“Has that ever happened Viktor?”
I nod and he gasps.
“How come I did not know about this?”
I shrug. “You thought I was out seeing a woman, I told you I was not. She and I have seen each other when no one else was around. Nothing inappropriate happened she just needed to be alone but as I was her guard that day I couldn’t let her ride off alone.” That hadn’t actually been any of the times I felt it but I don’t want to explain to Mason anything more than the fact that I hadn’t told him because he hadn’t let me. While Mason looks shocked Madeline just looks at me with knowing eyes. “You are not shocked by this? Did she tell you?”
She shakes her head no and shrugs.
“No, but I know her well. As I said before you intrigued her. While finding out about you she seemed more alive than the month I have known her. It doesn’t shock me she sought solace from you.”
“She didn’t I insisted ongoing or I would just follow her until she returned inside.”
She laughs and pushes the hair out of the princess’s eyes.
“She needs a champion as stubborn as she is. You will be good for her, just as she will be good for you.”
“How can a princess and a guard be together though? He's not noble blood it is entirely forbidden.”
Madeline smacks him upside the head and laughs at him.
“It’s not that kind of relationship dolt. Theirs is one based on a deep understanding of one another; trust and respect that goes beyond the normal levels of both you normally hold someone in. He would trust her with his life and vice versa. It’s a kinship almost.”
I have never thought of trusting a sixteen-year-old girl with my life but Madeline is right, I would, and have, when the situation arose. In any situation, I will act the same. Protect her, keep her safe, and if need be trust her with whatever she asks of me.
“I still don’t understand it.”
Mason shakes his head and goes to turn the rabbit on the spit. I look at Madeline as she smiles and goes back to playing with Elainne's hair.
“How come you know so much about it?’
“The King went into mourning when he got news of his sister’s death. He actually wanted her daughter to come and mourn with them since her family was here. The queen asked me then if I would help her with the human world. She was used to the Elvin lands, not ours. I read up on as much as I could, I listened to the queen’s stories when I asked a question about something I couldn’t find in the books she gave me. I wanted to help this poor girl that had lost so much so early in her life. Some of the books had chapters I promised I would not read. I didn’t keep that promise once hearing about Elainne’s life from the queen.”
“Do you still have the books?”
She shakes her head. “Not exactly, I returned them to the queen.”
I sigh. I wish to learn more about the part of Elainne I don’t understand, the part of her that makes our connection possible.
“I did make copies though.”
Madeline smiles a devilish smile and I have a feeling she shouldn’t have done that.
“May I borrow them sometime?”
She nods and looks down at Elainne.
“You will need them more than I will.”
She gets up and goes to bug Mason about the food not being done. I look down and brushed Elainne’s cheek feeling the slight shock Madeline mentioned is normal. At least now I know why it happens. Had Elainne known what it meant? Would she have told me if she did?
She turns slightly, her face pressing more closely against my hand. Her skin is so soft. Mason is right there will never be any hope for us to have a relationship. Madeline is more right, it is not like that. I don’t feel an attraction. I feel…a kinship I can’t explain. Like she needs me and I will be there no matter the cost to me. I know should I need something she will be the same. No questions asked she will be there doing whatever she has to, to make things for me right. I don’t have to wonder I just know.
“Viktor the rabbit is ready.”
I nod and get up getting closer to the fire as we split and eat the rabbit. We put some aside for Elainne though all of us doubt she will be up before they find us.
Chapter Ten
It turns out we are right. That night while Madeline and Mason sleep I keep watch in case the mermen or the creatures decide to brave the wrath of the Elves. I don’t hear or see a thing, even with the embers of the fire still glowing. I am sitting on a log looking out into the woods and then there is a blade to my throat. I stand and draw my own as they back away laughing. Where did they come from?
“A brave soul who thinks he can take on an Elf.”
“I was told once in training that I was almost to the point where I could.”
I draw the second one as they laugh. One of them charges me and dances around me as I swing and swing. No matter how good I am they are fast and graceful, and they move like they are part of the forest not intruders in it. They call upon the woods to aid them and it gives them more than I can beat. So I throw down my swords almost in anger and wait for him to come in closer then I bend like I am grabbing for them but at the last second, I slide into his legs bringing him down with me.
The others laugh as I grab a sword off the ground and go to jump on him. He is already out of the way standing again laughing with the others.
“Whoever told you such a thing boy was a fool. One that likely had never set foot in Elvin territory.”
I smile. The joke is on them.
“What’s so funny boy?”
“It was your princess that told me so.”
They stop and glare thinking me a liar.
“Our princess is safe in her bad back in the castle.”
“He means me.”
Elainne comes out with Mason on one side and Madeline on the other holding her up. She is weak and can barely speak but she looks at them, all taller than her, and her nobility and title shines on her face for all to see.
“Princess Elainne we did not know you traveled back into Elvin territory.”
