Page 5 of Fire & Ice

I had to let go of this imaginary woman. Somewhere out there in the world, there was my mate, someone just for me. I simply had to find her, but I feared that if I let myself get caught up in this fantasy, I would give up far too easily and lose sight of my duty and my honor.

Chapter 5

Tempest

I groaned and rolled over, burying myself deeper under the covers in an attempt to block out the setting sun. Just then, my mother's voice filled the room. "Tempest Storm Maackiain, please tell me that you allowed death a little reprieve last night and actually allowed rest to claim your body," my mother said sternly as she stood at the end of my bed, her small but intimidating frame looming over me.

I yawned and rubbed my eyes before replying. "Yes, Mom, I rested yesterday morning," I said, my voice hoarse and scratchy.

"It does not sound like it or look like it, my child," my mother sniffed.

“Mother, I have about five hours until my actual blood moon and by then I’m sure rejuvenation will have set in.” I yawned again and stumbled out of bed, running a hand through my hair to make myself look slightly more presentable as I got up.

“Yes well, you’ll need more than just your natural rejuvenation," Maria sniffed, handing me a blood goblet. “Drink up. This has been offered from a Halfling who sits on the council, as tribute for your twenty-fifth blood moon. And you need it; it looks like you’ve been trapped away and deprived of death for quite some time.”

“Mom," I laughed, “You are truly bringing about this day in the worst way! After all, there will be hair and make-up for the ball tonight."

"Yes, well that is not my intention, but making sure that you look and feel your best is,” my mom said earnestly, her eyes roaming over my figure. We looked almost like twins, except she was a few inches shorter, and she was svelte in comparison to my curves. "All I want is for this blood moon to be the best night ever for you. It's the first time that your moon day has fallen on a Saturday where there will be a ball, and for it to be the final ball King Lucas and Queen Tatiana will host at Palace Fernet. It's really quite poetic."

"Poetic? Seriously?"

“Oh yes my girl!”

I wasn't so enthused. "I don't even know if I want to know anymore," I said flatly, gulping down the goblet of blood. After drinking it, I only felt microscopically better—not enough for me to be excited about tonight. I felt my mother’s eyes boring into me, so I flopped back onto the bed to escape her stare. I gathered the silken folds of my blanket around me trying to hide the fire rising in my body from my mom's ever watchful eyes.

Mom just huffed indignantly and winked, sending a wave of water over my head that filled the room with a cloud of steam as it doused my flames. "Tempest, stop lying to yourself, because you're not fooling me," she said sternly. "I can see your gift rising at this very moment and I will not allow you to sabotage yourself."

“Mom!” I sputtered.

She giggled as she took her pointer finger and waved it around me, "Look at you frothing at the bit, ready to set the whole house aflame with your emotions. Control yourself girl. I know that you want to see your best friend again, that you want us to be closer and to be able to share more with you, I want the same love. Do you think it's easy for Dad and I to only be able to share half of us with you? To withhold anything from you, the shining moon in our lives? You’ll be fine my little moonlight, you need to shower and wash your hair anyway. Fragiles will be arriving within the hour to get you ready for today’s ball. The clock is ticking, and you will be amazing, my girl.”

Mom cupped my wet cheeks within her palms, pulling me up in the bed so we were face to face. "I love you now, and I’ll love you no matter what, but I have an inkling that something amazing is in the works for you, my love, and I will not allow you to back away from reaching your full potential because you are full of fear. Quiet your fire and get yourself ready," she ended before placing a warm kiss on my forehead.

I watched in awe as my mother walked away. The strong set of her shoulders and the determined strides of her tiny frame as she left the room filled me with admiration. But her leaving brought me no reprieve, for as soon as she left my fragile attendants took her place.

The fragiles briskly attended to my every need in the bath. I gazed at myself in the rippling reflection of the water while they worked on me, admiring the dark coiled hair piled atop my head, some tendrils bursting free and cascading down my neck and face. My deep umber skin seemed to glow from within, radiating an otherworldly luminescence. Despite this, every fiber of my being burned with unease at the thought of what was yet to come. Transfixed, I was broken from my reverie by a gentle hand upon my naked shoulder.

“My lady… my lady, are you ready to get dressed?” a fragile whispered, bringing me back to the here and now with a start.

“Yes, please,” I said, impatient to get this night over and done with, barely keeping my mind steady.

“Today is a very big day for you Lady Tempest. We are very excited to see you off to attend your twenty-fifth Blood Moon,” one fragile whispered.

“Here, let's dry you off and get you dressed,” another fragile scurried around to my other side, her pale hands holding open a huge fluffy towel that was cool and smelled of lavender and vanilla.

"Thank you," I said, inhaling the scent and closing my eyes as the fragile rubbed my skin with the towel.

Another fragile then began to run her fingers through my hair, helping to untangle and comb my tight curls. With a steady hand, she turned each stand from a tight curl into a loose bouncy wave. She stepped back to admire her work before beaming at me in approval and beckoning me towards the full-length mirror.

I gasped as I looked upon my reflection; she had woven a few thin braids throughout, each of them decorated with delicate sapphires that sparkled in the light. A final flourish of holding spray was added for good measure before she handed me a dress that seemed to shimmer even in the pale moonlight streaming through the window.

“Very good my lady,” she said, nodding as she fanned the mirror out before me. “Now let's get you dressed so we can get you to the ball.”

Chapter 6

Tempest

I descended the marble staircase, its steps echoing with each clack of my heels, and the scent of beeswax candles and soot wafted to me. My father sat by the fire lost in thought, while my mother looked up at me with a smile of approval. She bumped his shoulder and he turned toward me.

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