The Huntsman of Adamos (Quartet)- draft
FOLLOWING BLINDLY

CH FOLLOWING BLINDLY

“Yurieth, it isn’t like that...” Abrieth started. “She’s his...”

“Then what is it like, Abrieth? Time is linear, it goes in one direction like an arrow. Traveling through time is forbidden for a reason...She even told me she would not help us save our world because she did not help us save our world, but what of our honor?” Yurieth stared out at the King’s castle for a moment, with clenched fist. He was breathing raggedly and Abrieth could feel the turmoil in his brother’s soul. “She isn’t mine yet I selfishly don’t want to lose even a moment with her. It is wrong to indulge my selfishness.”

“Yurieth, time travel negates the need for your guilt, she is Kaleth’s widow,” Abrieth reminded harshly.

“Don’t lecture me. I understand the mechanics of the relic, but I cannot make myself see her as coming from after his life ends while I am holding him as a newborn. It makes my soul ache for him, and hope for him, and resent that he will have centuries with her when we will be separated by an ocean of centuries in a few short months.... and I have never been so conflicted.” Yurieth ran his hand through his hair again.

Abrieth had the sense he wanted to start tearing it out. “Have you talked to Father? Or Mother?”

Yurieth snorted derisively, “Their answers only make me more confused. He and Mother aren’t telling us something important, and Fleur is keeping secrets too. I can feel it.” Yurieth slammed his palm against the flat stone of the railing. “I do not like to feel this way, like I do not know what is coming. Why can’t oracles just tell the truth?”

“You have never liked puzzles. And truth is relative to the perception of the one speaking and the one hearing. It isn’t always what one hears but what the one listening wants to hear.”

“You sound like Mother,” Yurieth turned to glare at his brother who shrugged.

“Mother and Father have always talked in riddles, but the secrets Fleur keeps are to protect the very future we work to preserve. We have to respect that.” Abrieth stood to his full height facing his brother with a hardened look.

“It isn’t just about the timeline, or it isn’t only about the timeline. She is secretive , especially about our time of imprisonment.”

“If you were a female would you want to talk about being chained, abused, having your child cut from your body?” Abrieth pointed out angrily.

“She is hiding something. I do not trust her,” Yurieth snarled.

“You mean you don’t want to trust her! Perhaps she is trying to protect you, did you ever think of that?” After a moment, Abrieth’s expression softened. “She loves you, Yurieth, and you love her, I can feel it. She would give you back your heart if you let her. Can’t you just accept her love and let yourself love her back?”

“Not until I know what she is hiding. I will not follow my heart blindly.” Yurieth turned away to face the city again. His eyes on the streets filled with hundreds of Aetherians and a few Xelusians going about their lives, not knowing the end was coming.

“Brother, you always see shadows before they appeared and threats before they come. It has made you a great warrior. The best I have ever met. But love is not as easy to navigate as the battlefield, and I think you are seeing treachery where there is none. Tread carefully and make sure that your angst is not because you have become so comfortable being alone. Stop looking for a reason to reject her love.” Abrieth stepped to his brother’s side. “Your solitary nature as a huntsman does not mean you need to be forever alone and unloved.” Abrieth wanted more than anything for Yurieth to feel what he felt with Serapha, but to do that, Yurieth had to allow himself to be vulnerable, and Abrieth knew his brother hated vulnerability.

It appeared Yurieth wasn’t paying attention to him, he was staring intently into the throngs of people beyond the walls of the estate.

“Where are they going?” Yurieth huffed.

“Who?” Abrieth followed his gaze to see his sealed one leading his brother’s sealed one through the crowd toward the market district. “Oh, dear.”

Yurieth pinched the bridge of his nose as he often did when frustrated. “We had better follow. A runaway Princess of Xelusia leading the Blind Oracle through the streets of the City of the Kings is bound to draw the wrong attention.... I think I am getting a headache.”

Abrieth jumped down to the roof below to follow them and Yurieth had no choice but to follow him. The Huntsman had the feeling that trouble might find their ladies before he and his brother did.

