The Halfling Rises (The Eva Chronicles Book 1)

by Livia Lance

  The next morning while Lana took a turn riding, Clay carried the staff to examine it further. It was quiet so he knew it wasn’t living wood. The tree had sacrificed a part of itself for Lana. It was smooth as if it had been sanded and rubbed with oil for years. He placed the middle of the length of wood on his palm and it didn’t wobble a bit. The balance was perfect, as Nym had said. Perplexed, he handed the staff back up to Lana who took it from him and placed it in front of her on the saddle.

  “It’s just a walking stick,” she said, bewildered by the interest he and Nym had shown in it. “I don’t know why you’re making such a fuss.”

  “Rowan,” Nym said, urging her horse forward so she could speak with the girl. “Do you not understand what happened?”

  Lana stared at Nym and waited for her to continue speaking. Clay grinned affectionately. He thought of it as the princess in her coming through when she did that. Not asking questions, simply waiting for people to explain themselves.

  “That staff was a gift, girl,” Nym told her, reaching a hand out to touch the item in question. “The tree wanted you to have this. No limb is this smooth or straight. I don’t know why it would give you such a gift but it has. You must appreciate its worth.”

  Lana gazed down at the staff lying across her saddle, running a hand over it. Then she looked at Clay, bewildered.

  “What does it mean?” she asked him.

  He shrugged. “Maybe something, maybe nothing,” he said. “It’s not living wood so it has no powers but it’s the perfect height and weight for you. Perhaps the tree felt bad because you stumble around so badly in the underbrush.” He winked at her and she scowled at him. So did Nym.

  “Does that happen a lot?” Lana asked Nym. “I mean, I know it happened in that story you told me about the human and elf wars, but I didn’t know that it was something that might still happen.”

  “It does, but not often,” Nym told her. “The trees once bent themselves to meet our needs but it’s rare nowadays. Thelsamel is the center of the elvish lands and home to an entire palace made from trees that have twisted to join together in such a way as to create rooms and corridors. The Great Tree still stands there, towering over the palace, so tall that the top of its canopy disappears into the clouds. It’s truly a sight to behold.”

  Lana’s eyes were wide with wonder.

  “You’ll see it soon,” Clay told her. “That is our destination, after all.” He loved to see her this way, so full of delight and excitement. He just hoped that her arrival in Thelsamel would be a joyous occasion.

  After they made camp, Lana and Nym started to wander off but Clay called them back. He held his hand out for the staff and Lana obliged, her brow furrowed.

  “Would you like to learn how to use this?” he asked her.

  “I use it by placing on the ground to steady myself as I walk,” she told him crossly, as if he had lost all of his senses.

  “Rowan, this is a weapon,” he told her, holding the staff diagonally across his body with both hands. “Yes, you can use it for walking, but there is no doubt that this was meant to be a weapon. The balance is too perfect, the weight and height are absolutely ideal for your size.”

  Lana watched him as he executed a few maneuvers with the staff. It cut through the air with ease, whistling slightly as he twirled it about. He looked back at her. There was color in her cheeks and a steely glint in her eye.

  “Yes,” was all she said.

  They moved a few yards away to a flat, clear area and he began to show her the basics. How to block and parry, how to trip up foes and buy herself some time. He instructed her in a few routines that would help make some of these movements come more easily to her. Thrust, sweep up, squat, sweep down, return. She worked like a woman possessed. Watching her whirling the staff about, he was amazed at what he was seeing. That length of wood was as much a part of her as her arms or legs already. It was uncanny.

  That night was the first night he suggested Lana take one of the watches. She might not be able to incapacitate a foe trying to sneak up on them, but she could definitely do some damage and give Clay and Nym time to get up and join the attack. Lana was quite pleased to be asked, eager to do what she could to help out.

