by Kealohilani
“What?” Lani asked as she realized they had been talking to her. “Oh, Rezarahn. Yes, he’s very nice.”
“Nice?!” Arante asked in an exasperated tone as she held up her fingers one at a time, beginning with her pinky, as she continued. “He’s sexy. He’s smart. He’s a superb gentleman. And— oh yeah— he’s rich! What part am I missing? He’s perfect!” Arante threw up her hands and looked incredulously at Lani.
“Yes, like I said, he’s very nice. Sorry, there’s just something else on my mind.”
“Like what?!” Arante exclaimed.
Lani didn’t seem to hear her as she turned to Kendra.
“Kendra! I just had a vision! You won’t believe it!”
Lani did a double take and finally snapped into the present as she noticed, to her great excitement, that there were real beds! Four of them! All queen-sized and fit for queens.
She smiled widely as she saw that they were covered with plushy pillows and layered a foot high with luxuriously-fluffy white down comforters, covered in satin! They had slept in lovely beds in the Elven Kingdom as well— but it was still a distracting and heavenly sight after months on a bedroll. Furthermore— because of Jharate’s constant advances towards Tierza at Alavnoran Sier— last night, she had not been happy when she drifted off to sleep.
Oh how her bed would feel tonight! Just then, she caught a glimpse of an old-fashioned porcelain bathtub with gold faucets and gold imperial feet, through a door that connected to their room. Better and better! She could just imagine how great another bath would feel! Two luxurious days in a row!
She felt another surge of happiness rush through her. She had been given so many reasons to be happy this night— and all thanks to Rezarahn. Gratitude washed over her.
Lani ran over and leapt onto the bed that the other three girls were already sitting on top of. Their skin glowed and they all smelled of lavender. They were dressed in long white satin nightgowns with cap sleeves, which had been provided for each of them. Lani faced Kendra and grabbed both of her hands— barely able to contain her enthusiasm.
“Does it involve you and Monsieur Charming wearing white and exchanging vows?” Kendra asked with an impish grin.
“No, but it is big news. Kendra, you are my twin sister! We’re from Lanas originally— that’s one of the kingdoms here— and your name was Alena Brichette and mine was Adrienne Brielle. We are the daughters of the former King and Queen!”
“What?” all three girls exclaimed in unison. Kendra’s eyes grew wide with surprise.
“Shut up!”
“For realz! I’m not kidding!” Lani answered hugging her.
“You two have been missing for decades!” Arante marveled.
“That explains it,” Tierza chirped. “You were taken to Earth! That’s why no one ever found you! This is fantastic!”
“This must be what Narani was referring to when she said you had been ‘in another world’ but you were not ‘from another world,’ ” Arante thought aloud.
“NO WAY!” Kendra exclaimed. “Well— I always knew I was a princess.” She giggled.
“Oh, and you know how you always teased me for being younger than you— even though we are like the same age? Guess what? I’m the older one! Ha!”
“I can’t be younger!”
“That you have a hard time believing— but you’re not shocked at the fact that we’re sisters from a royal line on a completely different planet than the one we thought we were born on?”
“We were already like sisters. And like I said, I always knew I was a princess. But you being older? Now that’s crazy!”
Lani snatched a pillow off the bed and gently smacked Kendra upside the head, with a huge smile on her face.
“Oh it’s on!” Kendra yelled with a grin.
Kendra grabbed a pillow of her own and sprang off the bed and whacked Lani as she tried to run away. Lani laughed and swung back— hitting Kendra in the stomach— and ran up over another bed to escape retaliation. Kendra followed quickly, cornered Lani, hit her again, and then retreated as Lani advanced.
Arante and Tierza stayed seated on the original bed and looked at Kendra and Lani with their eyebrows raised questioningly as the two continued to play. It was obvious from the smiles and the laughter that this was well-intentioned interaction— but it seemed an odd custom.
