Chapter 10
The Missing Prince
“That’s impossible!” Borin blurted. “There is absolutely nothing princely about Dannymere. You’ve travelled with him this far- surely you can see he’s just a regular, common…”
“He’s no commoner, Borin, even though he may pretend to be. He’s got the royal blood of the Evergreens running through his veins.” Felis watched as the young man tried to digest the information and deal with it.
“Are you sure he never mentioned any of this to you before?” Hugo asked with a lingering hint of suspicion.
“No! Never! And we’ve been friends for years- he would have told me something like that. There’s no way he’s a prince: you’ve got it wrong.”
“It’s no mistake, Borin. He’s the very reason we’re here. We have to get the prince back to Elms-haven before someone else tries to snatch him- or worse!”
“But why would anyone do that?”
“It’s a long story,” said Felis. “How much do you know of the elves and their politics?”
“Only a bit,” Borin admitted. “I know the King of Elms-haven is old and his son is taking over.”
“Yes. King Aspen has ruled Elms-haven for nearly six hundred years. You are familiar with the extended lives of elves, yes?” Borin nodded so he continued, “A long time ago, Aspen fell in love with a woman called Aria. She was human. It caused a scandal in his land but she was so kind that in time the elves came to accept her and the two of them were married.”
“I still don’t see where this is going,” Borin remarked.
“During their marriage, Queen Aria bore just one child - a son.”
“The offspring of a human and an elf,” Hugo interjected.
Borin’s eyes went wide. “A half-elf,” he whispered. He looked at Dannymere with his angled cheekbones and pointy ears and he started to understand what the men were saying.
Felis smiled at him. “Queen Aria was ninety-three when she died but on her deathbed she was comforted by the fact that her son- Arius- would enjoy a much longer life because of his half-elven blood. That was nearly two hundred years ago. King Aspen was devastated by the loss of his queen and he never took another wife. Arius is the sole heir.”
“He’s two centuries old?” Borin gasped, his brain working over-time.
“Two hundred and sixty-seven to be exact,” Hugo said and pointed to the unconscious man slumped over the neck of his uncle’s horse. “He doesn’t look a day over thirty though, does he?”
“No way!” Albin gasped and then clamped his mouth shut when they others all turned to look at him.
“It’s alright, lad,” said Felis. “It’s difficult for us humans to imagine a life so long and, in truth, I don’t know whether it’s a blessing or a curse. King Aspen had to watch the woman he loved die, knowing that he would live for centuries more without her.”
“But let’s get to the point,” Hugo said tersely, “The heir is a half-elf and not everybody is happy about it.”
“Why not?” asked Albin.
“Some people think that Arius will not respect the elven traditions. They fear his human blood will make him a weak king.”
Felis nodded. “And the opposition is led by King Aspen’s younger brother, Hesper, who has a daughter and two sons of his own. They are pure elves. His eldest son, Tarran, is next in line to the throne should something happen to Arius.”
“So he’s trying to kill the prince…” Borin surmised.
“Absolutely not!” Felis bellowed. “Hesper is an honourable man and a valued member of the elven council. He is very close to his brother’s son and would never plot to hurt him.”
“He’s only against the prince’s coronation because he’s worried about the future of his land,” Hugo clarified.
“It sounds very complicated,” Albin remarked.
“Well that’s politics for you,” Hugo snorted.
“Hesper started speaking out against the prince a year ago when it became clear that Aspen’s health was failing,” said Felis. “He started to question whether a half-elf could or should rule Elms-haven and his words found favour with a lot of like-minded elders. That is how the ‘True Elves’ were formed.”
“The ‘True Elves’? I’ve never heard of them,” Borin admitted.
“They are a faction with one clear goal: to put Tarran on the throne in Arius’ place and maintain the purity of the royal lineage,” Felis explained. “For the most part they are a peaceful group, campaigning with words, not actions. Hesper is a prime example but we think that some of the more die-hard members are behind the recent attacks on the Prince. The problem is- we don’t know who they are!”
