Chapter 4

Aurelia has a near death experience with a River Guardian. We encounter a longing flashback of Aelrah.

Cold, slimy fingers wrapped around my ankle as he began pulling me into the water. I dug my fingers into the ground and began kicking frantically, hoping to ease out of his grip. Once I was submerged in the water, it would require little effort on his part to drown me. I had to stay on the surface for as long as I could.

“Zame!” I screamed, begging her to help. The green scaled elf continued to drag me into the water and was succeeding. He was much stronger than me, despite my frantic kicking. By this point, he had me waist deep in the river. The piercing cold water splashed on my skin from my frantic attempts at escaping.

Out of the corner of my eyes, I saw Zame slowly bend down to grab the small red stone. She glanced at it longingly before she reluctantly stretched out her arm towards us. The red stone glistened against her palm.

“This is what you want. Let her go,” she told him calmly. I was sort of angry with the drow. Why would he want a rock?

The creature paused in his efforts to take me as his eyes fixated on the glistening stone in Zame’s palm.

“Where … did you get … that?” The creature hissed.

“Does it matter? It’s yours if you let her go.” She shrugged in a carefree voice.

The scaled sea creature suddenly focused his attention back on me. His terrible black eyes gazed down on my body. His face was close to mine and dripped icy water on my skin. His breath smelled absolutely horrible, like decaying fish. I tried to squirm out of his grasp.

“I haven’t tasssssted pale elf flesh… in ssso long,” he mused in his terrible, serpent-like voice. “Only the dark onesssss. Yet … the dark one hasss ssssomething I cannot ignore.”

“That’s right. Let her go and take it,” Zame said impatiently. “I went through a lot of trouble to find this high elf; I have no intentions of letting her go.”

The creature narrowed his eyes in thought. Zame casually tossed the red stone into the air and caught it. She seemed to be taunting him with it. The creature growled in annoyance and tightened his hold on my torso. He gave me one last dark look before turning towards the darkling.

“Very well. You may passssssss.”

Zame suddenly flicked the red stone into the river. The scaled creature immediately released his grip on me and dove beneath the surface. Startled, I quickly backed away from the water as fast as I could.

“What’s the matter with you?” Zame demanded harshly. Her violet eyes were cold. “Don’t you know a River Guardian when you see it?” I shook my head. I’ve never seen anything like that mysterious, sea green monster with his beautiful deadly looks.

“I’ve never really been outside of the kingdom before,” I admitted quietly. Zame sighed in exasperation and threw her hands up in the air.

“Perfect,” she growled. “I only have two blood stones left. If you would have just listened to me in the first place, I might not have had to give it up.”

“What is a blood stone?” I asked her curiously. What was so special about that stone that would make that monster let go of me? Zame raised her eyebrows and threw me a dark look before rolling her eyes.

“You don’t know much about this place, do you?” she muttered rhetorically. She simply shook her head slowly as she made her way towards the river. “Come on.”

Zame suddenly dove into the water, disappearing for a moment before breaking the surface. Nervously, I followed her lead. Terrified that the monster would come back for me, I quickly swam faster to reach the other end.

Zame was a strong swimmer, but I soon caught up with her and took the lead. I didn’t want to be in these dangerous waters for any longer than I had to. We finally reached the end and began to make our way out of the icy water.

The river bank was sharp and tricky to grasp. With much effort, I finally was able to pull my body up against the edge of the river. Zame didn’t seem to have any problem with the climbing.

“Thank you for saving me,” I told her softly. “And I’m sorry about your stone.”

“I didn’t do it for you,” she replied in an indifferent voice and began walking forward.

I had nothing to say to that, so I didn’t speak. We continued our journey in mostly silence. The sky had now turned into a dark midnight blue, nearly turning everything black. This marked the darkest period of the darkling day. The howling wind blew against the trees, ruffling branches and leaves in its path. My body chilled from the temperature difference, and Zame’s cloak did little to keep me warm.

Zame lead us deeper in to the woods and stopped. “We will rest here for the night.” She threw her bag off of her shoulders as well as her bow. She kept her throwing knives around her thigh. Apparently she never took those things off. I’d be afraid they would stab me in my sleep.

“Can we build a fire? I can look for wood,” I said as I rubbed my arms up and down with my hands. The wind was unforgiving and bitterly cold.

“I know you are a sheltered little high elf,” she started to say as she rolled her eyes. “But can you at least attempt to think before you speak? Tell me Princess. Why would building a fire be a really bad idea?” she said in a voice meant for a child. She spoke with exaggerated slowness and false kindness.

I blinked, trying to think of a reason. Fire was destructive, but at least we would be warm. It wouldn’t be hard to contain the fire if we found some stones to encircle it.

