Riyria Revelations

Disclaimer: I don't own the wonderful world of Elan or anything Michael J Sullivan rightfully owns it.

Spoiler Alert DON'T READ If You HAVEN'T READ HEIR OF NOVRON. Royce and Mercy His daughter. Have been gone six months after he left his friend Hadrian to rule the Elven Realm or Empire in Elan

Royce Melborn the heir of Novron, and the, now, king of the elves was sitting leaning against one of the walls watching his daughter Mercy, picking some flowers. He had decided to come outside after a long day of trying to settle the many matters of being
king; if you had told Royce years ago that he was the heir of Novron he would have thought you had hit your head.

He still thought this was all wrong, he missed Gwen, more than anything. He still couldn't believe he'd killed her, the one that had got him out of that horrible place to start with, and the one that introduced him to Hadrian all those many years ago.
Royce was jerked out of his thoughts when he heard the soft footsteps of one of the elven lords approaching, carrying an envelope.

Royce opened the letter to see it was from Hadrian.

Hey Royce, everything is going well though Arista may say otherwise at the moment.

Modina, Ally, and Myron, and even Magnus are fine as well, I know you might not care that much about them. But Magnus almost has the castle done.

I would really like to see you and Mercy soon.

With that Hadrian had ended the letter. Lord Wymarlin of the Eilywin tribe was still standing there watching Royce silently, awaiting orders. Royce didn't give him any, and turned his attention back to his daughter.

"Mercy, come here."

"Yes, Daddy." Mercy replied literally running over with her arms full of flowers.

"Would you like to go see Ally and Modina?" he whispered to his daughter. The little girl nodded. Only then did Royce turn his attention back to Lord Wymarlin saying, "Get everything ready to go to New Percepliquis." Seeing the elven Lord open his mouth,
to say something, Royce interrupted. "Pack supplies for three days, and if you must, no more than six guards." Royce had apparently answered what the elven lord was about to ask because he closed it again. "Did I forget anything you were going to
add Wymarlin?" Royce asked with a smirk on his face.

"No sire." Wymarlin replied. "What time are we leaving Sire?"

"In two hours." Royce paused, looking at Wymarlin in the eyes. "No one but me, saddles my daughter's horse, and make sure no one saddles Sterling but me. Got that?" Royce said he was not going to let anything happen to his daughter.

"Yes, Sire." Wymarlin replied

"Good." Royce said.

A few hours later Royce, Mercedes, six elven lords and an ambassador were heading to the new castle of Percepliquis. Royce kept a careful eye on Mercy whenever they stopped, he felt a constant haunting feeling whenever Mercy got out of sight for a few
seconds, and even in the elven city itself he felt it when she was out of his sight.

Royce had lost sight of Mercy now, and looked around quickly. He saw that she had gone over to the stream with Sterling, and was patting the horse's mane and neck. They made camp, ate and went to sleep.

A day and a half later Royce, Mercedes and the elven lords were going through the gates of New Percepliquis. They were half way into the city when a woman in a light blue dress came up along with an armor clad Man at arms. It was Sir Breckton, and Lady
Amelia

Before they reached them Royce had stopped and dismounted.

"Hey Mercy, Royce! Hadrian is in the Teshlor Hall, and Arista is either there with him or across in the cenzarium. Modina would love to see you Mercy, let's go find her." She looked at Royce, he nodded, and said,

"I will be there in a while..." He watched his daughter go with Amelia and Breckton to see Modina and Ally. Royce turned making his way to Teshlor Hall, his inner compass not even failing him through the stone walls.

He rounded the corner to hear Hadrian's voice saying, "now when you hold it like that, John." He could perhaps be teaching. It was odd to hear Hadrian teaching someone about swordplay. Royce could remember only a few instances where Hadrian had taught.
When Hadrian came into view he was indeed teaching. Royce saw Arista, Myron, and even Mauvin Pickering was across the room talking. Royce stopped at the doorway to watch. As always nobody had heard his approach due to his elven heritage.

"No, no, you're doing that all wrong….look." he demonstrated the move, and said. "Bend your arm more."

He then turned to the next boy, about nineteen years of age, who was practicing sword thrusts.

"James, not like that, put more force behind it."

"Yes Sir." James replied, doing as he was told.

The youngest looking boy was doing nothing but standing there looking on silently. The young boy finally asked something.

"Sir, could you show us, in a duel?"

Smart boy, he thought.

"You can't possibly want that, do you?" Hadrian asked the group of boys who nodded.

"Okay. Mauvin care to join me?"

Mauvin looked at him, and picked up one of the swords. Hadrian picked up his then the fighting began. It looked like a well-practiced dance at first. One would lunge the other would parry, then one would thrust and the other would block. The fight's speed
picked up then Hadrian acted like he had lost his grip on the sword and the fight ended. No one could defeat Hadrian in a fair fight. And Mauvin knew it well. Hadrian had even fought what no other human could kill an Elven Lord.

Mauvin saw Hadrian drop his blade. He knew that Hadrian had done so on purpose. He was about to ask him why when a familiar voice called out, "I thought I said that he got beat up, by some old lady with a butter charm. Ah that brings back some memories,
doesn't it boy."

They all turned and cried out as one. "Royce!"

Hadrian was the first to reach him. He reached Royce and gave him a hug. Royce gladly hugged Hadrian back.

"Why are you here?" Hadrian asked. "Not that I don't want to see you!" He added quickly.

"I got your letter, and had finished everything that I was required to do. Wymarlin can handle the rest easily enough, for a week." Royce replied.

"I was starting to wonder if you had got it. I sent it two weeks ago." He paused. "How is Mercy?"

"She's good, and a whole lot like Gwen." He still missed Gwen and always would. "She's with Modina, Ally and Amelia at the moment." Then Arista came forward and hugged the thief as well, and backed away. "You okay?" She asked

"Fine." Royce said. He then looked more closely at Arista and noticed the huge bulge that was her stomach, Arista was pregnant. Noticing his friend looking at his wife Hadrian said.

"Yeah, Arista is pregnant and the baby should be arriving in a few months.

"Yep, the sooner it's out of me, the better." She said. They laughed. The laughing brought the attention of a little figure in the hall.

"Royce" said the small breaded figure. It was Magnus. "When did you get here?"

"Magnus." Royce paused, looking at him. "A few minutes ago, this place is better, way better than the one below us." He remembered the huge underground lake they had had to cross. A sour look must have crossed his face for Hadrian laughed, and said,

"You must be thinking about the lake. It's like you think that was the worst part."

"It was." Royce answered.

Arista interrupted. "Why don't we go back to Modina's chambers so we can find you and whoever came with you beside Mercy a room for tonight."

Royce nodded, and smiled. As they walked towards Modina's rooms, his thoughts were getting that haunted feeling again. He shivered, pushing it away for the time being, not knowing that it was really something he shouldn't have done.