The Cruel Prince's Wrath

Chapter 15

Iefyr had packed his bag already and he had been throwing around the idea of leaving without telling Tolanda because he knew she would insist on coming with him, but he also knew that she would never forgive him if he left without telling her of this. He found her in the clinic as she had opted to stay by Senni’s side, and he crept in quietly waking her with a gentle touch on the shoulder. She opened her eyes sleepily and looked to him; she was the most beautiful being he had ever seen, even in this dim light the blue of her warm kind eyes shone.

“I… we should go outside,” he whispered looking over at the sleeping Senni with her baby and she slowly rose to join him quietly leaving the clinic into the cool night air.

“What is it?” she asked and held a hand to her chest, Iefyr knew she could sense there was something to be concerned about just by watching her take this action. He felt a pang inside his chest as he went to speak his words.

“Some scouts returned from King Lyall in the human world, Lyall had found a horde of elves holed up in an old, abandoned castle. It is most certainly Cauladra and Ievos,”

“Oh my…” she whispered but her words trailed off. “What do we do?” she asked him.

“I am going there but I am to keep my distance and try to communicate with him using the powers I have learned through meditation, there is a small risk but a minimal risk,”

“I want to come.” She said firmly.

“No, is the simple answer to that,” he said.

“And why suddenly do I need your permission? I am going with you and that is the simple answer to that,” she replied tersely.

“What about Senni?” he asked.

“I... I will check on her in the morning and see what she thinks,”

“I am leaving tonight,” he said.

“Then I will wake her now,”

“Tolanda, think about this, if you come with me, what can you do?”

“I just... want to be there, surely when in your meditative state you need somebody to look out for you?” she said.

“So, you come for me and not him?”

“I come for both of you,”

“And what if someone does pose a risk to me? What do you do? You are no fighter, you will also be vulnerable to this attack,”

“Then we ask our friends to join us in this,”

“What friends? Vas has Dresna to care for, Inar is... not fit, Agoras is still recovering from injuries sustained in the battle, who do we take, your brother? Liv?”

“Yes,” she replied. “Now that is settled, I will get them and we will head out as soon as we are ready,” she said.

“I promised Velkin I would only be risking my own life, not others,”

“We are human, Velkin has no governance over us,” she said reminding him of his own words to Velkin. He sighed.

“You are more headstrong these days, more outspoken. It seems Liv has rubbed off on you,” he said in defeat.

“Overcoming a tragedy and a trauma makes us stronger, I need to take more control of my own life, to take action and not always allow others to take action on my behalf,” she replied.

“Next you’ll be swinging a sword next to Liv,” he said with a slight smile.

“Oh, I don’t think I would go that far,” she replied with a laugh.

Tolanda returned to the clinic to wake Senni and Iefyr decided he would get Tolan and Tolanda could wake Liv, he did not feel it appropriate to disturb a woman while she slept. He contemplated leaving quickly without rounding anyone up and leaving without Tolanda for her own good but last time he tried to decide for others did not go too well. He braced himself and then knocked on the door to Tolan's room. He could hear clambering almost panicked and then something fell over with a clang, the door opened to a half-clothed Tolan. He looked bewildered.

“Ah, Iefyr, how can I help you?” he asked so very politely.

“Is everything alright? I heard something fall, are you alright?” he asked.

“Yes, we are fine, ah! I’m fine,” he stammered almost panicked and then Iefyr heard a female smirking inside his room and Tolan looked flushed.

“I see, um, it may be that I just need to say this here then. Velkin has caught word of Cauladra and Ievos’ location in the human kingdom. I am to travel there but not directly to them. I am to try and communicate with Ievos through a meditative state, but I need to be closer to reach him like this. I am telling you this because Tolanda has insisted on coming with me but we will both be vulnerable when I am in this meditative state, so we are asking that you and Liv join us,” the door was pulled open wide to reveal a scruffily dressed Liv peering out as though she had pulled her clothes on abruptly.

“We are coming, I certainly am, I don’t mind if you wish to stay here,” Liv said and hurried out to her own chambers.

