Atyla and the Children of Giants

Chapter Four

Atyla returned to the chambers she and her sisters shared, sobbing, cursing, throwing things around. Visna was standing at the center table in the foyer of the chambers in a similar fashion their father stood over his desk.

"Sister, please, I don't want to marry him!" Atyla wept. "Please, don't hurt me, I promise you on my life––on our mother's grave! I want no part in this!"

Visna lifted her face from the table and looked at her sister. The sleek curves of her cheekbones, much to Atyla's surprise, were not stained with trails left by tears. Her golden-emerald eyes were not reddened with sadness, but Atyla could plainly see the shattered spirit in her sister's eyes.

Visna moved out to the right of the table and paced back and forth for a while, as if deciding what she should do. She turned and her mouth finally moved to speak.

"Be careful, little sister," she said in an unsettlingly tender voice, starting for the door. Atyla flinched as her sister passed by her, expecting to be hit. "I was angry with you, but I will put that behind me. I know you're just as upset as I am." Her words did nothing to soothe Atyla.

Minutes seemed like hours as the evening progressed. Atyla paced back and forth, imagining escaping and leaving before the sunrise. But the whole kingdom would be in an uproar, and as soon as the lower cities and towns heard that the youngest princess had gone missing, everywhere from the border of the High Hills to the North Tundra would be crawling with her people in search of her. If captured, she could be killed, or returned to the capital to be punished. No, the idea of escaping alone was far too dangerous to consider.

Lan snuck up into her window by climbing the palace wall. With him, he'd brought a few bunches of grapes and berries, knowing the princess always had a few loaves of bread and a block of goat cheese sent to her room every day. Lan was determined to get her to eat something. Especially since he wouldn't know beyond tonight if she was being taken care of.

He tapped on the window three times with the ring on his left hand. It made a distinct tp tp tp sound that Atyla would answer. She opened the window eagerly and took Lan into a tight, tearful embrace, sobbing.

"I can't go to Thaesos, Lan. I can't!" she sniffled. Her cheeks were stained with hours of tears, her eyes reddened and swollen in sadness. She led him to the table in her private room and sat him down, then went to lock the latch on her door. "If I go, I will throw myself off the highest peak of the tallest tower! I will not be his wife!"

"Don't say those things!" Lan laid his hands on hers to comfort her, but Atyla shook free.

"You don't understand, Lan!" the princess shot up from her seat. She began pacing back and forth across the dim-lit room. Pale moonlight haunted the portion of the chamber they sat in, dim firelight warmed the other portion. "I will go insane without you, Lan. I will end it all!"

Lan exhaled sharply. His eyes wandered the room, searching for any hint to an answer. Landing his sight on the Valtawolf pup in the corner near the window, he asked, "And what is that?"

"I found her in the woods earlier––"

"Are you mad?!" Lan cut in, "You cannot be outside the palace like that, not alone!"

"I wanted to see..." Atyla hesitated, "her...." She crossed her arms and shuddered as if a chill had taken her by surprise. "I suppose, I should take her with me to Thaesos––the pup, I mean. I'll need a friend." The youngling shook its back and fluttered its little wings as it clumsily pranced across the room to Atyla. "One day, I might even train her to be my steed." she said, sniffling.

Lan sat there, eyes on the princess. She'd buried her face in her hands and started bawling, cursing. He made his way over to her caressed one cheek as he gently planted a kiss on the other. Atyla turned and pressed her lips against Lan's. The warmth of him made her push herself deeper into his arms. Atyla wanted time to freeze, to be forever in this moment with him.