“You look terrible.”
I laugh and shake my head.
“You are quite the energy suck.”
She sighs and shakes her head and tries to pull herself into a sitting position. I help her up. Still weak, but not as bad as before.
“You shouldn’t be giving me so much of yourself. How will you protect me if you are unconscious?”
Her father asked the same thing earlier while I was eating as they cleaned her up.
“I wouldn’t let anything happen to you.”
“No, but you are barely better off than me. You’ll likely die in the process of saving me. Then I wouldn’t be saved.”
I know she is just worried about me but it is also a scolding. A reminder that I am being stubborn. Her father has already given me this speech as well.
“I didn’t trust them to use someone else. I wouldn’t know what they were doing to you. I can tell when they take my energy.”
Elainne
I sigh. Viktor, the knight in shining armor. What a dolt. “I appreciate your diligence but if my father didn’t kill me when I was down and out, he won’t now. They can heal me faster with a larger reservoir.”
“He said something similar.”
“To what?”
“To everything you said.”
I nod. Yeah, so my father and I think alike…that sucks.
“So how long have I been out?” I will talk about anything to escape the realization that my father and I have similar thoughts.
“Three days since you last woke.”
Wow.
“I met my grandmother.”
That doesn’t sound like it went well. “And?”
“She wants me to return. To take over the family, marry a nice pureblood, and pass along the Elvin and mage magic in my genes.”
Wow, ambitious much? “That’s…”
“Insane.”
I laugh. Viktor would see it that way.
“You can if you wish Viktor. I don’t wish to stand in your way of anything. You would have a family again.”
He gives me a look that tells me to shut my mouth because I know better. I do but still, he needs to know he has options. He doesn’t have to follow me just because he is a Kemp. People have ignored the call before, not generally with the success they hoped, but it can be done. There is even a spell to have the bond dissolved. I would tell him about it but I don’t want to get shaken and that look says I will if I even think about it.
“I wouldn’t have to be too far from you if I did take her up on her offer, which I will not.”
I nod. Wait…what?
“Umm, I think a kingdom apart is far away Viktor. I know the Elvin lands seem short with the enchanted coach but trust me it’s not small.”
He bites his lip and turns his head. I can sense the lie forming in his mind.
“Don’t lie to me Viktor. Being dishonest to your charge is frowned upon.”
“Even if it’s something I don’t think you’ll want to know about?”
Well, that doesn’t sound good.
“Did aunt disown me and ban me from the kingdom while I was out?”
He shakes his head and looks worried.
“No. She sent a messenger asking how long before you could return home just yesterday.”
Well, that is good. I am returning a hero. I wonder if we will get a parade.
“She and your father are arguing though. She sent him a message regarding the one he sent her a few days ago…”
“Oh, wonderful. Poor me caught in the middle. So, what is it about this time? He is mad I broke our deal with the orb and demands retribution. Or she is angry he’s asking for something because they are siblings.”
He shakes his head as I spit out ideas. Well, what could it be?
“Your father, he…”
He is looking everywhere but at me. What the hell?
“…he wants you to be his heir. Your aunt is furious with him and demands your return as soon as you are well enough to be moved. He is most displeased with the argument. I have noticed he doesn’t like not getting his way.”
I start laughing.
“What’s so funny?”
“You just said my father wants me to become his heir!”
Viktor just stares at me waiting for me to stop laughing. Wait he is serious!
“No! You have to be kidding me! He has never even liked admitting I was his child!”
“Married to a purebred your child would be three quarters and marry them to a purebred…”
“And the human blood becomes so diluted it means nothing. I get it. Well, what an interesting turn of events.” My father is a real piece of work “That’s…unexpected.”
He nods obviously thinking I am in shock. I am. My father is such a…. well there is not a word for it.
“So, it’s been exciting around here while I have been in recovery.”
He nods. He has been holding my hand this entire time. It is the only warm spot on me. I think all the blood in my body disappeared when he shared my father’s plans for me.
“Let’s get me healed up so we can return home. Unless you want us to take my father and your grandmother's offers. If you do, I suppose this is my original home and if father means for me to stay…”
“No. Let’s go home.”
I nod smiling. I am glad he doesn’t want to stay. This is not home, no matter what my father says.
“Let’s get the healer in here so you can get some more energy and we can go.”
I nod as Viktor calls to the healer. She comes in and grabs my hand and Viktor's as well.
“Viktor draw on my power and channel it back through to me as healing energy. It’ll make the boost more powerful. This time I can limit how much you take since I know what your pulling feels like.”
He pales and stands back dropping my hand. “Viktor fearing it is irrational. There might come a time when you have to draw from me to save my life. If I am in that situation, I won’t be able to limit you. So we need to practice.”
It is a sound argument and he can’t argue. He certainly doesn’t want this to happen again so he comes over and grasps my hand. He is holding a bit too tight but I figure complaining when I am forcing him to do something that terrifies him is just mean. He feels my pain though and loosens the grip without me having to say anything. We are still tied together so my life force will be stable as long as he is. They will have to break that link before we leave. Only a healer can do it and we don’t have Elvin healers back home.
