Prologue

The city of Eldarys is a dry place. So dry that when you walk out of your house, you get blisters and your skin cracks. The very earth that you walk on is scorching sand and cracked rock. When the wind blows, it can start fires, and when the sun reaches its highest peak, people die as each second passes.

Our form of money, payment, and cash aren’t gold coins or valuable gemstones. It’s water. A single drop could get you a piece of dry fruit, and an entire flask of water can get you a small cottage.

As for earth, one cubic meter of rich soil would guarantee an entire fiefdom and castle, along with farmers, animals, and supplies.

To live there would be torture, though our ancestors have adapted to this lifestyle a long time ago, it would be great to have a few changes around here.

“Elesira! Go to the market and get me a dry fruit!” I heard my mother call.

It was a scorching hot afternoon, just like any other afternoon. But someone had to go, otherwise there would be no dinner for us.

I ran out of our house and grit my teeth as a dashed towards the market under the sun.

“Oh, hello, Elesira!” the fruit merchant said with a smile, “What would it be today?”

“Another dry fruit.” I answered and took out a small vile of water.

“Elesira!” a person behind me called.

I turned and saw my friend, Jhaeros, standing there. His matted dirty blond hair was covered in sand, and his eyes were dark brown, like the color of rich soil. He had grown over the past months, and become much stronger.

“Jhaeros!” I took his hand and pulled him under the shade, “Don’t stand there like an idiot! You’re going to get sun burn.”

He snorted, “I’m used to it.” though he rubbed his arm.

“So what brings you here?” I dripped some water into the merchant’s flask and took the piece of dry fruit.

He pulled me closer and whispered, “Come with me.”

We circled around a few clay buildings until we were well hidden.

“I couldn’t let anyone see this, otherwise I would be beaten pretty bloody.” Jhaeros took out a tube, and it was filled with clean water.

“Oh my gods!” I breathed. That much could get him a decent house with a couple of servants.

He handed it to me carefully, “Take it. Consider it an early birthday present.” he smiled.

I pushed it back, “No, Jhaeros. You need it more than I do.” I frowned, “Where did you get it anyway?”

When his smile faded and he looked away, I knew where. “Jhaeros…” I sighed.

“They weren’t from this region, Elesira.” he said hardly, “And they had plenty of water left!”

“But that doesn’t mean you have to steal!” I cried.

“That’s what I’ve been doing my entire life!” he growled.

“Listen, stealing for survival is understandable. But stealing something to give as a gift isn’t right.” I said, keeping as calm as I can.

“I don’t care if it’s right or wrong!” he snapped, “I intend to give you a gift because you’ve been so nice to me for the past years. No one trusts me but you.”

“If you steal, not for yourself, then can you at least give it to someone who actually needs it?” I said, “My family is the least of this city’s problems.”

“Why should I give it to someone else?” he demanded, his voice sharp and icy, “This city has done nothing for me, nor has this life. The only reason I’m still here is because of you, alright?”

“I think you should return this to the person.” I said gently. “They may need it.”

“Judging by their clothes and their looks, they’re far from dehydration.” he said bitterly.

I exhaled through my nose, “Who were these people?”

“Royals.” he said, “Royals from the east, it looks like.”

“What are they doing here?” Of all the cities, why choose Eldarys?

He shrugged, “I don’t know.” he hesitated, then shoved the tube into my hands, “Take it.” he insisted.

“No, I can’t.” I tried to give it back, but he stepped away.

“Do whatever you want with it, but it’s yours now.” he ran off.

When I finally had the guts to carry that thing around in my pocket in the marketplace, I ran into the Eastern Royals.

They were riding black horses, and behind them were people carrying their banner.

They looked like siblings. Both had the same black hair and brown eyes, but one was slightly taller than the other. They spoke to each other in soft, but not weak, tones. One had already went through growth spurt, while the other was probably still growing. They didn’t look like warriors, and neither of them had battle scars, but they had weapons strapped to their saddles.

One of them saw me and gave me a long thoughtful look before approaching me.

“Excuse me.” his voice was slightly accented, “Where can I find the leader of this city?”

“You mean the Merchant Prince?” I said.

He frowned, “I’m afraid I know very little of this… Merchant Prince, but if he is the leader, then yes.”

I pointed down the street, “Follow this path until you get to a pale brown gate made of stone.” I directed.

“Thank you.” he nodded his head.

I debated on whether or not I should return the water, but before I knew it, I was taking it out. Everyone around me gasped.

“This belongs to you.” I said.

He frowned and leaned over, “This?” he took the tube.

I nodded, “Yes.” I tried to come up with a story, “Um… someone stole it… but I got it back.” I mumbled.

“You are very honest.” he said, “But I don’t think we’ll need this.” he gave it back, “You can keep it. You look like you need it.”

“Shien Long!” the other young man called and said something I didn’t understand.

He looked over his shoulder, “Give me a sec, will you?” he called back and turned to me. “What’s your name?”

“Elesira.” I answered.

“Shien Long.” he said, “I wouldn’t forget you for a while, Elesira”

“Shen… Long?” I tried to pronounce his name.

He laughed, “Close enough.” he shouted something to his troops and gave a signal. They started moving out.

I ran back to the house, hoping I wouldn’t run into any ruffians or thugs on the way back.

“What took you so long?” my mother demanded as she took the fruit.

“Sorry, mom.” I apologized, “I met a few people on the way.”

