Chapter 1

Chapter 1

Andryyia stood on the balcony looking out over the garden enjoying the smell of rain in the air. The sky was dark with the threat of a storm, but Andy as she preferred to be called enjoyed days like this. It reminded her of her home in Gaidín Álainn while highlighting how unhappy she was about beening here. She always hated these obligationed visits it served only to show how different she was than the others.

Andy was still standing on the balcony when Isolde came in. Isolde shook her head she knew that Andy hated these visits. She had been Andy’s guardian since she was sent to Gaidín Álainn as a mere child of three years old.

“ Andy, are you trying to get sick“ scalded Isolde

Andy continued to stand staring out at the building storm, but a small smile started to creep on to her lips as she slowly turned to face the room. She was quite a sight stand in there with her Auburn hair blowing wildly in the wind and the storm giving a dramatic backdrop.

“Issy don’t be ridiculous you know I can’t get sick” smirked Andy

“ Sick or not you need to get dressed they’re expecting you for the morning meal“ Issy stated

Issy stood there with her hands on her hips staring at Andy waiting for her to come back inside. Andy stared right back at Issy but made no move to come back inside, instead she just stood there as the rain started to fall harder. Andy and Issy were locked in a battle of who is the most stubborn. Finally Andy sighed and reluctantly walked into the room.

“ Fine you win, but I will not dress in all that frilly froufrou stuff that they think is necessary just for a morning meal.“

“You know nothing around here is simple and it’s all about presentation and expectation. If you show up in anything less then the froufrou they all wear you know how they’ll act. You know they already think of you as different don’t make it worse.”

As Andy crosses the room to stand in front of Issy she frowns heavily and harrumphs at Issy. “ I refuse to conform to their outlandish way of thinking.”

“ Andy we go through this every time you have to come back for one of these visits, please just once make it easy for both of us. Do you want another reason for your parents to be disappointed in you?”

Andy gets a strange look on her face kind of a cross between anger and hurt. As she looks at Issy her eyes are glistening as if she’s tearing up. Issy instantly regrets that choice of wording because she knows it was hitting below the belt.

“Look Andy… I didn’t mean… That is“ Issy never gets a chance to finish this as Andy looks at her and says “ Do you think I mean to be a disappointment? You of all people should know better. You of all people I expected better of and that was really uncalled for.”

Andy walks past Issy and into the bath that’s part of her suite. As she turns the knobs that starts the water in the shower she hears Issy's words playing over and over repeatedly in her head. She is deep in thought as the water heats up in the shower. As she pulls off her nightgown and climbs into the shower she is so lost in our own thoughts of Issy’s words, in reality it is the same sentiments that she has heard from other people all her life.

She’s so wrapped up wandering through her own mind that she doesn’t even realize how much time has passed until an icy blast of water hits her skin. Quickly she washes up and jumped out of the artic cold shower. She grabs the towel hanging by the shower that is waiting for her and instantly is hit by the smell of vanilla from the towel as she wraps it around herself.

Issy is waiting in the bed chamber as Andy walks out of the bath. You can see the regret of her words on her face, and how deeply she is wishing she could take the words back.

“ I know you didn’t mean what you said, and I know that me being the way I am makes these visits hard for you too. I cannot help but be me even if that doesn’t fit with the others.“

“ I know that Andy, and I’m sorry that I hurt you with my words.”

Andy walks across the bed chamber to sit on the stool in front of the mirror. She just stares into the mirror not seeming to see anything else. It’s times like this that Issy wonders actually where Andy goes. Is she simply following paths in her own mind or has she actually left and went somewhere else. With someone like her you could never really tell and if her parents found out that could change everything.

“ Andy… Andy“ Issy calls out with little response until she lightly places a hand on Andy shoulder.

“ sorry Issy I was daydreaming did you need something?”

“ well you can’t sit here and your town all day the maids are waiting in your sitting room to help you dress”

“ I don’t need their help I can get dressed on my own please dismiss them for the morning I’m sure they have better things to do.”

Issy walks out the door to the city in room mumbling under her breath about some people and there stubbornness. And he hears her comments and can’t help but smirk and laugh on the inside sense she was pretty sure that Issy would not appreciate her smart ass comments about where she got her stubbornness.

