chapter nine
Becoming
I laid in the bed drifting in and out of sleep thinking about what had happened. I had had a chance to talk with Seki before he left but he said that everything he said in the dream wasn’t true. He wasn’t specific but I had a feeling he meant his being in love with me. I had felt like crying but I didn’t have any tears left so I just slept.
A light scent carried in the wind coerced me to open my eyes. Ceara had jumped onto my head and rested her head on my outstretched arm. She smiled at me when I finally looked at her.
“How are you doing?” I took a deep breath and stretched a bit, smiling.
“I’m ok. I’m just a little disorientated.” I looked at the ceiling and sighed. “I can’t believe I did that.” I turned to my side so I could face her and she smiled at me.
“You did what you felt was right. Besides you always were a drama queen.” He smiled as she chuckled. “I just can’t believe you agreed to Beacan’s terms. You must really love Seki.”
“I would do the same for you any day.” She grinned.
“Yeah well if I had to choose between killing you or courting Beacan then I’d have to think a lot longer than you did.” I smacked her arm for that comment. She laughed again. “I was just kidding.”
“He did agree to my terms too.” Her grin faded into a small smile.
“What terms did you make?”
“Basically stay out of my hair and don’t cause trouble.” I looked down. “You know I’m going back tonight?” I looked back to see her blank face.
“I know. I intend to go with you this time.” I blinked.
“Really?” She nodded. I hugged her, smiling. I was so happy that she would come back with me.
“You just have to deal with Adair every now and then.” I smiled pulling away.
“Ceara I’d put up with my worst enemy if that meant you’d be with me this time.” She smiled but it was quickly replaced with something that looked more like sorrow and anger.
“Ori…why didn’t you tell me you had been raped?” I blinked again. Someone had told her. My guess was Seki had spilled the beans.
“I’m in love with Seki, Ceara.” She frowned, confused.
“What does that have to do with anything? Besides, that was obvious.” I gave an exaggerated sigh with a smile.
“It wasn’t that obvious and…I felt tainted. It was hard enough to get Seki’s attention back then, hell it’s hard still, and telling him that I had been tainted by another man…he would never return my feelings.” I looked down. “In his dream he said he was in love with me but…I think he was in love with me but when he saw me again after so many years…I think his love died. He doesn’t feel the same way I do.”
“How do you know?”
“He had an ideal version of me in his dream. I was young and carefree. I never ran away and I wasn’t higher up on the social food chain. That’s the Ori Seki’s in love with.”
“You’re still young, Ori. For crying out loud you’re younger than me. The only difference is you look older than that.” She touched my face bringing my attention to her. “He loves you Ori…he still does.”
“How do you know? How can you be so certain?” She smiled sweetly.
“Because he looks at you the way Frost looks at your mother. It’s the way Romeo must have looked at Juliet the first time they met. It’s the way I wish Adair looked at me.” Up until that moment I had felt light hearted but it was quickly changed. I frowned.
“Adair loves you.” I protested, but even I didn’t know. I’d never seen them together.
“Of course he loves me but he doesn’t look at me the same way Seki looks at you.” She smiled seeing my concern. “Don’t worry about me Ori, I’m happy. I know Adair loves me and one day he’ll look at me that way but right now he’s adjusting.”
“Adjusting? To what?”
“Me. You know how long that takes.” I grinned. I did know how long it took: a few heartbeats. Ceara was the kind of person that you could never be angry with and if you were it had to be something serious. She was easy to get along with and had a magnetic personality. Her laugh alone was enough to get your attention. People were drawn to her because she didn’t seem to have a care in the world.
“You make that sound like it takes years.” She smiled.
“It does. Anyway, Adair does have a certain way he looks at me. It’s pretty close to the way Seki looks at you and it gets closer every time. I give it another week before he’s up there with your Seki.”
“He’s not my Seki.”
“You’re courting him aren’t you?” I nodded.
“But it’s not the same I could offer him my bed and my heart but he’d take my bed.” She looked past me and gasped.
