Chapter 7
Vastion
Watching Esiree struggle to compliment me was just as amusing as I’d hoped, but it would not be the last time I tested her.
She was an enigma to me. Part of me knew she despised me and my kind, but another part couldn’t ignore her flirtatious wit.
Urging me to understand who she really was, what made her tick and, most of all, what her true intentions were.
Did she really want to be queen, or had she been prompted by others?
Why should she want to be queen if the company of the Vampyr was so repulsive to her?
All I knew was that, when I was around her, she had distracted me from the pain of losing Adria.
I didn’t know what I had expected of this Harvest. To be honest, I hadn’t really cared.
I had been so focused on dealing with the increasing number of attacks by the Forlorn, along with grieving the loss of my best friend, that finding a suitable wife wasn’t top of mind—despite it being the priority of those closest to me.
Finding love again? I’d been closed off to the idea for over a century. Finding a best friend again? No one could truly replace Adria. But, finding someone that intrigued me? Esiree had been unexpected.
All morning Elek and I subjected the Tributes to various interviews that would allow me to gauge who would make the most suitable queen.
By lunch, it was time for one of the most important assessments.
At least, it was important to me. Esiree and Roxelana were still frontrunners, but Alius’s education combined with her multilingual skillsets meant she was still an intriguing option.
She could be someone that challenged me intellectually, but I struggled to reconcile the extreme shifts in her personality.
One moment she seemed to have no depth, consumed with materialistic things, and other times it was like she was an entirely different person.
Worldly, intelligent, and demonstrating a level of etiquette that bordered on stiff.
The next assessment was meant to test their fear and composure. As queen, they would be surrounded solely by Vampyr. Experience had taught me that not all human queens acclimated to such a setting.
Throughout the afternoon, I took my time with each of these private encounters.
I would lead them on brief excursions outside of the perimeter to gauge a few factors.
Most important of which being how they handled being alone with a vampire, no human counterparts within shouting distance.
Additionally, I’d also see how they handled idle chatter and if they were comfortable on horseback.
I monitored how their personality might change without the scrutiny of their families or the watchful eye of Lord Elek.
Mircea’s petite frame made it difficult for her to mount a horse, but she recoiled into a frightful shiver when I touched her to provide aid.
Although I was most gentle with her, given her age, her inexperience with courting was blatant and furthered my resolve that she was not truly a consideration.
As expected, Alius’ attire was not conducive to our outing, which made the conversation fragmented and distracted, at best. Though I managed to get her mounted atop her horse successfully, another ornate headpiece made our journey a struggle.
Unable to keep it atop her head while managing the reins, we were forced to pause every few paces.
If it weren’t for my endless patience and respect for these women, I’d have tossed that ridiculous thing in the creek nearby.
I shared in advance we were going to ride, so why her attendants saw fit to accessorize her in this manner perplexed me.
Mine and Roxelana’s time gave me a welcome reprieve from the first two outings.
She was well suited to horseback and quickly exceeded my own skill.
She seemed to have a way with her steed.
The horse trusted her, and you could tell that it welcomed the rush of wind in its mane when she urged it faster.
I quite enjoyed racing about the landscape with her.
But it left no room for conversation, no window to know her better, and by the end of our outing, I had begun to wonder if that was her strategy all along.
After escorting Roxelana back to the tent, I called upon my final Tribute. “Esiree, please join me.”
She strode toward me with the confidence of someone who was pleased with her performance thus far. I was particularly interested to explore how she’d handle what came next. When we stepped outside of the tent, my horse was waiting for us, and she looked at me with confusion.
I held out my hand. “Here, let me help you up.”
She did not grab it, instead looking around in all directions. “Should I have an attendant bring me my horse?”
I chuckled at her obvious reluctance.
“No, my dear, we shall ride together,” I stated plainly. Something unique to our time together.
Her throat bobbed with hesitation. She finally put her hand out and let me help her up onto the horse.
It was evident she was more accustomed to riding in pants than gowns.
Watching Esiree conduct herself behind a mask of civility and deference was part of her allure.