As Serapha led Fleur through the streets to the market center, she described all the shops they pass. They are going to a clothier’s shop because Fleur needed clothes for autumn court socials and the required equinox ball. They were only halfway there when Fleur realized someone was following them, someone who had been touched by darkness. She said nothing as Serapha chatted happily about all the different styles and shapes of dresses she had seen at court this season.

As they enter the clothier’s district, Fluer was amazed that she could actually see some of the brilliant colors as they walked. Often she leaned forward to see a color or pattern more clearly. It seemed like the colors were leaping out of her normal haze to be seen, but she couldn’t imagine anyone wearing such bright colors.

The clothing designer was named Cinna, he ws very nice, but Fleur could’t shake the feeling that he was somehow familiar. While she was trying to figure it out, he suggested, “I think my lady would look best in a rich Merlot or scarlet. If we colored your hair, you could even wear fire rubies.”

Fleur shook her head, “I am very sorry, Cinna, but I do not wear red, any red, ever. I was made to wear the color when I was a prisoner of war and I hate it. What other colors would you like me to wear?”

“I am sorry you suffered thusly, my lady. Would you mind wearing the color of your eyes?” Cinna asked, “They are as beautifully unique as you are, and lavender is not a commonly worn color.”

Fleur blushed at his compliment, suddenly she realized how she knew of Cinna. “My favorite dresses used to be my eye color. One that was ombre, lavender to deep blue with crystals on it. I felt like I was wearing the morning sky.”

Eyeing her dark brown dress, he asked, “Why did you change what colors you wore?”

“My husband died, and afterwards, I only wore the brown and deep green of our house, or the dark gray of the fleet with lavender trim to denote my station as the War Oracle of the New Kingdom.”

“Fleur, should you be...” Serapha said in a rush but Fleur interrupted her, reassuring Serapha,

“It’s okay, Pha. Cinna is in love with someone I know very well...“She could feel Cinna looking at her strangely, even though his features were a blur. “We are building a starship together and I know his heart and loyalties belong to love and the Light. If Oren trust you, then so do I. Clothier Cinna, I put myself completely in your hands.”

Cinna bowed. “Thank you for your efforts, my lady. Now, let’s choose the fabric, lavender like your eyes but looks like the morning or evening sky, something that floats, I think, with a shimmer like magic. I have the perfect silk in mind. Let us go to the velvet shop for your winter fabrics, and I will send a runner for your silks, my ladies.”

He signaled a young boy in a blue vest with a symbol and gave him a note to carry to the silk dyers and told him to return with the product quickly. Then turned to lead them through the market, but Fleur lingered back a moment, leaning on Serapha and Cinna’s minds to move them slightly ahead of her. She caught the boy’s sleeve before he passed her and left the shop.

“My lady?” He sounded so surprised that she would touch him. He was unhoused, and she was a royal.

“I need a favor, young man. I need to know who is following the princess and I, and how many. There is an extra silverfour in it for you.” Fleur offers. The boy’s eyes widen, it is an extra two weeks wages. “Can you do it without being noticed?” She asked intensely.

“Yes, my lady. My name is Nilo, at your service.” He bowed awkwardly.

She smiled and ruffled his hair, “Don’t bow, I hate that. Off you go, Nilo.”

Fleur hurried out the side door to catch up with Cinna and Serapha. Her power led her to them without incident. They had not even realized she was not with them, Serapha turned and smiled at her.

“I hope you don’t think I am hoarding Cinna?”

Fleur shook her head. “I will let you two dress me, I am perfectly happy in a tunic and yoga pants.”

Serapha feels shocked but Cinna laughed. “I do not know what yoga pants are, but it sounds very comfortable and dreadfully unfashionable. I understand from our mutual friend, you often run around dressed like a juvenile boy.”

Fleur shrugged as they entered the velvet shop. “I like to be comfortable and practical. While gowns are lovely, they are not very comfortable or practical. Honestly, it is like I am stuck somewhere between a renaissance fair and a couture party.” They just stared at her, confused. “Nevermind.”