“Which is what makes being out in the open so dangerous,” Hugo added. “Arius was supposed to go straight home after he left the army but he signed up with Dromak instead, giving his enemies the perfect opportunity to catch him,” he said through gritted teeth. “I thought that you had encouraged him in that, Borin, and that’s why I wanted to give you a bit of a thrashing,” he admitted ruefully.
“Well I suppose that makes sense,” Borin said, feeling awkward.
“My nephew has always been a hot-head but we’re working on it,” Felis grimaced.
“I am sorry,” Hugo said evenly, looking at Borin and at his uncle as he spoke. He offered his hand to Borin and he shook it.
“Good!” said Felis. “Now that’s all out in the open we must put our efforts into keeping the prince safe. The enemy has a sorcerer onside and he’s been using magic on men like Fulk and Jed. You saw their eyes, didn’t you?”
“They were white,” Borin remembered.
“That means they were being controlled by the sorcerer,” Hugo explained. “If and when they wake up, they won’t remember a thing.”
“Jed won’t be waking up,” Borin muttered. “I was chasing after them, trying to get to Dannymere, when I stabbed him in the back.”
“That’s too bad,” Felis said, “but you weren’t to know.”
Albin coughed. “C-c-can I just ask… how are we supposed to escape from a sorcerer? Back at the camp everyone was under a sleeping spell. How can we protect the prince or ourselves from magic like that?”
“Not everyone was under the spell,” said the old fighter. “Hugo and I only feigned sleep so that we could grab the horses and give chase when the coast was clear.”
“So you weren’t affected by the spell... Dannymere and I were awake too but how?” Borin asked.
“First of all Arius,” Felis said, correcting him. “He was immune because of his blood. No-one with elven blood can have a spell cast on them without their consent. That doesn’t mean he can’t fall foul of the effects of magic though.”
“I don’t get it,” Albin said, echoing Borin’s own thoughts.
Felis rubbed his bearded chin. “Consider this: if a sorcerer wants to kill an elf, casting a death spell on the elf won’t work. But if the sorcerer was to use his magic on a boulder instead… he could drop the boulder on the elf and kill him that way.”
Albin cringed. “Alright. I get it. So elves aren’t much better off than the rest of us.”
“Not much,” Hugo agreed. “That’s why Arius needs our help to get back to Elms-haven. Elves may live longer than humans but once they’re dead, they’re dead. There are no second chances!”
“So that’s why Arius was awake,” Borin said, over-emphasizing the prince’s name and trying to get used to it. “But what about the rest of us?”
Felis and his nephew exchanged a look then the old fighter pulled up his sleeve. Tied around his wrist was a piece of leather cord with a small silver leaf dangling from it. It was identical to the one Borin wore. “Elf protection amulets. The make the wearer immune to all magic.”
Borin looked stunned. “But it’s just a piece of silver- how does it work?”
“Nobody really knows. Elves have been walking this world since time began and many of their ways are a mystery to the rest of us. These amulets are o
nly given to special elf friends… those who have earned their trust and have pledged to help them.”
Borin pulled his own leaf from out of his clothing and Hugo whistled when he saw the size of it. Borin clocked his reaction and said, “This wasn’t from you then?”
“No. I’ve never seen it before.”
“You must understand that these amulets are extremely rare and it is a privilege to get one- they are not given lightly,” Felis explained.
Hugo leaned over to take a closer look. “The bigger the leaf, the more power it has. Yours is impressive.”
Borin explained how it had appeared in his bedroll one night with a handwritten message. He wished he could show them the parchment but it was still stashed inside his bag, back at the camp. “So where did it come from?” he mused.
Felis shook his head. “We’re talking about very powerful eleven magic, woven by the elders at the king’s request. Making an amulet without the king’s permission is a very serious crime- punishable even by death. There are surely only a handful of people who could have given this to you.”
