As he continued to study her face closely, he pondered the ramifications of what he had just been told. He couldn't help wondering why the girls would keep this from him. He thought they were close enough to not have secrets. Well, he also had secrets…
In a moment of irrationality he numbly told Willow, “I am actually around forty years old, so you’re only about ten years older than me.”
Willow cocked her head to the side, looking really worried, “Danny, what are you talking about?”
Even though the princess kept talking, Danny tuned her out as he tried to figure out what his next move should be.
*Just so you know, I have been adding more mana to the aspect. This bubble is cool, but it is a huge mana suck. We have a bit more time for you to freak out, but we are seriously going to have to cut this chat short soon.
So, what are you going to do here, Danny boy? I guess I should have seen the Ivy thing coming. Oh, and just so you know, you can just think about what you want to say to me and not actually verbalize it.*
This seemed to shake Danny from his current thoughts, *Wait, really?*
Cranny laughed, *Yeah man, I'm actually surprised and kind of embarrassed you haven't tried that yet. Everyone is really starting to worry you’re going a little soft in the head.*
*And you let them keep thinking that when you could have just told me!*
*Hey, it gets boring up here. We need to add an arcade room, OR a room to practice curling! You know, that sport where they sweep the ice and bump the funky looking clothing irons together.*
*Cranny, what are we going to do about this?*
*Well, I guess we have to make a room big enough and figure out how to make a Zamboni. Of course neither of us has a license…*
*Not that! This princess drama, this crap which we are apparently already up to our necks in. Ahhhhh!*
*Danny, calm down, your buddy here has it all figured out.*
*You do?*
*Yep! But you have to answer a couple of questions first.*
*I swear Cranny, if this is another set up to…*
*Just answer the damn questions!*
*…Fine!*
*How many princesses did I marry or even date in my last lifetime?*
*…None.*
*How many chances did I take when the rewards were just as outrageous as the risks?*
*Not many?*
*None, Danny. The answer is, none. Do you want to stay with the girls? Can you just drop them and stay with the elves or run off to live in the wild alone?*
*Well, no. We have been through so much together, and I… I don't want to leave them.*
*Good! Do you think it was the girls who chose to hide Ivy's identity? Do you think they are the ones pulling the strings?*
*Well, obviously no.*
*So if we marry Ivy and the girls, we are going to be fighting the Diadems for control of our lives. Ivy doesn't seem to be the type to go against her family's wishes either.*
*True, so what is your solution, Cranny?*
*Dueling princesses!*
*That doesn't even make sense. Then, we would just have twice the headache with both races trying to control us.*
*Exactly, Danny! They would both have a claim to you, and they would have to agree on everything. This would all be through your wives of course, so we would have to make sure they were on our side.*
*But what if they have already thought that far ahead. Well, I wouldn't put it past the elven queen or Diadem to have thought that far ahead.*
*Then, ask the princess while we have her all to ourselves.*
Danny looked up to see that Princess Willow was just floating there, angrily staring at him. She had moved further away from him during his mental absence.
Danny smiled, “Excuse me Your Highness, but can I actually marry you and the girls both? Wouldn’t that violate one of our people’s laws?”
The princess's dangerous expression didn't change, “Oh, are you talking to me again?”
When Danny just smiled and nodded she rolled her eyes, “No elf has been in a marriage with a human before, at least that I know of. There also has never been an elf marriage with more than three members. Not sure how I feel about that one. So, there is no law, human or eleven, that would prevent this type of union.”
“Then who decides what I do if I was just to marry you?”
Willow’s frown turned into speculation, “No one. Well, except in times of war. All elven citizens are 'free' to do as they wish, unless they break the law or are conscripted into the army. You would be given a high rank in our army if you were conscripted.”
Danny frowned, “So whose army would I join if I married both you and the girls?”
Willow seemed to weigh what to tell him before speaking, “If my people were in danger right now, would you help them?”
Danny didn't hesitate, “If I am able to help and I have no unresolved issues with your people, then I would help, anytime, without you even promising to marry me. Maybe even if we were on less than agreeable terms.”
The princess’s smile somehow managed to brighten up the already a cloudless noon day, “Don't let my mother know that, or she won't let me marry you.”
Danny raised an eyebrow, “So you want to marry me now?”
The princess smirked while feigning indifference, “I’m leaning that way. Most of the elven nobles my mother was considering before you arrived are all so pretentious and dull. They all think I should be lucky to have the opportunity to marry them. You on the other hand, question why I would want to marry you. I can't help but think a younger, dare I say moldable, husband who sees me as the one to lose something in a possible marriage is a favorable situation.”
Danny frowned, “What about my previous question on whose army I would be expected to join?”
Willow shrugged, “My mother would not think twice about threatening the alliance’s existence over forcing you to stay with us. You saw how quickly your people sent you here, despite your great potential. They need us a lot more than we need them.”
Danny thought about what she said for a moment, “Why are you telling me this? You could help your people the most by withholding some of these things.”