  Coalfell

  Lana was riding with Clay a few days later when she saw the town. She had been enjoying the gentle breeze and the swaying of the horse. Clay was talking about Eva and the lands that she would soon see. She wasn’t paying a lot of attention to what he was saying, just enjoying the sound of his voice and his nearness. They had been playing at being lovers for a while now and every day it became easier and easier to be near him. In fact, it felt natural.

  In the beginning, Clay had been a stranger to her and she couldn’t trust his motivations. He claimed he was sent to rescue her but refused to tell her who had sent him and what they wanted with her. All Lana knew was that he was taking her to his homeland. Over time, something changed and she began to trust him in spite of her reservations.

  It was almost impossible not to feel safe with Clay. He had a presence that spoke of stability, strength and protectiveness. When they would spend time together, he was very careful of her, helping her over fallen logs and spreading his cloak out so she could sit comfortably. He was always a gentleman and never tried to force his attentions on her.

  Clay gave her the space she needed to come to terms with her new situation and Lana wasn’t sure when it happened, but at some point during their journey she had let go of the suspicion and fear and simply embraced her new life as a free woman. It was liberating.

  The trio had traveled several miles that morning when suddenly, after cresting a rise, a town was stretched out before them. It was maybe a mile away and didn’t look like much, not compared to the castle that she had lived in all her life and the sprawling city at its feet, but it wasn’t exactly small either.

  “What is this place?” she asked Clay, turning around to look up at him.

  He smiled down at her and she could feel her heart flutter.

  “This is Coalfell, a mining town. Fairly prosperous. We’re going to spend the night and resupply.”

  “I can’t wait to sleep in a real bed again,” Nym said. She was standing up in her stirrups with a hand shading her eyes as she peered at the town in the distance. She sat back down and urged her horse to a trot.

  Laughing, Lana and Clay trotted up to join her and before long they were passing through the gates, the guards paying them very little mind. Clay urged their horse forward and the crowds parted for them. He seemed to know his way around and soon they were standing in front of a sprawling three story building. The sign on the front declared it to be The Whispering Raven. He dismounted and helped Lana down, then took their saddlebags and slung them over his shoulder. Flipping a copper to a stable boy who caught it with practiced ease, Clay handed over the reins of their horses and led the women inside.

  Lana thought she would be excited to be in her first town but instead she was frightened. She had never been around so many people before, it was all so overwhelming. She clung to Clay’s arm tightly and he looked down at her in concern. She just shook her head and stared forward, one arm in his and the other holding her staff firmly. She knew enough about the weapon now that she could lay any of these people out pretty quickly. That gave her courage.

  The inn was bustling and loud. A woman was standing on a small stage in the corner playing a lyre and singing in a very sweet voice but it was hard to hear over the conversations. A group of men in dusty coats were playing at dice in the corner, and many of the other tables were taken up by groups of two or three. Most appeared to be travelers of some type and none of them paid any attention to the newcomers.

  “Hello!” exclaimed a short, thin woman with rosy cheeks and flaming red hair. She approached them and gave a short bow. “Welcome to The Whispering Raven! My name is Susie, would you like a table?”

  “Rooms, please.” Clay said politely. “Two. One for us and one for our companion
.” He nodded toward Nym. Lana blushed furiously. Does he think he’s going to share a room with me? But she knew they had to keep up the pretense so she gritted her teeth and tried to smile at the woman. Perhaps she wasn’t so successful because Susie took one look at her, widened her eyes and then shot a quick, apologetic glance at Clay. He put his arm around Lana and surreptitiously pinched her arm in warning.

  “Certainly, sir. Certainly. Just up the stairs here, come along.” Susie herded them up the stairway in the back and led them to two rooms right next to each other. They were identical as far as she could tell, consisting of a large bed, a stone bathtub in the corner, a table with two chairs and another table near the bed with a stone basin and a pitcher for washing up.

  It was comfortable enough but Lana only had eyes for the bathtub. Oh, how she missed bathing like a normal person! Taking a dip in a pond or using water from a stream to wash up worked to an extent, but it was nothing compared to soaking in a hot bath.