The right corner of Arante’s mouth curled up into a smirk as she seized a pillow and hit Tierza with it. Tierza’s mouth flew open as if she were about to launch into a speech on etiquette— but she refrained and, instead, swatted at Arante with a nearby pillow. Arante ducked and avoided her hit, smiling widely.
Tierza redoubled her efforts— using her elven speed to mess with Arante. The two sets of girls continued the pillow fights with riotous giggles all around— as the two games eventually became one, and the pillows started breaking open. As feathers started to escape, they all froze and looked at each other with startled, somewhat-worried expressions.
“It’s okay,” Tierza assured with a mischievous smile. “I can use my natural gift of speed to pick up all the feathers and sew all the pillows back up as good as new. It will only take me a few minutes.”
“Works for me!” Kendra exclaimed as she smacked Arante in the back of the head.
The game started up again with squeals of laughter and even more enthusiasm— ignoring the feathers that were now flying everywhere like falling snow.
It was a perfect moment— for Drakne. A sinister smile twisted upon his face as he sat upon a cushy burgundy and gold velvet-covered chair in the corner of the enormous bedroom, next to the fire— one leg over the arm of the chair. He had snuck in past Lani when Rezarahn had been saying goodnight— they had taken so long to say goodbye that it had not been difficult.
But now he was ever so glad that he had done so. He had heard her real name. That information would be priceless to Vranah. Drakne could barely contain his delight.
Adrienne Brielle Arvanatasi? She has been missing so long… I wonder…
Drakne folded his arms and tapped his lips with the tip of his gloved index finger as he continued to view the pillow fight before him— without really registering that it was going on.
Drakne did not want to jeopardize his holiday. He knew that if he simply asked Vranah for the information he sought, Vranah would order him to return immediately and would not let him finish his game.
His plan was too brilliant to allow it to be changed even one iota— and it would be so much more satisfying than the quick end he knew Vranah would demand.
A thought came to him. He knew where Vranah currently kept his list of Half-Hearts. In fact, he always knew where it was located— despite what Vranah thought. There had just never been a good enough reason to risk looking at it before now. Sneaking a quick peek at the list was the only way to both satisfy his curiosity and make sure that his fun was not cut short.
He would go this very instant to see if Lani was the one he was seeking after all. Drakne smiled once again as he thought— This couldn’t have been easier.
Drakne teleported back inside the castle in Trisakne. He looked around cautiously. His invisibility would not be enough to fool his master for long— not even with the soundless spell he had added before leaving the girls’ bedroom. He had to act quickly.
Vranah liked keeping the chest— which held the Half-Hearts list— close to him at all times. Therefore the only place that made any sense in this castle was the throne room. Drakne glided up the stairs leading up to the throne room in perfect silence. What luck! Vranah was not here at the moment.
Drakne quickly crossed over to one of the two thrones. He peered behind it. Sure enough— it was there. Hidden in a little niche in the throne, was a small golden box— which bore the same heart in heart design as the doorknob of the coffin room.
Drakne scoffed. It was amazing how arrogant Vranah was to think that no one would dare look at this list. It wasn’t protected in the least.
Drakne bent down an
d opened the lid to the tiny chest. A small cloud of golden dust and light erupted from it. He reached inside and grabbed the scroll— which seemed as if it, too, were made of gold. He carefully but quickly unrolled it.
Keanu Jhoran Marubain Kelamosakai Inihma.............. Terminated
Sarana Annea Kinartma........................................... Terminated
Narah Deskarin....................................................... Terminated
Yes, yes— I know all these, Drakne thought. His eyes scrolled through the list of irrelevant remaining names until he found the one he sought.
Adrienne Brielle Arvanatasi....................... Whereabouts Unknown
Drakne grinned. Ha! Her whereabouts were not unknown now! He had her! A decades-old mystery— and he had solved it on his own! A mystery that no one else had even come close to discovering!
But there was another name below hers that caught his eye. His grin was replaced with a puzzled expression. Why had Vranah allowed this particular Half-Heart to live for so long?
