《Heart Over Sword》 Chapter 1 - The Palace A young woman walked through the small village of Reigh, which sat on the outskirts from a palace. Her black hood covered her unique features as she passed by the market where merchants were trying to sell their goods, the smell of baked bread wafted in the air making her stomach growl. She left early in the morning without breakfast so that she could make it to and back from the forest in time before her mother would awaken. As she carried the herbs, she picked up from the forest in a wicker basket, she wandered through the crowded streets, the noises of the hustle and bustle of village life making her smile. She made her way back towards the palace, which was well protected with high walls, a gatehouse, towers that were heavily guarded and behind them a long, beautiful bridge that went across the river Stye. Just before approaching the guards, an old, tattered piece of paper nailed to a tree stood out to the side, catching the lady''s attention, it read: By orders of the King, the following acts are FORBIDDEN: - Conjuring magic - Holding any form of magical instruments and/or books - Speaking Muranthian (the elvish tongue) - Holding any books or paintings made by the elves. - Holding any possessions made by the elves! It is against the law and anyone found doing any of the above will be punished accordingly. Next to the notice was another paper with drawings for anyone that could not read. Sighing to herself, she wondered how they were meant to get along with the elves when the people of the kingdom were already petrified of them, petrified of the beings that they were ignorant about. She moved past the tree and towards the guards who stood before the gatehouse, they straightened their backs and moved their spears in front of the entryway, blocking her passage. "The castle is off limits to peasants" The chubbier out of the two guards spoke. Without saying a word, she removed the hood from her face, revealing her stunning features, with her bright emerald green eyes layered with thick black eyelashes and her long midnight black hair pinned back in a braided half up hairstyle, held together at the back with a clip sparkling with sapphires. The guard sucked in his breath and immediately pulled back the spear, which was followed by the other guard. Both of them bowed. "Princess Evanna, I apologise! If we had known it was you we would not have stopped you. Haha" The chubby guard nervously chuckled at the end, still keeping his head and back bowed. Evanna took a step forwards before stopping in her tracks as the guard spoke again, "If I may be so bold.. Princess. You shouldn''t be leaving the palace without any guards. It is not safe, especially for a Lady such as yourself" He raised his head slightly to see one of her perfectly shaped eyebrows arched up by his assumption, he averted his own eyes quickly after seeing the displeasure on her flawless face. "Thank you for your concern, but I can take care of myself" She replied and continued on through the gatehouse. The sun shone brightly, warming up the skin on her face from the chill of the wind that swept across her as she walked over the bridge. After entering the huge wooden doors of the palace, she walked past some maids who were sweeping the floors and started ascending the white marble staircase. Her quick footsteps echoed around the halls. Following another set of doors, she found herself looking down at the courtyard where the balcony she walked across viewed the servants gardening below. The white walls were carved beautifully to make arched windows so that people could view the glorious gardens and fountains. Walking around a corner she nearly bumped into Sir Hugh, the Kings second in command. With his weathered appearance and greying hair, he soon looked like he should retire, however she knew the man well, he was still capable of protecting the King and would most likely not retire until he would be forced to. He was also the last person she wanted to see right now, he was not a horrible man, in fact he had helped her a lot over the years. But his duty was to the King first and if he found out she left the palace again without any escorts, she would be in trouble. Trouble that she did not have time for. "Princess Evanna" He bowed, as he rose back up his kind eyes glanced at the basket of herbs before looking at her guilty face. "Sir Hugh" She bowed her head. "Were you by any chance out at the forest again?" He asked her. Shaking her head, she replied, "No... oh these?" pointing at the herbs in the basket "I found these in the gardens. I thought a morning stroll would be pleasant". Hugh peered at her face, his own face sceptical at her reply, he sighed, "You know I have to tell your father about this". She pouted at his response, lying was never easy around the knight. He bowed his head again and turned around making his way towards the Kings quarters. She sighed herself and continued walking towards her mother''s quarters, side stepping some noble women who were grouped together hushing at her approach. Evanna tilted her chin higher, ignoring their curtsies as she felt their stares on her back. It was always the same, were they never bored of gossiping, or looking at her face? She rolled her eyes internally. Rounding a corner, she finally made her way through an arch and arrived at her mother''s door. Without knocking she opened the door gently, looking into the dark room with the curtains closed and her mother''s figure still in bed, her black hair falling over the pillows. She crept in silently, closing the door behind her. Walking towards the bed, she placed the basket down on the table and took a seat on the chair next to her. Evanna looked at her closed eyes, if it weren''t for the rise and fall of her chest, she would have assumed she were dead. Her once stunning mother was looking thin and frail, her normal youthful face looked almost parched and a lot older. None of the physicians that came to see her could tell what was wrong with her and that she should prepare for the worst. They had given her six months, at this rate though, that number was optimistic. Evanna could feel the heaviness in her chest, she strained her head to think on what she could do for her. "* Dear child, don''t look so glum, *" Her mother uttered breathlessly. Taken out from her reverie, she looked into her mother''s stunningly dark, hazel eyes that held so much wisdom beyond her years. "* I hope I did not wake you, you need your rest, *" Evanna replied, her eyes becoming tearful. Her mother shook her head. "* Read me one of those tales you loved so much as a child, maybe that will settle your nerves and send me back to sleep, *" Her mother asked. Evanna stood up and collected a book from the bookshelf she adored as a child, sitting back down in her chair, she started to read out the tale of ''Cerin the brave and the magic gem''. Nearing the end of the book, she read out loud how Cerin used the gem on his wounds that had been inflicted on him by the dragon, they closed up, immediately healing him. She looked over at her mother slowly, an idea forming in her head. Her mother always used to tell her that the elvish tales that were told, were not just legend but always held some form of truth. As a child, this book was her favourite because there was a dragon and she always thought the idea of dragons roaming the lands was fascinating. But realisation dawned on her as the story may hold some truth about a magical gem that could heal; she glanced down at her mother''s knowing smile. "* I would never ask you to do that for me Evanna, the woodland elves, the Flori, they are far too cold and uncaring. People get ill and die all the time, it is natural. I am not their own and even then, that would be a stretch for them to give it to us,*" Her mother''s sad response made her heart clench. "* But mother-*", "* No Evanna, do not waste your time on this. You are still young and free. Now let that be the last of it.*" And on cue, her mother closed her eyes for rest. Evanna sighed quietly and stood up to put the book back, before placing it on the shelf she stared at it without truly taking note of it, her mind going into overdrive, clouding with her thoughts. If the gem were real, and if the Flori still had it.. she could use it on her mother who would become well again. Although her mother had dismissed the idea, Evanna was not about to abandon the small hope that started to settle over her. A small amount of hope was better than no hope at all. Placing the book back onto the bookshelf, her brows furrowed. Her mother kept a secret chest that not even she was meant to know about, but of course being a curious child she had found it when she was younger. But back then she did not find anything in there fascinating, the parchments and scrolls were of no use to a child. Her curiosity was piqued now, she had not checked the chest since she was young. Knowing her mother held many secrets, she knew that there may be something in that chest that could be of some help to her. Despite there being notices everywhere in the villages and the Kings word was final, this did not stop her or her mother from keeping objects that were made by the elves. They were kept hidden in plain sight or tucked away in the chest that lay underneath the couch in the adjoined living room. She walked across the bedroom and through the arch that led to the open spaced living room. Reaching underneath the couch that was placed in front of a small table and fireplace, she felt her hand grasp the wooden chest. Pulling it out quietly, she brought it over to the small table, before looking behind her to make sure her mother was still asleep. Loraven lay on her bed with her eyes closed, pretending to be asleep. Her ears twitched at the small sound of something being scraped on the floor. Her eyes flew open as she looked across the room at her daughter, who had sneakily picked up her secret chest. Worry lines formed on her face as she already knew what her daughter would find. Apprehension built in her chest as she sunk back down into bed to close her eyes when Evanna had looked back at her. She already made peace with the idea of death, the only heartache she felt was for her daughter. She wanted to see her grow up into the woman she was becoming, to see her future grandchildren and great grandchildren as well as making sure that she was safe and secure. The stares and the whispers she found the nobles giving felt nothing to her as she did not care for such petty things but to see the same stares and whispers held against her daughter, saddened her. Loraven was not angry with her daughter for trying to find a cure, she would of course be happy if she did live for all of the above to befall on her future. But in getting that gemstone she feared the worst would happen. She would outlive her daughter. Chapter 2 - Sisters Taking a deep breath Evanna opened the clasp on the chest. Once opened, dust particles floated in the air out from the wooden box. Evanna found countless of letters addressed to her mother, she started to reach for them before stopping herself. This was not the time to pique her curiosity, she needed more information on the gem. She read through countless of parchments and looked through all sorts of maps of lands she had never heard of before. Her eyes roamed further before stopping on a leather tube that was hidden at the bottom of the chest. Reaching for it she opened it to find an ancient looking scroll curled together, the material felt like it would crumble if too much pressure was applied to it. On reading it, she gasped. These were the instructions needed for the gem, that informed a person on how to use it to heal someone who is injured or ill! She knew her mother had a thing for antique collections and objects that people would admit it was hard to find. Yet, here in her mother''s chest was the very thing that she needed to help her. What were the odds of that? But, why, after months had she not revealed this to her? She may have even recovered by now if they had the gem in their possession. She looked back inside the tube to find another parchment at the bottom of it, turning it upside down it fell on top of the other parchments in the chest. She grabbed it and sat down on the couch, opening it just as carefully. It showed a small painting of the gem. Before she could even fathom what to do next- a loud bang rang in the room. She looked behind her to see that a blonde haired, blue eyed figure came waltzing into the room with servants following behind her. Her sister, Isabel. Her face immediately scowled at the intrusion and at her awful sister, who she tried to keep a distance from at all costs. She was not scared of her or would not openly evade her but the drama she brings always caused Evanna terrible migraines. "I want the room to be brighter, of course these awful rugs will be replaced with some brand new ones I will pick out.." Isabel ordered the servants, who kept their heads down. Her mother slowly sat up in bed watching her in fascination and amusement! "WHAT do you think you are doing?" Evanna asked, placing the scroll back down in the chest and shutting it behind her. She came back into the bedroom and looked at Isabel who had opened one of the curtains on the far-left wall. "I am sorting my new room out for when SHE passes away" Isabel smirked as she watched her sister''s face get angry. Evanna''s blood boiled, how dare she!? The audacity! Did she hate them so much that she waited readily for her mother''s death? Before continuing with her itinerary to the servants, Isabel walked towards the now raging Evanna, her steps purposely slow, just as she was a step away from her sister she stopped. Smiling at her, her voice lowered as she said, "You know, once her body is rotting in the ground, that will be one less person to protect you" Evanna knew that she was baiting her so she ''played her at her own game'', scoffing she replied, "Protect me from who, you, sister?", she took the last step forwards, challengingly, her face becoming menacing the longer she looked down into her older sister''s eyes. Isabel''s smile faltered, unlike her sister, she did not learn how to fight or sword fight. She had been brought up as a proper princess, her hobbies were of a normal feminine nature, preparing her for when she would get married. She had often laughed when they were younger, watching Evanna dressed up in men''s attire and going to training. This, however, did not mean that she was not slightly frightened of her, her sister could beat her up if she wished. But Isabel liked to play games, she often started rumours about Evanna, that spread throughout the court. Sometimes, however, she just wanted to rub more salt into a wound. Her mother''s decline in health was the perfect opportunity, her hate for her sister was that deep. Isabel ignored what Evanna said and turned back around to continue with her game. Walking back to the curtains on the far left, she honestly could not understand why they were being used. "I think these curtains will definitely need changing, royal blue? Eww, so last year.." Isabel continued, as she reached up to investigate the material in her hands with a look of disdain on her face. Within a second, a whizzing sound and a whip of wind passed her face as a dagger ripped through the princess''s sleeve on her outstretched hand, pulling her back into the wall placed behind the curtain. The dagger wobbled as it attached Isabel''s sleeve from her dress to the curtain. Her eyes widened as she looked back towards Evanna and stared at her in disbelief. "If I were you, sister, I would leave. Next time I will not miss." Evanna snapped, staring angrily at her. She had enough of her vile presence in the room. "You ruined a perfectly good gown; you wait until father hears of this!... You are barbaric!!" She screeched back at her while trying to remove the dagger from her sleeve. Evanna stormed over to her sister''s side and pulled the dagger out from the wall, with the dagger still raised at Isabel''s eye level, she shouted, "LEAVE! NOW!" Isabel jumped at her voice and scurried out of the room; the servants followed behind her as they looked down at the floor sheepishly. Evanna knelt down and placed the dagger back inside her boot before looking over at her mother, who held back a giggle and smiled joyously from the scene. She shook her head at her mother, who always found laughter when there should be none. That would be something she would miss...She shook her head again. She will not think that way. "* I brought you some herbs mother, let me make you some tea, *" Evanna''s voice grew hoarse, her mother nodded, her face concerned. She turned her back and walked towards the table across from the bed where the herbs were still placed inside the basket. Chapter 3 - Relations: Part One Evanna went back to the living room to quietly move the chest back under the couch while her mother sat upright in bed holding the tea that she made, looking towards the window. Her hazel eyes were in thought, and her face slightly red, warmed by the tea. "* You have not trained in a while,*" Her mother softly spoke across the room. Evanna walked back to the chair she previously sat on, placing her hands in her lap. "* There have been more urgent matters to attend to, *" She looked down at her hands. Her mother reached forwards and placed her hand above her own. Evanna looked back up into her mother''s warm eyes. "*Please, do not do anything reckless.*" At this, Evanna tilted her head to the side and joked "Me? Reckless? Never." "* I mean it Evanna, I can already see you are planning something," Her brows furrowed "You are so spirited, I just do not want anything to diminish the light from those eyes of yours.*" "*Not doing anything will cause that mother.*" Evanna did not even want to think about her demise. She was already starting to feel fatigued from the strain of baring the weight of her mother''s health on her shoulders. There was nobody else who seemed to care for what her mother was going through, the king of course did but he was always busy with his royal duties. In the spare time he did have, it was mostly spent with the rest of the family, who she did not frequently see. So, she kept her feelings to herself, watching daily as her mother''s form lost its vibrancy. It felt like it was just the two of them against the realm, even though they lived in a grand palace with servants and many others, it was always just them two. The nobles disliked the pair of them but showed them enough respect so as not to lose their heads, and the only other real friend she had has been away for two years. Glancing back at her mother, she saw her watching her, just as her lips parted to reply to her daughter, a light knock tapped on the door and a maid came forward. "Lady Loraven, Princess Evanna." the maid curtsied. Turning to Evanna she said, "The king has summoned you". Leaving her mother''s quarters, she followed behind the maid while telling her to get some soup made for her mother, the maid nodded her head obediently. As she came back towards the view of the courtyard, she saw a man stop in the hall. A man she hadn''t seen in 2 years. He looked more rugged than before, taller maybe? His brown hair had definitely grown as it lay down nearly touching his shoulders. His face was covered in some dirt and stubble ran along his chiselled jaw, no longer holding any baby fat along his cheeks or jaw. But his dark blue eyes remained the same, if not, they looked a bit wiser. His features lit upon recognising her. He couldn''t believe that the princess before him was the same from before. Well, he could, but he found her to be breath taking. Even with her hair half pinned up, it was nearly at her waist. Her green eyes looked even brighter with the matching green dress she wore that complimented her slender figure whereby her chest had filled out. "Ger!" She screamed excitedly as she ran the short distance towards him and flung herself on him, her arms over his shoulders, hugging him tightly. His cheeks reddened slightly as he leaned down and wrapped his arms around her back. He made a vague coughing sound as he stepped back and made an extravagant bow. "Princess Evanna" his husky voice replied, holding in a chuckle as he looked back at her. "Oh drop the act Ger, I missed you!" Evanna''s eyes were lit with excitement as she smiled up at him. Ger could not help but smile back at the princess, she was still the wild, untamed girl he had known most his life. The clothes and jewellery she wore could not hide the vibrant look in her eyes, nor the high-spirited persona she had. The fact that she disobeyed most of the rules that are set for the royal family, never went unnoticed in the noble''s eye''s; he was always impressed with how she did not pay heed to the stares and gossips surrounding her. Or how the king never punished her too badly. Silence filled the halls which made Evanna realise that everyone was watching their exchange, she glanced over to the side that caused the nobles to go back to whispering as they eyed the pair. She internally rolled her eyes at how pompous they all acted, and how they would soon gossip about how the princess did not act like a princess at all. Throwing herself into a man''s arms, now that was of course disgraceful. Gritting her teeth, she composed her expression as she took on her role as a princess, she would not want word to get back to her father about her open behaviour with Ger. Bowing her head, she said, "The king has summoned me, I would love it if we could catch up later?" He bowed again "I would be delighted Evanna" And with that, she continued walking until she made her way to the great hall. The double doors opened for her to enter, as she walked through, the light from the tall windows at the far end to the hall shone across the marbled floor, lighting up the grand features of the high ceilings. As her steps echoed in the room, she passed the pillars and high arches by her sides. She kept her head held high and her face composed as she felt the gazes of the nobles on each side of the room, the queen in particular glared at her as she stood with her ladies at the side. Her eyes fell on her father who sat on the throne, she stopped a few feet away from the steps that led to the royal chairs. Behind the king, standing against the wall was Sir Hugh, who kept his gaze impassive as he looked blankly ahead. Her eyes quickly glanced back to the king. On seeing her father''s face, she already knew what this was about. Evanna curtsied, "My king" "Why is it, Evanna" he spoke loudly, "that you cannot obey simple rules?" She looked back up at him pursing her lips. "I''m sorry father, it was a quick trip" "Anything could have happened to you. Not only did you go into the village but also the forest! No matter the length of the trip, you will bring guards with you" his voice deepened. Evanna did not want to argue with him, but she simply did not want to use the guards. She was not arrogant, far from it, but she could look after herself if someone tried to attack her, her father knew this, but he wanted her to have that extra protection. The thought of having guards following her around, it made her shudder. There was no freedom with that, and the lower class would act differently around her. She found peace walking around the villages and forest without any stares, curtsies or whispers. "I know father, I will next time" She replied. "That. is what you said last time!" The king threw his hands up exasperated then stood up and walked to stand in front of his daughter. She was too much like her mother, stubborn and spirited. He looked down at her sternly, "Do I need to start having guards follow you around in the castle?" Her eyes widened "No, No! I will not leave without them again. I Promise" Her voice rose higher, with her hands already behind her back she crossed her fingers. "Good" The king looked convinced as he strolled back to his throne and sat down lazily. He moved his hand indicating that she could go. Evanna released the breath she was holding, sagging slightly in relief. Bowing her head, she started to turn. "And WHAT about this morning!?" A shrill voice pierced through the hall. Stopping her steps, she rolled her eyes before turning around to look at the queen. The king sighed, suddenly looking very tired. He placed his hand under his chin, leaning his elbow on the frame of the throne. His greying shoulder length hair falling forward on his face. He blinked his blue eyes before asking in an uninterested voice, "What happened?" The queen glared angrily at the king before walking forwards so she stood perfectly in Evanna''s line of sight. "The princess here ripped Isabel''s dress on PURPOSE" The queen replied looking at Evanna with disdain. Taking a deep breath, Evanna spoke up "It was not on purpose, your highness" "Are you saying that I am lying? Your Queen?" She raised her voice, taking a step forward. "Eleanorˇ­" The king chided. "No, your highness, I am not calling you a liar. Maybe you have not been provided with the correct information" Evanna tilted her head to the side. The nobles by the pillars, started to murmur to each other at the princess''s remark, their eyes wide and with anticipation at the show before them. "So, Isabel has lied to the queen, to the crown? Is that what you are implying?" "Eleanor" the king barked impatiently. Queen Eleanor held up her hand to him "No Osian, I have had enough with your favouritism you show this bastard of yours! It needs to-" "ELEANOR! Enough!" The king growled as he stood from his throne. He glared at his wife who shrunk back in fear. Silence fell in the room. "You may leave Evanna" he said while continually glaring at the queen. Evanna curtsied and quickly walked out of the throne room, the building tension left her shoulders, as the queen stayed quiet. The only indication that this chat was not finished between them, was by her stare that tried to pierce through her back. Chapter 4 - Relations: Part Two With enough drama for one day, she felt fatigued. Evanna made her way back to her own room, which was in the same side of the palace as her mother''s. Opening the door, her four-poster canopy bed was centred in the room with windows either side of it. A balcony was placed behind two glass doors covered by white curtains to the side of the bedroom. She sighed as she flopped herself down onto her bed, raising her hands behind her head and looking up at the ceiling. The queen and her half-sister had always been this way towards her and her mother. She couldn''t blame them really; her mother is the king''s mistress. Although, they seemed more like friends when she had seen them together. Maybe that is what a relationship is like as a mistress? Carefree? She has more freedom than a queen. She had to admit though, she really was his favourite child, she did not know why, she seemed to always be causing problems over the years. Whether that was her disobeying rules or being involved in petty drama by her half-sister or the queen. Maybe, if they were nice to her, they would be equals? Or her father might even think less of her. No, he was a great father, a harsh ruler but a great father to her, even if the situation was different, she was sure he would treat her the same. He had always been very kind to her and her mother, he even visited her mother just two nights ago to check on her condition, at the time, she left the room to give them some privacy. His time spent with her mother was less than that of the rest of his family, so she found it only right that she let them spend what little time they had, together without her. She soon found her eyes feeling heavy as she started to doze off into sleep. When she next opened her eyes, the sun''s light through the windows was fading as her room darkened and night slowly fell upon the palace. She stretched her limbs, confused by the time of day. Then her stomach rumbled. She hadn''t eaten all day! She scrambled out of bed and started to make her way out of her room when a knock tapped on the door. She opened the door to see Maggie, her maid arriving with a covered dish, she curtsied before moving forwards and placing the dish on her desk that was in the far-left corner. "Maggie, you are an absolute life safer!" Evanna delighted. The elderly maid smiled, her eyes crinkling. Upon seeing the darkened room, the maid went to light the candles to brighten it up for Evanna to eat. Maggie had seen to the princess since she was a baby. Unlike most who did not like the girl, she looked upon her like another daughter. The princess could not help the way her life had turned out and yet the environment had not made her unkind or sad, if anything it made her stronger and full of life. Maggie looked up at Evanna''s hair and frowned, the once neat and unkempt hair was messy and sticking up from where she had slept on it. "Once you have finished eating milady, would you like me to do your hair?" Maggie asked. Evanna sat down in front of the desk, raising her hands to feel that her hair was dishevelled. She waved her hand nonchalantly. "That is fine Maggie, I won''t be going out for the rest of the night. Please tell though, how was dinner with my family? Was there anything interesting said in my absence?" Maggie nodded her head, "There was not much said at the table, it was quite.. peaceful. Although Prince William and George started bickering and fighting near the end". Evanna chuckled before continuing on with her meal. Her brothers were only young, the ages of eight and six. They were so alike they tended to argue and fight. Maggie continued with her report, "Princess Isabel addressed the issue about her dress to his majesty, who did not seem concerned as he said he would get her another gown, a prettier gown. Which made her happy enough to be quiet for the rest of the meal." Evanna dabbed her mouth with the handkerchief that was provided with the dish. "And what of Eleanor? How was she?" She asked, looking back at Maggie, who stood holding her hands together in front of her ceremoniously. "She ate her meal quietly" Maggie replied. Evanna nodded her head and placed the handkerchief on top of her plate to signal that she had finished. The maid came forward and took the dish, curtsying before leaving. Evanna grabbed the jug of water to spill it out into the glass goblet that was always left in her room. Taking a sip and leaning back in the chair, her mind started to wander again. The healing gem was real. The parchment she found that was dated back five hundred years ago proved it. The question was what was her plan in getting it? Like her mother already pointed out, she couldn''t just saunter into their palace demanding they give her the gemstone. They would laugh before putting her wrists in iron. She sighed, as she placed the goblet down, she started to undo her hair that started to feel too tight on her head, pulling at her skin slightly. Taking the sapphire clip out from behind her head she threaded her fingers through the plaits at the side of her head, making the strands of her hair fall loose. Feeling better, she went to her bedside table and grabbed her brush before making her way through the door to her balcony. She brushed her hair and looked up at the now dark sky that held the twinkling stars in place. As she lowered her head back down, she looked across her garden to the high white walls that kept intruders out. On one side of the wall, there grew some rose bushes, her eyes followed the vines that extended up towards the top of the wall. She then glanced to the kingdom that lay beyond the walls. The only other sign that there were people living nearby were the low lights scattered across the village that sat just outside the palace. As she stared, she found herself lost in thought again. Maybe, she could steal the gem from under their nose? Without them realising it was gone until it would be too late. They wouldn''t know who had taken it so there would be no cause of an outrage towards the humans. Or if they presumed it were humans, they would not start a war with just a mere assumption. The crunching of leaves below made her stop what she was doing and narrow her eyes as she looked down. Across from her underneath the tree stood a figure leaning against the bark casually with his arms and legs crossed. Putting the brush down on the top of the stone surface of the balcony, she quickly leaned her hand on top of it before hopping over and elegantly landing on the hard grass. Standing back up and dusting her hands off she walked over to where Ger stood. He changed from earlier, his outfit showed no signs of dirt, his sword and bow were nowhere to be seen and he had definitely bathed, all the dirt was now gone from his face. Leaving his face fresh with the stubble that still grazed along his cheeks and jaw. "That was quite the jump Princess, if I remember correctly you used to use bed sheets to climb down with" He joked to see Evanna chuckle. They had been friends since she was eight and him ten, he her only friend, grew up within the palace walls with her, playing and causing mischief. But when he turned seventeen, he left the palace to make amends for his family''s honour. His father left when he was just a baby, the coward had fled the battlefield and his family. Ger always had a chip on his shoulder about his father; him and his mother had to bear with the shame he had brought upon the family. Until he decided to put his fate into his own hands, leaving to reclaim what they once had. He then earned the title of monster slayer on his two years of travelling across the lands and returned merely three months beforehand, baring the riches of what his title provided him. He gave most of his earnings to his mother and brought a new house outside of the palace, before helping with redecorating their new home. There was enough wealth to keep her living comfortably for at least another ten years. "I have advanced since then, oh monster slayer" She retorted back. He grinned back at her just as he pushed off from the tree to give her another quick hug before releasing her so they could walk side by side in a comfortable silence under the moonlight. After a while her lips had slowly tugged back down into a grim line as she appeared in deep thought. He watched her intently, noticing the sadness behind her eyes which was quickly replaced with a look of determination. "What seems to be troubling you Evanna?" All jest was gone from his voice and was replaced with one of concern. She smiled grimly back at him. "Mother is sick. Very sick Ger. The doctors do not know the cause of it, nor how to cure it. They have given her six months left to live" She whispered, but he heard her clearly. His chest constricted at the news. Lady Loraven was always kind to him and his mother, when he was very young and on the brink of starvation, he remembered his mother getting a job as a servant in the palace. It was only until he was old enough to realise that Lady Loraven was the one who helped them when others did not. "I am so sorry to hear that. If there is anything I can do, I will do it. You know that" On his reply, Evanna perked up, stopping abruptly and staring at him. "Actually Ger.. There is." Chapter 5 - Set In Motion: Part One Evanna explained to Ger what she found in her mother''s secret chest, and the story about the healing gemstone and how it was a woodland elf that kept it after. His face became thoughtful as they stood underneath the balcony. "What do you plan on doing?" He asked finally. "We steal it," He looked at her face that showed no signs of jest. "Evannaˇ­ that is crazy," He replied, to see her face fall. "Why? Do you not think we could do it?" She asked. He shook his head and looked away, staring in no particular direction. "You have no idea what it is like out there. Outside these palace walls that keep you safe. It is not just a matter of stealing the gem, but the journey is a treacherous one." He looked back at her innocent face, studying the determination set in her eyes and her jaw firm. He sighed putting a hand through his hair, dishevelling it. He knew he would not be able to talk her out of this, helping her was the only way forward. Evanna noticed his demeanour change and internally became ecstatic. "The odds are against us miserably. The Flori, they are smart and well-known warriors. What if something were to go wrong?" "It wouldn''t" she interrupted. "And you know that, how?" He replied "we need a backup plan. IF something were to go wrong.. we cannot take on the Flori alone. We would be in their territory, trying to steal from them. They would not think twice before slicing our heads off from our shoulders." "If there are more of us, we won''t be very stealthy. Which is what we need to be, to be able to get in and out unnoticed," Evanna replied. "And you are stealthy?" He joked. "I''ll have you know that I am, I have been escaping this place unnoticed for years" "Except for the times when you were noticed.. and reported." She pouted and crossed her arms against her chest. "Plus, you know this place inside out, we don''t even know how their palace looks like. We need at least five more people. And that is the minimum." Her mouth fell open at his suggestion, "That makes for seven people! Ger, that''s too many! I asked you because I trust you with my life. I cannot say the same for anyone else. The gemstone is one of their topmost secrets, heck, it''s just a fairy tale to anyone else. How can we trust five more people to keep it to themselves once we succeed? Or not try to take it from us for themselves?" "We need muscle as well as stealth. Can you even fight? The last time I saw you, you were a pretty good shot with a bow. But that won''t be enough, I can''t always keep an eye on you, making sure that nothing comes near you" At his response, she tilted her head. "That was when I was 14. I happen to know how to fight and I had a very good teacher," She retorted. Ger assessed her face to see that she was serious, narrowing his eyes, he stepped closer. "Then you can show me tomorrow," He replied. With this, Evanna blinked, a little stunned at the turn of events. She did not expect to be challenged on her fighting skills. However, she was confident enough in herself that she knew she would be able to put up a good fight against him, even if he had slayed monsters. "Fine, tomorrow," She replied. Her head then abruptly looked up at the balcony after hearing the door to her room open, without thinking twice, she sprinted back towards the tree, climbing up easily, then ran across one of the branches before jumping the small distance it took for her to land on the balcony''s edge. Just as she dropped down onto the balcony floor, she heard Ger shout "Midday, at the forest". The door to the balcony suddenly opened and to her surprise, her father appeared. She curtsied upon seeing him and he waved his hand to show he did not care about formalities. Upon entering the balcony, Osian saw that his daughters face was flustered, her hair was unkempt, and she was trying and failing miserably to act innocent. He briskly walked over to the edge of the balcony and looked down to see the garden empty. He looked back at Evanna and sighed, running his hand through his hair, knowing too well who she could have been with. He kept an eye on them as children, seen the many times she had climbed down the balcony to meet him to play, making sure that a maid would then follow down after a while to scold them. But they were not children anymore and this had to stop. She was a lady now and he needed to protect her and her virtue. "Evanna.. If I were anyone else to have entered your room.. this would not do well to your reputation." She parted her lips to interrupt but the king continued "I know you have not seen Ger in some time, and that you are childhood friends. But he is a man now and you will soon be a woman. This is childish behaviour that could be seen as something else entirely. Do I need to continue?" Evanna nodded her head solemnly, feeling her father''s gaze on her and her own embarrassment rising, her cheeks started to redden. Seeing her understand his meaning, he placed his hand on her back to urge her back inside her room. Grabbing her brush, she walked inside with him. They walked over to the couch in the adjoined living room. Both slouched back, feeling comfortable in each other''s company, if they were out in the open, however, they would not be slouching. Evanna looked at her father, waiting for him to talk, she knew he would not come to her chambers unless it was necessary. They speak openly in public all the time, unless it was something that did not need prying eyes or ears to see or hear. He hummed for a while still not meeting her gaze before she gave up and asked, "Why are you here father? It is a bit late to call on me." He looked back at her acting shocked, then replied "I did not see you at dinner and I was worried that Eleanor may be the cause of it." "Fatherˇ­" Her tone showed slight agitation as she knew that was not the case, he could have seen her in the morning at breakfast, like he normally does if she decided to miss dinner with her ''loving'' family. He sighed and replied, "Okay.. I spoke with Loraven. She is concerned for you, says that you may do something reckless to help her with her condition. I do not know what that means, as we both know that your mother unfortunately may not get better. But I wanted to check with you that this will not be the case." Evanna did not want to lie to him, but she could not tell him the whole truth either. She sighed "I may in the future do something reckless. But I cannot tell you what it is, just know that I will be okay." Osian observed his daughters face before exasperatedly replying, "Well that does not really give me a lot of confidence. Maybe I should get those guards on you in the castle after all.." "Please.." He held up his hand to silence her "I know.. I will not. But if your behaviour continues, I will not think twice about it. I know you are not like your siblings; you do not care for the riches of this life and you prefer to be outside of these walls, but it does not mean that this is not your life. You are a princess, even if you are no daughter to the queen, you are still MY daughter. If something were to happen to you.." he shuddered "Just be careful." She placed her hand on top of his and he squeezed it before getting up from the couch, as he made his way to leave, Evanna asked for him to send Maggie back into her room. She knew the maid would be nearby and if not, then he would order another maid to get her. She needed to bathe and relax before tomorrow''s fight, and Evanna preferred to have Maggie with her compared to the other maids. After asking Maggie to draw a bath, Evanna made her way back to the living room towards the cabinet in the corner on the far right of the room. Nobody, other than Maggie and herself ever opened it. Upon opening the door, she saw the two swords she kept hidden safely, lying on the wooden surface. She glided her hand along the steel, admiring the intricate details that were formed on the shaft, these were her mothers, and not needing them anymore, she had passed them down to her. "Milady, the bath will be ready soon. One of the servants is bringing the last bucket up to fill the tub," Maggie interrupted her reverie. She nodded her head in response and the maid left to bring back the copper bed warmer that she placed underneath the covers. Evanna reached down into her boot to grab the dagger she had used on Isabel and placed it back in the cabinet. Reaching down again she grabbed her other dagger from her other boot, before removing the boots and bringing one of the sharp blades with her to the bathroom. One could never be too careful. She placed the blade next to the bath then Maggie helped her out of her corset. As she held the princess''s clothes in her hands, she asked, "Is there anything else you need milady?" Both were unashamed at Evanna''s bare body as she climbed into the copper bathtub. Maggie always asked her highness in case her answer would be different, but as usual the princess declined. "That will be all Maggie, thank you. In the morning can you please bring my breakfast to my room," She requested. Maggie curtsied before wishing her goodnight and leaving the room. Evanna leaned her head back on the tub. Her hair in a messy bun, not bothering to wash it, nor wanting to be washed. Although she had servants to help her with every little thing, she preferred bathing by herself. She inhaled deeply, relaxing further into the water, while taking in the smell of the rose petals that were sprinkled on the water''s surface. With her eyes closed, her mind wandered. She never once thought of Ger in any other form of a relationship other than friendship. To think her father thought they could have been.. her face flushed again in embarrassment. It made perfect sense, she was 17, although most ladies married younger, she was happy being a free spirit and her father had never pestered her about it. Unlike Isabel who was only a year older than her, she had been courting for a few years now. She could not deny that he was a handsome man, anyone could see that, and she admired him a lot, to go from nobleman to peasant and claiming his title again as a nobleman was impressive. But she had known him a long time, she just didn''t feel that way about him. Was there something wrong with her? Was it because he had gone away? Groaning out loud, she realised she forgot to ask him about his travels. Shaking her head, she opened her eyes. Enough. She did not need to think about men. The princess washed herself before the water got cold and dressed in her night gown, then moving out of the bathroom she started to blow the candles out placed around the room, leaving the candles placed on her bedside table. She put the dagger down next to the candle stand before climbing into bed, feeling both excited and nervous about the fight tomorrow. It had been a while since she had a good spar, maybe the exertion will do her some good, she was feeling rather lazy lately. Chapter 6 - Set In Motion: Part Two In the morning Evanna woke up early and had breakfast at her table in the living room, once she was finished, she asked for only Maggie to take on all the tasks required of her and her room for the day, needing privacy from gawking eyes. She walked over to her wardrobe and opened one of the drawers to reveal a black outfit she hardly wore. She stepped into the black breeches and called Maggie over to help her with the corset, she held her hands on the wooden bedpost while the maid pulled on the corset to make it tighter. "Not too tight Maggie, I still need to move easily." "Of course, your highness. Will you be training today?" the maid questioned. "Something like that.." Came Evanna''s cryptic response. Once the corset was securely on, Evanna continued to dress herself. Putting on a black shirt along with her boots over the top of the breeches and placed two scabbards behind her back. She then sat down in front of the dresser that was across from the bed, looking into the mirror she saw Maggie approach to do her hair. Although Evanna herself can do her own hair, she let the maid do it as she knew how much she liked to brush and play with it. Unlike some royals, she was very close with her maid, sometimes she was the only person she could speak freely to without any reprimands, she also gave great advice when she needed it. Evanna also gave up on trying to get her to stop calling her by her title and just by her name, but Maggie always refused. Her raven black hair was now securely pulled back in a long plait, she thanked Maggie before standing up and placed both swords into their allocated slots in the scabbards. Raising her leg onto the stool she just used, she strapped a dagger around the bottom part of her leg which was hidden underneath her boot. Maggie looked at her appraisingly. "I believe any man would fall at your feet before taking you on milady," she praised, Evanna chuckled. "Men are too prideful for that." Grabbing a bag, she stepped outside of her room and made her way towards her mothers. The only people to see her were the servants who were used to her dressing up in men''s clothing and weapons on her back. Approaching her mother''s room, she knocked on the door lightly before opening the door and stepping in. Evanna looked at her mother''s bed to find it empty and neatly made, she walked further into the room to find her sitting down in the living room dressed and drinking tea. The chest she had previously gone through was on the table; she nervously walked round and sat down watching her mother''s face. "This tea you make is really nice," Loraven said. "I am glad you think so mother. You look better today," Evanna smiled, her mother nodded then looked at what she was wearing and grinned. "I am so glad to see my swords are out to play. I hate to think of them collecting dust in the corner," Her eyes glistened. Evanna poured some tea for herself and brought the cup and saucer towards her face, holding the handle of the cup she raised it and paused. Before taking a sip, she asked what was on her mind, tilting her head towards the chest she said, "*Why did you not tell me the story was true? *" She saw her mother shake her head about to deny it before Evanna continued "*I found the scroll, mother. It is clear that the gem is real. I do not know how you came about it and I do not care. Why did you keep this from me? *" She barely uttered the last words as tears came to her eyes once again at the thought of her mother''s health declining in the time that she could have been getting the cure. She took a sip from the tea, calming herself before placing the cup and saucer back down on the table and looking back at her mother. Loraven placed her hands on her daughters, holding them firmly and stared intently into her eyes, saddened by the grief she caused her. She already guessed the night before that her daughter would be leaving the palace soon, all in expense to her being ill. She wanted to keep her hidden and protected from the poison of what this land would offer her. To this day she still did not know what was worse, the creatures that lay beyond the kingdom or the humans. "* You are so precious to me. I cannot bear the thought of losing you. If you take on this quest.. you will never be the same again, *" She emphasised each word slowly, hoping to get through to her daughter the severity of what she may be getting into. "* I cannot simply sit by and do nothing. Please, let me do this for you. *" "*You will do it with or without my consent darling. Promise me, you will see me before you leave.*" "*You will alert the guards..*" "*Promise me Evanna,*" The desperation in her mother''s voice tugged at her heart. She nodded her head. "*I promise,*" Loraven felt the truth behind her daughter''s words and visibly relaxed, accepting her reply. For the rest of the morning, the mother and daughter duo kept their conversations light-hearted and were happy keeping each other''s company. Not long before midday Loraven started to feel exhausted, Evanna noticed and took her leave, asking for a maid to see to her mother before making her way towards the servant''s quarters. Upon arriving she went towards a barrel that was used as a table in the corner. Next to it was a dirty cloak that she has used plenty of times to hide her features with. Grabbing the cloak, she placed it around her tying it up at the front and bringing the hood on top of her head. She reached inside her bag and grabbed a pouch full of coins to give to the servant she paid handsomely to every month to keep his mouth shut and to help when she needed it. There were plenty of escape routes she used but seeing as she already used the main entrance the day before, she knew she needed to take the servants route this time. The servant put the pouch of coins away into his pocket and bowed his head before showing the princess the way to the horse and cart. He pulled the blanket back to reveal a few empty barrels. As she climbed up onto the carriage with the help of the servant''s outstretched hand, she sat behind a barrel and crossed her legs then told the man where to take her. The cart rocked and swayed as it was pulled along the hard surface of the bumpy ground, Evanna had to stop herself from peaking outside of the blanket when she heard the hustle of the busy village. Her body immediately relaxed after hearing the sounds of the market, the further she got away from the palace the less chance she had at being spotted. She felt a bit guilty as it was only the night before where she told her father she would go with an escort outside of the palace walls. The cart stopped and she heard the servant drop down from the front and walk towards the back. The blanket was pulled back revealing how bright the day was, she blinked a couple of times before standing up and getting out from the cart. She walked off from the road and towards the forest where Ger was sitting down on the ground, his legs outstretched and his back and head leaning against the tree with his eyes closed. Evanna approached him slowly and upon hearing her footsteps he opened his eyes and stood up. "Let''s go," Evanna said, walking past him and making her way towards the opening in the thick forest. She stopped to take her cloak and bag off, placing them next to a tree, when she turned back, she noticed Ger staring at her. He took in her appearance, trying and failing not to notice the breaches clinging on her legs and the curves the material showed off. He cleared his throat and his eyes then rested on the two swords behind her back, he raised an eyebrow at her, looking at her quizzically. He had only been gone two years. And she turned up with not one, but two swords, she could not possibly be a dual wielding swordsman in that short amount of time. "I have something to show you before we begin," Evanna interrupted his thoughts. Intrigued he walked over to where she stood. Rummaging through her bag she brought out a leather tube and handed it to him. Evanna removed it from her mother''s chest earlier in the morning when she was preoccupied, she knew she needed to look through it without the suspense of someone else seeing it. "What is this?" He asked then opened the tube to reveal the old parchment. Opening it slowly, he looked down at the writing, the only text he could read was in the right-hand corner that showed the date it was written. "I cannot read this." "That''s okay, I thought I would show you the parchment I told you about last night, and if you look on the other parchment, that has a picture of what the gemstone looks like" She said as she leaned forward to get another look at the scrolls. He opened the smaller paper to reveal a painting of a bright blue stone forming in the shape of a curved triangle. Ger closed the scrolls again and put them back in the tube as he glanced over his shoulder, although it appeared it was just the two of them in the forest, he still did not want it to be out on show. He gave the tube back to Evanna, who in turn put it back in her bag. Ger unsheathed his sword and got into position. "Ready?" He asked. Evanna grabbed each sword behind her back one after the other and turned onto her side, widening her stance and bending her knees slightly. She held both swords facing her front, her hands relaxed around the leather tips. She nodded her head once in response. Ger narrowed his eyes then lunged towards her bringing his sword down, which she quickly deflected with her own and then twisted bringing the second sword down to slash across his front which he blocked just in time. He pushed away her sword while the other one came towards him again, he swerved out of the way as he noticed he was starting to sweat. His eyes glistened; she was incredibly fast and agile. Just as Evanna lunged forward, she stopped what she was doing immediately on hearing the sound of hooves. Ger had not yet heard the approaching horses and took advantage of her misstep bringing his blade towards her which she still blocked easily. He glanced at her face and saw that she was too distracted from their fight. He pulled back from their crossed swords and turned around to see 12 horses trotting at the other end of the woods. At the front of the group was Sir Hugh and next to him was the King. Chapter 7 - Set In Motion: Part Three Evanna paled at the sight before her, how was she spotted? She was always so careful. She looked back at Ger who already put his sword back into its sheath and placed the weapon down on the ground. Unlike her, he couldn''t keep hold of a weapon in front of the king, he would be considered a threat to his majesty. Evanna relaxed her stance and put her own swords away, sad that their fight had ended, she was enjoying it, fighting a different opponent. Now, it seemed she was going to be a prisoner in her own home after leaving the palace. Again. Osian got down from his horse and walked up to the scene that was before him. Ger who now stood taller and broader than him had grown out of his baby face, he now bowed before him. Further behind him he saw his daughter dressed like a man with weapons sheathed behind her back, her body stiff with apprehension and her normal pale complexion looking ghostly. He looked to and from each of their faces. Then spoke, "It came to my attention that I would be missing a rather entertaining fight", His lips spread out into a broad grin. After last night''s conversation with Evanna, he was on high alert. He did not know what she was planning but he made sure to have a few of his men to keep an eye on her and his own personal servants to inform him about any gossip they came across regarding her. Once word came back to him this morning that his daughter was dressed for battle, he knew where he would find her; it disheartened him that she preferred to train in the woods and not the training ground at the palace. He knew that she did not care about the gender rules of fighting, but she still did not want to cause more nobles to gossip about a deranged princess swinging a sword around. Nevertheless, he was never against his daughter knowing how to defend herself and was pleased to see she was passionate about a hobby that did not include escaping buildings. On hearing King Osian''s reply, Ger straightened himself and looked back at the king to see him smiling at them. Evanna walked forwards, "You are not mad?.. Your highness," Her shock clearly made her forget about formalities. "Why would I be mad? Are you not training?" the king then eyed Ger suspiciously. "Yes, of course we were father.. I thought I would be in trouble," She responded. "Trouble? Why would you be in trouble? Ger escorted you from the palace, did he not?" He asked. Although his servants provided the king with intel, he still did not know how she came to escape the palace so well and unnoticed. He knew she may have met Ger somewhere along the way but knowing that she had weapons on her, made him feel relieved; he also knew that Evanna was not about to change a habit of escaping overnight after doing it for nearly 5 years. So, he let her off. Evanna stood there blinking, unable to comprehend her father''s comment, but Ger replied quickly in her stead, "Yes, of course your highness." "Then it is settled. Hugh set up a perimeter near the entrance of the forest and the surrounding areas." He ordered. While Hugh and the other guards were setting up, Osian went to one side and waved his hand for them to continue. Ger turned back around. "Don''t you dare go easy on me now," Evanna challenged. "I wouldn''t dream of it, princess," He replied, his eyes gleamed. With that, Evanna grabbed both blades and brought them in front of her. Ger barely grabbed his own sword before he was defending himself again. For the next hour both opponents were working hard to find the other''s weakness. Evanna was elegant, agile and very skilled, Ger found her able to block most blows and if he were to catch her off guard she would dodge, roll to the side, or simply somersault herself backwards, landing gently on her feet a fair distance away from him. Ger on the other hand, already a skilled swordsman, was relentless in his blows, his technique edged with strength and power. Evanna struggled a couple of times with his brute strength but then she used her own ability to swiftly dodge. Near the end of the hour, Ger was gasping for breath and Evanna was sweating, and feeling weak. Seeing this he made a final blow which made her lose her sword, she narrowed her eyes and looked at how unbalanced he was, she stepped into the small space between them, ducking her head from another blow and swept the back of her own sword underneath his lower legs, making him fall flat on his back. THUD! He groaned, giving up after seeing her sword placed above him. Evanna sheathed her sword before lowering her hand to help him up. Pulling him up towards her, Ger towered over her making her look up to see his face, he leaned in close to her so that only she would be able to hear him. "It appears you can fight. Maybe we won''t need so many men after all...How did you learn to fight like that?" Evanna could feel his breath on her cheek. "I told you, I had a very good teacher," her voice low. "Hmmm." "We should talk when-" "AHEM" Hugh''s fake cough interrupted her, Evanna blushed and stepped away from Ger to see that Hugh was now standing next to the king, watching them. "Bravo! That was excellent!" The king praised. He did indeed enjoy watching the fight, but to see how snug they were at the end made him uncomfortable, he will need to keep an even closer eye on Ger. Evanna smiled at her father, she was glad to beat Ger especially in front of him. She needed him to know that she could take care of herself, for when she would soon leave, she knew both her parents would worry. After grabbing their belongings, the king announced that he had business elsewhere in another village. After much deliberation, Evanna convinced her father that she would be fine with Ger escorting her back to the palace. She needed some time alone with him without causing suspicion or having to climb down her balcony in the evening, she was far too impatient to get her plan set in motion. The king and his men left once Evanna and Ger made it back to the road that led to the village Reigh. Once they were out of site, the tension left their shoulders and the pair burst out laughing after glancing at each other. They continued to walk down the road. "Honestly princess, I am impressed," He chuckled. "Shh! I don''t wear this rag because I want to!" She glanced around her nervously, before sighing after seeing that it was just the two of them. For now. He chuckled again before replying, "I know a couple of guys that can come with us" before she could reply, he held his hand up cutting in again "They are loyal to me, so they will be loyal to you." She nodded her head, even though they should really already be loyal to her, she was their princess after all. But she understood what he meant. "I also have someone I have been thinking about asking, but you must trust me on this," She replied. He raised a brow at her but did not probe further, he knew that he would be meeting this person soon. "How long will it take to get these men you speak of here?" "Hmmm, they live in Slymere. So, we can meet tomorrow night?" Ger responded. Slymere was another village not too far from Reigh. "What about yourˇ­ ''friend''?" "I am sure she is aboutˇ­" Evanna then added "She will make it for tomorrow night" Ger frowned at her response but said nothing. They then made a plan that they would meet after dinner the following night outside her balcony, it was the safest place to meet without her getting into any more unnecessary trouble and it was a place where they could talk more freely other than her chambers. Which she did not feel comfortable with, strangers, especially men to be in there. Tonight''s little mission would be to write some invitations to Ger''s friends that he could pass on to them the following day, to grant them access to the palace, and for her to inform the king of their arrival. She did not know how the evening would go, what with them going to dinner and spending time with her half-sister, the queen and her younger siblings. Hopefully, smooth. Her thoughts then shifted to her ''friend''; she did not fully trust this person, but she thought her skills would be needed for the quest they would be taking. Evanna knew that with the right leverage, she would be swayed in coming. With her, there was always a price, but she accepted that a long time ago. She acquired her services two winters back when the situation between her and Isabel was too much, ignoring her childish behaviour became hard. Isabel deliberately planted a seed of doubt into the minds of the nobles at a ball, that Evanna was not the king''s daughter. This was quite an outlandish tale, because why would the king take care of a woman and child, if they were not his own. The nobles laughed it off, but the rumour made its way back to the king. Somehow, Isabel had passed the blame convincingly onto her, causing Evanna to be punished. The same night she ran into Cilandra after leaving the ball and making her way back towards her room. The lady saw what happened and said that she would take care of the problem for her. The problem being Isabel. It was very cryptic, and she had only just met the woman, so before agreeing she made sure that Cilandra did not mean to harm her. Evanna did not know what the lady done but Isabel did not pull another stunt like that again, in the beginning she even started to act openly frightened of Evanna. Not that she cared in the end, if it meant that her sister would keep herself away from her, she was happy. A week later, Cilandra turned up asking for payment, in return Evanna gave her one of Isabel''s many necklaces that she knew she could go without. Until this day, Isabel still did not notice the misplaced item, that was the significance of her never-ending jewellery boxes. "more of a head start." Ger''s voice brought her back to the present, she missed the first part of what he said but she nodded her head politely. Ger noticed her thoughts were elsewhere so he repeated what he said to her, "I was thinking that early morning would be the perfect time for you to escape. It will give us more of a head start." Evanna was grateful to him for repeating what he said. "I will need to see my mother before I leave," She responded to see him nodding his head in agreement. "Then I would suggest getting up before sunrise," She looked at him flabbergasted, then saw how serious he was, she composed herself once again, but Ger already saw the shock on her face, she saw a smirk crawling up his face. Evanna loved her sleep, she knew she was a little spoilt and there were plenty of times where Maggie would be shaking her awake to show it was well into the morning of 8am. But to get up before first light was madness! That would mean getting up before the servants! She shook her head in displeasure at the thought but knew that her comforts as a princess were soon to be over. They continued through the village and found themselves in the marketplace. Evanna walked towards a stall where a lady was selling fabrics, there were also some ribbons, she grabbed a bright red one and paid for it. Asking for a quill and some ink she then wrote on the fabric before leaving the area. Ger looked at her questioningly then watched as she tied the ribbon to a well in the middle of the village. Without another word they went back to the palace. Chapter 8 - Thief! A silhouetted figure in high heeled boots sauntered their way down a dark, narrow alley, their footsteps loud on the eerily silent night. A jewelled necklace was in their gloved hands; a small snicker left their mouth as they thought how easy it was to steal from Lord Horecraft''s home. They then brought down the hood from their cloak to reveal a lady with a heart shaped face. Their heavy black eye shadow around their hazel eyes gave her eyes a more smokey look. Her curly auburn hair flowed around their face and down to her chest. Half of her face was covered with a black mask that she also pulled down to reveal her red painted lips. As she approached the end of the alley, she placed the chain into her bosom, covered by her dark red corset. The dark cloak then fell back down to cover her frame, the length falling just above her knees, enough leg to show that she was wearing breeches. She continued walking out onto the busy high street in the village of Birch, her eyes scanned her surroundings vigilantly. Her senses were always on high alert, her ears, eyes, and nose. Her mind was always running, always scheming, she took advantage of any situation, why wouldn''t she? She was alone, who else but her did she need to look out for? She did not pity the misfortune of others after her gain, for the people she took advantage of mainly consisted of the rich that did not know the depths of pain or tragedy. This did not mean she was a good person, she never claimed to be, she would still take advantage even if they were poor, for her loyalty was to herself. It was a ''dog-eat-dog-world'', and she was always at the top of the food chain. Suddenly feeling peckish from this morning''s efforts, she strolled closer to a stall where a merchant was selling fruits and vegetables. Her hand glided across the surface of the table until it reached one of the many apples stacked loosely in a pile, she swiftly grabbed an apple the moment the merchant had turned his back to talk to a customer. Then walked off taking a bite from the red fruit as she hummed sweetly to herself. She never spent too long in any particular place, but Birch had been growing on her. It weren''t the fact that it was a beautiful place or whether the people were nice, in reality it was because the people here were filthy rich. So rich, that many didn''t notice when they had been burgled. Her smile grew on her face before taking another bite from the apple. She stopped abruptly; her body sensed a change in the air around her; villagers walking by her gave her a double take upon seeing her face. Though their expressions only showed suspicion, like they did not completely comprehend if they recognised her face or not. Her eyes narrowed, something was wrong, had she been compromised? Her footsteps quickened and she threw away the apple to the side after losing her appetite. Her eyes kept scanning from face to face and she put her hood up, in the hopes of getting the attention off of her. However, this only added ''fuel to the fire'', their suspicious gazes growing. She needed to get off of the street. With that thought she took an abrupt left down an alley, upon entering the narrow street she saw a flier stuck on the side of the building. She pulled it down, aghast, her face was pictured on it, with the words at the top reading- WANTED, and at the bottom there was a reward of 200 gold coins. This was bad, very bad. The only small comfort she felt was that the image only showed half her face, the bottom part covered by her mask. Her hair however still showed, making it unmistakable that it was her, although in this sketch, her hair was the colour of orange, she sighed at the mistake of the artist, her hair was that of a dark red/ brown which was not very common. She huffed before balling up the paper angrily in her fist. It seemed, that she had to move locations sooner than she wanted. With that thought, she knew where to head to- "STOP!" "THIEF!" She heard a man from behind shout, without even looking behind her she bolted further down the alley, hearing not just one but a few footsteps chasing behind her, their torches lighting up the buildings as they ran. She rolled her eyes, knowing too well that she would lose them in the next few minutes. Sprinting further away she rounded a corner, then another and another, going from alley to alley. Although the sound of footsteps had died down to none, she wanted to take extra precautions seeing as her over cautious self had somehow been seen stealing. With that in mind, she ran across towards one of the buildings and agilely jumped up grabbing a second story windowpane. With her fingers clinging to the wood and her feet now easily placed against the wall, she moved to her right to grab one of the many beams, before springing up and landing on the rooftop. With her body crouched, her hands gripping the roof edges, she kept her head low as she overlooked the dark streets she had been running through, her eyes caught sight of one of the alleys further back that had a glowing light moving quickly. She raised herself, unbending her knees and started to fluidly run across the rooftop and jumping to another, landing easily. Luckily, the buildings were quite close together, so she continued jumping from one rooftop to the other, before finally making her way back to the edge of the village. Her eyes scanned her surroundings again, there was no light other than the occasional lamp held against a building. The night was silent again. She jumped from the roof and landed gracefully to the ground, her knees bent, and her hands placed on the ground, she stayed in the crouched position for a moment, her head turning from left to right before standing up casually. In front of her there were some stables with horses next to an outpost, two guards were patrolling the area, while boisterous chatter and laughter was coming out of the building. Seeing the men standing in front of the stables again, she decided she would use her womanly charms on them, with this thought, she undone her cloak letting it fall to the side revealing her terrific body as she sauntered her way towards them, her hips bouncing from side to side confidently. Immediately, she saw the men relax their grips on their swords, eyes hungry as they looked her up and down. "Please stand back Miss, we are patrolling" One of them said, as he tried to keep a composed face and averting his eyes from her smooth chest. "But there is no one about?" She responded, arching an eyebrow, before stepping closer to stand in between the two men "You both look so tense" her voice became husky as she placed both her hands on each of their chests, sliding them up to their necks with a feather light touch. She saw them gulp before one of them replied, "Ma''am, we should really be getting back to-" "Oh, such a shame" She pouted and looked down "I really wanted to have some fun" she said seductively. "Oh well" and within a second both guards made a gurgling sound as blood seeped out from their necks. Her nails had elongated sharply, piercing the skin and coming out the other side of their throats. Their eyes were open wide from shock, the last thing they see before eternal darkness takes them, are a pair of mesmerising hazel eyes. She brought them both to the ground silently as their bodies had turned slack, removing her bloody nails as they decreased back to normal size. She searched their bodies for their coin purses and a handkerchief which she used to wipe the blood from the ends of her fingers before placing it into her pocket. She hated getting dirty, but it would be better to steal a horse without anyone chasing her. Not wasting any more time, she turned around and walked into the stables. After choosing a brown horse she knew would be fast, she placed a straddle on top before climbing on and trotting out of the entrance. As soon as the horse was on the path, she kicked her legs gently into the side of the animal''s belly for it to speed up and start galloping. Chapter 9 - Dangerous Allies: Part One Without any breaks, they galloped through the night, across fields and up hills before arriving at her safe place, the village of Reigh. It was just gone midnight as her horse slowed down to a walk and started following the path into the high street. She used to ''work'' here as well but that stopped after she made an acquaintance with someone that paid highly for her services. Since then, she decided to be good in Reigh and use it as a place she could rest and hide if she were ever in trouble. She pulled the reins on the horse to stop it in its place, across from her she saw a red ribbon tied to a well, the normal signal that the Princess wanted to see her. Climbing down from her horse she made her way over to the well and untied the ribbon that had the time and date on it. She already knew the place from the many times she had visited her. The jobs she had done were quite easy, some interesting. Little jobs like intercepting letters, spying on certain family members or a specified person she did not seem to trust. The only job she found fun was from the first time she had met the princess. She found her sister quite fun to play with, she never hurt the girl as she promised Evanna, but she did leave her trembling on her knees. The girl was left rattled, after she had emerged from the shadows and placed one hand over her mouth with the other holding a blade against her neck, threatening her as she had spoken softly in her ear. A smile spread on her lips again as she remembered it. Depending on what she wanted this time, she already started listing prices in her head as she walked back with the ribbon in her hand to her horse. The horse''s reins were then tied up to a post outside an Inn she frequently used when she visited. She spent the night in her normal room; the inn keeper never questioned her about the time of night, as she had been there at worse times in the morning, covered in blood. She suspected the old man had a slight crush on her, especially after the way he gawked after her body. But she did not care, he could look but never touch, he knew he would lose his fingers if he did. As long as she didn''t bring any trouble, he was happy to keep giving her a room. The next day she went searching for a buyer for the necklace she had taken. Finally, near the end of the day and with a little bit of haggling, she got rid of it for a decent price. But much to her disappointment, she had to lower the price after the man was smart enough to determine that she needed to get rid of it quickly. The man had smirked as he walked away, which made her fake smile twitch and her nose wrinkle. Thereafter, nightfall came, and she filled her belly with food provided at the inn before making her way over to the palace. Occasionally, Evanna would help her get into the palace with ease, using a sealed invitation so that she could walk right through the gates without any trouble. However, this time it was too last minute, and she had not sent word to the princess to indicate that she was in the village. It was merely luck that she arrived back in time. With that in mind, she made a beeline to the right of the approaching gatehouse. With her senses on high alert already, she quickly made a running head start to the wall that protected the palace from attacks or uninvited guests. Once she was a meter away from it, she leaped forwards and clung to the walls, using the cemented grooves of the white layered bricks to place her hands and feet on. At every other movement she let her claws extend slightly from her hands to get a better grip onto the wall. As soon as she made it to the top of the wall, she looked over to make sure there were no guards patrolling that area before hopping back down. She started jogging towards the bridge, scanning ahead to make sure she would not run into any guards. Though, she had done this plenty of times, that did not mean it was easy, it was a palace after all and there were guards spread out across the area at different posts. Ducking down she hid behind one of the two white statues at the beginning of the bridge. After her previous attempts at entering the palace, she knew there were only a couple of minutes for her to make it from her position to the front of the palace, once the guard patrolling would pass. Holding her breath, she heard the footsteps and clunking of metal as the guard walked past where she was hiding. The moment he went past her position and his back was to her, she released her breath before jogging across the long white pebbled bridge, keeping her stepping as light as possible. The moment she made it to the other side of the bridge, she jogged to the right side of the palace and again leapt over another wall that was attached to it. Upon landing on the ground, the other side, she searched the garden she was in to see that there were no guards. She started to jog hiding behind every other tree, smelling the scent of flowers as she made her way towards the balcony, she knew she would soon see behind the mini hedged maze. Low voices could be heard the closer she was getting to the meeting point, she stilled, were there other people out at the gardens? She started to tiptoe then stopped and hid behind the tree that was closest to the balcony. In front of her she saw the princess with the backs of three men. Her eyes narrowed, this she did not like, she thought they had a mutual agreement, always to meet alone. She decided to listen to their conversation first before making any decision to leave. "I would be honoured to come with you Princess. I''ve been cooped up for far too long in that village" The largest out of the men said, his tall physique made him stand out the most with his brown hair and large beard that went past his collarbone. The man to his left who was standing next to the princess, burst out laughing and said, "We have only been home for 3 months Axel" "It has felt like years, Ger". The man named Ger, burst out laughing at his response. The princess then spoke up, "It appears, our final guest has arrived" Evanna then looked over towards the tree, as though she could see her through the bark at her position. She sighed, then came out into the open feeling uneasy. Evanna waved her forwards. "Hello again, Cilandra, I am glad that you could make it" She tensed as her real name left the princesses lips in front of strangers. "Cilv!?" The third man with short curly black hair turned around to face her. Her eyes widened at seeing him again. This beautiful man was lucky enough to sleep with her a month ago. His alluring light blue and green eyes shone brightly against his unblemished dark caramel skin; his looks alone made her give in to him. Nothing to do with his carefree and flirtatious attitude. If she saw a man that for once took her interest, she would have them willingly, and his body and aura screamed hot sex. "Ronan" At the sound of his name, he walked enthusiastically and raised his arms to give her a big bear hug but stopped when she raised her hand in front of him to stop him from the action. His smile faltered slightly but he shrugged it off nonchalantly. The other three stood there looking at them shocked. Cilv then walked over to the little circle the group had made, her eyes again started to look at her surroundings and then to each person standing there, lastly landing on Evanna''s face. "Cilv, just Cilv. What is this about Evanna?" She never liked being formal, she knew it was an insult, but she never cared and Evanna never complained. The man to Evanna''s right, however was glaring at her for the title drop. She remembered his name being Ger? If he wasn''t looking at her with so much anger, she would think him handsome. Evanna took a deep breath in and looked down anxiously as she twiddled her thumbs together in her clasped hands, then stopped before staring back at Cilv and said, "I have asked you to meet me here because you are so good at what you do Cilan- Cilv. I seek your help in a quest I am about to takeˇ­" Chapter 10 - Dangerous Allies: Part Two Trust was very hard to come by, especially when you were a princess, one never knows when another is slowly stabbing them in the back. This was going through Evanna''s mind as she stood near the balcony of her room, with mere strangers listening to her proposal. The only comfort she felt was from Ger''s presence. Cilv unexpectedly agreed to the quest making Evanna stare at the woman before asking, "What is it you seek?" Cilv smiled with a dangerous glint in her eye, "For my.. services. Hmm". She put her fingerless gloved hand onto her chin like she was deep in thought, however, Evanna knew the woman well enough that she already knew her price. "Any wanted posters with me on, taken down in all of the Dunhurst Kingdom. And 1000 gold coins as well as any treasure I may find" Cilv declared, Evanna blinked, Ger gaped and Axel eyed her suspiciously while Ronan looked down at his feet as though they were the most interesting object he had set his eyes on. "That is ridiculous-" "I don''t trust her your highness" One look from Evanna made Ger and Axel close their mouths immediately. "How many are there?" She asked, looking at Cilv and ignoring Ger''s gaze on her face. Cilv laughed as she found delight from the drama that she was causing, especially with the self-righteous Ger standing there. "I do not know the count, Evanna. All I know is that not but last night there were posters with my face on it scattered across Birch. Same can be said for some other places I wish to take residence in" Evanna glanced her eyes down to the floor as she thought about her proposal. Money was not an issue, but the posters were, it would be an official order as a princess. "You cannot truly be thinking about it Evanna.." Ger voiced beside her. "We don''t know the crimes she has committed for her to be on the posters" Axel raised his gruff voice. She stood there listening to the council of her dear friend and this man she had met but two hours ago at dinner. "Let me give you an alternative, princess" Evanna looked back up at Cilv''s voice "You either agree to take the posters down.. or you get a manor built for me in the countryside of Reigh. After all, it would be a shame if I did not come on this quest of yours and my lips were not sealed.. I could accidentally speak of a magical gemstone. OR where you, the princess of Dunhurst.. is going. The stories are endless" "Blackmail.. Evanna how do you even know this woman?" Ger angrily said, raising his voice. "Quiet man" Ronan spoke up, glancing around the garden. "I accept. The posters will be taken down.. once we return" Evanna finally spoke, quietening the group once again. Cilv smirked at Ger when the princess was not looking. Ger knew he would not like this person, but it was now that he met her, that he despised her. He knew that if a situation arose where they were in trouble, she would plot against them to suit her own needs. After further more discussion between the group they agreed on meeting in two days outside of Reigh at an Inn that Ger and the men knew. Once it was settled, Cilv left immediately then Axel and Ronan walked off back to their rooms talking animatedly about the upcoming adventure, leaving Ger once again with Evanna in her garden. She stayed quiet, looking at the flowers in the garden until Ger broke the silence "Care to explain your plan?" Evanna knew what he was referring to, though she sensed they were not alone, she glanced towards the wall Cilv had jumped over, before turning back to face him. "Let us speak somewhere more private" She whispered, he frowned and glanced at their surroundings unsure of where the threat lay but he agreed. Without another word Evanna climbed back up the tree and onto the balcony. She patiently waited for Ger to do the same, as soon as his feet touched the ground, Evanna walked back to her room indicating for him to follow. They sat down in her living room which calmed down her nerves, it was not appropriate to have a man in her room even if they were just friends. "As soon as we make it back here I will speak with the king. I cannot make a decision on taking those posters down especially if she is wanted for something horrific, however, she is a great asset to have" Evanna explained. "I object to that sentiment, I fear there are more cons to having her with us" Ger replied. He could not fathom how the princess had even met a woman like that, two winters had passed and she somehow made an acquaintance with a dangerous thief. He did not even want to think how Ronan had met the woman, though he was not as concerned about him, he loved all women. For the next twenty minutes they discussed in detail on how she were going to escape the castle, after all, she was going to do that bit by herself. He felt nervous after leaving from the balcony, the next time he would see her would hopefully be at the Hawk''s Nest Lodge which was situated in the middle of nowhere. Ger had given her the directions to the place, it was quite easy, a straight line from the castle passing four villages on the way. As he made his way back into the palace through the servants quarters, he decided to go see Ronan before he made it back to his own guest room. Earlier, before the meeting, Evanna had arranged for them to be her guests at dinner, it was to say the least, entertaining. He had been placed to sit in front of Isabel, who never liked him because of his low status growing up. Yet, every time his attention was away from his men and went to Evanna, she interrupted, flirting excessively with him, to the point of him feeling uncomfortable. He could not help but feel annoyed with Evanna, as she kept coughing to hide a laugh, as did Ronan, who in turn made Evanna smile with him knowingly, he did not like them teaming up on him. However, anytime that Evanna showed any form of delight, the queen would make a snide remark towards her, who in turn brushed it off like it were dirt on her shoulder. Her brothers, who had grown a lot in the two years he were away, had also been taken away from the table early after the king ordered the servants to take them to bed for being troublesome. The king, himself, had been quiet throughout the whole dinner, only responding if he were spoken to. Once he made it to Ronan''s door he stood and knocked politely, he learnt from past incidents, not to open the door unless he wanted to see him naked and in a compromising position with a woman. He waited there patiently for 5 minutes as he heard some scuffling from the other side of the door, before it swung open. As it were, Ronan stood in the doorway with just his shirt on which came down to his thighs and his hair looking very dishevelled. Ger rolled his eyes which made him smile broadly before opening the door further for Ger to come in. The bed covers were missing from the bed and he heard someone in the bathroom. He shook his head, Ronan really did work quickly, it had been less than an hour and he already had a woman to warm his bed. He did not bother asking who she was, they were leaving in the morning and soon to be leaving the kingdom. "Put something on, we need to talk away from your.. acquaintance" Ger said as he threw some breeches he found on the floor at Ronan''s chest. He also took note of the rumpled up maid''s dress left on a cushioned chair across from the bed. Ronan pulled his breaches on and buttoned his shirt up more to hide his six pack that had been on show but still left a few buttons undone, enough flesh on show to display his taut chest. Ruffling his hair slightly, he felt a bit more put together than a few minutes ago. "I will be back soon, just enjoy the bath until my return" Ronan spoke through the walls before following Ger outside. The stone built hallway was quiet, their footsteps echoing, there were no guests or guards here, however, Ger still felt it better to talk openly somewhere else instead of the hallway to the guest''s chambers, so they made their way to the courtyard. Ronan clasped his hands behind his back as he leisurely strolled by Ger''s side, taking in the site of the courtyard around him. The white pillars on the side went up high to the arched balcony above where people on the first floor could look down into the courtyard. He paused for a moment, making Ger stop his steps also. "Look, I know what you want to speak to me about Ger and it really is nothing. I met Cilv a month ago and we spent the night together. That is all, my friend" Ronan spoke up beating Ger to it. Ger was happy to hear that his affections were nothing more than a one night stand. He had been concerned because Ronan tended to ''fall in love'' frequently and fall hard each time. First it was Rosaline, then Maria, Henrietta, Elizabeth and many more that his heart had bled for, and he had not long turned 20. Ger sighed, "I am happy to hear that. This ''trip'' needs to go as smoothly as possible. Is there anything else you can tell me about Cilv though? Do you know of her skills?" Ronan chuckled lightly and smirked before responding, "I know many of her skills". Ger moved his head to the side to look at his friend seriously. "Lighten up Ger, I was joking, mostly. From what I gathered after our delicious love making, she is a very skilled thief. Until now, she had been unnoticed for years, I believe she is very light on her feet and very hard to capture. I would be quite wary of her though, in the small amount of time we spoke, she did indicate that she was not against killing if it meant saving her own ''ass''." Ronan clarified what Ger feared about the woman, though they could not go against the princess''s wishes. He would have to pay extra attention to Cilv so that she did not cause any problems for Evanna. "One more thing" Ger spoke, "Stay away from Evanna. She is still a princess and above your station" He did not fail to notice not just at dinner but at the meeting as well, how he looked at her with love struck, puppy dog eyes. Whether it was just awe he felt or lust, he could not afford any complications. It also annoyed him, out of every female Ronan had been with, he still couldn''t help but look at the princess as well. Ronan burst out laughing "Brother, please. What do you take me for? There is no harm with a little bit of flirting" he winked. "Ronan. I am serious. She is still young and innocent. I think her only male friend has been me" Ronan sighed "And you never once thought she was outlandishly beautiful? Her eyes are out of this world. Makes you want to stare into them for hours and know their secrets.." He held his hands up in surrender after Ger took a step towards him threateningly "Okay, okay. I will ''stay away'' from her. But I will not stop myself if she sees me as a friend. I am very charming. Not to mention handsome!" Ronan stroked his hand across his smooth, sharp jaw as if to prove his point. He then backed up and jogged off so Ger could not make any more comments towards him, he knew Ronan was not a bad guy, he just knew too much about him and his many female friends. Chapter 11 - Farewell The next day Evanna got to work, she only had that day to get her things in order, then the following morning she would be leaving before first light. Once her bag was sorted and a few other errands were completed, she went over to the stables to see to her horse, Midknight. The black stallion was a gift to her from her father once she turned to the age of 10. At the time she could not choose between the names of midnight and knight, so as all children do, she became creative, merging the names together. Midknight was not just any ordinary horse though, of course the king would buy the best for his little girl, but he also unknowingly brought a ''friesia'' horse as suggested by her mother. These were a very rare breed; they were very smart and protective of their owners. Evanna would speak to the horse and know that he understood every word, their bond was so strong that he would also complete tasks without her breathing a word. Although they were technically magical as their ancestors were of unicorns, King Osian could not separate the pair, especially after watching the stallion protect his daughter from a wolf in the woods. Unless a human was an expert on horses, they could not tell it was different from any other. Evanna whispered to the horse for a few minutes while grooming his mane, she told Midknight of her plan for the next morning and where they were going. Once she finished with his mane, she got a stable boy to attend to the horse''s hooves before she left to go to her mother''s room. As soon as she arrived, she saw her mother sitting outside in the sun on her balcony, Evanna stopped walking and took a moment to look at her mother''s serene face. Until she moved her head to look back at her, reaching her hand towards Evanna who quickly stepped forwards to take it. Loraven squeezed her daughter''s hand gently, sensing some urgency and stress radiating off of her. "Let us go have a walk in the garden." Evanna smiled on hearing her mother''s suggestion, it was a beautiful day and if her mother felt well enough to get some fresh air then she was not going to stop her. She wanted to spend as much time as possible with her today, she was unsure on how long it would take for her to get the gemstone and return. She knew it would not take more than 4 months. Enough time to get the gemstone and return to her mother before her demise. Soon after making their way to the garden, Evanna knew that her mother was exhausted, they sat down on the bench that stood across from a pond surrounded by flowers. Evanna lay her head on her mother''s shoulder, closing her eyes as she listened to the wind rustle through the leaves on the trees. Her mother started to stroke her hair gently, which she had ''wildly'' left down, as most nobles put it. They stayed still in this position without speaking for a few minutes, happy in the peaceful moment between mother and daughter. Her mother then sighed. "* I can tell, just by this action that you will be gone soon,*" Loraven whispered, who was also cautious and aware of the servants nearby. Even if they were unable to speak and understand the language, she did not want rumours spreading around the castle that they could be elves, especially if word were to get back to the queen. "*Tomorrow,*" Evanna replied, her mother moved away from her, looking at her daughters face in shock. Loraven thought she had at least another week with her, but she was wrong. Without another word she started to stand up, Evanna immediately helped her before waving for the servants to come forward. They brought a wooden chair that was designed with wheels at the bottom, which helped people who were immobile to move to places in comfort. Once her mother was seated, they made their way back to the room where they then sat in the living room comfortably. "Do not strain yourself mother, if you need rest then please take it," Evanna said, watching her with concern. Her mother waved her hand towards her "Nonsense. Deirdra grab those boxes I brought and place them on the table, once you have done that you may leave, I would like to spend some time alone with my daughter," Loraven spoke to her personal maid. There were three boxes brought to the table, one was quite small and the other two appeared to be rectangular boxes for clothes. Evanna wondered what her mother had brought, she normally spent her money on artefacts, never bothering with the latest fashion trends. As soon as the maid left, her mother spoke, "* I am so glad I brought these early, now that I know you are leaving tomorrow, you will need these, *" She gestured for Evanna to open one of the boxes, in which she chose the smallest out of the three first. On opening the box, she found a beautifully crafted dagger. The handle was black with gold embroidered across it and just before it merged into the steel blade, there lay a light blue gemstone with intricate branches styled around it with black and white pearls edged around the design. But the detail did not stop there, once it got to the blade there were little designs engraved into the steel. Next to it lay a belt and sheath for it to go into, Evanna looked up at her mother, "Thank you." "* No need to thank me until you have received all of your presents.*" "* Presents? *" "* You may not be back in time for your birthday. *" This may be true, her birthday was coming up, but she still did not expect anything until she returned. However, this beautiful dagger would come in handy and was indeed an extra weapon for the road ahead, so getting early presents was not a bad thing. Her mother always brought her gifts she knew she needed, unlike her father who just loved spending his coin and getting her extravagant gifts, she would never complain though, they loved her equally. Loraven gestured again for Evanna to open another box, which she soon found to be some form of dark blue leather clothing and underneath it lay a navy cloak. She brought it out from the packaging so she could look at the top properly. "* A corset will not do on your travels it will become uncomfortable. This is something similar to what I used to wear, there is a lot of movement available in this and it also benefits in protecting your vital organs. You wear it on top of a shirt. This and the cloak will also make any normal person stay clear of you. *" At that remark, Evanna turned her head to look at her mother who smiled, but it did not reach her eyes. "* It is best if people fear you. Pay heed to my warning, men are just as ugly as the creatures that lay wait in Direwood forest. You are young and beautiful, keep yourself hidden whilst out in the open. *" Evanna nodded her head before putting the item of clothing back into the box. Her mother then opened the last box and brought out a thin, light blue, crystallised shirt, it sparkled, sending dots of light around the room as she put it down on Evanna''s lap. It felt very light, and she was mesmerised by the look and soft feel of the material. It did not look like the material should be soft, the work put into the design must have cost a lot. "* This is ''Dracosbain'' armour, *" Her mother revealed, Evanna looked up at her in shock and awe. Dracosbain was not meant to have been made any more, the material of the shirt was made out of dragon scales, which were near impenetrable due to the strength that it held. But dragons had been extinct for hundreds of years which of course stopped the production of such material. "* How? *" she breathed "* I still have friends in Lyvaria, the elves there still have a few of these lying around. They sent it as a favour to me. No questions asked. *" Evanna''s eyebrows were raised, feeling almost like they were nearly off her face at the thought of the elven kingdom- Lyvaria. Though there were a few elven kingdoms across the land, the Flori elves were the closest to most of the human kingdoms, they resided in Direwood forest, whereas the Lyvarian elves were much further back near the mountains. They were also known to be more prestigious above the others. Her mother continued "* Though the dragons have been gone many years, the underwater dragons are still being said to be wandering the realms. It seems the Lyvarian elves came across one recently, or well over 100 years ago. And that is why this armour in particular looks very different. I know you do not want to be weighed down with armour, but this will be like a second layer of skin. Once you put it on it moulds itself to you, your skin of course will not change, you can remove it like a normal shirt. *" Evanna was already feeling overwhelmed with the gifts her mother had provided her, but she was dumbfounded when she saw her mother put her hands on her neck and remove the necklace she wore, to be placed in her hands. Loraven smiled at her daughter''s tear-filled eyes before placing her hand on her cheek and wiping a fallen droplet. Evanna shook her head "I cannot take this." "* Yes, you will. I was going to wait until you turned 18ˇ­ *" "* Then wait. I do not wish to break it mother. *" "* You will not break it, it has an enchantment on it. It can never be destroyed, it cannot fall off and it will keep me informed on your health. *" Evanna looked down at the light green gem that had engraved markings going straight down the side of it, she wiped her thumb across the surface to feel that there was a tiny pulsing energy coming off of it. But just by looking at the gem, people would think it was a normal necklace. "* Keep it on at all times Evanna. It will give me peace of mind. *" Evanna nodded her head then her mother grabbed the necklace and placed it around her neck. "* The only person that can remove this is me or you. There.. beautiful. *" Evanna then rose to go look into the mirror near the bed to look at the small necklace that lie against her skin. The chain and gem were so dainty, it looked as if the gem lay there without anything holding it around her neck. It truly was beautiful, and she was emotional at the thought that it was her mother''s and now hers. "* I shall treasure it, *" Evanna said, before turning back to face her mother. For the remainder of the day, they spent it together cherishing each other''s company, even having dinner in Loraven''s chambers. Time seemed to have gone by very quickly that day and although they did not wish it to end, Evanna felt at ease. She knew that what she was about to embark on was the right thing to do, her mother needed her, and she would do what was needed to be done. Before she was about to leave for the night, they hugged each other tightly, nearly to the point of not being able to breath. "* Stay safe, my sweet, sweet girl, *" Her mother whispered in her ear, Evanna whispered back, "* I love you to the moon and back, *" At that, her mother smiled with tears in her eyes as she pulled back to look at her daughter one last time for a while. Loraven used to say that to her daughter when she was a child, the memories were so sweet she could almost taste it even now. To keep herself from crying, Evanna turned around and left the room, not looking back once. Pain coursed through her chest as she knew she was leaving her mother for a long time, but she was determined to get the gemstone and bring it back to her, to save her life. Chapter 12 - Escape Although, Evanna had relaxed in the bath before bed, it did not keep her nerves at bay. That night, she did not sleep well, tossing and turning a lot, restless and consumed with her thoughts. There were only a few hours left until she was to get up and go, she knew the time that she was going would be perfect, no one would be awake except for the guards patrolling outside. A few restless hours later, the princess opened her eyes wide awake as though she had slept perfectly well, she knew however that this was a lie, and she would feel very tired later in the day. With the dim light that came through from her glass door at the balcony, she could see the outlines of her golden pocket watch that she left on her bedside table. Reaching her hand out, she grabbed the watch to check the time to see that it was an hour before she was meant to be up. Instead of going back to sleep she sat herself up against the headboard of the bed, if she went back to sleep, she knew it would not be peaceful. The light coming through the glass must have been from the last of the moonlight, she thought. With one last look around her dark room, she got out of bed and went to her desk where she left the items her mother brought her. Before opening the boxes, she pulled her nightgown off, sighing at the thought of how much comfier it was to sleep in than what she would be wearing from this morning onwards. Standing naked in the dark, she opened the first box and brought out the Dracosbain shirt. Once she put it over head and removed her hair from underneath it, the shirt clung to her body like a second skin, with no air able to go underneath it. It was not painful and she felt like she was still wearing nothing. After that she put on her black breeches, tied her two daggers against the bottom of her legs and put her boots on over the top to cover them. She put on her normal black shirt, tucking it into her breaches before putting the bluish leather top on over the shirt. It was not a corset, but she still had a small leather thread going down the side to pull on, which tightened the fit, looking in the mirror she saw that the top covered her chest, she undone the top two buttons of her shirt underneath which revealed her necklace slightly. Once she finished with the shirt, she noticed her hair was still flowing out down messily to her waist, she quickly pulled it back into a plait and tied it with a string. Happy with her outfit she placed her swords on her back along with her new dagger which she placed in its sheath behind her back at the top of her bottom. At last, she could put her navy cloak on top, where she tied the three toggles together at the top of her chest, which made it cover most of what she wore. Lastly, she put a pair of black leather type gloves on, which she knew she would need to keep her soft hands from forming calluses, if she were indeed needed to use her swords a lot. Before leaving she made sure that the letter, she had written for the king was left on her now made bed, she then placed her hood over her head after grabbing her bag and slinging it behind her. The bag held multiple items she knew she needed, along with the leather tube with the parchments in, an elvish book that held information about Direwood forest in, food and water supplies, a spare shirt and of course a lot of gold coins. Evanna opened the door slowly and looked outside, making sure her surroundings were clear before creeping out of her room and closing the door silently. She started to make her way down the hallway, stopping again and double checking there were no guards, she calmed her racing heart and continued her silent slow steps. There were a few instances where she stopped and hid behind walls as a guard would walk past, but the closer she was getting to the servant''s quarters, the quicker her steps were becoming, the anticipation tightening her neck muscles. As soon as she was near the servant''s quarters, she heard the sound of metal clanking against each other, it was armour. Her body tensed as adrenaline rushed through her, the noise was coming from her right and on looking over, there was nobody there yet. She swiftly tiptoed across the hall to the nearest curtain and hid, making sure her feet and body were covered. Evanna held her breath as the guard came closer, her body tensed again as he walked past her, she waited until the noise of his armour subsided, then pulled the curtain back and took a few steps before opening the door to the servant''s quarters. Closing the door behind her, she carefully took the steps downwards in the darkened staircase, careful of her foot placement. Once she cleared the small obstacle she calmed down and walked to her normal spot, the open area where the barrels were, she grabbed her normal dirty cloak and put it on, placing the nicer one in her bag. "Princess" Evanna jumped at the loud voice, someone had sneaked up on her!? She turned around to see Sir Hugh standing behind her, who looked from her face to her bag and back to the cloak she now wore. Out of everyone, she did not think she would run into him. He took a step forward which snapped her out of her shock. She immediately kicked him in his manhood, making him gasp and fall to his knees, shock showing on his face. "I am so sorry!" She then punched him on the top right part of his temple, a spot she was taught would knock someone out. He fell down unconscious immediately, guilt spread through her stomach, but she couldn''t stop and stare at what she done. Grabbing both his hands, she pulled him back towards a cupboard, closing the door on him, she turned the key in the lock before dropping it on the floor. Sighing, she put the old hood up and walked outside towards the stables, where she found Midknight and a cart she had left next to him. She placed her bag and swords in the cart, covering her belongings with a cloth before attaching the wooden pole to the back of her horse. Grabbing a lantern already lit from the front of the stables, she attached it to the front of the cart. "Let''s keep the rest of the escape simple Midknight" The black horse neighed in response. She walked back and climbed up sitting on the front part of the cart. Without a word spoken, Midknight started pulling her and the cart forwards. As they made their way through the castle grounds, some of the guards started to look over, though they did not see the hooded servant to be a threat. Fog emerged out across the long bridge and river below as the horse and cart trotted along the stony surface. The sky had started to get lighter with the moon getting lower in the sky as birds started to chirp and rise for the new day. Evanna''s heart started to pound quicker as they approached the gatehouse, Midknight stopped pulling as soon as the two guards approached the cart. Jumping down, she brought a sealed letter out from her cloak pocket and gave it to the guard closest to her, making sure to keep her head down so that her features would not show. The guard gave the letter to his comrade next to him, who opened it and read it. His face showed surprise, "Is it not a bit early for you to be leaving for Birch?" The guard on duty who read the letter, asked. "Nah, I wanna get the princess''s supplies as soon as the market is open, I ''ave a lot of work to do today. Better to get there early" Evanna put on a fake man''s accent. "Very well, safe travels" She climbed back onto the cart and without another word, Midknight started pulling the cart forwards. She let out a breath she did not know she was holding. As they moved further into the village of Reigh, she started giggling to herself. She did not know how she got away with that terrible accent, maybe the guards were tired, it was nearing the end of their shifts after all. Once they reached the outskirts of the village, Midknight stopped and Evanna unhooked the cart from him before grabbing his saddle and tying it on top of him. She then removed the worn servant''s cloak and placed her swords back in their sheaths before putting her own cloak back on. She then climbed on top of Midknight, feeling better to be sitting on him than have him pull a cart. He turned around so that they could face the village and see the almighty palace standing up proudly against the dark blue backdrop with the glimmers of the sun rising on the horizon. There were only a few lights still left burning that showed the outline of her home. He turned back to the path they were next to take, knowing that she was ready. "Run as though you''ve never ran before," She whispered the words softly next to the horse''s ear while she stroked his neck before sitting back up straight, he instantly galloped forwards. They galloped in haste throughout the remaining darkness, the sunlight started to shine across the land and claiming the start of a new day. Farmers were the first to be out in their fields before the early morning gradually brought out more people in the villages as they passed by. Midknight slowed down when they arrived at the fourth village that appeared to be more of a town, the buildings were bigger and so was the road going through it. The high street was now bustling with people and noise, though they could go around the village, she felt it would take even longer than just walking through it. People started to move out of the way when they saw a cloaked rider passing by. Some stared at the unknown stranger, others kept their children from running into the street, holding them tightly so as not to anger the person on the black horse. Once they made it through the town like village, Midknight picked up his pace again and they were soon galloping. The rush of the wind flew gently across her face as the sound of hooves galloped against the dirty path, her body started to relax into the rhythm of horse riding. A sense of euphoria rushed through her, making her smile as she felt free. The distance from her home growing at every step, she took a deep breath of the fresh air, closing her eyes. Midknight neighed lightly, enjoying the stretch of his legs and running somewhere new. Evanna opened her eyes again at the realisation that this was now the furthest she had been from her home by herself. The last of the four villages had passed by an hour ago now but she did not complain, she was enjoying the last of her alone time. Midknight snorted his nose, making her chuckle, the last of THEIR alone time. He neighed in agreement. Finally, further down the road, a building stood out on the side of it, the closer they were getting to it, the more she could make out that it was an inn. This must have been the one they were meant to meet at. When they came closer, Midknight slowed down again to a walk, he stopped in front of the inn where a long wooden watering trough was on the floor, meant for the horses of any travellers. Evanna looked up at the old run-down building and read the sign that said, "The Hawk''s Nest Lodge", which had a hawk flying above a nest with eggs in it. Evanna then climbed down and held her forehead against Midknight''s, thanking him silently. His tail swished then he bit the bottom of her hair playfully. She chuckled then released him so that he could drink from the trough. Movement out of the corner of her eye caught her attention, she abruptly turned around. It was then she saw Ger, Axel, Ronan and off to the side from the group, was Cilv with her arms crossed against her chest. Ger walked ahead of the others to greet her. "You made it," Ger said, Evanna smiled broadly, "Did you doubt me?" "Not for a second," He lied. Evanna then noticed that Axel and Ronan were staring at her, she went closer to Ger and whispered, "Why are they staring?" Ger looked over his shoulder to see Axel shocked at her appearance and Ronan appreciating what he saw, with a smile sliding up his face. "Maybe they did not expect a princess to show up battle ready?" He shrugged. They then walked over to where the two men stood, Ronan crossed his arms making the material tighten on his biceps, showing how big they were. "You know, I do like a rebel," Ronan winked, Evanna blinked in shock at his comment before a blush formed on her cheeks, making him chuckle and Ger hit him across his chest. "OW!" "Enough, we need to get going. What time does the maid normally come to your room?" Axel asked sternly, making Evanna look back up. Axel seemed to be the oldest, if not then it was his huge beard and body that made her assume this. "Normally 8am latest, but I told her I was not feeling well last night, so she may check on me at 9." She took her pocket watch out of her breeches and checked the time to see that it was now 8:30am. She looked back up at the men before her and said, "It''s 8:30. I also ran into a little trouble on the way as well, if he has woken up, then it is possible they are already out searching for me." "What are we doing standing around here then? Jeese, it''s like you want to get caught princess," Cilv spoke up, although she was the furthest away from them, she somehow picked up on what they were saying. "First things first, I need a new name, you cannot go speaking my true name." Cilv pouted before making her way to the other side of the inn, Axel and Ronan also disappeared from view. She assumed they were getting their horses. "We have a whole day of travelling ahead of us, maybe you can come up with a name in that time?" Ger smiled before also making his way behind the inn, Evanna turned back to Midknight and hopped up and onto the saddle. The other four came back in view with their own horses, Midknight caught up to them, seemingly happy to be in the company of his own kind. "We ride for three hours straight before resting, do you think you can manage that prin- Evanna?" Axel asked, looking over from the brown horse he sat on. She stopped herself from rolling her eyes, she knew he was trying to be considerate because she was a princess, but she just wanted him to relax, she was more physically active than most ladies. "Of course, Axel. Do not worry about me, if we need to go for longer, I will be fine." He nodded his head, then turned back to face the front. With a silent command, Midknight started trotting forwards a long with the others. And for the rest of the day, the group rode their horses across the countryside, getting further and further away from the safety net that was the Kingdom of Dunhurst. Chapter 13 - Where Is She?! In the early morning back at the palace in Dunhurst, a servant had left his room to go start his shift for the day but stopped when he heard a knocking sound. Shaking his head, he continued walking, but the closer he made it towards the stairs, the louder the noise became. The palace was centuries-old, but he had never heard of ghosts haunting it before, but anything was possible, especially with the sound coming from the broom closet! Terror started to creep in; his body began to tremble as he slowly walked towards the closet; the closer he got, the more he began to hear a man yelling. The servant wiped his now clammy hands on his trousers before reaching out to open the door, but on trying to pull it open, he found that it was locked. Looking around for the key, he finally found it situated on the floor. How odd. What was the key doing on the floor? Picking it up shakily, he started to put the key in the lock; after the third attempt of missing the hole, it finally went in, making the yelling immediately die down. On opening the door, his heart stopped, and he jumped in horror at the sight of a man bursting through the door''s entrance. After the man exited, he spun back around and grabbed the servant by his shoulders, "What is the time!?" The man barked, the servant noticed how his eyes were squinting at the lightened corridor. "T-the time is, it is nearly 8 in the morn-" Before the terrified servant could finish, the man ran up the stairs and out of the servant''s quarters. Sir Hugh took two steps at a time up the stairs; his head felt like there was a hammer banging from the inside of his skull. Evanna knocked him out cold; he did not even know she knew how to do that. That girl had a wild streak in her, and Hugh knew it was not from the King. He had been friends with the King since he was a young prince; they grew up together, and he watched his rebellious side before they started going to battle together. There was no comparison; Evanna must have taken after her mother; if not, then it was the freedom of not being a legitimate heir. Evanna had been in trouble so often he had lost count; he sometimes felt more like a babysitter as she grew up. Despite that, he cared about her and her well-being. If he had not caught her sneaking across the hall and into the servant''s quarters, he would hate to think how much longer the palace would go unaware of her disappearance. He was furious with himself for being locked in the closet; the longer she was away, the harder it would be to catch her. This was not one of her childish attempts at freedom. She was gone. With that thought passing through his mind, worry started to etch onto his features. He ran to the great hall, opening the door to find it empty, his brows furrowed, then he remembered the King was always scheduled to see his subjects at 9. He was most likely having breakfast with his family at this time. Turning around, Hugh ran to the opposite side of the palace, darting in and out of servants and guards as he went. Swinging open the dining-room door, he had to stop himself from falling forwards. The room was quiet with the sounds of metal clinking against china as the royal family ate their breakfast and drank their tea. "Hugh, what.." The King started, confused; he quietened when he saw the man red in the face and puffing for breath. His wife, Queen Eleanor, sat at the opposite end of the table to the King. She brought her head around the chair and glared at the intruder. Hugh bowed quickly before speaking up. "I am sorry for the intrusion, your majesties. Princess Evanna is not in the palace." The King stared at Hugh for a long moment before calmly replying, "Has she gone out without escorts?" "I am sorry, your highness, please forgive me. The princess left before sun up." A pin drop could be heard from the silent and tense atmosphere now in the room. The servants seemed to cower, the family held their heads down, not meeting the King''s eyes, and Hugh watched as his anger erupted from the surface of his eyes and shouted, "WHAT!?". King Osian''s voice resonated through the room and into the hall outside. He stood up from his seat and marched towards Hugh. Without another word said, the queen, Isabel, and the children stood up and left through a door to the left side of the room. "Why are you telling me this now!? Were you bribed? I thought your loyalty was to me, your King. SPEAK" His temper and voice started rising again. Hugh stopped himself from gulping and said, "I followed her to the servant''s quarters, and she attacked me. Knocked me out, I woke up in a locked closet. I came straight to you when I got out. My loyalty is always with you, my King" He lowered his head again as beads of sweat formed on his forehead; he felt as though he failed the King and the princess. King Osian started to walk towards the double doors to alert the guards, but before he could, Sir Hugh spoke up from behind him, pausing his step. "Sire, the princess. She had swords with her, and on a quick assessment, I noticed she was wearing a small green gem necklace, like the one-" "Like the one Loraven wears." He finished, he burst through the doors with Sir Hugh behind him, he shouted "Alert the guards, they will search all the villages in the kingdom, every forest, tree, bush, NO STONE LEFT UNTURNED!" the King did not stop walking from the dining room and made his way to Loraven''s quarters. Servants and nobles stepped out of the way, bowing, their eyes kept down; they could see the swirling storm around him that was his mood, his presence instilling fear. He did not need to look back to know that Sir Hugh already left with his orders. Rounding the corner in Loraven''s quarters, he barged into her room; the maid who was making the bed bowed and left quickly. Osian walked further in to see Loraven sitting in the living room; a book lay down in her lap as she stared in front of her. His temper abruptly left when he saw the sorrow written on her face, the bags under her eyes showing she did not sleep well. This, with her pale, unhealthily skinny body, made her look terrible. This was the first time he considered her not looking absolutely stunning. If this was the first time someone would meet Lady Loraven, they would know immediately that she was once a beautiful woman; her eyes were still warm like honey surrounded by thick black eyelashes. "You knew she was leaving?" Osian fought hard to keep his voice calm as he looked at the woman in front of him. "I only found out yesterday," Loraven croaked; she looked away from his hard stare. His brows pulled together as he couldn''t help but notice how poorly she was, how could his daughter put her through such stress. Why would she leave? "Where is she!?" He snapped; his patience was thinning, he was starting to understand that this was not a childish attempt to view the village or forest nearby. His daughter had left in the dark, like a thief in the night. This was planned. She had a good head start to get away from the palace, from the guards. "I do not know, your majesty." Loraven''s eyes filled up with tears; she placed her hand on her mouth, trying to hold back the sobs that erupted from her being. The King sat down next to her, pulling her gently to him and holding her close as she sobbed into his chest. Loraven ensured that Evanna had everything she could have needed to help keep her safe. She knew Ger was with her, even though she did not know the plan; she just knew he was with her. She tried telling herself that she would be fine, Evanna was safe, she had protection, even the necklace given to her daughter would inform her if she were in any pain. But like all mothers, they worried and fretted over their young. It was not a simple matter of her daughter ''leaving the nest'' like it were her wedding day. No, her daughter had left on a dangerous quest. She knew for sure that she would be going to Direwood Forest and into the Flori''s domain. The King rubbed his hand up and down her back in a gentle, soothing motion. After a while, her sobs started to subside. He knew Loraven was lying, she would have told him immediately about Evanna''s plan to leave, and she had enough time to inform him before today. But he could not cause any more stress for her; he hoped that she would soon open up to him, and if not, then he wished his men would find their daughter before her life would be in danger. An urgent knock interrupted the pair from their embrace; Loraven started wiping her eyes as Maggie, Evanna''s maid, skirted into the room. She held a sealed envelope in her hand; her eyes were red and puffy as though she had been crying. The maid quickly bowed and brought the envelope forwards. "This was found in Evanna''s room. It is addressed to you, your majesty." **** Maggie began her day like any other; Evanna informed her the night before that she did not feel well, so she was going to wait until 9ish to check on her. However, as she walked down the kitchen corridor, she noticed guards running to and from. The walls of the palace were filled with tension and panic. She frowned. Were they under attack? Suddenly, she found herself facing Sir Hugh, she curtsied and was about to continue walking, but he did not move out the way. Lifting her head up to look at the man, she saw stress and tension behind his stern eyes. He started to scowl at her. "Did you have any idea of what Princess Evanna was up to?" He asked her; Maggie shook her head, confusion filling her features. He narrowed his eyes but seemed to visibly relax after searching her face for any tell-tale signs of lying. "Sir, what is going on?" "Evanna is missing." The colour drained from her face, and her eyesight started to go dark. If it were not for Hugh, who grabbed her and held her upright, she knew she would have fainted onto the floor. Her response confirmed his certainty that she knew nothing of the princess''s plans. "Someone kidnapped her?" She asked after taking some deep breaths. Sir Hugh let go of the maid once he was certain she would not fall faint again. "No, she left in the early hours of the morning. Search parties have been sent out across the kingdom." Maggie thought her heart was going to burst, she knew how much her mother''s illness was weighing down on the young girl, but she never thought she would leave? It was not in the princess''s nature to run away, or was she searching for something that could possibly help her? She wracked her brain, thinking of anything that would help identify Evanna''s plan but came up with naught. "Thank you for letting me know, Sir Hugh. If I find anything that will be useful, I will bring it forward immediately" She curtsied before making her way to Evanna''s chambers; it wasn''t until she opened the door that the situation hit her. The room was empty. Maggie walked over to the wardrobe and found the swords missing along with her breeches and shirt. Her flowery scent was all that was left of her presence in the room. She turned back around to face the usually messy bed was made and what lay on top was an envelope. She sat down on the side of the bed with tears falling from her eyes; worry formed in her chest as she reached out and grabbed the envelope that was addressed to the King. Chapter 14 - Campfire: Part One The sky started to get darker as the five companions continued riding; they did not run into any guards belonging to the king. They had at least a 4-5 hour head start. Their breaks consisted of 15-minute intervals, enough time for them to stretch their limbs, eat and drink. Evanna kept her word; although her body was tired from the continuous horse riding, she did not complain and never asked for a break. She knew they considered her to be weaker than the others. This was her first time travelling for long hours by horseback and not sitting in a carriage. Axel was the one to suggest a break every three hours. She was not annoyed by their lack of judgement, she was feeling tired, but her determination pushed the aches she felt to the back of her mind. She would prove to them that this was not some vacation she decided to take and was serious. Axel started to slow his horse down, as did the others. Throughout the journey so far, she had seen the back of his head and his huge body mainly covered by the great shield he wore on his back along with two small axes at his sides. The sounds of hooves trotting on the ground started to diminish as they entirely stopped in their tracks. Axel tilted his head up to the sky as the sun was setting above the hill across from them. The last rays of light slowly left their skin as the wind picked up, and a chill started to set over the land. Ger looked to the left side of the path and saw an extensive amount of shrubbery and a few trees scattered in the open space nearby. "We should set up over there. It would do us no good travelling in the dark. Our bodies need to rest," Ger said as he jumped down from his horse and started to pull the reins as he walked towards the bushes. Everyone dismounted from their horses and followed suit behind Ger, who made them go around the bushes that would hide them from any traveller''s view during the night. Each person in the group immediately started to do their own tasks to settle quickly for the night. Cilv left silently and came back holding branches in her hands which she dropped down on the floor to set up a fire nearby. The men started to build the linen tents that Axel made sure to bring. Each of them used their own weapon''s blunt ends to bash in the steel pegs used to pitch the tents. Evanna used the time to settle the horses to the side of their camp; she noticed that Midknight had become the alpha of the horse''s group. She was not surprised; he was a very unique horse. She started to stroke his forehead down to his muzzle lovingly, silently speaking to each other. Ger approached her from behind. The sound of a twig snapping brought her attention away from Midknight and to the man now standing beside her. "Axel is starting dinner." Evanna looked past Ger to see the others sitting around the campfire; three tents were set apart from them as Axel stood across from a pot above the fire, a wooden spoon in his hand. She nodded back at Ger and followed him over to the gathering, sitting down in the free space left, in between Ronan and Cilv. Cilv obviously tried to keep herself as far from the group as possible without freezing herself. Evanna started to think that the woman preferred to be alone; she knew she always worked alone. "Seeing as there are three tents, we will need to share." Ger started, he thought they had more, but Axel had not used them since the last time they were travelling together. Before he could continue, Cilv spoke up, "I will have one to myself." Ger narrowed his eyes, he thought Evanna could have the tent to herself, but then he did not want to share with Cilv. She would probably steal something of his. "How about you two share? You are both females," Ronan chipped in. "How about you and I share?" Cilv retorted playfully. Evanna and Ger looked across at each other, wide-eyed, neither knowing what to do or say. Ronan, on the other hand, was used to women throwing themselves at him. As much as he would love to have a sexy lady next to him for the night, he did not want it to be a recurring thing. There was something very dangerous about Cilv, and he would prefer to stay on her good side than lose a potential limb. He cleared his throat, "I do not think that is appropriate. You two should share, and we will rotate on sharing the other two tents" Cilv frowned at his response, she parted her lips to argue against him, but Axel spoke first, "Then it is sorted, princess. Are you happy with this?" Cilv''s frown deepened. Of course, they would ask her. She was, after all, royalty. "Yes, of course," Evanna replied. Cilv abruptly stood up and walked off from the mini campsite they had set up; no one glanced in her direction. With the sleeping arrangements settled, the remaining group relaxed even more, especially with Cilv gone. "Have you thought of a new name yet?" Ronan lightened the mood and directed his question at Evanna. "I thought something like Raven." "Raven? Why not Evie?" Ger said "Eva?" Ronan piped in; Evanna pulled a face of disgust at both names, making the men laugh. "I think your sister used to call you Eva?" Ger spoke across the fire at her. "Yes, she did. It was very irritating." "Raven it is then" Ger smiled back at her. "Very original", Axel said, deadpanned, looking up at Evanna''s hair and back down again. "It''s better than Roach here" At Ger''s comment, Axel burst out laughing. Evanna was confused then looked to her side at Ronan, who had gone slightly red, "Roach is a perfectly acceptable nickname. It''s easier to shout out than Ronan. Right guys? You never complained last time?" He looked between Ger and Axel''s faces, neither saying a word. "I am not calling you Roach," Evanna said absurdly, hiding a small smile that began to form on her lips. She actually found the whole scene comical. "Come on! Roach and Raven, Raven and Roach.. and the gang. A merry song could be made out of it!" Ronan pressed on, Evanna started to giggle; Ronan had draped his arm loosely around her shoulders in a friendly manner as he waved his other hand in front of him, expressing himself as he spoke. Suddenly sensing someone''s gaze, she looked across the fire to see Ger looking between them, and her smile faltered. Ronan felt the princess''s sudden quiet demeanour and glanced over at the direction she was looking. He pulled his arm back slowly when he saw Ger glaring at him. He stared back at him unblinkingly; he was only being friendly and keeping the mood light. "I don''t think that song will catch on'' Axel continued with the conversation, indifferent to the little scene in front of him. He was no fool, he saw how the two men already formed a small rivalry between them over the princess, but he thought it silly and kept himself out of it. Both men averted their eyes after the sound of Axel''s voice. "Excuse me", Evanna said; she stood up and grabbed the uneaten apple she brought over with her earlier. Making her way over to Midknight, she found him resting on the floor. She gave him the apple and sat down, leaning into him as he munched down on the fruit. She did not expect such little drama on the first night together. Sighing, she rested her head back onto Midknight. She noticed how Ger was glaring at Ronan after their small encounter. She could not understand why. They were joking. Before she could think further about the situation, the one and only had made his way towards her. "Can we talk?" He asked. Evanna waved her hand, nonchalantly for him to speak. Midknight made a small noise, telling her to stop being rude and get up; she rolled her eyes before standing up again. They weren''t too far away from the others but far enough that their conversation could be kept between them. Ger sighed before saying, "Look, I just want you to be careful with Ronan," Evanna blinked her innocent eyes back at him. "I have known him for years now. He''s a lady''s man." Evanna could not help but laugh at him. He was acting like a big brother or worse, her father! "Ger, you really do not need to worry. I know what he is. I saw the maid leave his room at lord knows what time at night." Ger visibly relaxed. "I know you have my best interests at heart. But just remember that we spent 2 years apart. I know this is my first time out on an adventure, but I have met and dealt with my fair share of ''Ronan''s'' back at court." It was true, although the king was not demanding her to court anybody, it did not mean that men did not try to court her. Even if she was the king''s bastard child, marrying her would still make a man rise in power. She had indeed interacted with a few men similar to Ronan; their reputations were well known at court life, so she kept them at arm''s length at all times. The nobles already spoke a great deal about her behind her back; she did not need her reputation to go as well. She could not lie though, she found Ronan to be a very good looking man with a charismatic persona to go with it, but she only felt a fondness for him. Ger did not know what to say. It was true, they had spent years away from each other, but he could not help feel protective over her. When he saw the two of them laughing together, and Ronan''s hand casually went over her shoulder, he felt something, a spark of anger? He could not put his finger on the feeling he had felt. But he did not like it. "I keep forgetting. A lot can happen in two years," Ger said quietly, not realising he spoke his thoughts out loud. The princess walked closer to him and nodded her head. "Yet here we areˇŞstill friends. Thank you for agreeing to this crazy plan of mine," Evanna replied. Ger stopped himself from frowning, her statement caused him to feel conflicted, but he was not sure why, of course, he would agree to her plan; if she could not protect herself, who else would but him. However, he did not let his sudden foul mood get the better of him. He smiled back in response. "How are you fairing after today?" He asked, quickly searching her face to see her looking tired. "I am fine, a little tired. My thighs are killing me, though! I swear there are probably bruises on them from the riding," Midknight neighed in response, finding humour in his owner''s suffering. Ger laughed, "You will get used to it", Ger replied, humour laced in his voice. Back at the campfire, Ronan looked over at the pair laughing by the horses. He watched as they interacted with each other, he could see how Ger looked at the princess, but it seemed she was unaware of his attraction towards her. Was it because they were friends since they were children? He will need to test his theory at some point. "Forget it, lad", Axel spoke from behind him. Ronan turned back and looked at his friend as though he had no idea of what he was referring to. "Don''t play dumb. She was all Ger spoke about on our travels. They grew up together, you know the stories. Do not get in between something you know nothing about." Ronan scoffed, "Please, he did not speak about the princess.", his voice had lowered even though there was nobody else about. Axel looked back at him like he was crazy. "Well, he did not specifically say princess, but he did say Evanna''s name." "From what I have seen so far, she does not reciprocate his feelings." "Ronan, you can have any woman you want. Not her. That is final." Axel ordered. Ronan sighed dramatically before crossing his arms and pouting like a toddler being told off. "What''s wrong with him?" Cilv spoke, making the pair jump; her footsteps had been so quiet, they appeared nonexistent. Sauntering her way back to the campfire, she sat down next to Ronan, looking him up and down lazily. After stretching her limbs and exploring the area they chose to sleep for the night, she decided to return after calming down from what happened earlier. Ronan watched as Cilv threw a berry into her mouth as she eyed him playfully; Ronan, however, felt unfazed by her flirting. She knew he was not falling for it, but she could not help but smile after. She loved making people feel uncomfortable. Chapter 15 - Campfire: Part Two Evanna grabbed the bag that she left next to Midknight, bringing it with her as she and Ger returned back to the campfire. They sat down across from Ronan, who now had Cilv sitting next to him, eating some berries. Once the stew that Axel made was dished up and eaten, Evanna decided to show the others the parchments she brought with her. She inhaled deeply; this decision had not been made lightly. She had only been with this group for a day, but she felt it was only right that she show them the parchments and the secrets they held. Reaching into her bag, she brought the leather tube out, looking at it before noticing Ger looking at her, searching her face, silently asking if she was okay with revealing the scrolls and her own secret. She nodded once and proceeded to open the tube. "These parchments", She started as she looked around the campfire, making sure that she had everybody''s attention. "I have brought with me are proof that the gemstone exists. On one, you will find the instructions needed for the gem to work and on the other is a painting of how it looks." She passed the parchments to Ger, who passed them on to Ronan. Each person in the group took their time looking at the scrolls and, in turn, one after the other looked up at Evanna in surprise and a little bit of suspicion. Cilv was the last to look at the papers; she scanned the gemstone painting first, admiring its beauty, then opened the other parchment. She tried to read the writing on the paper then looked up at Evanna after realising she could not understand the language it was written in. But before her brain ran wildly with thoughts, she asked, "You can read what is on here?" Evanna nodded her head, which made the men at her side, not including Ger, look at her again in shock. "Prove it," Cilv stood up and handed back the scrolls to her. Evanna scanned the top line and read out loud, "* Though the gem is nothing but a myth to mere humans, it is indeed real...*" "It reads, ''Though the gem is nothing but a myth to mere humans, it is indeed real.'' It then explains how to use it" She looked back up to now see Cilv staring at her, "And? How does it work?" Cilv asked, narrowing her eyes; she then looked back down at the parchment in her hands. "It says to use it, you must break it in half and move it around the area that is injured. For anybody that is ill, the stone still needs to be broken in half, but the instructions are different. It says: keep it hovered above their body and rotate the gem clockwise three times around the person''s body," Evanna responded after reading the instructions in front of her and translating it to the others. "How is it that you know how to read and speak Muranthian?" Ronan asked curiously; Evanna shrugged her shoulders nonchalantly. "I was taught from a young age." "But the King, your father, forbids it? It is the law?" Axel spoke up this time. "I heard the King despises the elves," Cilv said. Evanna turned back to look at the woman; she watched her expression and could almost see the gears in her head, spinning at the possibilities. "It is not that uncommon for the nobles and royals to learn Muranthian. It is against the law, but money and power tend to rule above everything else." Ger said, defusing the many questions that started to come to the group''s lips. Ronan and Axel did not question his reply, agreeing with him. It was true. The more money a person had, the more they seemed to be able to get away with breaking the law. Of course, that did not mean laws such as murder. "Thank you for showing us. It could not have been easy," Ronan spoke up. Evanna smiled gently back at him before saying, "I would appreciate it if you could all keep it a secret. As you all know, it is against the law, and if it became known, the King''s daughter openly broke the rules-" "You seem to do that already.." Ronan interrupted with a mischievous smile playing on his lips. Evanna tried not to grimace at his remark. "We will, of course, keep your secret, princess", Axel spoke up, his word a finality. "Remember.. it''s Raven now" The men laughed at her response; they had to stick to her new alias in public from now on. Ger watched Cilv the whole time the discussion was going on; he had no fears about his men keeping Evanna''s secret. But Cilv, she had already blackmailed the princess once, what would stop her from doing it again? Speaking Muranthian may not seem like a colossal offence, but to the King, it was. The human and elven kingdoms had been on and off at war with each other over the centuries, though they were technically at peace now, that peace was merely hanging by a thread. The two kinds hated each other. It was only over the last 100 years that an agreement was put in place between the four kingdoms. Those kingdoms on this part of the land were the Kingdom of Dunhurst, Hatherland, Kingdom of Lyvaria and the Florian Kingdom. The agreement stated that the kingdoms would keep their kind off each other''s lands unless deemed absolutely necessary. Both kinds were happy with this agreement, it prevented war, and they did not need to see each other. There were many different stories about the origin of the first war, but both sides blamed the other. Although, out of all the kingdoms, Lyvaria was the most tolerable towards the humans, helping them when needed. However, the human''s lifespan was short in comparison to an elf, and many past good deeds went unnoticed. The previous King then put a set of rules only in the Kingdom of Dunhurst. These rules kept the existence of elves and of any other kind nearly a myth in some villages. By not having such items or speaking the language stopped the people from being too curious and venture towards the elven and magical lands. Cilv glanced over at Ger after feeling his gaze on her for longer than usual. She kept her unblinking eyes on his until he finally moved them away. Though the reward was great for this quest, she was already starting to feel restless; she worked independently and preferred her own company to others. Sitting and sleeping with people next to her felt very abnormal; even when she slept with somebody, she was always on high alert and left before the other woke up. She felt restricted with the people around her. Her freedom felt tethered to the princess now. The look that Ger had been giving her annoyed her immensely; he was keeping a close eye on her. She may well have been thinking of plots with the new information Evanna provided, ways in which would prove very useful for her. But in her mind, she kept it under lock and key until the time was right to reveal such plots. She will need to keep her face more neutral from now on in front of watchful eyes. Axel, unaware of the thoughts going through both Ger''s and Cilv''s minds, proceeded with the conversation. They still needed to plan for tomorrow. "We will need to make our way to Kuramji town tomorrow", Axel started; Ger twisted his head quickly to look at the man. "We cannot take her to Kuramji", He argued. "Aye, we do. Even if we did not need to go there, we would still need to pass through it" "Ohhh, I have never been to Kuramji. The black market is meant to have the craziest items for sale," Cilv squealed in excitement, which was the first sign of emotion other than disdain shown on her face since the beginning of their journey. "What do we need to get?" Ronan asked, confused; he was unsure why they needed to go to the Kuramji black market. That was the only reason for going to the town; many criminals lived in the area purely for the market. He agreed with Ger; their crime rates were high; he did not want to take the princess to such a place. "Are you forgetting the last time we tried to go through even a small section of Direwood forest? We were lost for days, so dehydrated we would have died if it were not for our luck," Axel replied. "What happened?" Evanna asked. Evanna asked Ger about his adventures at dinner before they had their meeting the other day, but he did not say much, and she wondered if not all of his stories ended happily. "We luckily stumbled across the river passing through, which we drank from. We had been delirious for days. We were mad to go in without a map. And that is exactly what we will get from the black market tomorrow." The two men, against the idea, nodded their heads meekly, even they knew their chances of survival would be nought without a map. There were no other places that would sell such a map either; it was, after all, an illegal document. "You will need to come with us tomorrow to the market. I have not seen a map for Direwood forest, but if it ends up being in Muranthian, you would be able to translate it." Axel continued as he looked at Evanna; the mention of the elven language piqued her interest. She wondered what else they sold at this market; maybe her mother had brought some of her rare items from there before. "How long will it take us to get to Kuramji from here?" Evanna asked; Axel put his massive hand on his beard as he thought. "Half a day, give or take?" Evanna frowned at his response. She noticed today how vast the countryside was since they left the Hawk''s Nest Lodge; they only came across two more villages throughout the day. Both had been near enough ghost towns, the buildings old and run down; the filth in the air made them gag at the time. The people they had seen looked like walking skeletons; it made her stomach drop at the thought of the living conditions they lived in. "I know Kuramji is not part of Dunhurst, but the villages we passed on the way after the Hawk''s Nest and the land we are on now, who owns it?" Evanna asked. She knew Dunhurst and Hatherland kingdom''s lands, but she was unsure about where they were at the moment. Her teacher did not exactly teach her the black market''s geographic locations. Why would a princess need to go to such a place? Axel shrugged in response, unable to answer her question. He had travelled more than the other two, knowing the lands more, but he did not know who owned these parts; he was always quick to travel through such areas. If it was one of the king''s lands, he would expect them to be in much better conditions. "The bandits probably own these lands; they are called the ''Wastelands''. Any area in the human realm that is not presumably owned by anybody tend to be the Wastelands. A lot of lawlessness goes on in these areas," Ger answered her question; he looked down as he started filling up a pipe he held in his hands, preparing to smoke from it. Evanna frowned at his response, "How did this come about? Did neither of the kingdoms take claim over the land?" Evanna continued; she could not understand why there were these ''Wastelands''. Surely the people there deserved more than criminals to be in charge of their land. "From what I have gathered, no. The Wastelands have been there for years; it would take an army to get rid of the filth that lives there," Ger replied. The pipe was now in Ger''s mouth as he lit the end with a stick he removed from the campfire. Taking a deep drag from the pipe, he let the smoke out as he glanced back at Evanna with a small smile; she was watching him with a look of surprise on her face. She did not notice what he was doing earlier; her attention had been on the information he had been providing her. It really had been two years since she last saw him; he did not smoke before he left on his adventure. As ever, her curiosity got the better of her. She took the pipe from Ger''s mouth and put it in her own. Ger''s eyes widened; Ronan and Axel were shocked then burst out laughing. In front of their eyes, they saw a princess draw from a pipe; it was extraordinary. Even Cilv had a small smile on her face before it turned into a smirk. Evanna''s face scrunched up at the smoke inhaled; she then started to cough as she handed the pipe back to Ger. He looked at her, his eyes creasing as he tried not to laugh but failed. He started to chuckle as he watched her drink from the water pouch before putting the pipe back into his mouth. Evanna had not changed much, still too curious for her own good, he thought to himself. Chapter 16 - Dreams As the night drew on, the group dispersed into their allocated tents; Cilv left them again, making Evanna wonder what she was doing and what time she would be back. She was rolling out the small, cushioned sleeping pad onto the floor when Ger climbed into the tent, was he lost? She wondered. "If at all you do not feel safe with her sleeping next to you, come find me," He said, making Evanna frown. She was not scared of Cilv, they had made a deal, and she knew the woman would keep up her side of the bargain. Plus, she could take care of herself. Without saying a word, she nodded back at him. Ger was not happy with how the sleeping arrangements had been formed, but he could do nothing about it; he hoped that Cilv would prove herself to be an asset as the princess thought. He left the tent and made his way back to his own. Evanna took her swords off from behind her back and placed them next to the sleeping pad, removing her boots near her bag; she then grabbed a light blanket she would use to try and keep her warm. Luckily the tent would keep her sheltered and held some warmth inside the linen mobile home. She kept her cloak on, put the hood over her head, then climbed down onto the floor and pulled the cover over. It did not take her long to doze off; her body seemed to have melted into the cushioned pad. Soon enough, her breathing became slow and even. The darkness welcomed her resting mind into sleep. After what felt like five minutes but was actually five hours, her subconscious pulled her mind from the darkness and slowly, a beautiful scene arose in front of her. She was looking across a magnificent view; snowy mountains stood in front of her, clouds hovered with birds flying in different directions in the sky. Looking down, she saw that the white marble balcony she stood at was attached to a type of building that merged into the side of another mountain. The sun to the east was setting with a pinkish hue, and to the west, in the distance, she could see waterfalls cascading down the mountain, one after the other. She placed her hands onto the balcony top only to feel that the surface was rough; she looked down to see that tree branches made their way up and over the flat top, twisting into the marble balcony with flowers blooming here and there. Her hand caressed the branch admirably; the owners of such a place must have left it to look that way. After taking in the view, she realised that she was not alone, turning around she faced someone she recognised well, her mother. She stood there healthy and almost glowing as she smiled back at Evanna, who instantly walked forwards and hugged her mother tightly. After a long embrace, her mother pulled back to look at her. Evanna was still dressed in the clothes she went to sleep in. Whereas she was dressed in a beautiful blue dress that she could not remember ever seeing, the material looked relatively light. She frowned, wondering if her mother was cold, considering they were in the mountains. "I missed you," Her mother said; her voice sounded strong and healthy. Evanna smiled back at her mother but then became confused with her statement, her eyebrows furrowed again. "But I am right here?" "That does not mean I do not miss you", Her mother responded. Evanna noticed how her mother kept checking over her face; she wondered if something was on it. Lifting her hand, she felt over her face to feel nothing but her smooth skin. "This place is beautiful," Evanna said at last. "It is." "I do not remember visiting this place. It must be quite far from Dunhurst." "You have not been here", Her mother replied as she was still searching her face. Evanna frowned; that does not make any sense? Does it? "Then, how am I here?" Her mother giggled at Evanna''s response, her eyes gleaming. "I do not know. How am I here? It is your dream, darling." Amusement was still filled in her mother''s eyes. Yes, she was in a dream. That makes a lot more sense. But how did her mind come up with a place like this if only her mother has been to it? Or was she overthinking? Can one overthink in a dream? Her mother pulled her arm into her own, linking them together, as she led Evanna towards the door behind them. There was nothing in front of them on opening the door, it was pitch black, but her mother pulled her forwards still; on their first step out, they both fell downwards. But before Evanna could scream, they landed. A scene formed in front of them; instead of a bedroom or a dining room, they found themselves in front of a palace. But it was no ordinary palace, it was merged into the side of a mountain, and like the waterfalls, it cascaded down with many different levels to it. Nearer the bottom levels, you could see a waterfall coming out of the building and falling down; she could only guess how spectacular it looked close up. This place was absolutely magical. The pair walked forwards at a leisurely pace, enjoying the scenery. Evanna still could not understand how neither of them felt the cold when the snowy mountains were right there, and the breeze was blowing across them, making their hair and outfits move gently. "Your father is worried about you." "Hmm" "He, of course, is relentless and will not stop until you are found. I hope you are far away." This caught Evanna''s attention. Her head was seriously playing some mind games. Testing herself some more, she asked her mother, "Where has he sent his men?" "They first went to Birch after they were informed by the guards on duty that a ''servant'' provided a sealed envelope from you. That has given you more time before you make it to Direwood forest," Her mother replied. Well, that just confirmed it. It was just her subconscious messing with her; she presumed her father''s men would follow that lead. "Time is nearly up", Her mother whispered, but Evanna heard her. She stopped and looked at her, her brows furrowing again. "When you are in Direwood Forest, stay on the right side of the river. If the trees start to get darker, turn around. Do you understand?" Her mother was now holding her by her shoulders, her look earnest as she stared into Evanna''s eyes. This was something new, she thought. The surroundings suddenly started to rumble, as though the mountain was shaking everything. Evanna and her mother, however, were standing still like it did not affect them. While the view and imagery around her started to slide down like paint slipping down walls and into a puddle on the ground. Left behind the painted background was a black canvas. Everything around her and her mother was black. She started to blink, wondering what was going on. She looked back at her mother, who began to fade faintly, making her squint to see her better. "Mother?" ~ Wake up ~ "Be brave" Her mother''s voice echoed through her mind; the surroundings started to go fuzzy. Then abruptly, she felt a rough tug on the back of her shirt; her breath hitched as her whole body had been pulled up, making her legs dangle above the floor and through the black canvas. It felt as though a string was tied around her waist and pulled her out of the dream. "Wake up." Her eyes started to slowly flutter open, ''be brave'', her mother''s distant voice still echoed through her head. Her right shoulder was being shaken; she opened her eyes and reached for her sword by her side. "Wake up, princess, jeese. And don''t stab me!" Cilv''s voice was now a lot clearer as Evanna''s dream crumbled away and awareness kicked in. Evanna''s grip on the sword loosened, and she relaxed further, but another shake from Cilv made her sit up. "You must have completely conked out. I was shaking you for a while," Cilv shook her head at her; Evanna yawned before replying, "Hmm, it is morning already?" She looked around, squinting at how light the tent was from the rising sun outside. Evanna was most definitely not a morning person; even if she did not go for her sword, she might have hit the person if she did not know it was Cilv. Her maid used to open the curtains and call for her from a distance, knowing too well how dangerous it could be up close. If she did shake her awake, she done so at her own peril. "It is. We will be going soon, though you might want to eat something before we go," Cilv said casually. Evanna tried not to look stunned; that was actually quite considerate of her. "When did you get back to the tent? I did not hear you." "Just now, I went hunting then slept under the stars", Came Cilv''s response. Evanna looked back up at Cilv''s face; she was completely serious. "Did you not want to share?" Instead of replying, Cilv smiled gently at the younger girl before stepping back out of the tent. She wondered if that woman would always remain a mystery to her. Not thinking too much about it, she got up and made herself get ready. Chapter 17 - Kuramji That morning, they had their breakfast before packing up and setting out on the road again. The atmosphere was a lot calmer than the day before; their travel mainly consisted of their horses trotting along the path. Axel led the way with Ronan next to him, followed by Ger and Evanna and behind the group by a few paces was Cilv. Although the men of the group were chatting happily, Evanna stayed quiet, too absorbed in her own thoughts to take part. She could not help but think about her dream the night before; it was very vivid and quite odd. Usually, her dreams would all but be forgotten the following morning, yet this one stuck to her mind like a spider''s web. Although she had not been to the place in her dream, it felt real and looked incredibly realistic; even her mother''s features were not blurred. The only difference was that her mother looked healthy, and with that last thought, she pushed the dream to the back of her mind. It was just her subconscious making her feel better about her mother. She was setting out on this journey to get a gem that would heal her mother. Any guilt that had been manifesting in her mind about leaving her mother was now going. Once she had the gem, it would all be over. As they continued on, the path ahead of them started to branch out into different directions; Axel began to lead on the far right path. Ger trotted ahead from his position to speak to Axel about the direction he was taking them in. Before Evanna could speak up and question what the issue was, Ronan fell back in stride with her; Midknight made a noise at the new horse next to him in greeting. "How are you doing on this fine morning, milady?" He asked her with a dazzling smile; she could not help smiling back at his boyish charm, "I am excellent, Ronan, and how are you?" "Better now I have a beautiful woman next to me," Before she could respond, his right hand made a swift action and now held in his hand was a pink daisy "For you", he brought the flower forwards for her to reach out and grab it. She grasped the flower without touching his hand; though her gloves were in between them, she did not want him getting the wrong impression. He chuckled in response to her action. "Thank you. I did not know you were such a magician," She placed the flower at the bottom part of her plait, making it stand out brightly against her raven locks. "Merely parlour tricks. I am glad to see you smiling again," With Ronan''s response, she turned her head to look back at him, baffled. He smiled gently back at her, "You seemed a little lost earlier." "Oh", She breathed, "I erm, I had a strange dream and was trying to determine what it meant to me." "Such deep thoughts early in the day. Was this not a nice dream?" "It was lovely, even." Her voice was small as her eyes looked off to the distance, remembering the view of the mountains and waterfalls and how her mother looked so full of life in her dream. "Then, do not fret. Enjoy them while you can. For they are a sweet oblivion to real-life." She nodded her head in agreement; his wise words were helpful. Although she had not known him long, he was beginning to grow on her. However, if they were to be friends, she would have to keep him at arm''s length and make it abundantly clear that she would not be one of his many women, swept off their feet by him. For the rest of the journey to Kuramji town, Evanna and Ronan chatted pleasantly. Unbeknown to the princess, Ger, Axel and Ronan were very anxious for this part of their travel. Though the road had been empty of any other travellers so far, it did not mean it was not safe. The path they chose out of the many was the quickest route but also the deadliest. The bandits in the area tended to use this way for robberies. To anyone else, who could not fight, it would be easy pickings for them. However, the men were vigilant, looking out for telltale signs of an ambush. Earlier, when Ger went ahead to speak to Axel, he done so purposely, needing Ronan to be Evanna''s close guard and Ger her front. Not only did he have his sword but his bow and arrows as well; if need be, he will make a perfect shot quickly. On the other hand, Axel had two throwing axes along with the giant axe he kept hidden inside of his shield. Cilv, however, did not seem to be carrying any weapons other than two small knives; this made her the least able to fight unless she was comfortable at being in close contact with somebody. It may have looked like they casually placed themselves this way to Evanna and Cilv, but it had been pre-planned for any trouble that would arise. Not long past noon did the company start to see any indication of the town they were travelling to. There were run-down farms and houses that had started to appear every 10 minutes; on closer inspection, Evanna could see that some of the farms, with dead crops, were still lived in. The soil underneath the horses'' hooves began to get wetter and muddier the closer they got to the town, showing that people had used the route recently. Something shiny caught the princess''s attention; across from her in the dirt was a slightly rusted blade, and as she went past it, she noticed the dried blood on it, and to the side of it, there was more spilt blood. Her back stiffened, and her shoulders went back as she became more alert about the town they were approaching. The houses started to get closer together as they made their way through the beginning of the town; luckily, there had been no trouble on the road. But the group feared that the last of their peace was back at the campsite in the wilderness than the streets of the town they would stay in for the night. As they rode their horses through the town, the surrounding people started to stare at the new arrivals. The atmosphere was tense, as though they could be jumped on at any moment. Evanna felt better after deciding to put her hood up before entering the area; she noticed the others did the same. She knew she would feel better after four walls were surrounding them, the less chance of someone trying to attack them, not that she could not handle herself, she would prefer to get through the town unnoticed. If her father''s men came as far as Kuramji, then it would be best to stay as hidden as possible. After looking at some of the locals, she could tell who the real criminals were and who were simple people trying to survive in such a rut. She could not help but feel sorry for some of the people she looked at; she knew they would break the law to provide food for themselves and their families. She noted to herself that the first thing she would do when she returned home would be to get into the kingdom''s politics and try to help the people living in such places. Evanna tried not to stray her eyes too far from what was in front of her; she felt the gazes on her, trying to reveal who or what was underneath her cloak. Before her, she saw Axel and Ger start to steer their horses onto the right side of the street towards an inn, "The Snake Pitt". Dread began to form in Evanna''s stomach, out of all the names of an inn, and it was called that. However, she knew it was just a name, most likely to keep to the town''s theme being known as dangerous. They dismounted and started to lead their horses towards the stables at the back of the inn. Once Evanna dropped down from Midknight, a gruff voice spoke from behind, "Now tha there is a beaut." Evanna stopped and turned around to face a weasel-like man, half his face was covered in ink, and the other was scarred from what looked to be burn marks. His eye on the scarred side was white, almost as if he was blind in that eye. "Scuse me?" Evanna said, putting a slight accent on. The man smirked at her failed attempt at covering her feminine voice. It was true she was just above average in height for a female, but the man noticed how small her hands were. He walked closer to her, his height towering over her own as he looked to the black horse and back down to her. Ger and Ronan stopped in their tracks, noticing the absence of Evanna behind them and turned back around to see a scene unfolding before them; a hostile looking man was getting close to her. They could not hear what was being said between them, but their body language told them everything. Just as they began to jog towards them, Evanna abruptly brought one of her swords out and pointed it up at the man''s throat. The two men were now standing behind her, gripping their sword''s handles as they heard the end of the conversation. "I said NO. If my blade is not threatening enough, maybe cutting off your ear will make a point." Evanna''s voice was horrifyingly calm as she uttered the sentence to the stranger. His eyes widened, and he took a couple steps back before turning away. The scene had caused more people to watch the newcomers, but now they were looking at them in fear. If ''Amon, the burnt'' had turned back from a fight, then the strangers must be more dangerous than him. The crowd that had formed nearby began to disperse, not wanting to be the next person to anger the lethal newcomers. Lowering her sword, she put it behind her before turning back around, she grabbed Midknight''s reins, and they continued walking towards the stables. Ger and Ronan followed without speaking a word until they were out of sight from the people of Kuramji. "What the hell happened?" They both said, their voices slightly elevated; they looked at each other then back at Evanna, waiting for an answer. She, on the other hand, ignored them as she stroked Midknight''s mane, the horse snorted at her, and she gave him a little peck just above his nose. Evanna felt a slight yank on her arm, jolting her out of her own thoughts; she twisted herself to see Ger holding it firmly. "What happened?" "He wanted my horse," She said coolly. Ger sighed, raking his hand through his hair, while Ronan behind him could not help but laugh in disbelief. "You really love your horse. I will not be getting in between you two anytime soon!" Ronan jested before making his way into the inn where Axel and Cilv entered, leaving Ger and Evanna with Midknight. He loosened his hold on her arm, then pulled her in for a hug; shocked, Evanna took a while before she placed her hands gently on his back, patting him, before stepping back. She glanced around to make sure nobody had been watching before looking back at his concerned face. He parted his lips, about to say something, but Evanna held her hand up to stop him. She knew he was going to scold her. "The people in this town were not happy with our presence. The man was testing me to see how far I would go. I made sure that they would think twice before trying anything." Ger was shocked with what she said, "How do you know all of this?", she shook her head in response. "I just did. A sort of gut feeling." "A gut feeling?" Ger said incredulously. "Yes. Trust me." He scanned her face and saw how serious she was; he decided to believe her. What she did was very uncharacteristic of her, so she must have sensed the danger around her. At least he knew what her response would be when the time would come; there were other dangers out there in the forest. Out of fight or flight, he knew indefinitely, she would fight. Chapter 18 - Voices After spending a few more minutes with Midknight, the pair decided to head inside "The Snake Pitt Inn", bringing their bags with them that the horses carried. On entering through the old, wooden door, the smell of ale and smoke filled the air. The loud chatter suddenly dropped as the people sitting at their tables, and the stools at the bar ahead stopped and looked at the two strangers who entered. They walked forwards, meeting the other three to the left side of the bar. The atmosphere gradually started getting loud again as the people continued with their own conversations. "I have spoken to the innkeeper. They had two rooms left. We can drop our stuff off, grab a bite to eat before heading back out," Axel spoke to the two who had just caught up with them. He turned back around and led the way through a set of doors on the far left of the bar. The group followed behind him; once they were through the doors, they followed a narrow corridor until they saw some wooden stairs that creaked under the group''s sudden weight ascending it. Once they were on the landing, Axel unlocked the first door on the right before handing a key to Cilv, who walked to the next door further along the corridor. Evanna already guessed that she would be sharing a room with Cilv and followed behind her. On entering the small room, she saw one double bed in the middle of the room; a dining chair was placed across from the bed in the corner, along with a wooden bathtub. Evanna''s eyes looked longingly at the tub; that would be the first thing she did when they were back from the black market. For now, the girls put their bags down on the bed and met the others outside of their room. The group went back down to the bar area and luckily found a table just to the right side of the double doors they entered through. As they took their seats, Axel went to speak to the man behind the bar before sitting down with the rest. "That was quite the show out there", Cilv spoke in a low voice; although it was loud, they did not want to risk anyone overhearing their conversations. The group had unintentionally leaned in, placing their arms on the round table, so they could hear each other. Evanna could not help but shrug in response; she already explained herself to Ger, and it did not seem like now was the best time to discuss it. Cilv smiled at her reaction, "I found it quite entertaining, although spilling a bit of blood would have taught him a lesson" Her eyes glinted dangerously. "We need to lay low until we are out of this miserable town," Axel grumbled; just as he finished speaking, workers from the inn had made their way to their table, the group leaned back as bowls of broth and bread was placed in front of them. Cilv made a face of disgust after smelling the food, her sense of smell was powerful, and although the food was warm, she could tell it was hours old. She left the broth and just ate the bread, though she preferred fresh meat and fish mainly over anything else. Everyone else ate the food without complaint, and once they were done, they drank the water they asked for before making their way back out of the inn. Outside of The Snakes Pitt Inn, the wind picked up as dark clouds started to fill the sky, hiding the sun. They picked up their pace and walked across the street, wondering if it was going to rain. As they continued down the road across from them, they then began to weave in and out of different streets that Evanna would never have remembered if she were by herself. Axel led the way, as usual; she took a guess that he had been to the market before. Their footsteps could be heard as the mud they were walking on started to squelch from the many footprints that were left pushed into the ground. They then followed an alley that curved around until finally, there in front of them was a huge opening with many stalls and tents scattered about. Just as the others started to step forwards, Evanna stopped, a soft pure voice started singing a lullaby from behind her. Looking to her right side, she saw an alley, taking a step towards that direction, the voice became louder. Her mind started to cloud over, her eyes staring in a trance as she started walking in the direction of the alley. Her body began to sense that something was wrong, but the delightful singing voice then smoothed out any doubts from her head and her gut, along with making the surrounding sounds vanish. Taking another step, she was now at the entrance of the street where the voice was; she frowned as another voice seemed to find its way into her head. She could not quite understand it. But she felt like she knew this voice; a slight ringing then started to sound in her ear, making her flinch. All of a sudden, she felt someone grab her arm roughly and pull her away from the alley. Evanna outstretched her hand in the direction where she could still hear the beautiful singing voice, yet, the further she got away from the passage, the ringing noise grew as the singing started to subside. Awareness began to flow back into her mind like a fog was slowly sliding away from her eyes. Evanna gasped as the voice evaporated; she was brought around to face Ger, who now held her by the shoulders. "What the fuck, Eva-" "Raven" Ger glared at Ronan''s interruption; he was too angry to care about her stupid nickname. He had been walking with the others to then realise that Evanna was not behind him but walking in the opposite direction towards a dark alley. He was scowling at her; he did not care if she was a princess. Her naivety could have cost her. "I did not know what I was doing, I just heard this voice and then all my senses.. they just.. vanished," her voice came out small; she did not like the way Ger was looking at her right now. She felt like a child. He took a sharp breath in, his eyes widening, immediately blaming himself for not being more vigilant. "Witches. What would they want with you?" Ronan whisper shouted at them as he looked around the market. Evanna''s eyes widened at what Ronan said, and she looked directly at Ger, who was staring back at her. "Ger, stay behind her. Ronan flank her side, Cilv.." Axel looked around; Cilv was nowhere in sight. He raised his hand to the bridge of his nose, eyes closed as his frustration grew at the woman who