“It could catch the forest on fire?”

Zame suddenly groaned as she put her hands on either sides of her face, scratching her skin. “Wrong. If we had a fire blazing out here, it would attract nearly every creature in Ohrog.” She shook her head as her eyes narrowed in my direction. “You are worse than I thought. Even having me with you, you’d probably still find a way to get eaten. This won’t do. That’s the problem with you Azrain royals. You have others fight for you. You know nothing of survival yourselves. How the hell did you stay alive for two weeks out here?”

“I got lucky I guess,” I muttered, embarrassed. She was right, and it angered me. “Queen Zephyr isn’t a fighter either. She has others do the work for her too,” I pointed out. The Darkling Queen would never do any dirty work herself. She ordered her servants and guards to do nearly everything for her.

“Well yeah, she’s the queen. She can do whatever she wants.” Zame looked at me like I was stupid. “But her son, Roman... he’s lethal,” she said in a dark voice.

I didn’t know much about the Darkling Prince. Only that he was Zephyr’s only son and apparently very deadly. Zame started to tell me a little about him when I asked. She had trained and fought with him as a child. She told me that they both were learning to be warriors. Prince Roman was the only one she had ever lost a fight with, and she fiercely respected him for that.

“I don’t understand,” I interrupted later. “Why aren’t you a warrior then?”

Being a warrior, high elf or drow, was an incredible honor. They only selected the best of the best. It was a title of the highest honor. I knew without a doubt that Zame would have easily fit the criteria. She narrowed her violet irises in my direction.

“Would you fight for someone who killed your mother in front of you?”

“I guess not,” I told her, reevaluating my assumption.

“It doesn’t matter. I quit the academy young, but not before I learned almost everything about becoming a warrior. I know what I’m doing.”

“I know.” I told her, forming a small smile on my lips. “You are a fighter. I can see that,” I told her in awe. “I am nothing of the sort.”

She nodded in agreement. “You probably won’t survive the trip to the Human Realm.” She told me in a serious voice. She wasn’t being mean about it, just stating a simple fact. I shuddered at her words. I didn’t want to die out here. I couldn’t. A sudden rush of desperation came pouring through me as I pleaded with Zame.

“Please teach me how to fight. I promise I’ll listen and be good. I’m a quick learner. I swear--”

“Blondie, calm down,” she said with a smirk, holding her hands up, palms towards me. She narrowed her eyes in thought. “I guess I don’t really have a choice. I want you alive, and my protection isn’t enough for someone so helpless.”

“Oh, thank you! Thank you Zame! I promise you won’t regret it. When do we start?”

“You are really worked up about this aren’t you?” she mused to herself. “Not now, Princess. I’m tired. I will teach you how to defend yourself, but I want to rest first,” she told me, yawning.

“Okay.” I reluctantly agreed. I tried to hide my disappointment, but she saw through me. She grinned at my reaction.

“We will sleep in shifts. I’ll go first. Don’t go anywhere. If you hear anything, see anything, or think you see anything. Wake me up,” she ordered.

I nodded as I watched Zame lay down against the grass. The cold wind blew once more, making my teeth chatter. I saw the goose bumps form on Zame’s arm, but she didn’t show any signs that she was uncomfortable or cold. I started to give her my cloak to cover her, but she shook her head. She wanted me to keep it on to remain inconspicuous, so I did.

Moments after Zame closed her eyes, she drifted into sleep effortlessly. She didn’t snore, but her breathing was very heavy and deep.

I sat down against a large tree and stretched my feet out. It felt good to rest after traveling for the majority of the day. My feet were hurting, and I was tired. I sighed as I took in my environment, trying to come to terms with my decisions that lead me here. It was hard to believe that there could be something so dire that would force me to run away from the protection of my father’s kingdom, journey with a darkling that will probably eventually kill me, and to top it all off, willingly travel to the Human World. I was a mess.

I arched my back against the tree, suddenly feeling the uncomfortable pressure of my silver dagger around my waist. I unsheathed the weapon, slowly pulling the gleaming silver instrument in my hand.

The hilt of the dagger had ornately, delicate patterns carved into it, making the handle exquisite and easier for me to hold. It fit perfectly in my hand, as if it were made specifically for me. Intricate patterns lined the hilt with swirls and complicated designs that entranced the eye. Alongside the blade were words written in elegant Elfish script. The words were nonsense to me, written in a dead language that has been lost to us over the years. I twirled the blade alongside my fingers, remembering the moment when I received my first and only weapon.

“Where are we going?” I had asked, chuckling. The promise of escape and disobeying my father made me feel light-hearted and giddy. Aelrah’s strong hand held mine tightly as he led me further and further from the castle.

