by Janeal Falor
The masculine voice calls out again but is still muffled by the pouring rain. Who is it? And where is he at? A large hand grabs my shoulder from behind, and my instincts kick in. I jam my elbow into the man’s taut stomach. A grunt sounds, as I turn to face the perpetrator, ready to inflict more damage.
Robert’s pain-ridden eyes stare back at me.
“I am so sorry,” I say. “I thought you were someone else.”
He draws in a deep breath. “I’m glad I’m not that someone else. I didn’t mean to scare you. With as loud as I was yelling, I thought you would have realized I was coming. Stewart saw you wander off, and I volunteered to find you. I regret to admit my shelter-making skills are… Well, I don’t have any.” A playful twinkle replaces the pain in his eyes, and his chuckle is warming.
Thinking of how hard I elbowed him, heat rises to my cheeks. “I’m sorry again about attacking you. The forest was inviting, and I wanted to explore. I didn’t want to disturb anyone. I suppose I’m still on edge from Port Varas.”
“It’ll be fine.” Robert chuckles. “I can keep you company a while, but we shouldn’t stray too far.” He holds out an arm for me, not like a sailor, but like a courtier.
I slip my arm through the opening and place my hand on his forearm. We walk through the woods in silence. The trees around us are thick with gold, orange, red, and a few green leaves. Moisture clings along each leaf’s five points, until we brush past, knocking it off. Rain drops lessen as we head under an unusually heavy canopy.
Two deer stand close by when we abate our progress, but they don’t seem bothered by us. I’d been looking forward to letting my disguise down, knowing I’ll have to keep it up for a couple weeks, but spending time with Robert is worth it. Still, I am a betrothed woman. Even though I don’t know the man I’m to marry, I shouldn’t disrespect him. The happiness I’ve found dampens at the thought.
“Tell me, what is your prince like? I don’t know much about him.”
“He’s your prince too. Not many people know much about him, though. He doesn’t go out among the people much.”
I scowl. Why wouldn’t he? I do at least every once in a while. “That’s too bad. He should enjoy meeting with the people.”
“It’s just what I’ve heard.” He tilts back on the heel of his foot, not looking me in the eye. “It may very well not be true. Though I saw him once, and he seemed caring. He started walking among the people, but some official came over to him. They appeared to be having an argument about something. After that, he left. I suppose it could have been some other pressing business, but he looked at the gathered crowd with such a longing.”
“I hope it is true. If I were to lead the country, I’d spend time with the people.”
“I would, too. The royalty are only concerned with themselves.” At his words, a thrill of connection shakes through me.
He sits down on a log and continues. “They should take time to find out what’s really happening with the commoners and work to make it better.”
“Do you not consider yourself a commoner, as a sailor?”
“I suppose I should, but my family does fine. They trade with Captain Zaccheus often. That’s how I came to be under him. I convinced him to let me sail with them for the time being. My mother was against the idea, but I wanted a change. The captain understands my need to get away from my parents and talked her into the idea.”
“He sounds like a good man.”
Robert smiles. “He is. Since I was a little boy, whenever he would come to trade with my parents, he would teach me something. Fencing, boxing, things about the life of a sailor… He even taught me how to eat at a formal dinner and how to dance.”
“Captain Zaccheus?” I try to picture the old seaman dancing, but the image refuses to come.
“Yes.” Robert laughs. “I have no siblings, so he would take the woman’s part. I can still hear his voice giving directions in a high pitch.”
I laugh, full force. “I have to see that.”
“Perhaps we can make that happen sometime.”
“I would really like that.”
We fall into a comfortable lull while the rain drips around us until I think about the information I gleaned about Prince Phillip. He may turn out all right, if Robert’s observation is correct. In any case, the peace my marriage to him will bring is no longer what my heart yearns for. Love is what I want. Something like the attraction for Robert that continues to grow within me.
Where did that thought come from? It could lead to much danger. I watch him from the corner of my eye and resist the urge to either touch him or run away from him. I’m a betrothed princess. Even if I wasn’t betrothed, marrying a common sailor would never be condoned.
I want to growl in frustration. It’s not fair. If I let my heart continue down this path, I’ll have to give up the crown. There is no other heir to the throne if I leave, and I don’t know what would happen to the country I love. Frustrated, I sit on the bumpy log next to Robert. My hand brushes his.
I should pull my hand away. I will pull my hand away.
Only, before I can do so, he leans closer.
My breath becomes shallow and catches in my throat. A flame kindles in my heart. It’s small at first, but then bursts into a blaze coursing through my body. I tilt my face toward his, and time ceases to exist as I’m aware of nothing but Robert.
My own breathing matches the rapid rise and fall of his chest. I can’t help but take him in, from his chiseled jaw line all the way to his distinguished brow. From his angular nose to a small scar above his mouth—a sharp line that cuts across a portion of his upper right lip. I’d noticed it before, but never paid much attention to it.
Now it consumes me. My fingers want to touch it. My lips want to brush against it.
