Royal Affliction (The Anti-Princess Saga) (12 page)

“You would you really die for my daughter?”

“Yes, my King.  I would.”

My father analyzed him with his eyes.  “I may have been wrong about you, Clifton.  If you aid my daughter well, and come back alive, I may be persuaded to change my mind about you.”

“I hope that I can serve her well.”  He gave my father a low bow.

I turned to see the men who had joined me: the strong and rugged Kafkus, the two-toned and boyish Quino, and my handsome and kind Clifton.

Loud striding footsteps came from the hallway opposite the room.  It was Violet.  She glanced first at my three men and then to me.  “I want to help,” she panted.  “I am going with you.”

“Are you sure?” I asked, remembering her apprehension of the previous night.

“I am coming.  There are no guarantees on me staying, but you could use a witch.  It will make things much easier.”

“Thank you,” I said, grateful for her inner sacrifice.

There were five of us now, and that felt like a good number.  I had no doubt in my mind that we could accomplish anything that we needed to.

My father stood up again and the chatter that had broken out ceased at once.  “We shall feast in your honor, and then you will be off.  Barossa, please inform the cooks.”

Barossa stood and left the room.

“Thank you, father.”

He smiled while holding his hand out to me.  “Come here, my Princess.”

I walked over to him and he pulled me onto his lap.  I always felt like I was about ten when I was around him.  Sometimes it was comforting, and sometimes it was downright annoying.  Right now, I accepted the comfort.  If we failed, this was likely the last time that I would see my father.  I rested my head on his shoulder, and he rested his chin on my head.

“When this is all over, will you return to us and stay for good?” he asked.  “We miss your presence around here, Quartessa. 
I
miss you.”

Well, he had said that he might accept Clifton after he had helped me.  “I can promise nothing, father.  But I will think about it.”  I couldn’t commit to anything now.  I needed to deal with one thing at a time.

“That is the best answer I have gotten from you yet.”  I gave him a peck on the cheek that made him smile.

“You filthy squelch!  I shall show you what you lack!”  The loud commotion made me jerk my neck.

Violet was standing in front of Clifton, trying to hold him back while Quino was standing in front of Kafkus, trying to calm him down.

I jumped up and rushed over.  “What’s going on?”

It was Violet who spoke first.  “Kafkus has challenged Clifton to a duel.”

“No!  There will be no duel.  You are both sworn to protect me.”

“The duel has been made, there is no undoing it,” Kafkus said in a harsh tone.

“Father, please, do not let this happen.  You can stop them, I know you can.”

“I am sorry, Quartessa, but Kafkus is right.  The only thing I can do is make it a nonfatal battle.”

I knew that he was right, but I still wasn’t happy about it.  At least they wouldn’t be able to kill each other, and that was something.  “Fine.”

“Do you both agree to a nonfatal duel?” he asked them.  It was more of a formality as they had no choice.  They eyed each other, hesitating for a moment before they both said “agreed” in unison.

My father stood, addressed the room and said, “We have a show in store.  To the battlefield!”

Everyone began filing out, looking rather cheery.  The men here always loved the prospect of a good duel.  I’m sure that this duel was particularly exciting for them seeing as it involved a species that hadn’t been seen in Kortis in several centuries.

With everyone gone, it was just Violet and me left.  She moved closer and placed an arm around my back.  “It will be alright.”

I sighed.  “I wouldn’t take Kafkus if I didn’t know that we would need him.  Maybe after they have beaten the shit out of each other they will be able to act like civilized adults.”

She giggled.  “I guess we will have to wait and see.  Come on lets go.  I want to see what Clifton is capable of.  I hope he puts Kafkus in his place.”

“That might deflate that fat head of his.”

She held my hand as we made our way out of the castle and across the grounds to the plot of land dubbed “the battlefield.”  Many had died here trying to prove how tough they were.  A few of them had been my friends, taken from me before their time.  This was one of the reasons that I was glad to be a girl.  Very few women feel the need to challenge another to prove that they were stronger.  I knew that Violet was stronger than me, and I respected her for it.  She had power that very few had.

As we approached, I saw that the battle had already begun.  I forced my way through the crowd, dragging Violet behind me.  I needed to see what was happening, needed to make sure that Clifton was ok.  Kafkus was a good fighter.  I had seen him take out countless opponents on this very field, some dead, some gravely injured, but I had never seen him loose.  Clifton’s safety was my main concern.

Clifton stood on one side holding a long and heavy sword.  Blood was trickling down his stomach from a gaping wound in his abdomen.  Kafkus stood a few feet away holding a long metal spear and looking unharmed.

“Had enough?” Kafkus taunted.

Clifton lunged at him, throwing his full weight behind his weapon.  It was obvious that this was Clifton’s first time using a sword.  That made me nervous.

Kafkus raised the spear lengthwise and blocked the attack almost lazily, knocking Clifton to the ground in the process.  He laughed…then he saw me.  “This is the man you want?!  He is
weak!
”  He spat on the ground near Clifton.

I said nothing, but in my head I was screaming for Clifton to get up and show Kafkus that he was wrong.  I knew that Clifton wasn’t weak though I’d never seen him fight.

I watched as he jumped to his feet with amazing agility, watched as he threw his sword down in the dirt.  His pupils changed in shape and color, reverting to his Boru self.  He looked murderous, and it scared me.

“I am not WEAK!” he roared.  The voice that came out wasn’t his.  It was much deeper and darker than the one I knew.  Even Kafkus looked frightened, if only for a second.

“So…the Boru wants to play?”

Clifton threw his head back and gave a ferocious roar.  It was a sound that I had never heard anyone make before and it echoed around the entire area causing many to freeze.

