Etherea: The Lost Daughter

29

Nia had survived breakfast with Lorcan's family, at least. She was surprised with how normal their conversations had been. They spoke of taxes and politics. It was a stark difference to the conversations of prophecies and war she had heard in the Sapphire Court. It almost bored her.  Eoghan stood with a grin as he noticed the glassiness of the Princess's eyes, he too was bored. "Would our lovely guest care to join me in a walk around the grounds?" Nia glanced at Lorcan, his expression was unreadable, and rose from her chair. Lorcan rose also, and wrapped his jacket around her shoulders in silence. Nia smiled as he winked "I would not want you to freeze" he smirked, Lana still looked at her with disdain, Tara seemed more curious than anything. "I would be delighted" Nia replied to Lorcans brother and followed Eoghan from the dining room. 

"I do hope my brothers have not bored you to death" Eoghan chuckled, the tattoo cascading down his neck rippled as he laughed. Nia smiled once more and shook her head "I have never cared for politics" Eoghan snorted "then you and Lorcan are well matched, I am sure he was about to steal you away until I took his chance" he winked at her "then what luck you had to have gotten there before him" Nia jested, she found his company not so bad and reminded herself that this was just the guise he wore. Eoghan saw the shift in her eyes, he said nothing of it; instead, he reached for the door before them and opened it. 

Her mouth agape, eyes wide, Nia drank in the sight before her. A blanket of crystalline snow covered the land, with the deepest shades of greens and reds peaking through. It filled her with peace, the air was clear and crisp against her skin. It reminded her of home. Home. Nia had not thought of it in weeks, how she longed to return to that forest; to force herself to turn and run when she had found that monstrous footprint in the ground. They walked through the snowy garden, their footsteps crunched beneath them. "Aidan wishes to throw a ball in your honor, we were all sorry to have missed Torrin's dance when Lorcan returned; telling tales of a beautiful woman, more powerful than he had ever seen. Oh, and when he returned from Avenere" Eoghan bellowed a laugh as Nia blushed bright red "we thought you had cast a spell over him, you are all we have heard of in months" Nia turned scarlet at that. She had intended to make him fall for her, but although she had not had much chance to do so; Lorcan had begun to do so regardless.

We both began with our own intentions, she mused, and neither of us stuck to them. There was no doubt in her mind that there was some sort of agenda behind his meeting with her; as she had her own, the irony made her smile "it seems the Fates have pushed you together, I do ask one thing of you. If it comes to it, do not hold our crimes against our younger brother. He is, as we are, powerless against Aidan; despite the title we share, he has the power of the High Lord in his veins. We must follow him" Eoghans eyes shifted around the garden as he spoke in hushed tones, Nia said nothing; it seemed that things were not so simple here. Perhaps, if she could rid this Court of Aidan, Nia could save them without much destruction.

Eoghan, unnerved by her silence; afraid that his hope was mistaken, turned towards the gardens "I do hope you will be here for summer, our gardens are magnificent when in color" Nia could see the passion in his eyes when he looked around "do you enjoy tending to the gardens?" She asked, Eoghan smiled once more "it is my favorite thing to do, if I am honest" Nia waved a hand across the earth before them. Eoghan stared in awe as burning orange and blinding yellow coneflowers sprouted from the ground, followed by bushels of bee balm in the richest red, wild columbine dotted around the garden; Nia wished they rang like the bells they resembled. She was not finished until the earth was littered with color, from coral bells and iris's to coreopsis and baptisia. 

Eoghan's mouth fell agape as the garden came alive, almost instantly hummingbirds settled in the bee balm. Nia lowered her hands with a smile "I do hope you were not lying to me, this garden will need much tending" she teased, Eoghan bowed to her "don't do that" she said it without thinking, Eoghan eyed her curiously; perhaps there was hope yet "I am not my father, there is no need" she hurriedly explained. She could not trust that Eoghan's earlier words meant he would turn against Aidan if she gave them the opportunity to do so.