“You’re saying someone from the elven royal family must have sent it?”
“I can’t think of any other explanation but how would they know who you are?”
“What about me?” Albin suddenly piped up. “I haven’t got a leaf but I wasn’t asleep.”
“Your wagon must have been outside the magic circle,” Hugo decided.
“Either that or you’ve got elven blood in you,” Felis teased.
“Hardly,” Albin scoffed, lifting his hair to reveal small, round earlobes and Borin noticed that the boy was smiling for the first time since they had fled the camp.
Borin had so many questions and for the next hour or so he tried to learn as much as he could. The two men answered without complaint and he was inclined to believe what they told him. He learned that Felis and his nephew had been hired to find Arius and return him with the greatest discretion because the prince’s absence was a well-guarded secret in the elven court. Everyone knew that the prince had gone off to join the army and see the world before he had to settle down to his role in Elms-haven; but very few people knew that he had absconded straight after and not returned home as promised. Nobody had seen him since, at least not until he was spotted at Balsan, trying to find work as a mercenary.
When they stopped to take a break that morning, it felt odd to be part of such a small group, where before it had been so big. Borin missed his new friend Rolphus, with his quiet and steady nature. He also missed the band of dwarves with their particular sense of humour and fun. He truly hoped that the mercenaries he had left behind were safe and well.
Borin stayed with his unconscious friend while the other men tethered the horses and rooted around in the saddle bags for a suitable mid-morning snack. Felis and his nephew had fully anticipated the need to flee the camp and had prepared themselves well. They had often pilfered food and general supplies from Albin’s wagon when his back was turned.
“I can’t believe I didn’t notice,” said the boy in astonishment and Hugo had a good laugh.
Borin watched it all at a distance and considered the change in Hugo; he was like a different person to the one he had first met. Hugo had been moody and antagonistic towards Borin before, believing that in part, he was responsible for the disappearance of the elven prince but now that he knew otherwise, Hugo was as friendly as could be. Borin’s thoughts were interrupted when Albin appeared in front of him, a lop-sided grin on his youthful face.
“What are you smiling about?”
“There’s bread and ham! Ta-da!” Albin brought a sandwich out from behind his back, like a children’s entertainer conjuring a rabbit from a hat. He took a great big bite. “Why don’t you go and get some?”
“I need to stay in case he wakes up,” Borin said, gesturing towards his friend. “He won’t know where he is and he might panic.”
“Let me sit with Arius… Dannymere… whoever he is…”
Borin gave the boy a terse nod and a grateful smile. In all honesty, he was famished and the sandwich looked very good.
Albin could not believe that taking a simple job as a general hand had led to this- guarding the prince and heir of Elms-haven. He wondered what his family would make of it all when he told them. Then he wondered if he would be allowed to speak of it or whether he would be sworn to secrecy. Politics were indeed a complicated and dangerous affair.
The boy placed a tentative hand on the half-elf’s forehead. It was cold and clammy and there was a sizeable lump to one side, where he had been kicked. “Hey. It’s time to wake up,” Albin said quietly. “You’ve been asleep too long.” His hand was still resting on the half-elf’s forehead when it began to glow. The light emanating from his hand was very pale and green. Albin blinked in surprise but when he looked again, the light had gone.
Albin was still studying his hands in wonder when the half-elf’s eyes flew open and he began to shout like a madman. “Aaargh! Aaargh!” He yelled, thrashing around on the ground. “Get off me!” he shouted, thinking he was still under attack.
“It’s alright,” Albin tried to say but an arm came up and cuffed the side of his head. The boy backed off like a frightened hare and the other men, hearing the commotion, appeared quickly behind him. “He’s awake,” said the boy, feeling light-headed.
“You don’t say,” Hugo replied sarcastically.