just suddenly left. "For fu-. Ughhhh...I will lead the way. Just do not bring any attention to yourselves. And try not to look like her bodyguards because that will put a price on her head" Axel sighed exasperatedly, he did not usually lose his cool, but with Evanna already almost being taken by witches, for reasons unknown. Then Cilv taking her leave; he was feeling incredibly frustrated. He reminded himself again, that once they had the map, they could leave. Chapter 19 - The Black Market The group made their way forwards and started to walk among the many stalls and tents. Evanna became excited by everything she saw, darting from stall to stall with wide eyes. She was amazed as she looked between them; there were so many things that she could not help but explore. The men were trying to keep up with her without trying to cause too much attention; luckily, the market was consistently busy, there were always people looking for banned items. On one stall, in particular, Evanna tilted her head to the side as she saw human organs in some jars, and next to them, there looked to be some form of potions in glass containers. She only guessed they were potions as steam came out from the top of the dark liquids. Ronan, at this point, grabbed her hand and gently pulled her away; she looked at him questioningly, who only shook his head in response. Once they were further away, he leaned his head close to her ear as he whispered, "Only you would find fascination at an organ and potion table. Did the warning from earlier not teach you to stay clear from witches? And who in their right minds would want to look at organs!?" Evanna giggled, "I have never seen organs before and are you not curious to know what the potions were for?" "No, my curious cat. I did not. I prefer to keep my life, thank you very much," He replied, still smiling as he assessed the area around them. It was then, Evanna noticed that they were still holding hands. She slowly slipped her hand out as she looked away at another table, pretending to take an interest in the merchandise so he would not see the small blush that crept up her cheeks. Her experience with men touching her was nil; she only felt comfortable with the occasional hug from Ger, who felt more like a brother to her. She kept her eyes trained on the stalls and the surroundings, the moment passed, and her shoulders started to relax again. They continued for the next hour searching through different stalls; sometimes, Axel led the way, and most of the time, it was Evanna inspecting the various illegal items for sale. Jewellery or a newly fitted dress would be a treat to any lady; however, as her companions now knew, she was not like most women. Her preferences were of the weird and wonderful; books and parchments that could not be found back at the Kingdom of Dunhurst. Approaching another stall, Axel stepped forwards and started investigating the many parchments. While he was checking for the map of Direwood forest, Evanna''s gaze fell on a book written in Muranthian. It was a history book about the Kingdom of Lyvaria; she grabbed it and opened the first page to inspect the contents. "This ain''t a library. Buy it or piss off," The merchant moaned at her. She closed the book immediately and placed it back. Beside her, Axel picked up a parchment, his eyes lit up, and he went to talk to the seller. While they were haggling on the map''s price, Evanna started to walk to the far end of the stall. A small glimmering light came from a glass jar; as she walked towards it, she noticed that inside the jar was a tiny creature sitting down. The closer she got, the more prominent its features she could see. It was a blonde-haired fairy; she sat down with her hands around her knees. Evanna stood right in front of the jar; she crouched down, so she was sitting on the back of her heels, staring in wonder at the little woman with her golden hair and wings. This was her first time meeting a fairy; she did not even know they existed outside fairy tales. "This ain''t a circus either, buy or scram!" The small fat man with his thinning hair said. Evanna frowned; the fairy looked so sad. She could see little smudge marks on the jar from where more than likely it had been hitting her fists against the glass. Standing back up, she could see that there was only one small hole at the top to help her breath. "Why do you have a fairy?" She enquired; the merchant narrowed his eyes suspiciously but came forwards. Axel had paid him now, holding the map in his hand while he waited patiently with Ger, standing behind her. "A lot of the nobles like to have them as a sort of decoration in their house. Witches also like to have them, I guess, to use in potions. Seeing as you don''t look like a noble or a witch and are asking questions, I take it you are only here sightseeing. Now bugger off!" Evanna crossed her arms, becoming infuriated by how this man was speaking to her. She had been to her fair share of markets, pretending to be a peasant, but the merchants were not usually this rude. Somebody needed to teach him some manners. "I was very much interested in buying it, but seeing as you have no interest in selling to anyone but a noble or a witch, then I will be on my way" Evanna started to walk away. "Wait, wait! My apologies, miss, please ask away. I am but your humble servant, Maurice" The merchant, named Maurice, scrambled forwards, worried he had lost a potential customer. Evanna grinned; looking up at Ronan, she saw a mischievous glint flash across his eyes, one corner of his mouth turned upwards. Composing herself, she turned back to the merchant with an annoyed expression. "Hmmm, why are fairies used as decorations? Do they not have magical powers?" She asked as she went back to look down at the fairy. Her heart tightened every time she looked at the little fairy''s demoralized face, yet her own face showed boredom at the topic. "Technically, yes, the fairies have powers. Depending on where my hunters find them also depends on the type of fairy we have on display.." "You mean to say there are different types of fairies?" "Oh yes, we have been capturing them for years now. My stall is the best in the business!" Maurice proudly announced, making Evanna dislike the man even more. This man had been stealing fairies from their homes, all so some nobles can have a decoration?! "This fairy, however, is one of the fi fi clan. She cannot really do much other than glow in the dark and make flowers. I sell her kind as a sort of mantelpiece or a candle. As long as you feed her and give her water, she will live with you forever." He continued. The more this man spoke, the more she felt like slapping him, talking as though the little fairy did not have feelings. Her hands fisted as she kept her temper at bay. She leaned in closer to the jar, as she did, the fairy looked up from her position and stared straight back at Evanna. She began to open her mouth, but the merchant banged the top of the jar, making the fairy cower and cover her ears. Evanna''s eyes burnt at what she saw in front of her, her vision blurry as she tried to calm down. ~ Help me, please ~ A feminine voice suddenly sounded in her head, speaking in Muranthian. Evanna stared back down at the fairy, realising it was her who had spoken to her. With a single nod of her head, she showed the fairy she understood her and would relieve her of her imprisonment. "How much?" She asked. The merchant''s face lit up at her question. "Raven, we do not have time for this.." Ger interrupted from behind her. He placed his hand on her back as he leaned in to speak to her. She swatted his hand away, annoyed that he did not care about the creature in front of her. Behind him, she could see Axel nearly bouncing on his feet, looking slightly anxious as he kept glancing around. The sky had started to become dark, indicating that it was almost evening. She looked back at Ronan to see if he agreed with them, but Maurice''s voice interrupted her by saying, "200 gold coins", Evanna stilled at his response. "200, you have to be kidding me, man?!" Ronan roared. "I certainly am not. This here is a fairy, young man. They are hard to catch, and people pay a lot for them." "Raven, let''s go", Ger interrupted again, making Evanna turn around and glare at him before turning back to the merchant. "100 gold coins", She bargained, she had enough money on her, but she did not want to give any to the worthless man in front of her. He laughed at her, "200, darling." "120, peasant" At her words, Ronan snorted and looked the other way, trying not to laugh, while the man in front of them started to go red at her remark. "I see we will not be getting anywhere. Stop wasting my time!" He yelled back at them. Evanna was about to argue with the man, but Ger grabbed her by the arm and started walking away with her from the table. "What are you doing?" She protested. Ronan and Axel followed behind them. "I told you we do not have time. Prioritise what is important. Your mother or a fairy." Ger stared hard at her face, his patience wearing thin. He knew he was harsh with her, but the black market had the rest of them on edge, and even after what happened earlier with the witches almost ensnaring her, she was still too naive to realise the attention she was bringing to her. Not only was she bartering with a merchant, but as she did so, people were paying more attention to her appearance. He noticed their eyes scrutinizing the garments she wore. She may be wearing a cloak and swords, but everything she wore showed that she had money. The material was not cheap. People were starting to suspect she was more than what appeared before them. Evanna looked down before yanking her arm away from Ger''s grasp and walked back the way she came, passing the stall with the fairy, her body tensing as she left the creature to its cruel fate. The men followed her; they seemed to visibly relax after realising that she was leading them back towards the exit. They had the map, which was what they had come to the black market for; this was not a vacation, they were in unknown territory, and any problems would slow them down in getting the gemstone for her mother. Evanna scolded herself for letting herself get carried away with the little shopping trip she began to see the day as. Lost in her own thoughts, she did not hear the yelling or the commotion coming from behind her. It was only until she felt a hand roughly grab at her cloak that she snapped out of her reverie. She knew straight away; it was not one of her companions. Immediately she grabbed one of her swords and spun around to point it at her attacker. "You stole the fairy!" The merchant from the stall yelled angrily at her, not paying attention to the sword that she was pointing down at his chest. "Why would I steal it if I was willing to pay for it?" She counteracted; it was then she noticed the arrogance on Maurice''s face. Why was he not bothered by her blade pointed at him? Where were her so-called guards? Evanna spotted behind the man Ronan, Ger and Axel fighting two huge bold men. Raising her sword, she positioned it to his neck, regaining his attention to the steel cutting into his throat. Blood started to slide down his neck from the slight pressure she was applying. The man still did not yield, yet, his eyes shone with malice. She wondered if it was because he thought his men would make it to them before she would cause any real harm towards him. "Give. It. Back. And your friends won''t be harmed" He spat back at her, she narrowed her eyes at him, then before she could do anything else, the man''s hair was grabbed, and a knife was also placed against his neck. The hand around the knife was none other than Ger''s, who stood behind him, looking dishevelled with a cut lip. "The lady said she did not take it. I suggest you take your leave before we take your life," Ger spoke menacingly. Axel and Ronan now stood next to Evanna, holding their weapons ready as they continued to survey their surroundings. Evanna looked past Maurice and Ger to see that the men who attacked the guys were now lying down in the wet mud. "Okay, okay, no harm, no foul!" Maurice raised his hands in surrender; although he had surrendered, his eyes still shone with rage. Evanna put her sword behind her back once again. Ger removed his blade from the man''s throat before dragging him back and shoving him behind them. After regaining his balance, Maurice darted back towards his men, kicking both of them in the head to get up. "What do I even pay you for?!" She heard him scream at them. One corner of her mouth pulled up in a smile, it was true she did not steal the fairy, but she was glad to see her men were not harmed, or well, not severely harmed. She looked up to see that all three of them were flushed in the face, excitement glowing in their eyes along with cuts and bruises showing on their faces. "Is everyone okay?" She asked, trying to assess them all for any further injuries. "Let''s just get out of here", Axel suggested; Evanna agreed, though she wished she had actually taken the fairy from those vulgar men. As they started to walk away from the black market, Cilv suddenly appeared beside Evanna, her hood covered most of her face, but her long auburn hair stood out. Evanna had to look twice at the figure next to her, relaxing when she realised it was Cilv, who smirked back at the princess. "Hey, no fair! I keep missing out on all the fun!" Cilv pouted, though her eyes were gleaming. The guys looked back at her as though it was her own fault that she kept ''missing out on all the fun.'' But they never said a word, the only indication of annoyance came from Ger, who narrowed his eyes at her. "Maybe next time you can stay with us, and you can join in with the fun", Evanna smirked as she responded back to Cilv. Ger looked back, shock written over his face at her response. Cilv laughed; maybe it wasn''t so bad exploring with the princess, she seemed to be getting into a lot of mischief already, and it was only their second day together. "As fun as it has been, there was too much attention on us today", Axel grumbled, not bothering to turn back around as he led the group back through the darkened streets to the inn. Chapter 20 - Getting Settled When the group arrived at The Snake Pitt Inn, they decided they would need to eat before calling it a night; they had a long journey from tomorrow, and there would be no more inns between Kuramji and Direwood forest. Finding themselves a table, Ronan went to the bar to order food, and he returned with three pints. "And what would the two lovely ladies want to drink?" "You call this one lovely?" Ger smirked as he looked at Cilv, who returned a glare. "Wine for me, ''Roach, ''" Cilv mocked; Ronan rolled his eyes then looked over at Evanna, who was not paying attention to the chatter. She seemed to be eyeing the pint in Ger''s hand. "Raven?" Ronan asked hesitantly; Evanna reached her hand out to grab the pint from Ger, who had lifted the metal tankard to his mouth. He paused when he saw Evanna looking intently at the drink. Sighing, Ger passed it over to her, knowing too well that she would not like it. He did not even think she drank wine before; if she had, it would be ten times better than what could be found here. Evanna brought the tankard to her lips, and she took a sip tentatively. Ronan and Axel leaned forwards as they once again were watching this very odd princess drink. Their perception of a princess must surely be wrong if she kept surprising them while Ger watched her like it was an everyday occurrence. The moment she drank from the tankard, the liquid hit her tongue then her throat as the slightly warm drink went down. Her stomach churned at the unwelcome liquid; she stopped herself from gagging. "Ugh, that is absolutely disgusting. How can you drink that?" Her face scrunched up out of distaste as she placed her hand on her mouth. Everyone, including Cilv, burst out laughing at the princess. "We never said you should", Axel blurted out in between laughing. "I think I will stick to water." "No wine?" Cilv enquired, smirking. Evanna''s face started going somewhat red from the embarrassment. She could not help but want to try anything that she could not get when she was back at the palace. Even when she visited other royals or nobles, attending their banquets or balls, there was always water and wine being served. Not that she accepted the wine, she was too young when she attended the gatherings. She has, however, been told that the wine they get in the palace is of top quality, as is expected of royalty: nothing but the best for King Osian Goodrich. "No", Was all she responded; at this, Axel put his arm around her shoulder, giving it a small pat. What seemed small to him made her nearly fall forwards; the man was such a giant. "Aww, lassie, you done well. Don''t look so down. I like your spirit!" He said; Evanna smiled up at his face, comforted by his huge form, she started to realise she was looking at him as a father figure. Not that his age was anywhere near her father''s, he seemed to have a caring, protective nature who took charge. Or maybe it was just because of the beard. He already, with ease, took on the role as leader of the group; she wondered if that was his role when he was out monster-slaying with the other two men. Not long after Ronan brought back the ladies drinks, did the food arrive at the table. This time there was chicken, some vegetables and bread on the side; Cilv did not hold back this time, too hungry to complain. She had quite the day, herself, today. Even though she separated from the group at the black market, she was more relaxed in exploring the stalls without the keen eye of Ger. She did make a few quick getaways, as was her usual reaction to any object not kept under constant surveillance. However, Cilv knew she would not be able to resell them anytime soon, what with the quest they were on, so she stole the bare minimum that she could carry, knowing that she would definitely be returning to Kuramji in the future. After finishing her meal and her wine, she quickly excused herself and went up to the room. "Does anybody else get the feeling that she acts a little forced to be with us?" Ronan spoke up his thoughts about the woman once she left through the double doors. "Not our fault you were shocking in bed", Axel retorted; Ger burst out laughing as he put his pint back down, trying not to spill it, while Evanna covered her mouth, trying not to laugh. Evanna was starting to feel more relaxed with the guys she sat with; their quick banter was something she was not used to. In fact, she was not used to a lot of socialising outside of her family, servants and Ger, unless it were a ball she needed to attend to, though the conversations she were typically in were very dry and dull. Ronan acted hurt at Axel''s comment, dramatically placing his hand on his chest, his mouth agape. The men then quickly changed the topic; after realising Evanna was still at the table, they began talking about some of the adventures they had been on before instead. After a while, the inn became more scarce as customers started to leave or go to their rooms. But they continued on with their stories, and Evanna listened eagerly. They then started animatedly telling her about the time they came across a monster with two heads, one on the front and one at the back. Making it quite hard for them to try any sneak attacks, once the beast had fallen, they were paid extremely well as it had been terrorising the town for decades. "Wow", Evanna said in fascination; her elbows were on the table as she leaned her chin in her hands while looking at each of their young faces in awe, "And this monster.. where was it slain?" "I believe that was in Tigby?" Ronan replied, "No, that was the Scarrow monster, a similar town but different place, Helia?" Axel said as he started scratching at his beard on his face in thought. "Not Helia that''s too close to Lyvaria; their lands are very clear of monsters. I think it was Quantya," Ger responded before taking another sip from his drink. "These places, they are all past Lyvaria?" Evanna asked, still in wonder at the places they had been to, the things they had seen and the monsters or creatures they must have come across. "I already sense the little explorer in you", Ronan chuckled, "Yes, the towns we have mentioned are the other side of Lyvaria. There are still so many places we have not seen, but we were on a mission to make a name for ourselves. I am sure in the future we can see them without there being any havoc." They were on a quest now, but once her mother would be better, she knew she would want to explore the other lands. She wondered how long it would take to get to those other lands; the guys said they did not need to venture too far into Direwood forest. However, she stopped herself from thinking too far ahead, her future was still unknown, and she had a gut feeling that her father would not be letting her out of his sight once she returned. "Can you show me the map, Axel?" She asked; Axel downed the last part of his pint before responding, "I will show you upstairs. This is no place to speak openly about our plans." Evanna nodded her head before standing up with him but stopped walking when she suddenly sensed someone watching them. Her head moved in the direction where she felt their gaze, her own eyes searching the tables across from them until they landed on a dark figure in the corner of the room. Their hood covered their features; the only detail she could make out was their long white locks that cascaded down their chest. A shiver went up her spine as she realised, they did not move their head from her direction. She tilted her own curiously, she usually would ignore people watching her, but there was something about this being that made her stare back. A hand slapped onto her shoulder lightly, snapping her out of her locked gaze, blinking; she turned her head back to see Ger also standing up now while Ronan finished the last of his drink. They once again started to follow Axel. Evanna did not look back at the figure in the corner for fear of possibly causing any more problems for the group. There was a brooding aura that came from them, and staring at this person could cause them to act out irrationally, especially in a place such as The Snake Pitt Inn. Chapter 21 - The Map Once they made it up the stairs, Evanna followed Axel into their room which was the equivalent to her own. There was a double bed, not even three beds for them; she wondered who would sleep on the chair or the floor. They all sat on the sides of the double bed as Axel grabbed the map and slid it open on the top of the sheets. Ger seized one of the lit candles on the side and brought it forwards so that they could look at the map. Evanna leaned forwards to see how big the forest was; it truly was magnificent, a river seemed to weave itself in and out of different parts of the forest. She wondered if this was the river Stye that flowed passed her palace. The cartographer who produced it put a lot of detail into the drawing, even showing the different colouring and types of trees. "The road we are taking tomorrow will lead us to here" Axel placed his finger at a spot near the start of the forest, "It will take us about four days to get there. Kuramji is the closest town to Direwood forest. This inn is the last comfort we will have for quite some time. It took us nearly three weeks to get through the forest, and that was on the outskirts. We need to go completely through it, so I am unsure how long it will take to get to the Flori''s location. But I do know from asking around that the Flori live around this area" He moved his finger in a circular motion near the middle of the forest to indicate nowhere too specific. Still, the river passed through there, making it a waypoint to follow. "The cartographer, do you think they have explored the whole of Direwood?" Evanna asked; she was somewhat dubious that anyone would be able to do that, considering the horror stories she seemed to keep being warned about. "I believe the cartographer could have been an elf of the Flori. Although the map here is not written in Muranthian, on the right corner here-" Axel pointed again, "there is a tiny little symbol in white/ silver ink. It is the Flori flag. There were quite a few maps of Direwood today. However, I knew that a lot of them could not be trusted. Like you just asked, how could we know for certain that the map was not a counterfeit. That little symbol at the top is the distinction between a fake and the real map." Evanna leaned back again to look at the barely-there ink that showed the Flori flag. It was quite simple. There was a white tree with twisted roots going up the middle, and a few stars above the tree with a crescent moon. Underneath the tree, there was some tiny writing in Muranthian. "* Our strength lies within the roots,*" She spoke the words out loud as she traced her finger along with the cursive writing. The guys looked at her expectantly, "Our strength lies within the roots," She translated it for them. "I thought it sounded good in Muranthian. But I won''t lie, that is quite a slogan," Ronan said as he looked at Evanna in awe again. Whenever she spoke in the elven tongue, he could not help it; he got goosebumps. Her voice was so soft and sultry; it made him want her to speak to him in Muranthian all the time, even if he could not understand it. Ger nudged him in the ribs harshly. He did not realise he had been looking at her face, staring most likely; she was a beautiful woman with appealing qualities, he could not help it. Evanna felt the stares on her face after she had once again revealed how fluent she was in Muranthian. Clearing her throat, she stood up. "Thank you for showing me. It is getting late. I should get back to my room" Evanna did not register earlier that she had entered a room with three men, easily, without thought. If the nobles saw her now, she could not even think of the dirty lies they would spread about her. Shaking her head, she wished them all a good night and left the room, shutting the door quietly behind her. As soon as she entered her own room, she stopped walking; shock flew across her face. In front of her was Cilv naked in the bathtub, without using the room divider to keep herself hidden. Evanna hastily turned around and closed the door, locking it. Cilv chuckled at the princess''s bashfulness. She did not care if she saw her naked; she was about six years older than the girl and had long been used to and comfortable about her own body. "Did you not want the divider in between, so you have more privacy?" The princess asked. Cilv sighed; her privacy was long gone when she knew she would be sharing a room with her. Even though she tended to stick to herself, this was just simply something she was not concerned with. She had washed in rivers and lakes before, not caring who saw; most people would look away or scowl frustratingly at her lewdness. "No, princess", Was all she said as she closed her eyes again, enjoying the warmth of the water, clearing her mind of the intruder to her alone time. Evanna walked past and sat down on the bed, trying to keep her eyes away from Cilv; she knew from the expression on her face that she did not want to keep talking. The silence, however, made her feel awkward. So she searched through her bag for her book; on opening it, she felt more content once she started to read about the different creatures that could be found in Direwood forest. After some time, she found herself cross-legged, sitting on the bed as she leant against the wall, book in hand. By this point, her cloak, weapons and boots were slung on the side as she sat more comfortably. She did not know how long she sat reading for or how long Cilv had been in the bath before she arrived. But she guessed not very long as the steam rose out from it when she entered through the door earlier. Evanna looked up abruptly after hearing the water slosh slightly out of the bathtub, she did not mean to look, but her gaze stayed fixated on Cilv''s back as she began climbing out of the tub. Her back was covered in scars. The long pale lines looked like claw marks, scattered in different places along her back. She even noticed what looked to be a bite mark near the end of her shoulder. "Did no one teach you that it is rude to stare, Evanna?" Cilv said coldly, her back still facing her as she brought a towel around her body. Evanna quickly looked down, ashamed at being caught looking at her. "I am sorry, Cilv. I did not mean to. I hope I have not made you feel uncomfortable," She replied as she looked at the closed book in her hand. Cilv laughed, making her look back up in surprise. "I am just joking. The scars..they do not bother me. It was a long time ago." "What happened? If you do not mind me asking?" Cilv looked over at Evanna''s innocent face; though she loved playing with people, she just did not have it in her to tell her a part of her dark past. "As I said, it was a long time ago. You should get the innkeeper to refill the tub," Cilv murmured, averting her gaze as she once again stood naked, the towel on the floor as she started to get changed in front of Evanna. Evanna moved her eyes away; she knew Cilv would not tell her what happened. She was a very closed off person. Maybe with time and possibly a friend could help heal some of her wounds, not the ones on her back but the ones placed with distrust in her heart. Even if Ger and the guys did not really like her, she could only guess what the woman must have been through to live off stealing and behaving the way she did towards others. If their roles were reversed, she wondered if she would be the same as Cilv was. But that, she would never know. Chapter 22 - Trouble **** Trigger Warning **** If you are a reader with certain triggers, please be aware the first part of this chapter contains sexual assault themes, read at your own discretion or skip until you see these: *** ---------------------------------------- Evanna was soaking in the bath, the wooden room divider by her side, hiding herself from Cilv. Unlike her, she was not so open with her body; it was only Maggie who had seen her naked without embarrassment. Cilv was the equivalent to an acquaintance, and even if they were friends, she would still bathe behind a divider or, more comfortably, a wall. Sighing, she finally got out of the now slightly cold water; after drying herself off, she put her clothes back on, except for the dark blue top and her boots, leaving her in her breeches and black shirt. Evanna pouted as she walked towards the right side of the bed with her clothes in hand; she really did miss having a night-chemise to sleep freely in bed, though she loved her outfit for the day time, it was very restricting for bed. Cilv was sprawled out on the left side of the bed, seeming more comfortable with her now than when they were meant to share a tent. Evanna walked over to Cilv''s side to grab the jug of water placed on the side table. She found herself parched after the hot bath. As she started to pour the jug into the cleaner glass, she found it empty. "Oops, sorry, princess.. I got thirsty," Cilv exclaimed, masking a giggle at Evanna''s annoyed face. Grabbing her boots, she quickly slipped them on before grabbing the jug to take down to the bar. She huffed as she looked back at Cilv while taking the jug with her outside of the room. Evanna heard the woman giggle as she closed the door. She shook her head before making her way down the stairs towards the now quiet bar. As she stood at the bar, she quickly got the innkeeper''s attention; passing the jug over, she asked for it to be filled up with water. The man snatched it reluctantly and left behind a door. She did not notice from earlier where they needed to go to get water; maybe it was easier to serve the alcohol provided? Evanna leant her arms onto the bar as she patiently waited, ignoring the gazes she felt on her back. Though she did not realise they were the gazes of three men that had been humiliated earlier that day in the black market. "Well, well, wellˇ­ Look who it isˇ­" Evanna''s eyes widened; she recognised that voice. She turned around to see the man from the market who accused her of stealing the jar with the fairy in. He was standing next to the two bearded men who towered over them, both with muscles and veins protruding from their arms. One was bold with a scar going from his right ear and across his mouth to the opposite side of his face. While the man on his right had short brown hair and a scar running across his neck like a knife had slit his throat before. Evanna soon caught on that she was not in the best position to take on three men. It took Ger, Ronan and Axel to take down just the two of them earlier. Keeping her body relaxed and her face neutral, she tried not to appear aggressive in the hopes of not needing to fight. "I did not steal from you, Sir." They began to slowly walk towards her. So much for not fighting, she thought. On reflex, she went to grab her swords from behind her back, only to find them missing. Her eyes widened again; she removed them earlier, not thinking she would leave the room until the morning. Their eyes glistened after watching her pause her action after realising that she had no weapon on her. "Grab her," Maurice spat. The two men by his side came forward, reaching their hands out. She instinctively punched the bold man in the face who''s jaw barely moved and only seemed to make him angry. Stepping back promptly, she grabbed a stool from behind her and smacked the legs of it in between the other man''s legs. He groaned but still managed to grab one of the legs as she tried to pull it back, ripping it away from her hands and throwing the stool behind him; the bold man then smacked her in the face. The force was hard enough for her vision to go blurry for a couple of seconds. In that small amount of time, they grabbed both her arms and dragged her away from the bar. Leading her around the corner, to the far left. Maurice then came back into view and said chillingly, "You know.. there are other ways to pay me.. you have such a beautiful face.. and a beautiful body" He grabbed her cheeks roughly in one hand. His tongue darted across his lower lip as his eyes moved from her face and down to her chest. Her body froze, eyes widening as her stomach churned at his words. She felt like she was going to throw up. The bold man on her right arm then grabbed her rear end harshly and leant down to smell her hair before saying, "And a fine ass too!". The men barked out, laughing. She recoiled in horror, her heart pounding loudly as adrenaline started to pump through her veins, her palms becoming sweaty as fear was setting in. Maurice then nodded his head to his men to take her into one of the private rooms across from them, leaving Maurice to walk behind them. The man on her left then loosened his grip on her arm to go open the door. In that split second, she remembered the dagger her mother brought her, sheathed behind her back on her belt. She used the opportunity to free her hand and grab the knife, turning around instantly to stab the man still holding her. He was quick enough to seize her hand, holding the knife before it made contact with his chest; he then kneed her in the stomach. Her body crouched forwards as her breath left her harshly from the force of his knee. He pulled his arm back, ready to hit her again, but a scuffle from behind him made him pause. A loud, banging noise then made everyone stop. The next thing Evanna sees is the bold man holding her, being pulled away, his grip on her hand loosened, releasing her. Without thinking twice, she straightened back up from her winded position she was in and turned around, instantaneously dodging a fist that flew at her. She swiped her dagger in front of her that scraped the other man on the face as he jumped back, leaving a cut under his eye. But before he could try anything, she kicked him hard enough in the stomach for him to fall back through the door and into the room behind him. She did not know where the other two men were, but she needed to at least take this man down before the others returned. Walking into the room, the man with the neck scar had just pulled himself off from the now collapsed table on the floor. He wiped his cheek from where her blade left a cut. As he did, his face scrunched up in anger before charging at her and tackling her to the floor. Within the next second, her head smacked on the ground with a loud thump making the outskirts of her vision go dark. Her mind was groggy; her thoughts were not clear as she tried to think about what to do. The man on top of her then wrapped his massive hand around her throat, constricting her breathing. He then used his other hand to roam across her body before groping her chest. Her eyes started to water, and her heart began to pound loud in her ears; she tried to use her hands to claw his off of her. His other hand then started to go down towards the top of her breaches; the first button was being pulled open. Panic coursed through her. She looked to the side and saw her dagger on the floor. Reaching out, she grabbed the dagger, and as she went to move it from its position on the floor, she suddenly felt increasing pain in her wrist. Making her release the blade. Her heart sank as dread filled her while she looked back to her outstretched hand and saw a boot leaning on top of her wrist. The second button on her breaches was now undone; tears were now falling silently down her face. "Get up", A deep voice resounded in the small room. Glancing up, Evanna sees a sword pointed at the man on top of her. He slowly removes himself from her with his hands raised up. Within a second, the hilt of the sword smacked him hard in the face, making him fall to the ground, and his eyes move to the back of his head before they closed. Evanna gasped from the release on her neck. She breathed in deeply, trying not to choke on the rush of oxygen that came down her compressed throat. "* I should kill you all, but death is too easy, *" The same voice snarled. The boot placed on her wrist stepped back. Still a bit shaken, she started to button up her breeches. Yet, she felt a bit safer, considering the person who rescued her had not made a move towards her. Shaking her head, she forced herself into motion, swiftly getting up from the ground and placing her dagger back in its sheath as she looked at the man on the floor before turning around. Taking another deep breath in, she tried to calm her erratic heart. *** Her eyes finally rested on the man who had saved her. His long white hair fell down to his chest in front of him, and he had these startling blue eyes that seemed to pierce through her own. Before she could drink any more of his appearance in, he started to turn away and leave the area. Evanna quickly made her way out of the room and stepped over the two other bodies on the floor, following the white-haired stranger to the front of the inn. Before the man clasped his hand on the door to exit the inn, she reached out and grabbed his arm. His body tensed at the contact, seeming to already know who it was before he turned to face her. It was then that she noticed the pointed ears that stuck out moderately from his hair. He was an elf. His face hardened after seeing where her eyes drew to, and he started to turn back. "Thin-era" She thanked him quickly in his native language, the word rolling off her tongue easily. His shocked face turned back to look at her before a mask of composure fell over his features. He nodded his head once before grabbing the door harshly and left. Evanna stood there dazed, forgetting about the bodies lying on the floor. Her hand then unconsciously went up to her hair as she started to pat it down and in place, when suddenly an incredulous voice from behind her shouted, "WHAT HAPPENED HERE!?" She jumped before turning back around to face an angry innkeeper, holding the jug of water and looking down at his customers on the floor. He took a double-take at them, making sure they were still breathing. She feigned innocence and responded, "They must have had too much to drink". Shrugging nonchalantly. Evanna did not know how she appeared so calm. Walking back to the innkeeper, she quickly grabbed the jug of water and started to make her way towards the double doors that led back to the rooms. Just as she made it to the doors, she heard the front doors to the inn burst open. Looking behind her, she saw five hooded men walk in the direction of where the men on the floor were before the doors closed, hiding the view from sight. Chapter 23 - Cold Baths Evanna walked back up the stairs to her room with the newly replaced water in the jug. Opening the door, she found Cilv sprawled out on the bed lazily, stretching like a cat. "What happened to you?" She smirked at Evanna''s dishevelled appearance. Ignoring her question, she walked towards the side table where she last left her glass. Grabbing the drink of water, she gulped it down thirstily; the bath and the little brawl she just had left her mouth extremely dry. However, instead of feeling better from rehydrating, she only felt pain shooting down her throat. Her hand shot out and lightly grabbed her throat, causing her to make a slight hissing sound. Her mind then started to catch up with her. Images flashed across her eyes as she realised that she would have been in a far worse state if the elf had not intervened. She shuddered at the thought of almost being raped. Telling the innkeeper about something that almost happened would have only brought shame to her, and she knew that he would not have believed her. There were three men, two of them huge, lying on the floor, three against one, the one being a woman, who would believe a woman able to defeat them. Her anger began to flare at the thought of the three worthless scum in the inn below, getting away with trying to assault her. HER! Princess Evanna Goodrich. She scoffed at herself; her title meant nothing. They tried to assault a lady because they knew they could get away with it. They were to roam freely and possibly do the same thing again to another person. It didn''t matter if she did steal from them or not! Her body started to shake from the turmoil within, her free hand clenched tightly. She knew, though, that if they were in any other place, the elf would have taken their lives. And she would have relished in it. "Evannaˇ­" Cilv''s voice floated across her ears, bringing her back to the present from her jumbled thoughts. She jumped at how close Cilv was to her. "Evanna, what happened? I have been calling your name for a couple of minutes now" All signs of jest were gone from her face as she looked over the princess''s startled appearance. "I-I, um, the-." She cleared her throat after hearing herself stutter. "The man from the market today showed up. He still accused me of stealing and took the law into his own hands. They wanted to.. They tried toˇ­" Her voice broke at the end. Cilv gasped, grabbing her arms lightly as she checked her all over for any signs of injury; her eyes then landed at Evanna''s neck. Evanna covered her face then sighed before continuing, "I was fortunate to have someone turn up when they did", She concluded. Stepping away from Cilv, she walked to the front of the bed and sat down, holding the goblet of water in one hand. "Did you want something stronger?" Cilv asked, glancing at the goblet in her hands; she did not know what to do for her. Evanna shook her head as Cilv came forward and sat next to her. But before she could try and comfort the princess, Evanna stood back up. She walked towards the bathtub and started stripping, not caring this time about Cilv being in the same room as her. "Evannaˇ­" Evanna climbed into the cold bathwater and ducked her head under the surface; the cold was a welcome feeling. It made her forget the feeling of their hands on her. She then felt some hands gently pull her by her shoulders so that her head came out of the water. She tensed at the sudden contact as her eyes gaped open, the water from her hair trickling down her face. "Evanna, it is just me. I am sorry, I panicked, you just went underwater, and I.. panicked. I didn''t know what to think" Cilv''s calm voice started getting higher. Her face was worried as her eyes kept flickering at the princess''s face and neck. Evanna was slightly surprised by how flustered and upset Cilv seemed to be. She was usually so composed and uninterested in the people around her. "It''s okay, Cilv. I am fine. I just-" She took a shaky breath in ", I just feel like taking another bath. I did not wash my hair earlier," She said, providing a lame excuse that both ladies knew was a lie. "Those guysˇ­ are they still downstairs?" Cilv asked. Her nose twitched, and anger was now burning bright in her eyes. The princess''s face had a bruise forming just underneath her eye, along with red fingerprint marks on her throat. Guilt began to burn in her as she realised it was partly her fault. She should have come down with her. She should have killed those scumbag''s lives when she heard Evanna and Maurice''s conversation about the fairy in the market earlier that day. "They were on the floor, last I saw them", She whispered back at Cilv, who abruptly stood up and turned around and started putting her boots on. "Cilv.. What are you doing?" She reappeared in front of the princess; an evil glint flashed across her eyes as she held two daggers in her hands. "I''m going to end them." The pair searched each other''s faces. Time seemed to slow down at what she just said; Cilv waited for the princess to command her otherwise. When Evanna''s mouth set in a thin line, she knew that she was given permission. She was slightly taken back but kept it to herself. She knew that what just happened had shaken her, and she needed justice. "Make sure no one sees you, and there is no evidence", Is all the princess said in a monotone voice. Cilv nodded her head then left the room briskly, closing the door quietly behind her. Evanna relaxed her head on the back of the tub, sighing as her muscles started to relax. She did not even know how they were relaxed; after all, she was lying in cold water. Yet, it calmed her. The fact that Cilv left to get rid of the dirt downstairs did not seem to bother her. It actually made her feel better. As she closed her eyes and leaned further down into the water, she started to think about the elf who saved her. He left so abruptly that she did not have time to think, only blurt out a quick thank you. If she could, she would have asked for his name, to put a name to his face, a name to her rescuer. Now she would only think of him as that white-haired stranger who helped her. An elf, no less, an elf who despises humans, he acted when she was in need, a human, was in need. She knew she would never forget what he did for her. Her thoughts then went into the direction of questioning how he could even take out all three men. It took Ronan, Ger and Axel to take two of them out in the market, yet he was able to in less than five minutes. She knew that elves were meant to be very skilled in combat but seeing the bodies on the floor still left her in shock. In comparison to what she has been taught, it is a very different experience to believe what was in front of her. Sighing, she started to untangle her plaited hair before going back under the water to let it flow freely across her back. Once again, she leaned back against the tub. Evanna could not help it; her mind then started to visualise how he looked. Although it was a swift interaction, she knew he was an extraordinarily handsome man. From the single glance she captured of him from close up, she saw how chiselled his features were. From his strong jawline, full lips, high cheekbones to his mesmerizing blue eyes that sharply contrasted against his thick dark eyebrows and long white hair. Evanna bit her lip, just thinking about his lips. She gasped, shocked at where her thoughts were leading her. She blinked, stopping her thoughts from getting carried away about a stranger she would never meet again. Although, other than his deadly good looks, the last impression she got from him was that she felt safe yet on high alert around him. His aura surrounding him screamed dangerous, but his actions proved honourable. Evanna finally shook off her thoughts about him and decided to actually wash her hair, along with her body. She felt like the bar of soap was wiping away her internal pain, the lather cleansing her, removing the foreign fingertips she felt linger on her skin. Once she was finished, she stepped back out of the bath and walked across to the chair, grabbing a towel to dry herself. She hoped she would not catch a cold, the temperature in the room had dropped, and she just took a cold bath. Changing back into her outfit, she decided to change the positioning of the dagger her mother gave her. It seemed that having it behind her back made her forget she was wearing it. She repositioned it so it was now hanging on her thigh, where everyone could see it. She began to feel frustrated. If she remembered about the dagger earlier, then the mess she was in may have ended differently had she threatened them with it. ~ It is not your fault ~ A soft voice spoke in her head, her eyes widened. Great, now she was going crazy, she thought to herself. Shaking her head, she wandered over to the bed and lay down. Looking up at the ceiling, she absent-mindedly placed her hand on her necklace, tracing her fingers around the gemstone on the chain. The power underneath it made her feel calm and safe, as though her mother was there with her; she said that she would know whenever she was hurt. Evanna wondered to what degree. A punch to the face and stomach and being strangled is not comparable to say something like being stabbed. While she was lost in her own thoughts again, the door swung open, making her jump and reach for her dagger. She calmed herself down and removed her hand from the sheath on her thigh when she saw it was Cilv. "Is it done?" Cilv nodded her head, and Evanna visibly relaxed, releasing a breath she did not know she was holding until she received her answer. Cilv walked forwards and started removing her boots again, but she stood facing Evanna instead of lying on the bed. Sensing her gaze, Evanna looked up to meet Cilv''s eyes, removing her hand from the gemstone. "There is something I need to tell you," Cilv said, and for the first time, Evanna could see a slither of fear behind her eyes. Not liking where this was going, she sat up and eyed her suspiciously. "I.. um. Today was my fault," Cilv stuttered. Evanna could not understand what she meant. Frowning, she continued looking at her, "I do not understand, Cilv. What is your fault? You weren''t with us in the marketˇ­" Cilv gulped lightly, "What happened to you, in the market.. earlier at the bar.." Cilv looked down at her hands then back up at the princess, who still looked confused. She bit her lip then went over to her bag, bringing out the jar with the fairy in. Evanna gasped at what she saw then looked back up to Cilv''s guilty face. "You..took it? You stole the fairy." Chapter 24 - You.. Took It? "You..took it? You stole the fairy." "Look, I know I am a heartless bitch 99% of the time. But I could not let her stay there with those pieces of shit," Cilv responded unashamedly. She really did want to help free the poor creature; no one was meant to be someone else''s mantelpiece. Evanna couldn''t comprehend what was happening. Her thoughts were jumping to and from the scene downstairs to the fairy now in front of her. She sighed, giving up, her thoughts and feelings overwhelming her. "You stole the fairy?" Evanna spoke slowly, her voice rising in disbelief. Cilv came forward, shushing her, bringing the jar forwards. Evanna then grabbed the top and started to open it. "What are you doing?" Cilv asked incredulously. "Freeing her, you kept her in your bag this whole time!" Evanna exclaimed and continued to open the jar. True, she did keep the fairy inside her bag, but she did not know when to reveal her to the princess. The day''s events were more troublesome than confessing her part in the abduction of the fairy. The fairy''s wings started to flap and barely flew out of the jar before collapsing in Evanna''s outstretched hand. The tiny movement made Evanna''s chest tighten, making her forget for a brief moment about the scene from earlier as she looked down at the little creature. "You poor thing, do you need some water?" Evanna croaked. The little fairy''s head looked up anxiously before nodding her head. Cilv grabbed the goblet placed on the side table and gave it to Evanna''s outstretched hand. She brought it towards the little creature; the fairy, in turn, scooped her dainty hands into the water and brought them towards her mouth. She repeated the movement a couple of times before sitting back and staring up at the two ladies in front of her. "* Thank you for helping me *", The fairy spoke. Cilv frowned, not understanding what it said; seeing this, Evanna reiterated what was said, "She thanked us". Cilv blinked back up at Evanna and then looked back down at the fairy; she forgot that Evanna knew how to speak Muranthian. Although she figured that a fairy would speak.. well, fairy? "* I was in that jar for weeks, fed the bare minimum to keep me alive, and my powers weakened. It would be my honour to help you when I am able,*" It spoke again. Evanna was surprised by her comments, "* That is not necessary, you are free to go. *" "* So sweet", She giggled "But it would be a dishonour to my name if I did not repay the favour.*" Evanna became thoughtful before responding, "* How about this.. stay with us and regain your strength, when you.. er well, when your wings are working properly again, you can fly back home? Until then, you can help in any way you can. *" The little fairy put her hand on her chin as though she were in deep thought before standing up and agreeing. "What just happened?" Cilv asked as she looked between the princess and the fairy. "We have made an agreement," Evanna responded before asking the fairy, "What is your name?" "* Nesrin, for wild rose.*" "* Nesrin, that is a beautiful name.*" Nesrin giggled in response, brightening Evanna''s mood. Cilv frowned, starting to get annoyed that the fairy and the princess could talk to each other, and she could not. She walked away and started to get ready for bed. Evanna noticed the cold-shoulder she received from Cilv. "She says her name is Nesrin." "How wonderful" Cilv''s snarky self seemed to have returned. Not paying her any more attention, Evanna set up a small spot on the wooden chair in the corner of the room, grabbing one of the spare pillows and placing it on top for Nesrin to sleep on. The fairy danced around on the pillow. Giggling then touched the surface with her tiny hands. "* This is so soft and wonderful! I could sleep here forever! *" Nesrin giggled again before letting herself fall flat on her back, extending her arms and legs before sighing with content. Evanna smiled down at her; seeing the happiness flowing from the fairy made her wings shine a little brighter. "* I had an awful backache in that jar. Stupid, stupid man. Thank you again, Evanna and Cilandra,*" Cilv looked over from the bed where she now lay after hearing her name. "She says thank you, especially you, Cilv. You were the one to help her escape after all.." Evanna said she knew she wanted to be appreciated, so she added a little extra to the translation. Cilv smiled at the acknowledgement before saying, "How does she know our names?". That was an excellent question. Evanna looked back down at the fairy to see that she already dozed off. Evanna shrugged and replied, "She is a fairy?". Not that she knew anything about fairies other than what she may have heard from books she read as a child. She did, however, start to wonder if Maurice was completely telling her the truth about the fairy''s magic; Nesrin said her powers were weak from malnutrition. What if she were able to do more than what he said. If the roles were reversed, and she was a fairy kept in captivity, she would keep her powers a secret. Still, she did not know enough about her circumstances. Walking around the room, she started to blow all the candles out before climbing into bed next to Cilv. Lying on her back, she stared at the ceiling. Evanna knew she would not be able to sleep properly tonight. Although the fairy distracted her, it did not mean she forgot what brutality she faced earlier. Her body tensed up as her mind began wandering again. Her hand involuntarily went up and gently pressed the spot where the man had strangled her. She flinched, knowing there would be a bruise in its place in the morning. She hated herself for not being quick enough on her feet to grab the dagger she had on her. Before her temper started to rise again, she saw a flickering light come to the bedside table, the light then faded to a very dull glimmer, and after blinking, Evanna could see Nesrin standing there. Cilv turned herself onto her side, the light from Nesrin revealing her annoyed expression. She huffed and put the pillow on top of her head. "* I can feel your pain, Princess." The fairy was pressing her hands above her chest, her face showing concern. "I am sorry for what happened to you. He was a horrible man. I cannot do anything for the pain you feel, but I can help you sleep? *" Evanna silently nodded back at Nesrin. Again the fairy knew more about her without asking her. How was she able to feel what she was feeling? She wondered again if Nesrin could do more than what the man said at the market, maybe, something like reading people''s minds? The fairy had no problem speaking to her in her mind, so perhaps that was one of her abilities. ~ Let your mind calm down now, Princess Evanna. All will be explained in time. For now, you should rest. You have a long journey ahead of you ~ Evanna looked back at Nesrin, baffled; she only smiled sweetly back at her, not explaining any further. Then the fairy started humming with the sweetest voice. The sound made her muscles relax immediately; she felt like there was nothing but light and happiness surrounding her, and there were no worries in the world. Evanna turned on her side to get a better look at the fairy, snuggling her head into the pillow. Nesrin then began twirling and dancing around on the table; the light coming from the fairy started to glow and fade as her voice raised and lowered. As she continued to twirl happily, Evanna began to see small golden fairy type shadows making the same movements. Her eyes followed them as they spun in sequence, in the air before making their own routines different to Nesrin''s. The golden silhouettes before her were holding each other''s hands, swirling in a big circle; light giggles were heard from the enchanting phantoms. Evanna glanced back towards Nesrin, who was still humming and dancing, smiling as she raised her hands up and small golden sparkles released into the air. Her hand then gestured for Evanna to look back at the other fairy shadows, as they were now in pairs swirling around in the air before her. Evanna smiled to herself. Her breathing became regular as her heart started to slow down in a calm rhythm. Her eyes began to get heavy as sleep slowly enveloped her. The last thing she remembered seeing before her thoughts were silenced entirely was a pair of bright blue eyes. Chapter 25 - A Fairy!? Part One The early morning light shone through the window and onto the side of the bed where Evanna lay asleep. She fluttered her eyes open, feeling well-rested and started to stretch her arms out; pain immediately shot through her in multiple spots over her body, the back of her head, her stomach and her face. Reality soon caught up with her as she remembered why her muscles were tight, and her body bruised. She had been attacked the night before. Slowly sitting up, she leaned her body against the wall, bringing her knees to her chest. Her mind began to flashback to the man on top of her, his hand around her throat, strangling her. Taking a deep breath in, she released it slowly, calming herself; she was still breathing, she reminded herself. She did not need to be fearful, Cilv took care of them, and they would never harm another soul again. Pushing last night to the back of her mind, she climbed out of bed to get ready. While she changed, she looked at Cilv, who was sleeping on her back on the far end of the bed. She did not know how she balanced herself as it seemed half her body was falling off. Evanna shook her head as she continued to get ready, forgetting that behind her was a fairy. ~ Be very careful with her, your majesty ~ The sweet voice in her head made her jump in surprise, with a small yelp leaving her lips. Before she faced the little creature, her eyes glanced over at Cilv, who was still asleep. Evanna narrowed her eyes at her, she was always so vigilant and usually woke up to the smallest of noises, yet just now, she was still fast asleep. Brushing off her thoughts, she turned to look at the fairy who was now sitting on Evanna''s pillow on the bed. As she opened her mouth to speak, Nesrin raised her finger to her lips to shush her. ~ You can speak to me in your mind ~ Nesrin''s voice floated through her head again. Evanna frowned and tried to form her thoughts in her head to talk back to her in her mind. ~You speak other languages? ~ Was the first thought that popped into her head. The fairy giggled lightly before flapping her wings to lift up from the pillow but immediately dropped, landing on her bottom on the soft surface. Evanna walked over to Nesrin and held her hand out for her to step onto. Nesrin''s annoyed face soon turned to a smile as she looked back up at the princess. ~ I speak every language, princess ~ ~ Why do you keep it a secret? Do you not want to speak to Cilv? ~ ~ Her mind is hard to decipher. I cannot tell if she is a good person or not. Until I make my judgement, I will not interact with her ~ Her answer shocked Evanna; she did not know why. She was always wary of the woman. Maybe she started to feel a little closer with her, especially after last night and what she did for her. Before Evanna could continue ''mind chatting'' with Nesrin, Cilv jumped out of bed, eyeing the two in front of her. The room was quiet as Evanna was standing, hair down to her waist, entirely changed and kitted out as she held the fairy in front of her. "Why are you two looking at each other?" Cilv asked suspiciously. "We were just talking. I hope we did not disturb you. We were trying to be as quiet as possible," Evanna responded, she did not know what to make of Nesrin''s comment about Cilv, but if she wanted something kept hidden from her, then she was not about to reveal her secrets. Even if that included the mind chatting power. Unbeknown to Evanna and Nesrin, Cilv had been awake the moment the princess picked up the fairy. She had been watching them as she pretended to be asleep. They did not speak one word to each other, only kept staring at each other as though they were in a conversation. It was bizarre behaviour, but she was not surprised if the fairy could mind link them. She knew that some creatures were capable of that neat little trick. However, she was unaware of the fairy''s abilities. Evanna just lied to her face though, this made her very wary about the two of them. If she could mind link, why would they keep it from her? If they wanted to talk privately about stuff, they could out loud in Muranthian. She could not understand what they spoke. Something was up, and she knew it had to do with their new guest; maybe she should have left her to rot in the jar. She did not need more complications with her and the princess; she needed to gain her trust. Other than the revulsion she felt towards the men that attacked Evanna, she also went after them to become closer to the princess. A knock at the door interrupted the slow tension that was building in the room. Evanna went to hide the fairy as Cilv answered the door. Ronan strolled through the door frame just as Nesrin was hidden behind Evanna''s bag. "Please, do come in." Cilv snapped; Ronan looked back at her in surprise. "Did someone wake up on the wrong side of the bed this morning?" He chuckled as Cilv sent him a glare. "I just came to check that you are both nearly ready. We are leaving in the next hour, I assume you want-" Ronan stopped talking as he turned around to look at Evanna. His eyes widened, and he instinctively came towards her but stopped when he saw her panic and take two steps away from him. His stomach dropped as he deduced what happened. The fingerprint marks on her neck and the swollen bruise under her eye, as well as her behaviour, said it all, yet he needed her to say it out loud. "What happened?" He asked softly. Cilv closed the door behind her as she watched Evanna glance at the floor; her jaw tightened as she kept her lips clasped together, not uttering a word. He took a step towards her, his movements slow; her eyes were watching his feet like an anxious cat. As she looked back up to his face, she saw the gentleness radiating off of him. "I will not hurt you Evanna, you have my word. You can trust me." He was now but two steps away from her. She stiffened after the smell of his cologne made her realise how close he was, but she did not move back, she knew he would not hurt her, but her body was instinctively alert. ~ Evanna, I have read his mind. He will not hurt you. He cares about you and just wants to help. ~ Nesrin''s words were what made her visibly relax. She was correct. The fairy could read people''s minds, which provided her with extra comfort. She knew Ronan would not hurt her, and Nesrin''s words confirmed her own thoughts towards him. "The men from the market were here last night", Evanna spoke quietly as she looked back down at the floor. She could not meet his gaze; all she felt was shame. After there not being any reply, Evanna looked back up to see that Ronan''s ordinarily friendly and composed face was anything but. The only indication that he kept his temper in check was the ticking of his jaw, and his hands were fisted by his sides. "Did.. Did they... defile you, Evanna?" His voice was barely audible, but she heard him clearly. "No, someone saved me. He.. got there just in time," Evanna kept the tears falling from her eyes as she looked away again, they may have seen them as tears of sorrow, but she realised she was grateful. Thankful for the elf that intervened. Had he not turned up, she knew she would be in a worse state today. If there was a today for her, for all she knew, she could have ended up in a ditch, dead. Taking a deep breath in, she thanked him again in her head. If it were not for him, her journey could have ended last night. Ronan watched the side of her face as her emotions flittered across it. He just wanted to hug her, tell her everything would be fine, but he knew she did not want to be touched by a man right now. It took everything in him to stop himself and demand to know more details. How had she been attacked? Was she not in her room? Surely they would have heard something; they were in the room next door. He kept his burning questions to himself even though they were at the tip of his tongue. Unclenching his jaw, he released a breath he had been holding in, "We will leave as soon as you are ready. I will speak with Ger and Axel." He started to turn around, "Ronan, wait!" He clenched his eyes shut as he heard Evanna plea from behind him. "Please do not tell them. I cannot bear it. Ger.. he will blame himself.." She could not even start to fathom how he would react to this. She knew he was protective of her; he already scolded her twice, this time was different. He was always hot-headed, and she knew she could not deal with that right now. Her reaction to Ronan was proof that she needed some more time. He was keeping his anger in check and treading lightly around her. She could only guess how she would be with Ger. Ronan opened his eyes in disbelief and turned around to face her; he reminded himself not to raise his voice at her. He shook his head before replying, "Evanna.. even if I did not tell them.. you have bruises on your neck and face." His eyes started to burn as they lingered on the dark bruising on her neck. He forced himself to look away. "I know, I just need a little bit of time before I can face them.. Pleaseˇ­ for me," She pleaded with him again, her voice tugged at his heartstrings. "Just tell them we will meet them out front, have the horses ready, and we leave straight away", Cilv spoke up from behind him. He sighed, his eyes not leaving Evanna''s as he moved his hand through his dark hair, aggravated. Nodding his head, he agreed before leaving the room. Cilv watched Evanna across the room, who turned her back to her, already sorting her hair out. Placing it into a half-up hairstyle, making sure that most of her hair was down. She knew she would get annoyed with it soon, so she started putting a few strands into two plaits by her side, hoping to keep it off of her face for the journey. "Because that''s gonna help. I can still see the bruising," Cilv''s voice was laced with sarcasm. "Just.. Get ready, Cilv. I want to leave this place along with the memories with it." Chapter 26 - A Fairy!? Part Two Evanna and Cilv walked outside of the inn to find the sky grey and cloudy as rain pelted down onto the mud-filled puddles across the ground. The three men were already sitting on their horses, waiting patiently with their hoods up, keeping their heads down away from the unrelenting sky. Evanna kept her head down as she walked towards Midknight. He acted restlessly and nudged her with his head when she approached him. She looked straight into his eyes, and he calmed down, feeling better now that he knew her injuries were not serious. Tightening the bag onto Midknight, she then climbed on top, and he walked to stand behind the others. Nesrin kept herself out of sight and hidden inside her bag the whole time. Without any words said, the group started to make their way towards the other side of the town. Ronan brought his horse back, so he rode behind the two girls. They all seemed to breathe a sigh of relief as they exited the bleak town. Though their journey had just begun, their eyes were ever watchful on their surroundings, even with them squinting against the mass of rain plummeting down on them. The road ahead of them was bare, not a traveller or trouble maker insight. The only reason Ger and Axel agreed to leave in such weather was because of Ronan''s rationale. Nobody would be out in the rain right now, not even to rob anyone. It meant they were as safe as could be in such horrendous weather. Once afternoon came, the sky slowly started to calm its relentless onslaught towards the land below. The group had trotted throughout most of the morning without any breaks. However, the weather began to drain the life away from them, their body''s feeling brittle as the wind had whipped painfully cold across their skin. Evanna''s eyelids closed as she felt the sun''s slight warmth that was slowly unravelling from behind the clouds. Her head tilted up slightly so the sun could kiss more of her face and neck, the heat a welcoming feeling. "Let''s stretch our legs here and have some food," Axel said, turning his horse around so he could face the others in the group. Evanna opened her eyes immediately to find him looking at her in stunned silence. Sensing something was wrong, Ger instantly turned around to see what Axel was looking at. She heard him take a sharp intake of breath as he looked at her neck, and then his eyes made their way up to her face. Evanna sat still on Midknight, unable to form any words as she stared back at Ger, scared of being judged. The next moment she saw him jump down from his horse and leap towards Cilv, grabbing her by the leg and yanking her down so she would fall from the horse. Although she fell one-sided, she managed to twist her body mid-air and land gracefully into a crouched position. Looking at Ger, her lips curled up, and she hissed while grabbing the two daggers by her sides, her eyes not leaving his. Within a second, he lunged towards her, and they collided into a tumbling mess on the ground. The clanging of metal on metal was the only indication to the others that they were deflecting each other''s attacks. They rolled over to have Ger above Cilv, his blade against her throat and her own stuck in the ground behind them. Before the blade could sink deeper into her skin and make a mark, Cilv managed to kick him off of her with incredible power. He landed roughly on his back a few feet away. Cilv charged towards him without her weapons. Yet her eyes were now shining with a smirk plastered on her face. "Stop!" Cilv stopped immediately at the princess''s command, though she did not fail to hide her disappointment at the game she had only just started to play. Ger, however, jumped back up and grabbed his bow and arrow, aiming directly at Cilv. Before he let loose of his arrow, Evanna jumped down and placed herself in front of Cilv, "I said STOP." Ger lowered his aim abruptly, releasing a harsh breath, his face fuming with the interruption. He wanted to rip that smug woman''s face off. "What did you do to her!? Did you really think we would not notice the marks on her?" His questions were directed at Cilv "We do not need her, Evanna.. I should end her right now for laying a finger on you!" His voice was bristling with the rage he felt inside. Ronan, at this point, had made his way to Ger''s side to calm him down, "Calm it. She has nothing to do with it," Ronan said; Ger''s anger-filled gaze was replaced by shock as he looked sharply to his side at Ronan. He narrowed his eyes as realisation hit him, "You kept this from me. YOU KEPT THIS FROM ME?! Our priority is HER. My priority is HER!" His voice kept rising as he started to simmer at the brim, his anger clouding his mind as he kept thinking about all the possibilities of what happened to Evanna, and he, her best friend, was the last to know about it. Evanna took a step forwards as she watched Ger. Her heart was pounding loudly as she tried to calm herself down. She knew he was just angry; he would never lay a finger on her. She repeated the mantra in her head. "GER! STOP! Can''t you see you are scaring her!" Ronan grabbed Ger by the shoulder, his fingers digging in deep to get his attention back to what was happening in front of him. Ger''s gaze cleared, and he looked over at Evanna. Her face was pale and her eyes wide as she took a shaky breath in before taking another step towards him. His anger had not diminished, but he tried to compose himself for her. He dropped his bow and arrow on the ground as he looked at his best friend. His eyes were pleading for forgiveness at his outburst. He could not stand to see her hurt, and he could not stand to see her, nearly shaking because of him. "I ordered Ronan not to tell you guys", She spoke. Her voice sounded calmer than how she felt. Years of being a princess seemed to have worn off on her; she was taught always to keep a calm and respectful demeanour. Although this was not the case nine times out of ten, she knew when it was necessary. "Why.. why would you keep this from me? What happened? Who did this to you!?" Ger''s calm voice snapped at the end. He winced at his uncontrollable rage that kept bursting out through the seams of his composure. Axel had come forwards at this point also, he kept the same distance as the others, yet Evanna took an instinctive step away. Unlike the other two, Axel''s figure was one of a giant, and his beard somehow made her think of what happened the night before. Ger and Axel eyed Evanna''s response to him, seemingly to click the missing pieces of a puzzle together. A man had attacked her, that was certain. Axel cursed under his breath and took a step back also. Guilt filled Evanna''s chest as she saw a look of hurt flash across his face. "I was attacked last night by the men at the market. I was not raped." Evanna deadpanned. Ger started to open his mouth, his body shaking with rage, but Axel clasped his hand on his other shoulder to quieten him. "I am so sorry that happened to you. No words can describe how sorry-" "What were you doing when this happened, Cilv?" Ger could not hold back any longer. His guilt and his rage were fighting each other as he interrupted Axel''s heartfelt apology. "This was not her fault Ger. I went down to get some water from the bar and-" Evanna began, "AND WHERE WAS SHE!?" Evanna was confused. She was, of course, in the room? Where else would she be? "She should have been the one to get you water! Or if you insist.. Then she should have come with you to protect you." "I can protect myself, Ger-" "Clearly." "If I had my weapons on me, I would have been fineˇ­" "You did not even go down with your swords?" A look of disbelief flashed on Ger''s face; they stayed in probably the most dangerous town in the kingdom, and she did not bring any weapons down with her. "I forgot-" "Evanna.." Ger took a few steps towards her, she did not back away, but before she could do or say anything else, Nesrin flew right in front of Ger''s face, shouting at him in Muranthian to back off. All of the men''s faces wore a look of astonishment. Ger understood from the arm motions that she meant for him to move away. He took a few steps back as he watched the fairy fly back slower this time and collapsing in Evanna''s outstretched hand. Who, in turn, placed the fairy on her shoulder so that she could sit comfortably. "How do we suddenly have a fairy!?" Axel said from behind, his arms now crossed against his chest, his face stern. All three men then shifted their gazes behind Evanna to the red-haired woman who was yawning out of boredom. "Hmm.. Oh! That was me," Cilv said as she started to assess her nails, her lack of interest in the subject was evident. All three men glared at her. Her lack of empathy was concerning and caused all three of them to shift on their feet irritably. A look of disgust formed on their faces as their trust in Cilv wholly depleted. The blame was evidentially on her. Ger took another step but stopped when the fairy stood up on Evanna''s shoulder with her arms crossed over her chest. "We do not have time for this. Guys, this is Nesrin. She will be accompanying us until she is able to leave," Evanna said in a tiresome voice before turning back towards Midknight. She did not want to waste any more time talking about the attack, the less they spoke about it, the more she could move on. Axel sighed, "Look, let''s eat, then be on our way." After eating some food from their bags, the group started to make their way to the next destination before night would fall. The tension in the group was palpable. Nobody wanted to speak, Cilv was trailing behind them again, and Ger rode next to Evanna. She had to keep herself from rolling her eyes after Ger looked at her for the tenth time, or maybe he was checking out the fairy sitting on her. ~ Why did you interfere earlier? Ger would never hurt me ~ Evanna mind linked Nesrin, keeping her gaze ahead of her. ~ No, he would not. But he was going to place his hands on you. Not in a violent way, but you were not ready for that just yet. ~ Evanna was startled by Nesrin''s response; she was unsure of what she said. Was she not ready for Ger to touch her? She did not know. Yet, the fairy knew, she seemed confident in what she said. Looking down at her shoulder, she studied the fairy''s appearance. Although the fairy seemed relatively young, maybe how a human would appear to be in their early twenties, her eyes conveyed intelligence beyond her years. ~Nesrin..~ Evanna had to stop herself; she did not want to be rude and ask the fairy of her age. ~ 120 ~ Nesrin responded to the question she did not dare ask. Evanna could not help but look down at her in surprise; the fairy giggled lightly at her reaction. There were still so many questions she wanted to ask her, but she knew if Nesrin wished to answer, she would have given her the information by now. Her mind-reading skills would have picked up on her thoughts surrounding the little creature. ~ I have so many questions. But there is one I must ask.. ~ The fairy sighed, knowing already the big question playing on the princess''s mind. That little reaction provided Evanna with the answer to her unspoken question, but Nesrin still offered her a detailed explanation. ~ I wish I could help you, princess, but my powers do not work like that. I can neither heal your mother nor wave some magic spell to grab the healing gemstone you seek. For that, I am sorry. I feel the burden you carry, but although this journey will be challenging, it would be for anyone entering Direwood.. I know that you have the strength in you to prevail ~ ~You can foresee the future? ~ Evanna was uncertain at this. However, her curiosity always got the better of her. Nesrin giggled at her question and the thoughts behind it. She found the princess delightful to be around. ~ No, Evanna, I cannot. But I can see the determination, the will for yourself to succeed in this mission. Not everyone is like that. You come from a very comfortable lifestyle, princess. You could have sent men to do your bidding. But you did not. You chose to be with them. To lead. You did not need to pay these men to follow you. They follow you because they believe in you ~ Nesrin''s words put Evanna into a stunned silence. She glanced around at her companions, who were preoccupied with their thoughts. She presumed that they followed her because she was a stubborn princess. She never honestly thought more about it. Chapter 27 - Guilt Nightfall soon fell, and the group of silent companions were interrupted by Axel''s orders to set up camp. Ger fell in line with Evanna, helping her with the horses while the rest continued with their routines. He did not say anything but made sure to keep his distance, though the fairy did not attempt to stop him when he came closer than he had earlier in the day. Ger understood that this was a good sign, and Evanna became more approachable without damaging repercussions. There were so many questions on his lips that he needed answered. Going between what happened to Evanna to the fairy that sat on her shoulder protectively. Ger wanted nothing more than to console her. He took a slow, calm step towards her, the fairy stood up, but instead of her angrily shooing him away, she flew over to Midknight''s back and took a seat, facing the other way. He was grateful for the privacy the creature provided. Evanna crossed her arms, holding each by the elbow as she raised her eyes to his. He reached his arms out slowly, anticipating her flinch, but once his hands were placed on her arms, her body relaxed. "Evanna, please forgive me. My behaviour today was unacceptable." Evanna smiled gently back at him, her smile not quite reaching her eyes, "It is okay, Ger. At least you did not kill Cilv," She replied light-heartedly with a tight smile. His eyes hardened along with his fingers on her arms, which he quickly loosened, releasing the pressure. He lightly pulled her in for a hug. Her body tensed but soon relaxed as she let her head fall onto his chest. The feel of his chest rising and falling rhythmically soothed her racing thoughts of being held in a man''s arms. One of his hands rubbed up and down her back gently before he stilled his movement. "It is not okay. What happened to you is not okay. We were meant to protect you, and we failed," Ger spoke as his chin rested on the top of her head. Evanna wanted to correct him, but she knew she needed to talk to all of the guys, not just Ger. Otherwise, she would soon find herself repeating her words. Pulling back from his embrace, she squeezed his arm gently before turning around to collect Nesrin again. "Eat first. Then we will talk," His half-opened mouth shut before he nodded his head. Ronan and Axel sat quietly at the campfire after the tents were made up. Although they were one man less in building them, they were faster from practice, in putting them up, than the other night. Cilv returned into their view after leaving them once she made a fire, only to come back with a few dead rabbits in her bloodied, gloved hands. Axel looked up at the furry animals in front of him with an arched eyebrow. Cilv dropped them to the ground, and without saying another word, she turned around and left again, the darkness of night engulfing her figure. Shaking his head, he started to skin and gut them. He came to realise that she was quite the little huntress. His amusement, however, did not last long as he watched Evanna and Ger sit down around the fire. His eyes lingered a little too long on her bruised neck, his knife stopping midway in the air, but he quickly recovered himself before continuing with the night''s dinner. They sat there in a tense silence before Ronan spoke up what was on his mind, "I think I speak for all of us when I say that we are sorry for not protecting you, Raven." He stood up, then walked and placed himself in front of Evanna before he kneeled, one knee placed on the wet ground in front of her, sword in hand as he stabbed it down into the earth, head bowed. Axel and Ger followed suit, all three men kneeling in front of her. Evanna was once again stunned into silence as she scanned her eyes from each of their bowed heads. Their faces shone with shame as they asked silently for her forgiveness. Standing up, she placed her hands on Axel and Ger''s heads before finally resting it on Ronans, who kneeled between both of them. "Please rise. There is nothing to forgive. You are not my guards but my friends. We were equals the moment I asked you on this quest. We protect each other" Axel and Ronan stilled, astonishment showing on their faces at the princess''s words. Ger rose from his position and grabbed Evanna''s hand, covering both of his over hers, "We will not fail you again. You have my word." "Starting from tonight, we will do shifts throughout the night to guard you," Axel spoke as he rose back up to his magnificent height. Ronan stood as well, slightly dwarfed next to Axel; he cleared his throat, "I will take first watch." "You really do not need to do this. Our tents are close together. If something happened, we would all hear it," Evanna spoke up to them all, concern filling her features. "We would like to prove ourselves to you," Axel responded, his eyes unwavering from her own. Evanna looked back at Ger, who watched her face intently, his hands still not removed from her small one. She then glanced back at each of their determined faces and sighed. She knew she could not make them change their minds on this. The guilt was eating away at them, and even though she forgave them, she knew they needed to do this to help them heal. She would not deny them of this. "Okay," She nodded her head, all three men beamed at her response. Ger squeezed her hand gently, reassuringly, easing her that she made the right decision. Removing her hand from his, she sat back down, already feeling the group''s tension dissipate as they sat in their spots around the fire. Ger scooted closer to Evanna, who sat on the fallen tree that they decided to camp by. He looked over at Ronan and Axel, who were now chatting to each other as dinner was being made. He raised his hand, so his head leaned against it while he looked back at Evanna, "I know you do not wish to talk about what happened last night. But.. what happened to the men?" Ger questioned quietly, trying not to attract any more attention to the matter, yet, Axel and Ronan stopped what they were doing and looked over at the pair. Their attention was more on the princess than they led her to believe. "Cilv took care of them", Was all Evanna replied with. Ger searched her face then nodded. His attention then went to the fairy that sat quietly on Evanna''s shoulder. "So.. does the fairy do anything other than sit like a pet on your shoulder?" He asked. Nesrin stood up then flew in front of Ger''s face, her own red with anger. "Excuse me! I am nobody''s pet!" Nesrin shouted, yet her voice was no higher than that of a chirping chic. Everyone sat around the fire, looking at the creature, amused. Nesrin''s wings slowed their movements until they completely stopped. She began falling down until Ger held his hand out for her to land onto. "So she speaks!" Ronan whisper-shouted dramatically as he looked at the fairy in Ger''s hand. Evanna smiled as Nesrin stood with her hands on her hips, looking between Ger and Ronan. She was happy to see that they were moving on from the situation that happened the night before. The more they moved on, the more she felt better and could focus on the quest. "I am guessing that she cannot help with magically making the gem appearˇ­" Axel said while his eyes did not remove from the meat, he was rotating on the skewer above the fire. "SHE has a name! It is Nesrin! Men are so rude!" Nesrin shouted, placing her arms across her chest as she looked over at Axel. Ronan laughed in response to the little outburst the fairy had. "Nesrin, I apologise on behalf of these brutes here.. they are not used to such a pretty face", Ronan smoothly said to the fairy, putting on his killer smile that would make any girl blush. Nesrin giggled and flew over to Ronan, landing on his knee, "I like you! Now.. Unfortunately, my talents as a fairy are limited. I am only able to help grow plants and conjure tiny spells." Ger and Axel rolled their eyes knowingly at Ronan, who once again charmed his way into getting answers from a female, even if the female was the size of a small bird. Axel''s attention suddenly moved when he noticed Cilv walking towards them, emerging from the darkness. Ronan and Ger followed his gaze, their faces hardening on seeing who it was. Cilv''s face was expressionless as she glanced between the men who were angered by her presence. Her eyes then narrowed down at the fairy sitting on Ronan''s knee but soon composed herself before she sat down on the other side of Evanna. "So, it speaks more than Muranthian.." Her voice was cold, emotionless while she looked at the people sitting around the fire. The men kept their eyes down, pursing their lips together, not responding to her words or registering her existence. Axel prepared the now cooked rabbits; Ronan and Nesrin were staring at each other, no doubt mind linking whilst Ger clenched his jaw, looking down. Anger radiating off of him. Turning her head slightly, she looked at Evanna, suspicion showing on her features as she waited for her to reply. "So it would seem. Nesrin started speaking when Ger insulted her," Evanna replied her face void of guilt and only held a look of innocence as she stared back into Cilv''s hazel eyes. Distrust flickered across them, and in a blink of an eye, it was gone. It happened so quickly that Evanna thought she imagined it. She shifted a mere millimetre, the only sign that she felt uncomfortable. Nobody else noticed the action except Cilv, who smirked before picking up her dagger from her breeches. "Maybe I was too nice to her then," Cilv said as she spun the dagger on her outstretched hand, her head tilted slightly as she watched Nesrin with mirth. A shiver went down Evanna''s spine, she could not tell what was on Cilv''s mind, but she looked at the fairy as though she was her dinner. Standing abruptly, Cilv walked towards Ronan and sat back down next to him, spinning the dagger again as she looked down at Nesrin. Ronan glared at her and picked Nesrin up, placing her on his shoulder, opposite Cilv. "What''s the matter, honey? Cat got your tongue!?" At this, she placed the tip of her dagger on her lower lip. A slow smile spread across her face as silence ascended. Evanna noticeably grew uncomfortable at the change in atmosphere, but before she could save the night, Cilv burst out laughing. Everybody''s eyes widened at her. She placed her dagger away again and leaned her hands back onto the ground, sitting comfortably as she crossed her outstretched legs. "Is the food ready yet?" She queried, her voice showing one of boredom. The group found themselves eating quietly. The only noise was coming from the blazing flames in front of them. Nesrin soon found herself on Evanna''s shoulder again, accepting small parts of the meat from Evanna''s dinner. Once dinner was finished, Cilv excused herself and went to one of the tents, claiming it theirs. Evanna shuffled closer to Ger to speak freely without the others hearing their conversation. "Look, Cilv is a little shady, but she has done nothing wrong here," Ger opened his mouth to interrupt, his face fuming, but she stopped him by raising her hand to silence him. "She rescued Nesrin, and then she reclaimed my honour by dealing with those.. men." "Evanna, she could have taken Nesrin for her own selfish reasons. You do not know why she took her. And secondly, she was the reason in the first place that this all happened. That you were nearly.." Ger''s stern face became gentle as he searched Evanna''s eyes. "You have a gentle heart, but she does not deserve it." "No, she does not deserve the silent treatment from you guys!" She whisper-shouted back at him, causing the other two to look over at the heated discussion they were having. Ger crossed his arms along his chest, back straightening, while he narrowed his eyes down at her. Evanna reached out and held her hand on one of his biceps, pleading with her eyes. "How can you ask this of me when she just acted like a complete psycho!" His voice raised slightly. "Because you guys forced her to.. I think it is like a reflex?" "No, she is just a psycho. I am not happy with you sharing a tent with her." "I have survived two nights with her. Another will not hurt. Plus, I now have a guard and a fairy to keep me safe," Her triumphant smile grated at Ger, who reluctantly let out a sigh. Yawning, Evanna pulled out her pocket watch from the inside of her cloak pocket, reading it; her eyes widened, it was only 8 in the evening, yet it felt so much later. She soon stood up and found herself saying goodnight before making her way into the tent Cilv was in. As she entered, she saw Cilv curled up in a fetus position on the furthest side of the tent from the entrance. "Cilv?" Evanna whispered, but there was no response from her. Shrugging, she started to get herself ready for bed. As she did, she soon saw a figure posted outside of the tent, presumably, her guard. Once she was settled with a cover over her shoulders, Nesrin began her little dance and lullaby without asking. She thanked Nesrin quietly before darkness quickly swept her into a deep sleep. Chapter 28 - Spooked Evanna groaned after feeling her hair being tugged at. Opening her eyes, she looked to the side to see Nesrin holding a lock of her hair in her hands. Blinking, her mind caught up with her as her sleep-filled daze slowly disintegrated. Nesrin beamed at her while she sat up. The sun was yet to rise, but the early mornings were starting to become more manageable. At least she did not try to stab anyone within a meter of her when she woke up. The small chirping sounds of birds in nearby trees were the only signs of other life nearby. Evanna looked to her side to see that Cilv was not in the tent; she often wondered what her sleeping hours were but quickly brushed the thought aside. Leaving her tent, she found Axel curled up against the fallen tree, hugging a huge axe, the wooden part the size of his torso. Evanna sighed, shaking her head before stepping forwards and tapping him on the shoulder. She jumped back immediately after he clenched his axe tightly, and his eyes looked at her bewildered, she watched as the sleep left his eyes and he relaxed his body. "Look alive, Axel!" Evanna could not help but laugh at his grunt as a response; Nesrin soon followed with a giggle. He rubbed at his eyes before standing tall, causing Evanna to tilt her head back to see his face. "You''ll be the death of me, girl" Evanna smiled cheekily back at him as Nesrin continued to giggle. Axel began grabbing some bread out of his bag and dangled it in front of Evanna; she shook her head, not quite feeling hungry yet. It was far too early to eat. "This will be the only chance you get until past noon.." Axel said while shaking the bread lightly in his hand, waiting for her to accept it. She grabbed it, breaking it in half before returning the remaining bread she knew she could not eat. "Don''t mind him, Raven. He eats like a horse." Evanna looked up after hearing Ronan''s voice. He sauntered his way over and took a seat next to her, smiling. Axel grunted as he continued to eat as she heard a horse neigh from behind them. She chuckled quietly to herself without needing to turn around. She knew it was Midknight protesting at the comment Ronan made. Not long after, all of the group were gathered around the extinguished fire, eating the bread. Cilv kept her distance from the men and sat quietly next to Evanna. Suddenly a shiver erupted through Evanna''s body. She stood abruptly, scanning the area around her. Cilv was also on high alert; she kept herself in a crouched position, tilting her head from side to side. The guys looked at them, puzzled. Ger walked to Evanna''s side, "What is it?" "I am not sure. I just had a strange feeling. Like we are being watched," Evanna explained before she turned her head to look at Cilv, whose eyes were calculating. "I thought I heard something," She said, her eyes not leaving an area across from them. Yet she relaxed slightly, "It was probably a fowl or a pheasant." The group became tense after watching both women assessing their surroundings. Whether it was a false alarm or not, they did not want to risk running into any trouble, so they packed up camp as quickly as possible. The group of companions were on the road again ten minutes later. Everybody was on high alert. Even Nesrin kept herself quiet as she sat close to Evanna''s neck. Ger and Axel were both at the front again, followed by Ronan and Evanna with Cilv at the back. They galloped for the next hour before slowing back down again. If there were anybody near them, they were long gone, back at the campsite. Nobody would follow them for an hour, and at the rate they were going. The company soon found themselves going at a leisurely pace again. The sun slowly rose, bringing golden hues across the land; simultaneously, each person seemed to sigh as their body relaxed further while they sat comfortably on their horses. Nesrin stood up; now that they were going at a slower pace, she could balance more steadily. ~ Keep facing forwards, I will do your hair ~ Evanna looked back down at the fairy in surprise. She was too small to do her hair? Yet she looked forwards anyway, trying not to underestimate her. They left so quickly that she left her hair down in a tumble of mess, but she did not complain; she preferred safety over her hair being in place. Glancing down, she soon saw strands of her hair being pulled back away from her abdomen, she was about to move her head again to see what Nesrin was doing, but her voice scolded her in her head. Ronan looked to his side to see Nesrin moving her small delicate hands up and down in a slow motion. Sparks of gold were flying out of her hands. When he looked up to the princess, he saw her hair slowly being pulled away and into her regular plait behind her head. Just as he thought the fairy was finished, he then saw multiple flowers growing and popping out from between the plaited hair. His eyebrows raised as he watched the flowers bloom from their closed buds. "Amazing", He breathed. Nesrin giggled in delight before perching herself back down on Evanna''s shoulder. "Fancy doing mine next?" Cilv spoke from behind them. Nesrin turned around and stuck her tongue out at her before returning to face the front. "Rude", She muttered. Evanna internally rolled her eyes at Cilv; it was only last night that she became threatening towards the fairy. Although she stuck up for Cilv, she was still on edge around the woman. Nesrin was right to say that she could not tell if she was good or bad. She, herself, could not tell. Her scars on her back showed the cruelness of the world she was brought up in, and she often showed how much she lacked in human decency. Yet, there were moments, now and in the past, where she displayed a caring nature towards her. Like how an older sister would be. She shook her head quickly; she did not want to interpret small gestures to something such as sisterhood! Cilv sat comfortably on her horse; she kept her eyes trained on Evanna''s now beautifully made hair. Being at the back had its advantages of assessing the rest of the group, but she grew tired of watching them after the first day of travelling together. She was rather happy at the back, furthest from Ger and his annoying gaze. Just then, she heard a slight rustling sound; she did not think much of it. The road they were on had a few trees and bushes flanking its sides, and she would hear small sounds almost all the time, indicating the animals that lived nearby. Looking ahead, she saw Evanna tense up and look to her right. Cilv mirrored the princess, but she saw nothing. A whoosh sound came from the left side of the group, and the noise of footsteps on leaves crunched at a tree nearby, along with more rustling noises on the right side of them. "We are not alone!" Evanna shouted to the group. WHOOSH! Cilv leaned back quickly for an arrow to whizz by her and landing in the tree opposite her. She skilfully jumped out of the stirrups from the horse''s saddle, landing on her tiptoes on its backside, before jumping down to the right on the ground, daggers out, ready for the attackers. She preferred her hands, but she chose to stick to her blades for now. "Hmmm...Who wants to play" She licked her lips seductively before rolling back and out of the way of a sword that slashed down on the spot she was just in. At the front of the group, Ger already shot a few arrows into the trees where two men were hiding. Their own arrows stuck in the ground behind Ger. He double-checked they did not hit Evanna before he let out an onslaught of arrows in their direction. A man came running towards them, his sword raised in his hand as he charged towards Axel''s horse in the hope of spooking it. He stopped abruptly and sunk to his knees, with a small axe lodged into his chest. The shock on his face led to one of pain as he crumbled down to the ground. A man stood off in the distance, slightly hidden in the shade of a tree, while he watched the ambush take place on the company of five. They followed them from the morning and observed how they protected the dark-haired beauty in the middle of the group. This spiked his interest immediately as there was word of a missing princess from the Kingdom of Dunhurst. The news was spreading like wildfire. He had not seen such a face before in the forty years he lived on the forsaken lands. He knew just by looking at her that she was the one they were looking for. He planned to get rid of her protectors and kidnap her, putting her up for ransom. The crown would pay a hefty price for her return. Chapter 29 - Bandits Ronan stood back-to-back with Evanna, their swords out ready; he was not sure to what degree her skill level was at sword fighting. Even if she did have two blades, he was not about to leave her unguarded. Their odds were looking dire, he was capable of fighting monsters more significant, but he counted at least twelve men who were slowly surrounding them. "You know, if you just give us the girl, we will leave you unharmed", A man spoke from in front of Axel and Ger''s position. A blade was thrown from behind Evanna, skimming the side of the man''s face and leaving a cut on his cheek. She looked back to see Cilv had thrown her own dagger at his head, a man already fallen at her feet. "I will take that as a no" He smirked before slithering back into hiding. Ronan jumped in front of Evanna, swiping his sword about, warning the men who hurried towards them to back away. But he could not hinder the men who were now behind her. Before he gained any chances of protecting her from that side, the men came forwards again, smirks lifting on their faces. A sword came forwards, and Ronan blocked it, pushing it back powerfully before stabbing the man''s now open chest in front of him. He glanced quickly behind him after hearing a small grunt coming from Evanna. She stumbled slightly backwards from a mighty blow of a sword that swung down at her. Narrowing her eyes, she knew the big man in front of her was all strength and no speed. Evanna lunged forwards, jabbing her sword out to deflect another blow from him. As he went to raise his sword again, she stabbed him with her other blade quickly and neatly. His breath left harshly as he stumbled to the floor. Just as quickly as she came, she twisted out of reach from another man''s sword, who stumbled forwards. She swiped her own across his unguarded back before quickly dodging another man. Ronan finished off the last two men from his side; he glanced across his surroundings to make sure there was nobody else before turning around to check on Evanna. His mouth gaped open at the sight before him. Three men were lying on the floor, and the fourth sweating profusely as he kept defending himself against the princess. As one sword was deflected, the other swiftly took its place. "Want to help out over here, Roach?!" Ger shouted across from him. He snapped out of his daze and ran to the front, where five more men were charging towards them. Four bodies were already fallen on the ground by his friends. "This feels like deja vu", Axel grunted as they charged towards the oncoming figures. Three of them went towards Axel, hoping to take down the biggest first. "It wasn''t that long-" CLANG "ago-" SMACK "since" CLANG "we last done this!" Ger spoke whilst defending himself against one of the attackers, ending with his sword through the man''s stomach. He turned to help Axel, who was fending three men off with his axe and shield. Axel smacked the end of his shield into a smaller man''s face, knocking him unconscious. He tutted at the fellow before swinging his axe wide and chopping it into the side of the next man''s neck, cutting into the flesh and hitting part of the bone. Axel kicked his foot out to remove the man from his axe. His aim was terrible, he meant to hit the man in the head, but he moved too quickly and well; his death was made a lot longer as he bled out slowly on the floor. Turning, he also found the third man on the ground with Ger breathing heavily by his side. "We should do this more often. Ger, your stamina is terrible!" Ronan roared with laughter as he pulled his sword out from the man kneeling on the ground and walked towards them. WHOOSH! Ronan turned back around to see the man he just finished, standing behind him with his sword raised, a dagger now sticking out of his right eye. Ronan watched wide-eyed as he fell down. Ronan turned around quickly to see Cilv sauntering her way towards them, hips swaying, as she went to recollect her dagger. He gulped as he watched her smirk. Axel and Ger turned to check on Evanna, who now sidestepped the countless bodies surrounding her on the floor, defending herself against two more attackers. Ger and Ronan started to make their way towards her before Cilv stopped them in their tracks by walking ahead of them and raising her hand to halt them. The surrounding area seemed a lot calmer now. There did not appear to be any more bandits; however, Axel wanted a sweep of the area before he could relax. He signalled for Ronan and Ger to check the surroundings while Cilv made her way back to the princess. Cilv did not intervene. She decided to watch the princess in her lethal dance with the two men. Evanna gritted her teeth, seeing Cilv crouched on the ground watching; instead of helping, it made her seethe with anger. She continued to dodge and attack, the man on her left quickly fell, after her stamina outdone his own, his movements were slow and sluggish, hence, ending him quickly. Her attention was now entirely on the last man. If she could call him that, he looked almost the same age, if not younger than her. He still had a baby face, with dimples and no facial hair; his light blue eyes still shone with some innocence. Although he may have been younger, he was a lot quicker than his fallen comrades and kept blocking her swift blows. He kept up with her well, his stamina similar to hers. Soon their dance became one of skilfully sussing the other out, waiting for their moment to strike at a weak moment. This came quickly as a loss of footing on the guy''s side made him stumble ever so slightly, which gave Evanna enough time to swipe his sword out of his hands. As she went to swing her other sword down, she halted mid-air; his eyes shone with unshed tears, panic written over his face as he held his hands up, cowering. She stopped abruptly and brought her sword back, causing him to look up, startled by her action. Evanna pointed her sword at his throat. "Do you surrender?" She asked cooly. He nodded his head quickly, his eyes bulging in shock, "What is your name?" "Ash," He answered her, his eyes still wide. Cilv briskly walked over to them, head tilting to the side at the teenage boy, cowering before them, "What are you doing, Raven?" "He surrendered." "After attacking you.." Cilv spoke slowly as though the princess was dim-witted. "Cilv.." "Raven.." Cilv mimicked the princess''s voice. Cilv shook her head at Evanna. As she opened her mouth to say more, the men came back into view. Ger walked ahead as the other two dragged a bloodied and beaten man by the arms, his knees scraping the ground beneath them. They slung him on the dirt by Cilv''s feet, revealing him to be the man who spoke to them initially. "What do we have here?" Ger directed his question to Evanna, his face full of dirt, sweat and other men''s blood. Cilv crouched down on her feet as she assessed the man, who lay there groaning. "He''s just a kid," Evanna said as she returned her swords to her scabbards behind her back. The boy scoffed at her words but shut his mouth after the look Ronan gave him; he then looked down at the bloodied figure on the ground. "Father!" He scrambled over to him. Ger gave Evanna a stern look, but she did not move her eyes away from his, challenging him silently. He closed his eyes briefly, sucking a deep breath in before releasing it and opening his eyes once again, dismissing the battle of their eyes. Ger spoke up so all of them could hear him clearly, "They watched us from the campsite this morning. He said they normally ambush people earlier on the road, but they needed to make sure of something before attacking us." "And what was that, dear Ger?" Cilv asked, her eyes not moving from the man on the floor. She started to spin her dagger again on her hand while the teenager eyed her carefully. "To see if Raven matches the description of the missing princess," Ronan said, his arms were across his chest, his biceps bulging under the tightened shirt. He watched Evanna as she removed her eyes away from his arms and to his face at his words. He hid a smirk, now he knew she was not completely immune to his looks. She just hid it better than most. "Did you get everything you need out of him?" Cilv enquired, her voice and eyes cold. "Yes," Ger said, knowing already he sentenced the man to his fate. Cilv hovered above the man in a matter of seconds and stabbed him in the chest. "NO!" The guy named Ash screamed, he held his father''s face in between his hands, but his body went slack. Cilv pulled her dagger out and stood back from the spectacle in front of them. The three men started to make their way to their horses, readying them to continue with the journey. Axel rubbed at the back of his head as he turned to look back at the grieving kid on the ground. "What do we do with him?" Ronan whispered as they huddled near Ger''s horse, where Nesrin was now sitting. "He can''t come with us," Axel replied, shaking his head at the situation. Evanna slowly approached Ash, kneeling near him, showing her hands to not show he was in danger. His eyes glared at her and the red-haired female behind her, who kept a small distance from them. "I am sorry, Ash", Evanna said, her voice sincere as she watched his anguished face. "Get lost," He spat back. Evanna stood back up and turned to face Cilv. Her face was full of guilt as she watched Cilv''s calculating one. Evanna took a step forward but suddenly felt the air knock out from her lungs as she felt a hard punch go into the back of her ribs. Cilv brushed past her in a flash, making her turn abruptly as she heard something drop to the floor. Evanna''s eyes widened in shock as Ash stood close to her, his expression matching hers. "You should be-" A dagger slid harshly across his neck in a swift motion, causing a gaping wound that was cut from ear to ear. Blood spurted out, splashing across Evanna''s face before it seeped heavily down his chest, his eyes still wide, staring at her before he crumbled to the floor. Cilv stood there facing Evanna, her eyes dead and emotionless. "Never. Hesitate. Again." Chapter 30 - More To The Princess Than Meets The Eye... Evanna flinched at Cilv''s comment before wiping her face with her hand; she gagged at the blood that had splashed onto her. She was shocked by what just happened; Cilv slit his throat easily and without remorse, and she was the one to watch it happen. Her stomach dropped as she realised she caused the boy more pain from being merciful than if she killed him straight away. His last moments were agonising, first the death of his father, then his last struggle of life when Cilv slit his throat. But why did Cilv act out so viciously to him? Evanna started to move but stopped abruptly as she felt winded. Placing her hand on her back, she winced at the spot where she felt the muscles tightening and bruising up. Taking another step, she looked down after feeling a metal object underneath her boot; bending down slowly, she found a dagger. She grabbed it and brought it up to her face to assess it. The blade was bent as though it had been smacked into a rock. The only part that looked normal was the handle, which was still straight. Realisation dawned on her, Ash used the dagger on her. Instead of being stabbed and ultimately dying from such an injury, she was left feeling winded and bruised. "Raven!" Ger was by her side after running at full speed. He grabbed her by the face, his eyes flickering between hers; when he saw a look of confusion staring back at him, he became confused himself. He brushed his hand down her back lightly, checking her back for the injury he knew she had. Once his hand reached the area where Evanna felt bruised, she stiffened. "Ah", She hissed at his touch. Concern etched onto his face, but after removing his hand from the ripped material, he found no blood spilling from where a wound should be. He bent down to inspect it further. "I am sorry if this hurts", He said before placing a finger through the hole, making contact with her back, but not her bare skin. He felt more material on the surface; she hissed again at his small jab. Frowning, he came back to face her again before looking down at the dagger in her hand. There was no trace of blood on the steel, and it was bent. "I saw him stab you.." He said astonishment replaced his concern. Cilv tilted her head in amusement, "Looks like there is more to the princess than meets the eye.." Axel and Ronan were by her side now. After seeing the princess with no injury, their heads kept moving as they scanned the surrounding area again. "How.." Ger''s eyes were still wide as he looked from the dagger to searching Evanna''s face. She touched the Dracosbain armour under her shirt; his eyes looked at it and back at her, confused. He presumed it was an undershirt to keep her warm, the material seemed so thin, yet he knew just from what he witnessed that this was no ordinary shirt. Awe replaced the confusion on his face. "I am wearing Dracosbain." Axel and Ronan looked back at Evanna, wide-eyed and Cilv''s eyebrows rose at her comment. They all knew what the material was made out of, and to see the blade in her hand bent just proved the myth to be true. Unlike the elves, the humans did not have easy access to such garments and were only left with whispered tales of such a thing. "That must cost a fortune.." Cilv spoke dreamily. They could see her eyes calculating the cost of such an item and almost see her drool at the prospect of such wealth. A broad grin spread across Ronan''s face as he looked at the princess. "We do not need to worry about you at all! Here I was, trying to help a damsel in distress, only to turn around and see she was in no distress at all! And now.. you have extra protection" He raised his hand to prove his point at the armour she was wearing and the fairy that had flown to her shoulder. Evanna stopped herself from rolling her eyes. At least they knew she was actually able to take care of herself, and they could focus on their own fights. She knew they were trying to protect her, but their divided attention could cost them their life. She smiled back at Ronan before her face turned to one of panic. She suddenly remembered about the fairy and cursed under her breath. A tiny hand touched her neck, making her still. "Nesrin! Are you okay?" Evanna asked; Nesrin giggled back at her panicked state. "I am fine, do not worry about me." "What happened to you? Where did you go?" Evanna questioned; she did not think twice about the fairy. Once the bandits came, her attention was entirely focused on them. Axel came forwards and placed his hand down onto her free shoulder, making her look up at his bearded face. "I''m sorry, lass, but we need to get going. These aren''t the only bandits on these dangerous roads," He forewarned. Nodding her head, she began turning on her heel towards the horses. She was happy to see no harm fell onto the horses. As she mounted Midknight, she could not help but notice that the group were all in need of a good wash. Their faces and hands were covered in mud and blood; she did not want to even think about how she looked right now. Her face still felt sticky after what Cilv did to Ash; she glanced her way cautiously. Cilv met her eyes unblinkingly, making her uncomfortable, and she turned to look back to the front. Her thoughts were too jumbled to talk to her right now. The group left the bodies on the road as they made haste away from the area. The five companions rode quickly down the road before making a sharp left and galloped across the fields, off-road. They soon found themselves coming across a river. Evanna sighed in relief; she could not wait to clean her face and wipe her gloves down. They dismounted their horses and made their way to the river. Evanna immediately felt a lot better, refreshed after splashing the cold water onto her face and hair. The cold water and damp air made her feel more refreshed. After everyone cleaned up and had a water break, they got back on their horses to continue their journey. They did not stop for most of the day. Axel seemed to be on a mission to get the group as far away as possible from the road where they had been ambushed. The continuous galloping of the horses made it hard to have any conversation. Even if Nesrin could mind link her, she did not as she appeared to be concentrating on holding on throughout the ride. They slowed their horses down to a walk again when Evanna''s pocket watch read out the time to be just past 4 in the afternoon. The group appeared tired after travelling for so long and not taking any breaks to eat and drink; their backs were slightly slouched as they sat on the backs of their horses. Evanna was the first to speak up, "Nesrin, you never told me earlier where you went," Ronan chuckled as he rode his horse next to hers, the group back in their regular riding positions. "I was helping." "Helping?" "We found her performing some kind of spell on six bandits. There were roots and vines everywhere, holding them back in place!" Ronan said excitedly, his eyes gleaming as he looked across at the fairy. "Looks like flower fairies do come in handy after all!" Axel shouted from the front. Evanna smiled down at Nesrin, "I never doubted she would not be. How are you feeling now, though, Nesrin?" She looked down at her worried, it was not but two days ago that they managed to free her from her kidnappers where she was weakened from malnutrition. "You worry too much", She giggled, "I will be fine after a good night''s sleep." "I wish I could have seen you in action, though." "You missed a show, alright! Although, you put on quite a show yourself! I am quite certain you took down the most out of all of us" Ronan spoke in awe at her. Evanna looked away from his admiration; her cheeks reddened. It was not something she was proud about, yes, she trained and made sure that she could defend herself, but she did not like taking life. She knew this would be a certainty, but she was still coming to terms with it. She was no killer, yet her hands were now tainted with the blood of others, and there was nothing she could do about it. Her fate was sealed the moment she chose this path. Chapter 31 - Cat Fight Later that day, after setting up camp, they sat around the campfire not long after finishing their dinner. Axel, it seems, liked to cook for everyone, and Cilv took the pleasure of hunting any animals she could find in the area. Tonight, they ate pheasant after Cilv brought one back; they never questioned how she hunted as she never failed in bringing something back. Yet, she never used a bow, and her only weapons were daggers, and there was no time to set up traps around the area. They needed food quickly on the road. If she did not hunt, then they would just eat the bread or vegetables they carried with them, but Cilv refused to eat vegetables alone. She was a hardcore carnivore. The group relaxed in their seated positions around the fire. The warmth from the flames kept the chill away as the crackling wood continued to snap and pop. Crickets chirped among fields as an owl hooted on a tree nearby, occasionally waking up the surroundings of the quiet early evening. Ronan was watching Ger and Evanna. She casually hit him lightly on the shoulder after something he said, causing them both to laugh. Suddenly, he felt a twig hit him faintly on the cheek; he looked to the side to see Cilv sprawled out on the ground near him. She stared at him expectantly, then raised her hand and threw another twig at him. "Yes?" "Stop pining over her" Ronan looked in Ger and Evanna''s direction after Cilv''s loud comment, but thankfully they did not hear. "Why, are you jealous?" He smirked back. Cilv laughed, "You wish. It just looks sad. And sad does not look good on THAT" She waved her hands up and down his body, he chuckled, enjoying the attention. Axel cleared his throat loudly, causing the group to look in his direction. "I know we did not have our regular breaks today, but I think I can speak for all of us when I say that I wanted us to be as far away from Kuramji and Dunhurst as possible. I did not expect word to travel so quickly about Evanna''s disappearance from the palace." He glanced at his surroundings as he spoke, paranoia kicking in as he looked at the rising moon and the shadows starting to ascend behind nearby trees. Evanna nodded her head along with the others who sat around the fire, understanding his decision. Although they were tired, it was better they put more distance between them and Dunhurst. Besides, this just meant they were making quicker progress to Direwood forest and to the Flori, where the gemstone was. "That is understandable Axel, we do not question your judgement", Evanna replied. Cilv shifted in her seated position as she stared vacantly at Evanna. This was not the first of the night, and instead of being uncomfortable from her continuous stares, she was used to it. It was similar to how it was back at the palace. Although she knew this was not Cilv''s intent, there was something on her mind, and she took a guess that it may be about today; she did, after all, watch her fight. It was the first time for all of the group, except Ger, to have seen her handle her swords. But, she could not tell why Cilv stared at her with a strategic look upon her face each time she looked at her. Ger narrowed his eyes at Cilv after he caught her staring at Evanna once again. He was not the only one to notice; he glanced at Axel, who seemed slightly uncomfortable with the tension that was rising in the air. From Cilv. Again. "I can feel the heat of your anger over here. And it is not the fire. What have I done now, Ger?" Cilv snapped; her eyes were now on him. He glared back at her but said nothing. "What was that?" She taunted, her hand at her ear as though she could not hear him. Ger fisted his hand by his side, but he did not fall for her bait and kept his mouth shut. Evanna glanced between the pair, worried that there would be another tumble between them. Cilv smirked before speaking up again. This time though, her attention was to Evanna. "I think there are more important matters to discuss," The group looked up after hearing the seriousness in Cilv''s voice replacing her usual malice. "Raven." She mocked at her name again. Evanna narrowed her eyes slightly but waited patiently for her to continue. "We need to talk about what happened today." Evanna looked at the guys across from her. Her face questioning them for an answer, but their own faces looked just as confused as hers and shrugged. Evanna turned her head back to Cilv, who was now crouched nearer to her but stopped when Ger tensed up. "You hesitated", She said simply, her head tilted to the side. "I was not about to murder someone if they surrendered Cilv!" Evanna nearly yelled back at her, she surprised herself with her little outburst, but Cilv looked only amused at her response. "That was not the only time, Raven." Cilv mocked again. This caught Evanna''s attention. What did she mean it was not the only time? Cilv''s eyes gleamed with amusement at the confusion on the princess''s face. The men were now looking intently between the pair, for they were not the ones to keep a check on Evanna''s fighting skills. They were just happy that she could defend herself. "Then when.." Evanna asked, uncertainty showing in her wavering voice. It was the first time the men saw her unsure of herself. Yes, she had been through what she had been through, but she still held her head high and spoke unwaveringly about what happened to her. "The whole time." Evanna''s eyes widened. She killed those men; she was surrounded by bodies the last she checked, her gloved hands and face were covered in the bandit''s blood. But Cilv speaks of her being hesitant? She scoffed before standing up. Nesrin flew off her shoulder and sat on Ronan''s knee as the princess started to turn away from Cilv and the men. She decided that going to the tent to rest would be best. "I am not done speaking," Cilv''s voice was now deadly as she eyed the princess. Evanna stopped a few meters away from the campfire. She turned on the spot, looking directly at Cilv, who now stood across from her. "I am. I do not know what you speak of, Cilv. There is plenty of blood now spilt on my hands from today" Evanna''s voice came out stronger than what she felt. The blood on her hands was not something she wanted to brag about. Axel stood and made his way to Ger''s side, watching the girls as their talk became heated. Sitting down, he noticed that all eyes were on them, as though they were watching a play. All three of them were unsure of what Cilv spoke of; they saw the countless bodies at Evanna''s feet. If it weren''t her, then who else would have fought them until their deaths. Cilv took a step forwards. Ger tensed at her slow, intentional movement towards Evanna and watched as a slow smirk rose on her face. "I think you do, and we need to do something about it, Raven. You could have put the group in danger because of your naivety." Cilv''s voice purred quietly. "What do you suggest we do then?" Evanna challenged, tilting her head to the side. This caused Cilv to break out into a full-fledged smile; it was chilling. "I''m going to put you to the test", Cilv responded; Evanna frowned in confusion. What did she mean- Cilv lunged towards Evanna, taking her by surprise. Her reaction was too slow to sidestep out of the way; instead, they both fell onto the slightly damp earth. Evanna kicked her over her head and rolled to the side before standing. Cilv was smiling as she prepared her daggers in her hands, spinning them as she eyed Evanna up and down. "You are mad!" Ger shouted, but neither woman paid attention to anything other than their opponent in front of them. Evanna kept her eyes on Cilv as she pulled her cloak off and threw it to the side, where Ronan caught it. She started to remove her swords from behind her back but only to put them on the ground by her side before grabbing the two daggers from her boots. Cilv''s eyes gleamed at the princess''s action. "I would stick to using the swords", She spoke to Evanna as she took a step to the side, watching the princess''s every move. "I thought I would level the playing field. Make it a fair fight," Evanna replied; although she said it was so their fight would be fair, she knew how nimble daggers were to swords. From what Evanna had seen of Cilv fight, she was just as agile as her, if not quicker, and the swords would only slow her down. Cilv tsked at her response, "Who says I play fair?" She quickly lunged towards Evanna, daggers stretched out in front of her. Evanna deflected both blades before side-stepping out of the way. Cilv turned immediately, defending herself from the princess''s attack, their weapons clanged, held together by either woman pushing against the other, but Cilv was only playing with her. After a little more struggle on Evanna''s part, Cilv decided to push both blades back, causing Evanna to take a few steps back from the power behind her push. Her eyes widened at the unnatural strength Cilv had. Without another thought, they leapt towards each other, blades out ready, steel clashing against steel. They dodged, sidestepped, rolled and attacked at incredible speeds. Cilv made a close swipe at Evanna''s face, but she twisted out of reach, avoiding it. As her back was turned, Cilv attacked; she wrapped both arms around the princess''s unprotected back, one blade near her neck and the other by her stomach. Cilv smirked, but that one second of victory just shattered; the princess lifted her leg and kicked her boot into Cilv''s face, causing her to release her hold and take a few steps back as she clutched her head. All three men''s eyes gaped at the princess''s flexibility. She kicked Cilv by doing some form of the splits! Ronan hissed his teeth at the thought of him trying to do that. All the while, Nesrin sat with her hands over her face, not wanting to watch but at the same time, not able to look away as she peeked through her fingers. Although they all thought Cilv was insane, and they did not understand why she felt the need to fight Evanna, they were also enjoying the spectacle in front of them. All three of them had seen each other fight before, from the two years they spent together slaying monsters and anybody that caused them trouble. But before their eyes, they watched a very nimble fight between two women. Of course, they would interfere if Cilv ever became out of control, but for now, they would watch the show, or forcibly watch in Ger''s case, as he was being held back by Axel. Evanna turned back around and swung her dagger in front of her, making Cilv leap backwards and out of reach. As Evanna advanced again, dirt was thrown into her face, "Ah!" Evanna wiped one hand across her eyes as the other swiped her dagger in front of her in case Cilv would attack her. With her eyes still watering and her vision blurred, she gritted her teeth before she felt a boot kick into her stomach. But before Cilv could have the upper hand, Evanna neatly dodged out of the way of an oncoming blade and done a backflip, creating space between them. After blinking profusely, her sight was back to normal. Evanna advanced again. They blocked and attacked each other well, then suddenly, they turned simultaneously. While Cilv made another swipe forward, Evanna kicked her from behind her calves. Striking her leg from underneath her feet and causing her to collapse onto her back. At the same time, she released her daggers that flew across the ground behind her. Before she could jump back up, Evanna was on top of her, a blade pointed at Cilv''s throat. Their chests were heaving as neither looked away from the other, sussing the other out. Evanna then lifted herself off from Cilv. She put her daggers back in her boots as she continued to watch Cilv on the floor. As she turned her back, she felt herself fall back hard onto the ground. Cilv had swiftly swung her own feet underneath Evanna and jumped on top of her. Before she could react, she saw Cilv''s nails extending sharply towards her neck into long claws. Her eyes widened, and she looked up to Cilv''s face; the eyes staring back at her were gold in colour, and the pupils were slitted. Cilv''s eyes were those of a cat! Chapter 32 - Kill Or Be Killed Evanna stared wide-eyed at Cilv, who sat on top of her, her hand angled at her throat with claws extended out, used as a weapon, and her eyes shining brightly, reflecting back golden cat eyes. She smirked at the astonishment on the princess''s face. "Cilv.. your eyes-" "NEVER turn your back on an enemy and ALWAYS put 100% into your kill. You never know what lies up their sleeves, what secrets they may be holding. For instance, you left me because my weapons were out of reach.. yet here we are, my claws against your neck." "Cilv, we weren''t fighting to the death.." "No, but if we were, you would be dead. The difference between you and me is that unlike you, I do not hesitate to strike my opponent." Cilv deadpanned. She then tilted her head to the side as she assessed the princess''s face. "Do you see what I mean?" The guys were by the side of the two women on the wet earth, their faces stunned by Cilv''s hands and eyes. Snapping out of his trance, Axel grabbed Cilv and pulled her off Evanna, who immediately stood up, her eyes not leaving Cilv''s. Cilv did not struggle in Axel''s hold, neither did she show any signs of worry as they continued to look at the red-haired, cat-eyed woman. "Let her go. She has not harmed me," Evanna said, Axel released his hold on Cilv, who relaxed her hands in front of her, her nails going back to their original size. Ger looked at Evanna in disbelief by her comment, but he kept his mouth shut as Ronan held onto his shoulder tightly. Nesrin sat quietly on Ronan''s shoulder as she looked at each of their faces. Evanna walked towards Cilv, who, with one blink of her eyes, changed them back to her normal hazel coloured ones. "There is much for us to discuss," Evanna said as her hand gestured for Cilv to sit back down at the campfire. The men were gobsmacked at the turn of events, one moment, they were fighting, and Cilv appeared to be some form of cat type woman, and then the next moment, they were sitting at the fire as though nothing happened. Women. Axel thought. He sat back down in his original spot, across from Evanna and Cilv. The pair sat down with Ger on the opposite side to the princess. "Continue," Evanna smiled gently at Cilv. There was no fear on her face as she sat facing her, even after Cilv revealed such a secret about herself. "I watched you today. You can fight. We can all see that. You are probably better than these three-" "Hey!" Ronan interjected but closed his mouth obediently at Cilv''s sharp look. "But you hesitated on every opponent you faced. Yes, you killed them. But you had so many openings where you could have ended them quicker. And I know that you know this. You should not be wasting your energy on decisions. They decided their fate the moment they attacked us." Cilv looked at Evanna intently, searching her eyes, waiting for her to argue with her. When she saw admission, she continued, "Training only gets you so far. Training is nothing, will is everything. The will to make that final blow, to end a life- that is what will keep you and your friends alive. Your enemy will not stop until they get what they want from you. Whether that is your body or your life." Evanna frowned back at her words as the shadows from the fire danced across her face, "I am not a killer Cilv, I defend-" "There will be times when you will have to strike first. To kill. That is what you chose when you took on this quest. You asked me to come with you on this, as none of you has the skills and powers that I have. This is me now, telling you what you need to survive." Ger frowned at the conversation between the two women, he wanted to be against everything Cilv said, but she was right. He knew the kind heart that Evanna has, but her stunt today with the kid could have cost her her own life, and if she was hesitating to take life''s, then she would not last much longer. He felt torn between her staying innocent and who she needed to be. "Who we need to be to survive is a completely different thing than who we are," Ger spoke softly. Evanna turned her head; her eyes flickered between his before she looked back down in thought. "You have already shown your alter ego in Kuramji; it shouldn''t be too hard," Cilv said, amused; Evanna looked back at her, confused. "My alter ego?" She asked, "You know.. Raven. The dual wielder who nearly stabs a man for trying to take her horse," Cilv smirked. The men chuckled at her comment. Evanna''s eyes widened as she glanced from face to face before blushing and biting her lip. "Hesitation is fatal, Evanna. It is kill or be killed." Cilv concluded. Evanna sat quietly as she processed what Cilv said. While Evanna was deep in thought, Axel was the first to speak up about the elephant in the room, or in this case, the cat. "So, are we going to talk about your little trick?" He asked. Cilv looked his way casually before sighing. "What do you want to know?" Cilv questioned nonchalantly. "Everything!" Ronan exclaimed excitedly; Cilv smirked at his outburst. "It''s not very interesting, " she replied as she brushed some invisible dirt off her knee. "I bet it is", Axel said; Cilv glanced back up after feeling the groups curious eyes on her. "I am a shapeshifter. Although I am different to other shifters. I am only able to change my hands and my eyes. I have all the abilities of a cat, but I cannot transform into one," Her answer caused a lot of confused faces to stare back at her. Ronan opened his mouth to speak, then closed it. He opened his mouth again as a question started to form on his tongue, but he closed his mouth again. Nesrin giggled at the stunned state he was in, then flew down to sit on his knee. "Spit it out, Roach." Cilv rolled her eyes at him. "Um, so, if you were a normal ''shifter'', you would be able to transform into a cat?" He finally asked what was on his mind. Although he had many questions, he could only ask one at a time before his mind would explode with the new knowledge of another creature. "Indeed", Cilv replied, her voice seemingly monotone at her own explanation about her species. "Do all shapeshifters transform into cats?" Axel queried next; he had no problem speaking what was on his mind. "No." Cilv sighed again after seeing the group looking at her expectantly, waiting for her to expand on her answer, "No, each shapeshifter is born differently. Some can shift into birds, others, wolves, but don''t go getting wolf shifters mixed up with werewolves. They hate it. There are also some who do not stick to just one animal, but they are rare." "Werewolves?" Evanna spoke up; she looked at Cilv curiously as she soaked up the given information. She loved learning new things about the world and its creatures. Like the fairy, she thought werewolves were just myths or found in horror stories. She did not expect to learn that they were, in fact, real, "What is the difference between a werewolf and a wolf shifter?" Cilv sighed, then laid down on her back, staring at the stars; she knew they would continue to ask questions. In revealing her true self to Evanna in the fight, she hoped to teach her a lesson, and she did, but now she had to deal with the consequences. And that was dealing with an interrogation and answering personal questions. She never told anyone about herself before. The only people that knew about her were other shifters who came in contact with her from time to time. There was a distinctive smell about shifters. Other shifters were a lot friendlier than her and tended to introduce themselves and ask if they wanted to shift together. But she preferred being alone, she put it down to her personality and her animal side being one of a cat. "Cilv?" Evanna called her name out. She could see Cilv was lost in thought as she looked up at the night sky. "Like in the books you have most likely read.. Werewolves are cursed to shift every full moon; I do not know much about them as I keep myself away from that kind. From the only one I have come in contact with, it was more animal than man." "Is that what happened to your back?" Evanna whispered; Cilv tensed at her question but relaxed immediately when she saw the men straining to hear what she asked. "No. Well yes. Partly. I defended myself against one, but it did not cause all of my scars," Cilv responded in a low voice; she kept it only high enough so that Evanna could hear it. She regretted answering her question immediately. When she looked at the princess''s face, she saw pity flash across her eyes. But she composed herself quickly after receiving a glare back from the woman lying on the cold ground. Cilv continued louder, with her original answer for the rest of the group "Shifters can shift whenever they want. Werewolves are forced to shift at a full moon. I hear it is excruciating for them." "You said you are not a normal shifter.. Why is that? Why can you not transform fully?" Ger was the next to ask; Cilv glanced his way coldly. "That. You do not need to know." Her answer silenced them, indicating that she would not be answering any more questions. Silence ascended the group, each lost in their thoughts. Cilv welcomed it. She hated being in the spotlight, act a deranged, psychotic bitch, that was easy, reveal her secret, that was different. She would have no problem killing them all if they ever told anyone else. She was not ashamed of what she was, but the humans in Dunhurst were frightful little things that jumped at the gust of wind against a windowpane and call it a ghost. No, the humans would just cause her issues, and she preferred her work to be easy. "This makes so much more sense now," Ronan said, breaking the silence. Everyone glanced in his direction, except Cilv, who continued to stare at the stars. "It really does. You are quite the little huntress, Cilv," Axel said as he eyed the petite woman on the ground. "Little!?" Cilv brought herself up high enough to lean on her elbows, glaring back at Axel. "You find my hunting skills to be little!?" Axel waved his hands in front of him, "No, no, lass. You have it wrong. I meant you are a very skilled huntress." Cilv narrowed her eyes at him before lying back down, "You''re dammed straight I am." Evanna smiled as the group seemed more in sync than before, their moods lighter after the day''s events. She lowered her gaze again to the flames, lost in thought about what Cilv said before explaining what she was. Cilv was utterly right. Earlier, while she fought, she did hesitate and lengthen their fight longer than necessary, unaware that she was doing it. And as Cilv pointed out, it was indeed a ''kill or be killed'' world, she showed someone mercy, and they stabbed her in the back. Literally. She would not make that mistake again. Chapter 33 - Direwood Forest For the next two days, the company travelled without any more issues on the road. They fell into a routine, waking up before sunrise and leaving to travel soon after breakfast and having breaks throughout the day. In the evening, Evanna took on the role of setting the campfire up as well as tending to the horses; while Cilv would go out hunting, Ronan and Ger pitched the tents, and Axel would be starting dinner. When they were ready for bed, the men stuck to keeping watch, taking shifts throughout the night, and Nesrin helped Evanna fall asleep with her humming and fairy dances. In the late afternoon on the second day, Axel, leading the way, signalled for them to slow down, making the rest command their horses to trot down to a walk. The hill they were slowly ascending started to slope back down, revealing a vast forest ahead of them. Evanna''s eyes widened in awe at the magnificent trees before them; the woods back home in Reigh was nothing in comparison to what was in front of them now. The trees alone stood proud and tall, some wide enough to fit a small house in. The nearer they came to the forest, the smaller she felt. She could only imagine how Nesrin always felt among them. They stopped at a fair distance from the entrance, Evanna craned her neck back like the others, looking to see where the top of the trees was, but she could not tell where the trees ended, and the sky began. "Well, let''s not sit around staring at it. It''s not going anywhere," Axel said before lightly kicking his horse with the stirrup, commanding it to continue. The others stopped gawking and followed suit. The road they were on led to the opening in the trees. However, as they started to approach the trees, a gust of wind flew towards them, sweeping their hair back. The trees almost seemed to curl inwards, completing a circular shape as a sound much like a roar snarled at them loudly. Daring them to enter. The horses were spooked, their ears flickering as their heads elevated back abruptly, shuffling on their hooves, scared at what lies before them. Evanna tsked at Midknight. Compared to the other horses, he stood his ground proudly before taking a few steps forward. As quickly as the wind came, it died down instantly, the tall trees were back to normal, and the sounds depleted, making the group wonder if they imagined it all. Evanna and Midknight continued forwards with the others quickly following behind; Axel forced his own horse forwards, taking the lead once again. He wanted to be the first in line if there was an attack. He felt better with the princess behind him; he was, after all, twice the size of her- a shield in front of her slender but dangerous form. He turned his head, smiling back at Evanna, "Looks like I should have your horse. He is a brave little thing." "I think you forgot what happened to the last man who wanted my horse.." Evanna smirked back. Axel burst out laughing, his voice booming loudly before returning his vigilant gaze to the forest in front of him. Evanna patted Midknight fondly, who made a snorting sound in return. The looming trees started to form a shade over the group. The sunlight beamed through the tiny gaps of the leaves, causing bits of light to fall in patches across the forest floor. The temperature started to drop and the air leaving their mouths left in clouds of smoke. Evanna pulled her hood over her head to keep as much warmth on her head as possible; she saw the others do the same. They looked around warily as the horses walked them at a slow pace. The deeper they went into the forest, the less they saw of the entrance where they began. Bright sunshine, green grass and the path that led them into the woods were the last of what they saw from the world outside of Direwood Forest. It already felt like a distant, fond memory as the darkness slowly consumed them. The trees began to get closer as the tangling roots lifted from the ragged mossy earth. This made it that much harder for their horses to go at a regular pace, occasionally stopping or leaping to get further into the primeval woodland. Evanna took note that either side of the trail they were following looked almost impenetrable to get through. Escape routes from any imposing threats seemed dire by that fact. When she looked forwards again, she felt her heart sink as her eyes gazed into the shadowy depths of the forest. She became worried about the duration it would take to get to the Flori''s palace, although her apprehension was immediately squished after remembering they had a map. Axel suddenly stopped his horse, looking down and across the blended trees for a brief moment, causing the others to approach his spot slowly. Evanna was the first to make it by his side, and her body stiffened slightly by the sight she saw in front of them. There were human skeletons scattered across the path. The closest leaned up against a tree with three arrows sticking out of the ribcage and lodged into the bark behind it. Evanna could tell that they had been there a while, for there were mushrooms growing out of the right eye and embedded across the top right side of the skull onto the tree. Weeds and other flowers were growing out from gaps between the bones. She removed her eyes from the first skeleton against the tree to the ones further ahead that lay face down, scattered about. Each had one or a few arrows sticking out from them. "Keep your wits about you," Axel spoke to everyone in the group, his eyes trained ahead of them. Following behind Axel, Evanna could not help but feel chilled by what was around them, not only from the skeletons on the ground they passed by, but her senses were on a high alert, the hair on the nape of her neck stood on end as she felt goosebumps spread across her skin. Every snap of a twig or leaves crinkling made Evanna jump, and her heart pound profusely against her chest. Her eyes began to feel heavy, and any form of light would hurt them. She looked behind her to see how the others were fairing and saw they too looked tired; their eyes were slightly red. Looking to her left shoulder, she saw Nesrin assessing their surroundings; she appeared fine, with a fierce expression on her cute little face. ~ I can be fierce when I want to be princess ~ Nesrin mind linked her while still surveying ahead of them. Evanna chuckled but did not respond; she was confident the fairy would just read any of her other thoughts if she wished. Nesrin then flew ahead and stood on Axel''s shoulder; he suddenly stopped his horse, causing the line of the others to nearly bump into each other. Nesrin then flew above Axel''s head, making sure that everyone could see her. ~ Before we continue, I need to caution you, I do not think I will be with you much longer, and this is important. ~ Nesrin mind linked her. There was a slight echo behind her voice; as she glanced around the group, she could tell that the others could also hear what the fairy said. Evanna guessed she would not be staying for much longer, she had been flying very well the last few days, and her magical endurance was strengthening. But that did not mean she would not miss her. For someone so small and has only been with them for such a little time, she significantly impacted the group. The little ball of light was precisely that, a light when they were in darkness. Nesrin always uplifted the group, especially herself. ~ When you come across the river, make sure to stay on the right side of it. The other side is treacherous. Anyone who has entered has never returned alive. There is a spell of some kind that keeps the creatures on that side at bay. They cannot get across. ~ The right side of the river.. Evanna frowned at the new information that was given. Why did that sound so familiar? She could not recall, her mind and thoughts started to fog over, but she shrugged it off. Nesrin then flew back to Evanna''s shoulder, the announcement over. They continued forwards as the trail curved; neither horse nor man wanted to rush through. A steady pace was needed for this part of the journey, as they were in unknown territory and unaware of what they would be coming across. Evanna kept her gaze ahead of her, but her eyelids kept feeling heavy, blinking, she forced herself to stay awake. What was wrong with her? She glanced up to see the canopy of trees were all that she could see with the occassional glimpse of the sky beyond. She suddenly felt smothered, as though the trees were closing in on her, the space around her seemed unbearable, the air felt thinner, was the air thinner? "Does the air seem-" Evanna took a deep inhalation. "Thinner?" Ger finished. She swivelled back to look at him. Ger also seemed to be taking deep breaths. What was happening? "It will take a few days to get used to," He continued, making Evanna frown in confusion, "This happened last time we were here. The forest, we don''t know what it is, but it plays with your mind." Chapter 34 - Senses: Part One After two days of traipsing through the forest and the group''s spirits were low. Evanna seemed to struggle more than the others with the new environment. When night would fall, she could not sleep, and if sleep did come, she would have nightmares. Even Nesrin could not help her with sleep. Her shoulders felt heavy with an unknown weight as they stayed drooped down. The horses, however, seemed the same; they were still agitated but showed no other signs of distress. Nobody really spoke for those first few days; their faces looked worn with their eyes bloodshot. Cilv seemed more animal than human, but she did not go hunting, and if she acted too rashly, she would leave the group and curl up in her blanket in the tent instead of staying by the campfire. The men seemed to do better, they knew it would not last long, and on the third day, they were right. However, the feeling of dread did not completely go. They still felt tired, their eyes were still slightly bloodshot, but they had a little more energy than the previous days. On the morning of the third day, everyone, except Evanna, was already out of their tents and eating breakfast. Nesrin stayed by her side, worry forming on her little face. ~ Evanna ~ She gently spoke through her mind link. Evanna turned around in her blanket to face the little fairy. Nesrin noted how she looked a lot better, her bloodshot eyes gone, in fact, she seemed to have slept well, but she did not move from her position. ~ Are you okay? ~ She nodded her head back in response to the fairy. She did not know how to form the words that were on her mind, out of anyone, Nesrin may understand more. Nesrin gently smiled at her, showing that she understood what was on her mind; she flew closer to her face and gave her a little peck on her cheek, causing the princess to look at her in surprise. "What was that for?" She queried. "It will get easier, I promise" Nesrin replied; Evanna nodded her head at this before sitting up. She quietly had breakfast with the others, forcing herself to eat the food that tasted like ash in her mouth. She glanced around the forest, feeling as though they were being watched. Her senses were on high alert, her ears picked up on the smallest of sounds from any nearby animals, and she swore the ground would rumble every now and then, but as she looked at the other''s faces, she could see that it was just her. Maybe, it was just in her head; the forest was probably playing mind games with her like Ger said. Although it was morning, sunlight could hardly be seen and to make matters worse, coils of fog began to enwrap the trees, alerting the group to the atmosphere forming into one of horrific night. Although they were not fearful, it was not unseemly for fog to engulf a forest. It made them all warier about their surroundings and the potential threats that made them easy prey. The chill in the air never left, but the group by now adapted to the constant cold. It was only in the evening''s when the temperature dropped even more that it became unbearable, but they would huddle closer to the campfires they made. Cilv adapted by using her mask; it kept her nose and bottom part of her face warm. She had a spare and gave it to Evanna, who used it more in the mornings and evenings. Constantly wearing it made her feel smothered, more so than how she felt from the trees'' overbearing presence. But she was thankful for it; it helped reduced the cold by quite a lot. The company soon packed up their things and started to make their way; the path they were taking expanded wider, making it possible for them to walk in pairs once again. Ger rode on his horse next to Evanna, he looked much better, like the others, but he kept glancing her way, his face concerned. She could not help but still feel odd; she could almost feel like the trees were breathing and talking. A cold shiver went down her spine, she moved her head to look behind her, but there was nothing there except Cilv, who rode behind them. Evanna then glanced around again before frowning. ~ It is your gift, princess ~ Nesrin''s voice popped up in her head. ~ My gift? ~ Evanna looked down at the little creature, confused. ~ Oh, my apologies, princess. You call it a sense. Your sixth sense? ~ Understanding shone on her face now, her sixth sense? But they were surrounded by trees; what could she possibly sensing? "Stop," Ger commanded; each person looked at him as they halted their horses in position. He jumped off of his horse and walked around Midknight. "If you need a leak, be quick, Ger," Axel spoke from upfront. "Raven, come," He ordered; she watched his retreating back and frowned before dismounting from Midknight. Nesrin flew to Axel''s shoulder, leaving the pair to walk off at some distance from the others. Confused glances went between the group who were left behind. Ger stopped once they were hidden by the entangling trees and faced Evanna. Stepping closer, so they were but a step apart. "What''s wrong?" He asked. "I am not sure," She replied genuinely. He looked at her expectantly, waiting for more of an explanation. Evanna sighed and started pacing as she bit the inside of her mouth. "Nesrin said it is my sixth sense." "Your sixth sense?" He frowned, even more confused. She bit her lip, figuring out how to explain it to him. "You know how I have always had this creepy sixth sense, like the other day, for instance, I could tell someone was watching us, and I was right, the bandits were.." Ger nodded his head in understanding. "Well, the forest.. I think I can sort of hear it?" She responded hesitantly while her mind was still figuring out what it meant. "Hear it how?" He asked patiently. "I don''t know how to explain it but, I get the feeling that the forest does not like outsiders." Ger glanced at the trees around them, their magnificent heights still astounding to him. "What do you suppose we do?" He asked, but his question went unanswered as he looked over at the princess and saw her now clutching her head. He walked closer to her, seeing tears in her eyes, but the closer he got, the more she backed up until she hit a tree. As soon as her hand touched the bark, her eyes went wide, and she gasped before stumbling forwards from an unseen force; Ger caught her in his outstretched arms. Blinking, she raised her head and stared back into his eyes; her own were wide with an emotion he could not place, "They are more alive than I thought, Ger," Her voice came out crazed, making him more concerned for her. Maybe, the forest was playing tricks with her? But she has always had an uncanny ability that sense things. As kids, he could never sneak up on her. "No, I mean it. I just felt a rush of life go through my body. It was, wow. I could feel their power," She said after seeing the look on his face. She stepped out of his hands and walked back towards the trees. She understood more now, she felt as though her eyes were finally awake, and she could see everything clearly. Placing her hand on the tree, she closed her eyes. ~ We are not here to harm you or the residents of this forest. Only if we are attacked will we defend ourselves ~ Evanna spoke in her head to the tree. She never thought she would be doing that. Chuckling to herself, she could only guess what Ger was thinking right now; she looked like a crazy tree lover. The tree''s rumbled in response to her, causing the ground to shake, but then it abruptly stopped. Turning around, the pair looked at each other in surprise, and then suddenly, the fog that was around them immediately dispersed and the dull headache she had grown used to over the last few days faded. "What did you do?" Ger asked with a smile on his face as he walked back towards her. "I justˇ­ spoke to them?" Her own face was full of astonishment. "You just spoke to the treesˇ­" He nodded his head and looked at her like she was insane, then said, "Weird.. But with you, I am kind of used to it" He broke out into another grin. "Hey!" "You know it''s true. I have had to deal with you and your weird senses for years now. This just tops them all so far!" The pair burst out laughing, reminiscing about a few situations they found themselves in over the years as they walked back to the group who were now standing by their horses, with Axel pacing at the front. "What happened!?" Axel barked as he made his way towards them. "We decided to be one with nature" Ger joked; Evanna giggled by his side while the others just stared at them, not understanding their inside joke. Nesrin, of course, also giggled as she sat on Axel''s shoulder. "I knew you would work it out" She smiled at the princess. "Well, at least the fog is gone. Does anyone else feel better? My headache is gone," Ronan spoke up from his position. The pair just grinned at each other again knowingly. Chapter 35 - Senses: Part Two By nightfall, the group ventured further into the forest without any issues. The calm melody of animal noises faded, making them question if they were on the right track, but after checking the map, Axel confirmed they were. They sat around the campfire; not long after eating a vegetable stew, Cilv kept making faces during each bite and swore she would hunt the next day. Evanna and Ger sat next to each other against one of the trees near the fire, while Ronan sat next to Cilv, and Axel had Nesrin putting his beard into small plaits. Evanna could not help but laugh at watching the little fairy plait his brown beard, making the giant of a man who always looked fierce with an axe and a shield, sitting patiently while his beard was being styled. By the end of it, though, they found that it suited him except for the daisy''s she used to keep the plait together. As the evening wore on, the temperature began to drop again, leaving Evanna to pull her mask up, covering her nose and mouth. She also scooted closer to Ger against the tree, who sat there smoking from his pipe. The heat from his body would soon transfer onto her; he put his free arm around her and started rubbing her shoulder to warm her up. Smiling, she leant into him, comfortable to be sitting with her best friend in one of the strangest places she had ever been to. She was grateful to have Ger by her side. She honestly would not know how far she would have come if she left on this venture by herself. "Thank you", She said. He puffed out from the pipe and glanced at her. "I''m sorry, what did you say? Your mouth is covered," His eyes shone in amusement at how frozen she looked, with her hood up and mask covering her face. If he didn''t know it was her, he would have said she looked like a bandit. She smacked him lightly, knowing too well that her voice was not muffled, and they were too close for him not to hear her. Glancing back to the fire, she could not help but notice Ronan staring her way. He raked his hand through his curled hair as his jaw ticked, she wondered what he was thinking, but he looked away before announcing he was going to bed. Evanna then glanced at the floor after some movement caught her attention. Cilv was lying on the floor again and had shifted while she looked up at the sky. Her body was ridiculously close to the fire, but she was spread out so that all of her body would stay heated from the flames. Evanna''s gaze then went back to the fire in front of her. The sounds and the waves of the flames started to put her into a trance. She began to feel her eyelids get heavy as she continued to watch the fire, and for the first time since entering the forest, she fell soundlessly asleep. Ger glanced down at Evanna, who by now dropped her head onto his shoulder, her eyes closed. He shook his head at her; there was a perfectly usable tent she could sleep in. But as he continued to look at her, he could not help but feel warm from their closeness. A small smile spread on his lips, his eyes softening. Was he physically warm because they were huddled together? He frowned after realising a warm and tingly feeling was coming from his stomach. His eyes widened as he slightly tensed. Did he have romantic feelings towards his best friend? Shit, he thought, that was not good, she was a princess, and he was a peasant. ~ You are a noble, Ger. There is nothing wrong with having feelings ~ Nesrin''s voice popped into his head. He glanced up and saw that the little creature was sitting on Axel''s shoulder, who was also watching him. ~ Does she.. feel.. ~ ~ I cannot tell you that ~ ~ You can read people''s minds. I am sure you can ~ He retorted ~ I will not reveal her private thoughts. And you should not ask me of that. The least of your concerns right now is if your friend likes you more or not. You are in Direwood forest, and you have a mission to complete. ~ Nesrin''s voice was for once very stern, and she sounded as though she was scolding a child. He sighed before putting his pipe away. He glanced back down at Evanna to see her chest rise and fall rhythmically, the sign that she was in a deep sleep. Slowly, he shifted and put his arm behind her back and the other under her legs; he stood up with her in his arms, glancing again to see that she was still asleep. He tutted to himself; she really did sleep deeply when she wanted to. He only knew from the many times she was running late to meet him in the servant''s quarters, and Maggie would tell him how hard she needed to shake her to get up. Once inside the tent, Ger laid her down gently onto the mat she left earlier and placed the blanket over her. He moved a strand of raven hair from her face and set it to the side, staring at how beautiful she was. Even with a mask covering most of her face, anyone could tell she was a looker. He then stood back up abruptly, shocked at what he did. He quickly backed away and out of the tent, announcing to Axel that he should take first watch; he knew he would not sleep well because of his swirling thoughts and emotions. The following day Evanna woke up earlier than usual. She was a little confused; the last thing she remembered was being with Ger and watching the fire. Yet here she was in her tent. She rose slowly into a seated position, her mind catching up with her as she realised Ger must have taken her to bed. Her cheeks heated at the thought; he must have carried her. Shaking her head, she decided to get up. As she walked out of the tent, she saw Axel once again sleeping in a seated position near the extinguished fire, hugging his axe to his chest. Rolling her eyes, she then grinned after seeing Nesrin flying towards her. The fairy must have stayed with Axel last night. She really was becoming part of the family, she blinked, family? Where did that thought come from? She had not spent that long with these guys, and she was already calling them a family. ~ Because you are, you don''t need to be blood-related to be a family. You look out for each other ~ Nesrin smiled up at her as she stood on her shoulder once again. Instead of responding to her, she changed the subject, ~ Where will you go from here, Nesrin? ~ Her departure was a looming presence in Evanna''s mind, and she wished she would not go, but at the same time, she was happy that the fairy had her freedom. ~ Oh, I know my way from here. I can fly very quickly; it will not take me long to get home. ~ ~ Where is home for you? ~ Instead of answering, Nesrin placed her hand on the princess''s face, and images flashed before her eyes. There was a whole fairy village in a forest; their mini houses were set up in different parts of trees and red-spotted mushrooms. There was also a pond to the side of the little village where mini boats floated on the surface. She wondered why fairies would need a boat, but who was she to question the little creatures? Evanna, of course, had never seen anything like it. Nesrin then removed her hand, and the image dissolved, revealing the forest she stood in again. "Beautiful," Evanna breathed; the fairy grinned back at her. Before the princess could ask any more questions, her body tensed up as she felt a cold shiver go down the back of her spine. She narrowed her eyes and glanced at the trees. ~ It is not the trees ~ ~ Do you know what- ~ ~ I do not have your senses, princess. But the trees accepted you yesterday, so it is not the trees. ~ Evanna slowly spun on her heel as she assessed her surroundings. Cilv came out of their tent, her eyes were transformed into her cat eyes, and they darted from side to side as she walked cautiously towards the princess. "Do you sense that, Cilv?" She asked in a low voice; Cilv shook her head. "I heard something. It is coming this way quickly," She replied. At her words, Evanna grabbed her swords ready, and Cilv sprang up to the trees to gain a better viewpoint. Once she was at a good height, she leaned forwards, trying to check their surroundings. "Axel! Ger! Ronan!" Evanna shouted. Axel jumped on the spot, waving his axe forwards, then grunted when he saw nothing there. Ronan and Ger came rushing out towards Evanna. "What-" Evanna shushed Ronan as she held her hand up. Her senses were on high alert, and she turned to a spot behind her, where she felt the strongest pull. The men grabbed their weapons and spread out as they faced the same direction as Evanna. She tilted her head, straining her ears to listen; her feet then picked up a slight rumbling sound. She glanced behind her, "Do you hear that?" She asked the men. All three of them shook their heads. "Guys! They are coming from all parts of the forest!" Cilv shouted from above. The men turned on their spots, facing outwards. Evanna continued to look ahead of her, and Nesrin flew to a nearby branch. Her hands were glowing as tiny sparks flew from them as she readied herself. "What''s coming!?" Ronan shouted back, but he looked down to the ground when he felt the earth beneath his feet rumbling. Evanna''s back seemed to be getting colder, the hairs on her nape standing out, making her feel like the colder she got meant, the closer it was getting, whatever it was. The cold, tingling sensation rippled across her body, standing out on the back of her head and by her sides. That meant, whatever they were, they were coming from all angles. After feeling the strongest sensation pulling from the front, she stepped forwards, leaving the guys to take care of her back. Evanna readied herself as the ground shook, the intensity gradually increasing. She abruptly jumped to the side after losing her footing as the ground beneath her feet exploded. A gaping hole made her fall into the ground where she saw multiple yellow, sharp legs attached to an elongated brownish body of a monster that crawled through the soil. The upper part of its body was now standing tall outside of the hole. Chapter 36 - Pests: Part One Evanna jumped to the edge of the hole, pressing her back against the dirt, keeping as far from the monster as possible. Its legs kept crawling forwards; she lost count of how many there were. The click-clacking sound they made caused her to shiver as her face turned to one of distaste. Looking to her left, into the dark tunnel from which it came from, she could finally see the other end of the long monster; shaking her head, she forced herself to move. It would be attacking the others if she did nothing. Evanna made a quick assessment of her situation. If she attacked it in the hole, she could be worse off from the small space. Putting her swords back into her scabbards on her back, she took a deep breath and made a gamble. Evanna ran forwards, grimacing as she got closer to the legs but leapt over them and landed gently on the top of the monster. The surface was hard and smooth. At every pair of legs on each side, the top part had a rectangular segment. Looking back up, Evanna checked to see that it was unaware of her standing on it. She quickly started running up it as it continued to move forwards. With its body sloped, she ran up it efficiently. The cool air from outside the hole hit her face; bracing herself, she neared the top of the beast she was on. Luckily, Evanna had outstanding balance because it started to move side to side, and its body twisted as though it was looking at its surroundings. Grabbing her swords, she ran and jumped towards the head, bringing both blades down into the top of it. The creature screeched in pain. Evanna gritted her teeth at how hard the surface was but used all her might to push deeper into its head. The pair of antennae moved side to side until the whole thing collapsed down. She jumped off it, forwards-somersaulting herself out of the way and landing gracefully to the side as it landed heavily on the ground. Evanna walked back to the creature, making sure it was dead. On closer inspection, she realised it was a gigantic centipede type monster. The only difference was that its face, if that is what you could call it, mainly had a huge round mouth, filled with rows and rows of jagged teeth along with four mandibles and six eyes circled around it. How revolting. The mandibles suddenly clasped shut, making her jump and step backwards, and watched as its eyes glazed over, showing it was dead. However, this did not stop her from seeing the chaos around her. As she spun on her heel, she saw enormous bug type creatures everywhere; each person was fighting one-off. Even Nesrin used her powers to create vines to wrap around the flying insects that came towards them, stopping them mid-air to crash into the ground. Suddenly, a shiver went down Evanna''s spine. She gripped her swords and spun around, swiping them both towards a creature in front of her, sticking both ends into it in a swift motion, taking it by surprise. As she brought her blades back out of the body, leaving it to drop to the ground, her body once again felt like it was being pulled forwards, but she stayed rooted to the ground. She sensed something watching them. Her head raised up and looked into the distance, knowing the exact location of whatever it was. Still, she could not see anything; another shiver went through her as she continued to stare. Yet, Evanna needed to focus on the insect type creatures around them, so she forced herself to look back to the next monster that came towards her. ** In the far distance, there was a small group of elves standing in the trees. The branches were wide enough to stand easily, as they all looked across at the scene shown before them. A white-haired elf stood at the front; his piercing blue eyes watched as the huge insects they were chasing made their way to a small group of humans. His blank expression did not leave his face once. Even as he watched a gigantic centipede monster burst through the ground, he knew with that thing, the humans would be dead soon. It did not matter. It saved them from doing the deed themselves; however, they still needed to get rid of these pests. They caused too many problems over the past weeks. "* Fools, *" The white-haired elf muttered as he watched a man shooting a few of the flying insects. He did not understand why humans wandered this far into the forest; they either died by their hands, the creatures of the forest or the elements killed them. "* How should we proceed? *" His second in command, Garrett asked. He narrowed his eyes as he calculated what the best thing to do was, weighing the odds in his head. Leave the humans to their fate, or help them as the more men, the easier it would be for them to get rid of the damn creatures. Decisions, decisions. He watched quite an enormous man fall to the ground with a bug on top of him. "* Leave them. They have already trespassed. We can come back for the creatures later. I am quite hungry, so let us go hunt first,*" He said nonchalantly while he looked at his nails before turning around. "* Wait, there are women, *" Garret spoke from behind him, causing him to stop his steps and frown. His stiff posture abruptly turned around and looked back at the scene in front of them, taking more interest. He did not realise there was a red-haired female in a tree, who was fighting off a flying creature with a stinger, he turned his head, searching for the others, but he could not see them. As he continued to look, he suddenly saw a figure running up the centipede and stabbing it in the head before somersaulting off to the side, his eyes zoned in on the figure. He could not place them; he swore he recognised them. Their face was half-covered with a mask, but their eyes were bright green, with thick eyelashes and dark hair kept in a plait. On closer inspection, he realised this was the other female; from the features he could see, they were too feminine to be male. As she pulled her blades out of another bug, she turned and stared in their direction. His brows drew together from her unwavering gaze; he felt mesmerised by those eyes, those green eyes he knew he had seen before. They were too otherworldly to forget. She abruptly turned around, making him blink and snap out from the spell she put him under. He felt annoyed; he wanted to see those eyes again. Though he was irritated, his expression was still blank as he stood there rooted, watching the unknown female, almost in a trance as she elegantly killed from creature to creature with her two swords. He unknowingly took a step forward while watching a beetle fly towards her rapidly as she was finishing another bug off. The girl abruptly fell forwards to her knees and skidded across the ground, keeping her body flung back as she went underneath it before turning around and stabbing it. The raven-haired female then turned around, revealing her face after her mask fell down to her neck; his eyes widened after recognising her. She was the girl he saved in The Snake Pitt Inn. He suddenly felt angry. What the fuck was she doing here? "What a strange company," Another one of his men spoke from behind him. He turned his head in his direction, questioningly, "They have a fae, a shifter and a she-elf". He frowned at the statement before looking back. There, in fact, was a fae in another tree keeping some of the flying insects at bay, the red-haired female at this point was showing her true nature with her extended claws and cat eyes, but when he looked at the dark-haired beauty, he knew she was not an elf. "* Why do you think she is an elf? *" He questioned, although he already knew the answer. Not only were her features breathtaking, but the way she fought was so elegant and skilled, people would confuse her with his kind. "* She fights like us *", His man responded. He nodded his head in response, "* True, but she is not an elf. Her ears are those of a human.*" "* Maybe she was taught by an elf *", Garrett spoke by his side. He shook his head, "* Not with the rules set in place by the agreement.*" Garrett gave him a pointed look. They both knew he did not stick to the rules, so why would a bunch of nobody''s stick to them. He glanced back at the scene before them; the girl was now taking on two creatures at a time, dodging and turning as she swiped her swords at both of them. "Raven! Watch out!" He narrowed his eyes at the man who shouted. The girl looked in his direction before finishing the two creatures off. He realised there was a slimy creature making its way from behind her. Without thinking, his body went into autopilot mode as he ran and jumped down to a lower branch, his feet sliding down the declining stem as he reached for his bow and arrow. He stopped in place as he pulled the arrow towards him, aiming at the bug. Although they were at quite a distance, he was very skilled with a bow and never missed a shot. "* Fools *", He muttered again, his lips brushed the bowstring slightly, but before he could release it, she ran forwards, up the tree in front of her, leaping up and flipped backwards, over the bug, landing behind it. Before she could make a move, though, an arrow was shot into its head, but instead of dying, it only made it screech in anger, so she finished it off with a swipe of her sword, causing the head to fall to the earth. He released his breath and relaxed his bow, placing them behind his back once again. He narrowed his eyes again, his jaw ticked while he watched the archer grab her by the arm, and they stared at one another for a brief moment before parting. Garrett, by now, was next to him, his own bow and arrow out, ready, "* What shall we do? *" "*Nothing.