Heir of the Underground

Chapter 21: Prissayne

The ride back to Keddeirin was rife with snow mounds and contemplation. Prissayne had a thousand thoughts bumping around in her head, smacking against her skull, just as the carriage's tires thumped over snow piles. It was all enough to leave her head pounding, aching.

Leading the attack against her brain was her encounter with Aurelia. Namely, she couldn't stop thinking about the news that the young woman had shared. It hadn't come as much of a surprise to Prissayne. In fact, it seemed more logical than what Laurent had originally tried to pass off as the truth. But trying to know what to do with the information and determining her next move, that was proving to be a real puzzle.

There was also all of the new information regarding Magni floating around. All of the new opinions and perceptions she had, ones that needed to overthrow the old ones. This High King wasn't as bad as he seemed.

He was charming and funny. He remembered things about her, about Eldridge. And he hated his father, loathed everything he stood for. He wanted to bring change.

And yet, he didn't. He didn't bring change.

He was the most powerful man in the world—a God. But he was too afraid to make a change, to make the world doubt his legitimacy.

Was it because, perhaps, he didn't want to make a change at all? Had he been fooling her with his kindness and sense of humanity?

Suddenly, Prissayne wasn't sure of much of anything anymore.

"What did you think of Magni?" Prissayne asked the question suddenly. It wasn't often that she consulted Eldridge for advice. He was only thirteen after all. But he was observant, and if anyone could gage whether Magni was who he was claiming himself to be, it would be Eldridge. "He seemed rather fond of you. He suggested that maybe you split your time between Rheolaeth and Keddeirin once we're wed."

The young boy looked up from the sketchpad that he held in his arms and gave a slight shrug. "He's fine. I didn't talk to him much."

"But he seems nice? Do you think he's a good person for me to marry? And Rheolaeth seems like a good place for me to call home?"

It felt wrong, asking Eldridge these kinds of questions. Too personal. After a second moment of thought, she shook her head and cut him off before he could answer again.

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't ask you these things," she admitted. "I'm just a little overwhelmed by everything that's been happening, that's all."

Eldridge shrugged again. "It's okay," he murmured. "There have been a lot of changes lately. I understand." He turned his attention back to his sketchpad, continuing with his drawing as he spoke. "Unfortunately, there are more changes on the horizon."

"More?" Prissayne wondered. "How do you know?"

Yet another shrug was earned from the boy. "I don't know. I just do. I know a lot of things, actually."

"Must be all the observing you do," Prissayne mused. "Perhaps I should pay more attention to others and the world around me. I'd pick up on more patterns, sense more dangers."

"You're smart," he uttered, still entranced with his work. "Give it a try."

Prissayne nodded, though she said nothing more. He was right. It was worth a try. Though she had a feeling deep down that if she really took the time to stay silent and just watch, as Eldridge often did, she'd start to discover things about others that she wouldn't like. She'd start to see the bad, their underlying secrets and motives.