I questioned, however, how long she would keep up these pretenses before revealing her true self.
Her calculated signals of respect, her measured but flirtatious glances in my direction—I pretended not to notice, but the game we were playing was deliciously addictive.
Once she was comfortable enough in the saddle, I mounted, positioning myself behind her, finally feeling her body against mine again for the first time since the dance.
Waves of her long hair spanned her back.
It delighted me to see how she had inferred my preferences from our brief private encounter and attempted to please me with the styling of it today.
I slowly reached for the reins, my hands finding the gap between her elbows and the curve of her waist, and her pulse quickened at our proximity.
She was entirely vulnerable. Her life was in my hands. I trotted the horse to the gates of the encampment and gave a silent command to the sentries to open them.
“My King, you shouldn’t go without an escort. Nightfall is upon us,” a concerned gatekeeper warned.
“Do not question my will,” I said as we moved past the threshold. With tomorrow being the last day for consideration, I was eager to spend time with her.
Suddenly, I could feel her muscles tense all over. “We will be back before dark, won’t we?”
Before the guard could delay us further, I kicked the horse into a sprint, our bodies flush as we headed off into the forests of Enud.
Esiree’s breathing was erratic as we rode farther into the lush trees.
The constant shifting of her rear against my groin made my cock twitch, and it was then I realized truly how much time had passed since I was last intimate.
I had been celibate since Kesna, and with Adria, well, we were purely platonic, so the temptation had never even arisen.
I compelled the steed into a full gallop, trying to ignore these urges that were beginning to well up inside of me.
I leaned into her body, inhaling the floral scent of lilies mixed with a hint of plum.
When we came upon a small creek, I pulled on the reins, bringing the horse to a halt.
I dismounted and reached my arms up to grasp Esiree’s waist, helping her to the ground.
“Do you like riding?” she said, in an attempt to fill the silence.
“Not particularly, though I think riding double does have an appeal to it,” I teased.
“Why not particularly?” she pried further, offering me the perfect introduction to this final assessment.
My movements around her were quick and purposeful. To her I probably appeared as a blur of colors in motion. With each pass, her stance stiffened more, a visible pulse hammering at the base of her throat, fatigue slowing her gaze and making it impossible to track my movements.
I came to an abrupt stop directly in front of her. My face hovering inches from hers.
“Because I move faster than a horse, though it’s not ideal for long distances.” I gently grabbed her arm, waiting to see if she’d pull away. “You’re shaking,” I said, quieting my voice. “Are you afraid?”
“No… No, My King,” she barely sputtered out.
I delicately tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear.
“Brave. Little. Liar.”
“Do you want me to be afraid?” she spewed angrily, trying to tug away from my embrace. Ahh…there was the true Esiree.
“I will be honest with you—lying is a quality unbecoming of a queen.”
“And you don’t lie?” she challenged, putting space between us. “Do you want a human wife, or do you only take one because the treaty demands it?”
I had not been asked the question in a very long time, and that was because the answer did not matter. I was bound to my duty to serve the kingdom. The arrangement had worked for centuries; I dared not disturb the already fragile nature of it.
“I suppose I don’t spend too much time questioning the limitations of my own freedom, or lack thereof. It is simply my responsibility, after all.”
Esiree looked surprised at my unexpected honesty.
“If it’s only a duty, why do any of these tests matter? Why don’t you just pick one of us and get on with it?”
“To ensure it’s the right fit.”
“We’re human women. All of us are the right fit,” she declared, thinking she was making some sort of poignant point.
“For you, maybe, but not for me. There’s a good deal more to it than that.”
Esiree’s expression shifted into something unreadable. Her features softened while she tried to make sense of my sentiment.
“The human queen is the one that makes the sacrifices, not me. She is the one who gives up her lifetime. She is the one who must leave behind her family, all that she knows, all that she desires…” I trailed off, thinking of the man who had touched her the night before the Harvest, my jaw ticcing with a hint of jealousy.