*" His friend looked at him, taken back, especially after the stunt he nearly pulled. The prince''s face hardened, and he gave him an icy stare in return, "* They are solving our pest problem. *" Garrett put his weapon back in place as he continued to watch the prince; his attention was on the humans again. The only sign the prince was interested in them was from his eyes that had taken on an intensity he did not expect to see. After feeling Garrett''s eyes on his face, he turned away from the girl called Raven. His men would think he was becoming soft if he stood there any longer, "* Have a few guards to keep an eye on them. I am sure they will not wander much further after this. If they do, then they are imbeciles. *" "* If they wander further, should we kill them? *" Garrett asked. He knew if there were no creatures with the humans right now, then they would already be dead by their own hands, but he was not sure after the little emotion the prince had shown just moments ago, well, emotion other than his fury or the desire to kill things. "* That is our protocol, is it not? *" He replied coldly; Garrett bowed at his command before barking orders to a few men. Chapter 37 - Pests: Part Two Axel swung his mighty axe and hit one of the flying creatures in the face as it buzzed towards him. He already used his throwing axes, and instead of using his shield, he kept it on his back, swinging his axe around, kept them all at bay. He took on three at a time, diminishing them all in one swipe. Only one bug got the jump on him earlier, making him fall to the ground, but since then, he was impenetrable. Glancing to his side, he saw Ronan taking on a few as well, and on the other side, he saw Evanna and Ger finish a weird looking creature before they parted. His shoulders relaxed; he did not realise he was tense until he saw Evanna safe. Axel felt his heart stop when he saw her fall into that hole, and an ugly beast of a centipede came out. He had grown fond of the girl; she was like a little sister to him. But he tended to remind himself that she was a princess, although she never acted like one, yet the air around her commanded respect, proving to people that she was someone of importance. Which did not help when they were on the road. His head snapped back to a beetle that appeared in front of him; he raised his axe and slammed it down on top of it. Evanna ran in the opposite direction to Ger after helping her with the weird slimy creature that attacked her. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see a few of them making their way towards the horses. How many of these things were there!? Glancing back in front of her, she skidded to a stop where a flying black insect appeared. It swiped its two spiked arms towards her, which she narrowly dodged, rolling to the side. As she stood up again, her eyes widened; it was nearly on top of her. Before she could raise her swords, it grabbed her, clamping its arms around her; Evanna felt herself being lifted off the floor as its wing''s started buzzing. Her arms were stuck by her side, she looked up to its head to see there were two long, sharp mandibles opening, and it brought its head down towards her. Before it could snap its jaws over her own head, she managed to manoeuvre both swords into its stomach. It shrieked before releasing her from its iron grip; Evanna landed hard on her bottom, followed by the creature that now lay dead by her side. Standing up quickly, she bounced on the balls of her feet, anticipating the next attack. Her heart was thumping loudly, adrenaline pumped through her veins as she assessed her surroundings. Evanna suddenly remembered some of the flying creatures making their way to their horses; she started running in that direction again. Her eyes widened as she saw three of them already carrying one of the horses away, her heart clenched at the sight. Glancing back down to what was in front of her, she saw Midknight on his two back hooves as he kicked forwards at another creature. The other horses were behind him. Her stallion always a knight. She saw red. Anger consumed her as she saw it swipe down towards Midknight again. A mighty battle cry left her lips as she ran even quicker towards them, "GET AWAY FROM MY HORSE!" She screamed before sinking her swords into the back of the creature. It fell to the ground, its wings twitching before finally stopping; Midknight huffed at her, telling her she took her sweet time. Pouting, she walked closer and stroked his neck, then sighed in content; he was alive. She brought her forehead to his, apologising for her late appearance, then turned around, ready to defend the horses. But from the looks of it, the fighting seemed to be nearly over, there were countless bodies on the floor and hardly any creatures left. The ones that were still with them hovered nearby, their wings still making loud buzzing sounds. It looks like they did not expect such a fight from their breakfast. Her body relaxed when nothing came to attack them, and her senses were slowly calming down, she still felt cold, but there was no ''pull'' or shiver going down her spine. Her eyes wandered over to her companions, wondering whether to get involved or not. They were finishing the last of the creatures off and did not seem like they needed her help. Or so she thought, Ronan''s sword just flung out from his hand and landed on the ground behind him, too far away for him to reach for it. He held his hands up in surrender as he started to slowly back away from the creature, "Is it too late to apologise?" He asked, with a forced smile on his face. "Roach!" Evanna shouted before tossing her own sword to him. He caught it easily and stabbed the creature swiftly. "Did you really just apologise to a bug?" Axel grunted before pulling his axe out of another body. Ronan shrugged, "I''d rather die with a witty comment, you know?" Evanna''s mouth gaped before she raised her hand to cover the smile that spread on her face at the fool of a man across from her. "You are so dramatic. Nobody is dying", Ger replied; his bow was now on his back, and he held his sword to the side, which was covered in yellow blood from the creatures. He continued to walk towards Ronan and Evanna. "Wit!? What wit?" Axel shook his head. "Nobody''s dying!? Did you not just see the swarm of bugs that attacked us?" Ronan''s voice came out high pitched, a look of disbelief on his handsome face. He then put his hand through his dishevelled curls before trying to tame them. Ronan looked to his side to see Cilv jump from a tree and land gracefully on the ground. She then sauntered her way towards the group, stepping over the fallen bodies on the ground; her hands raised with a look of disgust on her face. Nesrin also appeared on Midknight''s saddle after flying down from another tree; the little fairy was able to capture the creatures in the air, and Ger would then shoot them down or shoot them as they hit the ground. But he was distracted quickly when some of the creatures approached him at a closer distance, and he needed to use his sword for close combat. Axel looked around at what was left of their little campsite. Two of the tents were destroyed entirely, either being far too ripped to be called a tent or parts of it dissolved from acidic saliva from some of the creatures that tried to eat it before realising it was not food. He looked back at the group to see most of them were covered in yellow slime. Cilv was the least covered; he guessed she could not take down as many due to being in a tree. "Three got away. They took one of our horses," Evanna announced. All of their heads then turned to the horses behind her to see who''s was taken. "Maisy!" Ronan cried out; his eyes widened in shock and despair. "I am sorry, I was too late," Evanna said gravely, placing her hand on his arm in comfort. He then turned around and put his head into her shoulder while his arms pulled her in for a hug. His hands clung to the back of her shirt. Evanna''s eyes widened in shock, but she rubbed her hands on his back to soothe him. She did not realise he loved his horse as much as she loved hers. "That''s enough, Roach." Ger''s voice hardened. Evanna looked sternly in his direction. "Did you really just fall for that?" He questioned. She looked back at him, puzzled before Ger came forward and dragged Ronan away by the back of his shirt. "Maisy wasn''t even your horse! She was mine!" He continued before shoving Ronan to the side. They glared at each other, then Ronan turned to face Evanna, a sheepish grin on his face. Her mouth fell open; she could not believe he just used the death of a horse to get a hug from her. Evanna did not know what to say. Instead of responding, she turned around to stroke Midknight, removing her gloves this time so she could feel him properly. Her head snapped to the side as she heard Nesrin in a fit of giggles along with Cilv and Axel with his loud laugh. She shook her head and rolled her eyes. Ronan started to walk towards her but stopped when Ger stood in front of him, arms crossed against his chest. "I really am sad, though.." He said; Evanna looked back at the childlike expression on his face. A small smile crept up on the corner of her lips. She couldn''t stay mad at that face. "Oh, shut it", Ger grumbled. After much deliberation between the group, they decided that Evanna and Cilv should ride Midknight together. However, when Cilv brought her bag to place on his side, he neighed and bucked his hind legs, so the bag flew over them. Cilv growled at him in return before grabbing her bag again and storming back to face him, but he then brought his two front legs up, ready to kick. "Woah! Midknight!" Evanna ran in front of Cilv, her hands were raised above her head, he brought his legs back down, and he snorted, she hissed in return from behind Evanna. "They can''t ride together", Evanna stated. She brought her hand onto his muzzle, soothingly stroking him. "Stupid, mangey cow", Cilv muttered; Evanna glared at her, holding her tongue at the insult she directed at her horse. Ronan came forwards and petted Midknight on the side of his neck, "Well, he has no problems with me. Maybe we should ride together-" "Absolutely not!" Ger and Axel said at the same time, "Ger, you share with Raven," Axel continued. Evanna climbed onto Midknight, not questioning Axel, but she watched as Axel and Ger had a quiet debate between them. Ronan was still stroking Midknight at her side; he then spoke up, gaining her attention, "Midknight is such a majestic horse, shame, maybe another time", he winked at her, then turned around and climbed onto his own horse. Nesrin by now had flown over to his shoulder, sitting down and talking to him, though Evanna could not hear what was being said. Ger walked to Midknight and placed his bag on the horse''s back, strapping it on him. He looked up at Evanna anxiously, "Come on, Ger, we don''t have all day", Axel shouted from the front of the group. Without another word, Ger mounted Midknight, sitting behind Evanna, he tried to keep some space between them, but as soon as Midknight started to walk, he slipped down, bumping into the back of her. His eyes widened at how awkward he began to feel. The feeling increased when Evanna reached back and grabbed his hands to place them on the sides of her hips. "If you don''t hold on, you''ll end up falling off. Midknight can be a handful," She said, smiling innocently, unaware of the internal struggle he was dealing with. After much discussion, they decided to leave the campsite in its disastrous state. The tents were left ripped and fallen apart, and the huge insects'' bodies were scattered across the earth. It was better for them to leave it a mess and make the Flori believe that the people who camped there were long gone and dead. For they were now in the deeper parts of the forest, they knew their luck was bound to run out, and they would bump into them. Little did they know that the Flori were already on their tails. Chapter 38 - The Big Friendly Giant After many hours of plodding through the forest, the group finally came across the river that passes through Direwood, the next destination they marked on the map. Their faces perked upon seeing the jewel-blue stream that curved through the forest, splashing gently across the rocks at the side. The yellow slime from the creatures had dried on their faces and parts of their clothes. Even after scrubbing up quickly, it was hard to get off, making them feel disgusting; it was the perfect opportunity to clean up. All at once, they dismounted from their horses and happily made it to the riverbank, sighing as they splashed fresh water on their faces. Ger, always ever so vigilant, stayed back and kept his eyes on his surroundings. He also used the excuse to have a little space from Evanna and her intoxicating scent. Evanna cupped some of the water onto the back of her neck, the cooling sensation soothing her. Although the forest was still cold, she found herself adjusting to it, but she was still not completely immune to the chill in the air. The nights were when she felt it the most. But a little bit of water on her face and neck helped remove any tiredness and the perspiration she felt lingering on her skin. "Axel, are we staying here now?" She questioned, looking up at him, her eyes half pleadingly. She felt disgusting and wanted to clean more of herself, not just her face. Axel looked back at her. He wanted to move on, but he saw a slither of desperation in the princess''s eyes and remembered that she was not only royalty but a woman; they liked to clean themselves more. He looked up at the sky and realised they already covered a lot of ground, and it was a lot later than he perceived. The birds nearby were chirping away, and the sun was lower in the sky, showing it to soon be early evening. Sighing, he said, "Yes, but tomorrow morning we are leaving as soon as possible. We are making great progress." Evanna smiled and sighed in relief. After they filled their water skin''s up and let the horses drink from the river, they led them further back into the forest away from the waterway. If they stayed next to it, it could bring unwanted attention from other animals, and the insects would feed on their flesh, leaving irritating bite marks, which Axel explained to Evanna after the last time the guys stayed next to a river. Once they were at a safe distance, they set their belongings down, and with no tents or mats to set up, they just sat down watching Cilv light the fire and Axel setting up ready to cook dinner. After the fire was set, Evanna and Cilv were the first to go to the river to clean themselves. Cilv acted as a guard while Evanna stripped and dipped into the icy cold stream, leaving goosebumps along her body. She dipped her head underwater, with her hair already flowing down her waist to be cleaned; she was freezing but felt terrific to get the stench of herself and the bugs slime off her body. Cilv threw a towel at her, which she caught easily as she started to step back out of the water. Cilv stripped and jumped into the water without wasting any time while Evanna got changed, leaving her to dry her hair in the towel. "I hate water", Cilv stated as she walked back out and began drying herself off; her eyes shone as her cat eyes again. "Is that a cat thing?" Evanna asked her casually as she watched Cilv''s golden eyes start to sparkle. "Maybe, I can deal with bathing, but at the same time, it is very forced. My cat side almost always tends to take over. Normally my claws come out, but I am keeping them under control." The girls then walked back to the men, who were chatting away while eating. Nesrin sat on the ground near the fire, munching on some food. "Feel better?" Axel asked "Much", Evanna replied before sitting down next to Ger, who immediately stood up. "I didn''t wash my face earlier. I''m going to bathe now," Ger muttered. "Since when were you a clean freak?" Ronan shouted from behind him. Ger ignored him. He was looking forward to cooling himself off; he did not know how to handle these feelings towards Evanna. Ger didn''t know if they were new or if they were always there; maybe he didn''t notice previously. Until he sorted his act out, he would try and keep his distance from her, which he knew would be hard. Not only had they not been separated throughout the journey, but now they were sharing Midknight. Evanna watched as Ger walked off into the distance, his back becoming a silhouette among the trees, a slight frown formed on her features. "Keep frowning, and you will get wrinkles," Ronan''s voice brought Evanna''s attention back to the people in front of her. She forced herself to relax her forehead as she looked back at Ronan; he smiled charmingly in response to her. She scooped some broth from the pan and placed it in a bowl before sitting back down near Axel. After eating quietly, she realised she did not really know Axel that well. Evanna trusted him, and they joked and spoke about the next destination in their venture, but as she glanced up to look at his rough and quite handsome face, she wanted to learn more about him. "Say Axe.." "Axe?" His eyebrows raised at the nickname, then he nodded his head in satisfaction, deciding he liked it. "How come you have never really stayed in Slymere? You have been on many adventures, is there no one at home waiting for you?" Axel put his bowl down as he forcibly gulped the last of his food down, thumping his hand on his chest in shock at the sudden question. "Sorry", She apologised, glancing her eyes down in embarrassment, "You do not have to answer. I was just being nosey." "Um *cough* it''s okay, really. I have spent far too long with Ronan and Ger to remember what normal conversations are." He leaned in towards her slightly as his voice dropped low, so only she could hear him, "Believe me, if I had a doting wife back home, I would not be out all the time, but there is nobody to return to. I might as well do things and see places while I am young. Although I am secretly hoping to find Mrs Right on these travels." Evanna smiled broadly at his response. He looked down at her before putting a mocking boisterous voice on, "But it is not manly to speak of feelings and the like." "Aww! Axe! You are just one big friendly giant, aren''t you?!" Evanna exclaimed excitedly "Shh, not so loud!" His finger was pressed against his lips as he shushed her. The rest of the group looked at the pair wide-eyed and puzzled at what was going on. "I have a reputation to uphold". He straightened his back and flexed his chest muscles to prove his point of being a man. Evanna giggled. Out of everything, she did not expect this beast of a man to be such a big softy. Looks really were deceiving. The night drew on, and the group started to settle down to sleep. Now that they didn''t have tents to go to, they all started to huddle closer to the fire. Ger was the first to go to sleep by lying down and turning his back away and putting his hood up, grunting a goodnight. "Trouble in paradise?" Cilv smirked at Evanna; Ronan looked over to the princess and then down at Ger, who was resting. Evanna ignored her comment and started to lie down herself and stare up at the covered night sky. Her thoughts went to Ger; he barely spoke a word to her or the others. He just sat there brooding, staring into the fire while the others chatted and enjoyed each other''s company. Cilv was the only exception, who did not pay any attention to them and just kept sharpening her daggers silently. But she did not want to overthink it. Maybe he was tired. They were attacked in the early morning and had been non-stop trekking through the forest the whole day. Evanna glanced back to the twinkling stars she could see in the gaps of the leaves high above. The wind blew softly through the forest, sending silent whispers through the leaves, rustling them gently, bringing with it a frosty bite to her uncovered face. She wrapped her cloak tighter around her and pulled her mask up, and put her hood over her head. Even though there were no more luxuries of a tent and mat to lie on, she felt content with sleeping under the stars. Although, she did keep her hand resting on her dagger. The crackling of the fire and the incoherent whispers coming from Ronan and Axel started lulling her to sleep, and a sweet tune could also be heard, making her smile. Her hand began to relax on her dagger before she was pulled into a deep blissful sleep. Chapter 39 - Goodbyes Are Not Forever Evanna awoke abruptly to a shuffling noise by her side. She immediately grabbed her sword and removed it from its scabbard as she sat upright. Her eyes were still sleepy as one of her eyelids kept twitching a little, almost grudgingly putting up a fight and wanting to close and go back to sleep. Her mind, however, was quite alert as she sat still, her body tense with anticipation, waiting for the noise again. Evanna swore if it were those bugs again, she will scream in outrage at being woke up at such a ridiculous hour and would put extra ''oomph'' into stabbing them. Yet, her body was not alerting her to any dangers; there was no shiver down her spine, so she relaxed, putting her sword away. Just as she was about to go back to sleep, Evanna heard the shuffling again; turning her head to the side, she saw Ger was already up and packing his belongings. For some unknown reason, Evanna felt panicked, and she sprung up from the floor and stormed over to where Ger was, placing her hands on her hips as her eyes sent daggers at him. "Where are you going?!" She whisper-shouted. He turned around with a look of surprise on his face, "Nowhere?" He replied, questioning his own answer, his face contorting into one of confusion. "Oh," Evanna relaxed her arms from her hips", then why are you packing in the early hours of the morning?" "It isn''t that early. You would be up in the next hour anyway." Evanna tried to hide her shock; she really was not a morning person. If they started to leave any earlier, she knew she couldn''t stop herself from crying or just being moody all day. Ger stepped towards her, so he stood right in front of her; he tilted his head to the side, concern shown on his features. "Why did you think I was leaving?" He asked softly. Evanna glanced away. She didn''t know why; he was honourable, he would never leave them. When she looked back, she saw his eyes hardened with anger brimming behind them. Before she could respond, he asked again, nearly spitting the words out, "Why did you think I was leaving? Did you think I was running away?" "No, Ger-" "Runaway like my father. Do you think that low of me?" He barked back at her, a muscle in his jaw ticked, a sign he was on the verge of exploding in rage. His hands were fisted by his sides, and she saw the vein on his neck pumping. "I have never, EVER, thought you were anything like your father," Evanna responded earnestly. Her eyes flickered between his as his own started to simmer down, and the deep oceans of his eyes went back to calm waves. "Sorry," He muttered, looking down. Evanna placed her hand on his arm, she knew his father was a touchy subject, and she never became mad with him when he had these outbursts. He, however, suddenly tensed up from her touch and abruptly moved his arm out of reach. "Ger, what is wrong?" She asked. "Nothing," He replied gruffly. "I can tell something is up. Just tell me.." Ger looked back at her; Evanna''s ingenuous gaze stared back at him. He sighed at how unaware she was of him and how everything about her made him react in such ways. The fact she did not even think twice about a man sitting behind her on the horse was questionable. Did she not know how the man''s body worked? Every bump against her backside made him tingle, and he had to suck a deep breath in harshly at the small action. Since then, he was having outlandish thoughts that he shouldn''t be thinking about. He wondered if this was what Ronan felt like all the time. Although he was one to actively release his stresses on many women, whether he loved them or not, Cilv was proof of that. "I am fine. The forest is just becoming a bit too much," Ger responded; Evanna nodded her head in understanding. "The sooner we get the gem, the sooner we can get out of here." Evanna was still unconvinced with his answer, she knew something was up, but she did not want to push him, maybe he will tell her in time, or perhaps it is something embarrassing, and he does not want to reiterate it to her. Either way, she felt as though there was a small barrier between them now, and she did not know how she felt about it. Not long after their discussion, did the others wake up, and they were soon on their way again. Evanna and Ger were sharing Midknight again, sitting on the same saddle while he held onto her hips. Nesrin sat on her shoulder this time, and Evanna took comfort in having the fairy with her again, she didn''t mind her being with the others, but she did miss her company. Evanna guessed that Nesrin consoled the others in the group; well, everyone except Cilv, but Cilv seemed to prefer it that way. ~ I tried speaking to her, but she mockingly meowed back at me ~ Nesrin mind linked her. Evanna laughed and rolled her eyes. Typical Cilv. She was not one to get personal with anyone. ~ Is she okay? ~ Evanna asked back. ~ It was nothing too critical. I wanted to change her mind on a few things ~ That caught Evanna''s attention. She looked down at the fairy on her shoulder, who shrugged in response; Evanna knew she would say no more. If it weren''t for her mind-reading, she would not have the knowledge. ~ Well, I guess she is too stubborn ~ ~ More like set in her ways and will not change for the better ~ Nesrin grumbled back. Evanna saw from the corner of her eye that the little fairy crossed her arms against her chest with a huff. Axel stopped his horse at the front of the group, causing them to halt. Evanna leaned forwards and raised her head more to see what the holdup was. "Stay here," Ger said, then he jumped off of Midknight and made his way to the front as he reached for his bow and an arrow from his quiver. ~ Can you see what is ahead, Nesrin? ~ ~ Oh, that is not good. It seems Axel is adamant about going that way as well ~ ~ What is it? ~ Evanna queried, but Nesrin did not answer. In fact, she then stood up alert. Evanna looked down at her and saw her face looking blank, then it was formed into one of concentration. ~ Nesrin? ~ She called her, but she felt as though the link was cut. There was nothing but emptiness in her head. Then suddenly, she heard a slight static sound in her head. ~ The queen has summoned me ~ Nesrin''s sweet voice was once again in her head, but this time it echoed, meaning the fairy was mind linking the group. Everyone turned their heads in Evanna''s direction. ~ The queen? ~ Ronan''s smooth voice entered her head; she didn''t know how she felt about that! It was fine when it was her and Nesrin, but with Ronan, it felt like he could also read her thoughts. Nesrin giggled ~ He cannot read your thoughts, just reply. It is only while we are all linked together ~ Her voice did not echo, indicating that she only mind linked Evanna. ~ Yes, she summoned me a few days ago, but I told her my work was not finished yet, but now it is urgent ~ Nesrin continued to everyone. "What do you mean urgent?" Axel spoke out loud while walking towards Midknight''s position. ~ The pixies have attacked us again, ~ She responded gravely. Each person''s face mirrored the other, a look of astonishment and one of humour. But they all stopped themselves from laughing at the statement. ~ You should go deal with those.. murderousˇ­ pixies ~ Cilv''s voice slithered into their heads as she laughed from behind them. ~ Pixies are no joke to the fairies. We have been at war with them for decades. They are so annoying ~ Nesrin retorted. Her regular cute face had taken to one of anger as her features started to go red. ~ We understand Nesrin. The queen has summoned you. You cannot refuse her orders ~ Evanna finally spoke up through the link. Nesrin smiled back at the princess, then flew off to the side, and before their eyes, they watched her sparkle and glow and grow! She grew to a woman''s petite size, the same height as Cilv. They were utterly gobsmacked at what they saw in front of them. Nesrin was at a standard, human size. "Why haven''t you done that before?!" Ronan half-shouted his question. Nesrin giggled, covering her mouth, her eyes alight; Ronan suddenly looked away embarrassed as his cheeks went slightly red. "I stayed travel size. It was easier," Came Nesrins simple explanation. "But.. you showed me where you live.. you live in mushrooms!? Are they .. our size?" Evanna stuttered. Nesrin giggled again. "No, we fae folk prefer using small spaces. We are less noticeable that way." She responded. "Before you go, Nesrin, are you able to-" "Yes, but Midknight knows the way," Nesrin interrupted Axel, already knowing where his words were heading. On the sound of Midknight''s name, Evanna looked over, confused. "Look, we need to go by foot from here.." Axel said after seeing the princess''s confused expression. Evanna dismounted Midknight and walked towards the front, realising that Axel and Ger were relaxed and were never attacked. Once she made it to them, she saw a great swamp in front of them, her eyes widened. "And we cannot go a different route?" "It will take another week," Axel replied, readying his map to show her, but she held her hand up, trusting him. They already made it this far with Axel leading the way; she would not question him now. Turning around, she looked at Midknight then glanced at Nesrin. Not only was Nesrin going, but now she had to say goodbye to her horse as well! She was at a loss for words. Her eyes started to tear up, and Nesrin came forwards and brought her into a hug, rubbing her back gently. "Goodbyes are not forever," She whispered before pulling back and placing her hand on her cheek. Evanna placed her own on top of hers, pursing her lips as a tear fell down her cheek. "We will meet again," ~ Princess ~ Nesrin then brought her hand behind Evanna''s head, and sparks shot out of her hands. She brought Evanna''s plaited hair to the front to show a little golden flower, its green vines wrapped around her hair at the end. Evanna looked down at the beautiful flower in wonder. ~ This is for an emergency, if you need me, call my name in your head, and I will be there ~ Evanna looked back up at Nesrin and nodded her head. She then looked over at Midknight, who neighed; he already knew she was sending him away, her heart tightened, but she knew he would be fine. Walking over, she immediately hugged his neck, then pulled back and placed her forehead against his. They stared at each other before he nudged her back slightly after giving their silent goodbyes and Evanna giving him commands to be careful. By now, everyone was off their own horse and said goodbye to Nesrin in their own way. Cilv had her hands crossed against her chest and nodded her head once at her. "I will never forget that it was you, Cilandra, that helped rescue me. Thank you," Nesrin spoke from a distance in front of Cilv, "and try not to cause too much trouble," Her voice came out sternly, in which Cilv winked back in return. "Are you taking them back to the palace, Nesrin?" Ronan queried, lifting his chin towards the horses that held no luggage now. "I cannot go with them that far. The queen and my kin need me," She replied gravely. As Ronan was about to speak again, Evanna spoke up, "Midknight is a Frescia. He knows the way home and can lead our horses to the palace, Nesrin can you make sure they make it past Kuramji?" Nesrin bowed her head, "Of course, no one will lay a hand on Midknight or the others," She smiled, already reading where Evanna''s angry thoughts were going. "A Frescia?" Ronan asked dumbfounded, he did not know what that meant. "He is descended from unicorns. I have already told him what route to take," Evanna explained. "I''m sorry, you have already told him.." Ronan started off but soon found himself shaking his head. The horse was a genius apparently and descended from unicorns. What else was new? With one last hug with Nesrin and a pat goodbye to Midknight, the group of horses left with Nesrin back in fairy size mode and sitting on Midknight, who led the way. Evanna knew he would be fine. She didn''t call him a knight for no reason. The horse could protect himself and the others from harm. Nesrin was just extra protection to get them through that filth of a town. Evanna truly was going to miss that fairy, Nesrin was there when her thoughts were lost in the oblivion of pain from what those men tried to do, and in the short time they had her with them, she knew that the small, winged creature left a positive impact on all of them. She hoped that it really wasn''t their last goodbye. Chapter 40 - Treetops: Part One After Nesrin''s and Midknight''s departure, the group tried to determine their next course of action after turning around and gauging the swamp before them. Everywhere they looked, there was a watery mess; steam circulated off the surface as bubbles sprouted in different parts of the marsh. Although the trees stood tall among the water, they did not want to risk walking through it themselves; the forest was accustomed to the swamp, even if it looked deadly to anything near it. They decided the only viable choice left was to climb up into the trees. When Evanna looked up, she saw the lower branches were smaller, but as she craned her head and squinted at the higher branches, she noticed they started to become broader and longer, as well as merging together with branches from other trees. After climbing to those great heights, they could place their feet down without needing to balance and could stand normally. As Evanna continued, she noticed that the merged branches almost looked like a wooden path. However, that path would sometimes randomly split in two from the branches disconnecting. This caused them to hop or jump up to a higher level. The group walked in a line, one behind the other, at a slow and steady pace, not wanting to lose their balance even if the branches were wide enough to walk on easily; they did not want to take any chances. Cilv and Evanna were at the front of the group for a change; they seemed to be masters at climbing compared to the men. Axel, in particular, took extra time and care in his movements, reaching out and stepping onto new branches anxiously, testing his weight on them. "How are you doing back there, Axe!?" Evanna shouted behind her; she twisted her head to look, but Ronan was in her view. She knew Axel was the last in line. "Yep!" Was all he grunted back, "Ronan, get Ger to keep an eye on him, is he scared of heights?" She guessed; he was far slower than the rest, and he usually led the way. "Yep, for such a big guy, you would think he was used to heights, his head always being high up in the clouds and all.." "I can hear you, you know!" Axel complained in the background, "These.. these are not normal heights," His voice started to stutter. "Ronan, speak to Ger," Evanna commanded. She knew if fear started to take over him, then they could be at a standstill as they try to coax him into moving again. They were already going slow as it was; she wanted to at least try and make it back to the ground before sundown. Otherwise, they would be sleeping in the trees, and Axel would not like that then! Not to mention, they could quite possibly fall to their deaths. They spent the whole day walking and climbing among the trees like monkeys. Their breaks consisted of them sitting down carefully and snacking and replenishing their thirst from the water in their waterskins. Nobody complained about how cold the forest was as their bodies were now hot from all the physical activity they were put through. Sweat even started to form on their foreheads after they needed to keep climbing higher at different parts of the day. When they finally made it to the ground again, it was nightfall, so their steps were placed carefully as they descended from the trees. Axel, who now had to look down at where he was going, clung to the branches and trees like there was no tomorrow. He kept taking deep breaths to calm his pounding heart from escaping out of his chest. Once his feet were on the ground, he pretended to kiss the ground, "I am a man. Not a squirrel. I prefer my feet on the floor!" He grumbled as he rose up from the floor. After getting a fire started and eating dinner, the group decided to sleep early, their aching bodies warranting it. Evanna''s upper body ached the most from having to climb the branches so much; although she climbed a lot as a kid, she never remembered it aching so much. Her mother used to joke that she was a little monkey; Evanna never knew what they were until her mother drew one for her, proving to her daughter that she had travelled far and wide across the lands before arriving at Dunhurst. She smiled fondly at the memory. Evanna settled down next to Ger, who once again had his back to her after ignoring her throughout the evening. However, she did not mind this time; everybody was tired and barely spoke a word to each other as they ate dinner earlier. She also reminded herself that she would definitely not be sleeping this close to a man if she was back at the palace. The only time she would be in bed with a man would be with her future husband, which by now, she guessed would be arranged once she returned to the palace. A stunt like the one she has pulled guaranteed her to be put back in her place. Her father, of course, would just be happy that she is back and safe, but to keep the nobles happy, he would have to sell her off and gain more power. Evanna frowned to herself at what duties lay ahead of her when she returned, but her thoughts were slowly silencing as fatigue began to take over. With her body and mind feeling heavy, she fell asleep almost instantaneously. ** Gasping, Evanna''s eyes flew open, and she abruptly sat up, leaning against the tree behind her, her hand already resting on her swords at her side. Taking in slow deep breaths, she tried to slow down her erratic heart. The cold air filled her lungs, cooling her body down and shaking away the nightmare that ensnared her. The first of many, she thought. Realising how much of an effect Nesrin truly was. Her eyes adjusted to the early morning light, watching as small beams of golden sparkles scattered across the forest floor. Her heartbeat regularly as she admired the peaceful scenery around her, that was, until a cold shiver went down her spine, alerting her to something or someone watching her. She narrowed her eyes before searching her surroundings for the culprit, checking the shadows of the trees and bushes until they halted, landing on a tree straight ahead of her. Slowly standing up, Evanna reached for her swords on the ground, her eyes not leaving the spot in front of her. Her footsteps were light and soundless as she stalked towards the tree, making an effort to not wake the others if it was just an animal, but in her gut, she sensed this was not the case. She turned her head to glance in Axel''s direction. He again was cradling his axe, fast asleep on his post, leaning up against a tree. Evanna rolled her eyes. So much for keeping watch. Then her eyes snapped back in front of her. Finally making it past the others, she started to pick up the pace as anticipation filled her; her heart pounded rapidly, as the closer she got to the tree, the colder her back was getting. Evanna raised one of her swords as she barged through the bush; spinning her body slightly, she brought her sword down. But her hand was immediately stopped, her wrist gripped tightly by someone''s hand, disabling her attack. Swinging her other sword, she suddenly stopped, stunned at who was in front of her. Long white hair and a pair of intense, crystal-blue eyes stared directly into her own. Time almost stood still as recognition flashed across her eyes. Chapter 41 - Treetops: Part Two Evanna suddenly stopped, stunned, at who was in front of her. Long white hair and a pair of intense, crystal-blue eyes stared directly into her own. Time almost stood still as recognition flashed across her eyes. The elf in front of her did not remove his hand from her wrist, keeping their bodies close to one another, her chest almost touching his. The proximity between them made her body involuntarily heat up, causing her to inhale sharply. Her eyes were then released from his hold as he glanced down to her lips. Her own emerald eyes took advantage and wandered across his strong features, devouring each detail greedily. Her mind did not do him justice; he was extraordinarily handsome in person. Evanna looked back into those otherworldly blue eyes that were once again looking into her own, locking them in place. "I would appreciate it if you did not stab me," He said as the corner of his lips twitched in amusement; his rich, deep voice was like music to her ears. "Maybe if you weren''t hiding in the bushes like a scoundrel, I would not have attacked you," She breathed. His eyes gleamed at her remark; he then released her wrist, eyeing her carefully. Evanna stepped back and tightened her grip on her swords; her senses came back to her as the earthy smell of cedarwood and pine evaporated, clearing her head. He moved his eyes from the swords by her side and openly scanned her body, resting on her neck. He was happy to see the red marks on her neck from the last time they met were now faded. However, his thoughts did not show on his face; they never did. He stood there with a stoic expression and asked, "What are you doing in Direwood Forest?" "I could ask you the same question." His eyebrow lifted at her answer, "I have a right to be here. You do not." "Are these woods not free to explore?" Evanna feigned innocence. He would have fallen for those doe-like eyes if he hadn''t watched her slaughter those creatures. "Not if you want to live," His voice was now low and deadly. The hairs at the nape of her neck stood up on end. "Is that a threat?" Her eyes stared back at his, challenging him. His eyes gleamed, smirking; he replied, "There is no need for threats. Normally, I do not exchange words with trespassers. They are dealt with quickly." "So why are we speaking now?" Evanna tilted her head; questions on top of questions were filling her head. She, too, knew the Flori''s reputation of being heartless and deadly, so she was confused about having a somewhat civilised conversation with one. "That I do not know," He muttered to himself. He abruptly turned his back to her and started to walk off. Evanna felt pulled towards him, and without thinking, she followed him while still holding onto her swords. Her body was still aware of the danger emitting from the white-haired elf, but she could not help herself. She felt captivated by him; her senses were melting to him and at the same time warning her about him. "Wait!" Evanna shouted after him as she watched him start to elegantly climb up a tree. Her head tilted up to see him stop and sit on the first branch of the tree, his feet now dangling off. She bit her lip as she watched his cold, hard expression take form once again on his face, the one she remembered in her dreams. "What is your name?" She asked. His eyelids blinked once, slowly, before his head tilted, assessing her as his lips stayed sealed. "Only.. I never got itˇ­ last time.." She almost whispered the last words, her cheeks flushed in embarrassment. Yet, he heard her, instead of answering, though, he stood back up on the tree. "Follow me," He commanded; his eyes held her own. Her spine suddenly shivered. She turned her head back in the direction she came from; something was not right. Her body began to feel a pull from behind her, was there another danger- "While I am still being nice, do as I say," He spoke again, causing her to look back at him, snapping her from her thoughts. His sharp gaze was like a hawk''s, and she felt as though they pierced straight through her. Without waiting for her answer, he started to climb the tree again. And like a hopeless gazelle following a lion, she put away her swords and climbed the tree after him. They climbed silently, ascending to the higher branches where they widened and merged to one another. The white-haired elf walked quickly across the wooden path to another tree. Evanna kept up with his pace, as he was only two steps in front of her. "Where are you taking me?" "I am not taking you anywhere. You chose to follow me." "After you ordered me to.." He abruptly turned around, his long hair flicking across his face slightly. She stopped after nearly bumping into his chest. "You have swords. You could have used them on me if I chose to attack you. Instead, you followed me like a docile puppy," A smirk formed on his face before he turned back around and leapt up to a higher branch and then another, leaving Evanna standing there with her own face red and in shock. Evanna wanted to wipe that smug smile off his face. Not giving him the satisfaction of winning, she sped herself up and leapt up after him, jumping from branch to branch; she soon caught up to him and surpassed him. Evanna heard his laugh behind her as she guessed the direction they were going in. He caught up with her and suddenly grabbed her hand, sending shockwaves up her arm; he continued to lead the rest of the way, his grip on her hand unrelenting. They twisted and turned, agilely moving across the trees, until finally, they were standing on top of the most enormous tree she had come across so far in the forest. He pulled back a small branch that obstructed her view, which made her gasp at what she saw in front of her. Evanna''s eyes brightened as she looked ahead. The sky was a bright pink with the rising sun. They were so high that the clouds hovered nearby, and the vast forest lay at their feet. "Wow," She breathed. The elf beside her scoffed at her, "I did not bring you up here to admire the view." Evanna turned her head to look at the handsome man beside her. She stopped herself from gawking at his defined features in the sunlight. He stepped closer to her, closing the small distance that was already there. Her body tensed at the proximity of his body to hers. "Leave before the Flori finds you." He warned; his voice was low but held so much power behind it. "Are you not one of them?" She questioned, her hand now rested casually on her dagger. He smiled back at her, but it did not reach his eyes. "They are already aware of your presence. They will not act kindly to humans on THEIR land. They can do what they want with you. Your king has no claim to you now," His voice dropped dangerously. "Is that another threat?!" This time, she did not hold back; her dagger was already pointed at his throat before he could respond. Their close proximity did not make her waver now as she confidently let her blade touch his neck. His hand snaked around the dagger as he brought his face closer to hers. Their noses almost touched as his eyes pierced into hers. "How ferocious," He deadpanned. "Is that any way to treat your rescuer?" Narrowing her eyes, she brought the dagger away from his neck before stepping out of his reach, "Now we are even." His eyes gleamed with delight, and his lips set out into a breath-taking smile that made Evanna halt in stunned silence. WHOOSH! An arrow shot between them and lodged itself into the tree by their side; their eyes widened at one another. Evanna''s heart clenched as the small trust she seemed to have entrusted into the stranger disintegrated. Was that his plan? Lure her away from the safety of numbers below? Although she was astonished, on the surface, her face had hardened, her lips set into a thin line as her own eyes burned into his. His expression matched hers, confirming her assumption. Shouts were heard from the forest floor below; panic rose through her as she realised her companions must have been ambushed. Her name was called, and she looked downwards to the panicked voice. Without another word, she spun on her heel before racing forwards, leaping down to a branch below her. She looked up to see that he was gone, vanished, almost as though he was never there. "Raven!" She gritted her teeth as she heard her name being called again. Leaping down again, she landed on a more significant branch that abruptly descended, making her feet slide skilfully down. The wind whipped across her face, pushing small strands of hair that escaped from her plait out of the way. Evanna took a few steps with force behind her and jumped to another extended branch before the one she was on curved away from where she wanted to go. As she landed, she continued running before leaping again to a smaller branch below it. But instead of landing on the other branch, she used her hands to grip onto it before swinging herself forwards and propelling herself before she somersaulted in the air and landed on the damp earth. Her hands immediately reached for her swords as she stood from her crouched position, ready for the scene before her. Chapter 42 - The Flori As she raised herself to stand, she saw her companions fighting off a group of elves, Ger was shooting them down with his arrows, but they narrowed in on him, making him grab his sword instead. Axel was swiping his axe around as three elves agilely dodged his swings. Evanna glanced to her right to see Ronan also narrowly evading swords from three elves around him. Behind him, Cilv was taking down elves as she went, using her nails and daggers. There were so many circling around them Evanna could not keep count. This assessment all took but three seconds as she soon found who she was looking forˇŞsomeone in charge. Racing forwards, she leapt over swords that swung towards her then skidded on her knees, swiping her own blades underneath two elves along the way, causing them to fall in pain. Jumping back up with force behind her, she lunged forwards and took down another two elves that guarded a tall, muscular, dark brown elf. His brown locks were tied into tight ropes pinned in a half-up hairstyle; one part of his head was shaved where his skin lightened from an old scar that cut across the area- an old battle scar from the looks of it. Looking all the more intimidating, his arms stayed crossed against his chest as his amber eyes scrutinised her, his face taut and tight-lipped. Not bothered by the newcomer who wanted to take him on. Evanna continued to walk towards him after stepping over his fallen comrades, flipping her blades steadily, preparing herself. "Garrett!" Another elf came forwards, jumping towards Evanna to defend the elf named Garrett. She quickly evaded his oncoming attack and swung both of her swords simultaneously, knocking his own out of his hands. The elf dodged out of the way, but Evanna was quicker and ended up hitting him unconscious with a smack from the hilt of her sword to his face. The elf looked very young, and she did not want to kill him; he was only following orders. Garrett smirked at her mercy then pulled out a seraph blade that was light blue in colour. The elves really were terrific at crafting such beautiful weapons, she thought. They lunged towards each other as they started a stealthy, well played dance of sword fighting. Attacking and dodging one another, calculating each other''s weaknesses. Garrett was not as quick as her, but he kept up an excellent pace, his stamina did not falter, and he was extremely powerful. This was the first time she worried that her skills were not enough. CLING! CLANG! They found themselves with their swords crossed against each other. Garrett''s biceps bulged as he kept pushing his sword down towards her; he was powerful enough to cause Evanna not to use her other sword as she used both hands to push back against his strength. Gritting her teeth, she watched as her sword was getting closer and closer to her head. A bead of sweat started to fall down one side of her forehead. "There is always a weakness, Evanna. You just need to find out what it is," Her mother''s voice came to her mind; a fragment of memory flashed across her eyes from a time before her mother was ill, and she taught her how to fight. Evanna refocused herself on the elf in front of her. He was very skilled and obviously had a lot of experience fighting, and he was someone in charge. What do men in charge always assume when they look at her? They think she is incapable. They underestimate her. Garrett was no different, she realised after watching a smug smile crawl up his face as victory was soon to be his. As the sword was but a slither away from her nose, she decided to play dirty. Evanna headbutted him in the face, a direct hit to his nose, making him pull back wide-eyed as he clutched his nose. Evanna swung her sword at lightning speed, then the other one, putting him on the defence as she continuously swiped each sword alternatively towards him. Keep him moving, stay out of reach, keep having the upper hand. He is stronger and more powerful than you and can easily beat you. Evanna''s thoughts kept her motivated as she kept on the balls of her feet. But as quickly as she was winning, she was once again at a loss. Garrett suddenly caught on and dodged out of the way, rolling on the floor, then turned around, swinging his sword down at the turning raven-haired female. This time he kept smashing his sword down towards her, using his strength to tire her out, backing her towards the trees. Her foot caught on a fallen tree behind her, making her fall back at an awkward angle. Evanna felt the breath knocked out of her as she collapsed onto the top of the tree trunk. Her eyes widened at the elf in front of her. Her body was not quick enough to get her out of the position, and her chest was open for the taking. She lost. This was it. She finally met her match. She failed. She failed her mother. Garrett smirked before bringing the final blow to her. Suddenly, a sharp pain thudded into his right shoulder, causing a burning sensation to quickly spread through the area. He stopped his sword mid-air from what he was about to do and glanced behind him to see an arrow sticking out from his shoulder. He brought his hand over and yanked it out, grunting as he did so. Evanna pushed from the ground in that moment of distraction and jumped up to stand on the tree. She now looked down at the beast of an elf named Garrett. He turned his head back to her and tilted his head up; she swung her leg and high kicked him in the face, then smashed her swords onto his, flinging his loose from his hands. In that exact moment, before he could react, she used her ever quick agility to elegantly jump from the fallen tree and flip over his height and land on him from behind. Evanna held on top of him with her sword crossed against his neck while she clung to his chest, keeping the other sword digging into his side. The tips of her toes balanced on his hips with her head now resting on his shoulder. She pulled the blades towards her, using enough force to spill a little blood from his neck. This was so he wouldn''t do anything stupid, like wrestling her off of his significant form. She spoke next to his ear, "Tell your men to drop their weapons." He almost growled at her demand. "Tell them!" She shouted now, making him flinch from the close contact of her mouth next to his ear. "* Stand down! Drop your weapons! *" He roared to his men. Evanna brought her head back slightly so she could glance around, the Flori dropped their weapons and backed off from her companions. "Ger grab my bag. We are leaving!" She shouted. "Now, Garrett. Please can you start walking backwards," Evanna asked him gently, almost too sweetly. If the circumstances were different, she would have congratulated him on such a fight; she enjoyed fighting such a skilled swordsman. However, that was not the case. Garrett took slow steps backwards, "That''s it, nice and steady." Garrett growled again at her commentary but continued to walk backwards with his hands raised in surrender. Evanna''s body was tense as she assessed the situation in front of her, the elves who were left neared to about fifteen, and just like that, it was sixteen. The white-haired elf emerged from the trees, landing elegantly on the floor behind the others. Power emanated from him as he stood tall among the others. His piercing blue eyes locked with hers, and an icy sensation went through her at his intensity. She gulped involuntarily but recomposed her face as she soon saw Ger and Axel cross her vision, making her feel better. They both had their weapons aimed at the Flori, Ger with his bow and arrow, and Axel now with his throwing axes. She presumed his axe was hidden in his shield on his back again. For a few minutes, both groups walked at a slow pace. Garrett was backing away with Evanna''s companions around them and the elves in front of them stalking them. The atmosphere felt suffocating from the tense standoff. Evanna and the white-haired elf kept their gazes locked in a battle of will the whole time. She was challenging him, infuriating him, but his features stayed hard and cold as he continued to stare and assess the situation. Suddenly, Garrett burst out laughing, "What is your next cause of action. Human." He spat the last word. "If I were you, I would not laugh. This sword is quite sharp. I might accidentally slit your throat," Evanna murmured back to him as her eyes stayed on Mr Blue Eyes across from them. Garrett shut his mouth immediately. Evanna tried to wrack her brains on what to do next. She needed a distraction so they could escape, but what? How? As her thoughts were spinning, she caught something, someone out of the corner of her eye. Someone with auburn hair, cat eyes and their sharpened claws out. Cilv! Cilv ran forward and took five elves out at once! Two by her daggers being thrown, another two by her nails punched into their chests and twisting, then the last, she jumped on and ripped their throat out with her teeth. After the first two were taken out, Evanna swiftly removed her swords from around Garrett and pushed off of him to flip backwards. The force sent him forwards onto his knees. She instantly turned and started running; Ger and Ronan flanked her. Evanna put one of her swords away and caught her bag Ger tossed at her. "Smart move," Ronan panted. "Cilv saved us," Evanna grunted back. "You are welcome!" Cilv caught up to them then surpassed them, but Evanna saw how she looked. Her mouth and hands bloody, her slitted eyes still wild. "Guys, they are on our tails!" Axel roared, motivating them to run faster. Evanna could not shake the cold radiating off her back; she ignored it and continued to run. She pushed herself a little faster, making herself second in line, with all three men behind her now. Evanna could not fathom whether to keep her sword out or put it away so she could run quicker. Her head suddenly snapped to the side, then looked up, noticing that the Flori was not chasing them by foot; they were chasing them via the trees. The elves ran smoothly across the branches, jumping, swinging, somersaulting across the trees. Evanna could not help but admire them; they looked so acrobatic, elegant, and beautiful. Turning her head to the other side, she saw more of them doing the same. Her eyes settled on Mr Blue Eyes; once again, she felt captivated as she watched his body twist and turn, in and out of the branches; even as he turned his head to watch her, he was still able to dodge the trees effortlessly. A slight frown formed on her face. Was he smirking at her? What an arrogant assh- "Raven!" Evanna''s head swivelled to the side; Ger and Ronan were flanking her again. She must have slowed down as she watched the beautiful white-haired elf play in the trees. "I''ve been calling your name.." Axel scolded. "Sorry," Evanna mumbled a response. "Run, Raven! I know you can run faster than that! Don''t worry about us!" On Ger''s command, she put her full attention on the task in hand, putting her sword in place behind her back. She let her legs speed up and heard the pounding of her feet on the floor intensify, feeling the burn and freedom as they went. Evanna nearly caught up to Cilv at the front of the group, which they now knew was also a speedy runner. They glanced at one another. Cilv''s eyes were bright, her cheeks a tint of red and her hair crazy. She was enjoying herself. Enjoying the cat and mouse chase they were on. Evanna glanced ahead after hearing the rush of water; she noticed where Cilv was leading them. The river was meeting them at the end. "Cilv?" She did not answer, but before they made it to the water, Cilv made an abrupt right which Evanna kept up with. They were now running by the river''s side, losing the Flori who flanked them on their left. Evanna felt a slight smile tug on her lips at the thought of them nearly free of the elves who were pursuing them. She noticed how they had been running uphill throughout most of this. Turning her head to the left, she realised there was a sharp drop, and the river was at the bottom of the cliff they were on. Evanna looked back behind them to see the men were still well and unharmed. As she turned her head back to the front, she noticed where Cilv was leading them. Noˇ­ She''s not really taking us there.. We would be worse off.. Ahead of them, they were approaching a fallen tree that connected the cliff they were on with the opposite side of the river. As if she sensed Evanna''s ambivalence, Cilv somehow increased her pace, almost as if she was only jogging with Evanna before. Cilv made her way to the tree and leapt on top, keeping her arms up to steady herself. "When you are in Direwood Forest, stay on the right side of the river." Suddenly, her mother''s warning from her dream came to her mind. "Cilv!" Evanna was at the top of the tree now as Cilv made it to the middle part. Without thinking twice, Evanna sprinted across the tree, ready to reach out to Cilv; her hand was outstretched.. "Evanna!" "Cilv! Stop! The river!" It was too late. As Evanna''s hand nearly grasped Cilv''s shoulder, she vanished into thin air once she made it to the other side of the tree. "Evanna!!!!" Ger felt his stomach drop. He watched as both girls sprinted across the tree; first, Cilv, then Evanna disappeared. He pushed himself forward, but Ronan was quicker; he leapt onto the tree and ran ahead, also vanishing. Ger and Axel looked at each other as they stopped abruptly at the tree. Axel looked behind them and saw the Flori jump down to the ground. The white-haired elf and dark brown elf that Evanna threatened both sprinted towards them. He looked back in front and saw Ger already running across the tree, and Axel swiftly followed behind him. The elven prince and Garrett stopped themselves at the end of the fallen tree, not going any further as they watched the last of the human group vanish once they crossed the river. The prince clenched his teeth and fisted his hands by his sides. His crystal blue eyes flickered with an unreadable emotion. His aura darkened immensely, causing the atmosphere around him to become chilling. "* Why are you angry? That solves the human problem, *" Garrett patted his hands together as though he was getting rid of dirt on them. The prince continued to stare where Evanna ran off to. Yes, he heard her name being called out. It made him all the more intrigued to know more about her, but now, he started to fear that it was his last encounter with her. Nobody ever returned from that side of the river. Chapter 43 - The Faceless: Part One Evanna leapt forwards from the fallen tree and stumbled into Cilv, who was already on the ground. "Watch it," Cilv complained as they nearly bumped heads. Cilv started to wipe the blood from around her mouth, grimacing at the sight of it. Evanna tried not to roll her eyes at her, considering it was this wild female that went on a rampage and ripped an elf''s neck apart- not the nicest way to go. She glanced up to the trees around them; the forest appeared to be dead, the sun that shone brightly on the other side was nearly non-existent. She bit her lip at the thought of them being this side. It saved them from the Flori, but how were they going to escape whatever creatures lay in wait this side? Evanna turned back around after realising the others had not caught up with them yet, she knew they were quicker than them, but they should have made it across by now. She heard her name being called, so she knew they knew where they went. As she turned in the direction they came from, she only saw more forest. She turned back around to see if she got the direction wrong, but Cilv came back into view again. A crease formed between her brows as she stood still and turned her head backwards and forwards in both directions, confused by the disappearance of the river. Behind them, there was a mirror image of the forest in front of them. "Keep doing that, please. It''s making my head hurt," Cilv rubbed the sides of her temple as she looked away from the princess. "Cilv, the river is meant to be there." ** Ronan jumped down from the fallen tree. Where were the girls? He turned his head back around to call out to Ger and Axel, but as he turned his head, the river and the other two men were gone. A shiver went down his spine as he took a few steps forward, assessing what was in front of him. The forest seemed a lot darker on this side; the dirt was a near-black colour, the trees looked like they were dying, there didn''t seem to be any animals or noises, no signs of life at all. There was not even any wind blowing through the trees. He continued to walk and pulled his sword out; it was far too quiet for his liking, his body stayed tense. Nesrin warned them about this side of the forest, and so he remained alert. As he slowly walked deeper into the woods, he noticed the trees were getting closer together, and the path he was on disappeared ahead of him. A shuffling sound made him spin around and look in that direction. His heart started to beat quicker as dread started to fill him. He was not alone. Ronan crept forwards, keeping his footsteps light as his gaze searched around the forest ground, stepping over fallen leaves and twigs, anything that would make a sound to alert whatever was in the forest with him. However, as his eyes were on what could be on the ground, he did not know a looming presence was above him. The sight of the human-made it emerge from the shadows. It started to crawl above him with its numerous legs placed on both sides of the trees from the path to keep itself balanced. Its elongated body began to form a long shadow across Ronan, where it hid the nearly non-existent sun. The creature was three times the size of the human below, but it was just as quiet as the surroundings while it moved closer to him. Ronan slowed his steps as his eyes caught a slight shadow following him. He turned abruptly around, clutching his sword mightily as he held it out in front of him, ready. But he saw nothing; he narrowed his eyes as he knew there was a shadow. Slowly lifting his gaze, his eyes rounded as his lips parted to take a shaky breath in. A black creature was above him; its skin was segmented into hard pads covering its skinny, long, horizontal body. Its many legs were on the side of each tree, with its tail swinging from side to side, the pincer at the end clasping open and shut as it rotated. Suddenly, its head appeared directly in front of him, its neck stretched out like a long branch coming down from its body to be in front of Ronan''s face. There was nothing but a pair of black eyes on a white mask type face. It was oddly humanistic minus a nose, mouth and ears. Ronan tried to step back, but the longer he looked into the bottomless pits of its eyes, the less control he had on his body. All at once, black smoke materialised behind his eyes, blurring his vision as he stared into a void of emptiness. ** Ger arrived at the other end of the tree and jumped down, turning around abruptly as he got his bow and arrow out, ready for the Flori. As he looked ahead of him, the other side of the river looked blurry, almost like his vision had a smudge on it. Axel''s huge frame soon appeared in front of him, and Ger watched as he jumped down from the tree, the other side of the river completely disappearing behind him. His eyes widened as he now stood staring at a forest; blinking, he walked forwards, his hand raised in front of him, he waited for his leg to hit the tree or to nearly fall to his death, but nothing happened. He just continued to walk forwards like there was never a river to begin with, and they were just in a forest. Turning back around, he glanced at Axel, who tightened his hold on his axes while he stared at the forest in front of him. Axel couldn''t understand where the others went. They were just there but mere minutes ago, crossing the same tree. He knew it was a terrible idea to follow across, but what else could they do? The Flori was following them, and the girls sprinted ahead without them. No, Cilv sprinted ahead, and Evanna tried to stop her. He remembered the princess reaching her hand out for her. He was not sure if he was thankful to Cilv or not. On the one hand, they were safe from the Flori, and on the other hand, they were now in an unknown area that the fairy told them to avoid because of creatures being kept there for the good of humanity, he supposed. There was a 50/50 chance that they would die by the Flori or die by these so-called creatures. Neither option fit well with him. "Which way do we go?" Axel queried, "I normally ask you that", Ger responded. "I don''t think the map will help us this side. You know.. witchy spell and all. Plus, we need to find the others," Axel kept searching the trees for their companions but saw nothing but a dark, eery forest in return. "Let''s go this way. Maybe they stuck to the riverside," Ger suggested. "The river that is not here anymore.." "Do you have a better idea?" "No, no, I just want it to be on you if we get eaten.." Axel shook his head and gestured his axe forwards for Ger to lead the way. They launched into a brisk jog; their eyes and ears stayed ever so vigilant as the trees swept past them. They searched for their friends and remained wary of any threats that could be about in the forest. A warning from a 120-year-old fairy was enough to keep them spooked along with the quiet atmosphere that crawled up their spines. Ger stopped abruptly, causing Axel to halt. Both became tense and held their weapons ready. Ger maniacally searched the trees around them, an arrow already aiming out in front of him as he spun. After minutes of tense stillness, Axel finally spoke up, "Ger, what is it?" Fear was still laced in his voice as he questioned his friend. "Do you not hear it?" "Hear what?" "The whispers." Axel frowned at his reply; he slowed his breathing down, calming his racing heart and strained his ears to listen intently to what Ger could hear. ~ Axelˇ­ ~ He gasped; a whisper floated in the air around him, wrapping him up in a tight warm blanket. All at once, more and more whispers echoed across different parts of the forest. Axel started to relax his hold on his axes, his muscles began to loosen, he felt warm and safe. ~ You are safe, Axel.. ~ Why was he so worried? The forest is not scary. In fact, he should just sit down and enjoy the view. Axel''s thoughts led him to sit up against a tree with a soppy smile on his face. Ger, none the wiser, was still assessing the area. Fighting against the whispers, telling them to bugger off. Were they witches? Evanna said she heard a singing voice, but that was a different situation. He spun slowly on his heel and became nervous when he couldn''t see the giant tree of a man by his side. "Axel!" He shouted after him desperately. ~ No need to shout ~ The whisper wriggled under his skin, making him feel nauseous; gritting his teeth, he forced himself to ignore them again. He turned again and had to do a double-take when he realised Axel was sitting on the ground playing with the black dirt as though he were a toddler playing in a puddle of water. When Axel looked up, Ger took an instinctive step back. Axel''s eyes were pitch black. Ger''s heart picked up its pace at the sight of his friend. Before he could help snap his friend out of the weird demonic or childlike daze he was in. A rattling noise from the leaves behind him caught his attention. He turned abruptly and released his arrow. ** Evanna and Cilv surveyed their surroundings and began walking tentatively, their eyes flickering at any slight sound. "Something is not right.." Evanna''s voice trailed off, her eyes zoned in on some dried blood on one of the trees. Her body became tense at the sight, and a cold shiver went down her spine as a twig snapped in the distance. "We aren''t the only ones here.." Cilv whispered; her nails elongated, and her eyes flickered back to the ones of a cat. Evanna grabbed her swords, eyeing the rest of the trees as she did so. She felt an almost immediate pull forwards, her senses putting her on edge. Cilv walked ahead of her while she tried to make sense of where she sensed the danger was coming from. It lessened when she stepped forward, and when she stepped back, it was stronger. Her heart began to pound in her chest while she glanced behind her; slowly, she looked up, and her eyes went wide at what she saw crawling down towards her. A black monster was crawling down the trees and only stopped at a small distance away from her pointed swords. Evanna could not make out how it looked. It appeared to be upside down, its countless legs clung onto the trees, its tail flopped down with its pincer rotating. Evanna eyed the pincer, her swords ready to cut it. However, her attention went back to the rest of the monster''s body; as its neck elongated down, she could not see a face. It appeared to be a slimy black head with nothing else on it. No mouth or eyes, but the closer it came to her face, the more it morphed into a white mask, with only black eyes staring at her, and it appeared to be upside down. The white mask rotated, so it was upright. Evanna swung her sword forwards, warning it to back off. "It seems you are not affected. What strong residence your mind holds, human." The monster spoke as its mouth suddenly appeared, "Unless you are an elf? How interesssssting, elvessss don''t visit us anymoreˇ­" As it spoke, she could see sharp jagged fangs rowed across its mouth. Evanna suddenly felt something pull away her hair from her ears. The monster''s tail had swept her hair out of the way as its head came closer to her; she heard it inhale as though it was smelling her. She swung her swords again, and its tail retreated. Glancing to the side, she noticed Cilv sitting on the floor, another creature gripping her in its tail. Its face close to hers. "What have you done with my friend? With all of them?!" "Ah, it speaks. Zaza is seeing what she most desires or whom they desire. Sometimes they see a loved one, a dead family member, a beautiful woman or a man. The list is endless, or she could be in a nightmare. It depends on how we feel.." Evanna began to feel sick, "What are you?" The monster twisted and jumped down from the tree, its tail whipped back and placed the pincer on its ''face''. "Issisiahh.. The humans used to call us the faceless. Very creative.." The Faceless. Evanna read from her book on Direwood about a creature called the faceless. Though she did not pay great attention to it, there were so many creatures listed in the book, she merely skimmed across the details. Although, it was fascinating. She remembered reading the basics; the creatures fed on humans after seeing every detail of their life from their mind. The human could be controlled while the creature drained them of their life and memories. "As much as this has been nicccce interacting, I amˇ­famished." The faceless creature slowly began to stalk towards her, its tail swung behind while it brought its two sharp front legs forwards, ready to swipe at Evanna. She braced herself, swords ready as she looked up at the immense creature before her. Chapter 44 - The Faceless: Part Two Each step the creature took, Evanna took a step backwards. Her eyes flickered from its face, the front legs and to the pincers on its tail. Suddenly, the faceless sprinted forward, its size and speed intimidating. The creature swiped its two front legs at her, which she narrowly missed before rolling to the side; the tail then swung down with its pincers while she was still kneeling. She swiped her swords up, making the tail back away and swing from another direction, but she jumped over it; another narrow miss from the tail then led to her slicing both swords to the right as the tail came towards her. The faceless screeched as the tail flopped to the ground, detached from the rest of its body. In its rage, it came towards Evanna, stomping its front legs at her, but she ran forwards, went underneath it and jumped, stabbing both swords into the underbelly of the monster. Black blood seeped from the wound while it screeched again; Evanna rolled out of the way as it collapsed to the ground. She kept her swords ready and crept towards the fallen creature, it suddenly moved, making her jump, but then it collapsed once more. The body deflating as the last air left its now non-existent mouth. With the creature dead, Evanna then looked across at Cilv; she still sat there in the other creature''s grasp. This time, she decided to be tactful and climbed the tree by her side; Evanna jumped across a few branches until she was directly above them. The creature was so absorbed in whatever mind game it was playing with Cilv to notice that its friend was dead, and the princess was roaming free. Evanna slowly stepped closer and could see a light glow between the creature''s face and Cilvs and could almost hear a radiating energy pulsating between the pair. It made her shiver. She grabbed her swords, not wasting any more time and jumped, landing on its head and stabbed both ends into the top of it. It immediately screeched and released Cilv and collapsed on the ground. Evanna looked over at Cilv and saw her vacant stare become full of life once again as a tear fell from her eye. Cilv looked at Evanna, wide-eyed and quickly wiped the tear away irritably. Cilv jumped to her feet and gave a nod of thanks to the princess. Both of them started to jog briskly, their eyes now glancing in every direction, including above them as they went. ** Ronan was leaning against a tree, arms crossed over his chest, he could not remember why he was waiting in a forest, but he stood there anyway. He looked up and noticed two women running towards him; as they made it closer, their features faded into view. Evanna and Cilv. His face lit up immediately as he began to walk towards them. Cilv suddenly darted out of the way, running off before jumping up into a tree and disappearing, while Evanna continued to run towards him. He stopped, his eyebrows furrowing before he grunted as she flung herself into his arms. "What''s wrong?!" His voice was alarmed; he placed his hands over her head and arms, checking for any signs of injury. When he saw none, he looked behind her in the direction she came from. "Nothing is wrong. I am just pleased to see you, Ro," She purred in response while her hands glided down onto his chest. Ro? A look of puzzlement settled on his features while he searched her face. "Are you okay? You seem.." "I''m fine, now that I have found you." He parted his lips to speak, but Evanna put her finger on them, making his eyes widen in shock. She leaned closer to his face, her arms wrapping around his neck and her fingers going through the bottom part of his hair. Her lips were nearly touching his now as she whispered, "I have waited for a moment alone with you to do this." Her soft lips found his with a gentle peck, her green eyes searching his to continue. Ronan was still confused, but he slowly melted at the feel of her luscious body against his. His mind gave in, and he responded to her touch and leaned down, crashing his lips against hers, hungrily. Evanna pulled on his raven curls, earning a lustrous groan from him. His arms wrapped around her waist, pulling her towards him; she moaned softly in his mouth, her lips parting, letting his tongue dip in and conquer her mouth, their tongues intertwining. Evanna leaned into him, pushing him against the tree, her chest pressing against his. He pulled his head away, gasping, "Wait, what about Ger?" He couldn''t believe he was bringing him up in the prime moment of heat, but he needed to know where they stood with each other. Evanna looked at him in confusion and then in surprise, "What about him?" Before he could speak further, her voluptuous lips found his again, and he became lost into a lustrous oblivion. ** In another part of the forest, Ger released arrow after arrow at the creatures now swarming around them. Their eyes were hungry as they closed in on him. These creatures were dark and slender, almost human-like as they stood on two feet, their arms and hands similar; their muscular chests showed each muscle fibre and what looked to be like veins. But that was where the humanistic features ended; white eyes shone brightly against their black skin, their mouths bared with jagged, black teeth, screeching long and low, while others sent whispers across the forest. One of the closer creatures to Ger reached forwards, its long, bony fingers swiping slowly towards him. The nails were long enough to cause serious harm. Ger shot it in the head, making it fall to the ground. His forehead had beads of sweat on it, overwhelmed by the situation he was in; there were so many circling him. He knew his arrows were going to run out soon. His head turned, searching the forest for an escape route he could run to, but there was none. He took a step to the side after another creature swiped for him. He was lucky that these things were relatively slow; however, in taking that step, he bumped into something slimy. Ger yelped in surprise at the creature before him, he reached for another arrow, but the creature grabbed his hand and brought its head closer to him. Baring its teeth as its eyes widened. Ger couldn''t look away from the white pupil-less eyes. His mouth relaxed, falling open as a warm feeling fell over him, like a safety net comforting him. He rested his hand while the creature in front of him moved closer to him, leaving inches between them. ** Evanna and Cilv decided to head back the way they came in the hopes of finding the river again. Evanna wanted to seek an escape route along with finding the guys before they made it back to the safer side of the river if they could locate the river. Cilv kept her eyes up at the trees whilst Evanna scanned ahead for any signs of the men and the river. She came to an abrupt halt as another shiver tingled down her spine; Cilv instantly stopped after hearing Evanna''s footsteps silence. She eyed Evanna and knew the look on her face by now; it meant danger was coming. She glanced warily back at their surroundings again; her ears were alert to the smallest sounds in the quiet forest. Evanna nodded to Cilv and began readying her stance while Cilv bolted to the nearest tree and climbed it. Two creatures sprung down from the trees and raced towards Evanna, their tails swinging wildly behind them as their white masks appeared on their heads, the black eyes forming while their mouths opened, revealing their jagged teeth. The first was tackled down as Cilv fell from a tree onto its head, her claws ripped savagely into its black eyes while it screeched and floundered wildly. Evanna dashed forwards, meeting the creature but jumped and skidded on her knees, missing its front legs, gliding underneath it, with her swords raised, cutting two fine lines into the underbelly as she went. Once Evanna stepped out from behind its tail, she watched as the contents of its body fell to the ground in a sloppy mess before the rest of the creature followed. CLAP.. CLAP.. CLAP.. A slow clapping sound echoed from beside her, and she spun on her heel to see another creature walking tentatively towards her, clapping its hands slowly. This creature was not like the others; it was very humanistic, walking on two feet, wearing black breeches and a long black coat, the two top buttons loose. Its face was white, with no ears that she could see, and a wide black smile that seemed permanent along with black eyes that had shining white pupils. It was slender but lean, and as it approached Evanna, she saw that it was not much taller than her. She raised her bloodied swords, "Stay back." The creature pulled a look of surprise, raising its hands mockingly in surrender. "I apologise, milady, I did not mean to frighten you," Its voice chilled her to the bone as the smile on its face broadened. Evanna narrowed her eyes, it was very much enjoying this. "What do you want?" She demanded. Cilv came into Evanna''s view now, scrutinising the creature near them. It was odd seeing such a thing wear normal clothes; Cilv widened her stance slightly, ready for anything to attack. She knew how ambushes worked; this man, well, creature, could be distracting them. She was sure that there were many more creatures around them. A shiver passed through her as she glanced at the cruel smile that seemed to be permanent on its face. The creature made an extravagant bow, pretending to raise a non-existent hat, "My name is Scarecrow. I only wish to see you, two fair ladies, on your way. This is no place for you to be. There are many creatures sniffing about, looking for something to eat." "Aren''t you one of them?" Cilv enquired, her voice taking on one of suspicion. "Do I look like one of those filthy things?!" The creature named Scarecrow gestured at itself. Its face became menacing at her insult. "We will be on our way, Mr Scarecrow. We do not wish to bother you," Evanna spoke politely, wiping her swords on the fallen creature before sheathing them. Cilv stepped closer to her, her face aghast, "You cannot seriously be falling for this. What are you doing!?" She whisper-shouted at the princess. "Playing along," Evanna whispered back before placing a gentle smile on her face. "Nonsense! I shall escort you away from here!" Scarecrow beamed at Evanna''s politeness, approaching her again and giving his arm for her to take. Cilv''s eyes widened, her claws remained extended as she watched Evanna place her hand around his arm. "Will the way be towards the river, good Sir?" Evanna enquired. Scarecrow smiled more, "Of course, that is the way out." They began walking in a direction he led them, past the monsters and where they were initially heading. Cilv stayed behind them, her eyes and ears alert, vigilantly watching their surroundings. She did not know what the princess was up to, but she decided to play along- for now. "How is it that a gentleman such as yourself is in this dreary forest?" Evanna gushed, her eyes bright as she looked at its soulless eyes. Scarecrow beamed at the word ''gentleman'' and brought his hand out for Evanna to take while she stepped over a fallen tree. Once he climbed over after her, he took her hand in his arm again and continued with their stroll, replying as his gaze shifted, staring blankly into the distance, his smile dropping, "Someone very dear to me used me and left me here once I was of no further use." "That sounds awful, Mr Scarecrow," Evanna rubbed his lean arm, consoling him. His head snapped to the side, his smile back on his face, "It is all in the past now, milady." "Why didn''t you just leave this place?" Cilv asked quizzically. Evanna glared at her interruption but quickly put a smile on her face as she glanced back at the creature. Cilv couldn''t understand what was wrong with a simple question. Scarecrow turned his head slowly around, his eyes blazing, making her shrink back slightly. She wanted to kill him then and there; he was far too creepy to be kept alive. However, the small amount of trust she had in Evanna made her think that she was keeping them both alive. Cilv knew there was something the princess was holding back from them, and it had something to do with this sixth sense she seemed to have. Evanna had been right on too many occasions for it to be by coincidence. "Hmm, I had other plans that did not require me to leave," Scarecrow answered her question while he looked at his slender fingers. They continued to walk, and as they approached some trees, a clearing came into view, and behind it was the river; somehow, they were now at the same level as the water. It was also much broader as it ran wildly, crashing against the rocks, causing rapids. Cilvs attention was now on the rushing water before them while her excitement of leaving the forest bubbled inside her. Those unfocused seconds though, was enough time for a surprise attack from above. Suddenly, a rustling sound caught Cilv''s attention to look back up before she was jumped on by two more of those other creatures. While she was dealing with the two monsters and keeping her face as far away as possible from them, Evanna continued to walk with Scarecrow, unaware of what was happening behind her. Her gaze was solely on him as he moved his fingers in front of her. Almost as if he was using mind control on the princess. Chapter 45 - The Faceless: Part Three Evanna gazed into Scarecrow''s white pupils, all the while her body was chilled to the bone as goosebumps spread across her skin. He continued to walk away with her, a smirk crawling up his face. "You have no idea how long I have waited for a human to turn up here. Those pesky elves have kept most away. As much as I have enjoyed your company, I really need to eat and transform. I would prefer to be a man, but I do not mind being you," His eyes travelled the length of her body before resting back on her eyes, "such beautiful skin. With your looks, it will be easy to lure a male into my trap." He winked at her. Unbeknown to Scarecrow, Evanna was not trapped in his mind control; she knew what was going on, including the ambush on Cilv, but she only hoped the fearsome shifter could handle herself for the time being. Her sixth sense was telling her to act like Scarecrow''s little puppet, she did not know how she knew, but she did. She had complete trust in herself and her strange sense, even as he spoke about eating her. In a monotone voice, she asked, "What. What will.. happen once.. you eat me?" He narrowed his eyes and scrutinized her, but after a full minute of staring intensely at her eyes, he was convinced by the blank look in her eyes. It took everything in her willpower to not blink or flinch at his eyes bore into hers. "It is futile to fight my powers. But I do not mind having a bit of a chit chat. The others here are bloody boring, I tell you. Moaning and screeching about how hungry they are. I''M HUNGRY!" He bellowed as he tipped his head back, arms wide as though he were shouting to an audience. "They need to make me happy.. Without ME, they are NOTHING!" Scarecrow''s face was so close to hers now; his breath whipped her stray hairs back, and again, it took everything in her not to flinch. He laughed maniacally as he stepped back from her, wiping a hand down his face as his head snapped back forwards, his cruel smile back on his face, "There I go again, rambling. Please forgive me. You do not need to know my pettiness." Scarecrow suddenly yanked her down to the ground by the river; she forced herself to stay rooted, although she had the urge to jump into the river and away from the crazed creature before her. He lowered himself, sitting on the back of his heels, so they were at eye level. "Once I have eaten you, my dear," His fingers brushed down her face gently, sending another chill down her spine, "I will become you. It is that simple." "B-b-become me?" Evanna acted as though her speech was forced. "Shhh," His finger skimmed across her bottom lip, "It won''t hurt, I promise. I will put you into a glorious dream. You were so naively kind to me, so I will repay you back that kindness. At least." His face came closer to hers, his mouth widening, showing rows of human teeth. As he did, Evanna grabbed her jewelled dagger swiftly and stabbed him; however, he moved just as quickly, resulting in her blade sticking out of his shoulder. He grunted and pulled it out slowly while he kept his eyes blazing into hers. "I would be really pissed about this. These are the only clothes I own, and you''ve ripped them. But as soon as I have your body, I''ll just take your clothes." He tilted his head to the side with a wicked grin. Evanna reached for her swords, but he grabbed her arms and kept them by her sides; his strength was triple to hers in comparison. Her eyes widened at the power and speed he held. "I am 200 years old, darling. My patience is that of a twig. It snaps easily. Do not bother trying to escape me. The question is, though, what are you? You are not a human. If you were, we wouldn''t be having this conversation right now." Evanna gritted her teeth while she struggled in his grip. He sighed and easily threw her into a nearby tree. She crashed onto the ground with a moan. "I asked you a question. I do not like repeating myself," Scarecrow''s voice was one of boredom while he strolled towards her, who began to push herself off of the dank earth. Scarecrow kicked her under her belly then kicked hard enough to force her onto her back with a sputter. She was not expecting him to be so strong. His kick made her taste blood. He hummed to himself as he leaned down, grabbing her hair and pulling her up against the tree, "Sweetheart, I have been playing nice. You only need to answer me then it will all be over. Nobody has ever tricked me before, especially a child such as yourself." His eyes scrutinized her face in disgust, "Either way, this will be a trial-and-error type. I won''t die if I consume you." He spoke as though he was deep in thought. Evanna felt tears forming in her eyes at the grip he had on her hair. He brought his face close to hers again and whispered maliciously, "What are you?" When there was no response, he backhanded her face causing her to see stars dancing across her blurred vision and making his face more horrifying. He grabbed her by the cheeks and yanked her face to look at him again; the pressure was so hard she thought her cheekbones might break. But she kept herself from crying out in pain. "WHAT ARE YOU!?" He screamed in her face with a monstrous screech forming at the back of his throat. Scarecrow was so absorbed in beating an answer from Evanna that he did not notice the stillness of the forest. All at once, he was stabbed in the back of his neck. He screeched and immediately jumped into the tree. Cilv scrambled towards Evanna, looking at their surroundings as she did so, "Come on, he won''t be gone for long. The river is here, let''s go." Evanna stumbled forwards and picked up her mother''s dagger before sprinting to catch up to Cilv; she grabbed her by the arm, "We can''t leave yet." "I''m not dying for anyone," Cilv replied coolly, glancing behind Evanna while they stood next to the river further down from where Scarecrow was. "We won''t. We will find the others and get out of here. The river is here. We know where it is now." "What if it disappears again?" Cilv asked, desperation clear in her voice. This was the first time Evanna saw a slither of fear in the woman''s eyes. "It won''t. I can tell," Evanna held Cilv''s stare, conveying her confidence in her words. With a single nod from Cilv, they began to run along the river. Evanna''s heart was pounding out of her chest as her muscles stayed tense and alert; there was a constant coldness vibrating along her spine. She did not know how many there were, but the faceless seemed to be crawling all over the forest. As they continued along the river, suddenly, Ronan appeared across from them, as though a fog was pulled back from their eyes, revealing him as he leant up against a tree. They raced forwards, shocked at the scene before them. ** Ronan''s hands were holding Evanna''s face gently as they passionately kissed; he pulled his lips away from hers and immediately started to leave light kisses from her cheek down her neck and to her collarbone. Her breathing was heavy as though she could not get enough of him. He was elated that Evanna wanted him too, with his thoughts were clouded by lust. He pulled away from her, taking in her breath-taking features. As he did so, his brows began to furrow; blood splattered across his face as two swords sliced through her neck and body, stopping just before his own. With his eyes wide, he looked behind her to see Evanna holding the swords stabbed into the back of the Evanna he was just kissing. Confusion began to muddle into his brain when suddenly, her charade fell, dissolving her features into a disgusting creature that was screeching as it collapsed to the ground. Ronan looked to and from the beast and this Evanna. "Ronan.." Evanna softly spoke, approaching him slowly. "What was," He gagged. Was he just kissing that thing!? "What was I doing!?" "Are you okay?" Evanna eyed him with a look of concern. When he didn''t answer and looked at her blankly, she replied, "You were just standing there. It was holding you by its tail, and its face was close to yours. It was glowing.." "We need to get going. There''s no telling how many of those things there are. Especially with Scarecrow still about," Cilv urged. "Scarecrow?" Ronan looked at them questioningly, but Evanna grabbed him by the arm, urging him forwards. While they jogged, Ronan glanced at Evanna''s determined face; he blushed for the first time since he was a child as their eyes met. He looked away as the scenes of him kissing her were now planted in his mind, and it was not even real; he wished then and there, a hole would swallow him up. Evanna frowned at her friend''s obvious discomfort, but her attention went back to the task at hand. They needed to find Ger and Axel. She guessed that they were nearby. It seemed the forest was enchanted with a spell that hid and mirrored parts of the trees, including the river that separated the two parts of the woods. She was both fascinated and terrified by it. A man''s yell echoed through the forest, alerting them and urging them in the direction it came from. Fear gripped Evanna''s heart; she begged in her mind that they were not too late; she knew that voice far too well. It was Ger. Spurred on by the echo of Ger''s cry, Evanna increased her footing. Her heart was racing and clenching tightly in her chest; she never thought she would have to worry about Ger. Even knowing they were going on this quest, she presumed he would always be okay. He was a monster slayer; he couldn''t possibly be taken down easily. As her thoughts raced with all the possibilities of Ger''s situation, her legs took her at speeds she never knew she could go until she abruptly stopped. Her back felt as though ice was stabbing her in multiple places, but it decreased the further she went away. Ronan and Cilv sprinted past, then halted their steps and looked at her with confusion on their faces. Ronan opened his mouth to speak, but Cilv grabbed his arm to stop him. He looked at her then back at the princess. Evanna took a few steps backwards in the direction they came from, then turned and walked away from the riverside. "Raven, stop. What if we get lost again? We just found the river," Cilv exclaimed as she stayed rooted to the spot. "We won''t, they are very close," Evanna said confidently. Before Cilv could argue, Evanna scrambled off with Ronan close behind her. Cilv huffed and followed suit. This was against every fibre of her being, to go in the opposite direction of escape. Evanna slowed down near a tree and almost gasped when she saw how many creatures surrounding Ger and Axel. There were multiple of them fighting each other and voices whispering in the air about the humans being theirs. Evanna''s eyes found Axel and saw him sitting on the ground playing with mud, his eyes vacant with a goofy grin on his face. Ger constantly fought and took down monsters single handily, but she could see the sweat covering his face and the near hopelessness in his tired eyes. She gritted her teeth at the sight and turned to speak to Cilv and Ronan, "This is how it will go down. Those things are fighting over their food, which gives us enough time to get the pair out of there. Cilv, I want you to distract them, run as fast as you can. Me and Roach-" "You want me to be bait?" Cilv said incredulously. "Yes. You are the fastest runner here," Evanna''s annoyance clearly showed in her voice, "me and Roach will fight the remaining off. We will meet you at the other side of the river." At Evanna''s order, Cilv''s face lit up. That meant the princess gave her permission to leave them and save herself. With a single nod from Evanna, Cilv took off at a sprint towards the monsters. Within seconds they all chased after her. Once she was out of sight, Evanna and Ronan crept forwards, their eyes surveying their surroundings. There was only three left, one near Axel and the other two fending off Ger. She liked the odds she saw now; she only hoped that Scarecrow had lost them. Chapter 46 - The Waterfall Evanna and Ronan looked at each other and simultaneously sprinted forwards, their weapons ready. Ronan dashed towards the two humanistic monsters Ger was fighting while Evanna charged towards the beast lurking behind the tree near Axel. As she approached, she sheathed her swords and grabbed Axel''s throwing axes by his sides. The monster jumped down and crawled towards her, but she immediately threw both axes at its head; the first it slapped away with its pincer, and the second struck it in the eye. The axe only seemed to make it angrier as it screeched and bolted towards her; she jumped and rolled to the side, grabbing her sword as she did so. Her sword blocked an incoming blow from the creature''s sharp leg, just in time, the force nearly unbearable for her to handle. Instead of pushing into it, though, she relented her power and dove forwards as it fell forwards. Evanna immediately struck out and sliced its neck open, causing black blood to spray on top of her. With a disgusted grunt, she jumped out of the way and looked to see how Ger and Ronan were doing. Ronan evaded the monster''s long arms that swiped its claw-like nails towards him. However, one nail caught him, scratching him across the chest. He realised his movements were a lot slower than they usually were, and his head began to pound with a headache. Yet the adrenaline kept him pumped, and he raised his sword above his head. Before he could attack the disgusting creature, it fell to the ground, with Ger''s sword stuck into its neck. They both sucked in a deep breath at the exertion it took before bursting out laughing at the situation. They looked in Evanna''s direction to see that she took the brunt of Axel''s weight as he stood up like a toddler unable to walk, his arm slung over her shoulders. His huge form seemed to make her walk slower, and the men could almost see her knees begin to buckle and shake. They ran forwards and took Axel from her. Evanna breathed a quick thank you as she glanced at their surroundings nervously. She was worried that more creatures would come; either the ones that followed Cilv would return, or there were just others lurking in the woods. "Go back to the river," She ordered. Ger looked at her confused but didn''t question her; he could see the tension radiating from her. In that moment of assessing her, he also saw her lip and head was cut; he quickly looked away once Ronan was taking a slight lead ahead with Axel''s dead weight. Evanna put her swords away and pulled the throwing axes out of the monster, making a loud squelching sound as she did so. Evanna quickly caught up with the others in front of her while they helped Axel; she kept her guard up, glancing at their surroundings as she spun the axes lightly in her hands. If she didn''t like swords so much, she might have opted for the small axes. She shook her head quickly at the passing thought and almost felt herself relax when she saw the gushing river ahead of them. The three ahead of her stopped; Ronan and Ger looked at her for leadership while Axel''s head slumped forwards. "That way," She tilted her head the way they originally went earlier. If the river wasn''t so wide or wild, she would have suggested just swimming to the other side even with Axel and the condition he was in. Her body felt restless and uncomfortable with them still on this side of the river, but as they continued at a slow pace, they soon found themselves approaching a waterfall. Her eyes lit up, and a triumphant feeling settled through her as she saw a fallen tree just above the fall of the water. Evanna walked around the three men and looked up at Axel; his eyes fluttered as though he was trying to wake up. Concern flashed across her features; she worried that the creatures had truly done something horrifying to him; her heart sank at the possibility, but she gulped down her trepidation and put his axes in place. She then went to the water and cupped her hands, bringing a puddle of water and splashing it across Axel''s face. He sputtered, and his eyes fluttered open, showing them to be red and veiny, as though he had not slept for weeks. "W-what?" He stuttered. Evanna smiled up at him and threw her arms around him, and screeched, "Don''t scare me like that, you big bear!" He half chuckled back with a confused expression on his face. But Evanna pulled back instantly and nodded at the guys, "Let''s go." "Right ahead of you, sister!" Ronan exclaimed; he already left Axel and was near the fallen tree. Suddenly, loud whispers flew across the wind causing Ger and Axel to groan and clamp their hands on their heads. Evanna was shocked at how they were hunching over, she looked over at Ronan, but he was unaffected. She glanced around, looking for the source of the issue but could not see anything. However, an ice-cold shiver went up her spine, warning her that something was coming. "Go!" She yelled, pushing Ger and Axel. Her push against Axel caused her to bump her head into his solid frame. Ger saw this, and with one hand still clutching at his head, he used the other to drag Axel along with Evanna still behind, pushing them. Ger could see the frustration and fear on her face; this made him stand back up properly and slap Axel in the face before pulling him by the shirt, so they were face to face. "Get it together! We are nearly there! Look! You can rest once we leave this dam place!" He yelled in his face. It seemed to do the trick as Axel also stumbled forwards in a slight jog. Evanna turned around, jogging backwards as she searched the forest. Her back and now her front was as cold as ice, almost making her think her lips had gone blue. As soon as she saw the men get on the tree trunk, she sagged in relief. That was until she saw the invisible sheet cover them from view. The last she saw of them was their figures walking across the tree. Evanna bolted forwards, ready to get on the tree; as she took her first step, she felt something yank her by the shirt and pull her back before being thrown to the ground. When she looked up, she saw Scarecrow''s imposing form, his cruel smile still in place with his eyes burning into hers. "Hmm, we were interrupted earlier. Your friend has no manners. We were having such a nice conversation about what you were.." He trailed off. Evanna looked around and could see the other faceless creatures looming in the shadows. "Oh, don''t worry about them. They know you''re mine. They''re just my back up in case you have any more tricks up your sleeves. So, where were we?" He put his slender fingers on his chin while Evanna lay on the dirt at his feet. She began to rise, but his smile dropped, and he smacked her in the face. Her head swung to the side, and she blinked. Her heart began to race as realisation hit her; she genuinely didn''t know how to get out of the situation. Scarecrow was a strong being, and even if she did somehow get away, there was the rest of the faceless behind him, ready to pounce under his orders. She lifted her head and looked him straight in the eyes, which made him laugh maliciously. Scarecrow grabbed her by the shirt and threw her again, causing her to land next to the river, with her hand flung out. The sight of the river gave her motivation to not give up; her escape was so close she could almost feel it. Turning onto her back, she began to get up again, but Scarecrow pulled her by the shirt and continuously punched her in the face. "I don''t actually care anymore what you are. You have angered me too much!" He roared before sending another punch to her face. Evanna struggled to get her mind working, the punches were making her groggy, but he stopped for a single second to switch hands after he saw his white skin chaffing. It took that second for Evanna to grab some dirt on the ground and throw it in his face. He screeched at the intrusion to his eyes, rubbing them quickly. But that was all the time she needed; she booted him in the stomach and then his face. With the small distance between them, she grabbed her dagger from her boot and jumped up before spinning around, ready to leap onto the tree. Until she was kicked in the back, sending her forwards and hitting her head on the tree. "Enough, playing. Time for me to eat," She heard Scarecrow''s voice from behind. He spun her onto her back, the force making the back of her head hit the trunk of the tree with a loud thud. She waited for him to get closer, then when his face was inches away, she whipped out the dagger and crushed it into his eye. He flailed back, screeching. Evanna immediately jumped up as the creatures bolted for her. Turning around, she leapt forwards, unconcerned if she was on the tree or not. She crash-landed on the tree, causing her to wheeze out from the sudden hit to her ribs. She stayed like that, face down for a moment, trying to calm her breathing and her heart. That was until she felt a hand grab her by the ankle; she screamed and tried holding onto anything on the tree as she was being pulled back to the other side. She rolled onto her back and saw Scarecrow, his eye a bloody mess, with black liquid running down his face. He sneered when he saw the fear on her face. That snapped her out of screaming, and Evanna kicked him with the other leg in the nose, she then pulled the other dagger out from her boot and swiped forwards aiming for his neck, but he was quick to see what she tried to do and jumped backwards. With that, she scrambled back on her bottom, shuffling on her hands and feet, away from the monsters. As she did so, the transparent sheet slowly fell over them. The last she saw was Scarecrow''s menacing features. Evanna placed her dagger back in her boot, wincing as she did so before collapsing on her back, her breathing ragged. She began to wonder where the others were, but at that moment, she needed to breathe and relax her muscles before moving forwards. The adrenaline still pumped at a rapid pace through her body, along with pain shooting all over her. Taking a deep breath in, she braced herself and sat up. She looked down and noticed that if she fell to one side, she would drop with the rest of the water that flowed there. She suddenly felt a little dizzy; looking down, all she could see was mist covering the bottom of the falls. "Raven! What are you still doing there?!" Ronan shouted from the other side of the river. Moving her eyes away from the drop, she began to stand up carefully. She knew her balance was excellent, but fear began to ripple through her; she wondered if that was what Axel felt all the time about heights. However, Evanna knew it was her body''s way of being too alert after all the fighting she had done. She kept her hands out to steady herself, but a vibration made her stop in her tracks, and another smack to the tree made her stumble forwards. Her eyes went wide when she realised something had grabbed the tree and began pulling it towards the side of the river where Scarecrow and the faceless were. She was being pulled towards them at a rapid pace. "Raven!" Evanna didn''t think twice before taking a leap of faith and jumping to the depths of oblivion. Chapter 47 - Exhausted Evanna leapt forwards, and the air left her lungs as fear gripped her like a mighty hand around her neck. For one singular second, it felt as though time stood still as Evanna''s leg was mid-stride and her arms out wide. Her eyes looked ahead at the treetops and the dazzling parts of light that speckled through the leaves. Then all at once, gravity slithered around her feet and yanked her down through the mist surrounding the cascading water. A scream left her lips and got caught in her throat as her stomach dropped. Her body swiftly followed the plummeting funnel of water, her arms came in, and she held her breath when she felt the icy water hit her feet at a force that smashed into her body harshly, surging up her legs and swallowing her whole. Evanna shook her arms and legs before paddling up the long length of the dark depths of the water, such as how far she had fallen in. Her lungs began to constrict and burn, screaming silently for air. The moment her head bobbed up from the water, she gasped for air as water trickled down her face, and she fluttered her long eyelashes. Evanna felt exhausted; her body felt heavy as it tried and failed to drag her back down to the bottom of the pool. However, she knew it was the cold water and Scarecrow''s beating that was making her feel that way; so, she powered on, her arms and legs simultaneously stroked through the water like a frog until she came to the edges of the water pool. Her hands grabbed at the rocky sides and pulled herself up, half-heartedly dragging herself forwards before rolling onto her back so she could catch her breath. Evanna''s eyes rested on the clear blue skies above her; only a few treetops were covering the rest of the sight. After hearing the soothing sound of the waterfall humming and the feeling of being safe after fleeing the faceless, she began to relax. The tranquil surroundings began to make her eyes feel heavy, and although she was drenched from head to toe, she felt her breathing becoming long and her heart pound to a regular beat as she fell into a deep sleep. Evanna woke to an aggressive shove on her shoulder, making her hands immediately search for her swords blindly. Rolling onto her front, she instantly relaxed after seeing Cilv sitting on a rock nearby, pulling her boot off. Evanna''s brows creased after assessing her features; Cilv was also wet and turned her boot upside down, tipping water out of it. "You shouldn''t be sleeping wet. That''s how you get ill," Cilv scolded her; Evanna sat up, crossing her legs. "It''s good to see you are okay, Cilv," Evanna spoke genuinely. "I decided to go for a swim as well, although I wasn''t as bold as you, princess. I ran further down the hill and jumped in the river over there," She pointed with her chin, further down the trailing river away from the waterfall. "You look like shit, no offence." Evanna laughed without amusement, "Scarecrow found me," Her features darkened as she looked across the river, expecting to see his horrifying face. Cilv whistled, "At least they are stuck there. If that spell ever fails, I hate to think what would happen." By now, both Cilv and Evanna were wringing their clothes and hair. Evanna even emptied some of her bag, thankful that she doesn''t carry bread with her. However, her book was a soggy mess. She began squeezing it carefully and letting it dry on the rocks. Cilv rolled her eyes, which the princess didn''t miss, but she knew the book would come in handy. When it was dry again, she intended on reading more about the faceless monsters they came across, she hoped to see details about Scarecrow, but something told her there wouldn''t be. ** The moment Ger saw Evanna leap off the waterfall and disappear, he sprinted into the forest, not thinking twice about his comrades. He followed the twists and turns that led downhill until finally the trees cleared onto a rocky terrain next to the pool below the waterfall. His shoulders relaxed the moment he saw Evanna leaning back and trying to soak some of the rays from the sun onto her bruised face. Bruised!? Ger hurried over to her, blocking the sun from her face as he looked at the dark marks on her face, a split lip, with quite the cut on the top of her head. "Can you stop eclipsing the sun please, I''m trying to dry off," Evanna said with a small smile on her lips. He knew she was playing with him, but he couldn''t help but feel guilty. He was meant to protect her and instead left her to those monsters. He didn''t realise she wasn''t following until he saw her back on the tree and about to jump. He sunk his head in shame, but before he uttered his apology, Evanna stood up and hugged him. It took him by surprise, but he instantly wrapped his arms around her, not caring that she was damp. "You know, you gave me quite the fright, Ger. I wasn''t sure what to expect when I heard your cries in the forest," She mumbled into his chest. Ger inhaled deeply, taking in the flowery scent that radiated off her before pulling back and looking down at her, "Thank you for rescuing me. I didn''t expect to be the damsel in distress," He joked, causing her to giggle. "You are welcome, milord," Evanna mocked a curtsy causing a small smile to creep up on Ger''s face. "When you guys are done, should we find the other two?" Cilv interrupted, her arms crossed as she rolled her eyes at the pair. "No need!" All three looked over at the voice and saw Ronan walking with Axel slumped back on his side. Although Ronan appeared tired with some dirt and sweat on his face, he lit up with a broad smile, "Ger, decided to be lazy and leave me to carry this one around. Not great if the Flori were back on our trails." At Ronan''s announcement about the woodland elves, Evanna scanned the trees anxiously. Exhaustion really did make her clumsy; they could have killed her in her sleep earlier if they were about. Internally rolling her eyes, she hurried over to Ronan and helped him bring Axel to the ground. His eyes were still drooping and fluttering. Evanna worried over the condition he was in, and she hoped he would recover soon. She was unsure how to proceed from here, but she denied a single thought that crept into her head about continuing with the quest without him. There was no way she was leaving him. Evanna looked up at Ger as she sat on the ground next to Axel; she could see the troubled look on his face as the same thoughts looked to be crossing his mind. "We should set up camp away from the water. In normal circumstances, we would continue with our journey to put some more distance between us and the Flori. But we don''t know where they are, and quite frankly, we can''t keep carrying Axel around. We''re exhausted, and that can make us easy prey for the elves and anything else around," Ger announced to the group; he kept his eyes trained on each person as he spoke. Everyone nodded their head in agreement. "It''s settled then. Roach and I will carry Axel for a bit, and then we''ll settle for the night," He glanced up at the darkening sky as he spoke. Relief flushed through him that he could look up again and see something other than the dying woods on the other side of the river. Ger glanced at Evanna again and tried not to stare at her bruised face. As soon as she looked at him, he moved his eyes away and down at Axel before lowering himself down to grab one of Axel''s arms while Ronan held the other, and they lifted the heavy man. Evanna collected her belongings, carefully placing her damp book back in her bag before following the three men. Cilv, for once, took the lead and walked in front of the men. It was safer for them to stay in the middle. Evanna stayed vigilant, keeping one of her swords out, but because her senses weren''t alerting her to anything, she stayed pretty calm. The group only ventured for another thirty minutes before placing Axel gently down on the dirt. The area they chose had more coverage, with some bushes hiding their view from the rest of the forest. They once again sat around their campfire, though Evanna felt unsettled about the flames. The further they ventured into the forest, the more she felt as though the fire shouldn''t be alight. But after glancing at Axel''s face, she settled her anxious thoughts but not before raising her concerns to the group, "When Axel has recovered. I think it''s best if we stop lighting fires," She spoke quietly. Ronan frowned and replied, "But it''s too cold in this place." "No, she''s right," Ger added, making Evanna look at him in surprise. "I only say it because the closer we make it to the Flori''s palace, the more of them there will be. They probably think we are dead after going to that dreaded place. It needs to stay that way," Evanna continued before pulling her book out of her bag. She didn''t pay heed to the stares she felt on her face while she carefully flicked through her book. "As much as I hate to agree with Raven, she''s right. We''ll have to deal with the cold," Cilv admitted. She then placed a smirk on her face as she looked at Ronan, "We can always snuggle together, Ro Ro," Her fingers crept up his chest as she flirted with him. Ronan cleared his throat and snatched her hand away, "We''ll see." He said, not completely dismissing the idea. Ger''s eyebrows raised at the little interaction between the pair and shuffled closer to Evanna, avoiding the flirtatious looks they gave one another. Ronan looked away from the devilish beauty that was Cilv. Although he was beginning to like the princess quite a lot, he couldn''t help but feel frustrated, especially after the hallucination he had about Evanna. He glanced at her, subconsciously, only to see her looking down at a book. When he looked back at Cilv, he saw her roll her eyes before the side of her lips went up slightly. He knew Cilv wasn''t a girl serious about a relationship, so he had no qualms about taking her up on that offer if she, of course, meant it. While Ger began setting his pipe up to smoke, Cilv and Ronan spoke in hushed tones as Axel snored on the ground. Evanna continued scanning the pages patiently until finally, her eyes rested on a few pages that provided information on the Faceless. Unfortunately, her heart became heavy with disappointment when she couldn''t find anything about surviving an attack by one of those monsters. She only hoped that Axel would be okay; she glanced down at his peaceful face, with worry written over her own. "Anything helpful in there?" Ger asked quietly before inhaling from his pipe. "Not for any survivors of the faceless," Evanna replied as she continued to skim read the pages. "The faceless?" Ger asked with intrigue. He had not heard of such creatures before, but he hoped that was the last time they came across them. "They were the creatures that attacked us in the woods. I am looking to see if it mentions anything about Scarecrow as well," Evanna replied. She glanced to the side after hearing no response, only to see him looking at her even more confused and for her to continue with her explanation, "Scarecrow seemed to be the one in charge of them. He''s the one that got a jump on me twice." Ger coughed on his pipe after inhaling too quickly and feeling a scratch at the back of his throat. After taking a swig of his water, he queried, "These creatures. Did they not just want to eat us?" Evanna looked back at him and brought the book closer to him so that he could see the images of the monsters, "They seem to have three stages to their forms. Either way, they feast off humans and take their forms. The more human-like the creature appears, the more powerful it is. The third and final form is-" "Being a human?" Ger interrupted in astonishment. He was looking at the drawing of a human and the description underneath. "It will look like a human. But it''s not. From what I have read, it seems that the most important thing to them is to become human AND to be the most beautiful of humans. It also has a high lust for blood." Evanna explained the information in the pages. Though Ger could read, he was happy for the summary about the creatures. "So, we were dealing with some vain creatures that suck on the blood of humans? Like vampires?" He asked. Evanna laughed and rolled her eyes, "They consume humans. Not drink their blood." Ger nodded his head, but Evanna could tell that he didn''t see much of a difference. "It''s strange, though. Scarecrow doesn''t fit into any of these images," Evanna spoke thoughtfully, as she tilted her head to one side and bit the inside of her cheek. "Maybe it hasn''t got all the information on them. You just said it didn''t mention the after-effects for survivors," He replied, untroubled by her comment. Evanna''s brows creased at his response, "I put it down to there not being any survivors before." With her last comment, silence ascended the group, leaving them in a sombre atmosphere. It seemed, simultaneously, each person looked down at Axel sleeping peacefully. Chapter 48 - Deeper Into The Forest The following morning, Evanna woke up to the sound of feet shuffling or more like rumbling. Her brows drew together, and she stopped herself from groaning as she fluttered her eyes open, her hand once again reached for her blades. As she sat upright, swords in her hands, she blinked in shock. Axel was returning from somewhere, and he looked as ''fit as a horse!'' Evanna jumped up and jogged towards him, flinging her arms around his waist. She would put them over his shoulders, but he was far too tall for her to reach them. Axel chuckled after taking a careful step back from the force of her hug. He patted her on the head. "Easy now, lass. You''re starting to pick bad habits up," He chuckled once again. Evanna looked up at him, questioning, "If the king saw you now, I think I''d lose my head." Evanna pouted before stepping back, "Well, I think he would let me have that one. I thought you were going to die on me!" Axel rubbed the back of his head, "That was quite something. I don''t remember much of what happened. But I have a killer headache right now," He rubbed his thick fingers in circular motions next to his eyes. Evanna frowned in concern at her friend, "Is that all you feel?" She questioned. Axel looked down at her and gave her a small smile, "Yes, lass. I''m fine. I''m as strong as an ox!" He knocked his head lightly before rubbing it, unintentionally making his headache worse. Evanna grinned broadly and returned to where she slept on the floor; after searching her bag, she realised she didn''t have any ink or quill to write in the book about the aftereffects for survivors of the faceless. Though it still made her wonder if they truly were the only ones to survive. That was something else she would look into when their quest was over. With Axel now back in full health and after a quick breakfast, the group began venturing further into the forest, following a trail. Axel was quick to pinpoint where they were on the map, and they were back on track to make it to the Flori''s palace. For the next four days, the group stayed quiet, only speaking when they settled down for the night, and even then, it was about the plans for the next day. The atmosphere was thick with tension about the upcoming events that were to come, they knew they were nearing the palace, and after meeting the Flori first hand, they took each step nervously and hesitantly. They became tired from the continuous apprehension and scanning of their surroundings; however, they couldn''t complain. If they weren''t always vigilant, then they could end up dead. Evanna was the least apprehensive, and that was, in some form, comforting to the rest of the group. If her senses weren''t picking up on anything, then they could at least relax a little. At night, she joined in with ''guard duty'' and took her shift first. The men were not happy with the new plan, but after much bickering between Ger and Evanna, he relented when she used the ''princess card'' and commanded him to stand down. She felt triumphant and was pleased with being able to help the men, especially after the many times'' Axel was always found asleep; she believed it was her duty to make sure that everyone got the right amount of sleep. For the most part, she felt that the group needed to recover from the onslaught of the faceless. Unlike the others, she did not fall into the mind games of the creatures; she was only beaten up. Evanna could see, though, how that day affected them all. Even if they did not complain, their faces showed signs of fatigue. There were shadows under their eyes as though they were not sleeping well. In the early morning of the fifth day, Evanna woke up to a cold back. She rolled over and brought her cloak over her head more to try and stay warm; although they were climatised to the cold now, it didn''t mean she couldn''t feel the chill in the air. However, scrunching into a ball didn''t do anything to help her. She huffed and sat up; her eyes searched the darkened trees and waited to feel if there was a gust of wind that woke her up. But it was not. A cold shiver then went down her spine, and she immediately jumped up alert; although she grabbed her swords, her steps were light, and she did not stir the others. With her swords ready, she crept towards the direction she felt herself being pulled towards, then stopped as she looked through the gaps between some leaves. Her eyes widened, and she sucked in a sharp breath. There were Flori guards of about twenty walking nearby the area they were sleeping. They were well camouflaged with the night hiding them and their steps being just as quiet as hers, even though they had armour on with intricate details on them. Evanna shook her head. This was not the time to admire their handiwork with metal! Taking a few careful steps backwards, she turned and quietly woke the others up, placing her hand over their mouth as she shook them lightly awake. No message was needed from the princess to convey the message that if they did not move, they would be in danger. Cilv was nowhere to be seen. Evanna didn''t know how she missed it but presumed she left when Evanna was checking out the woodland elves. The group swiftly packed up and tiptoe in the opposite direction of where the Flori was elegantly marching. Evanna went back to where she saw them and became alarmed when she could not see them anymore. It was better if she stayed with the others and let her senses pick up anything on the way. She was, however, worried about Cilv''s whereabouts, but she did not hold it against her. The woman was capable of looking after herself. Once she caught up to the others, they crept throughout the remainder of the early hours. It seemed that they were very close to the palace now as there were guards stationed randomly in the forest. Evanna wondered what the difference was between the elves they came across with the white-haired elf in particular and the ones nearer the palace. She wondered if the elves placed nearer the palace couldn''t move as quickly because of the armour they wore, whereas the white-haired elf and his men roamed freely without it, making them that much more lethal. These made her think further ahead when they would be in the palace, stealing the gem; if they were ever caught, were they quick enough to leave without any dire consequences? While Evanna was thinking deeply, Ronan, who walked beside her, watched her intently. He wondered what the princess was thinking about, but he did not question her; they needed to stay quiet and stealthily go past the guards they kept coming across. However, when dawn came, the group became anxious again, and they squatted on the ground in a huddle behind a huge tree. Now that it was becoming lighter, they knew their chances of being found had increased. "We need to find a spot that is out of the way from the Flori but close enough for us to assess the palace," Axel spoke in a hushed tone. "Is the palace nearby?" Ronan asked; his eyes were set on Axel as he kept the map spread out on the dirt. Evanna responded instead, "I can take a guess that it is. My senses have been on overdrive all morning, and they have only increased further." Suddenly, seemingly out of nowhere, a figure dropped to the ground; Evanna had her sword already placed at their neck as they stayed crouched on the floor from the fall. She removed the blade when she saw Cilv smirking at her. "Nice of you to turn up," Ger muttered with annoyance straining his voice. "I took the initiative to scout ahead. As soon as I heard Raven stirring in her sleep, I took to the trees and saw how surrounded we were by the Flori," Cilv snapped back at Ger''s sarcastic response. This riled him even more, "So you didn''t want to stay and help if we were in trouble?" His voice and temper rising. Evanna placed her hand on his arm and squeezed, silencing him. When he became angry, he acted rashly and forgets the situation he was in; Evanna was quick to quieten the fuse within him and to stop them from being exposed. Some guards were walking past their hiding spot right at that moment, and they stopped marching, looking at each other. The group held their breaths; Cilv had elongated her nails, Evanna kept her sword ready while Ronan looked through the gaps of leaves to see what they would do. Fortunately for the group, Ronan saw them begin to interact with one another in Muranthian again before continuing on their way. "I didn''t think big, strong men such as yourselves would need me. Or was I wrong?" Cilv mocked after the elves had surpassed them a great deal. This infuriated Ger, and Cilv smirked when she saw his face becoming red from anger. Evanna rolled her eyes at the pair and spoke up, "What did you find?" Her question was directed at Cilv as she ignored Ger''s hard stare on her face. Cilv smiled victoriously, showing off her pearly white teeth as though she won something. It took Ronan and Axel back for a moment, the smile made her look beautiful, but it was so odd to see it on a person that seemed to hate everyone and everything. Cilv pointed at a spot on the map, "Around here, there is a cave. It is on a sort of hill in the forest. It is the perfect location to see both the palace and to stay out of sight." "Good work, Cilv," Axel praised, earning a sharp eye from Ger. "Lead the way," Evanna stood up along with the others. Cilv set off at a brisk walk, she would have preferred running and jumping from tree to tree like she had been, but when there were more of them, they had to be more cautious. As Cilv led the group, Evanna punched Ger in the arm, and this time it wasn''t light or in a joking manner. "What was that for!?" He whisper-shouted after learning from his earlier mistake and nearly giving their position away. "You need to give Cilv more credit," Evanna said sternly, her brows were creased together as she looked at him, "she''s a good asset to have. You need to trust her a bit more," she watched as Ger looked at her incredulously, "please? I know you don''t like her, but you have to admit, she just saved us hours of work." Ger grumbled under his breath something incoherent, but he raised his hands in surrender when he saw the glare he received from the princess. While they had discussed Cilv, she smirked after listening to their conversation at the front of the group. Although they were whispering, her hearing was too great not to pick up on their words. For the rest of the morning, the group traipsed through the forest and ascended the long slope. But by midday, they made it to a small clearing. The wind blew powerfully against the oncoming group as the grass flattened in waves, the rustling of leaves from the trees and the bitter cold made them realise how high up they must have walked. Their eyes lit up when they saw a rocky formation and when they looked inside, they saw it was a dark cave. Evanna was quick to turn around to see how the palace looked and stopped immediately. She gasped in awe as her eyes widened while she took in the scenery before her. The others caught up to her to see what caught her attention, and they too gasped. The Flori palace was not how they expected it to look. Chapter 49 - The Flori Palace They stood on the edge of a cliff as the mighty wind whipped across their faces. The view was so spectacular that even Axel did not complain about their height or how close they were to the edge that would, of course, see them to their deaths if they ever slipped. Before them, at a great distance, stood the Flori palace. It was nothing like they ever dreamed of. The Flori- the woodland elves were rumoured to live in the trees, hence the name, woodland elves. But before them was a vast waterfall, double the size of the one Evanna jumped down. The palace sat in the middle, balancing on top of it, part of it was on a colossal rock lodged between the water, but half of the palace floated above the air where the water cascaded down. Not only was the placing of the palace staggering, but the architecture was stunning. The elves were the finest in all their work, from swords to materials and creating such structures. The building was nothing like Evanna''s palace or the castles she had been to in the human lands. In front of her, the building had many white trees growing up and merging into the white bricks that formed part of it. Nearer the top were golden domes and towers that had white roots twisting and turning in and out of it. At the front, where the water fell, appeared to be a vast open window with a smaller white tree growing up the high floor to ceiling window. However, even after squinting, they couldn''t see further into the hall or the room behind the tree. There was also a long thin bridge that circled the whole palace; Evanna presumed the sight from the bridge was breathtaking. She tipped forwards slightly to get a better view and immediately felt someone''s hands on her. She tried not to roll her eyes but didn''t bother moving them off her as she wanted to see if there was more to the palace. From looking over the edge more, she could see near the bottom where the river continued; there was also a few villages by the side with boats. Evanna could also see houses built into the trees, so part of the rumours was true; some elves lived in the trees. But others lived on stirrup houses planted on the river. Evanna leaned back and looked to her right to see that Ronan grabbed her by the waist. He dropped his hands with a sheepish smile on his lips, to which she responded with a grateful smile of her own, making him visibly relax. When she looked back to the view, she noted that there was only one way to get to the palace: via the long bridge that connected to it from the side. She bent her knees, so she sat on the heels of her feet and placed her hand on her chin while she began to calculate their next plan of action. "We need to find out if that bridge is the only way to and from the palace," Cilv said, speaking Evanna''s thoughts out loud. She nodded her head in agreement, then looked up from her position on hearing Axel''s voice, "If that''s the case, it will be harder to get in unnoticed. We may have to stake out for quite some time. This part needs to be planned thoroughly because once we set off to get that gem, there''s no going back." A long silence ascended them as the group all seemed deep in thought while the sun began to set, and with it, the sky became a roaring fire as the orange hues shone down on the forest and the palace their eyes were set on. It made their view that much more spectacular; the palace''s architecture and its placement among the trees gave it a fairy tale quality that Evanna smiled to. This was something she would never have seen if she stayed at her own palace. Sighing, Evanna turned back around and cast her eyes on the cave; she had been ignoring her senses about it since it didn''t appear to be urgent. The view of the palace and the surrounding beauty of the forest and sunset was magnificent. But as she approached the cave, she couldn''t get rid of the cold feeling and strong pull she received as her slow steps halted at the entrance. Evanna could almost hear a whisper slither through her mind, but she shook her head. Evanna.. It whispered, sending goosebumps across her body. "Raven?" Ronan''s voice was uncertain as he took tentative steps towards her. By now, he had taken note of when Evanna''s face became alert and cautious, meaning that she had this eerie gut feeling that something dangerous was nearby. If he hadn''t spent much time with her, he would have guessed she was a witch. He didn''t know how she had this strange gut feeling or how it worked, but he had not come across anyone with it until now. Even Cilv, with her uncanny abilities, didn''t have it. But in the small amount of time he had spent with Evanna, he knew she couldn''t possibly be a witch; she was far too kind and gentle when she wasn''t fighting. But it did make him wonder about what she was. The remaining companions followed suit and stood by Ronan''s side; their weapons ready, except Cilv, who continued to look from the cliff at the palace, analysing everything. Evanna took another tentative step forward, this time, her senses almost screamed at her not to go any further, but her mind was clouded with thoughts that it was safe to step into the cave. A cold, velvety voice that smoothed all her doubts; she took another step in a daze. "Raven?!" Ger whisper-shouted. Evanna didn''t answer, so he marched up to her, grabbed her by the arm, and spun her around. When he looked down into her eyes, they looked like a pair of dolls, almost glassy; it was similar to how Axel looked when they were surrounded by the faceless. He knew she could not hear him. So, he shook her violently, causing Ronan almost to protest until he saw Evanna shake her head and look up at Ger with a lost look on her face. "Stay away from the cave. Don''t go in there!" Evanna gasped out, her voice rose in a panic, but she stopped herself from shouting for fear of alerting any of the Flori that may be nearby. "Is it safe to stay here?" Axel asked no one in particular, but he expected Cilv or Evanna to reply, seeing as Cilv found the place and Evanna had those weird feelings that alerted her to danger. "As long as we don''t stay in the cave," Evanna reiterated as she stepped out of the way from Ger and plopped down on the ground; she kept her body sideways to the cave. It felt far too spooky for her to have her back to it. Ger sat next to her, as did Axel and Ronan, who ruffled through their bags for some bread. Cilv looked over at the sound and made a disgusted face, "I''m going to hunt some fish," "No, you''re not. We need to play it extra safe now," Axel commanded her, to which she scowled at him and stormed off anyway. "I think that means she will be fine?" Evanna joked lightheartedly, hoping to calm Axel down. It didn''t work as he shook his head in disapproval as the red-haired woman disappeared among the trees. When Evanna looked back to Ger, she could see concern etched onto his face as he searched her eyes, "What''s wrong?" She queried; her innocent and blank expression made Ger even more concerned. "I should be asking you the same question. What''s in the cave?" Ger asked. "I''m not sure," Evanna mumbled before looking down at her hands, "I heard my name being whispered." "Faceless? I thought-" "No. It''s not the faceless," Evanna quickly interrupted, causing him to look at her expectantly for her to reiterate further information on the matter, "they could not affect me in their mind games." This caused all three men to look at her with their eyes rounded, making Evanna look back down at her hands before looking directly at Ger. She kept her words slightly longer than usual, "I''m not sure how, but it said ''I'' wasn''t prone to them, unlike ''other'' humans." Unlike the other two, who looked lost at what the princess was secretly conveying to Ger. He immediately understood and dropped his questioning with a single nod. "That''s weird. You must be very strong-willed to such things," Ronan dismissed any theories quickly. "Hmmm," Axel placed his hand over his bushy beard around his mouth, "still makes me wonder what is in that cave. It must be locked in there like those creatures." "Indeed. So, like those creatures, it must be very dangerous and locked in there for a reason," Evanna exclaimed. She still felt her body continuously being cold as she sat there, but she tried to ignore it and the feeling of fingertips attempting to slither through her mind. Every few minutes, she would get the sense of a whisper trying to enter her head, but she was quick to block it out. Whatever IT was, seemed to have similar powers to the faceless, but this time, it could affect her. Or so, she thought. Evanna tried a technique in the hopes of ignoring it and not being affected by it. She blocked it out by envisioning a wall being placed around her mind; each brick built up would keep her protected and safe. It seemed to have done the trick as she could only feel the cold fingertips on the outer edges of her mind, nowhere she could be controlled from. Evanna didn''t know what it was, but she feared staying so close to it. Yet, they had no other choice than to remain there; it had a great viewpoint of the palace, and so far, none of the Flori appeared to come near the area. As night fell, Cilv had already returned and seemed in a good mood after fishing and eating its delicacy at not being cooked. The group were relatively quick to get ready for bed, although they were worried about sleeping on a hill that overlooked the Flori palace and had a cave with an unknown creature in that could, at some point, try to lure them in there. With that thought in mind, everyone, including Cilv, took turns on guard duty. Cilv took first watch as Evanna rested her head on her hands, lying on her side. She faced the cave, but Ger blocked her view, and he turned around on his side, so they lay facing each other. Although it gave her some comfort, Evanna still had nightmares throughout the night. They weren''t anything in particular that made sense; in one of them, she sat at a long dinner table in a gloomy hall, and her companion was a skeleton. She almost laughed, thinking it was funny more than anything, until she saw the food at the table were human parts. Evanna jolted awake with a silent scream and bumped her head into Ronan''s. The pair held their hand on the bumped area and looked at each other with a grimace. "Your shift, beautiful," He whispered, but then he assessed her in the dark lighting; his eyes had adjusted to the dark after being on his shift. But if he wasn''t in such close proximity to her face, he would never have noticed the dark circles under her eyes. "Have you not been sleeping well?" Ronan whispered; his voice filled with concern. "I''ll be fine," Evanna replied and stood up, causing Ronan to stand up alongside her. He placed his hands on her arms and stared intently at her, with a genuine expression on his face. It almost made Evanna blush as she stared into his deep blue-green eyes. "Go back to sleep. I can take this shift," Ronan said gently. "I can''t let you do that-" "Who would I be? If not a gentleman? You need to sleep, Evanna," Ronan''s sweet voice made her blink up at him; he hardly ever called her by her real name. There was no point in calling her by her alias at this moment in time, there was nobody about, but she knew he done it purposely. Evanna placed her gloved hand above one of his own and squeezed gently, "Thank you, Ronan. But there is no point. I will not sleep. Please, get some rest. I will get mine when my shift is over," She smiled gently at him. Evanna was so tired that she could only tense when Ronan brought his face closer to hers, her eyes wide like a doe as he brushed his lips gently onto her cheek while his hand cupped her other with a slight caress. "Thank you," He breathed. He then turned and went to the ground without saying another word, leaving Evanna with bright red cheeks from the action. Unbeknown to the pair was a set of envious eyes that watched the little exchange and immediately became jealous and angry. Ger wanted to punch Ronan in the face. How could he do that to Evanna? Was this their first encounter? What else did they do when he was asleep? Ger was angry but kept reminding himself that she was not his. However, she was a princess and should not be gallivanting with a womaniser like Ronan! Evanna was still stunned as she sat down and leaned up against the tree. She knew Ronan was a flirt, but she did not expect him to be so bold as to kiss her on the cheek! She most certainly couldn''t sleep now! Chapter 50 - The Adventures Of Cilv And Evanna When Axel rose in the morning, he couldn''t quite understand what happened overnight. There was a strange atmosphere in the group; when he looked at Ger, he glared at Ronan at any possible moment he could get. One look at Evanna, and he could see her either blushing or avoiding Ronan''s eye contact. Making up excuses to move away from him. Lastly, when he looked at Cilv, she smiled, of course, enjoying the weird atmosphere. Before he could ask over breakfast, what the issue was, Cilv spoke up instead. "Raven and I need to scout the palace. Check out ways to get in, find out any information on the guard''s rotations, if there are any easy ways of getting into there," Cilv spoke confidently as she eyed the group before her. "Nope! Not happening!" Ger immediately dismissed the idea, snapping his head away from giving the evil eye to Ronan. Cilv rolled her eyes, "Ugh, why not?" "Raven is not going with you," Ger rejected once again. Evanna looked between the pair, and then her eyes landed on Ronan; the scene of him kissing her cheek the previous night flashed before her eyes. That, along with the nightmares and whispers she could still hear every few minutes made her happily stand up next to Cilv, "You don''t speak for me, Ger." Ronan whistled, his eyes wide as he looked at Ger and Evanna, who were staring at each other intensely. A mini argument between their eyes was taking place, but only they could tell what the other was saying. Evanna turned her back on him. "Don''t turn your back on me!" Ger roared after her, grabbing her by the wrist. She turned around, stunned at his harsh grip. "Cilv and I are the stealthiest and quickest out of you guys. So, it''s best if you stay hidden while we scout the place out," Evanna said through gritted teeth before yanking her hand away from Ger''s grasp. She rubbed it tenderly, knowing it would bruise later. Ger immediately felt terrible; he was taking his anger out on her when it should be on Ronan. He nodded his head, relenting, while he thought of how he was going to kick Ronan''s ass. Evanna glanced at Ronan and turned away abruptly, pulling her mask up to match Cilv''s as she followed behind her. Their retreating figures soon vanished from view, leaving the three men on the cliffside. Ronan lay back down on the grass, closing his eyes and basking in the sun that they had not really seen since entering the forest. He didn''t think much of the kiss to the cheek, it came naturally to him, but he was used to women following him to bed after. That, of course, was never going to happen; he knew Evanna would never do that. However, it did make him realise how much the little mind control daydream from the faceless really was that- a daydream. One of the many reasons he liked Evanna was because of her innocence, and giving her a peck to the cheek made his evening. The look on her face was something he would not forget anytime soon. It was a picture now set in his memory. "What are you playing at!?" Ger roared from the side. Ronan sighed, and he rolled his eyes. With the girls gone, he was now left with the wrath of Ger. Worth it! ** Cilv and Evanna were quick and amble in their pursuit to analyse the palace. They kept their guard up throughout the day, continuously being vigilant as they darted in and out of trees, hiding from the Flori. On a few occasions, they were nearly caught, which led them to climb up further into the trees. Luckily for both women, they were just as skilled as the other in climbing and running across the tree branches. They kept concealed from the great height they were running and jumping to and from trees. When they made it to one of the little fisherman''s elven villages, they quickly decided the best strategy was to stay behind the veil of the forest. They originally wanted to be so bold as to walk through the village with their hoods up, hiding their features and pretending to be elves. For Evanna, it was pretty easy; she was tall like them and held the same graciousness as she walked. Unfortunately, Cilv was smaller and petite in comparison, which would alert them immediately. The Flori would also be suspicious by any newcomers in the village, for there were never any unknown visitors. The pair quickly ran and jumped among the trees; they were much more vigilant as the elves were using them as homes. Occasionally, Evanna found herself swinging back and hiding behind a branch or jumping to a lower branch to go past an elf she almost ran into. It was bizarre and intriguing at the same time to see how they lived. The princess couldn''t help herself from looking into windows and becoming absorbed in the beautiful craftsmanship that was their home. Once they made it past the village, they were lucky enough to jump agilely into a travelling cart that was going directly to the palace. Both women landed gracefully and rolled under the material that covered the multiple bottles of wine; the elf sitting at the front glanced behind him after he sensed some movement in his cart but faced forwards again after seeing nothing out of the ordinary. The cart approached some gates to the entrance of the bridge; the doors were so tall and vast that Evanna swore a giant would fit through it. The pair looked at each other, trying to convey a conversation through their eyes; it didn''t quite work as well compared to Evanna and Ger. But they both seemed to be alarmed enough that getting away from the palace was their primary concern. After they, of course, scouted it. Evanna peeped out through the side of the wooden plank of the cart. She could see that they were now making it across the long white bridge. Her eyes rounded again as she took more of the elves stunning work in; the bridge''s rails consisted of thick white branches that twisted in and out along the sides. Cilv looked out to the side, but she was trying to guess how significant the drop was from the bridge and down the waterfall. But from the view she saw of the palace by their camp, it was quite a drop, and she did not want to put it to the test. Even though the waterfall the princess jumped down was high, the one that the palace was placed on was double the height. Making the drop too high, and they would end up falling to their deaths. Hmmm, out of the question. There must be some way out of the palace, other than the bridge. But as they neared the stunning beauty that was the palace, Cilv realised that their only escape was the single route that led the palace to land. Cilv sighed and then instantly hit Evanna. The princess looked at her with her perfectly shaped brows pulled together in question. Cilv made a gesture with her hand to indicate they needed to get out of the cart and mouthed the words ''soon''. The cart had been slowing down, and Cilv tried to glimpse outside through the rider''s seat. They were approaching a pair of statues almost at the same height as the palace, and before them was some more guards that made the cart stop. The guards began walking down the sides of the cart, making the pair tense at the thought of being caught. As Cilv pulled her knife out ready, Evanna grabbed her wrist and warned her with her eyes not to do anything. The princess then pointed to her ear and waited for Cilv to listen. She could not understand what was being said, but the guards eased off and went back to their stations before the cart continued forwards. The duo was shocked to see that they were brought through some other doors and into a cellar. The pair immediately rolled out of the cart, landing quietly on the ground and crouching quickly to hide behind some barrels before the elf halted the horses to the cart. Cilv kept her back against the barrel while Evanna kept her hands and face against another barrel she hid behind. Evanna surveyed the area and felt her heart thump loudly against her chest as anxiety crept in, tightening her muscles to the spot. Cilv nudged her, but Evanna held her hand up to stop her from going forwards. The elf, who unknowingly let them in, began unpacking the crates'' bottles. His back was turned to them, making Cilv begin to tiptoe forwards; Evanna pulled her back again and whispered ever so lightly, "Someone is coming." Cilv tilted her head and concentrated on listening out for any sign of anybody else approaching. As she did, she slowed down her breathing, lowering her heart rate and heard the light footsteps on the ground, which gradually became louder. Cilv was not sure how Evanna''s little trick worked, but she was surprised at what range it went to. Although they had not been to the palace, Cilv could tell from the noise she picked up from her astute hearing that this person would be in the cellar within the next few minutes. She also found that the elves were very light on their feet, making it almost impossible to pick up their movements. As soon as the newcomer turned up, the pair held their breath. This elf was part of the Flori group that ambushed them, he was no one of importance such as the leaders, but it was still a shock to see him. His brown hair was pulled back in a half-up hairstyle. Evanna had seen most the elvish men wear it if they grew their hair that long. Which, so far, she noted that most had their hair down to the shoulders or down their backs. "* Are these the only wines that have been delivered? *" He asked irritably; his tone of voice was the only indication to Cilv that something was amiss. Though, she was not about to interrupt Evanna listening to what was being said. Any information, no matter how small, was better than no information. "* More will be on the way tomorrow, *" Came the response from the ''cart-elf''. Evanna was a little taken back; she knew palaces stocked up on wines and only brought the best. But the cart they were in was huge, and the cellar they were in had plenty of wines. From what she could see, the wines in total would last a month if, of course, it was meant for one hundred guests of the palace. That was a rough estimation, dependent on the guests staying. Cilv watched Evanna intently; the princess seemed to be deep in thought and almost calculative. A small smile stretched on the woman''s lips, not that anybody could see; they were both wearing masks to hide half their face. "* It better. The celebration is in four days, and the King will not be happy if his guests go thirsty. I will not be held accountable if his highness is unhappy, *" The brown-haired elf spoke sharply as his eyebrow raised at the other elf. His insinuation made the cart-elf stiffen and lose the colour in his already pale face. The brown-haired elf smirked and turned abruptly, muttering how talking to the man was beneath him. Evanna''s eyes gleamed after hearing the short conversation between the elves. Cilv caught onto her facial expression but did not ask further about it. They needed to scout as much as possible, and their time in the cellar was coming to a close. Evanna and Cilv kept their feet light as they scurried across the floor; their backs were bent as their eyes kept surveying their surroundings. Once they were past the barrels, they walked up the ramp the brown-haired elf used previously. Evanna let Cilv take the lead from there; although the princess had done her fair share of sneaking around and escaping her own palace, this was completely different. If they were caught, they wouldn''t get a slap on the wrist. They would be killed on sight. Chapter 51 - Scouting The Palace Back at the hill, the men were beginning to feel lethargic. There wasn''t much they could do other than hide out from the Flori and stay away from the cave. With Evanna gone, they would all hear the whispers every few minutes, the man''s voice grated at them. If they slept, their dreams took on a bizarre turn; either they were nightmares, or their memories would resurface in a disfigured way, ending with the voice trying to lure them into the cave. The three of them sat apart; Axel rubbed the back of his neck as he glanced between the other two. Their postures were stiff, and they refused to talk to each other, like a pair of children fighting over a toy. He couldn''t understand the dilemma; he interrupted the near fist fight earlier and clipped them both behind the ears before yelling at them. Since then, the pair stayed quiet. This was not what they needed right before entering the lion''s den as it were. He also began to feel quite protective over the princess; he didn''t want either of them to have her. Nobody was good enough for her in his eyes. "You two better get your shit together by the time they''re back. We need to focus solely on the quest at hand. That lass is out there right now, probably getting herself into more trouble and doing who knows what to make it easier on us when we make it to that place," Axel spoke sharply, making both men flinch at his words. Axel already felt guilty for not coming with her and providing some backup, but he was not the lightest on his feet nor the quickest and knew that it was best the girls went by themselves. "You''re right. I''m sorry I attacked you. I am just protective over her," Ger said sincerely with his head in his hands as he pulled some of his dark locks out of his face. He contemplated putting it in a small bun, his hair was becoming quite long, but when he looked at Axel, he saw his hair was put back in a rough half-up hairstyle to keep his long strands out of his face. It must be hard as well with his long beard. "More like you are jealous you didn''t pick up the courage to do it yourself," Ronan muttered under his breath; Ger heard his response, pulling him out of his reverie about his hair. "What was that?" Ger growled; he heard what he said, but he also knew that Ronan wouldn''t dare repeat it to his face. "I said I''m sorry too. I promised you I would only flirt with her. I don''t want to jeopardise this quest. So, I will back off," Ronan said in a strained voice, forcing himself not to grumble the words. The pair looked at each other then Ger stood up and held his hand out for Ronan to take as he approached. They grabbed each other by the forearm before Ger patted Ronan on the shoulder roughly and broke apart. "Now, hug it out," Axel demanded, with his hands crossed against his chest. "Shut up, Axe!" The pair shouted at him. Axel burst out laughing, his voice hearty. ** In the palace, Evanna followed behind Cilv at a steady pace, their footing light. She tried not to stare at everything in awe, for it was such a beautiful palace. Evanna would not have dreamed of their own being built in such a way. Walking past the high arched walls, she looked to one side and saw a view of the curved bridge that semi-circled the palace, along with the views of the treetops in the distance. The space was so open, she speculated on how the wind didn''t breeze through halls. The constant sound of the waterfall was also very lulling; it almost made her body relax, which was the worst possible outcome when they were to reconnaissance the place. As though Cilv could see the thoughts passing through her head, she smacked her in the shoulder and motioned her forwards. They hid behind a pillar, and when Evanna pressed her hand against it, she felt a rush of power surge through her. Pulling back, Evanna looked at the white structure and realised it was a tree; the roots were formed into the white floor, and the branches above connected to form the high arch. There was no railing to stop a person from falling such a drop to her right side. At the bottom was a small water feature surrounded by trees and shrubbery. It was beautiful. "Pay attention!" Cilv whisper-shouted. Evanna nodded and mentally slapped herself in the face. Cilv was also awestruck with the beauty of such a place, but she was used to climbing into luxurious homes and stealing from them. This was no different, so she put her thoughts aside into a small box of actually giving a shit and kept herself vigilant as she assessed the areas. Their plan was to scout the place and check to see if there was a treasury. From the looks of it, the elves definitely would. It was just the case of finding it. If they couldn''t, Cilv''s second plan was to find the architectural drawings of the palace. But who left that sitting around? Unless they had a study of some sorts. The girls crept in and out of rooms for the remaining day, luckily without any noble or servant running into them. Evanna was grateful to have Cilv come along; unlike her, she was not used to such criminal activities. The most she did was escape her own palace and learn how to fight, which of course, was not very ladylike. Unfortunately, they were uneventful in finding the treasury or any study that could help them. When they next looked outside, they saw the sun setting, and they took that as their time to leave. Having less light was both beneficial and at a disadvantage. There was a lot more cover for them to sneak around in, but their escape was something that would take the utmost skill. They were quick to escape from the building, but the only route for them to take was the singular bridge or a drop to their death at the waterfall. This time they were not fortunate enough to get into a cart, and they were not aware of the guard''s routines. They crept and sprinted around the building, passing the area that led to the cellar and found a stunning water fountain that a carriage used to turn around at. Once the carriage was gone, they ran from behind the shrubbery next to the white wall and hid behind the water feature. A guard suddenly appeared across from their open hiding spot, stopping them from moving any further. He came forwards and stopped at the other side of the fountain, talking to another guard. Evanna felt slightly sick; their cover was not that great. If anyone were to look outside from the palace windows, they would see their figures hunched over across from the statuesque entrance where more guards were based. The guards split up, and the first one continued on his stroll, rounding the fountain. Evanna kept glancing around for a means of escape, but panic struck her as she couldn''t see any. Cilv tapped her on the shoulder and motioned her to follow. They darted to the side, still out of the view from the approaching guard, ran and flipped over the railing that connected to the bridge. They held on by their fingertips as their bodies dangled off the side. If it weren''t for the grip provided by her gloves, Evanna swore she would slip and fall. She glanced down and felt dizzy seeing how far the drop was from where they were hanging and to the bottom of the waterfall. The wind blew aggressively against her face as she heard the now thunderous sound of the cascading water below. Cilv dropped to another level below and clung on again to the bottom part of the railing. Evanna gritted her teeth and followed suit, but her heart was racing in anticipation of dying. However, she trusted Cilv would not get them killed before her payday, and so, she followed her every move. The pair found themselves climbing underneath the bridge; instead of their usual quick pace, they were cautious and took their time. If their grip slackened, lost their footing on the wooden stirrups, or lost their concentration for a second, then they would fall into the running water below and to their deaths. The pair were tense and took deep breaths each time they moved from a safe position. Evanna breathed a sigh of relief when they made it to the other end of the bridge; they jumped off to the side where the land met the water. She wanted to stop for a moment to breathe and calm down, but Cilv sprinted off into the cover of trees. Evanna done the same and immediately climbed a tree as soon as she saw approaching guards. She felt exhausted from the day''s adventure, but her adrenaline and motivation kept her strong. She never complained as she followed Cilv back to their camp. Once they made it back, Evanna reiterated what the elf said, making the group beam in excitement. It was the perfect time for them to sneak in, it was risky, but the whole quest was. They just needed to get the finer details of the palace''s design, find out where the gem was, investigate the guard''s rotations and anything else they could find before the big day. For the next couple of days, that was how their routine went. The girls left in the early hours, scouting the palace, finding out as much information as possible, even minor details that may help them, before returning at nightfall. On many occasions, they found themselves hiding in a dire state to nearly being caught. Still, Evanna found it amazing how easy or not so easy it was that they roamed unfamiliar grounds without getting caught. The day before the big evening, Evanna leapt up to a tree after sensing danger on their route back to the camp. Although her'' alarm system'' wasn''t that useful now, they were always surrounded by the Flori, and it was hard for her to pinpoint if they were in immediate danger of getting caught. Luckily, she went with her gut and hid in the trees this time. Cilv followed suit after hearing the approaching footsteps. As they looked down, Evanna stilled after seeing who it was. In all his arrogant beauty, the white-haired elf marched forwards with Garrett by his side, the leaders of the small group. They were not dressed in the elven armour, meaning they were going out to explore. At this time? The sun was going down, and the creatures of the night were coming out. Evanna kept her eyes on him as he passed her tree; she held her breath the whole time while her body tensed. She knew it was ridiculous, but she didn''t want to take any chances of him finding her. She couldn''t put her finger on it, but Evanna felt this odd sense that if he found her, she would never be let go again. He suddenly stopped once he passed her tree and turned his head in her direction, she tensed again, but another elf ran forwards and spoke quietly to him, which in turn he nodded his head once and continued on their route. Cilv landed next to her, making Evanna nearly fall off her branch in alarm. Releasing a breath, she looked at her and gestured with her hands, ''what do you want?''. She could see Cilv''s eyes light up in amusement, but the rest of her face was hidden behind the black mask, just like hers. She tiptoed towards her so they were close, making Evanna''s brows furrow in confusion. "Hmmm, somebody has a little crush.." Cilv winked. Evanna''s eyes widened, "What!? NO!" Cilv shushed her, covering her mouth with her hand, and looked around before tutting. "You shouldn''t say stupid stuff then where we could get caught!" Evanna whisper-shouted back, making Cilv giggle and sit down, so her legs were on either side of the branch. Evanna looked around before sitting down and looked at her questionably; she could see something was on the shapeshifter''s mind. "Raven, all jokes aside.." Cilv looked off in no particular direction as she tried to put her thoughts into words in a delicate way for someone such as the princess, "you know when we were on the other side of the river with the faceless and Scarecrow.." Evanna nodded as she tried to suss out what Cilv was going to say. She sighed and continued, "Scarecrow beat the living shit out of you.. I mean, it''s still evident with the bruising on your face. He kept asking you what you were.. and that you tricked him.. you weren''t affected by their mind games at all.. You have these weird senses which pick up on things that not even I can pick up onˇ­ So, what I am trying to say is.. Whatever you are.. it''s okay to confide in me as I have confided in you with what I am.." Evanna stared at the red-haired woman and then burst into a fit of giggles before covering her mouth and checking their surroundings before replying, "Cilv, I have no idea! Seriously, if I knew I would have told that monster, I don''t have a high enough pain threshold to put up with what he did to me. I may be able to fight, but I am still a princess at the end of the day. I''m not used to pain! I think, though, I am just an odd human.. Nothing else." Evanna shrugged and watched as Cilv''s calculative gaze dropped, and she nodded her head, "Okay.. Well, I am not sure if you are human, though. Maybe you''re a witch!" She joked before pulling herself up and leaping to the next tree over. Evanna stood back up and watched for a few minutes as the shapeshifter disappeared from her view. She bit her lip as she began to worry about Cilv becoming suspicious of her. Evanna cursed in her head at how much Cilv added up and put things together. Relief flooded through her that the shapeshifter didn''t get as far as working out what she truly was. Evanna could never tell someone like Cilv about what she was. That information could easily be used AND possibly put not one but a few kingdoms into a riot. Chaos would erupt through the realms at what the princess of Dunhurst was. Evanna snapped out of her thoughts and quickly caught up to Cilv, leaping between the trees with the safety of the coming night. By the time they made it back to their camp on the final evening, the group had gone through their plan thoroughly. The men were pumped and ready to leave the hillside they had to stay while the women left them daily. They weren''t just restless but needed to get away from the cave. The Flori never visited the area, making Evanna wonder if they knew about the creature in the cave. Either way, it kept them hidden from the elves in their small-time there and come up with a plan to break into their palace. Chapter 52 - The Best Tracker The prince and Garrett walked down the path away from the palace, his small group of men following behind. If he wanted to, he could go through Direwood forest by himself; the prince knew the woods inside and out and could live in the wilderness if he wanted to. He did, once or twice back in his rebellious days of not wanting to take on his role as the Crown Prince. But after many years and the death of his mother, he decided to grow up and take on his responsibilities. He still had fun on the side, but that was either by killing something or someone or having one or two women to keep his bed warm at night. For the past few days, though, he uncharacteristically declined his usual mistress. The prince made sure to bring his blades out with him today, sheathed and crossed behind his back, mainly hidden from any opponent''s view. He carried his bow and quiver, too; they were his prized possession and were never found useless if an enemy thought they could escape. Because they never did escape, once he saw them, they were his for the taking. 