“Are you so sure that’s true?” Another voice startled the hell out of me. I sat up and turned to see Seki standing in the doorway. I stared wide-eyed at him then laughed from embarrassment. I covered my smile with my hand then put it back down, recovering.
“How long have you been there?” He came a few steps closer to the bed.
“Around, “He had an ideal version of me in his dream.” My hand flew up to my mouth before I could stop it. He had heard almost all of the conversation.
“That was a private conversation, you know.” He looked straight at me for a heartbeat.
“Sorry.” He leaned against the wall and somehow I just didn’t think he really was sorry. “The queen wants to see you before you leave. She also wants to know who you’re taking home with you.” I turned to Ceara.
“Well Ceara’s coming and I have to take Beacan.” I smiled at Ceara grabbing her hand. Seki scoffed at Beacan’s name. He was royally pissed about my bargain.
“The queen asks that you take Galen with you.” I frowned. How many guards does she think I need?
“Ok so that makes three.”
“Vaughn and Jared asked as well.” Seki added and I nodded.
“We’ll bring them along too. So five…no wait, six. Damn where are all of these people going to sleep? I can fit three people in my bed if I have to. Two people can pull out the bed in the couch. One can lounge on the sofa.” I paused thinking. “Ok I don’t know Vaughn and Jared very well so they get the couch bed. Beacan gets the sofa.” I sighed.
“You know Jared and Vaughn aren’t going to be guards so you can send them to a hotel.” I snapped my fingers. Why hadn’t I thought of that?
“Ok so Jared and Vaughn are in a hotel. Beacan can go too but if he protests I don’t want to fight about it so he’ll sleep on the sofa. He’s not sleeping in my bed and Galen and someone else can sleep on the couch and someone can bunk with me.” I finally turned to Seki then back to Ceara. “So you two get to duke it out.” I smiled sweetly. This was going to work. Somehow.
“I get the couch!” Ceara yelled it pretty loud. I winced then rubbed my eye.
“What was that for?” I asked disorientated. She grinned.
“I wanted to claim it before Seki could.” I nodded.
“Alright, we’ve slept together before.” She winked at me, which only made me smack her again. “Ok so this is going to work. Now lets go see mum, gather my men, and go home.” I smiled. I was suddenly very eager to leave.
I took everything I had not to clap my hands together in glee. I went over to my suitcase and picked out my outfit. I couldn’t very well go see the Queen in a blood soaked gown. I chose a black skirt that went a little above the knees with matching black knee-high boots that laced up. The shirt was two parts, one a regular blood red ‘peasant shirt’ and a black bodice that laced up the front. I had to admit I looked amazing.
Ceara helped me braid my hair into a few dozen elaborate braids piled on top of my head. After about twenty minutes of protesting Ceara got me to agree to wear a headband that went around the forehead and had a small blood red jewel dangling between my eyebrows. It thought it was cheesy but both Seki and Ceara complemented me.
“Goddess, Orianna you’ve always had impeccable style.” I grinned.
“Where do you think I learned it from?” Ceara looked down at herself as if she didn’t know what she was wearing. She had worn a black skirt that was a few inches shorter than mine with black high-heel sandals that had laces that wrapped around and up her legs. She wore a see-thru black shirt with a black tank-top underneath. Her long white hair had been braided around her head in one ring. She looked unbelievably snazzy. And she wonders where I get it from.
I sent Galen to get the other men who were going. When we arrived at my mother’s room I paused. I had a strange feeling that I couldn’t shake. Seki touched my arm bringing my attention to him.
“Are you alright?” I nodded at him then went for the door. It opened without my touching it. I peeked around the door looking as confused as can be. Mother frowned at me just as confused.
“Ori come in don’t linger in the door it’s weird.” I looked back at Seki and Ceara and they just shrugged.
“Well you guys are a big help.” Seki grinned. It was nice to see him smiling again. I was worried when he was acting all serious. I wanted my smiling friend back.
We walked into the room. I stood closest to mum who was lounging on the bed. There was the oddest look on her face. Rhys moved from the other side of the bed and Doyle followed suit. It looked like they were protecting mum from me. I frowned at them.