“Thieves?” she said, her voice hinted that she was disgusted.

“No… Eastern Royals.”

She dropped her knife, “Eastern… what?” she sounded confused.

“Royals. From the East.” I picked up the knife for her.

My mother frowned, “What do they want?”

I shrugged, “One of them talked to me. He said they were looking for the Merchant Prince.”

“The Merchant Prince?” she shook her head, “No one can speak to the Merchant Prince.”

“Perhaps these guys can.” I mumbled, then said aloud, “I’m going to my room, if you need me.”

I climbed down the ladders until I reached the underground levels. There, I found my room. I only had brown curtains for privacy, but I thought it was enough, since I had almost nothing to hide.

In one corner was my bed. It was basically a mattress with a pillow and a blanket (which I almost never use). Besides that is a candle, and on the other side of the room is a small space I dug to put my things. That included clothes, books, and things I’ve found in the desert. I was almost as tall as a ceiling, so you can imagine just how low it was.

I settled down on the mattress and pulled out the tube of water. Jhaeros gave it to me as a birthday gift, but what I didn’t understand was: Why didn’t he keep it for himself? He needed it more than I did.

You probably know it by now, but I’m going to say it anyway. Jhaeros is a thief. And he’s been a thief since his father died and his mother couldn’t afford to raise him along with a few other of her children. She kept the strongest of her children, and dumped the others in the sandy streets of Eldarys. Jhaeros was one of the unfortunate few.

He was nine at that time, and he had been beaten pretty badly by those who find him stealing their things. After several failed attempts, he finally managed to steal a dry fruit from the market.

A few years later, when I was twelve years old, I found him stealing a small vile of water. He saw me, and he froze, but I didn’t say anything. He didn’t waste another second as he grabbed the vile and ran for it.

The next day, he approached me and thanked me. We’ve been meeting each other ever since. I came to learn that he was a good person deep down.

Now that we’re both almost twenty years old, I couldn’t help but wonder why Jhaeros doesn’t get a job, instead of continuing his life as a thief. I’ve never got to ask him, but I don’t think he’ll answer me anyway.

“Elesira?” a voice in the halls said.

I went to the door and saw my younger sister, Ephaera. “Yes?”

She pointed up the ladder, “Someone wants to see you.”

I climbed up and got to the main level of the house. My mother saw me and said, “Elesira, there’s someone at the door.”

“I know.” I walked across the hard clay floor and opened the door.

“Jhaeros?” I frowned.

He grabbed my hand and pulled me outside.

“Jhaeros, what is this all about?” I asked.

When he finally stopped, he whirled around, “You returned it?” he spat.

Although I knew exactly what he was talking about, I found myself saying, “What?”

“You returned the tube of water to the royal! Why?”

“He gave it back, okay?” I said.

“I know that! But why?” he gripped my shoulders and shook me.

“Because it was the right thing to do, that’s why!” I snapped angrily.

“Since when have you been miss goody two shoes?” he sounded furious.

“I told you! It was the right thing to do! I did it because it was right!”

Jhaeros growled, “I got that thing for you and you only. Why couldn’t you just accept it and be happy?”

“I never asked for it! If you didn’t steal it, then perhaps I would’ve accepted it and be happy!”

He was silent, so I decided to say something else, “By the way, why did you go through all that trouble to get me a gift?”

“I’ve already told you.” his voice was low and hard, “You were the only person who showed me any kindness in my life. I wanted to do something to show that I appreciated it.”

“Look… you’re a good person, Jhaeros, but I don’t understand why you must take something so valuable to show your appreciation.”

He clenched and unclenched his jaw before saying, “If I had the choice of saving you or the oceans of the north, Elesira,” his voice was hoarse, “I would choose you without any second thoughts or hesitation.”

Now, it was my turn to stay silent. When he saw that I didn’t know what to say, he continued, “If there was something far more valuable than water and earth, I would’ve given it to you rather than a tube of water.”

I held up a hand, “Jhaeros,” I murmured, “we’re friends.” it sounded useless coming out of my mouth.

He stepped closer, “Friends?” he said quietly, so soft that I could barely hear him, “Or more than friends?”

My hearted pounded against my chest, and I was barely breathing at this point. “I…”

Jhaeros’s eyes glimmered.

“More than friends.” I answered.

His eyes shone brighter than the sun itself.

“But,” I almost felt guilty for saying that. All the light from his eyes vanished immediately. “less than lovers.”

His breathing became ragged when the words came out of my mouth. “Is… is that how you feel?”

I shook my head, “If you’re asking whether or not I have feelings for you, Jhaeros…” I faltered.

His hands slid from my shoulders to my face. “Do you?” his fingers brushed the bottom of my jaw.

“I… I will respect you as a friend,” I said slowly, “I enjoy your company and presence. And I will give my life to protect you. But…”

His hands dropped, “So you don’t.” his voice was cold. So cold that I had to resist the urge to wince.

“I never said that.” I said.

Jhaeros turned, “Then stop beating around the bush and answer me: Yes or no?” he growled.

“Jhaeros, I don’t know–”

He braced both hands on either side of me against the building behind me and leaned in, “Yes, or no?” he said hoarsely.

I really didn’t want to answer. I didn’t want to hurt him, but I didn’t want to lie either. That was when I remembered something he told me when we were younger: I would rather you answer me honestly than lie to make me happy. 

“No.” I whispered.

His eyes turned hard as he retreated a few steps back. His fists were clenched so tight that his knuckles turned white.