99% of the time, he killed them on the spot, but there was that small 1% that sometimes scratched at the back of his mind, and he would take them prisoner. But this was neither mercy to them. They would be tortured or waiting for their impending death. The prince walked in a comfortable silence next to Garrett while his men behind him joked about the Eldora, making him smirk. There was word spread from the Eldora tribe that lived in the western part of Direwood that there were some trespassers. He laughed when he received the message. They were asking for the Flori to help in such a matter that could have easily been resolved if they fought off such pests. But there was a feud between the Flori and the Eldora. The Eldora did not fulfil their duties on the small part of the land they were allowed. Instead, they reached out to them, ''warning them'' of a new threat heading their way. He scoffed; threat? No one was a threat to him. Not one single person or beast had taken him down, and even if he met someone that could kill him, he would still laugh in their face. Death did not scare him. It was just another adventure he would embark on. He marched forwards and frowned slightly before stopping abruptly. He felt as though somebody was watching him, and so he turned on his heel and searched the surrounding trees. Just as he raised his head, another one of his warriors appeared by his side. It was Cedric, one of the younger elves of the group; he tended to let guard closer to the palace. Cedric was a good fighter, but his wife was pregnant and due anytime soon, and so he let him be closer to her, ready for when the baby would come. A pregnant wife was the only tender spot he had in his ice-covered heart. Otherwise, he did not particularly care. After hearing the news, the prince glanced at Garrett and immediately sprinted forwards before turning off to the right and jumping up into the trees. His men followed suit, and they went higher into the trees so they could run efficiently across the broader branches. They were the Flori and used the trees as a means for travel. They did have horses and used them from time to time, but he liked to stick to the trees; it was easier to blend in and watch any possible trespassers. After two hours of sprinting through the woods, they finally stopped as they heard the rush of water and the thunderous sounds of water hitting water. The prince dropped to the ground and searched the area; Cedric informed him that human prints were found leaving the waterfall''s side. He dropped his plans for these new trespassers the Eldora tribe sent word about and was more interested in the humans and the woman named Evanna, who somehow, out of all odds, seemed to have survived the faceless. It, of course, did not take much for him to put two and two together. The small band of humans only entered the other side of the river but 2 miles south from this point. His eyes scanned the area as his men kept watch with their weapons and bows ready. He kneeled on the ground and looked at the footprints with a scowl on his face; these were too big to be a woman''s size. There were three sets of footprints from what he could see, with one of the human''s possibly injured from the way the prints were smudged and almost dragged at some points. He followed the prints for a while but still could not see any other tracks, so he returned to the original spot next to the waterfall. Narrowing his eyes, he saw the tree that usually connected the two sides was now mainly on the far side, barely kept there and dangling over the drop of the cascading water. His jaw tightened as he realised that the women may not have made it out of there alive. Who the fuck leaves women to fend for themselves!? Rage began to burn beneath the surface as his eyes saw red. "* Your highness? *" Garrett interrupted the rising anger evident on the prince''s usually stoic face. His face had tightened, and his icy blue eyes sent out daggers to anyone who dared to look into them. It was a look that made many tremble in fear and makes the strongest man stutter in his presence. However, the good thing about Garrett being his second-hand man was that they had been brought up together and best friends since they were kids. He was the only man who did not flinch or tremble in his presence. There were a few occasions he had to step back while he threw a knife amidst his rage. But it would never have hit him. That much he was certain. Sensing Garrett''s intuitive gaze, he decided to push his anger back, for now, hiding his true thoughts from his best friend. From what he had seen of Evanna so far, she was somebody capable of taking down any in her path. She even took Garrett out of all his men as a hostage! A genius move on her part, taking down a critical leader to help their small group who were surrounded to escape from them. So far, no one had surpassed them, and although it would have initially pissed him off, he was more fascinated with the human girl with that ethereal beauty. He wanted to learn more about her. His first impression of her was of a rebellious youngster who found herself in Kuramji of all places. But now, she and her ''merry men'' were traipsing through the forest, HIS forest, and for what? Nobody intentionally went into Direwood, and he knew their intentions would not be good because they travelled all the way from Kuramji before entering Direwood. This woman was searching for something, but he did not know what. Unless he found clues to show she was alive, then this could possibly be the last time his mind would spiral into all-consuming thoughts about the dark-haired beauty. "* There are only three sets of footprints. There were five of them. *" He snapped before marching through his parting men towards the slanting forest. The slope led down to the bottom of the waterfall. He took his time descending as he followed a set of footprints that showed long strides. A man ran down here. He stopped and looked back towards the way he came before continuing his venture downwards. His men had scattered around the surrounding woods without needing to be ordered to. They were his men, loyal, wise, and followed his orders for many years. They knew he wanted to find the group of humans who escaped. When he made it to the bottom, the trees thinned and opened to a small rocky clearing next to the waterfall. This was where the footprints stopped. But he furthered his investigation and searched throughout the terrain for anything that would indicate their presence. Or, more importantly, her presence. This was the only reasoning he could think of, for one of the men to leave an injured man, was for her or the female shapeshifter. As he got closer to the water''s edge, he bent his knees and sat on the heels of his feet while his eyes scanned the area. He turned on his heel, still seated and looked across the terrain. The prince''s eyes stopped when he saw something minuscule nearly flowing away with the breeze. He reached out and grabbed the small, wired lock of hair and brought it to his face. One side of his lips twitched, the only indication he was ecstatic that he found a clue to show his girl must have survived. He held it up into the last of the sunlight, showing off the dark hue of the strand. Letting go of it, he stood back up. He had a gut feeling that his dark-haired beauty fled behind the men and jumped off the waterfall last minute. It would make sense for the tree to be in such a way. The faceless must have been on their tails. The tracks led him to this spot, this man that raced after her.. A scowl formed on his stoic features after the thought of another man finding her and touching her.. His hand balled into a fist at the idea of it but relaxed and released his clenched teeth when his thoughts raced off to where they could be. If he was one of them and hiding from the Flori, he would try and stick to the shadows taking his time through the forest. That way, the chances of them finding the group would be less. One side of his lips curled up as he began to lead his men throughout the night, following his thought process and the tracks they came across on the way. There was a reason the King still allowed him to ''play in the woods''. The prince was the best tracker in all the lands, and nobody ever stayed hidden for long. Overnight he traced the footprints of the group of five people, becoming used to their gait patterns and finding the areas that they stayed in. Once he found his men becoming tired, he let them rest and slept among the trees at incredible heights for four hours. That was a lie in. Normally, their rest consisted of three hours of sleeping before continuing their quest. Dropping back down to the ground, they continued to follow the tracks, and he became very much aware of how close they were to the palace. His eyes narrowed ever so slightly. What were they after? Was this an object, a suicide mission, or an assassination? Although it must have taken the humans days to traipse through the forest, for the Flori, it took them much less time. They were so accustomed to the routes and were, of course, not trying to hide as they tracked them down. By midday, they found themselves running up a hill. There were multiple prints, fresh on the earth. They were close. A thrill of excitement rushed through him while his face stayed composed except for an arrogant smirk that grew on his face. He would see his girl again, and this time, he would be the one to fight her. She looked like fun, someone he could play with for a while before making her his prisoner. Much to his disappointment, though, he found the spot empty the moment they ascended the hill. It was then he also realised after investigating the campsite that they were camping next to a creature locked away in a coffin in the cave. "* Such foolish humans. *" Chapter 53 - Hide That morning Evanna was the first to wake up. Rolling onto her side, she saw Ger sleeping peacefully facing her; the sight of him made her thoughts race more about the night to come. There was a lot of pressure on them to succeed. She sat up as the weight of what they needed to do seemed to push down at a force on her shoulders. Her heart became heavy as she looked at the men''s peaceful faces while they continued to sleep. Uneasiness seeped into her at the thought of anything going wrong, with one or a few of them becoming injured, captured, or killed. It would be all her fault for asking them on such a quest. Her eyes then met a pair of hazel ones belonging to a heart-shaped face and dark red curls framing her features. Cilv sauntered over to where Evanna sat and plopped down next to her. Evanna watched her as she scanned their surroundings and glanced at each of the men''s faces. "You know.. we all accepted this knowing the consequences," She whispered before finally resting her eyes on the princess. Evanna''s brows drew together as a long sigh left her lips, "I guess you''re right. But-" "There''s no going back now, princess. You''ve come this far with this goal in mind. You need to focus on what is motivating you to do this. Let the others do the rest," Cilv interrupted, and one side of her lips twitched up into a half-smile. Evanna''s eyes crinkled at the thought of her shifter friend consoling her. "Thank you for comforting me, Cilv," Evanna smiled earnestly back. Cilv wiped her hand on her knee at some imaginary dirt as she replied, "Yeah, well, no problem. Man up, you know.. whatever happens, happens.." She stood up and went back to her post, looking uncomfortable. This only made Evanna chuckle under her breath. The woman had really come a long way from staying as far away from the group as possible to consoling her. Now she even looked comfortable around them. Except for Ger, she presumed that relationship was never going to turn into one of friendship. Cilv looked back at Evanna and shook her head. She didn''t know why she comforted her; it''s not like she would get anything out of it. A shiver passed through her as she realised spending time with people, decent people were making herˇ­ nice! Another shudder rippled through her at the thought. With those thoughts swirling in her mind, she abruptly stood up, "I''m going hunting. Keep watch." Evanna nodded and got up as Cilv disappeared. She took Cilv''s position by the tree and watched over the men. A few hours later, the group, except for the shapeshifter, were eating together as they watched the palace from afar. Their legs were dangling over the side of the cliff, all excluding Axel, who sat cross-legged, away from the edge. They turned their heads simultaneously when they heard footfall and saw Cilv running forwards. Evanna immediately jumped up; luckily, she finished her meal whereas the others were still eating. Evanna could see how alert Cilv was and began scanning the area from whence she came as well as looking deep inside herself for her senses. But she could not tell; her body was always cold and had constant shivers due to the creature inside of the cave. Evannaˇ­ Please, help me. Not now! Shut it! She blocked his voice out again and looked back at Cilv. She knew something was wrong, the shapeshifter was never heavy on her feet, and she alerted all of them by running there. "What is wrong?" Evanna enquired. "Flori!" Cilv gasped before grabbing her bag and slinging it over her back. The men immediately jumped up and began packing their bags after hearing what Cilv said. "How many? How long do we have?" Axel demanded as he marched towards Cilv with his long strides. "About ten of them.." Cilv looked over at Evanna, "Lover boy is with them." Evanna looked up from where she was, putting her water skin away in her bag on the floor. Ger and Ronan looked at Evanna expectantly, making the princess shrug from their gazes. "Who''s lover boy?" She feigned innocence. She already knew who Cilv was talking about, but the woman was ridiculous. Cilv scoffed, "That white-haired elf." Ger looked between the pair, his brows knitted together by what was said. Wasn''t he the one who kidnapped her when they were ambushed? His jaw tightened, the muscles ticking as fire burned behind his eyes. "We have about ten minutes. They were going extremely fast," Cilv answered Axel''s repeated question. "Where do we go? We aren''t going to the palace until the evening.." Ronan asked. The group stood in a circle now, their bags packed, hands ready on the hilts of their weapons, except Cilv, who elongated her nails. "We could go to the treetops. They don''t climb them this close to the palace, from what we have observed. There is no need.. all the threats are further away from where they take residence," Cilv suggested. "I am not going to the trees!" Axel argued, causing Cilv to smirk at his outburst. Everyone knew why he didn''t want to go to the trees. "Axel is right, though. We can''t stay in the trees all day. We need to rest," Ger added while he glanced around the group. "What about the cave?" Ronan asked; all eyes looked at him and then at the cave. Evanna.. I won''t hurt you or your friends. It is your safest optionˇ­ "No. Definitely not," Evanna gritted her teeth in anger, pushing the whispers out of her mind again. She didn''t understand; it seemed the creature was set on speaking to her only. The others didn''t show any signs of it trying to lure them to the depths of the cave. The nightmares she endured were definitely by that creature; her guard was down when she slept, meaning her invisible wall was down. The strange thing was, not all of them were nightmares, but a few were romantic, lustful even. She blushed and looked away from the cave, she had never had such dreams before, and the thought of a creature putting them in her mind was embarrassing and freaky. The man from her dreams popped into her mind as she remembered one of them. He was as clear as day, with his devastatingly handsome face, chin-length black hair and dark brown eyes; on a few occasions, she thought his eyes were red. But what did it matter? It was nothing but a dream. Evanna.. His words caressed her mind, oozing into her and clutching at anything she could give; Evanna closed her eyes, almost feeling the man in her dreams behind her and breathing down her neck. Evanna.. Yes? She answered in her mind. The group continued to discuss among themselves, not paying any heed to the princess and her state of mind. "We could go in there and hide.." "No-" "Until they are gone. We don''t have to venture far.." Ronan interrupted Ger''s disregard. "They haven''t been up here in all the time we have stayed here," Axel added. Evanna somehow crept away from them while they were absorbed in discussing about what to do. She walked towards the cave. Yes, Evanna. My love, come save me. The men looked around in a panic when they realised the princess was not standing next to them. Nor was Cilv as she followed Evanna into the cave. Ger raced forwards, grabbed Evanna by the waist and began pulling her back. But she stomped on his foot before elbowing him just below the ribs. His breath left his lungs harshly, and he loosened his grip slightly. "Ger, we don''t have time for this. We need to go in there. We survived the faceless!" Cilv hissed. He glared at her while he continued to hold Evanna back. Cilv stopped and turned her head, "Get in the dam cave! They are here!" She snapped. Ronan and Axel didn''t think twice before following Cilv into the cave. Ger sighed and followed behind them but kept his hold on Evanna; he could tell she was under some form of spell telling her to go further into the cave. Cilv left the group and ran outside. They didn''t bother stopping and asking her where she was going; the woman did what she wanted when she wanted. Their priority was to hide, stay alive and after looking at Evanna, keeping her with them. They walked further into the cool, dark cave; there were rays of light that came through different parts of the cave from outside. This helped them to see better, but barely as they tentatively stepped forwards. They were walking down a slight incline. Ronan jumped suddenly after hearing someone arrive in the cave but calmed down when he realised it was Cilv. "Where did you go?" Axel enquired as he held his huge axe out, ready. "They are expert trackers. I was removing traces of us here, and hopefully, my footprints and snapped branches will lead them away. There was only so much I could do in a few minutes." "I could have helped.." Ronan said. "It was quicker me doing it." She replied. Ronan nodded his head, and their whispers died off when they noticed a small rock formation. Ger held onto a struggling Evanna in his arms while the others surveyed the dark surroundings. "Hey, hey, calm down!" Ger whisper-shouted while she kept trying to wriggle out of his grip. "I need to help him, Ger.." Evanna whispered frantically. He frowned at her comment, but Cilv marched towards her and slapped her in the face before he could reply. "What the f-" "Snap out of it! The only person who needs help is Ger. If you don''t snap out of it, he will be the one dead," Cilv interrupted Ger and spoke sternly to Evanna. Evanna moved her head back slowly to face Cilv and relaxed her body. Cilv could see the awareness seeping into her eyes; nodding once, she returned to the others who hid in the rock formation. There was nothing in this part of the cave. If it weren''t for how Evanna had been acting, the group would have hidden in there with no concerns. However, Cilv also had been hearing the occasional whispers of a man, but they left quite quickly. Maybe the creature knew she never helped anyone but herself. Evanna sighed and unknowingly leaned back into Ger, who tensed by the action. She was not wholly aware yet of his arms around her or that he was behind her. That was until her hands rested on top of his around her waist. She spun around with an apology on her lips but was halted when his hand went around her mouth. His face was close to hers, his eyes wide, and a finger on his own lips. They searched each other''s eyes as they heard voices coming from outside the cave. Ger removed his hand, and the pair slowly shuffled towards the others, hiding from view. Ger gently pushed her against a tall rock and put his hands by the sides of her head. Evanna was not bothered by it and did not feel the arousal Ger had at the proximity of their bodies. She knew he was trapping her, so she wouldn''t wander off and go save some creature in the cave. She moved her head to the side, so her cheek rested on the cool surface while waiting in anticipation of what may come. The group hid behind the rocks, breathing slow and shallow as they braced themselves. The tension was thick as they kept their body''s on high alert, their muscles straining from anticipation. Evanna.. Evanna whipped her head around, but the view of Ger kept her settled in the spot she stood. Gulping, she leaned her head back and took a deep breath in while visualising the bricks forming in her mind once again. The group stayed in the cave for what appeared to be an hour when Evanna checked her pocket watch. The whole time, Ger kept her trapped in one position or another. Whether that was against the wall or near the end of the hour, sitting on the ground, his arm over her shoulder. Much to Ronan''s dismay, he wanted to be the one to be holding onto her. But Axel gave him a stern look, reminding him why they were in the cave in the first place. Cilv jumped up from her position and walked towards the exit of the cave; the others followed after she waved for them to move. When they made it out of the cave, they simultaneously sighed, relaxing their tense muscles after seeing the area deserted. For the remainder of the day, they rested, ate, and chatted away. This was before going through the plan once again as the sun went down. Chapter 54 - This Was It As the night drew on, the group watched the palace from afar, sitting by the cliffside, their legs dangling off. Each night the palace was lit up in all its glory to show off its grandeur, but tonight, it seemed the celebration made it look even more extravagant. Evanna looked on in delight; it appeared from this distance, they could enjoy a marvellous view until it was time for the heist. Even with their past adventures, where they had seen quite a lot on the road, the men still sat there in awe. Tonight, there was different lighting displays showing off various colours flashing across the palace, along with some form of magical spell on the water by its side before it fell down the waterfall. The water lifted in the air, formed into mini tornados that spun in a splendid display on top of the water''s surface. It then developed into the shapes of men and women, waltzing across the vast river before they fell down the side in its standard form. This was on a repeated loop. As soon as the water dancers fell to the side, more formed and began the routine again. CRUNCH Everyone''s head whipped to the side and looked at Cilv, who ate an apple; her look was one of boredom. "Time?" Ger asked as he turned his head to Evanna. Evanna pulled her pocket watch out and read out the time, "It''s 10." "We should make our way down," Axel spoke up from the position behind the others. Unlike them, he once again sat comfortably on the solid ground, not near the cliffside. He tutted when they first sat there that evening; it was far too dangerous in the dark and with the wind picking up. The group stood up and began walking away from their little hiding spot. Evanna was both relieved and anxious at leaving the area, but the further away she got from the cave and the creature that lay within, the clearer her mind became. Their prediction was correct. As the party snuck through the woods on high alert, they noticed fewer guards were patrolling on the outskirts of the palace. Still, Cilv climbed a tree and scouted ahead, just in case. But their route to the palace was peaceful; it seemed that even the villages they sneaked past were deadly quiet, either by settling down for the night or from being at the celebration. Each village screamed of a luxurious lifestyle; Evanna had no doubt in her mind that everyone was at the celebration. Before they made it to the bridge that connected to the palace, the group hid behind a white tower, which seemed to be an outpost. Cilv jumped down from the tower''s height, landing elegantly next to Evanna. The princess narrowed her eyes at the shapeshifter, "Are they dead!?" She whisper-shouted. Cilv shook her head, "I used some of the sleep powder on them." She showed a pouch to Evanna that held the silvery powder that shimmered under the moonlight. "Here," Cilv gave her the pouch, "you''ll need this for dismantling the guards at the bridge." Evanna nodded her head and placed the pouch in her cloak before putting her bag down on the ground. The tower was a spot they agreed on leaving their bags out of sight behind a tree. They didn''t want to be carrying a lot on them if they were sneaking around the palace. "Does everyone remember what the gem looks like?" Evanna asked in a hushed toned. She showed them the scroll with the painting on before they left their campsite. But she felt anxious and wanted to double-check. They nodded their heads in return, and she could see the apprehension on the men''s faces also. Taking a deep breath, she turned her back on them and started to make her way towards the bridge. As she walked away, Cilv caught up to her and whispered, "Take your hair out." Evanna looked at her, alarmed. Why did she need to take her hair out? Before she could do anything, Cilv started undoing her hair and shaped it around her face, "Much better. It hides your ears, and well, it can''t help to use a bit of your beauty to charm them." The princess looked back at her, baffled. Charm? She was just going to walk up to them and blow the powder in their face. But she took on board what Cilv suggested, not that she knew how to charm anyone. With one last look at the men, she turned back around and strolled towards the bridge; she wasn''t going alone. They were following her, staying in the shadows of the trees. As she approached the bridge, two guards came into view and stiffened at her appearance. They were dressed to impress; their armour shone under the light of the moon, glinting off sparkles to the ground at their feet. "* Halt *" Evanna stopped walking and held her hands up by her waist. She was busted before even getting close enough to use the sleeping powder on them. "* What is a ranger doing out so late? *" The second guard asked, his eyes narrowed as he took her appearance in. A ranger? That was good enough. Evanna didn''t expect them to believe she was a noble, not with the clothes she wore or how dirty she probably looked, along with the bruises on her face and cut lip. Relaxing her hands, she took a few steps closer until the first guard held his hand up again to stop her from moving forwards. Evanna smiled inwardly; she was nearly in good enough range to use the powder on them. She put her hand in her cloak pocket, but this alerted the pair, and they brought their swords out. "* Stop what you are doing! *" Evanna brought her hands up again, "* I apologise. I was grabbing my hander kerchief to wipe my face. As you can see, I am in need of a good bath..*" The pair eyed her warily, waiting for her to explain further. She needed to get a little closer, so without thinking further about it, she put on an air of haughtiness and scoffed, "* Did you not know that I was coming? *" "* Who are you exactly? *" "* Who am I!? *" She scoffed again and marched forwards; the pair backed away slightly with their swords pointed forwards. She began pacing in front of them, with her hands behind her back, her head held high, "* As always, the Flori are so unorganised. *" "* Excuse me, wha-" Evanna tutted and held her hand up dismissively, "* I have travelled all this way from Lyvaria, and this is how you treat me. A letter was sent before I left, and we received word back that you would be expecting me. But as usual, your standards are that much lower than ours. *" Both guards scoffed, and the second guard muttered, "* Lyvarians, always so bloody conceited. *" "* Where is your horse? *" The first guard asked suspiciously; he too was offended by her words but did not complain and questioned this new elf. "* It was eaten by one of those creatures in the forest. Now enough! *" Evanna came forwards once again towards the elves, who looked at her in disdain. Before either of them could react, Evanna raised her hands, palm up and blew on the powder into their faces. The pair began coughing and dropped their swords while clutching at their throats. Evanna rushed forwards to grab one of them while Cilv appeared and grabbed the other, keeping their falls light and silent as they dropped to the ground. "It IS sleeping powder, right?" Evanna questioned after watching the guards choke. "Yes, it is! They will be out for about six hours," Cilv responded. The men arrived and grabbed the pair of them, pulling them back into the darkness of the trees. Evanna and Cilv kept watch, their eyes scanning the horizon while Evanna pulled her mask up, put her hair back into a low bun and draped over her hood. Once the men came back, Axel took charge and kneeled to keep his prodigious form out of sight. The others also kneeled and kept themselves in a tight nit circle. "I will only keep this brief. We know the plan, and hopefully, we get in and out without being noticed or harmed," Axel paused and glanced at everyone''s faces, who were now masked and hooded, "But IF something does go wrong... We keep going, and we don''t look back." The weight of his words hit them like a ton of bricks, forming apprehensive knots in their stomachs of what was about to come. "So, it''s every man for themselves, is what you''re saying?" Cilv asked with an odd gleam in her eyes. Axel nodded his head and could almost see her smile from the way her eyes slit slightly. His brows drew together, knowing too well how easily the shapeshifter would leave them in an instant the moment the odds were not in their favour. His gaze landed back on the faces of the others, and he saw their determination. This was it. Cilv was the first to rise, followed by the men and Evanna. As they began to walk closer to the bridge, Evanna reached out to Axel and held onto his coat to keep him from the others. He looked down at her, with a crease forming between his brows. "Axe, do you mean what you said?" Evanna whispered and began walking by his side at a safe distance from the others. She did not want the others to hear their conversation. She knew Cilv would listen to it, but what they had to say did not affect her. Axel''s heart became heavy as he looked at the princess''s sweet face. He meant what he said, but if she were the one to be in trouble, could he seriously turn his back on her? No, he could not, and that was his choice to make. "I meant what I said, your highness," His voice was low and glum. "Good" Her answer made him look at her in surprise. That was not what he was expecting to hear. She was a princess; if anything, she should be asking for optimal protection. But of course, he should not be surprised; Evanna was the most courageous woman he had ever met. "-please", Evanna finished what she was saying. Axel looked at her; he was in so much shock and awe he didn''t hear what she said. "I''m sorry, can you repeat yourself, lass?" He asked as they reached the bridge. The others were waiting a few meters ahead, crouched by the rail''s sides. "I want you to promise me that if anything, I mean ANYTHING were to go wrong. If.." She took a deep breath, "If I were the one to fall.. you would make sure the others make it out." Axel tried to argue, but she shook her head, "No, Axe. I mean it. I know for certain, Ger will not follow what you said. Please, make sure to get him away." Axel nodded his head in silence. "Promise me, Axe?" She asked, looking up at him with determination set behind her eyes. He clenched his teeth together before replying, "I promise." He put his hand on his chest and bowed his head. "Good, now let''s go." Chapter 55 - Sneak Evanna and Axel joined the others by the bridge''s side. They split into two groups; Cilv led Ronan and Axel on her side of the bridge, while Evanna led Ger on the opposite side. They snuck forwards, their footsteps light, with their backs crouched, low enough to only be shown slightly above the bridge''s sides. As they approached the endpoint of the bridge, the statuesque gate the girls were used to seeing grew taller as they got closer. The guys stayed back while Evanna and Cilv sprinted forwards and simply tapped the guards on the back of their armour; once they turned around, they blew the powder in their face. The guards coughed, and the pair ran around them and done the same to another couple of guards. Evanna stayed by one of their sides, waiting for him to drop. When he did, she caught him, looking over at the others, feeling relieved when she saw each of the guys carrying a guard. Luckily, Cilv noticed an unguarded carriage and opened the door, signalling the others to put the guards in there. Evanna was the first to drop her guard in the carriage, keeping as quiet as possible. She snuck to the side and surveyed the area; there should be two more guards, but where were they? While the men put the remaining guards in the carriage, Evanna rushed towards the fountain and hid out of sight from the palace view. Her eyes were the only thing Cilv could see, but the shifter knew nobody else had a clear view of the princess, especially if they were looking outside the windows and arches of the palace. The princess observed the area, her only movement being her head and eyes. They needed to take the other two guards out, so the alarm was not raised. Evanna ducked immediately after seeing two figures walk to the balcony''s edge on the first floor that overlooked this part of the palace. She held her breath as her muscles tensed in anticipation; she couldn''t look now in case they saw her. Evanna could only hope that the others were hidden. After seeing Evanna duck, Cilv signalled the guys to stop moving; Ger looked at Cilv''s line of sight, and instead of halting, he climbed into the carriage with the sleeping elves. Axel and Ronan followed suit. But Cilv closed the door on them and instead ran up the wall, extending her nails and used her hands to claw her way up to the balcony''s edge. Cilv readied herself; her right hand came out, her nails lengthened even more, but she stopped when the guards retreated from the balcony edge. They sounded drunk. She could not tell what they were saying, but Cilv could see them walking unsteadily towards the stairs after looking through the balcony gaps. She dropped to the ground silently, not bothered by the height and kept herself hidden in the shadows, her back flat against the wall. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Evanna sprint forwards; her eyes widened, and she went to signal her to hide, but it was too late. The voices of the men laughing and stumbling on the last steps caught sight of Cilv; before they could say anything, Evanna blew the powder in their faces. *cough* "* What is- *" The girls grabbed the last of the guards and dragged them over to the carriage. Cilv climbed in and closed the door behind her, leaning out of the window she ''psst'' Evanna over. "That was incredibly reckless. You should have left that to me," Cilv scolded in a hushed tone. "You were going to kill them," Evanna whisper-shouted. "So?" Evanna didn''t bother replying; unlike the shifter, she had a conscience and only killed when she needed to. With that in mind, she climbed onto the front of the carriage and ''tsked'' the horses forwards, leading them into the cellar. It was rather comical that this was their only entry and exit strategy after the days of their reconnaissance. Maybe the elves built it in such a way so no one was foolish enough to try anything. Well, they were the fools and about to find out if they were to succeed. But from those days, Cilv and Evanna were able to map out the palace, not to the full detail of knowing what each room was used for, much to Cilv''s dismay. But they couldn''t let an opportunity like tonight go to waste. The primary target was the treasury, and even when they initially found the room, their riches were to such an extent that the mere minutes they were there was not enough to look for the gem. Evanna pulled on the reins and stopped the carriage, making sure to keep it partially hidden behind some of the barrels in the cellar. Unfortunately, she could not do much more, but it was better than leaving it out in the open. After checking the area, Evanna made a quick whistle sound and the group dispersed from the carriage. Evanna rolled her eyes at Ger and Cilv, shoving one another as they left the carriage. She sighed as the shapeshifter joined her side again, and the men followed behind them. They ascended the small slope the led out of the cellar; Cilv eyed the corridor before stepping out, Evanna repeated and followed, creeping towards another pillar and hiding there. They waited as each of the men done the same before they continued down the quiet halls. The only sounds they heard were from the celebration in another part of the palace. After sneaking around, the girls made sure that the festivities would be away from their destination, and so it was. The previous days showed the servants decorating the throne room, another great hall and a few side rooms for their guests. The hallways were lit by floating lights in the high ceiling, giving off a show of a starry night sky but with enough light to keep the shadows at bay. As they continued down the hallways, their gazes ever so vigilant and their steps silent; the noise from the celebration decreased the further they got away. Cilv ran across another corridor, jumping onto the ground into a silent roly-poly and hiding behind another pillar. Evanna looked down the corridor and repeated the action, landing swiftly on her feet after and leaning her back against another pillar. Ronan eyed the hall, then walked casually, followed by Ger and Axel, all sauntering to a spot behind the same post, across from the girls. Evanna gave Ger a pointed look after he smirked at her. This was not the time for jokes! She screamed with her eyes. He pouted in return then held his hands up in surrender. While Ger and Evanna were having another mini discussion with their eyes, Axel tensed after seeing an approaching guard and tapped lightly on the back of Ronan''s shoulder. He looked in the direction Axel was looking, and his eyes widened. Unlike the girls, they didn''t have the sleep powder to knock them out with, but any more guards taken out might cause suspicion at their non-existent return. Sensing the men''s alert postures, Cilv waved at them to stay put. Although Cilv and Ger did not like each other, they had to work together tonight, which meant Ger trusting the girl. After this crazy quest, Ger would be more than happy never to see the conniving girl again. The guard''s footsteps grew louder as he came closer to their position. The group held their breaths and tensed in anticipation at what would happen next; Axel grabbed one of his throwing axes and lightened his grip, ready in case the elf found them. But the guard turned around a corner. The group released their breath the moment they heard the retreating footsteps. Evanna and Cilv, though they knew the guards patrol routes partially, it still embedded fear into them. After a few more twists and turns, the party arrived across from the treasury room. Cilv and Evanna once again merged into the shadows. Axel and Ronan scanned the area, searching for the girls, to see if they could find them, but they could not. Whereas Ger scanned their surroundings and kept glancing at the two guards standing in front of a pair of tremendous golden doors. Within the next thirty seconds, the girls suddenly appeared, seemingly out of nowhere and blew the sleeping powder in their faces. Axel and Ronan came forwards and caught the guards before their bodies hit the ground and echoed the armour''s crashing sound. With the pair pulling the guard''s motionless bodies away into a secure area, Ger and the girls eyed the doors before them. The golden doors were a sight to behold, with intricate details going up the sides and white markings of a white tree growing up the long length. Evanna took a deep breath in, trying to calm her nerves while her heart thundered against her chest. Everything they had contended with led up to this moment right before her. The gem was behind these doors. Chapter 56 - The Treasury Axel and Ronan used both their hands to pull on the large handles on each of the heavy doors to open. Luckily, there was no noise from swinging them open. All eyes widened from the magnificence of such a sight before them. Piles of gold and jewels were scattered inside the room. Cilv and Evanna approached cautiously, while Evanna''s eyes were on the small carving of Muranthian writing on the inside of the door; Cilv eyed the treasure and licked her lips. Her observation skills, it seemed, weren''t very present at that moment. As she took her first step into the room, Evanna immediately yanked her back just in time for two spears to fly across the room. Cilv gasped and looked at Evanna wide-eyed. "* Your first step will be your last. Cast your eyes on the treasure you may only see but never touch. *" Evanna spoke in the elven tongue before repeating it so the remaining group may know its meaning. "It has traps set up in there?" Axel asked in his gruff voice. "So it seems," Evanna replied drily. "Your first step will be your last.. How do we get in there?" Ronan asked. "WE aren''t going in there. Raven and I will go in there." Cilv snapped; her mood had dropped after nearly dying by the hands of the elves and their stupid traps. Evanna sighed after seeing Ger ready to protest; she cut them all of, "We do not have time for any arguments. Cilv and I will go in there. You need to keep watch." The guys set up a perimeter on her command, keeping on the lookout while the girls searched for the gem. Ger watched one corridor, holding his bow ready in his hands, while Axel scanned another hall opposite to him, and Ronan stayed in between them both. If anything were to go wrong, he was their last defence before the girls. "Do you think that was their only spears?" Cilv whispered as she eyed the walls. "No," Evanna drawled, "but look at the floor. There are patterns, symbols." Cilv glanced down and scrutinised the floor; Evanna was correct, but it would take them ages to map out what may or may not set off a trap. Before she could raise her concerns or provide an idea, Evanna beat her to it, "I think we need to just bolt to the middle of the pile of treasure. It will take too long if we try to guess what does what." "Are you insane!?" Ronan whisper-shouted from behind them. Evanna turned around and arched her perfectly shaped eyebrow, "You ask me this now? As we steal from the Flori?" Ronan shook his head in exasperation, "No, no, you are right. I should have asked that ages ago. Do what you think is best." "I didn''t say it was a great idea, but at the moment, it is our only idea.. Unless Cilv, you have anything to contribute?" Evanna asked in her hushed tone. Cilv shook her head. As the pair prepared to take another step, Ronan stopped them again, "Wait! It said your first ''step'' will be your last.. what if you didn''t walk or run in there.." Cilv and Evanna looked at him in shock before turning around and observing the room again. The spears set off from earlier were now lodged into the golden walls, and on the sides of those walls was the occasional torch. While Cilv calculated the possibility of not touching the ground, Evanna pulled out her pocket watch. They had already been forty minutes, ten minutes longer than last time. It wasn''t bad, but it caused the tight knot of apprehension in her stomach to tighten even more. Cilv raised her hands forward, past the door, and waved; nothing happened. She leaned in further and placed it on the side of the wall; again, nothing happened. "Roach is right. We just need to use the wall and land on the treasure. It''s still risky, but it''s better than just charging in here," Cilv looked back at the princess, who by now had joined her on the opposite wall. The pair scaled the area before clinging onto the wall and holding onto the first torch. They balanced themselves, their feet against the wall while clinging onto the torch. Nothing happened. Cilv used her claws as an extra means of grip, along with her fingerless gloves, whereas Evanna solely relied on the gloves and managing between her upper body strength and balance. Evanna side stepped, keeping the soles of her feet on the wall, her body at an angle before reaching out to the next torch; Cilv was doing the same. They continued their slow movements, crawling across the wall like a spider, or in Evanna''s case, clutching on. Once the pair made it to a spear each, they tested their weight on it and let themselves hang before pulling themselves up, so they balanced on top of it. The pair looked at each other from across the golden room. "On 3?" Evanna asked; Cilv nodded her head. "1..2..3!" At the same time, they took a step forwards and jumped; Cilv forward somersaulted while Evanna side somersaulted and landed on the big pile of gold in the middle of the room. Their boots caused a loud clinking sound as some coins began to tumble down the stack and land on the floor or roll off to the side. The pair tensed, waiting to be impaled by a spear, but nothing happened. "We were either fortunate, or it will only set off at a certain weight distribution.." Evanna murmured in thought. But she shook her head, now was not the time to think about the mechanics of a trap. They needed to find the gem, and from how much there was in the room, it would take a while. There were so many gems sending sparkles of light across the room. They rummaged and rummaged through the piles. Evanna was now at one end of the room, her feet still planted on top of golden coins while Cilv was at the other. Evanna noticed a few times, Cilv placing some smaller jewels in her pockets. The princess shook her head with a small smile. She, of course, was not a thief, and although they were in the middle of stealing from the Flori, it didn''t mean she liked it. However, she did agree to Cilv''s terms in the first place. Evanna sighed and sat on the only desk in the room; it was covered in jewels and certainly was a sight. She brushed her hand down one of the legs in awe and disgust; it was an ugly thing. The princess looked up to see Cilv also sat down on a large golden chest. "It''s not in here," Evanna announced; her figure was slouched slightly, feeling disheartened. All of this was for nothing. "It has to be. Your scroll was legit.." Cilv trailed off while her eyes scanned the room. Yes, it was.. Evanna''s brows creased together. It is a healing gem.. would they leave such an item, an item that they kept buried under myth, in such a spot. Shaking her head, she realised, if it was her gemstone, she would keep it close at all times, or at the very least, a secret hiding spot.. in her closet. Evanna''s eyes widened, which Cilv caught onto immediately. Without another word, Evanna jumped across the gold, using the force behind her to land barely outside the door on her tiptoes. Just as she was about to lose her balance and fall back, a pair of strong arms caught her and brought her forwards. "Thank you," Evanna muttered, looking at Ronan and blushing after seeing their close proximity. Stepping away from him, she took a sidestep away and bolted towards Axel, away from Ger. "Where are you going!?" Axel whisper-shouted. "I''ll be right back!" Evanna sprinted around a corner, out of sight. Once she was around the corner, she slowed her steps and breathing. Evanna knew the gem had to be in the king''s chamber, and although they had not quite seen his room on their reconnaissance, they knew where his wing was, or so they presumed. The celebration was as far away as possible, which helped the princess sneak around unnoticed. There were a few servants, but they too were enjoying their own festivities and each other''s company while slouching against the walls. Evanna halted a few times when she saw the occasional couple passionately kissing against the wall or flirting with one another. When she finally made it to the stairs to the floor his chambers would be at, she took her steps two at a time, happily getting away from the servants. Now, she was solely relying on her senses; otherwise, she would not have been so bold as to open the door without checking her surroundings nor tiptoeing into the bed-chamber. In the darkened room, she could already tell how luxurious it was, but she did not stop to register its beauty. She had a job to do. Her senses were on overload earlier when they were crossing the bridge, going to the treasury and as she ran past the servants. But now, it seemed they and herself were calm. Her motivation made her zone into what needed to be done and worry later. After rummaging through chests of drawers and a wardrobe, along with checking under the bed and various other spots, Evanna came up empty-handed, and it seemed the room she was in was not the kings'' chambers. Searching the wardrobes taught her that. So, she moved onto the next room and the next. This was not part of the plan, but she was not about to give up on finding that gemstone. Her mother needed it, and that was what kept pushing her forwards. ** At the outskirts of the palace, the elven prince and his men arrived. After losing the trail of the humans earlier in the day, his rage was unrelenting and to help him cool off, they pursued the other trespassers in the West of Direwood. They were quick and easy to find; unlike Evanna''s group of merry men, this group of bandits were not so bright. The prince took a lot of pleasure in taking their lives. Now, they approached the bridge, at a time he knew his father would be displeased with. After all, the celebration was ''for the people'', but he knew the king wanted to set him up with a bride. He could only imagine how many father''s brought their daughters, ripe and ready for the picking. The prince clicked his tongue at the thought, none of them would interest him, and the night would be a bore. The prince stopped at the outpost, his eyes narrowed a fraction, yet the rest of his face was impassive. Ahead of the small group, he could see the bridge unguarded. He unsheathed his swords from behind his back and started off at a jog towards the bridge entrance. Some of his men went ahead of him to scout the area before running across the long bridge. They stopped again once they were past the statues. "If those guards are drunk, not following orders or slacking offˇ­ Then they will receive 100 lashes each," The prince''s voice was low and aloof as his eyes scanned their surroundings. On his words, his men dispersed to search for the guards. ** Cilv continued to search the treasury, and for once, was overcome with how much there was to search through. She couldn''t even take a third of it back; if she could come back, she would, but after this little trip, the chances were nought out of one hundred. This was their only chance; after, their security would be amplified. The shapeshifter lifted a ruby the size of her hand, inspecting it before sighing and throwing it into the pile of gold. With her back turned, she heard the jewel clink on the ground. Her eyes widened, and she looked around, immediately backflipping off her pile and landing in a squatted position on a small treasure chest. Another spear wobbled in the wall above her. "Are you okay!?" Ronan peeped his head through the door. "Yeah," She breathed, wide-eyed. ** Evanna approached another chamber and already saw the difference between the ones she entered and the grand doors before her now. She cursed under her breath for wasting precious time going through the others. They were all so uniquely luxurious that it was hard to tell if she was in the king''s chambers or not. Their rooms were equal to her own. But now, as Evanna slipped through the door quietly, she saw a magnificent difference. It must be nice living as an elf.. Closing the door behind her with a small audible ''click'', Evanna noticed a pair of muddy boots to the side of the room, where it left a trail of mud. Her eyes widened, was the king in his chamber!? Chapter 57 - Uninvited Guest Axel was scratching the back of his head for the tenth time before shaking it as he stared off at the spot Evanna ran off to earlier. A scowl was setting on his features while he gripped his axes harder. The princess knows what she is doing. He tried to convince himself. Axel turned his head back after feeling someone''s gaze on him. Ger was looking at Axel, who had unknowingly been shuffling on his feet. Axel was impatiently waiting for the princess to return, but he watched Ger point his arrow at Axel''s feet, mouthing, "Come on." He looked down then stopped what he was doing before mouthing back, "Sorry, needa piss." Ger rolled his eyes and set his arrow back in a relaxed position across his bow. He looked back at the corridor, keeping guard. Even as he eyed the magnificence that was the elven palace, Ger still couldn''t believe he was standing there. It wasn''t long ago since he and Evanna were outside her balcony planning for this moment. Ger sighed; his anxiousness was rising the longer he stood guarding the hallway, so he inhaled deeply. He needed to keep his heart rate at a steady beat, even lower if he could, but steady was good enough, for if some unwanted guest did turn up, his aim had to be immaculate for the newcomer not to survive and alert others. ** Evanna''s eyes darted around the darkened room, trying to see if the king was there. But much to her delight, she found it empty, and her senses weren''t alerting her to anything. She knew from walking across the large room that this was, in fact, the kings; the adjoining two rooms for a husband and wife were a small indicator. When Evanna opened one of them, she found it was a vast room, filled with clothes and a mirror. Without wasting any more time, she began floundering through the clothes and drawers full of women''s garments, once again coming up short. Evanna left the adjoined room and opened the other to find a similar space, with a more masculine d¨¦cor and smell. She began scrambling through items and clothing again. Evanna found herself taking more time; the women''s wardrobe seemed to have little to no clothing compared to this room. There were assorted weaved baskets and chests neatly stacked on the bottom and top part of the shelved walls. While Evanna quickly searched through the baskets and chests, she was so absorbed searching for the gemstone that she didn''t realise her back was growing colder. The sudden sound of the double doors opening halted her hand on the basket as she looked up at the closed door, holding her breath. Evanna stared across her while she heard muffled voices outside. "* The prince will be here any second! Why didn''t you clean the floor? *" Evanna heard a man''s voice. "* He asked for other duties to be finished firstˇ­ *" A feminine voice quivered in response. "* That doesn''t mean you don''t finish the job. Get this done. NOW! *" Evanna slid open the basket slowly while she heard someone sweeping the floor in the bed-chamber. While she put the basket back after discovering it empty, her eyes caught onto a sparkling light. Evanna tilted her head as she crawled on her hands and knees slowly. Her heart pounded against her rib cage as she neared a slightly ajar wooden chest. Her breath caught. She slid the top open, and inside at the bottom, underneath letters and miniature paintings of a stunning she-elf, was the gemstone Evanna had been searching for. She reached for it, almost hesitantly, as though it was not real. Her eyes were wide in amazement as she held the crystal-blue jewel in her hand. The painting in her scrolls did not show that the gem had a white light that glowed, almost throbbing as it moved from one side of the stone to the other, almost as though it was alive. The gem shone on her face entrancing her as she watched it. Evanna could feel the power emanating from it; the pulsing sensation coursed through her forearm. While Evanna eyed the gem in awe, the double doors to the bedroom suddenly burst open. The princess stopped and put the jewel in her cloak pocket, closed the chest quietly and hid behind some tunics and cloaks that were hung up. She stilled her breathing after hearing loud footsteps marching towards her position. The door swung open, and the sound of footsteps came forwards. Evanna tried melting into the wall behind her back; the only comfort she felt was from the door that kept her covered more. "* But your highness, the king has been waiting for your arrival- *" "* Tell the king I have urgent matters to deal with. *" "* But-" "* I hope I do not have to keep repeating myself. You know how bothersome it is for me.. *" Evanna could hear a deadly tone to the elf''s icy voice, a male elf who was on the other side of the door. And a voice she recognised but could not figure out who it belonged to. The most important thing right now was not to get caught. She guessed the servants had left this prince to whatever urgent business he needed to deal with. The elf walked further into the adjoined room, making Evanna''s heart thump loudly against her chest; so loud, she thought he could hear it. Keeping herself as still as possible, she hoped her spot behind the tunics and partially behind the door would be enough to keep her hidden from the elven prince. Evanna''s breath hitched after catching the sight of the boots on the prince, now facing in her direction and began walking towards her. Evanna began shrinking herself a little more into the wall and the cloak in front of her. She could see his hand reaching towards her and- "* My prince! You are home!? *" A sickly sweet, feminine voice called out to the prince. His hand stopped, and she heard him sigh in agitation before walking back out of the adjoined room. Evanna placed her hand on her chest to stop herself from sighing in relief. The prince did not close the door, meaning Evanna could sneak out somehow. She turned around and looked through the small gap between the wall and the door to better look at the inside of the room. The prince was chastising a beautiful she-elf who wore a near see-through dress, only meant to seduce a man. Evanna''s eyes widened, hoping she would not be stuck in the closet room while they had a night of fun. Her brows knitted together after realising the elven prince had long white hair.. like the ranger in the woods.. Shaking her head, she needed to focus and get out of this dam room! Evanna inhaled profoundly and decided to risk it. From what she could see, the prince was ushering the seductress out of the room. With his back to the room, Evanna crept out of her spot and slid out from the adjoined room, half sprinting across the bed chamber and sliding down to the enormous bed in the middle of the room. Evanna stayed crouched down, hidden behind the height of the bed and glanced to the side where there were these magnificent glass doors, with thin white branches growing out from the side of the wall and across the width of the doors. Autumn leaves hung from the branches, merged inside the glass, providing some privacy to the bed-chamber. And behind those beautifully designed doors was a balcony. The sound of the double doors closing and footsteps approaching the bed made Evanna roll under the large bed. With her belly flat on the cool, marble white ground, she kept her eyes on where his boots were walking. After hearing him sit down on the bed, she bit her lip and watched as he removed his dirty boots. What was wrong with him? He has ruined an immaculate floor. Unless he is a prince uncaring of the work of the maids? FOCUS! With his boots left to the side, she watched his retreating feet walk back to the adjoined room. Now''s my chance. Evanna lifted a part of the luxurious bed sheet, making sure he was, in fact, in the other room before she rolled back out and crept towards the doors. With her hand on the golden branch shape knobs, Evanna slowly pushed them open and was relieved when no noise alerted the prince. The prince walked back out of the adjoined room and was startled to see a figure opening the balcony doors. A feminine figure, he already knew, was Evanna. Her clothing and swords gave her away; other than that, her hood was up, and when she turned around to close the doors, he saw only her stunning green eyes above a mask. Those green eyes seemed to be more focused on closing the doors quietly than looking at her surroundings again. The prince tried not to chuckle before pushing the doors wide open and making his presence known. Evanna was already at the balcony edge, checking for an escape route, only to turn around, stunned by the noise of the doors opening again. Her eyes widened, and her body froze when she saw who it was. Mr blue eyes stood across from her, shirtless, revealing his lean, muscular body in full view. Evanna gulped and forced her eyes back at the elf before her. "You weren''t on the guestlist.." The prince''s eyes twinkled with something Evanna couldn''t comprehend. But his chilling yet charming smile set her heart in gear as panic swarmed her body. Evanna jumped atop the balcony surface, causing the white-haired elf to take a step forwards. She faced him again; alarmed by his footsteps, her own slipped on the vines wrapped around the balcony. A squeak escaped her lips before she fell from the balcony. Evanna''s lungs crushed into her ribs from the shock, and her breath escaped her as she fell backwards. Her hands outstretched to grab onto anything. But it was impossible; this was it, she would die tragically, falling to her death. Yet, while her hands were outstretched and wishing for something to help, the unthinkable happens. The vine unwrapped itself and flung towards her. Evanna grasped onto the vine and found herself falling with the vine; a screech escaped her lips before she swung forward and fell into one of the open arches of the floor below. The prince ran forward and grabbed onto the balcony, grasping at it to the point his knuckles went white as he looked over the side. Nothing, she wasn''t there. A loud crashing sound echoed from the floor below. One side of his lips twitched into a smile before it fell as though it was never there in the first place. As much as he enjoyed his little nighttime visit, it didn''t hide the fact that Evanna may possibly be an assassin. He marched back to his room and almost swore because of having to put half of his attire back on. Before he did so, he announced to the guards outside his room about an intruder on the floor directly below. They rushed off immediately while he angrily shoved his boots on. ** Evanna crash-landed straight into an armoured guard; the pair fell on the ground making a loud crashing sound. Evanna immediately jumped up, grabbed the sleeping powder and blew it in his face. Turning around, she started making her way down the hallway that joined the area where the stairs were. As she turned the corner, another guard was marching quickly in her direction, stopping when he saw her. Evanna sprinted towards him, reaching for the powder and clasping at barely a few grains worth. The powder had run out. Instead, she jumped onto the side of the wall, pushing off, using the jump''s momentum behind her to punch him in the face. Her swiftness took him by surprise as he fell back a few steps with a bloodied nose. But he immediately swung a punch, which she dodged and used his arm to swing around him onto his back and grip onto his neck in a chokehold. His hands floundered on her arms, and she squeezed a little harder to knock him unconscious quicker. Time was of the essence. As the guard went limp, Evanna let him slide quietly to the ground while she heard an order shouted out to find her and alert the others. She looked back at the two fallen guards; there was no point in hiding them now. Evanna scrambled up and bolted as quick as her legs could take her; she didn''t bother sticking to the shadows and creeping through now. Their cover was blown, and it was now or never. The gem was in her possession, and she was not about to give up when things suddenly became a lot harder. ** Cilv jumped out of the room and landed softly in a crouch at the entrance, looking up at Ronan in amusement. The ruby dropping to the ground set off the first of many traps in the treasury. But she managed to get out unscathed, if only for one cut on her sleeve. Cilv walked out and looked for the princess with a crease forming on her forehead; she didn''t know how long Evanna had been gone for, but they needed to get out. The party was still in full swing, but the quicker they are out, the better. While her thoughts were occupied with the ''what if''s''. The princess suddenly emerged, speeding around the corner and past Axel. "RUN!" Chapter 58 - RUN! [Authors note: This is the equivalent of nearly two chapters. I am writing the next one now, so will either be uploaded tonight or tomorrow night! XOXO] ** Evanna sprinted past Axel, urging them to run. All at once, they followed her, except Ger, who looked at her questionably as they raced by. The princess stopped and ran back, pushing into his back as she yelled, "GO!" With another nudge, he put his bow and arrow away and ran by Evanna''s side. "What happened?!" Ger shouted. "Well, our cover''s blown! Buuuuut, we have the gem!" Evanna smiled triumphantly. The group sprinted ahead, going the way they came in, giving up on trying to be quiet, especially with Axel''s shield and heavy footsteps. So far, the elves were not on their tails; luckily, Evanna took out the two nearest to them, and there didn''t seem to be any others than the ones near the king''s chambers. No, the prince''s chamber. The white-haired elf.. Evanna shook her head; she didn''t want to think about him and the probability of being royal. Cilv led the way, and they once again found themselves in the cellar. Their legs were striding, leaping across the floor, running as fast as possible. Evanna only hoped that their fastest was quick enough. She looked behind her and momentarily felt relieved. They weren''t clear yet. Evanna eyed the two horses still attached to the carriage as she ran past, but it was pointless, they would take too long to set up, and there were five of them. They escaped to the main entrance, where the fountain sat, and the gates still stood tall. The group halted after seeing five elves, un-armoured elves; Evanna eyed them, expecting to see the elf Garrett, yet he was not there. Well, she ran out of powder, and now, it seemed that all who stood in their way was going to have a terrible night. The princess was the first to charge towards them, unsheathing her swords as she did so. They turned to face her and the others; surprise-filled their handsome features before it slipped back behind a mask of composure. The first elf, Evanna approached, drew his sword out, and they began a skilful dance of sword fighting. Gliding, turning, attacking and defending equally; it seemed, as the princess glanced at her sides, that the others were also having trouble taking them out. Were these more elite than who they fought last time? While Evanna and the elf she fought skillfully manoeuvred around each other, Cilv took her opponent out by playing dirty. The moment his sword clashed down atop her raised daggers, she kneed him in the ribs, jumped to the ground and swiped her legs beneath him. She rolled on top of him instantly and stabbed him in the chest with her claws. Her eyes stared back at the shocked elf, his eyes wide and brows raised in disbelief. She smirked and stood back up. Axel and Ronan were fighting the same elf who seemed lethal, using a whip and a sword, while Ger finished off an elf by knocking him unconscious. Axel already lost one of his throwing axes by the elf''s whip, making the steel of the sharp edge scrape along the immaculate stony ground. The sound caused Evanna, Cilv and the elf the princess was fighting to grimace at such a screech. The elf with the whip also kept most of his face covered by a scarf and a mask, his eyes a dark brown, smudged with what appeared to be black kohl, giving his already fierce look one much deadlier. He snapped his whip forward, and Axel grunted at the lash of the leather cutting his cheek. Ronan stepped forwards, raising his sword, but the crack of the whip swung around the blade, and the elf yanked his arm back, bringing the sword and Ronan forwards. He lost his balance and scraped his hands on the ground by the elf''s feet. The masked elf swung his sword down towards Ronan, but he rolled out of the way just in time for the metal to hit the floor. It was then, Ger lunged forwards with his sword. The elf turned just in time to counteract Ger''s attack; what the elf didn''t anticipate was an axe thrown into his back. He turned, his eyes wide at the direction it came from. The red-haired woman''s arm was still raised from throwing the weapon. Another axe hit his front, this time from Axel. One elf was left, the one Evanna was fighting against. Cilv rolled her eyes at the princess, "Here we go again. FINISH HIM OFF, RAVEN! KILL OR BE KILLED!" Evanna clenched her teeth. She didn''t want to kill anyone, and she knew that was the issue. But the elf before her looked to be just a few years older than her; all he was doing was his job. He might have a family depending on him.. A familyˇ­ Just like she did. Evanna was doing this for her mother. If she didn''t kill him, then her mother would die. Her eyes flashed with the certainty of claiming his life. As she side-flipped out of his attack, an easy move she could have done five minutes prior, she swung her sword behind her, clashing against his and brought the other around to slash his back. "Ah!" The green-eyed, golden-haired elf yelped. Evanna kept her grimace down and her emotions in check; her eyes were deadly, gone was the innocence that typically reflected back. Her face was as cold and impassive as Cilv''s. Evanna continued spinning on the spot, using the force behind her to swing her other sword. The final blow. His body was wide open. CLANG! Her eyes widened in shock. Ger''s sword blocked her own. ** On the balcony, overlooking the gates and fountain, the elven prince stopped and stared at what he saw before him. Some of his best warriors lying on the ground, except for one. "-FINISH HIM OFF, RAVEN! KILL OR BE KILLED!" Interesting. He tilted his head to the side, his face impassive as he watched Evanna transform even more so to a deadly killer. One that struck each hit with 100% effort behind her. The white-haired elf thought she was skilful before, he assumed she put 100% behind herself in the previous fights he had seen, but he was wrong. It was then, he realised who she was fighting, and for once, his near non-existent heart, he forgot he had clenched. It was Cedric. The prince imagined the life of his wife and unborn child continuing in pain without a husband, without a father. But just as he thought Cedric''s life was imperilled, the crossing of blades caught his attention. Evanna and the brown-haired man crossed swords and stood there staring at each other. Until Evanna stepped back, her head hung while the man knocked Cedric in the back of the head. It was then, the group left immediately, their steps quick. The prince was not scared at the possibility of them escaping; his men were lying in wait within the trees. He was only watching from the balcony, waiting on Garrett. Without turning his head around, he said, "* You took your time. *" "* You called for me a minute ago.. *" "* One minute is too long. Come, I want to watch the show, maybe even join in. *" "* It is not a play, your highness. They could have been here to assassinate you or the king. *" Garrett shook his head at his friend; he took things far too lightly sometimes. "* I am very well aware of that. It doesn''t mean I cannot have a little bit of fun though.. *" The prince''s eyes glinted mischievously before he leaned on the balcony and hopped over, landing elegantly on the ground below, near the fountain. He walked forwards casually, his hands in his pockets, as though he was going for a pleasant evening stroll. ** The group approached the trees at a wicked pace; relief coursed through their chests as they approached the white tower from earlier, where they left their bags. Cilv was ahead, already digging them out from behind the trees, and waited for the others to arrive, she kept scanning the trees for any elves, but so far, she had seen none. Axel and Ronan were the next to arrive, which surprised Cilv because Evanna was just as quick as her. But when she looked back at the path, she could see Ger by her side, radiating with anger. Is that the only emotion he can express? Cilv smirked. Ger ran by Evanna''s side; his teeth were clenched together, his jaw ticking even while keeping up his pace with hers. He didn''t recognise his sweet friend a moment ago and was shocked that the princess even listened to Cilv''s advice. It was as though her eyes had masked over, losing sight of her morals as she let the darkness seep in and make them go blank. "Say what you need to say, Ger. We need to keep moving without any issues in the group," Evanna said calmly, her face vacant of any emotion. This angered him even more, and he grabbed her by the arm and spun her around. "STOP listening to Cilv," His eyes burned with so much anger, Evanna believed he would set alight, along with her. Sighing, she replied, "Okay." "Okay?" Ger narrowed his eyes at her, the disbelief written on his face. "Yes. I understand. But Ger, there will be a time where I will have to-" "And that day is NOT today," He squeezed her arms to the point that she knew a bruise would form. Evanna grimaced, "Okay, okay. Let''s go, Ger. The others are waiting and-" The sound of a horn went off in the distance and echoed from ahead of them. It was coming from the forest. Evanna cursed aloud, another thing Ger did not expect to hear from her, considering she was a princess, but then, she had spent some time on the road with them. He followed Evanna to their spot with the bags without thinking more about it. They were more alert with the sound of the horn and picked their bags up quickly, throwing them on their backs. The group continued from there, running up the minor, ongoing slope towards the rest of Direwood. Their plan now was to run a certain point, and then the group would split and meet again near the waterfall. As they ran, Evanna''s brows creased together, slowing ever so slightly. A shiver rippled through her; this time, Ger actually saw her move her shoulders suddenly. "Did you just shiver?" Ger was also frowning now. "Yep. My sense.. Guys, someone or something is close. Be prepared!" She raised her voice over the sound of their pounding boots. Just as she finished her sentence, the whizzing sound of an arrow through the air landed in a tree just in front of Cilv. The woman hissed and fled up the tree, using her claws. Ger rushed ahead, removing his bow and an arrow from behind his back, aiming in all directions as he ran; Axel held his throwing axes, though he didn''t want to use them just yet, while Ronan scouted the trees to Axel''s left. More arrows zipped into the ground, just behind Evanna; she tsked and ran quicker, passing the two men and glanced up in search of Cilv. The shapeshifter was probably taking them out. As that thought popped into Evanna''s head, two elves fell simultaneously from opposite trees with knives in their backs. Evanna raced forwards and collected the daggers for her and caught sight of her for a moment, and threw them into the tree just behind Cilv''s passing body. The shapeshifter stopped for a moment and retrieved them before continuing on her killing spree. Evanna returned from the shrubbery, only to turn in shock as Axel grunted and yelped, stopping for a moment before continuing. Ronan, by now, was ahead with Ger. Evanna sprinted to Axel''s side. "GO!" He growled at her, waving his throwing axe. Evanna made it to his side and glanced down at his leg; the gentle giant was limping. She saw the blood before the two arrows sticking out of his legsˇŞone in his right calf and another in the back of his thigh on the opposite leg. Three more arrows were in the back of the shield that protected his back. At least that made her feel better. But as quickly as the relief came, it went. Evanna''s sense suddenly whipped through her like a shard of ice stabbing her in the side of her ribs. Without thinking twice, she leapt forwards and spread her arms wide, her chest open for the taking. Thud, thud, thud! Like a punch in the chest three times, Evanna''s breath caught, and she nearly choked on the air she was breathing. Arrows stuck out from her chest. "Raven!" Axel was about to cover her, but she was too quick and jumped sideways, still acting as a human shield to him. Evanna removed one of her swords swiftly, just in time to swipe it in the air, blocking another arrow. Axel watched the arrow bounce off to the side and land behind them. "Keep moving," Evanna said, her voice low but high enough so Axel could hear. He wanted to stay with her, but he could see the determination in her face as she removed the arrows, her eyes set on an elf high up in the tree. "Ger!" She shouted while Axel sprinted ahead. Ger whipped his head around after shooting two more elves out of the trees. He saw Evanna at the other end of the group, running last. He frowned when she pointed to the trees opposite her. Bodies still fell from the trees where Cilv was taking elves out. "Make me fly!" The princess shouted. No, no.. she didn''t mean.. we were kids! Oh, shit! Evanna had already started sprinting towards a tree and pushed off one, leaping ahead of her, her leg outstretched, waiting. Ger grabbed multiple arrows, and one by one, the pair synced up a sequence they had only done a few times as kids. Each step she took, he shot an arrow for her to land on, leading up a stair of arrows. Axel and Ronan stopped and stared, their mouths wide open at what they were watching. "She''s nuts!" Ronan exclaimed with a cheeky grin on his face, "I love it!" Axel gulped and turned back around, slapping Ronan once on the shoulder to do the same. They needed to get out of there. Axel was unaware of how many of the Flori there were, but he was injured, and they barely scratched the surface of the forest. Evanna made it to the top of the tree; she used a branch and swung around, kicking the she-elf in the face. Before the woman fell from the tree, she grabbed her bow and quiver before kicking her down. She would survive the fall; it was fine. Evanna looked through the trees and started unloading her arrows at the multiple elves she saw. Although she guessed there would be more, she reminded herself of how dead the woods were earlier. These must have been the only guards they could find who wasn''t drunk. After shooting more than nine elves out of the trees, Evanna dropped down to the ground, landing gracefully. She was so focused on the elves in the trees, her attention was not on her men on the earth. They were again fighting a group of six elves. They needed to keep moving, so she grabbed three arrows and shot them simultaneously, and they dispersed in the exact locations she hoped for. Three elves fell to the ground, clutching their chests. Evanna did not kill them; she merely injured them, not aiming for the heart. Ronan, Axel and Ger stared back at her. Ger smirked, "I did say you were a pretty good shot.." Evanna laughed, reaching for another arrow and coming up short. She threw the bow and arrow to the side, not needing it anymore. Three elves remained between them and their escape. She unsheathed her swords, about to join Ger and help him until her back shivered violently. Evanna''s brow creased before she turned and raised her swords, deflecting a pair of blades that crashed down on her. Her eyes widened when she saw the icy gaze of the white-haired elf attached to the swords lowering towards her face. Chapter 59 - Crossed Swords Evanna''s brow creased before she turned and raised her swords, deflecting a pair of blades that crashed down on her. Her eyes widened when she saw the icy gaze of the white-haired elf attached to the swords lowering towards her face. If she hadn''t turned around in time, his swords would have sliced through her head. What made her eyes round even more was the fact that he also had two swords; she, of course, was taught how to fight dual wielders, but he was an elf. The art of fighting with two swords originated from the elves, and only their most powerful and skilled elves fought with them. This made her nervous, and for the first time, her confidence depleted. Evanna gulped but kept her gaze locked with his; she saw a sly smile twitch on his otherwise stoic face. She pushed him back, and as he swung his swords back down on her, she leapt back out of the way, providing some space between them. She watched as he changed his stance into one only a dual wielder held. Evanna done the same, turning to her side with her left sword pointed forwards and her right raised above her head. "* Lyvarian style. *" He murmured. Evanna''s eyes widened a fraction at how Mr Blue Eyes knew her fighting style. But she did not stew on his words any longer. Almost at the same time, the pair lunged towards each other, crossing swords and turning simultaneously, swinging their swords towards the other, and clashing into each other. The non-stop clanging sound of their blades hitting each other was loud, and almost musical to the sequence they fought to. Their fight was unrelenting, continuous, and to the point where Evanna''s attire became messy. Her hood fell back, and she had no time to recover herself, nor could she, when her long raven locks escaped from her bun. Her hair flung forwards and left in waves by the sides of her face. She internally cursed herself for her thick hair and the fact that she had to now fight with her waist-length hair flying about. Her hair that he could easily grab onto. That thought alone made her put extra effort in her attacks; she leapt over a low swing of his sword and landed on her knees, skidding across the grass, retrieving her floral band as she did so. While she stood back up, she wrapped it around her wrist and turned just in time to dodge his oncoming attack swiftly. They continued to cross blades; Evanna''s agility, it seemed, was the only skill keeping her from losing her head. After fighting the white-haired elf for a while, she knew his skill level with a blade outmatched her own. She had to use more than just the earth beneath her feet.. "This world is your playground, Evanna. Be adventurous, be smart, think outside the box, for in momentous times, you will need your wit. Use everything and anything at your disposal." Her mother''s words rang through her mind, and she glanced at a tree to her left, calculating her next move. Evanna shifted on her feet and began jogging backwards; the white-haired elf narrowed his eyes and followed her. When she was behind the tree, she sidestepped out of his view and spun around, hiding behind the tree, and stepping backwards. She circled the massive circumference of the tree, the size of a house. She watched the deadly elf walk tentatively forwards in search of her. Evanna smiled, she knew it was cowardly, but this was a playground and what better game to play than hide and seek. As long as she stayed hidden.. Evanna turned around, relying on her senses to tell her if the elf was approaching her while she looked on at her friends. Among them, two elves were remaining, and only Ger and Axel left. Ronan was sprinting ahead. Good. She would be with them soon, and they could split off. "BOO!" Evanna gasped and spun around, wide-eyed; her swords crashed into his by their sides. His terribly handsome face was close to hers now, close enough that she smelt his alluring scent and cologne. His eyes flickered with amusement, snapping Evanna out of her daze. Evanna stepped back, and he let her. What was he doing? She was confused, he could have taken her out at that moment, but he didn''t. He allowed her to escape from his grasp. Mr Blue Eyes sighed in agitation, making her doe-like eyes narrow at him, while she stepped back, her swords pointing at him, and once again, she found herself repositioning herself into a fighting stance. After what seemed like an hour of fighting but was mere minutes, she glanced at the stoic figure across her blades, which seemed impenetrable. Mr Blue Eyes smirked, causing her to rise in anger. He looked like he was only playing with her and was not even breaking a sweat. She was exhausted and nearly sweating from their fight. Evanna glanced to the side and saw that her comrades were taking out the last of the elves, but when she looked back at Mr Blue Eyes, more elves were approaching, and they were on horseback. In the same instant, Evanna remembered what lay rest within her pocket. Her eyes widened. They would be outnumbered in minutes! She pushed his sword back before kicking him with all her might into his chest, making him stumble. This gave her enough time to drop one of her swords, grab the gemstone, turn around and throw it towards Ger. "GER!!!!!" On hearing her shout, he turned around and caught the gemstone. "GO!" She pleaded as her legs were kicked from behind, making her land on her knees, with a blade pointed just behind her neck, the cold shaft touching her skin. Evanna watched as Axel grabbed Ger by the shoulder and turned him around, shouting something incoherent to him. More elves arrived, rushing past them as she noted the men had disappeared from view. "Drop it" His firm voice rumbled from behind her, making her body tense as the feeling of ice washed over her. Her last sword remained in her hand; the sense of his frosty web closing in on her made her mind race into ways of escaping it. She turned her head to look behind her slightly, noting how far he was to her if she could remove his sword from this position and just run from him. As Evanna gripped the hilt of her sword tighter, she suddenly found both his swords crossed over the front of her neck, and she felt him lower down to her level; his mouth was now next to her ear, his hot breath sending a shiver down her spine. "Drop. The. Sword." He spoke each word crisply. Evanna''s heart dropped as she felt the blades cut into her neck slightly, drawing a little bit of blood as her chance of escape diminished in front of her. Evanna dropped her sword, feeling the weight of her decision lie heavily on her shoulders; she lowered her head as he kicked it away from her on the ground. The white-haired elf removed one of his swords and circled to face her, his sword still pointing at her throat. Her eyes flickered to the side where she could see her sword lying on the ground; all she had to do was smack his sword out of the way and grab it. Just as that thought flashed through her mind and her muscles tensed in preparation, the elf, Garrett, appeared in her line of sight, and he picked up both her swords in one hand while he held her bag in the other. He walked to the white-haired elf''s side and smirked when he saw her kneeling on the ground. "* What would you like us to do with her, Arawn? *" So the white-haired elf''s name was Arawn. How quaint, it was nice. She decided it suited him. Before Arawn could reply, another elf on horseback arrived, "* Your highness! They split up, using the trees. There''s not enough of us to go on a manhunt! *" On hearing the words ''your highness'', Evanna looked up through her dishevelled hair to meet Arawn''s cold eyes that narrowed slightly before he spoke to her directly, his tone cold and clipped, "What did you do to my men?" As her lips parted to answer, the elf on the horse replied in her stead, "They were found asleep or beaten up.." Evanna bit on her lip to stop herself from laughing; this was no time to find anything funny, but her situation was dire, and if she did not laugh, then she might cry. And she would not cry in front of him. Arawn turned his cold gaze to the elf who answered for her, "Did I ask you?" The elf parted his lips but was interrupted by him, "* No, I did not. If you were here five minutes prior, they would be surrounded right about now, and you would not be going on this manhunt. What would have happened if I had not returned tonight? "* I suggest you and your men search throughout the night. I do not wish to see you until you have them as prisoners. *" He continued. "* You do not wish to kill them, M-my Lord? *" The elf stuttered. Evanna watched as the arrogant elf on the horse became a trembling mess under Arawn''s scrutiny. "* Did you not hear my words? MUST I repeat myself? *" Arawn was now staring directly at Evanna. She did not realise her head turned back and forth between the pair, listening and understanding the conversation. She lowered her eyes; it was best she remained unknowing of the elvish tongue. She heard him click his tongue in annoyance before the hooves of the horse ''clip-clopping off at rapid pace sounded. "* Take her to Hal Morock *". On Arawn''s command, Garrett, who spoke to the King.. or was he a Prince? Ripped her mask from her face and tied some rope around her hands, tugging hard enough for her to stand up, and pulled her behind him. Arawn marched ahead, his back straight and stiff, his swords back in place behind him. They walked in silence towards the bridge, where four more armoured guards surrounded her as though she was a violent prisoner. She sighed. Was she a prisoner walking towards a lifetime in a cell? Or a prisoner walking towards a noose? Although her thoughts were darkening with every step she took, it didn''t stop her from still looking for escape routes. Evanna kept an eye on her surroundings, trying to remember every twist and turn as she took in the grand scene that befell her as they approached the side of a hall. The white walls high and mighty, the marble floors pristine, the arches of the white trees rowed next to each other, rose and twisted towards the ceiling, the white leaves surrounding them. Many elves were wandering in the hall, some playing instruments, others eating and discussing in groups, while many danced livelily. But all stopped and stared at her. She felt her head smacked back down from a guard behind her. Evanna still tried to glance around but with her head hung low; it was somewhat troublesome. Even though she was the one to steal from the elves, she couldn''t help but feel a tinge of anger. Not at her being ''man handled'' but how she found the onlookers sneering at her, looking down at her. Their faces soured as though she were leaving a stench as she walked past. Evanna seethed silently. Elves. Mainly the woodland elves, from what Evanna had heard, carried an air of arrogance with them. Sure, they all seemed beautiful beyond measure, with their tall figures, stunning eyes and sharp cheekbones and jaws. But there was confidence, and then there was just plain cockiness. She rolled her eyes internally. Arawn marched off into the great hall while she continued with her guards down the corridor. She watched him, her head turned to the side until Garrett filled her vision with his broad chest, and he smacked her on the top of her head, "You are lucky to be alive right now." He spat. How lovely. This was what she had to get used to now. She sighed. Evanna soon found herself thrown into a small cell after being checked for more weapons, which were now lying on a table outside the iron bars. She stood immediately with her head held high as the gate slammed shut behind her. Evanna looked at her temporary home. Cold, dirty, concrete floor and walls, a small, barred window at the far side, with the smell of iron and pee floating in the air. She wrinkled her nose as she eyed the bucket, presumably meant for her to empty her bowels into. She glanced down from the window and saw hay on the ground with a dirty, shredded blanket atop it. Evanna sighed, and removed her eyes from the pitiful look of her cell and moved towards the window, tiptoeing to look outside. Although it was dark, the stars and moon shone brightly across the land showing the long extensive forest and the river below where the Flori Palace sat. From this side, she could see the left side of the forest, making her shiver at the idea of Scarecrow lying in wait there. At least he couldn''t get her in hereˇ­ She glanced down at the palace, an area they did not cover when they scouted the place and took note of how some white trees twisted and curved into a tower, a tower she was standing in, at the far end of the palace. After looking outside at the magical scenery and then analysing the cell for any means of escape, Evanna leaned against the wall and slid down until she sat on the dampened ground. Her muscles tightened and felt sore as she tried to make herself comfy, wrapping her arms around her knees and hugging them as she rested her chin on them. Evanna''s green eyes stared straight ahead at the iron bars; she blinked and felt her cheeks and lashes becoming wet. Tears. They were tears, and once one escaped her eyes, the others kept flowing. Now left alone, she couldn''t help but let them fall. She hid her face in her knees, wetting her breeches until she suddenly stopped after clasping her fingers around her necklace. A sudden calmness overcame her as she looked back up. They did it. They stole the gem. She could only hope that her group would not get captured and make it back to her mother. Chapter 60 - From Princess To Prisoner The moon cast a light through the barred window revealing a dark and dank cell to the prisoner within. Evanna leaned her head against the wall, one arm resting on her bent knees, the other gripping onto her necklace like it was her lifeline. Her eyes were closed as she tried to stay calm about her situation. But the princess was consumed with the racing thoughts in her mind about her friends. Did they manage to lose the elves? Axel had been shot; was he okay? Was Cilv okay? Evanna had not seen her since she threw her knives back at her. Were all of them okay? Was Ger angry with her? And was the gem safe? On and on the list went with the worries forming a knot in her gut. If she was not leaning against the cool wall, she was sure her churning stomach would lead to her being sick. Out of all the scenarios she predicted the night before, this never came to her mind. Death, it seemed, was more of a welcome than being a prisoner to the Flori. Evanna was facing the reality that she would be tortured for the part she played in stealing from them. Stealing a gem, most believed to be a myth. Yet, no matter how much they would torture her, she would not give them the information they needed. Her mother''s life was relying on her and her friends to deliver it to her. Unfortunately, there was one issue. Evanna had the scroll with all the information about the gem, including how to activate it to heal. She closed her eyes, pained by that realisation; she could only hope that her mother had read it beforehand. Her thoughts then turned to who the white-haired elf was with the minutes ticking away. Arawn. Prince Arawn of Direwood Forest, the Florian prince, most commonly known as the cold-hearted prince, son to a cold-hearted ruler. Now that Evanna had been left on her own to do nothing but sit and think, she remembered the conversation the servants had in his bed chambers. But what she couldn''t understand was why the woodland prince was in Kuramji the first time she met him. It was against the accords... Hours had gone by without a peep from anyone; Evanna knew it had been hours because the small lighting provided by the moon slanted from its position in the sky. She only wished her watch was allowed to stay on her, but maybe it was a good thing she did not have it; she could quite possibly go mad. Evanna pulled her cloak closer towards her, sheltering her from the draft that swept through the window and the hallway that led to her cell. Evanna couldn''t help but find her mind wandering, jumping to and from scenes over the past weeks since she left the palace. Had it only been weeks? It felt as though a year had gone by; her companions became her family, the open road her home. Evanna shook her head, she was a princess, and if she had not been captured, then her home would once again be her palace or most likely her future husband''s home. The sound of footsteps brought her attention back to the present. Evanna shunned herself for sitting in a pity party; she should have been figuring out what her following actions and words would be. She was unsure if they knew yet about them stealing such an item from them or if the elves assumptions were of a much bigger crime. For now, all Evanna was sure of was to keep her identity a secret. Looking up from her position, she saw two elves standing behind the iron clad bars that separated her from them. She glanced at a white-haired elf, whose hair was as long as her own, in perfectly straight strands. He stood directly across from her, whose silver eyes glared at her, standing slightly shorter next to the elf she had already been thinking about: Arawn. His eyes were cold and sharp, his full lips set into a thin line as he assessed her. The new white-haired elf crossed his arms slowly, diverting Evanna''s attention away from the prince. "Arawn, do all humans lack social etiquette?" His voice rang out in disdain. Prince Arawn shook his head, "No, your highness." Evanna stopped her mouth parting from shock. Your highness?! "Then why does it sit in the corner staring and not talking. Is it mute? Did you have your tongue ripped from your mouth, girl? If not, I am sure I can make some arrangements." Evanna glanced between the king and prince. They looked more like brothers, not father and son! The elf''s lifespan was vast compared to that of a human''s, and that was evident from the sight of them standing before her. Evanna blinked and clumsily pushed herself away from the floor so she could stand. Her eyes swept back up to the king, who now had a crown placed upon his head. An extraordinary crown of golden bands weaved around each other in a pattern around his temple before jutting up into sharp points at the back of his head. Almost looking like large thorns. A crown that was not there earlier. She forced herself not to dwell on such things, his agitation was apparent, and she had not yet responded to the king, "No, I am not mute. Your highness." The king motioned a guard forward, who brought the keys to unlock the door. The king briskly walked into the cell, looking the girl up and down. Before Arawn even took a step into the room, his father had slapped Evanna across the face, the sound echoing, leaving a red mark with slight indentations from the rings on his fingers that had touched her face. With her head moving back to face him, fists curled at her sides, she instead changed her mind and looked at the floor. "That is for stealing from me," The king pointed his finger towards Evanna''s face before turning his back on her and walking towards Arawn, "Though I am sure prince Arawn will punish you accordingly, seeing as it was HIS prized possession from which you took." The king turned back around and stared down at her for a long time before breaking the silence, "*You look vaguely familiar..*" He muttered, then sneered, "How old are you, little girl?" "You know, asking a woman her age is considered rude," Evanna replied drily before looking at the king in shock at her own response. He raised his brow at her and tilted his head slightly before scoffing. "Too young and na?ve to know when not to speak in such a way. In particularly, when speaking to someone much more superior than you, peasant." He spat the last word before continuing, "Or when you are in a much more vulnerable position." Evanna frowned at his words, blinking back at him before glancing at her weapons on the table outside of her cell. She flickered her eyes back at his before lowering them. He tsked at her before turning sharply on his heel and left the raven-haired beauty inside the ugly cell room with the prince. Garrett appeared in the entryway, his giant form making the room seem that much smaller. So the torture begins.. Arawn walked silently around the small room, his hands clasped behind his back, watching her out of the corner of his eye. Her emerald-green eyes held no tears in them as she watched him, her lips pursed together tight, almost as though she was holding herself back from acting out. His assessment of her body language made him presume that she was not used to such treatment. Which made him wonder how long she had been out on the road for; it was tangible that she was capable of taking care of herself. But he dismissed where his thoughts were going. He needed answers. The prince approached her, his stride long, purposeful as his imposing form grew taller the closer he came to her. Evanna backed away from him, each step tentative as their gazes locked, green meeting fiery blue. His eyes burned into her while the room became increasingly cold. Each breath she took became short, clouding out in small puffs before her. It was as though the frosty atmosphere was emanating from his being. Her back hit the wall, and she knew there was nowhere else to go. She was stuck with Arawn and his penetrating gaze. He stopped with a few inches between them and spoke in a low voice that sent a shockwave of icicles through her body, "You stole from us." His voice alone felt like a death sentence. Evanna looked away, resting her cheek on the wall as she closed her eyes; she did not know why she was still alive. But from the tension building in the room, she knew her time was coming to an end. Her eyes snapped open when she felt her chin grabbed roughly and brought to face his devastatingly handsome features, "You stole FROM ME." His voice resounded in the room, making her flinch. Evanna''s lips parted by their close proximity and the feeling of his cold fingers shooting a burning coolness across her skin. She met his intense gaze and lifted her chin slightly, forcing herself not to fear him, she did not in the woods, and she would not now. "Yes. I stole from you," Evanna whispered. Arawn removed his hand from her chin as though her skin was a fire and he just got burnt. He inhaled sharply, the only sign of emotion showing a form of.. what, agitation? Evanna could not tell; she did not know him and did not want to figure out such minuscule details. Would they help her in this situation? It would seem not. His face was impassive as the marble statues artists created, hard to read. Arawn took a step back, but not far enough to make Evanna comfortable. "Why did you come all this way.. to steal a single gem?" He asked calmly. Evanna was beginning to think his calmness was just as dangerous as if he was shaking with anger and shouting to the rooftops. She could see he had a job to do; he could have let Garrett do the interrogation, but the king said it was his possession, something he held dear. Her heart began to pound painfully against her chest, and just as she parted her lips to speak, he interrupted her, "DO NOT lie to me. I can already tell." He scrutinised her face, "There were countless jewels, gold, all forms of riches in the treasury, and yet you took nothing else. You even left your comrades and purposely searched through my bed-chamber. Which was a huge risk.." Evanna gulped, an action his eyes immediately picked up on. He was too sharp and perceptive, a dangerous man indeed. If she had to lie, which she clearly had to, her body language and face needed to stay as neutral as possible. To do that, she would need to provide half-truths and keep her words short. "We did not need anything else," She uttered. Arawn burst out laughing, his head tilted back like her response was the funniest thing in the world. Evanna''s eyes widened at his display. "* The greed of man is infinite. His thirst is never quite quenched. For that, I do not believe you, *" He muttered in disgust. Evanna wanted to reply, ''I am not a man'', but she could not and sealed her lips shut instead, feigning innocent to his words. Again, he scrutinised her face before asking in a softer tone, "What is your name?" "Raven." A heavy silence engulfed them. His jaw ticked as he looked at her. "...Just Raven, are you an orphan?" His baritone voice drawled on. Evanna looked back at him, gauging his reaction, and noticed he had not reprimanded her once for accidentally removing his title in her responses. "I am not, your highness," She replied, keeping her answers clipped without any further information. Arawn''s eyes narrowed a fraction at her response. "What happened to your face?" Evanna blinked back at him and swiftly removed her gloves to touch her face; when her mind ran out of an answer, she asked, "What do you mean?" He raised a finger and pressed it into the side of her head, causing her to grimace, "Did you not see the king hit me?" She bit her lip immediately. If she kept speaking out of place, like a noble, then her death might be prolonged brutally. A flare of anger crossed his eyes, and he sighed in frustration, "He did not strike hard enough to cause bruises all over your face and split your lip." "Oh," She forgot about how messed up her face must look, "this is from my time spent with the faceless," Evanna replied nonchalantly, though she could see his cold gaze flickering at each darkened patch on her face before resting on her eyes again. "I see," He muttered pensively, glancing down at her hands and grabbing one of them. She gasped at the sudden contact and felt the tiny hairs on her arms raise as goosebumps kissed her skin. She held her breath as a shiver erupted through her body from where his thumb caressed her hand. Evanna was at a loss for words. What was he doing? His hand tightened its hold on hers as she began to pull away. He started to move her palm around and inspected her fingertips. Evanna looked back up to his sculpted face, roaming over his defined features, from his strong jawline, straight nose to his thick eyebrows, and finally resting on his piercing blue eyes. Which incidentally she was now staring into; her face heated with embarrassment at this strange turn of events. "* Such ventures you have gone through for one gemˇ­ *" His voice interrupted her thoughts as he stared back at her, gauging her face. He dropped her hand and abruptly turned around, leaving the cell and slamming the door behind him. Chapter 61 - On The Run Evanna deflated, releasing a slow breath and leaned her head against the wall, enjoying the cold feeling it left on her burnt skin. While the princess was left gaping at the prince''s sudden actions in the dank cell she now resided in, further away from the palace and deep into the forest, Ger, Ronan and Axel were still moving. Their footsteps crunched into the dirt and leaves of the forest floor, their breathing ragged as they continued rushing through the woods. There was no point in hiding at this point, the Flori knew they were in Direwood, but once they were in the clear, they would begin to be careful again. But for now, their heavy footsteps was a necessity as they fled. Although Cilv already informed them climbing through the trees that they had lost the Flori, it didn''t stop them from moving. Their bodies were on high alert, the paranoia kicking in, any little sound made the trees appear to be the woodland elves, and they jumped on the spot, weapons ready. Ger led the way with Ronan and Axel trailing behind. Axel''s pace slowly exacerbated, his limp increasing from his injuries. Hours had passed since they left Evanna and had been on the run. Ger slowed their pace down to a walk after glancing back at Axel and seeing the apparent pain he was in. He clutched onto the gem in his pocket every few minutes. It was his only motivation now for continuing on and not turning around to bust Evanna out of the damned place. His mind kept replaying the moment he abandoned his best friend. He abandoned Evanna. His hands fisted together as guilt and loathing consumed him. He should have been there to protect her; he should have been the one to get captured. Not her. Or at the very least, try and fight for her. But he turned his back on her, prompted by Axel. The man who would be dead right now if it wasn''t for her. The man who Ger noticed Evanna looking up to and cherishing as a dear friend. "We''ll camp here," Ger barked to the others. He didn''t bother looking at their surroundings, the shapeshifter was among them somewhere, and for once, he gave her an ounce of trust to be diligent in checking for danger. Ger didn''t like her, but the woman always looked out for herself, meaning her survival was a priority. She would not let them get captured or killed. Ger sat down and rested against a tree, looking at the others in disdain before shifting on the spot. Axel stayed standing, dropping his bag on the ground along with his shield and axes, while Ronan collapsed on the floor with a huff. Ger glanced to his side; the little bundle of joy who had taken up a permanent spot next to him was missing. He stared ahead; the images of their fight from earlier kept flashing through his mind again. The moment where Evanna stupidly sacrificed herself for the gem and the others to get away. The moment where she dropped to her knees, a sword pointed at her head, and that white-haired elf looking smug and acting like he won her, as though she was a prize. Ger wrinkled his nose at the arrogant prick. He should have known the elf had an interest in her after she was temporarily missing when the elves ambushed them. He clenched his teeth together as another image flashed across his eyes, the moment where Axel grappled with him and pulled him away, yelling in his face to go. That the gem was their priority. Ger''s eyes gleamed with the burning rage that had been slowly eating at him since they left. He looked at Axel. Their eyes met, and Ger looked away, not wanting to see his face; it only angered him more. "Ger, it''s not your fault. She made a decision-" "No, it''s not my fault. It''s yours," Ger interrupted Axel, his voice icy. "Come on, man-" Ronan began. "And where were you? Hmm.." Ger snapped back at him, continuing in his rage. Ronan closed his mouth, his eyes hardening as he stared back at Ger. The tension surrounding the men was slowly suffocating them. Ger scoffed after Ronan looked away. "Stop trying to pick a fight," Cilv jumped down from a tree, landing in a crouch before swing her legs forwards and sitting down comfortably, cross-legged next to Ronan. Ger glared at the red-head. "Ger." He moved his eyes away from Cilv and looked at Axel, who shifted uncomfortably on his feet, "She made a decision that has kept us alive. Those horsemen were on their way towards us, and she saw this. None of us would be alive right now." "AT WHAT COST!?" Ger shouted. "Be quiet!" Ronan scolded him, "Or her sacrifice was for NOTHING. You think you''re the only one here consumed by guilt. You''re not. You are not the only one here who cares for Evanna.." Ronan threw a stone he had been playing with in his hands before glaring at Ger. "Oh boy, here we go.." Cilv muttered, looking up at the heavens for some form of guidance, "This is why I stay clear of ˇ­ humans and their drama''s." Cilv sighed and lay down, preparing herself to sleep, already dismissing any fight that may happen. She was tired and didn''t care for the idiots sitting near her, arguing over the princess. Axel tsked at Cilv''s words and interrupted Ger and Ronan''s heated argument, "If you need someone to blame. Then so be it, blame me. But that''s it. We need to stick together and keep moving forwards or all of this.. That gem.. would be for nothing. Everything she has done, things she despised like killing people even when it was an act of self-defence.. would be for nothing." Ger parted his lips, scowling at Axel, but he continued unfazed by Ger''s looks, "She asked me to promise her." Axel''s voice broke. Ger stared at him, "She made you promise what.." Axel gulped, "To force you to leave," He sighed, "If anything was to happen to her, then I had to stick to my words: To keep going and not look back." Ger''s jaw was ticking now from this new information. "Evanna knew you wouldn''t let her go if she fell," Axel spoke quietly and looked down after seeing Ger''s pained expression. Ger put his hands through his hair. "Fuck!" He shook his head. "Evanna.." He whispered to himself. "Ah," Axel groaned. Ger looked back up and saw Ronan standing again and assessing the arrows in Axel''s legs. He reached for one and began to pull- "Seriously!? We''ve been through this before.." Ger grumbled. Ronan stopped what he was doing and glared at him, anger still apparent on his face. "We can''t build a fire. It will attract attention," Ronan retorted. "Cilv," Ger threw a twig at her, "Cilv, I know you aren''t asleep. Do you think it''s safe to have a small fire?" He asked. A few minutes went by, making Ger wonder if Cilv was asleep or pretending to be asleep. He was not aware that she was listening for any dangers nearby. Sighing, she said, "I don''t have Raven''s senses, you know.. There''s only so much I can tell you. But we are fine. Just put it out once it''s done." Ger started a small fire while Ronan mixed together some herbs and water into a paste to help assist in healing. Once the flames began to dance atop the wood, Ger put the tip of his sword in it. Axel shuffled forward and leaned his body against the tree nearest to Ger, the back of his legs facing them. Ronan gave him a thick twig, and he placed it in his mouth. "This is going to sting," Ger cautioned him. "Urry op," Axel mumbled with the stick in his mouth. "1..2..3," Ger whisper-shouted. On three, Ronan yanked the first arrow away on the back of Axel''s thigh; his muffled scream filtered through the surrounding woods. Ger immediately placed his sword on the wound, cauterizing it, and another cry resounded in the woods. He pulled the blade away from the wound and put it back in the fire. Tears fell down Axel''s cheeks. Axel sniffed. Stupid tears, he was in unbelievable pain, but he knew it had to be done, but having his other leg cauterized meant he had to dig deeper into himself to hack the pain without passing out. Taking deep breaths in, he looked back at Ger, who was now eying him, "Ready?" Axel grunted back and leaned his head against the tree, eyes clenched shut. The second arrow was ripped from his leg, the ripping of more flesh made him feel sick, but before he even managed to scream, searing pain shot through his calf. Ger had placed the sword on his leg quicker this time. He growled into the tree and nearly collapsed once the blade was removed. Axel made sure to hug the tree for balance. But once he opened his eyes, his dark surroundings were spinning, and he stumbled to the side. "Woah, Axel. Come here," Ronan grabbed him and helped him down to the floor, then turned him over onto his front, somewhat struggling with his weight as he grunted. Axel placed his head into his arms on the ground and sighed in relief after feeling a cooling sensation on his wounds. Ronan rubbed the light green paste gently on top of his wounds to help alleviate Axel''s pain. "Ger, grab some of those leaves over there. It needs to stay covered," Ronan ordered. But Axel didn''t focus on what was happening next as he fell into a deep sleep. Ronan checked Axel''s head for a fever and was relieved when he felt normal. He shuffled back after checking the leaf bandages he created with some string he had in his bag and looked over at Ger. He was still annoyed with him and angry at himself as well, but what could they do now but take the gem to Evanna''s mother. That was what she wanted. For now, he focused on that and hoped she would be okay; he knew without a doubt that their next quest would be to rescue her from the kingdom. "Elves," He muttered. "Get some rest, Roach. We are only sleeping five hours, and we are taking turns to keep watch," Ger said in a low voice as he glanced around the woods. Ronan nodded his head and lay down on the cold ground, forcing himself to get some shut-eye. But although he was tired, his muscles aching and screaming for a bath and comfy bed, his mind was racing to thoughts of Evanna. Five hours later, the only ones in the remaining group who were well-rested, was Cilv and Axel. Ronan shook Axel awake and asked how he was. Much to their relief, he looked in much better shape. "What was in that paste?" Cilv asked as she eyed Axel''s legs. "Oh, just herbs to help heal the wounds, and they are also a cooling pain relief," Ronan replied as they began to walk away from the area they slept at. "How do you know about these? Is that what you carry in your bag?" She enquired. "Now, who wants to know more about me.." Ronan smirked, before replying in a serious tone, "My mother was a herbalist, she taught me from a young age, and I kept up with studying such things. It comes in handy in these situations." Cilv''s brows raised, she was not aware that Ronan had a form of education, but then, she didn''t actually know anything about him other than his pretty eyes and face and how good he was in bed. She sighed and looked away. She really had spent too much time with them; she does not need to know more about them. That was how feelings were caught, and that was not what she wanted. If one of them died, she did not wish to grieve for them. It was a waste of time and energy. A snapping sound brought her out of her reverie, and she looked behind her. Her brows drew together as her nails elongated, "Guysˇ­ I think we should start running again." Ger looked at her and then behind them before nodding, "Okay, here''s the plan.. we keep running until we make it out of the forest. Axel, can you do that?" Axel grimaced but replied, "Of course. We need to get that gem out of here." Ger nodded and set off at a run, the others following behind until Cilv jumped into the trees again. She preferred it up there; she also had a birds-eye view of everything and could alert them to any upcoming dangers. This also gave her time to think about a few things. Such as that gem Ger was holding onto. Chapter 62 - A Small Miscalculation The morning light shone through the bars of the cell. Evanna was still asleep, sitting on the ground with her legs sprawled out in front of her and her back and head leaning against the wall. After a horrible night''s sleep, Evanna was surprised when her mind suddenly snapped into place, alert, ready for the new day. However, she was disoriented and forgot where she was, automatically reaching out for her swords. Her hands grabbed the air, and she looked to the side only to see the hay and thin blanket atop it. Her eyes glanced around the room, and she sighed. With a frown forming on her face, she recalled yesterday''s events and what led her to sit on the cold floor of an elven dungeon. She shook her head then hissed. Her whole body ached from the position she slept in; her back, bum, and neck took the centre of attention. She stretched her neck one way and then the other, only to hear it crack. Evanna sighed again and decided to get up, it seemed her body hated her for sleeping that way, but she was not going to sleep on the hay. She didn''t know what else slept inside of it, let alone using the disgusting blanket that others had used before. She had her mask and cloak to keep her warm, which was good enough for her. A man''s cry suddenly made her halt her steps. She looked around, shocked after hearing another cry. She raised a shaky hand to her mouth. There were other prisoners, and they were being tortured. Evanna pulled her cloak closer to herself after suddenly feeling cold, and the thought of being next occurred to her. She looked at all corners of the cell for any means of escape, but like the previous night before, she found none. It was useless. But unlike the night before, she now had a guard. He was at the furthest end of the cell, to the point that Evanna nearly couldn''t see him, but her sense told her he was there. It was odd, but although she was in the worst possible place right now, her senses were not acting chaotically. No cold feeling or shiver ran through her. Was this because she was in no immediate danger? After all, she was merely pacing in a cell, waiting for her impending doom. Evanna sighed, she wasn''t even 18 yet, and soon she would be dead. ** At the other end of the palace, prince Arawn sat in the dining room with his father. The king sat at the head of the long dining table made of white marble, with the prince seated at his right side. The king glanced across the beauty that was his table. The white marble surface met the gold legs joining the top that then flourished across the smooth surface, leaving engraved patterns of gold. Almost as though the gold had been dripped and splashed across artistically. The table itself could fit up to 24 people, but the only elves in the room, was the king and crown prince, along with the number of servants standing near the walls at their beck and call. This was one of the three smaller dining rooms they possessed. It was also their favourite out of the many. One of the reasons is that the sun shone magnificently into the room in the morning and early evening, sending beams of multicoloured light across the floors. For above their table, instead of chandeliers, there were light catchers, and above them, the roof was open, revealing whatever the weather was outside. It was their private dining room and only ever used for familial functions. Which, after the years, turned into just for the pair of them to eat there. They ate their breakfast quietly; the sound of cutlery clinking on the plates echoed in the bright room. Arawn paused for a moment as he thought back to Evanna, and the way, even to the end, she tried to fight. He watched her eyes calculate the next move to get her sword, even with his sword pointed at her neck. "* What is wrong with you?*" Arawn looked at his father from the corner of his eye before taking another bite from his meal. The servants looked at one another, confused, the prince had not said or done anything, and his facial expression was as cold as usual. He merely blinked. They could not tell what caused the king to speak out; it was unusual. The king and prince never talk to each other in the mornings. So this was something for the servants to at least be entertained by, without, of course, being noticed. Arawn placed his cutlery down and spoke quietly, "* I do not know what you mean? *" He straightened his back even further as he looked into his father''s blade-like eyes. The king placed his own cutlery down now and scrutinised his son before asking quietly, so the servants could not hear, "* What are your plans for the thief? *" Arawn shook his head once. "* I see.*" Prince Arawn stood up and placed his handkerchief on his plate, and turned his back on the king without another word said. He hastily walked through the hallways before coming to an abrupt stop. Garrett turned the corner and stood in his way, his massive arms crossed against his chest. "*Most people run or apologise before standing in my way..*" The prince began. "*I am not most people, your highness. *" Garrett replied drily. Arawn sighed, relaxing his stiff posture, "* Then I suppose you''re right.*" Garrett moved to the side, so they walked together; he checked their surroundings, verifying that it was just the pair of them. He gave the prince a nod to confirm it was okay to talk freely. "*We are keeping what happened last night from the locals and, of course, the Lyvarians. This cannot get out that a group of HUMANS," He said the word with such disdain, Garrett felt the hallway becoming colder, "were capable of getting into the palace AND stealing from us. Our reputation is on the line, and I am in no mood to get my hands dirty for a while. What is the update on the men that escaped? *" Garrett held his hands behind his back, an action he was unaware that he did, every time the prince would be told something he did not wish to hear. Arawn immediately picked up on the small action, and his face hardened even more. "* Our men are yet to find them, *" Garrett replied gravely. "* They better not disappoint me, Garrett,*" His ice-cold gaze flickered to his friend and back to the hallway in front of them. They were walking towards Hal Morock, one of two of their dungeons. The prince quickened his pace but was stopped by Garrett, who grabbed him by the arm, Arawn looked down at where his hand was, and Garrett immediately removed it and stepped back. "* Speak what is on your mind and be done with it, *" Arawn waved his hand impatiently. He already predicted Garrett''s following words, but he wanted to see Evanna. "*What are your plans for that girl?*" He asked. Arawn smiled a devilish smile, "* I do not know yet.*" Garrett looked at his facial expression and held back from sighing or frowning. The prince knew precisely what he wanted to do but did not want to reveal it to him yet. "*But I do need to interrogate her, so, if you are done.. I would like to get to that. Instead of acting as my guard, I want you to lead training today,*" Arawn turned around and continued making his way to the dungeon. Once he made it to the top of the tower, he looked in at the cell Evanna was placed in. He watched her for a few seconds before making his presence known. Evanna finally looked up from the position on the ground and was not surprised when she saw Arawn staring down at her with his frosty blue eyes. She grimaced, taking in his clean and tidy appearance compared to hers; she was jealous at how straight and intact his hair was. Which was pulled back in his half-up hairstyle. He looked more the part of a prince today. Not wearing his dirty clothes or boots. No, he wore high-quality garments, all in black. The black shirt he wore was buttoned up, leaving the last two open, revealing a part of his muscular chest. His black jacket went down to his knees and had the lightest of black and silver patterns etched into the thick material. Evanna had to look away, afraid that she was gawking. He tilted his head to the side, "No, good morning, your highness?" Evanna tried and failed at forcing herself not to narrow her eyes at him and repeated what he said anyway, dripping with sarcasm, "Good morning, your highness." Arawn ignored her tone of voice and turned to look at her weaponry on the table. He picked her swords up and examined them, his hand stroked the blade, admiring the patterns on the steel, "Lyvarian", he murmured and held back a smile when he looked at her from the corner of his eye to see her near the bars now, eying her swords. Evanna watched as the prince inspected her things, starting with her weapons before grabbing her bag looking through them. The first thing he found was the bag of gold coins; he placed it in his hand as though he weighed it before opening it and checking the contents. Evanna looked down as she gripped the bars tightly. "Did you steal all this money?" He asked quietly. Evanna looked up at him, insulted by his question, and was about to deny it. Yet, the slight smirk on his features made her purse her lips with the denial and gulp down her pride. "Yes," She looked away from him and decided the cell was much better to look at. But honestly, who was she kidding? The prince was a much nicer sight to see, not that she would ever tell him that. The man knew he was good looking. "So, you have always been a thief?" He queried as he placed the bag of gold down and rummaged through her bag again. "No," She replied, again still sticking to the bare minimum words necessary. Arawn clicked his tongue in agitation, "Explain more, RAVEN." Evanna looked up and saw his fiery blue eyes on her. She sighed, sticking to half-truths, "I haven''t been a thief for very long." Arawn turned around, holding her book in his hand, but his eyes were on her, "You know, if you keep twisting your words like that, I will think you a council man." He took a step towards her. The only thing between them now was the bars as he looked down at her. "Why did you steal the gem?" He asked again. Evanna snapped her lips shut, and she could see a flicker of anger burning in his eyes at her action, but she could not tell if she imagined it because he instantly changed the subject, "This book. Where did you get it?" He flicked through the pages. Evanna sighed and replied casually, "It was my mothers." Arawn snapped his eyes back at hers, "Was?" "I took it," Was all she replied with. Arawn gritted his teeth together, and he slammed the book shut. He was getting nowhere with her. He thought by letting her stay in the cell for the remainder of the night, she might want to open up a little, but he was wrong. He miscalculated her. But the moment he saw her hands, when she touched her face in the early morning, he knew she was of noble birth. To confirm it, he needed to touch her and assess them further by grabbing them, feeling the smoothness of her skin and how well looked after they were. It seemed, only the dirt on her face and bruises she was covered in made her look like the bandit she dressed as. So, by leaving her in the cell, he expected her to nearly be begging to leave; it seemed he was wrong. This made her all the more interesting. Chapter 63 - Continued Interrogation: Part One For the next three days, Evanna was visited by the elven prince, who interrogated her non-stop. He was sharp and intuitive with his line of questioning. Evanna was beginning to grow accustomed to his ways; his questioning went in circles and sometimes in riddles, jumping from little questions such as: what do you like to drink? To: Where are you from? With the lack of sleep from staying in a dungeon and refusing to sleep on the hay, Evanna was becoming sloppy in her answers, occasionally giving real truths about herself. She watched in those moments as his eyes lit up in smug satisfaction, it was fleeting, as though she imagined it, but in those moments, Evanna could see he knew she slipped up. Evanna knew he was tactful, and she couldn''t help but be impressed. He did it all without using any measures of violence, something she found to be immensely grateful for. Although, she did feel as though it would lead to torture at some point. On this day, the third day of her imprisonment, it was no different. Arawn arrived and stood outside the bars for the first part of his questioning. He paced backwards and forwards occasionally until he entered the cell and used a chair to sit down elegantly onto. Evanna stayed seated on the ground this time; she was in no mood to stand with her energy and hope of escape depleting the longer she stayed in there. Evanna sighed and looked back up at Arawn. She felt disgusting in his presence; she was dirty and, after sniffing herself before he arrived, also quite smelly. She could only hope that the stench of the cell covered up her own smell. Her hair as well was something she would laugh at if she saw it in the mirror. Evanna gave up on trying to brush it with her fingers and wouldn''t care if they cut it all off; at least she wouldn''t have to deal with it. "How are you keeping?" Arawn asked; his voice was filled with concern, but Evanna refused to feed into the lie of his manipulation. He did not care; it was only another tactic, a way for her to feel comfortable around him, comfortable enough to assist in answering his questions. Evanna looked away from him and replied sarcastically, "I''m locked in a cell. What do you think?" Evanna realised after the first few hours of his questioning on the first day he visited that she could speak quite freely with him. She saw him get angry occasionally with how she spoke, but he never raised his voice nor laid a finger on her in agitation. It was almost as if he was a gentleman, but the rumours behind his malice and cruel ways started from somewhere, and she would not be fooled into thinking he was any different. It was evident from when the king visited her, the prince stood by and didn''t react when she was slapped across the face. But why would he? She was the one to steal from them. She was nothing more than a thief on their land. Arawn leaned forwards, breaking his stiff posture and leaned his elbows on his knees and clasped his hands together, resting his head on them as he stared down at her. "You know, if you just gave me the information I seek, then this," He waved his hand, pointing around the room, "all of this will be gone. You will have your own bed, a bath, new clothes and nourishing meals." Evanna glanced at him at the mention of a bath, and dare she think it, new clothes. She closed her eyes, pained by how little restraint she had when it came to such things. If she was an actual commoner, those items would never bother her. She had even travelled with her friends without her luxuries. Opening her eyes again, Evanna took a deep breath in and looked up at the ceiling. No matter what he did, she would refuse to provide him with the answers he wanted. "It looks like I will be staying in here for a while then," She muttered and watched as the prince''s expression darkened. "You do realise your friends will be found soon along with the gemstone. It is futile in not cooperating," He emphasised each word slowly, and Evanna couldn''t help but feel a shiver run up her spine. It was not from her sense, but she suddenly felt cold; there was no draft, neither had the weather changed outside to bring such a chill in the air. She did not answer him and instead pretended to assess her nails. That small action made him stand and fling his chair back; Evanna jumped at the loud clattering sound that echoed through the tower she resided in. Arawn grabbed her by the top of her shirt and lifted her up to her feet, their faces were inches away, but she refused to move her head away and stared straight back into his icy blue eyes. "Did you want me to hurt you, Raven? Is that it? Are you sick and twisted enough to want that?" He seethed. Evanna blinked back innocently. What sort of questions were these? Her brows drew together as she replied, "Of course, I do not wish to be hurt, your highness. But I have no choice. I cannot tell you what you want to know. So, if it comes down to being beaten, just know this, you might as well kill me because even if I am in the most excruciating painˇ­ You will not get your answer." Arawn flickered his eyes between hers, his own calculating. Evanna could see the wheels spinning behind them as he tried to figure out the problem that was she. He released his hands on her and took one step back, providing her with still too little space to call comfortable in his presence. "The book you have in your bag.. was it useful for your time in the forest?" He queried. Evanna blinked at the sudden question. He was acting as though they were now having a pleasant conversation at dinner, but she knew he was beginning his little act. Either way, she would answer. These questions were easy, and she didn''t mind replying to them. Chapter 64 - Continued Interrogation: Part Two Evanna blinked at the sudden question. He was acting as though they were now having a pleasant conversation at dinner, but she knew he was beginning his little act. Either way, she would answer. These questions were easy, and she didn''t mind replying to them. She looked down at her hands then back up to his exquisite facial features. There was a softness behind his eyes as she gazed into those fiery depths of blue. "Not really. It was good to use to pass the time in the evenings, but even then, I preferred talking and sitting with my friends.." She trailed off and looked to the side. She internally scolded herself. Already she was too comfortable and just blurted out what came to her mind. "Oh? So, were you aware of the faceless on the left side of the river?" He continued with his question. This, however, gained Evanna''s attention, and she looked back at him. "No. We were warned to never go that side-" "Yet, you did. If someone forewarned you, did you not think to actually pay heed to their caution?" Evanna''s mouth dropped open at his question, "Well, if we weren''t being chased, we would never have gone that side." "If you weren''t on my land, then you would not have been chased.." Arawn retorted. "If I didn''t need to come onto your land, then I wouldn''t.. it''s against the accords anyway," She waved her hand nonchalantly. "Why were you in Direwood Forest?" He probed gently. "You know why, to steal the gemstone." "Toˇ­ sell?" "Sell?" Evanna scoffed and shook her head, "I don''t need to sell it, it''s-" She snapped her mouth shut at almost disclosing the reasoning behind taking it. Arawn observed her, tilting his head to the side and spoke ever so softly, "As I said before, it is only a matter of time before I have your friends. My men are closing in on them as we speak. The more men, the easier it is to get information. Especially if torture techniques are needed.." Evanna gulped and lowered her head, looking down at his shiny shoes. She hoped they would make it out, and now it seemed none of them was making it out alive. Not only had she failed her mother, but she failed them as well. They were her responsibility. "Raven" Arawn''s voice was soft like the fibres of the richest silk wound together. Evanna looked up and felt her heart begin to race under his gaze. He parted his lips as he took a step closer, his hand raised to her hair until it stopped midway, and his eyes lowered, his attention snapped to her neck. Arawn''s hand changed its course of action and wrapped around the gem on her necklace. He pulled it closer to him, and she watched as his thumb slid over the smooth surface, and he looked up at Evanna, stunned. His widened eyes snapped back to neutral, and his mask of composure slid back on within a blink of an eye. "Where did you get this?" His voice hardened, and Evanna tried to gauge his expression, but again the elf''s icy fa?ade was back. "Why?" She whispered back. She knew it was of elven make, but if she said it was her mother''s, then there would be more line of questioning in regard to her mother, and the accords would be brought into it. Arawn scoffed, "Do not play dumb with me, Raven. You and I both know that this is Lyvarian." That much she did not know. It was her mother''s necklace that had some spell placed on it to let her mother know of Evanna''s health. "It was a gift," Evanna replied nonchalantly. Arawn placed it back on her skin, and his hand slid across her neck. His cool fingertips sent tiny sparks of fire across her milky skin, making it redden under his touch. Evanna''s breath hitched when she looked back into his eyes, those eyes that had never left hers, while his hand slowly went to the back of her neck. His other hand flipped her hair to the side, and she felt them trying to undo the clasp. He hissed and retreated his hands back quickly as though he had been zapped. "This is a very expensive gift for a thief, girl. Not only is the gem scarce, but it also has an enchantment on it. I cannot take it off. Who. Are. You?" He bit out the last words. Evanna could see his composure becoming frosty. He didn''t like not knowing things; that much was certain. "I have already told you, your highness," She dipped her head. His hand smacked the wall beside her, startling her, and she looked up, instantly leaning her head back into the wall. Arawn towered over her, and his face was inches from hers again. She felt caged in from his overbearing presence and his hands that held her prisoner at the sides of her head. There was nowhere to look but at his almost luminous blue orbs. A shiver erupted through her as the air she breathed became cold. Her eyes lowered to Arawn''s lips, and she was fascinated to see the air he breathed was also puffing out in clouds. "Stop LYING to me, Evanna," Arawn snapped, her eyes flickered back to his, alarmed by the startling realisation that the elven prince always knew her name. What more did he know about her? And was she losing her mind? Or could she see the walls becoming frosty? "Why isss ss it s-so cold?" Her teeth chattered as she blurted out the first thing that came to her mind that seemed to snap the brewing tension between them. The air immediately warmed up, and Arawn leaned away from her, his face cold and eyes distant. He turned around abruptly and marched out of the cell. Evanna breathed a sigh of relief and sagged forwards slightly. However, her relief shattered. Two guards arrived and grabbed her by the arms, dragging her out of the cell. Chapter 65 - Magical Instruments Evanna lifted her legs from the floor and began struggling in the guard''s arms, trying to escape from their grip; there was no way she would make their job easier. If they weren''t wearing helmets, she would have headbutted them. Her eyes darted across the small hall, once again looking for any escape routes. When she found none, they landed on the prince who stood directly across from her, his arms crossed and his face looking bored. Her eyes burned into his. Even though she kept telling herself not to fall for anything in his words, she somehow began feeling the slightest bit of comfort from his presence. She ended up looking forward to his visits, even if they were filled with questioning on a crime she committed. It was better than sitting in the cell by herself, left alone with her racing thoughts. Evanna sighed and looked away from the menacing prince; she tried to look for a way out again. Her eyes flickered across everything until they found Arawn''s again after his baritone voice echoed through the hall. "* Drug her. *" Arawn commanded; Evanna''s eyes widened, and she struggled again, trying to get out of their grasp. She stomped her foot on top of one of the guard''s boots, but her nose and mouth were then smothered by a cloth with an overpowering scent. She didn''t know what concoction it had been soaked in, but it made her muscles go limp and her vision beginning to blur. The last thing she saw before the darkness of her mind consumed her was a pair of bright blue eyes. * Evanna stirred after smelling some incense waft up her nose. Her heavy eyelids slowly opened, and her blurred vision zoned in and cleared after staring up at the sky. Her brows drew together as she stared at the clouds that slowly drifted across the blue sky above her. Turning her head slightly, she saw the outskirts of some white trees and leaves that arched together near the top, only to reveal the sky partially. Drawing in a breath, she turned her head and blinked rapidly when she saw a lady, a she-elf sitting down watching her. Evanna jumped up and scrambled away from her, but her movements were slow and sluggish. She looked down and realised she was on a bed fit for a king, for about six people could easily share it. Her eyes flickered across the enormous room, and Evanna knew she was placed in one of the royal bed chambers. Her eyes landed back on the she-elf who came towards her, whose hands were raised as though she was calming a wild animal. Maybe she was with the state she was in right now. "I mean you no harm, please," The woman said calmly. Evanna relaxed her muscles slightly, the woman didn''t seem like a threat, and even if she were, Evanna still knew how to fight. With her eyes wary, she looked at the she-elf with long brown hair and brown eyes; she had a kind and, of course, stunning face. Evanna didn''t want to admit it but, she felt safe around her. The woman had a calming aura, making her relax that much further. "What is your name?" Evanna asked her. "Rina. I am your handmaiden and will be here to assist you with anything you may need," The brown-haired she-elf named Rina said. Evanna blinked back at her, confused, handmaiden? Her eyes wandered the room again, and she climbed off from the bed. "Rina?" The she-elf nodded politely as she stood up, "What am I doing here?" "Oh, I apologise, my lady. Prince Arawn did explain you had a terrible fall and hit your head. He has been kind enough to let you stay here while you recover. He has provided you with new garments, and of course, when I have assisted you in bathing and changing, I will bring you to the dining room," Rina explained. Yet, everything Rina just said seemed absurd, Evanna knew she had been locked in a cell after stealing from them, and when she was taken out of it, she was made unconscious from the drug she sniffed. But if the prince did not wish for Rina or any other elf to know, then she would play along with it for now. After all, she was getting a bath and new clothes out of it; once she was left alone in the tub, she would plan her next course of action. "I see, thank you. I must have hit my head hard enough to forget that," Evanna replied politely but internally rolled her eyes. Rina smiled subtly and gestured for Evanna to follow through another set of doors. As soon as she walked through, her eyes immediately landed on the tub in the middle of the room. She then looked up and saw the darkening sky. "What happens when it rains?" She asked, her eyes still staring upwards. Rina smiled as she placed some towels on a chair, "The palace has an enchantment on it. The weather is not an issue here." Evanna''s brows rose as once again she was impressed with this magical world the elves lived in. She walked towards the tub; deep in thought, she felt a little jealous. As a princess of the Dunhurst Kingdom, she, of course, had to follow the rules set out by her great grandfather, King Harold. Although her mother still had goods from the elves, and they spoke the elven tongue, her mother did not go as far as to let Evanna seek out grimoires and meet witches. Magic was still very foreign to her. "You have witches place spells on the palace? Does the spell need to keep being updated?" Evanna queried; her thoughts were still swirling with the idea of magic. Rina frowned and shook her head, "No, elves do not associate themselves with witches." Rina continued after seeing the confusion on Evanna''s face, "Elves have their own gifts. I mean magic, as you call it." Evanna''s brows drew together; how did she not know this? Why did her mother never tell her? Was that why she was never interested in grimoires? If she could speak with her mother, she would ask such questions. Evanna sighed; her mother... "I never knew," She mumbled. "It is not very well known, my lady," Rina replied softly. Evanna wanted to ask more about these elven ''gifts'', but her handmaiden was preparing a bucket on the side of the room. Evanna looked down at the empty bathtub and frowned, "I shall wait in the bed-chamber." "It will not take long," Rina replied, and Evanna watched as the handmaiden twisted a silver handle, and from another part of the silver object, water flowed down into the bathtub. Evanna watched in wonder at such a magnificent instrument. She took a tentative step forwards and eyed where the water was coming from, "What sorcery is this?" Rina chuckled, "There are no spells on this, my lady. It is called a faucet." Evanna looked back at the handmaiden, blinking, "A.. fau-cet. And it is not magic?" "No, it is called plumbing," Rina smiled politely. Evanna eyed the instrument called a faucet again and felt utterly dumbfounded. She must have appeared stupid because Rina acted as though it was normal. "* Extraordinary, *" Evanna whispered. She still could not help but speak Muranthian when something surprised her. She needed to start thinking more before she spoke. Understanding her enemy''s words was a powerful tool and may possibly save her life, but it needed to stay a secret. Evanna tried to dismiss Rina so she may undress in peace, but the handmaiden shook her head and apologised, explaining it was the prince''s orders. Evanna bit her lip and began undressing with the help of Rina; as soon as she was naked, she stepped towards the bath, almost salivating at the idea of being clean. "*Wait!*" Evanna turned her head to look at Rina, "Wait, please do not get in yet. It is just," Rina pursed her lips and took a deep breath in, "I need to scrub off the dirt before you bathe.." Evanna looked to the side and realised she needed to be cleaned before bathing. It was not unusual. She was usually never dirty enough to need to be scrubbed at. She nodded her head and stepped back towards a bucket and a bar of soap. Evanna immediately looked at her surroundings with her arms out for Rina to wash her. After this, she would beg the prince to not have a handmaiden to help clean her. If this was to be her new cage, then she hoped to at least have some privacy when she was naked. She never had Maggie do such a thing, and neither would a stranger. A few minutes later, Evanna found herself lying down in the bathtub. Rina quickly threw some lilac flower petals in the water, and they seemed to shimmer delicately. She felt herself relax further in the tub, but before she could close her eyes and sink into the goodness of the steaming water, Rina came back into view. Her brows knitted together in annoyance, but it was another reminder that where she was relaxing was not in her home, but the enemies and she should never rest easy here. Evanna let Rina wash her hair, and although she preferred doing it herself, Rina''s hands were something else as she felt the she-elf massage her scalp and Evanna let out a sigh. Her eyes opened and widened with her already rosy cheeks from the heat, went a darker hue. "I''m sorry," She murmured. "It is okay, my lady. You seem like you have been through such an ordeal. It is understandable. I shall let you relax by yourself once the soap is out of your hair," Rina said softly. Before the handmaiden left, Evanna reached out to her, "Rina," she stopped and looked at her, "how long was I asleep for?" "Erm, I believe the whole day? It is past six now." Evanna nodded her head at the handmaiden''s response, "I shall wait just outside." Evanna nodded her head again and watched at the retreating she-elf until she was out of sight, and she closed her eyes. Although her eyes were closed, her mind was not. Evanna wondered why she was now soaking in a bathtub in the Florian Kingdom. She was their prisoner. She tried to think back to the last time she was in the cell with the prince, was there anything that happened for her to now be here? Until she met the man, she would not know. Evanna didn''t understand how Arawn''s mind worked, but she knew she would soon find out. Chapter 66 - Dressed To Impress Evanna stood facing the tall, slim mirror and couldn''t believe how different she looked. Gone was her breeches, boots and shirts; even her Dracosbain shirt lay on an armchair next to the wardrobe. She also felt quite bare; her arms were always covered, whether that was by a long-sleeved dress or the shirts she wore. The light green dress she wore now flowed down lightly, without any corset needed; the material around her bust was thick enough to keep her chest from bouncing when she moved. The design was beautiful but different. It was definitely of elven make, her shoulders were bare, and the sleeves only covered the top part of her arms before they flowed past her waist, revealing her forearms. Her raven hair shone in long silky tendrils down her back; Rina pulled one side of her hair up and clipped it back, placing a cream rose in her hair along with little flowers she had never seen before scattered in different parts of her thick locks. Evanna stared back at her reflection and saw an elf in her stead. The light makeup put on her face accentuated her eyes and lips. Rina only put a light pink paint on the princess'' lips and on her cheeks, along with some black liquid styled on her eyelids. Evanna came closer to the mirror, observing Rina''s handiwork, she had never worn makeup on her eyes before, but of course, the elves seemed to have a great deal more than the humans. She decided it looked nice, but she preferred to keep her looks to a minimum; she was not trying to find a husband but to stay alive. Evanna tried not to grimace at the cut still on her lip and the bruising on the side of her face. Rina wished to put powder on her face, but she refused. She did not care for the dark splotches on her face and hardly wore makeup in the first place. "* Beautiful*" Evanna glanced up from her reflection and saw the prince standing behind her. She spun around, alarmed by his words, but feigned ignorance and drew her brows together, "Why am I here, your highness?" The prince glanced at Rina, who bowed her head and left the room. He walked closer to Evanna, and she took a step away from him. Arawn narrowed his eyes slightly at her action. Evanna asked another question when the prince stayed quiet, "What did you tell Rina?" Arawn smirked and turned to sit down on the armchair; he paused and grabbed the shirt placed on there. He arched a brow at Evanna, "You wore Dracosbain?" Evanna shrugged, "It was extra protection." Arawn burst into a throaty laugh and sat down, holding the material in his hands, "You.. We.. You were cheating the whole time we fought!" Evanna leaned away from him, startled by how much emotion he just showed from his standard icy fa?ade; with a small smile, she said, "It is not cheating. It does not help me in a fight. It is mere protection." Arawn parted his lips to say something, but as he continued to look at the garment, his features hardened. "Evanna," His voice deepened and took on a note of seriousness. Her name rolled off his tongue exquisitely, and she couldn''t help but feel her heart beat a little quicker. She couldn''t understand how her name sounded so fine coming from his lips and how it affected her so. "I do not wish to torture you to find the answers I want. Not in the way that you think anyhow.." He continued. Evanna gulped subtly; what did he mean by that? "How would you torture me?" Her voice was small, and she felt her blood go cold. She knew the bath and dressing up was some form of tactic from him. Evanna sighed and subconsciously held her gemstone on her chest in one hand. Arawn''s eyes glanced down to the stone in her hand, and he stood up, flinging the Dracosbain shirt onto the chair, and stepped towards her. This time she did not move away from him; it was pointless. "Oh, in a much more joyous way. For me anyway," Arawn smiled wickedly. Evanna felt the colour drain from her face, she really didn''t know what he was talking about, but he was the Flori''s cold-hearted prince; his words finally sunk in, and her eyes widened, this time she took a step back, whispering, "You.. But you saved me.." Arawn tilted his head to the side, confusion running over his features before surprise and red-hot anger flashed across his eyes before a stone-cold mask replaced it, "Evanna, so sweet. I do not mean by assaulting you. Do you really think of me so wickedly?" He took a step towards her again and played with a tendril of her hair. Evanna searched his eyes and was satisfied with what she saw. Arawn would not assault her, and he would not hurt her that much, she was sure. Unless he was an outstanding actor, and his temper was nothing more than an act in the cell. Evanna grimaced, "I do not know you, only of the rumours of you." Arawn smiled broadly. "The rumours? Of me?" His smile made Evanna think that he enjoyed the rumours spoken about him. "That is all I can go by, and what you did for me in Kuramji," Evanna said and turned away from him, "So, what happens now?" Arawn walked towards the double doors to the chamber, "Now, we go to dinner." Evanna turned around, alarmed by his words and scrambled after him, grabbing him by the arm to stop, "What do you mean dinner?!" He turned his head and looked down at her hand. She did not release it until he arched one of his defined brows. "Are you not hungry?" He asked while opening the doors and stepping through. Evanna hastily caught up to him and strolled by his side. "You know I am. But why? Do you not wish me to stay hidden?" Evanna whisper-shouted as she looked around. Unlike the night of the celebration, the hallways were guarded as usual, and the servants continued with their daily tasks. Arawn glanced out the corner of his eye, the only indication that he heard her. But he did not reply and continued to walk. Evanna had to stop herself from pouting as she followed him; she also scolded herself for not paying attention to the twists and turns after descending the stairs and walking past the great hall. As Evanna walked by the prince''s side, she became slightly overwhelmed by the many elves glancing her way. Yet none glared at her. Chapter 67 - Consequences The elves attention was to their prince; she watched as they walked by and bowed their heads. But much like how Evanna does not stop and speak to anyone in her own palace, Arawn was the same. He looked ahead and paid no heed to the elves who greeted him. Yet, her own situation was different from his; the nobles despised her for being the king''s bastard, so she blanked them. Evanna did, however, see out of the corner of her eyes the hushed whispers of she-elves and servants. Did they wonder who she was? Or suspect anything? A few giggles made her realise it wasn''t her they were looking at, but prince Arawn. She turned her head back to look at his side profile but looked away quickly when he glanced at her and smirked, which vanished promptly as they approached another room. Evanna glanced around, her instincts kicking in to look for ways to escape. She had to remind herself that she wasn''t a princess visiting the elves; she was a thief and their prisoner. However, as she walked through the clear double doors with white leaves ingrained in the glass, Evanna found herself staring at a hall filled with elves. None of them looked at her in disdain, like the previous night when she was first captured. She subconsciously touched her hair and realised her ears were still mostly covered. They thought she was an elf. That must be it. But what she could not understand was why she was there and in front of the king, who sat at the far end with a long wooden table before him with plates and cutlery. Evanna stopped her steps and glanced at the varying faces, all dressed in their best clothes and what appeared to be of the richest materials. A musician played their harp quietly in the corner by a grand window that arched together with beautiful designs in the wood. Prince Arawn turned his head and raised a brow at her as if to ask, what are you doing standing there? Evanna subtly gulped, lifted her chin slightly and pulled her shoulders back. Her posture was never substandard, though. She was taught how to constantly stand, walk, and act as a princess from the age of four. Now, Evanna would use these lessons. Stepping forward, she now stood in the middle of the hall. Servants and guards stood by the walls, and the nobles sat in their chairs at the two long tables on either side of the main table the king sat at. Evanna curtsied, keeping her head lowered, she did not know if she was meant to talk, but fortunately, Arawn came forwards and spoke in her stead. "* My king, this is Evanna. A guest to the Flori. *" Evanna frowned at the prince''s comment but quickly composed herself. She was not meant to know Muranthian. "Please rise and take a seat by my side, ''guest''," The king''s voice resounded in the hall, and he put a little bit more emphasis behind the word ''guest''. Evanna straightened up and followed behind Arawn to her seat. He pulled the elegantly carved wooden chair back for her, and she sat down. Her heart pounded against her chest, and she kept her hands in her lap. She was now sitting in between two of the most powerful men in the woodland realm. Evanna forced herself not to show any signs of nervousness or that she was a threat. It was a delicate balance between the two, one she hoped fared well. She glanced to her side at Arawn and found him staring intently at her. She wished to ask him why she was there, but she could not. Evanna was sitting in the spotlight of not only the King and Crown Prince of the Flori but the nobles and councilmen of the kingdom. After dinner, IF there was an after, she would speak with the prince once they were in private. As much as she did not wish to be there, she had no choice. "For a brief moment, Evanna, I forgot you were a thief." Evanna turned her head to look at the king, who looked at her with his head tilted. He clicked his fingers and pointed at the table; soon after, a servant placed a golden plate with meat and vegetables on the table. The king gestured for her to eat, but she turned her head slightly to look at the prince for permission. He nodded his head. Was this poisoned? No, her senses would tell her if it was.. "Thin-era, your highness. You are far too kind to treat me in such a way," She politely replied and raised a golden fork with meat on it. The king chuckled, "A thief dressed up in pretty clothes is still a thief.." Evanna paused her fork before taking a bite and looked back at the king. "Do you know what we do to thief''s here, Evanna?" She placed her fork of meat down on the plate soundlessly, her attention still on the king. Evanna subconsciously held onto the knife still, she had no intention of harming the king, but if something was to happen to her right now, she would not hold back from defending herself. "No, your highness," Evanna replied politely. The king glanced at Arawn, and she followed his gaze. "We chop off their hands," The prince finished. Evanna watched and pulled her hand back in time for the prince''s knife to slam into the table where her hand was placed. She gasped; she did not realise there was another hand that reached there. The knife had been stabbed all the way through the man''s hand, sticking him to the wood. A loud yelp sounded from behind her. Within a flash, Arawn stood up, pulled a sword out from his side, and swung it down on the man''s wrist, dismembering the hand from his body. Blood squirted out and coated the table before her, along with her plate of food. The man fell back, wailing and holding his wrist. Evanna watched in shock as the guards came forwards and dragged him away. She looked back at Arawn, who was wiping his blade with a handkerchief nonchalantly before sheathing it. She stared wide-eyed at the prince, but her attention was brought back to the king, who continued to eat as though nothing had happened. "Just remember that the next time you wish to steal from us." The king said lightly as he relaxed his cutlery and stared at Evanna, "You may be my son''s new plaything, dressed up to look pretty, but do not fool yourself into thinking that he will release you once he is bored of you. You stole a gem that is of great importance to him." The king returned to his meal, releasing Evanna from his stony silver eyes. She glanced around the hall and saw everyone was still eating, not paying them any heed. Evanna was not shocked by the act of violence, she too, had seen a great deal in her own palace, from her own father. But she was shocked because the king and prince decided to act while everyone was eating. She placed her hands in her lap and looked at Arawn again. He was now sitting and eating his own meal. It seemed the only placement of the blood was on her plate and partially down her dress. She looked back at the prince''s emotionless face again and almost looked away when he met her eyes, but she didn''t. "How long had he been stealing from you?" Evanna queried, keeping her voice level. "He hadn''t," Came the prince''s reply. Evanna parted her lips, her brows knitted together, "He-" "Was not a thief," Arawn looked at her frostily, and she felt herself grow colder. "Your actions have consequences, Evanna. I am allowing you to roam freely in this palace until I get my answers. But if you do anything that displeases me, just remember that you are not the only one I can play with." Evanna looked down at her plate as any form of escape vanished from her mind. She could not let others be treated how that servant had been treated. He was merely a pawn thrown away with, just to prove to Evanna that the prince could do anything he wanted. "Are you not hungry?" He asked in a concerned voice. Evanna glanced back at the stone-cold flawless prince. "Funnily enough, I lost my appetite." Chapter 68 - Befuddled Mind Arawn glanced out of the corner of his eyes as he drank from the crystal cut glass of wine. Evanna sat there almost motionless, staring at her surroundings, looking slightly lost. Her shoulders, which were bare, and looking delectable in the dress she wore, were slightly slouched from her otherwise perfect posture; the only other sign that she had been affected by what he did in front of her. She quickly corrected herself, setting her shoulders back and reached for her own wine glass, taking a tentative sip as her face once again became composed. Arawn placed his glass down carefully and clicked his fingers for a servant to clean the blood, hand and Evanna''s plate up. Evanna looked away when the servant picked up the hand from the floor and carried it towards the door that led to a back room, only meant for servants. Arawn, on the other hand, chose that moment to openly observe her. He tilted his head to the side and leaned his elbow on the table, resting his head in his hand. He watched in between the motions of the servant''s wiping the blood away and removing the plate. Arawn had been testing her to see the extent of her nobility. Was she a daughter of a Duke or a Lord? Her reaction to such brutal violence made him believe she had seen much more than what she was capable of when fighting. Most women would grow faint or be sick; her reaction was coolly breezed over with composure. Was this because she was a prisoner in unknown territory, or maybe because she was someone of a much higher rank? Someone who had seen the wrath of a king before? He narrowed his crystal blue orbs at her just as the servant finished cleaning and left. But scoffed and looked away from her stunning ethereal green eyes; why would a princess leave their palace and travel such dangerous roads? While the prince debated with himself over the many questions, he seemed to keep wondering about the dark-haired beauty sitting next to him; Evanna had finished the last of her wine after looking away from the prince''s icy blue gaze. She tried to guess the time and how long she sat at the dining table between the elven king and prince and when it was appropriate if it was, allowed to leave the room. Her gaze went up to the ceiling; it seemed this was the only room she had been in so far that had a closed roof and looked somewhat similar to her palace in Dunhurst. Either this room looked similar to the one in Dunhurst, or the ''wine went straight to her head''. Or so she thought. Evanna had merely heard that expression and accustomed it to clumsiness from drinking too much. It was, after all, her first time trying the liquid, and she couldn''t help but compare it to that ghastly stuff Ger drank in Kuramji. The thought saddened her by the memory of her friends and now at her lack of freedom. Evanna accidentally let out a sigh, and she covered her mouth, glancing around. Fortunately, no one had been watching her until she glanced to her right and saw the prince still looking directly at her. She swallowed lightly as she watched his eyes wander from her face and down her outfit once more. Evanna felt herself becoming heated from his openness to look at her in such a way; she looked away, suddenly feeling cold from his earlier brutality. "Are you finished?" Evanna turned her head back and saw Arawn standing, his hand extended towards her. She couldn''t help but eye his hand before hesitantly placing her own in his. The moment her fingers touched his hand, she felt a shock pass through her, and she shivered. Even after being so merciless, the slightest touch from him made her body react in such a way towards him; she couldn''t understand it. Evanna lifted from her seat and bowed her head at the king, "Your highness." The king''s cold stare was his only response, and she happily let Arawn lead her away. Once they were out of the great dining room, Evanna slipped her hand away from his raised hand and continued in her slow stride by his side, casting her eyes ahead. Her thoughts were crowded in her mind, making it impossible to think clearly, from stealing the gem, getting captured to now having dinner, or not having dinner in her case, and seeing the prince cut an innocent''s hand off. "Do you wish to see more of the palace?" Evanna was brought out of her tumbling reverie by a soft, velvety voice; she looked up to her side and realised it was prince Arawn. She tried not to blink profusely in shock from his gentleness. She cleared her throat softly. "I think I have had enough excitement for one night," Evanna grimaced as she remembered the servant with one less limb being dragged away, leaving pools of blood in his wake. How could Arawn be so cruel? She glanced at him and found him staring intently at her; she forced her eyes to look away from his sharp gaze. "I thought you would like some fresh air after being in a cell for so long.." Arawn trailed off, his voice bored, as though he was doing her a favour. "Thank you for the invitation, your highness. But I must decline," Evanna replied politely with a slight edge to her voice. Arawn stopped and turned to her, taking a step closer to her personal space with his hand lightly touching the side of her hip. Evanna gasped at his sudden touch and placement of his hand. The dress she wore was much thinner than the ones she usually wore in Dunhurst; it felt as though he was touching her bare skin. Arawn raised his other hand and gently tilted her chin back up to look at him, "And if I insisted?" His voice was like ice melting atop her heated skin. "Then I would accept," Evanna breathed instantly, her gaze still fixed with his. She couldn''t help but feel as though she was falling into the deep depths of his calm, blue waters that were his eyes. She watched as one side of his lips curled up, and his eyes softened. But once again, he was quick to become expressionless and stepped back. Evanna couldn''t help but breathe a sigh of relief and sag slightly; her body was reacting before her mind did. It must be the wine, yes, that''s it; it has nothing to do with his marble physique, striking features and alluring eyes. "Come, let me escort you back to your room," His voice was stiff once again. Evanna nodded silently and strolled by his side, taking note of how the palace had quietened down from before. The only remaining elves were guards or servants. She let herself become a little too consumed with her surroundings so as not to pay heed to her own bubbling thoughts and bodily reactions to the prince by her side. But soon enough, she glanced to the side and was reminded of the man who chopped someone''s hand off to make a point. And she became frosty once more towards him. Evanna now found herself standing outside of ''her'' room, looking at the door in front of her. She frowned and turned back to bid Arawn goodnight, out of courtesy from the many years of being a royal. Although, if she was in her own quarters, the prince would not be anywhere near her bed chambers. But, she was not a princess here, and these were different circumstances. When Evanna landed her eyes on the prince, he took a step forwards and placed a hand on the door behind her. She immediately leant against the door and looked up into his beguiling eyes. "Do not try anything, Evanna. Remember what happened at dinner," He said slowly with conviction. "How could I forget," She snapped. His eyes widened, then he smirked and stepped back; without another word, he turned to walk off. Evanna stayed still against the door and watched him walk a little further down the hall. Her mouth fell open when he opened a door and stepped in. It was the room next to hers. She scanned the area in her slightly buzzed state and realised she was in the prince''s quarters. Evanna marched to his door that had been left open and narrowed her eyes. He knew she would follow him, and follow him she did. Evanna walked into the familiar room and scanned around for the prince. It was no wonder she couldn''t find him immediately; the chamber was three times the size of the one she was in. "Oh, Evanna. Is there something you seek?" Arawn sauntered out of his private room with only his breeches and boots on. Evanna''s eyes travelled down his muscular body that tensed and relaxed at every step he took towards her. He was lethal like a lion, with his long white locks now removed from his usual hairstyle and falling down across his chest. Some part of her brain was telling her to look away and leave the room; the other 98% of her was ensnared not only by his chiselled, marble body, but when she looked up, his eyes intoxicated her, and the only remedy was him. He now stood in front of her and raised his hand to her chin, knocking her mouth gently back to being closed, "Staring is considered rude, my dear." His words and action immediately snapped her out of her daze. Ignoring his words, she said, "Your room is next to mine.." "Yes, I think it''s better that way, don''t you?" He tilted his head to the side, his eyes still elated by her reactions to him. Evanna sucked in a sharp breath, closing her eyes briefly before turning on her heel and leaving his room. She heard his laugh before the door shut by itself behind her. She placed her hand on her chest and glanced at the approaching guards before scrambling into her own room, feeling the safety net of the four walls keeping her from them and the elven prince who slept next door. Chapter 69 - The Balcony With the doors slammed behind her, Evanna leaned against them; her breathing was heavy as though she had been sword fighting for hours. She closed her eyes to calm her thunderous heart, only to snap them open once again after visualising prince Arawn behind her eyelids. Yes, he''s handsome, now move on, Evanna. Pushing off from the doors, Evanna sighed and shook her head, trying to rid her thoughts of the elven prince. She walked forwards and collapsed on the bed, rolling over so she faced the canopy of the bed, her arms flung by her head, and her dark locks fanned out beside her. Her mind was still consumed by thoughts of Arawn. As much as she tried, she could not shake him off. She could not fathom her own bodily reactions to such a ruthless man. Every little cold touch of his made her flustered, and his gaze left her skin aflame. Was this because he intimidated her? Even looking at his bare chest and muscular arms, she found herself stuck on the spot, unable to look away. Her cheeks heated at her own actions this evening. Evanna had taken the bait and followed him into his room, his room! The shame! And not only did she follow him by herself but to stop and gawk at his approaching half nakedness. Evanna placed her hands over her eyes; her reputation could have been ruined from that very action if she had one in such a place. A knock at the door interrupted her swirling thoughts; she sat up and pulled herself towards the edge of her bed, fretting over her hair, before calmly composing herself and folding her hands in her lap. "Come in," She softly raised her voice, loud enough for it to travel to the double doors and the person behind it. Slowly, the door opened, and Rina entered. Evanna''s brows furrowed at the handmaiden, with her heart sinking, but she did not know why. At Evanna''s expression, Rina smiled gently, "His highness requested for your meal to be sent to you." Evanna glanced down at Rina''s hands and blinked her eyes in confusion at the golden cloche covering a plate. Evanna stood and began to gesture towards the room but stopped her hand movement; the room was still foreign to her. She had yet to be accustomed to it and to scout it out. Rina took a few steps and paused, "Would you like to eat at your table or on the balcony?" The- balcony? Evanna followed Rina''s gaze; turning her head to the side, she realised the big windows with sheer curtains pulled to the sides were, in fact, clear double doors. They were not as glamourous as the ones in Arawn''s room, which was why she guessed it was a window. One side of her lips curled up, and she quickly hid it before facing Rina again. "I would like to eat on the balcony," Evanna replied and stood up. Rina walked forwards and opened the doors. Evanna quickly followed behind her and stopped with a gasp when her gaze fell on the sight before her. The balcony was the length of her room; the white bricked railing at the end had vines wrapped around it with radiant roses sprouting out. To the right side, there was a trellis, again covered in vines and an assemble of blooming flowers she had never seen before. Each of them glowed underneath the moonlight. There was no need for candlelight; the moon and the flowers were aglow. Beyond the balcony, Evanna could see enough light to see the river and outskirts of the forest on either side of the palace. When she glanced down, there were some gardens that Evanna and Cilv must have missed on their reconnaissance of the place. It seemed the prince''s quarters faced away from the waterfall. To her delight, she realised, he had one of the best spots in the palace. The sun would rise and fall here, bringing with it the rays of orange and yellow upon the land, something she could happily watch. This much she knew from when she slept next to the cave upon the cliff across from the palace. All thoughts of escape vanished from her mind and were replaced by the beauty she was surrounded by. Rina set the plate upon a small white bistro-style table before bowing her head and standing to the side. Evanna''s brows drew together at the realisation that Rina would not leave until she finished her meal. Sighing quietly, she stepped forwards and sat down on one of the chairs, staring off at the rushing water in the distance with the moonlight whispering platinum-golden hues upon the surface. Evanna glanced back down to the cloche and removed the lid, half expecting the servant''s hand to be hidden beneath. In its stead, there was the meat and vegetables which were served earlier at the dining tableˇŞthis time without any blood. Evanna inhaled the delicious scent of the food, making her stomach rumble in complaint. She picked up the cutlery she presumed Rina brought with her and took the first mouthful of the tender meat. A small moan of appreciation left her lips. She dug in eagerly to the rest of her meal, enjoying the rich and unique flavours bursting on her tastebuds. Evanna was quite glad now at not eating in the great dining room because she would find herself embarrassed after moaning so much at the food. Which, of course, was rude and unladylike. If she were in the Dunhurst palace, she could only imagine the snide comments leaving the noble''s mouths, or more so, her sister''s mouth that would most likely start rumours about her. "Do you like the food, my lady?" Evanna opened her eyes after taking another bite and nodded her head at the servant. For some unknown reason, she did not find herself uneasy in her presence or blushing from the small moans she had made by something as simple as food. Maybe her time apart from palace life made her appreciate the cooks more, or the food made by the elves was impeccable. Chapter 70 - Gilded Cage Once Evanna finished her meal, she wished to sit outside for longer. Arawn was correct earlier when he thought she would want some fresh air. Not only because she had been locked away in a cell for a few days, but she enjoyed the outdoors more. She escaped her own palace many times, not only to be among the commoners but to see the sights outside the stony walls. In the times she fled to the forest or the fields, she was not Princess Evanna Goodrich; she was not the bastard child of the king. She was just a girl running among the wildernessˇŞfree of duty and drama that lay within the palace walls of Dunhurst. Evanna sighed in content and played with the gemstone of her necklace; the power radiating from it soothed her even further. That was until she reminded herself of the reason behind the view before her and the food she just ate. Her mother was ill, and here she was relaxing on a balcony enjoying her ''freedom'', which, of course, was not the case. She was a prisoner in a gilded cage. Granted, it was of her own doing. But the guilt she felt for falling for such small pleasures of luxury gnawed at her. If there was a way for her to contact her mother and Ger, then she would. She needed to know the gem was safe and on its way to her mother. "My lady, should I dress you now?" Rina asked, ripping her from her spiralling reverie. Evanna''s gaze at the view before her flickered back to the servant then down at her blood-splattered dress. With a nod, she rose from her seat and went back to her room, only to get changed, with the help of Rina and return some minutes later. Evanna sat back down now in a nightdress on her seat overlooking the grounds and river. "You may go, Rina," She dismissed her handmaiden. Rina curtsied and began to walk away but stopped and faced her again, "My lady-" "Evanna" Rina blinked back at her with wide eyes before furrowing her brow, "Lady Evanna?" "Please, just call me Evanna. I would prefer it," Evanna muttered before glancing back to the view and leaning her head upon her hand where her elbow now rested on the table. She could not look back at Rina for fear that the tears in her eyes would fall. She used to repeat herself to Maggie every day to address her by her name and not her title. She smiled, albeit solemnly, at the memory. "My lady, his highness, would not be pleased if I addressed you improperly. I''m sorry-" "I understand," Evanna replied quietly without glancing her way. "I was told to repeat something to you," Rina continued with a slight quaver to her voice. This made Evanna look at her with concern. "Prince Arawn wishes to remind you to not try anything tonight, and he is only one door away." Evanna''s teeth clenched together, and her eyelids dropped slightly by another reminder of her imprisonment and the consequences of her actions if she tried to escape. Was this why Rina was nervous? Did she know she was a prisoner? But of course, the handmaiden must have known at least of the prince''s cruel ways. "How very kind of him to remind me," Evanna replied drily and swore she heard a laugh from behind her. She twisted in her seat to look but internally rolled her eyes when all she could see was the trellis. It had been a rather ''exciting'' evening; maybe her mind was replaying Arawn''s laugh after the night''s events. She glanced back at the somewhat confused looking servant and smiled, "Thank you, Rina." Rina curtsied again and left. Once the princess was alone, she immediately stood up and began looking over the balcony. If she somehow did escape, possibly via the patio, at least she would be too far away by the time the prince was aware of her absence to use a servant as a means of punishment. Evanna climbed on top of it, this time keeping herself steady by using the trellis. Her balance was adequate, but she felt better for holding onto something after the last time she climbed the prince''s balcony. The drop was as significant as she remembered it; this time, she could not imagine a vine magically helping her for the second time if she fell. Evanna pulled back and lowered herself down, so she sat comfortably on the smooth white surface and leaned against the trellis behind her. Her hand slid along the twisted vines and instantly felt the life force of the plant. It felt almost like it was glowing beneath her; there was no light for her to see, just the rush of power flowing through it. She could not understand what happened when she fell, but she had a feeling that she would soon find out. "* There is so much you still have to teach me, mother..