Not well versed in this universe, just trying some things out. I own nothing but the mistakes.
"We all have our own road to walk. Whether rocky, curving, straight or smooth, what good is a lonely road? It's when we run and intersect with other roads that defines our road. When road meets road do we get direction, and choices to cross into another life."
― Anthony Liccione
Amberle is not really a typical elven princess. She never was. When she was just a girl she didn't play with dolls but ran around the castle with boys, seeking the next secret place to uncover (secret usually meant forbidden). She would not sit quietly through the long, tiring lectures of her teachers, but rush to her uncle for another sword-fighting lesson. She was stubborn, impatient and loud. People say she changed after her father's untimely death. That it made her grow up. It did. She learned to keep herself at bay. Admittedly, there was one thing in which she was always a typical elven princess. She wanted true love, her soul mate, a brave and handsome price like the one from the old tales.
On her 13th birthday the mark appeared on the wrist – one circle within the other. Simple and elegant. After two days she broke the code and revealed it to Lorin. His was on his shin and resembled a fish. Only at the end of the year did she find out that no Elf in the land had the same mark. It didn't bother her much at the time. But the more years passed the more frustrating it was getting. The two circles were burning into her wrist, mocking her. She put a wristband over it, never to look at it.
Amberle runs the Gauntlet and becomes the member of the Chosen. And then she stops thinking about the mark. Why worry about finding a soul mate when you are plagued by visions of killing six people, including your boyfriend? She runs away from the castle, from herself and straight into a cunning Rover girl. The words 'Do you think I'm actually that stupid?' play on her lips as she takes the goblet but there are more important thing than putting the pretty human in her place. She steals the horse and tosses her the silver cuff. The glove still covers part of the mark.
She doesn't have much time to dwell on the Rover girl. She meets Wil, a half-elf with wandering eyes, who changes her life. Apparently, magic survived beyond the elven mark of a soul mate and now demons are hunting her and the last druid is dying. As much as it all sounds insane and dangerous, she welcomes it. It finally gives her some real purpose. She is ready to stay on that course. She falters a bit when Wil starts undressing himself. It is her eyes that now wander and linger a bit longer. It is not because he is handsome… well, it is. To an extent. It is the mark on his clear skin, just above his hip bone, the same mark as hers. Before she can gather her wits, he is in the water and she has a blade pressed against her neck. Eretria, as Wil informs her, is breathing down her neck. Literally.
Amberle becomes intrigued by the connection between Wil and the Rover. It makes her mad. She's mad at him like he had no right to do whatever he did with her. Why her? Why this Rover who keeps interrupting their lives? The Rover that keeps changing sides any way the wind blows. One minute she is forcing her to abandon Wil, the other she is rushing to his side. Maybe it is a 'thank you' for saving her life. Amberle did lung in front of the Fury for the Rover girl, like Will did for her the day before, like he did again that night.
When he tells her he's leaving, that it's too much she wants to ask if it is her. She does not, her pride won't let her. Her pride too stops her for running into his arms when he bursts into the meeting, Wil, the last of the Shannara bloodline. She remembers the girl who dreamed of her prince and smiles. She allows herself to hope. One test and they will continue. As he wishes her good luck, his fingers subtly trace the lines of her mark. They are in this together – one soul.
But what she sees, what she faces in the Ellcrys makes her realize how foolish she was. This isn't a romantic quest but a dangerous mission. So, she pushes Wil away and it pains her more than he will ever know. She is breaking the heart of the only boy who understands her.
With all the mixed thoughts and feelings creating a whirlwind in her mind, it is incredible she recognizes the face of a cloaked figure.
"Eretria!" she calls after her, surprised.
When she attempts to kill her, Amberle feels a pang in her heart, in the place where the blade would have struck.
The Rover will surely be sentenced to death. The only reason she decides to give her a chance is because of Wil. When she finds out Will once again lied, she wants to push him into that cell with her. They are, it seems, perfectly suited for each other.
The Rover needs to change to be the convincing bait and Amberle will be damned if she lets her out of her sight.
She tosses one of her dresses into the Rover's face, "Get dressed." she orders and sits on the bed. Maybe it makes petty but unlike Wil she is not foolish to succumb to the Rover's alleged charm.
She slowly unbuckles. She's putting on a show, taunting is a second nature to this human and Amberle will not look away and let her win. She peels of her shirt and as she is taking of her tank top, Amberle sees it.
"Eyes up here, princess." she hears an amused tone.
It's not happening, it's not possible... It cannot be. Amberle runs out of the room, her heart beating loudly in her throat.
"How long have you known?" she hisses at Wil while he's in the middle of complaining how she treats the Rover.
"Known what?"
"That she has the..." Amberle yanks her glove off, "The mark."
"What?!" he is utterly confused, "Where?"
"What do you mean where? Where were you looking while she was… 'attacking' you?!"
His ears turn red and he mumbles. "It was dark."
"Ask her."
"Maybe we shouldn't-"
"Then I will." she tries to storm off but he pulls her back.
"You haven't had a knife to her throat for two days. Let's make it three."
Against herself, she chuckles. Where Wil keeps her calm, his eyes like the clear sky, the Rover makes her blood boil.
"I will ask her." he promises.
Wil returns shortly with a bloody nose.
'At least you didn't sleep with her this time.' she almost says but bites her tongue. She doesn't want to give the impression that she cares, "I hope she told you something."
"It just appeared, she doesn't remember." He lifts his chin up; maybe it will stop the bleeding.
"Right." She snorts and looks over at the Rover trying in vain to get rid of her chains.
"Maybe Cephelo branded her. She says it's possible, she doesn't remember half of it. that's all she said before…" he points to his nose.
"She's lying! That's what she does. Only Elves have the mark."
"If I tell you that I felt some connection between the three of us before I learned about the visions will you promise to keep an open mind?"
"No."
The frustration is oozing from her and he knows it's best to let it go, "I'll be over there then."
It is obvious that Cephelo is far from nurturing but she would be more inclined to believe she tattooed herself after she saw Wil's mark. Yes, that's it. Another one of Rover's plans.
As if summoned to prove her wrong, Cephelo and his men jump out of nowhere. Before she realizes what is going on, they are tying her to a tree. Oh, how quickly the tables have turned.
"Eretria." Amberle calls and hopes her desperation is well hidden. She reminds her that she too is chosen, that they were in it together.
"We couldn't be any less together." she spits out.
She then does what she thinks could get her out – she offers gold. Rovers care for gold more than for anything else, don't they? And she needs to find Wil, to make sure he's all right. They need to continue the mission.
And whatever Eretria was going to say dies on her lips. She looks away and stiffens at her father's touch and Amberle thinks that maybe Wil was not completely wrong.
She wants to scream when he touches her, but she cannot. She wants to call for the Rover girl… no, for Eretria but she cannot. She wants to tell her about her mark even if it isn't true, she just needs to. Maybe then she would come back.
This is how she will end up. A slave to a horrid human, she is kicking and screaming and not for once does she let herself think it's in vain. Someone will come for her – Wil, her uncle or even Allanon. Somebody has to. And somebody does.
For the first time she likes Eretria's opportunistic nature, even that stupid smug smile. And maybe, just maybe she will let Wil make her reconsider that whole soul mate thing.