Sitting there staring in the mirror and she let her mind wander, which really wasn’t a smart thing to do considering where she was. She watches the mirrors whorl and chang in front of her eyes bringing a picture of her garden back home. Looking into the mirror she found herself taking a stroll through her own garden and it instantly brought her peace.

Andy would’ve like nothing better than to sit there all day and take a stroll through her own garden via the mirror. However, she was near the fountain and she knew she needed to stop this because it was a dangerous thing to be doing, and the last thing she wanted was to draw attention to herself.

Upon returning back to her room and herself she stood up and walked to the wardrobe room. Peering in at all the beautiful lacy and rather impractical dresses her parents had provided for her, and then glancing at the handful of clothes she had brought. What her guardian failed to understand is this really was a hard decision for her. She knew that wearing the clothes her family provided would make this trip a lot smoother but she just couldn’t bring herself to do that. The over-the-top fancy dresses made her think about the reasons for these visits. She has been making these visits for years now and every year they got harder and harder.

Sighing to herself, she realized wandering down memory lane and self-pity were not going to do anything useful for her; especially getting food in her hungry belly she realized as her stomach growled. On that note she reached into her wardrobe past all the outrageously frilly dresses and pulled out a pair of black leather breeches and a nice silk blue shirt. Overtop of the shirt she put on a militarily cut black leather jacket and black leather riding boots it was an appropriate outfit for an informal meal like breakfast and she wouldn’t have to change after to go out on the morning ride.

Andy could hear the bustle in the dining hall long before she reached it, she steeled her self for the stares and murmured conversations that would happen when she entered the hall. It was times like this that she wished she was a servant or a lower leveled member of this court, really anyone that could sneak into the hall without drawing much attention. Unfortunately for Andy though she was the youngest child of Cerridwen and Cernunnos so there would be no sneaking in and sitting at the first available seat; she was required to sit at the high table. Andy’s heart sank even further when she realize she was the last of her family to arrive.

Like she had predicted as soon as she steps totally into the hall the noise hushed and everyone’s eyes turned to her. As quickly and dignified as possible she made her way up the dining hall to the heigh table where she paused in front of her parents only long enough to to show respect before hurrying onto her seat at the end of the table. Her only relief was that her brother the second youngest child was already in his seat and was the one family member who seemed to actually understand her, rather than just tolerating her presence.

As the footman pulled out her seat for her she looked to her right and saw her brother smirking. And she couldn’t help but smile in return as she knew what her brother was going to say once she was seated.

As predictable as the sunrise in the morning Brónach looked at her and said “ Little sister if you wish to not draw attention maybe you should be on time for breakfast.“

Andy smiled and glancing sideways at her brother before accepting the plate of food the footman presented to her. Her brother reached over and lightly touched her hand to get her attention.

Brónach smiled at her once he had her attention “It is good to see you though even if you did come to breakfast dressed like a stable hand.”

Andy smiled back at him and said “ Well I wouldn’t have wanted to upstage you by wearing something too beautiful. If I wore something like that then the court wouldn’t be so impressed by your fashion skills, but it is good to see you Brón.”

As quickly as it had died down the chatter in the dining hall resumed. And she sat there enjoying her breakfast and the lighthearted conversation with her brother. However, she also made sure to keep one ear open for the conversation happening at the rest of the high table. She hadn’t seen most of her family in over a year and it was interesting to listen to how they thought the trial would go.

Andy glances at Brón and leaned over to whisper to him “ How do you think Dryven will do in the trial? Do you think he’ll make it farther than Eala and Óiche did?”

Brón didn’t even look at Andy but as surely as if you spoke she heard him in her head say not here. Which made Andy wonder what he knew that she did not yet and it made her wonder when he acquired this new skill. She wasn’t sure how he had communicated with her like that but she tried and realized from the look on his face that he could hear her voice and his mind as well.

For the rest of the meal she sat there quietly contemplating what it meant that her and her brother could communicate this way. Was this a skill all the others had as well or was it something unique to them. And she was too afraid to ask the few people who might know the answer because of the consequences that it could bring. She was so lost in the wonderment of it all that she didn’t realize everyone else was finished with their meal until her father rose to speak.

“ We would like to thank you all for being here this week as Dryven completes the trial. As you all know the prophecy states that whichever one of the cauldron born who completes the trial will be the greatest among us and the one to unite us all. Now we would be honored if you all would join us on the morning ride.” And with that being said her father and mother with an other worldly grace make their way out of the hall.