*" She whispered into the night. For the next twenty minutes, she watched in a daze, willing her bundling thoughts away and feeling herself becoming calm and one with the still night. With her head resting comfortably against the trellis and her gaze on the water beside her, she felt her eyelids becoming heavy as her heart settled down to a steady rhythm. Unbeknown to the sleeping princess, Arawn had been leaning against his own trellis on his balcony, listening to Evanna''s activities. He wouldn''t call it stalking per se, more like keeping an eye on her. And a good thing too, he climbed over the trellis and leapt onto her balcony, landing soundlessly. He tightened his light blue silk robe together after it became undone slightly, revealing his chiselled chest beneath. He turned to look at his sweet rose before him. She, too, was blooming against the trellis with the other flowers, but her visage he could look upon for hours without ever getting bored. Arawn cleared his throat and was surprised when she did not wake. The last time he was near her, she woke up in alarm in the forest, yet now, she did not even stir when he made a sound. What a foolish girl to fall asleep in such a ridiculous spot; it was almost as if she craved for danger. Maybe that was why she left her life of luxury? He banished the thought from his mind. He could see from how Evanna stubbornly kept her secrets guarded to her chest and that what she sought, the gemstone, was a necessity. But he could not understand why. There were so many questions unanswered that swirled around the mysterious woman before him. But she was not something for him to pass the time and learn such things about her; no, he admired her sorely. With one last look at her relaxed face, he stepped towards her and put his arms behind her knees and back, lifting her with ease and strolled towards her bed, placing her down gently. Once her head was against the pillow, he moved strands of her hair away from her face, caressing her cheek with his thumb longingly. Evanna was his now, and there was no way she was going to escape. He would make sure of that. Chapter 71 - Back To Square One Evanna''s eyes fluttered open after the sunlight beamed into the room, landing directly on her face. The startling light seemed to almost burn her eyes, blinding her to roll over and grab the nearest pillow to cover her head. Relaxing her body once more, her breathing became long and slow as she snuggled further into the bed. Evanna could not help but note how well rested she felt, especially after being on the road for so long. The bed she lay on was as comfortable as the floating clouds in the sky. Or so she assumed. It was extremely comfortable, most likely more so than her own at home. Evanna sighed in content until her mind caught up with her and her lids snapped open before she bolted upright, staring around bleary-eyed. Realisation dawned on her as the disorientating feeling simmered down while she scanned the unfamiliar bed chamber. The previous day flashed across her mind, and her erratic pulse beat calmly once again. Glancing to the side, she eyed the balcony doors. She swore she fell asleep outside. Not her best idea considering it was on the ledge of the balcony. Maybe I got up and climbed into bed? She must have been that tired and groggy; she could not remember. Nodding to herself, convinced by her answers and utterly oblivious to the idea that somebody could have carried her to bed, she climbed out of it and began scoping her room. Within minutes, she found no escape routes besides the balcony, but she honestly did not have high hopes for secret passageways or the like anyway. So, it appeared, the only course, if she ever chose it, was the balcony, but it was too much of a drop for her to attempt. Evanna was back to square one. A knock at the door startled her from her reverie, and they swung open gently without Evanna responding. Rina tentatively stepped into the room, her eyes looking at the bed only to become panicked for a millisecond before they found Evanna standing in the middle of the light, airy room. She watched as Rina''s tensed body relaxed, and a bright smile lit up her face, "Good morning, my lady. His highness wishes to see you for breakfast." Without much more Evanna could do about it, she nodded her head and walked towards her private dressing room. She let Rina pick out a dress for her; she did not wish to try and prettify herself up. The king''s words still stuck to her like a thorn in her side. Plus, her only goal was to escape the palace, and luckily, the prince decided to remove her from the prison for some unknown reason. He mentioned torturing her, something she did not wish to stay long enough to see what sort of techniques he wanted to use. Sighing, Evanna turned around after Rina helped her into a tea green dress, one where the sleeves were short and capped just below her shoulders, which were once again kept bare, with another part on the front of the dress wrapped around her neck. There were golden lacey leaves over the top of the sleeves and merging down her bodice. The rest of the dress flowed out towards the ground. Evanna glanced at herself in the mirror. She was still to get used to the differences in dress style, yet she was rather happy not to have to deal with wearing a corset. Although, she still felt quite naked with so little on. Her bare arms and shoulders would warrant her a whore in Dunhurst, but from the way Rina was smiling at her, she knew this was the norm. She walked back into the bedroom and sat down in front of the dressing table, and looked into the mirror at her overly messy hair. This typically happened to her thick hair when she slept well and most likely rolled around in her sleep. Evanna has never had anyone sleep by her side, so she did not know how she slept on a daily basis, but from the number of times her body was wrapped up like a cocoon or a pillow or two were thrown on the floor, she decided that was the case. After another twenty minutes of Evanna''s tangled hair brushed through and swept up into a low bun showcasing her long neck more. Evanna thanked the handmaiden, stood up and began walking towards the double doors. "Do you not wish to wear makeup?" Rina asked from behind her. Evanna turned her head back and shook her head, "Do I need to wear makeup?" Rina became flustered and began babbling, "NO! No, my lady. Please, I did not mean to insult you, my lady. Please, you are beautiful without such things. I just. Well there. I have served many ladies before, and none have left bare faced." Evanna chuckled at her response; shaking her head, she raised her hands, "Rina, I only asked because I am not used to the customs here. Is it necessary that I wear makeup? That is what I meant." She chuckled again after staring at Rina''s bright red cheeks. The handmaiden noticeably sagged in relief and smiled brightly once more, though Evanna knew it was genuine, and she was beginning to like the she-elf. "No, my lady. It is not a necessity, and might I add, I really did not mean to insult you. You really do not need to wear makeup. It was only a suggestion because of the yellow bruising on your complexion." "Oh," Evanna gently pressed her hand on her face before waving it off, "I am fine, truly. Thank you." Rina nodded her head, "We must be going now, my lady. The king and prince await your arrival." The handmaiden began making her way out of the double doors without a second glance; Evanna hastily picked up her steps, alarmed by her comment. "The king and prince!?" She exclaimed. Rina stopped and turned to face her; a small, almost forced smile stretched her lips thinly, her brown eyes doe-like, "Yes, my lady. They dine together most mornings and evenings." Evanna parted her lips, but her mind was blank, and words were lost on her. Rina took this as a sign to continue and turned before continuing to lead her down the stairs and hallways to an open framed door to a dining room. Rina stood to the side, her head tilted down, so Evanna could enter first. But the princess only stopped and stared inside the room. Due to her halted steps and no announcement of her arrival, the king and prince stood ceremoniously, their hands gripping their elbows behind their backs and staring at the marble table. Evanna couldn''t help but glance between the pair. It really was uncanny how similar their looks and ages appeared. But, they were father and son. Definitely, blood-related, the elven king and prince oozed a chilling charm. And if you did not tread lightly, there was no telling what they would do to punish you. Evanna swallowed past the lump in her throat. She had a lot of work to do. Putting up with the two ice sculptors in the dining room and not losing her head in the meantime. Chapter 72 - A Lady Before A Thief Evanna took another moment to psyche herself up. They were, after all, quite frightening to be around. Even now, with their attention on the table, she could already feel the unease resting in her stomach at their marble, cool features. Taking a final deep breath in, Evanna straightened her already stiff shoulders and clutched the sides of her dress slightly as she entered the stunningly bright room. On her arrival, the prince''s head turned to her with one side of his lips pulling up. The king, however, only stared at her with no expression on his face. Evanna dipped into a curtsy at the far end of the table, "Your Majesty-" "Enough. I do not have all day. Come sit so we may eat," The king interrupted. Although he was curt, the king still had enough manners to wait until she stood behind her chair, by his right side and across from prince Arawn, before he sat down. Taking her seat, she kept her gaze fixed on the empty plate before her. The last time she sat with the pair, a servant''s hand had been cut off in front of her. She hoped this would not be the case this morning. "Did you sleep well, Evanna?" She looked up to see the prince looking at her intently, a glint of amusement flickering behind his eyes. Without trying to read too much into his odd ways, she played it safe, keeping her answer short and replied politely, "Yes, your highness. And yourself?" "Not as well as I hoped for, considering we have our thief now in close quarters," Arawn hummed back before sticking his fork into the food the servants placed in front of him. "And why is that, Arawn?" The king''s quick question was as sharp as a knife, making Evanna pause from eating her own meal. His tone of voice showed disapproval of the prince''s decision. Plus, she, too, wanted to hear his explanation for putting her in a room next to him. She was, after all, a thief, a criminal and really should be in a cell to rot or, in the elven world, a limb at least removed. Evanna was aware that her position was very bizarre; she clearly should not be sitting in the finest materials, eating the most lavish of meals next to the elven king and prince of Direwood. Nevertheless, she lifted her gaze from her food and stared at the prince, who moved his own gaze away from the king and met her stare, locking her in place. "Because father, our little thief here is, in fact, a lady. Isn''t that correct, Lady Evanna?" Arawn''s stony stare did not blink or move from her face. He watched as the colour drained from Evanna''s face, and her eyes widened at his discovery. With a small gulp, an action the prince never missed as his eyes lingered on her throat, she replied quietly, almost timidly, "What makes you say I am of noble birth? I have given no indication of such a life." The king chuckled under his breath. The deep sound made Evanna snap her eyes to his silver orbs in surprise. The king actually laughed. Evanna had to stop herself from looking at the servants in the room to confirm it was not in her head. "Even I can tell you are more than a thief." The king turned his head back to his son, his long hair swishing from the action, "But how do you not know that she is an actress or.." he looked back at her, his gaze wandering the length of her body and back to her face, making her feel all the more uncomfortable and shift in her seat. "not a courtesan." Evanna gaped at his words and watched as a smirk crawled onto his face. She immediately looked down and moved her food around on the plate, acting as though it was more important than listening to the men talk trash about her. Or more so, the king talk trash about her. Evanna was one for sticking up for herself, she did it on a daily basis at home, but this was different. She was their prisoner, and any wrong move could warrant her death or the torture of an innocent servant. "Evanna carries herself as a lady. Her hands and face also show no signs of hardships." The prince replied through clenched teeth. Evanna looked at him, stunned by his defensive attitude and by how observant he is. He glared at the king, who seemed oblivious to his son''s fiery gaze, nor did he shrivel back like Evanna guessed most people did. But, he was the king and father to Arawn; he seemed just as cold as the prince. It was then, she noticed something out of the corner of her eye. She thought the frostiness was from the tense atmosphere spewing between them, but Evanna watched in stunned silence as ice began to form from beneath Arawn''s fingertips and spreading out across the table. Her mouth dropped open, and she looked between the prince and king. Without glancing at the table, the king sighed, "Enough!" With the king''s command, the ice abruptly evaporated, and Arawn leaned back and snapped his ice-filled gaze back to Evanna. She immediately looked back at her food and muttered, "Yes. I was a lady before I became a thief." However, she did not raise her head back up after clarifying she was not an actress or a courtesan. For the remaining part of the meal, a silence ascended them with only the sounds of their cutlery scraping against the plates. The elven king was the first to leave, standing up abruptly and throwing his napkin on his plate without so much as a word. Evanna turned her head slightly, watching the king''s long strides and back disappearing through another door that led somewhere she did not know. "So, are you going to tell me why you became a thief?" Evanna''s attention snapped back to Arawn and the glint of mischievousness behind his eyes. It made her feel on edge for what he may have planned if she did not answer him truthfully. Chapter 73 - Flustered The princess pursed her lips and looked down at her barely eaten food, which was most likely cold now. She placed her cutlery down, pulling her hands away from the meal and clasped her hands in her lap. Evanna wondered how long she could go with answering the same questions without providing answers before the elven prince really did lose his temper with her and use his ''torturous ways''. "Well?" His deep voice pulled her out of her reverie, and she glanced back up to his cool gaze. "I got bored," She stated indifferently before grabbing her glass of water and sipping from it, holding his gaze. Arawn smiled broadly, making Evanna gulp a large amount of water down her throat and almost choking on it. She didn''t know if she was nearly choking because he looked completely different, not so closed off and cold, or because there was an unnerving glint to his eyes. She placed the glass down and finally looked away. Instead of eating from the cooked meal, she grabbed a grape from the side and put it in her mouth. "You know," The prince stood up, throwing his napkin on his plate, waving off the servants behind Evanna as he did so. She turned her head and watched them leave while swallowing the grape, and panic rising in her chest. His sudden presence by her side made her turn her head swiftly and pull back by how close his face was to hers. "I can always tell when you are lying, Evanna." He raised his hand to her face stroking her cheek, his hand a featherlight touch sending her cheeks aflame and her stomach in tight knots. She held her breath in shock. "You tend to blush like you are doing so now." Her lips parted to deny her lie, but instead of words leaving her lips, a grape was placed on them. Evanna''s eyes widened at the prince''s index finger holding the grape in place. Arawn''s gaze was fixed on hers as he pushed gently on the fruit until her lips automatically closed around the grape and his finger. She watched as his gaze darkened, and a blue fire flickered to life behind his eyes at her action. Arawn slowly removed his finger to the outside of her lips and stroked gently across her lower lip. His eyes were now solely on her lips while hers were still wide and watching his every move, her body tense as her heart thrashed against her chest. He removed his finger, and with the same hand, he grabbed a grape and threw it in his mouth, chewing immediately. "Are you not going to eat the grape I gave you?" He asked innocently, still too close for comfort. Evanna nearly swallowed the grape hole, but like a lost child, she followed his lead, watching him chew his own grape. She bit into the fruit, the delight of the sweetness bursting in her mouth now lost on her as she watched him rip another grape from the vine and place it on her lips once more. She opened her mouth, and he pushed the fruit once more behind her lips. Arawn''s eyes flickered from her lips and back to her rosy cheeks and doe-like emerald eyes. He slowly leaned in closer to her, and she couldn''t help but feel an odd urge to look down at his lips. They looked so soft; she wondered how they would feel and taste like... She watched in fascination as those same lips formed into a smirk, and the prince abruptly pulled back, snapping her out of his spell. A small chuckle left Arawn''s lips as he stood back up and sat in his father''s seat, watching her intently. He leaned back and crossed his ankle over his knee as though what he just did was not abnormal at all. Evanna sagged slightly and reminded herself to chew the grape in her mouth before swallowing it. "I was worried you haven''t been eating enough, Evanna," He said, his eyes sparkling with amusement. Evanna still felt flustered from his actions even though he sat away from her. "Well, the next time you show concerns for my appetite, please do so without trying to feed me," Evanna replied breathlessly. She did not know how she was able to reply, but it seemed everything else was on autopilot today as her mind raced and clutched for any ideas of how her body was reacting to him. This was unfamiliar territory for her; a man stroking her cheek only to watch her blush, then to feed her grapes was shameless. Unless Arawn was her husband, he shouldn''t be doing such things. "But how else will you eat? If not for me?" The prince gestured at himself with his hand slowly before using that same hand to rest his cheek on the tips of his fingers while he observed her. "As you very well know, your highness, I am a Lady, and to do such things risks my reputation," Evanna looked down and resisted shifting in her seat after feeling his intense gaze on her. When the silence became too much, she met his gaze once more. She watched as a frostiness formed behind his eyes, almost lighting the blue in them as they hardened. "As you can see, Lady Evanna," Arawn drawled, "there are no servants in here." He tilted his head to the side slightly and raised a brow, "But, now that you mention your status, and what is appropriate between a single man and a woman.. it does make me wonder how you survived, travelling on the road with three men." Evanna parted her lips, but he interrupted her, his frosty gaze unwavering from hers, "You see, you were a Lady before you became a thief, is that not correct?" He paused for her to answer, already knowing her response; he continued, "And now, you are my prisoner. And as my prisoner, I will do as I please." His words silenced her, and she bit her tongue. "Unless," He drawled once again in his deep voice, "you answer my questions." Evanna''s throat became dry, and she looked down at her clasped hands in her lap. Wetting her lips, she replied quietly, "So, you are giving me an ultimatum?" When he did not answer, she raised her head once more to find him smiling almost cruelly at her. "There is no ultimatum, Evanna. You stole from me. It is as simple as that." His words incited a new fear within her, but she reminded herself of his remarks the previous day. He would never sexually assault her. So, it seemed his abrupt coldness was because she brought such matters up, as though he was not aware of such things. Of course, he was familiar; the prince even sent his servants away. Was that not, in a way, protecting her reputation? Sighing to herself, Evanna felt frustrated. Even if the prince did send the servants away, she didn''t want his attention! Or so she thought, she still couldn''t comprehend her reactions to him. His hand on her cheek or his finger on her lipsˇ­ No, no! Stop thinking about that! That was the very thing she could not be doing. If she escaped, and she will, the person she was to marry would be the next man to kiss her, touch her and.. Her cheeks blushed at the idea of the sexual activities a man and a woman did in the bedroom. Evanna became lost in thought, not realising the very man who had been making her flustered now crouched next to her again, "Is everything okay?" Evanna jumped, twisting her body to the side; her eyes locked with his, and she already felt herself being sucked in from the rip current swirling in his eyes. Blinking profusely at how close they were once again, she finally replied breathlessly, "Yes, your highness." The prince slowly followed the rising blush from her cheeks, his eyes hooded and his lips set in a smirk. He raised his hand and placed it on her forehead, "Are you quite certain? You seem flushed. Are you ill?" Evanna felt an uncontrollable power of fire and ice. Her body burned underneath his icy touch. She closed her eyes and slowed her breathing down, although her thoughts kept jumping back to the fingertips placed on her forehead. Opening her eyes, she found the prince staring at her with a glint of amusement behind his eyes. "I am well, your highness. I did not mean to worry you," Evanna said through gritted teeth. His smirks and amusement grated at her. Prince Arawn removed his hand and stretched to his full height, providing his hand for her to receive. "Perhaps a walk in the garden, getting that fresh air, will help relieve you of your.. heated body," He smirked again before composing himself with his icy charade. Placing her hand in his, she immediately felt the sparks burning against his cool hands. The princess did not know what was wrong with her, but his hands, his presence, seemed to be the catalyst for this burning and icy feeling. Chapter 74 - A Pleasant Stroll Evanna was led through the hallways; she was quick to remove her hand from his and clasp them together in front of her. There was no haste in their stroll, which seemed to cause more attention to the pair; the prince had been stopped a few times about matters of the palace. Evanna noticed the hesitant glances and curious stares in her direction, but this was not unusual behaviour for her. If she was found wandering the halls in her palace with a man, servant, knight or nobleman, there would be a fair share of nobles gawking at her, watching, and waiting for any minor detail that could be turned into nonsensical gossip. If she were to wander the halls by herself, her every move had their attention, and if she were to slip up, then somehow there would be gossip. She was, after all, the king''s mistress'' daughter, princess or not; she did not have the same respect from the nobles as her sister. Blinking her eyes, she refocused on the conversation between prince Arawn and another elf. All of it, of course, was spoken in Muranthian, to which Arawn spoke more freely, unaware of Evanna''s capability of understanding the language. As this was a well-kept secret, one she had hidden all her life, it was easy for Evanna to look lost and stare off in boredom. However, this was not the case; even though it was particularly dull, which helped with her fa?ade, she knew any small information given up about the palace could very well help her in escaping. Maybe there was a shortage of guards (unlikely) or some magnificent event occurred that caused the prince and his men to leave, the perfect time for her to sneak off. Evanna sighed as she spaced out at the possibilities. "Shall we proceed?" The prince interrupted her dreams of escape. She glanced back at him to see the other men were gone; nodding her head, they continued their stroll. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see Arawn watching her, but she ignored his staring, it was a little unnerving, but it was nothing she hadn''t dealt with before. Evanna wondered why he was staring, though. Was there something on her face or in her hair? She did not fret; it would look weak if she showed signs of nervousness by him. She internally rolled her eyes; he could see right through her, already he had been making her nervous, and she couldn''t do anything but blush and stare. With that thought, she came to another conclusion. Was Arawn scheming evil plans in that head of his? She narrowed her eyes at him, causing the prince to grin brightly at her, completely taking her by surprise, and from what she could tell of the other females in the halls, servant and noble, they too were surprised. They stopped what they were doing and stared at him. His eyes flickered to the side, and immediately his face fell. The iciness frosted over his features like a mask, and once again, he looked unapproachable. Servants scattered out of his way as his footsteps quickened. Evanna did not mind the change in pace; it kept her from overthinking about his smile. However, one thought did slip out, making her blush. He looked otherworldly with that smile. They approached some clear double doors that had gold plated leaves flourishing the edges. The guards by the doors opened them, and the pair walked through. They descended the white patio steps onto a path that led them through the gardens. With her back to the palace and overlooking hedges, bushes and beautiful plants she had never seen before, she found her shoulders relaxing. Her breathing became long as she closed her eyes and stopped for a moment to fully appreciate the sounds of nature and the sun kissing her skin. From the rushing flow of the river below them to the birds singing their daytime tunes, it was magic to her ears. In that brief moment, her worries swept away with the light breeze. She opened her eyes and almost jumped back after seeing Arawn standing in front of her. His head was slightly tilted to the side as he observed her with what appeared to be curiosity. Evanna sighed. The moment was gone as she felt the uneasiness of her imprisonment caging around her once more. "We have barely stepped foot in my garden, and yet you already seem bored! So bored as to nap standing up!" Arawn said aghast before turning on his heel. "Come. Maybe the rest of the gardens would be more to your liking," He continued, his deep voice laced with an iciness she couldn''t quite understand. But, she did not question him; he was a man she had yet to figure out. No, he was not. That meant spending more time with him and getting to know him. This was not a vacation but imprisonment, and Evanna needed to escape. She needed to flee and get back to her mother. With her mind reset, she quickened her steps to catch up to the prince and his long strides. His hands held his elbows behind his back as he walked, showcasing his broad chest and straightening his posture further, making him taller than he normally is. She glanced at his profile and was once again reminded of how powerful he truly is. Not that it slipped her mind for a second. But as she looked at his choice of clothing, his usual attire in black, she was reminded of the prince he is. "For someone who calls themselves a Lady, you do tend to stare a lot. Were you never told it is rude?" Prince Arawn drawled. His voice snapped her from her daze, and she felt her cheeks become heated as she looked away. "I apologise, your highness. It was not my intent to be rude, nor make you feel uneasy," Evanna replied politely and focused on some flowers ahead of her. The prince chuckled before sighing, "Oh, Evanna." He turned in one smooth motion, plucking a yellow and red flower by his side, and placing it behind her ear, his face near hers as the corner of his lips pulled up into a small smile, his eyes lit with amusement as he brushed his hand just below her ear. "You do not make me feel uneasy." He whispered, "But, it is MY intent to make you feel so." Evanna''s breath hitched by his touch and stayed as still as a statue. Her eyes were wide while she stared into the blue shards of his eyes. Wetting her lips after feeling her mouth become dry, an action he immediately caught onto as his gaze lowered to them, she replied in a surprisingly calm tone, "It seems.. you are the rude one now, prince Arawn. It should never be your intent to make a Lady feel uneasy." Arawn''s smile grew on his lips with a humorous twinkle in his eyes, "But it makes me happy." He tilted his head to the side and plastered fake concern on his features, "Do you not wish for your prince to be happy?" Evanna''s mouth gaped at his words. She did not know what to think of them. She pursed her lips together and parted them once more to speak the first thing that came to her mind, "You are not my prince." Arawn''s face darkened immediately, and the hand behind her ear suddenly became cold. Evanna widened her eyes from the iciness she felt forming and shivered. "I mean.. you are not my princeˇ­" His eyes narrowed at her statement again, and she watched as the iciness began to frost over his eyes, making them lighter. So she quickly added, "What I mean to say.. Is I am not from this kingdom. Therefore, you are not my prince." A muscle in his jaw ticked, but he pulled back abruptly, letting his hand drop to his side and turn around to continue walking on the path. Evanna sagged slightly, relieved that he didn''t do anything.. drastic? But she was unsure as to why she had to explain herself. Surely, the prince knew what she meant? Shaking her head, she hastened her steps to match his. They were nearing the end of one side of the garden, where the white wall stood at chest height and dropped down towards the rock the palace was built on and joined the river. Prince Arawn stopped and placed his hands on the wall''s surface, and looked ahead into the distance. The wind swept through his straight white hair flow back gently until it fell back into a perfect line once more. Evanna took a step to stand by his side, her hands clasped together in front of her and her shoulders set back as she watched the beautiful view before them. Trees stood tall on either side of the wide flowing river, with the sun glistening on the surface, lighting the hues of the world around them. Evanna refrained from sighing at such a sight. The brooding figure by her side emitted an icy and dark energy that stilled her, inciting fear within her that if she did or said one wrong thing, he would snap. Yet, she still stood there. Where else would she go? "You know what WOULD make me very happy, Evanna?" His deep voice took on a tone that sent a shiver down her spine. She did not bother answering; it was a rhetorical question. "If you told me why you took my gem and how I could acquire it back." Chapter 75 - The Private Garden "You know what WOULD make me very happy, Evanna?" His deep voice took on a tone that sent a shiver down her spine. She did not bother answering; it was a rhetorical question. "If you told me why you took my gem and how I could acquire it back." Evanna shrunk slightly by the iciness in Arawn''s voice, but she hid her trepidation by turning her head and glancing away from the prince. She wished at that moment, her hair was down like it usually was in such settings; it was easier to hide behind, but not today, it seemed. From now on, she would make sure to have it down because the prince was not going to stop his line of questioning, and she was not going to tell him what he needed to know. With her head turned, she could still feel his icy gaze on the back of her head, causing her to shiver. The prince slammed his hand atop the surface of the wall shooting ice along it. Evanna immediately pulled her hands back and stared at the ice forming before turning to look at the prince wide-eyed. "Oh good, I have your attention," Arawn said flippantly with his face as stoic as ever. Evanna narrowed her eyes, "If you wanted my attention, you need only ask." "I should not need to ask. We are walking through my gardens. I should have all of your attention," Arawn snapped back, taking a step towards her, one she did not step away from. Evanna took a deep breath in, and instead of answering his question from before, she asked her own, "Rina told me about these gifts the elves have," she began and watched his face darken even further. But she continued, "how does it work?" Arawn took another step closer to her making Evanna feel uncomfortable once again by his close proximity. She wanted to take a step back, but it would either cause him to become somewhat moody, from what she had observed so far about him, or he would continue relentlessly until she stopped. Instead, she tilted her chin up. His lips twitched into a smile, but it was gone within a flash, making Evanna wonder if she imagined it. "Rina should not have discussed with you about such matters," He drawled and tilted his head to the side, his eyes still focused on her, causing the hair on the back of her neck to stand on end. Evanna suddenly felt worried about her handmaid; she hoped the servant was not in trouble. In fact, the princess felt terrible for the she-elf. Rina must have the most challenging job looking after the prince''s ''plaything''. One false move, and her handmaiden might lose a limb! "Evanna," Her gaze refocused back on the prince along with her attention, "how old are you?" The question threw her mind off balance. How random and rude, it was true what she replied to the king when he asked of her age, but after looking back at Arawn''s no nonsense expression, she reluctantly replied, "I am seventeen, your highness." His brows raised up in surprise, "You are seventeen and chose this life for yourself?" His accusatory tone made her poorly defend herself. "I am eighteen soon.." She muttered; the year didn''t make much of a difference, which the prince confirmed when she saw his brow arch. Now that her mind was on her age, she realised she didn''t actually know when her birthday was, it was lost on her, the days had merged into one, for all she knew, her birthday had been and gone. However, something at the back of her mind made her think otherwise. "Come, let us walk to the pergola." He began to walk to the right among the low hedges and bushes. Evanna followed obediently, yet with the prince slightly ahead, she could not help herself from scanning her surroundings, though it was useless. This part of the palace was stunning, but there seemed to be nowhere she could escape. Unless she counted climbing down the wall to the rock and jumping into the river. The same river that would lead her within ten seconds down a waterfall to her death. Shaking her head, she let her eyes land on Arawn''s back. His lean figure stood tall, his strides long and self-assured. The only two servant''s working in the garden quickly darted their glances away from him and not so subtly moved away. Once they passed through a floral archway, Evanna looked on to see a small pond to the side with a water feature she wished to inspect at a closer distance, but the grass surrounding it showed no signs of any footprints. Sadly, it seemed she was not allowed to stand on the grass. Sighing, she turned her head once more to the pathway that leads through the lush raised plant bushes and to a pergola with vines and flowers wrapping around its white wooden beams. Beneath it sat a cushioned bench and a coffee table, and to the side was a swing set meant for two. Arawn walked towards the bench while Evanna eyed the swing set with purple flowers hanging atop and tumbling down in waves. But she reluctantly moved away from it and sat where the prince gestured to, next to him. As she elegantly sat down, Arawn''s eyes never left her face while she openly looked around in awe. If it were not for her imprisonment, she would genuinely appreciate and adore these gardens. They sat in a garden within a garden, the tall hedges provided privacy, and the only entry was through the floral archway. Without realising it, she sighed with content and leaned back into the cushion. Evanna did not realise how long her eyes were closed for until a few moments later, but she opened them to find a tea set on the coffee table. Evanna looked to the prince and saw the smirk plastering on his face. But instead of his teasing, he gestured to the drink. She narrowed her eyes suspiciously at it as she raised the cup to her lips. "There would be no point in poisoning you." Evanna stilled the cup, letting the warm contents flow down her throat. "Where would be the fun in that? Now, how did a lady such as yourself start to sword fight? Was there a motivation behind this?" Chapter 76 - As Cunning As A... "There would be no point in poisoning you." Evanna stilled the cup, letting the warm contents flow down her throat. "Where would be the fun in that? Now, how did a lady such as yourself start to sword fight? Was there a motivation behind this?" Evanna lowered her cup and let her eyes look at the liquid as she pondered. "My mother knew how to fight, so it was only right that I knew. Plus.." She trailed off and scanned the pergola, taking in its beauty and not the beauty of the elf who had not taken his eyes off her. "I was always.. too free-spirited. I prefer the outdoors, and such a hobby let me be." Arawn chuckled, "Are there not other hobbies you could partake in that warranted you to be outside?" "There is only so much horse riding a girl can do," Evanna smiled as she remembered Axel''s concern the first day she escaped from the palace and the breaks they took for her. "You said your mother knew how to fight," He spoke softly, "how did she know? If she is a Lady?" His questions made her still; whenever her thoughts turned to her mother, it was a reminder of where she should be right now and not playing along with the prince''s questioning. Sighing, she looked back at Arawn, who scrutinised her face intensely. "My mother was allowed to fight. In her household, it was deemed fine for a Lady to fight." Evanna scoffed lightly after, realising how easily her mother must have had it before their time in the palace, where her daughter was constantly under surveillance. Arawn''s brow raised by her small action; his eyes were like a hawks, no matter how small she shifted in her seat, scoffed or even breathed slightly differently, he saw it. "Your father was not pleased with this?" Evanna shook her head, "It took some getting used to, but he never stopped me from learning. I think he was happy to know that if ever something happened to me, I had a fighting chance. Unfortunately, it is more than most girls know," She smiled gently, wondering how her father was, before taking a sip from her tea with a slight grimace. Were there men still searching for her? "So, your mother and father accepted your hobby.. What was the issue?" Arawn probed before sipping his own drink. She could see the wheels turning behind his sharp, startlingly blue eyes. Evanna sighed and rolled her eyes, "The issue was at the palace. The nobles areˇ­" She caught herself from saying any more, stilling, she glanced out of the corner of her eye and saw the overly nonchalant elf sitting by her. His eyes were slightly narrowed on her face. Evanna''s gaze flickered back to the archway across from them. "The palaceˇ­" Arawn drawled; his voice was low and deep, and even without looking at him, she could hear the arrogance behind it. He had started his line of questioning once more, but she did not know what he wanted to find out. Would he question again about the gem? Evanna backtracked, "Yes. The palace. Nobles.." She sighed, using that brief dramatic moment to figure out what she was going to say to cover herself for her palace comment. "Society does not allow a woman to fight. It is deemed.. well unladylike. That is what the men are for.." Finally, she looked at the prince, bringing her cup up to her lips and holding his unwavering gaze. "Hmm, very well. Our society is different here. Our noblewomen have more choices. They are allowed to fight if they so wish to and are not looked down upon for choosing that path," he muttered before asking yet another question, "you said you are nearly eighteen. Why are you not married?" Evanna choked on the tea she sipped on, and her eyes became slightly teary as she held her hand to her chest and her other over her mouth as she looked at the amused prince. His hand was rubbing at her back gently as though it would help her stop choking. If he patted at her back, it made more sense, but he wasn''t, and the action was very distracting and made her shuddering back worse. Taking a deep breath in, Evanna exhaled and calmed her beating heart as she took a tentative sip from her tea. Clearing her throat gently, she replied, "Thank you." Though she internally rolled her eyes, it was his fault in the first place with his questioning. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw a handkerchief raised; she turned her head and saw the prince holding it for her. Evanna narrowed her eyes slightly before receiving it and dabbing at her mouth, "Thank you," she repeated. "So? I have not seen a ring on your finger.." Arawn continued. Evanna''s face heated from the question, "My father has not been in a rush to marry me off.." "Is he not worried you would become a spinster?" He asked, tilting his head. "I am barely eighteen! I am no spinster!" She retorted, feeling the tips of her ears heat up also. "Hmmm, do you have older sisters?" He asked. Then his eyes widened and became even sharper with amusement, "Oh, please do tell me they have been married off?" Evanna huffed in her seat, "My sister has been courting but has not found the right man-" "Your sister should hasten to the aisle! Otherwise, there will be two spinsters in the family! From what I have learnt of humans, it is very rare for beautiful women such as yourself to go past their 17th birthday without so much as a proposal.. has your family name been tarnished in some way? Is this why you ran away from home and became a thief? Where is your hometown? Maybe I would have heard your stories or the gossip surrounding such a name," Arawn rambled on with a sneer. His questions aggravated Evanna; if she was seated with a gentleman, he would not ask such rude questions. Her face was flushed with both embarrassment and anger, and with that anger, she exploded and gritted out her answers without thinking. "We are faaaaar from being spinsters, Mr! I''ll have you know I have had several proposals, and so has my sister, but we are fortunate enough to be a little pickier than most women." Evanna threw the handkerchief on the coffee table with her eyes blazing on the prince sitting next to her, "Our family name has not been tarnished, and I did not ''run away from home''! I chose to leave to help my mother, and if you ever did visit the Kingdom of Dunhurst, there would be no such gossip." Evanna''s chest was heaving by the time she finished, and as she caught her breath, her body suddenly went cold with dread. She inhaled sharply after realising she slipped up. Arawn''s sly smile told her so, and the arrogance radiating off him was almost smothering. This sly fox knows exactly how to get under my skin! Arawn parted his lips to speak, but their attention was taken when Garrett''s prodigious frame rushed through the archway, one hand holding onto the hilt of his sword. He looked at Evanna with disdain before bowing his head at the prince, "* Your highness. There is word of a small group of men near the south-western border of Direwood Forest. Our men have surrounded them and await your orders.*" Evanna stilled after hearing the news and watched as the prince immediately stood up and clapped his hands once, "* What marvellous news!*" He spun on his heel and smiled at the princess, a smile that broadened even more after seeing her paled features, "We shall pick this conversation up when I am back." Evanna stood. "Is everything okay?" She asked hesitantly. Though she was playing the ignorant human, she felt as cold as ice from the news. He smirked as amusement twinkled behind his eyes, "Yes, some urgent business has come up. But do not fret. I will have Cedric accompany you until I return." With that, the prince left in haste. As soon as Arawn was out of sight and a few moments had passed, Evanna scrambled down the path, through the archway, immediately turning right. There was another path down the side of the private garden they were in, and she wondered where it led. But, even if she wasn''t thinking too clearly, it was a risk she was willing to take. This was a moment of freedom away from the prince and any guards. But as she hastened her steps and turned the corner, she almost bumped into another elf''s armour. Stepping back, her lips parted to apologise, but she stopped as shock filled her features. The elf standing before her was none other than the one she nearly killed on the night of the heist. His green eyes were locked with hers and narrowed after assessing her features. "His highness would not be pleased after hearing that you wandered the palace alone, my lady." Chapter 77 - The Scheming Prince Arawn walked quickly next to Garrett; their pace did not halter even when servants or nobles were in their way. Those in their path moved as soon as they saw the prince and his right hand marching towards them. After going through the double doors back inside the palace, they walked through the twists and turns until they made it to one of the prince''s many chambers. Garrett closed the door behind them, and the prince smiled broadly as he sat down in front of the ginormous white stone table with a map of the kingdoms on top of it. This room was one of a few where it had a ceiling and glass windows. They liked to keep their architecture and designs open and free, but when it came to planning and scheming, a closed room provided more privacy and nobody attempting to listen. Arawn looked at his pearly white chamber; it was one of his favourites, with a fine finish of gold plated vines of leaves twirling up some of the tree trunks. A painting hung on the wall, an art piece his mother painted of two horses in a meadow, a small boy by his mother''s side stroking them. Then his gaze went to the far right, where there was the room size fireplace, and above it a white bow and golden arrow atop their white tree emblem on a brown plaque, with the cursive writing: "* Our strength lies within the roots *" Of course, he also had a bookcase and many scrolls among his desk to the side. A place indeed where he could find peace and quiet, other than the library, but he preferred to be alone and away from unwanted attention. He crossed his ankle over his knee and leant his elbow atop his leg to lean his chin onto. His fingers drummed his chin, his smile still plastered on his face. A chuckle escaped his lips as he kept repeating the look on Evanna''s face when she realised how easily he manipulated her into telling him about herself. "* Prince Arawn, how will this help exactly?*" Garrett asked, interrupting him from his reverie as he placed his fingers atop the map, his stern face looking at the cunning prince. His face once again became stoic except for a smirk that he couldn''t seem to remove from his lips. "* Lady Evanna cherishes her comrades, from what I observed before our duel, *" The prince did not explain further, but he knew Garrett would figure the rest out. "* Lady Evanna?*" Garrett queried; he raised his brow at Arawn. "* She is not a thief *" He did not delve deeper into his explanation for his friend. Garrett sighed at the lack of information, "*If she is not a thief, then why is she a prisoner and the gem that is so precious to you missing? * " Arawn''s smile dropped, and he glared at his friend, "* The gem may be gone, but not for long. Evanna has yet to explain to me the significance of it to her and her party.*" He looked down at the map on the table, his anger diminishing "*And what will you do once she has told you, Sire?*" Garrett searched the prince''s face for any clues. But as per usual, he could not tell what schemes were swirling around in that sharp head of his. He may have known the prince since they were young, but Garrett still had trouble sometimes reading the prince''s expressionless face or sly smiles that made its appearance known with the odd chuckle. Arawn looked at his fingernails, a smile forming on his handsome features, "*I will use it to my advantage, of course. *" When there was no reply, the prince knew Garrett wanted him to explain further, but he was in no mood to discuss more on this. Instead, he diverted the conversation, "* Sit, Garrett. We still have much to discuss. *" Garrett took one of the many seats at the table and watched as the prince stood back up and opened one of the cupboards on the side, pulling out a bottle and two crystal glass tumblers. He poured the alcohol into the tumblers and slid one of them to his friend, who shook his head, but after seeing the prince''s sharp stare, he took hold of the glass. Arawn leaned back into his chair and crossed his ankle once more. "* You should relax more. Have a drink with me,*" Arawn raised his glass, waiting for Garrett to do the same. When he did, they both took a sip and sighed at the delicious warm taste. "* Now, have they found that little group who escaped? *" He asked as he twirled his drink slightly before his eyes locked onto Garrett. "* We lost them a few days ago, *" Garrett lowered his eyes, not meeting the prince''s piercing stare. He did not look at him for fear of seeing his temper, but if Garrett did look at his friend, he would only see a look of disappointment flicker across his eyes. The prince looked back at his glass and took another sip. "*Very well. *" Garrett raised his head and looked at the prince, "*You are not mad?*" Arawn chuckled, "*I did not think I lost my temper that much? Only when things are out of my control. Which they are not,*" He smiled with a glint of mischievousness behind his eyes. "* I did say they have not been found yet, Arawn? *" Garrett said in disbelief. "* Yes, I heard you the first time. Keep that group of guards searching. I was serious when I said they will not return until those men are found. *" The prince leaned forward and looked at the map. "* Evanna said she is from the Kingdom of Dunhurst.*" He paused and couldn''t help but smile at how she blurted everything out. The girl was smart, that was sure, because if she wasn''t, then he would not be searching for his beloved gem right now. But no one can outsmart him. The prince knew that Evanna would have been raised as a Lady, trained to think and act like one at all times. So, it was easy to bring up small matters such as a tarnished family name, among other questions, to manipulate truthful answers from her. His gaze went back to Garrett after feeling his gaze on him; he raised his own brow, and his friend glanced back to his drink and took a gulp from it, hissing as he put the glass down on the table. Arawn chuckled before continuing with his plan. "*I want them to start with searching the roads from Direwood and checking Kuramji. IF they are not found there, then the men can return, and we can reconvene on what to do.*" Garrett placed his hand on his chin, rubbing slightly, looking deep in thought. He was the only man the prince trusted with his plans. The king was a close second, but this matter was too personal, and his father did not wish to know anymore, only wanting to see the result of the gem back with his son. "* Kuramji is quite risky, no? We know of the streets and how to stay out of sight. They do not, *" Garrett replied pensively. "* Kuramji is full of corruption. No laws are upheld there. If they see elves, the most that will happen is a fight. And we both know who will leave alive, *" Arawn replied with a smirk and leaned back into his chair, downing the last of his drink. Garrett stood up abruptly, "* I will send word to our men then.*" Arawn nodded his head and gestured for him to go, the door swung open under his command, and Garrett bowed before leaving. "*Make sure to stick to my chambers. We do not want our guest to see you now!*" Arawn raised his voice after him and chuckled. He stood up and began walking through the many chambers that were his, different rooms meant to host an array of guests. But, finally, he made it through the last one and opened the patio doors to a balcony that joined to his own bed-chamber balcony. This one, however, was hidden from view, with the use of a tall tree next to it. The green leaves were the perfect tool to keep cover from any guests or servants on the grounds below. As soon as he sat down at the small table and chairs, his eyes searched the grounds for his little friend. His eyes widened when he finally found her. Evanna was sword fighting with Cedric! And there was a small crowd! Chapter 78 - Fighting In A Dress Evanna pursed her lips as she took in the appearance of the elf before her. His golden hair was pulled back into a half-up hairstyle, yet his locks came shorter than the other elves, finishing just above his shoulders. He was well built, with his stature possibly shorter than the prince''s, but he was still tall. His dazzling green eyes were quite a feature of his young, handsome face. Evanna knew that if the man smiled, the surrounding women would probably swoon. The warrior was attractive, but he was nothing compared to Prince Arawn with his striking features. His silk curtain of starlight hair falling graciously down his back, those piercing blue eyes, chiselled jaw, and, of course, his lean upper body was full of rock-solid muscles. Even though Evanna had fought against him, she still couldn''t believe a prince was thatˇ­ Evanna''s eyes widened, and she glanced up at the golden-haired warrior standing in front of her. He was looking at her with a peculiar expression on his face. She smiled sheepishly at him, but he rolled his eyes. "I um, I''m sorry. That was very rude of me. Was I staring?" She stuttered. Oh, her governess would have tutted at her stutter. ''A lady must always appear poised, and if she is shocked, then use the cover of a fan. If a fan is not available, then one must keep their face completely emotionless until she is ready to respond elegantly.'' The elf sighed, "I am used to it." Evanna blinked as words sizzled on her tongue; she tilted her head slightly. He must have thought she was staring at him because of his looks. The motion made her cheeks heat, and she looked away, mumbling her query, "Do you have a lot of people staring at you then, sir?" "My name is Cedric. And, of course, men are left staring after they lose a battle to me, and why wouldn''t a woman stare at me?" So came Cedric''s deadpanned response. Evanna looked back at him, her cheeks still rosy. "Well, yes, you are handsome. B-but that''s not why I was staring!" She stuttered again. Were all men arrogant? Cedric crossed his arms, showcasing his bulging muscles, "Oh?" "We fought the other night," Evanna glanced down at her clasped hands in front of her. "Ah, yes, now that you mention it, we did," Cedric replied casually. Evanna looked up at him, shocked at his nonchalant demeanour. "I nearly killed you.." She whispered, her eyes now fixed on his face. He chuckled, "But you did not. What I want to know, though, is how you caught the prince''s eye?" He gestured with his hand to walk back across the gardens and not the area she wished to scout out. With a small sigh, she turned around and walked by his side. Unlike her walk earlier with the prince, noble she-elves and servants tended to keep their admiring stares to a minimum, bowing their heads or scattering when his attention focused on them. Whereas, while she walked by Cedric''s side, they openly gawked, but he would smile occasionally and bow his head at any that plucked up the courage to greet him. Evanna could imagine that Arawn''s icy demeanour and rumours must be the reason for keeping these drooling she-elves at bay. "So? How are you free of a cell?" Cedric reiterated his question when they came across another garden, where some servants giggled and walked past, blushing. Evanna rolled her eyes internally. Surely, they had seen the man many times before? She looked at him again to see what the fuss was about. Okay, yes, he was handsome. But Evanna couldn''t understand how she wasn''t affected so. Maybe, she was too used to men. Not in a scandalous way! No. Her time spent on the road with Ger, Axel and Ronan must have been why she could easily talk to Cedric. They were handsome and athletic men, and she travelled with them just fine. Evanna had also spent many times at balls in pleasant conversations with gentlemen, all good looking, but they still weren''t quite like the elves she had come across so far. Shaking her head, she dismissed where her thoughts were taking her. As long as she stayed unaffected by men other than her husband, then she should be happy. She gulped and finally replied to Cedric''s burning question. "I honestly do not know. If you wish to know, you should ask him," She suggested. Cedric laughed, causing a few of the women nearby to turn their heads and sigh in his direction. "I cannot ask the prince such questions. Hmm, maybe it is something as simple as your beautiful looks," He shrugged and glanced at her with amusement filling his features. Evanna sighed, "I doubt it has anything to do with my looks." Cedric shook his head, "You are quite the innocent little lady. Unless," he narrowed his eyes at her, "you are not telling me the truth?" Evanna shook her head, "Nope, he just got impatient, and somehow I ended up out here." Cedric raised a brow at her, "And you don''t find that suspicious?" Evanna''s brows drew together at his question. Of course, she found it suspicious, but what was she meant to do? This was why she was looking for an escape, but she couldn''t very well tell him that! Instead of replying to her thoughts, she threw a different question at him, "You said men are left staring at you when you beat them in a fight.. I didn''t think you were that great. Does that mean all the guards here are not well trained?" Cedric stopped and turned on his heel, placing his hand on the hedge next to her. Evanna halted from walking any further. "That is quite the accusation, young miss," "I am not much younger than you. And, it must be the truth. I beat you the other night," She replied with a cheeky grin on her lips. "I am 90. Younger than most here, but older than you. And if that is the case, then let me make amends to you now," Cedric stated and began marching towards the open grass grounds in the middle of the gardens. Evanna hastily chased after him, "We cannot fight!" "You have dishonoured me, and so I must fight for it back," He replied in a clipped tone. Evanna rushed around him and placed her hand on his armour. He looked down and raised a brow at her. "I did not mean it in such a way, Cedric. I am not from these lands, and a duel between a man and female is forbidden!" She whisper-shouted, worrying about the consequences she has put herself in. Evanna knew that there was no such law in Direwood; Arawn already stated to her that the she-elves had more equal rights than the humans when it came to fighting, so why wouldn''t it differ when it came to duels. Cedric placed his hand on his chin in thought. "If I gave you a sword, would you try and kill me again?" Evanna''s mouth dropped open, "No! Why would I do that!?" "Because we are sworn enemies?" He looked at her like she was crazy. "Umˇ­. Well, I did not realise that was the case?" Evanna replied, perplexed at his statement. Although she was technically on her enemy''s land, for some reason, she did not see Cedric as the enemy. "Well, now I know you will not try to actually kill me. Let us train!" Cedric clapped his hands together with a warm smile on his face. "I do not have the correct attire," Evanna replied as she glanced at elves passing them by who stared at the pair equally. "Ah, have no fear, I will not injure you that badly," He winked. Evanna looked down at her dress and shook her head; it would be a first, but she shrugged anyway. Maybe practising in a dress would be beneficial for a time when she finally escapes? "Perfect." Cedric began unclasping the armour around his chest. Once he did, the metal was placed on the side, and he ordered another guard to come forwards. Five minutes later, Evanna stood across from Cedric, holding two swords that she swung skillfully around her. Although it hadn''t been very long, she missed playing with her blades. If only the ones she held right now were hers. These ones didn''t seem as light, so she worried her techniques would not be as accurate. Either way, she would use it as a training practice, take hr time first getting used to swinging the foreign blades and- Cedric ran towards her without any announcement made, completely throwing her off guard. But although she was not 100% ready, her quickness and agility made up for it. She dodged out of his way, doing a roley-poley to the side, already dishevelling her pulled-back hair. But, unfortunately, one of the emerald clips already flew onto the path. Oops. Evanna turned and deflected a blow immediately. It appeared that the training session was a bit more intense than when she and Ger initially fought. However, it did not faze her as she continuously dodged his attacks. But this made Cedric angry. Something Evanna knew she could use to her advantage. She decided to play with him and watch his temper rise. By using that tactic, they fought for another ten minutes. Evanna evading his attacks and occasionally attacking back. But she watched as his stamina decreased quicker after repeating combo after combo to outsmart Evanna''s fighting tactics. But she was merely blocking him and smirking when she found him analysing her face. This, of course, made him angrier and his attacks sloppy. By now, their fighting had gathered a crowd, but Evanna was not distracted by such things. Instead, she looked at objects to use as a means to finish the fight. She looked to the side and saw a bench nearer the wall that dropped to the rock. With a swipe of her sword, she bounced off Cedric and turned to the bench, he followed quickly behind her, but she stepped to it and spun mid-air, bringing her swords back down towards him. The force of her swords and body pushed into them, flung his sword to the side. He fell back as she lunged forwards and landed elegantly next to him, pointing her blades at him. By this point, she was breathing a little heavily. The swords she played with were heavier, and it was hard fighting in a dress! A round of applause erupted from the small crowd; Evanna glanced at them and smiled sheepishly before helping Cedric up. Evanna grasped onto Cedric''s hand when her eyes landed on a figure who dispersed the crowd from his mere presence. The prince stood there with his arms crossed, an unimpressed expression on his stony features. Chapter 79 - An Unhappy Prince A round of applause erupted from the small crowd; Evanna glanced at them and smiled sheepishly before helping Cedric up. As her hand grasped him, her eyes landed on a figure who dispersed the crowd from his mere presence. The prince stood there with his arms crossed, an unimpressed expression on his features. Evanna''s smile dropped, and she nearly let go of Cedric''s hand, but Arawn''s stony gaze strengthened her resolve and continued to help Cedric to stand. The elven warrior grinned at her, his back still to the prince, unaware of the looming icy presence ready to set loose a snowstorm. But her gaze was set on Garrett, who began strolling towards them also. What happened to the men they were after? While her thoughts were entirely consumed by the prince and his right-hand man, Cedric was talking to her, so she refocused on what he was saying. "That was brilliant! We should train more. I don''t ever get the chance to fight a duel wielder, but.." Cedric paused his excited rambling after he caught Evanna''s gaze steered behind him. He turned around and immediately bowed at the approaching crown prince, but prince Arawn''s gaze was set on Evanna only; she felt his startling blue eyes pierce straight through her, making her hands clasp together in nervousness. "Cedric." Arawn now stood a step away from Evanna, his gaze unwavering from hers. She stood there with an unsettling feeling tying up knots in her stomach as the wind swept across her face chilling her further from the frostiness shooting across her body. "Yes, your highness?" Cedric kept his head bowed. "Do you not have a wife and unborn child to attend to?" Arawn drawled in a low menacing voice. Cedric peered up at the prince, his brows arched together at his question before he replied, "Your highness, I will see them once my shift is-" "You are dismissed. See to them and return tomorrow," The prince snapped. The iciness in his voice matched the cold emanating from his being. Arawn''s eyes were glued on Evanna the whole time as Cedric bowed again and thanked him for his kindness before stiffly turning to walk away. "Oh, and Cedric.." The prince called out to him, his voice was still low and deadly, but the warrior heard him, halting mid-step and turning to face Arawn. "Do not touch what is not yours. I do not wish to teach you that lesson also." Cedric''s eyes widened before he bowed and glanced at Evanna with his brow raised, expressing his thoughts from that act alone before turning around and leaving her with the prince. Her gaze went back to Arawn, and she felt a flare of anger burst through her as she clenched her hands into fists by her sides. "I am not an object to be owned!" She snapped. Arawn''s stoic features lit up in amusement with a dangerous glint in his eyes. "No, you are not an object. But you ARE my prisoner," His voice chilled the air around her as he leant towards her, "maybe I should be treating you more as one." Evanna leaned back away from his towering form when her attention suddenly snapped to the side where Cedric was leaving. Garrett clipped him around the ear, swearing in Muranthian, "* You gave her a weapon! She could have used you as a hostage and escaped!*" Evanna resisted, her mouth dropping open. Why didn''t I think of that!? But after glancing at the prince again, she was sure it would never have worked; he was far too cunning. Ignoring his comment nor showing any signs of fear, she asked him instead, "Why are you not pleased, your highness?" Arawn tsked, "I leave you for a few hours only to return and see you are sword fighting for fun. So tell me, do you miss the thrill and excitement of fighting?" He tilted his head to the side, keeping his hands behind his back as he looked down at her through his long lashes. "Cedric wished to train, and I agreed to be his partner," Evanna explained herself calmly, even though she was anything but. The prince was getting too used to invading her personal space, she did not like it nor the feeling of anxiety her heart caused her. At the mention of Cedric''s name, a muscle in his jaw ticked. "I did not realise you and Cedric were on a first name basis," He snapped. Evanna narrowed her eyes slightly at the prince as she tried to determine his words to his facial expression. But as per usual, all she saw was his icy gaze and impassive features. What was wrong with the prince? The prince stepped back as though he could sense Evanna''s burning question on her silent lips. He glanced at Garrett near the steps to the palace giving him a single nod resulting in Garrett turning his back on them and going into the palace. Arawn turned his head back to Evanna, who missed the action as her attention was elsewhere. She watched as the guard from earlier retrieved the swords she stuck in the ground behind her. The guard subtly smiled at her, his honey coloured eyes matching his short hair; he too was handsome in a cute boyish way. However, he stopped smiling as soon as his gaze landed on the prince who caught him smiling at her. He gulped and fell back in line. "You," The prince clicked his fingers and pointed at the man. Evanna looked at Arawn wide-eyed. What was he going to do now!? She seriously couldn''t figure him out. Was he going to send this guard home too like he did to Cedric, or was he going to do something more.. torturous? The guard stepped forwards again and bowed. The prince moved his gaze away from the guard and to Evanna, analysing her face intently as one side of his lips twitched ever so slightly. She pursed her lips as her stomach twisted in knots in anticipation of what the prince would do. "What is your name?" He asked nonchalantly though his face was anything but as his blue gem-like eyes were glued to Evanna''s reactions. "Anwel, Sire." The guard with honey-coloured hair replied with his back bowed forwards still, his gaze at the floor. "Hmm, please. There is no need to bow," Anwel straightened as Arawn approached him slowly. Evanna held her breath as she glanced between the prince and guard. "So, Anwel.." He drawled as he began to circle around him, scrutinising the guard. "You were the one to give our Lady Evanna here weapons?" Unlike the nobles and servants in the palace, their guards were the only ones aware that Evanna was a prisoner. Usually, secrets never stayed a secret very long, especially in a large group and palace. However, the prince''s reputation for cutting out people''s tongues made sure to keep their staff and guards in line. So, if the prince were to leave days at a time, he was confident in leaving his prisoner, knowing well that it was near impossible to escape, especially with every guard keeping a close eye on her. Only a few remembered Evanna and the skill she possesses with a blade; however, it seemed that Anwel was not one of them. Although Cedric was also aware, the prince seemed to favour him more, after Garrett. Anwel gulped at the prince''s question, but he kept his gaze ahead of him as the prince stood behind him, his gaze never leaving Evanna''s, whose eyes were wide. "Yes, your highness," Anwel responded. "I am not pleased with this, Anwel. And you know what happens when I am not pleased.." Anwel inhaled sharply and clenched his eyes shut before the prince finished. "100 lashes and 3 days without food or water." He gestured for the guards to take him away. The prince rounded them as they grabbed Anwel by the arms. "Wait!" Arawn smiled before he spun around to face Evanna, his sharp eyes already on her features. "Please, your highness. It was a small mistake!" Evanna blurted out as she approached prince Arawn cautiously. "There is no room for mistakes under my rule," Arawn replied, his voice flat and devoid of emotion. "The punishment is a little severe, your highness," Evanna pleaded with her eyes as she stared into the prince''s frosty blue orbs. Arawn searched her eyes before replying in a dangerously low voice, "Do not tell me how to run this kingdom." Without realising what she was doing, Evanna reached her hand out to his, clasping it in both of hers as she stared intently at him, "Please, Arawn. This is too much.." Evanna could see her words were not affecting him, or if they were, he was not showing it on that cool fa?ade, possibly masking his anger at her plea. "If.. if it is punishment and order you seek.. then I will take his place," She continued. Arawn leaned back slightly, aghast by her comment. But, once again, his mask of composure filtered back on. "Release him!" His voice made Evanna jump. It was then she realised his hand was inside of hers. She snatched her hands back abruptly and bit her lip, both from the warm feeling of his soft hand in hers and for accepting a punishment that was cruel for such a minor mistake. Was it minuscule, though? She started to wonder. If the roles were reversed, and she was in Arawn''s shoes, would she ask for blood by the whip? No, she would only go to that course of punishment if the prisoner actually harmed people and escaped. She did not. Therefore, the sentence was far too severe. Arawn leaned forwards, "Do not fret, Evanna. I would not allow another man to disfigure your back." Evanna let out a breath she did not realise she was holding. Though, her relief was brief. "But I will collect my payment for such a request." "How would I repay you?" Evanna whispered as she watched Arawn smile wickedly and his eyes gleaming mischievously. Chapter 80 - Evannas Punishment.. "How would I repay you?" Evanna whispered as she watched Arawn smile wickedly and his eyes gleaming mischievously. The prince turned on his heel abruptly and spoke over his shoulder, "Follow me." Evanna could only follow him as he led the way back to the palace doors. She turned her head when she walked past Anwel, relief was apparent on his face, but he quickly looked down at the ground. Evanna clenched her teeth together as she remembered Arawn''s odd behaviour regarding Cedric and Anwel''s polite manners towards her. For a brief moment, Evanna didn''t feel like the prisoner she was; and she wouldn''t lie to herself either. She had fun sword fighting with Cedric. In that moment of time, Evanna forgot about all her troubles with the prince, her imprisonment, her mother''s health and her friend''s escaping the Flori. All she had to do was concentrate on the fight at hand. Now in a matter of minutes, Cedric had been dismissed, and Anwel nearly whipped and starved for three days. The prince did not say Evanna would have the same punishment, but it didn''t mean that she wasn''t worried. That worry only grew as the deafening silence grew between them. Evanna was still behind him, walking through the hallways; she kept her gaze in between his shoulders and focusing on his perfectly straight hair. But her concerns disintegrated when she saw the familiar walls and archways leading to the stairs and past his room. Evanna sighed in relief, not realising she was holding her breath in anticipation. The prince swore to her that he would not sexually assault her, but she couldn''t help but think that way when he said nothing and led her towards his room. Now, she was entering through some double doors into one of his many chambers, as customary of a prince in a palace. Yet, her eyes widened once more from the beauty of the elves interior design and architecture. The room was beautiful with the usual open ceiling but with many open windows, letting a dazzling light of golden rays kiss her skin. Her eyes scanned the room, taking in the artwork, the marble flooring and brown leather love seats along with coffee tables; the only dark colouring in the room. The chamber itself was fit for a small gathering of up to twenty people, but she knew there must be much larger rooms to accommodate his guests. Without uttering a word, Evanna walked past Arawn and to the windows, immediately forgetting why she was there. She leaned her hands against the ledge and sighed at the view. These views were angled of the forest more, but she could see some of the elven villages and towns nearby also. While she stared outside, listening to the birds, watching the skies and the ant-sized people in the distance. Arawn took the time to watch her. His eyes roamed her face, and the excitement lighting up her stunning features. He knew Evanna was absorbed in the scenery and the mundane life she could see from the towns. The prince''s lips curved into a small smile; he was pleased in making the decision to bring her to the privacy of his chambers, otherwise his men, the servants and nobles would see him smile, and he did not wish them to think he was capable of such a thing. He liked the rumours surrounding him; it kept his people in line without him needing to do much. Fear was a helpful tool, especially when one ruled over a kingdom. But he made sure that he nor the king wasn''t too feared. There was just enough set in their minds to keep his people from acting stupidly. His father, the king, was in charge, but he had been overcome with grief for the last 200 years since his mother''s passing. Arawn was the one to help pick him up and happily let his father''s chilling ways rule over him and the people. They still adored the king and prince, that much he knew from the many times he snuck out and posed as a commoner working for the prince, so he could listen to his people''s needs. They were strict and heartless, and their punishments could be cruel, but their people never suffered. Only the criminals and those who defied them did, and for that, the people stayed loyal to the crown. His gaze refocused on Evanna, and he let his lips drop back to a line as his eyes became frosty and calculative once more. Arawn couldn''t believe such things made her excited. He wondered about the reasoning behind her reactions. Of course, there was the fact that she was not from Direwood, and his kingdom was a beautiful sight to see compared to that of Dunhurst. Although he had only been a few times, that was many, many years ago. The prince walked to Evanna''s side, startling her out of her reverie. She placed her hand on her chest and felt her heart hammering wildly from Arawn''s sudden appearance. Her eyes were wide with surprise; she had no idea he was so close, and now that she looked at his cooling gaze, she was reminded of the punishment awaiting her. A sentence he was yet to tell her. Evanna pulled back from the ledge as she felt Arawn''s piercing blue eyes on her. She inhaled sharply as he placed one hand on the wall behind her head to block her from moving further away from him. With the little space they had between them, she created more by leaning her back into the wall as much as possible. She raised her chin up to meet his gaze, not even flinching when she felt his hand lightly touch the side of her face and remove a strand of her hair away from her eyes and placing it behind her ear. "Do you remember why we are here, Evanna?" He asked quietly. Evanna swallowed, feeling her throat dry and her hands clinging on to the wall, becoming clammy. Yet, her voice was strong, "Because I interfered in a punishment you handed out to a guard." "And.." He drawled. His gaze slowly roamed her face as he tilted his head to the side, waiting for her response. "To collect your payment.." She mumbled and felt her cheeks heat by her insinuating thoughts. But she could not help it; Arawn was in her personal space unless he was using it as a tactic? Her eyes narrowed subtly at him, an action he, of course, noticed, causing one side of his lips to curl up, and his eyes flicker with amusement. Arawn leaned forward, causing Evanna to tilt her head back as he brought his lips to the side of her ear, his breath tickling her and sending a wave of ice-cold shivers down her spine to the tips of her toes. "Exactly. Now, what I am going to ask you to do may be very difficult for you, Evanna," He whispered almost too quietly, but she wasn''t thinking about his words. All she felt right then was the brushing of his lips against her skin. She gasped at his touch, the coolness of his lips that incited a warm feeling spreading across her skin along with a foreign sensation. Evanna licked her lips and forced herself to breathe out before her voice trembled, not with fear of him but by the fire flickering across her body from his single touch and close proximity, "What is my punishment?" Her eyes were set on the room behind Arawn, trying to focus on something other than this confusing prince. Arawn chuckled and pulled back, so his sculpted features were once more in her view. Then, with one hand still leaning against the wall, he brought his other one up and caressed her lips with his thumb, startling her and making her tense by his touch. Arawn''s brows drew together, and she saw a flicker of hurt flash behind his eyes before they hardened once more. The muscle in his jaw ticked, and he pulled back, creating some much-needed space for Evanna. He scoffed and looked out the window by her side. She took that moment to analyse his features and the emotions flickering on his face. It seemed he was at war with himself. Evanna could not help but stare. He was a man made of stone but something that just happened between them now, something that she couldn''t quite understand, made his icy fa?ade shatter, if only for a little while. And for that singular moment, Evanna saw a normal man, a very strikingly handsome man, but one not surrounded by darkness or ice. Then, however, his eyes snapped back to hers, and his mask of composure slid back on as a smirk crawled up his face. "I want you to kiss my boots." Chapter 81 - You Cannot Be Serious!? "I want you to kiss my boots." He said in a serious tone. Evanna''s lips parted in shock, "You cannot be serious!?" She almost screeched, but she lowered her voice again as he glanced at her in agitation. When she saw the seriousness on his face, Evanna looked down at his boots; they were so muddy and dirty, there were even leaves sticking to the end of them. Her brows drew together, and it was then she realised Arawn was not wearing his luxurious royal robes, but his outerwear making him look like a ranger. It only took her so long to realise because of the events leading up to this moment, along with the fact that Arawn was still wearing black, so she did not take an interest in his outfit. But now, she noticed some dust and dirt on his clothes, especially on his boots, which she looked back at in disgust. The prince chuckled again, taking obvious delight in her reactions. "Or.." Evanna''s eyes ripped away from the foul boots and back to his sculpted face that was lit with amusement; his lips were set in a sly smile and eyes gleaming in delight. "Or.." She asked with a note of impatience in her voice. This only made his smirk deepen as he reached forwards and brushed his thumb against her bottom lip, his eyes lingering on them for a moment too long before they glanced back at her dazzling emerald jewel-like eyes. His touch had incited a rosy hue to her cheeks, making her all the more beautiful. "You can kiss me.." Evanna looked at him, appalled by his suggestion. "How shameless are you!?" She pointed her finger into his chest, "I will do no such thing! You.. I cannot believe you!" Arawn snatched her finger. "You did not let me finish.." He drawled. The amusement on his face made her want to slap him. But, luckily for him, her life was in the balance along with the life of her mother and possibly her comrades. So, she resisted the urge, but it took all of her willpower. "Oh, I am so sorry, your highness! How rude of me! Oh, wait, any woman would react how I have at the mention of you asking for a kiss! A kiss!" Evanna couldn''t help herself. If she couldn''t slap him, then she will definitely let her voice be heard. The scoundrel! How shameless! This was why they were in a private room! While Evanna was ranting internally about the prince, who could easily read her thoughts from the anger evident on her face, he was still holding her hand that was now flat against his chest. The prince had not moved it away; he was too absorbed in how cute she looked angry at him. He chuckled and finally added to the end of his sentence, "Or, you can kiss me on the cheek." "Well, it looks like I have no choice," Evanna bit her lip, "how do you want to do this?" Arawn''s expressionless features suddenly took on one of shock. She was quick to choose, but before he made his own assumptions up, he asked her instead, "How do I want to do what?" "I''m going to kiss your boot," She said in disdain, her lips thinned, and her face was set in a determination by her choice. The prince chuckled again, releasing her hand and gestured behind him. Evanna marched past him towards one of the love seats and spun around, tapping her foot impatiently, her hands placed on her hips. Evanna snapped her jaw together after she watched the prince walk towards her and away to another love seat, making her all the more frustrated at him and the situation. Finally, he flopped down on the seat and widened his legs comfortably as he watched her march towards him, her cheeks flushing with rage. "Now, now, Evanna. I hope you are not forgetting the reason why you are here? This is your punishment." He tilted his head to the side, looking at her as though it was all her fault. Evanna lowered down onto her knees before him and narrowed her eyes at the prince. "Your punishment was cruel, Arawn." She muttered through clenched teeth, trying to keep her temper at bay. Arawn leaned closer to her; his hair fell forwards in waves of moonlight while his arms relaxed onto his legs, letting his hands clasped together. Evanna held her breath at iciness transforming on his features. She wondered if she touched his face right now, would she flinch from the cold, or would her fingers stick to his skin, unable to remove until he warmed up again. If he warmed up again. "Then, my lady.." He drawled in a chilling tone, making the hairs on the back of her neck stand on end. "You should have no issues with the way that I punish you. As you have seen today, there are much worse punishments than a simple kiss to the boot.. or.. a kiss to my cheek." Evanna pursed her lips and glanced back at his boots. They truly were awful. If they were clean, then she believed she could actually go through with it. But then, she could just wash her lips and rinse her mouth out? While Evanna was contemplating her following actions, Arawn watched her intently. He had not moved away from her, and he had no intention to; the prince knew what the inevitable was. Or, so he hoped, he could not sometimes tell what was going through that pretty brain of hers, but if he figured her out well, then she would relent to kissing him on the cheek. He couldn''t help it; he loved seeing her reactions to things. She was so much fun to play with! And why not have a little fun out of the situation? He found her innocence and mannerisms to be incredibly endearing, and he just wanted to eat her all up! Chapter 82 - Boots Or Cheek? Evanna looked up at the prince and frowned; his mask had fallen, and she could see the amusement on his features and the gears turning behind his eyes. She sighed, placing her hands on each side of his feet and lowered herself to his boot, and pouting her lips. It will only take a second, then this will all be over! She tried convincing herself of her action. Arawn leaned further over his knees, his eyes widened at his miscalculation. Just as Arawn was about to stop her, Evanna halted in her tracks and covered her mouth. There was a dead bug at the end of the leathery material also! "Arawn! Please! I beg of you, don''t make me do this!" Evanna pleaded, looking up at him with her big green eyes. But the prince wasn''t falling for her act. Instead, he tilted his head to the side. "You know your ultimatum, Evanna." He said calmly in his low baritone voice. For some reason, it calmed her racing heart for a moment, but that didn''t last long when she remembered her ultimatum. Her heart began to pound loudly again, and she gulped as she stared back into the prince''s icy blue hues, surrounded with long lashes. For the number of times she had stared at him, this was the first she really took note of the individual lashes fanning his eyes. She snapped out of her daze and asked the first thing that came to her mind. "Why do you want me to kiss you?" She whispered, looking down at her hands in her lap as she sat her bottom on her legs. Arawn blinked back at her. The only indication he heard what she said. Instead of answering her, he asked his own question, "Why do you think I want you to kiss me?" His lips curled into a smirk while his eyes lit up in amusement. Evanna forced herself not to roll her eyes. But, of course, he answered her question with a question. He was so frustrating; why couldn''t he just answer her question like a normal person? Sighing to herself, she racked her brains for an answer. "Because it''s my punishment.. You want to embarrass me? How else would I be punished if you had no intentions of actually harming me?" The prince''s smile grew into a wicked grin at her answer. "Yes, I suppose you are right.." He replied pensively as he tilted his head again, looking at her as though she was clueless about something. Maybe she was clueless because she didn''t understand why he was looking at her like that. "What would you prefer? A muddy boot to a clean soft face?" Evanna stared back at him, already knowing the choice she was about to make. "I don''t have all day," Arawn added in a clipped tone. Evanna''s brows drew together as she whispered, "This will stay between us?" She met her gaze with his, her own filled with worry. One side of Arawn''s lip twitched, but the action was missed by Evanna, who stared intently at his crystal blue orbs. "You have my word, Evanna." "Okay," She whispered and looked at the prince''s cheek. Arawn turned his head slightly, providing her with better access to his clean, chiselled cheekbone. It was so sharp, she wondered if her lip would be cut. She rolled her eyes internally at herself; the man was good looking, but there was a devil behind those looks, one that enjoyed moments like these. She gingerly leaned forwards and gasped, almost jumping out of her skin when Arawn grasped her hands and placed them on his legs. Her heart beat furiously against her chest, and she felt herself becoming flustered and heated from his hands atop hers on his legs. HIS LEGS! She could feel the warmth of him under her touch. How was she meant to kiss him on the cheek if all of this was going on in her mind and body! Why were her hands on- "Use your hands to stabilise yourself. If I had known you would choose to kiss my cheek, I would have stayed by the window," He smirked. Evanna followed his instructions and raised herself so their faces were at the same height. She could see Arawn watching her intently. Come on, it will only take a second! You can do this! If you can take down a damn faceless monster, then you can kiss a handsome prince on the cheek! (or was he a toad dress as a prince?) Hmm. She closed the distance between them, and just as her lips nearly touched his skin, the prince turned his head, but Evanna pulled back immediately, shocked. "Why would you do that?" She exclaimed, "Arawn, do not do that! I have never been kissed before! You would be stealing it!" Arawn sighed. He knew she had never been kissed before, and he wanted to be her first kiss. He wanted to be the one to take it from her. "I''m serious, Arawn. Otherwise, I will just kiss your boot and be done with this! You know I can only kiss my future husband!" She continued. "I apologise, Evanna. I did not mean to.. you tickled me. Honestly," He held his hands up and looked so earnest; Evanna eyed him suspiciously, but instead of making her punishment longer than it needed to be, she decided to take things into her own hands and take the prince by surprise. That way, he couldn''t say she hadn''t done. Evanna swiftly rounded his face and softly brushed her lips against his cheek. However, she did not anticipate him to be just as quick as her; he turned slightly, and where Evanna thought she kissed his cheek, was in fact, the corner of his lips. She pulled back immediately, startled by the action. Her hand went across her lips as she stared at the smirking prince, who burst into laughter. "I''m sorry I couldn''t resist!" He barked in between his loud laugh that filled the room. Her cheeks reddened by the near kissing of their lips. But at the same time, Evanna was mad at him, she couldn''t help but feel a little exhilarated. But of course, she would never show that to him. He was her enemy.. She narrowed her eyes at him. Evanna slapped him lightly on the shoulder, "My husband.." She sighed and stood up, shaking her head. "Are we done? Can I go back to my room?" She asked and watched as Arawn stood up. He brought his hand to her face and caressed her cheek, both cooling it with his fingertips and possibly his gift, as well as setting it aflame. "No. We have some prisoner''s to go see," All jest had left his features and his voice. Chapter 83 - Dungeon: Part One "Are we done? Can I go back to my room?" She asked and watched as Arawn stood up. He brought his hand to her face and caressed her cheek, both cooling it with his fingertips and possibly his gift, as well as setting it aflame. "No. We have some prisoner''s to go see," All jest had left his features and his voice. Arawn removed his hand from her face and pulled back, turning abruptly and left the room. Evanna stood there in a daze from what just happened. The princess knew she was meant to follow after him, but she could not help it. She stood on the spot, facing away from the doors he left through. Her hand went against her lips again, reminded of what just happened between them. It truly was a bizarre punishment, one she had never seen before when she was at her palace. Did the prince do it because he already claimed he would not punish her through sexual assault or physical, for that matter? She huffed in frustration; she could not keep standing there deep in thought. The prince might return and give her another punishment for not following him. Evanna emerged from the room and glanced to the side to see prince Arawn talking to a guard nearby. The guard marched off, leaving the prince to turn his head back and look at Evanna. Her cheeks immediately heated, but she did not let her mortification and shyness of what happened in his chamber faze her. Instead, she clasped her hands together in front of her and raised her chin slightly as she strolled towards him. Arawn''s face stayed impassive while he watched her like a hawk. Once she stood by his side, the prince began leading the way again, but his pace was slower than before, his steps almost measured. Evanna glanced at his features and saw his eyes calculative once more. This made her wary and alert at what may lay in front of her. As they walked through the hallways, the prince again ignored the people who bowed at him. His eyes were set ahead of them. Evanna had glanced at him more than three times now, trying to determine what next he was scheming. Even though she had not spent that much time with the prince, she was becoming familiar when he was planning something, and so far, those plans kept involving her. She knew why though, it was because of that wretched gem! That gem.. her men.. She remembered Garrett alerting the prince to capturing some men at the South-Western border of Direwood Forest. Were these her party? "Your highness.." She began and felt her mouth go dry by the possibility of her comrades now captured by the Flori, like her. They stopped outside a wooden door that was guarded and locked. It must have been a dungeon for the criminals; it was the furthest away from the king and prince''s quarters, or any lavish quarters for that matter. Where they stood now seemed like an ancient part of the palace, one that didn''t seem to be taken care of as well. There were vines draping in from the outside, roots of the trees were raised in parts of the concrete floor, cracking the stone. The prince looked at her; she had his full attention now. Evanna glanced down at her hands as her brows drew together. She gasped after suddenly feeling Arawn''s cold fingers under her chin and tilted her head up so their gazes locked. She subtly swallowed, pushing back her hesitation from her mind and asked, "The prisoner''s we are seeing.." The prince tilted his head slightly, his gaze too intense on her face, making her flush, but she ignored it. "Are they.. are they my friends?" Evanna watched his eyes for any flicker of emotion, but there was none. "No." He replied simply. He began to turn, but she reached out and lightly wrapped her fingers around his firm, muscular arm. The prince looked at her hand before her face. "Then why am I coming?" She asked, confused that the prince wanted her to come with him. "Because," He began as he continued to walk through the door and through the stale stench of the dungeons. "I want you to see our torture techniques." Evanna looked at him, aghast by his words. But her attention was split between questioning the prince''s motives and the grim scenery around her. The dungeons were dark with the sounds of rats scurrying, chains banging against cells, the occasional yells and the dripping sounds of water. There was a chill in the air, and for once, Evanna knew it wasn''t the prince or presence. In fact, she took a little comfort in his presence; the dungeons were like something she would see in her nightmares. There were bloodstains smeared occasionally in empty cells, handprints on the walls, the stench of sweat, blood, faeces and steel hung in the air along with death. These dungeons were different to the tower Evanna was staying in. In fact, hers looked like luxury in comparison to the filth in which she stood in now. She wondered why she was not brought here. Evanna snapped her eyes away from some of the prisoners lying on the dirty ground, leaning against the walls with their faces dirty, bloodied and sweaty hair sticking to them. They were a mixture of humans and elves. Her heart pounded rapidly in her ribcage as her palms became clammy. Then, clenching her teeth together, she had enough and marched forwards to stand in front of the prince, blocking him from going any further. Arawn''s eyes narrowed at her, so she quickly muttered, "I wish to leave." The prince scoffed and began walking past her, talking over his shoulder, "You do not have a choice, Evanna." Evanna reached out and grabbed him by the arm, this time, it seemed to ignite a rage in him, one she had not seen before as he whipped back to face her, grabbed her by her arms and pushed her against a vacant cell. "You are my prisoner," He snapped. "You do not have any authority here!" Arawn''s voice sent shivers down her spine, and her heart beat even more chaotically than before at their close proximity and the frostiness in his gaze. Chapter 84 - Dungeon: Part Two "You are my prisoner," He snapped. "You do not have any authority here!" Arawn''s voice sent shivers down her spine, and her heart beat even more chaotically than before at their close proximity and the frostiness in his gaze. Evanna bit her lip, glanced down and looked back at him again. "Why do you want me to see such a foul thing?" She whispered. The prince blinked back a few times before he responded. "So you can see what we will do to your friends if you do not tell me what I want to know." He said calmly, but there was a cold edge to his voice, keeping her body alert to any movement of his. At his words, her brows drew together. "You said they were not my friends?" She uttered in confusion. He loosened his grip on her arms, bringing one hand to her chin and clasping it gently as he replied with a smirk, "I do believe you need to pay attention more. I said the prisoners we were going to see were not your friends. However, that does not mean we do not have them here." Evanna''s breath hitched as her eyes widened at his comment. "You.. you found them?" Her voice came out raspy. Her throat was dry, and she had to swallow past a lump. Arawn''s eyes lit up in amusement at her reaction. "Yes. We brought them in earlier." It seemed things were going according to plan, and Evanna was falling for it. Soon, he would get the answers he sought. Although he honestly thought it would take a little longer, it saddened him to think that this game would be over. However, he had Evanna now, and she was somebody he couldn''t resist. A HUMAN, out of anyone, was what caught his attention. Such madness! Although his thoughts were spinning at his subsequent actions, the prince''s face was stoic and hard to read. "So, have you.. you haven''t tortured them?" Her eyes were solely fixed on him now. Even his hand moving from her chin to her jaw and ear did not distract her attention away from the situation. The action did send firey icicles through her body and raising goosebumps against her smooth skin. But this was serious. Arawn''s tendency to touch Evanna and make her feel uncomfortable was at the back of her mind now. Evanna''s friends were in this awful dungeon, meaning they failed, and the gem was back where it belonged. Away from her sickly mother. "I have not tortured them..yet," His eyes flickered between hers. She could sense he was trying to read her as she did him. The prince said ''yet'', meaning he wanted something from her, which of course, was to do with the gem. But he could be lying. Evanna''s mind spun with the possibility. Why would he go through all this trouble for her to confess? Moreover, they had her group of comrades; he could easily get the information he wanted from torturing them. So, why hadn''t they? Or, if they had Cilv, she knew the shapeshifter would give them up in a heartbeat to save her ass. With those swirling questions in her mind, she decided to follow along for now. Maybe she thought too highly of the prince to be so cunning, or it was indeed all in her head. "May I see them?" She whispered once more, fixing her gaze on his. "You have my word, Evanna. I have not disfigured your friends. They have not been in the palace long enough, but I will start torturing them soon unless you give me what I need. It''s very simple. Do not make this harder on yourself and your friends," Arawn replied sincerely, as though he was not the one threatening her. His word didn''t mean anything to her. Evanna did not know him well enough to understand what his word meant. If it was held true or not. "And what happens when you have this information, your highness?" Evanna''s eyes flickered between his, "We will be kept prisoners or beheaded?" Arawn''s features stayed stoic as he stared back at her, "Evanna," His voice was low and deep, sending an ache through her body, one that was pained as she awaited his answer, one she already knew would leave his lips. "You are fortunate to still be alive. I know you are not dim-witted, and this was all planned. But, unfortunately, not only have you broken the law in my kingdom, but you also broke the accords by coming here." "But, if you tell me why you came all this way. Risked so much for a single gem, then maybe I can help you," The prince continued. Evanna searched his eyes for any deception, but she could not tell. The princess had been a part of the noble''s games at her own palace, roped in to play in which she successfully stayed afloat, using one of many means such as her shapeshifter friend, Cilv. Evanna may be young, but she was brought up as a bastard in a palace full of royals and nobles set on her downfall. In her eighteen years, there had already been two assassination attempts on her. The first was when she was five, the next was thirteen. At that time, she was becoming noticed more by the nobles. Even at such a young age, suitors were already lining up to be betrothed to her, ready for when she was of age. Her beauty blew away her added title: ''the bastard child.'' Although these nobles were aware she was illegitimate, it didn''t stop their sons from trying to court her. Something the Queen and her many nobles were disgusted by and used many means to put an end to it. Whether that was through these political and royal games or attempted assassinations. But these assassinations stopped when word spread that princess Evanna started to train and was capable of handling a sword. The king also made sure to have a separate taster on his daughter''s food; the only people aware of this was him, Evanna and Maggie. So, she was familiar with reading people, and even the most expressionless person still gave away a singular piece of information: Whether they were deceiving her or not. However, prince Arawn''s stony gaze''s and stoic features took the game to a whole new level. One Evanna didn''t think she could keep up with. Well, she was already losing after blurting out she was from the Kingdom of Dunhurst, and she had a sister. Evanna blinked back her thoughts and memories as she refocused on the man before her. Would he help her if she told him about the gem? Her brows knitted together. Undoubtedly, the prince would know why she came all this way for that gem.. Unless it was such a secret that not even their own knew about it. Suddenly, another thought popped up into her mind, and she froze. The prince was not gone long enough to help retrieve the men from the South-Western border of Direwood Forest. It took Evanna and her party days to get to the palace; even if the elves knew the ins and outs of the forest, it would still take longer than a few hours. This was all a ruse! Chapter 85 - Well Played Evanna and the prince stood staring at one another in the dark, dank dungeon. They were close enough to each other that they did not need the light from the torches to light up their faces. Arawn watched her intently and did not miss her eyes flash wish realisation and a spark of anger before her own mask of composure covered it up. She raised her chin defiantly, "I want to see them." Arawn''s features somehow hardened even more; she thought his skin might crack and break like a doll. He narrowed his eyes slightly, "I have already given you my word-" "Your word does not mean anything to me until I see actions backed behind it, your highness," Evanna replied in a clipped tone. Arawn appeared stunned at her words, his eyes were wide and lips parted, but he masked it immediately with an icy stare. However, Evanna refrained from smiling. It seemed the prince could create other facial expressions other than a glare or a smirk. But she suddenly became nervous when the prince leaned forwards, his towering form becoming more apparent as she tilted her head back into the bars. "Your words wound me, Evanna," He placed a hand on his chest, indicating the pain of what she said, but his eyes were hard like stone. Evanna could tell the prince did not like where things were going. She could sense the darkness within him emerging as his face fell, and he searched her eyes with an intensity that sent a shiver down her spine. "Do you not think me a gentleman? My word is nothing to you?" His voice was deep, filled with a simmering temper just below the surface of his sculpted skin. But she did not let it faze her. She knew her friends were not captured. "Your highness, it is not that I doubt you are a gentleman," She paused a moment as her eyes flashed back to the privacy of his chamber where he shamelessly asked her to kiss his cheek. When she glanced back at the prince, a smirk was formed on his face as though he knew exactly what she was thinking. But it quickly dropped as though it was never there. So, she continued, "But I am your prisoner. You only seek one thing from me. Why would I trust my captor?" Arawn leaned his hand on the bars behind her, bringing his face even closer to hers. So close, his minty breath fanned her face. He watched as her cheeks blushed from their proximity. Then, with amusement flashing behind his eyes, he played with her, bringing a cold finger to the side of her face. He softly slid it down from her forehead and down to her rosy cheek, then chin. Her face was flushed from the heat of his touch. She gazed at him curiously, but then he brought her focus back to him when he hummed, "Because I just gave you reason to. I will help you any way I can." Evanna''s eyes flickered between his. "If you have the gem, then you have no further use of me. Or my friends you claim to have." Arawn chuckled, and although it was from malice intent, it sounded like music to her ears. "Claim to have?" He asked with a smirk as he removed his hand from her face and gazed down at her in amusement. Evanna met his gaze coolly. "As I have said, if you have retrieved the gem, then I might as well go back to my cell and wait to be beheaded." Arawn narrowed his eyes slightly and replied in a voice so low, she nearly did not catch his words. "You will not be beheaded." He pulled back abruptly but halted after she replied instantly. "I have seen how you treat your own people. Why would you treat me, a prisoner, a HUMAN any differently? I have caused you much pain. It is apparent from how much you want that gem. It is also clear, your highness, that you do not have my friends nor the gem." Evanna kept her eyes fixed on him, refusing to look away. They stood there in a heated battle of staring for a while, causing her heart to pound rapidly and her hands clammy as she looked into the abyss of blue hues. The prince chuckled, but there was no humour behind it. "Well played, Lady Evanna." She blinked profusely from his words. Did he just announce that he was playing her? The confusion must be on her face because he chuckled again and turned on his heel, walking the way they initially came. The princess was quick to follow him; she did not want to be in that dungeon any longer. His long stride was quick, and she had to double her steps a few times to keep up with him as they walked through the halls. The silence between them felt chilled, and she wanted to fill it up, but what could she possibly say? When she glanced at his face, he looked angry, murderous even. Anyone they walked past only bowed their heads; there were no greetings from people, only their gazes were lowered as they steered clear of the prince. Much like when her father was in a mood or a rage, the people here knew when to move out of his way and not talk for fear of any reprimand possibly involving a whip or maybe dismemberment. Evanna kept her own gaze lowered slightly ahead of her so she would not walk into anybody, but with the prince''s intimidating aura, she doubted anyone would bump into her. They suddenly stopped, and Evanna looked up. They stood in front of ceiling-high double doors of a light wood carved intricately with the Flori emblem engraved beautifully, showing its grandeur. "If you will excuse me. I have duties to attend to," Arawn said without looking at her. She watched as his demeanour became even colder. "Guards." Two guards from the sides of the door came forward at his quiet command, and their spots were instantly filled. "*Follow Lady Evanna. Do NOT engage with her. If I so much as see her with a weapon in her hand, your families will be the ones to pay. Understood?*" His voice chilled her to the bone, and she watched the unfortunate guards who had the duty of babysitting her, pale at his words. They bowed their heads without uttering a word. Evanna was about to protest, but her words got caught in her throat. She did ''not know what they were saying''. The prince did not look at her as he took a few steps forwards, and the grand doors opened. Evanna stayed rooted on the spot. The guards lingered in front of her, almost keeping her away from the great hall. And what a grand hall it was. Although, in the short time she could peer into the room, her eyes were glued to its beauty. But the doors shut in her face. From her small glimpse into what lay behind the doors was the throne room. But it was magnificent, no extraordinarily stunning. It could hardly be called a room though, once again the sides where the walls should be were filled with white trees curving towards each other to make arches. The floor was of some type of pink marble; she could not tell from such a small glimpse. But what stood out the most was the throne at the far end. There were no windows, walls, nothing behind it, but what seemed to be a great fall if you got too close to the edge. And standing beautifully, almost seemingly merged with the throne, was a white crystal type tree, its roots deep into the ground. "Lady Evanna?" Evanna snapped her gaze away from the closed doors and back to the two guards standing in front of her. "Erm, can you show me around? This palace is rather big.." Arawn never said she couldn''t roam the palace. But, after today''s escapades, it made her want to escape the Flori''s grasp. Or, more like, the prince''s grasp. He was far too intelligent, and soon enough, he will get the answers he seeks, which she could not allow. But, there was also something about him, something she couldn''t put her finger on, that made her very nervous. His touch made her feel things that frightened her, and she knew to someone like him, it was all a game. A game to try and find out more about the gem and to enjoy her squirm and blush. If there was some distance between them, then she could think more clearly, and she could keep her wits about her. But it wasn''t just his overbearing presence in her personal space that made her lose her cool, but his words too. In a few days, he already found out her real name; she was a noblewoman who had a sister and lived in the Kingdom of Dunhurst. With those worrying thoughts filling her mind, she scanned her surroundings, adding more details to the map she drew inside of her head from the times she and Cilv scouted the place. If there was any chance of escape, she was going to take it and happily leave such a wretched yet beautiful place. Chapter 86 - Curiosity After roaming the palace further and taking in its splendour and different rooms, Evanna decided to check out the front of the court, where she knew there were more gardens yet to explore and more possible ways to escape. However, her attention was drawn away from her goal when she saw an arched doorway the size of a house, leading to rows and rows of books. It was a library, and a grand one, of course. Her steps halted, and she eyed the enormous room; she tentatively stepped forwards, awestruck by its beauty. It was like nothing she had ever seen. Which seemed to be the same thought popping up in her mind that day. Every room she had seen was different and beautiful in its own way, making her wonder how long such a place took to be built. Evanna tilted her head back as she walked through the archway. The library had a closed ceiling, but a wall-to-wall tinted window was in the usual brickwork''s stead. She could still see the sun shining brilliantly, but it didn''t cause any shadows nor bringing the room higher than average room temperature. Evanna clutched her arms as she suddenly shuddered from the different temperatures, it was nothing like in the forest, but it was close. Lowering her head again, she searched the room, taking in the white trees occasionally scattered, showcasing how high the walls were and how truly magnificent the room was. Their wide branches reached out to one another, causing a sort of path in which Evanna watched a man walking across and grabbing a book from one of the bookcases near it. Her brows raised in awe, and she walked further into the depths of the room. There was another floor, one that she couldn''t quite understand how to get to, but it had a balcony along the wall, so you could see from every angle of the ground she stood on. It was merely there so one could look at the books on such high shelves, but as she continued to gaze at it, spinning on the spot slowly, she stopped and saw a small area full of settees and armchairs. The whole room was like something out of a fairy tale book. Extraordinary and unbelievable. Evanna couldn''t help but compare her small library, which was only of cold white bricks with a rug on the ground and a desk in the corner with a fireplace, in comparison to where she stood that would fit about three houses inside. She followed her gaze, her steps echoing across the marble surface, and found at the far left of the room, was a fireplace as wide as the archway that led into the library. Evanna''s lips were unknowingly parted. The fireplace was of dark green marble with gold etched into it, flourishing out like their own branches of a tree that led to the ceiling. There were no books by such a beast of a fire roaring inside of it, and she found herself inching forwards to feel its warmth. Her hand glided along the edges of a single gold settee placed in front of it. But Evanna did not stop to rest; she felt a swell of excitement fill her chest from so many books. All elven! She started roaming the aisles, her eyes flickering across different titles, all in Muranthian. There was also a section for Human''s, but these were books similar to what she had read before, and they were not nearly as exciting. So, she breezed past it. Her intent now was to see if there was anything that might help her and her situation. Evanna had no idea what she was looking for, though. After some time of browsing the aisles, thrilled at coming across books with teachings of the elven magic, books that her mother would absolutely adore, she was reminded of her babysitters. The echoes of their clinking armour made her realise how quickly she must have been stepping through the aisles in excitement. When she stopped and turned, they visibly relaxed their shoulders with sighs. Somehow, they thought she might try attempting to escape. The thought made her smile as she turned away from them. Of course, she couldn''t possibly escape through the library, but their fear of the prince must be what made them panic. Evanna rolled her eyes, but it also made her very aware of them following her. She knew guards were not just there to keep you imprisoned or protected but to also inform their master of that person''s activities. She sighed while putting back a glorious green leather-bound book into one of the bookcases. It held information of the different gifts an elf could behold. It was also, obviously, in Muranthian. Evanna could not simply take the book without explaining that she could, in fact, read it. She felt frustrated about her situation; even at her palace, she had to keep such a secret. Evanna''s eyes roamed the grand room in want. There were so many books, scrolls and maps of the world she had never seen before. There was so much information she was still yet to learn, although she knew she was a diligent student and knew a fair bit more than her sister. Evanna glanced up at the man again, who wandered across the trees above her; from where she stood, she could see his long greying hair reach his waist and his rounded glasses at the edge of his pointed nose. He was the first elf to have shown any signs of ageing. Was he incredibly old then? Even from her position on the ground, she could sense he was a knowledgeable man. Evanna always presumed the elves were of high intellect, and after merely looking at that man, dealing with the prince and reading some of the books she came across, it deemed true. Their technologies were also far more advanced than those of the humans. There were many books she also could not understand. Such things as germs had been identified, again showing that her high education was no match to that of an elf''s. Evanna glanced around once more before she slipped back out and continued towards her original goal, but like she did earlier, the princess stopped, getting distracted by another room that was filled with a few elves. They were looking through jars and talking to one another while they waited for someone behind a counter. Evanna''s curiosity piqued, and she stepped into the dark room. Unlike most of the palace, this room did have a ceiling, and multicoloured windows, shining an array of colours into what appeared to be a shop. An apothecary of some kind. The orange-haired woman wore her hair into a braid and walked in an attire of slacks, a baggy white shirt and a green apron covering her. She wandered the room, which had its own brown tree growing from one corner, the roots stretching across the cracked marble ground and along the ceiling. An array of herbs and flowers hung from the ceiling in which she picked a few from and threw them down onto the counter. Evanna stepped closer, standing among the elves now who merely glanced at her before their attention went back to the woman''s handiwork. She was now grinding the herbs together before throwing them in a bright blue liquid. Witchcraft? She shook her head. Rina told her they steered clear of witches. Evanna reminded herself that the elves were much more advanced than the humans. Their medicines- "* Take this three times a day or whenever you have a meal. Take a sip. AFTER your meal. It cannot be taken on an empty stomach. *" The elf with fiery hair said. Her eyes were stern and her tone slightly commanding. But Evanna would not expect less from a healer. While she served each elf with an ointment, medicine or providing advice, Evanna looked through the jars, only recognising a few herbs and dried flowers; the rest were glowing and, of course, were local. Once the last man left, Evanna''s attention snapped back to the healer, who briefly scrutinised her with slightly narrowed eyes before glancing warily at the guards who stood outside the shop. "*Hello guest. I am the palace physician. My name is Reselda. How may I help you?*" The orange-haired she-elf named Reselda greeted her in Muranthian as she stood in front of Evanna. Like most of the elves, she was elegant, tall and beautiful, with intelligent dark blue eyes and a few freckles kissing her cheeks. Evanna parted her lips and switched languages at the last minute, scolding herself once again at nearly exposing herself. "Hi! I am so sorry, but I do not understand Muranthian. I''m Evanna, do you understand me?" Evanna replied, slowing down her speech in case the she-elf did not actually understand her. But she doubted it, so far, everyone, guard and servant alike, seemed to be bilingual. Reselda rolled her eyes and placed her hands on her hips, "Of course I understand you. I am no simpleton." "Oh, haha. That is great to hear. Thank you," She smiled in return. Evanna strolled around the shop, trying to hide the rising nerves behind her actions. Hope was starting to spring up, something she needed to extinguish quickly, but it didn''t mean she was not nervous by the woman''s answers. But after wandering through the library and seeing how advanced the elves were, it made her wonder if, instead of a magic gem, there could possibly be a cure through medicine. Medicine that the humans had no access to. Chapter 87 - Superior Medical Knowledge Medicine that the humans had no access to. Evanna''s eyes shone with the new possibility. If her comrades were to fail or the gem''s myth was not real, then this might be helpful. Might. Evanna reminded herself of the many visits from the physicians, all shaking their heads, not knowing what was wrong with her mother. Over the months, she watched as her health slowly declined, the colour in her features became grey and hair becoming dull, her movements slow. Reselda seemed to sense the hesitance in Evanna and took on a much calmer tone with her, "What is it you seek, my lady?" Evanna composed her features once more and turned on the spot to face the she-elf. "I have a few questions. It is regarding a friend," Evanna begun. Reselda eyed her and looked down at her belly, then outside the shop door. She took a step closer to her, taking one of her hands in hers, squeezing gently. "Do you wish to speak in confidant?" Reselda lowered her voice and looked at Evanna intently. Evanna peered at the guards and bit the inside of her cheek. "They cannot go against my rules of the practice," she continued. Evanna nodded her head, and Reselda gestured towards a door that suddenly appeared behind the counter. That wasn''t there before.. Evanna blinked her eyes. Maybe, she was far too interested in the rest of the shop that she did not notice the door. Shaking her head, she walked towards the door, only to stop in her tracks when the guards came bustling through the shop entrance. "*You may stay right there. Unless you wish to see me speak with the king?*" The guard''s eyes widened at her threat. "*Good. I have my blades so I can protect her.*" "*Oh, she does not need protecting. The lady is the prince''s..*" He looked her up and down with a sneer, "*guest of the night.*" Evanna balled her fists and gritted her teeth, but she composed herself once more when Reselda looked at her, shocked. The princess pretended to look at her, confused. Then watched as the healer glanced back to her belly in stunned silence before telling the guards to stay there. Evanna walked through the door, gliding her hand on her belly, wondering if she had put on weight or was bloated. But her stomach was as flat as usual. Reselda walked past her, "Please take a seat," She gestured towards the leather armrest. Reselda took sat down in the opposite one, parchment and quill ready. The room she sat in was relatively small, or was it average? She had just come back from the extravagant library after all. However, unlike the shop, this room was light and had those glowing lights to make it even brighter. There was a single clear patio door that leads to a small balcony that fitted a small circular table and mainly had a vegetable garden, herbs and flowers growing, barely letting any room for a path to the table. But it looked cute and cosy, something Evanna imagined Reselda liked. Evanna sat down on the leather armrest; her eyes glanced at an interesting painting of the human body hanging on the wall. Though it was very odd, there were strange, shaped drawings among the body''s centre. "That is an anatomical drawing. What you are looking at is the inside of the body," Reselda filled her in after Evanna''s attention was solely focused on it. Evanna''s brows rose, and she turned her head back to the healer, "The inside?" Reselda nodded her head once, with a bored look upon her face. Of course, it wasn''t new to her, but to Evanna, it was! "How do you know what the inside looks like?" She enquired. Reselda tilted her head and looked at her oddly. "By opening a body, of course.." Evanna''s eyes widened at what she heard, making the healer sigh and explain herself further, "It is the only way in which we can move forwards in understanding more about our body. I was not there when the bodies were dissected, but it was prince Arawn who had the brilliant idea." Evanna''s brows drew together at this, "The prince? So.. was this originally a torture technique?" She paled at the idea. Reselda giggled at her comment. "Well, that certainly would be a good technique. I am sure they have used it, thought I doubt the person would last very long without their organ.. No, many years ago, the prince realised they were getting rid of many bodies, and he knew we, the healers, were talking about seeing what was inside of a person. So, whenever they killed someone, as clean as possible, of course, we would receive the body and get to work." Evanna just stared at her before finally finding her voice once more. "But what about the families of the deceased?" Reselda smiled gently, "If they were one of our own, then they would receive their son or daughter a few days after their death." Evanna was still stunned by the revelation as she looked back at the painting. "How long ago did this happen?" "Oh, hmmm, about eighty winters ago," Reselda hummed. The elves were more advanced than them by eighty years, possibly a lot more. "Anyway, I do not wish to hurry you, but your babysitters will not be too pleased waiting so long," Reselda brought Evanna''s attention back to her. "Oh, yes," Evanna looked down at her hands clasped together in her lap. She sighed and looked up, "My friend, she has been ill for many months now. Her health has been rapidly declining. Physicians have been to see her, but none can diagnose her. All they have said is she will not last much longer," Evanna''s eyes stung, but she took a deep breath in and looked at Reselda, "possibly four to five months left. Max." Reselda nodded her head; her eyes were full of compassion as she looked at the princess. "I see, and what are her symptoms?" Evanna listed her symptoms and how, on some days, she would appear her sunny self, and on others, she appeared back to being unwell, deathly even. Reselda nodded her head pensively and let the feather''s tip of her quill rest on her chin. "Is there anyone that does not like your friend?" She asked. Evanna''s eyes widened at such an odd question, mainly since they spoke of her mother''s symptoms. "Well, I suppose she may have a few enemies.." Evanna thought back to the Queen and her sister. Possibly a few nobles, but they could never utter a shameful word to her without her sharp tongue turning them into embarrassments. Nobody wished to be the palace gossip, and so they kept their whispers to themselves. Reselda nodded her head. "Maybe they are being p-" A bell rang loudly in the room, indicating somebody had entered the shop. Reselda stood up, apologising until a light knock tapped on the door. "*Please come in.*" One of the guards entered, "The prince has requested your presence, lady Evanna." He bowed but stayed where he stood, his eyes still on her, meaning their session was over. Evanna sighed and stood up. She bowed to Reselda, "Thank you for your time." "You are welcome, my lady. Please do come any time you wish to seek help. As I was about to say, your friend might be-" "I am sorry to interrupt. But his highness is not a patient man, and heads will roll.. His words, not mine," The guard held his hands up sheepishly. Evanna waved Resilda goodbye and walked quickly behind the guard, who led her towards the front of the palace. They stepped through some double doors, and she found herself looking at the long walkway and gardens she saw from the opposite hill the first time they had a glimpse of the palace. Evanna descended the marble steps, her guards falling behind her once more as she slowly approached the prince''s broad back. He turned around, and Evanna stopped; her face paled, and her eyes widened at what was coating his face. She looked behind him and saw a man on the ground, his head rolling across the grass, letting blood seep into the earth from the man''s spraying neck. She glanced back to the prince, and the sharp look behind his eyes made her instinctively take a step back. Blood was splattered across his features and white hair. "Lady Evanna, what took you so long?" Chapter 88 - Close Encounters: Part One Evanna looked at him, horrified by what she saw before her. She stepped back so far, she bumped into one of the guards. Arawn narrowed his eyes, not at her but the guard. She spun around and apologised, sidestepping him and glanced to and from the elven prince and the newly slain body on the ground. The prince arched a brow from her reaction. He couldn''t comprehend what the matter was. Evanna had killed before, so why was she acting so frightened or shocked? Sure, cutting a man''s head off was a little gruesome, but he couldn''t help it. He reacted quickly, and this was the end result. Arawn let out a sigh, and he approached Evanna slowly, showing his hands, meaning no harm. She eyed them, and he, too, looked at them. There was still some blood on them, even though he already wiped them down. His handkerchief was currently scrunched together on the body. But he refused to turn his back on Evanna. "Do you have a handkerchief? Mine is a bit bloody," He turned and looked at his rag on the ground before returning to look at Evanna once more. Her brows were arched together, her ethereal green eyes still wide, but she pushed past her fear and reached into a small secret pocket in her dress. If she hadn''t reached for it, he would never know that she had a pocket. He grasped her white handkerchief and began cleaning his hands again, his gaze unwavering from hers as he did so. A tense silence started to weigh them down, but the prince did not feel uncomfortable; it was Evanna who broke it. "Why did you kill him? I wasn''t that long.." Evanna said in a quiet voice. Her eyes had now hardened as she stared at him. He did not like that one bit. Narrowing his eyes, he took a step closer to her, watching as the decision flashed across her mind at stepping out of his reach. But she stood her ground. If she had moved, he would only grab her by the arm. "I killed him because he tried to assassinate me.." Arawn replied in a dangerously low voice. Evanna looked even more befuddled by his words. "You sent a message to me that ''heads would roll'' if I did not meet you.." Her gaze flickered back to the head detached from the so-called ''assassin''s body''. Arawn couldn''t help it; he burst into a peal of laughter. She was so innocent! He wouldn''t really chop someone''s head off because he was so impatient. What did she think he was, a mad man!? He stopped laughing after the thought crossed his mind, and he tilted his head at her, his brows knitting together at this. Evanna honestly thought he chopped off a man''s head because she was not quick enough to make it to him. Yet, he could not bring himself to ask her if that was what she thought of him; it was apparent from her comment. "You took that quite literally.." He smirked, covering up the slither of.. what was this feeling? Hurt? He was feeling hurt by her perception of him. Sure he chopped a hand off in front of her and manipulated situations between them so he could interrogate her in a way that wasn''t too frightening yet would clearly work. But for her to think so low of him.. Well, it really grated at him. However, he continued with his usual mask of composure on his features, "It''s quite comical really.." He dusted his shoulder off nonchalantly, although there was no dust, to begin with. "Well, what else do you expect me to believe?! There is a body decapitated on the ground after receiving such a message!" Her voice rose slightly but still not enough to arouse the attention of more nobles. As soon as he dealt with the assassin, he ordered his guards to set up a perimeter around the area so the nobles would not come any closer. Though, he could still see one or two that tried to peer through a gap between two of the guard''s shoulders. But his eyes locked with theirs, and they paled under his scrutiny, immediately vanishing from sight. His attention went back to Evanna, and he raised his brow at her, unimpressed by her reasoning. He turned his head to the guard, who was now far too comfortable with her. "Tell his highness of what has happened here. He needs to be protected in his chambers. Once you have sent word, find Garrett and send him here." The guard bowed and rushed back the way he came. Arawn''s attention then went to the other guard, "Clean up this mess." Arawn then looked back at his girl. She appeared a lot calmer now, but her eyes were roaming across his features quite openly. Evanna did not normally gawk at him in such a way; he certainly was not complaining, but if it wasn''t her, then he would shoot her daggers, scaring the rude person away. Instead, he raised a brow in question, and a rosy hue flourished across her cheeks. Making her that much more beautiful, both from her shyness and the radiant beauty that was she. "You.. your face is covered in blood, your highness," She replied hesitantly. Arawn preferred hearing his name leave her lips, but they were in public. "Hmm?" So she wasn''t gawking at him because of his handsomeness. Evanna stepped forwards and held her hand out; he looked at it questionably. "My handkerchief.." Arawn placed it in her hand but let his own stay clasped above hers, causing her to gasp quietly and glance to the side where some nobles had crept forwards again. He ignored the nobles, they were men staring at his woman, and they needed to know who she belonged to. Arawn smiled down at her, "Wipe it off for me." Evanna blinked back at his sudden proposal and again found herself blushing under the late afternoon sun. "I do not know where the blood is," He reasoned. Although his reason made sense, she could not possibly do such a thing in public! Yet, she looked at his face, the face she thought of a monster moments ago, and relented. Evanna felt a little guilty by her thoughts of him, but she also felt conflicted; he did chop an innocent man''s hand off, after all. Biting her lip, she nodded her head in agreement and whispered, "Okay," as she looked down at their hands again. Arawn released her and watched her step forwards, avoiding his heated gaze while she began gently wiping away some of the blood on his high cheekbones. To distract herself from doing such an inappropriate task not only to a man that was not her husband but by acting indecently in public, she asked the first question that popped into her mind. "Who sent the assassin?" Evanna asked quietly as she finished removing the blood on his cheeks. She gulped after marvelling at him, but she blinked a few times to refocus. Her eyes then wandered to some of the splodges of blood near his right ear. Evanna moved her hand in that direction but inhaled sharply as she felt his cold hand grab hers suddenly. She looked into the depths of his infinite pools of blue, almost feeling herself fall into them. But his hand tightened on hers, sending a small pain of awareness through her, halting her. Evanna had indeed been leaning closer to him! She subtly pulled back but noticed the flicker of amusement behind his eyes as he licked his lips and looked down at hers. "I do not know who sent him. But he is from The Order," Arawn let go of her hand. She pursed her lips and continued gently applying the handkerchief near his right ear. "I think I have heard of them. They reside in the Eleppo mountains?" Evanna queried and pulled back, glancing at his features for any more blood. But there was none. She found herself feeling disappointed, and her eyes widened at the realisation. Evanna could barely look at him in the eyes now as she stepped back and began to slide her handkerchief in her pocket once more, absentmindedly. Her mind was still reeling from the fact that she wanted to continue being that close to him. She was becoming far too comfortable around him, and she scolded herself for feeling that way. Chapter 89 - Close Encounters: Part Two "Tsked" Evanna blinked and snapped her attention back to the prince. Her lips parted slightly, but she quickly closed them. Arawn had stepped into her personal space and leaned forwards. Her breathing hitched as his face came closer to hers. Arawn''s hand glided down her leg and into her pocket, his fingers brushing her leg again as he pulled the handkerchief out. All the while, his eyes were locked with hers as her face once again heated. Nobody had touched her leg before. Well, outside of combat. This was a light touch, one that made her head feel dizzy as she stared into his striking blue eyes. "You should not put such a dirty handkerchief in your pocket." Arawn threw it on the ground behind him, where some guards were already lifting the body up. Another guard was placing the head in a basket, covering it with a blanket. Evanna was staring after her handkerchief, "My hand-" "I will get you a new one," Arawn said dismissively, "And to answer your question. Yes, the assassin is from the Eleppo mountains." Evanna parted her lips to question further, but prince Arawn turned on the spot, ending the conversation. He looked back at her, "Come. You have not seen these gardens." Evanna sighed. The prince was most likely going to interrogate her more, and she honestly didn''t know if she could handle that right now. He took a step then paused after assessing her features intently. His brows drew together, and he looked.. concerned?! "Unless today''s events have been too much for you?" His lips curled into a smirk, and his eyes lit up in amusement. The prince was referring to more than what just happened now. She refrained from narrowing her eyes at this devilish prince. But Evanna was tired. She had spent half her day in Arawn''s mind games, fought quite the opponent, kissed him on the corner of his mouth, scouted the palace and then returned to the prince who was adamant on causing her heart to thump chaotically against her chest. Yet, she did not wish to go inside. Her goal was still to escape. Evanna needed to see as much of the palace as possible before coming up with a plan. She had spent years escaping her palace, there was always a way out, no matter what, and she would find it. There had to be some weakness she could take advantage of. Plus, Evanna wished to see these gardens the moment she laid eyes on them from the hillside. Her eyes flickered to the cliffside in the distance, the one that if she was closer, the view of the cave could be seen. Evanna''s attention slowly went back to the prince''s profile, and she smiled subtly, "I am faring well your highness. Thank you for being so considerate, but I wish to spend a little longer outside." "Very well. Shall we proceed?" Arawn did not wait for her answer and stepped forwards. Evanna quickly caught up to him, but her gaze went down to the blood-soaked ground where the body had been. But she removed her eyes from the ground as they approached the guards keeping the nobles away from the area. They parted for the pair, and the prince and Evanna strolled past them, with a few onlookers glancing at them and whispering to one another. Evanna straightened her shoulders and tilted her chin up a bit more. Even if she was a prisoner and her identity was a secret, she would still not let gossipers grate at her. She was walking with their prince, so it was to be expected. She glanced back at his side profile, and her eyes lingered on the spot that she kissed before she turned her head away in embarrassment. Evanna could not understand how so much had happened in a day. Her face flushed even more at what they did in one of the prince''s chambers. They nearly kissed! She glanced back at him nervously. Evanna could not understand what was going on in his mind; there were plenty of other punishments he could have chosen. A kiss was certainly not something she anticipated him asking her. Luckily his attention was on the gardens. Evanna did not want him catching her peeping at him. Unbeknown to the princess, Arawn was very aware of her staring. When she removed her gaze from his features, he glanced down at her and smirked at her rising blush. They continued to stroll through the gardens full of flowers, bushes and small trees that Evanna had never seen before, but a small smile played on her lips as she gazed at its beauty. Although she was a prisoner, she decided to enjoy the gardens. Flowers bloomed around them as they started walking the path to the curved bridge that circled the whole palace. After a few minutes of comfortable silence, Evanna relaxed her shoulders further as she heard the calming sounds of the cascading waterfall. Excitement swelled through her chest. She rushed to the side closest to the water, passing the prince without so much as a word. She leaned onto the wall, overlooking the water. It was so close that she felt the spray of the rushing water flicker onto her face. She inhaled deeply and closed her eyes and her mind. Her worries swept away from the sound of the water, and she felt at peace with herself for quite a long time. Although, it was very brief, as the niggling thoughts of her situation and her mother''s health tried to probe back into her mind. "Evanna, be careful," Arawn warned her. She snapped her eyes open as she felt his hands slide over her waist, almost stilling her on the spot from shock and forgetting her worries and fascination with the water. Her body was reacting to his touch, his cool fingers sent shockwaves of awareness and heat rippling across her body, and her heart fluttered, picking up its tempo the longer his hands stayed at her waist. Heat radiated off from his body; how close was he to her? Evanna jolted and turned to face him, only to nearly fall backwards from their close proximity. His grip tightened on her, and he pulled her into his hard chest; her head lightly smacked into him, and she felt almost bruised from the ripples of muscles he had underneath his clothes. Her hands clung onto his muscular arms for stability, and she looked up at him in shock. Arawn chuckled, "If I release you, do you promise not to fall down the waterfall?" He asked in amusement. Evanna narrowed her eyes at him; she had been a clumsy fool because a man touched her. Fuming at herself, she gritted her teeth and replied shortly, "Of course, thank you for.." She couldn''t finish her sentence. "Coming to your rescue?" Arawn finished, chuckling at the burning rage behind her eyes. He knew instantly that Evanna was no damsel in distress. Even when he saved her in that tavern, she fought bravely then, even with that man''s grubby hands over.. His thoughts and eyes darkened as he remembered the scene like it was yesterday. He did not realise he was releasing a cold exterior and emanated a coldness that made Evanna shiver. He gazed back at her, letting himself get absorbed in her stunning eyes that reminded him of meadows, almost instantly calming his own rage, and pulled his power back into himself. He glanced away briefly, then returned to see she was still irritated. Evanna disliked being seen as a damsel in distress, and at the moment like this, it appeared she had been one. But not in his eyes. He merely took advantage of Evanna''s positioning to touch her. He had this overwhelming urge to always feel her, but he had to keep finding excuses because of their positions, her being his prisoner. With a tight smile and her cheeks still rosy from their body''s touching. Evanna replied, "Thank you, your highness." Arawn chuckled once more and released her, stepping back. Evanna glanced to the side and saw a few nobles watching the pair. Some, or most of them were noblewomen, sending her glares. Evanna internally rolled her eyes. If only they knew the real reason she was there, then they would not act jealous. "* Your highness. *" Evanna whipped her head back to the voice and saw Garrett bowing his head. "I need to speak to Garrett. Please bear with me," Arawn spoke politely as he stepped away from her. Evanna did not mind; she could cool down after being in his arms. Again. She clutched the sides of her dress casually, trying to keep her face from heating up again. She needed to try and control herself. Otherwise, she would be a walking tomato whenever she was near the ice prince. She roamed some of the paths while she watched the prince and Garrett discussing a subject attentively. It appeared they might be a while, so she started inspecting the flowers she had never seen before. Her hands glided over a few, looking at the array of colours, shapes and sizes. Evanna bent over and smelled some small lilac-coloured flowers. In the centre of them, the pistil''s were coloured a wonderous gold and shone brightly under the bright sky. Her fingers reached out and stroked them tentatively. She could feel the life force of the flower. The energy radiated off it, making her all the more absorbed at the power rushing through her veins. Her attention then went to the only flower that was not yet blooming. She wondered why. They had so many gardeners, and it was not hidden in the shade. It must be a late bloomer. She gently stroked the outside of the closed petals in a daze; she was oblivious of what she was doing or the zap of power that shot from her fingers. "My lady?" Evanna snapped out of her daze and spun on the spot, unaware that the once closed flower had slowly started to open, spreading its lilac petals. Chapter 90 - Gossip Evanna snapped out of her daze and spun on the spot, unaware that the once closed flower had slowly started to open, spreading its lilac petals. In front of her stood two she-elves, and after glancing at their luxurious attire, she knew they were noblewomen. Evanna bowed her head and watched as they did the same. "Hello," Evanna greeted as she glanced at them. The pair looked very similar to one another, having brown eyes, light freckles on their perfectly symmetrical faces, and chestnut coloured hair that trailed down behind them. They wore light blue dresses of elven make that flowed down beautifully on their slender figures. The only difference between them was that the lady on the right had shoulder-length hair, pulled back into a plait. "I am lady Lia, and this is lady Nienna. We are sisters." Lady Lia said. She was the she-elf whose hair was pulled back into a plait. Her smile appeared fake as her eyes portrayed a hardness that made Evanna wary of the two ladies. However, she could not be rude and turn away from them. "I am-" "Lady Evanna," Lady Nienna answered for her. She flicked her long strands of hair behind her shoulder as she openly scrutinised her. "I do not see it," She muttered to her sister. Lady Lia giggled, "I know, neither do I." Evanna immediately straightened her shoulders and composed her features with a calm fa?ade. She instantly sensed vibes of ill intentions from them. Unfortunately, her senses did not work unless she was in danger; if they did, then she would avoid such dramas. "I beg your pardon? I do not understand.." She stopped herself as their smiles grew. The she-elves giggled and whispered purposely loudly and glanced at her as they did so. But they spoke in Muranthian, their back and forth very quick that Evanna kept glancing between the pair, unsure on who said what. "*He can''t possibly want HER.*" "*She is HUMAN. His highness hates humans.*" "*I know! Maybe she IS his new mistress? You''ve heard the rumours..*" Mistress? Rumours!? Evanna''s eyes widened, then her heart pinched at the idea of Arawn having a mistress. She internally shook her head at her thoughts. So what if he had or has a mistress? He was older than Cedric; he was bound to have been with women before. Even if he did have an icy fa?ade that made grown men tremble, that didn''t mean women wouldn''t happily throw themselves at him. He was strikingly handsome, and he was the crown prince. Evanna eyed the pair in front of her. She presumed they wanted to catch the prince''s eye. From how they were acting, if he did choose one, she felt the sisters would eventually fall out. With those thoughts running through her mind, she decided to excuse herself from the toxicity emanating from them. "As you are well aware," Evanna interrupted their insults about her dress. "I do not speak the elven tongue. So, unless you wish for me to just stand here and gawk at you, I do believe the prince wishes for me to accompany him. And you know how he gets.." She hoped her words would sting a little. Her tiredness was getting the better of her, and she couldn''t help but retort a little childishly to their childish antics. Lady Lia crossed her arms, her lips tightening into a thin line as Lady Nienna only glared at her then replied, "Oh no, my lady. We do not know the prince as well as you.." She smirked. Lady Lia giggled then stepped closer to the princess. "Is it true you share his quarters?" Lady Lia looked her up and down in disdain. Her sister also stepped forwards just as Evanna parted her lips to reply. "Is that so he can have easy access to you?" Lady Nienna asked sweetly, tilting her head to the side with a fa?ade of innocence. Evanna stretched her hand near her waist, forgetting that she was not carrying her dagger for a brief moment. She would never attack the woman but threatening her seemed like an excellent idea. Instead, she found herself taking a deep breath in and composing herself, which was hard considering all she wanted to do was punch that smug smile off the sisters'' faces. But a lady never throws a punch and should always keep a cool composure. "Lady Nienna, you shock me with what your words imply. I am a guest of the prince''s, and he has been so kind and considerate in providing me with a chamber," Evanna replied while placing her hand on her chest, feeling quite dramatic at her actions, but knew she had to portray a lady right now. If only they knew she had slept on the forest floor next to Ger, they would think her a Scarlett woman. "We thought we should ask from the lady herself instead of listening to such gossip. Why listen to others who know nought on your situation when we could just come straight to the source" Lady Lia covered their tracks. "I see. I thought lady''s such as yourselves were smart enough not to listen and believe such crude gossips. I guess I was wrong," Evanna waved her hand to the side as though she gently swatted a fly away from her face. "Oh, it is not mere gossip, my lady. A maid saw you leaving the prince''s chambers at night and entering the room next to his, looking rather.." "Dishevelled?" Lady Lia finished her sister''s sentence, and the pair tilted their heads in the same direction at the same time as their eyes gleamed and a sly smile crawled up their faces. Evanna''s eyes widened, and she parted her lips, but nothing came out. She had left the prince''s chambers, but she believed his quarters were private. What maid would be foolish enough to talk about their cold-hearted prince? That was beside the point now. Evanna''s silence was their answer, and the sisters turned around, giving the princess a sidelong glance with a raised brow and a smirk on their lips. Evanna''s gaze hardened and filled up with tears. She was now known among the elves as the prince''s mistress or bed warmer. Her reputation as a lady was ruined. Evanna smiled sadly. At least it was only at the Flori palace, if or when she escaped, she would never see these woodland elves and their spiteful and ruthless ways again. She closed her eyes briefly, inhaled deeply and when she reopened them, the tears were gone, and her composure was once again intact. Evanna watched them walk away, unaware that the prince had been watching and listening with a stony and unreadable expression. Only Garrett, who stood by his side, could see the blue flames flickering behind his eyes as his attention moved to the two she-elves. He listened intently to their talk and looked back at his rose, watching them retreat. Evanna couldn''t help but be amazed at how quickly gossip had spread through the Flori palace. She believed their fear of the prince would keep her hidden from court life, but, of course, that was not the case. If she stayed in her cell, she would not have these sorts of issues, but she dismissed her thoughts and listened to Lady Lia and Lady Nienna, continuing with their spiteful commentary. "*Well, we know something. She will not warm the prince''s bed for long.*" Lady Lia roared, glancing back at her as though Evanna could understand her. Her intention was for the princess to be aware that they were still talking about her. "*No! You''ve seen how quickly he goes through them. And she does not look experienced at all. He will grow bored of her, *" Lady Nienna replied and smirked as she made eye contact with Evanna. Evanna gritted her teeth, she was unable to do anything about them, and if she complained to the prince, she knew they would probably lose a limb. Something that was too harsh for a pair of jealous she-elves who most likely wanted to marry the prince. That thought alone didn''t sit right with her. With her hands still fisted, she narrowed her eyes at their retreating forms and gasped in shock when she watched something extraordinary happen. The ground beneath their feet suddenly rose, and a root sprouted out, tripping the pair, causing them to land on their faces. If she wasn''t so stunned, she would have burst into a fit of giggles, but the princess just stared as the root slithered back into the ground as though it was never there. Lady Lia and Nienna stood up and wiped themselves down, glancing around in embarrassment. Evanna still could not comprehend what just happened, so she pushed back her shock and took advantage of the situation, strolling towards them with a smirk, "You should watch where you are walking. You could have seriously hurt yourself." "We tripped on.." Lady Nienna looked at the ground flabbergasted. "There was a root!" Evanna looked at the smooth ground, wondering where the root was, but she played along with her little stunt. "Uhuh.. Okay. You tripped over your own feet?" "No! There was a root!" Lady Lia screeched. Evanna had to refrain from laughing at their outbursts. It appeared they did not do well if they were the ones to be embarrassed. "Mother will surely hear about this!" Lady Nienna said shrilly. "Okay, ladies. Well, please do be careful when.." She looked down at the ground once more on purpose, "Well.. always. The ground is flat after all," She snickered and began walking away. Her eyes were still lit up with amusement as she listened to their heated argument. That was until she saw the piercing, hard stare of the prince, and she suddenly felt a shiver ripple down her spine. Did he see what happened? Chapter 91 - Gifts: Part One Evanna halted her steps as she and the prince stared at each other. The princess tried to read his facial expression, body language, anything to tell her if he saw what happened. But as per usual, he was like a statue, unreadable. Until he nodded his head for her to come to him. As she tentatively walked towards him, her clasped hands tightened together while she started to think more about the root that sprouted from the ground. When Evanna first saw it, she believed it might have been her doing; her flying emotions and reasoning to cause such a thing made sense. Maybe she had some unknown powers. She did, after all, have this sixth sense that nobody else had. Plus, there was the time that the vine unwrapped itself and saved her from near death. But now, as Evanna approached the prince, she wondered if it was him. He did have the gift of ice, and she had a feeling, no, her senses were telling her that he had other powers not yet used in front of her. Could he work all of the elements? It made sense, he was also there when she fell from the balcony, and now it appeared he had been watching the she-elves interact with her, where they suddenly tripped on an uplifted root. Once she was near him, he reached his hand out and grabbed her by the wrist, gently pulling her towards his chest; she blinked as her head banged into his solid form and widened her eyes when she felt his lips on the top of her head. Arawn tenderly kissed the top of Evanna''s head. His gaze was in the direction of the two lady''s now gawking at his public display of affection. A smirk formed on his lips as he watched them recoil from his glare and the sudden dark mist that erupted from the ground and around them, cocooning them from his vision. He was lost in the feeling of what his dark power could do, but the sudden touch of Evanna pushing against his chest snapped him out of his daze. The mist dispersed, and the she-elves were left on the ground cowering, their hands out, grovelling on their knees to the prince as they gasped, catching their breaths. All the nobles in the palace knew not to get on his bad side. They had seen him use his sword, but if he used his abilities, then people suddenly disappeared from view as he allows the darkness to flow out of him when his rage was beyond repair. He became relentless, unforgiving like the power surging through the deathly mist that caused its prey to suffocate to death. But Evanna''s presence both stirred him to continue with his punishment, for it was her who was near to tears by their vulgar words or to let them go so he could make sure she was okay. The latter won. He snapped his fingers to the women on the ground, and guards nearby rushed towards them and took them from their sight. Although Evanna was still hidden in his chest, she was unaware of what was happening. Once they were gone, he pulled away from her but as soon as Evanna looked up at him, her scowl formed into worry filling her doe-like eyes as she searched his expressionless features. Though, he watched her glance at their surroundings as she tried to pull further back from his grasp. Arawn released her wrist as he muttered, "*You will always be their prisoner if you care what they think about you.*" He sighed and tilted his head slightly when he saw her look at him and nod her head slightly with a frown in response to his words. This little action was unnoticeable to Garrett, who still stood guard by them, but the prince noticed everything about her. He narrowed his eyes subtly, without her noticing as she pursed her lips and muttered back, "Your highness, please stop touching me inappropriately in public. I am still a Lady and you a Prince, both unmarried. Although I am not from here, I would prefer not being called a bed warmer.." Arawn''s jaw began to tick, and Evanna felt the iciness seeping into her skin once more. No one was allowed to speak ill of her, and he would make sure of that. If anyone was allowed to tease her, it would be him with such crude things to say. But a bed warmer.. She was so much more than that. But he pushed his thoughts to the back of his mind, he could see her begin to shiver, and he knew it was his fault. He couldn''t help it sometimes. As he relaxed his demeanour, he decided to lighten the situation. A smirk curled his lips, "So, in private, it is okay to touch you inappropriately? You know you should never say such things." Evanna''s face visibly paled and retorted, "I never suggested such things!?" "Oh?" He tilted his head to the side, "You should really watch your wording, lady Evanna. A man may get the wrong idea." Evanna''s mouth fell open, and she was at a loss for words. Arawn chuckled in response. "It is a joke." He then barely muttered, "mainly." Which Evanna caught and narrowed her eyes at him. But he raised his voice once more, "You should lighten up, Evanna." He couldn''t help the smile sounding in his voice. Evanna crossed her arms against her chest, "I would if I knew when it is a joke or not. It was not long ago that we.." She cut herself off after glancing at Garrett, whose gaze was scanning their surroundings, acting as though he was not listening. But Evanna knew better than that, and so she bit her lip. Arawn chuckled again and gestured her for them to continue with their stroll. Occasionally Evanna twisted her head to the side and saw Garrett following them at a distance. It seemed a little odd that the crown prince only had one guard after an assassination attack; in fact, why was the prince still outside where it could still be dangerous? Evanna glanced at the prince, who was standing proud, his gaze uncaring to the nobles who made a path to him and Evanna the closer they made it back to the palace. She parted her lips to ask the question lingering on her tongue, but she shook her head, he did not answer her questions earlier, and he wouldn''t now. Evanna was his prisoner as he kept reminding her, and so she had no expectations to gain answers from him about his kingdom. He also had a guard and a sword hanging on his hip. With the comfortable silence between them, they were now inside the palace. The pair began to walk down the halls that were still unfamiliar due to Arawn taking her through different paths each time they returned to the palace. Evanna understood he was doing this tactically. He must know that she was still looking for an escape. The princess believed she had been subtle about it, or Arawn most likely already knew she was mapping the place. With a sigh, she found herself staring up at him. Thoughts from earlier sprung up in her mind again about the gift or gifts the prince may have. "If you have a question, lady Evanna, I suggest you ask it. If not, then you can always stare at me in my private chambers," His voice startled her from her thoughts. He was still staring ahead, acting as though he never uttered such words nor see her staring at him. Until he smirked at her reaction from her rising blush on her cheeks. Evanna looked down at her hands as she opened and closed her mouth, wondering where to begin. Chapter 92 - Gifts: Part Two Evanna wrung her hands together in front of her. She had to ask him this without causing an insult nor providing any attention to herself more if it may have been her who caused the root to suddenly appear out of nowhere. Raising her chin again, she straightened her shoulders and asked what was on her mind. "Your highness, I know I have asked before, but I am curious about something.." Evanna began and glanced up at him. "Hmm," He mumbled and steered her elbow in a different direction, leading her up more marble stairs. She was distracted momentarily as the familiar sight began to fold before her. They were going to the prince''s quarters. Here there was a lot more privacy, with not many servants. Evanna looked back again and watched as Garrett stopped and turned the opposite way. It was then she whipped her head back around and found herself in the prince''s room. Evanna gulped down her trepidation and wrung her hands once more. "You are not to leave here until Garrett informs us it is safe to return to your room," Arawn said, gaining her attention. "There may still be a threat, and I cannot take any chances-" "Did you forget the part where I could fight, Arawn?" She interrupted as she stayed near the double doors, slipping out of the prince''s hand. Arawn smirked, "No, I did not. But you do not have any weapons, and I doubt you would last long with an Eleppo assassin without one." He then walked away from her with his long arrogant strides. Evanna parted her lips and closed them again. She was sure she could take them, yet her lips pouted slightly as her confidence dwindled at the prince''s words. Of course, he was right, but she was not going to give him the satisfaction of indicating it was so. But the princess wanted nothing more than to rest in her room right now, not spend more time with the prince who was intent on making her blush as much as possible. Evanna sighed after glancing at Arawn, who still had a smirk on his features. She took a few steps further into the room, looking more intently at her surroundings and not the prince. Evanna was also checking for a safe spot for her to keep a distance from Arawn. Who knew what games he might want to play, the glint in his eyes made her very wary of him, and she kept looking away from his gaze. Her eyes lingered on the bed and then the patio. Arawn watched her the whole time while he removed his jacket and was left wearing his shirt underneath. "Can we at least go to the patio?" Evanna asked, already knowing the answer from his raised brow and look of boredom. Sighing, she wandered in further but kept glancing at Arawn and his positioning in the large room. "You wanted to ask me something. Why don''t you sit?" He suggested and gestured with his hand to a royal blue loveseat with gold edging that contrasted against the light walls and brightness of the room. Evanna hesitated, but after the prince clicked his tongue in annoyance, she half stumbled to the seat with her head lowered. As Evanna sat down, she eyed the prince who strode towards her so elegantly, she couldn''t help but stare. It was then she noticed the top three buttons undone on his shirt, revealing the muscles beneath, but her eyes flickered away quickly. She was already in his room, and she did not feel comfortable, especially after what lady Nienna and Lia said to her. Arawn seemed to sense her uneasiness, and he slowed his gait as he observed her carefully before sitting down on the seat with as much space as possible between them. The action warmed her heart, and she felt a little more confident with what she wanted to ask him. So, she blurted it out while she still had her bravado. "What powers do you have?" She asked, staring directly into his blue hues. Arawn''s marble features seemed to crack slightly, a scowl formed on his forehead as his eyes became cold once more. "That is not something I like to discuss," He warned as the blue fire burned brightly behind his eyes, unblinking as he stared at her. Evanna bit the inside of her cheek from his gaze, but she stared back at him, unwavering and unflinching. Even though she felt the iciness crawling up her fingers and towards her shoulders. "My apologies," Evanna replied through gritted teeth as she felt as though there was snow kissing the skin on her face. "I did not mean to offend. I am just curious," She shrugged it off nonchalantly, but the prince was an observant man. His eyes were already calculative. "I have wondered, though.. the elves have these gifts, but do they have control over, say.. the weather or the growth of plants.." Evanna pursed her lips as she waited for his response. She forced herself not to fidget under his gaze as he assessed her for the next three minutes. Her body was tense, but she made it look relaxed, even with the tingling sensation of ice flourished across her skin from where his gaze lingered. She didn''t know if it was his doing or her body''s reaction to him staring at her for so long. Three minutes felt like three hours. "The gifts of the elves differ to each elf," Arawn finally replied. Evanna released her breath, not realising she was holding it in the first place. But he still didn''t answer her question; it was very vague. She resisted rolling her eyes and let out a sigh; she didn''t mind showing him she was not happy with his response. "Okay, so.." Evanna wrung her hands in her lap, her eyes lowered to them. When she looked back up to the prince, she nearly stilled and halted her speech altogether, but she lifted her chin and relaxed her shoulders. "I don''t know if you saw, but lady Nienna and lady Lia tripped over something on the ground.." The prince tilted his head and waited. "They said there was a root that magically grew out of the ground, but when I checked, there was nothing there. I just wondered if someone with magical powers did it.." She trailed off. Evanna''s eyes flickered between his, trying to read his thought process and the calculations obviously swirling behind his eyes. Arawn''s brows suddenly knitted together as he crossed his ankle over his knee and raised his arm to rest on the back of the seat. "There has not been an elf with those powers for years.." He said pensively and watched her reaction. Evanna paled and made a small ''o'' with her lips. "From what I can remember of who was at the gardens, there is nobody there with those gifts.." His eyes narrowed slightly before looking to each side of her head. Evanna subconsciously raised her hand to her head, patting at the side and the back of her bun. Her brows then drew together as she lowered her hand and rested it in her lap. That meant the power came from her. But she didn''t know how to use it or control it. Did her mother know that she would have these powers? Chapter 93 - Stuck In His Chambers Evanna ended up staying in the prince''s room for the remainder of the late afternoon and evening. But she was so fatigued; her constant watching of the prince, who merely started reading his book in a separate chamber, made her relax more as tiredness washed over her. He never seemed to try and touch her and only engaged with her when she asked questions. Evanna had tried sneaking away, but after opening one of the doors slightly and peeking outside, she nearly fell back from the two guards standing directly outside the double doors. There were more than just the two guards there though, Garrett had disappeared but left in his wake, around ten guards who stood as still as statues, their backs straight and stiff, and not once talking to each other. How boring! When Evanna retreated, she slowly stepped backwards, keeping her feet light on the ground. "Going somewhere?" She spun around and was faced with the prince who stood behind her with a raised brow. How did he get there without her senses alerting her to him? And how was he so quiet? Arawn was reading a book! "No," She mumbled and dropped her head. After that, she sat in the same room he was in, looking anywhere but at him. It was an adjoining room that she missed the first time she crept into his chambers on the night of the heist. It was to the left of his room, which made Evanna relax more with how close her room was to his. The adjoining room acted as an extra space that she never knew was there. Somehow, she never saw the golden archway the night she searched for the gem. But she did not wonder too much about it now, not after going to the apothecary and seeing the back door suddenly appear, it was highly likely that there was a spell in place then as well. When Evanna walked into the room the prince was in, she couldn''t help but notice it was the same size as his bed chamber and seemed to have everything he could ever need in it. It was pretty homely, and she found herself more relaxed the moment feet stepped into the chamber. With its golden glow of the sun rays shining through, that when it darkened outside, it was left with magical floating lights glowing. Evanna presumed if the lights were out, she could look past the roofless ceiling and see the stars much better. Unlike the architecture of the room being remarkable, the furniture on the ground was ordinary, luxurious, but ordinary, with the three light green sofas placed in front of a fireplace on the far side, closest to Evanna''s room. There were a few bookcases that she nonchalantly glided her hands across as she read the titles of the books the prince read. His desk was also placed behind the sofa on the left. This was so anyone who accompanied him in the room was still involved in a conversation. However, these were his bed chamber and adjoined private chamber; Evanna did not imagine anyone else joining him in there unless his father and Garrett did? Or, a mistress? The thought made her heart pinch for a moment, but she dismissed the feeling, not thinking too much into it. The sounds of a grandfather clock also ''tick-tock'' near the desk. Which Evanna initially thought was made by a human. But on closer inspection, she saw the delicate carvings and designs only the elves could make. Prince Arawn never commented on her nosiness when Evanna first entered the room, she awaited a reprimand from him, but it never came. He sporadically would watch her, his eyes light and unconcerned as she learnt a little bit more about him through the intimacy of his room. A room that was both stylish, manly and elegant. There was a painting above the fireplace that Evanna sat staring at for a while in the comfortable silence. It was a painting of a young boy, his white hair pulled back into a short ponytail, wearing brown and green hunting clothes as he crouched and aimed his bow and arrow at a buck in the distance of the forest. The paintbrush marks were so delicately swept across that Evanna could see how much love was put into it. Without glancing at Arawn, she already knew it was him in the painting. She only wondered who painted it when she asked, he merely glanced at her, and the friendliness she felt only moments before seemed to slip through her fingers. Arawn parted his lips as though he was going to tell her, but they snapped shut instantly, and his eyes hardened as he closed the book he had been reading on the sofa opposite to her. Uncrossing his ankle from his knee, he abruptly stood and dropped the book onto the cushioned surface before muttering about his duties. Arawn moved from reading to writing at his desk. The sound of the quill scraping against the paper had a lulling effect mixing with the sounds of the fire flickering and the logs crackling as the wood broke. After some time, Evanna relaxed again, but this time, she leaned back into the couch, not keeping the usual stiff posture she had to stick to when in the presence of other royals. Her eyes snapped back to Arawn''s figure as he wrote aggressively onto the paper. She ended up watching him across from her, lost in a daze for quite some time. But she was not admiring him; no, his scribbling and stern features made her think of her father. As a child, she was allowed to stay in his room as he completed his duties. Her father, the king, was a busy man, and she didn''t mind, even as a six-year-old to sit quietly while he worked. They were still spending time together in her eyes, and it was away from Isabel and the queen. Occasionally as she grew older, her curiosity was piqued, and she would ask her father questions no ordinary child would ask. They were political, questioning the power between lands, the wars, how they helped the people of Dunhurst. Her father would look at her proudly, and at the same time, there was a sadness behind his eyes. Only now that Evanna was older did she realise what he could have been thinking. She was his child, growing up and learning about the difficulties of the world, the politics, the hidden snakes and nobles that stabbed you in the back. But after living her years as the king and mistress''s child, she already learned how savage people could be. Yet, she never let it turn her into someone cold; she refused to let ugly hearts, souls and actions of those around her affect her so. That would make her lower her standards to be like them. And she was not. Chapter 94 - Too Tired To Function "*What are you thinking about?