  Clay set their belongings down by the bed and walked around the room, looking out the windows and examining the furnishings.

  “Thank you, Susie,” he told the proprietor warmly. “This will do perfectly.”

  She beamed at him, charmed. “Please feel free to come downstairs and one of the servers will see that you get a hot meal. You look starved!” Clay nodded at her and turned to Lana. “Come join me when you’re ready, I’d like to go sit and see what news I can catch.” He bent down and brushed his lips against her cheek lightly then turned away, leaving Lana and Susie alone. Lana waited a moment for her heart to start beating again. That was a first. He’d never kissed her before. Trying to keep her hand at her side instead of placing it where his lips had touched her so briefly was an exercise in restraint.

  “Susie, can I get a hot bath?” she asked the woman, trying to keep her voice steady. “I’ve been on the road for a long time.”

  “Of course, ma’am! I’ll have some hot water brought up straight away.” And with that she left the room. Lana leaned her staff against the wall, then stretched out on the bed - a real bed! - and waited.

  Before long a stream of serving women were coming up with pots full of hot water, dumping them into the tub, bowing to her and scuttling out. The last woman to come in brought a cake of soap scented with lemons and some large towels.

  “Is there anything else I can get for you, mistress?” she asked Lana, keeping her eyes cast down.

  “No,” Lana told her. “You may leave me.” The woman bowed low and left her in peace. Lana quickly stripped down and got into the tub. The water was steaming hot but she didn’t care. It was wonderful.

  She let herself soak for a time, then grabbed the soap and began to scrub her skin and hair. She was absolutely filthy and the water had turned an unpleasant beige color by the time she was done. Finally feeling like a new woman, Lana stood and wrapped a towel around herself then went to fetch her bags and find a clean change of clothes. None of their clothes really qualified as clean at this point, but she had done the best she could beating damp garments against rocks then rinsing them out, the way Nym had taught her.

  Lana heard the door open behind her and she straightened, whirling around in fright. It was Clay, juggling two plates of food and a pitcher. He saw her and nearly dropped one of the plates. Her eyes narrowed and she stood as tall as she could, staring him down. How dare he come in on her like this? She said nothing, only glared at him and held the towel in place around her body.

  “I…” Clay swallowed and tried again. “Forgive me, I should have knocked.” He turned around and left the room, pulling the door shut with his elbow. “Let me know when I can come in,” he said from the hallway.

  Lana dressed as quickly as she could, furious at herself for not barring the door and furious at him for barging in and leering at her. When she was decently covered, she took a seat at the table and called, “You may enter.”

  The door opened a bit and Clay peeked around it. Seeing her fully clothed, he let himself the rest of the way in and brought the food over to the table. He pulled two wooden cups out of his pockets and filled each of them with red wine from the pitcher. Dinner appeared to be some steamed vegetables and warm bread with butter. Lana wanted to devour it all but she held herself back and stared at Clay, waiting for him to speak.

  “I do apologize for that. I had no idea you were taking a bath. Please, eat with me,” he said, looking at her with what he probably thought was a charming smile but Lana wasn’t fooled. She knew he was trying to butter her up.

  She continued to watch him for a moment longer and then relented. Truly, she was too hungry to punish him any further and the smell of the food was intoxicating. She dug in with relish.

  Taking a sip of wine to wash down some of the bread, she listened as he began to tell her what he had learned downstairs. Soon, her appetite had vanished.

  “There has been news from Loral,” he began. “I’m not sure how it got here before us, perhaps it traveled by pigeon. I’m sorry, Lana. Your father is dead.”

  Lana closed her eyes for a moment, collecting herself. You are a princess, she reminded herself, you don’t weep. Her father had never been particularly kind to her, so this news wasn’t as difficult to take as the news of her brother’s death had been. Jacob had taken care of her. He was the only family she’d really known, the only friend she’d ever had. On the other hand, the king was a mystery.

