Sample  Publication date: August 2001
Author: Kimberly Ann Young
Company: Shaffer Novels/Poetry Company
COPYRIGHT 2001 KIMBERLY ANN YOUNG
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED WORLDWIDE
PRINTED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
FIRST PRINTING; ELECTRONIC AND PRINT MEDIA
US Library of Congress Catalog Card Number: TXu 896-585
Shard of the Heart By Kimberly Ann Young Chapter 1 "You're marrying me to who!?" Princess Anna stared at her father in shock. "I don't believe this! He's not even human!" "He is human, dear." Her mother put her arms around her and stroked her hair. "At least, he's half-human. His father, King Gerard, was born of human parents like all Ealothians." Anna shrugged out of her mother's arms and scowled at her father. "I want to marry Matthew Barnes." "Now, Anna, you've known since you were a child that you would be married for an alliance," King Jean-Paul said. "This is by far the best alliance we could make. We offer them safety and security, freedom from the persecution they face in other parts of the galaxy. They offer us the services of their Healing Halls and help in our conflict with the Cassasians. We both benefit from the trade alliance. And with any luck, when your child takes the throne he or she will be able to provide stability for the Empire for centuries to come." "But, Father, to marry me to an Ealothian! They're freaks!" "Anna, I'm shocked," her mother admonished. "Ealothian blood is strong in our empire. Nearly every family in Avoyelles has at least one Ealothian relative, including our own. You know my Great-uncle Howard." "Uncle Howard who looks 35 and claims to be 800? Yeah, I know him. He's weird." "Anna, shame on you! You've known lots of Ealothians-you told me that there are three taking classes with you at the University right now. How can you dislike them?" Anna threw herself on her bed. "Oh, how, indeed! How could I possibly dislike anyone who is stronger, thinner, prettier, and smarter than everyone else. And the way they look at you! You just know they're reading your mind, even though they swear they're not." She bounced to her feet. "And now I've got to marry one! And not just any one. A half-elven one. A wizard. A...a...Being," she screwed up her face with distaste. "A Being who can read my every thought, who can hop from one part of the galaxy to another with just a thought, who can turn people into frogs, who can.." "Now, Anna, we don't know how many of the stories are true. Besides, I've never heard of any of them turning people into frogs." Her mother smoothed her hair. "Come, would you rather be married to Prince Lawrence of Diekko, who's 10 years old? Or Landa Cree, the Altarian?" "You know whom I'd rather marry," she said coldly. "Enough, no more discussion." Her father planted his hands firmly on her shoulders. "You will marry Prince Jessup and that's final. He and his father will be here to sign the treaty tomorrow morning. See that you are presentable and gracious when they arrive." The king stamped out of the room. Anna burst into tears. "There, there, dear, it won't be that bad. I'm told he's very charming. And besides, he's a busy man, and probably no more thrilled about the marriage than you are. Once the wedding is over and the first child on the way, you'll no doubt be able to keep Matthew on the side as long as you're discreet. That sort of thing is done all the time in marriages of this kind." Anna just wept harder. The Queen tried to comfort her daughter, but Anna thrust her hands away. "Just get out of my room, Mother," she said coldly. "I want to be alone." "As you wish, my dear," Phillipa sighed. "You know where I'll be if you need me." Once she was gone, Anna pulled a holo-flat from under her pillow. It had been taken at the Spring dance, and was her favorite picture of Matthew and her together. Her hair had been perfect that night with every curl exactly where she'd wanted it, and her dress made her fat hips actually look slender. Matthew looked so handsome in his rented tux, his dark hair brushed to the side in a perfect wave, and a rakish grin on his face. Anna had met Matthew Barnes in her Biology class two semesters ago. He'd transferred to the University at St. Simones as a junior after being expelled from Belleau College. Rumor had it that he'd been thrown out for blowing up one of his professor's landcars. He assured her, however, that the faculty had it out for him and had just trumped up the charges to get him expelled. Matthew was the funniest, smartest person Anna had ever met. He was always making jokes about the faculty and the other students. He spent much of his free time organizing student protests about what he termed `bourgeois, dictatorial practices by University personnel used to repress the rights and freedoms of students'. She had been to one of his organization's secret meetings, where Matthew had given a stirring speech. He was so eloquent, so intense! When the fires of righteous indignation stirred in him, he seemed like one of the freedom fighters of old--like Bukanin or Ibean. His face glowed with passionate fury, and his eyes glittered. The very thought of him made her heart beat faster. Matthew had asked her to marry him just before vacation. He said she belonged to him, that he would take her away from her repressive aristocratic existence and make a real woman out of her. The thought of sharing her life with him filled her with terrified excitement. All week she had tried to find a way to tell her father about their plans. This morning she had finally screwed up her courage and told him, and now this! This marriage! "How can he do this to me?" she cried at the ceiling. "Why can't he understand we're in love! I can't let him do this to me! I won't!" But what could she do? Her father's mind was set on this treaty. `He's never been in love. He can't possibly understand how I feel,' she thought. All her life, her father had done things like this to her--forcing her to do things she didn't want to do, just because she was a princess and it was expected. Well, not this time. Somehow she would find a way to marry Matthew. If only she could talk to him. He would know what to do. She picked up the hand comm by her bedside. She didn't dare call Matthew directly. The receptionists monitored all incoming and outgoing calls, and always told her father whenever she called a boy. But she could call the computer bulletin board at the campus and leave him a message. The receptionists would think she was just checking on her grades or something, and Matthew checked it almost every day. She punched in the code and whispered into the comm. "Matthew, must see you. Anna." She cut the connection quickly, shivering with excitement. Tomorrow she would act the perfect little princess for the Ealothian freaks. She would in no way let on that she had no intentions of going through with the marriage. She hugged her pillow, wishing it were Matthew and wondering how soon he'd get her message. It would be soon. She was sure. And then everything would be fine. With Matthew's brilliant mind, he would figure out a way to marry her. He had to.
