The Blowout
The next day, Amiera woke up to a note on her nightstand. It was folded over and stood up on the table, her name written on the front in a dainty script. She picked it up and quickly skimmed over it. It read:
‘My dear Princess,
After yesterday’s events, I figured you may need a break from the royal life. I would like you to accompany me as I go about my day today. I think it’d be a worthy distraction that you are in desperate need of. Just let me know what you decide.
~ Your faithful Knight,
Aeryn’
She read through the note quickly, smiling as she reached the end. She swiftly got up and prepared herself for the day ahead. She threw on a white shirt with flowy white sleeves, olive green pants, a pair of boots that stopped a little ways from her knees, and lace up black corset on top of her shirt. She jumped into her vanity chair and splitting her hair into two before braiding back each side and pulling the braids into two buns at the base of her neck, save for the few pieces she kept out to frame her face. Finally, she pulled on her favorite tiara, wrestling with it a little to make sure it didn’t pull her hair. She leaned back in her chair, taking in her appearance. 'It will suffice,’ she thought, and got up to find her companion for the day.
☾
She found Ryn outside in the courtyard, practicing her archery. Her bow was simple, but beautiful. It was a sleek and elegant wood-carven bow with beautiful engravings, each one depicting a different constellation. The string; a whisker plucked from a wingless dragon. Whenever she asked about the origin of the bow, Ryn always said that it was a gift from her uncle, but never elaborated further.
The sound of her shoes against the terra-cotta tiles made Ryn turn around. She lowered her bow, smirking while saying, “I see you decided to join me.” Letting a soft smile slip onto her face, Amiera replied, “I figured you were right. About me needing a break, that is.”
Ryn walked closer so she was standing right in front of Amiera. “Oh, so I can’t be right about other things?” she asked in a playful tone. Even with the added height of her boots, Ryn was still slightly(and only slightly) taller than her. She craned her head up a little, looking into Ryn’s eyes and replying, “You can be. Just not very often.”
“Wow Ami,” she started with feigned shock, “I thought we were better than that.” Amiera just smiled and asked about their plans for the day. “Well,” Ryn started, “I planned on practicing my archery for a few more minutes, but since your here, let’s take a trip to the training grounds.”
Amiera made a face of curiosity as she followed Ryn down to the training grounds. In reality, the “training grounds” were just an empty field next to the stables, often used for the horses to get out and stretch their legs. When the horses were away, however, the knights and royal guard used it to hone their combative abilities. On a normal day, it was packed with fighters, some in pairs sparring, some practicing with weapons, and very few using magic. Today, however, was different. The normally lively field was completely empty.
“Why are we here?” Amiera inquired, “There’s no one here.” Ryn turned to her, grinning widely and saying, “Exactly.” Before she could even process what was happening, Ryn took off running. ‘Gods,’ Amiera thought, ‘This woman will be the death of me.’
Her shoes thudded against the Earth as she chased after her knight. It was strange to think of Ryn as her knight, but she supposed it was the right term. Ryn was assigned to her and her alone, and she thanked the gods everyday that she got Ryn and not some entitled, stuck up prick for a guardian.
“Keep up, Princess!” Ryn shouted from in front of her. Amiera ignored her, instead focusing on closing the gap between them. Eventually, Ryn stopped, collapsing on to the ground to catch her breath. Amiera jogged over, smirking as she approached. “Tired yourself out?” she asked, barely containing her laughter. Ryn lifted her head off the ground only to shoot her a glare, though there was no real malice behind it. Reaching down, she offered Ryn a hand. She took it and allowed herself to be dragged up by the royal. “Come on, let’s go,” she said turning back and walking towards the castle, “My mother will be furious enough.”
☀︎
She didn’t even make it past the front doors. As soon as she crossed the threshold into the palace, her mother was on her. “Amiera Guinevere Norac!” her voice rang out. Amiera winced, her mother’s yelling could hurt the ears of the deaf. She was marching down the hallway, two counsel members on her heels. From where she was standing, Amiera thought they were trying to calm her down. She silently wished them luck, knowing for herself very well that the chances of their success were quite low.