They don’t bow and when I reach for my other sword she gives me a look that tells me without words to sheath them. Violence will get us nowhere.
“I am not required to inform anyone of my decision to return. I was not banished I left to see my aunt, the emperor, my father’s, sister. If I wish to return I need not alert anyone, especially some border guards hoping to poke fun at my entourage and myself.”
They do bow then. Her words are like honey all sweetness but her tone is like broken glass, very sharp.
“Forgive me Princess Elainne. Had I known they were with you I, of course, would not have challenged this one.”
He nods in my direction without looking away from her. She smiles and inclines her head in acknowledgment of his words. They all seem tense and unsure of what to do.
“Lady Alyssa has become the highness has she not?”
They all nod and she sighs. It seems she is not surprised by their choice in princess of the land. Though I wonder what claim the girl has that is more than her own.
“Are you injured princess?”
“I was forced to use magic to escape the mermen and women that have invaded my aunt’s kingdom. She has tasked me with asking her brother for help as all the men and some women even have fallen madly in love with the creatures. I'm here as an emissary on her behalf, with the royal seal and the power to make any deal needed to get the help she needs to restore her kingdom.”
“You mean her husband’s kingdom, do you not Princess?”
Elainne
The unsubtle dig almost makes me want to laugh. Of course, it is my uncle’s kingdom but she rules there too and anyone watching would know the palace doesn’t run without her. It is both their kingdoms whether my uncle wishes it to be or not.
“No, I do not. The queen runs the kingdom; she is not a trophy wife but a queen in all aspects. Anyone that visited could see it. As my father should know since she is his sister after
all.”
The not so subtle dig back at my father makes them uneasy but puts them back in their place. They can say nothing to that because it is true he has not once in seventeen years visited his sister or invited her to visit after shipping her off to the humans to be married.
“We require assistance, we were forced to flee into the plains. Luckily the slower mermen were the dinner for the creatures but one of our horses was lost as well and the magic I have had to use the entire trip has exhausted me. Also, we need a mage to do identity spells. To bind them all back to their true names. I was forced to strip all of us of our identities so we could make it this far.”
“I did not think you had enough magic to do so.”
I smile. “Perhaps the Elvin people know less of their own princess than they thought. I was the one to start the fire in the plains. A magical fire that would not stop until we were safe and I don’t feel safe yet. It reeks of Elvin magic and you will have a war on your hands if you do not make it stop soon.
“I have done four identity spells. And other spells in but a few days. I am tired, I was recently injured, and I wish to rest. Now send for a carriage or enchanted horses or something useful and tell my father of our need for the mage so I may rest instead of exhausting myself further.”
Viktor
They nod and run off into the woods to do as she asks I assume. I look back at her and she smiles at me.
“I told you not to resist. You should have just shouted my name and said ‘I need help’. My father would forgive humans trespassing if I were ill; this he is less likely to accept.”
“They started the fight; I just followed through on it.”
“So I heard when Madeline and Mason woke me saying you were fighting outside with what they assumed to be Elves. You make a terrible guard Viktor you never listen to anything I say.”
I don’t think she is entirely serious because she is smiling, it is small and looks pained but it is there.
We are taken in a carriage, a fine one of high status I can tell. They return with it and many more guards. The princess rides within, whether she is still their ‘highness’ or not. She doesn’t sleep as I thought she would, instead she looks alert, though I can tell all she really wants to do is pass out again. She looks at each of us in turn and sighs. She seems unhappy we are there.
“I wish I had left you all behind with Timothy.”
“We wouldn’t have allowed it, none of us.”
The others nod agreeing with me. She can order us to do many things but never to abandon her.
“In all likelihood, it will not be safe in the palace to sleep, for any of us. But most especially for me. Whoever killed my mother was a firm believer that we can live in peace with humans but not breed with them. Most of the Elves feel that way. You are unwelcome but could be trading partners or buy things, make them money, or a new treaty. I am an abomination.”
If anyone says such a thing out loud I won’t care about her order to keep my swords sheathed and I figure she can tell that by the look on my face.
“I will request a separate room for you all, and tell my father should anything happen to me Madeline is to be in charge. Let her hammer out the deal boys, she knows more about court politics and Elves than either of you. Then see her safely back to the kingdom to carry out the solution he will give you.”
Madeline fidgets uncomfortably with the thought of being an emissary.
“What if he doesn’t give us a solution?”
Elainne turns to look at Madeline a look of anger on her face.
“I will not sleep nor leave his sight until he does. Have no fear he will offer a solution. You just have to figure out what he gets in return should something happen to me. But I will ensure you get what we came for have no worry.”
Not that I don’t feel for the people in the kingdom but if it comes to her sacrificing herself or the kingdom falling to ruin the queen is on her own because I am letting nothing happen to Elainne while here even if it means the rest of us keep watch twenty-four seven. I don’t think she will appreciate me telling her that however so I say nothing. But I know the other two will agree with me.
