Oracles of Ice

Oracles of Ice 6

Gaielle lay on her belly across a large smooth boulder. The sunlight filtered down through the water, reaching all the way to the seabed, warming her. The water was very clear. A storm had pushed off to sea, letting the sediment settle and allowing the sun to find Berth. Gaielle sighed softly. Her sister was trying to convince her that until the time of her father's death, she should remain in the reef. Merrick had threatened to go to Venarite, and he would never approve of his daughter venturing on shore. She knew her sister was right, but it didn't stop her from craving the feeling of the air on her skin.

"How long will he live?" she asked Galina, pushing her hair out of her face.

"The chanter said not long. He's called for you several times. I believe he wants to hand his blessings to you."

"Gal, I can't go to him...."

"We all are aching, Elle. We all are mourning the loss of our father. All of the protectorate silently grieves." Galina settled onto the rock beside Gaielle and nestled close, their hips touching.

"Not you. You are to be queen... Will you banish me from Berth? Will you send me away because I love to walk amongst the trees of the earthers?"
"Elle," Galina sighed. "Of course not.... I don't believe that what you do poses any risk to the Pelagians. I only worry about you." Galina stroked Gaielle's hair, tucking it behind her ear.

"I don't want Father to die," Gaielle murmured. She turned to her side and propped herself up on her elbow, her body stretched out across the rock beside her sister's.

"Me either."

They lay together commiserating and comforting each other with their words until Merrick swam up. His silver hair was tied back in a knot at the base of his neck. He had a stern look on his face.

"We need to talk," he announced, his voice stricter than his face.

"If you're here to lecture me, save it. I don't want to hear it." Gaielle hated how her brother insisted on being her private guard. It was as if he believed himself to be the next king of Pelagius. His sworn oath to the rule of law overruled even a shred of his loyalty to her as a sister.

"Elle, you went to the shore again, after I specifically asked you not to."

"I needed to clear my head." Gaielle rolled back to her stomach and buried her face in her arms, which were folded in front of her. "Leave me alone."

"Please, Merrick," Galina interjected. "She is taking the news of Father's impending death really hard." Galina's hand stroked Gaielle's back, bringing her comfort.

"Gal, she went on the shore. You know how dangerous that is."

"I know how dangerous you think it is... The legend is not true, Merrick. If she were going to freeze after interacting with an earther, you'd have thought she would have been an ice cube by now."

Gaielle lay there, thinking about her sister's point. She had in fact interacted with an earther, a very handsome one at that. She hadn't turned to ice, nor had she even felt cold. She'd even touched him and sang over him and nothing had happened. The legend was wrong, and she didn't fear interaction with earthers.

"Listen to me," he said in a shouted whisper. "It doesn't matter if she interacted with any earther. It doesn't matter if she froze to death. It's not about her. It's about propriety and honor. Our father is the king, and as his children we must respect that."