“I’m not going to hurt my own mother.” I glared at the two men.
“Little Ori,” Rhys spoke first. “I wanted to apologize to you for making Seki say those things to you. I had no idea it would hurt you so much.” He looked down then over to Seki. “And I’m sorry for making you do that Seki.” I looked back at Seki who looked back at me.
“It was the Queen’s will. However, I will never forget it. If you had seen the look on her face…you yourself would have considered suicide.” I blinked. He had thought of killing himself? Just because I was hurt? He looked at my mother and reported what he saw. “She cried, Your Majesty. The Princess never cries. I fear I may have scarred her.” He looked down not wanting us to see the emotion in his eyes then he looked back up with unbelievable anger. “For you I hurt her and I will hate you for that.” My eyes went unbelievably wide. He just spoke to my mother very, very dangerous words. Doyle took a step forward but I stepped in front of him.
“Ori, he has threatened the Queen.” I glared up at him giving him my most evil face.
“I am your Princess and I have told you before; do not address me so informally.” His face went blank.
“I am your father.”
“ONE…of my fathers but not the one my mother married. You are not my mother’s husband.” Technically, since my mother married Frost, I was Frost’s daughter. Doyle had no power over me.
I moved back toward Seki. “He is part of me. If you challenge him you challenge me. If you challenge me, you challenge him. From now on we are one.” Mother moved forward.
“Orianna doing that says you’re as good as married.” I smiled.
“Not married…just lovers. It can be revoked at any time. When Seki no longer shares my bed then it will be void.” She leaned back against the headboard and thought. About a heartbeat later she nodded.
“Fine but you must do this for all of your men.” I gave one small nod.
“I’m going home mother.” She looked down.
“Are you sure I can’t convince you to stay?” I shook my head.
“No.” It was all I said. I didn’t need to go into reasons.
“Then go carefully Orianna. I cannot protect you in New York. Galen and Seki will be your guards.” She was about to say more but Ceara interrupted.
“Forgive me, Your Majesty, but I will be the Princess’s guard as well.” Mother looked at her surprised and I looked at her smiling. It was Doyle who protested.
“You are not trained how to guard the Princess. How could you protect her if you cannot protect yourself.” Ceara hissed at Doyle in anger.
“My friendship would protect Orianna more than you could ever.” Doyle took a step forward but Ceara stood her ground. “Test me Doyle. I could defend her better than you any day.” Doyle gave a low growl but mother interrupted.
“Seki will train Ceara. We would be pleased if you would protect our daughter. I do believe you won the archery award seven years in a row?”
“But that’s archery. That alone will not protect Ori.” Mother shot a glare at Doyle that was completely unfriendly.
“Then she will learn to use a gun.” She spit every word out and it seemed to sear Doyle each time. Rhys moved to me and gave me a hug.
“I will miss you little Ori. Keep in touch.” I hugged him back tightly.
“Forever.” He leaned down and kissed me on the forehead then sighed. I pulled away and went to mother. She stood and hugged me.
“I’m sorry Orianna.” She whispered it to me. I pulled away to see her crying.
“Mummy?” She paused then smiled again but the tears still came.
“You haven’t called me that in years.” I smiled at her then wiped away a tear from her cheek. “I can’t protect you Orianna and I’m sorry for that.” She gave me another hug then nudged me to Seki and Ceara. I walked over to them and took Seki’s hand.
“I’ll be fine mummy.” She gave a shaky sigh then nodded.
“It’s up to you two to keep her safe. Don’t fail me but most of all don’t fail her.” With that we left. It didn’t take long once we gathered my men and guards to arrive at the jet. Mother was right. She couldn’t protect me in New York. I knew Seki and Ceara and even Galen could protect me but I wasn’t sure if I could protect them. I wasn’t sure if I was the one in danger but I knew someone was.
Copyrights: This is a fan fiction. All original characters from Laurell K. Hamilton's Fae series are hers and hers alone (too many to count sorry) this includes the Anita Blake series. All characters that weren't in her original series are MINE and I will kick any one's ass that steals them.