Chapter 11
Trees Have Ears
“Have you all lost your minds?” Dannymere asked incredulously. Borin had just finished relating the story as it was told to him a few hours before. “I am not the prince of Elms-haven!”
“My Lord,” said Felis, “I must insist that we drop this charade now. The circumstances are greatly changed and it would help us all if we could be totally honest and open about what has happened.”
Dannymere rolled his eyes in frustration and turned to Borin. “Tell me you don’t believe this rubbish?” Borin shrugged and the half-elf groaned. “You’re my best friend. Don’t you think I would have told you?”
“Not if you were trying to escape your responsibilities and forget about your homeland,” Hugo snapped and Felis gave him a warning look that silenced him.
“My Lord, your father is getting weak and he needs you at his side,” Felis said gently. “He sent us to find you and take you home. There are people who wish to harm you and the safest place for you is surrounded by his- and your- loyal supporters.”
“I understand all that,” Dannymere said, dismissing it with a wave of his hand. “The problem is I’m not the person you’re looking for. You’re wasting your time.”
“We both know I’m not,” Felis said more firmly. “People do not hire sorcerers to abduct common mercenaries.” And he recounted what had happened in the forest while the half-elf had been unconscious.
“Poor Fulk and Jed,” he said when Felis had finished. “They didn’t deserve any of it. But that still doesn’t mean I’m a prince,” he snapped when he saw Hugo looking at him curiously. He stood up and his head began to swim. He staggered sideways and reached out to a tree for support. Borin tried to help but the half-elf pushed him away. He steadied himself and gestured to his clothing. “Do I even look like a prince?” he snapped.
“Clothes do not make the man,” Felis quoted philosophically, “but in this case your boots do support the already over-whelming evidence.”
“What do you mean?”
“Hugo noticed them as soon as you met. Your initials A.E – Arius Evergreen- are engraved in the corner of each buckle. The soles also bear the seal of the royal elven bootmakers association. We checked them one night when you were sleeping.”
Borin knelt down and peered closely at the boot buckles. He saw the initials straight away. He started to shake his head in disbelief and the half-elf looked aghast. “I bought them from a stall holder in Balsan. You know I did, Borin.”
“I know that’s what you told me,” Borin retorted.
&n
bsp; “Well fine- we’ll ride to Elms-haven. But I’m telling you,” he said, pointing to Felis and his nephew, “that you are going to be a right royal laughing stock when you hand me over to the King!”
Felis and Hugo were quiet after that. Neither had the energy or the inclination to argue; they just wanted to be free of the forest and a step closer to completing their quest.
Felis was not surprised that Arius’ first reaction had been to deny his heritage. He had heard a lot about the elven prince’s wayward nature; how, when he was just a young child, he would escape from his tutors and roam free. How sometimes he would disappear for days and his parents would be scared out of their wits. It seemed that Arius had never stayed in one place very long and the idea of being tied down to Elms-haven was abhorrent to him. But being so highborn, he could never really escape his fate and now, try as he might, he could not delay it any more either. They were on their way to Elms-haven and he would be crowned King.
That afternoon, the half-elf reclaimed Jasper and Albin was left to double up with Felis. The young boy was more than happy to let an experienced rider take control but riding without a saddle soon made him sore.
After a while, he decided to stretch his legs and he found himself walking next to Jasper. Timidly he asked, “What should I call you now- Arius or Dannymere?”
“You should call me Dannymere because that’s my name.”
“So you’re not a prince?” Albin was a little bit disappointed but he tried his best not to show it.
“No, I’m not. I wasn’t born in a palace or a castle or even a proper house- I was raised in a small wooden shack in the woods.”
“You should tell them that.”
“I tried but they don’t believe me.”
“Well I believe you,” Albin said quietly, taking one of Jasper’s reins between his bony fingers. “I didn’t know anything about elves and politics before today but I think if you were the real prince, you’d be worried about your father and you’d want to go home to see him.”
The Lost Son (Kingdom Books Book 1) Page 7