“You’ll see,” he told me eagerly. I could see his cheeks lifted up into a smile. The thought of getting caught thrilled him as well. Like most things, Aelrah had sensed my overwhelming need for some freedom and alone time. I was getting restless and wanted to leave the castle. Not permanently, but I wanted somewhere to go where I wasn’t constantly being watched and judged. I never spoke about my desires, but Aelrah knew me so well, I didn’t have to. As an Azrain warrior, it shocked me that he would go to these risky lengths to ensure my happiness.

Warriors were bound by oath to protect our people no matter the cost. The warriors especially fought to ensure the safety of the royal family, which unfortunately, included me. Allowing me to venture out into the forest was something that was forbidden and dangerous. He could get into a lot of trouble for this.

I loved my life, but at times the constant eyes of the public, warriors, guards, servants and my family would threaten to overwhelm me. There were no secrets here. Everyone knew my face, my personality, and expected me to live up to my late sister’s reputation. At times I felt like I would choke from the pressure.

Aelrah suddenly stopped, adjusting his broad shoulders to where he was standing right in front of me. His chin length blonde hair lightly blew in the wind as he smiled down at me. His light green eyes were full of warmth and held a mischievous glint that looked strange on him. His massive body towered over mine as he leaned forward to place his hand under my chin, tilting it up so that my eyes met his.

“Princess Aurelia,” he murmured, grinning. “I want to give you something.”

“You know to call me Aurelia.” I shook my head slowly with a smile. I was too excited to feel annoyed that he used my title of royalty. I wanted to just be Aurelia with him.

“My apologies,” he said with his hand over his heart as he bowed. His hand disappeared behind his back for a moment before returning in front of him. In his hand was a small silver knife.

“Aelrah?” I asked warily. “Why are you giving me a knife?”

He chuckled as he placed the gleaming knife in my hand. My fingers wrapped around the handle, feeling the cold metal instrument in my palm. “It’s not a knife; it’s a dagger,” he told me with a grin. Was there a difference? “I just think it is a good idea for you to have it. I might not always be there to protect you.”

“Um, thank you,” I said, still baffled with the strange gift. I guess giving daggers was a common thing with warriors. I smiled towards Aelrah, hoping that he knew I was thankful.

His grin told me that he wasn’t fooled. He suddenly gestured around us with his hand. “This is the very edge of Azrain.”

I glanced around, following his gesture. Bright green plants covered us on three sides, almost like a blanket. The vines were thick and hard to see through. I felt safe and concealed. It was like my own personal cave full of plant life instead of rocks.

“It’s overlooked by most and few know of its whereabouts. And when I say few, I mean you and me,” Aelrah told me.

It took a moment for the words to sink in. “Oh, Aelrah! This means so much!”

I threw my arms around him in a tight hug as he held me. He really did it. He found a hidden place for me. Somewhere for me to briefly escape the calculating world of royal politics. This was the best gift he could have ever gotten me.

“You’re welcome,” he said fondly, pleased with my reaction. He released his hold on me as a serious look crossed his face. “You musn’t ever come out here without me, understand? It’s dangerous, Aurelia. Even in Azrain, there are still deadly things out there. If you venture beyond the Azrain borders by accident, you are fair game for darklings.”

“Darklings?” I asked in horror. I didn’t think the fearsome creatures would ever come out this far.

“Yes. The Uncharted is full of them, along with other vicious creatures,” he told me severely. “Never trust drow.”

His words rang with absolute clarity in my mind as if he were standing right next to me. I shivered against the wind as I left the memory, wrapping my arms around my body, wishing that they belonged to Aelrah. He would be furious with me if he knew the reason I left Azrain. I wondered what his reaction was when he finally discovered that I was missing. If I ever saw him again, would he bring himself to forgive me for leaving without telling him why?

I shuddered at the anger that I would face from him. He was fiercely protective over me and hated when I did things he considered risky. I sighed as I realized that my worries were uncalled for. There was a very good chance that I wouldn’t make it back to him alive.

Something bright amongst the trees suddenly caught my attention, and I immediately forgot about my Aelrah worries. I narrowed my eyes, searching for the source of the glowing object. I realized at that moment that I was being watched. Horror struck me as I saw a pair of glistening silver eyes following my every movement.

Reviews

[Daydreamer54]

okay, so maybe aelrah is the one she likes. :P No doubt, he's probably looking for her. And once again another cliff hanger. Excellent! ^^

[Strigoikillerr]

we shall see.. Hehe ^^

[InsanityWriter]

Uh oh.... ;) Excellent chapter!! ^_^

[Strigoikillerr]

Thanks Insanity!! :)