hadn’t felt since the first time he faced battle blooded through his veins. He had to quickly turn away to take up Onyx’s reins.
“Lead the way.” He said. Anya gave herself no time to think about the interaction that had just taken place, instead, she shoved it to the back of her mind and nudged Shadow in the side with the heel of her foot, urging the beast to trot along.
They rode in silence, the early morning air crisp, and the light of the sun bright and warming. As they rode, the hot breath of their horses could be seen puffing out of their nostrils, and the sound of their hooves against the stone roadway echoed off the landscape around them. Morning songbirds began to take flight and fill the air with their song, but nothing could be heard coming from the two riders.
Anya rode ahead while Kian kept up close behind, something that was frustrating to Onyx. Kian and Onyx spent most of their lives together alone on the road, Onyx wasn't accustomed to having to be a follower and not a leader.
“Easy…” Kieran softly said to his horse as the beast gnawed at its bit.
“Did you say something?” Anya said, turning around in her saddle.
“To Onyx, he’s growing restless.”
“Well, we are almost to where we will have to leave them for the rest of the journey.”
“Leave them?”
“The path up to Dagger’s Pass is too narrow for a horse, we will have to go by foot.” She explained. They had already been riding for over an hour, and Kian was beginning to wonder what he had gotten himself into. Had he known they were going to have to travel by foot, he wouldn’t have worn his armor. As fearsome and protective as his armor was, it was cumbersome and heavy.
As they traveled, the terrain became more rocky and sparse vegetation. It was clear that they had gradually climbed in altitude. The road became narrower and narrower and the peaks of the mountains drew closer.
“We go by foot from here,” Anya said, bringing Shadow to a halt and dismounting. Walking the horse to the side, she tied her horse off at a nearby post that was put there purposely for access to the pass. Kian also did the same. There were few times in his life when he ever felt nervous and uncertain. This now became one of those times. He was unaccustomed to not being in charge, so to wholeheartedly follow Anya into a land unfamiliar to him, felt foreign.
“It’s an hour up.” She said, leading the way further down the road. It didn’t take long for the road to become nothing more than a shoddy footpath. Soon boulders and large rocks blocked their path, and it was clear that the path was becoming steep as they had begun to scale the mountain. On more than one occasion, Kian had to stop to catch his breath, yet Anya was able to continue climbing.
The pathway got so steep at one point, they began to almost crawl using their hands and feet. Reaching upwards to grip the rocks, and ensure they had good footings, they continued onward. Anya reached up and stuck her hand between two strong boulders, but the opening she stuck her hand into gave way. She lost her grip and slipped backward. Acting quickly, Kian reached out and steadied her, ensuring she wouldn’t tumble all the way down.
“Are you okay?” Kian asked her.
“Yes. Thank you.” She said, reaching forward again to pull herself further up the path.
They finally reached a plateau in their climb, an ideal spot to catch their breath. Turning around, Kian grew uneasy at the sight of how far up they had climbed.
“You can see Duskcliff from here,” Anya said, pointing towards the ancient estate, which from that height looked like a mere dollhouse. Kian stood in awe at the sight, it was like he could see all of Baccora from there.
“Just a little further,” Anya said, Kian hesitated for a moment before turning to continue following Anya. Anya walked toward was seemed to be like a crack in the rock, but in reality, it was the path continuing onward, through the mountain.
It was tight, both walls of the rock scraped at Kian’s chest and back as she squeezed his way through. They worked their way towards the opening at the other side, light streaming through along with a frigid breeze. It got narrower toward the end to the point that Kian had to use his strength to push his body through. His eyes took a moment to adjust to the bright light. As he squinted and focused, a sight unlike any he had ever seen before came into focus.
They stood on an overlook of sorts, almost like a cliff that dropped off the mountain’s face. From this viewpoint, they were now looking out into The Void. Kian’s jaw hung slack in wonder at the sight that he saw.
A thick forest of Sagra trees as far as his eyes could see set the land on fire with their red, orange, and pink leaves. The forest was dense, a total sea of trees, consuming any and all other types of vegetation. His eyes also went skyward, looking at the bright blue sky but then meeting a dark greying sky out in the distance.
The storm
“I guess you don’t need those birds to tell you a storm is coming,” Kian said
“It’ll arrive at Duskcliff before nightfall,” Anya concluded. A harsh wind burst over the trees and slapped them in the face with an icy blast.
“We should head back,” Kian said, blinking away the tears the wind caused.
“We have to hurry. Storms can move quickly.” Anya said. Kian didn’t want to turn back just yet, the view into The Void was absolutely breathtaking. Again he hesitated, taking in the sight once more to ensure it was imprinted on his mind, before following Anya back into the crack in the mountain.
She had already hurried back in before he did. He hadn't realized how long he had lingered looking out into The Void, it was obvious that she managed to make her way through faster than him.
“Anya…. Wait…” Kian grumbled as he heaved himself through the tight space.
Breaking through onto the other side, he saw Anya just standing completely still, frozen in place. Her back was to him and her palms facing him, silently urging him into stillness. Something had changed in the air, Kian could feel it. Following Anya’s line of sight, Kian looked down toward what she was frozen in fear over.
A Mountain Bear.
Mountain Bears were creatures of legend. They were solitary creatures, growing to be some of the largest animals in Baccora, they moved stealthily, stalking their prey. Their jaws, claws, and teeth were razor-sharp and could easily slice through armor and bend steel.
“Don’t move,” Anya whispered to Kian. Kian did as he was told, freezing in place, but slowly, ever so slowly, moving his hand to grip the hilt of his sword.
The beast had its back to them and its nose sniffing the path. It was clear that it had caught their scent trail and was stalking them.
“Get behind me,” Kian whispered.
