Conquests within Forfeits. The Hemerwig Series

Melrose's POV

I wipe away a final tear from my eye before finishing the last piece of my hair. I decided that the sooner I left Braeden's room, the sooner I could move on from this bump in the road. I don't want Braeden thinking that I'm just some helpless girl that will cry over anyone. I am a strong young lady and as future Queen, those kinds of accusations are not acceptable.

So now I have on a pink sun dress, a style I'm used to wearing back at home, with my hair curled in a half up, half down fashion. I fix my make-up before slipping on my black ballet flats and walking out the door. The halls are unusually quiet right now. Maybe's it's just because Braeden isn't here to chat in my ear. I like the sound of his voice but I'd never tell him that. His ego's big enough.

I look through a few of the different rooms in the palace and nothing is sparking my interest. There are a few rooms used for storage on the ground level and a few rooms that I can tell Braeden and Princess Desiree played in as children. I pass up an indoor tennis court and a strange room with multiple fireplaces on the wall. I must not be looking hard enough.

I decide to walk down a flight of stairs and soon stumble upon the library. Maybe Col is in here somewhere. I take my time looking around the room and it's thousands of books alining the shelves surprise me. I didn't know the Fire Elementals were such thinkers. Could Braeden have read all these books?

I walk down a few of the aisles before finding a book that catches my eye. The books's cover is a very beautiful green leather with crimson swirls along the spine. Hopefully this book's content will be half as good as its appearance. I take the book in my hand before sitting down on a couch where a boiling pot of water is making its presence known. I would love a cup of tea right now. I look between the tea pot and my book before sighing and getting comfortable in my chair. The tea can wait.

I carefully open the book and begin to read it's contents. Apparently this is a book about Fire Elementals and the things they hold dear to their hearts. For a long time I didn't even think Fire Elementals had hearts. In this book there are chapters on family, honor, duty, royalty, and the Fire Elemental's symbols. I think I should start with the symbols and work my way back.

I flip to the back of the book and see a beautiful full page design of Braeden's family crest. It's a crest of crimson and grey color and there are three symbols in a triangle fashion. Going clockwise from the top point there is a Phoenix with it's wings outstretched, a drawn bow and arrow, and a sunflower. The crest is surrounded by orangish red flames and the words 'Perpetuum Flammas Diuturnas' are around the edges. The words mean ever lasting flames. I could analyze every small detail on the crest like the dark tint in the Pheonix's eyes or the numbers of petals on the sunflower but on the opposite page there is a description of each symbol and what it means to the Fire Elementals.

The drawn bow and arrow is a symbol of skill and power. It shows that the Fire Elementals are always ready for a fight and won't hesitate to kill when needed. The sunflower is a symbol of constancy and loyalty. It shows the royal family how much its people depend on them and also shows the people how important it is to stay firm in what they believe in. The Phoenix is a symbol of rebirth. With all the violence going on between Fire Elementals, I guess they needed something to symbolize that there is something waiting for them after death. What they believe in specifically, I have no idea.

"Excuse me but princess?" someone asks me and I jump from my seat. I look up to see a nervous servant holding out an envelope. I take it from his hand and he walks away with a bow quickly before I can blink. How are these Fire Elementals so scared of me? I lift the plain, red seal from the envelope and begin to read the handwritten contents.