As Andy watches her siblings quickly follow their parents out of the hall she turns to her brother. He’s looking away watching a small scuffle between lower court members on the right side of the hall. This gives her time to study him and she notices how much he’s changed over the last year not just his looks but his demeanor and carriage as well. She takes in his hair which had always been a dark brown but was now jet and his eyes which had darkened into a steel gray. He had gotten taller he probably was a full foot taller than her now and had filled out so that you could start to see the physique he had would have once he fully matured.

She had just finished her assessment of him when he turned and looked at her. It was then that she got a good look at him and could see the shadows weighing on his soul. She wondered what else had changed with him the past year that she could not see. However, she decided it was best not to press that right now instead she smiled and said “ You know it’s going to take them at least an hour to change into riding clothes, let’s go down to the stable we can have a private chat while we wait.“

“ I think that’s a very good idea. We can catch up on everything without the wrong people overhearing.“

Brón stood up and as the footman pull e Andy’s chair out for her Brón, offered her his arm. Andy linked her arm through his and they quickly made their way out of the hall and down to the stables. As the children of the high royal family both her and her brothers mounts were housed in the high stable. As they entered Andy’s horse Cloud Dancer stuck his head out of his stall and nickered at her.

“ I see somethings never change“ chuckled her brother “ I would have thought by now you would have retired that beast and found a better mount. “

Andy he watched him as his stall is across from her’s and heard the snorting and pawing going on in that stall. “Cloud Dancer it’s a wonderful steed and a mount that I can depend on why would I retire that?” asked Andy as she made her way across the hall to peer into her brothers stall.

Andy was taken aback by what she saw. Staring back at her with eyes of fury and wearing an iron halter was a Riverhorse. She was shocked to see that her brother had captured one and was now using it as his personal steed. It made her sick to her stomach because she looked into its eyes she could feel the pain of that halter and the need to be free.

“ When did you capture a Riverhorse? And why would you knowing the pain you’re causing it?“

“ The pain I’m causing it… That’s almost laughable. You of all people would stand there and lecture me on causing a creature like a river horse pain. You know how many people they lure into riding them and drown every year right? So how can you stand there and talk to me about its pain?”

“ I know but even a creature like that doesn’t deserve such cruelty.“

“ Well it’s my decision and I am keeping him as my mount. You can either accept that or not but that’s just the way it’s going to be.“

Andy walked back to her stall as there was really nothing else to say on the matter, but it did make her think that some of her previous thoughts at breakfast about how her brother had changed were correct. As she entered his stall Cloud dancer put his head on her shoulder and she stroked his neck enjoying the comfort that he brought her. As she brushed him she couldn’t help but glance across the hall at her brother and think about the shadows she’d seen in his eyes.

She was so wrapped up in her thoughts and brushing her horse that she didn’t hear her brother enter her stall. She about jumped out of her skin when she heard a voice right behind her say “Look I don’t wanna fight with you about the river horse, If it bothers you that much after the morning ride I’ll release him. In all seriousness Andy you are the only member of this family who doesn’t judge me and that I really love.”

Andy turned and smiled at her brother all thoughts of the shadows she had seen were pushed to the back of her mind. She wrapped her arms around him and hugged him so that he would understand she felt the same way about him.

“ Now Brón there is no chance of our conversation being overheard what do you think about the trial?”

“ Honestly, Dryven will make it no farther than the previous two. In fact he will not make it as far as Eala did. He is not as strong as he tries to ...” he stops in midsentence as both him and Andy turn to face the door. They could hear the commotion of the rest of the court coming down to the stables, which meant at any moment the rest of their family would walk through the door to the stable. As her brother crossed the hall to his own stall she again heard his voice in her head telling her they would finish this conversation later.

As the rest of her family entered the stable she heard her father say to her mother and her oldest brother “ You know those two they are probably already…“ her father didn’t finish the sentence he started instead he pointed at her stall and then across at her brothers.

“ See like I was saying already here waiting.”

As the rest of the court and her family stood around waiting for the grooms to brush and tack their horses, Andy finished up with Cloud Dancer. She lead him outside away from all the chaos in the stable and waited gently patting his neck as the rest of the party got ready to mount up.