“Jhaeros, I’m really sorry.” I reached up tentively.

“Tell me why.” his voice cracked as tears brimmed his eyes.

I didn’t know. All I wanted was to go home and sleep, hoping this was all a nightmare.

“Jhaeros, you’re a brave, sweet person. You’re funny, and I know you really care for me–”

“Would you stop saying those things,” a single tear trickled down, “and tell me why?”

I touched his face, “I don’t know, Jhaeros. But… you’re just… you’re…” seeing him cry made me want to cry as well. It wasn’t long before tears poured down my face as well.

“I’m what?” he asked.

“Look, I don’t know!” I broke down sobbing, “You ask me why, but the truth is: I don’t know!”

“Is it because I’m a thief? You don’t trust me?” he whispered, “Or is it because I stole my gift to you instead of buying one?”

“No! It’s not that.”

“Then what?”

“I DON’T KNOW!” I screamed.

Jhaeros didn’t push for answers after that, but he didn’t leave either. All he did was look at me as I knelt down and cried.

After what seemed like forever, I felt his hand on my shoulder, “Elesira.” he said quietly.

I looked up, “Jhaeros?”

He leaned in and wrapped his arms around me, “I’m sorry.”

After that, I must’ve fallen asleep, because when I opened my eyes again, he was gone. But there was a note beside me. It read: Elesira, I’ve came to a decision. I’m going to leave Eldarys and become a better person. I can’t tell you where I’m going, but know that, someday, I will come back for you. And when I do, I swear no harm would come to you ever again. I will never hurt you or make you cry ever again. Know that, even if you don’t feel anything for me, I love you. And my feelings for you would never change. No mortal or god can or will ever change that. Jhaeros

I felt guilty. Then I felt ashamed. He thought I didn’t feel anything for him, but I did. If I could take back my words, I would. Lie or no lie, he doesn’t deserve to think that I see him as nothing.

I walked back to the house and found my mother and family waiting.

“Elesira, where were you?”

I shook my head, “Nowhere.” I mumbled. “I’ll be in my room.”

“What about dinner?” my mother said.

I shook my head again, “Not hungry.” and left.

Chapter 1

I suppose Jhaeros has been gone for more than five years now, and he has never returned any letters that I sent to him. I thought of all the possible places he might’ve gone, but none of them claimed that they’ve seen Jhaeros.

A month after Jhaeros and I parted ways, my family wanted me to travel beyond Eldarys and find a job somewhere. And I did. I ended up being a healer in the Imperial Palace. According the to people, that was where Prince Shien Long and Prince Shu Tzen live.

I made friends there, one of them was a ten year old girl named Itsuko. She had two brothers named Takeshi and Toshiro, which were both slightly younger than I was. They were nineteen, and I was twenty three. Another one of my friends was Hua Li, a girl that was my age. She worked as a healer in the palace as well.

Itsuko was training to become a cook in the palace, Takeshi and Toshiro were training to become warriors, so I didn’t see them every day. But when we did, we treasured the moments.

Hua Li and I were very close friends, actually. She helped me study, and she trained with me. I learned that the reason why she wanted to become a healer was because she didn’t want anyone crippled, like herself. She had been in an accident when she was a little girl. She had to use a cane or a crutch ever since. But despite this, she was still a respected member of the healers.

“Elesira!” Hua Li’s voice cut through my thoughts.

I shook my head, “I’m sorry, what was that?”

She sighed, “Focus, Elesira.” she waved at the numerous herbs and medicines in front of us.

“Oh… yeah, yeah…” I mumbled as I started my work.

Hua Li watched me, “Remember, the queen is having another child. She must stay strong.”

“I know.” I replied.

Then, the door was slid open. We both turned.

“Your highness.” we stood up and bowed.

Crown Prince Shien Long smiled, “How is it coming?”

“Just fine, your highness.” I said, trying to sound confident.

“Hua Li, Prince Shu Tzen would like to speak with you.” he said and smirked, “I believe he has a bouquet of flowers to give you.”

Hua Li turned so red that I couldn’t help but say, “Your highness, with all do respect, that’s none of you business!”

“Shu Tzen is my brother, and I think that does make a difference!” he said defiantly.

Hua Li looked away, hiding behind her black locks of hair. I sighed, “You’re making her embarrassed.” I pointed out.

The prince only laughed, “Okay, okay! I’ll stay out of it!” he raised his hands in a surrendering manner before turning to leave.

Once he was gone, Hua Li exhaled, “I guess I have to go.” she murmured and stood.

“Don’t be ashamed, Hua Li.” I touched her arm, “The Crown Prince teases everyone.”

She shook her head, “I…” she looked at the door, “I should go.” she practically ran out the door.

I smiled to myself and continued my work.

 

Hua Li returned a few hours later, her face as red as a pomegranate. In one hand was a bouquet of flowers, just as Shien Long said. And in her hair was a red rose.

I leaned back in my chair, “What happened?” I said.

She looked stunned, like she couldn’t believe what happened.

“Hua?” I frowned and got up, “Hua Li, you okay?”

“He kissed me.” she whispered softly.

I frowned some more, “What?” I leaned in.

Her eyes met mine, “He kissed me.” she said, louder this time.

My jaw dropped. Prince Shu Tzen, out of all people, kissed her? I knew the prince as a formal, elegant person. He was polite, but he wasn’t the romantic type… at least, I didn’t think he was. He definitely wasn’t the flirtatious type either.

