Chapter Two - The Road to Aurelmere #2
Aunt Beatrice quietly sobbed beside her sister whilst Aunt Cecily finally met her gaze.
“Why?” repeated Rosamund, “Why would they choose us?”
“Because we still have something to lose.”
Rosamund looked round at her Aunt Beatrice with surprise. The tears were still flowing, but a resoluteness had entered her expression, “They’ll let him go. Todric. My boy, if we agreed, if we,” her voice hitched, “gave them one of you, then Todric would be free.”
The tension in Rosamund began to ebb as the weight of her aunt’s words sunk in.
Todric would be freed. Her sweet, delicate cousin would be freed from the Onyx Tower.
And she would be shackled to a monster. Was it worth it?
Would she have made the same exchange? A small ember of rage clung to her as she realised she could never make that decision.
Never. But the ember flowed away with the rest as she recalled Todric.
Little Todric, who knew all the flowers in the garden.
How could I ever leave him to rot in that forsaken tower?
“Please Rosamund,” said her Aunt Beatrice softly, reaching out to take her hand, “For Todric.”
Rosamund believed that King Ovidian would not stop until every last shred of House Valehart was destroyed or faded to obscurity. That was why he held her brothers. That was why he was willing to marry one of his sons to the daughter of a traitor. To wipe out the name of Valehart.
If Todric lived, perhaps, it could live on.
She sat up straighter in her seat, squaring her shoulders, calling upon the last reserves of her will. Beatrice dropped her hand as if electrified, shooting Cecily a worried look, but the older aunt held Rosamund’s gaze.
“Of course, Aunt Beatrice,” said Rosamund forcing her voice to sound warmer than she wished it, pushing down the roiling scream inside, “I forgot myself. I will do my duty to the house.”
Aunt Beatrice let out a relieved laugh, fresh tears wetting her cheeks, “Thank you Rosamund, thank you.”
Aunt Cecily raised an eyebrow, a curious look on her face and said archly, “I think you’ll do just fine in the court Rosamund. Just fine indeed.”
The remainder of the journey passed in silence as Rosamund resigned herself to her fate.
At some point the rocking of the carriage lulled her into a fitful sleep, full of dreams of her brother’s death, her father’s haunted look, and a terrifying, monstrous Prince.
The next thing she knew there was a hand on her knee, shaking her awake.
“We’re here,” said Aunt Beatrice, unable to keep the excitement from her voice.
Rosamund pushed back the curtain and felt a rush of heat as sunshine beamed down on her face.
Her eyes squinted, adjusting to the bright daylight that reflected off the sheer white walls of the city of Aurelmere.
From the maps she had studied in her father’s office, she knew that lush green plains surrounded the city.
That the Aurelcart, the river that flowed around and through the great city, branched off into smaller canals that wound their way through each district.
The carriage clattered over the wooden bridge towards the Crimson Gate, and the Sunspire district beyond.
The roads to the gate were filled with people; other travellers looking to enter the great city, and hawkers and sellers plying their goods to those who had just arrived and did not know the cons.
The Crimson Gate was good hunting grounds for such people, filled with na?ve nobles with large purses.
Aunt Cecily had threatened one with her cane when they came too close and Rosamund had reached into her purse to toss them a few coins.
The Amber East Gate was often used for entertainers, scholars and revellers, whilst the Cerulean West gate was for the tradesmen, and where the most barges sailed through.
The Shadow Door of the South Gate remained closed to all.
When their old carriage finally made it to the thick ceder doors, the guards approached with a look that implied they might hurry them round to the West Gate. The less affluent part of the city. However Aunt Cecily had waved the Kings seal in their faces, and they were quickly ushered through.
Her mouth fell open as she stared up at the towering townhouses and gilded shopfronts. A lot had changed since she was last here. Gold lined the smooth paved street and the nobles walking arm in arm, staring in disgust at their mud-covered carriage.
Unease settled in as she looked at her own clothes.
Not only worn and muddy, but likely many seasons out of date compared to the fashionable outfits of the nobility of Aurelmere.
Out the corner of her eye, in the distance, were the gold towers of the Celestine Palace, high on a ledge and overlooking the city on all sides.
The light was blinding as it bounced off the street around her.
Just as she was about to look away, another tower caught her eye, rising in the distance to the east, the only other structure in Aurelmere that matched the height of the Celestine Palace.
A striking emerald tower rose up to the sky like an arrow directed at the sun.
Smaller crystal towers surrounded it, creating a glittering structure that rivalled the palace.
A proud smile crossed her face as she took in its elegance, a longing in her gaze.
So much of her father had been wiped from this place.
His townhouse, his family; but not this.
His work. His great achievement. Rising higher than the Celestine Palace, overshadowing it; The Baurnhof University.
It’s beautiful, father.
Dread filled her as they approached the Temple of Liathern. She quickly tucked the ring into the bodice of her dress. There could be no memory of her father today. Not amongst these people. She stepped out of the carriage with difficulty and followed her aunts up the steps to the temple.
Her muscles tensed with every step she took, every whisper she heard, but she focused her mind. When she reached the doors of the Temple she took a breath and, after one last look back to the emerald tower, stepped inside temple to meet her betrothed.