Viktor
She looks at me full of trust. She almost died because of me. I don’t want to do this but she is right. If I ever have to channel her power again to save her, I don’t want to kill her myself. I can’t seem to do it though. Last time I’d been so angry, this time I am terrified to do it. After a few minutes of the healer trying to do it and taking my energy alone, we give up. I feel like a failure again. She needs to be given more energy than I can give her without going comatose or dead.
“I will get the king. He offered to use his own energy if the Kemp couldn’t give enough.”
Elainne nods and sits back against the headboard of the bed.
“Viktor if you don’t stop feeling like you failed me, I shall have to beat you myself. Last time I awoke and was crying I wasn’t angry at you nor did I think you had failed me. You have never failed me. A Kemp’s job is to protect his or her charge, to keep them alive. I am still alive so you can’t have failed me yet. It’s my fault I didn’t stop you from drawing on my power. Before the orb, it wouldn’t have been a problem. I didn’t have as much as you do on your own now. Also, it usually takes a lot of work and practice for the Kemp to be able to draw on the charge’s power. I didn’t block what you could draw and I knew if you ever showed an inclination of being able to connect that deeply I would have to learn. I will be ready next time. Stop worrying. Whatever we have to face we shall do it together.”
I read many books while she slept the first two days
after almost dying and some while I woke to eat and bathe the last three. All have been on Kemps whether specific examples or generalities. Never has there been a charge like her. Some charges and Kemp bonds have even happened to people that hate one another. They protect but avoided each other. I can’t see how it is possible. I am not sure if that makes me a stalker or if our Kemp bond is just deeper than the others. Perhaps it is because we got along before the bond had been activated.
“Okay.”
There is no one like her and I doubt there ever will be again. So I will protect her as well as I can. The world needs someone like her.
Elainne
After my father gives me his energy, I heal fast. He is a mountain of it, I should know since I have the same. Once my levels are restored, I am up and moving again. Viktor is worse than the healers telling me to take it easy, shadowing me holding an arm in case I start to fall, and making me eat every few hours.
After a couple more days I am travel-ready. Aunt sends a coach. My father showers us with gifts, Elvin armor and blades for Viktor to better protect me, dresses and jewels for me so I will look like an Elvin princess when I go back. Also, to remind me should I return that I will be the next heir. I think Viktor told him to give me time to adjust and think about it before jumping straight to demanding. I send up a prayer that he listens.
Home is in sight and everything looks different yet the same. I fought and won the right to be here. I saved the kingdom from being taken over. I am not sure what price my father has demanded of his sister for his help, and I am not sure I care. If I have to know about it she will tell me. Still, it is my home and I fought for it.
As the carriage rolls into the courtyard I see Madeline and Mason. I lean out and wave, it is most inappropriate but I don’t care. When the carriage stops Viktor does make me wait so he can get out first and help me out. Then he positions himself by my side, he won’t be walking behind me now he is my Kemp not my guard and walks with me over to Madeline whom I greet with a fierce hug.
“I missed you so! Your father sent word you almost died in the fight! Meanwhile here I am completely safe because they left hardly any mermen here to hold the castle and Marina’s sway was weak with her so far away and the Elves promptly broke the enchantment and secured the castle! It took barely two hours to dispose of them all and the queen was back to running things! Then we get the word you were in the fight and almost died! I was so worried!”
I get that from the intense rib breaking hugs and the repetition. Still, I missed Madeline as well and hug her back just as fiercely.
“Yes well, it was Viktor that ended the battle. He killed almost all of them alone.”
“With your magic your highness.”
He is not stupid enough to act familiar with me in human territory where it can be seen by judgmental humans.
“He’s a Kemp.”
Aunt is staring like he has grown another head. He salutes her and my silent pouting uncle and nods.
“Father didn’t tell you?”
I pull out of the hug with Madeline and look at my aunt. She sighs and looks at me.
“Can you do anything normal Elainne? Do you have any idea how hard it will be to explain this to the people? How will we marry you off now?”
I can’t help it I just laugh. Madeline and Mason hadn’t had time to tell her in the chaos after the battle for the castle I guess because aunt never fakes shock and she would have already come up with a plan and excuse had she known.
“I suppose I will die an old maid and pick an heir from one of my uncle’s cousins.”
“I hope not! Well, we shall see if humans are as smart as they think. In all honesty, though I shall have to prepare an adjoining room for him and…”
“You will not! He is a man and she is a virtuous young lady! No harlot shall inherit my kingdom!”
I grab Viktor's arm as he steps forward reaching for his swords. Mason as well gets closer to Viktor and stands in his path. He will have to learn control. He can’t get away with the same things here as he did in my father’s palace. Now I understand my father abstaining from pressure. After trying to be Kemp and charge for any length of time here being there where it is accepted will seem like a godsend. Clever father.
My aunt drags my uncle off who is shooting death glares at Viktor. Glares that are being returned until I elbow Viktor reminding him of his place. He looks away first but not because he is standing down. He won’t leave my side no matter what. My aunt instructs the servants to unload my things in my room and leaves the four of us standing out there alone.
