Chains of Fate

Chapter Twelve

Daisy soon forgot about the mid-autumn festival. She kept her mind focused on the oncoming winter and the cold days that would be followed by dark, black nights. The sun tended to hide itself away throughout the wintertime, for days, giving way to bleak weather. It caused the days to last longer because it took so much time for one to adjust to the constant drop and rise in the temperature. Outside the palace different colored lanterns were hung in honor of the changing season. Round in shape, they attracted the gaze of all who happened to be looking.

The lack of sunlight allowed for the islanders to sleep earlier, but there was no halting the daily work that needed doing. As such, mornings were dedicated to chores and evenings to a gathering in the main hall. This household event, which was unique to the wintertime, was one of Daisy's favorites. After the sun went down and signaled the end of the work day, the servants would file back inside the house to join the family in listening to stories from past winters. Everyone would sit on the blanket covered floor and warm themselves before the hearth. Mugs of green tea mixed with ginseng and honey would be passed around and cradled between dry, stiff hands.

At her first gathering, Yui cozied up next to Daisy, stating that she didn't feel comfortable sharing a blanket with anyone else. Daisy welcomed her company and together they listened to a story about two lovers who became trapped inside a cave after sneaking out to meet each other one night. The story amused everyone in the hall except for Daisy, who knew all too well what it was like to be stuck inside a cave in the middle of the night.

It had happened to Ace and her one time when they went out together to the sea cave below the cliff. The tide had been higher than usual and Ace had gotten himself caught in a fish net that had been washed ashore by the active waves. Because he couldn't make the climb back up the cliff, Daisy had suggested that they spend the night inside the cave for protection. A long dark night ensued. Ace and Daisy had sat side by side, leeching off each other's warmth, their breath coming out in white puffs. In the morning, after they were discovered by a pair of apathetic fishermen, the two were escorted back to the palace where they received a scolding from the head servant. She had been in shock when she realized that the prince and princess had disappeared during the night.

It suddenly occurred to Daisy that since the festival, Ace had been on her mind constantly. His return to the island was bound to bring changes to the way things were. It struck Daisy that she feared his comeback even more than she did the long, cold nights ahead. Without the sun the island took on a chilling atmosphere. But that was far more tolerable than what await Daisy once Ace married her off to some pretentious, old nobleman. In that future, she would be forced to leave the island for some unfamiliar place that would never feel like home. And every night she would be expected to surrender to the hands of a self-righteous man, who would bed her for the purpose of birthing him an heir.

A tap on her shoulder alerted Daisy to the people in the hall picking themselves and their belongings up off the floor. Several had already made their retreat, wishing all a goodnight. She had not realized how late it was or when the storytelling had ended. Daisy stood up, glancing at Yui next to her.

"I had fun tonight Your Highness. I can't wait for tomorrow night," Yui said, smiling.

"It was fun," Daisy said, although she hadn't much enjoyed the evening as her thoughts kept pulling her back to the subject of Ace and his imminent return.

Yui and Daisy exited the hall, each carrying two of the woolen blankets that had been spread out for them to sit on. They would need them when they returned to their rooms and settled in for the night. In the after-hours the temperature plummeted five to ten degrees on average, leaving all who were foolish enough to sleep without a fire burning, shivering in the dark.