*" Arawn asked absentmindedly as he dabbed his quill into the intricately carved golden inkwell before starting a new letter. Evanna blinked and parted her lips about to respond, but her sluggish brain alerted her to something unusual. At first, she didn''t know what it was, so she looked at the prince, who had not looked up from his work and did not see the mess she seemed to have become from such a simple question. That was until she processed that the prince had asked his question in Muranthian. "I''m sorry.." She finally replied slowly. "I do not understand what you said." The prince must have forgotten she ''did not speak the language''; he was so engrossed in his work that he must have picked it up after writing in the dialect. Arawn glanced up and gazed at her from across the room for a few seconds. Evanna wondered what he was thinking about as he looked at her. Maybe he was tired? He slowly looked back down to his papers and asked again, "What are you thinking about?" "Oh. Erm," Evanna sighed and looked into the flames of the fireplace as she felt a little unsettled. "I was just thinking about my father and how I would spend time with him in his study as a child." Arawn placed his quill in the inkwell and gazed at her with a furrowed brow, "And how was it? It doesn''t sound very...fun." Evanna smiled as she continued to stare at the dancing flames. "It was wonderful. Peaceful. He taught me a lot, and I didn''t mind as long as I was with him. It was only me and father, no sister, no step-" Evanna snapped her mouth shut, and she glanced at the prince, hoping he did not catch on. But his features showed that he did as he raised a brow at her in question. "No servants." She finished and locked her gaze with his; she was not about to tell him more about her life. Evanna was tired and had to remind herself to still tread carefully around him, even if she did feel unusually settled in his chamber. That didn''t take away the facts of who she was and who she stole from. The prince clicked his tongue and picked up his quill again, but Evanna did not care for his agitation; she was happy that he didn''t try to question her more. Some time passed, and Arawn glanced back at Evanna after finishing a letter to his cousin visiting the Lyvarians. He had been writing his commands about disputes between Lords and Dukes of the lands, but they were so dull he nearly fell asleep like Evanna. A smile twitched on his lips as he looked at her gentle face relaxed with no concerns showing on her smooth skin. He stood up and went towards his closet, walking in and grabbing the woollen throw that was so soft to touch. He knew that laying it on top of Evanna would never wake her. She needed to sleep, and he would let her. It had been a long day full of excitement; of course, she had the endurance to fight, run through the woods and climb trees all day, but court life was something else. He saw how much those she-elves affected her, and it made him wonder about how she faired as a Lady in Dunhurst. Arawn gently placed the cover over her slanted frame. He held back a laugh at the position she was in, wondering how she could possibly sleep. Her feet were still on the ground, but her upper body was on the side of the couch. With the softest touch, he removed her shoes wrapped his hands around her ankles to swing her feet onto the sofa. His hands lingered on her bare skin for a moment too long, and he glanced at her serene features. She truly was a rose, blooming in every light he had seen her in. And a rose suited her well, she was beautiful, but to touch the petals or pluck the plant, one had to be careful of the thorns. Sighing, he removed his hands and covered her bare feet with the throw. He sat down on the middle sofa and stared ahead at the painting above the fireplace. He did not mean to shut off, but after years of not speaking of her, it was only natural to keep her memories to himself. His father hardly spoke of her, and after a while, he did too. But seeing Evanna open up a little about her father made him want to talk to her about ordinary stuff without there being an agenda. "Ah," He clicked his fingers and stood up as an idea formed in his mind. Even though he wished to quiz Evanna, he still wanted to catch her out on a few things. And he knew exactly how to do that, as well as enjoying her company for longer. Arawn marched over to his double doors, pulling them open and causing the guards, who seemed to be slacking off and leaning on them, to nearly falling backwards. But they recentred themselves and pulled away, bowing immediately. The group of ten guards each bowed their heads, keeping their eyes down as they said in sync, "Your highness." Arawn was too much in a good mood to reprimand the guards against the doors. His eyes searched around the guards and landed on his servant, Haryk. "Tell the cooks, Lady Evanna, and I will not be attending dinner in the hall tonight but in my chamber. Set the table up on my balcony. Be quiet though, if she wakes up, I will not be pleased. Bring a taster and Rina as well," He ordered. Haryk bowed and started ordering some servants down the hall, and they immediately started making their way to his room. Arawn turned his back on them and returned to Evanna. His eyes lit up as an idea formed in his mind. Picking up his book on the sofa opposite to the one she lay on, he made his way to her position. Evanna stirred slightly, but the warmth below her cheek on the comfy cushion made her nuzzle her head further into it and slipped her arms underneath it. Her brows arched together after finding it challenging to slide her arms around the cushion. But with more awareness now seeping into her head, she realised her pillow was not that great. In fact, the padding was hard, and the weight on her arms underneath it was heavy. Her head was never that heavy. With a frown and a sigh, she turned over onto her back and cuddled the blanket further. Her bun made the new position uncomfortable, and so she swiftly undid the damned hairstyle, letting her locks flow around her head, before resting her hands once again on the blanket. But something still didn''t feel right, and her mind was tugging onto frayed strings trying to comprehend what was wrong, and it was annoying her and refusing her to go back to sleep, even with her body arguing against it. With mild annoyance, her eyelashes fluttered open, and her surroundings slowly came into focus. Evanna sighed after looking at the stars in the sky. But that moment of serenity was abruptly swept away from her. She almost shrieked after turning her head to the side and seeing the prince calmly reading his book as he leaned against the sofa. Her heart pounded in her ears as she eyed him and his physique. Her head was settled in his lap, the cushion she had been hugging moments ago. Her face heated up in her frozen state. But Arawn turned a page on his book, snapping her out of the odd reality she woke to. Evanna moved slightly, but the prince held his hand up. "Can I have five more minutes, please," He asked while his eyes still scanned his book. The cheek! Evanna narrowed her eyes at him and was about to go against his wishes, but her eyes landed on the throw over her body and the shoes lying on the ground. She blinked profusely and realised, even though the prince went too far by letting her sleep on his legs, he had actually been.. Sweet!? Her chest warmed up, and Evanna knew it wasn''t from the fire, the heated being beneath her head or the blanket covering her body. But she couldn''t let herself think about the prince and this small action. Her head was still placed on his body, and this had been possibly the most intimate situation she had found herself in. Yet, unlike the times before when Arawn teased her from such things, he was not doing it now. She felt both frightened at such a new venture and comfortable? Her gaze landed on his sculpted features again, and she followed the hard edges, the shapes of his eyebrows, his straight nose, and if the book did not hide his lips, then she would look at his lips. In its place, her eyes lowered past the book and landed on his chiselled chest. Her eyes widened, and she inhaled sharply before looking away. Arawn chuckled and closed his book. "I thought you needed a cushion for your head," His voice was filled with delight, and Evanna narrowed her eyes at him. "Is that so?" The prince smirked and brushed his hand through the top part of her hair, brushing it away from her features. The action made her heartbeat begin to race as her gaze never left his as he repeated the move on the other side of her temple. His fingers were cool, and she slowly closed her eyes to the feeling against her burning skin. His chuckle made her eyes snap open, and she could see another smirk on his features. "Princess, I have ordered dinner to be served on the balcony tonight. We will dine alone," He softly spoke. Evanna''s brows shot up after hearing the term ''princess''. She searched his eyes, but he did not seem angry or distant, which confused her that much more. He did not know she was a princess, but called her one? Gulping, she abruptly sat up, her raven locks falling in waves down to her waist as she turned around to look at the prince. "Then I should get ready. If you will excuse me-" "Rina," Arawn raised his voice slightly, and Evanna looked wide-eyed as the she-elf walked into the room. Evanna''s cheeks heated at how she looked sitting so close and chummy with the prince. "Help Evanna into my tub. Do you know how?" Evanna''s brows drew together at that statement, and she looked at him in question. Arawn smiled and stood up, gesturing his hand out for her to take. She timidly placed her hand in his, looking away from his smile and from Rina''s direction. The prince led her to the en suite bathroom. Chapter 95 - The Princes Bath After walking through the door next to the adjoined room for his clothes, the entryway led to two glass double doors that were misted over to still give the prince privacy. With Arawn''s hand still holding hers, he gently pulled her behind him before he pushed the doors open. Evanna blinked her eyes and gasped; her hand went to her mouth at what she saw before her. The bathroom was something so magical that Evanna thought she was still asleep and this was a dream. It was in the shape of a hexagon, and three of the sides were of clear glass. The only parts not showing the light glows from the villages in the distance were from three white pillars in between each window that met in the middle of the transparent ceiling. Evanna frowned slightly, as she knew how much they seemed to adore open tops, but she understood the necessity. In her world, a closed top ceiling was normal. Here, it was only used for extra safety and privacy. A bathroom would be the most accessible place for an assassination, especially one as luxurious as this; Evanna''s guard was already down after feeling relaxed from looking at it. But the walls and the ceiling weren''t even the most fantastic part. Evanna stepped forwards onto the light cream tiled floors with gold splatters on. Her eyes landed on the main feature of the bathroom. Almost squealing in delight at the size of the bath. The size of it filled up most of the bathroom and had steps leading down into it, making it seem as though you could go swimming in the water. There was a faucet the size of a door sticking out at one end that was still pouring water into the tub. But what made Evanna unknowingly clasp the prince''s hand was from the wonderment on her features at what lies within the bath. There was a white tree sprouting out from the depths of the water and growing tall to the glass ceiling. It almost seemed to glow, and Evanna was entranced by it. "Why do you have a tree in the bath?" She whispered, breaking the comfortable silence. For some unknown reason, she didn''t want to raise her voice in front of the tree. It was stupid, but she could feel the power radiating off it from where she stood. Arawn chuckled, "Why not?" "So, it doesn''t have mystical powers or anything?" She asked in her hushed tone of voice. Arawn chuckled again. "I didn''t say thatˇ­ the tree acts as a small form of healing and helps with ageing." Evanna gaped at him. "You mean to say you guys can actually age!? Wait, hold on.. you said healing.. You need to explain further!" Her face beamed at him, and she looked back at the bath. While Evanna was looking at the water dreamily, Arawn glanced at the faucet, and it stopped running the water. Without missing a beat, he spoke, "Of course, elves age. But the ageing process doesn''t start to show until they are at least 1000 years old. Most don''t make it until then. As for healing, it takes very long. You would have to soak in there for more than an hour for it to work." Evanna''s eyes were still resting on the tree as she asked in a daze, "How come you don''t make it to 1000? And does the healing work on illnesses? What sort of injuries would it heal?" Arawn chuckled and walked to the side, watching her warily. Evanna seemed to be in a daze even as she asked these questions. She also had been inching closer to the tub in the ground. He flicked his wrist for Rina to leave; she could wait until he and Evanna finished their conversation. He did not wish to have someone listening; no matter how innocent, it was still private. "1000 years is an awfully long time to live, Evanna. I do not know about illnesses. Elves hardly become unwell. Our immune systems are strong, but I would guess that the tree could heal somebody ill. As for a disease or long term illness, I am uncertain. Injury wise.. I have returned with deep wounds before. I see Reselda, of course, first and then once I am treated, I will rest in the bath. It quickens the healing." Arawn replied and took a step towards Evanna, and tilted his head to the side. "I see," Came her reply as she kept her gaze focused on the tree and slowly reached down to remove her shoes. "Evanna?" His voice seemed to stop her from removing any other clothing, but it didn''t stop her from descending the steps into the bath. Warm water seeped into her skin from her thighs and slowly went up to her shoulders as she walked further into the steamy bath. She giggled and stretched her hand out towards the tree, gliding her fingers over the roots that dipped further into the water. As soon as the tips of her fingers touched the trunk of the tree, her body went rigid, and she looked at it with wide eyes. "Evanna?" Arawn''s voice was both worried and perplexed. A life force so strong hummed through her body from her fingertips, and she gasped, unaware of the prince calling her name nor by how he took off his boots and followed her into the bath, also fully clothed. All she felt was the pulsing of power thrumming through her body, and she closed her eyes to listen to a voice. It spoke in another language, one she did not recognise but one she somehow understood. ''It is time.'' It whispered in her mind, brushing the edges with a warm sensation. Evanna snapped her eyes open and dropped her hand instantly after feeling a hand clamp down on her shoulder. She jumped and spun on the spot, staring back into the swirling depths of icy blue hues that were dumbfounded by her actions. She blinked, and her brows drew together in confusion. "Why are we in the bath?" Evanna whispered, not at all put off by their close proximity or her hands on his chest. The water only came to the bottom part of his chest, and so her hands wettened the top parts of his shirt. Arawn stared at her for a long time; he could see the confusion in her eyes. He glanced to and from the tree before speaking. "You climbed in here fully clothed and wanted to touch the tree.. I followed in case you drowned.." He trailed off. He knew she could swim, but his mind was now reeling with what he had felt. When she touched the tree, he could feel the power radiating off of her. It was a power unlike any he had felt before or in a very long time. But things were still unclear, and he did not want to jump to conclusions just yet. His gut was telling him he was right. Whether Evanna was aware of what she was, he did not know. However, it made him drawn to her even more; she certainly was the forbidden fruit, stunning, brave and full of secrets waiting to be spilt out. Evanna sighed. "I do not know what came over me," She replied truthfully and lowered her head. Her forehead accidentally leaned into Arawn''s chest, and her breath hitched when realisation dawned on her that his arms had wrapped around her waist while her hands lay flat against his chest. She slowly raised her head and looked at the prince. His eyes flickered with amusement, whereas hers were filled with curiosity and fear. Not fear of him, but fear of what would happen next. Evanna''s heart beat too loudly for her ears to bear. Her hands clutched at his shirt while her legs felt weak as his wet hand brushed some of her hair away from her face, and he lowered his face to hers. Evanna''s cheeks heated into a rosy hue as she looked at his lips longingly, just as he looked at hers. They were but an inch apart, and she could feel his breath fan her face. She gulped in anticipation, but he chuckled, and she instantly looked into his eyes. He slid his hand from her ear and down to her lips while she stared at him. His wet thumb caressed her lower lip, and she heard his chest rumble with his deep voice, "I don''t know what came over me.." With a smirk, he released her from his spell. She blinked, looking at his chest as he pulled away from her, dropping his hands to his side. He found her hand in the water, brought it up to his lips and left a soft kiss on it as he looked at her. She felt her stomach do backflips from the action. "If you want me to kiss you, princess, all you need do is ask." He spoke against her hand. Each brush of his lips sending a tingling sensation through her body and making her feel.. odd. His words also made her face heat up, and he chuckled before turning abruptly and pushing through the water quickly. "I will let you bathe in peace. When you are ready, we shall dine together." Chapter 96 - Treacherous Thoughts Arawn left Evanna standing in the bath, flabbergasted by his words, her body''s reaction to him and why she was still fully dressed in the walk-in tub. She began pulling down her dress when the doors opened again. Evanna tensed and covered her chest with the loose clothing. "My lady. His highness requested me to help you.." Rina trailed off when she saw Evanna already in the tub, holding her green dress against her. Her face heated when she saw Rina''s brows raise and then make a small ''o'' with her lips as she seemed to deduce something between her and the prince. "I fell in," Evanna exclaimed, feeling the need to defend herself. She already had rumours flying around about her being the crown prince''s mistress, and now her handmaiden walked in on her half-naked and soaking wet. It looked a lot worse now than it did earlier, but if Rina came in any sooner, then she would see how close she and Arawn was to kissing. Evanna felt her cheeks burn even more as she looked down. His lips were so close to hers... Rina cleared her throat, "Should I take your gown?" Evanna snapped out of where her thoughts were taking her, scolding herself and wondering what was wrong with her. She sighed and walked towards the edge of the bath and dropped the wet garment on the ground. "Rina, do you mind finding another dress for me. I would like to be alone for a while." She turned her back on the handmaiden, not waiting for an answer as she became lost to her thoughts once more. She did, however, hear the doors close softly behind her. Before she started thinking more about what happened between her and the prince, her eyes rested on the tree. Now that Evanna was alone, she remembered what happened. She couldn''t believe how much of a daze she was in to get into the bath fully clothed in front of the prince. All so she could touch this mystical tree. A tree that spoke to her.. Evanna shook her head; she knew from the first few days of entering Direwood forest that she could talk to trees. But that was the last time she did, and they didn''t form words back to her then; she sensed and could tell what they wanted from her and the group. Was that the first stage of this power? Or was this something else? She had so many questions. ''It is time.'' The tree whispered to her. Time for what? "Ugh!" She splashed the water on her face before bending her knees to let the water fully cover her head. Maybe if she touched it again, it might speak to her? Evanna abruptly straightened, her head rising out of the water again and letting it stream down her face as she looked at the white tree. Reaching out once more, she touched the bark and felt the life force flow through her again. Evanna sighed from the warm feeling brewing in her chest and waited on the tree to speak. But after minutes of looking like a fool, she gave up. The tree did not talk to her. "*Thanks a lot,*" She whispered her frustration and dropped her hand. Evanna quickly washed herself and her hair but did not leave straight away. She wanted to relax further in the warm water and sort through her feelings before seeing the prince again. She floated onto her back and stared at the stars. Arawn almost kissed her earlier, and she almost let him. Was she lost in the moment? Evanna tsked and shook her head, immediately stopping when the water almost went into her eyes. The prince was teasing her; that''s all it was. She was his prisoner and was most likely manipulating her. Evanna couldn''t let herself fall for such tricks. They were getting too friendly, too close, or so it seemed. He was a smart man and could be befriending her or seducing her for information. She would not be tempted, even if he was the finest man she had ever laid her eyes on. He was also her father''s enemy, technically hers as well. If the accords were not in place, she guaranteed they would be at war with one another, and this little luxury as a prisoner would never happen. The prince would never spare her. Evanna pursed her lips and calmed her rambling thoughts on stuff that had not happened. She closed her eyes to calm down, taking deep breaths in as she floated there and felt herself beginning to relax. That was until a thought shattered her moment of tranquillity. Evanna gasped. He called her princess! She dropped her feet from her floating position and stood up, her eyes rounded as she stared nowhere in particular. Did he know she was a princess? If he did, then surely he wouldn''t be acting the way he did? No, she shook her head. If he knew she was the princess of Dunhurst, the prince wouldn''t keep it to himself. The king would know, and there would once again be war between the kingdoms. The princess from a human kingdom.. the ''human'' princess who stole from the Flori, broke the accords by crossing over to the elven land and breaking the law there. Evanna shook her head and slowly started to ascend the stairs again, looking for the towels. No, the prince did not know, but why did he call her princess? She wrapped the towel around herself and decided she would ask at dinner. But would Arawn''s answer unsettle her? She had a feeling it would. That was all he seemed to do, using his charmingly good looks to wiggle his way into getting answers from her. "My lady, his highness is waiting," Rina pulled her out of her reverie. "Of course." Rina helped Evanna slip on a subtle golden pink dress that shimmered in the light. This one still showed off her shoulders, but the loose sleeves flowed down her arms providing more cover on her skin. It was a simple yet stunning dress that she knew would go well with her, the pink hue on her cheeks whenever she blushed. Which, she knew all too well, would be a lot. This wasn''t a dinner hosted by the king in a grand hall; it was something quite intimate. Her cheeks already heated from the idea, and she bit her tongue when she saw Rina smile. "He won''t know what hit him," Rina gushed as she stared at Evanna''s reflection in the mirror placed in the small entryway between the bathroom doors and the bed chamber door. Rina fluffed up her hair slightly, making Evanna internally roll her eyes. The handmaiden wanted to do something extravagant with her raven locks, but Evanna liked her hair down. She liked being the ''wild and rebellious princess''. Her father had scolded her many times over the past few years; now that Evanna was older, she should dress more appropriately. But he never did punish her for it; it seemed even though he reprimanded her, he also did not want her to grow up so quickly. Evanna''s gaze dropped down as her heart became heavy at the thought of her parents. When she looked back at her reflection, she could still see the sadness buried behind her eyes as she slid into her mask of a composed lady. With her head held high, she strutted into Arawn''s bed chamber and frowned when she could not find him. Looking to her right, she realised the patio doors were open, the sheer curtains blowing slightly from the gentle breeze. Evanna blinked at the view and halted her steps when she was halfway on the balcony. A small table had been set up for them, a few lanterns were set on the balcony ledge to provide some light. But like on her balcony, shimmering flowers were trailing up the trellis. But what made her heart flutter was the otherworldly handsome white-haired elf walking towards her. Evanna watched as his gaze followed along her body greedily, leaving a trail of fiery and icy kisses on her skin. Followed by goosebumps. Arawn stopped in front of her and pushed a strand of her hair behind her ear, putting a small glowing red rose into it and keeping it in place. He brought his hand back and gently lifted her hand to his face, his smouldering gaze locking her in place as he kissed her hand. "*You look breathtaking.*" Chapter 97 - Dinner For Two "*You look breathtaking.*" Evanna''s breath caught, and her heart raced from Arawn''s words. She felt the heat rise on her cheeks, and she forced herself to look away from his swirling blue hues. "Thank you. Although I do not know what you said, you could have insulted me for all I know," Evanna muttered and looked back at him as he straightened up. Amusement flickered across his eyes, and a knowing smile twitched on his lips. Evanna''s brows drew together slightly as she tried to figure out what he knew. "I would never insult you," He held his hand out for her to take and guided Evanna to her seat, pushing the chair behind her before sitting across from her. "In fact, I said you look breathtaking." He looked her straight in the eyes, and a smile twitched on his lips when she blushed again. Arawn loved seeing her blush; she was so innocent and cute. Even though she had fought monsters and took out his warriors, Evanna was still a young lady unable to take a compliment. He was going to put his plan in motion. Already Evanna showed signs of understanding his words, but Evanna was brilliant and quickly brushed it off as a simple interpretation. Countless questions were surrounding the beauty sitting in front of him. He wanted to know everything about her, but he reminded himself of who she was, a human, allegedly, who stole from the Flori. The gem was still missing, and he wanted it back, not just for personal reasons but because if word got out that the woodland elves weren''t as superior as believed, then there could be trouble not just from the humans but also from his kind. After their encounter in the bath, he took a well-needed breather on the balcony. He calmed down his desire to touch her and take her to bed. He ached for her, like no woman before him. When she turned around in his arms, he could see how the wet dress clung to her curvy body; he lost all sense and nearly kissed her. But when he didn''t see her outright refusal, it somehow snapped him out of his lustrous daze. He would never take a woman unwillingly, but it made him realise that he was becoming very attached to her. Arawn needed to find out where the gem was, why it was taken and who she was. His gut was telling him she was of someone of great importance, but it clashed with the knowledge that Evanna could speak Muranthian. If she was a royal, there would be no possibility of her learning the language. He had seen the notices scattered around the kingdom when he last visited. He almost chuckled aloud at his thoughts. The day he saw her in that dreaded Inn, sitting with her comrades, gasping and becoming excited over their stories, he never expected to be sitting with her now and coming to the conclusion of how she was such an anomaly. "Thank you, your highness. You look.. handsome," Evanna whispered her compliment but held his gaze, making the prince smile broadly at her. "Thin-era. I take it you like our fashion?" He queried as the servants placed their plates on the table and removed the golden cloches before the prince dismissed them with a wave of his hand. "It is not much different to our own. The ladies garments are.. a lot lighter, but the material is exquisite," Evanna complimented. The prince smiled and started cutting up his meat. Evanna looked at her own meal and couldn''t wait to try it. After some time, Evanna heard the prince chuckle, and she looked at him in confusion. "You were humming as you ate," Arawn said with a smile in his voice. A blush crept up her face. "Yes, the food is delicious," She replied before clearing her throat. "There is no blood on my dish this time." Arawn chuckled again. "There is no need to cut someone''s hand off. Yet." He stilled his cutlery and stared at her before smirking and continuing, "What happened in the bath?" Evanna''s thoughts of the punished servant vanished, and she remembered how the tree didn''t affect her when she was alone in the bath. She glanced at the prince, pausing her cutlery by the side of her plate. "Your highness, it is inappropriate to ask such a question to a lady," She sassed. Evanna watched as he held back a smile, and amusement flickered across his eyes. But as quick as it came, it left, and she was staring once again at his impassive features. "I am well aware of what constitutes as bathing. You know what I was referring to.." His deep voice drawled as his gaze scrutinised her. Evanna chewed on her meat and continued to look at him innocently. Of course, she knew but did not wish to talk about it to the enemy. "I do not know, your highness," She replied quietly and met his stare that began to burn into her the longer he looked at her. After a few seconds of tense silence and feeling his scrutiny, she turned back to her meal. "Stop calling me by my title. We are not in public," Arawn snapped. Evanna thought that calling him by his title helped put some much-needed distance between them. It reminded her of who he was and her situation. "And I think you have some idea but do not wish to say.." The prince continued then returned to his food. "And if I did, why would I tell you?" Evanna blurted out before she could hold her tongue. Arawn smirked, but he was not amused. He still watched her like a hawk. "I did not realise it was such a touchy subject. Let us talk of something else and not ruin our meal." Evanna knew that their meal would be filled with this unknown tension in the air either way. So, she asked what was on her mind, "Why did you call me princess?" Arawn tilted his head and narrowed his eyes slightly before replying slowly. "Can I not give you a nickname?" "No. If someone heard, they would either believe it is a pet name you call me indicating that we are indeed involved with one another, or they believe me to be a princess.." Evanna replied coolly and reached for her glass. Arawn held his hand up and poured the bottle of red wine into her glass before his own. Evanna pursed her lips and watched as he raised his glass, "Sckoll." "Sckoll," They toasted before she took a tentative sip, removing her gaze from his and looked at the scenery to her side. The riverbed reflected back the stars and the crescent moon; Evanna sighed in content from the view and the delicious taste of the wine. But although this place was magical and surreal sometimes, she longed for home, or more so, longed to see her parents. She left her father without a goodbye, and her mother was sick. She could only hope that Ger would deliver the gem in time. Silent tears fell down her cheeks, her food and the company she was with forgotten. "You miss your home." Evanna blinked away her tears and quickly wiped under her eyes. She did not return the prince''s stare, though she could feel his gaze on her face. She nodded in return, afraid her voice would be brimmed with emotion. "*What is it like?*" Arawn asked casually. "Not like here.." She kept her gaze on the river and the calming effect it had on her. However, she knew Arawn was not happy with her answer, so she continued, "There is a forest nearby, nothing grand, not like Direwood, of course. I would escape my home and wander through them, pick the herbs, flowers, meet up with Ger.. before he left on real adventures.. My mother enjoyed the outdoors as much as me. And I know if my father was not so busy with the kingd-, with the king.." She cleared her throat, "then he too would probably join me." Evanna cursed internally. Why was it so easy to tell him such things? She was never one to talk about herself. People in her kingdom already knew who she was. There was never a need, though it was nice to talk about her parents and herself without titles and watching what she said in case the information was used against her. She looked back at Arawn, who had stayed silent. "So, you are from the village Reigh?" He asked; his eyes searched hers, but she could already see the wheels turning behind his eyes. "No.." She trailed off and held his gaze. "If your father works for the king, then he must live nearby," He said dismissively, "Otherwise, how would he be at his beck and call? You said you escaped your home to go to the woods. Surely that doesn''t take much effort.. The village is next to the forest unless.." The prince laced his fingers together and leaned his elbows on the table as he observed her. "*You live in the palace.*" Evanna blinked her eyes and looked at him in shock. Unbelievable. How did he.. She grabbed her glass and gulped down half of her wine before she composed herself again. "Arawn, you really do have quite the imagination," She muttered and looked down at her food. Arawn chuckled, "Is that so.. *Please eat. Your food will be getting cold*" Chapter 98 - Pleasant Conversation Arawn chuckled, "Is that so.. *Please eat. Your food will be getting cold.*" Evanna started eating; she was still reeling on how the prince was so logical. He really was something else. She couldn''t help but be impressed, though she would never let him know that. They continued eating in silence for a while, each lost in their own thoughts. Occasionally, Evanna looked at their surroundings. The balcony was set up beautifully with the candles, and she had not taken much notice of a rose floating in some water in a small glass meant for decoration. It was on the table between them. She lost herself looking at it, mesmerised that it still glowed even though it was not rooted to the ground. "*Tell me more*" The prince interrupted her reverie. "Why so you can come to another wild conclusion about my life?" She snapped back and closed her eyes briefly, "I am sorry," She whispered and opened her eyes to look at Arawn. He did not seem cold or angry; his face was impassive, hard to read. She sighed and took another bite from her dinner. "I understand. *You are a long way from home. Have you always lived in Reigh?*" He asked. Evanna narrowed her eyes. She still couldn''t believe she nearly gave away that her father was the king. She will need to be extra vigilant. Even if she was still tired. "*I have always lived in Reigh,*" She sighed, giving up on pretending she was from anywhere else. After dinner, she was sure to fall asleep. Arawn tilted his head subtly and asked another question, "*And your parents.. they grew up Reigh?*" Evanna finished chewing on some vegetables before looking up and replying, "*My father yes, my mother no. She told me she was from somewhere cold but never said the name. Maybe when I return I will ask her..*" Evanna frowned and spoke quietly, "*If I return..*" She met Arawn''s gaze and couldn''t understand the emotion behind his eyes. But as quickly as it came, it went, and she was left staring at a dazzling elf who was good at keeping his emotions off his strong features. "Somewhere cold is not very specific," He chuckled, and Evanna joined in. "No, my mother can be quite mysterious.." She smiled and glanced at the scenery, becoming lost in thought. "So that is where you must get it from.." Arawn muttered with a smile in his voice."*How can your mother be a mystery to you?*" Evanna looked back at him with a smile, "*Oh, she wasn''t just a mystery to me, but also to my father.*" She shook her head, smiling, "But I suppose that is why she is his-" She stopped herself from saying any more. "Wife?" He peered at her through the strands of her hair that she let fall in place like a curtain. Without looking at him, she muttered, "Yes." Though the word was full of so much raw emotion that the prince stood up and rounded the corner, so he kneeled on one leg by her side. His hand brushed her hair away from her face and let his hand cup her cheek as they stared at each other. It was at that moment, Arawn could see the trouble behind her bewitching eyes and the weight of the world on her shoulders. "What is wrong, *my rose*?" He asked quietly. His voice was deep and calming, his cold hand on her skin surprisingly made her feel better, and she wanted to unleash everything that was on her mind. Instead, Evanna decided to give him at least one truth; maybe expressing herself instead of keeping it locked away would help. Evanna was already emotional from being a prisoner and not racing home to her mother. With a sigh, she placed her hand atop his and removed it gently; their eyes were still locked as their fingers intertwined. "I never said it aloud before.." She whispered, "*about how much it actually hurts..*" Arawn kissed her knuckle and waited for her to continue. He was over the moon by how his plan worked, but seeing this side of her, made him drop everything. So, what if she spoke Muranthian and wasn''t aware she was doing it. His rose, his girl, looked so troubled, and she was barely eighteen. "*My mother is my father''s mistress.. I am his illegitimate child,*" She sighed and looked at their hands and the way his thumb stroked her, "You must think it''s silly.. but it hurts to know that he couldn''t marry my mother. And I have to deal with his wife and my sister Isabel, who hate me. I understand their hatred.. Who would want their husband and father to have this other family and see them every other day?" Arawn''s brows were slightly arched now, he was trying to keep a straight face, but something was trying to click at the back of his mind. Instead, he asked something he found ridiculous, "You live together?" Evanna nodded her head, then blinked and looked away as he saw realisation dawn on her features. "Yes," She muttered. He waited for her to say more, but he could see how drained she looked. The questions, constantly staying on guard, were taking their toll on her. "Evanna.." He drawled. She looked back at him, and he saw her mask of composure slipped back into place. "We don''t need to keep doing this." His words made her eyes light up. "*Please* just tell me what I need to know, *and I will let you go.*" Evanna stared at him and saw no deceit or lies in his words. "*I can''t. I need the gem, Arawn.*" She abruptly stood up, making Arawn straighten and step back with widened eyes as she rounded him and dashed through his patio doors. But he was quick on her heel, and as she made it to the double doors to exit, he pushed the door back in place. "*What do you mean you need it? You''re a lady! What could you possibly need it for? Do you not have beautiful jewellery there?*" Arawn asked angrily. His tone was low and deadly, and the room became suddenly colder, but he did not care. He was upset. Evanna was stubborn. He just told her he would let her go. Was this her pride? Or was this something more? He better get answers; he was losing his patience. Evanna spun around angrily then leaned against the door after seeing how close they were. Her body began to shake, both from the cold and from all of the emotions boiling up inside. "*It is not about jewellery!*" She blurted out, "*I do not care for such things!*" Arawn chuckled darkly, "*Yet you wear a Lyvarian gemstone around your neck, worth more than your manor.*" Evanna''s lips parted and closed in shock. "*Wh- what?*" She brought her hand up to her necklace, again feeling the power beneath the smooth surface. "*This was given to me by my mother as a birthday present before I left,*" She whispered, lowering her eyes from his icy gaze. Her chest was heaving, and she felt like her heart would burst. She glanced back to the prince; already, she had said too much. She needed to get back to her room and away from him. "I am tired, Arawn. Please let me leave," She pleaded tiredly. "You should stay here tonight. There is still the possibility of an assassin," Arawn replied, his gaze stone cold. Evanna rolled her eyes, "If you were so concerned about another assassination attempt, we would not have dined out on the balcony," Evanna said through gritted teeth and held the prince''s burning gaze. His lips thinned, and she started to see her breath come out in clouds in front of her. "Arawn.." "This is not finished." He muttered as his gaze lowered to her lips, and he caressed her face gently with his other hand. Evanna stilled at his touch, and his gaze snapped back to hers, his eyes hardening the longer she looked into the frosty depths of blue. Arawn scrutinised her then dropped his hand away from the door, releasing her. Evanna instantly spun on the spot and scrambled for the door, flying out, almost bumping into another figure on the other side of the door. "Evanna, wait.." Arawn chased after her but stopped next to Evanna at the guest. She couldn''t help but gawk at the stunning she-elf standing in front of her, who batted her eyelashes the moment the prince arrived. It wasn''t just her gawking, though, but some of the guards also glanced her way, lustfully but straightened after seeing the prince. She stood there twirling her chestnut curly hair and moving her hips slightly as she giggled. "My apologies, my lady. I was here to see his highness," Her green-blue eyes flickered to the prince. This she-elf had radiant caramel skin, and her curvaceous body was every woman''s dream. No wonder she was barely wearing a string to cover her. If Evanna had a body like hers, she too would probably walk around half-naked. No, no, she wouldn''t. Evanna looked away from the sheer gown and her nipples that showed through. "Evanna, this is-" "Amaruil, the prince''s mistress," Amaruil spoke sharply to Evanna as she looked her up and down and smirked before turning a sultry gaze to Arawn and placing her hand against his chest, "I missed you. *Your bed must be cold without me,*" She purred. Arawn snatched her hand and dropped it to the side. Evanna didn''t bother to stay and listen to the rest as she swiftly went to her room. As soon as she touched the door, another hand slammed into it. She didn''t need to turn around to see who it was. "She doesn''t mean anything. It was over before you arrived.." Evanna looked up at the prince. "Why would it matter to me? I''m just your prisoner," She smiled, but it didn''t reach her saddened eyes as she felt angry at herself for liking this prince. "*Has that whore taken the room you promised me!?*" A screech came from behind them. Evanna clenched her teeth, and she saw her door suddenly become icy. She did not care though, her emotions were thrown all over the place. With that in mind, she spun around and punched the stunning she-elf in the face. Chapter 99 - A Lightweight? SMACK! Evanna punched Amaruil square in the face, and she flew backwards onto the ground. A smirk formed on the princess'' face, and she tilted her head to the side. "You are lucky I haven''t got my blades." Amaruil held her left eye, and Evanna watched as the tears welled in her eyes. A boisterous laugh from behind Evanna made her look back at the prince with her forehead creasing. The guards who came rushing forwards also stopped and stared at the prince like he had gone mad. They didn''t seem to know what to do. "Arawn! *How can you stand there laughing!? Throw her in the dungeon!*" Amaruil screeched, causing a scene. "Guards," Arawn said in a bored voice as he looked at his nails. His men came forwards and grabbed Evanna by the arms; she lowered her head but regretted nothing. She was a prisoner getting far too comfortable in their presence. Her punching the prince''s mistress was evidence of that fact. The prince sighed irritably. "Not lady Evanna!" He spoke icily and glared at the guards who had started to pull Evanna away. "*Take Amaruil away.*" He tsked and dropped his hand as he watched with disinterest as his mistress was being taken away. The woman kept yelling at the top of her lungs, trying to escape the soldier''s grip on her arms. Evanna watched in stunned silence as the she-elf cursed her, and it ''wasn''t the last she would be seeing her''. She looked back at the prince with widened eyes, not bothering to hide her shock. "I was not expecting you to hit her, but that was very entertaining," The prince smirked, and Evanna couldn''t refrain from smiling. "I can''t stand poor manners," She muttered before walking around him and going to her double doors. "Evanna.." Arawn reached out for her wrist, stilling her again. "Is this room meant for your mistresses, your highness?" Evanna interrupted whatever the prince was about to rattle off his tongue. She glanced at him coolly and assessed his features, but they were stoic and unreadable as per usual. "No. This room is only meant for my future wife. Who can do as she pleases with it," He replied as his eyes flickered between hers. "Then you should not tell your mistresses it is theirs, nor lend it to a lowly prisoner like me," Evanna replied and pulled her hand away from his. "Is there somewhere else more suitable for me?" The prince narrowed his sharp blue eyes, and Evanna felt the iciness of his gaze and his powers seep through her clothes and causing her to shiver. "No.. There is not," He snapped and leaned closer to her, "As you ARE my prisoner, you should watch your tone. And next time, pay more attention when drinking wine with your enemy. You never know what secrets you might spill.." Evanna''s brows furrowed at his words. "What did you do to the wine?" She asked in concern and held her hand against her chest. Arawn smirked, "*If you speak Muranthian, it makes me wonder what else you may be hiding, princess.*" Her mouth dropped open, and the prince''s smirk somehow deepened before he spun on his heel and walked briskly away, speaking over his shoulder, "Do not try anything, Evanna. I am only next door." The princess was still standing outside her door, looking at the spot the prince disappeared from to enter his room. Servants followed in, and she watched as they worked quickly in removing their plates, cutlery and glasses. A guard cleared his throat, snapping Evanna from her daze with her mouth still parted and unladylike. She glanced at the guards near her door, waiting expectantly for her to return to her room. Evanna yanked on the door handle and slammed the door behind her, leaning against the door as though it was her lifeline. She couldn''t believe him! He used the dirty tactic of using wine to gain information out of her. She shook her head. Of course, he did. She didn''t know why she found it so absurd. But if he drugged the wine, she would have spilt all her secrets.. But she did not. Perhaps she was just a lightweight? She never drank the wine in her kingdom, yet here she had taken to it like it would help. Of course, she always liked experiencing new things. Which was why she tried that awful stuff at The Snakepitt Inn. Evanna pushed off from the doors and groaned into her hands. The prince knew she spoke Muranthian. She wiped her hands down her face and marched towards her balcony doors. She may be tired, but the cool night air was still needed. She felt frustrated at herself. She couldn''t believe Arawn now knew she understood Muranthian. Yet, he hadn''t done anything with that knowledge. She sat down on the balcony ledge again, much like last time, leaning against the trellis and staring at the view, lost in thought. Evanna reminded herself that speaking Muranthian wasn''t a crime. It was only a crime in the human kingdoms, so that was why the prince did not seem bothered. But she could tell from the way he looked at her that she was hiding more than just her understanding of the elven language. Evanna sighed and tried to go through everything they spoke of. He really was brilliant, jumping between languages while she had been intoxicated and emotional. Shaking her head, she stopped after feeling slightly dizzy and covered her eyes, letting her hair fall in front of her. Once she felt settled again, she opened her eyes and saw the rose from her hair in her lap. Picking it up, she brought it to her nose and smelled it with a slight smile on her face until her eyes widened. His rose. He called her his rose. Now, she felt even more confused. He had been sweet, comforting her, but then he asked her about the gem. "Ugh!" She felt so frustrated and leaned her head against the trellis. "Lady Evanna! What are you doing?!" Evanna sighed. "Catching my breath," She muttered without looking at her handmaiden and looked at the view instead. "Please, my lady. It is not safe sitting on the ledge like that," Rina almost shrieked at her. Evanna chuckled dryly. "Rina, you have no idea who I am, do you?" She looked at the servant and watched her panic-stricken eyes glance between the balcony ledge and Evanna. "My lady, if something were to happen to you.. his highness would not be happy. Were you.. you weren''t going to jump?" Rina struggled with her words, and Evanna suddenly felt terrible. Sighing, Evanna hopped down while still holding her rose. "I would never jump, Rina. I have far too much to do before I die," She muttered as she passed the handmaiden. "I would miss you if you did." Rina''s words made Evanna look back over her shoulder, and she was surprised to see the genuine expression on her features. Her eyes filled with tears, and she turned her head away. She really was a cry baby tonight. "I like your company too, Rina," The princess replied, facing away from her. Once they were back in her room, the servant helped her get changed into a golden silk nighty. The material was perfect for how feverish she felt. But as soon as she was changed, Evanna didn''t waste any time climbing into her bed. Her heart felt heavy from everything that had happened, but it didn''t stop her from completely blacking out from exhaustion. However, when she lost consciousness, the veil of darkness slowly disintegrated, and Evanna was fully aware of being pulled into a dream. She blinked and almost wept at the figure standing in front of her. Chapter 100 - Questionable Gifts The dreams surroundings materialised around her. Evanna stood on the balcony on the side of the snowy mountainside like she did once before. She turned around, already anticipating her mother. As soon as Evanna saw her, she raced into her open arms. "*Oh, child. I have been so worried about you,*" Loraven stroked her daughter''s hair and held her tightly against her. "*There is no need to worry, mother, *" Evanna replied into her hair. They pulled away from each other, both observing the other. Like her last dream with her mother, she appeared healthy with glowing skin, her dark hair flowing down in waves above her light blue elven made dress. Evanna''s brows arched together at the realisation that she was wearing a dress similar to what she had been wearing over the past few days. "*Why are you wearing a silk dress to bed? I hope you are not staying in the same room as Ger..*" Her mother asked, looking her up and down. Evanna''s cheeks heated at her mother''s observation; she glanced down at her knee-length, golden silk dress with a slit up one side. It was definitely something she would never wear in Dunhurst to bed. More so because they didn''t have such fashion than wanting to wear it. The material kept her cool. Evanna pursed her lips when she caught her mother''s eyes widening. "Evannaˇ­ where are you?" She asked sternly. She turned away from her mother. This was just a dream, it wasn''t real, so what if she found she is the Flori''s prisoner. Right? "Ger and the guys are on their way to you, mother. The gem is in their possession and will be with you in no time," Evanna replied as she kept her back to her mother and gazed upon the beautiful snowy peaks. "Evanna Amaryll Elwen Goodrich, you will answer your mother properly. I did not raise you up to talk like a councilman to me. There are no secrets between us!" Evanna grimaced at hearing her full name. Like any child being firmly scolded, Loraven used her full name. With a sigh, she faced her mother. "We ran into some problems on escaping the Flori kingdom.. But the guys are on their way-" "*You''ve been captured,*" Her mother whispered. Evanna had to look away from her tear-filled eyes. "*Oh, Evanna! You should never have.. Oh, my child. This is my fault. I should have been firmer with you. Oh, my darling.* She clutched Evanna by her arms. "*What have they done to you?!*" Loraven glanced down at her attire once more with round eyes and tears spilling down her sharp cheekbones. "*Nothing like that! Mother, I have not been harmed. I am treated..*" Images of her imprisonment flashed across her mind. The servant''s hand cut off, the fight with Cedric, her kissing Arawn''s cheek/ near his lips, her and Arawn in the bath, Arawn brushing his lips against her knuckles, sending shockwaves of heat through her body. Arawn''s mind games.. Arawn shirtless.. "Evanna?" Her mother''s voice snapped her from her thoughts of the elven prince. She glanced back at her mother. "I am treated well," She muttered, "I have a room to myself and have been given clothes to wear, which is why I am wearing this." "Why would King Thalanil provide you with a room?" Loraven asked, looking baffled at her daughter. "Does he suspect anything?" Evanna shook her head, "No. I am Prince Arawn''s prisoner.." Loraven paled. "I have heard he has turned crueller than his father.. Evanna, you must escape.." She put her hands over her face, suddenly looking exhausted. Evanna noticed their surroundings flickering with darkness before settling again to the vibrant colours. When her mother removed her hands away, her glowing skin was dull, her hair lost its vibrancy, and she again looked how Evanna last saw her before she left on her journey. "*I came to wish you a happy birthday and find that you are in the company of the Florian king and prince!*" Her mother started crying. Evanna instantly wrapped her arms around her fragile mother. Her birthday? Maybe her subconscious hadn''t forgotten about her birthday. But, her mother just told her of the king''s name. She didn''t actually know his name. Anytime she tried to read more about the elven kingdoms, her mother would take away the book of their histories and families. "Shh, I''m fine. Come on, I do not wish to spend my dream crying. If this was real, you know I would never have told you," Evanna said in a calm, low voice. Loraven pulled back and looked at her with knitted brows. "Oh, Evanna. You must know that this is real.." She searched her daughter''s eyes. Evanna''s lips parted as confusion settled over her features. "How.." She trailed off before frowning. "Is this your gift?" Loraven''s eyes widened. "I see you have learnt a great deal staying with the Flori.." She pursed her lips. "* Yes. It is my gift. I haven''t used it much as it uses a tremendous amount of energy to connect two minds in a dream state.*" Evanna held her hand in hers. "*Mother!* You shouldn''t have wasted your energy!" "And miss my daughter''s eighteenth?" Loraven shook her head and sighed. "It is worth it. Especially now, I know you have been caught. I should tell Osian about this-" "No!" Evanna interrupted. Loraven looked at her with widened eyes at her daughter''s distress. "You cannot! It would wage war between the two kingdoms. Promise me, mother, you will not tell father.." Loraven shook her head, "I cannot let you rot in a cell-" "I am not in a cell. I am in a luxurious room three times the size of my own. *Please* let me do this my way. I will escape," Evanna put as much strength behind her voice as possible with determination set behind her eyes. Loraven nodded, yet her features showed she was anything but happy about this. "Okay. I will keep checking in on you.." She complied and pushed her raven locks behind her pointed ear. Evanna glanced at her mother''s jewelled ear. She barely showed them. Evanna had seen them plenty over the years, yet, somehow, her mother was able to keep them hidden from sight from the humans. It made her wonder if all along there had been a spell or she used her powers to keep them hidden. Initially, she presumed her mother was good at styling her hair in a certain way. Evanna shook her head, reeling over the idea that her mother had this gift all along. It was such a powerful gift. She could not fathom how it worked, but it was truly magical. Her thoughts swirled together as she remembered the last dream they had together, and her mother warned her about staying on the right side of the river. She was in disbelief. This created a way for her to speak to her mother without being near her. If she could do it, it would be so handy, she could talk to Ger, find out if they are okay.. But now, it also made her wonder about these powers. Did she have a gift? Was her ''sixth sense'' a gift all along? What about that root? "Mother, why did you not tell me I would have these powers?" Evanna looked at her mother intently. Loraven''s brows raised in surprise. "I watched you carefully, and you showed no signs of having such powers. I was not sure if you could. The system of gifts works in the elven hierarchy and.." She shook her head in disbelief, "*It is rare for a lower-ranking elf to even have a gift..*" "*So it would be near impossible for a half breed like me to have them? *" Evanna finished. "*But I have started having these powers.. I thought at first it might be Arawn. He had been there a few times it happened and-*" "*Arawn? You do not call him by prince Arawn?*" Loraven narrowed her eyes before her lips thinned disapprovingly. "*And you are more than of elf and human blood, Evanna. What are these powers? Maybe I can give some insight.*" Evanna sighed and pulled back to lean against the railing of the balcony overlooking the view. Her mother had told her the same before but never explained what else she was. It was frustrating. She had a right to know. "* I have always had this sixth sense.. I can tell if someone is watching if something dangerous is coming. It warns me. But..*" "*Go on..*" "* When I entered Direwood forest..*" Evanna trailed off, trying to find the right words. She turned to look at her mother, her lips parted, but Loraven''s figure was starting to fade. "Mother?" "Evanna.. if you have these gifts.. your birthday.. it won''t be-" Her mother vanished, and the world collapsed around her. Unlike last time where the colours of the dream melted into darkness, everything instantly went black. Like blowing out a candle in her room. Evanna blinked her eyes rapidly as awareness seeped in, and she sat up in bed, covering her face. It was then, her spine tingled, and Evanna snapped her head to the side and gasped at the figure sitting in the dark by her bed. "Arawn!?" Chapter 101 - Black Soul, Cold Heart Arawn marched towards the balcony where he and Evanna just had dinner. He studied the balcony and waited with his hands held behind his back as the servants started clearing up. Haryk was ordering some of the maids not to miss certain spots while wiping the table clean before bowing to the prince. "*Your highness, is there anything else you need?*" He asked. Arawn glanced at him and waved a hand. "*Have a good evening, sire.*" And the servant left. Haryk knew the prince very well and could tell from his silent, cold demeanour that he was angry and did not want to be disturbed anymore. Unlike a lot of the servants, Haryk did not fear the prince, he had served him since he was a young boy and knew his soul was not black nor his heart ice cold like he made it out to be. The prince merely had a reputation to uphold and a kingdom to help run. The servant closed the double doors behind him. He glanced at the lady who had dinner with the prince before she slammed the bed-chamber door behind her. One side of Haryk''s lips pulled up into a subtle slanted smile before he composed himself and told the lady''s handmaiden, Rina, to see to her. Out of all the years, the prince never dined with his mistresses, they barely stayed the night before they had to leave, and he would be up working again. They all knew the drill. He was only physically available, and to want anymore was foolish. But his last mistress became attached, and Haryk had more than once needed to kick her out of the prince''s chambers after he left her in the bed to do his royal duties. It was evident from the way she spoke so nastily to lady Evanna that she also, along with Haryk, suspected the prince was becoming smitten with the human. He never thought after the years of slaughtering humans and from the death of the queen that the prince would ever fall for someone as lowly as a human. Yet, the prince was now fuming in his chambers after what seemed to be an uneventful evening with lady Evanna. Haryk would admit she was a rare beauty, a sight even the elves could not look away from, but she was still human.. The servant shook his head. It was not his place to think of such things. All he needed to focus on was making sure the servants did their jobs correctly lest they be punished. They were in his duty of care. Luckily, he had only lost one man this month; he went ''missing'' after losing his hand serving dinner. Haryk left the prince''s quarters with his mind back on the tasks at hand. His footsteps hurried as he began ordering servants to finish their duties for the night. The palace did not clean itself, and with the attempted assassination on the crown prince, he imagined the king and prince would be stressed trying to figure out who wanted them dead. Meaning the servants needed to be on high alert and walking on eggshells near them. Back in the prince''s bed-chamber, Arawn sat where Evanna had earlier and slammed his fist on the table. One name- Amaruil, made his blood boil. The prince and Amaruil shared a few nights together, and she kept lingering and wanting more. They all did, but they knew their place; once he was done with them, they were provided for and could do what they wished as long as they stayed away. He had not organised anything for Amaruil when he left her that night, two weeks ago; he had barely been back to the palace. Of course, he should have known when his presence had become known in the palace that she would seek him out again. But to cause havoc was not something he was willing to deal with. Making up lies that she was to have Evanna''s room. Arawn scoffed. His surroundings started to slowly become icy, and even a snowflake or two dropped in his vision. With a clenched fist, he stood up and marched out of his room. Amaruil made a pathetic scene in front of not just Evanna but his guards and servants. "Arawn.." There was no response. The prince ignored Garrett, who rushed to catch up to his quick pace. "* Your highness..*" The prince snapped his head to the side, his glare almost shooting Garrett back into the hallway wall. One look at the prince''s deathly gaze, and the warrior closed his mouth and marched by his side. Garrett was good at distinguishing when Arawn wanted to be alone and not, he was angry and looking to kill something, but he did not dismiss him. The pair made it to the dungeons and stood outside the dank cell Amaruil was now residing in. At the sound of their footsteps, the she-elf stood up and sauntered towards the bars, wrapping her hands against the steel and giving the prince a sultry look. Though her left eye was already beginning to swell from where Evanna punched her. Arawn stifled a smirk. "* Your highness, you seem stressed. I should help relieve you- *" "* Enough, *" Arawn cut in; his deep voice made Amaruil physically shudder. His sharp gaze seemed to almost slice through her, causing her to shrink away. She lowered her eyes and pouted. "* I told you from the beginning, Amaruil, what this was. We were not courting. You are NOT this kingdom''s future queen.*" Amaruil blinked back tears. "* Arawn, please. I, I, I love you. You cannot tell me the nights we spent together mean nothing.. The lovemaking-*" Arawn chuckled darkly. "* It is not ''lovemaking''. We fucked. End of. This is your only warning, Amaruil. The next time you try to make a scene, or so much as speak to lady Evanna.. I will have your head.*" Each word he spoke caused her to flinch. The prince turned around and stopped after feeling his jacket yanked on. He closed his eyes briefly, tired from dealing with she-elf. Turning around, he looked down at the tear-stricken she-elf. He momentarily felt bad, but Evanna''s angry and disappointed features flashed across his mind, and his face hardened once more. "* Why her? *" She whispered and stared at him with tear-filled eyes. "* I do not need to explain myself to you, *" Arawn''s glare made her flinch and drop her hand. He turned and started to briskly walk away; she would stay in the cell for a few days then kicked out of the palace with some money to keep her afloat. She did not deserve his kindness. "* I lost my virginity to you!*" His eyes hardened, but he kept walking, not looking back. "* My reputation is ruined because of you! *" Arawn pushed open the door and cursed under his breath as he walked through the halls. "* Amaruil is playing you, *" Garrett spoke quietly after watching the prince stare outside at the gardens near this part of the palace. Arawn snapped his eyes at Garrett. "* Yes, I know. But she will be gone soon, *" He replied icily and raked his hand through his hair, dishevelling it. "* And if she returns? She looked determined..*" Garrett queried, but he already knew the prince''s answer. "* Then she loses her head.*" Chapter 102 - Dream Walking: Part One "* Then she loses her head,*" The prince waved his hand dismissively, "* I am too old to deal with such behaviour.*" Garrett burst into laughter, his bark loud and echoing through the halls. "* Too old! Do I need to remind you of the little warrior princess you have residing in the room next to yours? How old is she? *" The edges of Arawn''s lips tilted up, and he glanced at his friend. "* Evanna may be young, but she is not stupid. She already outshines an elf our age.. Amaruil is evident to that..*" "* And us,*" Garrett added sulkily. Arawn chuckled as the pair began to walk through the halls while they spoke quietly in the night. The prince clamped a hand down on Garrett''s shoulder and smiled, "* It''s not my fault she defeated you in a fight..*" "*I would have won if I hadn''t been shot,*" Garrett grumbled, then smirked and looked at Arawn with amusement. "*But she did outsmart you..*" Arawn''s smile dropped, but his eyes for once could not hold back a smile at his rose outwitting him. "* Yes, she did,*" He murmured, remembering how she held Garrett hostage. "*What do you plan on doing with her when you find out what you need to know?*" Garrett stopped and looked at the prince. Arawn''s lips twitched into a slight smile but did not comment as he held his elbows behind his back and continued walking. "*Good night, Garrett. *" His steps echoed through the halls, leaving his friend to shake his head before walking the opposite way to work. Arawn went back to his quarters, slowing his steps briefly as he approached Evanna''s doors, his fingers tightened on his arms behind his back, but he continued until he was in his room again. Soon after, the prince was naked and stepping into his bath. With the flick of his wrist, the faucet turned, and a waterfall of warm water flowed into the tub. The prince stared at the tree and tilted his head to the side as his mind began to turn again with the possibility of Evanna being part elf. He threw out pros and cons to his arguments as to how she was part elf. But, if she was part elf, the powers, the gift she described of seeing, and the power that surged through her when she touched the tree seemed impossible. The last elf to have contained such powers lived in Lyvaria. Arawn narrowed his eyes but he felt a sudden headache forming in his skull. So he pushed his thoughts to the side and washed his hair and body. With his hair let loose out of its usual half-up hairstyle, it seemed much longer as it fell past his shoulder blades and stuck to his broad, muscular back. He slipped his robe on and sat in front of the fireplace near Evanna''s room. With one hand resting on the back of the sofa and the other cradling another glass of wine, his thoughts on the girl next door. Evanna''s fiery temper made him want to do things to her, which he knew she was not ready for. He felt better being ''closer'' to her, even with a wall between them. He wanted her to stay in his chambers. It took every inch of his being not to grab her and bring her back into his room after the confrontation with Amaruil. The prince smirked, remembering her blush from a simple compliment. He could only imagine what she would be like underneath him. He groaned and raked a hand through his damp hair, swigged the last of his wine before shutting his eyes and leaning his head onto the back of the sofa. It didn''t take him long to fall asleep like how Evanna did earlier on the other settee. Arawn snapped his eyes open, and his brows knitted together when he found himself lying on the sofa across the fireplace. How did he fall asleep here? He much preferred his bed. He straightened up and stilled. His body shivered, and he felt the humming of incredible power pulsating through the wall. Arawn turned his head back and frowned. Evanna? He tightened his robe and began marching towards the patio doors, stopping after he felt the cool breeze whirl up his robe. He quickly threw on some breeches before rushing out the balcony doors and hopping onto the balcony, raced up the trellis and jumped over to Evanna''s balcony, landing elegantly. The closer he made it to Evanna, the stronger the energy the power was. He slowly and quietly opened the patio doors with his brows knitting together, his eyes scanning the room for anyone else that may be causing such power. But there was no one. He looked to the side and found Evanna sleeping deeply. What a sight she was. He stopped for a moment to take her relaxed features in, but then a wave of power crashed through him, reminding him why he was there. He placed his hand against her forehead and instantly knew she was in a dream walk. But he could not tell if this was her ''dream walking'' or if she was pulled into the dream. It did, however, make him 80% sure that she was part elf. Even if it was not her constructing the dream, which he presumed she wasn''t considering her questions about the elven gifts, it might be someone she knew very well. Possibly, her mother or father, whoever the elf was in her family. "*Mother!*" Evanna gasped, and her body shuddered. Arawn pulled back and scanned her face; she was not awake but talking to someone. A crooked smile lit up his features. So, her mother was the elf, and a powerful one at that. He grabbed one of the chairs in her room and pulled it to the side of her bed. He had never seen someone in a dream walk before, and from what he observed so far, it was fascinating. He could feel the power emanating off Evanna, and yet he knew it wasn''t her but her mother, who was all the way in the kingdom of Dunhurst. Chapter 103 - Dream Walking: Part Two Arawn watched over her. Watched every time her fingers gripped onto the bedsheets, every time she accidentally spoke aloud, and he stilled, his icy heart stopping and warming when he heard his name on her lips. "Arawn." He closed his eyes to the sound of her voice. When he snapped them open again, he realised Evanna was speaking of him to her mother. What was she telling her? His face hardened. This was not good. Evanna had contact with the outside world, and if she inherited her mother''s gift, which was a possibility, IF a half breed was capable of such power, then she could get in touch with more than just her mother. Evanna could plan her escape. He would need to keep a sharper eye on her. Or, he could help her- "Arawn!?" Arawn snapped out of his reverie and looked at Evanna. She was sitting up now in bed. Her features were shocked, eyes wide, hair dishevelled and disarrayed around her slender shoulders, and pale smooth skin. He could see now that she was wearing nothing but a golden silk dress that didn''t leave much to the imagination. She pulled the bedsheets up to cover her chest, and he met her panicked eyes and flushed features. Shit. This looked bad. Not only was he sitting in the dark like a little pervert, but he also openly gawked at her stunning figure. Before he could open his mouth, Evanna threw a pillow at him, which he deftly caught, but the next pillow hit him in the face. "*Get out!*" She screamed before throwing another pillow at him. How many pillows were there on her bed!? Arawn deftly caught another. "*Evanna, calm down,*" He spoke calmly, but Evanna looked ready to grab a sword. It made him smirk, reminding him of how she reached for her swords in her sleep when he met her for the second time in the forest. "*Don''t tell me to calm down!*" She snapped, "*I''m not the strange man in a girls room watching her sleep! Or.. I do not even want to know what you were planning!*" She looked away from him in shock, her features paling. It took him a moment to realise her accusation. The room suddenly became frosty, but the prince forced his temper away and spoke to her softly. "*Evanna, I would not-*" "*Get out!*" She backed away from him as he walked towards her. Evanna was stunned; her heart was rapidly beating. Her palms were clammy, and her body was tense. Him sitting, waiting, watching her, it was so scary. And her senses didn''t pick up on it! She already threw pillows at him but knew there was probably something else she could use to hit him harder with. Anger flashed behind her eyes before they stung with unshed tears. "*I can''t believe I trusted you..*" She was hurt, even after the day they had together, ending with his mistress showing up. But this? She didn''t know- Arawn grabbed her by the arms, and she parted her lips to scream. He released one of her arms and covered her mouth harshly. "*I am not here to hurt you, Evanna!*" His eyes burned into hers, and she couldn''t look away. "*Calm down, and let me explain.*" His low, resonant voice began to soothe over her panicked state. Or was it his bright blue eyes relaxing her? Stupid handsome man. Arawn searched her eyes, and after a beat, he slowly peeled his hand away from her mouth. "*What were you doing, Arawn?*" Evanna whispered. His proximity made her both anxious and hot with need. A need for what!? She didn''t know. She couldn''t understand her body and the tingling sensation now pulsing through her. She inhaled sharply and refocused on the pervy prince. Arawn released her arm and took a step back, watching her warily. Evanna instantly wrapped her arms over her chest after feeling the cold on her nipples. Arawn cleared his throat and began untying his robe. Her eyes widened, and she took a step back. The prince snapped his eyes back at the princess, and he stopped what he was doing. With a sigh, he left the room and came back from her adjoined closet, passing over a robe of her own. Evanna wrapped it tightly around her, feeling better with her legs and chest covered. But she started to tap her foot impatiently. Her temper burning through her anxiety now the longer she waited for the prince to explain himself. "*Evanna.. I know you were dream walking,*" He finally said. Evanna met his gaze with her own blinking in confusion. "*Dream walking? What is that?*" She tilted her head to the side. She had not heard of the phrase, but from the look on his face, she was not fooling him. After dreaming with her mother, she knew what he was referring to. Sighing, she looked away and bit the inside of her cheek. How did he know she was ''dream walking''? Evanna also realised they were speaking in perfect Muranthian. But by this point, she did not care. He was the one in her room looking strange. He had more explaining to do than her at the moment. Evanna met his burning gaze again. "*How did you know?*" She asked in a neutral tone of voice. She watched as Arawn scrutinised her face. She felt raw and tired once more, reminding her of this never-ending interrogation. "*The power woke me up, and so I came to check it out,*" He replied coolly. Evanna blinked profusely at his statement. The power woke him up? "*Do you have the sixth sense?*" She blurted out. Arawn looked at her, puzzled. "*Sixth sense?*" Evanna shook her head, refusing to give more away about herself. "How did you know I was in this dream walk?" Arawn narrowed his eyes, knowing well she did not wish to explain about the sixth sense. "I told you. I felt the power from my room, and it woke me up," He replied with an edge of irritability in his voice. Evanna parted her lips, but the prince stepped forwards, his face hardening, "Now that I have answered your questions, and you know I am not here to defile you. It''s my turn. *Tell me, truthfully, Evanna.. Are you part elf?*" Evanna stilled. The sound of her heart pounded in her ears, almost drowning out the sound of her deep inhalations. Her mouth went dry, and she instinctively took a step back. Arawn watched her like a hawk. His gaze flickered over her features. Every movement she made, from gulping to her hands tightening her robe around her waist and the pursing of her lips. This was her biggest secret. (Partially, she was unaware of what else she was.) She clenched her eyes shut and covered her face with her hands, and began to laugh softly. She pulled her hands back and looked up at the prince, shaking her head in disbelief before she turned away and walked towards the bed, slumping herself down. She heard his footsteps following her and stopping in front of her and her mini meltdown. She was staring at his feet. What manly feet? But she snapped her gaze away and looked at his chiselled features, finally taking in the slabs of muscle on show beneath his black robe that had slowly opened. Peeling her eyes away, she chuckled again. "*All my life, I have kept this secret. Eighteen years of hiding the truth,*" She met his sharp gaze. "And within less than a week, you revealed it." His eyes softened at her words, and he stepped forwards tentatively before sitting down next to her on the bed. Their legs barely touched, and she felt herself becoming warm. But at the moment, it didn''t matter. Evanna turned her head and looked at the prince. "I am a half breed. Part elf and part human. So far, the first of my kind." She searched his gaze from her words. He did not look at her in disdain or disgust or look at her like she was a disgrace. Instead, he reached his hand out and caressed her cheek. She stilled from his tender touch and the way her body reacted to him. Before she could stop herself, Evanna leaned into his touch and closed her eyes with silent tears trickling down her face. Arawn shifted closer and started gently brushing away at her wet cheeks. Evanna opened her eyes and nearly choked on the little air provided between them. He was so close to her now, his startling blue eyes lingering on her lips before gazing into her eyes. She knew he wanted to kiss her, and she wanted to kiss him. Their faces inched towards each other. Evanna''s lips parted, and she could almost feel them pulsing, wanting to feel the taste of his lips on hers. She looked at them longingly. His fingers glided to her hair, entangling in it, and she met his gaze once more. There was so much yearning behind his deep blue pools, she knew without a doubt that her own gaze matched his. He was waiting for her to tell him to kiss her. She licked her lips in anticipation. But when her mouth opened to speak the words they both wanted to hear, in its place, her rational mind broke through her daze, and she broke the spell between them by asking, "What will you do with this information, Arawn?" Chapter 104 - Do I Belong There? "What will you do with this information, Arawn?" Evanna held her breath and stared into the prince''s eyes, trying to read his thoughts, which was impossible. He continued to stare into her eyes longingly like he might just close that distance between them. They were still so close together, his hands were still in her hair, and if she leaned just a little closer, then their lips would meet. But her question hung in the air like a sword over her head. With her thoughts changing from longing and wanting to kiss Arawn, she was reminded of who he was and why she was in this luxurious bed-chamber, to begin with. "Arawn?" She whispered and placed her hands above his forearms to gently pull down. He leaned back and smirked. "If I didn''t know any better, Evanna.. I make you nervous.." His right hand came forwards again, and he moved some of her silky, black hair behind her ear and leaned forwards, so his lips were but an inch away from her ear. Evanna stilled, feeling the heat from his cheek so close to hers, almost touching but not. She felt dizzy from their close proximity and his wonderous, manly, woodsy scent, she almost leaned into him, but she placed her hand against his chest to balance herself. Which was not the best move. Evanna''s hand made direct contact with the smooth skin of the prince''s chest. Her eyes widened. Both from his lips near her ear and his hand resting on the side of her neck. And her hand feeling foreign against the hardness of his muscles. Didn''t he say something? She was already flushed from nearly kissing, and now this! She must be like a beetroot by now! She inhaled sharply, an action the prince didn''t miss. He chuckled, tickling her ear with his light breath, and turned his head slightly, so his lips brushed against her cheek, "I think I need to sleep on it. I should not make any rash decisions. It is quite the news about my little burglar, my prisoner, is part she-elf.." He murmured; his lips barely touched her soft cheek, making it hard for Evanna to pay attention. Her heart was pounding so hard she thought it might jump out of her chest. Did the prince technically kiss the side of her cheek? With widened eyes, she turned her head the other way. "Please, your highness. You should get some rest on such-" She gulped and tried to make her breathless voice calm down and become neutral. Like a lady. Like a princess! "such news." She kept her head facing away from him, with her hand dropping to her side and the other leaning into the bed. The bed.. She stilled even more. They were sitting on her bed, in her room, in the early hours of the morning. Both of them, not wearing appropriate clothing, nearly kissing.. Evanna whipped her head back to the prince. He had a sly yet charming smile on his sculpted face and had leaned away from her. This gave her the much-needed space she was now searching for. "Yes, it''s late. There is much to discuss tomorrow." Arawn slowly stood up and strode towards the double doors, pausing when he got to the handles. "Oh," He looked back at Evanna, who was clasping the gown around her more still sitting on the end of the bed. "I have royal duties to attend to first thing and will be unable to have breakfast with you. But we will discuss this over lunch or dinner." He turned back around, but Evanna called out to him quietly. "Your highness.. Will king Thalanil require my presence?" Arawn stilled once more. "The king will be in his quarters for some time until the threat has been confirmed benign." Evanna nodded her head, "Okay. Can I roam freely in the gardens?" She paused and waited to argue the reasons why the assassin''s would not be a threat to her. "Yes, you may. I will send an escort in the morningˇ­ Goodnight, Evanna." He swung the doors open and left. Evanna blinked in shock at the nights'' events and, lastly, how the prince didn''t deny her a little bit of freedom around the palace. Ugh, he left the doors open. Evanna narrowed her eyes. Did he do that on purpose to annoy her? She stood up, and on her first step forwards, she watched as the doors swung shut and the lock clicked into place. Her lips parted, and she shook her head slowly, a hand on her forehead. How many gifts did he have? ''The system of gifts works in the elven hierarchy and.. It is rare for a lower-ranking elf to even have a gift.'' Her mother''s words came back to her from the dream. Elven hierarchy.. The prince and king must have powerful gifts. Already she had seen Arawn''s gift of freezing rooms, and now doors were closing and locking by themselves. Unless it was a ghost, she was confident it was the prince. With a sigh, she climbed back into bed and lie under the covers, staring up at the cloudy night sky. It looked crisp and cool outside, but in her chamber and under her bedcovers, she was toasty. She wondered what power was used to create such a shield to protect the residents and their rooms from the weather. What was she even thinking about? She just had the prince in her room! In the middle of the night! They almost kissed! He basically kissed her cheek while they were on her bed! She''d touched his smooth, chiselled chest. It was surprisingly warm considering how much he seemed to freeze everyone else with or without using his powers. Evanna covered her arms over her eyes. What was she doing!? She could not kiss the elven prince! And what was he thinking!? She was his prisoner, someone who stole from him. This could never happen! Whether he was trying to mess with her in some cruel way.. Her heart almost stilled. No, no, he wasn''t that cruel. He told the guards to take Amaruil away instead of her after she assaulted her. He hasn''t forcefully kissed her. And even after finding so much out about her, he has not thrown her back in the dungeon. Yet. Either way, she had to distance herself from him. She was his prisoner, and this beautiful place was not her home but a stylish prison with exquisite food and a handsome jailer. Evanna told her mother she would escape, and the prince''s charming ways was not going to deter her from her plan. Her mission was to get the gem to save her mother. They had the gem, and now it was time to get it to her mother and for her to be back at the palace in Dunhurst. Where she belonged. Do I belong there? Evanna pulled her arms away from her face with a sigh. Do I really need to go back? Yes, of course! She wanted to see her mother and her father. But what she was not looking forward to was the punishment of her escape and worrying her father. She knew that it put her father, the king, in a precarious position by going missing. He had enemies not only in the elves but the humans too. Their kingdom was strong, but if ever there is an opportune moment for them to strike and take their land, this would definitely be beneficial to them. The king''s daughter was missing, and he was sending men out searching for her. When she returned, he would be securing his position even more by marrying her off to a family that would be beneficial to the kingdom. Most likely to gain another ally the kingdom of Dunhurst was yet to join forces with. But she was the king''s illegitimate child, so she was not sure who he would partner her off with. Her heart pinched at the idea. When she escaped, she would be running from one prison and into another. There was one man she believed her father would marry her off to, and it made her grit her teeth by thinking of it. She would rather rot in a cell here than be with someone like him. But this was her fate. Evanna was a princess bound to marry. Arawn was right; she was getting older, and now that she had done the unforgivable. Evanna might have possibly caused a war by not just other kingdoms trying to claim Dunhurst as theirs, but if she were to be found out by the elves, then the Flori would also rage war against her kingdom. Evanna rolled onto her side and cuddled the pillow. She only just turned eighteen, and yet there was so much to worry about. So, so much. She knew her thoughts would keep her up for a while, so instead of worrying, she started to plan. She could not let any of that happen to the people of Dunhurst. Or to the elves of Direwood forest. Even though she had not been there very long, her heart seemed to expand a little for some of the elves she had met here. Even.. Prince Arawn. Which was deadly; he could also be manipulating her. Another reason, tomorrow she needed to put her plan into action. Tomorrow, she needed to escape. Chapter 105 - Are You Well? The following day, Evanna was sitting on her balcony in a daze as she drank from her cup of tea, her stomach full after breakfast. She sighed deeply and placed the cup onto the saucer while she stared at the warm liquid, unaware that Rina was watching her with concern. The princess had been restless all night, tossing and turning, her mind plagued with thoughts until she finally fell asleep, only to wake up far too soon. She had been quiet most of the morning, sighing and staring into space while Rina dressed her. The only comment Evanna had made was to bid her handmaiden ''good morning'' and to decline her servant from doing anything too extravagant with her hair. She was currently seated with her hair plaited on either side, meeting together at the back of her head in a half-up hairstyle. The rest of her raven locks falling in waves around her. She stuck to a simple light blue long-sleeved gown which was similar to what she wore at home. With her eyes downcast, staring into the brown liquid, her mind was swirling with the possibilities. She knew it would be difficult to escape, but she promised her mother, and with her feelings growing towards the elven prince, it would only lead her down a disastrous path. One where Arawn would find out that she was the princess of a kingdom he despised and would wage war over from her not only breaking the accords but stealing from the Flori. Evanna sighed. Her heart felt heavy, but she knew she could not stay in the Flori palace, especially under the cunning eye of the elven prince. "My lady, are you well?" Startled, Evanna blinked and looked at her handmaiden. She was peering at her with concern etching onto her features. With a subtle smile, Evanna nodded her head, "I am well, Rina, do not worry. I feel rather tired, that is all." "Do not overexert yourself today, my lady. You look.. awfully pale," Rina replied apprehensively. Evanna rose from her seat and smiled once more. "Rina, you are too good to me." She placed her hand on the she-elf''s shoulder gently, watching as her eyes widened and her lips broke into a smile. "I try my best, my lady!" Evanna rolled her eyes. "Please, call me Evanna," She tsked and dropped her hand. Rina curtsied, "Lady Evanna." Evanna pursed her lips but let it slide. Soon, it would not matter what Rina called her. She would be gone. If she was fast enough, her escape and the days after would mean there is no punishment for the servants. There would be no point, as Evanna would not be there to witness it. With the princess deep in thought, her body had automatically started walking out of her bed chambers, through the hallways and to the gardens. "Lady Evanna!" Evanna blinked and stepped back, startled to see Cedric and Anwel standing in front of her. "Are you well?" Cedric asked. Evanna realised it was he who had called her name and snapped her out of her reverie. Evanna smiled, "Of course." She glanced to Anwel and smiled subtly at him also. But the elf''s eyes widened, and he bowed his head to her before glancing warily around. She wondered why he seemed so nervous, but like how she dismissed Rina calling her by a title, she dismissed overthinking about the warrior guarding her. Maybe he was embarrassed because she took his punishment. Her cheeks heated at what her own punishment entailed, a kiss on the cheek which was nearly a kiss on his lips. "Are you sure, my lady?" Anwel asked before clearing his throat and bowing his head again. Cedric chuckled and patted Anwel on the back. "I believe my friend here means to say is that you do not look your radiant, stunning self-" "What!? No, no, my lady! You look beautiful. I mean, no, I did not mean to speak out of line. Yes, you are as ever beautiful, but you do not look 100%," Anwel rambled in a flustered state. Did she really look that awful today? Maybe there was a truth to the saying of getting one''s ''beauty sleep.'' However, Anwel''s flustered state was amusing. Evanna giggled at the guard and how cute he had been acting. But she placed her hand in front of her mouth. And the pair looked away from each other while Cedric chuckled again, glancing between them. But his smile dropped after his eyes landed on Evanna again. "Lady Evanna, would you like to go to the prince''s garden?" He asked with arched brows. "The prince''s? I have yet to see it.." She murmured, but although her curiosity was piqued, she needed to search without showing them that she was looking for an escape. Cedric tilted his head to the side, "Hmmm, his highness showed you yesterday.. It is the one with the pond, pergola and swing in it." "Oh, that one!" As much as Evanna liked that garden, she was determined to find an escape route. Only then would she sit down and plan. "I would very much like to take a stroll first." Cedric scrutinised her features and seemed displeased by her answer, but he did not comment on it and instead bowed his head. "Of course, my lady." Evanna strolled around the grounds for most of the morning with Cedric by her side and Anwel following behind them. By midday, Evanna believed Anwel was quite smitten with her after she took his punishment. He went out of his way to rush ahead to open doors for her, helped her down steps in the gardens even when Cedric was right beside her. He also started to talk to her enthusiastically about elven life in Direwood forest after Evanna asked the pair more about themselves. Anwel couldn''t help but gush and occasionally charm the princess. Cedric, on the other hand, who seemed to enjoy her company, was wary of her. The little glances she received from him reminded her of the situation she was in. It was good. Her conversations with Anwel made her want to stay a little while longer and not search for these routes. Not that she needed much reminding, the palace she strolled in was her constant reminder, its architecture and the elves within was nothing like her home in Dunhurst. Evanna sighed and leaned her hands against the far wall that overlooked the wide river at the back of the palace. She looked to be watching the view of the river, with her gaze lowered. But she was actually analysing how she might escape this way. It seemed impossible without the death of the waterfall the river led to. But, if it was timed right.. Was she mad enough to try and escape via this exit? Chapter 106 - Evannas Birthday Was she mad enough to try and escape via this exit? Suddenly a sharp pain hit the side of her head, and Evanna clutched at the area and immediately felt the throbbing of a headache coming on. With a wince, she tried to gently rub the pain away. Still, it only seemed to make it worse, shooting out an intense heat through her body. She gripped onto the wall and at her head as she tried to breathe through it. "Lady Evanna, is everything okay?" Anwel''s voice was laced with concern as he peered at her on one side while Cedric came into view on the other. She waved them off and forced a strained smile, one that did not reach her eyes. Turning around, she looked at the palace and saw it starting to wave from side to side as black spots began to dance in her vision. "I think.." Her voice became breathless. A sudden surge of hot and cold rippled through her from the tips of her toes until it reached her face. The colour in her cheeks paled, and her eyes rolled into the back of her head as her body became limp and she collapsed. Evanna expected to feel the ground at least, but it never came as she succumbed to the darkness welcomingly. Evanna woke up in the comforts of her bed, still wearing the dress she wore in the gardens. She was bleary-eyed and felt a stinging sensation behind her eyes as she looked up at the bright blue sky above her. Her body felt odd like her arms were too heavy to move, but at the same time, she felt as light as a feather. What was wrong with her? She felt weak, and so she closed her eyes again while a shiver rolled through her. The princess clasped at her bed cover and pulled it closer to her neck. It took all of her energy, and she frowned at the odd sensation. Evanna had never been ill before. Not once had she taken a day off; her immune system was highly impenetrable. It seemed, though, her eighteen years were finally catching up. She wasn''t even old, but at the moment, she felt it. Yes, that was right. Evanna was officially eighteen now. Ugh, what a way to spend her birthday. By the age of eighteen, she was now a prisoner. And on her ''special'' day, she was confined inside her bedroom due to this sudden illness. Her eyes snapped open, and she felt a cool, damp cloth placed on her forehead. Rina was standing by her side, patting her head down in an attempt to help her fever. "I''m sorry if I woke you, my lady. You have a very high fever." Evanna nodded her head; it seemed that was all she was capable of doing. Even tried moving her lips to reply, but it took considerable amounts of effort. "Please, you should try and rest. I will bring some soup after you have slept," Rina said gently. The servant looked down at her with worry-filled eyes; Evanna wanted to reassure her that she was okay. But then, a flicker of doubt passed through her. What if Rina was worried about the prince? If she died, which was very unlikely, then the servant would be punished? Evanna winced; the pain in her head had not subsided and throbbed. It felt like her brain was hammering against her skull, trying to escape, while her eyes stung from the sunny day and her skin coated in sweat. Her thoughts swept away with the ongoing crushing pain on her head. But with the pain, she also felt fatigued. Evanna fell back to sleep after her temperature lowered slightly. Rina had slipped Evanna out of her dress and placed a very light nightgown on her after she complained about the heat. Evanna stayed out of the covers and ended up rolling over to the other side of the bed. She kept falling in and out of consciousness, and she knew from her feverish state that she was hallucinating. She kept ''seeing'' and feeling Arawn pressed against her. Any time she moved her head, her eyes opening slightly, she would find herself clinging to his body, her head resting on his chest as he whispered in Muranthian that it would get better, and try to sleep as much as possible. "* I''m not going anywhere..*" "* Good, p-please don''t. I''ll.. I will miss you.*" She muttered in response. His words made her trembling body relax, and her head sank further into his chest. Or was it her pillow? It was a hallucination. After all, it was just her mind playing tricks with her. At least, she was being comforted, and just for a little while, she would take advantage of this imaginary elven prince and snuggle into him more with a sigh. Arawn chuckled. His voice was such a delight, but her head was still pounding, so even in her hallucination, she could not escape the pain. "* Why does it hurt? It hurts so much, Arawn. I.. *" She shivered and the iciness she was feeling suddenly left while imaginary Arawn gently rubbed at her shoulder and pulled a blanket over her more. "* Hmm, that fweels nice..*" She murmured and felt part of her hair brushed away from her face feeling her body vibrate slightly from the prince''s chuckle. Evanna gasped. Her fingers clasped at his shirt as another wave of pain erupted from her head and coursed through her body. It felt like thousands of needles stabbing through her all the way down to her toes. She groaned. "* Shh, I know try and sleep. It will pass..*" Arawn spoke gently atop her head as he rested his cheek gently on her forehead. Evanna felt her body begin to burn up again, but his cheek began to cool her down, and the hand resting on her back also sent a soothing feeling of cold wash over her. "Hmm." She felt her head becoming increasingly heavy, but she didn''t mind this hallucination. Maybe she could keep herself awake just for a little while. If she was awake? She was not sure; everything was so hazy. "*Arawn..*" She whispered, "*How come I am ill? I never get ill..*" The prince did not reply and instead continued to gently stroke her temple, brushing away her damp hair. "* I..ngh,*" Evanna slowly drifted off. "* Evanna.. Happy Birthday.. When you are better, we will celebrate properly.*" His whisper caressed the top of her forehead like a lovers kiss. It was also the last thing she heard before darkness fell over her like a heavy veil. Chapter 107 - Daughters Wellbeing Back in the kingdom of Dunhurst, Lady Loraven was sitting in the gardens of the palace. She was in a daze, staring at the flowers and partially enjoying the sun. Her fingers tapped on the bench where she last sat with Evanna before she left on her journey to steal that gemstone. Today was her daughter''s eighteenth birthday, and after their discussion in the dream walk, it was absolute that Evanna has been gifted. Loraven was an elf and her daughter a half-breed; if the nobles were to find out, then they could very well be executed. She kept a close eye on her throughout her childhood, for it was dangerous for them to be living in the palace. She always hated that Evanna was brought up in such an environment, but there was nowhere else to go; her parents would never take her back even if they knew of their granddaughter. Loraven was unsure of what Evanna''s powers were other than this ''sixth sense''. From how she described it, that was quite a rare power, but then again, so was hers. Each member of her family had a gift to do with the mind. Her gift was being able to dream walk, her mother could control what people could see, and her younger brother could control people''s speech. She wondered, with her daughter being a half-breed, what power she was gifted and if it would be powerful. But that was the least on her mind right now. Evanna was captured, and now more than ever, she should be as far away as possible from the elven kingdoms. When an elven child/teenager has been bestowed the gift, their body goes through excruciating pain to get used to the surge of power awakening in their body. The pain and length of the feverish ''illness'' they go through depends on how strong the gift or gifts are. If the elves were to find out that she is a half-breed and the state she is in today is due to her gift awakening, then they could very well use it as a torture technique. Loraven would not put it past the Flori. She could only hope that Evanna has not revealed her true self or told anyone that it was her birthday. The last chance of an elf to get their gift would be on their eighteenth birthday. It was extremely rare to be given it any later. Loraven placed her hand on her chest, vaguely forgetting she gave the family heirloom to Evanna. But the habit still brought her comfort, and comfort was what she needed while thinking of everything her daughter must have been through. She did not know what Evanna had been doing before being captured by the Flori. But the necklace was connected to one of the rings she wore. Anytime the ring glowed, it meant Evanna was injured. She kept watching the green gem on her ring. It did not glow too much, but it went off like a firework a few times, making her feel faint with worry. If the colour drained from the stone, then it meant Evanna was dead. So, in times when it glowed, she would constantly watch it for two days even after it stopped glowing because she knew soldiers could die of infections or not getting their injuries treated. Loraven knew too well how lives were lost. It was why she trained so well and taught her daughter to become a master of two blades. If Loraven brought her daughter up in Lyvaria, then she would be knighted as a swords master, no matter if she was a woman. She sighed before slowly standing up only to grip onto the bench tightly and placing her hand on her head, waiting for the dizziness to subside. The maids rushed forwards with the wooden mobile chair on wheels, and she collapsed heavily into her chair, catching her breath. Loraven put her hands over her eyes to hide from the sunshine and calmed down. She felt useless; her body was slowly giving up on her. "Where is king Osian?" Loraven asked the maid, pushing the chair on the path leading back to the palace. "His highness was last seen in his study," The maid replied. Loraven nodded, "Please take me to him." His majesty was not found at his desk like usual in the king''s study but staring outside his floor-to-ceiling window that overlooked the training grounds. Loraven was wheeled in after he called her in. She observed his strong stature, his broad shoulders shading the bright sunlight piercing through the window. Osian looked down at the crumpled letter in his hands. This was not the first time he was lost in thought, reading and re-reading the letter Evanna addressed to him. He didn''t need to read the words on the page now as it was engraved in his heavy heart. The letter read: My dearest father, By now, you will know that I am gone. I did not make this decision lightly, nor have I done this to purposely cause you or mother pain. I discovered a way to help cure mother, and I cannot tell you what it is because it is not entirely legal. It is not something that an army could help with nor something a king should be involved in. But I MUST do this. I beg of you not to use the kingdom''s resources in searching for me. I am highly skilled in sword fighting and have companions to help me with my plan. When I return, I will be sure to tell you of my adventures, but for now, please do not worry. I will return with the cure for mother. Your loving daughter, Evanna ** On the first day, Evanna was missing, and his men came back reporting they had not captured her; he crumbled to the ground in shock. She truly managed to escape. It was well planned and thought out because even with her poster placed out across the kingdom and his best men out searching for her, she was still missing. Two days ago, her horse Midknight and some other horses arrived at the palace; Sir Hugh was the first to arrive and tell him. It made the situation seem even dire. Was Evanna alive? He felt nauseous and made rash decisions that day, sending a letter to King Horik Hart of the Hatherland kingdom about the princess'' disappearance and requesting help. As it were, the king took advantage of the situation and made a deal instead. Hatherland would not attempt to invade Dunhurst if they arranged a marriage between Evanna and his second eldest son, Prince Conrad Hart. Osian agreed only if the prince and his men found Evanna before them. He knew too well how much Conrad and Evanna disliked each other; they tried many times to make them become childhood friends, but it never happened. They were already thinking of becoming more vital allies with Hatherland, but when he saw the children fighting, not playfighting but brutally fighting each other, he knew it was never to be. But now, he hoped the prince had turned into someone Evanna could appreciate because if he found her, then they would marry. Although he asked for help from the neighbouring kingdom, he, of course, was still not satisfied and full of dread. But Lady Loraven comforted him after telling him about her magic ring and how the colour was not drained from it. Still, they would worry over Evanna. It was reckless, irresponsible and.. something exactly his passionate, wild daughter would do. It must be the elf in her. "Did you make contact with her?" Osian asked while looking back out of the window, the letter crinkling in his tight grasp. "I did," Loraven replied tiredly. At the sound of her voice, the king spun around and scrutinised her. She was pale and looked exhausted. It was only 11am. She must have overexerted herself to dream walk to Evanna. Osian felt terrible, but then he remembered how Loraven refused to bring him into the dream with her, forgetting that it took three times the amount of power to connect more than two minds together in the dream state. "And?" His deep voice reverberated through the cold, stone office. He sat down behind the desk and clasped his hands together, resting his arms on the wooden desk. "Evanna is.. she is.. safe," Loraven began and continued after seeing the king narrow his eyes at her stuttered words. "It seems her gift is coming throughˇ­ It is, after all, her birthday." Osian sighed, "I cannot believe we are not spending her eighteenth with her. I can only be grateful right now that she is alive and well. This gift.. You mentioned it before when she was younger.. Is.. it a painful process?" Loraven looked down, not meeting his eyes. For such a brutish king, he only showed true love towards the ones that he loved, and he would not be happy with her response. "It is excruciating." Chapter 108 - Helping Hand Arawn sat on the throne in his father''s stead. Due to the assassination attempt, his father would be kept in his quarters for another day. Until then, the prince would take on twice the responsibility, although he sent his men out by themselves to scout the forest while he would sit in with the council and listen to any arising issues with the nobles. He stood from his seat as two dukes began to argue over some issue with expanding their land. Both families believed their dukedom owned the small plot of land. Arawn previously looked into it and even sought out the land, dressing as a commoner to see what was so precious about such land. After assessing the area, he could only assume it was due to the scenery and their egos being the real reason for owning it. For now, he would let them bicker between them; there was not a lot more on the schedule other than the council''s greed. He did not know how his father dealt with them; at least when there was war, the meetings were much more riveting. The prince clasped his hands behind his back as he stood next to the great white tree behind the throne and stared down at the magnificent drop. Other than keeping the throne room light and airy, without a wall behind the great throne- the king and prince had kicked many off the side of the palace. Whether that was by execution or a pest trying to play the game of politics and losing. Where he stood now, if he took another step, he would fall into the depths of the waterfall. Arawn glanced up and looked at the villages near the woods. If Evanna was here, she would definitely be looking on in awe of them. One side of his lips twitched up into a smile. Such simple things made her smile and, in turn, made him smile. "Your highness, they request your attention," Haryk interrupted his reverie. The prince''s lips thinned, and he turned his cold stare back to the meeting. As soon as the meeting was finished, Arawn marched out of the throne room. It was past midday now, and he wished to stretch his legs; Evanna was most likely in the gardens once more. His legs automatically took him in that direction; he wanted to stretch his legs. He was restless, especially after seeing Evanna in that slip and almost kissing her. His gaze was set ahead as he walked towards the double doors to the gardens, but his mind was turning again, calculating his next move. Maybe he should make a deal with her. Evanna was part elf; if she has a gift, then he could teach her how to harness it. But she was a half-breed; would she really have a gift? Some elves don''t even get a gift. "Your highness! Your highness!" Arawn stopped after seeing Anwel sprint towards him, his eyes stricken with panic. The prince narrowed his eyes subtly, and his glare made the warrior flinch, but with a single bow, he raised his head. "What news do you have that warrants you to run like a mad man towards me?" Arawn tilted his head to the side with a raised brow. "It''s lady Evanna." The prince stilled. Did she escape? "She collapsed and is now bedridden with a fever," Anwel exclaimed. Arawn instantly changed direction without responding to Anwel; his movements were quick and sharp, his footsteps and chilling aura made servants and nobles move out of the way. Just how he liked it. As soon as Arawn was in his quarters, he let his fa?ade fall, and he sprinted up the stairs, glaring at anyone who looked in his direction, causing them to scamper as he did so. He stood outside of Evanna''s doors and glanced around. A handmaiden was passing by; her eyes kept darting between him and what was probably an escape route. Arawn turned and looked at her, "Find Haryk," He commanded. The handmaiden curtsied and scurried off in search of the butler. Once she left, he ordered the guards to clear out the remaining area of servants before he opened the doors. The prince stilled after seeing her dressed in a new nightgown, one of the softest pink that complimented her well. But that was not what stilled him. Evanna was outside of the covers in such a pale and sweaty state, her hair was sprawled out behind her, and he could see her occasionally convulsing. Rina was by her side, dabbing at her forehead with a damp cloth. He removed his eyes from Evanna and glared at Cedric. He was standing guard at the end of the bed. Arawn did feel better knowing that Cedric had a wife, and the warrior did not have a death wish in not looking at Evanna in her nightgown. If he did, Arawn was sure to have injured him. It was bad enough he was in her room. But it seemed he was waiting for him. Cedric bowed. "What happened?" Arawn asked through gritted teeth. He was trying for polite, or as polite as one could be for someone with a block of ice in his chest instead of a heart. "Lady Evanna seemed quite pale and ill. She was in the gardens when she looked to be in pain before fainting," Cedric informed him. "If you could see she was unwell before this, why did you not escort her back to her room before collapsing?" Arawn snapped. His voice was still low so as not to wake Evanna, but Cedric could still hear him. Cedric bowed his head, "Your highness, I apologise and take full punishment for not escorting her back." "Stand guard outside the room." Arawn tsked him and waved his hand. Once the door was closed, he approached Evanna''s bed and watched as Rina flinched at his presence. He could see how much she cared for Evanna and that they had bonded in less than a week. "Rina, I hope your loyalty lies with lady Evanna now, and I will not be hearing any slanderous rumours about her," He said crisply, hoping that the handmaiden would hear his warning. Rina looked up at the prince with widened eyes. "Your highness, I served under your mother and under your sister. I am ever loyal to the Elion family. I would never speak of-" "Good," Arawn interrupted with a small smile. Rina bowed her head and pursed her lips when she looked back at Evanna. Arawn''s brows drew together as he saw her chest flush red and the veins by her neck begin to bulge slightly. She was in pain, he placed his hand against her cheek, and he could feel how hot she felt. Without thinking, he removed his boots and coat and climbed onto the bed with her. Rina''s eyes widened, and she turned away, busying herself with something. Arawn lay on his back and pulled Evanna into his chest. He could feel how fast her heart was beating and the heat radiating off her. He replaced the cloth on her forehead with his hand and called upon his gift, cooling the top of her head. Arawn had not used this particular technique in a while. He reduced his body temperature to help with Evanna''s fever. She began to cool down, and she snuggled into him more comfortably. Her chest and cheeks returned to being pale. He could not help her with the pain she was going through, but he could at least do this. For hours he lay there with her, refusing to eat when Rina and Haryk offered food. He did not care for his royal duties and wished to comfort Evanna. He knew instantly when he saw her in pain and convulsing earlier that her body was going through the change of receiving her gift. That meant it was her eighteenth birthday. If Evanna had not been captured by them, where would she be now? In the forest or a town. Who would catch her or look after her? His jaw ticked at the idea of Evanna not being with him right now. Arawn stroked the top of her head, something he realised she liked after the first time he did it, and he gazed at her stunning features. It was then he decided he would help her. He noticed how much Evanna was in awe of everything, and reports from her guards told him that she took an interest in Reselda and her shop and visited the library. Arawn knew that she wanted to learn more about her elven heritage. It would have been hard to be brought up in a human kingdom that despised elves, and of course, she was not brought up in the elven culture. Evanna was curious, and he was going to whet her curiosity and use it to his advantage. It was a good deal; she would learn how to deal with her gift and the eleven ways of life in exchange for information on the gem. He hoped his plan would work. He wanted to help Evanna regardless, but at the moment, their relationship was still strained. There was not enough trust between them. As soon as she makes that first step alone in trusting him, then the walls would fall down, and he could work on making her officially his. Chapter 109 - Breaking Fever For four days, Evanna lay in bed in her feverish state. Arawn was there, only leaving her chambers when it was essential. He never told Rina or Haryk that Evanna''s state was linked to her being a half-breed. However, he suspected Rina was quite aware of her condition, there were no other explanations for her illness, and he refused a physician to come see her. He explained that rest was all she needed. Arawn watched over Evanna a lot over the four days. He did not interfere with Rina, who would help wash her and change her clothes. The prince would leave and see to himself in that time and making an appearance briefly to have breakfast with his father. But as soon as he finished his meal, he left instantly, leaving the king to stare after him perplexed. The prince worked from Evanna''s bed-chamber, and by the fourth morning, he was accustomed to it, leaning against the headboard of her bed looking through some scrolls. Evanna was curled into his side, tugging at his shirt with a creased forehead and muttering in Muranthian. Over the past few days, he comforted her when she had nightmares, cooled her down when she was overheated and tried to speak softly to her when she was half-conscious. She was going through a mixture of sweats, chills, nightmares and bizarre dreams. Arawn speculated about the bizarre dreams. He gazed down at her, dropped the scrolls on the sheets and caressed the top of her head, her forehead relaxed, and as he stared at her beauty, he was reminded of the time he went through the ''change''. Although it was over two hundred years ago now, he still remembered it well. How would he forget? Unlike Evanna, his gifts erupted through him aggressively and in the middle of training. He was sparring with Garrett at the age of 9; though they were nothing like the warriors yet, they were still prodigy''s in fighting for children of their age. Arawn barely blocked Garrett''s training stick when an intense fire rippled from the bottom of his spine and to his skull. He screamed and backed away from Garrett. Guards jumped forwards, initially thinking Garrett had done something to the crown prince, but when they looked at Arawn, they knew instantly what was wrong. He gripped his head, his fingers going through his hair as tears came to the child''s eyes. Behind his back was a dark mist escaping Arawn''s being and forming into the shape of an adult man. He screamed out, and the black smoke was sucked back into him before he collapsed. It took him two weeks to get out of his comatose state. The ''change'' was different in every elf, but the more powerful their gifts are, and how many they have, depended on how painful and how long the elf would be going through the pain of awakening their gifts. Arawn did not get feverish but became chilled, something he did not mind, and it was soon apparent that another gift of his was the elemental use of ice. Before the prince was taught how to use his powers, he was already unknowingly using his icy gift to keep himself from burning up. While Arawn was reminiscing about his time as a child. Evanna was lost in the depths of a bizarre dream. One seemed to speak to her in a foreign language, but she understood it clearly, yet it was not making any sense. It was as though the words were jumbled up floating across her mind. She was standing in Arawn''s bath again, but it was dark with no lights or starlight; instead, the tree she saw before was glowing. Like the princess did before, she walked towards it. This time the water weighed heavily on her legs, making it hard to get closer to the tree. But the harder it was, the more panicked she was in trying to touch the tree. Evanna looked down and realised the warm bath water had turned to a black sticky substance, one that kept her from moving much further. When she glanced up again, the glowing tree had darkened, the leaves had died and fallen on the sticky liquid, and it began to shrivel up, a crack forming in the middle of it. Tears came to her eyes at the sight of the tree dying, and she rushed forwards, this time taking control of the dream. The liquid became water once more on her command, and she reached out to root and instantly felt a rush of power. She gasped, and her eyes widened at the blissful feeling of life flowing through her. The warm energy from her hand radiated up the tree, and she watched in awe as the bark in the tree knitted together the crack, and it grew taller with leaves growing on it. She felt warm and happy at saving the tree, and her lips curled up into a breathtaking smile. Evanna opened her eyes, blinking away the sleep and drowsiness. It seemed her smile broke through from her dream onto her face in reality. She felt well-rested and snuggled into her pillow once more, only to still when she realised her pillow didn''t really have a soft surface. Her eyes trailed up the body she was clinging onto, her head tilting back as she did so, to see prince Arawn staring down at her. Evanna blinked a few times, wondering if she was still hallucinating. Yet the princess knew she wasn''t; her heated skin had all but cleared up along with her hazy mind. Her heart almost stilled along with her breathing as she stared back at the prince. His sharp jawline, straight nose, lips that seemed to scream at her to kiss, and his eyes, those startling blue eyes that seemed to pierce through her. She sighed, taking full advantage of just gazing at such a masterpiece of a man. Even if he was her enemy, she would not deny how handsome he was. "How are you feeling, Evanna?" Arawn asked with so much sincerity that Evanna''s chest warmed, and her heart began to pound. "Much-" *cough* *cough* Arawn lifted up and grabbed a glass of water that was placed on the side. He carefully lifted Evanna''s head up from where she was lying down and brought the glass to her lips. The cool water flowed down her throat and awakening her much more and making her realised how parched she felt. The princess finished the glass and looked up at Arawn. "Do you want anymore?" He asked with a slight smile on his lips. Evanna nodded, forgetting their differences momentarily while she watched as he took care of her. She was in awe at how gentle he was. She even watched as he cooled the bottom of the glass slightly, chilling the water for her. After finishing her drink, she looked at him, pushing down her rising anxiety and fear of why the prince was in her bed. "Thin-era," She whispered. Any other words were lost on her as she continued to stare at him. Arawn cleared his throat and shifted slightly on the bed, pulling her up gently, so she was in a seated position against the headboard next to him. He placed his hand against her forehead while she gazed upon his features and gobsmacked still by his actions. His eyes crinkled up, and she could see for the first time an elf that did not seem ultimately perfect. Arawn''s lids and under his eyes were slightly red; he looked.. tired. But Evanna knew that anyone else would not see these minor changes in him even at a small distance away. It was only because she had seen him up close. She looked away at that thought, and a slight blush crept up her face. She raised her hand to touch his cheek, but the surprise that flickered across his features for a single second was enough to snap her out of his alluring spell. Chapter 110 - Acts Of Kindness Evanna raised her hand to touch his cheek, but the surprise that flickered across his features for a single second was enough to snap her out of his alluring spell. Arawn cleared his throat again and dropped his hand. "It seems you are past the worst of it, Evanna." "By it.. what do you mean? I do not know what happened," She replied while looking around her room. Her eyes looked at anywhere but the prince who was chilling on her bed with her, their arms touching. Evanna sucked in a breath when she also realised she was again in something promiscuous in front of him. Her eyes widened, and she straightened up about to jump out of bed, but Arawn grabbed her hand. "Don''t. Your body still needs to recover, I will call for Rina, and we can chat after, okay?" Arawn said in a soothing and calm voice. She was only watching his lips as they moved but snapped out of it when she saw his usual smirk. Her cheeks heated, and eyes widened again when the prince draped a blanket over her bare shoulders and climbed off the bed. Evanna watched him as he left the room without another word, and the doors flung open with Rina rushing to her side, beaming at her as she kneeled in front of her. She didn''t know what her handmaiden was babbling on about, most likely how unwell she has been and how worried Rina was, from what she could tell from the look on her face. But all the princess was thinking about was how the cold-hearted elven prince seemed to show small acts of kindness without any tricks up his sleeves. There was no deceit from him and genuine concern for her. A feeling of butterflies fluttered in her stomach from thinking about Arawn, but she squished them and her feelings down instantly. She had been unwell, and he was a good host, although technically, she was his prisoner, and he went out of his way to make sure she was okay. Rina helped Evanna to the bathroom, and for once, the princess let the handmaiden help clean her arms and hair. But the she-elf continued to talk in her bubbly manner; Evanna could see Rina was filling in the silence and that she knew Evanna was deep in thought. Which was why Evanna let Rina look after her. Her thoughts were filled with Arawn, and she felt slightly flustered after remembering the times she thought she was hallucinating. He had been in bed with her, and wished her happy birthday, kept motivating her, telling her she was doing really well, and the pain would pass. How did Arawn know what was going on when she herself did not? "Rina," Evanna interrupted whatever her handmaiden was talking about, "how long was I out for?" "Oh, erm, this would be your fourth day, my lady," Her handmaiden replied as she now brushed Evanna''s hair in front of the mirror. The princess was still feeling fatigued but much better after bathing and wearing a light, thin blue dress with long sleeves revealing her shoulders again. It seemed her handmaiden always picked out the nicest of dresses that suited her and her comfort. Rina lowered her face and beamed into the mirror as she turned her head to Evanna''s ears. "His highness was with you the whole time. He was so worried about you.." She whispered and giggled lightly, covering her mouth with her hand. Evanna''s cheeks heated, and she looked down. Rina stopped brushing her hair, placing her hands on her shoulders as though she was looking at her proudly in the mirror. "I am only telling you, lady Evanna because I can see how conflicted you are getting by the prince. And if I can be so bold.." Evanna smiled at Rina''s words. "You have been bold to me before, Rina. I do not care for etiquette between friends, especially in my room." Evanna couldn''t believe her handmaiden''s smile could go any wider, but it did. She was once again dazed at how pretty Rina was, and what made her even prettier was her kind and caring personality. "Oh, my lady, you are far too generous towards me! If I were to serve anyone else outside of the royal family and yourself, I would be sure to be beaten or ridiculed. But.. but.. What I wanted to say was.. To maybe give the prince a chance.." Rina replied with a small smile. Evanna''s brows raised. She was not expecting this from her. "I thought you were scared of him?" She asked. Rina''s cheeks suddenly tinted pink, and she brought her hands together. "I.. am okay with his highness. I have served under him a very long time, seen him grown from a baby and to who he is today.. His ways can be a little cruel, but if you stayed and got to know him, you will see that there is more to him than the scary mask he wears for the rest of the world to see. His actions-" "*Thank you, Rina. That will be all.*" Arawn appeared behind them, and the handmaiden bit her lip and curtsied to them before rushing out of Evanna''s room. She turned on her cushioned chair, so she faced him. "Come. You must be hungry. You haven''t eaten in four days. Food has been served in my rooms" Arawn held his hand out for her. As she placed her hand in his, he swept her off her feet, so he held her bridal style. Evanna gasped, "Arawn! Put me down!" Arawn chuckled and tightened his grip on her as he walked towards the double doors, "You are still weak. Besides, no one will see us." "That''s not the point! And I walked with Rina.. I am fine, please," Evanna looked around warily but couldn''t help but let her head sag into his chest. He was right. She was weak. Her cheeks burned in embarrassment at that and at the wink Cedric gave her before he followed behind them. She hid her face in Arawn''s chest, wishing the ground would swallow her up. The thing was, though, if she really wanted to get out of his grasp, she could easily even in her weakened state. But just for a little while at least, she would be comforted by his strong arms and lean against his muscular chest, listening to the even rhythm of his heart. Just for a little while, she would let herself enjoy this small embrace. Arawn had looked after her and even now was taking care of her by foolishly carrying her the small distance to his bed-chambers. It was something she did not expect of the prince, and she didn''t know if it was that or all the events between them leading up to this that was making her confused. Evanna was starting to feel something for him, and she couldn''t quite understand what it was. But for now, until she had her full strength once more, she would not mind ''putting up with'' his company until the day she would escape. It was too risky for her to be there any longer. Both for her sanity, for her mother and the kingdom of Dunhurst. Chapter 111 - Uncontrollable Evanna found herself once again sitting across from prince Arawn at the table and chairs on the prince''s balcony. The sun was beaming down on them while the breeze gently blew across their faces bringing with it the scent of the flowers in full bloom around them. The meals they had differed by a lot in comparison. Where Arawn had a large, cooked breakfast, Evanna stuck to porridge and fruits. Even though she had not eaten for four days, it seems the prince already knew she still could not eat much. Her illness had passed, but her stomach shrunk, making even her porridge seemingly heavy. So, she stuck to the grapes, blushing as she glanced at Arawn and the fleeting smirk she saw on his face. That was right, when she first got there, he.. served her some grapes. Evanna almost choked again after feeling flushed, but she looked to the view and sipped on her water. Arawn chuckled and refilled her glass of water up again after she placed it back down and looked at her hands. "Arawn.." She glanced up to see his gaze trailing across her features. She stopped after their eyes locked, and for a long minute, she couldn''t look away from the striking hues of blue in his eyes. They were so alluring, Evanna felt as though she would drown in those cool, pleasant pools quite happily. It was then she also realised how he, too, was staring back at her. Her cheeks heated up to a rosy hue, and she looked down at her food. "What you went through for the last four days is what all elves go through when their powers are awakened." Evanna looked back up at the prince. The embarrassment she felt all but swept away with the wind as she processed what he said. "So, it was bound to happen.." She murmured before reaching for her drink and taking a sip. She held the glass in between her hands and stared back at Arawn. "My mother said she kept a close eye on me while I grew up. I assume that it can happen any time?" She queried as her finger started to tap on the side of her glass. Arawn''s eyes were on the glass before he drew them away and looked back at her again. "That is correct. The last chance of someone receiving their gift is when they are eighteen," He replied before glancing back at her hands again. Evanna''s brows drew together, and she looked down. "Oh! Your highness, you should have said something. I apologise for my lack of manners," Evanna said in astonishment and looked around, panicked for a servant to come to the table. Unfortunately, it was only them on the balcony. She had accidentally taken the prince''s drink. Evanna put the drink on the side and started to rise up from her chair. "I will find someone to replace.." She stopped, and her mouth fell open as Arawn took the glass and drank from it, holding her gaze as he did so. "What are you.. why.." Her mumble turned into a whisper, "My lips have touched that glass." Arawn chuckled and returned the glass to the table. "There is no need to get a servant. Please, get back to your meal. You should eat to help replenish your strength and.." He trailed off as she sat back in her seat, staring at him, waiting for him to finish his sentence. A smirk formed on his lips, "To recover quickly so I can see that beautiful tint of pink on your cheeks some more without worrying that you have become ill once more." Evanna halted her action of reaching for the grapes and blinked back at him before sighing lightly. This man, "So shameless." Evanna''s eyes widened, and she covered her mouth after her brain got carried away and spilt her thoughts out loud. "*With you, Evanna, you have no idea..*" He replied playfully. His eyes flickered with amusement as he watched the blush growing on her cheeks. Why.. did he sound so much better in Muranthian? Was it hot outside? Was she still not well? She placed her hand against her cheeks and forehead, causing the prince to chuckle. Arawn did not comment further or tease her more; instead, he gestured for her to finish her meal. Evanna was hesitant at first, but they sat in comfortable silence for the remainder of their breakfast, each deep in their own thoughts. When they finished, Arawn clicked his fingers once and the double doors to his bed-chambers opened, followed by Haryk and Rina, who cleared the table and set up a pot of tea for them. Evanna blushed once more when Rina smiled at her, keeping her back to the prince and widened her eyes before moving them to point at the prince in a suggestive manner. Arawn tilted his head, and the princess bashfully let her hair fall in place, hiding her face while she looked at the scenery. She was so consumed by her mixed feelings about the prince that it took her some time to realise he made her a cup of tea. "Did youˇ­" She glanced around, but there was no one there except for them. "You know how to make tea?" "Well, now I do feel insulted.. it is not very hard.." He replied curtly, but she could see the side of his mouth twitch into a slight curl and his eyes crinkling slightly. "No! I meant.. You know how I like my tea?" She backtracked, slightly flustered by asking such a thing. Arawn chuckled. "Yes, Evanna.. I know how you like your tea.." He smirked before resting his elbow on the table, leaning his chin against his fist, with a single finger against his cheek. "One must know everything they need to know about their enemy.." Evanna couldn''t tell if he was being serious or joking. She had a feeling it was both. Her lips pursed together, but she hid behind her cup of tea momentarily. "Anyway, now that you have eaten.. Oh," Arawn stopped himself and stood up. Evanna looked at him confused and became startled when he removed his black and gold embroidered coat, walking to the back of her chair and covering her shoulders. His hands stayed on her shoulders, and he lowered his head, so his lips nearly touched her ear. "*The breeze was picking up. I hope you are not too cold..*" He whispered gently; his warm breath sent tingles of a strange sensation across her body, and she tried not to tense from the sudden feeling. "* That is very generous of you.. But-*" Evanna turned her head, and her breath hitched at how close their faces were. Her cheeks heated, and she looked the other way and mumbled, "* will you not be cold, your highness?*" Arawn chuckled and pulled away from her, returning to his seat. Evanna visibly sagged but pulled the coat closer around. The wind blew some of her hair away from her face, leaving in its wake goosebumps across her chest. "I am accustomed to cold temperatures," He smirked, and Evanna shook her head, realising his gift must make him resistant. "So, does that mean you hate warm climates?" She asked, pushing past her awkwardness of how close their bodies were a few minutes ago. Arawn chuckled, "No, I am fine in any weather. I am not a block of ice that will melt!" Evanna bit her lip, stopping herself from smiling too much. "Anyway, what do you think about testing out your new gift?" Arawn asked, earning a breathtaking smile from Evanna, who beamed at him in excitement. "Really!?" She clapped her hands together once, stopping herself from appearing too excited. Arawn smiled in return, which made Evanna''s drop momentarily stunned at how strikingly handsome he was. A smile definitely suited him. "You should smile more," She blurted out and stilled with widened eyes at how her brain malfunctioned, and lips moved without thinking. She covered her mouth with her hand. Arawn tilted his head to the side, his smile broadening, even more, taking her breath away and causing her chest to burn for that all-important air while her heart pounded. Oh, boy. Was she in trouble.. "Keep acting cute, and I will.." He said brazenly. Evanna stilled, and she looked down. She could not look at him, not when he was saying such things and smiling. Though his smile really was something, no wonder people stopped and stared when he did. She peeked up at him again, and he chuckled once more. "Erm.. well.. you were s-saying.." Evanna stuttered, ignoring his comment, but she internally scolded herself at her stutter. She lifted her chin and met his captivating eyes and spoke confidently again, "You said we should test my gift out.." "Not today. You still need to rest. Maybe tomorrow, if you are up for it?" He asked while noticeably trying not to smirk at how excited she was again. "So, maybe today we could go to the library!?" Chapter 112 - An Offer Evanna could not help but be ecstatic by going back to the library and picking up the books written in Muranthian. Though she realised she would still need to be wary, it was still a secret and one shared with the prince. She peeked up at him after hearing his light chuckle. Would he keep this a secret? "I think it would be wise to rest some more, Evanna. You may be over the fever, but you might collapse again," Arawn replied, stilling Evanna by the concern that flickered across his features. But it went so quickly that Evanna must have been imagining it. He watched her patiently, and she realised she had not responded after pondering on the prince''s actions. "For today, stay in my chambers. I still have work to do, but it would be best if you are in my line of sight," He added. Evanna nodded and stood up, following him back inside, although she wondered why she was to stay in his chambers. If Rina was with her in the bed-chamber he provided her with, then there was no need for him to keep an eye on her. Unless this was in case, she tried anything, such as escaping with her new powers. The princess rubbed her hand under her chin in thought about this prospect as Arawn led her to the sofa in his adjoined room. "Do you need the fire lit?" Arawn asked, snapping her out of her reverie. "Oh, no. I am fine, thank you. Oh.. here," Evanna began to remove his jacket from her shoulders, forgetting briefly it was still draped over her. The prince, however, turned his back on her, not responding to her comment. She was sure he heard her unless he clearly did not want to take it back. The princess did feel a little awkward with it on, but at the same time, it was providing her with a little extra warmth. With Arawn''s back turned as he collected some letters, Evanna nonchalantly pulled the collar towards her nose and smelled his scent quickly; the woodsy scent made her relax further as she watched the prince. Arawn turned around, and she dropped her hand swiftly before turning her head back, looking directly at the fireplace across from her. Her cheeks heated up in embarrassment at herself and what she did. Luckily, he did not comment on her action, meaning he did not see it, although he was now observing her and walking directly towards her. "Are you heating up again? *I swore you broke through your fever*," He mumbled as he leaned down and placed his hands against her cheeks. Evanna''s eyes widened at how close they were again, and she leaned further back into the couch. "Your cheeks have gone quite the loveliest of colours. But you look fine. Why are you blushing so much?" He asked sweetly before he smirked at her. "Because you are too close!" She replied, flabbergasted and feeling herself get warmer by the second. Then suddenly, a cool sensation spread from the prince''s fingers and across her features. Her lips parted, remembering a similar sensation in her feverish state. "That feelsˇ­ nice," She murmured. They stared at each other, seemingly lost in the moment as the prince''s thumbs swept over her cheeks rhythmically. She gazed back into those mesmerising blue eyes of his. He inched forwards, and Evanna seemed to come to her senses. "The gift!" She blurted out, causing the prince to jolt back in surprise. He dropped his hands and sighed. "What about the gift?" He asked icily. Evanna looked down at her hands, trying not to stare into those piercing blue eyes for too long. "I just wondered.." She trailed off and glanced back at the prince who knelt down in front of her. "Yes?" He drawled with a smile tugging at his lips. "I, um, the thing is. Obviously, you know I am part elf and have this gift now, whatever that may be.." Although she was pretty sure it had something to do with plants. "Will.. Can you keep this between us?" She pleaded, staring back at his handsome features. She watched as his eyes gleamed with amusement. "If I keep this between us.. What will you offer me in return?" He asked with his features once again impassive. However, Evanna could see the wheels turning behind his eyes at the possibilities. Her stomach dropped at what he could ask for and if she would be willing to give it to him. "What do you want?" She whispered in defeat. Arawn chuckled, "You should really ask the correct questions or tell me what you will give me.." Evanna blinked back in surprise. He was right, she caved in too easily, but after spending time with Arawn, albeit not willingly most times, she knew no matter what, he would get what it was he wanted. She hoped it had nothing to do with the gem; otherwise, she would happily let everyone know she is part elf. Even if it meant people looking down on her, she was used to it. Arawn searched her eyes, and he could read her like a book. It seemed being unwell and spending time together in bed while he looked after her made her a little less guarded around him. Other than her blushing face and innocent eyes widening at his shamelessness, Evanna was rather good at keeping her composure. But right now, he could see a bit of fear behind her eyes at what he would ask of her. He could easily ask about the gem if this secret was ''big enough for that. He, however, knew after scanning her features and days of figuring her out that Evanna would not give up information so readily. He smirked as an idea formed in his head. Reaching his hand out, he entangled his fingers in her raven locks; she stilled but did not move as he closed the distance between them so there was but a small gap between their faces. "I want you to let me kiss you," He whispered. "You said that was my choice.." She began rejecting him instantly. "Nah-uh. This is still a choice.. It is up to you.." He replied darkly, almost purring as his eyes flashed with amusement. Evanna''s heart was beating rapidly, and her cheeks heated up once more. She looked down at his lips. It wouldn''t hurt to kiss him, right? Nobody would know, and she would never see him again once she escaped the kingdom. Her cheeks were on fire now at her own shamelessness. Arawn''s face was slowly lighting up with amusement, his lips curled into a beautiful smile, and Evanna knew her heart stopped beating for a moment. "Okay," She said breathlessly. The prince''s hand glided out of her hand and cupped her cheek. Her heart seemed to be beating so slowly, her breath halted, and she thought everything was in slow motion as her stomach felt like doing backflips. Arawn chuckled as his lips were but an inch away from hers. She was about to close her eyes when they widened in shock instead. The prince planted a soft kiss on her cheek then leaned his forehead against the side of her temple. "I won''t take your first kiss away from you. Not unless you ask me. But ask me soon, Evanna," His hand trailed down her neck slowly, inciting a ripple of burning desire through her body. The smell of him made her feel dizzy, and their closeness made her feel intoxicated and wanting. She could not understand her body''s reaction, but having such a man touching her and leaving a pleasant kiss on her cheek was stirring something inside of her. He kissed her temple quickly, taking her by surprise again, and abruptly stood up, turning away from her and towards his desk. "*Your secret is safe with me, Evanna.*" Evanna was a little dazed and wondered how their first kiss might be. She shook her head and patted her cheeks; what was she thinking!? She glanced at Arawn and couldn''t believe how calm and collected he was by already looking down at his papers, reading as though a kiss on the cheek was nothing. Maybe to him, it was nothing. He had been with women before; the prince was, in fact, very experienced. She didn''t want to know the number of women he had been with before. His lifespan was long and- "There are some books on the bookshelf or if you require anything else, inform me, and I will get one of the servants to help," Arawn said, interrupting her thoughts. Evanna nodded, not relying on her voice for fear it would come out high pitched, showing how much it affected her. She got up and walked to the bookshelf, scanning all the titles before resting her eyes on some children''s books that she had not read before. Grabbing a few, she returned to the couch quietly and began reading. For the rest of the day, the pair spent time together either silently, the prince completing his royal duties while Evanna read, or they would discuss easy topics about their childhoods encouraged by the books she was reading. Evanna was still careful with how she spoke, making sure not to provide enough information away that might make the prince think further about her background. Occasionally Arawn stepped out to discuss matters with the king in his quarters, and Evanna was left to snooping in his room. As soon as she heard his footsteps, the princess would return to the bookshelf or acting nonchalant in his room. Nearing the late afternoon, it seemed fatigue slowly crept up on her, and she was soon fast asleep, lying on her back with her shoes on the ground and the book she was reading covering her face, her hands still holding it. Throughout the day, Evanna had become relaxed enough not to sit stiffly and appropriately due to etiquette. Arawn never minded nor cared. They were in his bed chambers, and they had already fought each other in the forest where manners were not a given. He sighed after glancing at her sleeping form. Without thinking too much about it, he approached Evanna and slowly lifted her up from the sofa. She did not stir and even snuggled her head in closer to his chest, making him smile down at her. He gently placed her on his bed, bringing the covers over her. He stroked the top of her hair away from her face, gazing at her stunning features as thoughts sprung up in his mind. "You know.. I quite like seeing you in my bed.." Chapter 113 - Nice View Evanna sighed and rolled onto her side sinking further into her pillow, inhaling the woodsy scent that seemed to wrap around her and lull her into sleep. That woodsy scent.. She inhaled sharply and forced her eyes open after her heart shocked into gear, and she sprung up in bed. She reached out for her swords and looked around, feeling disorientated. With her hand flat on the mattress, she slowly pulled it away and placed it on her chest, feeling the thrumming of her beating heart. Her mind was undoubtedly chaotic. It had been a while since she reacted in such a way- reaching for a weapon. Evanna blinked back the sleep as her eyes gazed upon the familiar room that was not hers. Why was she in bed? She scanned the room but could not find the prince. However, she noted how the sun was shining through the patio doors. What time was it? Pulling the covers away from her, she let her feet slide to the floor, and she kept her footsteps light as she rounded the bed and walked towards the adjoined living room. But the prince was not there. "* Good morning *" Evanna jumped and spun around, almost jumping again as she squealed, covering her eyes with her hands. Arawn was walking towards her with his chest bare and a towel around his waist; steam floated off of him from the hot bath he must have had. His white locks were damp and clinging onto his face. She peeked through her fingers, and her mouth went dry as her eyes roamed down his body, taking in the hard ridges of his toned body. Arawn chuckled, and she blushed profusely, snapping her fingers together again. "Please, put on some clothes!" She screeched. This man.. "Do you not enjoy the view?" He purred. His voice was very close; she knew without a doubt he was standing right in front of her now. Her fingers slid apart, her heart pounded loudly in her ears, and the first thing she saw was Arawn''s sharp features right in front of her, too close for comfort. She could feel the warmth radiating off him, the steam misting over her face. "Ah!" She pushed him back and almost screamed again, feeling his bare chest, and spun around. "I thought I was good looking, yet you are acting as though I am a vile monster?" Arawn said, stepping towards her retreating form. "Stop! Or I will run out of here screaming!" Evanna replied, flustered. She kept her eyes on the other side of the room. He must do this on purpose; her heart surely could not take so much first thing in the morning. Arawn chuckled and started retreating; Evanna looked over after hearing the padding of his feet on the floor get further away. He raked his hand through his damp hair that fell effortlessly once more in perfect symmetry along the back of his broad shoulders. The princess shook her head, "I must get going, your highness. I have overstayed my welcome in your room.." She started to back away to the door, feeling embarrassed that it was the following morning. Arawn clicked his tongue disapprovingly but waved his hand, "Go freshen up and return, we can go to the library together, and if you are feeling well enough, we should test your new gift out," Said the prince whose back was still turned to her as he went back to his adjoined dressing room. Evanna parted her lips to respond, but her gaze flew back to the bed, and she tilted her head. Only one side seemed to have been slept in. She was a bit puzzled as to why the prince did not sleep next to her. Did he not in the time that she was ill? But Evanna did not let her mind become too clouded with her thoughts. Instead, she took the opportunity to sneak out of his bed-chamber. With the door ajar slightly, she peeked out at the large hallway and the guards that were stationed about. With heated cheeks, she kept her head held high as she walked quickly towards her bed-chamber. Either the guards did not notice, or they were trained well enough not to appear to have noticed. The princess felt better knowing that Cedric or Anwel were not there either; it would have been even more embarrassing. She rushed into her room, letting the doors close behind her quietly before heading straight to her bathroom. Not long after, Rina appeared flabbergasted that Evanna drew her own bath and was already nearly finished by the time her handmaiden arrived. Rina was professional in helping Evanna change and did not even look at her warily after knowing that the lady was not found in her bed that morning. Evanna sat on her balcony in a light golden dress with floral embroidery down the front of it, its sleeves stopped at the elbow, and sheer sleeves draped down past her waist. It went well with the early morning sunshine that shone down on her while she enjoyed her breakfast away from the prince. It was strange how the dynamics of a relationship could alter so much after a day or two with someone. She could not pinpoint what exactly the ''relationship'' between her and the elven prince was, though. The prince and prisoner, now turning to the teacher and prisoner? After eating her breakfast and joining in an entertaining discussion with Rina, she left her chambers only to bump straight into the prince who stood outside her doors, his hand raised to knock on the door. Evanna took a step back and bowed with reddened cheeks at bumping into Arawn so clumsily, she should have walked out gracefully; it could have easily been a servant or guard. The prince smiled and provided his arm for her, leading her towards the library without uttering a word. She wanted to look at his face, but after waking up in his bed, she felt it was best to keep her composure in front of the elven nobility who walked past them, trying to gain the prince''s attention. As soon as they turned to the grand library, nobody followed them, and anyone in the lavish room soon left as soon as they saw the crown prince. The only person who seemed to have stayed was the same man she saw previously. He was once again among the trees in the centre of the library, looking among the books. Evanna instantly slid away from the prince and walked towards a golden book in the centre of the room floating in the air, twirling in a circle, almost with a sign shouting ''read me!''. She reached her hand out and snatched it away after hearing Arawn chuckle from behind her. Chapter 114 - The Golden Book Evanna instantly slid away from the prince and walked towards a golden book in the centre of the room floating in the air, twirling in a circle, almost with a sign shouting ''read me!''. She reached her hand out and snatched it away after hearing Arawn chuckle from behind her. "* It did not take the library long to present itself to you the book that you require.. *" He murmured. Evanna looked at him in confusion. That she required? "* So this library has spells set on it? *" Evanna enquired, watching the prince step forwards and slowly bring his hand towards the book. Her eyes widened as she watched his hand go through the object in the air. "*What..*" She trailed off, unsure of what to ask. Why did his hand go through the book? Was it another gift of his? "* This book is meant for you. As you said, the library has a spell upon it. I can touch the book after, but until the rightful owner receives it, it will stay there floating, *" Arawn explained as he watched Evanna''s beaming face at such magic. "* What if I left without touching it? *" She asked as her feet automatically started taking her closer to the book, almost like a string was attached between the book and her, pulling her towards it. "* Then it will simply vanish and reappear the next time you return. You can touch it. It is meant for you, *" Arawn replied with a smile in his voice. She glanced at him and saw how much his face was brighter from talking about such things. Maybe he was relaxed because there was nobody else in the library besides them and the elderly elf roaming the trees above them. Evanna smiled and reached out for the book, "I do not know what book I am searching for, yet this library knows more than me," She muttered as her fingers wrapped around the edges of the relatively large book. She gasped as the weight of it fell onto her hands, almost immediately bringing the book to her chest. It was heavy because the beautiful golden book was made out of gold and blue jewels on the front. Evanna''s finger slid down the side of the pages, her eye looking at it in awe as the paper shimmered with artwork going down the side of it. "Come, let us use the floor above where it is more secluded, though nobody else is allowed to enter unless I remove the spell on the doors," Arawn smiled down at her. He led her to the library''s second storey into a little lounge area with a balcony that overlooked the rest of the room, with the view of the higher parts of the white trees. Arawn gestured a desk for Evanna to sit at, and as she sat down, he pulled another chair next to her. She could almost see him itching to open the book, his leg was shaking, and his eyes alight like an excited child. Evanna could not help but smile at him. Who was this man, and what did he do to the cold-hearted prince? Was he like this because he was sharing a part of his world with her? She shook her head at her thoughts, looking back down at the book now placed on the desk in front of them. "*Open the book, *" Arawn said calmly, though she could see the intrigue on his face. Evanna clasped at the edges of the book and pulled back the cover, it magically snapped open, and the pages flipped through rapidly until it stopped onto a blank page. Evanna frowned and looked at Arawn, but his gaze was still fixated on the book, so her attention returned to it. She sucked in a breath as shimmering green writing was being drawn on the page as though some invisible person was writing it. At the same time, one side of the page revealed the same shimmering ink in swirls of patterns and drawn flowers going up the side of it. A title was being scribbled onto the top of the page. The title of the page read: The Gift Of Ilerium Evanna glanced at Arawn, whose face went blank, and he stared at her. "* You have the gift of Ilerium..*" He whispered, staring at her like she held some crazy power. "* That''s.. rare..*" He muttered an octave lower, but Evanna still picked up on his words. She parted her lips to question further, but the book was scribbling more, providing information about the gift, how to use it, and where to start. It was a gift to do with controlling the trees and flowers. But at the bottom of the page, it also had a warning about the side effects of using the greater powers of the gift. Evanna scanned the page and read the warning aloud, "*If the scale of concession is not in balance, then the scales will viciously weigh down until the powers of life are equal once more.*" "What does that mean? The scales.." Evanna trailed off, and she remembered the dream she had in her feverish state. Evanna had been standing in the bathtub again in the prince''s chambers, the black sticky substance stopping her from reaching the glowing tree that darkened, its leaves dying and falling as a crack formed in the middle of it. But once she touched it and felt a life force flow through her, the tree came back to life. "*I would suggest not trying the greater powers. It will take much of your energy, and without training, you could die..*" Arawn spoke to her sternly, his gaze unwavering from hers, making sure she understood the consequences if she tried these greater powers. "*Make sure you can run before you fly.*" Evanna stared back at Arawn, utterly unaware of how close they actually were. She was so consumed by her thoughts and the book that she did not take note of their heads almost touching as they looked down at the page. Her finger trailed across the patterns on the page, and she halted instantly when everything vanished. She stilled and gaped at the book and looked at Arawn in panic, "* I didn''t mean to! I-*" His hand stroked the side of her face, "* It is okay. It means you have another gift..* He smiled, but she could see the surprise on his face. Another gift? How could that be? She was only part elf.. Black ink formed on the page, the sound of scratching once more filling the quiet space. Evanna watched as black splotches and swirling patterns in the black ink crawled up the page. For some reason, it made a shiver go down her spine, and goosebumps brush across her skin. The title of the page read: The Gift Of Malawai As the first sentence began scribbling onto the page, Evanna glanced at Arawn, who stilled and looked back at her with a burning, questioning gaze. She parted her lips to ask what Malawai was, but a loud bang suddenly echoed through the library, making the pair jump. Arawn stood up and walked towards the balcony as the princess looked back down at the book. But the writing slowly seeped into the paper and disappeared. "No, what.." Evanna began, but the book shut itself and suddenly vanished. Her eyes widened, and she stood up, spinning around then reaching forwards as though it might appear again. She looked up at Arawn, who turned to look at her, his face once again impassive; he motioned her to come forwards. "The book will reappear when you need it-" "I need it now!? What is the gift Malawai?" She asked impatiently. Arawn''s eyes widened, and he glanced around. "Do not speak of what gifts you have. I do not know what the second one is. For now, I need to speak with Garrett. Will you be okay here?" He asked, his voice cool once more. Evanna narrowed her eyes subtly but placed a smile on her face, "Of course, your highness. I am surrounded by such books. I am sure there is much for me to learn.." She replied sharply. Arawn tilted his head to the side, she could see him trying to read her expression, but he sighed and turned towards the stairs. Evanna watched him, her smile dropping and her composure still intact. It seemed she was becoming far too comfortable with the prince. Usually, she could reply politely without her emotions reflecting in her voice. But just now, she revealed her annoyance clearly in her voice, though her face composed. Why didn''t the prince want to tell her what Malawai was? Was this gift bad? She could tell he knew what it was by the way he had looked at her. By how his gaze burned into hers with a million questions. Why did he look at her like that? It made her anxious. Chapter 115 - The Librarian The prince was gone for quite some time, leaving Evanna to roam the library. She could have taken this opportunity to suss out any more exit strategies, but with this new gift, or gifts awakening in her body, she decided to stay put for now. The princess was still eager to get home and to see the miracle of the gems healing powers. But for now, Evanna needed to gain as much knowledge as possible about wielding these gifts. If she was to return to her kingdom, she needed to know how to not accidentally do something, like tripping people up with roots! "Hmm," Evanna hummed as her fingers trailed across some books on the opposite side of the library. Unlike where the little lounge area with desks was placed, this side only held enough space to look through the books protected by lavish golden leaf bars for a balcony. She stopped in front of a section that she presumed was based on understanding elven politics, the royal families and nobility. This spiked her interest a lot. Her mother withheld such ''useless'' information at the time as Evanna would never need to know such things. Which she found odd, it was not a huge secret, and her father learned of the basic royal houses of the elven kingdoms. However, he needed to know when they conducted business together. But in all the time she had been alive, the Flori and Lyvarians visited once and left quickly. She was unable to even get a glimpse at them for fear they might snatch her away. Her mother found it ridiculous; of course, Loraven would; she was also an elf. But she, too, did not wish for Evanna to sneak around and see them; Loraven was stricter than usual that day, making sure Evanna and Ger stayed out of trouble. Now, while she was alone, she would take advantage of the books in the library. With a small smile, she reached out, taking a few books and returning to the desk she and Arawn used previously. The princess did not know how long she was absorbed in the scripts, but she wiped at her tired eyes and looked around bleary-eyed. It was overly quiet for a library. Evanna knew now the elves appeared to be a lot smarter than the humans, their technologies outranking theirs by far along with these gifts and crafts, so she found it rather strange that the library was not being used. She leaned over the balcony and looked around, not bothering to look at the trees before her where that elderly elf seemed to reside. There was absolutely nobody there. Did the prince make sure nobody else was allowed in there while she was there? Either way, Evanna knew after spending a few hours reading in the library, she should take a stroll. With this in mind, she headed towards the stairs and towards the double doors. For some reason, she felt a little freer. She was there by herself without any restrictions. Had the prince made a mistake? She shook her head. No, Prince Arawn never makes mistakes; if she was left on her own, that meant he could be testing her. She stopped herself from leaving with a sigh and instead roamed the library some more without looking at the books. It was a grand chamber, after all, one where it would take a while to walk everywhere. "I see his highness has left you by yourself." Evanna looked to the side to see the elf who she had seen from a distance. His long beard once again made her wonder how old he really was. She smiled, pushing away her rude thoughts. "Duties of a royal keeps one busy," Evanna replied politely with a curtsy. "I am, lady Evanna. How do you do." The elf smiled back, the lines by his eyes crinkled, showing off the many years of wisdom behind his deep, ocean blue orbs. He bowed his head, "It is a pleasure to meet you, lady Evanna. I am Darcassan, the librarian and scholar. Please, do not stand on ceremony, my lady." Evanna returned a warm smile. For some reason, Darcassan made her feel very welcome. His aura shone with intelligence and warmth with no ill intent. "If that is what you wish, Darcassan, but if so, then please do call me Evanna?" Evanna replied, clasping her hands together in front of her. "Ah, you know I cannot do that, my lady. But if you would like, I can assist you in here," He gestured his hands out. "I can see from how much you have studied so far that you are diligent. Maybe I can question you on what you have learnt thus far?" Evanna forced her smile to stay on her face. A quiz was not really something she was expecting, and it was on something as dull as knowing the nobility and royals. "Of course, I do hope that what I have read has stayed in this dim-witted mind of mine!" She joked as they began to walk around the room. Darcassan chuckled lightly. "I can see that you are far from dense, my lady. If you were, then you would not still be alive right now," He replied softly. Evanna looked at him, the shock apparent on her face. His tone was neither threatening nor full of malice; he stated the obvious but delivered it in a gentle manner. "I was not aware that my situation was public knowledge. I am sure his highness will not be pleased with such circumstances," said Evanna as she stopped with Darcassan and gazed at the size of such wonderous trees in a library. Darcassan chuckled once more; his voice was still gentle. He rubbed his chin with his hand as he responded, "There is nothing that I do not know, your highness." Evanna''s smile dropped, and her body tensed. He could not possibly know.. How.. Her gaze was still on the leaves of the trees for which she was thankful. She composed her features again and lowered her chin to look at the elder elf. "I beg your pardon? I believe you may have your sources-" "I apologise for interrupting, princess. But I never forget a face, and yours is somewhat similar to a dear friend of mine. Although we have not spoken in many moons, she would be most interested to see you," He tilted his head to the side and clasped his hands behind his back. Evanna stared back at him, aghast at what he said. She also could not understand how he knew who she was. Evanna shook her head subtly. No, he was reaching for information. She could see the curiosity behind his eyes; she was someone new to figure out. "Darcassan, your words do flatter me. To think that you believe I am a princess," She giggled, covering her mouth with her hand and looking away. "Do you go by Princess Evanna Elwen or princess Evanna Goodrich?" Darcassan replied quietly. Evanna''s head whipped back to him, her eyes widened at her names. "I do suppose it would be the latter.. You are from the kingdom of Dunhurst, after all." He smiled gently at her and reached out to grab her hand in both of his. His large, aged hands enclosed hers with warmth. "Do not fear, my child. Your secret is safe with me. There is no need to trade such information with the crown. I understand why you have done what you did. I do hope Loraven recovers soon. If the gem is in her possession, then it will likely be true." Loraven.. He speaks so casually of her name as though they have met before. Would her mother ever come to Flori''s palace in the past? "Lady Evanna." Evanna slowly averted her gaze from the scholars and found Cedric and Anwel glancing between her and Darcassan. She gulped lightly. Did they hear their conversation? "The prince has requested you," Cedric continued after bowing his head to her. Evanna nodded her head. Words could not leave her mouth, and if they did, she knew none of it would make sense. Darcassan released her hands, and she bowed her head to him before following behind the guards. "Lady Evannaˇ­" She turned her head and looked back at the librarian. His finger was to his lips before he dropped it. "I do hope you will return soon. We never did go through what you learnt." Chapter 116 - The Mysterious Darcassan Evanna followed behind her guards through the double doors and out of the library. Already her mind was spinning with the possibilities of Darcassan and her mother. Did her mother spend time in this kingdom when she was younger? If she knew Darcassan, then would she know the king or prince? The princess was unaware of how old her mother was; she never asked, though she should have with all the artefacts she collected and knew things that others didn''t. She could read people well and never let the nobles or the queen''s attitude towards her bother her. Evanna always presumed it was because her mother was the bigger person or because there was not much to be done. Loraven was only the king''s mistress, whereas his wife, Eleanor, was the queen. Evanna sighed then smiled subtly after Cedric and Anwel turned their heads to look at her. They glanced at each other with the same worried expression before facing the front again. She looked back down at her hands, not taking note of the busy palace as she thought deeply about her encounter with the librarian. They walked through the double doors to the gardens, and the princess suddenly became nervous. Darcassan knew she was the princess of Dunhurst. Evanna was unsure of how long he''d known or how he even knew who she was, but surely she could trust him. Otherwise, she would have been back in a cell by now, or war would be waged between the two kingdoms. Maybe Arawn already knows? And that was why she was summoned to him. Evanna shook her head, no he had a flair for the dramatics, but he wouldn''t ask her to come to the garden if he was only going to lock her up. "Is everything okay, Lady Evanna?" Cedric stopped suddenly and looked at her with concern. Anwel looked around nervously but also stared at her, worried. Evanna nervously smiled, "Why would I not be okay?" Cedric chuckled, "Because you met Darcassan.." Evanna tilted her head to the side, her brows drawing together at his comment. Anwel, too, was smiling and shaking his head, the dimples on his cheeks making him look all the more younger. "He knows everything. It''s freaky!" Anwel exclaimed as his eyes flickered about again, as though the librarian somehow had eyes in the bushes and trees. Evanna subconsciously looked around, too, drawn in by Anwel and Cedric''s spooky energy. Cedric burst into laughter and patted Anwel on the back, pointing at Evanna''s face before she slapped it away. "I''m sorry, Evanna! We could not resist!" Cedric spoke through his peals of laughter as the pair bounced around like children. Evanna palmed her face and let her hand slide down it until she looked at the pair sternly. "Seriously, though. Darcassan does know everything," Cedric straightened and gestured for them to continue on. This time he stayed in step with Evanna while Anwel led the way. "If anyone is lucky enough to meet him and hold a conversation with him, he will tell you things you haven''t told anyone before." Evanna blinked as she absorbed what he said. Was Darcassan''s knowledge base his gift? She would ask, but she was not supposed to know about such things. But Evanna was not about to assume his knowledge, and knowing a few things about her was his gift. He was a scholar after all and had lived however long. He must have recognised her features and seen the similarities with her mother. They had their differences, but anyone would tell that they were related. And with Evanna''s mother being an elf, most would assume that they were sisters, lest they knew them. Her mother appeared to be in her thirties. It was only recently, with her illness, that she looked a little older. With her thoughts redirected to her mother, she seemed to have sobered up as they turned to go through the archway to the prince''s garden. "Hey, no need to look so glum," Cedric smiled down at her, "Darcassan tends to freak people out. If he chooses to interact with you, that is. You must have made quite the impression." He continued as they walked the path towards the garden furniture and swing. Arawn seemed to be in deep conversation with Garrett, but he paused when his eyes landed on Evanna''s approach. Evanna shrugged, "I was in there by myself for a few hours. I am sure he was just being kind." Cedric rose a brow, "Yes. That must be it." He glanced in the prince''s direction and bowed his head. Arawn nodded back, "You may leave." Cedric turned to leave along with Garrett as Evanna took the last steps before bowing her head as she stood by his side. Arawn narrowed his eyes slightly at the archway where his men were leaving; Evanna turned her head and saw Anwel''s head turn back to the front and be the first to disappear from view. Arawn clicked his tongue in annoyance, causing Evanna to look back at him once more. "You rushed out earlier.." She began, hoping to distract him from the retreating men. She could already see ideas of punishment popping up behind those brilliant eyes. His gaze flicked back to her; she saw a subtle softness to his eyes as he looked at her. "There were some urgent matters to deal with.." He trailed off as his eyes lost focus for a moment. Evanna watched him. "I hope they weren''t too troublesome for you.." She muttered. Though her curiosity was burning, she did not want to push anything. His gaze locked with hers once more, and he smirked, "Nothing is ever too troublesome for me. Now," He clapped his hands together, "We should try testing out what you can do." Evanna stilled then looked around. "Right here!?" She whisper-shouted. Arawn chuckled to her wariness. "I have set up a perimeter around this garden. No one is allowed in it without my permission. And no one can see inside here." Evanna looked at him sceptically. The hedges weren''t that tall surrounding the area. In fact, she could see people''s heads float past the last time she was there. "An invisible barrier has been set up. Did you not notice as you walked past? I was here, but you could not see from the outside?" He queried. "Oh, erm, I was lost in thought about something. I was not paying too much attention to my surroundings," Evanna half pouted at the end. Arawn twisted his hand abruptly, and atop his palm appeared a pink daisy; he leaned forwards and caressed the side of her face until her hair was pulled back behind her ear before placing the daisy in the same spot. His hand rested on her neck as he gazed at her. "What were you so lost in thought about?" He said softly. His voice was so smooth and calming, she had to suppress a smile. Evanna loved the sound of his voice since the moment she met him. She could not deny it any further as she gazed at him. She was physically attracted to him. But, butˇ­ She could not allow herself any false hopes. He was attractive, and there were qualities about him that were unique, and she liked, but he was also very good at charming her, carefree about his approach to her, such as these light touches and most importantly, she was not a guest here! And he severely punished people! Evanna looked away from him, the touch of his hand seeming to burn up her skin, and she knew her cheeks were red from staring at him too long. "I met Darcassan," She whispered. "Ah," He removed his hand before chuckling, "Yes, that old man certainly has a way with words." At least she knew now that Arawn was not aware of who she was. She could only hope that Darcassan would not tell him; she could see the curiosity burning behind the prince''s eyes. But he looked away and walked towards another part of the garden where vibrant flowers were blooming. Evanna followed him, was he being considerate of her privacy? Arawn crouched down and gestured her to stand by his side. She, too, crouched down and watched with widened eyes as black mist started to curl out the palm of his hand. The hand that was raised above some light blue flowers. She watched in both fascination and horror as the mist floated over the top of the flowers, and slowly they curled in on themselves, the colour fading until there was nothing but dying flowers. "What did you.. how.." Evanna was at a loss for words. How many gifts did he have?! What was with this death mist!? "Try and heal the plants," He said calmly as though he did not just kill a bunch of flowers from some strange mist. Evanna bit her lip and raised her hand like Arawn did. She didn''t know what she was supposed to do; the prince did not exactly explain anything. "Focus, close your eyes," He said as he watched her hand intently. Evanna closed her eyes and ''focused''. Grow plants grow! She peeked out of one of her eyes then pouted before falling back in shock. The flowers didn''t bloom, but the stems were back to being green and her hand.. She raised her hand and stared up at it, the sunlight shining on it. She could feel an energy, like life itself was in the palm of her hand. She twisted her hand and could see slight sparkles of gold. Evanna was so absorbed in her hand she did not notice that she was still sitting on the grass, nor see Arawn staring at her hand also with fascination. Chapter 117 - The Gifted Circle Arawn was stunned by Evanna''s first attempt at using her gift. He wanted to test the strength behind her power; he never expected the stems of the flowers to grow healthy once more. She was not even trained, and after a few seconds of hovering her hand over the plants, he saw the small gold sparks leave her hands and pour into the plants'' roots. When an elf first retrieves their gift, they need to train their bodies to wield it. It takes a great deal of energy, so like sword fighting, it needs to be practised each day to get better. The skill and strength used behind it will improve. Evanna seemed to have some power behind her already; she just needed some direction in calling on the gift, only wielding enough of the gift dependant on the task and how not to burn out. They would definitely start on small tasks such as this. Though, what he asked of her was not a minuscule task. He just wanted to assess her capabilities. Arawn nodded his head then reached his hand out for Evanna to take. She had been staring at her hand momentarily and seemed to forget all about his existence. Well, that just won''t do! Arawn helped her back up; she was still dazed and almost fell into him. He wouldn''t mind it, but he knew Evanna would become flustered, and she needed to focus on her gift. When he was teaching her, the prince would be merciful, or as much as he could be. Evanna steadied herself, stepping out of the prince''s reach and dusting herself down. "*You did well on your first attempt,*" Arawn praised with a small smile. Evanna looked at him with widened eyes. Was he for real? Her powers barely done anything. The prince chuckled at her disbelieving look, "*I was not expecting much, considering you are only part elf. Plus, a lot of elves fail on their first attempt using their powers.*" "*Did you?*" Evanna queried. Even as she asked the question, she already knew the answer. "*Pfft. Of course, I did not fail.*" And as if Arawn needed to make a point, he opened the palm of his hand, and a small swirling snowstorm twisted flurries around in chaotically until it all but disappeared and leaving in its place, was a frozen rose ice sculptor. Evanna looked at it in wonder before staring up at him. Arawn smirked and held her hand before placing the icy rose on it. Arawn turned his back on her, and Evanna couldn''t help but be in awe of him and, at the same time, think of how much of a show-off he was. "That''s not fair!" She marched up to him, being careful with the rose in her hand and whisper-shouted, "You''re an actual elf and a royal at that! Of course, you''re going to be amazing!" Arawn turned around with a broad smile on his handsome features, "You think me amazing?" Evanna narrowed her eyes at him. "I said your gift wielding was amazing.." She trailed off nervously. The prince chuckled, "I am quite certain you said I was amazing. But even if you meant my wielding my gifts were amazing.. That still means I am amazing to be able to wield it.." Evanna tried to interrupt, but he continued ignoring her attempts, "Do not worry, princess," He grabbed her free hand and brought her knuckles to his lips, "There is no need to be shy in complimenting me." He smiled against her hand before she pulled it away and pouted. "We should continue with the lesson.." Evanna abruptly changed subjects. Arawn smirked and nodded his head. "Very well then.." He replied before changing his stance. "I will not ask you to try and attempt healing the flowers again for a while. We need to build up your stamina at using this gift. Now, the first part of your training might be boring, but if you wield too much of your power before your body is ready.. Then you could be bedridden for days, weeks or even die." Evanna gulped and nodded her head in understanding. She wondered what was so boring? "Watch closely. But do not come near," Arawn added. Evanna stilled and watched as the prince closed his eyes, his hands clasped together at the centre of his stomach. A few seconds went by until Evanna heard a small crackling noise fill the air and felt a cold energy pass through her as the wind swept her hair back. Arawn slowly brought his hands apart as though he was holding a small ball or an apple. But inside of his hands was that black mist. His eyes snapped open, and he brought his hands further apart and faced them outwards before moving them simultaneously as though he was rotating a wide circle. His hands continuously would go clockwise then anticlockwise, his gaze locked ahead as though he was in a trance. The mist made a circle in front of him where his hands kept moving. Arawn continued with the motions, and Evanna watched and refrained from gasping when suddenly the mist split off into little glowing symbols still in the circle. They were so clear, even as Arawn still moved his hands over them. He was so elegant in the motion, it could have been some strange dance routine, but she knew what he was showing her was something very powerful. Evanna could feel how much power was radiating off him. But that mist was deadly... If Arawn was such a ''cruel'' prince, he would have wielded such power on anyone that annoyed him. And she knew on a daily basis he became upset with at least one person. "Do not get distracted now, Evanna. *I am only showing you enough for what you should aim to get to. This is a lot of power. It usually takes years until you will see these symbols. Once you see the symbols, it means you wield enough to control the greater power of your gift. But keep watching,*" Arawn said through clenched teeth while his gaze was still ahead. It was then Evanna realised that the prince, though he was strong and always looked perfect without a strand of his annoyingly gorgeous hair out of place, had the tiniest bead of sweat at the top right corner of his forehead. This was indeed powerful elven magic. She hoped he wasn''t pushing himself too far, all for her benefit. Evanna''s eyes then widened as the symbols glowed a brilliant gold and swirled together before crashing into the middle, and a thunderous sound resounded the grounds. All at once, a mighty wind blew her back a few steps causing the princess to scrunch her eyes shut momentarily before the symbols and mist disappeared completely. Arawn lowered his hands, and from Evanna''s position, she could see his chest heaving slightly. She rushed over to his side, her eyes searching his features for any signs of pain. She could still feel the energy spilling out of him; it was cold and dark. A shiver went down her spine, and she knew her sense was telling her not to touch him right now. "*Do not come any closer. For safety reasons,*" Arawn said through ragged breath before clearing his throat and staring intently at her. "As you can see, it takes a great deal of energy to call upon the greater powers. Not many have achieved as much as I. Once those symbols glow, it means that all of your gifts are at their strongest. So.." He placed his hands behind his back as he continued his explanation. "For the next couple of days, you will be developing your power after activating the ''gifted circle''. It will be strenuous work, doing it a few hours at a time. But I will be here to guide you as well." "The gifted circle.." Evanna murmured. There wasn''t much to the name; it made its point clear. "Yes, this is what we are taught first for the first six months of training our gifts-" "Six months!?" Evanna exclaimed in disbelief. She did not have six months only to do a damn pretty circle. Arawn chuckled in amusement, "Yes, six months. But maybe after a few weeks, we can test how far you have come along with your gift." Evanna sighed in response. Her mind was already calculating her next moves. She was very impressed by how much power Arawn wielded, but she also knew he was much, much older than her. Stupid elves and their deceiving youthful, good looks. Anyway, she would not get to his level of achievement anytime soon, or even at all. She would stay for at least another two weeks, learn as much as she can in that time, then leave. Though, she wondered if her mother was to recover.. Could Evanna return to the Flori? Nope, she could not imagine them giving her a second chance when the first time she came in contact with them, she stole from them and, after gaining intel, then fled. Was she wicked for thinking such things? "Oh, how many gifts do you have? It took a while for those symbols to glow.." Evanna suddenly burst out with the question bubbling in her mind. Arawn tilted his head to the side, "Many. Now let''s begin." Chapter 118 - The Teacher: Part One Evanna took a deep breath, bracing herself as she stepped forwards into the space the prince just stood. A gentle breeze blew strands of her hair across her face as she gazed upon the gardens waiting for her lesson to begin. Even though the prince was no longer on the spot she now stood, she could still feel an energy swirling around in a circle along the ground. But there was no black mist, nor did she feel any pain, so she presumed it was safe. Arawn walked to stand in front of her and began instructing her on the first few steps. Which seemed to be simple: Focus on the energy you feel inside of yourself. Evanna knew without further explanation what he meant. She already felt the rush of life flow through her when she tried to heal the plants earlier. Although it seemed even when she focused, with a scowl on her features, it did not do anything. Maybe her teacher was too much of a distraction. He was standing directly in front of her with a stern facial expression. It wasn''t his blindingly beautiful, good looks, but the pressure of being stared at while she tried to concentrate at calling on her gift. Evanna shook her head and focused on his chest area, not his looks, as she drew from the thriving energy she felt from within her. Her lips twitched into a small smile from the slight thrum of power radiating from her being; the gift felt like pure happiness, as though if she used it, she could giggle. But Evanna knew how that sounded and settled on smiling instead. "I can feel it. Good," Arawn praised as he approached her again. "Now, you need to reach out to the power, and when you have it in your grasp, that is when you start the arm movements. But only after you hold onto it." Evanna still held her gaze ahead, this time keeping her concentration even as Arawn came closer. His voice was calm and soothing. He circled her while she tried to ''grasp'' at the gift, not fully understanding what he meant. "Close your eyes," Arawn whispered by her ear. Evanna jumped at his sudden close proximity and how his breath tickled her ear. He did not do anything else, so Evanna knew Arawn was on his ''best behaviour'' and was there to help her. Evanna obeyed his instructions and closed her eyes. Arawn did not move from by her side, and maybe she thought too soon because his hands suddenly slid past her waist and rested on her stomach. Evanna jolted, but he clicked his tongue in annoyance, silencing her instant protests. "I want you to imagine a knot inside of your core," He whispered gently. His hands tapped lightly on Evanna''s stomach once more, and she felt herself cooling down in the area he tapped. Was he using his gift on her? "Imagine the knot, and you are trying to unravel it.. When you feel it unravelling, that''s when you grasp at it and begin the hand movements." With Evanna''s eyes closed and the prince''s close proximity, not only by touching her and his voice right next to her ear, she was finding it harder to concentrate. But she tried repeating his words in her head and not the feel of his fingers or how her body was both heated and cool by the prince''s presence. Evanna followed what he said. She focused on this knotted string she visualised inside of herself and tried reaching out to it and untying it. It was odd because now that she imagined it, she could tell that it was not just her creative thinking but her true gift she reaching out to. But every time she got closer to this knotted string of power, it would suddenly be out of reach. "*Breathe Evanna..