Page 16 of Trial of Light


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The Lady of the Lake

Eleanor is beautiful as starlight, and warm as the sun.

-Arabella

My chest burns with exertion, but I don't stop until my feet reach the water's edge. I bend over, putting my hands on my knees, and try to catch my breath. Running sucks ass, and I loathe it with a passion. It has to be near midnight. The night is clear with not a cloud in sight. The stars shine a million times brighter in the country. Living in the city made it difficult to see the stars, but they shine in abundance here. A giant yellow ring outlines the full moon. Uncle Josiah says that's a good "omen," whatever that means.

With sadness, I look at the note. If only there was more time to memorize every line my mother poured into this letter. Once I throw the note in the water, it will be unsalvageable, but there is no time for sentimentality. With regret, I ball the note into the palm of my hand and throw it as far as I can into the water, which isn't very far.

Standing there, I look anxiously into the water. My mind pleads for something to happen, and it feels like an eternity has passed. The note didn't tell me how long to wait on Eleanor.

The only sound around me is that of the crickets. At least, I think it's crickets, I've never really been in nature at night. I jump at the screech of an owl as it flies deeper into the woods surrounding the lake. This place is beautiful, but homesickness punches me in my gut. I miss the smell of the pizza place down the street. All there is to breathe in now is the fresh scent of nature. Don’t get me wrong, it’s nice, but it's not home. I miss the sounds of the city, too. The car horns, the drunken people yelling, and the high-pitched sounds of sirens going off as they speed down the street.I keep looking in every direction, but still no sign of her. The letter didn't tell me how long to wait. It's been years since my mother wrote the letter. Could Eleanor have left the palace? Could she have died?

A log sits on the right side of the bank, so I decide to sit and wait a few more minutes. Merrie-Beth wasn't kidding when she said I only had an hour before she told my family about my shenanigans.That can't happen, because they will lose their shit about me coming out here alone. Especially without my phone! I forgot to grab it off my nightstand, and I also forgot to put on clothes, so yeah, I’m about to meet my Mamas best friend in Iron Man lady pajamas. Winning.

My family would have every right to yell at me though. I do have a bounty on my head, my eyes roll as the psycho twins invade my thoughts. Assholes. Especially the one I’ve officially named Lunatic.?

The sound of rippling water draws my attention back to the lake. About twenty yards out, I see a woman with light platinum blonde hair emerging from the depths. Surprise consumes me. My mother said something about not being afraidof Eleanor, so I put on a brave face. I've opened and shut my eyes a million times today in hopes that what I'm seeing isn't real. Once again, the action proves futile. Eleanor is still walking toward me. She is very real and not a figment of my imagination.?

Why isn't she soaking wet? Her hair is as dry as mine. Is she Maritime? They are basically creatures of legend. I've only read about them in books. Legend has it that we were once all Maritime, which means we could survive in both land and water. When the Ice Age came, we were forced out of the water and when the age after began and the waters thawed some decided not to return.

Biting my lip, I put my sole focus on not fidgeting. Eleanor stands a few feet before me now with a giant smile. Her wavy silver blonde hair cascades down her back, stopping shy of the end of her waist. She is lovely, and her skin has a slight glow. Her dress is baby blue and glimmers in the moonlight. It has three-quarter-length sleeves and is a close-fitting lace material that flows down to the ground. The dress looks almost magical, it sparkles brighter than any diamond shining in the midst of the sun.

Eleanor's smile is infectious, so my expression mirrors hers happily. I stand there, looking all kinds of awkward because what are words? Thankfully, she takes pity on me and speaks first."Arabella, I can't believe this day is finally here. You look so very much like your mother. You could be Isabella's twin." Eleanor has a thick English accent. At the mention of my mother, her eyes fill with tears, but after a moment or two, she reels them back in.

My eyes shimmer with fresh tears. It's been an emotional day. "How did you meet my mother?" I ask.