We stay locked in a halfway almost-there-but-not-quite kiss. With his strong arms, he pulls me in closer. The warmth of his body fills me, fighting against the chill in the air. His lips hover just above mine. He reaches up and strokes my face.
As we gaze into each other’s eyes, I melt into him, losing myself. The spell I cast on my eyes falters, and they change to their true hue.
Stiffing a cry of pain, I bend my head down and reactivate the spell. My eyes fill with tears from the stinging, but they’ll no longer appear as my own. The crushing ache is much worse in my chest, though I can’t tell if it’s from not kissing him or almost doing so.
I pull myself back up to find Robert’s brows drawn together under a creased forehead. He moves back, lets go of my hand, and stands. The air around us fills with awkward tension.
“We should get going.” His words hold no emotion.
The walk back is silent, leaving me cringing with every step. The rain grows cooler. At the beginning of our stroll, he had led me on his arm like a gentleman. Now a wide gap surges with unease between us.
The sound of people moving and talking fills the air. Without a word, we both slow until we come to a standstill. We face one another, Robert looking apprehensive. His gaze shifts about, everywhere but at me. Finally, he settles his gaze on me, and his face softens.
“Adelei”—his voice is tender, but it feels wrong not hearing him say my true name—“I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be sorry. I must confess something. You see”—I take a deep breath for courage—“my hand is already promised to another.”
I turn and rush for the presence of others. My chest compresses painfully, and one small tear slides down my cheek.
Chapter
Fourteen
The warm sunlight embracing me is a welcome change. The rain stopped just this morning, and it was wonderful to be able to enjoy dry clothes. I lean against a smooth rock and massage my aching feet. They aren’t used to such abuse.
Other than three tiring days, the trip so far has proven uneventful.
The clearing I’m in is
small but cozy. Maple trees surround it in a tight weave, save for three spots where they break. One of those spots heads back to the direction of our temporary camp. The occasional twang of metal echoes across the woods as my servants pack up.
The snap of a twig from behind makes me jump and look about. Seeing nothing, I settle back down on the small patch of dirt. I pull my legs up in front of me, close my arms around them, and bury my head into my knees.
Clenching my jaw for the expected pain, I let the magic spell on my face release but leave the blond hair. Once the sharp pain subsides, it feels good to be myself again.
Free from distractions, my mind wanders to what I’ve been trying to avoid since yesterday. Robert’s closeness. The warm tingling when my fingers slid across his face. The potent desire in my heart when his lips hovered mere inches from mine is vivid. How I ached to kiss them. Who cares if I’m betrothed to Prince Phillip, anyway?
Tears fill my eyes and splash down on my knees.
Not knowing how soon Constance will appear, I stifle them. I concentrate on the rustling of the leaves around me while letting the tears dry. A sweet-smelling breeze brushes across my skin.
The crunch of footsteps toward me. I peek through the small crack between my knees.
Looking at home in the woods around her, Constance strolls forward. “Isn’t it nice to have a break? Especially from the rain.” She sits down next to me and leans against the bolder. “How are you feeling, my lady? I’m sorry we weren’t able to procure a better means of transportation for you.”
A false laugh escapes me, muffled by my legs. “Don’t worry for me. I’ll be fine, though I may have several blisters on my feet by the time we reach Amara. This has been a good break. I only wish we weren’t running for safety, but instead taking a leisurely trip.”
“I agree with that. As much as I enjoy being out in nature, I’ll feel more at peace when we have you back at the castle. I don’t know what your parents were thinking, sending you all the way to Sulamay without a detachment of guards. Even if they wanted to send you in secrecy, they should have provided more protection.”
“They were trying to keep me safe, but I think you’re right. I wonder what has happened to the guard they were supposed to send.”
“I’m sure we’ll find out soon enough.”
“We will.” I pause, unsure how to broach the topic I want to discuss with her. “Ha—Have you ever been in love?”
She looks closer at me, scrutinizing my face. Finally she looks away and answers, “Once.”
“Will you tell me about it?”
With a deep sigh, she says, “It was before you were born. His name was Andries. We met while I was on an errand for your mother. She insisted on having a new horse, though she hardly used her current one. I went to the stables where Andries worked. He helped me choose an animal that would be suitable for the queen, all the while talking and jesting.”
“You? Shy?”
Constance laughs. “It’s hard to imagine, but I was. Our conversation covered every topic. We disagreed on a great many things, but he was a gentleman always, and let me have my opinion with grace.
“I was young then, though older than you are now, so I was approaching the age where spinsterhood was upon me. It was something I feared back then. When he continued showing interest, I was not only flattered, I held on to the hope that he would ask for my hand.”
Constance pauses, her face pulled down and tears glistening in her eyes. I’ve never seen such emotion from her before. It leaves me not knowing what to say or do. I should have asked her more questions sooner. I take advantage of her motherly position too often, never taking the time to get to know her better. I keep my gaze on her, not wanting to miss anything while she finishes her narrative with a melancholy tone.