*" Arawn''s gentle whisper sounded so distant. As though he was not right next to her. She inhaled deeply and released her breath slow and gently, following the same rhythm. She did not know how long she was in this state for, her eyes closed, breathing deeply and trying with her might grabbing at that damn knotted string. But it must have been a while because she felt the wind pick up and the shadows crawl over her skin from where the sun may be getting closer to the ground and the dark blanket of night slowly emerging. Droplets of sweat sprinkled across her forehead, and at long last, she finally reached the knot and began to unravel it just as Arawn said. Evanna''s arms moved automatically as though she knew the movements off by heart and felt natural to do so. She gradually opened her eyes, and her eyes widened at the change in scenery and temperature that she had blocked out from her mind. Even Arawn''s hands which were no longer on her stomach, had become a part of her earlier. But what made her almost lose focus were the vines swirling in a circle before her. The vine''s leaves flourished outwards, and she saw tiny pink flower buds beginning to materialise. "Finish there for today, Evanna," Arawn murmured calmly from behind her. She wanted to continue on, but as though her body and mind were separated, her arms automatically relaxed. Then her body seemed to slump forwards from exhaustion. The ground came closer to her head, but instead of hitting it, she felt strong arms around her waist stabilising her. Evanna released a breath and felt her voice get stuck in her throat as Arawn lifted her bridal style. She was ready to protest, but her head slumped into his chest from over-exhaustion. "Shh, you''ve done a lot today," The prince stroked the top of her head, the soothing sensation making her lids slowly close together. "* You are very powerful for someone who is part elf. Most cannot make it to the gifted circle on their first day,*" He whispered next to her ear; his low deep voice rumbled through his chest, comforting her more. Prince Arawn carried her through his garden, emerging out of the archway to where Cedric and Anwel stood guard. "*Your highness! *" The pair of them were flustered after seeing Evanna drowsy and falling asleep in the prince''s arms. Chapter 119 - The Teacher: Part Two "*Your highness! *" Cedric and Anwel exclaimed, flustered after seeing Evanna drowsy and falling asleep in the prince''s arms. At their appearance, though, Evanna forced her eyes open. She still could not believe Arawn was carrying her in public. Her eyes scanned her surroundings, and she could see only a few nobles left. It did seem to be near dinner time, so that was why the gardens were not as busy. But still, they gossiped, and rumours would fly around. But her exhaustion overruled her embarrassment. Surely, their rumours would not be vulgar and could possibly be a simple one of the crown prince''s guest falling ill? "* What happened? *" Garrett demanded, seeming to magically appear before them. But Evanna knew it was because she was not in her right mind at the moment; he was probably just to the side and appeared before them. "* She fainted. Block off the hallways leading to my quarters. If anyone sees, explain that she fainted and has not been feeling well, *" Arawn commanded. Garrett bowed and ordered Anwel to follow him, leaving Cedric as the prince''s personal bodyguard until they made it to his quarters. Evanna smiled gently at Cedric''s worried expression as his gaze locked with hers momentarily. But his eyes flicked up to the prince, and he straightened and looked away, appearing to scan their surroundings. Evanna knew Arawn probably glared at him, but she had no energy to look up and check his chiselled face. She also refrained from giggling because the prince really did not need a bodyguard; not only was he an extremely talented swordsman, but he had many gifts. Gifts that reached their full potential. "* Why did she faint, your highness?*" Cedric asked. His voice made Evanna snap her eyes open. She did not realise she must have dozed off. Her surroundings had changed, and she was now being carried through Arawn''s bedroom doors that swung open magically, most likely being one of Arawn''s gifts. He placed her gently on the sofa, ignoring Cedric''s question and instantly brought a grape to her lips. Evanna blinked and stared at the prince. Arawn was leaning over her, one knee bent on the sofa, an arm behind her head as she let the fruit graze her lips. He was staring at her intently, his icy blue gaze locked with hers, waiting for her to obey his silent command. Evanna parted her lips, accepting the grape. "* You need to eat more sugar,*" He whispered as he gently stroked the back of her head while he grabbed a few more grapes and helped her to eat them. After the fifth grape, Arawn broke his spell and looked away from her. Evanna realised then that there was a tray full of fruit on the coffee table; he must have ordered the servants to set it up as he brought her to his room. She felt slightly better, though she wanted to sleep more than anything. "Here, drink," Arawn passed her a glass of water before returning to Cedric, who had followed them to the room, his hand resting on the handle of his sword. Evanna drank, though her attention was on the two men. Her cheeks grew heated, remembering how Arawn hand-fed her grapes. It was quite an intimate act, and Cedric watched the exchange. "* We were simply talking for too long, and she overexerted herself,*" Arawn replied in a terse manner. "* Your highness, she is still a noble lady.. Please do not torture her..*" Cedric pleaded. Arawn narrowed his eyes. Evanna could feel the sudden change in temperature. "* Even if I were to torture her, it is of no concern to you,*" Arawn said coldly as he stared down the other elf. Cedric bowed his head, "* I apologise, it was not my intent to*" "*You may leave,*" Arawn interrupted with a wave of his hand, and the double doors swung open again. Cedric bowed without another word and before leaving. As soon as he left, Arawn''s servants arrived with plates of food. Instead of sitting on the balcony, another chair was brought in, and they ate in a comfortable silence at his desk. Evanna was exhausted, and Arawn took this into consideration; he did not so much as tease her. Once they finished, Evanna announced that she was tired and needed to go to bed but had enough energy to walk back to her room. Arawn did not disagree with her but still followed her to her room, cautious that she might actually faint in the small time frame it would take for her to get to her bed-chamber. Over the course of another three weeks, Evanna was lost in a routine that she couldn''t help but adore. It was something she couldn''t possibly do when she was in Dunhurst. In the morning''s, she had breakfast with the prince, and on alternate days they even ate in tense silence with the king. That was followed by the prince leaving her to do his royal duties in the morning that sometimes would take up most of his day, but most of the time, he freed his late afternoons to teach Evanna. In the times that she was separated from Arawn, she found herself in the library learning more about the elven ways, not just about the woodland elves but the Lyvarians and even some tribes that have never been mentioned in the human realm. Her book also popped up for her to read, but it changed its contents every time she opened it. It indeed was magnificent. And when she was not in the library studying, she was practising with Cedric and Anwel and occasionally would see Reselda in her shop, providing help. The routine was perfect, and she enjoyed herself. Her original plan was only to learn the basics in two weeks and try to escape, but it took her a week to master, decreasing the time it took for her to create the gifted circle. Once she showed signs of her endurance increasing, Arawn helped her with the guidance of her book on creating flowers in thin air. She loved it, there was much more that she could do with this gift, but the prince stopped her from asking questions about advanced elven magic. By the end of the three weeks, the gardens and hallways were not needed to be blocked off for Arawn to carry Evanna back to his quarters. Her endurance of using her gift had increased, and so she was able to walk by the prince''s side after, although she still held onto his arm after losing her footing a few times. Arawn also stopped questioning her about the gemstone and seemed to enjoy her company; his teasing had not stopped though she knew it wasn''t some form of tactic. The princess knew this because after paying a lot of attention to her surroundings for potential escape routes, she realised that the prince''s cold and chilling behaviour had not changed. Still, it was directed to everyone else but her. He openly showed his affections and ''favouritism'' of her in front of others. Although it was becoming natural to them, the king soon heard of their affections for one another and how his son was extremely friendly to their ''guest''. Chapter 120 - Resemblance Evanna was the first to arrive in the prince''s garden; today, he was called out for an urgent matter in Direwood forest, again she was curious as to what would call away the Flori prince away from his royal duties. But although they were on friendly terms, Arawn would not spill such secrets to an outsider. Even though she was part elf, the princess was still from the Kingdom of Dunhurst and someone to have stolen from the Flori. She was not foolish enough to get so lost in the elven world to not understand that this time of peace would come to an end. Evanna knelt down to the flowers that were still shrivelled up, dying. This was the first time she had returned to them, and although Arawn did not want her trying it so soon, she could not resist trying again. The gifted circle he taught her was only training in increasing the endurance of one''s gift. She wanted to see how far she had come in the three weeks, and so she hovered her hand above the light blue flowers. Evanna took a deep breath in, releasing slowly as she felt the usual thrum of power behind her fingertips. She tilted her head to the side slightly and watched in awe as tiny flecks of light escaped her fingertips, and the flowers below her hand slowly began to uncurl and bloom before her. The colours became radiant once more, and she brought her hand back to stare at her creation. Her energy depleted only a little, and she did not feel lightheaded. It was a vast improvement. "*Well done.*" Arawn''s voice came from behind her; it seemed his footsteps had been silent; otherwise, she would have detected him earlier. Evanna stood up and turned to face him; her heart stopped as her eyes settled on his smile. He stepped forwards and took her hand in his, leaving a tender kiss on her knuckles. "*I did not mean to be late,*" He spoke against her skin. Evanna bit her tongue at how sensitive her hand felt under his lips. "*I arrived early,*" She replied with a slight blush to her cheeks. The prince was dressed in his ranger attire; he must have come directly from the forest. His boots were covered in mud, and his back consisted of his swords and bow and quiver. "*So, you could test your power without me here?*" Arawn grinned as he stepped back and gestured for her to go to the seating area. The prince placed his bow and quiver on the side so he could lean back comfortably. Evanna sat next to him, paying no heed to the small distance between them as he stretched his arm out behind her. "* I was merely curious, and you might have scolded me,*" She pouted at the thought. Arawn was a strict teacher, but she would not complain; who else would help her? He was kind enough to teach her and to keep her secret, considering she was his prisoner. Arawn chuckled and played with the back of Evanna''s hair while he stared at her features with a grin. "*Your powers have proliferated in a short amount of time. I will not hold you back from advancing on your skills,*" Arawn replied while he continued to play with the strands of her hair. "* Do you think I can start to learn more about the greater powers of Ilerium? And try-*" "* No. Absolutely not,*" Arawn stilled his hand in her hair and leaned closer to her, his hand sliding to caress her cheek. Evanna''s gaze locked with his, and she knew she was trapped in his blue hues. It was a trick she always fell into, but how could she not look away from such a face with those mystical eyes. "*You are powerful, Evanna, but you are not ready for that training.*" He searched her eyes as she did him, and she could see the severity behind his words. Evanna felt her stomach do little somersaults, and so she lightened the mood. "* Are you worried about me, teacher?*" She instantly bit her lip after seeing his eyes widen a fraction at her remark. But he quickly recovered and leaned even closer to her face; his thumb brushed her lips, gently pulling them apart. Evanna''s cheeks heated as his lips came closer to hers, but he stopped with a few inches in between them. "*Of course, your health is of high priority to me. I can''t have my student collapsing on me. Although.. I don''t mind holding you in my arms..*" Arawn whispered with a smirk. "* I see you are treating your guest well, prince Arawn. *" Arawn instantly pulled away, whipping his head to the side at the newcomer in the garden. Evanna gulped and immediately stood up simultaneously with the prince, and she curtsied at the arrival of the king and his guards. "Your majesty. We are having afternoon tea-" "And I thought you did not have time in your schedule for such things. I suggest, if you wish to play with your.." The king glanced at Evanna with a look of disdain. "guest, do so in the evening when there are no meetings to attend to." Evanna was sure the king wanted to call her the prince''s toy and not a guest. His choice of wording was rather vulgar and insulting. But that was the point. However, she could not speak out. Even if the king knew she was a princess, would he still talk about her in such a way while she stood there? Evanna did not dare look at Arawn, not with the king glancing between them suspiciously. "My schedule freed up this afternoon," Arawn replied through clenched teeth. "Is that so.." King Thalanil narrowed his eyes slightly. "Then you can accompany me. We have much to catch up on, it seems." Arawn sighed and bowed his head at the king before turning to Evanna to hold her hand and leave a chaste kiss on her knuckles before abruptly turning and leaving the gardens without looking back. Though the king let Arawn walk ahead while he stared at Evanna. She felt uncomfortable beneath his unwavering stare, but she curtsied and smiled politely at him. "It seems you have become very comfortable here, Lady Evanna.." King Thalanil drawled. Evanna met his striking eyes again, her own unwavering. Maybe she had become comfortable because who would dare show no fear in front of the king of the Flori? King Thalanil stepped towards her and waved his hand; she suddenly felt something yank her from her position and magically appeared directly in front of the king. Her eyes were wide in shock. Did he use his magic on her? "* You are very intriguing.. Is this why my son spends so much time with you?*" He tilted his head to the side. "*How is it that a thief like you can speak Muranthian?*" Evanna tensed at his words, but she feigned ignorance and tilted her head to the side. "I apologise, your majesty, I do not understand-" "*Stop pretending." He snapped, "* I heard the last of your conversation with Arawn earlier. Who are you..*" He reached out and held her sharp cheeks in his hand, staring directly into her eyes. "*You have a look of an elf..*" He dropped his hand, "*You speak the elven tongue, girl.. How?*" "*Through studying, your majesty,*" Evanna replied bluntly. She bit her tongue instantly. He was not Arawn, this was the king, and she so rudely retorted in such a way. The king chuckled, "*Very intriguing.. Not even my subjects are that brave.. Or is it simple foolishness?*" He abruptly turned, not waiting for her answer, and left Evanna to stand there in shock. Evanna''s mouth dropped open. Did the king just let her off? Thalanil swiftly walked away from the thief who seemed to have stolen his son''s heart. He knew it to be so. Arawn so openly teased her. His son was not the type to display affection to anyone, yet he did so with Evanna. The king initially wanted to punish both of them; Arawn had not given him any more information in regards to the gemstone and only provided small details about her to him. Thalanil was going to step in, teach Evanna a real lesson. But then, she spoke so fluently in Muranthian. And when he gazed upon her face and felt power radiating off her, he knew she was no ordinary woman. That power was from using an elven gift and her faceˇ­ It was so familiar that he thought himself an idiot to have taken so long to realise that she resembled her. Her daughter and his friend, Loraven, suddenly went missing twenty years ago. There had been no traces of where she went, many believed Loraven to be dead, but Thalanil knew that was not the case. She was brilliant and could wield a sword as skillfully as he. If she wanted to hide, then nobody could find her. He could not imagine why his friend would run away until now. He clenched his teeth together by the idea of Loraven being taken by a human. Had she been willing to sleep with a human? Did she love them? Thalanil looked upon his son as he sat down in his study while Arawn stood on ceremony in front of his desk. Now he was fascinated. Was it fate that Arawn''s toy was Loraven''s daughter? Could he lure Loraven back to the elven realm using her daughter as a hostage? He stared at his son. "* I think it is time, you tell me everything about Evanna..*" He held his hand up from the protest Arawn was about to speak, "*I know she can wield the elven giftˇ­*" Chapter 121 - A Clearer Mind It has been three weeks since Evanna''s birthday and since her mother dream walked to her. After the king and prince left her in the garden, she returned to the prince''s quarters and asked to stay in her room. Asked? No, it was an order by the king; there were guards outside the door, including Cedric and Anwel. Neither looked her way as she entered nor spoke to her for the whole day. At first, she worried over Arawn and the reprimand he would receive. But then she was reminded that the prince couldn''t possibly get in trouble. This was his kingdom, and she was the uninvited guest. Still, the longer she spent away from him, the clearer her mind became. She spent her time on the balcony, thoughtlessly rearranging vines with her magic as she stared across at the stunning view. When Rina returned to her, checking in on her, Evanna played the dutiful guest though her mind was swirling with reckless thoughts. After finishing her meal, she dismissed the handmaiden, explaining that she needed to rest. Yes, the more time Evanna was by herself, she was reminded of the dream she has been thrown in. With all the qualities of such a place she started to adore, she felt at home even with restrictions in place. But it was not home. The king''s chilling look lasted in her mind and felt like a bucket of icy water crashing over her. Evanna was jolted awake from the surreal routine that had become her temporary life. And in the time that Arawn had not returned to see her, Evanna started to plan different escape routes. All of them seemed to give a 50% chance of survival unless she were to do the usual of dressing up in a servant''s outfit and climbing into a cart. But the princess knew this would not be the case. The guards were aware of her appearance, and even in the elven kingdom, so far, she had yet to meet another with raven black hair and emerald, green eyes. Evanna was sitting on the balcony once more as she gazed upon the moonlit sky. Footsteps startled her from her reverie, and she turned her head to see Rina approaching her. While Evanna had been gazing upon the sky, she had not noticed how the flowers bloomed brighter than before and leaned towards her more. Rina stared at the buds closest to Evanna, causing the princess to tilt her head to the side. "Do you require a bath before bed?" Rina enquired politely. Evanna smiled in return and let the handmaiden draw the bath. Once it was full, she stepped back on the balcony, waiting for further orders. "Has there been any word from prince Arawn?" Evanna stood up and started to make her way to the bathroom. "No, my lady. It seems his highness and his majesty are yet to leave the study." Rina followed behind her and dutifully helped Evanna out of her dress. Evanna paused her actions. "Have they not eaten?" She stared at Rina, observing her like she used to for any tell-tale signs of lying. With her mind clearer once more, she felt alert to the people around her. Guilt clawed at her chest, but Evanna was not there to make friends, though she would still act normally in fear of attracting unwanted attention to herself. "They had their meals in the king''s quarters," Rina replied with a gentle smile. "I would not worry, my lady. They must have a lot to discuss, what with the new attacks in the forest and humans in search of a princess." Evanna turned, staring at her wide-eyed as she held onto the dress to her chest. "What!? How long have you known about this? Are these humans in Direwood forest? Are they the ones attacking?" Rina blinked back at Evanna''s sudden change in demeanour. "The humans are yet to breach the forest. They have camped outside and await the prince. They just want safe passage or to discuss with the king about their princess. But I do not see why a princess would be in the woods, let alone survive in there. Even some of the elves have fallen in there." Evanna swallowed past the lump forming in her throat. These men must be her father''s; there was no doubt about it. They knew of her skill with a blade, though she doubted they believed her skilful enough to make it through the forest alone. If they were camping outside of the forest, then it had to be of the king''s bidding or their commander. It was against the law to pass through to the elven kingdom, and so they must wait until the crown prince sees them. This might be the perfect time to make an escape. She would need to wait and make sure everything was prepared beforehand. Evanna nodded slightly in agreement with her thoughts, then replied to Rina nonchalantly, "Yes, I am not sure who they are, but they must be foolish to think a princess would dare enter Direwood forest.. What are these attacks you speak of?" She changed the direction of the conversation as she climbed into the petal covered bath. "They have not revealed much about these attacks. But it is of some creature that has caused chaos before. But it seems to have caused more stir than usual. Maybe they cannot catch it," Rina hummed her thoughts. Well, Direwood forest was full of creatures, so this news was not that catching. If Rina knew more about the beast, then maybe she could prepare in case she ever came close to it. Evanna did not allow any help in the bath, but she took this time to discuss with Rina the latest news and even gossip of the Flori. Any new information could help her in succeeding to escape or survive. Listening to gossips such as a guard and a noble lady caught canoodling behind a tree, though it sounded useless, was indeed helpful. If he were guarding a particular area she needed to use for escape, she could send the lady his way as a distraction. Evanna went to bed with the intention of setting her plans in motion, even if they would be intentionally slow to grasp the situation at hand. She was still to see what would become of her and Arawn after the king saw them earlier that day. For now, she would make everything up as she went until there was a clearer view of what was ahead. Even with her mind swirling, it was odd to find herself easily falling into a deep slumber. Evanna awoke the next day with a troubled expression; even with her resolve to take her time, it seemed fate had other ideas. Her mother visited her last night in her dream. Ger and the others were still yet to arrive in the palace and deliver the gemstone. Chapter 122 - The Golden Flower [Bonus ] It had been a month since Evanna was separated from the group. The princess already estimated it to take that long to return, even with a few complications on the way. Something was very wrong. She feared for her friends and for her mother. As soon as she was up, Evanna immediately started to pace, but before she could do much more, Rina returned with the king''s summoning to breakfast. It was to be expected, but she was still lost in her thoughts about everyone else than her current status. Her handmaiden dressed her appropriately, leaving her hair in a half-up hairstyle before Cedric and Anwel called for her. Now she sat in the tense silence of the dining room with king Thalanil and prince Arawn. Even with a mere half-day between them, it seemed a gap had formed between Evanna and Arawn as though time itself had flown much longer without contact. Each was lost to their own thoughts, though Evanna still tried to keep a mask of politeness upon her features, only faltering when their stares became too much. She did not meet their gazes and instead focused on her meal as she worried over what had to happen next. Only occasionally did she glance in Arawn''s direction when the king held his attention on discussions about an upcoming ball. Evanna paid no heed to such an event and wondered why the prince was acting quite coldly towards her. But she did not think too much into it; it was a passing thought. They were seated by the king''s side, a king who was not pleased with her and Arawn becoming friendly. Once the king was finished, Evanna began to stand, but he held his hand up for her to continue without formalities. Arawn waited until his father was gone until he spoke up. "Something is troubling you. What is it?" He asked. His voice sounded distant, almost disinterested. This caught Evanna''s attention, and so she looked up from her plate and stared at his stoic expression. Evanna bit the inside of her mouth before placing a smile on her face and replied, "Why do you think something is the matter, your highness?" Her question caused him to narrow his eyes before he smirked. "You have not called me formally in such a while. Something must be wrong, especially since you have been playing with your food." He stood up and walked around the table, so he sat by her right side. "It is considered rude not to eat the food provided for you, is it not?" Evanna retorted smartly. "That is no different from what you have had before," Arawn murmured before standing again and holding his hand out for her. "If you do not wish to eat, I will not force you. I have other matters to attend to today, and so I cannot help you with your gift." Evanna took his hand, staring at him once more. But he did not meet her gaze and his hand; his energy felt much cooler than before. What did he and the king speak about? Before she could question him, he was already leading her back through the palace. As usual, people moved out of their path, only a few glancing at them anxiously. Most likely due to the dark aura. They barely made it to his quarters before he bid her good day and abruptly turned on the spot. Evanna reached out gently holding his muscular arm. He turned his head, his hair whipping back as he stared down at her. "*Did I do something wrong?*" Evanna whispered the words on her mind. She let go of his arm in shock, her eyes lowering so as not to see his response. Why would she ask something so stupid? Even if he was acting cold. It did not matter; Evanna was to leave soon. There was no point in this stupid attachment. Arawn''s fingers suddenly tipped her chin up, so their gazes met; his eyes had softened, causing her breath to leave her and her muscles to relax. "*Of course not. My father had much to tell me yesterday, it is still on my mind, and there is a lot I must see to today.*" His whispered words made sense. He was a prince, and he couldn''t keep his prisoner entertained all the time. She understood that. She smiled in return and inhaled sharply after Arawn leaned in closer to her and left a kiss upon her cheek before dropping his hand and leaving her there dazed. Once his retreating footsteps left the echoing halls, Evanna shook her head and scolded herself again. If she were to die easily, it would be by his hands, not by monsters in the forest. At least she would see something pretty before she died and not some beast. Evanna rushed back towards her room, taking each step of the stairs two at a time. An action most of the servants watched in wonder until she hid behind her doors, closing them on Cedric and Anwel. Rina was not in her room, and so she expected her to be helping the other servants under prince Arawn. There was one thing on her mind now, and that was to organise her gear once again. She marched towards the adjoining room with many dresses and searched for clothes she had not worn in four weeks. Almost hidden from the luxurious and colourful dresses at the far end were her trousers, boots, cloak and shirt; even her Dracosbain armour was left there. She stroked the material again and was reminded of the gifts her mother gave her. Her hand glided along the length of the cloak also and went to the hidden pockets on the inside. Her hand felt the scroll, confirming it was still there, but then her fingers brushed something she completely forgot about. Her hands wrapped around it, and she pulled it out, staring at it in disbelief. How could she be so foolish as to forget something so incredibly useful!? ~ This is for an emergency, if you need me, call my name in your head, and I will be there ~ Those were Nesrin''s words as she created the golden flower that now lay atop the palm of her hand. Chapter 123 - Minds Clear, Bellies Full, Body Rested The doors to the Snake Pitt Inn swung open, startling a few of the customers who already sat enjoying their Ale. A beast of a man holding a bloodied axe entered, his face stern as he searched the bar area. Axel grunted as he placed his axe behind his shield on his back. He walked forwards, followed by his comrades Ger and Ronan. Ger threw a small pouch of coins at the innkeeper. "We require a room." He did not stop for an answer, his aura demanded the keeper''s full attention, and the group''s dishevelled and dangerous appearance meant that a simple no was out of the question. The innkeeper sighed, leaving briefly and returning with a key he placed on the bar. He did not speak the room number, for there were many witnessing the interaction. If there were to be a death that night from the locals taking a disliking to these bandits, the innkeeper knew it would be his usual customers to lose their lives, not the other way around. Ronan appeared then and smiled, grabbing the key and leading the way to the rooms. As soon as they opened the door, they dropped their weapons and collapsed onto various spots. Ronan slumped on the sofa in front of the fireplace; Axel lay down on the bed with a loud thud, starfishing with a sigh as Ger followed Ronan to the couch and threw his legs to the side so he could sit down. Ronan relaxed his head into the sofa while Ger stared into the unlit fireplace, loathing himself for his failures. The most distrustful person had been a part of their group, even became ''friends'' with the princess and kept up her ruse as they escaped the clutches of the Flori. It took them a few days to evade the elves with Cilv''s help and a week to leave Direwood forest. But the last morning of their ''stay'' in the mystical forest, the shapeshifter was gone. The men waited for an hour, stupidly believing Cilv to be hunting. But when that hour ran long, Ger was the first to feel his heart drop. He checked his cloak for the gemstone, their bags and the surroundings in a panicked state. He cried out, awakening the dreary morning of the forest creatures and animals that inhabited the trees nearby. Since then, they had been following Cilv''s trail. Though there were many times, she seemed to have led them off course and into dangerous territories. Since leaving, they had fought man and beast alike; the most recent was a group of trolls that Ger knew the shapeshifter sent their way. Trolls preferred to stick to their homes, yet they were travelling the day they encountered them. After their near-death experiences, the group were escaped with their lives and decided to rest and regroup. Just before entering Kuramji, the men were met with a group of thugs who they were quick to get rid of. Their moods plummeted as they arrived at the Snake Pitt Inn, revealing their latest fight of blood and dirt coating their outfits. Through their journey back to Kuramji, they managed to steal some horses from a village in the night, leaving a few coins for their troubles. Ger sighed and smacked the armrest in anger. There was one job Evanna left him, and he screwed it up. They lost the gem and Cilv. "Let us rest today, Ger. We need our minds clear, our bellies full, and our bodies rested before we tackle our next task of getting that gemstone back," Axel said from the bed in which he lay. He closed his eyes, his hands resting on his stomach. Axel could almost hear the negative thoughts Ger was thinking from there. If Ger''s mind was not busy with plans and recklessly following after Cilv''s well-planned traps, then he would sigh or break anything in his way. "Another day without making any progress.. Why not!" Ger snapped back sarcastically. "Easy now. Axe is right, if we keep going, it will become too dangerous, and we will end up dying. Who then could help Evanna, if not us?" Ronan turned his head to look at Ger''s scowling features. Evanna''s nickname for Axel stuck with them since they left the Flori palace, it was so simple, and because the princess named him it, the giant felt honoured. His thoughts slowly turned to back to Evanna, and he wondered once again how she was doing. Was she being tortured? Was she already dead? He shook his head; he would not think such dark thoughts. After spending time with the princess, he knew how smart and capable she was. If anyone could stay alive, it was her. Plus, who would dare torture such a beauty? Even the elves must fall for such looks? The men soon fell asleep where they rested and woke later in the afternoon to a knock on the door. Everyone jumped from their position, grabbing their weapons ready and crowded the doorway. Ger opened the door, his eyes still suspicious as a maid nervously glanced between the three men, her eyes landing on Ronan a little longer than the others. Ronan beamed at her, his crooked smile making her blush. "My apologies. I wondered if you required a bath? Ronnie said you paid well and should be looked after," The little blonde maid gulped and looked down, awaiting their answer. Axel was the first to retreat, already convinced there was no one else there to attack them. Ger glared at him for retreating, but he relaxed his hand on his sword. "Please do, and bring food," He ordered politely. It seems his gentle voice shocked her as she looked at him with widened eyes and nodded her head before departing in a rush. Ger spun around, eying Ronan, who leaned outside the doorframe, still watching the maid leave. "Be good, Roach," He warned, already knowing his intentions towards the maid. Ger had no doubt that the maid would willingly fling herself at Ronan, but they weren''t there on vacation, and he was more prone to headaches since leaving Evanna''s side. Ronan smirked and backed away from the door, his hands up, "You speak to me as if I cannot control myself. How hurtful!" Ger and Axel rolled their eyes. "Because you bloody can''t!" Axel laughed from behind them. Ronan grinned and flopped down on the sofa again, eying the empty bath. "If I promise to be good.. Can I have the first bath?" Ronan asked. Ger looked at him suspiciously; he caved in too quickly. Did he want a bath that bad? "Sure. I doubt you can be good, though.." Ger answered and before opening the door again and letting the maid enter with their plates. She placed them on the table in the room and left silently, only glancing in Ronan''s direction and blushing again when he smiled. Axel shook his head with a chuckle, "No bloody chance!" Not long after, the maid began filling the bath, and Ronan showed his attention towards her. Her name was Edith, and she had not worked there long. Ger and Axel watched in fascination as Ronan flirted with her; it was a nice brief break of entertainment after a long month of non-stop fighting and chasing Cilv. The men finished their meals, and the bath was finally full and heated. "I apologise. We are but a humble inn and do not have oils or petals for a bath. I hope the soap will do.." Edith bit her lip, glancing at each of the men. "How much did you pay the keeper? We have the best room, room service and a maid.." Axel mumbled, his voice only high enough for Ger and Ronan to hear. "Same amount as last time.. He probably doesn''t want any trouble," Ger replied and looked back at the maid. Ronan stood up then and stroked the side of Edith''s arm, causing her to almost swoon whilst looking up at him. "That is no problem at all, lovely Edith. Thank you, I will have it now.." He began to walk towards the tub, pulling off his cloak and shirt, revealing his well-defined body. He looked behind him and tilted his head at the gawking maid. "I can help you bathe!" She blurted out, making Ger and Axel still and look at each other before staring at Ronan, who winked at them and mouthed- I''ve been good. She suggested it! "Why that would be very helpful.." Ronan said aloud and continued to remove his clothing. That was Ger and Axel''s cue to leave. They grumbled as they left the room; glancing back at the maid did not wait until the door was closed before she wrapped her arms around Ronan''s neck and the pair began kissing. "Seriously, I just wanted to rest, but now we have to wait," Axel grumbled as they ascended the stairs back to the tavern. "This has probably been the longest he''s gone. He won''t be long," Ger jested lightly. He was not angry with his friend; maybe it would stop him from pining over Evanna. Chapter 124 - A Prince In Disguise: Part One Ger and Axel opened the double doors to the tavern, instantly quieting the crowds at the newcomers. But they returned to their drinks when the pair walked towards a table in the corner of the room that overlooked everyone. It was the best spot in the inn which made it a little suspicious that nobody would take up such a space, though people glanced in their direction as they sat down and murmured to one another. A barmaid arrived then, placing two tankards of ale onto the table. "On tha ''ouse," She said before turning on the spot. Ger reached out and stopped her from leaving; his hand gripped her wrist, making her jump and flinch. He''d never scared someone before, but he expected as such, they were, after all, in Kuramji. The barmaid was probably used to bar fights and the like. "Why are these on the house?" He asked, eying her then glancing at the innkeeper. "We don''t want no trouble," She replied and slipped her arm out of his reach. Ger let her go and looked at Axel. Maybe it was good sometimes to look notorious, though he suspected that wasn''t the case with the varying eyes on them. Ger put his hood up then and settled back into his seat before searching for his pipe. Axel started to sip on the ale, his guard still up as his gaze flickered around them. Ger inhaled on his pipe while looking at the table Evanna sat at when they were last in the Snake Pitt Inn. The day she was captured still replayed through his mind, and the day they found the gem missing. Most of his heart was filled with guilt. Even with her meticulous planning and confidence in them, it still went wrong, and they weren''t any closer to helping her mother. In fact, Evanna''s circumstances were much more dire now. Ger knew within his heart that she was alive because surely he would know if she was no longer among the living? "Snap out of it," Axel''s disgruntled voice snapped him out of his daze. "We cannot help her by sulking." Ger exhaled the smoke from his pipe. "It''s not as simple as that. The last time we were here was with her. And even then, things weren''t going our way. She was attacked." Ger scowled at a man who looked at them suspiciously, but the man looked away. Axel sighed and sipped his drink again, his gaze still roaming the room. "I know it isn''t, but we cannot keep beating ourselves up about it. Now we can only move forwards. You, of all people, know how she is. By now, she''s probably caused problems for.." He looked around and lowered his voice more. "The Flori. We must only focus on the gem for now. That was the task she left for us." "Exactly, and Cilv stole it from us. As much as she was useful, it was the worst choice Raven made regarding this trip. She could never be trusted; even with the deal they made, it did not guarantee anything." Ger gripped the pipe tightly, his knuckles going white from how angry he felt at the shapeshifter. He never even let his guard down with her, and she was still capable of taking that gem. Cilv really was heartless. She knew the gem was for Evanna''s ill mother, and yet greed still consumed her, and she snatched away any hope left for the princess and him. It was not just the princess who fought for the gem; Loraven was also like a second mother to him. He also knew from the trip that Axel and Ronan had sworn their absolute loyalty to them. This, too, was now their mission to make Evanna''s wish come true. The pair sat in silence, listening to the busy tavern''s chatter, rowdy laughter and even watched men play ''bishop'' the game where men placed the palm of their hand on the table and stabbed a knife in between their fingers, increasing the pace as they go. Many were betting on it and joining, while others merely watched and cheered the brave men on. "Yeah, they entered not too long ago." "I wonder why they are here. They must know Kuramji does not care for royals." Ger''s ears pricked at a discussion on another table. He narrowed his eyes but continued to listen as well as he could in the noisy tavern. Word was spreading about the royal guard entering Kuramji, though they did not specify which royal guard they belonged to. Ger frowned, looking down at the table as he placed his pipe down. The king would not search for his daughter, though he would send his soldiers out in search of her. Either way, they needed to keep their heads down. People in the palace knew of his relationship with Evanna, and he went ''missing'' the same day she did. He chuckled lightly; he could only guess at what horrific gossip was surfacing about him and the princess in the royal court. "We should head back to the room, whether Roach is done or not. We need to stay hidden," Ger whispered to Axel, who nodded his head. They began to scoot their chairs back when the double doors to the inn opened, and everyone looked in the direction of the newcomers. Ger halted in rising from his seat and instinctively pulled his hood even further down. Even in disguise, the man entering the inn had a powerful presence that demanded attention. Ger''s brows drew together, his teeth clenching together at the man who Evanna hated as a child. He walked further in, his strides long to go with his tall height. Women gaped at him, and men looked at him warily. Prince Conrad of the Hatherland kingdom was standing in the Snake Pitt Inn. His closest guards were also with him and dressed down as well. But like with Evanna''s outfit, anyone could tell that the leader had much money. Chapter 125 - A Prince In Disguise: Part Two Prince Conrad stood there gazing around the tavern, all 6ft4 of him, his white shirt unbuttoned, exposing half of his muscular chest and the tattoos covering his chest and partial neck. His dirty blonde hair pulled back into a bun, his stubble shaped to go with his sharp jawline and cheeks. The only flaw to his otherwise handsome features was a scar running through his lip. Ger glanced at the local''s faces, a mixture of awe, fascination and fear. He was a big man, and his muscles were on full display for everyone to see. Ger did take note, though, that nobody seemed to recognise him; it was both perplexing and understandable. Hatherland was a northern kingdom, the prince''s castle on the coast; it was quite far from where they were now. But the Hart royal family all had a distinguishable look that most commoners knew of. They had golden eyes that both dazzled and shook people to their cores. They were piercing, and many rumours plagued peasants and nobles alike about those eyes alone. There were also the infamous rumours surrounding the second prince- Conrad was a demon on the battlefield, mercilessly slaughtering and preferred living among the battles than in the castle. Ger knew that there were a lot of rumours circulating the prince, but there were a few he was sure of. Conrad was near impossible to beat in a fight; even as a kid, he seemed to have a knack for the sword. After each battle, he always returned victorious, taking over more and more land, making them a much bigger kingdom than Dunhurst. "Who''s that? If you keep glaring at him, he might sense it and come over," Axel whispered. "Someone we need to avoid," Ger replied quickly. Prince Conrad had met Ger many times growing up, and it was safe to say they hated each other. The prince knew Ger and Evanna were close friends, so he would stick out immediately. He must be aiding king Osian in finding Evanna; it had been over a month now since she left the palace in search of the gem. Prince Conrad pulled out a paper and smacked it onto the bar. "Has anyone seen this lady over the last six weeks?!" He raised his voice though the attention was already on him. His beefy comrades held up their own papers, revealing a painting of Evanna with her name and a high reward for returning her alive. "Why''d we tell you!? There''s a bounty on there for the princess.." A man stood up, ripping the paper out of one of Conrad''s guard''s hands. Conrad instantly unsheathed his sword and pointed it at the man''s neck. "Do you have her then?" His voice was low and menacing, his golden eyes darkening as he stared at the man who started to tremble. "Please refrain from fighting; I have a strict no fighting policy here!" The innkeeper rounded the bar and placed his hands on his hips, his round belly bumping out more as he tried standing taller against Conrad and looked at him sternly. "Since when was that a policy? I swear there''s always a fight in this place.." Axel trailed off as his attention went back to the leader of the newcomers. He didn''t know who he was, but Ger seemed a little panicked by his appearance. Now seeing the posters of Evanna, he understood why. This man had to be a part of the royal guard who had been whispered about arriving earlier. "My apologies, this is an urgent matter, and I will not tolerate anyone who gets in my way," Conrad replied, his sword still cutting into the other man''s neck. However, his gaze roamed the tavern again and landed in Axel and Ger''s direction. He narrowed his eyes slightly, but the innkeeper raised his hands, regaining Conrad''s attention. "I-I recognise her!" The innkeeper blurted out. Conrad sheathed his sword on his back as he looked at the man now pointing at the poster. "Is she still here?" "I cannot believe she was the princess! I''m pretty certain she attacked some men-" "Answer me!" Conrad grabbed the innkeeper by the collar of his shirt, his eyes blazing with fury. "N-no! She was here.. a month ago? No.. It was over a month ago.." He trembled, his eyes wide until he was released, but the prince kept his unwavering gaze on him as he towered over him. "Where did she go?" Conrad continued to ask the innkeeper questions. Ger and Axel listened in, they wanted to go back to the room, but it would only cause a commotion. Everyone was still and watching the interaction between the newcomer and the innkeeper. Once Conrad finished his interrogation, he nodded his head to his men and exited the inn. His comrade left their accommodation details to anyone that may know more information about Evanna and would receive a reward if the information was found sufficient. The men then followed swiftly, and Ger and Axel took their time returning to the room as the tavern became rowdy once more. Ger opened the door to their room and found the maid washing Ronan''s back. "Get out," Ger ordered. He wasn''t usually mean, but the crumpled sheets showed that they''ve had their fun. Edith looked at Ronan, and he kissed her sweetly and bid her farewell. She scrambled out of the room, adjusting her hair as she did so. Ger sat on the sofa while Axel closed the door and checked outside the window into the dreary streets. "You could have been a bit nicer to her-" "You''ve had your fun. But we have pressing matters now," Ger snapped back while contemplating on whether to remove his cloak or not. He was feeling a little anxious after seeing the prince. He looked their way earlier, and if he had not been distracted, Ger knew he would have approached them and found out his identity. "What''s happened?" Ronan stood up, sloshing some of the water onto the floor. He wrapped a towel around him, observing the pair and their tense bodies. Something happened in the time that he spent with Edith. The guilt that had started to surface for being with another woman and picturing Evanna was replaced with curiosity, alerting his body to any possible dangers. "Prince Conrad of Hatherland was downstairs. He is searching for Evanna," Ger explained, his voice shook slightly as he put his face into his hands. "HE was prince Conrad!?" Axel questioned loudly and flinched after Ger shushed him. He could not believe that man was the prince; he looked like a handsome bandit. Yes, he would admit the man was good looking. It must be a royal thing because Conrad had quite the fearsome reputation, not once mentioning his looks. "And you''ve met him before?!" Axel whisper-shouted before scraping the curtains shut and sitting down by the table. "Yep. The arrogant prick," Ger muttered, taking the other two by surprise. They glanced at each other then stood in front of Ger, waiting for him to explain further, but he did not. "Did he and Evanna get on by any chance?" Axel enquired. His suspicions leaned towards Ger being jealous. Conrad was a prince and a perfect choice as a husband for Evanna. It was likely they became friends at a young age, and Ger already knew of his class difference. Ger scoffed, "They hated each other." "Then why is he searching for her?" Ronan tilted his head to the side as he tightened the towel around his hips more. "A convenience marriage?" Axel enquired and watched as Ger revealed his hardened face from his hands. "Indeed. The king loves Evanna and would do anything to get her back. She has been missing for over a month now; he most likely made a deal, granting their betrothal if Conrad can get her back." Ger said thoughtfully. Ger knew of the talks of a possible marriage between Evanna and Conrad when they were young. But after their continuous fights and Evanna''s outright objection to the idea, king Osian called it off, granting his daughter''s wish. Though Ger was never convinced that the prince was never off the tables for Evanna. After all, an ally with the mighty kingdom of Hatherland would be beneficial for the king, though he does have an older daughter who could marry the crown prince. Ger shook his head. He didn''t care about the royal affairs and politics. They had much more important things to deal with. "Maybe for a few days, we keep an eye on the prince. He may gain far greater information in regards to Cilv''s location. If she hears of a prince searching for Evanna, then surely she would appear for a grand reward?" Ger smiled for the first time in ages. He felt the first flare of hope at things possibly going their way. Fate could not be that cruel to not help a mother and daughter in need? Chapter 126 - Gem For Gold? { Unknown location } Cilv nimbly climbed up a tree and out of sight from an approaching group. After losing Ger, Ronan and Axel, the shapeshifter''s priority was to get rid of the gemstone. Stealing the gem did not occur to her, even after Evanna provided a detailed report on how it worked along with the documentation with the instructions. But then an opportunity arose, and with the princess gone, she was left with three guys she could handle. Selling that gemstone might keep her settled for a while. She could get a cottage in the woods somewhere. Maybe she could go north to Hatherland; it was not strict with magic nor creatures. Their only issue was with the elves and any kingdom that did not bend to their will. But did that mean there were more people like her? Did she want to run into them? Cilv crouched down and held onto the branch she was perched on. Her hood covered her hair and mask half her face. She smirked as her thoughts went back to Evanna. The princess was probably the only one who could defeat her, and if their blades ever crossed again, she wondered if there would be no hesitation in killing her. After all, she did take a precious gemstone from her. But she took her chances. Evanna was in the hands of the Flori now, and if they didn''t know who she was by now or had not tortured/killed her, then they would soon. Even though the princess seemed to do well on the road, she had a goal, and that was the gemstone for her mother. This most likely kept her sane from sleeping on the ground. Evanna was used to a life of luxury, so it would not be long until she caved. Would there be another war between the elves and humans because of this? She shrugged; it didn''t matter to her. Whatever happens, she would stay away from it all. Cilv narrowed her eyes at the group and jumped down from such a height, and blocked the way of the twenty elves on white horses. The first horse was pulled back and calmed down by the elf, which calmed it at the sudden appearance of the masked person. "I will give you one chance to move. If you wish to live, I suggest you take it," The elf with long black hair on the first horse said softly. It was chilling really at how polite he sounded to such a threat; his voice did not go with his sharp blue eyes and cunning grin. "I have something you might be interested in," Cilv said calmly and revealed the gem, holding it up into the light. "We have gems," The black-haired elf tsked her and signalled for the two guards behind him to come forwards. "HA! Look closely, my lord! This is a sacred gem from the Flori.." Cilv''s eyes gleamed after seeing the elf perk up. He raised his hand again, and the guards stopped. All three of them jumped down from their horses and approached her. Civ took a few steps back, her free hand slowly extending her nails ready. "We will not attack you unless you intend to harm us. Put your claws away, shifter," The black-haired elf declared, pronouncing to his guards to not be at ease yet. Cilv eyed the elf in charge and opened her palm out for him to see the gem again. His eyes widened as he approached it, watching the light inside of it bounce from side to side of the triangular gem. "*This cannot beˇ­*" Cilv tilted her head to the side, guessing from his astonished face that it was indeed a rare gem and one that would pay well. He reached out towards the gem, and she closed her hand. The elf looked back at her with narrowed eyes and folded his arms. Cilv involuntarily gulped, noting the stylish silver embroidery on his white coat and the gold pin with a glowing green sapphire. Cilv knew she was dealing with Lyvarian''s, but she never expected to meet the queen''s right hand. The pin revealed his identity to any who learned of its meaning. However, Cilv did not know more than that. She did not know his name, but now that she knew he was the right hand of the queen of Lyvaria, she was sure he would take the gem. It was in his best interest. "How much do you want for it?" The elf asked before holding his hand up to the elves behind him, who started to show their displeasure. Cilv smiled underneath her mask, thankful that they could only see her eyes. "Hmmmˇ­" Cilv slowly paced up and down in front of him, hand on her chin as though she was deep in thought. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw the man roll his eyes like she was wasting his time. This meant money was no issue, which she suspected dealing with the queen''s right-hand man. "2000 gold coins." "2000! My lord! This is-" The black-haired elf smiled and held his hand up, quieting the men behind him, who looked flabbergasted and disgusted at the cost. "You say this gem is sacred.. Do you have anything to prove it? If you do, then I will happily oblige such a high price." He placed his hand on his chest and bowed slightly. Cilv blinked in shock then cleared her throat. She was not used to dealing with someone who acted respectfully towards her. Except for Evanna, but she did not count; the girl was young and na?ve. The shapeshifter put her hand on the inside of her cloak pocket and pulled out the two pieces of paper she stole from the tube in Evanna''s bag. She did this when the princess went to distract the guards at the entrance to the Flori palace. Cilv was still 50/50 then about stealing the gem, but like most of her plans, she kept one step ahead in case she decided to go through with it. These papers would show the gem''s authenticity; she took note of the symbol on the top right corner of the paper when Evanna revealed them to her at the campsite. The princess was so na?ve; it literally made her head hurt just thinking about it. For someone who was relatively bright, it was definitely not her best move. It was foolish for Evanna to reveal the gem''s instructions and how to use it. Cilv had to refrain from shaking her head from side to side in exasperation. Either way, it helped her now. She placed the papers in the elf''s hands, and he opened them, his eyes widening. Edric looked at the papers. One was the painting of the gem before them. It felt so thin and fragile he wondered how the shapeshifter even looked after it well on her journey. The paper alone should be framed from such an era that has long gone and mostly forgotten. He handed the painting to one of his men behind him without so much as looking at them while he unrolled the second paper. On the top right corner of the paper was an emblem, but it was not the Flori tree emblem; it was the lion shield emblem of the kingdom of Dunhurst. Edric felt the paper again and checked the ink of the golden symbol. It was newer than the paper, and on closer inspection, so was the ink to the handwriting. He frowned slightly, intrigued by what could possibly be written on such a parchment. It read in Muranthian: Dearest Sir or Madam, If you are reading this, then I am afraid that the gem you hold in your hands has been stolen from me. This is of great importance to me, and I would appreciate it if you could return this to me. .. Chapter 127 - Info For Gold? Edric chuckled and cleared his throat to hide his response to the letter. The shapeshifter had been watching him warily, but now he was very intrigued with whom this gem apparently belonged. He continued reading: If the person who handed the gem to you is a shapeshifter or a petite woman dressed in red, then I can only inform you of my misguidance of trusting such a friend. I am Princess Evanna Goodrich- Edric gritted his teeth. The princess of Dunhurst? Why.. The princess must be severely ill to seek a method like getting a gemstone from the Flori. The two kingdoms must have formed an alliance. But how!? King Osian must have provided something in return, something important enough for King Thalanil to give up such a precious stone. Edric sighed; he did not need to read any more of what was on the letter. His eyes flickered back to the shapeshifter, who was looking more and more uncomfortable under his gaze. So this woman stole from a princess who is presumably dying. Edric smiled cunningly. This could actually work in the king and queen''s favour. The Flori would not want to see their precious gemstone missing, their pride would not allow it, and to find out the Lyvarian''s have it would be something of a sight indeed. Those dirty woodland elves may even grovel at their feet to get such a sacred gemstone back. And the princess is precious enough to the king for him to make an alliance with the Flori to heal her. They, too, would do anything for the princess to be healed. The Lyvarian''s will be seen as the weaker kingdom if the Flori are the only ones allied with the human kingdom. That can never happen. We have helped the humans far too much for them to turn a blind eye and not seek to become allies. "*Get me 500 gold coins.*" He ordered to no one in particular before his eyes became icier to the shifter. "This.." He raised his hand, "Is a parchment from the princess of Dunhurst.." He said coldly. The shapeshifter''s eyes widened, and she looked at the parchment in his fingers. Cilv''s eyes landed on the emblem on the right corner of the paper, and she clenched her hands together into fists. She did not have enough time to double-check; all she saw was the unknown writing and presumed it was correct.. "My lord, please let me explain! I-" "Silence!" The black-haired elf cut her off with his sharp tongue. "This does not prove the authenticity of the gemstone.. However, we will buy it for a reasonable price." Cilv gulped, her heart pounding at what he might suggest. She was not one to back down from a fight; he was unbothered by the price of 2000 gold coins, so they must be carrying such a sum on them. She could steal from them, but as her eyes swept across the 19 other men, she knew the odds were not in her favour. "How much?" She asked in a calm voice, not revealing her wariness of how the situation was now turning on her. One of his men came forward and placed a sack of gold coins at her feet. Cilv crouched down to investigate but halted from the sword pointed at her chest. She raised her hands and placed the gemstone in the black-haired elf''s outstretched hand. "I only wanted to check how much was in here.." She murmured. She knew already from the size of the sack that it was more than she anticipated after hearing Evanna''s name. "500 gold coins for the gem and your service," The elf replied and sheathed his sword. Cilv''s eyes lit up, but she knew to stay wary. They could still shoot her and take the money back. "Begone before I change my mind." He waved his hand and turned his back on her. Cilv picked the sack up and put it inside of her bag, weighing it down by a lot. She needed a horse to cart this load around. She sighed but knew to get to high ground first. Cilv put the bag on her back and sprinted off to the shrubbery on the side, watching the queen''s right hand smile at the gem and place it in the inside of his coat pocket. She was about to climb the tree, but the horses turned around and started returning the way they came. Cilv''s brows drew together at this. From what she heard of the elven scouts in Direwood forest, she swore that the Lyvarian''s needed to meet with the Flori. Maybe they did not want to risk bringing the gem with them. But that meant it might take another month for them to return altogether. She shrugged; it didn''t matter to her. Now she had a bunch of coins she needed to guard with her life! Cilv began walking away, feeling the weight of the gold pulling her bag down and causing her back to already ache. It would have been troublesome to carry 2000 gold coins. She smiled and shook her head; she underestimated the princess. Evanna wore a mask of complete confidence in Cilv''s actions and acted as though she trusted her. She should have known better than to trust a woman of such nobility. They were taught from a young age to hide behind their smiles. But she knew Evanna was not hostile to her; they spoke so comfortably together and even seemed like friends, so it couldn''t have all been a lie. Why was she suddenly feeling quite.. annoyed? Annoyed because she felt guilty. Why did she feel guilty!? What is this!? She definitely spent too long with the humans. She was a lone wolf, unwelcomed by many and happy only to look out for herself. Being around others was stressful! "Yep! They are looking for the princess. He said he''d pay handsomely for worthy info!" Cilv stopped walking. She was near a human village and was starting to hear a conversation between two men. They were on horses; her eyes scanned the area before landing on two figures who were leaving the village towards her. "Imagine seeing the princess! She is a bonny lass!" The second man replied. "I don''t care of her beauty, but of the gold I coulda earned!" Replied the first man. Cilv started running towards them, the pair not noticing the masked figure approaching them quickly until she scared the horses. "Woah! Watch it!" Cilv pulled her hood and mask down and smiled at them. The pair instantly flushed red at her sudden appearance. She hid a smirk as she got closer to the horse and held onto the rein, her eyes locked with the first man. "What were you fine gentleman talking about?" She fluttered her eyelashes. The first man leaned forward but blinked his eyes and smiled. "Oh, there are just rumours about the princess of Dunhurst missing, and some mercenaries are rewarding anyone with information about her whereabouts!" "Oh really?" She bit her lip, "and where are these mercenaries?" "We canne tell such a young lass about some crooks! It would not fare well with me!" The second man exclaimed on the horse beside the first man. "Well, maybe you could help me get to them?" She purred. "We aren''t going to Kuramji, ma''am," The first replied. Cilv smiled at the man''s idiocy of revealing the location; she was not too far away from Kuramji. She wondered how much she could get from the mercenaries. After all, she was expecting 2000 gold coins for the gem. "That is no problem at all.." She murmured before pulling him off of his horse and hopping up into the saddle. The second man went to grab his sword, but Cilv already spun the horse around and started galloping away. Chapter 128 - Elven Prince Meets Demon Prince (1) In the wilderness of Direwood forest, Arawn sat on his horse galloping through the trees towards the woods entrance. The wind whipped his hair backwards, the golden leaf crown resting above his brows as his icy gaze looked ahead. He had been riding since he left Evanna earlier, his mind racing with countless thoughts from his previous conversation with his father. He did not mean to act so indifferently towards her, but as he stared at Evanna during breakfast, it made him come to the realisation that she was much more of a mystery than he anticipated. Did she know of her heritage, or was she keeping it a secret to prevent a war between the elven kingdoms? "* Sire,*" Garrett caught up to him, so their horses were side by side, Garrett''s horse just as powerful as his own. Arawn pulled on the reins, slowing down to a trot so they could talk. "* What has you so troubled?*" Garrett continued; his brows were drawn together as he searched the prince''s face before eying their surroundings once more. It was unusual for them to ride their horses through the woods, and Arawn preferred to travel on foot, climbing and running along the wilderness. But this was a matter of meeting with some humans asking for entry to Direwood forest. Due to the unrelenting risen roots and compact space between trees, it was usually quicker to travel by foot. However, only the Flori knew of a route that could be traversed by horse. "*What makes you say I am troubled?*" Arawn replied dully, as though the conversation was not worth his breath. "*The forest is growing cold, your highness. A trail of ice follows behind you,*" Garrett replied with his eyes looking ahead as he spoke. He knew the prince was in a foul mood; he and his men knew the prince well enough to know something was wrong. To anyone else, Arawn would appear like his usual, icy self, even with the trailing ice behind him. But it was not true; the prince would never unknowingly use his power. Arawn clicked his tongue in annoyance, and the cold and dark atmosphere dissipated instantly. "*There is much to do. It seems the Lyvarian envoy is returning to the mountains, there are unknown monsters roaming the forest, and now humans of higher status are asking for entry.*" And Evanna is possibly a princess, Arawn finished in his mind. He knew his troubled mind was aimed at her, not because of the issues raised to Garrett. The prince could handle those issues, but to imagine Evanna was possibly related to her.. It would undoubtedly put a strain on their growing relationship. He scoffed; what relationship? They were bound together by such thin strings that could easily snap. Their foundation needed to strengthen before Arawn could even possibly consider a relationship with her. As he urged his horse back into a run, his mind wandered once more, and how to break this prisoner mindset Evanna was falling into. Should he release her? But then he would not see her, and his mother''s gem would gone. Arawn and his men soon arrived at the entrance to Direwood forest in the late afternoon. He arched his eyebrow at the numerous tents scattered about. It looked like a large camp, enough for a small battalion. He narrowed his eyes and could see the distinguished banners of two groups. It seems both Dunhurst and Hatherland wanted entry to his land. But why? The prince pulled on the reins, and his horse came to a stop before the camp. Garrett and the others followed behind him, keeping a distance and scanning the surroundings. The human men scampered up from their seated positions, one of them running into the larger tent with the two kingdom banners hanging down the entryway. Two men exited and marched towards him. These were the ones in charge. Arawn scanned them from head to toe, his face impassive, his eyes looking on in boredom. The first man he knew instantly from his build, dirty blonde hair and golden eyes along with his attire of a black fur collard cloak with an eagle emblem pinned to his chest ¨C he was the second prince of Hatherland. But the man by his side, dressed in silver armour that clinked, his brown hair and eyes were bland in comparison, yet he, too, radiated a powerful presence. He appeared to be a knight from Dunhurst. "Thank you for meeting with us, your highness," The prince stopped at a safe distance and bowed his head along with the knight. "I am Prince Conrad of Hatherland." "And I am Sir Baldwin of Dunhurst. His Majesty, King Osian has requested entry to the forest," said Sir Baldwin as he kept his head bowed. "You may raise your head," Arawn replied coldly. His voice was emotionless as he eyed the rest of the camp. Even with their pleasant introductions, he was not at all trusting of these humans. In fact, he already set up half his men to stay sheltered in the forest, bows at the ready for his order to release an onslaught of arrows onto them if he wished. "Why would I grant you access to Direwood?" "We are in search of the princess of Dunhurst, your highness. It is imperative that we find her," Sir Baldwin continued and held his hand out with a scroll. A scroll from the king, Arawn presumed. As there would be no doubt that these pesky humans would not be allowed entry without King Osian requesting it or without the elven King or Prince granting it. Arawn laughed and kicked his horse lightly to start walking towards them and circling them as though they were his prey. He knew already, without looking at the scroll that the king sent them. Why else would there be such a large force of royal guard at his doorstep? "Why would a princess go into the deadly Direwood forest? Is she a fool?" He chuckled once more, wondering what sort of child the king rose. "She most certainly is no fool," Prince Conrad interjected, his voice an almost growl. Arawn smirked at the prince''s reaction. "In fact, I am quite certain she would enter only to wait for us to pass by. His Majesty knows his daughter well." A fool indeed. "How interesting. And why are you here, prince Conrad? Does his Majesty have jurisdiction over the prince of Hatherland?" Arawn replied calmly, enjoying the fire burning behind the prince''s eyes. He elegantly flipped off his horse, so he stood but a meter from them. Garrett and three others appeared behind him protectively. "He does not. I am here of my own volition. I am a dear friend to the princess and only seek for her safe return," Conrad replied, his gaze unwavering, his voice steady. "She must be quite the person to have such an entourage camped outside of such a fearsome forest," Arawn muttered. But his voice was loud enough for the prince and knight to hear. He smirked at the knight''s hardening features. The man was young, of about 20 years of age, yet he seemed skilled enough to be sent out on a critical mission commanding many men. It also made Arawn more intrigued by this princess. A princess would not last long outside the protective and lavish walls of a palace filled with riches. Yet, prince Conrad proclaimed that she was of high intelligence and would hide in the forest. Surely that did make her foolish? There were creatures known even to humans that could easily kill someone defenceless.. Unless.. She was no ordinary princess.. First off, the princess had to make it this far. His mind began to spin and started pointing towards Evanna; she was a remarkable woman who took on the faceless and survived. Arawn''s face stayed emotionless, not letting the Hatherland prince or the knight have insight into his thoughts. "Have you seen a young woman enter this forest recently?" Sir Baldwin asked after clearing his throat. He had.. "When you say recent.. How long ago would that be? Time is different to us elves as it is to humans," Arawn replied as he clasped his hands behind his back, holding onto his elbows. He began to walk nonchalantly among the humans, refraining from laughing when a few scurried out of his way in fear. He was, after all, a cruel elven prince. However, he noted that only the men in silver armour, the men from Dunhurst, feared him. He glanced at the men dressed in cloaks, their brown leather studded armour, with the golden eagle emblem on their right chest. There were only five of them, and they seemed fearless in his presence. Very interesting. But it made much more sense for them not to fear him; why would the prince of the Flori attack the humans of such an important party. It seemed Conrad''s men had some common sense. He almost rolled his eyes at the soldiers of Dunhurst and their stupidity. "Is this your way of beating around the bush, your highness?" Conrad''s deep voice whipped across the distance between them. Arawn looked over his shoulder and smirked. "Why would I ''beat around the bush'', as you say? I am merely explaining the simple differences between each race. You perceive time differently from us- we live much longer lives.." Arawn replied tiredly as he casually flicked his wrist and continued to walk across the camp. Sir Baldwin caught up to Arawn. The prince either thought of him as either bold or stupidly courageous. "Princess Evanna went missing six weeks ago, your highness," The knight said, only to stop and turn around after Arawn halted in his footsteps. Princess Evanna... Baldwin took this chance and revealed another scroll, unwrapping it to show the portrait of the dark-haired beauty known as Princess Evanna Goodrich. Chapter 129 - Elven Prince Meets Demon Prince (2) Arawn took the scroll and eyed the portrait. His mind almost going numb at what was just revealed to him. He looked over the painting; Evanna looked so regal, her attire of a long sleeve navy dress of the human''s fashion, puffed out from the waist with a tiara resting atop her long raven locks. Her smile was almost force and not genuine, her eyes piercing him even through a picture. He looked up, not knowing that he had walked quite a distance and now stood behind the tents, with Prince Conrad, Sir Baldwin and his guards following behind. His eyes landed on two prisoners who were tied up, their mouths gagged with a cloth. Little bits and pieces fell into place as he recognised the man and woman sitting on the ground. These were two of Evanna''s comrades who entered the forest with her. Arawn recovered his composure as the pair looked at him with widened eyes and started making incoherent noises, trying to possibly alert the other humans. He was the one who captured the princess, after all. "Please heed them no mind, your highness. They were the last to see her highness and will be punished accordingly," Sir Baldwin voiced from behind Arawn.. "Have you seen the princess?" Arawn spun around then, closing the scroll in his hand. "I have not. But if I ever lay eyes on such a woman, I would not let her wander these woods. Fear not, I will grant you entry," He glanced from Prince Conrad to Sir Baldwin, a sly smile curling his lips. "But I must warn you, there are several creatures in Direwood. You have indeed come at dangerous times. A few of the faceless creatures have escaped and ventured into the forest." Prince Conrad was the first to react, his eyes widening at Arawn''s warning. "How can that be? They were-" "Yes, I am aware of the situation, Prince Conrad. As I have stated, you must be wary. I can provide you with some of my men, but even we find it difficult to take down such things." Arawn glanced at the knight again, who looked lost at their conversation. "I shall leave it to you to explain to Sir Baldwin about the characteristics of such beasts." The elven prince put Evanna''s portrait inside the inner pocket of his cloak and pulled out another scroll, holding it out for the prince to take. With his seal and the magic he placed upon it, all elves in Direwood forest would be aware that this group of humans had the prince''s approval to enter. And so, they would not be harmed. Prince Conrad received the scroll and bowed his head. "Thank you. And I will take you up on that offer. It would be in my men''s best interest if there were more of us if we do run into any faceless." "Very well," Arawn replied and started walking towards his horse. As soon as he placed his foot in the stirrup, lifted up to sit on his horse, he looked back at the prince of Hatherland. He wondered what the relationship was between the ''Demon Prince of the North'' and Evanna. Was she fleeing him? No, that did not make sense. Why did she steal the gem? Numerous questions spun in his mind once more at the revelation that Evanna was a princess, but the princess of Dunhurst? "*Poldo! Wade!*" Arawn called for two of his warriors. They jumped down from the trees, gracefully landing on the ground and strolling towards them, their eyes searching the perimeter as they did. "*You will accompany these humans while they stay in Direwood forest. Guard them as much as you can. Report to me about anything you find.. odd.*" Arawn continued in a calm and collected manner, with his gaze still on the Demon Prince. Arawn gestured to his men. "Poldo and Wade will accompany you on your travels through Direwood." Arawn began and almost smirked at Conrad''s scrutiny of his men. "I assure you, they are more than capable of assisting you. *Two of my men are equal to twenty of yours.*" "Thin-era, prince Arawn. *You must not have fought Hatherland warriors before.*" Conrad replied with a smug smile on his face. Arawn did not show his surprise on his statuesque features. Conrad was not from Dunhurst, where the elven tongue was not spoken, but it was still shunned upon people in the north. And just like in Dunhurst, there didn''t seem to be any who spoke Muranthian. It was not bold of Conrad to speak to him in Muranthian; he would not be executed for such a thing. But it seemed Conrad wanted a reaction from the stoic, cold-hearted elven prince. Well, he was not going to give him one. "*I have indeed. Quite the brutes really,*" Arawn smiled in approval, "*But you should not be displeased with how little men I provide you with. Instead, you should rejoice that you now have guides to help you in your search. Many people have fallen from getting lost in the woods. It is not always about the monsters lurking inside of them.*" Conrad grinned, a wolfish grin as he glared at Arawn, who smirked in response. He knew many would flinch and cower by Conrad''s animosity towards them, but to Arawn, even if he was a ''Demon'' child, he knew more than anyone how rumours spread out of control. This man was strong and powerful, one to never lose in a fight, but Conrad had never fought him before, and from the scar on his lip, it seemed already at least one person was close enough to cause such an injury. Sir Baldwin watched on with rounded eyes, with the thick tension filling the air between the two princes. He did not know what they spoke of, but they were wasting time. If the princess did go into the forest, they should start searching for her, especially if there were more dangerous creatures there than he assumed previously. Baldwin knew princess Evanna could wield a sword, but it was one thing training and another putting those skills to use and surviving in the wilderness. "I am grateful to your help, prince Arawn," Sir Baldwin interrupted the violent stares between the princes. The pair looked at him, only then being reminded of his presence. "We will start to pack up camp and set off as soon as possible." Arawn nodded his head once in dismissal and spun his horse around, trotting off until Garrett caught up to him and their presence merged with the woods and disappeared from view of the humans. "*What has happened, Sire? Do we need to keep an eye on them?*" Garrett asked instantly. His voice was alert, his body tense as he eyed the prince. Arawn was processing what he learnt and could not speak his mind to his friend. He let his horse lead the way down the path it knew while his mind ran. Evanna was a princess. She was king Osian''s daughter. The princess of Dunhurst. A human kingdom and she recklessly entered Direwood forest to steal from the Flori. Something so severe would cause a war. Was she acting on the king''s command? No, surely not. If the king wanted something from them, he would not send his daughter, no matter how capable, into the den of his enemy. Sir Baldwin also had two of Evanna''s comrades tied up as prisoners, though that may be because they failed her? No, if it was the king''s command, he would not use a shapeshifter or the fairy he saw previously. But then, Evanna was also part elf. His brows drew together at this. The king was against all magic and anything to do with the elves. But he had a daughter with an elf.. Something was not adding up. "*There is no need. Wade and Poldo will report anything to me,*" Arawn replied through gritted teeth. He tapped his horse, urging him to move quicker. There was no point in losing his mind on such theories; he would get his answers straight from Evanna. This was urgent now; if his father hears of this, then war would break out for sure, unless.. He made a better proposition. A proposal... Chapter 130 - Onslaught Of Emotions By the time Arawn made it back to the palace, it was nightfall. But his energy had not been depleted as he jumped off his horse at the stables rushing towards the gardens, his strides long and determined. He did not take note of anyone in his way; they soon moved after seeing his stormy face. He made it through the palace, dismissing any guards rushing to report to him. They looked panicked, but his priority was Evanna. The princess of Dunhurst. Just thinking that made him clench his teeth together and his temple throb. He ascended the stairs and only listened to Haryk, who rambled nonsense to him. Arawn only half listened but looked at the sweating butler when he heard Evanna''s name.. "*Say that again.*" Arawn demanded as he pushed open the double doors to Evanna''s room. The doors slammed into the walls, and his gaze landed on Rina, who turned around, eyes wide, her hands covering her mouth, her face red from crying. Arawn came to an abrupt stop as he observed the room. His heart began to pound through his ears as fear seeped into his chest. "*Where is she?*" He asked calmly, but he had a sinking feeling already that she was gone. The balcony doors were open, the sheer curtains blowing in from the wind, the moonlight shining in revealing the leaves flung across the ground. Arawn marched towards the balcony after silence followed his question, almost swallowing him up with the lingering question in the air. He slowed his pace when he felt the lingering magic of Evanna''s gift. He stopped at the balcony''s edge and curled his hands around two thick vines dangling down the terrace, and they were of the princess''s own creation. "*Your highness, Lady Evanna.. she..*" "*When did she escape?*" He asked, cutting off Rina. His voice was laced with ice, sharp enough to pierce anyone who dared to utter a word that would annoy him. He turned around and faced Rina and Haryk, who could not meet his eyes. Their hands fumbled together in front of them. Arawn''s eyes landed on a letter in Rina''s hands. His own clenched together as his surroundings started to form ice among the ground and dark mist forming behind him. He waited patiently, forcing himself to stay in control of his powers. "*Possibly a few hours ago. Cedric and Anwel are in search of her with a few other warriors,*" Rina replied, her voice barely above a whisper. She swallowed hard and raised her hand, holding the letter. "*This letter is addressed to you, Sire.*" Arawn snapped his fingers, and the letter appeared in his outstretched hand. He ripped it open and chuckled darkly, shaking his head as he grabbed his crown and threw it across the balcony floor. Rina and Haryk flinched at his outburst, but they did not move away. The letter read: Arawn, I''m sorry for everything. Please know that I will return the gem when I can, and although our circumstances were strange, I really did see you as my friend. Evanna Arawn''s thumb grazed along the ink on the parchment. Her handwriting was terrible; it looked rushed, most likely because she was panicked. This escape was not planned. Evanna showed signs of wanting to escape when she was first captured, as he expected but not recently unless he let his guard down? But her demeanour that morning showed that something was wrong; she looked upset. Arawn cursed under his breath. He knew he should have pressed harder for her to answer him. He held the letter to his chest, squeezing it as he closed his eyes. He felt an onslaught of emotions, emotions he thought he kept in check after his mother passed away. His chest ached in despair, but there was also a burning fire set aflame inside of him from Evanna''s absence. He felt betrayed; she could not leave him. Not now, not after everything he found out and how much he.. how much he.. cared for her. He snapped his eyes open and walked past the servants who stood there like scared statues; he put the crumpled up letter inside his cloak. "*Sire, your orders?*" Haryk asked, rushing to keep up to the prince who already made it to the stairs. Garrett was standing at the bottom of them with the three guards from earlier. "*Keep this from the king for as long as possible. Clear up any signs of her absence,*" Arawn spoke over his shoulder, glancing around at the men guarding his quarters. They were his men and could be trusted to keep it from the king. Arawn then patted Garrett on the shoulder, "*We are returning to the forest.*" Garrett spun around and jumped in front of the prince. "*How will you track her in the dark?*" He asked, taking the prince by surprise. How did he know Evanna was gone? His questioning gaze was answered by Garrett''s response. "*Cedric and Anwel returned after scouting the surrounding areas.*" "*Did you forget that I am the best tracker?*" Arawn rounded Garrett and continued down the hallway. He heard Garrett''s footsteps keeping up behind him. He knew his friend could not convince him otherwise. "*Garrett, she is not safe out there.*" She is alone. Arawn raced back through the palace, this time not stopping at the stables. But he went through the cellar where there were fewer eyes and ears who could report on his whereabouts. It was not unusual for the crown prince to be in and out of the castle frequently, and it was only recently that he had not gone into the forest because Evanna was in the palace. With Garrett and the others following behind him, they dashed past the gates, the prince barely nodding at the guards on patrol. Cedric and Anwel also caught up to them, but Arawn''s glare halted them in their place. "*You are useless to me, tired,*" He snapped and pulled his hood up over his shimmering moonlight pale hair. "*Please forgive us, your highness,*" Anwel began but shut his mouth when the prince whipped his head back to look at them. Garrett eyed the prince''s hands, he would never hurt his men, but Arawn had not been in such a state in so many years. "*We are not tired and can continue,*" Cedric added and bowed his head, his fisted hand against his chest. Arawn clicked his tongue and turned back around, "*Fatigue causes mistakes and accidents. I do not have time to babysit you.*" Garrett sighed and waved for Anwel and Cedric to continue at the end of the small group. Arawn''s words were sharp, but Garrett knew the prince was worried for their safety. It was nearing midnight, and the pair had already been searching for Lady Evanna. They looked dishevelled but determined; it seemed she had left a lasting impression on them. He wondered if they were hurt by her choice to escape? It was apparent that Prince Arawn cared deeply for the girl. Garrett didn''t know if this was a good thing or not because the first woman Arawn opened up to was someone he could not trust. Evanna was a thief, and from what knowledge he gained from observation and intel from the other guards, she was also a noble. But mainly, he could not trust her because she was a human. Chapter 131 - Escape 2.0 Earlier that evening in the Flori palace, Evanna paced in her room. In the afternoon, she called out to Nesrin in her mind while holding the flower, but she was yet to respond or show up. Evanna was not sure if it worked or not, and this was probably her best shot at escaping. She confirmed with Cedric that the prince had left the palace and might not be back until late that evening or the early hours of the following morning. Even without the fairy''s help, Evanna was going to escape. Now with her own powers at a suitable level, she could use them to aid her. When Arawn left her, the princess practised her gift in ways he had not taught her. It came to her naturally, and though Arawn helped her, he did not have her gift and could only understand to a point. Evanna stopped by her bed again and looked at her bag; the only thing she was missing was her swords and blades. Maybe while she waited to hear from Nesrin, she could search for them. The last she saw of them, they were in the tower she was first brought to in the palace.. But they couldn''t possibly be in the same place, it had been over a month, and if they were taking precautions, they would move them somewhere safe. It wasn''t like she couldn''t steal someone else''s sword, but they were her mothers and now hers. Evanna nodded her head and pushed her bag under the bed. She had already sent Rina away for the evening; the poor handmaiden dressed her in a nightgown only for her to get changed into the attire she first arrived in. The princess pulled her mask up, covering her nose and her hood over her head as she walked through the patio doors and started to climb the trellis. She tried to be mindful of the flowers, but time was of the essence, and she soon leapt over and landed on the prince''s balcony. Her footsteps were as silent as a cat approaching his balcony doors. Even though she knew Arawn was yet to return, she still kept a sharp eye and picked up on the most minuscule of sounds. She crept through to the prince''s chambers and began searching for her weapons. This could be the last place he would leave them, but she had a feeling he kept them close. She remembered him admiring her blades when she was behind bars, and so if they weren''t in his bed chambers, then in his many other rooms. However, Evanna did not have all night to search those rooms. With that in mind, she searched through the prince''s closet, walking up and down the aisles of his luxurious clothes. With a sigh, she returned to the bedroom, and like basic instinct, she lowered herself down to check under the bed. Such a simple hiding place, but one she would not avoid checking, but as she suspected, her weapons were not there. She jumped back up and strolled towards the living room space, her hand gliding against the back of the sofa as her gaze followed the walls. It was strange that she had been in Arawn''s chambers quite a lot but did not pay too much attention to little details. She was always very aware of the ''wolf'' in the room more than anything else. Evanna walked towards the fireplace, crossing her arms against her chest as she scrutinised it, tilting her head to the side. The tools set on the side to manage the fire was in pristine condition, yet they had used the fireplace on various occasions. Once she went to use the golden poker but as soon as her hand wrapped around the handle, Arawn''s large hand was on hers, stopping her. At the time, she thought it strange until he told her to relax, and he would attend the fire. She didn''t know why she was so fixated on it now, but thinking back on it, she remembered him using a different poker. The princess believed it was because the golden tools were for show, but now, she realised how silly that was. Arawn could easily replace the tools. Evanna crouched down and wrapped her hand around the poker in the middle of the stands. She tried to pull it out, but it did not budge; she frowned and tried again. Maybe it was just for show? ~ Move it to the right. ~ Evanna followed the instructions and gasped when the fireplace slid to the side, revealing a wall full of weapons. She reached forwards after seeing her swords, then halted as her eyes went wide. She spun around and gasped again. "Nesrin!" She squealed and flung her arms around the human-sized fairy. Tears sprung to her eyes, and she sighed into her friend. The fairy giggled in response, her own arms around her, her hand patting the princess on the back. ~ I expected you might need my help. Did you forget about me? ~ Evanna shook her head. ~ But you forgot about the gift I gave you. ~ Evanna pulled away from the golden-haired fairy and bit her lip. "I''m sorry, so much has happened.." She whispered with a pout. Nesrin giggled again, the delightful sound only in her head as she cupped the princess'' cheek in her hand. "It is okay; I forgive you. To be quite honest.." Nesrin trailed off in a hushed tone. ~ I may have failed you if you called earlier ~ The fairy relaxed her hand onto her hip, her gaze looking off as though she was not there at all. It was then Evanna took note of Nesrin''s attire; she looked battle-ready. The gentle fairy wore a sword on her hip; her clothing was of leaves and vines wrapped around her like a short dress with some golden armour at her torso, her hair pulled back into a ponytail. ~ Is everything okay? ~ Evanna enquired as worry formed on her face. She knew it was best they spoke with their minds; she did not want to attract any attention into the prince''s room. ~ We are at war with the pixies, and the spriggans have also become restless from our constant battles and have caused some issues ~ Nesrin replied as she walked towards the fireplace and stroked Evanna''s short jewelled blade. ~ Spriggans? ~ Evanna followed the fairy and reached for her swords, instantly placing them on her back. While Evanna was re-attaching her weapons, the fairy twirled around the room in amusement. She halted at the bookshelves, looking back at the princess. ~ Spriggans are tree-like creatures, also of fae kind, but they prefer to stay hidden in dense forests. Left alone. They have vile tempers if you wake them up. ~ Evanna sheathed her dagger at her hip. ~ Ah and they are retaliating because you have woken them up? ~ The princess assumed. ~ Exactly. Anyway, we need to leave. I can help you escape, then I must return, I''m afraid. My people need me. ~ ~ Of course! ~ Evanna nodded her head and pulled the poker leaver back, watching in amazement as the fireplace slid into its former spot. She wanted to check out the mechanism for longer, but they didn''t have time. She led the fairy towards the patio doors again. ~ I need to collect my bag. ~ The fairy nodded, then shrank in size once more, her wings sprouting out from her back as she once again sat on Evanna''s shoulder like she never left. The princess felt a pang of sadness as she climbed the trellis once more as she started to think more of her journey to the Flori palace and her friends. She landed gracefully on her balcony once more and crept back inside her room. This was it. Evanna had Nesrin; she had her bag and her weapons. It was time to leave. But as she eyed her room, she felt overwhelmed. She couldn''t go without saying anything, could she? Arawn''s icy stare flashed across her mind, and she shook her head, deciding to leave a letter. That she could at least do. Evanna''s hand scribbled messily over the paper on her table. She wanted to say so much more, but she couldn''t find the right words or what to say. She read it over twice and sighed. Short and straightforward was best when there was no time to struggle over the right words. At least, there was a note for him. Evanna felt frustrated at what she wrote but knew she would return the gem once everything was over. Even though she might be temporarily imprisoned in her bedroom when she returned home. But she would make sure to get the gem back to Arawn. Her heart fluttered at the idea of seeing him again, even if it would be brief, possibly to drop the jewel in his hands before running away without being killed. ~ You seem very conflicted, princess ~ Evanna sighed and dropped the quill before folding the paper and placing it in an envelope. She did not know how to respond to Nesrin''s comment and instead distracted herself by putting the letter on the bed. Just as the envelope dropped on the bed, the door creaked open, revealing her handmaiden. Rina stopped, wide-eyed at Evanna''s attire, who looked like a bandit crouched over the bed. Chapter 132 - Escape 2.1 Rina opened her mouth as if to scream, but Evanna waved her hands and pulled her mask and hood down. "It''s me! It''s me!" She whisper-shouted. Rina shut the door behind her, leaning up against it as her hand raised to her face in shock. The elf then looked at the fairy on her shoulder and raised her brow in question. "This is my friend," Evanna murmured as she slowly approached Rina. "Are you.. Are you leaving?" Rina stuttered, her eyes filling up with unshed tears. Evanna inhaled sharply.. She didn''t want to see her friend cry. "I have to, Ri," Evanna reached out and clasped her by her hands, staring intently at the elf. "Nothing would ever happen to you here, my lady.. The prince, he may seem cold, but he adores you. Has he not treated you well here? Have we not.. kept your secret?" Rina searched her eyes, the tears beginning to spill down her cheeks. Adores? He adores teasing her and making her blush. ~ This is troublesome, Evanna. You might have to knock her unconscious..~ Nesrin interrupted her. Evanna frowned; that was the last thing she wanted to do. But if it came to it, then she would not refrain from such drastic action. "Shh, shh. My leaving has nothing to do with Arawn''s hospitality nor how truly loyal you are. Thank you for keeping my secrets," Evanna was aware that the handmaiden knew she was part elf. She was, after all, in her care during the fever. "But my mother is very sick. She has been all this time. I must see her," She urged. Rina pursed her lips together; she could see the pain burning behind Lady Evanna''s eyes at what she revealed. It made sense now. Many times, the handmaiden would approach Evanna only to stay back and watch from a distance; in those moments, Evanna looked closed off, distant and as though a great weight rested on her shoulders. She knew how composed her lady was in front of others and knew it was not good to always keep her emotions in check. Rina would approach her with tea and smile as she left, seeing Evanna''s shoulders relax after taking a sip. Rina felt split in two; she couldn''t stay quiet and let her leave, but she wanted to let her go. Evanna could see the indecision behind Rina''s eyes. "Please, Ri. Give me some time to escape, then alert the guards," She pleaded, her eyes boring into hers. Rina instantly caved in and nodded her head, immediately gasping as Evanna pulled her into a hug and squeezed gently. "Thank you, Ri. I will never forget this!" Evanna released her arms, pulling her mask up and hood down to cover her features. She spun around, not wanting to waste any more time. She didn''t know when Arawn would return, but if anyone could catch her, it would be him. After fighting him and now spending time with him, she understood his character very well. He would not stop until she was found. That was why every second counted until she was out of Direwood forest. That was her first goal. To get out of Direwood forest alive then to seek out the others. There had to be a reason why the gem was yet to reach her mother. A part of her was a little suspicious towards Cilv, but she pushed those thoughts aside, not willing them to fester. Now was not the time to dwell. Evanna raced towards the balcony and hopped up onto the edge. She did not tell Rina how long to wait, but it should be enough for her to escape from the palace, she hoped. She turned her head back after hearing the opening of the bed-chamber doors. She needed to be quick. Evanna kneeled down, forgetting about the newcomer and trying to focus on her gift. She could take care of this part, but, if need be, at least Nesrin was there. It was odd how her powers were similar to the fairy. Her hands felt the warm prickling sensation, and a golden glow started to surface on her hands. "* It seems prince Arawn.. Who is that!? *" Evanna glanced behind her again after recognising Cedric''s voice. His armour clanked together as he rushed towards her, but with one thought alone, vines began to form out of her hands, and she casually hopped off from the balcony. "Don''t!" Evanna heard Cedric''s shout as she slid down the vines created at rapid speeds to keep up with her falling. The cold air flew across her face, making her squint her eyes a little with the dust that came with it. She was going at full speed and even heard Nesrin squeal and giggle next to her ear. She didn''t know why she was hitching a ride on her shoulder; the fairy had wings and could fly. ~ But this is more fun! ~ Nesrin giggled in her mind causing Evanna to roll her eyes playfully. Evanna landed gracefully on the grass and looked up at the height of her controlled falling. Cedric''s head was there for only a moment before he disappeared. Unlike how she planned, it seemed her escape was going to become messy. ~ Please, Nesrin. I don''t want to hurt anyone. ~ She glanced at the fairy, who nodded her head with a determined face. Evanna then sprinted forwards and leapt over bushes, hiding behind hedges and trees when an unalerted guard would pass by. At this time, only guards were patrolling the gardens, and all she needed to do, was make it to the wall at the far end. ~ You have a plan? ~ Nesrin asked in excitement. Evanna made it to the far wall and hopped over like she did the balcony, pouring her powers into creating vines as she used them to fall gracefully. The princess skilfully landed on the rock below and ran to the edge, staring at the dark stream gushing past the rock angrily. "Evanna!" Cedric called out to her. Evanna raised her head to see him leaning over the wall and look directly at her. It seems he figured out who she was. She didn''t know how he could see her down there; the wall was high, and the night sky was cloudy, making the darkness that much more comforting for her. Yet, he could see her. "Come back! Don''t do it! You''ll die!" Well, Cedric didn''t know she had a fairy who could help her. Or so she hoped. It was now or never. ~ We''re about to get wet ~ Chapter 133 - Escape 2.2 Though Evanna''s words were confident, she still couldn''t help dread fill her chest as she stared across the river leading to the waterfall that was to come. Could Nesrin really help her with this? If Cedric and the others were not aware of her leaving, she could have taken a different route, but it was best to throw them off track this way. ~ I have your back, don''t worry ~ Nesrin hopped off from Evanna, flapping her wings to stay above her. Evanna glanced once more at the high wall to her side leading to the palace and Cedric''s form climbing over it with a rope. The princess gritted her teeth together, more confident by the fairy''s words. She jumped into the water and stilled in shock as the icy temperature forced her body to freeze, almost making her mouth gape open and inhale the liquid. Evanna kicked her arms and legs into motion, swimming back to the surface as she felt herself being swept away and towards the gushing sound of the approaching waterfall. She gasped for air; her eyes panicked at her own stupidity. She knew the water was cold, but she didn''t expect it to be freezing to the point her lips began to go blue and her teeth chatter.. She shook her head; this was not the time to panic! Evanna didn''t bother to swim; the water was so strong that it wouldn''t take long until she followed it down the fall. Her breaths came out uneven as she looked at the approaching edge. Everything seemed to be still for a single moment as she found herself staring at what looked like the edge of the world. Even in the dark, she knew of the beauty surrounding her that took her breath away as her belly began to drop and flip. Her body fell forwards along with the water; she covered her face and tucked her legs. "Ugh!" Evanna landed uncomfortably on a bed of flowers. She pushed off from the unsteady ground of flowers that floated above the water and rocks at the bottom of the waterfall. She was hovering a few feet above what would have been her death. The princess stared wide-eyed to her left, where the rushing water plummeted murderously into the ground. ~ Move it. The spell is dissolving! ~ Evanna stood up and glanced at the flowers and petals starting to fall from the outer edges of the flowerbed. She leapt forwards after another bunch of flowers formed, and for the next few minutes, the princess jumped across flower beds like steppingstones to reach land. Evanna hopped one last time before landing at the edges of the water, disrupting its still surface as she sloshed through it with her boots. She looked up at Nesrin and grinned; the fairy stayed dry after all. But even with this little triumph of not plummeting to her death, she reminded herself to keep moving forwards. The Flori would not stop searching for her until they found her body, at least. She knew in her heart, though, that Cedric was not fooled by her little stunt because what idiot really would jump to their death unless they had something hidden up their sleeve. She already proved to him that she could jump down that balcony without gaining any injuries. Evanna checked her mask and hood was still in place and wrung out water from parts of her clothing. Then, she set off at a jog, sticking to the shadows of the houses, hiding from the elves that seemed to be stargazing on their roofs and others still in the trees. Evanna hid behind a tree further in the woods and looked back at the grand palace of the Flori, standing for a moment as she processed the next part of her journey. She stared longingly at the place she became comfortable with and sighed. Although her circumstances were that of a prisoner in luxury, she couldn''t help but already feel a pang of sadness shoot through her chest. If things were different, could she have stayed? Evanna scowled and looked down at her feet. With the prince and Rina and others she had befriended, she felt more at home here than she ever did her own palace. ~ Evanna, we must go. They have been alerted of your disappearance. ~ Nesrin spoke softly in her mind, urging her to move. But her feet stayed rooted. The Flori, legendary woodland elves who were heartless, deadly and scary to the outside world, were more normal than she ever anticipated. They were brave, elegant, and only protecting their land, their families from intruders. She respected them immensely and knew these final hours and days of escaping were going to be her hardest because Evanna couldn''t find it in her heart to kill someone following orders over a thief escaping. With those last thoughts, she kicked herself into action. She would never let them find her, and by doing so, she wouldn''t be taking their lives. They were skilled, but so was she. Evanna rushed through the forest then started to climb higher into the trees. She ran across their long connecting branches, jumping and sliding, never stopping for the next four hours for fear of Cedric, Anwel and others catching her. When her legs finally began to tremble from exhaustion, Evanna stopped and leaned up against a tree, looking down at the forest floor. Her sense did not alert her to any monsters or elves following her, and so she slid down and spread her legs out across the branch. Nesrin jumped off from her shoulder and landed on the princess'' knee, who bent it so she could see the little fairy properly. Evanna closed her eyes briefly, wondering where the fairy led her. Unlike last time, she had no map or Axel to point her in the right direction, and from how Nesrin was fidgeting, Evanna knew she would be leaving. ~ I wish I could stay to help you get out of the forest, but the Queen has been insisting on my return ~ Nesrin''s voice came out small, making Evanna open her eyes again and look at her sad face. "I''m grateful you turned up, Nesrin. It made my escape quicker. And I can see how much you want to return; I will not hold you back on that. I will just miss your company and wish our reunion was much nicer," Evanna whispered, looking down at her hands resting on her lap. ~ Always so sweet, princess ~ Nesrin giggled, "When the war has settled, I will find you!" The golden fairy flapped her wings and hovered in front of Evanna''s face, "And if you get lost.. Ask the trees. They will guide you." Evanna blinked back in confusion. "You can speak to them; it is part of your gift!" Nesrin continued after seeing the princess'' blank expression. That was right, but she didn''t think trees would help in directing her the way out of the forest. "Of course, they will. The trees don''t want any trouble! And if they can feel your gift then they know you mean well to nature," Nesrin exclaimed in excitement. "Are they these spriggans?" Evanna asked, remembering how the trees caused issues when her group first entered the forest. Nesrin shook her head. "No, it is your gift, princess. There are no spriggans here, or if there are, they have not revealed their magic to me." Nesrin flew closer and pecked Evanna on the cheek before hovering backwards and whispered sweetly, "Would you like me to help you sleep before I go?" Evanna shook her head, "That will put me into a false sense of security. Thank you though, for everything." The princess smiled again then wiped away a tear that ran down her cheek as the fairy flew away into the night. The little ball of light got smaller and smaller into the distance until it looked nothing more than a star then nothing at all. Evanna pulled her legs in towards her chest and hugged them as she stared across the shadows of the trees. She was now utterly alone on this journey, though she expected it on her escape, the feeling of loneliness finally sunk in. With a sigh, she allowed herself to close her eyes and rest as much as possible, for the following day would be more arduous. Somehow, Evanna managed to sleep in the tree without falling off, though she did jolt herself awake occasionally, finding herself not to be fully asleep but not awake either. When the sun slowly rose to break the dawn of a new day, Evanna''s lids slid open, and her mind became fully aware of how tense her body was from sleeping in such a position. After a few stretches, Evanna slowly climbed down a few branches to see if there was anything distinctive about the area she was in. But much to her disappointment, it all looked the same. With a sigh, Evanna placed her hand against the bark of the tree. Already she could feel the life force of the tree she stood upon, but just as she was going to ''speak'' to the tree, a shiver ran down her spine and grew colder by the second. A snapping sound echoed through the woods, disturbing the bird''s morning song that quietened. The princess reached her hand behind her, grasping at the handle of her sword as she slowly turned, looking for what her body sensed to be a danger. Evanna pulled both swords in front of her as the forest became still and silent. Her body was tense and pumping with adrenaline, ready for what was about to come. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw something come towards her at incredible speed. Her eyes widened as she saw a tail and pincer come straight towards her face. She swiped her sword, blocking it, but the pincer rotated, twisting the blade from her grasp and flinging it to the side. Evanna swung her other sword and stabbed the tail into the ground, a screech sounded from above her, and she felt its leg kick her. The princess lost her balance and her footing from the tree; she fell backwards and out of reach from the faceless creature now scurrying towards her before her body would smash into the ground below. Chapter 134 - Monsters Lurking: Part One Evanna let her body free-fall backwards, and with force behind her, she did a backflip just in time to dodge the creature''s pointed leg swiping towards her. At the same time, she called upon her powers and created the vines once more, sending them to a tree behind her. They wrapped around a branch tightly, and she flung towards it and out of the creature''s reach. She released her hold on the vines and let herself drop to the branch below. Her grip tightened on her sword as she watched the creature jump from the tree she fell from and land just above her. She raised her sword and waited for it to come towards her again. Unlike the last time she fought the faceless, this one seemed to be more violent, restless and impatient. Its face lowered down towards her, this time using its particular skill of controlling the mind instead of fighting her. But as the white-masked face formed before her, Evanna didn''t waste any time and stabbed it in the face with her sword. Black blood poured down its ugly face as it screeched, and its body began falling down from above. Evanna yanked her sword free, using her foot to push back on before stabbing it into the tree trunk just as the creature fell through the branch, breaking it and almost taking the princess with it.. Its screech erupted through the woods, making Evanna wince as she held onto her sword as the branch beneath her feet fell away. She clung onto her sword and now hung on for fear of falling to her death. Again. A thunderous sound rumbled through the woods, causing some birds to take off in flight towards the sky. Evanna''s grip on the sword tightened, and she was ever so grateful to the gloves she wore for grip. She glanced down at the height she was hanging from and could see the creature''s body unmoving below. It snapped through all of the branches, leaving nothing for Evanna to jump to. She inhaled deeply and released a long breath as she called upon her gift again. She created the vines, letting them wrap around her and then shot them to another tree. She braced herself before yanking her sword free and letting herself go. This time it didn''t go so well, and she smacked straight into the tree trunk. "Ugh," Evanna''s hold on the magic dissolved, and the vines started to disappear. Her eyes widened, and she pushed off from the tree, front flipping and landing on another wide branch, but landed awkwardly and done a ''roly poly'' to shake off the brunt of the blow. Evanna let herself collapse on her back on the large branch to catch her breath before breaking out into an exhausted and rather maniac laugh. "Well, good morning to you too," She blurted in between giggling. After she finally got a hold of herself, she stayed quiet, focusing on the sounds of the forest and the frosty feeling that was sweeping over her. There were others nearby. The faceless are the ones roaming Direwood forest and looking for a human or elf to claim their life. For a moment, Evanna worried about the people of the Flori kingdom, then she thought of her own people as well. If those monsters escaped Direwood forest, chaos would ensue. This wasn''t just an issue for the elves but everyone. She sat up and shook her head, groaning as she felt a headache coming along. If the faceless did escape, then she knew the Flori would reach out to the other kingdoms. This was not something she needed to mull over. Evanna looked around warily, her thoughts still plagued by the creatures that were nearby, she couldn''t tell how many there were, but she should move before they made it any closer to her position. She ran and jumped across a few branches until she was back at her original spot before being attacked by the faceless creature. She searched the area, still very aware of the shiver running down her back becoming colder, but she relaxed after jumping down a few branches and finding her other sword. Now, she felt complete. With both swords now sheathed behind her back, she searched her cloak pocket and pulled out her pocket watch. Time seemed to be ticking forwards quickly; if she kept coming across monsters, the elves would catch up to her. She needed to keep moving and in the correct direction. Evanna marched forwards and placed her hand against the tree again, closing her eyes and sensing the life force once more. Again, the whispers of the trees spoke in a different language, but she still understood. Before she could ask for their help, they were panicked about the faceless and the destruction they had already been causing. Evanna had to wait patiently, though she grew weaker from expanding her energy so much. Beads of sweat formed on her forehead until she whispered to them in their ancient language, requesting guidance. They were a little reluctant at first until she exclaimed, she would protect the forest from the faceless and any other beasts along the way. This satisfied them, and they named her a temporary guardian of Direwood forest. With that, a force pushed her backwards until she fell straight on her back, the hit cushioned by her bag. "Ugh," Evanna groaned. It seemed staying upright was going to be a challenge today. Even the trees kicked her to the ground. With a sigh, she flipped herself up once more and checked her surroundings for fear of the faceless now getting too close. But as she searched the trees, she started to see floating golden balls. Evanna narrowed her eyes and started running towards it, careful of her footing and the sounds she made. As soon as she made it to the floating ball in front of one of the trees, it popped and disappeared. Evanna frowned, then saw another two ahead in the distance. The forest was showing her the way. She grinned and set off at a sprint, once again leaping from tree to tree, sliding down the twisted branches. The fresh air whipped across her skin, and she felt the ultimate freedom; maybe venturing on her own wasn''t so bad after all. Along the way, she came across three other faceless creatures. But they weren''t the ones she sensed from earlier. Each one was in a different location along the trail. The princess took care of them quickly; this time, she made sure to attack first. She found it was better to be on the offence first when high up in the trees; otherwise, she would keep falling and using her powers. She was very grateful to the prince teaching her to control them, but again, she was no master of the gift, and her stamina was yet to improve before she even attempted her greater powers. After taking down the faceless, her belly grumbled, and she came across another issue. She forgot to steal a bow from the Flori, and she didn''t know how to set traps for animals. Evanna realised how stupid she rushed her escape. But she kept her head up and followed the glowing balls, searching for berries or any form of food on the way. By the late afternoon, her stash amounted to a few berries, and she came across some Goodhana plants. She remembered from her mother''s stories about her travels that these plants were good at suppressing hunger. It wasn''t her best choice, but her plan was to try and reach the river soon and hopefully do some fishing. Evanna''s pace slowed down to a walk as her energy began to deplete. The only lighting available was going quickly as the sun started to set behind the coverage of clouds. She pulled her cloak further over her head, hoping to keep her head warm. The princess rounded a corner after the last glowing ball popped; she looked ahead and felt relief flush through her as she saw the river. Evanna picked up her pace as she went towards the water, bringing out her leather pouch to fill the water up with, as well as splashing her face and taking sips from her hands. She eyed the water and saw a few fish dart by as she grinned and caught sight of the steppingstones further down the stream. Evanna called upon her gift with the last bit of strength she had left for her powers and created a branch. She pulled her knife out and started cutting and sharpening a pointed end before making her way to the steppingstones. She stood upon them, staring at the river and licking her lips in anticipation. After quite a few tries, the princess managed to spike a fish, and that evening for the first time, she made her dinner. If she had not watched Axel gut the fish and cook it last time Cilv brought some to them, Evanna would never even try such a thing. She understood her weaknesses very well. Cooking was one of them. With her stomach now full, Evanna placed the berries she found in her bag and leaned up against a tree. She knew it would be best to get to higher ground soon; it wasn''t safe staying there, but using her powers, taking down those beasts, and then fishing really did tire her out. Her lids keep drooping, the fire beside her keeping her nice and toasty. Closing her eyes for a few minutes would be fine. She had her senses to alert her to any trouble. It was a little risky, but she was too tired to think properly. A few minutes turned into hours, and Evanna jolted awake after her body shivered tremendously. Evanna quickly stomped out her fire and jumped behind the tree she was sleeping against. She knew from how her stomach tightened that whatever could cause her harm was in front of her. She crouched and peered through the leaves of a bush and inhaled sharply at what was before her. Evanna slowly stepped backwards and away from the area of the riverbed. There were eight faceless creatures; they stopped in front of the river, drinking from it. She was fascinated and terrified of them. One of them turned around and started to head in her direction. Evanna held her breath as her heart raced; she fisted her hands and watched as the creature stopped in front of the newly stamped out fire. "Theresss sssomeone near here.." Evanna spun around and bolted. It wouldn''t take them long to find her if she stayed there. She ran and looked up for an opening in the trees, but for once, she couldn''t see anywhere to start climbing from. A screech from behind her alerted her that they had discovered her. Evanna looked behind her, but she couldn''t see anything. The forest was dark and dense, and she struggled even to pick her feet up from the roots sticking out from the ground. Eight, she had to get away from eight of those foul creatures. But even though things seemed dire, she used her wits of running in huge zig zags. Those beasts were giant and struggled running on the ground. From the sound of their legs crawling on the floor, she knew that they had started to climb among the trees. Evanna needed to get somewhere safe or take them out separately. Either way, she needed to make it through the night. Chapter 135 - Monsters Lurking: Part Two With the creatures slowly closing in on the princess, she looked frantically for an escape. But as her heart tried leaping out of her chest, her breathing becoming heavy, she found herself panicking. She was not one to panic, but when eight of those vile creatures were hunting her down, she had reason to. She was confident in her skills as a fighter, but she was sure to die if they reached her. Evanna''s pace slowed down as the highly uplifted roots started to entangle around her ankles. It was becoming harder to locate where to place her feet. She scrambled through, her fingers clinging onto the damp bark from where she kept slipping on the wet roots. Her eyes continued to dart around as she moved forwards, but she started to feel the air being sucked out from her lungs and the trees closing in on her. Tears pooled in her eyes as she heard the approaching sounds of branches snapping and the vibration of the ground from the faceless'' legs crawling towards her, ready to attack. A sharp icy pain suddenly started to throb in Evanna''s skull, and without looking, she leapt forwards just as a creature''s pincer stabbed the spot she was in. The feeling on her head had yet to go, and she gasped when her eyes landed on another faceless creature directly above her, its long legs spread out on either side of her, clinging onto the trees, its white face forming.. Evanna reached for her swords. She should take out these two and try and get away before the others catch up. Though she was now starting to doubt her ability in getting out of such a situation. Arawn''s face flashed across her mind, and she felt a tightness in her chest. Should she have put her trust in him? Evanna couldn''t answer her own thought as a pincer came directly towards her. The princess instinctively turned on her side, bracing herself for the contact she couldn''t evade, her swords crossed in front of her, but then she felt something wrap around her ankle. "Ah!" She was yanked backwards and fell through the rooted ground. The screech of both creatures pierced her ears as she landed awkwardly on her bottom. Evanna gripped her swords and jumped to her feet. She looked around, ready for something else to attack her, but her sixth sense told her the only danger was coming from above her. It seemed, from what she could see, that she was now trapped under the roots. One of the creatures above struck its pincer through the gap. Evanna fell through, but the height was too great for it to reach her. It then tried its legs and screeched even more as it continued to try and get her, its prey. Evanna sighed and let out a shaky chuckle, but this only infuriated the creatures more. "At the sssame time." She heard one of them say. The ground above her started to shake some more, and dirt began to crumble down above her. They were using their sharp legs and jumping down on the same spot, trying to make the gap she fell through big enough for them to jump through. Evanna stepped backwards then turned around after feeling a tap on her shoulder. Her eyes widened when she saw one of the roots move and point away from her. She looked in the direction it indicated, and although it was dark, she could clearly see a path of neatly placed roots on the ground. "Thank you," She whispered, unknowingly responding in the ancient tongue of the trees. The vibration of the ground above and the constant sound of the creatures trying to get to her made her halt her escape. Those things were intelligent and could communicate with one another, but just how smart were they? "Hey!" She yelled at them, but they continued with their attacks on the roots. "Hey!" She screamed again, using her hands around her mouth to make her voice grow louder. They stopped for a moment but seemed to ignore her. "Just a thought! But there is only one of me.. and two of you! Which one of you will have me?!" She yelled and finally heard their attacks stop. She didn''t know if her plan worked or if she just goaded them into getting to her quicker. "The human isss right.." Evanna gulped, waiting for their attacks to increase but instead, she heard the rumbling sounds and screeches of the creatures fighting one another. Evanna grinned and didn''t wait any longer to see which one would make it to her; there were still six others nearby. She set off at a sprint, gripping her swords tightly and followed the path. The princess didn''t know how long she followed the rooted tunnel, but her legs and feet were aching from such an activity. However, she kept pushing forwards, although nothing was chasing her just yet; the idea of those creatures reaching her in such a small space was uncomfortable, to say the least. Evanna stopped when the tunnel split into two paths; she was unsure of where to go or if she should climb back out now. But her hasty decision came after hearing the screeching echo through the tunnels, vibrating through the undergrowth. Evanna took the path to the left and soon realised it was a mistake. The trail was not steady, the little light she did have had vanished, and she found herself tripping over as the space seemed to get more narrow around her body. She was now wriggling through the roots, and with the screeching becoming increasingly louder, she started to use her swords to hack her way through as she climbed higher. She placed her blades in one hand and reached upwards, testing how far she was from the ceiling. When her hand reached through a gap and felt the cool breeze on her skin, she knew what to do next. "There she isss!" Evanna called on her gift and outstretched her hand behind her and towards the faceless that easily hacked through the roots. The golden dust like magic swirled forwards, and before her, she could see the outlines of small trees growing from the ground and barring her off from the creatures. Her energy suddenly dropped, and her hand flopped to her side, but she knew those things would get through it. It was merely a barrier between them to provide her with more time. Evanna inhaled deeply, calling on her gift again, this time using all of her power, placing her hand on the roots above. The roots above her exploded, providing enough space for her to climb out from the undergrowth. She scrambled onto her hands and knees above ground and coughed vigorously from the inhalation of dust, but when she pulled her gloved hand back, she saw blood. Evanna realised she put too much stress on her body through the gift. But it was either that or die in the ground. She crawled forwards, her mind still set on getting further away from those monsters now in the ground. Even in her weakened state, she was determined to make it through the night and out of Direwood forest. For herself, her mother and others who relied on her. She was the princess of Dunhurst, part elf, human and something else. She still had her whole life ahead of her and was not about to give up now. Chapter 136 - A Marvellous Night Evanna could still hear the faceless'' frustrated screeches and talking to one another. It urged her to push up from her hands and knees and stumble forwards. She swayed, her legs unsteady as she tried to regain her balance; her hand went to her eyes, covering them from how much the trees were spinning around her. She calmed her breathing and let her heart settle before removing her hand from her face. With a sigh, she picked up her swords and sheathed them once more, finding the burden of holding them too heavy to grip onto now. The princess'' brows furrowed as she glanced behind her from where she could still hear the faceless. Her back wasn''t tingling; she knew now from experience that this should be the case. She used her powers and was extremely weak now, was her sixth sense also being recharged? Evanna had never been without it; it was just always there. She felt a little disturbed to continue through the forest without it, but then she reminded herself that Ger, Ronan and Axel brazenly walked through these woods without such a sense. Be brave. Evanna gulped and trudged forwards, keeping her hand outstretched, brushing along the trees as she did so. If she had the energy and strength, she would run from there. She reached in her pocket for her watch and gasped at seeing the time; it was nearing midnight. She needed to get as far away from those creatures as possible and find somewhere safe to settle down for the night. The only problem was that those glowing balls were nowhere to be seen now. Had she missed the path the forest directed her on? But it helped her when she was in trouble with the faceless. Well, her priority was to get to a safe spot and quickly. Evanna moved on and searched the trees for a spot to climb up onto. After finding a low branch, she reached forwards and started to climb, her eyes on the task before her. The sounds of the faceless were long into the distance now, and she wondered just how long it would be until they made it out of the trees she created. Either way, she was not going to stop there. Evanna was only climbing to higher ground for safety, especially now with her body weak. She felt bruised all over and in need of a few days'' rest, but she continued climbing and crouched onto another branch, testing its thickness. She was high but not high enough for the branches to be wide like a path. Evanna reached back and stood up, ready to start climbing once more but halted her actions when the sound of someone laughing echoed through the woods. Startled, Evanna searched the trees, her eyes squinting, trying to look in the dark. But it was pointless; it was almost pitch black, the only light shining through from the moon and stars, which was not much. "Ha Ha HA!" The voice was closer, and she felt her heart sink at recognising it. "No," She whispered aloud before clasping her hands over her mouth and sinking down into a crouch, resting her back against the tree. The branch she was on slumped down and vibrated from the impact of something landing on it. "Oh yes, sweetie." That voice.. The creature''s slender silhouette slowly revealed itself as it walked towards her, one foot in front of the other, and he stopped to make an extravagant bow. "What a marvellous night this will be," Scarecrow smiled cruelly at her. Evanna gulped and focused on her powers, trying to call to them, but a trickle of blood started to slide down her nose. She couldn''t use anything against him, and she was in such a weak state. She glanced behind her, wondering if she could make it to the ground and run. But from what she remembered of the creature, he was powerful, so he was probably really fast too. "Hmmm, I can see you trying to work out what to do next. It''s quite a sight to see. I knew the others wouldn''t get to you, but I am rather happy I didn''t make a move earlier; now that I see how weak you are, it will make this easier for me," Scarecrow tilted his head and somehow widened his smile, even more, making her whole body grow cold at the sight of it. "Well, that''s just pitiful," Evanna began with a smirk, "you couldn''t fight me at my strongest, so you waited for the ultimate moment." Scarecrow chuckled and stepped towards her, making Evanna''s smirk vanish as she slowly reached for a sword. "It is called using your brains. Why should I use my precious energy on someone like you? I just need a body until I get my hands on one who holds much more power and authority." Evanna frowned at his comment. A body with power and authority, what was this creature''s plan? Scarecrow lunged towards her, and she raised her sword only for him to smack it out of her hands. Evanna''s eyes widened, and she managed to block one of his blows, but the knock flew her off the tree and towards the ground. She hit the floor with a thud, the air left her lungs at the impact, and her scream died out. Scarecrow landed next to her casually and beamed at her. His slender fingers reached towards her face as he stepped closer to her. He stopped after hearing a snapping sound, and the ground beneath them started to crumble. The creature jumped back as Evanna fell through the soil and landed awkwardly onto a concrete tomb, her ankle twisting and making her collapse onto her side, hitting her head with a loud thud into the concrete. Evanna''s vision instantly went black, and her body went slack as a small pool of blood trickled onto the tomb. While she was knocked out to the world, Scarecrow above ground went to jump through the ground, but some invisible barrier sent him flying backwards. Scarecrow screeched and paced backwards and forwards before leaning over the gap without touching the area. He could see the girl lying unconscious on a tomb. She was just in reach, but he couldn''t get to her, and after watching her for some time, the creature started to feel a dangerous energy growing in the cave below. Scarecrow screeched again before fleeing the area, the monster that was awakening a much greater threat than some little girl. That ''little girl'' was left lying on the tomb that slowly slid to the side, and a bony hand gripped onto the surface and reached for her waist, pulling the princess towards it. Chapter 137 - Monster In The Cave Evanna''s eyes fluttered open after hearing her name whispered sweetly into her ear. Cold hands were wrapped around her waist, her body relaxed into another''s. Her heart skipped a beat. Arawn!? She turned her head to the side and her breath caught in her throat. She stared back into the bright red eyes of a handsome man, his black hair dishevelled and falling over his forehead. His sharp features were so defined, his skin as smooth as marble that she couldn''t help but stare and forget about the position she was in. The devilishly handsome man with otherworldly red eyes chuckled at her blatant gawking. The princess recognised him, but she couldn''t quite remember who he was or how she knew him. Her gaze lowered to his lips, where there was a bit of blood on the corner of his mouth. Evanna frowned and searched his eyes questionably. "Are you hurt?" She asked, forgetting that this stranger was holding her in his arms rather intimately as he leaned his back against a cave wall, his legs spread out, leaving space for her to sit in between them. One corner of the man''s lips curved up, and he replied in her mind, "I am not. But I am hungry. Will you help me?" His voice was like silk on the skin, very smooth. "Of course, but I don''t have much to offer," She whispered back before glancing at her bag that held some of the berries she picked earlier that day. Her eyes then landed on her weapons; not only were her swords there but also all her daggers. Why were they so far away from her? "You are all I need," He replied again in her mind, distracting her from her questioning thoughts, "Come closer." Evanna tilted her head, wondering why she needed to get closer to him when he said he was hungry. Wait, was she in a dream? Who was this man!? She stopped, and her eyes widened. "Scarecrow," She gasped and tried to push off him. But his hands tightened around her waist. "He is gone," The man said aloud, his voice just as beautiful as it was in her mind. "Come closer," He commanded, his voice deeper. The pitch of his voice seemed to make her automatically want to do anything he said. Evanna obliged and slowly leaned in towards him, but her mind was running wild, and nothing was making sense. "Shh, you are safe, Evanna." The handsome man spoke again, soothing away any unease she was starting to feel. That was right; she was safe with him. She was safe withˇ­ "Killian," He whispered his name, his lips brushing against the skin on her neck. Evanna gasped at the coldness of his lips and the ticklish sensation; all her worries vanished even as she felt a sharp pain in her neck. It felt normal for Killian to be, well, whatever he was doing to her. She could hear him groan into her neck as he hugged her tightly. Evanna sighed at the pleasurable pain as her head started to flop back, her body becoming weaker. But just as her eyelids began to droop, Killian''s features shimmered, and in a flash, the sight of him was of a decaying corpse. Evanna jolted back, freaking out by what she saw, but just as quickly as his features changed to that of a corpse, he returned to his smooth skin and luscious hair that fell past his shoulders. "You are safe," His rich, silk-like voice whispered in her mind. She relaxed further in his arms as he continued to drink her blood. While she was getting weaker, Evanna couldn''t help but feel the little itch at the back of her mind; it felt unsettling. But she didn''t reveal how much that little nagging type feeling was affecting her and instead raised her hand to his long dark locks. Her fingers threaded through them, and again her vision showed Killian in a different light. But this time, his skin looked much better, the hollowness of his cheeks filling out and the colour returning to his face. Then like before, his handsome features returned like what Evanna saw was a figment of her imagination. But as her mind began searching for answers, coming to the conclusion that this man had some type of mind control or magic he was using on her, darkness fell over her vision. Evanna slipped into a deep sleep after losing all of that blood. Killian stroked her hair back, licking his bloodied lips as he tilted his head to the side, staring at her remarkable features. He couldn''t quite believe how lucky he was for her to drop atop his tombstone. Now with her blood in his system, the creature looked exactly how he did in the vision he planted in Evanna''s mind. He raised one of his hands and stared at his smooth skin, smiling at how beautiful he was again. However, his hunger knew no bounds, he was unsure of how long he was in that tomb for, but it had to at least be a couple of centuries. Throughout most of that time, he slept unless his powers picked up on something nearby. But anyone that knew the forest well stayed clear of the cave he was in. The most recent, though, was Evanna and her comrades. Killian leaned back down to her neck and licked the two puncture wounds, healing the area before leaving a kiss. "Thin-era," He whispered against Evanna''s neck as he smelled the delicious fragrance that was her before moving away and gently placing her head on the ground. He looked up at the space she fell from and jumped through the hole, glancing back down at the princess. Evanna''s lids fluttered open, and she instantly frowned at her surroundings. She was lying on a bed of leaves and staring up at a cave wall; the space she fell through that was above a stony tomb. She pushed herself off the ground and winced after feeling the throbbing pain in her ankle. Evanna forgot she twisted her ankle on her fall; she leaned her weight more on the other foot as she continued to stare at the hole, ignoring her injury. It was very suspicious that the weakest spot of the cave was above a tomb. The princess could see the rest of the cave was as sturdy as she expected. Her gaze wandered her surroundings, her eyesight much better now than it was morning, or was it daytime? All Evanna knew was that she passed out in Killian''s arms and now felt both refreshed from her sleep and a little weak, as though she was recovering from an illness and would need to rest if she did too much. Evanna reached for her pocket watch then paused as her hand wrapped around the metal object. Where was Killian? Was last night real? She gulped and glanced at the lid of the tomb that was open. There was no name on it nor a body inside of it. "Good afternoon," A rich voice spoke from across the cave. Evanna looked in the direction of the man''s voice, and standing there, she saw Killian; his clothing was of the most luxurious material, making him look like a prince or king. But why was he in a cave? "You were exhausted last night," Killian continued as he stepped towards her, yet keeping to the shadows and away from the weak sunlight shining through the hole of the cave. "G-good afternoon," Evanna stuttered as she took a step back, wincing again at the pain in her ankle. Now that her mind was clear, and she could see Killian was not a figment of her imagination or a dream, she was quite disturbed. It was also very clear from the cold, tingling feeling of her sixth sense that he was dangerous. Her gaze lowered to her weapons by his feet; she bit the inside of her cheek as she tried to plan her next course of action. Evanna didn''t know what he was but- Killian chuckled and stepped towards her, "I was quite surprised when you landed in here, Evanna. The last time I spoke to you, your mind, your Malawai, was much stronger. I can see your powers have fully awakened, so what happened for you to have weakened yourself so?" Evanna''s mind went blank, and she stared at him curiously. He stepped closer to her, his hands behind his back as he waited for her answer. "Were you the one who tried to get me to come to you before?" She questioned instead. "Why ask questions you already know the answer to? I easily controlled you last night, Evanna. Are you not curious how you were able to hold me off last time? If Scarecrow was aware that you were too weak to put a barrier up in your mind, he could have done the same thing but not left you alive." Killian walked towards her slowly as he continued to question her, his red eyes glowing as he stared at her intently. Evanna arched her neck back as Killian now towered over her. Even though her body was chilled at him being so close to her, she had not stepped away. He had not killed her, and at the moment, that was enough for her to not make any moves. She stared back into his ruby gem-like eyes, and one word crossed her mind. "Malawai," She whispered and watched as the corner of Killian''s lips curved up, making him look all the more handsome. "You know what my second gift is.." At this, Killian''s brows drew together. "Second gift?" He searched her eyes curiously. Evanna pursed her lips. Maybe she shouldn''t have said anything. "What do you know of Malawai?" She asked instead. Killian stayed silent, assessing her for a while before finally answering. "It is the gift of the mind. You seem to be able to protect yourself from a vampire''s influence. From what I know of elven gifts, Malawai is extremely rare due to the skills that come with it. You may be able to do what the faceless do. The Queen of Lyvaria, if she is indeed still the queen, has such an ability," Killian finally replied. Evanna''s brows rose at his explanation. Killian just provided her with so much information that she stepped back and leaned her back against the cave wall, placing her hand on her head as she stared at Killian''s chest. "How do you know all this?" She whispered, her eyes slowly moving up to meet his deadly mesmerising gaze. Another word stood out to her as she remembered what Killian had done to her the night before. Vampire. "Because I have lived a long time, Evanna," He stated simply. "I am the last and only vampire." Evanna stopped breathing; her eyes widened at what he said. But she released her breath; although her heart was pounding in her chest, she tried to stay calm. "Are you going to kill me?" She whispered calmly. She didn''t know much about vampires; they became extinct centuries ago. Killian chuckled, closing the distance between them as he raised his hand to the side of her face. Evanna flinched as she stared back at him. "Why would I kill my saviour? My queen?" He lowered his voice as he moved closer to her neck. "Q-queen!? Stop!" She pushed against his hard chest, failing to get him away from her. "Don''t change me!" Killian sunk his fangs into her skin and started drinking. Evanna flailed against him, but his hands gripped hers and held them against the cold wall behind her as he pulled away and grinned, "Why would I change you when you have abilities that will help me? And.." He leaned back to her neck, licking at the area her blood trickled down to her collarbone. Evanna shivered at the strange sensation. Killian pulled back again, his eyes filled with appreciation as he said, "You have the sweetest blood, but I expect nothing less for an elven-fae mixed breed." "Fae?" Chapter 138 - The Pledge Evanna''s high pitched question echoed through the cave. She stared at the vampire whose lips were now covered in her blood; he was quite a sight she found herself mesmerised by. But his words were what snapped her out of staring at his lips that he licked ever so slowly. Evanna gulped and looked away, blushing. "You said I was elven-fae mixed breed.." She whispered, trailing off as her mind was trapped with a whirlwind of questions. One question standing above all else was: Who was fae in her family? Killian''s grip on her hands relaxed, but he did not move away from her. "Fae blood is sweet and addictive, elven is somewhat similar in taste most likely because of the powers the two kinds possess. But there is a difference. You also have.." He raised his hand to her cheek, grazing gently under her right eye with his thumb, "a peculiar eye colour. They reminded me of another I knew long ago. He was half-fae and elf." "My eyes?" Her mouth spoke before her mind caught up to her. With a frown forming on Evanna''s face, she started to wonder more and more about her mother''s side of the family. Neither her mother nor father have the same colour as she, and from what she remembered of her father''s parents, they too had blue eyes. Killian removed his hand from her face but continued to stand close to her, his eyes flicking between hers. "You have the most bewitching eyes, Evanna. It is hard to look away from them." Evanna stared back at Killian, thinking the same thing about his eyes. She had never met someone with such unique eyes before. Though if she was comparing who''s captivated her the most, it had to be Arawn''s with those strikingly blue hues. Evanna internally shook her head; now was not the time to be daydreaming and daydreaming about prince Arawn! She internally sighed, wondering how mad he was right now from her disappearance. In the meantime, while Evanna was lost in thought, Killian had been leaning his face closer to hers. Her eyes widened when she realised what his aim was, she quickly raised her knee, aiming for his groin, but the vampire was quick and moved out of the way. "You cannot just try and kiss me!" She said, exasperated. Killian tilted his head to the side, parts of his dark hair falling across his eyes. "Why ever not?" He questioned, raking his fingers through his hair and smirking. He looked as though no one had ever said no to him before. She didn''t mind in her dreams, he thought. Evanna sidestepped and kept her hand between them. "I have just met you, mister. I do not kiss strangers!" She shrieked, but her words seemed to have no effect on him. "But you will be my queen.." Killian remarked confidently. Evanna continued to step away from him, though she found it quite pointless. Every step she took to the side, he followed her, his hands now behind his back as he watched her in amusement. "That''s twice now you have said that.. I am nobody''s queen." She narrowed her eyes at him, who hummed back at her but did not say anymore. He suddenly stopped and lowered his gaze, looking at the floor, making Evanna curious about what was so interesting. "You are injured," He stated simply. How did he know? She made an effort in hiding her pain, and her swollen ankle was hidden inside her boot. "Here." Killian''s face was now inches away from her, startling her. He pulled his sleeve back and bit into his forearm, drawing blood. "Kill- umph!" Evanna''s eyes widened at the sudden taste of blood pouring down her throat. Killian''s arm was against her face, his other hand holding her head gently as he licked away the blood on his lips. "Shh, there, we are even now, no?" Killian stroked her hair away before pulling his arm back. Evanna coughed and wiped at her mouth in disgust. She felt violated in some way. "Why did you.. what.." Words could not form on her tongue as she was so flabbergasted by what had just happened. Her chest was heaving from where she pointlessly struggled against him. But the vampire was too strong. "You are welcome," He smiled and turned away from her. How was this man so calm!? It was then she noticed her belongings on the ground across from her. Evanna stumbled away from the retreating vampire, grabbed her sword and jumped onto the tombstone where the sunlight filtered through. She pointed her blade towards the vampire, who rushed forwards and stopped at the edges of the light. "Just let me leave," She pleaded. Even though she wanted to see how much more Killian knew about her or the power Malawai, the princess had enough of his antics. Not only had he drank her blood and tried to kiss her, naming her his queen, but he also fed her his blood! "How is your foot?" The vampire questioned nonchalantly. Evanna blinked and started to turn her foot around. The pain was gone! The princess never stopped to question it as she ran for an escape. Killian grinned, "Vampire blood has healing qualities." The vampire slowly raised his hand into the light and hissed, bringing it back towards his chest. "Will you really leave me, Evanna?" He asked sadly, lifting his eyes to meet hers. Evanna could see the loneliness clouding those gem-like eyes, and she felt her heart pinch. How long had he been locked away for? Evanna shook her head; that wasn''t the question she should be asking. The princess crouched down, resting on her heels; she stared back at the vampire shielded by the shade. "Why were you locked away?" She answered his question with her own. It was a peculiar situation she found herself in, and although she would not mind the company, the princess was still wary of a vampire tagging along. What if he killed innocent people? What if he was put in there as a punishment? And would Killian really answer her truthfully? Killian sat on the edge of the tombstone, a part where the sun did not hit him. His back was to her as he sighed and looked at his hands. "My kind were hunted into extinction." "Why?" Evanna''s question came out as a whisper. She didn''t want to insult him, but the vibe she was getting from him kept telling her she was in danger, and her sense was always correct. She had to keep reminding herself, no matter how charming he was, he was dangerous. Killian chuckled, but there was no humour to it; it was empty. "Why? Because we are vampires. We need human blood to survive, some may have gone too far in attacking humans, but I made sure that the ones who served under me were careful. It was obviously not enough.. Everyone I know.. Is dead." Evanna reached out to him; she wanted to comfort him. He looked so lonely, hunched over like that. But a shiver ran through her, and she retracted her hand. "Why were you the only one to survive?" She asked and inhaled sharply as he turned his head swiftly to look at her. His beguiling ruby-like eyes stared at her, enchanting her briefly before she heard him scoff. "Because they wanted a weapon." Evanna''s brows furrowed at his comment. Killian tilted his head to the side, his eyes filled with amusement at how concerned the princess looked. "They could not kill me, so they put me in here until they needed to use me. But soon they realised once I was released, I would not do their bidding and kill them all," He continued as he assessed her reactions to him. Evanna nodded her head in understanding and asked, "Do you seek revenge on those who imprisoned you?" She could see the pain and fury burning bright behind those eyes, it was a little frightening, and she would hate to be on the end of his wrath. Killian did not mention who did this to him, but she didn''t speculate much to realise it was most certainly humans who played such a part. The vampire mentioned he was the last of their kind; so, was it right for her to bring him along? Would his hatred towards humans consume him into a murderous rage? Within seconds Killian closed the distance between them and sat by her side in the sunlight. "If I sought vengeance, would you allow it?" He asked with a smirk forming on his handsome features. Evanna was stunned into silence. The vampire was sitting in the sun and not bursting into flames. She raised her sword again, but he grabbed the sharp end and yanked it out of her hands, throwing it behind him, his movements fluid, his gaze unwavering on her face. The sword clattered against the cave wall behind them, making Evanna flinch at the sound then gasp at Killian''s sliced hand, watching in amazement as the wound healed before her. "I will not hurt you, but raising your sword towards me is rude and quite frankly absurd. I thought a princess had better manners." "You scold me on manners after drinking my blood and trying to kiss me?" Evanna drawled, arching her perfectly shaped brow. Killian ignored what she said and leaned towards her, "Would you allow it?" Evanna swallowed hard. "Why are you asking me that? I am not your master," She whispered, leaning away from him and falling back onto her bottom. She tried to keep her face impassive, but her cheeks heated from the way his eyes lit up at her trying to put some distance between them. "You are my saviour. I am indebted to you, Evanna," He reached out and grabbed her hand, leaving a gentle kiss upon her knuckles before leaning his forehead against her skin. The dark strands of his hair fell forwards, casting shadows across his face. "If you will allow me to, I would like to help you in all of your endeavours. But," He raised his head, staring up at her, "would you let me get my revenge?" Evanna gulped; if she agreed, did that mean she was as responsible for his actions as he is? "I.." She stared back at his ruby-red eyes and saw the determination behind them. Killian was the last vampire; there was no one else like him. He was now alone in this world and had been in this cave for so long. If revenge was what he now lived for, how could she take that away from him? "As long as you don''t take an innocent life.. I would allow it." Shock filled his striking features, but a mask of composure quickly replaced it, and he kissed her knuckle again. "Then I, Killian Dragomir, am yours to use as you see fit, Princess Evanna Elwin Goodrich," He pledged, and it was similar to that of a knight pledging his loyalty to a lady. Evanna didn''t know if she just made a horrifying deal or not, but now she had a being of incredible powers by her side to roam through Direwood forest. As long as he didn''t try to kiss her, or take her blood without asking again, then there shouldn''t be any more problems.. She also decided that if the gem could not be found soon, she would take Killian''s word and ask him to give his blood to her mother. Chapter 139 - Follow The Bodies In another part of Direwood forest, a band of elves followed behind prince Arawn among the significant heights of the trees. They moved swiftly, sliding down the branches, jumping and flipping acrobatically. They had been searching for Evanna for two days now, following Arawn''s lead, who was becoming more and more frustrated. Arawn dropped to a branch below the others, crouched down, tilting his head to the side as a small smile played on his lips. Garrett landed heavily next to him but was still silent; he looked on at what the prince was humoured by and furrowed his brows. Before them was a dead faceless creature on the ground; their gazes followed the tree''s broken branches above it and the black pool of blood surrounding it. Arawn knew Evanna passed through there. The men he left with the Demon prince had yet to contact him about any issues with the faceless creatures. So it was not them, and he knew how Evanna escaped the forbidden side of the forest where the faceless had been sealed away from the rest of the world. She was a remarkable woman, but there was nowhere to hide now when she escaped the faceless before she had somewhere where they could not enter. The seal was now broken, and anyone roaming the woods was in the most danger. In the days following up to Evanna''s escape, the prince provided extra protection for the surrounding villages and set out more patrols to deal with the monsters. His father was aware of the situation with the faceless running loose; he was adamant they could solve the crisis before alerting the other kingdoms. Reports had been filed about the number of the creatures being killed daily. The prince hopped down and swung from a branch before front flipping and landing gracefully on the forest floor. His hair was still in place as though he had never moved, his attire mud-free even though they had been sleeping in the trees for two days. Arawn strolled forwards, his hands behind his back while his men surrounded the area above him, their bows readied as they kept a keen eye on their surroundings. Garrett and Cedric soon followed behind the prince, their eyes wary as they too searched the area. Arawn stepped up to the faceless beast, avoiding the bloodied ground, its long neck twisted to the side, its pincer sprawled behind it, half its long legs broken or curled together. He dropped down into a low squat and smirked at the white-masked face of the creature. It had been stabbed in the face. Nodding his head, he stood back up and looked in the direction of the trees again. There were no footprints on the earth, and so, he knew without a doubt that his girl stuck to travelling across the trees. It was the quickest and safest place to be. He didn''t expect any less. Arawn heaved a long sigh before setting off in the direction he believed the princess to go in. He quickly joined his men again, only giving them a nod as a signal to move out. It wasn''t long after they came across three other dead faceless creatures; Arawn''s mood was beginning to pick up, they were heading in the correct direction, but he was still worried. He hoped the only bodies he was going to see were the monster''s Evanna slain. The group kept pushing forwards until it was past midday, and the prince could see his men growing tired. They needed to eat and rest; Arawn knew the river was close by and would use that as their resting point if there were no monsters there. They slowly approached their intended location, but Arawn held his hand up to stop them from jumping down from the trees. By one of the trees, there was a small pile of twigs and ash where a fire had been lit. Arawn raced across the trees and halted, leaning down and observing the area more. It was not newly created, but he could see footprints and track marks from multiple creatures when he looked behind him. If this was Evanna, she fled the area instead of staying to fight. "*Sire, the area doesn''t deem safe for us to stay here,*" Garrett spoke after catching up to him and holding onto the branch above them. "*We will rest long enough to eat and drink. You are right; it is not safe. The faceless or other monsters might return,*" Arawn replied, his gaze still set on the footprints. He felt impatient again, Evanna seemed just out of reach, but he couldn''t keep pushing his men. Arawn sat down on the branch, his legs dangling down while he took the waterskin from Garrett, greedily gulping on the water as he stared at the river bed. "*Did I do something wrong?*" Were Evanna''s last words to him. She looked up at him, her gem-like eyes full of sadness at the idea of doing something to earn his cold attitude. His chest tightened at the memory; he wished he could have just enveloped her in his arms. Even now, with the knowledge that she was a princess of Dunhurst, he had no intention of giving her back to their kingdom. The prince was feeling withdrawal symptoms from not seeing Evanna; he was easily angered and constantly anxious. He felt like there was a void in his chest, as though something was missing. Now that he felt these raw emotions, he was not about to let them go. Arawn would find Evanna, and once they spoke properly, he would make her his. He knew she had feelings for him, she was just afraid, and now he knew why. Evanna was not stupid; she set out on a goal to steal that gemstone, which he still did not know why. But he knew her better now to realise how determined she was, and she would not risk a war for something small. Nothing was going to stop him now. Nothing, he would use his newly gained knowledge about her to his advantage. "*Keep looking like that, your highness and I am afraid you will scare away any game,*" Garrett commented with a chuckle. Arawn glared at him. It appeared he was pulling a face. "*Let''s head out,*" Arawn commanded quietly as he pushed off from the branch and continued to lead the way, following the footprints on the ground, which soon turned to uplifted roots twisting, nearly impossible to escape quickly from pursuers. Arawn clenched his teeth together as he saw the claw marks and mess left behind from the faceless. They left a path of destruction in their wake, and near an opening in the rooted ground were two faceless bodies entangled together, dead. The prince halted and waited as his men took out two faceless creatures that started to follow them. While they fought them, Arawn stared at the dead creatures and an area next to the hole where it looked like they had tried to cut through. Without saying a word, he leapt down and slid across the roots until he side-flipped into the hole between the creatures, landing elegantly into what looked like a tunnel. "*Prince!*" Arawn heard his men call for him, but he couldn''t help it. He felt Evanna''s power, he didn''t know what she did, but it was like a small vibration down the tunnel. Only he could tell if an elf was gifted or used their powers because it was another gift of his. Usually, it was pretty useless, but in cases such as this, it was helpful in tracking Evanna. Arawn started following the tunnel after hearing Garrett land in the tunnel of roots, followed by Cedric and Anwel, who by now had earned a little bit of forgiveness from the prince. Though they weren''t aware of it, considering he had yet to speak to them directly. Only when his Evanna was found that they would not be punished. The prince picked up the pace and started to call upon his gift of Letum. He could hear the low whispers and screeches of the faceless echoing down the tunnels. Garrett signalled with his hands for Cedric and Anwel to follow behind him in front of the prince. The remaining men pulled out their bows and arrows, ready to shoot at any moment. They followed the sounds and stopped upon seeing six faceless creatures; they were bickering among themselves and halted upon seeing elves in the same area as them. "*Stand back,*" Arawn ordered and stepped forwards. He was truly gifted, but he didn''t want to use his power unnecessarily. But six of these filthy things would take too much time and effort. Plus, he could see four random trees that had been hacked multiple times behind the creatures; they almost shimmered with flecks of gold. The faceless screamed and started to run towards them, some of them crawling on the side of rooted walls and one upside down, its tail hanging loosely over its head. Arawn grinned, his eyes gleaming as the black mist started to swirl out of his hands and swiftly fly towards the creatures like a gust of wind in a storm. He spread his fingers, and the mist spread out, coating the monsters in a thick black fog. The creature above the others flopped to the ground and the faceless on the side of the tunnel. They all died within seconds. Arawn relaxed his hands, and the mist dissipated. "*Stay back until I say so,*" Arawn started stepping over the creatures until he reached the trees, a smile formed on his face; he knew instantly Evanna created them. He looked through a gap and could see the tangled roots becoming dense, and at the highest part of the tunnel was another hole. The roots looked destroyed; the gap was big enough for someone to crawl out of. By now, the toxic mist he created was no longer in the air, and he allowed the others to walk towards him. Arawn assessed the weakened point on the tree and knew it only needed a few more chops from a sword for the sturdy trunk to fall away and provide a big enough gap for them to climb through. He stepped back and called for Garrett. A job like this was for a big man like him with his seraph blade. Within minutes the tree trunk fell down. The group started to climb through, up the roots and out of the ground. Arawn breathed in the fresh air once more before catching sight of drops of blood on the ground which led to the gait of the footsteps being inconsistent. The prince''s hands clenched together by his sides, and his eyes hardened. Evanna was injured or had used too much of her powers; the tracks proved that she had crawled and then stumbled forwards. Arawn followed the tracks that stopped at a tree he was about to climb until he heard Cedric''s voice. "*Sire, look!*" Arawn looked in the direction the elf pointed at. The sun shone down in a gap from the tree leaves, revealing another hole in the ground. The prince jogged forwards and stopped, leaning towards the hole, and inhaled sharply. Garrett and the others caught up, and their eyes widened before looking at the prince. The sealed tomb had blood on it, and the body inside was gone. The cave below them was empty. "*Killian Dragomir has been released, *" Arawn stated in a grave voice. Would Killian kill Evanna? "*Lady Evanna is still alive.*" Arawn slowly turned his head at the mention of Evanna''s name, his icy stare meeting Cedric''s light green eyes. "*If there is anything we now know of Lady Evanna, it is that she is a true warrior and survivor. Even if Killian is now free, he is not foolish to kill someone like that. *" The golden-haired elf continued before bowing his head in respect, knowing he had spoken out of turn. "*How do you know he would not kill her?*" Arawn asked; his voice and face had darkened, the air becoming cold around them. Cedric cleared his throat and clutched at the handle of his sword by his hip. "*It is said that the last vampire was cunning and had incredible powers of the mind. If he could read her mind, then he would know she is more useful alive.*" "*Hope is a very dangerous gift, Cedric. If I were you, I would not speak so lightly of such things,*" Arawn drawled before releasing his gaze from Cedric''s and following where Anwel had started to wander off to. "*Your highness! There are more dead faceless creatures! What should we do?*" Anwel asked from hiding behind a tree, his bow and arrow readied. His men looked at him for their orders. The prince glanced at Cedric; his eyes were brimming with confidence and determination. Arawn knew Evanna was special, but he now realised it was not just he who saw her in such away. His men had seen her fight and now know she has slaughtered and fought her fair share of monsters by herself. She had been acknowledged by his own people, making his chest swell with pride. He nodded, "*We will continue to follow the bodies.. Be prepared, though, if Evanna is not alone now, we need to be ready for a vampire that could only be taken down by the great witch.*" Chapter 140 - Strange Woman Evanna traipsed through the woods with Killian by her side. So far, he had been very helpful in defeating the faceless along the way. She didn''t know how many there were, but at least taking them down as they went would benefit not just the elves of Direwood forest but the other kingdoms too. The only issue now she was facing was that her sixth sense was not working as it normally did. With Killian next to her, her back occasionally shivered, which initially kept alarming her to possible predators nearby, but it was because of him. Now it was a little comforting in a way, like a reminder that although he was charming and had some dark sense of humour that made her laugh, he was still a dangerous being. One that could kill her in seconds, but she had a feeling Killian was not a man who broke his promises. He also helped her each night to work on her Malawai, though there was no progress at all. Evanna sat cross-legged on the ground next to the fire in between her and Killian. She had the golden book with information on her gifts open in her lap, and after some time of reading how to ''feel'' another person''s mind, she tried to practice again. Killian leaned against the tree, one arm resting on his bent knee, his raven locks falling down his shoulders as he watched her with an amused expression. He was the practice dummy, but so far, he couldn''t feel anything, no intrusion of his thoughts or the feeling of being controlled. "You love humans, don''t you, Killian?" Evanna asked again for the tenth time in the last hour. Killian raised a brow but imitated a vacant stare as he looked back at the princess. "I do; I love humans," He replied in a hypnotic voice. Evanna gasped. "I did it!? How did I.." Killian smirked, "How can you not tell that it didn''t work? It must be the human blood dumbing you down." Evanna''s face dropped, and she huffed without responding to his comment, closing her eyes. The vampire''s burning gaze was too much of a distraction. She inhaled deeply and released a long breath, and soon her breathing became her primary focus as she began to meditate. After ten minutes of becoming mindful and aware of herself and her surroundings, she started to feel her power once more and expanded it like invisible waves. Killian tensed at the sudden shiver in his mind, and his eyes widened as he stared at the princess. The princess looked to have beads of sweat now on her forehead. Evanna''s relaxed hands now in fists, her brows knitted together in concentration. Evanna could feel Killian now, his mind was like a maze she had to navigate around, but when she made it to a dead-end, she imagined a brick wall. A wall that needed tearing apart. She reached out and clasped her fingernails at one of the bricks, slowly removing it, and when it was free, she could see through the other side that was filled with darkness and in the middle of that darkness was Killian sitting on his tomb once more, looking sad, furious and then menacing. "Evanna!" Her shoulder shook, and with it, the imagery before her flickered and started to crumble down until the tether snapped, and she was staring into the ruby eyes of the vampire. "You need to train yourself slowly! The mind is not a game to play around in," He scolded and held out a handkerchief in front of her face. Evanna frowned at the cloth, but then she finally felt the blood trickling down her nose. Alarmed, she quickly wiped it away and like a fishing rod getting caught, then returning without the fish, she flung backwards as all her energy depleted, her sight becoming blurry. Killian caught her before she hit her head on the ground; he gently lay her down, his gaze falling down to her neck where he could see her artery pumping beneath her skin. His mouth went dry and parted slightly as he leaned closer to her. She was so defenceless, such easy prey, and her blood was so sweet and addictive. It was hard to imagine returning to drinking human blood alone. Killian inhaled her scent, his nose nearly touching her neck, but he heard her heart rate pick up, almost tempting him further. But he pulled back as her eyes fluttered open, revealing those ethereal emerald orbs. Evanna was quick to read the slightly pained look on his features as their eyes locked, but he turned away, pushing up to sit next to her. "How do you feel?" He asked, his voice husky. "Killian, how much blood do you need to drink?" She asked instead, still lying down on the cold earth as her dizziness began to subside. It had already been two days since he fed on her in the cave, and although he was this crazy immortal being, he was starting to show signs of fatigue. Killian chuckled, "Why, fancy offering some to me?" "Maybe," She whispered only to hear his breath catching in his throat and his face appearing above her. "Don''t be so quick to trust me, princess. I don''t trust myself around you.." His hardened eyes flickered between hers. Her spine shivered in response, warning her to the vampire above her. "Tell me," She whispered gently; the softness of her voice seemed to wrap around his mind and unlock the invisible door to his will. Killian instantly replied, "I need to feed twice a day." He stilled from answering her truthfully and looked away in shock. Evanna just used Malawai, he glanced at her, but it looked like she was unaware of using her power. With his back to her, he added, "But I can go without for two days at a time. If I can go without it for years, I am sure a few days will be fine." "You must be starving," Evanna replied gently. If what he was saying was true, then he must have excellent resistance to temptation. Killian went years without drinking blood, and he tasted it so recently; it wasn''t like she could understand, but she tried comparing it to going without water for two days. Evanna slowly rose, the noise of her movements making the vampire turn around and instantly help her lean up against the tree. Her kind face made his non-beating heart stir. Why was she looking at him like that? "Here," She raised her wrist in front of Killian''s face. Killian gently grabbed her wrist and revealed his fangs, observing her and seeing no fear on her face as he pulled her sleeve back. Slowly bringing his face closer to her skin, his eyes locked with hers, he listened to the beat of her heart increase, heard the blood flowing in her veins, the predator within him almost taking over. But instead of sinking his fangs into her flesh, he kissed her wrist gently. Evanna''s face instantly flushed from his action, "You are too weak right now, princess. If you are still happy to offer yourself to me tomorrow, I will gladly take it then." Evanna gulped, "W-why do you make it sound so.." She couldn''t finish her sentence. But the smile spreading on his face indicated that that was precisely what he was aiming for. She eyed him warily, dropping her arm away from his face, pulling her sleeve back into place. "Rest up, Evanna," Killian said gently, his face now serious as he pulled away from her, letting his midnight dark hair cover his features. "Goodnight, Killian," She whispered and wiggled into a comfortable position facing away from the fire and the vampire. Within minutes the princess had fallen asleep, once again defenceless in front of him. How could she let her guard down so easily? She also used up her powers, depleting her energy, and now the barrier that usually protected her mind from him had fallen. He could easily enter her dreams and control them without her realising, but he wouldn''t. He had some self-respect and control. When he used her before, entering her dreams, it was only to try and lure her to the cave, but now he had her in his sights, could see she was real, he didn''t want to. Killian sighed and leaned back into the tree again, his gaze wandering back to Evanna. She volunteered in giving him her blood; it was ridiculous, even when he had the human slaves in his castle, they were still unwilling. That was until they became addicted to the little venom in the vampire''s bites and surrendered to the bliss. He should have accepted her offer, it would have created a stronger bond between them, and he could tell her location at all times, but it took a while for that to happen. He never expected it to happen overnight. Still, as he started to read her mind, her memories and the life she led, he knew she was extraordinary, even for a princess sheltered from the world. She was still kind, if a little na?ve, on occasions. In conclusion, he thought her a strange woman. A strange woman with an interesting background who had yet to admit her feelings for that elven prince. He grimaced at the idea of him; he was much more handsome and charming than he. But now, he knew looks alone would not win her over. She wasn''t as easy to manipulate as he thought, and after reading her character and seeing the life, she lived in Dunhurst, he knew she would be quite the queen. If he fed into that tiny part of her who resented her lifestyle as the ''bastard princess'', the part that wanted to punch each noble who looked down at her and sneered, she could be a powerful ally. But she was so kind, and even though her body was warning her to not trust him, she was giving him the benefit of the doubt. Killian tilted his head to the side, then tensed up after realising he had been watching her sleep for at least an hour now. The following day Evanna stretched her arms above her head and yawned, feeling well-rested except for the slight headache. She grabbed her waterskin and looked around as the morning light filtered through the leaves, revealing a thin mist near the dampening ground. Evanna pulled her mask over her nose and hood up to warm up. Where was Killian? She stood up, reaching for her swords when her eyes landed on two figures in the trees watching her, their outfits revealing them to be rangers, but their white exquisitely crafted bows and their pointed ears showed them to be Flori warriors. "*Halt! You are trespassing!