Heart Over Sword - Chapter 120

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 face… 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 gift…*”