'Surrial I have done it,' Xander said excitedly.
Surrial had covered him with a shield so he could practice his magick without causing damage to anything. Now Xander stood with a ball of water floating within his hand.
'Good my lord. Just air and earth to master next,' Surrial smiled.
'Well Dorcas said if I master fire and water it will be enough to get me through the salamanders,' Xander replied yawning.
Surrial banished the sphere allowing the Prince to climb into his bed, where as soon as his head hit the pillow he fell asleep.
He had watched Xander grow from boy to man and there had been many times he had been exasperated by him. When Surrial had first been given the job of watching the Prince he had been resentful. He had expected to be a soldier, not pandering to a spoilt boy, but being an angel he had to obey and his role was to watch the future king and soon he grew fond of him. Watching him sleep now he felt his chest swell with pride and Dorcus returning into Xander’s life had certainly done wonders to boost the Prince’s confidence. Although there were times that he still saw that little lost boy behind a man’s body and that was what Surrial wanted to protect. This boy that was suddenly a king.
After losing and winning a hand in a game of dice, Dorcas and Bri went outside to get some fresh night air.
'Did you see Croenda’s face?' Bri laughed.
Dorcas smiled. 'It taught her not mess with mer and fae royalty. You don't like her at all do you?' Dorcas said, dodging a drunkard who had collapsed in the mud.
'I have no feelings for her whatsoever,' Bri said.
Dorcas stopped and looked at her.
'What?' Bri asked.
'The law about royals only marrying royalty really sucks doesn't it?' Dorcas said randomly, starting to walk again.
'It is not an issue for me,' Bri answered following her.
‘So, what do you think about Xander now you have met?' Dorcas asked.
Bri noticed in the poor light her wings had lost their speed and she could almost make out the delicate patterns of swirls upon them. There was a tension in the fae’s body and Bri was aware her question could be a loaded one.
'I like him, but we are opposites. I am sure we will love each other in time,' Bri said. 'But what about you? You have known him since childhood. You must be close.'
It was Dorcas’ turn to look uncomfortable. 'Are we friends?' she asked.
'Of course we are,' Bri reassured her with a smile.
'We always believed we would marry one day. He was told that the band he wore was because he was the heir, but then when we were fourteen he was told about his betrothal and he went off the rails. He became so angry at everyone including me, but I had my own duties and at the same time I was being sent away for my training and we parted under a cloud.'
Although she was smiling, Bri could see there were tears in her eyes. Bri led her to a nearby bench where they both sat.
'Do you still love him?' she asked.
Dorcas took her time before she answered. 'If I am honest I have never stopped. But, and it is a big but, I respect what you and he have to do and would never get in the way of that.'
Bri looked into the darkness of the sea. Why did this have to be? If Dorcas and Xander loved each other, who was she to stand in the way. Also why had his parents lied? She had always known what her band meant, but then parents could be strange creatures and they may have believed that they were doing him a favour in him not knowing. She swore that if she ever had children she would make sure they married through choice. This couldn’t happen again.
Chapter Seventeen
Celestia's Tales: The Lybiria Scales Page 20