“Yes, mother?” she replied, knowing exactly what she was in for. “Where on the gods green Earth have you been? You’ve been gone almost all day and didn’t even leave a note! You could have been captured, in the middle of being tortured, hell, you could have been dead for all I knew! What do you have to say for yourself, young lady?”
Amiera looked up, staring defiantly into her mother’s eyes and asked, “How old am I?” Her mother looked perplexed for a moment before responding with ‘nineteen.’
“Exactly,” Amiera spoke, her tone surprisingly even, “I am almost twenty years old. Therefore, I am an adult and can spend my day however I may choose. Contrary to what you may think, you do can not control every aspect of my life, Mother.”
“I am your mother!” she shouted, as if she wasn’t standing mere three feet in front of her, “You will follow the rules I put in place.”
“I will not!” she yelled back, her tone no longer even as it was moments before. Now, her voice was laced with fury as she cried, “I will not follow your every order as if I am a mindless soldier under your command!”
In the blink of her eye, her mother had crossed the small space between them and smacked her across the face. The slap reverberated through the mostly empty corridor, echoing loudly off the stone walls. Amiera brought a hand up to her face, still feeling the sting of her mother’s hand. She looked at her mother, her gaze hardened into a blank stare, and coldly spoke, “I am not a puppet and you are not a puppeteer. My actions and the consequences that follow are mine and mine alone. Don’t bother speaking to me until you’ve learned that.” Still fuming, Amiera swiftly made her way back to her bedchambers, the clicking her of boots the only sound as she disappeared down the corridors.
☾
Some time later, Amiera heard a knock at her door. She looked up from one of the many books she kept in her room, and with a puzzled look, went to open her door. Word of her blow out with her mother had likely spread like wildfire through the castle, making it very unlikely that anyone with sense would come waltzing up to her door. Then her mind drifted to the one person she knew that often acted without using the sense the gods bestowed upon her. Swinging open her door, her suspensions were proven correct.
Standing in front of her, baring an expression of both guilt and concern, was none other than Aeryn. “Hey,” she said, gazing down at her with eyes that were filled with apology, as if she had done something that she needed forgiveness for.
“Hi,” Amiera replied, looking back into those amber eyes, trying her best to wordlessly convey that she wasn’t upset, nor did she blame her for anything. “I assume you heard?” Ami asked softly, opening her door wider as to invite the other woman in. She took the invitation gratefully, walking in and stopping in front of Ami’s broad window. Amiera closed her door, and made her way over to stand beside her. They stood in silence for a few moments, marveling at the beauty the moon goddess had created.
“Was it my fault?” the words were uttered so softly, Amiera wondered if she had imagined hearing them. She turned to face the woman at her side, a confused look on her face. “Was what your fault?” she inquired, her voice laced with genuine confusion. Ryn looked away from the window, turning her gaze to meet Ami’s, her jade eyes a mix of concern and bewilderment. “Your latest argument with your mother, Amiera,” she answered, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. There was brief silence before Amiera answered firmly, “No.”
“How can you say that? It was my actions that caused all this, Amiera!” her voice was not soft nor saddened as she said, nearly shouted, the words. She had taken several steps away from Ami as she spoke, and was now on the other side of the room. She took a deep breath and a little calmer said, “She hurt you because of me.”
Before she even realized, Ami crossed the room so that she was standing directly in front of Ryn. She tilted the other woman’s face up from the ground, making their eyes meet. Sorrowful amber met reassuring jade, making Amiera’s heart constrict inside her chest. With a firm, yet gentle, voice she stated, “None of this is your fault.”
She made sure Aeryn heard the certainty in her voice. Her mother was more than likely just using their daytime adventures as an excuse to scold her. Whose idea it was meant nothing to the queen, only that her daughter was doing something fun and not being bored to death by her lessons.
Still looking into the other’s eyes, Aeryn mumbled faintly, “Are you sure?”
“I’ve never been surer of anything in my life.”
It seemed as if a mountain of tension was lifted off of Ryn after she heard those words. Her shoulders relaxed and she pulled the princess against her in a tight hug. Amiera hugged back just as fiercely, offering the comfort she knew Ryn needed. Amiera didn't know how long they stayed that way, clinging tightly to each other, dimly illuminated by the moonlight. Frankly, she didn't care, perfectly content in just being with the literal light of her life.