“What makes a good human queen?” There was an earnest interest in her question. One that indicated her defenses were waning.
“Selflessness. She understands the role the treaty plays for both her people and mine. She wishes to honor it and keep the balance.” I watched closely for her reactions as I continued.
“Strength. She must be resilient on her own. Everything she’s accustomed to will change. She will live amongst the Vampyr.”
Esiree listened intently. I did not attempt such candid conversations with the other Tributes, but something about her challenged me. Too often I found myself entertaining her provocations.
“What else?” Esiree asked, seeking as much information as I was willing to give.
In a blur, I was by her side and had dipped her into the same position we’d concluded our dance in at the opening ceremony. She was tense in my arms, and my fangs descended, hovering just above her neck when I whispered into her ear, “Trust.”
I could smell the fear in her sweat, her body rigid in my embrace. “The human queen must trust me and my people. She must learn not to fear our kind.”
My fangs receded and I gently lifted her back to her feet, holding her by the waist as she steadied herself.
I had never in all my Seasons been so forthright with a Tribute, including Kesna, but Esiree had a way of lowering my inhibitions.
Perhaps my grief in losing Adria played a part, but a voice in my head reasoned this was not the source of my interest. Her mere existence seemed to extract truths that others had to earn.
Either she was different, or I was different in her company—I knew not which.
Likely, it didn’t matter. I wanted her to trust me.
I wanted her to know me. The sensible, rational part of me cried out in warning at these thoughts; but my longing to demystify this curious creature would not be quelled.
The selection was never meant to be a matter of the heart, but a cold calculation of who was best suited to wear the crown.
And with so little time left to choose, my focus should have been on the kingdom’s stability.
Yet, I found myself selfishly craving more time with her, drawn by a growing conviction that she possessed innate qualities she had yet to understand herself.
Dusk pleaded with the last fragment of muted daylight, but when it could linger no more, I insisted we both return to the encampment.
Just then, a faint and distant scratching of leaves stilled my body.
I focused on the sound, hoping it would prove harmless.
However, I knew the accompanying quick thuds upon the forest floor could not possibly belong to any woodland animal.
And then, as if sound was indication enough, there came upon the wind a foul stench that left no room for doubt.
I grabbed Esiree by the hand and pulled her quickly to the horse.
“What are you doing?” she protested, trying to tug away, her stubbornness and fire evident. There was no time for this.
Without waiting for her permission, I lifted her and placed her on the saddle. “Forlorn are coming!”
“Wh-What?” she said in disbelief, her pupils dilating.
“Can you ride?” I asked, panic hovering anxiously should her answer be anything but yes.
“Of course!” she said, offering me the slightest relief. This was all my fault. I had no business keeping her out past dusk.
There were only moments left before they arrived and there was no way to be certain how many there were. I’d have to buy her time. I grabbed Esiree’s hand and looked up at her, needing her to both trust and listen to me. “Ride as fast as you can and don’t look back. Not even once.”
“But what about you?” Her voice was overcome with alarm. “Come with me!”
“No, I’ll engage them, focus their attention while you make for the encampment,” I said reassuring her.
“But—”
“Go. When you get there, cry out for my sentries. They will know what to do.” I focused my senses, intent on determining the direction of the attack, but the pounding of Esiree’s heartbeat muted all my instincts. I needed her to leave.
I was seconds away from simply striking the horse and sending her away. She sat there, frozen with worry and what appeared to be genuine concern for me. Every second that passed with her in my presence was one that might allow a Forlorn to thwart her escape.
I could hear the rapid strides closing in around us. Unbidden, the words left my lips before I had any chance to halt them.
“I cannot allow my future wife to die. Go now!”
Esiree’s eyes widened with surprise, her lips parting with a gasp, but I would give her no more of my patience. I struck the horse and, with a guttural sound erupting from his mouth, the stallion took off in the direction of the encampment.
Left to fight any number of the Forlorn alone, I said a silent prayer for haste, willing my bride-to-be and sentries the utmost speed. And more than that, I prayed for Esiree’s protection.