Chapter Eight:
Myle's thoughtful look turned to confusion, "You mean he never told you?" he asked puzzled, "I was sure that he did."
"He skipped that part." Elia muttered hotly clutching the armrests as she spoke. Very prince like indeed!
So Noctis was a Prince. No the Prince of the kingdom. The final piece to the puzzle, the piece he tried to lock her out on. Frustration ate at her drumming her fingers against the armrest. He was going to keep her apart from the others: like a child.
"If you are ready…"Myle's voice broke through her head, she noticed that his question was cautious, "It's almost time to start the meeting."
She cocked her head, "What meeting?"
"More new news?" he asked scratching his head again, his gray eyes gleaming, "His lord is certainly more secretive now."
Elia huffed, "Unfortunately." She growled. With impatient strides, she brushed past Myles out into the halls making the advisor have to scurry to catch with her, "So, what's the meeting about?" she shot curiously.
The elder smiled taking no offense to the shortness of her tone, "The Prince and yourself are going to go to the war meeting to get rid of these intruders." He explained, "The council of twelve, including me will join you two as well. So in all, only fourteen people will be at the meeting."
"Why am I going?"
He shrugged twisting a strand of his beard lost in thought, "His highness only said that you were coming, that's all."
"What do these marauders want?"
Myles remained silent for a moment, "They are after our crystal." He told her grimly, "After all, his highness is the last and only heir to the throne still in possession of the last crystal in existence."
Her eyes widened and felt her own crystal ice cold against her skin. Her body chilled and stared dazed forgetting about Myles. Noctis had a crystal. Something clicked in her brain; she shook her head as more frustration threatened to overwhelm her. That's the reason why he could do magic such as being able to teleport. But though she knew it, he hadn't lied about that one part. He was…special. Her thoughts flickered to the strange ornament that she had always seen around him, the silhouette of an almost invisible object. Was that something he could do to? She stared beyond what she could see. At last, answers. She felt the headache lessen tremendously and sighed at the soothing peace.
Myles raised an eyebrow at her, "Ms. Elia?"
"What?" she murmured. She caught his eyes shaking her head, "Sorry, I was just thinking…."
"Of?"
She tried to think of something to say quickly, "So, the generals—do they know of me?"
"They have heard of you." He nodded, "But…they do not know of your gender." Myles chuckled, "That will be interesting."
"Why? Aren't women allowed to partake in these sorts of things?"
"No!" he said quite shocked but not angry, "The only woman who enter are servants that deliver the food!" he told her. "Some men get hunger after a day if necessary."
"A day?!" Elia shouted, "It lasts that long?!"
Myles shrugged, "One was almost a week since the meeting was so intense." He patted her shoulder comforting, "Don't worry. I'm sure this meeting won't last that long."
Elia slowly met up to his gaze, "Myles…do you mind if I attend the meeting?" she asked quietly, "You know, me being a woman and all."
His eyes softened at her question, "Though the Prince has told little of you, I like what I see now. I'm not a man of tradition, Ms. Elia, I will gladly shrug off any culture if it means necessary." He paused for ephasis, "Man or woman you may be, you're persistence amazes me. His highness even said that himself."
"What was it that he told you?" she inquired puzzled.
"He said that he had never seen such determination in a person….man or woman."
Elia smiled falling silent shy of Noctis's praise. Silence befell on Myles too as they both contently listened to their footsteps echo in the halls. Around the bend, she noticed how dark it had become. They approached a giant door. It was a dark stone door, carved with impression and enigmatic designs that amazed her. Two knights stood besides the great doors: well armored and were equipped with sharpened weapons standing still and at attention. Myles brushed past them, the knights nodded courtly to him letting him gain entrance into the room beyond. As she moved to follow him a pair of broadswords intercepted her way from going in.
"What business do you have?" one of them demanded nudging a blunt part of his sword at her, "This is the war room, the healer's are down the hall to the left."
Elia stared dumbfounded. Are all men in armor sexist?!
"I'm supposed to go in there!" she replied trying to hold in her temper, her eyes flashing, "His highness allowed me permission!"
The other seized her upper arm shaking her violently, "A likely story!" he snapped irritably, "There is no place for a woman here!"
"Let me go!" she shouted as the guard shoved her away once more. She cursed bitterly wishing more than ever to use her sword or at least fight of their hands from touching her, "I'm supposed to go in!" she yelled bracing herself ready to break a bone as one of the men's hands clasped her upper arm to drag her away.
"Is there a problem?"
The guards stopped instantly; Elia cocked her head to watch Noctis rounded the corner walking to them in large steps. His ice eyes gleamed off the limited light; the guard holding Elia shoved her head down. She scowled.
Noctis stopped in front of her, "Is there a problem?" he repeated, his gaze fell on Elia.
"This woman said you had given her permission to enter." The other knight informed, his voice reformed, "Obviously, she's lying." She glared at him as he spat out the last word.
"She's not." Noctis replied calmly. The soldiers straighten up looking at each other; Noctis's eyes narrowed. "Let her through." He added icily.
