The World of Rhune

Mae walked out into the cool air, surveying the constantly watched porch that connected to the Blackened Forest. Rufus stood east of her, scouting and checking for dangers, or any possible dangers, that could befall the princesses. Mae stepped into the forest, glaring at the trees as if they all were the enemy. Quite frankly they all looked like the enemy, blackened and sickly looking. But it was her job, never to trust anyone truly who could harm the princesses, her objects. Mae took a last look, her ears straining for something. Silence filled her ears, cold dead silence, which fit perfectly the scene before her. Mae opened her closed eyes, and stepped back. Only her footprints were in the snow, and only her prints should be in the snow for now. Mae trudged back up the stone steps, and glided across the blanket of snow, disrupting its fine fibers and flakes. “Clear,” she muttered into Zepher’s ear, and stepped away, shoving the white that clung and threatened to melt on her shoulders. She watched as Zepher stepped inside the heavy velvet curtain that was blocking most of the cold from reaching inside the castle. “Princesses, you are free to go out…after me,” Zepher’s quick, airy tone sounded from inside and she saw the curtain ripple and then open at the left side, and a slight procession. Zepher led in front, Klea directly behind him and her siblings in a line after her; the three princesses forming a triangle. Two guardians, Dion and Viece, were in the back while Rufus and Haazar stood on the sides. Mae kept a neutral face on, she always had thought the look of the design was odd, all the hardened guardians protecting the three girls, especially since they were little girls. But in logistics, it was the safest way for the girls, so Mae never would share her thoughts. She watched as the guardians dispatched, Haazar walked ten feet to her left. The guardian had the slightest bit of mischief upon his face that only she could read, since it was only meant for her. “Klea, Ivy, and Beoa you may go about as you will, within our perimeters of eye, ear, and distance.” Zepher’s voice rang clear as a bell in the dead silence, disrupting the odd flow of peace that seemed to sing in its silence. Each princess nodded in turn, and Mae noticed Klea’s anxious expression. It was different from her normal, bored expression when Zepher went through procedure. “Enjoy, your highnesses,” the words seemed odd coming from Zepher’s mouth, him bowing and hailing to a couple of young girls, but maybe it was because winter had stolen the outdoors from the girls, and stolen her sense of rank too. Mae watched as Beoa started to run through the foot high snow, pure white and graceful as it fell from being kicked up. Beoa squealed in delight, and she scooped up a snowball, throwing it at one of her nannies. Mae observed the small prod of play from the girl, and watched as the nanny, whom she identified as Mial, came over and scooped up the snow. Beoa laughed as her nanny blew it up into the air above her. Ivy seemed to be dancing, but the movements were awkward as she shuffled through the slippery white landscape. Mae picked up a small humming tune like “De-du, de-du de, du dah de dum.” From a famous piece that had been preformed earlier that week. Mae looked up at Zepher, who was also looking at Ivy, and watched as he mouthed ‘Fur Elise’. Right, that was the name…Mae’s thoughts churned in her head. Mae glanced around for Klea, and saw her inching towards the Blackened Forest, skipping and twirling through the snow happily, seeming like nothing. Mae glanced at Haazar, who met eyes with her and quickly took both of their places. She walked over to the edge of the patio, taking a place by a gnarled tree that bent over like an old witch, yet not as dark and dead as the rest of the trees. It had a little life in the wind, the small twigs that decorated its large limbs twirled and twisted with each gust of wind. Mae shot her eyes at Klea just as the girl disappeared behind a grouping of trees. Mae let her lead for a moment before shooting after her silently. It wasn’t hard to track the girl, though by the gate and intakes of breath when a stick was snapped, Klea was trying hard not to be heard. Mae followed easily, staying behind trees and low into the shadows of shrubs. She heard Klea stop, a light patter which Me took for snow, and another breath. Then Klea imitated a high, soft call. One you’d hear from a robin in Cancri. “Klea, what are you doing?” Mae whispered to herself, bending behind a tree, not revealing herself. She’d been taught sometimes, objects didn’t want your protection, so finding out why could be more important than protecting them from the reason.