******
Jessup leaned back in his chair, bored and restless. Madeline's monthly report on the Family's finances was particularly long and dry. It just didn't seem right that nine of the most powerful people in the galaxy should spend so much of their time discussing treaties and cash crops and incomes and disbursements. It wasn't that he didn't enjoy running an estate. It was fulfilling, even challenging at times. He'd even been able to get back into teaching since he'd started running the new University at Lothlann. But there were times that the endless routine of meetings and reports and accounts became overwhelmingly dull. It sometimes seemed as if he was nothing but a glorified administrator. He found himself longing for a bit of conflict--a small war, a disputed treaty, a cleverly concealed bomb in the morning deliveries--just to break the monotony of working for the Family. Yet a scant 150 years ago, the Family had not existed. Ealothians had been scattered across the galaxy, individually and in small groups, often never leaving their home planet. Many had been completely oblivious to the fact that there were other people like themselves. Most mortal and immortal psys had hidden what they were rather than subject themselves to the ridicule and hostility they too often received at the hands of the non-psy population. The suicide rate for young immortals had been staggering--less than half had survived past the death of their first mortal spouse. Jobs where a psy could use his or her abilities had been almost nonexistent. A few police departments on larger planets used psychics, and fortunetellers were always in demand, although the charlatans had made that a less than reputable career. Most psys preferred to use their talents in secret in fields like counseling, teaching, and investment--jobs where telepathy, empathy, or prognosticating would enhance their performance without being too readily noticed. Kinetics interested in terra forming were the first to organize, forming into tight unions with walled estates where their members dwelled. Taking their cue from the kinetics, the two most famous and open Ealothians in the galaxy, Raven Swann Aerendil and Jessup's father, Gerard Aidin Rose, began to gather the Family together. Buying up huge tracts of land, they began building walled estates and high-security complexes and campaigning galaxy-wide for the acceptance of psy's in all kinds of fields. Now, a century and a half later, psy's worked openly, many in jobs created just for them. But the hatred and fear of non-psy's had grown. As head of the Family, Gerard had put each of the original six wizards--Ealothians who had dedicated themselves to possession of the Greater Power and service to the Family--over a sector of space, hoping that their power and influence would afford some protection to their holdings. Today the wizards numbered nine: the six original and three who had made the Leap within the last fifty years. Jessup was one of the latter. Each wizard had his or her own estate as a base for their sector. Although protection was still their primary job, the day-to-day reality was troubleshooting and management of the sectors. At present no wizard alone could protect more than their own estate, but they soon hoped to be able to combine their powers to spread protection over all Family holdings. That had become Jessup's special project, a project which he had all too little time for. Thus he found himself chafing at the interminable council meetings, wishing he could be out pursuing other things. Jessup was roused from his reveries by a low buzz of conversation around the table. Madeline had ended her report, and the others were anticipating the end of the meeting. Just as Benedict leaned over to whisper something the Corwith Raven rapped on the table. "Quiet, everyone, please. I know this has been a long session, but there is one more order of business before we adjourn. My Lord..." Raven bowed to the king and sat down. The Lord Cadrach Gerard, King of the Ealothian Family, stood and swept his eyes around the table. His gaze rested longest on his oldest son where he sat surrounded by his faction. "The Cadrach looks nervous," Benedict whispered. Jessup nodded. He was loyal to his father-king, but since he had been on the High Council he had gained a great deal of power and influence. He had stood against his father on matters of policy more than once, with the backing of more than half the Council. Feeling the feather-touches of his friends on the tip of his mind he relaxed in his chair, reassured by their support. Gerard