“No…. We can not move.” Anya said. The bear was slowly starting to turn toward them, and soon they would both be in its line of sight.
“Get behind me,” Kian commanded once again. Anya’s heart was racing, the bear was getting closer as it sniffed their trail. There was a possibility that they could make it to safety by going back through the crack, but for how long would they be trapped by the bear on the other side? Anya moved quickly, jumping behind The Knight.
This caught the bear’s attention. Catching their sight, the bear roared in dominance and began to charge toward them. Kian unsheathed his sword, the ringing of the metal echoing off the rocks around them.
Anya watched with wide eyes as The Black Knight unleashed his fighting skills against the bear. The bear slashed its paws, swiping at The Knight’s sword, its claws clipping the metal, sending a loud ringing echoing through the mountains. Anya backed up against the wall of rock behind her as the battle between man and bear raged in front of her.
Kian was a formidable fighter. Throwing all his rage into fighting the beast and protecting Anya from harm. For a brief moment, he stumbled, tripping on a rock and falling backward. On his back, Kian raised his sword. The bear jumped on him, pinning him to the ground, his jaws clenched around the blade of his sword.
The beast’s killer jaws were growing closer and closer to Kian’s face and neck as he used all his strength to hold the bear at bay with his sword. The bear’s hot breath and saliva dripped down onto Kian, and the beast’s paws ripped and tore at the rock and ground around him.
Anya knew she had to do something, she had to jump in somehow. She carried a simple dagger on her thigh. Releasing it she rushed forward and jumped onto the bear’s back, plunging the blade into the back of the bear’s head.
The bear released the sword and lurched onto its hind legs, throwing Anya from its back. It let out a loud roar as it tumbled backward, and staggered away before dropping dead. Anya quickly scrambled to her feet and assessed the situation. Confirming the bear was dead, Anya leaned against the rock wall to catch her breath.
Kian quickly stood, dropping his sword, the metal clanging against the ground. He was covered in dirt, bear saliva, and his own sweat. Running his fingers through his hair, he pushed his locks out of his face and turned towards Anya. She had been fearless and quick thinking. She had saved his life.
He found his feet moving before his mind caught up with everything. He took three large strides toward her. Anya stood up straight, her heart racing as he aggressively approached her, reaching for her. Scooping one hand behind her neck and the other at the small of her back, Kian brought her to him and brought his mouth to hers. Kissing her with such passion it made her dizzy. Anya reached up and wrapped her arms around his neck and melted into the kiss, kissing him back like he was the cure to an affliction she had long suffered.
Anya was beginning to get lost in the kiss, allowing herself to accept it and even want more of it, but reality quickly set in. As the adrenaline wore off, Anya came to her senses and broke the kiss. Pushing him off of her she stepped away, holding her hand to her mouth in disbelief.
The kiss had been something she had foolishly fantasized about. She never thought it would actually happen. The girlish excitement and happiness that she felt at that moment quickly faded as thoughts about treason and The Chancellor set in.
“I’m sorry… we shouldn’t have done that.” She said, her back to him. For a moment Kian was confused. Was she rejecting him? She couldn’t be. No… when he kissed her she kissed him back, he felt how her arms wrapped around him, pulling him closer. Her hesitancy was due to something else.
“The apologies belong to me. I acted with indiscretion.” He said, taking a small step toward her, hoping she would turn back to face him. Slowly, Anya turned back to him, her hand still lightly pressed to her lips.
“Is it not treason for a Black Knight to develop attachments toward another?” She asked. Anya could forgive the kiss if he had just acted out of fleshly desire and a moment of weakness. What she could not forgive was the possibility of him having any real feelings for her, because that would mean she would have to face her own feelings she had for him.
“It is…”
“Then why did you do that?”
“Because… because…” Kian began, trying to organize his thoughts to figure out how to answer her. His feelings for her had been festering inside for a while. From the moment they met, practically. Yet he had not yet figured out how to verbalize them. “Because… you are unlike any other woman I have met in the realm. Because you are the most beautiful woman I have ever met. Because you are kind and strong, and good. But mostly because you treat me like a human.” The words bubbled forth from his lips.
“These past few weeks I have tried to ignore my feelings for you and maintain my loyalty to The Chancellor and my vows as a Black Knight, but I can not ignore them any longer.” He added. His sincerity took her breath away. She did not know what to say in reply, she did not even know how to reply.
“I do not even know your name.” She softly said
“I think you do know it.” He slowly said, taking a step toward her.
“If I do know your name… it is treason to say it.” She whispered. He was upon her now, towering over her, his eyes kind but intense as he searched her face.
“Say it. There is no one to hear.”
“I… I…”
“Say.. it… I want nothing more than to hear what it sounds like in your voice.” He practically begged, his voice slightly cracking. It then dawned on her: when was the last time he actually heard someone say his name? Someone who was a friend?
“Prince Kian,” She said quickly. Kian’s eyes fluttered shut at the sound of his name on her lips.
“Again.” He asked.
“Prince…”
“No… no titles… just my name.” His voice broke with emotion.
“Kian” It sounded like a melody when she said it, causing the hair at the back of his neck to stand up.
“Yes…” He said, almost shedding a tear. Anya reached out and took both his hands in hers and gazed up into his eyes.
“Kian.” She affirmed. Stepping forward and standing on the tips of her toes, Anya kissed him again. Quickly this time, being careful not to linger longer than what might be appropriate. Yet, nothing about their situation was appropriate.
The wind whipped up the mountain, blasting them with its icy breath and taking them by surprise. Anya jumped forward into Kieran’s eagerly waiting embrace and they held each other briefly for warmth as the wind abated.
“We need to get back before the storm sets in,” Kieran said, taking her hand and leading her down the path.
“Saying nothing more about what had just transpired between them, they slowly made their way back down to their horses and back to Duskcliff.