The princess sighed, “Look, if there is a chance you would agree to marry me, I don't want to spend the rest of our lives with you resenting me. Of course, I will refuse you if something you want is detrimental to my people or their future.”
Danny couldn't help but ask, “So, your people don't believe in divorce?”
Willow suddenly pushed herself across the space separating them with her own air magic, depending on Danny’s magic to stabilize herself. Grabbing him by the collar of his shirt, she dragged his face to within an inch of hers, “Danny, some say an elf cannot lie, but the truth is much different. An elf’s word is who they are. When one can live for a very long time, their word is the only true worth they have. To go back on a promise, especially one made before all, is to admit that you and everything you are is a lie. Those who go back on their word are never trusted again. Danny Creek, you should think long and hard before you dare make me an outcast to my own people!”
Danny thought that was a little extreme, but he figured this aspect of the elven culture could prove useful. Danny grabbed the princess’s hands from his collar and kissed each one before gently pushing her away. The princess seemed unaffected by his actions and didn't fight him.
*Cranny, I like that she is being cooperative. Do you think we can trust her?*
Cranny scoffed, *Trust her? Not yet. I still think we will be in a better place to control our own lives if the two countries are too busy fighting over what to do with us. Hey, if you don’t like her, there's always the prince.*
*…*
*Uhhhh, I was just kidding, Danny.*
”Willow, would your mother accept our betrothal if I also made her swear that your people would not seek to dictate my actions, nor that I would be bound by your rules of conscription into the army?”
Danny nodded, “Speaking of immortality, how bad is the issue really? Your mother gave me an idea, but I would like to know your opinion.”
Willow frowned, “My family is the only one allowed to keep their mana reserves at full. Then, there are the elders, the nobles, and last the skilled craftsmen and warriors, in that order. They all receive half of what those before them get. The elders monitor the mana of every tree and make sure everyone receives their allotted amount.
There are those on the fringe of our society who barely receive any mana at all, so there is motivation to rise in status. With mana, we are slow to reach our maturity, but the mana slows our physical aging even further once we look around your people’s age of thirty. That is, until the mana can no longer sustain us, then we begin to wither and die.”
Danny nodded, “Thank you for telling me all this… Wait, what happens when I get all old and wrinkly? Are you alright being married to an old bald human?”
Willow tilted her head, “Wow, you really don’t understand, Danny. You’re an Ascendant. Unless you get fatally injured, no one has ever seen one of your kind die of old age. With your potential and immortality, who else would be a better candidate for me to marry?”
CHAPTER 12
Danny and Willow landed in the guest atrium to find everyone already eating lunch. Jade waived for Danny to come sit in the empty spot between Brooke and her. Danny smiled to the princess before heading over to the table, trying his best to ignore the sudden depressing thought that he could easily outlive every single person at the table. Danny noted that Willow chose to sit in the empty seat next to Ivy.
As Danny floated down to his chair, the queen asked, “How was flying? You two were up there for a bit longer than I had expected.”
Willow beamed, “It was awesome, and Danny took me so high we could see the whole city!”
Jade looked over at Danny, not hiding how jealous she was.
Smiling, Danny leaned over and whispered, “If I have enough mana I will take you and Brooke later tonight. I don't think Ivy will be up for flying again anytime soon.”
Jade seemed slightly mollified by this. Turning to Brooke, he found she had heard what he said to Jade and was smiling excitedly.
Danny hurried to eat so he wouldn't keep the elders waiting. He was having fun making a piece of bread float into his mouth when Ivy and Willow suddenly burst into hysterical laughter. Looking over, he saw the two of them look his way before huddling together and whispering quietly again.
Cranny grumbled, *I always hate when women do that...*
Danny looked over to see Brooke watching his reaction, shaking with silent laughter. Danny tried to give her a menacing look, but it only made her laugh out loud. Reaching under the table cloth, Danny squeezed Brooke's leg, right above her knee, as hard as he could. Brooke shot up in her chair and glared daggers at Danny when her knees banged against the table. He he innocently took a bite of his floating bread, pretending to be looking out a nearby window. He could sense her trying to stealthily reach for his leg.
Danny hastily floated away from his chair and grabbed his drink to take a last swig. “Excuse me everyone, but the elders are probably already waiting for me. I just need to grab my bag from my room.”
Danny heard Brooke mutter, “Coward...”
“Danny, I want to come, too!” The princess jumped up from where she had been sitting next to Ivy.
Danny's eyes grew like saucers as he looked to a glaring Jade, “Uhhh, that's not necessary, Your Highness. It will probably just be boring druid talk all afternoon.” Danny flew down to his room to grab his things, but he could still hear everything in the room just as though he was still standing in there.
*Danny, I figured out how to pick up vibrations in the air from far off and convert them to sound. I am pretty sure I can do the same thing but in reverse. That would be better than the loud speaker spell the Archwizard used. We can totally freak people out with this!*
*Awesome! Well, not about the freaking people out part.*
Danny heard Jade speak up in the other room, “I want to come too...”