Kafkus threw his hands up and a jet of water shot out of each palm with the strength of a fire hose.  They wound around each other, becoming one massive jet of water heading straight for Clifton.  Clifton jumped six feet in the air, dodging the stream and landed mere inches away from Kafkus.  He hit the ground softly and yet the ground seemed to buckle under him causing a tremor to shake the earth, knocking Kafkus, and a few spectators, over.  He stared down at his opponent and cackled hysterically.

Kafkus moved quickly.  I gasped in horror as he shoved the spear into Clifton’s stomach and out the out the other side.  Clifton roared in pain but pulled the spear out of him, and chucked it over the crowd.  His bleeding was getting worse, but he didn’t seem to care.  He moved in closer and the crowd leaned in for a better look.  I had never seen the kind of fear that was in Kafkus’ face now.  He was petrified.  He didn’t even try to move.  Clifton raised both knees to his chest and pounded the ground hard.  As if there were a spring under him, Kafkus shot into the air.  Just before he hit the ground Clifton’s foot found his chest, sending him flying backwards at least twenty feet.  Kafkus hit the ground with a loud thud, and lay there unconscious and unmoving.

The crowd became hushed and still.  I glanced around at their shocked faces.  I wasn’t sure if they’d expected Kafkus to win, or if they just didn’t expect Clifton to be as powerful as he was.  I know I hadn’t expected that from him.

Clifton began walking towards him again.  He wasn’t finished with him yet.  This was a big problem.  I yelled “NO!” but it didn’t stop him.  I don’t think he’d even heard me.  I took off at a sprint, determined to reach him before he could kill him.  If he took Kafkus’ life in a duel my father deemed nonfatal, he would be executed.  I couldn’t let that happen.  You did not disobey the King.

My father stepped in front of Kafkus before Clifton could reach him.  “This duel is over!” he yelled.  “Clifton is the victor!”

I stayed behind with Clifton to calm the beast while everyone headed back to the castle.  It took some effort to coax out the man buried within his blind furry but I managed the task with a lot of effort.

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

Everyone was gathered on the beach in front of the castle when we returned.  They were all sitting in the sand, discussing the battle.  They all got quiet and watched Clifton as we approached.  I noticed a large table was set up in the sand by the front wall filled with a buffet of food.  I then realized just how hungry I was.

Kafkus limped over to us and held his hand out to Clifton.  “I am glad that you are on our side,” he chuckled.  “I trust you to take good care of my Princess.”  Then he turned around and hobbled off towards the buffet.

“It seems that he approves of you now,” I said, amused.

My father approached us next.  His gaze shifted from me to Clifton.  He looked mystified.  “You have great power Clifton.  I must admit that I did not expect it of you.”  He placed a comforting hand on Clifton’s shoulder.  “I am sure you will be able to complete your task, and return my daughter to her former self.”

Clifton bowed.  “Thank you, my King.  I will do my best.”

My father’s eyes fell back on me.  “You have chosen a good man, Quartessa, maybe one day I will even accept him into my guard.”

“If we choose to return, that is,” I corrected him.

He frowned.  “Yes, if you choose to return.”  He glanced at Kafkus, shook his head, and then turned back to me.  “I promise that I would not force marriage on you, if you did decide to return.”

“You would let me choose my own husband?  Or, if I wanted, none at all?”  I couldn’t believe that he was giving me what I had wanted for so long.  I could feel Clifton’s gaze but I couldn’t bring myself to look at him.  I knew that I’d hurt him with my words.

My father had obvious confusion in his eyes, but he didn’t ask any questions.  “I will leave you to your own choices in the matter.”

I hugged him.  Never had he given me the freedom to make my own choices.  This was a very good sign that my father was starting to change his way of thinking.  My arranged marriage had been the main reason that I’d left, though it was not the only one.  There were plenty of other things that had pushed me away from my home, but maybe he would change them now too.

“Thank you, father.”

“Does this mean that you will return?”

“I cannot say that anything for sure yet.  You understand that we must focus on the job at hand before I make any permanent living arrangements.”

“Of course.”

I spotted Violet at the buffet and headed for her, leaving Clifton and my father a chance to get to know each other.  Things were progressing in my favor much faster than I could have anticipated.

Violet and I loaded up our plates and found a nice secluded spot in the sand to eat.

“Where were you earlier?  I didn’t see you when Clifton and I returned.”

“I went home to make concealment charms for Kafkus and Quino.  They will need them when we cross over.”

“Won’t you need one too?”

“No.  I have been practicing changing my color.”

I watched as her skin changed from lavender to that of pasty white human skin.  I watched as her hair became golden-blonde.  Her eyes stayed the same, showing me that it was really her underneath when nothing else showed.

“Cool.  I wish I could do that.”  I preferred her normal hue.  It suited her better.  “Where is Quino?”

“He is there,” she said, pointing at the ocean.

Sure enough I saw him swimming a ways from the shore.  I could only tell that it was him by the deep contrast between his hair and face.  His hair sparkled under the sun, making it look even lighter.

“Clifton would not appreciate you looking at Quino that way.”

“I was just
looking
at him.”

“I know that look.  I know that you have always liked him, even if you did not trust me enough to tell me.”

I stared, shocked by how blunt she was being.  It was very unlike her.  But I didn’t want to start an argument, so I brushed it aside.  It had only ever been a stupid childhood crush anyway.  “Do you think that you could spend the rest of your life with only one man?”  I wasn’t sure if I wanted her to be honest or lie.

She shrugged.  “It is our nature to play the field and then choose one man to marry.”

“That’s not what I asked.”

“What do you want me to say, Quartessa?”

“I don’t know, never mind.”  I made my focus stay on a small crab that was scuttling across the sand right in front of me, trying to keep myself out of trouble.  We sat there in complete silence for minutes that dragged on.