cleared his throat. "As you all know, the Corwith and I have been negotiating an alliance with the Avoyelles Empire. The treaty is almost ready to be signed. This alliance will give us a home at last. A place where we can be free of the prejudice, persecution, and terrorist attacks that have plagued us increasingly as we have grown in strength and numbers. Those of us who move into the Avoyelles Empire will be freer than we've ever been, neither hiding from our enemies nor hiding who and what we are. We will be able to build our estates without walls around them. Live in single-family homes and apartments instead of heavily guarded compounds. Go to restaurants and shops without armed guards, and without fear of inciting a protest or attack." The nine wizards shifted restlessly. They had heard all this before. "There is one stipulation of the treaty I need to discuss with all of you. King Jean-Paul feels it is important to seal this treaty by uniting our families. He wants to marry his daughter to one of us." A murmur of shocked, angry voices rose around the table. Jessup felt fear behind him and turned. Sean, sitting in the gallery, had gone pale. 'Don't worry bro,' he `pathed to his young sibling with more bravado than he felt, 'if anyone gets stuck with this it will be me, not you.' Raven was pounding the table for order. "Please," Gerard said when quiet had been restored, "I know this is a bit of a shock, but I tend to agree with King Jean-Paul. Only by uniting our families will Avoyelles truly be our home. This way, we will be a part of the Empire, with more say in the laws passed to protect us, and better choices of places to settle. A treaty without a marriage could not possibly be as generous to us as this one is--and we could not be as generous to them. Yes, I know, the king and his daughter are both mortal, but Ealothian blood is strong in them. There's a good chance a child from this union will have both psy-powers and immortality." The grumbling had begun again. Gerard raised his hands once more for quiet. "Please keep in mind that this move is not without precedent. Our own Corwith was placed in just such a marriage when he was young." "And after his wife died, he never married again!" Catlina cried. The others murmured in agreement. Gerard ignored the comment. "I would marry the girl myself, but as long as I have unmarried sons that would be inappropriate. This needs to be a marriage of child to child. Besides, I am a bit too old to be marrying a 19-year-old." Father Peter and Aaron, the Cadrach's most loyal supporters, chuckled. Gerard took a deep breath. "Jessup, I must ask if you will agree to this. You are my oldest son and the crown prince of the realm. Sean is a little closer to the princess's age, of course, but you are the more appropriate choice." Jessup was staring at his hands. The questing mind-touches of his friends hit against impenetrable shields. After a long moment, the king spoke again. "Jessup, I'll not force you into this if you truly object, but you know how much this treaty will mean to the Family. What do you say?" The young wizard felt all eyes on him. A sick knot was forming in the pit of his stomach. He was grateful that this was only a meeting among the nine of them. Making this decision with the eyes of all thousand and one members of the General Assembly would have been too much. He swallowed hard. To marry a mortal! The pain of his first mortal marriage was still sharp in his heart. Besides, there was his lover to consider, or rather lovers. He'd been balancing two affairs of late, although he wouldn't mind having an easy way out of the newer of the two. A marriage, even a state marriage, would inexorably change his relationship with the lover he most wished to keep. Long minutes passed as Jessup struggled to find his voice. Finally he stood, staring at the grain of the table as if his courage were buried there. "I..." He cleared his throat and tried again. "I don't have to be reminded how important this treaty is to our people...our people, whom I've sworn to serve. I...my Lord Cadrach," he said softly, raising his eyes at last to meet his father's. "I would you not ask this of me, but..." He paused. "There is only one reply I can make. I have differed with you in the past, but you well know my fealty is yours. You knew my reply before you asked. For the sake of the Family, I will marry this girl." He sank back into his chair, the voices of the others loud in his ears. "Thank you, Jessup." His father's voice rose over the roar. "We'll go to Avoyelles in the morning to sign the agreement."