*" The raven-haired elf shouted, jumping to the ground and pulling his bowstring back, aiming at her. The brown-haired elf stayed in the tree, also aiming an arrow towards her. That was when Killian appeared out of nowhere and sunk his fangs into the brown-haired elf''s neck. His arrow shot into the air, where the bow pulled back from Killian''s strength. The elf''s bow dropped to the ground, and the raven-haired warrior looked up slowly to see the vampire enjoying his meal. Killian pulled back, blood pouring down his lips, his eyes glowing and looking like the menacing creature he was. "*If you want your friend to live, lower your bow.*" Chapter 141 - Just One Bite The atmosphere became tense, almost stilling the forest. The raven-haired elf did not lower his bow, his eyes trained on Evanna. Killian pulled on the brown-haired elf''s long locks, making him hiss and squirm in his hold. Evanna released her breath and pulled her mask down. "*He WILL kill him. My friend is ravenous. It has been years since he last fed properly,*" She warned, clutching her swords by her sides. The warrior''s lips parted at her words. "*You speak our tongue?*" He scrutinised Evanna''s features behind the arrow aimed at her head. "*Please lower your bow. I have travelled from Lyvaria,*" Evanna replied calmly. She didn''t know if that lie would work again, but it seemed to make him falter and lower his aim. "*You have come far.." He tilted his head to the side, his gaze still full of suspicion. "I find it strange that an elf and a.." He glanced up at Killian, "vampire are travelling together. As you are on the Flori''s land, I ask that you state your business.*" "Can I kill them?" Killian asked. "No," Evanna replied sternly. "*My friend is keen on killing you both, but I am more merciful. Let us pass without further disruption so we can be on our way or die by his hands. It is your choice, *" She threatened the raven haired-elf. "*Release Wade, and we will leave.*" "I think that makes you, Wade?" Killian said in a sing-song voice before dropping him nonchalantly from the tree; he crash-landed not so elegantly for an elf and groaned in pain. Killian then hopped down and instantly grabbed the other elf by the throat, slamming him against the tree. "Killian!" Evanna gasped and ran towards them. Killian was choking him, and Evanna tried to smack his hands away. "He said they''d leave!" "You are so na?ve. This is their land-" "But you threatened to kill them both why-" "They are the Flori! Did living in his palace make you forget? They''d rather protect the land and die than return with news of letting someone freely run around! Death threat or not made by a vampire," Killian hissed vehemently. "*La-dy E-vanna?*" Evanna looked at the elf, who was now struggling to breathe. Before she could reply, another shiver ran down her spine, and within the next second, the ground shook, and she was knocked to the ground by Killian in time for a pincer to slice through the tree behind the elf. The vampire was already gone, tackling the faceless creature to the ground. Evanna reached for her swords and glanced at the brown-haired elf- Wade, who was still recovering from the vampire bite on the earth. A piercing shrill resounded in the forest, and she looked around to see Killian had punched the faceless creature away from them. Evanna gaped at how strong he was; first, he tackled it, then punched it. She then frowned after seeing the dark-haired elf pull Wade to his feet and whisper to him, glancing in Evanna''s direction and then Killian''s. What was he planning? He knew who she was. She pushed off from the ground and started to jog in his direction, ignoring another screech and the sound of bones or possibly legs breaking. Killian enjoyed killing the beasts too much. "Wait!" Evanna shouted after the dark-haired elf who climbed up a tree. She followed after him, mirroring his movements with ease, but after hopping onto another branch and swinging around a tree, the elf was gone as though he was a ghost and vanished in thin air. Evanna skidded to a stop and observed her surroundings; she wasn''t paying attention because the warrior was agile, and she found it hard to keep up with him. It made her wonder if Arawn was just as quick, and he slowed down his pace for her that time; she followed him through the trees of Direwood forest. Her back shivered again, and a wisp of wind blew across her face. "We need to keep moving. I have a feeling that elf will return to Arawn with my latest location. What happened to Wade?" She asked quietly, knowing already it was Killian behind her. "He ran off. It is a good thing I have excellent hearing. If you are still willing to offer me your blood, I can tell you what they said." Evanna could hear the smirk on his face and the charm in his voice. Evanna started walking along the wide tree branch, ignoring him. "Have you not had your fill this morning?" She queried, glancing in his direction and indeed seeing a smirk on his handsome features. She reached for her bag and threw it over her head before pulling her mask over her nose once more. Bringing her hand back down from her face, she halted after feeling Killian''s hand wrapped around her wrist and raising it to his lips. "With you right here," He smelled her hand, "not nearly enough. Just one bite.. I''m so, so hungry.." He pouted and looked at her wide rounded eyes. Evanna sighed, "I am sure their conversation was not that informative. We don''t have time for this.." She faltered after seeing his adam''s apple bobble from swallowing and parting his lips slightly, revealing his fangs. "Fine, but only a little bit of my blood." Killian grinned triumphantly and gently pulled her sleeve down, parting his lips and bit into her skin. "Ack," She grimaced at the sharp pain that soon washed away with a warmth flooding her body. Evanna opened her eyes again, her cheeks heating that she lost herself for a moment there. Looking back at Killian, she watched as he gently pulled away with a satisfied sigh. Evanna started to move her hand, but Killian''s grip tightened, and she watched as he bit his tongue to the point it began to bleed, and he licked over her puncture wounds. A cold shiver flittered down her spine, and she watched as he pulled away, and the holes healed themselves, the skin unblemished. "T-thanks," She stuttered and turned around again, ignoring the rising blood to her cheeks. "No, thank you, princess," Killian purred from behind her. "Oh, so Wade is to return to the human''s camp, and Poldo, the one you chased after, is going to alert prince Arawn." "The human camp?" She spun around, raising a brow. "Why are there humans here? And with two Florian elves? Did you manage to read their minds?" "Oh yes, because I had the time to read their minds while tackling that creature.." He replied sarcastically, then smiled, "Of course, I did. Prince Arawn made an agreement with the kingdom of Dunhurst and Hatherland to enter the forest in search of you, and he left Wade and Poldo to help with any creatures like the faceless." Evanna stilled, her eyes rounding at what the vampire said. Did Arawn know who she was now? The princess of Dunhurst. She shook her head; even if he did, she was out of his reach now, well, if she makes it out of Direwood soon. With those thoughts, she picked up the pace without responding to Killian. Luckily as she raced across the trees, she did not feel light-headed; the vampire kept to his word and seemed to have only taken a little of her blood. Did that really satisfy his cravings? She glanced at him; he seemed to effortlessly run and jump across the branches, his hair now tied back into a ponytail, revealing dangling earrings of two tiny ruby jewels that matched his eyes. "Ahh!" Chapter 142 - Who.. Are You? Evanna whipped her head back in the direction of a man''s scream that was quickly followed by the screeching sounds of the faceless. She looked at Killian before jumping down to lower branches and observing the area. There before her was a bloodied battleground in the middle of the forest. There were numerous faceless creatures fighting and surrounding a large group of men. All humans. She searched the little campsite and smiled under her mask; at the far end behind the tents were some horses tied up. "Let''s go," Killian grabbed her hand, but she shook her head. "We need to help first," She replied, removing her hand from his grasp and reaching behind her back, unsheathing her swords. "Oh, come on, they are searching for you! If you get caught.." "But I won''t get caught.. I have you, Killian." Her eyes slanted from smiling beneath her mask. "So, I can kill them, right?" He asked, hopeful. "Did you not just listen to me? We are going to help, then we will make a run for it," Evanna responded quickly, then dived forwards, front flipping and landing on the faceless'' head her swords slashed into the top of it. "What a woman," Killian smirked before running at incredible speed to two other faceless creatures approaching, pulling out his long sword and smiling at them. Evanna yanked her swords out and tried balancing on the monster that started to collapse beneath her. Still, she backflipped off it, landing elegantly on the ground, dodging another faceless front leg''s swiping towards her. She blocked its next attack, crossing her blades and pushing it back, but its tail swung towards her. Evanna tensed, expecting to be hit, but its tail dropped off after a large black sword sliced through it; she instantly recognised that sword. Evanna inhaled sharply as she saw the man wielding the sword, whose large broad back was to her, his dirty blonde hair pulled back in a bun. Her head swivelled back to the faceless creature that was yet to die. She rolled her eyes as its face morphed before her, screeching at its tail on the ground. Evanna used the distraction and leapt forwards and slashed through its neck, beheading it. The blood spurted out, and she took a step back, avoiding it. "Who.. are you?" A low husky yet sinister voice asked. A shiver ran down her spine, and she knew it wasn''t from her sixth sense. She felt a sword poking into her back. Evanna chuckled, knowing well that it would annoy him, "*You raise your sword to someone helping you?*" She dropped her voice to sound more manly. The sword dropped, "*My apologies-*" "*If you have time to apologise, then it seems your men do not need my help anymore..*" She replied arrogantly, her back still facing him. She could almost hear him growl from annoyance, and with that, she fled. "Hey!" He roared, and she could hear his heavy footsteps after her. Evanna jumped and slid under one of the creatures who had three men fighting it. She raised her sword as she did so, blocking her pursuer from following and helping the men who seemed to struggle. Evanna continued running, the faceless creature crumbling to the ground behind her. She saw Killian out of the corner of her eye, more like a blur taking down multiple faceless creatures. When she looked ahead again, there was another one that she quickly jumped over its tail that dropped towards her. She rolled out to the side then rolled back as the tail slammed down where she just lay. Narrowing her eyes, she jumped forwards, so she was just beneath the creature, giving her enough time to then stab its core. Black blood oozed out, and she sliced her sword across it, its guts falling out before its legs gave way beneath it. Evanna looked around again, her eyes landing on Prince Conrad, who was now fighting with his men, his black sword holding back the monster''s pincer. The men helped defeat it, and as though he could feel her gaze, Conrad locked eyes with her, his own honey golden eyes rounding. Noˇ­ He can''t recognise her from all the way over there.. her features were hidden except for her eyes.. "*Raven, they do not need our help now,*" Killian called her from somewhere above her in the trees. She nodded, sheathed her swords and sprinted in the direction of the horses, running under more creatures to hide from the prince''s view. Evanna approached the tents and slowed down, calming her ragged breaths. She looked behind her feeling relieved when there was no brute of a prince following her. Looking back, she approached the horses cautiously. Evanna could tell from how they kept moving their hooves and heads that they were anxious and scared about the faceless. "Pick one already!" Killian whisper-shouted, suddenly appearing by her side. The horses seemed startled from his sudden appearance. "Stay back, I am looking for.. Ah.. there he is.." She grinned when she saw the most enormous black horse with a black and gold embroidered saddle atop it, its reins also golden. Approaching slowly from the front, she raised her hands and pulled her mask down after seeing Conrad''s horse getting ready to kick her. No one could ride his horse; they were all thrown off and attacked. No one, except Evanna. "Shhh, hey now.. it''s been a very long time," She calmly spoke, then gently brushed his neck when his head dropped down her back in recognition. She kissed his neck then pulled her mask back up. "Err.. Raven.." Killian called from behind the horses. She walked to his side, her brows furrowing as he looked down at something. Sitting against a tree with ropes binding them to it, their mouths gagged, and hands bound in front of them as well were Ronan and Cilv. She instantly ran to them; their eyes widened when they saw Evanna crouch in front of them. Ronan was trying to say something against the gag and pointing his eyes in Cilv''s direction. "On''t ugh er" "Eh? I missed you too, Roach." Chapter 143 - Nothing More Than A Thief! Evanna started cutting through Ronan''s bounded hands, frowning when she saw Killian was not helping Cilv. Ronan continued to try and speak, "On''t ugh er!" "Killian, what are you doing? You are wasting time. Help Cilv so we can head out," Evanna ordered, but when he didn''t move, she paused and looked at him. He was glaring at Cilv, his face full of fury, his ruby eyes narrowing. "I think.. you should see what your friend has to say first," He said darkly, clenching his fists. Evanna glanced between Ronan and Cilv, but the sound of another faceless creature screeching reminded her of their urgency to escape. She cut through Ronan''s ropes, and they fell away from his hands; he instantly pulled his gag down and wetted his lips. "Don''t trust her, Raven. She''s nothing more than a thief!" Evanna looked at the petite red-haired shapeshifter before cutting through the ropes that kept their bodies stuck to the tree. Cilv instantly tried to move, but Killian suddenly appeared next to the shapeshifter, blocking her way and Evanna now in front of her. She pulled Cilv''s gag down. "Princess, how good it is to see you still alive. I never expected the Flori to be so.. accommodating towards a thief," She smirked while her eyes sought out a way to escape them. But with Killian there, it was pointless in even trying. Cilv looked at the vampire, and for the first time, there was fear in her features. "What did you do?" Evanna asked her sternly, ignoring her comment. "She stole the gem," Ronan spat. Evanna stilled, her eyes widening at what he just spoke. "Did my ears mishear what you just said, Roach? I swore you said my friend, Cilandra, who I was to pay handsomely for her services.. betrayed me," Evanna said icily, looking back at the woman before her. Cilv chuckled darkly, "What do you expect? I thought you were dead; the gem is no good to a dead person!" Evanna''s face hardened. "Ronan, go to the horse next to the black one. This won''t take long," She said quietly and without emotion. Ronan stared at her then looked at Killian questionably, but he went towards one of the tents instead. "Ohhh, scary voice, Evanna. But I know you well, you won''t-" Evanna''s hand wrapped around her throat, and she pushed her against the tree, her other hand holding a knife against Cilv''s cheek, her green eyes almost glowing from fury. She could feel her hand wanting to choke her for what she did. The anger, pain and betrayal creating chaos in her heart. She leaned towards Cilv, her eyes glinting with an emotion Cilv had never seen on the princess'' face before. She looked dangerous. "You do not know me, Cilv." She moved to speak next to her ear. "If you did, then you''d know the one thing that would not stop me from driving a knife in that cold heart of yours and twisting it in enjoyment.. Is stealing the one thing that would heal my dying mother." Evanna grinned beneath the mask when she saw Cilv visibly tremor, but when the princess pulled away from her, the shapeshifter''s face was composed. "Killian, wrap the ropes back around my ''friend'' here." She did not move from her position as the vampire tightened the ropes around the shapeshifter. Once he was finished, Evanna started to search Cilv''s cloak. "She sold it, Raven," Said Killian grimly. Evanna stilled as tremors of anger rippled through her. "You. Sold. It?" She spoke each word through gritted teeth. Her hands curled into fists at the loss of such a gem. It wasn''t just any gem, but one she had done so much to get. One that would save her mother''s life. Cilv didn''t meet her eyes; they weren''t full of regret or shame. The shapeshifter just didn''t want to deal with the consequences or listen to a wailing woman. But Evanna did not shed a tear. She was too angry to even cry. "Who did you sell it to?" She lowered her voice, and even though the forest was filled with the sounds of the faceless and men grunting and fighting, Cilv could hear her. The shapeshifted sighed. "WHO!?" Evanna roared into her face and stabbed the side of the tree, cutting the tip of Cilv''s ear. "The Lyvarians!" She hissed, scrunching up her nose at the small trickle of blood from her ear. Evanna pulled the knife out and pressed the cold blade just below Cilv''s eye. "Who?" The princess almost whispered, feeling her body begin to drain her energy. Unbeknownst to Evanna, she had used her gift once more; only Killian was aware because he was reading the shapeshifter''s mind, who originally wanted to stall for time in the hopes they would get caught. But with Evanna''s use of Malawai, she couldn''t help but instantly reply truthfully. Cilv looked to be in pain, but then she gasped, "The Lyvarian queen''s right hand!" Evanna stepped back, her eyes looking off into the woods at nothing in particular as she processed what the shapeshifter said. She chuckled darkly, "*You couldn''t make it easy for me.*" She sighed and looked up at Killian, her mind already spinning on what to do now. The vampire stared back at her. But the sound of approaching footsteps alerted them to how long they''d stayed in the exact location as the people who were searching for her. Evanna didn''t bother glancing in Cilv''s direction as she started to briskly walk away, Killian by her side. "Ha! Exactly as I thought!" Evanna stopped at the sound of Cilv''s voice. "Even now, you won''t kill me!" Evanna spun around and marched in Cilv''s direction, she raised her hands as though she would strangle the shapeshifter, but instead, she pulled the cloth back into place, gagging her from speaking. Evanna pulled her mask down, both glaring at her and smirking, "Oh, I have the will to kill you, Cilandra. But I''d rather see you rot in a cell for the rest.of.your.life. And if you escape, you better stay hidden because I will come for you." She turned away, pulled her mask up once more, and locked her eyes with Killian''s. That was the last she would see of that damned woman; Evanna was sure Conrad would assume she left her there for a reason. They rushed towards the horses once more, and she stopped a few horses away from Shardeigh, Conrad''s horse. Reaching her hand out, she grabbed Killian''s arm. "*Killian.. Did you mean what you said to me in the cave?*" She stared up at him, her brows furrowing at what seemed like her last bit of hope. "Of course," Killian replied without hesitation, "*I am yours to use, your highness.*" He bowed his head slightly; he could feel the nervousness radiating off from her at what she wanted to ask him. He knew what her question would be, and he found her cute for looking so guilty to ask him such a thing. Evanna bit the inside of her cheek, looking down guiltily before clenching her eyes shut and releasing her breath as she stared back into Killian''s jewelled eyes. "I need a favour.." "Anything, *my saviour.*" "With the gem out of reach now, and my mother''s health is worsening.." She hesitated but saw Killian''s eyes soften as he continued to stare at her. "*Please, can you go to my mother and offer her your healing blood.*" Killian smiled at her. "Of course, I will." "Tell her I sent you and to.. *dream walk to me. I need to know if it worked.* And.." She released his arm. "This is the last I ask of you, Killian." "What!?" "Shh." She looked around, but nobody was near them. Still, time was of the essence. "If she heals, then we are even. Killian, I do not wish to hold you back; you have been imprisoned for so long." Killian smirked, leaning towards her and inched closer to her ear. "Don''t think you can get rid of me so easily, princess." He then hopped up onto the brown horse next to him. "I will find you again. Now get going! *The humans are nearly done!*" "How will you find me?" She questioned as the horse started to trot away. "*We''ve shared blood, Raven.* I will find you," He called over his shoulder, "Now go!" Evanna nodded and dashed towards Shardeigh, feeling a pang of sadness as she saw the woods gulp up the vampire within seconds, disappearing from her sight. The horse startled, but her hand touching his neck instantly calmed him down, and she hooked her foot in the stirrup and hoisted herself up. Where was Ronan? Evanna glanced around, her heart now pounding loudly in her chest as panic began to claw up her throat. She couldn''t leave without Ronan, but people were starting to notice someone on the Prince''s horse. She kicked the side of Shardeigh''s belly, putting him into a trot; going past the tents, her eyes roamed the area in panic. Ronan ran out of a tent, his bag and sword in tow as an armoured man chased after him. He started running away, and in the same direction, Killian left. "Hya!" Evanna kicked Shardeigh again, and they set off at a rapid speed only a skilful horse rider could handle. She quickly approached Ronan and the guard, and she steered the horse into the side of the guard, causing him to fall over. With her body hunched over, she reached her hand out towards Ronan, "Roach!" He turned his head at his nickname, his eyes widened at the giant horse coming towards him, but he grasped Evanna''s hand and was pulled up. Ronan sheathed his sword and panicked briefly about putting his hands around the princess'' waist, but that hesitation flew out of his mind when he nearly fell off the horse. His arms swept over her waist, clinging onto her as they rode away from the campsite. Evanna twisted her head to look back and flinched as she saw prince Conrad watching her, his golden eyes almost glowing. He smirked and turned his back on the fleeing thieves who stole his horse, walking away as though it didn''t concern him.. This made the princess frown and wonder if there was something she had forgotten about. Chapter 144 - The New Plan Evanna slowed the horse down after riding for an hour; her heart was pounding to the sound of hooves galloping on the ground, her anticipation for an attack never faltering. But Conrad and his men never pursued them, which made her highly suspicious of him. The Prince did see her; whether he believed her to be the princess or just some thief, either way, he would never let someone take his horse. Something wasn''t right, but her senses weren''t alerting her to an ambush of any kind, and where they were now, it seemed okay to dismount. Ronan was the first to jump off and extended his hand out for her to take; Evanna slid off easily and patted the horse''s neck. "Thank you, Shardeigh," She whispered for the horse to snort and flip its head back. But as soon as Ronan came closer, Shardeigh tapped its hoof in a warning. Ronan backed away at a reasonable distance until the horse seemed to calm down. Evanna patted Shardeigh again and spoke soothing words into its ear before letting go of the reins and turning to talk to Ronan. "Raven.." Ronan wrapped his arms around her, pulling the princess into a hug, almost making her fall backwards from how he clung to her. "I''m so glad to see you are alive." Evanna''s shock was replaced with a chuckle. "Oh, Roach, did you really think I''d be dead?" She patted his back like she was consoling a young child. Ronan pulled back and stared at her masked face, shaking his head in disbelief. "You were caught by the Flori. What else was I meant to believe? Unless they found out who you are..?" Evanna grinned and relaxed her hands to her sides. "They did not figure my identity out, but they also couldn''t kill me. I had information about the gem.." Her smile faltered as she was reminded that the gemstone was no longer in their possession but with the Lyvarians. Her heart wanted to burst in despair at the loss and hopelessness she was starting to feel. Evanna knew until she heard from her mother and Killian, she would not rest well, and even then, would it be the news she is so desperately seeking? "Still.. that white-haired elf.." Ronan shivered and stared at her in concern, "Did they.. do anything to you?" Evanna blinked momentarily from her daze and was brought back to the conversation with Ronan. The white-haired elf, do anything.. Evanna tilted her head to the side in confusion as Ronan rambled on. "Did they.. you''re a woman .. a gorgeous woman at that-" "They did not," Evanna interrupted once her mind started working again and before he could continue with his compliments. "Arawn would never let that happen, and I was treated.. very well. The Flori aren''t.. brutes." She only wished things were different, and she could have stayed. "Arawn?" Ronan stepped back to look at her properly, and the horse turned to look at them, its ears flickering. Its eyes changed to the colour of honey, but neither noticed the change because Ronan had pulled Evanna''s mask down, staring at her intensely. "Who is Arawn?" "The white-haired elf.. He is the Crown Prince of the Flori." Evanna looked away from him. Ronan''s brows rose at her statement. "And he was the one to chase us. And you.. you even fought him!? Hold on, you didn''t call him Prince.. Are you.. friendly with him?" Evanna looked back at him, watching as the wheels spun behind his eyes, adding together that she started to consider Arawn as more than an acquaintance in their time apart. Evanna pursed her lips and turned to the horse, grabbing the reins once more and started to walk. "We should keep moving. The Flori are after me, the woods are full of the faceless, and now it seems Prince Conrad and the knights of Dunhurst are after me," She grumbled, changing the subject. Ronan didn''t persist further in questioning her about the Florian prince and instead followed along by her side, patting her shoulder. "You know the King is just worried about you." "I told him not to waste resources on me. It would have been best to keep my disappearance quiet; who knows how much this could weaken the kingdom. If Conrad is searching for me, I can only imagine that my father sought help from the Hatherland kingdom, and either the King or Conrad struck a deal with him for my safe return," She grimaced, thinking back to how he used to be her betrothed. But they were just children then, now they were both of marital age. She clenched her fists tightly, and Shardeigh made a small whinny. She relaxed her hands and rested her head against the horse without looking at him. "*If your master was a fine gentleman, then maybe things would have worked out differently and maybe.. we could ride to our heart''s content.*" She whispered wistfully. The horse snorted and moved its large head into her more, making her chuckle. "I can confirm from overhearing Sir Baldwin and Prince Conrad speaking. King Osian did ask for Hatherland for help; he showed the knight a scroll that said so," Ronan began, then quietened after seeing her brows arch together in annoyance. "Did you not expect your father to reach out to them? Hatherland, are our allies correct? You have been missing for six to seven weeks now." "Hatherland is our ally, but.." Evanna sighed and pulled her mask up once more after feeling a slight chill down her spine. She looked behind her and glanced warily at the trees, but there was no one, nothing following them. She glanced at Ronan, wondering if the politics of the kingdoms was worth going into. They were allies, but Hatherland was a force to be reckoned with. At the moment, it looked like the King was becoming greedy and taking over kingdoms to create his own empire. Ally or not, they needed something more concrete to stop them from invading Dunhurst. "But?" Ronan peered at her, but she shook her head. She cleared her throat and looked at Shardeigh after feeling the horse''s eyes on her. Which was strange, but she felt a sense of d¨¦j¨¤ vu. Looking back at Ronan, she said, "Nothing. I just hoped my father would have listened to my wishes. Unless I was near the palace, nobody knew who I was. But now.. travelling will be much harder.. that is.. until we get to Lyvaria. " Ronan stopped in their tracks, taking Evanna a few moments until she realised her companion was not by her side as she thought of the elven kingdom. Turning her head, she looked at Ronan. "Lyvaria? That is our next destination?" He asked before marching towards her. "Tell me, what is your plan going forward?" Evanna sighed, "Let us speak when we make camp. I fear that Conrad will not let us go so easily. Shardeigh has rested enough now." Ronan nodded and approached the horse pausing and rubbing his eyes. He swore he saw its eyes were glowing golden in colour. "I must be tired," He muttered after being pulled up once more by Evanna onto the horse that snorted and started to stamp its hoof again. "*Easy Shardeigh, please for an old friend. You have let us ride you this far...*" At the princess'' words, the horse seemed to sigh and start to trot ahead. Chapter 145 - Shardeigh On horseback, they travelled through the forest until the evening. Evanna and Ronan were relieved to have no difficulties on the way and even found a few corpses of the faceless creatures along the way. Evanna presumed they were left behind by Killian; their bodies still appeared to be relatively fresh. She doubted they were killed by the Flori because they would have ambushed them by now. Evanna and Ronan now sat fireside, their weapons by their sides, eating some bread Ronan managed to steal at the camp. Side by side, they sat in comfortable silence, though there were many questions on their minds. "Are Ger and Axel safe?" Evanna asked after finishing the last of her bread. "The last I saw of them was in Kuramji. They were unharmed at the Snake Pitt Inn," Ronan replied while using a stick to move some of the wood in the fire. Evanna nodded her head in response, once again worrying about her friends. She was so glad to see Ronan was faring well, even if he was at the mercy of the royal guard and Conrad and his men. "And Cilv.." She mumbled unintentionally aloud. "She.. was always going to be a liability. We knew that.." Ronan replied quietly, trying to tread carefully with the subject as he stared into the flickering orange flames. "We needed her, you know that. Otherwise, I would have never hired her," She replied, then scoffed at herself. Ronan twisted in his seat then grabbed Evanna''s gloved hand into his own. She looked at her hand in his and followed his arm to his face, where he watched her. "Evanna.." He squeezed her hand gently, "We really didn''t need her. You were, no are so skilful. You just needed to believe in yourself more. Look at how far you''ve come by yourself. Ger, Axel and I.. we are only your guards and, if need be, will help in your decisions, but Cilv.. what did she truly do for you?" "She taught me how to kill," Evanna replied bluntly, pulling her hand back from his. "But.." She looked off towards the trees, pulling her legs towards herself and hugged them. "I know this sounds stupid and pathetic, but.. I started to see her as an older sister.. one I''ve never had. She was the one to harshly tell me how na?ve I was and how I needed to guard myself more." "You already have a sister-" Evanna laughed, cutting off the rest of what Ronan was to say. "Please, Isabel does not count as my sister. I''m quite certain either she or her mother have tried assassinating me at least three times," She sighed, "And now the person who I used to get such information from and help with my plans is now to be imprisoned." But that was not even the worst part of this. Cilv''s betrayal could quite possibly cost her mother''s life. "I am truly sorry-" "*Stop* This is not your fault." Evanna held her hand up, halting Ronan''s apology. "We can only move forwards now. I cannot waste any more time. We will travel to Lyvaria unless Killian manages to cure my mother." Ronan frowned at her response. "Killian.. he was the man you were with.. Who.. was he? I had an awful feeling meeting him. Yet you have sent him off with the task of curing your mother? Do you really trust a man I presume you have not known long?" Evanna smiled gently at Ronan''s doubtful and protective tone. "Killian is indebted to me, and he has the power to save her. I hope.. I have only seen him heal my injury." "Indebted or not, you do not know this man well.." "I did not know you well, Ronan. But I put my faith in you-" "No, you put your faith in Ger. Axel and I are his friends." Ronan held a finger up and looked at her sternly. "How is Killian any better than the physicians who have already seen your mother? This Killian fellow.." He trailed off after reading her determined and stubborn expression and sighed. "Well, I do hope he lives up to your expectations. So.. the plan is to go to Lyvaria.." Evanna could see how anxious Ronan was about Killian; it was best not to tell him Killian was a vampire. "Yes, if you are still willing to follow me.." She smiled gently after reading Ronan''s expression, which said she was stupid for thinking otherwise. "Well.. We will head towards Lyvaria until I hear news from Killian. If he is unsuccessful, then at least we have not wasted any time." Evanna stared back into the fire, clutching her arms tighter as worry began to fill her tense body. All of this was because of Cilv.. No.. It was her mistake to give even an ounce of trust to that shapeshifter. She momentarily closed her eyes, releasing a tired sigh; there was no point dwelling over it now. What was done is done, and all she can do is move forwards. But she couldn''t sit there like everything was okay because the Lyvarians had the gemstone. That shapeshifter did not consider the implications this could cause between the kingdoms. Cilv probably saw the gold and ran. "What are you thinking, Evanna?" Ronan whispered. She glanced to her side and almost jumped back from how close he was. She must have been so absorbed in her thoughts not to notice such a thing. However, she did not move. Ronan was not in her personal space like how Arawn would get. He was just simply sitting closer to her. "The gemstone is important to the Flori. This is not just about a human stealing from them and hurting their reputation. But I am also not familiar with the politics between the Flori and Lyvarians. My teacher in Dunhurst did not exactly explain much about the elven lands. Even when I frequented the library at King Thalinal''s palace, I was reading about the Flori, not Lyvarians," She sighed once more and started to tap her finger on her arm in thought. "Do the Lyvarians know what the gemstone is.. and would they use this to their advantage?" Evanna continued with her countless thoughts aloud, "But unless they know how to activate it.. Then I am the only person who knows how to use it." Ronan frowned, then flopped onto his back, lying down by her side, turning to his side and resting his head in his hand, balancing his elbow on the ground. "Cilv took the instructions and the stone.." He began; his voice was low, almost cautious as he watched her warily. Evanna lay down and mirrored his positioning, a smirk tugging on her lips. "I still have the instructionsˇ­" She rolled onto her back after seeing the surprise on his face. Staring at the sky, she continued, "I never trusted her completely, and neither of you speaks, reads or writes in Muranthian. I wrote a note in its stead. So, whoever was to receive the stone would know who exactly Cilv stole from." "You really are brilliant," Ronan murmured, making Evanna grin. "More cautious than brilliant, though not cautious enough," She muttered, "Anyway, we have a long journey ahead of us. We should try and meet with Ger and Axel. Maybe by then, I will hear from Killian. For now, we should rest and set off at first light." Ronan nodded, and Evanna closed her eyes. With Ronan by her side, she felt comforted in his presence; even if sleeping by his side was frowned upon, she was not exactly the same princess who left her father''s palace. That didn''t mean she would allow men into her room, but this was the road, and she trusted Ronan. "Ronan.." She whispered gently, and after a few seconds, he grunted something incoherent in response. "I''m glad you and the others are fine." The following morning Evanna woke to a shadow passing over her features, blocking out the slight warmth of the sun. She squinted and blinked profusely after registering Shardeigh was standing by her head; he snorted and whinnied. What was wrong with him? And why was he looking prettier than usual? Those golden eyes really were quite something on a black horse. So ethereal.. It was then she realised her hand was holding Ronan''s outstretched forearm. She pulled back in horror and jumped up. Clearing her throat, she looked back at the horse and tilted her head to the side. "Were you protecting me?" She teased and giggled when the horse turned away and stomped its hooves in annoyance. Evanna watched as Shardeigh''s eyes faded back from golden to pure black once more. The princess was not surprised by this, it was Conrad''s horse for a reason, and she knew it was similar to her horse with high intelligence. But she couldn''t remember its breed or what the significance of its eye colour meant. But that was the least of her concerns right now; when they escape Direwood forest, she would need to find a different saddle for Shardeigh, the one he had was far too conspicuous. Before that, they needed to escape the forest and away from people trying to catch her. "Ronan, get up. We need to go," She kicked his side lightly and started to put her swords on her back, not looking at the man she so boldly held onto overnight. At least she didn''t roll into his arms; that would have been embarrassing. After packing up their meagre belongings, the pair set off again. But Evanna did not anticipate Shardeigh would stop following her commands. They were simple commands of changing direction or picking up speed, but he merely trotted then slowed down to a walk. Evanna gritted her teeth and pulled on the reins to stop, but again the horse disobeyed her and continued. The princess tilted her body to the side to look at the horse''s face; its eyes were glowing like radiant honey. "Is something the matter?" Ronan asked from behind her. As soon as he spoke, Shardeigh''s eyes returned to normal, and it was then as a whistle sounded in the woods and the horse picked up its speed that Evanna remembered why she stopped stealing Conrad''s horse when they were younger. Curse this Demon Prince and his magic! The golden eyes were him spying on her! She didn''t know how much of their conversations he listened to, but Conrad most likely travelled during the night when they rested to find their location. A whistle sounded again to the right side of their path, and Shardeigh set off at a gallop, Evanna clutched onto the reins, and Ronan clung onto her from the horse''s crazy speed. "We need to get off!" She shouted, but even as she said so, her stomach dropped, already knowing they could not escape the inevitable. Shardeigh started to slow down, and before them was Prince Conrad, smirking at the princess with his golden honey-like eyes. As the horse stopped, his men surrounded them, pointing their swords at her and Ronan. "*It has been a while, Evanna.*" Chapter 146 - A Losing Battle Evanna glanced at her sides, registering the swords pointed at her. She clenched her teeth together when her eyes landed on the prince again and his smug smile. Maybe she should wipe that smile from his face. It had been a while since they fought, but this wouldn''t be a dual for fun; Conrad was another obstacle in her way of leaving Direwood and searching for the gem. "I know what you are thinking. I wouldn''t," Conrad said in a bored tone. Evanna eyed him from head to toe; his build was much larger, full of muscles and tattoos from what she could see of his nearly fully unbuttoned shirt. The arrogant.. She let her thoughts fall away because if she had his looks, then maybe she too would be as conceited. Though he needed a personality change. His dirty blonde hair had also grown out and pulled back into a bun, and his face.. It was nothing like Arawn''s deadly and strikingly captivating looks, which were smooth like marble with sharp cheekbones, but the Demon Prince held his own. Conrad had grown into a man, any resemblance of innocence (if there was any), and ''baby fat'' was sharpened out into a strong jawline with stubble gracing his features. Evanna''s eyes paused when she saw his lips and couldn''t contain her own smug smile at the scar. Her gaze snapped back to his, now that she had seen who she would be up against. But this only took a matter of seconds before she replied sharply, "How would you know what I am thinking-" "Have you forgotten the many summers we have spent together?" Conrad interrupted, taking a step towards her. "Unfortunately not," She replied dryly. Conrad smiled again, a twinkle of amusement in those golden star-coloured eyes; she knew he was enjoying this and that just annoyed her even more. "Please do tell, why is the second prince of Hatherland in Direwood forest AND commanding his men to aim their weapons at the Princess of Dunhurst? Some would think you want to wage war, Conrad." Conrad chuckled loudly, the sound genuine as he stared at her. "You already know why I am here, darling. Your friend informed you last night, and you made many interesting theories." Evanna''s jaw went slack, and she looked at him through squinted eyes. So it seemed he heard all of her and Ronan''s conversation the previous night, and if memory serves well, he also saw her holding Ronan''s arm in her sleep. "Then you already know how I cannot let that happen," She warned, her voice lowering icily. In one swift move, Evanna hopped up from her seated position and balanced on her tiptoes before pushing off from Shardeigh and jumping over the tip of one of his men''s swords, landing gracefully in front of the prince. Conrad''s gaze flickered behind her, and he shook his head, signalling to his men not to attack her. He tilted his head to the side, with a lazy smile on his lips, "*You cannot win.*" "*How is your lip?*" Evanna purposefully glanced at the scar she left on him from the last time they fought. She unsheathed her swords and fluently swung them in a circle, the sound of the metal whistling from the swords cutting through the air, the sunlight shimmering off the blades. "You are awfully confident," Conrad muttered, then smirked, "I quite like this carefree Evanna.." Evanna lunged forwards without warning, not caring his sword was still sheathed behind his back. But just as she expected, Conrad moved in a blur and appeared to her left side; she blocked the black sword swinging down towards her. CLANG! The pair faced each other; their swords crossed. "I don''t particularly care what you like, Conrad," Evanna said through gritted teeth, struggling against his immense strength. Yet as she glanced at his posture and his face again, he looked bored, barely using any energy while she was breaking out in a sweat. Conrad pushed her back, and she skidded back 10 meters, almost losing her balance. Evanna narrowed her eyes at the prince. "Stop wasting time and energy, Evanna," He barked across the space between them. Evanna knew he was right, but her stubbornness wouldn''t allow her to see past the idea of losing to him. Even though Conrad was now the best warrior in the human kingdoms, she could not and would not give up. The thought of the prince capturing her and using her for his own gain stirred a blazing fury in her heart, and with that fury she dashed towards him again. While Evanna and prince Conrad were fighting lethally, Ronan was now standing next to the five men who accompanied prince Conrad. Their swords were lowered now, and they all stood in a line watching the two royals battle it out. Ronan had spent a bit of time with them and felt relaxed next to them, even though he was not meant to. But the Northerners, large and scary looking with their battle scars and large swords and axes, were quite the rowdy bunch when they wanted to be and had been entertaining. "My bet is still on the prince," Drew, prince Conrad''s closest friend and second-best warrior in Hatherland''s second army controlled by Conrad. Ronan only knew this from the whispers spreading through the camp of the Dunhurst soldiers. Drew''s dark brown hair fell to his shoulders, his facial hair trimmed neatly to his jawline. His face was not pretty like his, but he could still tell past the bent nose (definitely once broken and pushed back into place) and the scar on his eyebrow that he was a looker. Drew was the most relaxed out of the five men standing next to Ronan; his arms were crossed against his leather armoured chest, his large biceps on show. He wanted to question if all the Northerners were mad, but he presumed it was much colder where he came from than in Direwood forest. "Hmm, the Princess has some stylish moves, though. She has definitely improved since the last time I saw her fight. A dual wielder now as well," Erland, prince Conrad''s other closest friend or as Ronan presumed from his lack of using titles and formalities in front of the prince in private. Erland was of a leaner build, not as muscular as the prince or Drew, and seemed a bit younger, possibly a year older than Evanna. But he only presumed from his mannerisms and the more youthful glow to his smooth skin. His scars were over his arms, but they didn''t look to be from fighting in battle and more from the brutal sting of a whip. "What''s that on your chin?" Drew tapped his chin; Erland wiped his chin in with a furrowed brow and looked at Drew in confusion. "You''ve got a bit of drool there.." Drew burst into a roar of laughter, his voice echoing along the trees. Prince Conrad looked in their direction and shook his head before managing to dodge one of Evanna''s killer blows. Erland swung a punch at Drew in a playful manner, and the larger man pulled him into a headlock. "Easy lad," He released him then eyed Ronan. "How''d you know the princess, Roach?" They really weren''t concerned with the prince and princess fighting. Prince Conrad''s men were acting like they were letting the pair blow off steam, though when Ronan looked at the prince, he could tell Evanna was no match for him and he was merely playing with her. It angered him, but it was better than either one of them getting hurt. Not that he cared for the Demon Prince. On the other side of the forest floor, Evanna clashed swords with Conrad again. She was tiring herself out, but it felt good to be letting her anger out on him. They spun simultaneously and their swords were crossed again; this time, though, Evanna could not easily evade or push the prince back, he was far too strong, and she was now weak from her relentless blows. Sweat formed at her brow and trickled down the back of her neck, she tried to keep her breath even, but it had become ragged from keeping up with the prince. Evanna gulped as she realised just how close their faces were to each other. She stared back at the prince, almost feeling pulled into those swirling golden eyes but then she saw a flicker of humour and mischief forming behind them. Evanna''s brows furrowed, her eyes flicking between his with a questioning gaze. Then in shocked silence, her eyes rounded as Conrad swiftly leaned towards her lips, past the barrier of their blades. Conrad brushed his lips against hers, and she lost her balance from the shock toppling her backwards, and the next thing she knew, her swords flew across the forest floor, her backside planted on the ground, her legs spread wide with prince Conrad kneeling before her. A smirk played on his lips as he pointed his sword at Evanna. "Are you done now?" Evanna stared at the prince, not at all unnerved by the sword in her face and wiped her hand across her lips, halting when she realised her mask was still covering half her face. "You kissed me.." She whispered in disbelief. "You have a mask on," Conrad arched a brow, the corner of his lips twitching upwards. He was blatantly amused. "You cheated," She argued and knocked the sword away from her face and stood up with the prince, raising her chin to meet Conrad''s gaze. He had to be of Axel''s height yet could fight as gracefully as she. Conrad stepped closer; his large hand gripping her shoulder, covering it completely as he stared intently at her. "Are you done now?" He repeated his question, though he looked like he already had his answer and leaned closer to her before she finished reaching for the blade at her hip and added. "Did you forget about your friend Roach?" Conrad almost purred his threat and glanced in Ronan''s direction. Evanna turned her head back and sighed when she saw Conrad''s men scramble for their weapons and point them at Ronan. He looked at them inquisitively until Drew slapped his back, and Ronan raised his hands in surrender and looked at her apologetically. Evanna sighed and turned to back to Conrad, who unsheathed her dagger. "In case you have any other ideas in that head of yours." Evanna rolled her eyes. "You do not need to disarm me," She gave him a pointed look, and his face lit up with a dazzling smile she knew most women would feel weak at the knees from. Not her; she knew what lay beneath that face of his. "If you ask me nicely," He whispered next to her ear. "Then I will give you back your toy." This annoying little.. She held back her muttering of annoyance to her thoughts instead. "Oh, great Demon Prince, please, PLEASE give me my dagger back," Evanna replied in a monotonous voice. "It needs some work, but it will do. Here," Conrad grinned, not at all concerned with her sarcasm as he held the knife out for her to take. But when she reached out to grab it, Conrad lowered his hand and sheathed it for her instead; his eyes stayed glued to hers as he did so. Evanna huffed and looked away, feeling childish in doing so, but under Conrad''s gaze, memories flooded her mind, and she was reminded of times when their interactions were not all bad. "What do you intend to do now?" She asked, but her mind was now spinning on how she and Ronan could escape from Conrad''s grasp. Though it might serve them well to go through the rest of Direwood with Conrad and his men, then instead of Shardeigh, she could steal one of the other men''s horses. Lost in her thoughts, Evanna forgot how close Conrad was to her. But the flick of his finger to her forehead forced her to look back into his eyes in annoyance. "I intend to take you back to Dunhurst, where your father is worried sick about you.. But first, I think it is about time we have an overdue chat," Conrad''s baritone voice rumbled through his chest, and Evanna''s brows drew together at the uncharacteristically kind smile on his features. Chapter 147 - The Princes Trophy Evanna sat stiffly in the saddle upon Shardeigh''s back with the Demon Prince seated comfortably and closely behind her. They rode at the front of their little group, and after a few hours of galloping through the trees, they finally slowed down to a walk. Not that Evanna found the change in pace any better, it meant Conrad could now speak to her more freely. The princess turned to look behind them, straining her neck to look over Conrad''s large form and could see Ronan sharing another horse with one of the other three men she did not know the names of. Evanna''s focus returned to the man behind her, and she shot daggers at him before facing forward. She felt like a trophy on show, the missing princess claimed by the Demon Prince. "*Are you really not that happy to see me?*" He whispered by her ear, making her sigh loudly in response. She no longer had her cloak hood up but kept her mask on for fear the prince would sneak another kiss, and this time she would not let it slide. "*Would you like me to answer honestly?*" She hissed back to hear him chuckle, his chest rumbling behind her. Now she couldn''t use the excuse that the wind blocked out the sound of his voice, but she could also use this time to ask him the questions on her mind. If he would answer them. Evanna moved her head, keeping her gaze on the ground as she asked, "What of my men? How are they faring?" The leather of his gloved hands tightened by a fraction on the reins on her thighs, making a low noise between the two materials. "We are meeting them now, but the size of them has been halved since entering Direwood forest. This has mainly been due to the forest''s natural unknown magic to confuse men, and then there have also been those monsters," He replied gravely. Evanna''s hands curled into fists on the black saddle as she looked down and released a breath. Their deaths were on her shoulders. It was her fault they were in the forest in the first place. "It was your father''s orders," Conrad said gently, as though he could tell what she was thinking without needing to read her face. "*The fault is still mine.*" Evanna whispered and raised her chin once more. Conrad did not respond, but the silence was filled after hearing the clinking sounds of armour and the trees parted to men wearing the Dunhurst armour setting up camp. On their arrival, the men stopped and looked in their direction, mainly at the masked woman riding the horse with the Demon Prince. Evanna focused on the trees behind them rather than their overly watchful gazes that would heat her cheeks. Evanna was now once again the second princess of Dunhurst and had to bear the weight of her title on her shoulders. Those shoulders that straightened and her gaze lowered to the approaching knight who was none other than her newly appointed knight before she left the palace. A slither of guilt passed over her, but she could see the genuine and relieved smile on Sir Baldwin''s features. Even with a mask covering the lower portion of her face, her knight knew it was her. Either that or he presumed the woman with dark raven locks sitting on the crown prince''s horse had to be Evanna as he too was searching for her. "Princess Evanna," Sir Baldwin bowed, then walked near Shardeigh to help her down, but the horse moved on its own accord, snorting at his approach. The knight paused and looked at the prince, almost seeking permission to come closer. But Conrad slid off Shardeigh easily and turned his back on the knight, raising his hands, ready to pick Evanna off the horse. She scoffed and swung her leg around, ready to hop off, but the prince''s hands were on her waist before she could and helped her to the ground. With her feet planted, she tried not to show such insolence to another kingdom''s prince in front of others. She now had to wear the mask of a royalty slipping onto her features. As she thought that, the princess pulled down the mask she had covering her face, letting the cool air brush over the rest of her skin. Evanna smiled at the knight. "Sir Baldwin, I apologise for abandoning you on your second day as my knight." She looked at him apologetically, meaning every word of which she said. The follow up to her escape, King Osian secretly put Sir Baldwin to work earlier than she anticipated. Evanna relied on Sir Baldwin to still be on vacation after managing his new lands in Dunhurst. But news of his sudden arrival was whispered among the servants, and she who had been walking through the servants'' quarters, heard about it and made sure to avoid any appointments with him beforehand. Sir Baldwin smiled, but it didn''t reach his eyes as he replied politely, "It is I who failed in my duty as your knight." "As lovely as this encounter is, I would like to speak with her highness in private. Unless there is something else you need, Sir Baldwin?" Prince Conrad stepped forwards, almost covering her smaller frame with his, hiding her from not only the knight but the onlookers of the royal guard. Sir Baldwin glanced in Evanna''s direction; he didn''t answer to the prince but to her. Even if she denied him, Conrad would not listen and cause more of a fuss, and after her fight with him, she no longer had the energy to argue with the prince. Evanna nodded her head in confirmation, the knight''s brows drew together, but he bowed his head, hand on his chest and moved to let them pass. Evanna fell in step by Conrad''s side, and he led her to the largest tent, a square-like structure with a pointed top with the golden eagle of Hatherland flag flapping in the wind. The princess wanted to look back to Ronan to ensure he was okay, but she knew it was more from her own anxiousness. Instead, she kept facing forwards. Conrad pulled the flap to the tent back, and Evanna walked into it, halting in surprise at the opulent comforts of a royal''s tent. It was much larger inside than it looked on the outside and had furniture fit for a regular chamber for the prince. The king-size bed was fitted in the middle over fur rugs, a wardrobe was situated to the right side, and two red and gold embroidered loveseats set in an ''L'' shape before a coffee table and fireplace, and further to the left was a desk. "Ah, I forget Dunhurst does not allow such magic," Conrad spoke from behind, his heavy footsteps shaking the floor slightly at his approach. The prince walked past Evanna, a slither of amusement on his features as he gestured for her to sit down. Evanna looked down at her dusty attire, finding it more proper to remove her cloak in the hopes of not making his lavish seats dirty. She could feel his gaze on her the moment she folded her cloak and held it in her hands. This wasn''t the first time he had seen her in men''s clothing, but it was the first since growing some curves. Curves that were accentuated more in the black breeches and her black shirt tucked in, her Dracosbain armour the extra layer of protection underneath. She sat down across from the lit fireplace ignoring the prince who sat across from her, his eyes following the length of her body. "You look well, Evanna. If I am honest, I wasn''t sure if I would find you.. alive," Conrad looked at her with uncertainty for the first time. "You should know better. What do you want, Conrad?" She looked at him, getting straight to the point. Conrad pulled out a letter from inside his cloak and handed it to her. Evanna felt her heart drop and her face pale at the insignia on the ink. This was from her father, it had not been opened, but she knew from the other opened letter the prince produced what the contents inside of it would say. Evanna raised her eyes to meet Conrad''s, and she saw a burning desire behind those honeyed eyes, but she knew there was more to this than just an arranged marriage. She broke the seal to the letter and opened its contents. ~ My dearest Evanna, I am not writing to scold you for what you have done. I know that your heart is in the right place, and you mean well. You have always been far too bright and spirited to be kept behind these palace walls. But I fear I have not disciplined you enough or scolded your mother more for entertaining you with such stories of the far East. Magic and elven magic has been banned for a reason, Evanna. I never sought such things out even for your mother for this exact reason. If there was a cure, Loraven, who is wiser than any I have ever encountered, would have mentioned it. Please, I implore you, come home with Prince Conrad. I promised your mother I''d always take care of you and protect you. This is what I am doing now. As you made the rash decision to go on this adventure, I have made the decision to accept the prince''s proposal. ~ Evanna paused her reading and inhaled sharply. She already knew of the contents but secretly held onto the slither of hope that her father would not marry her off to the Demon Prince. She kept her eyes on the paper, aware of his watchful gaze, Conrad''s curiosity piquing at her slightly stunned facial expression. Regaining her composure, she continued. ~ I have made a deal with Prince Conrad. Your hand in marriage for returning you safely to the kingdom of Dunhurst, to your mother and I. I never imagined I would sign away your life to that maniac, but I fear for the worst. A parent should never outlive their child, and this is my way of saving you from yourself. But above all else, be careful. Your protector, always, Osian. ~ Evanna stared blankly at the letter; she could almost feel a cage closing around her, trapping her again. But this time, the owner was of a large Northerner with a taste for war and blood. The princess could not speak as she re-read the letter again, pausing at the last words written once more. Evanna found it odd that her father always signed his name instead of the title king or father in their letters, even when she was younger. But that was of no importance right now; she was allegedly betrothed to Conrad. Again. Evanna entertained her mind by folding the letter again and placing it in the envelope before her face would betray her thoughts. Conrad quietly handed her the scroll, and she read the deal between the two kingdoms. Her heart was starting to race again, and her palms became damp; her thoughts flickered to the elven prince who seemed so far away now even though they were in his forest. Closing the scroll, Evanna abruptly stood up, her eyes still avoiding Conrads. "Evanna.." He warned, the tone in his voice implying he was ready to catch her if she ran. Run. That was exactly what Evanna wanted to do. It wasn''t the idea of marriage that made her fear so, not even the fear of Conrad really, but the fear of her life not being her own. "*I will not run.* I just need some air," Evanna said quietly, her eyes finally meeting his, almost pleading with him to let her go. Conrad nodded, "Take Baldwin with you." He wasn''t that daft. Evanna rushed out of the tent, and the prince''s eyes followed her until the flaps closed behind her. He closed his eyes and focused, finding his mind now filled with a new angle of Evanna through Shardeigh''s eyes. She marched towards the edges of the camp after calling for the knight. Sir Baldwin scrambled after her, shocked that he was called upon.. It seemed her knight also knew of her temperament well. Chapter 148 - Ten Years Ago: Part One Ten Years Ago Evanna ran down the halls of the palace, her little shoes padding across the marble floors until she stopped and found the perfect hiding spot. Flinging a long ceiling to floor length curtain aside, she hid behind it, pressing her small body against the wall, her height not quite reaching the window above her. She covered her mouth, looking down at her shoes as she listened to the frantic call of her name and quick footsteps following down the hall she was now hiding. "Princess! Princess Evanna!" Maggie called for her, the distress shown in her voice. "This is not funny! Please, this is not the day to be naughty!" Her nanny''s scolding voice and words made the young princess bite the inside of her cheek in guilt. Evanna did not want to stress Maggie, but she didn''t want to be anywhere near Isabel, especially after she ripped the skirt of her favourite dress the day before. The one she wore now was a last-minute replacement for the day. She was dressed in a navy gown, the middle part of her dress golden and the sleeves flaring out from the pinned golden ribbons. Her long raven locks were pulled back tightly into an uncomfortable bun, braided both sides of her head. Important day or not, she wanted to have some fun before playing happy families. Evanna shifted her weight after holding her tense position for so long and peeked her head around the curtains after the silence of the hallway remained after Maggie''s footsteps left earlier. She stepped out of her spot with a relieved sigh after seeing it was clear. She skipped to the door that led to the servants'' quarters below the castle with a small grin. Descending the stairs, she watched as the servants rushed around both in excitement and stress. Evanna was probably the only one who wasn''t looking forward to the day, unlike her sister, who boasted about becoming good friends with the visiting crown prince. "Your highness! What are you doing here?" A panicked maid rushed towards her, curtsying after her question. "Is Ger here?" She inquired, looking up at the maid and making herself look as innocent and sweet as possible. As always, it worked, the maid sighed guiltily. "He is in the stables, princess." "Thank you!" Evanna skipped away, her hands behind her back as she whistled a tune. Usually, she was caught in minutes if she wasn''t careful, what with her more luxurious clothing and well-known black hair and green eyes. But with the day''s events, she was able to rush past everyone, only feeling the occasional double glance in her direction. She made it to the stables without being stopped though she was sneaking outside more where there were fewer servants. Walking down the aisle of wooden stalls with multiple horses, she found Ger attending to Midknight, brushing his mane. The boy stood on a stall, his frame barely taller than Evanna''s, his brown trousers dirty and worn, patched from holes, his white shirt tucked in neatly though it was oversized, and his brown hair hidden under a cap. From the sound of her footsteps, Ger turned his head in her direction. His eyes lit up before his brows drew together as he looked down at her attire. Clearing his throat, he stepped down and bowed, "Your highness," He kept his head down, "What brings you to the stables? I see you are not dressed to ride." Evanna pouted her lips. Ger was always jumping to and from acting her friend and servant. It seemed today was one of those days. "I came to see you, of course!" Ger looked up from the irritation in Evanna''s voice, and she used that time to pinch his rounded cheeks. "Hey!" Ger swatted her hands away and wiped his cheeks, "I''m older than you!" "You''re still the same height as me, though," Evanna grinned, leaning forwards into his face annoying him further. "What do you want?" He turned around, but Evanna took the brush from his hand and climbed onto the stool, kissing her horse and patting his side before brushing his mane. "I thought you might want to come out with me today. I hear there is a small parade for the visiting kingdom," Evanna spoke over her shoulder. "Princess, please come down from there; it''s my job-" "And he is my horse," She glared at her friend, who should know better than to throw palace rules at her. He was implying that she was a princess and should never be doing a servant''s job. Evanna rolled her eyes; if she was a princess, then she could do whatever she wanted, right? After some more petting, Evanna climbed down and grabbed Ger''s hat, placing it atop her head. "Are you coming or not?" She turned around giggling, her dress swirling around her legs. She didn''t wait for his answer and strode towards the stable door grabbing the clothes she always hid under Ger''s jacket on the hook beside it. Ger stumbled after her, then gasped, turning around when he saw her go into one of the stalls and started to unbutton the back of her dress. "A-are you going by yourself?" Ger stumbled on his words as Evanna watched him twiddling his thumbs behind his back, staring ahead while she changed into servant''s clothing all the way down to some boots. Though the shoes were of better quality because she couldn''t ask her nanny for some servant''s children boots. The clothes she wore now were Ger''s old ones. "If you''re not coming, then I suppose I am," Evanna replied in a sing-song voice. The princess knew Ger would not let her go by herself; she was always dragging him into her mischief. They met up all the time but not so much when he was working. Throwing her dress on the stall door, Evanna walked out, smiling expectantly at Ger. "It''ll be so much fun; you''ll really miss out if you don''t come! I''m only going to see the start of the parade." Evanna now held his hands in her own, the excitement now radiating off both children as they smiled at each other, their thoughts running wild with what displays they might see. Ger then gulped and forced a serious expression upon his face. "Only for an hour.." He warned. Evanna squealed and nodded her head before releasing his hands and skipping away. Ger shook his head. "I''m really going to regret this.." The pair ran off to a secret spot in the palace''s walls where Evanna had taken almost three months to dig out a hole in the ground. Ger kneeled on the grass and pulled the bush out of the hole, and Evanna crawled underneath. She pushed out the small wooden board covered with grass and watched the guards walk around the corner. With a sigh, she hopped out and helped Ger before placing the ground back in place. They walked across the bridge. Evanna kept her head down low the whole time. The guards recognised Ger and nodded at him as he walked by. "Off to see the parade, Ger?" A guard at the gate asked, and he nodded. "Who is your friend?" "We sure are! And this is.. a n-new starter, his name is.." Ger looked at her and back at the guard, "Ravian." "Ravian seems a bit shy.. I hope you aren''t too strict on him.. he looks no older than six.." The guard commented, stepping forwards examining Evanna''s downcast face. But Ger stepped forwards, "He is shy and in my care. We need to go to the parade now, sir. Our break will run out soon!" The guard stepped back and gestured for them to go, grumbling about how young children were starting to work from now. Evanna grinned as she stared at the floor; even though more guards were set up with the royal guest''s arrival, they paid them no heed. They started to run into the high street, checking out the marketplace and watching in wonder at the colourful flags and music playing. To make sure they didn''t split up, Ger and Evanna held hands even though they argued at which stalls to go to. After a while, the pair stopped and watched as the performance started in the square, making Evanna watch in awe and clap her hands. But Ger insisted on them heading back halfway through after pointing out the king watching the entertainers.. Evanna gulped and agreed, pulling her hat down even more as she raced back to the palace. Chapter 149 - Ten Years Ago: Part Two At the other end of the village of Reigh, the sound of guards marching forwards like a slow stampede became an almost humming background noise to the young twelve-year-old prince Conrad Hart who sat staring outside the carriage window. His short dark blonde hair almost fell into his golden eyes; the white and golden embroidered double-breasted jacket he wore made his eyes shine brighter. The only part he seemed to share with his siblings showed he was, in fact, royal blood. "You should get on your horse now," The Queen, Annika, who sat across from him, spoke. She was a thin petite woman with pale blonde hair and icy blue eyes surrounded by white lashes, her ethereal beauty known across the lands. Conrad looked up at her, who could not bear to look at him. She never could, as though he was a beast ready to kill her at any moment. "As you wish, mother." Annika flinched at the term and held onto her youngest, princess Marna who was but five, closer to her. Marna was the only relative who was too young to not despise him and would cling to him whenever she could, beaming at him like he was not something scary. For now, Marna was the only one to bring him joy, but he knew when she grew older, Marna would cause him the most pain because he cared more for her than any. She, too, was the only one in the family to share his unique dark shade of blonde hair. His younger twin brothers, two years younger than he, Harald and Halvar, were sleeping together next to his side, at the far side that was. Their matching golden blonde hair made them look all the more prince-like, as though they wore halo''s, but when they were awake, they were nothing but terrors. He was glad they were asleep because Harald and Halvar were such headaches when they were awake. They also learned from the eldest brother that it was okay to spite Conrad until he would lash out and hurt them. Conrad knocked the top of the carriage, and it stopped with a few calls sent out to the front of the line to stop. Opening the door, he climbed down and searched for his horse at the front of the troops, where his brother, crown prince Arvid and his father, King Horik, waited. The King glanced at him, impatience growing on his weathered face, and his brother Arvid smirked at him, his dark golden eyes full of malice. Usually, he didn''t show such displeasure towards him in public because of his almost white hair, golden eyes and good looks; he was known as the heartthrob and angelic prince. More like a dark angel. Conrad hopped onto Shardeigh after an attendant placed a white cape over his shoulders, clicking the golden chain in place. Before they moved once more, the attendant draped the cape properly over the side of the horse, staying clear of its hooves and was obviously scared of it. King Horik tapped his white horse''s belly first, and then the prince''s followed suit, either side of him. Their capes draped behind them with the golden eagle crest of Hatherland. "At least mother now can get some rest. It must have been hard protecting her children from you, demon child," Arvid remarked sarcastically with a curl of his lips. "I''m not a demon child," Conrad muttered under his breath but shut his lips shut after seeing Arvid''s enjoyment at seeing his younger brother''s reaction. He glanced at his father, who did not interrupt nor seem to care for his son''s conversation, and so Conrad faced forwards, deeming it not the right time to argue with Arvid. Though he was right, their mother thought he was a monster and tried to keep his siblings away from him as much as possible. On the other hand, Arvid enjoyed getting reactions out of him; he was five years his senior, though he acted much younger. Conrad used this time to really gauge his surroundings; the village streets were busy with citizens on either side welcoming the new guests even though he could see the fear on some of their faces. Was his father not there on friendly terms? He presumed they were because the King brought the whole family. They stopped in the middle of the high street as they were greeted with entertainers of about ten doing acrobatics, juggling, playing with fire and extinguishing it in their mouth before they parted ways for a band and dancers. Once their performance was finished, they spread out for the Hatherland party to come forwards. Conrad held back a yawn; if this were Hatherland, the performance would be better with the use of magic and sorcerers. This was nothing but boring to him, yet he clapped along with the crowds. "How dare he not greet us," His father spat, his face scrunching up. His golden blonde hair stopped short, slicked-back allowing the golden crown to shine brightly against the dark hues of his locks. The short beard cut to his jawline, revealing the golden chains beneath his open shirt. Unlike Arvid and Conrad, the king looked the most relaxed in his attire, though the tightening of the reins and vein throbbing in his neck showed his temper rising. "This was a humble gift from the village of Reigh; we hope you enjoy your visit!" One of the men who Conrad saw doing the acrobatics bowed to them and gestured for them to continue. The Hatherland party continued forwards, King Horik''s temper rising, sending a dark and gloomy atmosphere among the men the closer they got to the palace. They entered through the gate, the guards of Dunhurst lined up either side leading down the path across the bridge until the white bricked palace. Conrad stared at it and the surroundings, an anti-climax in comparison to what he expected. "That''s it?!" Arvid asked loudly, his disappointment apparent and for once matching Conrad''s thoughts. "It is indeed," King Horik drawled, his golden eyes narrowing slightly. "They have the largest kingdom, and THAT''s their palace?" Arvid continued, not aware of the growing tension surrounding their father. "ENOUGH," King Horik snapped. Conrad knew his father was envious of King Osian not because of this simple palace in front of them but because of the power Dunhurst held. They were a large kingdom compared to Hatherland, but Conrad knew his father wanted more land and power from all his snooping.. He already knew the kingdom''s plans for the next five years from listening to his father''s meetings. Chapter 150 - Ten Years Ago: Part Three Prince Conrad lowered his gaze from the guards patrolling the palace walls, focusing ahead now that they crossed the bridge. That was until something out of the corner of his eyes caught his attention, and he inhaled sharply as a servant boy tried to grab an apple rolling on the ground before Shardeigh''s hoof. His horse neighed and went to purposely kick the boy, but another set of hands grabbed him quickly and pulled him back. Startled by the two boys, Shardeigh abruptly went back onto his hind legs, and Conrad flew backwards. "Ugh." He landed hard on his bottom, but without any injuries, he gritted his teeth and glared at the two boys who were also on the ground. The one whose black hair was in a messy bun stared after the other boy, who picked up his hat and quickly placed it on his head. But the black-haired boy seemed more concerned with his friend, fretting over nothing while a prince was sitting on his behind. He couldn''t believe it; the pair were in their own little world. "You''re not hurt, right!? Ger? Ger, what''s wrong? Why do you look so pale? Oh gosh, we should go to the physician!" It was utterly humiliating, and he couldn''t help but feel a little jealous of their friendship. He never had such a thing, but that was the least of his concerns at the moment. He was on the floor! Conrad narrowed his gaze further after hearing Arvid laugh before clamping his mouth shut from King Horik, glaring daggers at him. Conrad got to his feet and stormed over towards the servant boys pushing off from the ground. He could see some guards rush over to them and bowed at Conrad''s approach. "Get rid of them, Arvid. Conrad and those servants have made a mockery of Hatherland," He heard his father growl at his brother, making Conrad''s hands fist by his sides. He would sort this out before his brother was involved. Arvid followed him swiftly, gripping his sword along with two of their knights. Their footsteps somehow added to the storm swirling inside of his chest the longer he looked at the peasants before him. "How dare you!" Conrad bellowed, pointing at the boys who now stood before him. The servant boys bowed their heads. "W-we are so sorry. Please forgive us!" "They seem to take your stance quite lightly, Conrad. They''re acting like you''re not really royalty.. How funny," Arvid mocked quietly behind him as he leaned towards him, smiling. It seemed his brother would see how this played out first before getting his sword bloody. Though he could see out of the corner of his eye, Arvid clutching it, an eager look in his gaze. Conrad eyed the pair who so arrogantly used the same path set out for them to cross. Not even that, they made a mockery out of him, a prince, in front of everyone that he was trying to prove himself to. Conrad stepped forwards, unsheathing his sword and pointed it under the youngest of the two''s chin. The one by his side inhaled sharply and bowed even lower, "Please, please forgive us!" He begged, which was exactly how expected a peasant to act. But the one with jewel-like green eyes stared back at him, his chin rising slightly higher, their lips thinning. This kid was challenging him! The sword nor the fact he was a prince did not even make him quiver in fear. Was this kid dumb? The prince scoffed and smirked, looking down his nose at the boy in the hat. "Beg for mercy or feel the sting of a whipˇ­" He watched as the boy''s eyes blazed from his words. This made him want to see tears behind those emerald eyes instead. "Actually.. I don''t care about your friend''s antics anymore.. Just yours.. If you don''t beg.. I will happily whip your friend.." "We said we were sorry. How can you be so cruel?!" He blurted out, making Conrad smirk in victory, finally seeing panic behind their eyes. "There should be no need for begging, especially when it was your horse that tried to attack my friend here!" The young boy argued, grabbing the sword and ignoring the small trickle of blood-forming at his hand and moving it away from their chin. Conrad stilled and looked back in stunned silence. He felt his chest flare in anger at the audacity of the boy. Did this kid want to die? "My horse was startled after YOU ran in front of it!" Conrad pulled his sword away abruptly in annoyance, and the boy hissed, bringing his hand back and looking at the small cut like it was more important than this argument with a royal. Why was he arguing with someone beneath him? Conrad''s lips twisted, and he sheathed his sword seeing as it made no effect on the peasant boy. The boy glanced up and saw the look of disdain on Conrad''s features and his hands fisted by his sides; his friend looked between them in a panic. At least one of them had common sense. "It was going to kick him on purpose!" The small kid continued in a rage and stepped forwards, looking up at him angrily like this whole commotion was his fault. "I wondered why it would do such a thing, but after meeting you, its owner, I can see why!" "Evanna!" "And what.. pray tell does that mean?" He drawled, his voice a deadly quiet as he glared at the insect before him. There was something about the kid that unnerved him and irritated him in a way that was different to his siblings. How dare he raise his voice to him! Not only that.. Conrad felt like he was making a grave mistake; this whole situation was humiliating. Was he making it worse, and his father would reprimand him? Or would Arvid intervene and end this child''s life? "You.. are a pig! How dare youˇ­ throw your weight around. You arrogant-" Conrad slapped him in the face, his fury now getting to the point he might do worse than hit a boy that didn''t know his place. The kid''s head swivelled to the side, his hat on the floor again, their hair falling down around their face, his hand on his reddened cheek. The boy glared back at him and scoffed, "Pah! If you''re gonna hit someone, do it right!" "Princess Evanna!" Conrad heard someone shouting from afar and many footsteps charging towards them. Good, maybe someone will get this- SMACK! Conrad felt the sting of a fist connecting to his jaw, and his head turned to the side. His knights rushed forwards and pointed their swords at the boy; the other boy was now forgotten. Conrad stared wide-eyed from the throbbing pain and the fact someone who was not his family hit him. The prince curled his hand into a fist and lunged forwards until he felt hands grab his arms and drag him back. He watched, astounded by some knights now gathering around the kid protectively and a maid scolding them while holding his face assessing the boy''s face. "EVANNA!" A voice boomed from behind the child, and Conrad watched in more shock as the King of Dunhurst marched towards the boy and squatted down, checking his cheek. Evanna.. His jaw went slack, and his lips parted. "Oh, brother.. it''s an all-new low for you .. To think you would hit a girl... and not any girl but the princess of Dunhurst," Arvid chuckled quietly by his side, finding amusement in this new situation. Chapter 151 - Punishment: Part One The next thirty minutes were a blur as the princess dressed as a servant boy was rushed off inside the palace, and the guards dragged the other boy away. Princess Evanna called out to him and commanded them not to hurt him. Prince Conrad stared in shock, then recovered himself and looked back at the approaching King, instantly bowing next to his brother and feeling the full weight of what he did to the King''s daughter as the large man stood in front of him, glaring down at him. Conrad was used to such treatment but not because he hit a damned princess. King Osian never spoke a word to him or Arvid and merely swapped greetings with his father, ignoring Horik''s claim at his family being mocked. More words were exchanged, and then they too were ushered inside. Conrad barely paid attention to the rest of the palace''s d¨¦cor as he felt his legs becoming heavier the more he walked, and his father''s serious gaze was on him anytime he wasn''t talking to King Osian. After their disastrous meeting, Conrad found himself standing by Arvid''s side, staring at the throne in the Great Hall where King Osian now stood, his back to them as he tapped his fingers on top of the chair. Conrad glanced to the side and saw a smirk crawling up Princess Isabel''s face. "Dressed as a servant boy," She whispered and snickered. "She should stay playing in the dirt where she belongs. Except for Conrad, nobody could hear her; such was part of his curse. If a curse was why he had such heightened senses, he still did not know. Now, he stared at the blonde-haired girl whose face was scrunched up from what she spoke. So, this was the so-called ''flower'' of Dunhurst; the rumours were just that, rumours. He found nothing about this snobbish girl to his liking, she was not sweet or someone he would see himself conversing with. Though there would never be such an opportunity anyway, he was only the second prince and the ''Demon Child'' at that. The princess looked like she''d probably cry if he so much as glanced in her direction. His eyes then followed Princess Isabel''s gaze to Queen Eleanor, catching the amusement flashing behind her eyes before she hid behind her Queenly mask. Very interesting, even Princess Evanna''s mother seemed to think of her in such distaste. Were his and the second princess'' familial issues somewhat similar? The double doors behind them opened, gaining his and everyone''s attention from the silent tension brewing in the large hall. In stepped Princess Evanna, her hair pulled back into a knot, the remaining locks flowing down her back in ringlets. She walked with grace, the flow of her navy and gold dress making her look more a princess than she did earlier. Conrad gulped and looked away when she met his eyes fiercely. He wondered how he ever thought she was a boy, and for the first time in a while, he genuinely felt bad about what he did. The red mark on her otherwise pale cheek really stood out. The second princess greeted his mother and siblings. They lingered near the side pillars before standing in front of the two most powerful men in the room, curtsying low, before raising her chin high and meeting his father''s ferocious gaze, then to King Osian''s. The King sat down on his throne, but Princess Evanna spoke first before he could speak. "I apologise for my behaviour earlier. I acted impulsively, but it was never my intention to insult the Hart family of Hatherland. After reflecting on what I have done, I will accept any punishment you give me," Princess Evanna''s voice was calm and confident as she bowed her head, awaiting a verdict by the two kings. "How would you like to proceed, Osian?" King Horik questioned, his icy and calculative gaze not leaving the princess''s small frame. Conrad scowled; what is father planning now? King Osian watched his daughter lovingly, then looked at Conrad, his gaze hardening and gestured with his finger to come forward,s. The second prince followed his silent command and stepped up to stand beside Princess Evanna. "Before punishment must be made, I think it is fair to ask each child their version of the events that led to both their faces coming out in a bruise," King Osian said, looking at Conrad expectantly. Conrad cleared his throat and straightened his shoulders. "I fell off my horse after two servants.. One servant," He corrected, "rushed in front of Shardeigh, and the princess pulled the servant boy back before he was kicked by my horse. After arguing with.." He looked at Princess Evanna warily. "the princess who I believed to be a servant at the time, I slapped her, and she punched me back." He looked back at King Osian and bowed his head, waiting for Princess Evanna to make some claim that he was an arrogant jerk. But to his astonishment, she did not say anything in the slightest. "What Prince Conrad said is true. It is my fault for getting in the way of his horse, and I apologise for the part I played in this whole debacle." "And what of this servant? Was he not also to blame. Is he being punished as we speak?" King Horik asked vehemently. "This is highly disrespectful from both the princess AND for a servant boy to walk the path of royalty!" The King of Dunhurst glanced at Princess Evanna then tilted his head back, which was then followed by guards bringing the servant boy forwards from earlier who the princess had been flustered over about his injuries. Conrad couldn''t help but glare at the boy in jealousy. A lowly servant had a PRINCESS concerned over him, and he, a PRINCE, had nobody. After seeing his glare, Princess Evanna scowled at Conrad and looked back at the servant, worry forming on her face. "What punishment would you suggest?" King Osian asked gravelly, and the prince couldn''t help but look at him in shock. The King didn''t look like he wanted to punish such an impudent child at all! "Fifty lashes," King Horik replied instantly, a cruel smile spreading across his face as his focus slowly went from the servant boy and to Conrad. The prince refrained from flinching or showing any emotion in which his father would find more joy. Conrad knew the message was also meant for him; he knew his punishment would be the same as the servant boys. King Osian sighed and waved his hand lazily, commanding the guards to take the boy away. "No!" Princess Evanna stepped forwards, her arms wide almost protectively in front of the servant. Again, Conrad felt jealous of her action towards the boy. He wanted someone to step up and protect him, then he dismissed the motion instantly. How pathetic. He did fine without her or anyone else, and he would be fine once they left. "Evanna!" King Osian''s voice boomed, resonating in the hall and silencing any noise. All except for a few snickers from the Queen of Dunhurst. Conrad frowned. Was she really cruel to her second daughter.. That was when it clicked for the prince; the Queen and first Princess did not relate to Princess Evanna in any way. She was not the child of the Queen but to King Osian''s mistress. His father chuckled darkly. "Oh, very well, as your daughter seems more merciful than Hatherland''s way.. then thirty lashes should be fine. He is young, after all." Conrad closed his eyes and heard his brother chuckle from behind him. They knew their father hated mercy, it was a sign of weakness, and now he would see Princess Evanna as someone not worthy of his time. Not that he cared. That girl was the one to hit him in the first place. Princess Evanna stepped forward and tilted her chin up, meeting his father''s amused gaze that darkened the longer he stared down at the fiery little princess. "I take full responsibility for today. Ger.. I mean.. this lowly servant boy was following my orders. I blackmailed him to come with me to the village." King Horik and Queen Eleanor laughed at her words. Does a child as young as she even know what blackmailing was? Conrad''s golden eyes lit up in amusement briefly before he stared back at the princess''s side profile. She was serious. It made his father laugh even more before he wiped away a tear and asked, "And how did you blackmail this boy?" He was amusing her, everyone could tell, including Princess Evanna. But she held her own and replied with conviction. "I told the boy if he didn''t come with me, then it would be his fault if something were to happen to me, and he and his family would be sent to the gallows. So, if anyone is to be punished, it will be me." "Evanna!" King Osian scolded, his voice dropped in disapproval. King Horik stepped forwards then, a broad grin spreading on his face as he assessed the small girl in front of him. He parted his lips about to speak and most likely about to make a snide comment, but Queen Eleanor beat him to it. "And how.. did you learn how to blackmail someone?" She looked down at Princess Evanna like she was nothing but a speck of mud on her luxurious shoes. "With your lowly blood, I daresay you learnt such wicked things from your mother.." Queen Eleanor smirked and looked across the hall. Chapter 152 - Punishment: Part Two "And how.. did you learn how to blackmail someone?" Queen Eleanor looked down at Princess Evanna like she was nothing but a speck of mud on her luxurious shoes. "With your lowly blood, I daresay you learnt such wicked things from your mother." Queen Eleanor smirked and looked across the hall. Conrad followed her blazing gaze to a stunning figure standing to the side elegantly in a dark blue dress, her raven hair pulled back with tendrils of curls falling over her sharp features and startling hazel eyes. He knew immediately that she was Princess Evanna''s mother, he could see the likeness in their features, and he couldn''t help but look back at the young princess and wonder if she would grow into someone so radiant. As his gaze settled on Princess Evanna''s face again, he narrowed his eyes subtly as he saw a slight smirk on her lips while continuing to watch Queen Eleanor. It was as though her insult bounced right off her. But that small expression left her face, and she looked at the Queen with big, wide doe-like eyes, tilting her head to the side. "Why.. I learnt it from you, of course, your majesty." She replied in an innocent and almost too sweet voice. "How dare you!? I would never teach a child such a wretched thing!" Queen Eleanor stepped forward, clutching her dress, her face going red at the sudden attention. "You dare lie! Maybe fifty lashes would serve you better and soap to rinse out that tongue of yours!" "Oh, please be merciful, your majesty. I didn''t mean to say you purposely taught me such a thing.." Princess Evanna slowly looked away from the Queen and to King Osian. "I was passing by as I heard you yell the term at one of your servants. Hmm.." She tapped her finger against her lips in thought. "If I recall correctly, you wanted to blackmail Marquess Rodgers about a vote on the council.." The young princess trailed off purposely, holding back the obvious information that could easily leave her tongue. Her feigned innocence was not innocent at all, and Conrad couldn''t help but be impressed at how a young child verbally took down the Queen and left her flabbergasted. "I didn''t know what the term meant, but I looked it up after, and here we are.." Princess Evanna looked back at his father and King Osian, bowing her head and waiting for their answer. But King Osian looked at her disapprovingly, and his father looked at her impressed. Conrad could already see the cogs turning in his head as he stared down at the young princess. He felt a shiver run through his spine at what his father might be thinking. "They do say children pick up on habits from adults near them," King Horik smirked and looked in Queen Eleanor''s direction. "But I do think fifty lashes will be too much for someone so young. How about ten lashes each?" "King Horik, I believe there is a better punishment that would suit this occasion where both prince and princess may reflect on their actions more than a simple whipping to their backs," King Osian began, looking between the pair with a small smile on his face. "If you agree, Horik, I think Prince Conrad should teach Evanna the Hythen language of the North." "Father!" Princess Evanna instantly started to object, and Conrad couldn''t help but scoff at her audacity. She seemed more obliged to receive lashings than to spend more time with him. He scowled; well, he didn''t want to spend time with her either! "Should Ger take your lashings instead?!" King Osian stepped forwards, crossing his arms as he stared at his daughter. "Guards, take Ger away." "Father, I said I would take responsibility!" "Then take it! You WILL learn Hythen from Prince Conrad," King Osian ordered, then looked at King Horik, "If you believe it is an appropriate punishment?" Horik looked at his son for a long moment, then back to the princess and smiled when he met King Osian''s eyes. "I will be punishing Conrad accordingly to our rules, but this sounds perfect." Rules? More like so his father can get a taste for his bloodlust. Conrad knew he would still receive fifty lashes for the embarrassment he caused Hatherland. "Before anything else, I think an apology to each other should be a good start," King Osian announced, gesturing for Evanna and Conrad to speak to each other. Conrad turned on his heel and held his hand out for the princess to take. She hesitated only for a second before placing her delicate yet reddened knuckles on top of his palm. He couldn''t help but raise a brow from the hand she offered was indeed the one she punched him with; he wanted to grumble at the amusement he saw dancing behind those large green eyes. "Princess Evanna Goodrich, I, Prince Conrad Hart, am sorry for slapping you and humbly ask for your forgiveness." He kissed her knuckle quickly and pulled away, his cheeks reddening as he looked to the side. The princess cleared her throat, gaining his attention, and when he looked back at her, she was already curtsying, holding her skirt as she looked down. "Prince Conrad Hart, I might forgive you in the future." His mouth fell open, and he looked to his father, who choked down a laugh. "For now, I do hope you will reflect on your actions. But I, Princess Evanna Goodrich, am sorry about the part I played today. I do hope your jaw does not swell too much. I made sure not to hit so hard, unlike you." "Evannaaaa," King Osian groaned. Conrad bit his tongue, tasting blood from his annoyance at the princess. She wasn''t apologetic at all but glancing around the room, he could see his father was now amused more than anything, and others in the hall seemed too tired to deal with this issue any further. Princess Evanna really was a piece of work. "Now that this has been dealt with, I think Princess Evanna should show you to your rooms, and this evening we will feast. Evanna and Prince Conrad''s punishment may start tomorrow. I think there has been enough drama for one day," King Osian replied, then looked behind them, "Take Ger back to the servant''s quarters." Conrad watched out of the corner of his eyes as the princess spoke a tongue unknown to him, but she said it so quietly only Ger would hear. Conrad was the only one to witness the exchange and hear her words. For some reason, he felt like if anyone else were to listen to her, she would be in more trouble than punching a prince. Conrad shifted uncomfortably, wondering what punishment she would receive then. Not that he cared! Without any more discussion, everyone bowed and curtsied before heading towards the doors. Conrad and his family left first, following the young princess, who stayed quiet the whole time she led them away. His father''s significant presence must have finally silenced her, though she wasn''t shaking in fear like most did upon first meeting him. After ten more minutes, Princess Evanna showed each of them to their rooms in the guest quarters, each bed-chamber side by side. Conrad stopped before his door, staring at Arvid, who glared at how close their bed chambers were. If his father had not retired just before them, he would have commented, so instead, he reached out to the princess, who had already started to walk away. She stopped and looked at him, then down at her wrist, where he gripped tightly; he released her, feeling guilty at his strength and more bruising she would most likely receive from it. "Your highness, I can''t stay here," He said and looked past her to the other end of the hall. Princess Evanna scowled at him. "Is there something wrong with the guest room?" She asked, then added through clenched teeth. "I do believe you have yet to check if it is to your liking." "I do not wish to stay here. Show me another room," Conrad demanded. The princess smiled, though he could see how forced it was. She turned around and walked down the hall where he had looked, but instead of stopping at the door he presumed she would take him, the princess rounded a corner and walked further. "Princess Evanna, have you forgotten-" "The chambers you wished to stay in were not fit for a prince. I apologise if this is too much of an inconvenience to be so far from your family. I suggest either taking the room I first proposed or the one that is.." She sighed and muttered ''unfortunately'' under her breath, "near my quarters." Conrad was more relieved he was further away from his family than annoyed at being closer to her and possibly seeing the princess more than his own blood. "This is perfect," He finally replied as they stopped in front of another set of doors. "I will send for your servants and your bags," The princess said, bowing her head before leaving swiftly. "Thanks..." He muttered over his shoulder, but the hallway was empty. Chapter 153 - Powers Of The Demon Prince (1) Conrad sat down on his bed that could fit more than four people in; his face was one of shock at the luxuriousness of the chamber he was in. The princess provided him with a room meant for a prince, he presumed after their meeting and tension between them, especially when he requested a new room that she would give him a regular guest room. He scoffed, no, he was still a prince and one visiting Dunhurst; she would not place him in a room unworthy of someone with such a title. Unbuckling his cape, he let it slip to the floor and threw his white jacket onto the side, hating the colours that matched his family''s outfits. Conrad walked through to the parlour and collapsed on the light blue and gold loveseat, placing his hand over his head before inhaling deeply and smiling at the throbbing pain of his jaw. A girl had punched him in the face; it was ridiculous. Without meaning to, he accidentally called on his powers, and he gasped at the sudden crushing force entering his body and almost shattering his bones. When the prince opened his eyes again, he was looking down at his resting body. Conrad sighed and looked at his practically opaque hand before waving it that dissipated in the wind and rebuilt itself like misty smoke when he stopped. Nobody else could see him right now. It was a strange power he read about called projection, he was like a ghost, and his actual body looked dead to the world, his chest hardly breathing. It was sporadic and something he was still trying to control, but for now, the only way for it to go was when his curiosity was satiated. With a groan that nobody could hear, he drifted through the walls and flew down the hallways at a rapid speed until he saw Princess Evanna darting back to her chambers. He knew it was terrible to be spying on her, but he would be in this form all night if he didn''t see her. Conrad had no one to turn to about these powers, and the other times he revealed himself, well, the consequences are the result of his nickname the ''Demon Child'' and ''Demon Prince''. He followed the princess through to her bed chamber and looked down at the floor, feeling embarrassed as she pulled her hair down from her neatly put together updo. Jewels and clips flew onto the bed until she groaned in relief, her hair now down to her waist. He started to turn around; it was bad he was in her chambers, especially now that she would probably get changed. But before he went to leave and give her some privacy, he stopped after hearing some shuffling from behind him. Conrad watched in bemused curiosity as she started to strip her bed and tie sheets together before wrapping one end around one of the posters of the bed and throwing the rest out towards the patio doors. What was she planning to do? Escape? That was when the princess suddenly paused what she was doing and turned in his direction. She looked directly at Conrad; half his body was floating through the bed, but he was just above her eye level. Princess Evanna raised her eyes to meet his, and he held his breath in shock, but then she looked to the side and shook her head with a small laugh. "Maybe there are ghosts now in the palace," She muttered but held each of her arms as though she felt cold. Then the sounds of footsteps tapped on the hallway floors, something his hearing picked up before hers. Yet he watched as Princess Evanna scrambled to the bed again, throwing the lengthy bedsheets under the bed frame and coving the bare mattress with an old blanket. Conrad frowned; how did she pick up on such a noise? After flattening out any creases on the bed, the door to her chamber opened, and Princess Evanna stood from her awkward seated position, pursing her lips at who entered. Conrad followed her eyes and gulped at the stony face of the Princess'' mother. At that moment, the term '' deadly beauty'' rose to his mind. It seemed she still had a punishment and not one by King Osian. However, Lady Loraven rushed towards the princess and pulled her into a hug before crouching down and inspecting her cheek. "Evanna.. How could you be so reckless?" Lady Loraven scolded, but there was no harshness to her voice; it was more melodious and calming to his ears. "I''m sorry, mother.. I wanted to see the festival. I never get to see or do anything fun," Evanna replied quietly and looked down with a pout. She seemed more her age now in front of her mother. "I know, darling. But you are a princess and not just any princess but an illegitimate one. If anyone knew you were out by yourself without any protection.. If Eleanor knew you were out.." Lady Loraven pulled her daughter into a tight embrace. "I cannot lose you too," She whispered. "And to HIT a Hatherland Prince!?" She pulled back and sighed at reading her daughter''s scowl. Standing up, Lady Loraven sat at the end of the bed and tapped by her side for the princess to follow. "He slapped me first," Princess Evanna argued quietly but stopped and looked down immediately from her mother''s stern expression. There was no point in arguing. Lady Loraven was in the Great Hall as much as she tried to hide to the side from the Queen''s raging glares; her pure and almost magical presence could never be hidden. It was strange; Conrad could only feel such presence from the mother and daughter before him. Conrad floated back more towards the wall, feeling guilty about watching this exchange. "*Hatherland and Dunhurst will be allies, but that doesn''t mean all bonds will sustain. He is the Demon Prince, Evanna.* Be careful. I do not know how much of the rumours are true. But if he is, in fact, a demon, then Hatherland is a stronger force than any may encounter." Lady Loraven gently placed her hand on top of Princess Evanna''s head. "*I will, mother,*" Princess Evanna replied obediently, and Conrad could see the gentleness in her gaze. Gone was the fierce little princess he encountered in the Great Hall; both sides seemed almost endearing.. ALMOST ENDEARING? How disgusting. Chapter 154 - [Bonus ]Powers Of The Demon Prince (2) How disgusting and absurd. This princess who punched him in the face and spoke so.. so.. Conrad blinked profusely and his thought process halted as he stared back at the mother and daughter before him. It was then Conrad realised he could understand their words. They were speaking in that language again. But but how could he understand? Was this another power? What language were they speaking in and why? He glanced between Lady Loraven and Princess Evanna, they were speaking in hushed tones almost like they didn''t want anyone else to hear them. While he debated over this new revelation, the mother and daughter continued with their conversation. "And stop antagonising Eleanor," Lady Loraven scolded. The princess jumped up and spun on the spot. "You cannot expect me to be quiet when she insults you to my face. And if she cannot handle an eight-year-old child''s wit, then she shouldn''t be Queen-" Her voice was muffled out by Lady Loraven''s hands. "*Watch your tongue.*" The King''s mistress glanced around the room as though a spy was already among them. Technically, Conrad was spying on them, but they didn''t know that, and there was no information thus far that might help him gain an advantage or more power within his family. Lady Loraven released the princess from her hands and stood up with a sigh. "Rest now. The herbs I gave you yesterday will help in a tea to reduce the redness and bruising on your face. Evanna.." The princess now looked up at her mother; the tone in Lady Loraven''s voice left no room to argue. "While the Hart family is here, I need you to be on your best behaviour. Stay out of trouble, don''t argue with Eleanor in front of them. Be good to Prince Conrad.. I fear nothing looks as it seems with him. You will be spending more time with him than anyone else now." "*Yes, mother,*" The princess replied obediently as Lady Loraven walked to the door. "Oh, and Evanna.." Conrad and Evanna looked at Lady Loraven. "Make your bed again. Ger will not be free from his duties for at least a week. You cannot sneak out to see him unless you want to get him in even more trouble. Rest now. Tonight you will have to be presentable again." Princess Evanna''s mouth parted, and the door closed behind her mother. With a sigh, she flopped back onto her bed, unaware of the floating prince above her. So, she was sneaking out to see that servant boy. For some reason, that irked him even more, but he did not know for what purpose. Was he simply jealous that this illegitimate child still had close relationships outside of the obvious hateful glares of the Queen and first princess along with the nobles and even some servants? It really was pathetic, people were scared of him and called him a demon, yet here in Dunhurst, they hated on a child because of her birth. Even though he found this princess annoying, the child still didn''t deserve ridicule over the sins of her parents. Ah, but they weren''t sins here in the Kingdom of Dunhurst; King Osian reinstated the law of allowing royals to have a mistress. At least Lady Loraven and Princess Evanna were still in favour of the King. Ugh, why am I still here?! Take me back already! Just as Conrad was about to fly back, he felt his body shake, and his vision became blurry. Then all too suddenly, he was yanked back, and he gasped, opening his eyes to a screaming servant. Conrad rubbed his head in annoyance; this wasn''t one of his servants. "Your highness, I apologise. The servants brought your luggage in, unaware you were.. sleeping on the sofa," Harrison, his attendant, apologised, standing to the side of him. He appeared only ten years older to him with a slender body, bright blue eyes and his eyelids were always smudged with a light redness as though he didn''t get enough sleep and had shimmering silver hair. Conrad sometimes wondered if Harrison was a warlock of some kind because his looks were bizarre for the region he grew up in. In fact, the prince hadn''t seen anyone else look like Harrison, who had silver hair that sparkles in specific lighting? Harrison was aware of some of the prince''s powers, and unlike others who would scream at any oddities, he never did. Not even the first time, his attendant found him looking like a corpse on the floor at the young age of four. Instead, he placed him on his bed and waited for his return. He was the only person he trusted by a minuscule amount, even though he believed his attendant had his own secrets. Conrad waved his hand lazily and sat up, "Get them out of here. Only you will assist me," He said through gritted teeth, his head still pounding at being pulled into that strange power. Harrison bowed and handed him a glass of blue liquid with a sprinkle of herbs twirling inside from where his attendant had stirred it. It was truly awful, but it always helped revitalise him after entering that ghostly form. He would feel drained and unable to use his powers for two days, and the ''whispers'' in his head could not be blocked out. Harrison ordered the servants out as Conrad downed the strange elixir and settled back down on the sofa, his thoughts turning to the princess and the language she spoke. There was more to her than a simple princess rebelling against the claws of nobility trying to clutch at her, and he would find it out. Maybe she would be useful.. Conrad sighed as he felt his boots fall to the ground, and Harrison''s hands started to massage his feet. "Rest now, master. You are drained from today''s excursions," His attendant said in a quiet and calming voice. "I will get the bath ready." "Hmmm, I will see her tonight.." Conrad murmured sleepily. "Evanna..." You can read the novel online free at novelhall.com Chapter 155 - Alliance Read novel online free fast updates at novelhall.com At dinner, the families dined together in the banquet hall. The tables were set up, so the Kings and Queens sat side by side, with the right side of the table followed by the Crown Prince Arvid and Prince Conrad, with the right adjoining table sat the younger Hart siblings. The ''terrible twins'' Prince Harald and Prince Halvar argued over some competition between them, their voices loud throughout the hall even after their nanny scolded them more than once, and sitting quietly to their side was Princess Marna. To the left of Queen Eleanor was Princess Isabel, and Princess Evanna, the adjoining table to the left sat Lady Loraven and some court ladies that seemed to speak more to the Queen than the mistress of the King. Conrad sat quietly observing everything and taking note of the quiet slander aimed at Princess Evanna by Princess Isabel and occasionally the Queen whose insults were hidden by pretty words. It seemed the princess was dealt in emotional abuse more so than physical here, but the King seemed unaware. From how he reacted to him slapping his daughter, Conrad knew King Osian loved his daughter dearly, and the Queen appeared to pick her battles with the King''s daughter. The evening was filled with laughter and lively conversations between the two families or, in this case, the Kings and Queens. Entertainment was provided for them during the mighty feast, and a jester entertained the room before the band played for the nobility to dance to. And for once, his brother, Arvid, sat quietly by his side. But Conrad knew that Arvid was never quiet; he was calculative, manipulative and enjoyed watching people squirm beneath him. So, when he was silent, Conrad became concerned. Yet, nothing came of it as the feast ended and the night drew on. Conrad''s younger siblings had already been taken by their nanny to go to bed, and much to his disappointment, Conrad was not dismissed even when he tried to call it a night. He was still fatigued and almost pale from using his powers earlier that day; he wondered if his father purposely kept him there because of this. "I think it is time our dear wives and children should call it a night and let two old King''s reminisce," King Osian finally announced as he stood up from his seat, his hand clasping King Horik''s shoulder with a drink in the other hand. "Old? Talk for yourself!" King Horik barked in laughter, mirroring King Osian''s stance. With the dismissal, the Queen''s walked away, chatting cheerily about stuff he didn''t bother listening to, and Princess Isabel barged past Princess Evanna so she could walk by his brother, Arvid''s side. Conrad was all too happy to head back to his chambers, but at the same time, he wanted to spy on his father. Throughout dinner, Horik had been glancing at Princess Evanna with a calculative look in his eyes, and he was acting nearly friendly to him the whole time. Conrad needed to somehow listen in to what their conversation was. While he was trying to work out how to do that exactly, Conrad heard Princess Evanna''s voice float across his ears. "Maggie, I will be fine. It is my duty to walk and keep Prince Conrad company until his quarters. I will see you when I return." Conrad frowned; they never agreed to that. He turned to look in her direction and watched as the princess slipped away from the small crowd and entered a door. Conrad strangely felt like he should follow this rebellious princess and see what she was up to now. So, he followed her through the door, keeping in mind nobody saw him and ascended the old stony steps and tight walls, almost tripping over bags and misplaced items. It was apparent now that this was a hallway meant for servants. He stopped when he saw the wall to his left open out to a window that overlooked a small parlour. The view was distorted by some netting, and he could make out from his heightened eyesight that it was, in fact, a painting in front of him, but it revealed the two King''s sitting together in front of a giant lit fireplace below him. Conrad gasped when he felt something tug at his sleeve, and his eyes widened when two small hands covered his mouth and stared into the bright green eyes of Princess Evanna. She slowly looked to the side, and he realised King Horik and King Osian had stopped talking and were peering directly at them. King Osian cleared his throat, "Sometimes, the sounds of the servants carry over to this room. There are a lot of hidden passageways they use." Thought his father was satisfied with King Osian''s answer and looked back into his wine glass, Osian still stared at them as though he could see through the painting. Princess Evanna sighed when the King returned his attention to his father and removed her hands from his face. "What are you doing here!?" She whisper-shouted, her brows drawn together in annoyance. "What are YOU doing here, princess?" He sneered and sat down on the barrel behind her, overlooking the discussion between their fathers''. "I asked you first!" She balled her hands up together, leaning towards him, but glanced to the side, realisation dawning on her face that she raised her voice a little too loudly. "I want to see if anything of importance comes up. And I saw you sneak off after using my name as a little alibi for yourself. Very clever.. It seems I made the right choice in following you. At least now you aren''t completely lying to.. Maggie was it?" He smirked at the lost look on her face. He waited a few seconds as he could see the cogs turning in her head, but nothing came to her lips. Conrad looked back at the two King''s though amusement still filled his golden eyes. "Fine, I''ll let you stay here with me if you agree to my alibi," She finally spoke up quietly and shuffled down onto the ground, leaning onto the bricked wall, her chin resting on her arms as she gazed over the parlour. Conrad crossed his arms, refusing to budge on the barrel she was obviously using before he arrived. For the first ten minutes of the discussion between the Kings, Evanna and Conrad slowly started to become tired over their boring talks. The princess stood up and yawned quietly, stretching her arms out; they''d both tuned out from the topics, and Conrad was going to follow Princess Evanna''s lead. But as she took the first step away from him, Arvid''s name was mentioned, and he tuned back into the discussion. "I know from our letters we discussed the possibility of marrying our eldest children, Arvid and Isabel. But I have changed my mind," King Horik began as he stroked his beard and stared into the fire. King Osian placed his goblet down, his face now stern, and all amusement from their fun discussions before was long gone. "Horik, I thought you wanted this alliance? It needs to be stronger than simple word of mouth. I need to know I can count on your kingdom as you would ours if ever need be," He replied quietly. "Oh, do not get me wrong, Osian." King Horik stood up and started to walk around the back of the sofa. "I still want a marriage between our children, but after meeting Princess Isabel, I don''t think she is fitting as Queen of Hatherland." King Osian stood up and glared at his father. "I do.. however, think your youngest daughter would make a fine Queen," King Horik continued in a lazy manner as though he could not see his friend almost raging at his insult to his eldest daughter. King Osian plopped back down on the sofa and sighed. "I must admit, Evanna does act much older than Isabel. But she IS still a year younger, and Isabel will mature into a young lady worthy of Arvid''s bride. Evanna is.." Conrad glanced at Princess Evanna, who had, upon hearing her sisters name, decided to stay. She wore an unreadable expression, but he could tell she was listening intently to the conversation. She gripped tightly on the edge of the wall''s ledge again and seemed to be hardly breathing. "Evanna cannot be Queen. You saw her today; she is rebellious, free-spirited. She is only eight and has already somehow escaped these high walls and is not afraid to challenge anyone," King Osian finished. "Exactly!" His father came back around the sofa and sat next to King Osian. "She is only eight and has her own mind. She challenges adults.. Today, I had not seen anything like it. Whenever I discipline my children, they know what they have done wrong and accept the consequences. Your daughter.. like a damned councilman, wiggled her way out of a harsher punishment. And to punch my son.." Horik burst into laughter, slapping his knee as though he was watching it all over again. "It was disrespectful.. Horik.. Your eldest will be the next King of Hatherland; he can''t have a wife who is an illegitimate child." "Then how about this.." King Horik was not finished with trying to get the second princess. Conrad''s body suddenly went cold as though he already knew what was about to leave that wretched mouth of his. "How about Conrad and Evanna? Your daughter has impressed me, and it takes a lot to impress me." Evanna and Conrad tensed at the suggestion. He looked at her from the corner of his eyes, wondering if he would see any fear on her face. But nothing of the like was on her face; she merely frowned and pressed herself forwards as though she wanted to hear more. King Osian''s lips twisted at the thought of it. "You want to marry off your son who slapped my daughter?" "I thought we were all over that now, no?" King Horik smirked and waited for his response before he added. "It would solidify our alliance." King Osian sighed and leaned his arms on his legs, staring into the fire. "Then they shall be wed when she is of age." Princess Evanna stood up and stared at Conrad. He could almost read her mind with how she looked at him. It was apparent neither wanted to marry the other, but he did note something before she stormed away.. The princess never did look at him in fear. Best novel online free at novelhall.com Chapter 156 - Rumours: Part One The following day the prince and princess were in the library from 10am starting their first lesson on the Hythen language. The bookcases seemed to go to great heights; ladders were situated at each wall for any to use. A few tables were left here and there, and the smell of ink, paper and dust seemed to fill the air. Unlike the rest of the palace that was filled with marble floors, white bricked walls and paintings and plants to blend well with the brightness and pristine grandeur of the court, the library was another matter. The floors were still of white marble, but the only thing brightening up the room was the large arched windows and the fireplace. Otherwise, it was notably only used for studying, which was the purpose of the library for any nobles staying in the palace. There was another section to the library through some golden doors, but this was off bounds with guards stationed outside the doors at all times. The King''s personal library was past the golden doors that only a few were rumoured to have ever entered. Prince Conrad and Princess Evanna stood awkwardly across from each other, a large mahogany table between them as they stared anywhere but at each other. Their engagement had yet to be announced, and as far as Prince Conrad knew, only his mother and possibly Evanna''s mother learned of it. But the young children knew they had to follow orders of their Kings. Princess Evanna glanced at him and to the books in his hands, then pulled the chair out, taking her seat without saying a word. Prince Conrad cleared his throat and took his own seat before wordlessly handing her the other book and opening the first page. "Let us start with the alphabet and how each letter sounds," He instructed quietly, his voice calm though he felt anything but. The princess nodded her head, and they started the lesson; it was purely academic though he found himself glancing at her and staring from time to time. She was now absorbed in the lesson and seemed to even enjoy learning something new. At first, Conrad was surprised by how quickly she picked up on the language but then he was reminded of the foreign tongue with which she spoke to her mother. The only thing Conrad did find strange was that Princess Evanna didn''t seem to look at him once unless she was watching his lips while he spoke the sentence from the book in Hythen. She was incredibly indifferent to him, her future husband. His face was scrunched up by the idea of being married to Evanna, but he wondered what this princess was truly thinking. The night before, she seemed to already be plotting something, and today she was obedient and never mentioned what they found out. By the end of their lesson, the prince left a little perplexed by the girl who he was starting to believe was nothing more than trouble. They parted ways at the floor to ceiling wooden doors, and he wondered if she was trying to avoid him; after all, he was residing in her part of the palace. But he did not care if she was or not; it did not disturb him in any way. She was just some princess who had the burden of being betrothed to him. Once it was announced, her name would be intertwined with his, their fates sealed. Any rumours of either of them would affect the other. The following few lessons followed in the same manner, but sometimes the young princess would question the prince about his homeland after specific topics of different goods were only sold in the North, among other things. Conrad could see she put aside her loathing of the prince for her interest in learning more about his kingdom. And from there, he would then question her about Dunhurst, not because he didn''t know a lot about the domain, but he wanted to see how educated the princess was of her own kingdom. He knew his brothers Harald and Halvar, who were of the same ages, played and fought more than acquiring knowledge about the kingdom their family ruled over. Some servants who passed by Prince Conrad and Princess Evanna whispered and gaped at the sight of the children who were now studying so diligently and not fighting each other. It seemed their first meeting had circulated through the palace walls, and even the servants knew of their already crumbled relationship. Conrad could hear their gossips and did his best to ignore and focus on the princess speaking perfectly to him in Hythen. Although his temper was slowly boiling in his blood from what he did hear. If it wasn''t from their discussions about his nickname and where it stemmed from, it was about the princess and how she did not compare to Princess Isabel. "You can see how hard Evanna works, but she will always have commoner blood in her.." "Shh! The Demon Child is glaring at us! What if he can hear us?!" "From there? No way. And what does he have to glare about? I''m sure this is all an act. It is their punishment for fighting." "Maybe the young master is annoyed because he has to spend his time with such a lowly princess." The maids giggled and glanced in the young royal''s directions. They were to the right of the prince, cleaning the windows at the far end of the library. Conrad sent daggers in their direction and knew that they''d suddenly feel cold all over from his look alone. "Eeek!" They squealed, instantly returning to cleaning the windows with nervous side glances. But they did not speak another word since. Good. What insects. They comment about Evanna''s commoner blood, yet they are nothing but peasants themselves.. Prince Conrad clicked his tongue and met the bright green eyes of the princess, who wiped the small smile that was on her face. What was that? Chapter 157 - Rumours: Part Two Prince Conrad shut his book and leaned back in his chair, his eyes now tired from reading and teaching the princess. The awkwardness was still there, and the underlying dislike for one another still filled the tension brewing in the air, but there was now a strange form of familiarity about each other. It had only been a week since they met and the incident that ensued, but after spending at least three hours a day together in the library and then attending dinners and other events, the pair were increasingly aware of each other''s small habits. If the princess was restless and seemed unable to focus on her work, she''d quietly sigh; it was almost suppressed sigh so as not to be rude. Or she would look up at the bookshelves, her quill in hand, the feather brushing along her cheek. Conrad could see when her mind would wander off in thoughts unknown to him, but seemingly crucial to the point a frown would etch onto her features. At times he wanted to question her what was on her mind, for she was just a young child; what child had such big worries? Then he''d remind himself of how this girl punched not slapped but punched him in the face. Still, when he saw these little habits, he would suggest a small break, and the princess would return after refreshed from going outdoors and almost smiling in his presence. But just as much as he''d noticed her habits, she had also taken note of when he was not in a good mood, and instead of teasing him like most would, she remained quiet and ordered a servant to bring some herbal tea and snacks. At first, the prince scoffed; the silly princess thought sugary snacks and some tea to which he didn''t like (had not tried), would help improve his mood after being ridiculed by his family. Minutes later, after trying the fragrant drink and sugary biscuits, he thanked Evanna almost too quietly, embarrassed by his manners and because he did enjoy the drink she suggested. The princess nodded and looked down at her book, not probing further to his mood swings. These mood swings caused him to break more than a few quills, but Evanna would get him a new one, again without questioning further. Conrad didn''t know if she was strange or if he was the strange one for not expecting much.. kindness? After finishing their tenth lesson, Prince Conrad and Princess Evanna didn''t split up in front of the doors like normal and instead walked side by side down the hallway, the window''s by their side revealing a small courtyard where he had seen Evanna go to on those small breaks. Conrad held his book behind his back while Evanna held hers in front of her skirt. They walked in silence, the only noise was of their footsteps echoing down the hall, but neither were in a rush. "You don''t seem to have an issue with walking by my side today," Conrad remarked, pointing out what he had been thinking during their walk. Evanna looked up at him, a little startled before sweeping her gaze away from him and to the side. "I have other lessons to attend to after. But they were cancelled today for tonight''s celebration," She replied politely though there was a slight edge to her voice as if his comment annoyed her. And that, in turn, annoyed him; why was this princess annoyed with him? It was common courtesy to walk like this after, so of course, he would point it out to her. Conrad frowned and looked away, feeling frustrated that he''d started to take an interest in this moody child. Maybe she was so grumpy because of all these lessons; if what she said was true, she only had a break at dinner. He didn''t believe that. "What subjects do you take?" He asked, not really intrigued by what, but how many. The princess sighed as they rounded a corner. "The usual, history, geography, royal etiquette, archery, horse riding, music lessons, art, and a few subjects taught to me by my mother," She replied nonchalantly, and the prince turned to look at her. "You don''t honestly expect me to believe that you take all those lessons daily, including our Hythen lesson?" He questioned with a slightly raised voice. His brothers only managed a few lessons, and even then, they''d still be restless. "Believe what you will," Evanna replied annoyingly. Conrad was about to retort and ask her to prove it to him, but he stopped as he picked up on servants gossiping about Princess Evanna. It wasn''t the good kind of gossip either which he expected considering the King seemed to adore her. Nope, they mocked her, comparing her to Princess Isabel and that it was shameful for her to be walking so proudly in the palace grounds when she was nothing more than an illegitimate child. The prince''s hands clenched into fists, and he felt his blood boil with the raging power inside of him; the feeling of his dark magic surged through his veins, whispering to him to ''Do it'', ''teach them a lesson''. "Do not pay them any heed, your highness," Evanna''s delicate and sweet voice snapped him out of his monstrous mood. "They are looking at me, not you." Conrad blinked and looked down at the innocent-looking girl he knew was much wiser than she appeared. Evanna knew they were gossiping about her, she may not be able to hear them like he could, but he realised this girl had similar yet very different circumstances to him. The princess was still loved by her parents, but the family was very complex, and it seemed she was looked down on more than respected. "Have you not heard the rumours about me?" Conrad scoffed, hoping to distract her, even if he purposely irritated her. "I have heard a rumour or two about you. But it is not my place to question you about such things," Evanna replied and started to turn away to go towards her chamber. Conrad swiftly walked in front of her, turning on the spot only to block her path, placing his hand on the wall. "How noble of the princess who cross-dresses. I have heard this is not the first time you have troubled everyone with your disappearing act," He smirked, enjoying the slither of annoyance now showing on her face. Evanna met his gaze and formed a smirk of her own. "It seems you are not so noble. Have you never tried sneaking out of your castle walls?" Conrad didn''t comment, looking away as he thought of the brutal consequences if he were ever caught for making a mockery of his family. "What you did was ridiculous and dangerous," He snapped back instead. Evanna shrugged. "You should live a little." His head whipped back to look at her incredulously. She doesn''t know of what she speaks! "You are not the Crown Prince," She began slowly, gauging his reaction before continuing. "So, you have fewer duties, obligations and expectationsˇ­ You already have a dangerous nickname.." She leaned forwards with a mischievous smile on her face as she looked up at him. "So, make use of it." Conrad''s jaw seemed to drop open, and the princess began whistling and walked around him, leaving the prince to stare after her. Make use of it.. Those words could be harmless coming from a rebellious child who probably just told him to try leaving the castle walls as a peasant without the royal name looming over his head. They could have been simply innocent words. But Conrad felt like there was more to her words than what they were speaking of. Evanna was in a similar position to him, and he''d already seen how cunning this eight-year-old girl was. She already seemed to outsmart adults such as the Queen. He wasn''t the Crown Prince, and no one was lining themselves up with him to gain power because he wasn''t the next in line to be King. No one really followed his movements; he was the child that scared everyone, and people avoided. Make use of his nickname. He shall. This princess wasn''t so bad after all. Chapter 158 - A B*tch That evening a grand celebration began after dinner when King Osian announced the engagement between Prince Conrad Hart and Princess Evanna Goodrich. Conrad instantly felt the glares from Queen Eleanor, Princess Isabel and even his brother Prince Arvid, to which he could not understand why he was displeased. From what he had observed, his brother barely kept up with his ''angelic'' appearance in front of Princess Isabel; it seemed that Princess really didn''t do well with his family. Not well indeed, he snickered to himself. His family of golden locks and eyes, though, looked the part of Royalty, dealt with their affairs using more violent methods than the ordinary courts'' tricks. Tricks to which he assumed the Queen and the first Princess were accustomed to were nothing more than child games compared to life back at Hatherland. Conrad''s gaze moved towards his ''betrothed'', who was no more than a young child yet had the air of someone his own age or older. He also noted how they glared at Princess Evanna, but she was indifferent to them, most likely because their behaviour hadn''t changed towards her. Once the celebration began to sizzle down into the late hours of the evening, both families began to disperse to their bed chambers. Conrad left the hall, feeling the long night take its toll on him. He strolled out into the hallway; his brother, Arvid, rushed past him, barging into his shoulder as he did so, and chased down their father, asking for him to change his mind. Change his mind? He thought Arvid despised Princess Isobel unless that was something he was willing to look over? Conrad wanted to listen more to his brother''s reasonings, but then he heard a sudden slap of skin hitting skin on the other side of the hall. He swivelled his head to the side, but nobody was there. However, shadows on the floor revealed two figures standing around the corner, away from the parting crowds. He rounded the corner and stopped when he saw Princess Evanna facing his direction, her cheek red and her hands fisted by her sides as her sister trembled in rage and stepped into her personal space. "How dare you take away what is mine!" Princess Isobel screeched in Evanna''s face. "I was meant to be Queen of Hatherland!" She slapped Evanna again. Conrad stepped forwards then halted after feeling Evanna''s cold gaze fall on him. She did not want him to intervene. "And now.. Not only have you taken my crown, but you will be nothing but the second prince''s bride! Still, that is an upgrade to a dirty freak like you. Ugh!" Princess Isobel stomped her foot. "You and your whore of a mother should die!" The Princess raised her hand again, but this time Evanna grabbed her hand mid-swing and bent it in an awkward position. Nobody was around to see how this Princess really acted, and he was surprised at how restrained Evanna was until now, considering he was punched instantly after he slapped her. "You should be careful with your words, dear sister. One might think you plan to assassinate my mother and me," Evanna grinned and twisted Princess Isobel''s wrist even more. "Ow, ow, Evaaaanna, you''re hurting me!" Princess Isobel started to cry. Evanna released her hand, throwing her hand away from her face. Princess Isobel fell backwards and trembled even more. "Evanna! How dare you.." The raven-haired Princess slowly stepped towards her fallen sister and looked down at her expressionless. "Our teacher would be furious at your lack of manners. Have you forgotten what she has already taught us? The smile on your face is a shield, and your sharp tongue a sword. It seems you still have much to learn. If you are annoyed, you should use your words, not your fists." She leaned further forwards and smirked, causing Princess Isobel to shuffle backwards. "You should leave the rough stuff to a dirty freak like me. It seems King Horik prefers someone with a little kick behind them anyway." Conrad snickered and hid behind the wall as Evanna looked in his direction again. Princess Isabel screamed in frustration and stomped her feet, racing past where Conrad hid as she shouted over her shoulder, "You''ll regret this!" "I''ll be waiting, dear sister," Evanna''s words echoed down the hallway to Conrad. She barely spoke the words, but the Prince could hear the sadness and longing in her voice. He stepped back out from his hiding spot, but Evanna was already walking away from him. Her small frame grew smaller as she dragged her feet back towards her quarters. Conrad released his breath after watching Evanna and pushed past his discomfort of seeing the girl acting how an average child would after dealing with an older sister like that. He marched up to her at the other end of the hallway, catching up to her steps. Evanna looked up at him in surprise, and the Prince looked away, scratching the back of his head. "I will escort you back to your chambers," He muttered, his voice barely audible. Somehow, Evanna heard him. "There is no need. My handmaidens are nearby and-" "As my.." Conrad cleared his throat and felt the growing blush on his cheeks. He grit his teeth at the embarrassment he felt. "betrothed.. It is courteous to escort you back." Evanna did not respond, and he glanced at her from the corner of his eyes. She did not refuse him, and they strolled back, side by side quietly. Now he was close enough to see her red cheeks and how she seemed lost in thought and unwilling to keep up the appearance of a dutiful host in making conversation. The awkwardness started to grow between them, especially after the engagement announcement. "Do you make a habit out of making royals hit you?" He joked, trying to break the tension and rid the Princess of the sadness on her usually stoic features. But his lips fell when she did not react. Or was it a delayed reaction? Evanna giggled and looked at him with a small smile. "No, but it does appear so," Evanna murmured, then shook her head and looked up at him as they stopped before her double doors. "I am sorry you had to witness that. My sister.." "Is a bitch," Conrad finished and watched her shocked reaction. He slandered her sister, but he felt disappointed still by her response- "A bitch. Haha! Ha!" Evanna couldn''t stop giggling and covered her face, looking shyly away. Shy? He could think of many words that would define this Princess, but ''shy'' was not one of them. Conrad looked at her quizzically, then relaxed his facial expression as she turned back to him again. "I have never heard anyone call her a bitch before. It was quite refreshing," She admitted, beaming at him like he''d given her a precious gift. Maybe he had? There were no ill rumours of Princess Isobel, and it seemed they all believed she was a gracious Princess worthy of praise. Conrad wondered if his reaction would be the same as Evanna''s if their roles were reversed and she saw how his family really treated them. Ha, that would never happen. He was only there for a few more days. They couldn''t stay away from the kingdom for too long; their engagement was announced, revealing the kingdom''s future unity for a solid alliance. "I will always be truthful about that so-called princess-" The double doors swung back, and the Princess''s favourable handmaiden, Maggie, crossed her arms and looked at Evanna sternly. That was until she realised the Prince was standing there, and she instantly curtsied. "Good evening, your highness," Maggie greeted him, then looked at Evanna again. "Your highness! Your face!" She glanced at Conrad murderously before looking back at Evanna. "What happened?!" "I am fine. The usual, Isobel.." Evanna trailed off after removing Maggie''s hands from her face. The handmaiden glanced at Conrad apologetically, which was a strange moment for him. Typically people never admit to their faults or false accusations, whether they said it aloud or not. He was the ''Demon Child'' after all. "Maggie, please warm the room," Evanna ordered, dismissing the maid who looked between the royal pair before curtsying again and turning away and back into the room. "Thank you for escorting me. Goodnight, your highness." Evanna bowed her head. She was acting the Princess again. "Goodnight, Princess," He responded, then reached out to her arm as she turned away. Evanna looked back at him with widened eyes. She looked at where his hand was and narrowed her eyes suspiciously. "You should put something cold on your face. It will reduce any swelling and quicken the healing," Conrad rushed his words out and dropped his hand, jolting back and looked at her, shocked by his own actions. Evanna parted her lips, her suspicious gaze dropped, and her brows drew upwards in surprise. "Or do what you want. I don''t care." Conrad spun on the spot and abruptly left, marching down the hallway clenching and unclenching his fist. Since when did he help anyone but himself? Chapter 159 - Resurrection Prince Conrad was led to Princess Evanna''s private garden the following morning. After his ''lovely'' family breakfast, he received a message that the Princess wished for their last lesson to be outside. The Prince knew that only a named few were allowed entry to her garden. At first, before he started to understand her, he presumed the Princess must have tantrums if anyone entered. Now, as he walked down the patio steps and onto a path that led through a vibrant garden, did he understand why nobody was allowed entry. The area was peaceful, with the flowers in full bloom and nobody else in sight to whisper and gossip about Evanna. Other than her chambers, this was her safe haven. The servant who directed him to the garden had already left. He was now walking along the path by himself, holding onto the books by his side. He followed a curve that led to a small courtyard with a few benches and a fountain. This was the spot they were meant to meet, but Evanna was not there; he pulled his golden pocket watch from his navy coat pocket and checked the time. He was five minutes early, so he placed the books down on the nearest bench and stood waiting for Evanna''s arrival. As he did, Conrad''s eyes snapped to the side where a large tree was in front of the balcony, but what gained his attention was the bird that fell from the sky. Conrad walked in its direction and sighed when he saw the raven lying on its back, dead. He crouched over it and tilted his head to the side. Conrad wondered how Evanna would react to his powers. Now that he was closer to the balcony, he knew a particular pair of green eyes were watching him from the tree. There was no doubt that the balcony was connected to Evanna''s private quarters, and the quickest route to her garden was by climbing down the tree. That was exactly something he could see her doing. If Evanna went as far as dressing up as a commoner to explore the village outside of the palace, then climbing trees must be a piece of cake. Conrad redirected his attention to the dead bird on the grass and raised his hand above it, focusing his energy on it, like he''d done on previous occasions. The bird''s chest suddenly expanded, and its wings flapped before it hopped up onto its feet, flicking its head from side to side before squawking and ruffling its feathers and staring at Conrad; its eyes were glazed over. Conrad frowned as his energy started to dwindle, and his head began to throb; he clutched his head, hissing before releasing his hold on the bird. Evanna gasped and dropped the vast distance down beside him, landing gracefully like a cat. He was hunched over, his knee''s now on the ground as he felt a sharp needle-like pain prick at the side of his head. The bird hopped to the side near him, but Conrad waved his hand dismissively, and the bird flew away. "Are you okay?" The Princess approached him slowly. Conrad chuckled through clenched teeth, wincing at the pain in his skull. "What did you see?" He asked instead of answering her. His heart was racing, his head throbbing, and he wanted to crawl back into bed. It had been a while since he used that power. Usually, the animal would flop dead to the ground, but he could feel this disgusting link between him and the raven even while it flew further away. It was a sickening feeling; his body was chilled from bringing it back from the dead. "I saw everything," Evanna replied gently and squatted down next to him, clutching her arms around her knees, staring at him in concern. "Whatever you thought you saw, it''s not what it seems," He muttered. He didn''t know what Evanna could be thinking, but it was refreshing to see someone still next to him after witnessing such a thing. Normally though, the animal was dead again by the time anyone saw him; he was known as killing animals. Sure he''d experimented with his powers on the dead animals but never killed them intentionally to do so. "Weren''t you saving the bird?" Evanna tilted her head to the side. "So na?ve. You should be running off screaming by now. Don''t you know? I kill animals for fun," He laughed darkly, but there was no humour behind it before sighing and releasing his head. "That is not what it looked like to me," Evanna replied calmly. Conrad looked at her incredulously. "You are a very strange princess," He spoke aloud what he kept thinking about her, then blinked back in shock as Evanna held his hand in hers, inspecting it curiously. He watched her for a moment more before yanking his hand back. "What are you doing!?" His cheeks had reddened, and he looked away, clearing his throat and trying to regain his composure, which was hard when the Princess scooted closer to him and leaned into him. Conrad whipped his head back to look at her and paused his tongue from snapping at her when he saw her face. He was so absorbed with his headache and Evanna''s odd reactions that he ignored the terrified handmaidens rushing towards them. "Are you a sorcerer?" Evanna whispered, gaining his attention again. She stared at him in earnest. He felt insulted that she thought they were close enough to ask such a thing. But instead of pushing her away or lashing out like he had done in the past, he stared back at the girl''s innocent green eyes and felt calmer than ever before. She wasn''t scared of him even after witnessing that; her question was genuine without any malice. Conrad glanced at the approaching servants; they were fearful of him and wore expressions of conflicting emotions. Now he knew why she was so close to him, so he could answer without worrying that they would hear them. Though the Prince found it odd, she was not embarrassed. But he reminded himself that she was only eight. "I don''t know what I am," He finally replied quietly before shuffling to his feet. His headache had subsided now, though he still felt sleep deprived and swayed for a moment. Evanna helped steady him by grabbing his shoulders. He didn''t know how he felt seeing a worried expression on the Princess''s face; it was strange. "Princess Evanna! Prince Conrad! What have you done?!" One of the handmaidens squealed; she looked at Conrad, petrified. Evanna squeezed his shoulders and turned away from him. "We found a dead bird-" "Your highness. This is not a good look for you," Another handmaiden interrupted and reached out, grabbing Evanna by the wrist harshly. Conrad frowned at the disrespect this servant was showing the Princess. "His highness has a bad reputation," She whispered loudly in Evanna''s ear and glanced in his direction. She made sure that he and the other servants could hear what she said. "And here you are cosying up to him after witnessing SOMETHING LIKE THAT!" Conrad glared at the servant, making her flinch. "How dare you put your hands on the princess!" He stepped forwards, but Evanna blocked his path, moving in front of him, her wrist still in the servant''s hand. He could see her digging her nails into the Princess''s skin. "His highness and I have a lesson. I''d appreciate it if you unhand me." Evanna yanked her wrist away from the maidservant, her chin tilted up in defiance as she glared at her. "I am only looking out for you, princess-" "Since when did it become an issue that the Princess and I become better acquainted? And since WHEN was it okay to show such disrespect to not only your Princess but a Prince of another kingdom. If this was Hatherland, you would lose your tongue for speaking so ill of us," Conrad spat viciously. The servant''s eyes widened in fear, and she started to tremble, taking a step away from them, bowing her head. "I did not mean to-" "These are my private gardens, Agnes. You and the others do not serve me. Return to the Queen and tell her of what you found." Evanna flicked her hand, dismissing the servants and sighed tiredly. "I serve all.." Agnes trailed off and curtsied after Evanna looked at her pointedly, and Conrad glared at her. "Your highnesses." She scurried off behind the others. The pair stood there, watching them leave in silence until the servants disappeared and Conrad turned on her. "Why did you let her treat you so disrespectfully? You don''t let your sister, and you certainly would never let me yet you let that servant-" "Because I don''t have enough power yet!" Evanna snapped back, interrupting him. Conrad felt his jaw go slack at her words. Power? How in the world was she already wise enough to know of the way things worked? "I''m only eight! I don''t have the connections yet to grow my influence. This palace is controlled by the Queen. If I were to discipline them, my personal maids would then be punished. Until then, I lay low and take my wins when I can," Evanna continued; her cheeks grew red from her little outburst, her hands were balled by her sides, revealing just how frustrated she was. "That may be so, but while I am here, there will be no such instances," Conrad said in determination. "That I will promise you." Evanna smiled sadly as they began to walk back to their original meeting spot by the benches. "You are only here for another two days but thank you, Conrad," She thanked him graciously. Her thanks and casual use of his name took him by surprise, and it showed on his face. He didn''t feel insulted by her dropping his title; it was strange. He knew spending time with her and away from his family was making him change. But he was yet to figure out if that change was a good thing or not. Did Evanna weaken him? Evanna shook her head, "Maybe we started off on the wrong foot?" She suggested and stopped walking. Conrad also halted and looked back at her with a raised brow when she held her hand out towards him. "Let us start over. I am Princess Evanna Elwen Goodrich. Please, just call me by my name." Conrad scoffed and shook his head. "So lame!" He complained, but he still shook her hand quickly, grumbling his name, "Prince Conrad Hart." He turned his back on her calling over his shoulder. "Come on, you still have a long way to go. You know you''re not a very fast learner," He lied, then glared as he felt Evanna''s fist connect with his shoulder lightly. Evanna skipped ahead. "Hmm, well, I have a whole year to learn it and catch up before I see you again." The children sat at the bench and began their lesson again, unaware of the friendship that would blossom between them. Chapter 160 - Hatherland: Part One The following two years, Prince Conrad visited the Dunhurst kingdom, staying for the summer with only his faithful servant and two guards. Within that time, Evanna became fluent in Hythen, and she started to teach Conrad Muranthian. The prince had returned the year after they first met, discovering that Evanna spoke the elven language with her mother and figured out that Lady Loraven was indeed an elf. Evanna was initially defensive at first, claiming otherwise until he approached her mother and said, ''Hello, how are you?'' in Muranthian. Lady Loraven replied in Muranthian, surprising the princess further. Her mother confirmed the prince''s suspicions and later explained to Evanna to put some trust in him; he had his own secrets. The princess accepted this after learning about one of these secrets the year before. And their understanding of each other''s languages made the pair get closer, speaking more freely when others tried to spy on them. Though they kept to Hythen more in public. Now three years after their first meeting, Evanna was finally visiting the Hatherland kingdom. The princess couldn''t stay as long as Conrad had previously because her father said he''d miss her too much. Though King Osian did suggest, Prince Conrad, return with her to Dunhurst. Unlike the northern prince, Evanna had a small entourage of knights, her mother and Maggie accompanying her. On arrival, Evanna was struck by the vast buildings surrounding her as she stepped out of the carriage, her hand placed in the footman''s outstretched hand. She stared at the grand palaces that the Hart family resided in; it was so vast that it was more like a luxurious town, with six large structures connecting by pathways and gardens with magnificent fountains. The estate sat atop a cliff overlooking the never-ending sea and was protected by two large walls against the rough winds and any enemies. Lady Loraven stepped out of the carriage, and the mother and child walked down the golden carpet laid on the ground with the two rows of guards holding up banners of the Hatherland eagle. Evanna forced herself to stop staring at everything in awe and looked ahead where King Horik, Queen Annika and Prince Conrad stood waiting to greet them. The King and Queen wore matching outfits of white and gold, the kingdom''s colours, making the Queen look more like a fairy with her white locks and pale skin. On the other hand, Prince Conrad wore black and gold, a stark contrast, and one Evanna noted was possibly an act of rebellion. Otherwise, the Hart family would show a united front. Evanna knew from this act alone that something wasn''t quite right; in fact, once her awe of the Hart''s palaces wore off, she realised there was something strange about the atmosphere. But she couldn''t pinpoint what it was. After looking at the prince again, she blinked in surprise, staring at him as she walked down the aisle. Conrad seemed to have had a growth spurt since last she saw him, but it was to be expected he was fifteen now. His dark golden hair was held back at his nape, but it still looked untamed, with stray hairs falling to his chin. Evanna moved her gaze from him as they stopped before them, and she curtsied in greeting to the King and looking up after feeling his shadow fall over her, and she was brought into a surprising hug, lifting her up from the ground. "Princess Evanna!" He laughed loudly. Her eyes flicked to Conrad as King Horik spun her around. He too was surprised; the last time she saw the King was when he visited Dunhurst three years prior, and they were more acquaintances than that of an overly friendly in-law. King Horik placed her back down. "Look at how much you''ve grown!" Evanna politely smiled as the King''s hands remained on her shoulders as he beamed down at her. His smiles and laughter seemed to cause a stir among the guards; their shock was evident, but they swiftly recomposed themselves. But as the princess stepped back, she felt their questioning looks lingering on her. But she had no answer to what they sought; she was yet to figure out the King of Hatherland. Since becoming engaged to Prince Conrad, she did more research about the Hart family and asked her father for more information. From what she gained, the Hart family was extremely powerful, though they lost some of their power when Dunhurst started to expand its kingdom. King Horik was a prideful man and one that recently started to overthrow smaller kingdoms. So, this was surprising to see such a scary, powerful king treating her like she was his child. King Horik turned his attention to her mother. "Ah, Lady Loraven, it is a pleasure to see you again. You are as radiant as ever," He complimented her, spreading his jewelled hands out and gesturing towards her face. "You flatter me so when you have such an angel by your side," Lady Loraven curtsied and smiled at the Queen. Evanna''s mother was excellent at pushing attention away from her, especially after years of ridicule by Queen Eleanor. "Ah, but of course!" King Horik beamed at his wife. "Nobody can compare to my Annika." Queen Annika smiled gently. "Horik, I believe we have kept our guests standing outside too long after such an arduous journey. Lady Loraven," The Queen called to Evanna''s mother and slowly turned, waiting for Loraven to catch up to her and walk by her side. "I hope to get better acquainted with you. If you are not too weary, would you like to have some tea with me?" Evanna stood there for a moment, watching her mother and Queen Annika walking away and conversing, while the King walked ahead back towards the stairs leading to the first grand palace. The princess turned to see Conrad already leaning his elbow out for her to take, she slipped her hand into his arm, and they walked slower behind the others, discussing their recent letter exchanges like they''d never been apart for a year. After being shown to their rooms, Evanna was the first to emerge and start exploring. She walked around the corner, instantly bumping into Conrad, who was already leaning against the arched window, looking at his hands and turning his head in her direction. "You work quickly; I''ll give you that. What do you want to see first?" He asked, almost with a sad glint to his golden orbs. Evanna clasped her hands behind her back and tilted her head to the side. "Hmm, it depends. What do the nobles normally stare at in awe when they first arrive here?" She queried as her gaze followed the extravagant hallway surrounded by paintings and flowers. "Everything," Conrad replied proudly and almost too arrogantly. Evanna rolled her eyes.. "Then show me everything." Chapter 161 - Hatherland: Part Two Conrad showed all of the palaces, the courtyards and gardens, all of the splendour and lavishness that made Evanna''s head spin. But on this grand tour, her interest started to subside, and she tired from the riches surrounding her. It really was something, and the prince guided her well around. The estate was large enough that it took more than four hours, and that was with Conrad''s shortened version, only revealing the main parts of the palaces. Conrad quickly picked up on the princess''s fatigue and led her back through the central garden behind the palace, following the vine-covered wall. As they walked back in comfortable silence, she noted how the guards gave them a wide berth and how she felt many piercing gazes on them, yet when she looked for the culprits, she could not find any. They were an odd pair put together and one that would gain a lot of attention when walking side by side. But Evanna was becoming well-versed in ignoring noble and servant alike staring or looking down at her. Like previous times, she ignored the overpowering jabs of their stares. Evanna glanced at the prince, who started to suddenly walk faster; the princess looked around but found nothing that would warrant his behaviour. She stopped and stared at the darkening sky; it was not from the weather though the gradual drop of the sun. When she lowered her gaze again, she caught Conrad watching her from ahead, he glanced to her left warily, then composed his features, and the corners of his lips tugged up. "If you are too tired to move, then maybe I should give you a piggyback?" He joked, making the princess narrow her eyes. "You wouldn''t dare!" Evanna crossed her arms and stepped forwards, causing the prince to chuckle and turn his back to her. As soon as his head was turned, Evanna looked to her left to see an old, rusted gate covered in moss to what looked like an abandoned garden. She peeked through the gaps and instantly felt her curiosity pique again. The gate creaked under the pressure of her hands, and her eyes widened; her jaw went slack as she stepped into this forsaken and enchanting garden. Unlike the gardens she just visited, these had weeds growing out of the cracks in the courtyard, long grass growing high, and wildflowers scattered. But what took her breath away was the tall, imposing, moss and vine-covered tower. "Evanna!" Conrad grabbed her arm and pulled her away with almost inhuman strength. She stumbled backwards, almost falling, but she regained her balance and frowned at the prince. "Conrad, what is the meaning of this?!" Evanna stopped, digging the heels of her feet into the ground as the prince continued to drag her away. "Let go!" Conrad continued to ignore her. "I will scream," She threatened. This gained his attention, and he turned around, glaring at her. He stepped towards her released her arm. "Do not come back here," He warned. "Conrad, you should know. If there is a place I shouldn''t see or be, I will find it, and I will explore it. And you know what makes me more tenacious is when I am scolded and told not to do something." Evanna stepped back, holding her hands behind her and tilting her head to the side. "You little brat," He growled and wiped his face with his hand. "What is this place?" Evanna insisted, ignoring the annoyance growing on Conrad''s face. The prince sighed and walked past her. "I suppose even Princess Evanna can act like a royal ass sometimes." "What was that?" Evanna quickened her steps to keep up with Conrad''s long strides. "Nothing. Look, Evanna.." Conrad stopped before the door to the tower. "This place was meant to be off bounds to guests. Only a handful of servants are allowed here.." He pushed the wooden door open, bringing the last of the day''s light into the dark, dreary and cold room. Evanna peered inside, looking at the cobwebs, broken furniture and the ripped drapes covering up the few windows provided. The other window was boarded up. "Conrad.." She hesitated, whispering to him as she began to wonder if the place was haunted. Conrad looked back at her and smirked. "Scared?" Evanna shook her head and gulped before stepping across the threshold into the entryway. The prince chuckled and turned to the right to the stairs that followed the walls upwards. Every few steps he took, the lanterns on the walls lit automatically. Evanna watched in awe at the magic. Unlike Dunhurst, Hatherland did not have restrictions on magic users and devices; they did have a ban on elven magic and speaking their tongue, but not many travellers from the elven lands travelled as far as north to sell items. Plus, many people used the sorcerer''s magical items. Evanna followed behind Conrad, ascending the long spiral staircase, going past the doors that led to other floors. She was intrigued to see what was behind each door, but the prince was leading her to the very top for a reason. Whether that was to scare her with a story or something else entirely. After her legs started to feel like jelly, Evanna sighed in relief when they arrived at the last door in the tower. "You.. Still.. Haven''t.. Toldˇ­ Me.." Wow, she was out of breath. Maybe she should exercise more; it seemed horse riding and archery was not at all helpful in this situation. She stared at Conrad, who was, of course, physically fit; he may still appear skinny with no meat or muscle on his bones, but she knew he had been training with a sword since he was five. Conrad pushed open the door, the flames in the lanterns and in the fireplace instantly lit, revealing a living room, office and bed-chamber. It was tidier than the first floor and still appeared luxurious but not as lavish as the surrounding palaces. "Welcome to my humble abode." Chapter 162 - The Tower Evanna walked inside of Conrad''s large circular bed-chamber, staring wide-eyed at everything. The stone-cold floors were decorated with furs, especially near the King size four-poster bed, the red and gold embroidered sofas, and just before the fireplace to keep the floors warm. Across from the fireplace stood three large arched windows, with steps before it along with furs placed on the ground and books left in the corner. The middle window was slightly ajar, causing the door to shake slightly from the howling wind outside. The princess looked at the books on the ground and smiled gently; if she lived in this tower, she would also use the windows as her little reading nook. "Why do you live here?" Evanna questioned as her hand slid across the surface of the cushioned sofa. It wasn''t a question of ''do you live here?'' because she could already see the top of the tower was lived in, unlike some of the palaces she saw around the estate that looked too perfect. But the question was why, even if Conrad had such rumours circulating about him and the family wanted to keep them at bay, there were plenty of palaces for him to stay in. Conrad''s boots echoed across the floor as he unclasped the cape from his back and threw it on the sofa, collapsing comfortably on the seat and resting his head into the back of it. "Unlike what you might believe about my dear family, they are also scared of me. My mother dares not look at me, the twins stay clear of me, my father.. chooses when I am his son or not, and Arvid.. well, I don''t need to explain about him," Conrad replied nonchalantly as though his commentary was not upsetting. Evanna stared at him, wondering exactly what this prince went through when she was not there. She knew from the servants'' stares and whispers that they were scared of him, but whenever Conrad looked over, they scampered away. Whenever they exchanged letters, they were never filled with the details of each other''s problems. "What of your sister?" Evanna inquired and clasped her hands over her mouth. The proper response would be not to delve further into an obviously uncomfortable subject. Conrad chuckled and scratched his jaw, not at all looking uncomfortable by the subject. Maybe it was good for him to get it off his chest. "Marna is too young to understand. But for the time being, she likes my company.." He trailed off, looking at the fireplace. "I''m sorry, Conrad," She sincerely replied, staring at the prince''s side profile, there was no air of sadness around him, but more like emptiness and loneliness but as quick as her assessment was made, his composed features looked at her and it dissipated. "Truly, I am." The young princess added, then turned her face away, not wanting to sit down yet, although her calves were burning from the stairs. Instead, she continued towards the windows where the draft was welcomed to her still slightly heated face. "There is no need to apologise. It is not your fault, and to be honest, I prefer the solitude here. Only a handful of people are allowed here or dare to come here. You should feel privileged to be one of a few," Conrad boasted, making Evanna roll her eyes with her back facing him. It was nothing to brag about, but that was just a part of the prince''s personality; he really was arrogant. She was used to it now. "Oh, I do feel honoured," She replied flatly before her eyes widened and sparkled at the magnificent view. She gasped and looked at the prince''s back. "Conrad, this view is amazing!" Conrad whipped his head around to look at her, but she''d turned back to the scenery. The tower was the highest point of the palace, and it overlooked the cliffside and the infinite blue hues. Evanna squinted, trying to gauge if there was land in the far distance or if it was her imagination, but alas, it was her imagination. "There isn''t much to see," The prince replied in a bored tone. "But it is much better to look at the horizon than the overbearing walls of the palace." He now stood beside her, the wind blowing the stray hairs away from his face as he too stared out into the distance. Evanna stared intently, her eyes alight with curiosity and excitement. "My mother told me of faraway lands that have yet to be found across the oceans. It is said that there is much more of the world that we are yet to see and gain knowledge from," She said thoughtfully, her gaze looking distanced as though the idea of voyaging across the sea had crossed her mind. "Then let those who seek adventure and are crazy enough to sail the northern sea," Conrad replied bluntly, causing the princess to look at him, her dazed expression gone and replaced with a questioning stare. The prince smirked as he pulled on the latch to the window after the wind blasted into the room and shook the glass. "If they are not killed by the weather and raging seas, then it would be the monsters within it." "Monsters?" Evanna asked in bewilderment. Listening to Conrad speak of monsters and adventures made her want to sit down and listen to such stories. Conrad leaned his arm against the window and grinned as he stared off at sea. "Just like there is magic above land, there is magic and all sorts of sea creatures and monsters beneath the dark depths of the waters.." He trailed off, his gaze returning back to Evanna, who continued to look at the sea longingly, not meeting his eyes. "Have you heard of the tale of Sebastian and the monstrous eel of the northern sea?" "Noˇ­" Evanna peeked up at the prince and felt her lips curve into a smile, his own infectious as he gestured for her to take a seat. Evanna sat down comfortably, resting her back against the cool wall, and hugged her legs, her skirts slightly ruffled. Conrad also sat down, extending his legs down the steps casually, leaning his arm against his bent knee as his golden eyes lit up in enthusiasm. The hours flew by as the prince, and princess exchanged stories, ignoring the rumbling of their stomachs and enjoying the secluded freedom the tower provided them. Though, when night fell, they were interrupted in their merry chatter by the sudden appearance of Harrison, Conrad''s silver-haired attendant. He was the only one of Conrad''s servants with whom Evanna felt comfortable. Harrison also seemed to be the one closest to the prince, much like how Maggie was her closest handmaiden. She knew Conrad had put some trust in him and spoke casually too, unlike the others she''d seen him order about almost obnoxiously. When Harrison arrived, he appeared surprised by her presence but was quickly replaced with a delighted smile, and he informed them that the servants had been searching for the princess for hours. Evanna swiftly left after that, instantly being reprimanded by Maggie and her mother before she bathed and changed into an evening gown for dinner and the night''s entertainment with the Hart family. After spending her time in the tower with the prince and learning more about his family, she could now see through their masks of the happy and perfect family. Of course, she knew no family was perfect, but now she could read their expressions better towards Conrad. Their smiles were forced, though the Crown Prince did no such thing, openly showing his annoyance, although he was supposedly an angel. Although the atmosphere between the Hart family with Conrad was an odd one, Evanna preferred staying at Hatherland. The days were always filled with new places to see and learn; if she wasn''t with the prince, then her mother accompanied her, keeping her entertained. Though like usual, even on another''s land, the princess was still mischievous, walking along high walls and scaring the servants, climbing trees, getting lost among one of the unused palaces and secretly watching Conrad train his powers. On one particular day, nearing the end of her trip in the north, Evanna coaxed Conrad to dress up and walk among the commoners with her, more specifically by the docks. She had never seen a ship before or been on one until she stayed at the Hart''s palace. The pair sneaked out, which was much easier than she thought it would be; the whole endeavour was quite amusing. Conrad looked uncomfortable among the commoners and sailors, jumping out of the way of large men marching by and carrying sacks or weaponry. Unlike Evanna, Conrad''s disguise did not work so well; his golden eyes betrayed him. He kept his hair hidden beneath a hood, but if any stared at him for too long, his smooth skin and golden eyes made people flinch and back away. By the time they made it to the ship, she had given up on pretending to be a peasant. However, that did not hold her back from racing across the deck, climbing the mast and beak, causing the men to panic and call for her to get down lest she hurt herself. Even Conrad shouted after her in blind rage until she rolled her eyes and climbed back down. Once her feet were safely back on the deck, she couldn''t help but smile sweetly at the scary-looking, large men, and their panicked and angry faces melted. "You are quite the little adventurer, aren''t you, my lady?" The captain asked with a broad smile with his hands on hips. He then looked at the prince. "You might have to keep an eye on this lass; she has a flair for trouble! But you will never be bored!" "Oh, I plan to liven up his days while I am here. I absolutely love Hatherland!" Evanna exclaimed as she clutched the fur cloak around her chest more from the icy breeze. "I cannot deny my days are filled with.." Conrad paused his dry commentary and looked at the princess. "Trouble and.. fun." The captain burst into laughter before lowering his voice, most likely to keep Evanna from hearing, but her hearing was still much better than most. "You may not see it now, your highness, but the troublesome kind teaches great lessons. " Conrad frowned at his comment but did not respond. After that, the prince practically dragged Evanna away from the ship. "I don''t know what they see in you, honestly." He shook his head in annoyance. "I''m a cute princess. Who can deny me?" Evanna grinned innocently before skipping ahead of him and chatting away with a fishmonger. She could feel the prince looking at her bizarrely, but she did it on purpose to show him how important his people were to the kingdom.. Conrad was too cooped up in that tower and palace, listening to the nobles and his father about the kingdom''s matters.