Page 6 of Oaths & Vengeance
I understood she didn’t want to anger him, either. “Thank you. I’ll let you know by then.”
Chapter 3
Aella
I’d barely started working on my garden the following day when a servant in a crisp black uniform appeared at the archway entrance. Parzival cleared his throat, unwilling to risk the ire of my plants. Ten years ago, a new groundskeeper from a distant village had made the mistake of entering my sanctuary without knowing the dangers. He’d brushed against one of the crunchertraps and lost a chunk of his thigh.
As he’d howled in pain, the other one snapped at his rear end. I’d heard the screams from my room above and looked out my window to find several species of my flora had de-rooted to chase the poor man. It’d taken me an hour to wrestle them back into their places. Once blood spilled within the garden walls, some of my plants became opportunistic and vicious.
I’d worried my uncle would be angry about his new groundskeeper getting maimed, but I should have known better. He found it amusing. It was one of the rare times he’d even seemed pleased with me, which nearly made me want to do away with the whole garden, but I loved it too much and couldn’t do that. I’d brought Briauna to heal the injured man.
Feeling horrible about the incident, we found him safer employment in a location far from here. Ever since, though, no one had dared enter the walled enclosure without my permission. That was exactly the way I wanted it.
“Yes?” I asked, setting my trimming shears down.
The tractvine I was tending primarily grew underground as it should, but the coiled top with a single yellow bloom could take over the garden if I didn’t keep it under control. If anyone upset it, the vines under thesoil would shoot out and wrap around a person’s body, squeezing them to death and then slowly consuming them like a snake. All the while, it secreted toxins to break down the body faster.
It was a gruesome way to go. The plant typically grew in the thickest forests to the north and wasn’t easy to acquire. Thankfully, I had a natural affinity for flora, so I could coax the seedlings to leave their home. I also offered mice to keep them busy and content during transport.
“Lord Morgunn has requested your presence in his office.” The stuffy butler looked me up and down scornfully. “I advise you to wash and change into something presentable first, but do hurry. He does not wish to be kept waiting long.”
This was one elf I wouldn’t have minded tossing into my garden to feed my plants. Parzival wasn’t only a butler but also a close confidant to my uncle. More than once over the years, he’d caught me doing something “questionable” and snitched on me. Lord Morgunn was especially cruel in his punishment if his favorite servant told him about the offense.
One time, when I was fifteen, Parzival caught me sneaking out of my room at night. He had my ankle chained to a tree in the northeast orchard. The whole night, I had to fend off vicious night creatures by throwing stones and using my wind magic, which I wasn’t very adept at using then. While most fae parents used creative punishments to keep their offspring in line, my uncle was brutal.
“I’ll hurry,” I said, taking the trimmers to a lock box at the far end of the garden.
If I left them out, some of the plants couldn’t be trusted, and bad things might happen to my passive varieties that couldn’t move or fight back. I didn’t need another massacre to clean up after leaving out the shears last time.
Parzival was already gone when I exited the garden and rushed to my chambers. I had exactly three dinner gowns, four day dresses, and two plain ones for horseback riding and other outdoor activities. All my ball gowns and garments for special events were stored elsewhere and tailored specifically for each affair since my uncle wouldn’t want to appear cheapbeyond our household. Everything else I owned was pants and tunics for gardening or battle attire.
Most high-born elf ladies had a lot more formal wear, but my uncle hated spending any more funds on me than necessary. He’d taken most of my parents’ estate for himself, so my sister and I only received a thousand gold coins each, a few of their belongings, and none of the property. Most of that inheritance was gone, supplementing my wardrobe and purchasing plant supplies and seeds for my garden. I’d negotiated a small stipend for my portal opening services, but it barely covered any basic needs that my uncle wouldn’t handle, so I couldn’t save much.
I chose a pear-green day gown and quickly donned it after washing my face and hands. Uncle Morgunn tended to treat me kinder when I wore it since he liked the color. The style was the latest fashion, hugging my slim figure, and had intricate lace across the bodice and sleeve cuffs. It was one of the few regular dresses he’d ever commissioned. I initially wore it when a few highborn guests came to visit from Raumandia, which was why he’d been willing to finance it. The fabric matched my eyes, which was the part I liked the most.
After putting on matching slippers, I hurried downstairs to the lord’s office near the castle entrance. He answered at the first knock, beckoning me inside. My uncle stood behind his desk, wearing a dark blue doublet and pants with a white undershirt. The outfit would have looked good on some men, but he had a large oval torso that made his attire less flattering than he realized. He also kept his dark red hair cut short, making it less evident that it was thinning. As for his facial features, they could only be described as stern and uncompromising. Today, his ice-blue eyes reflected an especially malicious glint.
I took two steps into the room before freezing at the sight of a hawk-nosed elf with oily brown hair he kept slicked back. He leaned against a bookshelf next to the window. His gaze was cold and devoid of humanity, but as he studied me, a lecherous expression took over his pale features.
Something about him sent my internal alarm bells ringing and turned my stomach. I’d seen him around a few times in recent years—he was hard to forget—but I’d never done more than exchange stilted pleasantries.
“I believe you’ve met Baron Elgord,” my uncle said.
“Yes.” I forced myself to take a few steps forward and tried very hard not to show my disgust. “He oversees the Balzour mines, I believe.”
The ones that produced the holmium mineral I needed to open portals. I’d never been allowed near the place because my uncle didn’t want me tempted to steal the ore and be able to “traipse across the continent” without his knowledge or consent—his words, not mine. That was exactly why he didn’t know I saved some of the dust he allotted me for opening portals each time, and my sister acquired some secretly for me as well. I’d beentraipsingacross the continent for over a decade since I grew powerful enough.
Lord Morgunn nodded, pleased. “Yes, that is right. I have been negotiating a betrothal contract between Baron Elgord and you. All that is left is to request permission from the king.”
Shock and horror twisted my gut. I managed to keep my face blank thanks to years of practice, but inside, I was screaming at the top of my lungs. He couldn’t do this to me! This elf was a weasel and known for harassing female servants in vulgar ways. I could never consider him a suitable husband. Technically, my uncle was my guardian and could pressure me to marry anyone he wanted, but how could he have possibly chosen this man? Did he have any concern for my well-being at all?
Drawing a deep breath, I formulated my argument. “That is kind of you, my lord, but I had hoped to choose a husband myself.”
In fact, that had always been my dream. Find a nice, decent-looking man who truly loved me. We would have a beautiful wedding with me in the most gorgeous gown, and we’d be devoted to making each other happy for the rest of our lives. I especially looked forward to having children with my dream husband.
We would have a lovely home where there was a lot of love and laughter. Sure, my fantasies might be a little unrealistic, but that dream got me through some dark days in my life so far. Since I’d reached adulthood,I’d searched for that elusive man but had yet to find him. Even if it was unlikely, I wasn’t ready to give up.
My uncle laughed. “Oh, Aella, you were never going to choose for yourself. If not for your useful portal abilities, I would have married you off years ago rather than continue with your upkeep here.”