******
Jessup was just finishing up estate accounts when he felt his bond-mate's presence as he leapt into the room. "This is a mistake, Sparrow," Benedict said as he stepped out of the Void. Jessup smiled to himself and continued to work. "What is a mistake, Jame?" "You know what!" Benedict grabbed the back of Jessup's chair and swung him around. He squatted in front of his friend, grabbing the chair-arms for balance. "You shouldn't have to marry a mortal, Sparrow. You and I both know how painful that can be. Sure, the first two or three decades are OK, then they really start to age..." "While we stay young," Jessup finished for him. "I know. But I have no choice. Would you have me betray our people, throw away my honor and the respect I've worked so hard to earn? No, Jame, I won't do that. I am the crown prince, the noblest of the noble, supposedly. The people look to me to do the right thing, even you and the other wizards. It won't be that bad. It's a state marriage, after all. I'll live on my planet, she'll live on hers. We'll probably hardly see each other. Anyway, I have no intention of falling in love with her, so I won't get hurt." "Oh, great plan! You won't fall in love with her!" Benedict laughed and paced to the other side of the room. "He won't fall in love with her. Oh, that's rich! Mr. Sensitive, Mr. Lose-his-heart-at-the-drop-of-a-hat, he's not going to fall in love with her. Isn't going to feel a thing for this lovely young thing he's got to wed and bed. Not fall in love with her! I swear..." Jessup watched his friend with his chin in his hand. "Maybe she's not lovely," he offered. "Maybe she's ugly, maybe she's mean and nasty, maybe..." "Read it and weep, Hotshot." Benedict slammed a holo-cube down on the desk and hit the stud. A portrait of a beautiful young women with long, curly brown hair and enormous blue eyes appeared. "Just look at those hooters!" "Jame, that's my fiancé' you're talking about!" He looked sidelong at his friend. "Why did you marry Lila if you like big breasts so much?" "She twisted my arm. Literally. What do you think of the girl?" "Well, she is lovely, I'll give you that. Still, no telling what kind of a person she is." Benedict pulled a flimsy out of his shirt pocket. "Honors student, works in a soup-kitchen twice a month, helps out at an animal shelter. Last spring she participated in a walk that raised funds to prevent birth defects. A girl after your own heart, Sparrow." "Assuming she doesn't consider being an Ealothian a birth defect! A lot of people do, you know." He turned the holo-portrait in his hand. Benedict squeezed his shoulder. "I guess you'll find out tomorrow." "I guess I will."
******
There was a soft rap at the window. Anna glanced up from her dressing table and saw Matthew peering in. She motioned for him to hide. "Velma, get me a cup of tea." The governess was laying out her charge's clothes. "Tea, my lady? But you just had breakfast!" "I know, but I'm so nervous about this meeting, I could really use a cup of tea to settle my nerves. Please?" She smiled sweetly. "Very well, child." The moment she was out of the room, Anna leapt to the window. "Come in quickly!" She threw her arms around his neck. "Oh, darling, I'm so glad you're here, I'm so scared!" "What are you afraid of, Buttercup?" He chucked her under her chin. "I'm getting engaged today! Father is forcing me to marry!" "What! Marry who?" "Prince Jessup of Lothlann." Matthew looked confused. "He's the son of King Gerard of the Ealothian Family," she explained. "They'll be here in less than an hour to sign the agreement. Oh, Matthew, what are we going to do? I don't want to marry an Ealothian wizard! I want to marry you! I told Father, but he just wouldn't listen. What are we going to do?" She started crying. Matthew was pacing the room, thinking fast. "Okay, we'll run away tonight. I know a priest in Panjou who'll marry us. Once the deed's done, your father will have to accept it." He grabbed Anna's shoulders and pulled her to him. "Oh, Anna, I can't let another man have you! I won't! You belong to me, we belong together! Don't worry, this will work. Oh, Anna, I love you so much!" Anna held him close. "Oh, yes! I knew you'd know what to do. This is perfect! Father will be angry, of course, but once we're married he'll understand that we're meant to be together. He'll just have to find another way to get the Ealothians to sign the treaty." She bit her lip, suddenly uncertain that they were doing the right thing. "But what if he can't?" she said, sitting on the edge of her bed. "What if the Ealothians decide the treaty's worthless without the marriage? What if they refuse to bargain? Father says if we don't have access to the Ealothian fleet, the Cassasians will overrun us! Our tiny fleet won't stand a chance against them! Oh, Matthew, I'm so confused. What if what we're doing is wrong?" "It's not wrong! You are mine! Your Father will find another way to get the Am-Abet fleet. That's his job." He grabbed her arms and pulled her to him. "This is our life, Anna. We're talking about our life. Don't you want to marry me?" "Yes, but...I'm so confused, I'm just not sure what to do." They heard footsteps in the hall. "You must go, Velma's coming!" "I'll come for you tonight. Be ready." He kissed her hard and whispered, "I love you." Then he slipped out of the window. Anna rested her head against the cool glass and tried to think. View a Synopsis of This Work | Order This Work | 