Elainne
We pull up to the castle and I close my eyes willing the tears to stay away. My mother and I lived here, before her death, before I run away to be a princess elsewhere. I know I will never inherit this throne and I have no wish to. The Elvin people are snobbish and rude. They have quite the superiority complex. I will just need to rest a bit, get through this and go back home.
It is amazing how much my aunt’s kingdom has come to be home for me. I never thought it would be I was there to do a job, fill in for my dead cousin. But somewhere along the way, it became home and I am here to save it, not just for my aunt and uncle but for myself and all those that live there.
I open my eyes and look at my companions. All brave and loyal souls. If anything happens to them I’ll haunt the one responsible in life and death. They are here with me doing anything and everything to make this possible. I owe them a great deal.
“Madeline remember curtsy to everyone you see. The King will demand you be all the way to the floor when you do so in front of him. He will make you wait to get up until you have his permission.”
“I have read all about the Elvin court your highness.”
I nod. Madeline is not the one I am worried about.
I sigh at the boys sitting across from us.
“You two. It’s not like my uncle’s court. You must bow. As low as you can get. No saluting, no getting away with looking up. Keep your eyes on me at all times until we get to the king then bow until he permits you to rise. He might make us rise at different times and likely many insults will be hurled my way and I'm warning you now nothing is to be done about it. We need help, he knows this, and he will make us work for it. Any insult and he could refuse. Please just once do as I say.”
I look at Viktor as I say this knowing Mason can perfectly well take orders but Viktor is different. He is disobedient. He is loyal to the point where he cannot stand to have me insulted. We can’t do anything to jeopardize getting my father’s help. Even if he is the last person I would ever want help from.
We file out of the carriage as it stops and though both boys and Madeline make inclinations to help I walk on my own. My human blood is the reason my power is weak and showing it here is showing much weakness, something my father never tolerates.
I walk ahead of them, Madeline three steps behind and my guards’ one step behind her. I can tell both of them are itching to encircle us as much as possible. I hold my head up high as I walk into the throne room noticing that Lady Alyssa sits on the throne next to my father, she is princess here now. I never got my ceremony back home and that will hurt us. I am here on behalf of my father’s sister; surely he cannot refuse her.
I curtsy, Madeline follows suit as do Mason who kneels beautifully. Viktor takes a few seconds to think about it and then follows suit. I let go of the breath I’d been holding. Hopefully, the others will not follow my act of defiance. I rise and stare at my father down.
“You dare rise before I give you the order to?”
“I am a princess in two kingdoms even should you not wish to acknowledge me. I am here as an emissary for your sister who is likely as we speak being tortured for information on the Elves by the mermen in her kingdom. We have no time to waste. Now if you would allow my entourage to rise we can get down to business.”
I am insulting him left and right and I don’t care. I have to appear stronger than I feel. Already I want to pass out from exertion. He doesn’t give the order to rise so I do. They rise, slowly and confused. I let them stay that way.
“You have grown far too full of yourself since being with humans.”
“Then I must have inherited some traits from you after all.”
The court gasps in shock. My father stares at me waiting for me to back down. I lift my head higher tilting my chin up in defiance. He nods once and everyone leaves
except his council and his heir. The council sits at a table towards the other end of the throne room and at a nod from the king, the princess goes to join them.
I walk up to my father, leaving my entourage staring at me in shock. I stop and sit down in the heir’s chair. I can hear Alyssa gasp and rise then sit down again. I continue to stare at my father. Likely one of the councilmen stopped her. My father will put me in my place if he so wishes it. It is not her job, yet.
“We are here on behalf of your sister. If you wish to play games I shall leave and seek help from the mages. You know they are powerful and could likely deal with this threat and the humans would be indebted to them not to you. So make your decision now because I will not wait in vain.”
“You have grown more like me in the past few months.”
I shake my head no. “I still care for my people more than myself and I still want to rule fairly. I cannot do that sitting on the sidelines. I do not wish to be as arrogant as you. You will either help us or not and if not we will be on our way.”
He studies me seriously, one ruler to another judging how I will turn out.
“What do you need daughter?”
He says it loud enough for the entire room to hear and I hear many intakes of breaths. I don’t smile or hug him, he doesn’t show affection and I don’t feel enough for him to show it to him either. I nod and stand walking back to my group.
“Most immediately we need a powerful Elf that can reattach their identities to them, I as well. Viktor here will be difficult his new name is a part of him so it’ll have to be tied in with the old.”
“I sensed something off about you. I can have this done relatively quickly. How did they lose their identities, to begin with?”
I stop walking towards them and turn my face blank and devoid of any emotion even though I want to be smug.
“I stripped it of them. We were being hunted. It bought us some time, enough to get here.”
Champion Complete Series Page 11