Hello again! I'm back with the next update to this fic! I'm trying to get as much in as I can for this before I go back to 6th form on Tuesday. As I said before, the mushy-ness will not appear all that prominantly until chapters 4, 5 and onwards. ;) Thanks to everyone who left a review and to SerendipityAEY who helped me with some of this chapter. I couldn't have gotten any nearer to 1,000 words, even though I didn't get there in the first place on this one, without your help. :) Chapter 2. My hero.
Upon the second anniversary of her and her mother's final visit to this obscured lake Isabelle was happy to make her next happy memory with her best friend Elmont.
The last visit they had done nothing but lie beside the shore, out of the water's reach, and stare up at the sky, idly discussing subjects of interest.
Now it was different. An enormous urge to find adventure in any way took a hold of her entire being, every heartbeat to her felt alien compared to the pulse pounding the adrenaline of adventure could bring. And that was what she wanted; blood pounding in her ears and her heart racing with excitement.
"Hurry Elmont!" she cried in mock horror as she half ran, half dragged herself behind the curtain of the cascading crystal clear water and into the ominous and unwelcoming mouth of the cave. It was anything but the opposite of unwelcoming, but for her own enjoyment, Isabelle had declared the cave as dark and scary and the home of a ferocious dragon that had kidnapped her in the hopes of receiving all of the gold in her kingdom as ransom for her return.
Elmont was to play her saviour, which he gladly portrayed, as he dashed up the slight slope of the rock face and behind the falling water. Isabelle mock squealed in fear and called for his name again. His heart thumping wildly inside of his chest, Elmont withdrew his sword from his scabbard with a high scratching sound and dove into the mouth of the cave.
The inside of the cave was the very opposite to how Isabelle imagined it to be. Instead of the dark abyss that he expected he would be able to see nothing but shadow it was light, the sun's golden rays bleeding in to the cavernous space. His eyes zeroed in on Isabelle instantly, whose face was a mix between a grin and mock horror.
Snapping her head to her left, she cried, "Elmont, look out!"
Knowing what would come next he ducked and rolled to his left. From Isabelle's gasp of fear he deduced that he had only narrowly avoided the "dragon's" offensive.
He ripped his thick, black oak shield from behind his back and slipped it onto his left forearm, ducking behind it. His storm eyes glistened over the shield's rim as he thrust his blade forward.
Her shout of joy told him he had successfully hit the said dragon, and he imagined the legendary beast rearing up in pain, its claws slashing wildly at the air, its razor sharp teeth glistening in the dull light of the cave as it cried out in anguish.
"Is it dead, Elmont?" Isabelle whispered, the mock fear completely drained out of voice.
Elmont stared at the imaginary dragon, continuing to play his part for the Princess's entertainment. He stepped forward and jabbed his sword arm again. "It is now, Princess."
Shuffling came from his left and by the time he had replaced his sword in its scabbard with a resounding click, Isabelle flung her little arms around his waist, rising on her tip toes so that her head was nestled against the nine-teen year olds shoulder.
"Why thank you, my hero," she cooed in her high childish voice, overdramatizing the situation as she pressed her warm, soft lips to his cheek.
Elmont felt his neck burn, his cheeks turning scarlet as he smiled and returned her embrace stiffly but in a warm, welcoming manner, admiring the young ten year olds marvellous imagination.
"We must get you back to the palace, my lady!" he announced in an exaggerated voice.
Isabelle giggled quietly, yet it echoed off of the caves grey rock walls as if it were amplified a few octaves.
"Whatever you deem is prudent, my hero!" she declared proudly, holding her round, pretty head up as high and as regal as possible.
A few moments later they were sitting beside one another on the rocks, paddling their bare feet in the still waters cool currents, enjoying the tranquil silence that ran between them both.
"Do you think you'll ever slay a dragon one day, Elmont?" Isabelle asked him quite suddenly, pulling his attention back with a startling jolt.
One part of him, the cynical part, wanted to tell her that there was no such thing as dragons. Another half wanted to tell her otherwise.
"Perhaps one day, Princess," he answered sincerely. "I am always prepared for anything, am I not?"
Isabelle giggled softly again, kicking her legs slowly through the water and watching it ripple and splash wildly. He couldn't help but allow the smile that was stretching across his lips to form as a warm family sensation filtered through him.
Hope you enjoyed. I'll try and post more as soon as possible, but I can't make any promises on how quickly that will be. Hope I can keep this story alive for you. :)