“He… kissed you?” I repeated.

She nodded and touched her lips, “Yes.”

I couldn’t help but smile, “Congratulations, Hua!” I hugged her.

“He kissed me…” she still sounded shocked.

I laughed, “That’s a good thing, isn’t it?” I led her to the table and made her sit down, “Tell me about it!”

She blinked, “Um…” she shook her head, “Okay… uh… so I found him in the gardens. He had a bouquet of flowers in his hands, so I asked him what’s going on.”

“What is it, your highness?” Hua Li asked as she entered the gardens.

The prince turned, “Hua.” he walked over and gave her the flowers, “I found these… and I thought you’d like them.” he sounded very shy.

Hua Li smiled, “Aw, thank you!” she took them, “So why did you want to see me?”

Shu Tzen reached up, “I… I guess I just wanted to see you.” his fingers brushed the bottom of Hua LI’s jaw.

The girl stood there, looking straight into his dark brown eyes, “Oh?” she whispered.

The prince’s hand slid down to her neck and shoulders. “Hua Li…” his gaze went from her eyes to her mouth.

He was getting very close, but she let him, “Shu Tzen…” she murmured.

He leaned in and kissed her. 

The first thing I said was, “That’s it?” No awkwardness? No conversations? Not even a picnic?

Hua Li looked at me, “What do you mean “that’s it”?”

“I mean… wasn’t there a conversation?”

“Conversation? Why would we need a conversation?” she sounded confused.

“Not even awkwardness?”

“What do you mean awkwardness? Of course there was awkwardness!” Hua Li exclaimed.

“It certainly didn’t sound like it!” I said.

She blushed, “There was, trust me.”

I stood up, “Well… I think I need to go back to work.” I went to the counter and started organizing the medicines, “So what did you do afterwards?”

“Afterwards?”

“Yeah, after the kiss.”

Hua inclined her head, “Nothing.”

I choked, “You mean to tell me you kissed for over three hours?” Either that, or she was too stunned to find her way back!

“No! Of course not!” she fidgeted with a flower petal, “We… we went on a walk.”

I raised an eyebrow, “Oh, is that so?”

“Yes! What else?” she glared at me.

I shrugged, “I don’t know… something.” I went back to work.

We stayed silent after that. Hua Li eventually left when it got a bit late, but I stayed until eleven trying to finish what I had started.

When I did finish, I could barely keep my eyes open. I had to walk halfway across the palace to get to my bedroom, but when I thought about it, I decided to sleep in the healer’s office, which was only a few flights from this level.

When I went out the door, I saw Toshiro patrolling the halls. His scimitar was half drawn when I walked out.

“Oh… hi, Elesira.” he said and sheathed his sword, “What are you doing up so late?”

I yawned, “Work.”

“You shouldn’t.” he said, “You need sleep if you want to work efficiently.”

“Uh huh…” I mumbled.

He sighed, “I’ll escort you to your room.” he said and took my arm, “Come along.”

I was practically dragged into the corridors, and I almost fell asleep twice. When we finally got to my room, he stopped me.

I looked at him, “What?”

He looked like he was about to say something pretty big, “Listen… Elesira,” he started, “I…” he seemed to be searching for the right words.

“Yeah?” I said, leaning against my door.

“You…” he hesitated, then shook his head and sighed, “Never mind. Good night.” he left before I could ask him anything else.

 

A week or so after that day, I started seeing four strange people within the city. They all looked human, but there was something about them that didn’t seem right.

I never got to see their faces, but from the looks of it, they weren’t from this area. One had light blond hair, while the other had pitch black hair. The guy with light blond hair wore a light gray cloak and white and blue clothes. His boots were light brown, and his outfit told me he was definitely not from this region. He had no visible weapons, but everyone seemed to be avoiding him.

Another wore complete black. His boots, clothes, and cloak were all black. And he was armed to the teeth. His gauntlets were metal and spiked, he had a necklace that had a shard of obsidian hanging from it. His belt had two swords strapped to it, and smaller blades. Sometimes, when he would turn really fast, I could see rows of knives in the inside of his cloak. On his pants were two hunting knives, and I had no doubt that if I took off his boots, I would see small daggers.

One of them was a girl. She wore no cowl or cloak, but she wore a mask that covered everything but her eyes. It was a dark green and blue mask, and it looked very uncomfortable. On her back was a huge longbow and a quiver of arrows. Her clothes matched her mask, and on her belt was a pouch. What was in the pouch I did not know, nor did I want to know.

The last one was a young man as well. Unlike the rest of them, his face was completely revealed. I could see the two sharp blue eyes and the ash blond hair. He looked like he was younger than I was, almost a child. His clothes were a brown tunic, black vest, and sand colored trousers. It almost made him look like a sailor. A part of his face was tattooed with symbols and characters that were unfamiliar to me. He had armored gauntlets and metal shoulder pads.

I’ve avoided them myself, for they seemed to be looking for something. But one night, when I was out to gather a few herbs, they saw me, and they followed me.

Fear threatened to overwhelm me, but I kept calm and continued moving. This kept going for a few minutes, until I got to the hill. I knelt down besides a few bushes and started gathering the leaves. Meanwhile, I heard them whispering.

“She looks exactly how he describes her, though!” the girl whispered.

“But she’s wearing a kimono!”

“Duh, she’s in the Imperial City!” the young sailor elbowed one of them.