“Why does she chase after him when she has you?” Tolan asked.

“It is not like that, Tolan, she has not stopped caring for him just because the bond drew her to me,” Iefyr informed. Tolan sighed.

“Well, I am certainly not about to abandon my sister, of course I am coming but is it really safe just us? I am not a fighter,” he said, “and I do not want the fighting to just fall to Liv, if it happens,”

“I know, we just need lookouts, we will find a location and make camp but somewhere you can all keep eyes on the surrounding lands and any sign of trouble you draw me back from my meditation.” Iefyr said.

“I am pleased my sweet sister has found a man like you, Iefyr, strong, brave, it is all I hoped for. I wanted her to be protected and loved when I could not be there to do so. By all accounts that is exactly what you did,”

“It is easy to love her, Tolan, she has such a kind heart,” Iefyr smiled. “We leave tonight so get ready,” he said before swiftly disappearing to his chambers where he saw his brother waiting outside with some servants and then he looked to see his father also standing there.

“I am feeling better after my rest, and I have heard about your journey. Velkin is to go with you,” King Neron said and Iefyr realised his brother looked ready for travel. The servants all held various bags and sacks full of supplies for their journey. Iefyr met eyes with his younger brother and smiled.

“I am glad to have you, brother,” he said smiling and then they firmly shook hands.

“To be honest, I am pleased I am coming so that I can watch your back,” Velkin said.

“Liv and Tolan are also joining us,” Iefyr replied. “Where abouts in the human world are they?”

“It is not all that far from the borders, they are all camped in an abandoned castle, our scouts returned saying there were also some ruins nearby, it seems like a desolate and abandoned part of the human world, but the ruins would make for a good camping spot. We do not want to camp in the open,” Velkin said.

“I would… prefer to send more warriors with you but… I know you cannot have too large a group and you seem to already have five which is a noticeable number,” Neron said.

“Yes, I wish to leave tonight, put some miles behind us and also in the first parts of our journey it would be good to put as much desert behind us during the cooler hours of night,” Iefyr said and the king nodded.

“I wish you all well and a safe journey, I… if there is any way you can get through to Ievos please bring him back to us, I do not want to be enemies with my son,” Neron pleaded.

“Of course, I wish the same outcome, but I do not think he will come,” Velkin added.

“Neither do I,” Neron said regretfully.

“Are Tolanda and I the only ones who have faith in him?” Iefyr muttered mostly to himself and got no response from the others.

“I do believe it is worth trying that is why I have permitted it,” King Neron said.

“Very well, I will collect my things,” Iefyr said and then Tolanda came hurrying down the hallway and to Iefyr.

“Oh, thank the gods, I had a horrible feeling you were about to ride off without me,” she said breathing a sigh of relief.

“I’ll not lie, I did consider it,” he said, “only because I fear for your safety on this journey,”

“And I fear for yours, and because of this danger we should not be apart,” she replied holding him and resting her head on his chest.

“You are right, Tolan and Liv are readying themselves, Velkin is also joining us,” he said, and she looked over at the dragons.

“Thank you,” she said with a smile.

“Now get your things together, we head out as soon as you are ready,” Iefyr said and they separated to ready their belongings, the king had supplied some essentials including camping equipment all they needed to do was pack their own essential items. Tolanda entered her chambers and went to a drawer, she opened it and pulled out some trousers and a shirt, these would be far more appropriate for travel and she imagined they would be riding gerdai. She opened another drawer but this one held trinkets. She had placed the necklace Ievos bought her in this drawer and had not worn it for a while. She gently ran her fingertips over the shining blue stone feeling a pang inside of her chest, but she felt she could never bring herself to wear it again, like she did not deserve to wear it and enjoy its beauty. She felt a tear sting her eye but blinked it back before she moved off the necklace and took the knife Iefyr had bought her at the same time. She strapped this to her leg for her own protection but again prayed it would not be used and then she closed the necklace back in the drawer. She collected a few more items and glanced at the spiked plant with the beautiful blue flower, Ievos had also bought her before she left to go and find him.