"He grew up with your father, his parents having died in a prior war. He was the brother your father never had. But being a shapeshifter, there was no blood relation between them." Kardin noticed the queen stiffen at the elf king's response, but her face concealed all emotion. The elf's wording seemed as illusive as their nature, and Kardin doubted all he heard was exactly as it seemed.

- p. 74, Chapter Ten (Rafael Maarek)

Enter Eärwel, land of those who operate in illusion.

What follows is only as real as you believe it to be.

But isn't everything?

Aggi grabbed Fen's arm. "Don't you run away from me! What did you mean, 'you don't want it'? This is the best thing that's happened since Mother - "

"Stop," Fen raised her other hand, and her sister mercifully relented. "I just, I don't see why I have to be any different from any of the other girls. I don't even know this... Is it Rafael?" She shook the arm her sister still held. "See? I don't even know his name!"

"Hush, it's Rafdahl, and I'm sure he's perfectly wonderful. Who else would be chosen as king-to-be?" Aggi's expression turned mischievous. "Though they did choose you for queen, so they maybe their judgment isn't all that good..."

"Ha ha. Well, I'm glad you find this all very funny, but it's not your life that's going to - to be - to be taken over by this. All this changes for you is that I move out a few years earlier than you expected, and then you can brag to your friends about me and live your life according to your own plan."

Aggi softened her tone. "Oh, Fen, take it from me. Life never goes according to plan, no matter whose plan it is. Just... just meet Rafdahl tomorrow with an open mind, okay? Take it one step at a time, and let's just see."

Fen walked through the forest toward her betrothed slowly, uncomfortable in the shoes she had been ordered to wear. As a common person, her feet were accustomed to freedom, to the grasses' soft strokes along her bare soles, not to this weird noble get-up. She considered taking them off; the two royalty-in-waiting would be meeting privately and no one would scold her... but she decided to not try anything until she'd scoped out Raf-whatever. Keep an open mind, she reminded herself.

Finally, she saw him. She took a moment to take in his lithe body, carelessly lying in the grass as he looked straight up into the cloudless sky. "Hey."

She stepped out into the clearing so that he might see her. "Oh, hi," he said brightly and sat up. She noticed that the back of his fancy tunic had some grass stains, and she stifled a giggle.

"I'm Fen - Fenarae," she corrected.

"Rafdahl," he replied, and patted the ground next to him.

"So that's what it was!" she said as she accepted his invitation, and he laughed, a large, careless sound. "Maybe I shouldn't have said that aloud."

"Eh, I'm not king yet, so I'll try not to be too insulted."

"Much thanks. Then I assume you will similarly be not-insulted if I just..." She kicked off her shoes and stretched her toes gratefully.

The afternoon became evening, but their conversation remained light and cheery. Their relationship was far from the awkward courtship she had dreaded. He treated their situation more like a school project for which they had been assigned to each other than a marriage arrangement that would result in their rule over the elvish race.

"So that's how I got my mom to let me play with her fairies," Rafdahl finished triumphantly, and Fen applauded him supportively. His smile faded as he examined her expression more critically. "Hey, what's wrong?"

She in turn studied her toes; the shoes had been kicked a meter away but were not forgotten. "I just... I mean, this has been very nice."

He simply quirked an eyebrow, and she knew she had to continue.

"It's just - It's not always going to be like this, you know? When we're royalty, it's not going to be so..." She trailed off.

"I don't know, actually; I'm not royalty just yet. Enlighten me." In another voice his tone might have seemed testy, but Rafdahl sounded completely genuine. He must have been skilled at illusion, in order to be promised the power of King, and yet now, Fen was sure he hid nothing.

"It's just... It's going to be stifling, you know? I'm not always going to be allowed to kick off my shoes to free my feet. As soon as King Dahlius and Queen Malleia are done, then we step up and everything we'll do from then on will be for our people, and not for ourselves. This is our last chance to do something, to do whatever we want wherever we want without a whole world depending on our wisdom." He looked at her grim expression expectantly, but she was done.

"Then do something."

"What?"

"You heard me. Do something."

"Is that a challenge?"

"Sure thing. I challenge you to do something."

"Why just me? What about you? Are you just complacent about all this?"

"I'm a different person than you. I won't regret relaxing right now and I don't resent duty. But I'm not the one who's worrying about being stifled. I've had enough adventures in my life." He smiled. "If you come back in one piece, then maybe I'll tell you about some of them."

"Well aren't you sure of yourself..."

"Do you accept my challenge?"

She took a moment. "So... do I just go now?"

"Whatever you want."

"Then I accept." They stood.

"Hope to see you again some day."

"Okay. Well, bye."

She started to walk away, and then he grabbed her hand. She turned back to him with a question on her lips, but he whispered "Wait," and then whispered it again and they were only an inch apart and then they were no inches apart.

Then, she left.