“It was then your mother heard of his attention to me. She flew in the kitchen one night—the first and only time I’ve ever seen her there. She was livid and demanded Andries leave immediately. He stood up to her, the lone person who has done so other than your father. Right there, he declared his love for me and his intention of marrying me.
“I think you have been told, but your parents tried desperately to produce an heir to the throne. They were unsuccessful until then. She demanded I choose between her and Andries. Though my love for him was deep, I couldn’t leave. I knew that when your mother bore her child, the babe would need me.”
She looks at me, as I’m still barely peeking out from behind my limbs. “And you have,” she says. “Your dear mother, bless her, didn’t know from the start what to do with a child. I knew the importance of rearing the heir to the throne. Andries understood better than I thought he would. I missed his company at first, but you soon filled all my time.”
This is not where I expected the conversation to go. “I had no idea. I’m so sorry.”
“Don’t be, my dear. You are the jewel of my life now.”
Heat flushes my cheeks. “What happened to Andries?”
“I’ve found information about him when I could. He never did marry. He spends most of his time traveling, even spending time with humans.”
“I didn’t think any elf would choose to do that.”
Constance grins. “He always was fascinated with the history of our two cultures. I plan on getting the scroll you found to him, somehow. Andries is the most knowledgeable elf I know with historical items. He traded his love for horses for his love of the past after we parted.”
“I’d like to meet him.”
“I don’t know if your mother would make an allowance for it.” She purses her lips. “As for right now, there’s something I want to talk to you about.”
That doesn’t sound good. “What is it?”
“I’m a trifle worried about you. You’ve been wearing that human guise so long, I’m afraid the consequences may be harsh, whatever they are. It may be the blond hair I’m not used to, though.”
“I’ve worried about this myself, but I can’t think of a better way to get home.”
Her forehead wrinkles with worry, her face showing a hint of her true age. She knits her hands together, a sign I know to mean she’s thinking deeply.
Not wanting to disturb her train of thought, I sit silent, feeling the apprehension in the air.
At length, Constance speaks. “We shall have to keep a close eye on you. I don’t know what to expect from you anymore. My predictable little girl has grown into an unpredictable woman. Ah, such is life. There were still a few things left to pack up. I’m going to make sure they were done properly, and then we’ll be ready to go. Will you be coming with me now?”
“No. I think I will enjoy not having a human face for a bit longer.”
“I should have guessed as much. Don’t dawdle too long.”
Constance heads off, and I can’t help but call after her. “Thank you for sharing your story with me.”
She nods and strides toward the small camp with a purpose. Her words about not knowing what to expect from me bubble up. Is there more I can do with my power that I haven’t yet discovered? I don’t know how to find out or where to even begin, but maybe more will reveal itself with time and practice.
A cool breeze picks up from the north, tossing my hair about my face. The disguise that was fun at first is now growing old. I can’t wait to be rid of it and have my own dark hair back. With a wince, I change my face back to the human one and release my legs.
A foul stench fills my nose, gagging me. I sit up straight and reach up to cover my nose. Before I can do so, a dirty hand wraps around my face, covering my mouth. There’s no time to react. My attacker has me caught like a fish.
I hit and kick behind me, connecting with my attacker, but he doesn’t let go. With more strength than I can fight, he drags me farther from camp.
“Adelei,” Robert calls from close by. “Adelei?”
My att
acker spins me around. He leers at me, his yellowed teeth bared as he pulls out a knife as dirty as he is.
My muscles tense. If there’s a way out of this, I’ll find it. “Robert,” I scream.
The pirate strikes me on the temple with such force, I fly to the ground. My head throbs, my vision blurring. Knowing the pirate is still close by, I roll away. A filthy hand grabs my arm, forcing me to stay close. Through my unclear sight, I see Robert barreling at my attacker.
Robert’s heavy blows dislodge the pirate’s firm grip on me. I scramble clear of his reach. The two men struggle for control, the knife between them. Robert is bigger, but his bicep is still injured from the boat.
He swings at the pirate, but the pirate blocks him before his fist can make contact. The knife falls to the ground. The pirate kicks toward Robert’s right knee. With an angry mutter, Robert darts back. A wicked laugh comes from the pirate, who hurtles himself at Robert.
I eye the forgotten knife left behind.
The men fling themselves together again, this time appearing to embrace like old friends, except for the contorted looks upon their faces. Robert is gaining the upper hand, when they fall to the ground. They wrestle, tumbling closer to me as I reach for the knife. The movement happens so fast, I can’t get out of the way. The pirate’s leg swings into my stomach while he attempts to eradicate himself from Robert.
I clutch my stomach, attempting to hold in the pain. The pirate searches along the ground, feeling for the knife but finding a rock. Still woozy from the blow, I grab a large stick and hurl it at him, aiming for his face.
The stick connects, giving Robert the chance to grab the rock out of the pirate’s hand. Robert clobbers the pirate on the side of the head with it and knocks him out cold.
Beads of sweat dripping from his brow, Robert looks up at me, eyes wide with concern. “Are you all right?”