The queen sounded apologetic, “I am sorry Jade, but this really something that only Danny has been allowed to participate in. No other humans are authorized to participate in what they are doing.”
Jade replied quietly, “Yes, Your Majesty.”
The queen’s voice gained some excitement, “How about I take you three girls shopping? The Basalt ladies can come as well.”
Then, there was suddenly too much talking at once for Danny to attempt focusing on anymore. He grabbed a simple cloth bag he had requested from the servants. Placing an extra pair of undergarments in his bag, Danny wondered how much it cost to have his own servant. Then, he remembered he had Cranny.
*Cranny, how much magic is left in my normal reserves?*
*A little less than two percent. That's like 30 minutes of Air Aspect. Don't know how much we will be able to do with Nature, so I will just let Air Aspect die out. Oh, we reached level nine affinity with Air Affinity!*
Danny was pleasantly surprised, *What, really?*
*One more and we will have mastered Air Affinity. I wonder if something will happen?*
Danny reached the atrium and saw that things still hadn't died down. Not wanting to get caught in the middle of the incessant chatter, Danny floated up to the ceiling and started inching toward the hallway when he noticed something was off.
*Cranny, how much mana is left in Air Aspect…*
Danny fell to the ground on top of a small table in the sitting area opposite the dining table. The room went deathly silent as everyone turned to the sudden noise.
Danny slowly stood up, groaning in pain. He instantly healed himself before grabbing the bag off the floor where it had fallen.
*Cranny... you bastard.*
*Whaaa, what did you do? I just noticed something and looked away... I will tell you about it later. And why can't you just monitor your mana on your own for once?*
Trying to keep what little dignity he had left, Danny chose to ignore what happened and just head to his meeting with the elders. Danny couldn’t help notice everyone was quietly watching his progress across the room with different degrees of the same worried look.
When his path through the room took him past the queen, he stopped and bowed, “My apologies for breaking your table, Your Majesty. Please let me know how, and I will repay you as best I can.”
The queen smiled weakly, “Think nothing of it. I didn't like that table anyway, so I should be thanking you instead.”
Danny bowed to her again and continued toward the door.
“D-Danny, wait for me I am coming with you!” Willow ran up next to him and smiled as though nothing untoward had just happened.
Looking for a way out, Danny asked, “I thought you were going shopping with everyone else?”
The princess put her hands behind her back and rolled back and forth on her heels, “Nope.”
Frowning and annoyed, Danny asked, “Are you sure you’re as old as you claim?”
The princess paused and gave him a level look before sticking a small bit of her tongue out at him.
***
Danny and Willow walked into the elders’ wing to find Elder Breeze waiting alone for Danny in his seat at the council table.
Elder Breeze noticed them immediately and stood to walk over to them, “Danny, I hope you had fun with your new aspect. Did you have time at all for lunch?”
“Yes, sir.”
The older elf smiled warmly, “Good, now please follow me. You will only be working with a few of the elders as we have many responsibilities in the community. I apologize, as I have already taken too much time away from my own duties and probably won't get to assist you personally.”
”Of course, I understand,
elder. I tend to prefer working alone anyway but will welcome any assistance the elders can provide.”
Elder Breeze took them down a hallway to a large room that appeared to be set aside for training. The two elders who had validated Danny's ascendancy the day before were waiting inside.
“Danny, I apologize we didn't have time to introduce everyone yesterday. This is Elder Frost, who is our most senior member, and her expertise is in the use of nature magic on plants. I am sure you remember Elder Cardinal who is in charge of our library. Elder Cardinal is also a descendant of the last Ascendant.*
Danny bowed to both of the elders as they were introduced to him.
Elder Frost spoke first, “Hello Danny, I will help you as much as these old bones can.”
The elder had more wrinkles than any elf Danny had seen so far. Danny could easily imagine there was a sharp mind behind those tired eyes.
Elder Cardinal nodded his head hesitantly, “My apologies again for my actions earlier today. I was told that was something my mother could only do with my grandfather. I should have warned you, and I was in the wrong for not doing so.”
Princess Willow spoke up, “Uncle, what did you do?”
Danny bowed again and interrupted whatever was about to be said, “All is forgiven, I hope I did not injure you when you fell?”
Elder Cardinal smiled genuinely, “Thank you for your concern, Danny. I am healthy as can be expected for one my age.”
The princess looked sternly at both of them, as if to say they would be explaining things to her later on.
Elder Breeze clapped his hands, “Good, now that introductions are completed, this room has been set aside for your use. The two tables by the door are for any research material you wish to keep here. Please use the small dining table over there for any food or drink you bring in. We want to prevent any further damage to our library records. Last is the area through the wall here.”
Danny was confused; they seemed to think discovering the secret to the sacred trees would take a while. He should be able to handle this in a few hours at most. Growing a new tree had never been hard for Danny, but he decided to be polite in case they knew something he didn't understand.
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