Drakne flinched in response to a sound behind him. He hastily replaced the list exactly as he had found it and teleported back to Rezarahn’s home.
What if the Second One Arrived First?
Morning came and Lani stretched. Slowly. Luxuriously. Happily. Still nestled in her silky white surroundings— the gentle smell of lavender lingered on her softened skin as a reminder of her marvelous bath last night. She opened her eyes and looked out the open window.
The land was still, the wind was calm, and there wasn’t the slightest indication of anything sinister. Everything felt so wonderfully uneventful and free of drama. It was a lovely change from what had become the norm.
As Lani snuggled more deeply into her covers, she looked around the opulent room with its gold and burgundy accents and wondered how this particular land had remained so intact. Rezarahn’s kingdom was rich with plenty of food and water.
And Rezarahn was not on the run like Jharate was. He had wonderful possessions like the bed she was currently luxuriating in. Perhaps it was because Jharate’s kingdom had just fallen, and this one had been down for a while. Maybe life had just reached a new normalcy for Zenastra, even under oppression.
At any rate, she liked Rezarahn quite a lot. Her mind flashed through the wonderful memories from last night. Remembering the awe she had experienced as the front door opened and she had seen him for the first time. Reliving the shivers and thrills he had ignited in her body. Reflecting over the attentive way in which he had worked to ensure her every comfort at every turn.
He was the kind of guy that any girl would love to have. He was handsome, intelligent, chivalrous, rich, and— well— almost perfect. And it was obvious that he cared for her a great deal. He had singled her out among all of the other women.
Being in constant company with Kendra, Arante, Te‘era, Hethora, Janea, and now Tierza— all of whom could easily be supermodels— was intimidating sometimes. Especially after Jharate had jilted her and practically thrown himself at Tierza. Rezarahn had chosen her though. Shouldn’t she be thrilled?
A soft knock came at her door. Lani reached for the white satin robe— which was draped over a burgundy-upholstered chair by her bedside— and put it on over her nightgown. She tiptoed quickly across the dense, soft plush of the white carpeted floor so as not to wake any of the sleeping girls in the room.
She opened the door to find Rezarahn holding a beautiful bouquet of burgundy roses in an exquisite crystal vase— which he offered to her with a sweeping gesture that ended in a low bow.
“Oh! They’re beautiful!” Lani exclaimed in a whisper. She stepped outside the door and closed it quietly so that they could continue talking without disturbing anyone.
“They are. However, next to you they look like withered thorns.”
Lani blushed. She brought the roses up to inhale their fragrance, hoping to hide the scarlet in her cheeks as Rezarahn continued.
“Would you like to accompany me on a horseback ride through my orchards?”
“I’d love to!”
“You will need this. I believe you will find that it fits you perfectly.”
Rezarahn handed her a dress that would be more suitable for riding than her purple one.
“Thank you so much!”
Lani shifted the vase into the crook of one arm and let Rezarahn drape the dress over her other— leaving that hand free to open the door. She quietly stepped inside— leaning back out a little bit to whisper quickly to Rezarahn.
“I’ll be right back. It might take me a little longer because I have to be quiet so I don’t wake up my chickyz.”
“Chickyz?”
Lani had already slipped back into the room and closed the door before he had uttered his question.
She crept back to her bed, and placed the vase on the cherrywood nightstand next to it. She changed as quickly as she could out of the nightgown and into the dress that Rezarahn had just given her.
He was right. It fit her every measurement. It was much less elaborate than her purple dress but still quite attractive and quite comfortable. A burgundy corset over a white billowy blouse complemented a very full burgundy skirt, which fell to just above her ankles. Despite appearances, it was all one piece.
Lani suddenly realized she didn’t have any proper footwear. She bit her lip and sighed as she looked around the room. She did have her leather sandals and the sneakers in her bag. But the sneakers would not blend in as she had been instructed to do, and the sandals did not seem to be right for horseback riding.
