Leslie Moore - Griffin's Daughter

“ I can take care of myself, Cousin. You’ve helped me get this far; now I can manage on my own.”

“ I can’t deny the logic of your arguments,” Magnes sighed. He looked at Ashinji. “I’ll need some provisions and a horse, if your father can spare one. I have nothing with which to repay him, as you know, but if there ever is a way, I’ll find it.”

“ Of course, Magnes. There is no need to speak of repayment. My father is a generous man, and there is no hardship in helping you. We will provide you with all that you need, including an escort to the border.”

“ It’s settled, then,” Jelena said.

Two days later, Jelena stood at the main gate of Kerala Castle and watched Magnes ride away. The words he had spoken to her the night before kept repeating themselves over and over in her head.

“ Jelena, I’ve seen how Ashinji looks at you. He’s drawn to you, and it only seems like it’s getting stronger. I know you don’t believe any man could love you because of what you are, but that’s simply not true. I think Ashinji might. Don’t let your fears and doubts prevent you from finding happiness.”

Fears and doubts are all I seem to have, Cousin, she thought.

Happiness and the kind of love shared between a man and woman were two things that Jelena had given up on a long time ago. She would count herself lucky if she could somehow manage to find a bit of contentment.

Magnes turned back in the saddle and waved. Jelena raised her hand in response and gave free rein to her tears. From behind, she sensed the presence of another. She turned to see Ashinji standing close by her left shoulder, watching the mounted figures of Magnes and his escort dwindling into the distance. She could feel the heat of his body pushing against her, and the desperate longing to touch him became almost too much to bear.

Could it be true what Magnes said? Could Ashinji really be falling in love with me? How is that possible?

No. Stop fooling yourself. Magnes is wrong. Ashinji is the son of a lord. His parents would never permit him to get involved with someone like me anyway, even if he wanted to, which I’m sure he doesn’t.

“ I know you are sad, Jelena. Perhaps, one day, if the One permits it, you will see your cousin again.” Ashinji rested his hand lightly on Jelena’s shoulder, and suddenly, she could take no more.

She sobbed aloud and fled.

During the week that followed Magnes’s departure, Ashinji tried to ease Jelena’s sorrow and loneliness by spending as much time with her as his other duties allowed.

Jelena’s company posed no hardship. In truth, he found himself drawn to her more strongly with each passing day. His first thoughts when he awoke in the morning were of her, as were his last thoughts before he drifted off to sleep at night. She haunted his dreams and preoccupied his waking mind. He found it both exciting and troubling. Ashinji was no callow youth; he’d had his share of affairs, but never before had a woman stirred his soul like Jelena. He felt off balance, like his world had just been upended and shaken out like an old sack.

Early evenings, during the quiet time between the end of the workday and the evening meal, Ashinji liked to ramble about the castle grounds. He invariably ended up on the battlements, where he could soak up the peace of the bucolic landscape in blessed solitude. This particular evening was no different. Slowly, he mounted the stairs toward the top of the wall, his mind already deep in thought.

Ashinji had never given much thought to the idea of romantic love. As the son of a noble house, his duty was to obey his parents, and when the time came for him to marry, he would go before the priests with a bride of his parents’ choosing. Love never really entered the picture, at least during the selection process. With luck, the girl would be pretty and of an agreeable nature. With still more luck, they would find that they were compatible, and friendship, then love, would grow between them. Ashinji had known for some time that his parents had been making discreet inquiries amongst several noble families. He had no thought or desire to complain.

Everything had changed the moment he had first seen Jelena’s face and had recognized her as the girl from his dream visions. He had known then, with absolute certainty, that they were meant to be together. He must make his feelings known to her, and soon.

His parents did need consideration, though. Lord and Lady Sakehera were far more liberal than most people on the subject of human-elf intermingling, but he wondered if their tolerance would extend to marriage with a hikui. Ashinji loved and respected his parents with all his heart and held his duty to them as one of the central aspects of his life. But in this one thing, he knew he could not obey. If he could not make Jelena his wife, then he would have no wife at all. He must somehow make his parents understand.

The sun had started its slow slide below the horizon. The evening breeze picked up a few stray locks of Ashinji’s hair and whipped them across his face, tickling his nose and mouth. He turned his head slightly and spotted movement out of the corner of his eye.

His heart sank.

Approaching him on the wall walk, like an onrushing storm, came Sadaiyo.

“ So, Ashi, up hiding on the walls again, eh?” Sadaiyo flashed a grin, all teeth and no warmth.

Ashinji sighed inwardly and steeled himself against the inevitable barbs that Sadaiyo took a perverse delight in throwing at him. “I’m not hiding. I came up here to be alone and think, as you well know.”

“ Think? About what, Little Brother? Oh, I know. My wedding! That’s all anyone can think about these days, isn’t it?” Sadaiyo rested his elbows on the parapet, looking smug. “Did you know that my soon-to-be wife single-handedly took out an entire Iinaa raiding party? Single-handedly! And I’ve also heard that she can love a man to complete and utter exhaustion, then spring from bed to ride to hounds!” He cocked a sardonic eye at Ashinji. “It’s a good thing Father and Mother picked her for me rather than you. Such a woman needs a man strong enough to handle her properly. I think she’d end up sucking you dry.” He laughed and Ashinji ground his teeth, wincing as hot needles of pain shot up his arms. He looked down to see that he had bloodied his fingers gripping the parapet.

“ You’ve been spending a lot of time with that stray you brought in. I don’t blame you. She is very attractive, despite her humanish features… no, because of them, I think. It makes her so…different, so intriguing. Have you had her yet?” Ashinji went cold with fury, but Sadaiyo did not seem to notice. “Wait! This is my prissy little brother I’m talking to. Of course you haven’t,” he continued, his voice dripping sarcasm. “You know, if you don’t want her, maybe I’ll take her as my concubine.” He paused for dramatic effect. “Maybe I’ll take her anyway, even if you do want her.” His cruel smile cut like a razor.

“ Stay away from Jelena, Sadaiyo,” Ashinji replied, his voice low and dangerous.

Sadaiyo raised an eyebrow. “Struck the mark, have I? Is it possible…could it be possible that you actually have feelings for this girl, Little Brother? She’s a half-breed, you know.”

“ I am well aware of Jelena’s heritage.” Blood pounding in his ears, Ashinji fought to keep a grip on his temper, but with each heartbeat, his control slipped a tiny bit more.

“ She’s a half-breed, and she’s kinless. The only thing this girl has to give you that’s worth anything is what’s between her legs.”

Ashinji rounded on Sadaiyo, fist raised.