The Phoenix People

My temple room was modest at best and nothing like my palace chambers.

A small bed was pressed against the wall opposite the door, underneath a window over which thin curtains were drawn. A chest at the foot of the bed was propped open and looked to be half filled with clothes. There was a table, over which hung a mirror, to the right of the entryway. That was it.

I thought of my enormous feather bed, huge closet filled with expensive shoes and jewelry, and wardrobe lined with the fanciest dresses of the year back in the palace and sighed.

Crossing the room to the chest, I pawed through the clothing. I pulled out a simple blue dress with a white bodice - what seemed to be the best option in the trunk - and wrinkled my nose. Even though I hated drawing attention to myself or wearing unnecessarily extravagant clothing, it was so painfully...plain.

Even so, it was preferable to my current outfit for several reasons. I stripped out of my sweat-stained, dirty, wrinkled palace dress with a bit of difficulty - usually, Handmaiden-for-Alexia assisted me. I reminded myself that my handmaiden had a name now, and that she was in no way obligated to help me change clothes, but I still felt a pang of resentment all the same.

I noticed a towel folded neatly upon my bed and gratefully used it to rub myself clean of dirt and sweat. The coarse material itched, but at least it did its job.

Finally, I pulled on the new dress. It felt light and airy, and strangely more comfortable than my previous dress.

I dug a little further into the chest and discovered a pair of boots. They looked nothing like my once delicate slippers, now worn and filthy. However, I made up my mind then and there to stop being picky, and pulled on the boots, lacing them tightly. I must have been an odd sight with a knotted mess of hair and wearing sturdy boots underneath my plain dress.

Finally, I recrossed my bedroom to stand in front of the mirror and work on fixing my hair. I got a few of the smaller knots out, but finally had to admit defeat. Discovering a few pins clinging on deep within my ruined hairstyle, I used them to hold my hair up in a bun of sorts. Feeling slightly more refreshed and presentable, I sat on the bed and stared at my hands. Everything was changing so quickly; the moment of peace was incredibly comforting.

A pounding knock suddenly sounded at the door. Sighing, knowing that it was Melody, I stood and answered it.

"I'm sorry for being an ass about your sister." The words, spoken in Melody's rather coarse voice, hit me before I'd even had time to register the fact that she was apologizing.

"I'm sorry I slapped you," I replied uncertainly after a moment's awkward pause.

"I thought I could explain some things about the Phoenix People to you...after initiation, of course." Melody refused to meet my gaze, but her tone was hopeful.

"Yes - oh - that would be lovely." I was glad that she seemed so suddenly willing to help me, but..."Um...initiation?"

"Yes." Melody's dark brown eyes finally met mine, holding some strange weight that I suddenly felt looming over me. "You must have realized by now that this is not about changing one set of laws.

"This is about changing a kingdom."

*

I felt faint as I followed Melody down the hallway and back into the temple's main area - for I was finally being forced to realize the cold truths of what my purpose here was. The thoughts looming before me were terrifying.

I was here to help overthrow my brother. My kingdom. My race.

And I wasn't entire sure that I was prepared to do that.

I hoped they - whoever "they" were - would listen to my concerns at this initiation, whatever it entailed. The whole business was turning out to be much more frightening than I had expected, after all.

The church was empty except for a group of five or more people in its center. Where had everyone gone? It was about midday, so it seemed odd that the public temple would be practically vacant.

I focused my attention on the five figures, who were gripping each other's hands. They were all cloaked, hoods keeping their declined heads in shadow. Even so, the darkness within their cloaks seemed unnatural. Some kind of enchantment, perhaps?

Melody led me into the center of the ritualistic circle. Two of the members released hands to allow me entry. The circle reformed once Melody had left the room.

One figure let go of their companions' hands and flipped their hood from their face. It was Moon.

"Princess Alexia Fairmeadow of Fairmeadow," Moon said in a singsong voice, "you have chosen of your own free will to seek out the Phoenix People and join our cause. You have seen the location of the entrance to our underground hideout and the location of our major city base. For these reasons, we can no longer allow you to return to the castle alive."

My blood ran cold. Did they mean to murder me because they thought I was in cohorts with Audric? If so, I had walked right into their trap. I was even stupider than I had recently realized. 

Thankfully, however, Moon kept talking before I could fully panic.

"However, we do not wish to kill you. The Phoenix People strive to leave the innocent unharmed, and we truly believe in your former ignorance in your brother's schemes."

So Oak had filled her in. The Phoenix People must have worked out the details of Audric's plans on their own, however, seeing as they knew so much about what they entailed.

"We believe you could be a valuable asset to our cause. Either you join the rebellion...or you die."

I cleared my throat, trying to keep the utter terror I felt out of my voice as I spoke. "D - do you mean to overthrow...all Highborns?"

Someone in the group snorted, breaking the mysterious, ominous mood that had previously hung heavy in the air.

"Of course not," Moon replied, still using her strange, singsong voice but now sounding slightly offended. "That would be stooping to King Audric's level. We mean to overthrow the king and appoint a new ruler, along with striving for equality between the races. And, of course, abolishing the recent and hellish laws."

I held back a shudder as I thought of Robin being dragged from her husband and daughter to bear a Highborn's illegitimate child. I would wish that fate upon no one, not even someone who had been so rude to me.

"Would I be named queen if you succeeded?" I whispered, hardly daring to ask.

There was a moment of tense silence. "We shall see," Moon finally replied slowly, her expression unreadable. "Possibly."

The notion both excited and terrified me. But I was getting ahead of myself. A dead queen was not a good one, and if I left the rebellion now, I would simply be a dead princess, which was even less helpful.

I took a deep breath and squared my shoulders, trying to seem regal and confident. "Fine. I - I agree."

"We thought you'd come to that decision." Moon smiled, a genuine smile. "Welcome to the Phoneix People, Alexia Fairmeadow."