She didn’t want to wake up Tierza or Arante to ask them if they had anything she could borrow. Besides, she had a feeling their feet were smaller than hers— most girls feet were, even when they were taller than she was. Lani had always been sure she had been meant to be taller. How else does a slender five-foot-five girl end up with a size nine shoe size?
Lani looked at the door and realized there was no other option. She opened it, just a crack— leaning only her head out.
“You wouldn’t happen to have a pair of—”
Lani blinked in surprise as Rezarahn put forth two black leather boots and a pair of short black silk stockings, with a huge debonair grin on his face. Lani reached out with one hand and took the items as she smiled at him.
“Thank you. You think of everything! I’ll be right back.”
Lani closed the door again and tiptoed back to her bed and sat down on it carefully. She slipped on the stockings and pulled on the boots. Again, Rezarahn proved to be a master at picking sizes.
They fit wonderfully and were almost as comfortable as the sandals Arante had purchased for her. The boots hit her mid-calf and had one-inch heels that made them more feminine yet still practical. The leather was covered in tooled roses and vines, which wrapped their way around and in-between the roses.
Once Lani was dressed, she used the brush that Arante had given her to brush out all of the tangles from her hair.
Now came decision time. She looked at herself in a mirror hanging on the wall by her bedside. She knew that her hair all down or mostly down was her best look— and yet a braid would be the obvious practical choice for a ride.
She stared at the mirror— trying to decide between beauty and practicality. After a moment, she decided on a half-up pull through braid— which she looped around the top of her head like a crown— weaving the gold ribbon, that had been tied around the vase, throughout the braid. When she was finished braiding— and securing the braid with the gold bobby pins she had found in the middle drawer of the vanity near the bathtub— she smoothed the rest of her hair with her beautiful little brush, until it fell like silk to her knees.
She double checked her reflection to make sure that everything was in place and— with a reassuring smile at herself— she crept back to the door and opened it quietly.
Lani emerged and slowly shut the door behind her. Rezarahn offered his arm before she could even turn around. She smiled and took it graciou
sly. She could feel his strong muscles under his shirt, which sent a shudder down her spine.
Lani had always had a thing for well-developed arm muscles in a guy— and his were fantastic! She held on tight as they walked down the staircase. She felt his muscle flex a little under her grasp and she stifled a happy laugh. Whether he was onto her or not— he was definitely making it more fun.
As they walked out of the front entrance of his home, Lani breathed a sigh of relief as she saw the two horses saddled and ready to go. She was glad that this world apparently did not have sidesaddles, which she had always thought ridiculous.
Not that a regular saddle would help her a whole lot when it came to getting on the horse in the first place. But it would definitely make the ride much easier.
Rezarahn walked her to the white mare and stopped in front of it. Without saying a word, he placed his hands gently around her waist, lifted her up, and sat her on the saddle. Lani giggled as she felt a rush of adrenaline race through her blood from that attractive display of masculinity.
Rezarahn kept his hand outstretched so that Lani could steady herself as she swung her right leg over the horse. She did so with some difficulty. She was not an experienced rider at all and the dress was definitely complicating matters. She had never ridden with a dress on before and had to arrange it, secure it, and lay it out nicely so that she wouldn’t look as foolish as she felt.
Lani hoped Rezarahn hadn’t noticed how inept she was at this moment. At long last, she managed to make herself look quite composed. He handed her the reigns and she held on tight.
“Shall we go, dear lady?”
“Absolutely.”
“Splendid.”
Lani felt a little weak at the knees from the way he spoke. It was so regal and seductive at the same time. Her eyes glimmered as she watched him put his left foot in one stirrup and swing his other leg over his chestnut brown steed to the other stirrup in a single fluid motion.
As he turned the horse around to face her, he flashed another arresting smile. Lani smiled back but averted her eyes because she felt as though she might actually swoon under his gaze if she looked into his eyes any longer.