Cinna told her pick out five velvets of different colors for the coming winter, her fingers brush over the one that was familiar pale green. Cinna touched it too. “Lady Yllumina was correct, it is a good color for you. Did you like the embroidery?”

Fleur nodded. “I liked it very much. My time of mourning is over, I need to stop dressing like a widow, but I still need to wear the colors of Adamos.”

“My lady, did you know the colors of Yophriel were a very pale blue, like the moon, and a light silver gray like a polished mirror?” Cinna offered leading her to two bolts. “With the lightness of your hair caused by your special baths, it would be quite striking.”

Fleur immediately knew that Oren had told Cinna about her water of light treatments and her constant pain from her injuries. Picking up a roll of forest green and one of rich coffee brown, then lastly, she placed her hand on a stone gray one. “Could I get trousers and a jacket or vest from this with a lavender tunic? I miss my fleet uniform. And it is easier to get through the crawl spaces in pants.”

Cinna placed them next to several bright red and orange ones and a single brilliant cerulean blue that Serapha had chosen.

“Oren said you had your own exploration and research starship, was it exciting?” Cinna asked quietly.

“It was. It was also difficult, but I loved it...” Fleur turned her head suddenly, as Nilo came in. Serapha then called the clothier to look at a fabric. While Cinna and Serapha were talking to the velvet merchant, Fleur wandered over to Nilo and fingered the silk. One was a metallic copper that looked like flames. The other was an iridescent ombre lavender.

“There are four or five, my lady, and all from the tower of Xelusia.”

Fleur nodded and handed him the coin covertly.

“My friends and I can help you, no one knows the ins and outs of the market as we do,” Nilo offered.

“Thank you, but I would never forgive myself if one of you youth were harmed by these evil men,” she refused.

“But you’re a lady and you’re blind,” he blurted out, shocked that a royal would have any care for someone of his rank.

“I am a veteran of war and an oracle, I can handle myself. But I would ask that you and your friends quietly get any children in the area to safety. The House of Adamos values the lives of all children equally.” She handed him another coin as he set the bolts down, “For your friends.”

Fleur went over to where Cinna and Serapha were waiting for the velvet merchant to come back down from his store room. “We have a problem. We have company from the Princess’s home.”

Cinna looked confused but Serapha looked terrified as Fleur calmly continued. “If we can lose them in the markets, we might be able to slip past them and back to the manor.”

“Lady Fleur, they are right outside.” Nilo announced. He pulled off his vest and stuffed it inside his shirt. “Please, I can lead you through the backstreets if you can run fast enough.”

“Pha?”

“I don’t have a choice, do I? If they take me back to Xelusia, I could be forced to marry a member of my father’s court. No one knows Abrieth and I are sealed ones.” Serapha had a fierce look of determination that Cinna has never seen before.

“Will you both be okay?” Cinna asked. Both nodded. “Lead them out the back way, Nilo, I’ll stall them as long as I can.” Cinna went out the front and flagged two runners loudly demanding they bring fabrics from other vendors and some food for his clients.

Nilo walked several feet ahead of them. Fleur took Serapha’s hand as they walk calmly away from the back of the velvet broker’s shop.

“No matter what happens with me, don’t stop till you get back to Abrieth.”

“But Fleur, you’re mostly blind,” Serapha pointed out.

“I have had blindfolded combat training and my power allows me to feel the energy of those around me. I don’t need my eyes to see or fight. My magic sees for me.” Fleur declared confidently, but she wished she had a sword.

They made it several streets away from the shop before they were spotted. “Hey, you...”

The man’s shout was cut off as Nilo ran into him hard enough to knock him down and the chase was on. Fleur was dragging Serapha after her as her followed Nilo’s life glow through the crowds and streets. Fleur could feel Serapha was tiring quickly, but now she could feel Yurieth and Abrieth following, and keeping pace above them over the rooftops. Nilo cut a hard left into a doorway and Fleur followed, he pushed a curtain between them and the street closed only a moment before the Xelusians rush past. They were safe for a moment at least.

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