The two inclined their head respectively, "Of course." He released Elia, who stumbled eyeing the soldier disdainfully. Noctis joined her side, placing a hand on her shoulder. The knight resumed attention, "Our apologies." He told her.
Elia huffed. Noctis brought his head next to hers, "Are you alright?" he inquired faintly.
"I'm fine." She muttered; but he didn't look convinced. Elia glared at him, "Can I talk to you privately?"
His eyes gave her swift puzzled look before emptying but nodded and led her around the corner. He leaned against the wall folding his arms, "So, what do you want?"
Her hands tightened, "Why didn't you tell me you were the prince?" Elia demanded throwing death glares at his direction though it was hard to see him clearly with the lack of light.
Noctis stared, his eyes narrowed slightly, "You didn't ask." He replied calmly making her anger flare. He continued to stare her down with folded arms.
She rolled her eyes, "Right." She snapped, "Oh, excuse me. You wouldn't be the last heir to the kingdom would you?" she let out a hollow laugh, just as bitter as it was empty. Her metallic blue eyes darkened placing her hands on her hips. "I can't ask anyone I meet if they're royal blood."
He looked calm remaining silent. For a moment, she could only admire how he could control his emotions so well. But then again, he was a prince and if anyone knew how a prince felt about something they could take advantage of it.
Elia sighed unsure if he was going to answer, "But, why didn't you tell me?" she yelled infuriated, "You had no idea how frustrated and angry I was when Myles told me! You kept your linage a secret from me even back before we got to the gate. Why didn't you tell me? I would have understood if you had told me!"
"Would you?" Noctis challenged, his voice easily overcame hers, "Would you treat me like this if I did tell you?"
Elia didn't answer
"No." he retorted, "You would have called me 'your majesty' or 'my lord.' Or any other title." He inhaled pinching the bridge of his nose tightly trying to suppress what seemed his emotions. After a few steady breathes, his spoke again but softer, "The other reason why I didn't want to tell you was because you actually treated me like a normal person." He admitted. After a quick pause, he shook his head, "You yelled at me and even cursed at me." Noctis sighed leaning his head against the wall, "I know that you have mixed feelings about me right now but I keep my promises." Elia felt cold knowing what he was talking about: her crystal. "So just please trust me as I have come to trust you. Even though I kept secrets from you, you have no reason to doubt me."
Elia felt her eyes swell wanting to tear, she didn't like it. She didn't like how his words called to her sympathy which was so close to forgiving him. How could she forgive him when he had hidden his royal blood? He was a liar and had taken advantage of her foolishness.
Wordless, she glared at the wall besides her unable to look at Noctis in the eye. She didn't know if she could handle the blue depths of his eyes. Elia knew that he was watching her, waiting.
"You lied to me."
He nodded as if she had asked a question, "I did but friends try to understand…"
"Friends?" she gasped, she sounded like she was choking, "We are not friends!" She motioned her finger between them. "There is nothing between us! Me, a simple person and you….you the Prince of Tenebrae!"
"We both want to protect Tenebrae."
That shut her up. Elia tightened her fist wanting to punch something, normally she was never the person to be furious but something about him did.
"Elia," He said, she winced at the fluttered feeling in her gut "you said that you wanted to protect this place, your home." His shoulder dipped against the wall behind him, "I may have hidden who I truly was but what I said to Myles about your determination is true. There is no reason to lie about that. At first I thought you of being stupid enough to try and help, but then, when I saw you fighting, I have never seen such spark in anyone's eyes before. You wanted to protect this place and you proved that to me. But this is not also only your home but its also mine." Noctis waved his hand towards the outside beyond the wall, "This is our home and I would die then to see it collapse. You know that I have a crystal like you do and that I too, want to protect it. Let's protect what we both have together."
She glanced away, his voice was lower now. Uncertain she flicked her eyes upward meeting his gaze. Feeling foolish again, Elia sighed struggling not to be overwhelmed by the direction by where their conversation had taken. Noctis trusted her. And she trusted him.
Elia smiled letting out a weary chuckle rubbing her head, "So…you're saying that we should be friends?"
"I'd like you to be." He answered quietly. His blue eyes seemed to regain his composure of being emotionless, "But my close friends refer to me as Noct."
She let out a laugh; she paused listening to its joyous ring as it bounced off the walls. Her heart seem lift from the sour bitterness. She turned to him smiling, his composure looked to her as if he thought that she was crazy.
"We may be friends but let me get used to one name at a time, Lord Prince." She found pleasure at his narrowed eyes, "Now if you'll excuse me, I've got a meeting to attend to."
And without another word, she turned around towards the knights around the corner and past the giant doors.
Thank you all for your kind reviews! Please know that I added alittle more to the bottom beneath the horizontal line on chap. 7! This chapter was hard for me but I think I pulled though.
The last scene was dramatic I know (another thing that I need to work on)
Please enjoy and keep reading my chapters even if they're old! PLEASE KNOW THAT I'VE GOING TO BE BUSY FROM NOW ON SO I MAY NOT ADD CHAPTERS IN AS FREQUENTLY AS I USED TO. SO BE PATAINT!
~Animangame02freak