“Ow!”

They all shushed him.

“Should we knock her unconscious?”

“No, he’ll get furious… what about a spell?”

“No, everyone would see us.”

I stood up silently and walked away. They continued to follow me. I whirled around, “What do you want?” I demanded.

The four of them had disappeared, but I knew they were still there.

“Look, if you want my money, I don’t have any!” I said, “So stop following me!”

There was silence, then, the girl revealed herself. She looked at me grimly, “We aren’t here for your gold, kid.” she said, “Our master’s lieutenant has asked for one thing.” she folded her arms, “He never spoke, he never requested for any favors, and he was the kindest out of all of us. Until one day, he asked for one thing.” the girl looked at me straight in the eye, “A girl. He described you with incredible detail, and he was even able to draw you. He asks us to bring you to him.”

I frowned, “Who is this person?”

“That’s none of your concern.”

“Can you give me a physical description.”

“Scarred face, dark blond hair, tall, warrior built, icy gray eyes, fair skin?” she said.

I shook my head, “Don’t know him.”

“He said you were an old friend of his.” the girl said.

An old friend?

That was when the possibility hit me. “An old friend?” I said quietly.

“Yes, he said you two were close, and that you met as children.”

I shook my head, “I only know one person, and he left five years ago.”

“He came to us four years ago.” she said, “He was near death. Starving, weak, and had a few nasty wounds. We took care of him for a few weeks before he requested to become one of us. The leader, of course, refused. Only the best may join them.” her eyes turned wistful, “I was there, you know. He begged our leader not to turn him away. Then he said something that I would never forget.” she sighed, “The best mages and warriors go there and accept the harsh training for different reasons. I remember one of the younger ones said she wanted to train because she was ambitious. I said I wanted to go there because my parents wished for me to go. But his reason was far better than any of ours.” she looked into my eyes, “He went for love. There was a girl, he said. A girl that he had loved for years now. Parting with her was the hardest choice of his life, but he took it. He accepted the years of blood and sweat for that girl. He said he would give up anything; everything, if it meant he had a small hope, even the tiniest hope, of that girl returning his feelings. Even a fraction of what he felt would be enough for him.”

By this point, I could feel tears pooling my eyes. It has to be him. No one else would sacrifice so much for her.

“Our leader didn’t accept him because he was the strongest; or the bravest; or the quickest; or the smartest.” she shook her head, “But because he had a true purpose that comes from the heart. She accepted him, and from that day on, he trained harder than anyone I’ve ever seen. He was, by far, the best person I’ve ever met in my entire life. And even though his skills don’t always match up to the Elite members, our leader made him lieutenant.”

I took a ragged breath, “Take me to him.” I said.

The girl looked at me, “Are you sure?”

I walked towards her and gripped her arms, “Yes, very sure.”

She turned, “Guys, we’re leaving!”

The rest of the group revealed themselves. They said nothing, but the guy with blond hair nodded at me, as if he approved of my choices.

The girl chanted something, and I blacked out.

Chapter 2

When I woke up, I was in a bed. The room was a cavern, and there was barely any furniture. The only thing I saw was a chair.

Then, the door opened. The girl that knocked me out came in.

“You’re awake.” she said and touched my forearm, “You okay?”

I nodded, “Fine.” I sat up, “What’s going on?”

“Listen, Elesira,”

“How do you–”

“He told me.” she took my hands, “Listen, Elesira…” she sighed, “he wanted me to tell you that he may not be what you remembered him to be anymore. I mean… his face has four scars, and his back has burnt marks. His hair isn’t as light colored anymore, and his eyes have changed because of the conditions of this region. He says that if you’re horrified, or disgusted, or anything in that manner, tell him. He doesn’t like lies, alright?”

I nodded slowly, “But… would I recognize him?”

She paused before saying, “I don’t know.”

“Is there anything I need to know? Like any topics I should avoid?” I said.

The girl shook her head, “No, he says if you want to ask a question, you should just ask it. He doesn’t like people who beat around the bush.”

“Where is he?”

“Outside waiting.” she stood up, “Anything else you want to know?”

“Two things. One, what’s your name?”

She smiled, “Ordelia.”

“Okay, nice to meet you.” I shifted some to make myself comfortable, “Two: How much as he changed?”

Ordelia’s smile faded, “Like I said, he may not be as you remembered.” she turned and walked out the door. “She’s ready.” Ordelia said quietly.

There were a few murmurs. Ordelia sighed, “Just go, will you?”

The door creaked open and in stepped a young man.

He wore metal clad black boots, dark gray pants with knives strapped on either side, his shirt looked simple yet elegant. When I finally had the courage to look at his face, I couldn’t help but widen my eyes.

Ordelia was right, he had four scars on his face. One was besides his right eye, the second went from his temple to jaw, the third was across his nose, and the last went through his forehead. His hair was no longer light blond, it looked darker, just as Ordelia said. His eyes have changed more than anything else. They were no longer rich brown, they were sharp and icy gray. He had grown more muscular over the years, and he no longer had the playful glimmer in his eyes.

“Jhaeros?” I finally managed to breath.

He stopped in his tracks, “Elesira.” his voice was much deeper, like a grown man’s. But I’d recognize him anywhere, and I certainly recognized him here.

The first thing I did was shoot to my feet, practically run towards him and throw my arms around him. “Jhaeros!” I gasped, “You’re here!”