Her lips pout in sadness. "I met her on the eve of her wedding. She was sitting on that same log. My mother had sent me into the woods for some berries for the pie she was making. We startled each other, and both screamed. Afterward, we had a good laugh. A wonderful friendship was born that night." She explains.

"What were my mother and father like? My aunt and uncle have shared many stories with me, but I want to know things that only a best friend would know." I’m basically pleading with her for as much information as she is willing to give me.

She gestures for me to sit back on the log. "Let's have a seat."?

Sitting next to me, she takes my hand in hers. Eleanor somberly looks over the water while she gathers her thoughts. "Your mother was a spitfire. She was in every capacity what a Pyralis warrior should be, and she was the best fighter of her generation. I've watched her take out a hundred men by herself. She only thrived more after the marriage to your father and becoming a member of the Lux. Isabella loved her new life at this palace very much, she especially adored the King. He was good to her and became her mentor of sorts. He made her his personal Guard, the first Guardian to be chosen for such an elite position. You see, that was usually a Knights job. The years passed, and as happy and in love as she was with your father, she missed her home immensely. Your Aunt Georgia was here, but Radix, their brother, was not. They only saw him at joint Pyralis and Lux celebrations. Isabella talked often about the palace at Dragon Crest City. She said that the Lux, Palace of Light, paled in comparison to the Pyralis, Palace of Balefire."

Eleanor stops for a moment and wipes some tears that escape down her cheeks. She squeezes my hand, "Your father was a wonderful man. Very kind. He loved your mother with hiswhole heart. Victor was as easy going as he was passionate. They were opposites in many ways, but that worked well for them. He didn't mind that your mother was the better fighter. He was proud that she was the best. He once told me that if he couldn’t be then he couldn't think of a greater person than his better half."

I laugh at that. "So, my dad was a bit of a smooth talker, huh?"?

She smiles. "I'd say so. Isabella always blushed when talking about him, I found that rather endearing."

"What does my mother's brother do in Pyralis?" It's weird having more family.?

Eleanor smiles. "Radix is married to the Queen of the Pyralis. He was once a fine Guardian, and rumor is that he is an even greater King. They have two sons who are mighty warriors. They will undoubtedly win the Fire tournament and become your companions in the Guardians of War. They’ll be loyal to you, Arabella. To win this war, you’ll need them by your side. The brothers are the best of the best, the most fearless of this century, even better fighters than your mother was. Some say they even have dragon’s blood mixed in their veins.”

She's talking about Deen and Jeremiah. My cousins that saved me during the lunchroom attack. They held their own against Ramsay and the toothless giant, and I could learn a lot from them. They are brothers in every sense of the word except in looks. "Are they adopted?"

She nods. "In a way. Their mother, Queen of the Pyralis, your aunt Adalia, was barren. She desperately wanted children, and one morning, after she returned from helping a dragon maiden escape death, the two boys were found on their palace balcony. The newborns had been carried from the depths of theAlpine Mountains on the back of the maidan dragon. The dragon was instructed to stay and watch over the city. He, along with a few others, still reside there today."

I cough because my mouth has been open in surprise so long that it feels dry. I’m amazed. "Eleanor, that's amazing. I thought dragons were extinct."

She shakes her head. "Their numbers have diminished, but thousands are very much alive."

"I have so many questions that I need to ask my family." I take a deep breath and look out over the water. I'm happy to know that I have a family. Aunt Georgia and Uncle Josiah never revealed too much about either side of our family. They said it was for their protection, but I know now that it was probably for mine.

All this new information is overwhelming. My uncle is a King. My cousins are the most fearless warriors of our time, and I'm just a simple girl from the "mean" streets of Savannah who likes eating cake and writing bad poetry. My entire family is famous for being exceptional, and my fame comes from being born with a birthmark of a sun on my wrist. That’s not the same and I don't want to disappoint anyone. Pressure builds up in my chest to be perfect, but that’s not me. How will I live up to the expectations of what they need me to do?

"Eleanor?" I ask.