  He was still her father, however, and she felt a loss at this news. Perhaps it was the loss of never knowing if they could have been close, as a father and daughter should be. The loss of the opportunity to find out if she could love him. Taking a breath, she opened her eyes and looked at Clay, waiting for the rest.

  “There are rumors that, in your grief over your father’s death, you jumped from your bedroom window and killed yourself,” he continued carefully. “A woman named Jessia Reed rules Loral.”

  Lana pushed a piece of food around on her plate as she considered what she would say.

  “I never told you about what happened to me the day you took me from the castle have I?” she asked him. He shook his head and she began speaking. Lana told him about the constant contention for the throne of Loral and the treacherous plot she’d overheard just before he came through her window, explaining how succession worked in her kingdom and how she was the only viable heir in her family. Finally, she spoke of her constant captivity, necessary to keep her safe and the throne secure.

  “This is the first town I’ve ever been in,” she told him. “The forest that night was the first one I had ever walked through. You and Nym are the first friends I’ve ever had, aside from perhaps my brother who was the only person that ever bothered to visit me. Almost every experience I’ve had since I left the castle has been new to me.”

  He was looking at her with such warmth and compassion, she almost blushed. “You have managed beautifully,” he told her. “You are an extraordinary woman, truly.”

  Lana looked down so that she didn’t have to meet his gaze. She had very little experience with compliments and wasn’t sure how to react to that. She chose to ignore it.

  “This means that no one is searching for me, doesn’t it?” she asked him, hopeful.

  “Perhaps. It could be that they will announce there is an impostor claiming to be you and matching your description so guards will be on the lookout, but I don’t think that’s likely, especially after what you’ve told me.” He paused for a moment, thinking. “They were at your room preparing to kill you when you escaped, so they knew you were aware of their plans. It could be that they will allow you to go, sure of the fact that you never intend to return.”

  He stood up and began pacing.

  “The people of Loral don’t know you and the other royal families wouldn’t help you,” he continued. “They wouldn’t benefit from putting you back on the throne. No, I don’t believe you have any reason to fear pursuit.”

  Lana breathed a sigh of relief. What he said made sense. She felt
like she had finally been cut loose from the last true worry that had weighed on her heart since she escaped. It was both liberating and frightening. She was free. She was no longer a princess, she realized. She was simply Lana. She had been born anew this day.

  * * *

  After finishing their dinner, Clay suggested that they go out and explore the town together. Lana seemed hesitant but he cajoled her until she relented. They paused at the tavern door and he tried to catch Nym’s attention. She had joined the dice game in the corner and was laughing rowdily with the men in the crowd. She saw them and waved them off, apparently content to stay where she was. Clay shrugged and led Lana out the door and into the streets.

  His heart hurt for this poor halfling girl who had lost not only her father but also her station this day. She seemed to take it well on the surface but he thought that perhaps she would weep privately when she was able. Lana was a princess to her bones, cold and haughty when it suited her, but he knew that there was a soft heart underneath it all.

  Eager to distract her, he led the way to the seamstress, a short distance from the tavern. He had visited Coalfell on his way to Loral so he knew his way around a bit. The shop had brightly colored fabrics on display in the windows and the proprietress was a jolly looking woman of middling height who wasted no time fawning over Lana, exclaiming over her beautiful coloring and showing her all of the fabrics that would suit her. Lana seemed to be a little overwhelmed by the attention and kept very quiet but before long she was thumbing through colorful bolts of cloth, egged on by the shop owner.

  She purchased a new outfit for traveling and the seamstress took her measurements. She told them to come by in the morning to pick up the finished product. Lana thanked her warmly and they left.

  “It will be nice to have some clothing that fits,” Lana told him with a smirk.

  “Hey, I can’t help that I’m not good at picking out sizes. I did the best I could,” he shot back.