He didn’t hesitate to hug me back, “Elesira.” his voice was hoarse. I felt his cheek pressed against the top of my head.

I gripped his forearms and shook him, “Why did you leave? I know the things I told you that night hurt, but… what you wrote on the note wasn’t true! I don’t think of you as nothing, Jhaeros!”

He swallowed, “Elesira, look…”

“No, you listen to me!” I snapped, “Have you always believed that I thought of you as nothing? You’re wrong, alright? Don’t think that, and if you ever even start thinking about anything related to the fact that I don’t like you, I will strangle you until you think otherwise! NEVER think like that, are we clear on that?”

Despite the fact that he was literally almost two heads taller than I was, and he was a towering warrior, Jhaeros still chewed on his lip, “Yes, Elesira.” he mumbled.

“GOOD!” I said before shaking him again, “Now tell me, why did you think something like that!”

His hands on my back tightened, “You told me that we were friends, what else was I going to think?”

“Well, you could’ve said that even though I thought of you as nothing, you will still love me! Maybe something like that?” I shook him violently, “HELLO? I’m your friend, Jhaeros! You think I’ll ever disrespect you?”

When he paused, I gaped, “Is that what you thought?” I couldn’t believe all this, “You thought my respect for you wasn’t genuine?”

“Elesira, I–”

Tears streamed down my face, “Now I really want to know what’s going on!”

“Please let me finish.” his shoulders sagged, “After that night, yes, maybe I have thought of that. But I knew you had respect for me, even though I sometimes convinced myself that you didn’t.”

“Jhaeros, why did you leave in the first place? I don’t think I understood why.” I started crying.

“No, no, don’t cry, please.” he reached up and wiped the tears away, “I’m sorry, really. I just thought that maybe you didn’t like me because I wasn’t good enough.”

“Is that what you thought?”

“Well…”

“Answer me honestly!”

Jhaeros bit his lower lip, “Yes.”

More tears poured down my face, He yelped, “No, don’t cry! I’m sorry, I’m really sorry! Just please don’t cry!” he pleaded.

I sniffed, “I’ll stop crying once you make me understand.”

“I loved you, Elesira! I got angry, and I was really ashamed about that outburst that night. I left to make myself better, hoping you would like me then.”

“I’ve always liked you, Jhaeros! But not… well… not romantically.” I said.

“What about now?” he asked.

“Give me some time, Jhaeros.” I said, “These things need to take time.”

“But you know me!” he said desperately.

“How am I suppose to know if you’ve changed or not?” I blurted out without thinking.

Hurt flashed in his eyes, and before I knew it, he was pulling away. I shook my head, “No, I’m sorry, please… I didn’t mean that.” I reached out and took his hands.

“What if I have changed?” he whispered, “Would you still like me then?”

I opened my mouth to answer, but then I stopped myself. I’ve hurt him enough, and I knew talking wouldn’t help any of us.

I pulled him closer and reached up. My fingers grazed the back of his neck.

“Elesira…” his gaze went to my lips.

I pulled him in slowly and kissed him.

I kissed him not because I wanted him to forgive me, nor did I kiss him because I wanted to stop the conversation. I kissed him because of everything he did for me. All those years of harsh training, all those scars on his body and in his heart. All that just so that he could have a chance in my life. I wanted to give him that chance, but I was still uncertain. And I hated myself for it.

His hand went from my lower back to my neck. He pulled me closer and kissed me back. He did so passionately, like he had been waiting for this moment forever.

The first time I tried to pull back, he didn’t let me go, so I murmured his name. My voice brought him back to reality, and he let me go this time.

“Elesira.” the way he said my name sent shivers down my spine.

“Jhaeros, listen…” I cupped his face, “My feelings are uncertain right now. But if, in the future, I find myself returning your feelings, I’ll let you know, alright?”

“Do you promise?” he whispered.

I nodded, “Yes, I swear.”

He swallowed and leaned in again. This time, I didn’t stop him from kissing me.

 

The next morning, I asked Ordelia if I was going to stay here.

“It’s your choice.” she said, “Only you can decide if you want to stay with Jhaeros or not.”

“But if I stay, what can I do? It’s not like I know anything about weapons and magic.” I said, feeling practically useless.

“You can always help in the library.”

I gasped, “You guys have a library?”

She looked at me funnily, “Um… duh we have a library! You think there’ll be a school for the best without a library?”

“Cool! What can I do there?” I said excitedly.

“Well, you can always read…” she said, “Not that anyone likes it…”

“Are you kidding? I love reading!” I smiled, “Where’s the library?”

“In the North Wing. You’ll know it when you see it.”

I went outside, and the first thing I knew after a few minutes of walking was that I was lost.

When I past a blond hair guy that looked familiar, he said, “You’re lost, aren’t you?”

“Uh… yeah, where’s the library?”

“You’re going the opposite direction, you know.” he jerked his head, “Come on.”

We walked down endless corridors before getting to a set of huge gold and black doors. “Here we are.”

“Thanks…?”

“Leviathan.”

“Oh, well, thanks, Leviathan.” I said with a smile.

“You’re welcome, Elesira.” he left without another word.

Once I opened the doors, two children ran out, screaming.

I yelped, “What the–”

“DON’T GO IN THERE!” the boy flailed his arms wildly, “He’s angry!”

“Get back in here, you… oh, hello.” a man that looked like he was in his late twenties. “What brings you here?”

The two children screamed and started to run away when the man picked them up in both of his arms.

