Priestess Soledad stands near the altar, a serene smile gracing her lips, but her eyes flicker with a wariness that does not escape my notice.
"Ah, little princess Arielle," she greets, her voice a warm honeyed drawl that doesn't quite reach her eyes. "How fares your morning?"
I purse my lips. Something is amiss, a disquiet that muddles my usual sunny disposition. "I am...perplexed by the creatures that walk our streets, Priestess. I have never seen anything like them before."
Soledad sighs, her gaze darting nervously towards the temple entrance. "We share your confusion, little princess. We awoke to find them here. As you know, Khavena rarely welcomes outsiders."
My brow furrows. "My mother must know why they are here. A war would brew otherwise, wouldn't it?" Honestly, the lack of information is maddening.
"I do so believe, your grace. Shall we begin the bathing ritual?" Soledad asks, her voice strained.
"Yes, let us proceed," I say, eager to escape the priestess's unsettling gaze.
With a swish of my robes, I head towards the River Samara. I always prefer bathing alone. It's one of the few times I can truly collect my thoughts, free from prying eyes and whispering advisors.
When the last of the Valorian youths has scampered off, their wet hair plastered to their backs, I shrug off my clothes and slip into the cool, embracing water. I dive deep, reveling in the silence, the pressure a comforting weight against my skin. Six minutes pass or perhaps it is simply an eternity before I rise, gasping for air. I dive again, pushing myself further, seeking the solace of the river's depths.
But as I break the surface the second time, a shadow flickers at the edge of my vision. I turn, slowly, cautiously, and it is there. The very same creature I saw at the gate, but impossibly closer.
It is taller than any Valorian warrior, its shoulders broad, its face... surprisingly angular and beyond handsome, despite the unsettling blue-green of its eyes and the strange drawings on its skin.
It looks so familiar.... My mind races, struggling to reconcile the images from the scrolls with the creature before me.
The images flash through my mind, snippets from the ancient scrolls Niobe makes me read - faded images of beings like it, beings called...men. Beasts. The books call them beasts. Tall, muscular, dangerous. They brought plagues and wars, a darkness our warrior ancestors tried to keep from our borders.
It stands tall, its form...unsettling. The set of its jaw is sharp, its posture unyielding. There are intricate drawings adorning its skin, a sprawling tree, a strangely familiar face, a chaotic tapestry of symbols that hints at a world utterly beyond my comprehension. And the eyes...those blue-green eyes, the color of a stormy sea, are fixed on me.
"What are you?" I whisper, my voice barely audible above the gentle lapping of the water.
It remains silent, its expression unreadable. Its gaze sweeps over me, a slow, insolent perusal that ignites a flicker of...something...in my stomach. Not pleasure, not desire, but a disquieting awareness of my own vulnerability. I want it gone, back to where it came from. This...creature is not supposed to be here. A wave of revulsion washes over me, a visceral disgust that makes my skin crawl.
Driven by a sudden surge of fear, I lunge for my discarded robe, yanking it from the riverbank. Clutching the silk to my chest, I scramble out of the water, intent on fleeing. But as I reach the slippery bank, my foot slides, and I stumble, crashing back into the river with a splash.
I surface sputtering, my hair plastered to my face, my robe clinging to my body like a second skin. Fury surges through me, hot and sharp. I grab a handful of stones from the riverbed and hurl them at the creature, aiming with all my might.
"Get away from me!" I scream, my voice echoing through the tranquil temple grounds. "Leave me alone, beast!"
Suddenly, a familiar voice cuts through the air. "Arielle!"
Niobe comes charging into the clearing, her face etched with alarm. She wades into the river, a silk robe clutched in her hands. "My Princess! Are you alright?"
She reaches me, pulling me close and wrapping the robe around my shivering form. Her eyes dart towards it, and her face pales.
"It...it is one of the Seekers," she whispers, her voice trembling. "What has happened here?"
I glare at the creature, my heart pounding in my chest. It still stands there, unmoving, its blue-green eyes fixed on me, a strange expression flickering across its features, not anger, not fear, but...curiosity? And something else... something that sends a shiver down my spine.
"It is a beast," I spit, pulling away from Niobe. "It does not belong here."
Niobe's eyes widen. "But...the Seekers are here for ..."
"What?" I scoff. "There will be nothing. Not if it means my death or anyone's here." I say to Niobe.
"Arielle!"
I turn my head as my arm is grabbed.
I wince as Niobe whispers in my ears. "You will not speak to the Prince of Nain that way!"
Prince?