Blood Lily

Chapter Two

         
          I study the sign swinging in the pounding rain: The Cat and Broom. I frown at the derogatory message and pull open the thick oak door. The striking smell of sweat, ale, and smoke hit my nose and it wrinkles in disgust.

          I flip the hood of my dark cloak back and let my locks of red hair cascade over my shoulders. The tavern is loud and full of human men and women drinking, smoking herbs, eating, dancing provocatively, and kissing. Moving through the crowd I keep my head held high. When a clearly drunk man calls out to me and goes to wrap his thick arms around my middle, I  throw him across the room with a push of energy. He crashes into the far wall and lands on a table full of bowls of elk stew and ale.

           Most of the people in the tavern stop what they are doing and watch me as I pass, but some, like the rambunctious group in the corner, continue without blinking an eye at the sudden commotion. Loud whispers fill the tavern. "She's a witch, a dirty magician." A tall man with tattoos covering his face says loudly to his friends.

          "Does she look familiar to you?" A young girl with blue pigment covering her lids whispers to the other girls around her that also have colors of shimmer on their judgemental eyes.

          Still the party in the back of the room continues to drink and dance to the fiddler in the corner. When I finally reach them I pause and take in the people around the table. There are two gentlemen, gentlemen being used loosely, with dark green eyes and white hair who look identical to each other. They drain their mugs quickly and laugh with the large women next to them. She is dressed in a sheer purple dress that accentuates her large shoulders and hips. On the opposite side of the table are two more men, each sitting on either side of a small beautiful blonde woman.

          I unclasp the cloak from around my shoulders to reveal a gold day dress with long flowing mesh sleeves. I float a cup of ale from the table to my hand and down its contents. Slamming it on the table I look at the blonde again. This time the whole tavern has gone silent, even the energetic fiddler has stopped his playing. I stare into the girls dull blue eyes and smile, "It's a pleasure to finally meet you Ms. Saldona."

           The girl looks stricken as she takes in my face. Recognition lights in her eyes then fear, raw fear. She bites her lip and glares back, "A-And who in the three realms are you?" She says stutters back in a slightly sluggish voice.

          So we're gonna play dumb are we? I think and smile. I send a sultry look to the man in between Kira and I, his face goes red and he stands offering me the seat. I slide into it and face Kira. Still smiling I grip her hands in my own, "My Husband tells me that you have been keeping him company while I have been away."

           I hear the lady in purple gasp and say, "Your highness!" But I don't take my eyes off of Kira.

           Suddenly as the realisation of who I am sweeps the room many people fall to their knees bowing their heads, whether this action is out of fear or respect I am unsure. Kira's eyes flick around the room looking anywhere but my face. Losing patience I grab her chin and force her to look into my eyes. "Is that right Kira? Have you been keeping him content while his wife was away visiting her family?"

          I struggle to keep my smile on and my posture strong, my eyes heat and I feel tears forming. I blink, pushing them back and stare at Kira trying not to look away, even when one of the white haired men reaches across the table for me, as if meaning to pull me away from her. I simply point at him with my free hand and he goes still, frozen in place. I send a small amount of energy to my eyes causing them to look as though a fire rages within. Finally with silence hanging in the air Kira nods, "Y-Yes, your highness."

          I roughly release her chin and this time I can't hold back my tears, I feel them well up in my eyes and spill down my flushed cheeks. "I am warning you now, if you do not stay away from him I will have you disposed of. It may not seem like it to all of you but I love Ashton more than anyone or anything including my own life so I am warning you, I will stop at nothing to protect him." With that I stand, wrap my cloak back around my shoulders and begin to head for the exit.

           Halfway there someone grabs my arm and I swing around preparing to fling another person across the tavern. I pause because the person holding my arm in Kira, there are no tears in her eyes, only rage. I hate it, I hate that I'm crying in front of these people, that they are seeing me in such a weak state. "That's not what Ashton told me, he told me that your marriage is nothing but a political alliance between the witches of the north and the human kingdom. He says you are cruel and unjust, that you have no care for the humans and only for your own kind. He told me that you do not love him and he doesn't love you." With that my tears dry, I can feel my energy building forming an armor-like barrier around me.

           I prepare to respond but Kira continues talking, "You know what he told me the last time I saw him? He said that he loved me and if he could, he would marry me over you in a heartbeat."

           My arm whips out and I slap her hard across her cheek. My palm leaves a red mark on her face and tears in her eyes, I glare at her, "You will never set foot on castle grounds or see the crowned prince again. If you do, I will kill you personally." Without waiting for a response I turn and march out of the tavern, into the cold pouring rain.

                                                                  [~~~~~~~~~~~~]
Thank you so much for reading! I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Next chapter uploads on Monday! Make sure to vote for the story......please- A.K. Coffman