“Get over here you kids!” he sighed and looked at me, “What brings you here?”

“Don’t answer his questions!” the boy cried.

The girl glared at him, “Oh, shut up, Tiago!” she snapped.

“You shut up, Gia!” Tiago growled.

“Both of you, QUIET!” the man roared.

That silenced them.

“Now, as I was saying, what brings you here, girl?” the man asked me.

“Ordelia recommended the library, so I decided to stop by and read.”

“Of course! Come on in!” the man smiled, “What’s your name?”

“Elesira.”

“Lovely name, mine’s Julius.” he grunted as he shifted the two children, “This is Gia, and this is Tiago.”

“Hello.” I waved at them.

“Hi!” Gia smiled.

“He’s going to eat you! Don’t go in there!” Tiago struggled against Julius’s grip.

“Oh, be quiet, Tiago!” Gia said, “We have a guest, and when there’s a guest, there’s tea!”

“Aw, not tea again!” Tiago groaned.

“Uncle Julius, can I go put on my princess dress?” Gia said with a big smile.

Julius sighed, “Only if you promise not to mess up the documents again.” he mumbled before setting them down.

“Hey, what about me?” Tiago said defiantly.

“You, young man,” Julius marched into the library, “are going to scrub the windows!”

“Oh, why me?” he said, “It’s boring!”

“Because you were the one who put the papers too close to the fire! Now go!” he gave Tiago a little shove.

“They’re adorable!” I said.

“No, they’re not!” he said in a serious tone, “The only person here who has his sanity is my oldest nephew… SANDOR!” he yelled.

A head peeked out from behind the bookshelves, “Yeah?”

“We have a visitor!”

The boy who came out must’ve been eleven or twelve. He had soft black hair, a few freckles on his face, and a kind smile. I knew he would grow up to be a very handsome fellow. He wore simple clothes, but they were beautiful and unique. I wondered if it was a gift. It matched his dark green eyes. He was shorter than me, and he was still a child.

“Hi!” he smiled, “My name’s Sandor.” he stuck out a hand.

I shook it, “Elesira.” I gestured at his clothes, “Who made you those clothes? They’re very beautiful.”

His grin widened, “I did!”

I couldn’t help but gape, “You… you made them?”

He nodded, “Yep. I want to be the official fashion designer of the royal house when I grow up!”

“Sandor here has talent.” Julius said, “He has very good tastes, and he’s very precise in his work.” he looked at his nephew proudly.

Sandor turned red, “It’s nothing, really…” but I did catch him standing up straighter.

“Well, Sandor, do you mind if you give a tour around the library?”

“Sure!” he grabbed my hand, “Come on, Elesira!”

We went through the different wings of the vast library. Some of them looked new, others looked ancient. But every wing had its own study space and reading area. It was always against a wall, so there’ll always be a fireplace.

“Who gave you those clothes?” he pointed at me.

“These are what I wear in the Imperial City.”

“Interesting…” he murmured and inspected me, then he perked up, “Can I make you some clothes?”

I tilted my head, “Can you?”

“Yeah, I just need to get the measurements!” he yanked me towards one of the doors, “Come on!”

His room was huge, and there were a lot of things piled on the floor. String, yarn, cloth, scissors, boards, measuring tape, and mannequins.

“Alright, let’s see now…” he walked to one of his shelves and got out a notebook, “What kind of clothes do you want?”

“What kind of clothes?” I repeated.

Sandor nodded, “A dress, gown, suit, jacket, cloak…?” he looked at me.

“I… well…” I thought about it, “I would really like a dress.”

“Cool!” he wrote something down, “You have a favorite color?”

“Blue and green.” I answered.

“Uh huh… and what’s your eye color?”

“My eye color? They’re brown.”

He squinted at me before nodding, “Okay.” he closed his notebook and pulled out another notebook, “So let’s take your measurements.” He got out the measuring tape and started with my height.

“So where do you come from?” he asked me.

“Eldarys, but I left for the Imperial city.” It sure felt weird to have a twelve year old take measurements for me.

“What’s it like in Eldarys?” he measured my shoulders.

“Hot, and extremely dry.”

He made a face, “Ugh, I hate those places too!” he shook his head, “What about the Imperial City?”

“It’s very complicated, but it was much cooler there, if that’s what you’re asking.”

“They have very strange but unique clothes.” he remarked, “I’ve never seen those kind of gowns before. What are they called?”

“Kimonos.” I answered.

“Huh.” he took one final measurement before clearing his throat, “Okay, I’ll come up with something by tomorrow, okay?”

I nodded, “Sure, and thanks a lot, Sandor.”

He winked, “No problemo!” he grinned.

 

“Elesira? That’s a princess’s name!” Gia laughed, “Are you a princess?”

“Um…”

“Oh, silly me, of course you are! Come on! Miss Bunny and Mrs. Mouse are waiting for you at the tea party!”

“A what now?” now, I was confused.

Julius smiled, “It looks like you’re being invited to another one of her tea parties.” he smirked, “Have fun!” he left.

Tiago came bursting in with a wooden sword, “I’m a dragon! Rargh!” he shouted.

“No, you’re not!” Gia put on a pouty face, “Dragons don’t carry swords! They have claws, like this!” she bent all her fingers.

“Says who?”

“Says me!”

I got between the two, “Okay, guys. That’s enough.”

Gia smiled at me, “Let’s go have tea! Tiago, come along, darling!” she snapped her fingers and sashayed towards the table.

