Elementals: The Battles Book 3

Lia was sore, and achy and the farther they get from the boys the more she felt like her heart was going to jump out and run back without her. They had crossed the bridge into Zelena but there wasn't a stop until they got to the safe house which was another 3 hours ride. The girls had all seemed to be content with being quiet, thinking slowly over the next few months and what might happen. The farther they got the more Emmy wanted to turn around and be with the others, be with Eli and her grandfather, but she had a job to do, her grandfather said she was being trusted by the king to do this, to protect Lia and the girls. She and Roxy had gotten up early this morning and talked about what their plan might be. Roxy was willing to stay behind and possibly funnel information out incase they were invaded. She knew that Emmy had more knowledge of how to get back to Terramas with everyone and that Emmy would make sure they had everything they needed to escape. Roxy would show her the way to sneak out of any building they were placed in, they would run a trail from where they were housed to where they would try and hide a boat or a raft or something to escape the island with if they needed it. Roxy would hide all evidence anyone else was with her if they were to get caught and she would stay behind, she had the most credit since her mother was somewhere on the island. They already had a semi plan worked out behind the girls and Lia's back, but it was how it was supposed to be. They were there as guards, as protection. Emmy's grandfather said she was just like her mother, powerful with a pretty face too. Emmy and Roxy would also train with someone while Lia was working on her healing magic, the only thing they didn't know was who was training them, and if it would be fighting or if it would be survival instincts.  As they got closer, they started to fall behind on their escorts and start to talk, and then that was when Roxy noticed Lia. "Sore from last night Lia?" "Very. I didn't even think about this-" She paused and pushed her lips together as she realized she let the cat out of the bag without even thinking. "Oh you did it." Emmy was shocked, she never thought after their conversation that she would have gone through with it, but it seemed that she did, and she only regretted it after a long horse ride. "I... we did." Lia told them and shrugged. Her face was burning hot but she didn't regret it for a second. "Was it ok? Good?" "It was... normal? At first it hurt but after it was so much better. I don't know what else was supposed to happen but what we did felt normal and still so amazing." Lia told them and whispered mostly so that the girls in the cart who were napping wouldn't hear. They weren't that much younger but the age difference was significant enough that she didn't feel comfortable seemingly doing something the gods considered a sin. "And he took care of everything so you won't become pregnant right?" Roxy asked and Lia nodded making sure that they knew there was nothing to worry about on that topic. "No babies until everything is taken care of, including a real wedding and that isn't happening until every single thing about our lives have become normal or what might look like normal after all of this." Lia stated knowing that was non negotiable. For her anyways. "Little babies... that will be a welcome day." Emmy whispered knowing she always wanted kids, one day. She wanted to be there for them though, she would never go head first into battle knowing she might leave behind a child. When she decided to have kids' she would give up fighting and do what master Belinda did... teach. "Is that why Z didn't want to say goodbye?" Roxy asked after a moment and looked over at Lia to see how she felt about it. "He and I... we never had to say goodbye. When I was a kid I left for a weekend and that is the longest we have ever been apart. He didn't want to say goodbye because he didn't know how. But he came because I went to get him." Lia shrugged, it was hard to explain, if Z had been the one leaving her she might have acted the same way. She still doesn't like the feeling of being away from the boys she has known her entire life. It was a strange feeling knowing she won't see them for months, it made her worry with every step they took. "Arrival is 20 minutes." They heard one of the escorts and she looked up, nodding to the man before looking around. She could kind of see a building that looked more like a tower coming into view, something taller than a tree but a light green. "That building is your solitude." They added when they pointed to the tower Lia had seen first. "More like a prison." Emmy whispered as she noticed very little windows and barely any way out, probably just one way in and one way out. As they got closer they could see that they would be able to bend the stone it was made out of in anyway they could, there were some coming down the outside of the building like it was stairs, and then there was one using a stone to push them up the wall as if they were floating on it. "Or maybe not." She whispered thinking about how she could probably float down using fire, water or air as well. "Hello, and welcome to your home here in Zelena." They looked at a woman who had her hands wide open, she was wearing a thick grey robe and thick shoes. Her hair was tied back and in a loose ponytail while her face showed her years, her hair was still a dark brown. "My name is Andrea... as we understand it