I turn to look at Mason who looks annoyed with Viktor and yet much more at home. Madeline is grinning ear to ear apparently finding Viktor’s antics more amusing when he is not in the room, she is sleeping in.
“So, the battle was horrible I heard? Though the casualties low for our side. We lost none here at the castle.”
I turn towards Mason who is speaking to Viktor. I let Viktor respond.
“Yes, I hear only five humans died before Ela…the princess used magic to hold them out of the battle and none died after I ended it. The Elves lost only two men. The mermen lost their entire army. They burned the bodies of the dead so they couldn’t be resurrected by the sea. The king wasn’t sure if the merpeople could do such a thing so he thought it best in case. Marina is dead, the five he kept alive with magic he dumped in the water half dead. I don’t know what became of them but I think his actions get the message across quite well.”
Madeline grimaces and Mason nods. They are much more used to hearing such stories than we are. Though I agree with my father on this one, a first and last, I am sure, I still feel bad for those that had lost their lives. Still, the way they tried to steal my home from me makes me less inclined to care if the few who survived stay that way or not.
“So, Viktor did you meet your family? Your Elvin one I mean.”
Leave it up to Madeline to change the subject from anything grotesque. Viktor nods and looks at me. How much to tell them?
“He did. They offered him the position of heir to the family.”
Mason looks even more shocked than Madeline.
“Why would they do that you are mostly human?”
They are right but geez can they make it seem any more like he is not worthy?
Viktor
I can feel Elainne’s annoyance with me. The healer left a bit more of a tie than Elainne wanted. For the next few weeks, I will feel any negative emotions not just the ones related to injury and will have a good idea why she has them as well as being able to take her pain from her. The healer thought it best in case she was not fully recovered and I agreed. We hadn’t told Elainne because we knew she would argue. It is for her own good.
“I have full access to the family power. I can use it as well as any full-blood now. My mage power as well. Though I am not using anything until I get trained.”
I don’t tell them Elainne can as well if she wishes them to know she will tell them.
“Oh…. you never mentioned….”
Mason is at a loss. How to explain without telling them about Elainne’s abilities. The humans already fear her aunt; I know she doesn’t want to be feared too.
“We were able to wish upon a magical orb for full access to our blood powers. Viktor and I are all-powerful now.”
She laughs but the others don’t. She rolls her eyes and sighs.
“I’m kidding. I can use magic as strong as my father and Viktor can use Elvin magic like a full blood Elf and mage magic like a full blood mage. It was how we stopped Marina and her army.”
“I heard a fire did it.”
Madeline really only heard part of the story, I guess. Then again, she might not want everyone to know how strong she is. She has full access to her blood power as well.
“I drew on Elainne’s power and created a fire that jumped to all the mermen while Elainne held the humans in the air for safekeeping. When they all died, I stopped burning.”
Elainne
They look at him with judgment and fear in their eyes. I link arms with him a show of support. He did what he had to do; it ended the war with as few casualties on our side as one could ever hope for. That is all that matters.
“Viktor was protecting me. I was slashed a bit and they, Marina, was going to kill me. We won that’s all that matters. Very few died on our side and for that, we should be glad.”
They nod but still look weary. Likely they heard about the fire itself and how even the Elves moved off the battlefield for it. My magic is impressive now but it has combined his magic, my magic and the magic that comes with a Kemp bond. It devastated the battlefield and all upon it.
Still, I don’t fear Viktor. He won’t hurt anyone unless they try to hurt me. He is not a terrible person. You can’t tell that though from the way Madeline clings to Mason’s arm or the way they keep glancing at him from the corner of their eyes. I huff and let Viktor escort me around the courtyard. I am not ready to go inside and play princess yet.
“Did Tim make it back safely?”
Madeline nods and pulls Mason closer as she comes side to side with me.
“Yes. He was given a medal and a bag of gold for his help. The queen saw to it. The king has been rather…pouty for lack of a better word. He is annoyed at how he was swayed and the queen and you were not. She also rewarded your family Viktor. They are now listed as contacts for you. I tried to mention perhaps you left them out for a reason but the king wouldn’t hear of it. They were given a bag of gold as well.”
“As were Madeline and myself. Yours will likely be waiting for you in your new room Viktor. I take it you won’t be sleeping in the barracks anymore?”
“He will sleep in an adjoining room to mine. The queen will have him pack his things and have everything moved for him I am sure. If he is agreeable to the move. She won’t force you Viktor but I think she will assume you will…”
“She assumes right.”
I nod as we all fall silent. The world has gone back to normal it seems. Well, things are different. Tim, Madeline, Mason, Viktor, and his family are now rich it seems. Still, the Elvin lands are safe, the kingdom is back under my aunt and uncle's command. Mason is back to his duty here where things make sense to him. Madeline is back at court where she belongs. Tim will be in brushing down and feeding the horses. Aunt and uncle are arguing like always. Ahh, the world makes sense again. Everything is the same. Except now I have Viktor who will be by my side for as long as I can keep him.
Champion Complete Series Page 20