Eris Vanserra Fanfiction-A Land Of Lavender And Thistle-Book One

CHAPTER VII

Eris

My footsteps echoed through the broad corridor of the Forest House irradiating with firelight coming from the big torches sitting in bronze sconces. The rough surface of the stone walls formed monstrous shadows as the fire danced in the alcoves, made evenly in one of the house's lowest levels. To no surprise, my mother rarely resided in these parts, the underground chambers of dark stone and red carpets almost fully belonging to my father.

I couldn't say I blamed her. I preferred the higher grounds over these fancy tunnels any day, no matter the amount of light that swallowed the blackness or the amount of noise the sentries made with their armour.

While going over the paperwork regarding the farmers and their latest success, a servant came with the word that Beron wanted to see me in his royal quarters. I knew for a fact he could take his ass to the council rooms on the upper floors, but he wanted me to come down here. He wanted me this far below the surface, this close to the Forest House's lowest level.

The thought made me clench my jaw and fists, my steps becoming heavier as I neared the red-painted double doors of Beron's quarters, gold molded over the scarlet wood. Two sentries stood at its flanks, swords at their sides and their uniforms with gilded hems the color of dried blood.

It took just one look at the two males for them to open the doors for me. As the massive hinges creaked, I forced myself not to think about the tunnels just a couple dozen yards under my feet. I took a few deep breaths to calm the pacing of my heart, then stalked past the sentries and into the entry room of my father's quarters.

Just when the doors shut behind me, a servant slipped out of Beron's bed chambers at my right. Her golden hair fell to her knees, falling down the simple, moss-green dress covering only the most essential parts of her body. Her thick, brown thighs were exposed as a fat golden chain clasped her throat and sagged to between her breasts, her long, pointed ears adorned with golden clasps and emerald earrings. 

"The High Lord is in his bathing chamber, Your Highness." she said with a small bow.

I walked past her, hands in my pockets and my tied-back hair sliding across my shoulders as I headed for the bathing chamber. Moving through the spacious bedroom, I looked up at the ceiling made of old roots from the trees high above and smooth stone illustrated in the empty space between the wood. Against the far wall, placed atop a platform, was the massive bed with its amber and citrine sheets crumpled and red pillows tossed all over.

The dim and warm air from the bathing chamber was my guideline as I heard the soft, bare feet of the female servant padding behind me. Rather than having doors, Beron fashioned the doorstep of his bathing chamber with green silk embroidered with golden tendrils and foxes, the drapes now pushed to the sides.

Breathing in the floral scent of lavender and the musky aroma of the black dahlias floating in the water of the pool, I claimed a spot at the stone edge of the pale water. Steam fogged the walls, but the gray pillars rising from the pool's sides were visible through the heated mist. The fairy sauntered into the chamber and strolled to the four other females dressed similar to her.

My gaze went straight to my father. His arms were braced against the stone behind him, his tanned torso visible above the water. One of the fairies ran her reedy fingers through his wet brown hair while another one pressed her chest to his flank, a drunken smile on her lovely, alabaster face. The other three were either rubbing their legs against his arms or leaning their heads against his shoulder. My insides flipped, but I schooled my face into a bored expression.

"You wanted to see me, Father?"

"I have a task for you, Eris," he said, inclining his head and watching a dahlia sail the steady water. One of the females sitting on the edge moved her leg, sending the flower to move on the gentle wave before water flooded its petals, sinking it. "I want you to go and inspect the northern groves. A report came earlier about a moving shadow between the trees."

I wanted to tell him to lift his pompous, cowardly ass and search the groves himself. In the end, I just blinked, dipped my chin and said, "Yes, Father."

I made to leave when his voice rumbled through the chamber: "Eris. I am not finished." When I faced him, his brown eyes were fixed on me. "Did I say you could leave?" 

"No, Father."

"Then why did you turn away?" I didn't answer. His voice was dangerously soft when he said, "I want you dressed, bathed and in your best state by all means tomorrow night, Eris. There will be a banquet and we will have a guest. I am looking forward to you two meeting."

I knew that tone. After five hundred years, it made warning bells roar in my head. It was with the sheer force of will that I maintained my solemn expression. "Will the banquet be in its usual location?"

"Yes."

Splendid. Bloody wonderful. "I will be there."

"I know you will. And Eris," he added, his eyes burning with greed, "don't disappoint me again."

"Yes, Father."

"Yes what?" he snipped, the golden-haired fairy nibbling on his ear. 

Fire whispered wicked intentions in my mind. "I will not disappoint you." 

A triumphant smile appeared on his mouth. "Good. You may leave."

On my way to my quarters in the towers above, I kept seeing flames in the corners of my eyes. I heard the fire's rumble in my mind, its force scorching my blood. Before I took what I needed, once I locked myself in my quarters, I went to the small room, its key secured in the floor beside the bed. 

Shutting myself inside the windowless space, I let my fire erupt until there was nothing but emptiness left inside of me.

***

This time, I took with me only one of my hounds. Axar was the oldest of the ghost hounds I had, his white coat turning coal at his nose and under his pearly eyes. They weren't immortal, but the ghost hounds could live for centuries if they are taken care of. Axar was nearly three hundred years old, with his quick legs and sharp teeth.

His ears were perked, but neither of us heard anything. Even my stallion remained calm and quiet as we scouted the northern groves.

Climbing up a green hill, I pulled the stallion into a stop and tied the reins to a low branch of a birch tree. The wind played with the front strands of my red hair, ruffling my tail as I looked down the hill to the farm rolling across the land. The sun painted the fields with its light, bowing at the west as tiny silhouettes of the lesser Fae could be seen moving over the fields with corn and pumpkins.

My home looked so peaceful now, so undisturbed. And yet, in the woods behind me, something was threatening to ruin this peace. I cast the grove behind me a hungry, displeased look.

I left the stallion by the birch, chewing on the grass. Axar joined him after I realised the hound couldn't sense anything. I began to march over the grove all over again, watching the ground from up close, halting every once in a while to palpate the earth.

Then, after minutes of pointless walking, I glimpsed something on a nearby maple tree. I was about to bend down to assess the black smear at the bottom of the tree, when I got the feeling something was watching me. I acted as if nothing was out of place, pretending to tighten the lace of my boots, when I heard a snap of a twig.

I shot up, spinning before unsheathing my sword. It was already too late. I had only a heartbeat to register the arrow soaring for my head. I moved, but only so much to avoid its full blow.

I cried out and fell as the arrow hit my right shoulder. Before I knew it, my face was on the ground and my head began spinning before darkness swallowed me.