you all are Elementals? And yet only one of you know the healing magic?" "Yes." Roxy nodded and crossed her arms before they all decided to get down from the horses. "That is Joy and Myra, they are the girls that will need survival teaching, they were late bloomers." Roxy added and then licked her lips. "I am Roxanna of Zelena, this is Talia of Vodia and Emerson of Terramas." "Roxanna? As in Cara's daughter?" Andrea asked and Roxy nodded slowly. "My word child you have grown into a woman that is her mothers spiting image." "Her mother?" Roxy asked a little confused. "Oh yes... your grandmother and I were friends here before the last war. When she passed on I mourned for years. I am glad that you look so much like your namesake, you make me feel younger already." Andrea laughed lightly and smiled at the girl who did so much look like a woman she met so long ago now. She had met little Roxanna when she was but a little 3 year old awaiting daycare and her mother was rash to leave so Andrea would take care of the toddler until she came into her magic. "You knew me?" "I used to feed you blueberries and banana for breakfast and melon for lunch." Andrea told her and smiled wide, before realizing something. "You have plans to see your mother?" "I haven't heard from her in a long while, I don't know if she knows we are here-" "But she is going to be your teacher." Andrea knew she would handle the two younger ones, and Lia, or Talia, would go with the healers while Roxy's mother Cara would train her daughter and the second girl coming. Roxy worked her jaw, not knowing her own mother would be so close while they stayed here set her on edge, there was something about knowing her mother might say something horrible or not say anything of value at all to her made her worry about her own emotions. "What an arrival." Roxy whispered and smiled at the older woman who then started to take them on a tour. Emmy and Lia stayed beside Roxy incase she needed to talk, and when they were set into their rooms to rest, they had to split up. Z worked on getting a space cleared out in his room so he could start on another letter. He should wait a bit, make sure that she was settled ok and wait for a response, but he wanted to tell her that they were going to head back inland, that Gabriel told them that he thought it was best, and so letters might take more time. But of course, as soon as he sat to write it, the twins were calling him, making him head out so he could see what they wanted. "What?" "I wanted to know what you thought about heading back inland, do you think something is going to happen? Is that why they are sending us away?" Des asked and rubbed at his jaw, and Z looked at both of them before looking around to see if he could find Eli. He had been here longer, he could tell them the truth with no lies involved. They found him in his room, packing, and he looked worried for a second. "Are they planning something other than just sending us back?" Z asked since the twins had asked in a way that might seem like they overheard something. "Not that I know of. I think that Gabriel just wants to make sure we have no distractions, that we aren't going to mess up the palace or anything." He shrugged and looked at the three in front of him. "Did you think we were going to be left out?" "I just don't want to be lied to. Not by the king, not by Gabriel... no one." Z said and crossed his arms. He could not be stingy with his trust, he needed to trust some adults, and King Ambrose and Gabriel never did anything other than encourage, and while Lia was away from him now, it had been her choice. "No one is lying about anything Z, promise. I am sure if we really wanted to stay here they would let us. It's more about the training availability out there being better." Eli told him with a shrug knowing that was what Gabriel told him when he made the decision to go back with the boys. "What is the big deal about staying or going other than the fact we might be left out?" "Being close incase Zelena is invaded and the girls need a way back." Z said it right away. "You mean so we get the news at the same time King Ambrose would?" Des asked knowing deep inside that would make him feel calmer as well. He didn't like Roxy being away when what they had was still so new, but there was nothing that he could do to stop her. She wanted to go and protect Lia just in case anything were to happen, and he agreed that it was a good idea since mostly the girls wanted to go... and they couldn't all just go. "Why didn't we just go too?" Z asked like he had read Des' mind and they all took a deep breath. "Because you want to go into battle. You want to win, you want to fight and win back your school. Your family was taken from you, and now you want to seek justice." They all turned and saw Princess Cassandra draped on the wall and she smiled as she looked at all of them. "Only issue is... are you going to be the same person you were upon your arrival here after you went into your first battle." She whispered and looked at all four of the guys left behind. Her eyes wandered to Tobias, he was a kind and gentle guy, more so than the others that seemed to take what she said as an insult as if killing or hurting others doesn't change someone deep inside. "We will always be who we are." "You'll all change, war does that." She added and looked at all of them again before realizing 3 out of 4 didn't like her all that might in the moment so she gave a smile and nodded before she turned to leave.