The Goldsmith

2.Ira part 2: wolf in sheep's clothing

Beware, beware, be skeptical
Of their smiles, their smiles of plated gold
Deceit so natural
Wolf in sheep's clothing - set it off

When Arinya was dolled up enough for the liking of the maids, she could leave. She was wearing a soft blue satin dress decorated with little white roses and diamonds. A crown of white roses rested on her loose hair, which was stubbornly curling around the diamond hairpins. A simple silver necklace with a little silver rose finished the look. It was a gift from Mykolas. He had bought it with his first paycheck. And Arinya treasured it as the most expensive jewellery. The maids put on shiny makeup to give her a goddess-like look. Thank the spirits that her shoes were simple and flat.

Mykolas was on the lookout just outside her room. Onika sitting at his feet. He also had cleaned up. His hair was still a little wet and curled around his ears. He had braided some random little braids with grey feathers that went well with his white uniform.

"And how do I look?" Asked Arinya while she slowly turned. She felt his eyes look over her and stop at her necklace. They became dark, and a blush appeared in his ears.

"Presentable." Arinya giggled at his answer. He was never good at complimenting. He held out his hand, and she accepted it. "The queen requested to meet you in the throne room." They walked through the Glass Palace. The servants were rushing from one room to the other. Preparing and organising the ball. Arinya could already hear the music flow through the hallway.

"Why? That is rather unusual for her." Mykolas squeezed her hand to reassure her.

"She wants to make an announcement." They stopped before the throne room. It had no doors. The philosophy behind it was that the ruling monarch could always be interrupted for the sake of their people. Arinya just thought the architects had become lazy.

The room was the soberest of the entire palace, with no decoration or fancy curtains. The only oddity of the room was the crystal floor showing the crypt labyrinth under the palace. The candles in the labyrinth were never lit, and Arinya could swear someone was watching her from the darkness. When she entered the room, the feeling of being watched returned.

She shook the feeling to give her mother her attention. She stood by the glass throne. Her hair was pulled back in warrior style, she wore a dress made of silver chains that jingled with movement. A long dagger was at her side. She looked ready for war, not for a ball. She had the coldest blue eyes Arinya has ever seen. And Arinya always felt a chill when her mother made eye contact. They had more the colour of the sky on an icy morning. She straightened her back and bowed for her. Mykolas went down on one knee. His wolf sat obediently down, but her tail was nervously waving. She didn't feel comfortable about her master bowing.

"Mykolas." The queen sounded cold and apathetic. Mykolas stood back up before his queen. "Whatever will happen, you may not leave my daughter's side." Arinya looked at her mother in a panic. What was she planning?

"Of course, my queen." Mykolas put his hand on his heart, remembering the vow he made years ago.

"What is going on?" Arinya panic entered her voice. Her mother looked at her and sighed.

"The Daimons are threatening war. Their king wants to marry you and have a legion to defend their lands from the enemies of the East." Her mother was looking out of the windows in the island's direction where the Daimons lived. They wanted a legion was ridiculous. The legion was the most trained soldier of Lieta, powerful elves with magic that could bring down the strongest enemies.

"Why do they want me?" Asked Arinya in disbelief. How do they even know she existed? For she had been isolated from the world inside the Glass Palace.

"Because of your magic." Her magic? Arinya looked unsurely at her mother. Her mother leaned against the glass throne that was as uncomfortable as it looked. The glass always reflected the light in little rainbows. It didn't matter what time it was. "The magic that can see what hasn't happened yet." Did they want to use her magic? To see the future? What were they planned? The only thought that crossed her mind was war. The last time Lieta came in contact with the winged race, they got betrayed and the continent ended in the hardest war of the century. War usually occurred between the courts, small battlefields, and discussions over land and resources. Zima hoarding the water, Vosien crossing Viasna for their fertile soil. Discussions about Lietans military force. It never stopped, however. The courts never attacked cities just to kill or kidnap children from another court so that they could be used in their military as cannon fodder. Something the Diamonds had done to them.