Tiago made a disgusted face and stuck out his tongue, “Blech!” he spat, “Girls…”

Gia sat down in a small white wooden chair, “Please sit down, madam Elesira!” she said with a mocking elegant accent.

I looked at the small chairs, “Um…”

Gia nodded, “Sit!”

I sat down and heard the chair groan.

“Would it be jasmine or chamomile, miss?” Gia took the teapot and poured make believe tea into her cup.

“Chamomile?” I had no idea what that was. The only tea I knew was jasmine, and I didn’t like it.

“Very well.” she took another teapot and “poured” tea into my cup. She then looked at her bunny doll, “How are the pastries, dear?”

The bunny, of course, didn’t say anything, but she nodded as if she could hear the words that we couldn’t hear, “Oh, I’m glad you like it!” she looked at her brother, “How about you, Tiago?”

“I hate tea parties, I want to go fight bad guys!” Tiago shook his head and folded his arms.

Then, I heard the doors to the library open. I stood up, “Uh… I should go check who it is.” I said.

“Remember to come back!” Gia said with a big smile.

I walked down the rows of book shelves until I got to the main entrance. It was the black hair guy that followed me along with the rest of the group. His eyes were a dark shade of blue, and I was surprised by how young he looked. I wouldn’t say he was very handsome, but he wasn’t ordinary either. There was a sense of mystery to him, and maybe even a dark aura.

“Azrael!” Julius sounded surprised, “What brings you here?”

Azrael looked at me, “The girl.” his voice was soft, but not weak. It was no louder than a murmur, but it had a cold, lethal calmness to it.

“Elesira?” Julius looked at me, “Why?”

“The Master wants to see her.” Azrael’s voice had a hint of finality.

Julius glanced at me nervously, “I… I see…”

Azrael nodded and, without another word, looked at me, “Elesira.” he turned on his heels and left, his footsteps almost completely silent.

I followed him.

The halls were empty, so either everyone was busy, or everyone was avoiding Azrael.

When we approached a huge set of doors, Azrael stopped, but didn’t say anything.

“Um… is there something you wanted to tell me?” I asked quietly.

He closed his eyes and clenched his fists, “No.” he strode to the door and shoved them open.

Now I knew where everyone was. They were there, in the huge stone cavern. And standing at the very front was a powerful looking woman.

The woman had long pale blond hair that curled at the tips. Her gown was completely dark blue, with no additional garments. Her eyes were pointed, like the people back in the Imperial City, and she almost looked like the people there, but I discarded the idea when I remembered she had blond hair instead of black. Her eyes were brown, but very sharp. So sharp that I avoided her gaze as we neared her. She looked very tall and menacing. She was slender, and could’ve been mistaken as a courtesan, or a princess, if it weren’t for the knife in her hands. It was a jeweled and silver hilt, and it glimmered as if all the magic in the world had been placed in that knife. The blade looked like it was made out of glass and ice. I wondered if it would shatter.

Everyone parted to make a path for us. Azrael stopped at the very front line of the crowd. He uttered nothing but a single word, “Go.” his voice was full of authority.

I stepped up, shaking with fear.

The woman’s gaze raked me from head to toe, as if she were examining an idol, or a statue. Her nostrils flared when she said, “Who are you?”

“Elesira.” I barely managed to say.

“What are you doing here, mortal girl?” she spat with disgust.

“I… they…” I couldn’t get the words out.

But she raised her eyebrow, waiting for me to answer.

“Jhaeros… he asked Ordelia and her group to bring me here.” I answered quietly.

The woman’s eyes blazed when she roared, “JHAEROS!”

I saw him push his way through the crowd and look at the woman, meeting her gaze unflinchingly.

She pointed at me, “You brought her here.” she said, her voice dangerously calm.

“Yes, I did.” he said, his voice equally soft.

“May you be so kind to tell me exactly why?” she growled.

“I’m your lieutenant, Selina. I think I have a right to do a few things without you watching my every movement like a new recruit.” Jhaeros said in a hard voice.

“You’ve gone too far this time, Jhaeros.” she gripped her knife, “Give me one good reason to explain yourself, and it’d better be good, or else she goes!” Selina pointed at me with her blade.

“You touch her,” Jhaeros snarled quietly, “and you’ll regret the day you came here.”

“One reason, make it good.” Selina lowered her knife.

Jhaeros looked at me, his eyes softening, but his posture didn’t falter. He held his chin high, “She’s the girl that I told you about.” he turned to face Selina, “Four years ago, when I came to you. You were about to turn me away, but you listened to what I had to say. What did I tell you?”

Selina looked at me, then back at Jhaeros, “You told me that you came here for love.” she said.

“Yes, I did.”

“Love or no love, I cannot let this girl reveal the secrets of the mountain.” Selina’s voice was cold.

Jhaeros took one step forward, “She won’t.” he said, “I trust her.”

“You may trust her, but I don’t.” Selina narrowed her eyes at me, “Take her.”

Azrael and Leviathan stepped out of line. I spun around, “Guys, please…”

I heard blades unsheath as Jhaeros stepped in front of me, twin blades in his hands. “Stay away from her.” his voice was icy and lethal.

Leviathan scowled, but Azrael continued advancing with a calm expression.

“Step aside, Jhaeros.” Azrael said, his voice emotionless.

“Never.” Jhaeros snarled.

Azrael whipped out