Brand howled with laughter, "Well, I guess not all of them are."
******
King Tearis beamed down upon Caleb and Brand. After reaching the castle the two were immediately summoned to the throne room to speak with the king. Lorilie stood behind Caleb and tapped her foot impatiently. She still didn't know the princess' name.
"I will be throwing a ball tomorrow night and I wish that you both will pleasure us with your company." The kind said proudly.
"We have no plans, so yes, we'll come." Caleb said.
"I'll be inviting all the nobles to join us." The king yawned rudely.
The three elves just stood there, not knowing what to say. With a small wave of his hand, the king had Brand, Caleb, and Lorilie escorted out of the castle. Outside the golden sun hung low in the sky, just barely visible over the mountain.
"Shall we go home to inform everyone about our find?" Caleb sighed.
"That's a good idea." Lorilie tossed back her brown-reddish hair.
******
"So now the princess is found and there's a ball, we must make our appearances Aubrey." Albain handed him a letter.
"How did you get invited?" Aubrey laughed.
"I am from a long line of well respected nobles. The king wouldn't want to forget my family." Albain smirked. "Now what should I wear, Lorilie might be there and I don't want her to see me in black robes."
******
Receiving help out of his carriage, Riley balanced himself by almost stepping on the footman. His black mask was tired on by an almost transparent piece of thread. He threw his hand out for Lady Nicola to grab. She wrapped her arm around his and they both walked into the very bright and crowded ballroom.
"Keep your eye out for Albain." Riley whispered to her.
"Oh, you're going to kill him tonight? But tonight is a happy night, do it tomorrow." Nicola itched her neck.
"Lower your voice!" Riley said after a small group of people stared.
"Sorry." She blushed.
"Do you understand what to do or do I have to explain it to you again?" his right brow was arched.
"No, I know." Nicola brushed her skirts.
******
Albain leaned against the wall and laughed silently. "Aubrey, Riley is here."
"How do you know?" the human gazed around.
"I just saw him with a Lady on his arm." Albain sipped his drink.
"Watch out for him, you hear me?" Aubrey shook his finger.
"I'm not a child. Now let's join the party." The wood elf disappeared into the crowd.
******
Brand helped Lorilie up onto Midnight's back carefully. Lorilie held and pinned her dress above her knees so she could ride properly, Lanie shook her head at Lorilie, she herself refused to show any leg. Lanie had to ride sidesaddle with Caleb, but she kept sliding off until Caleb grabbed hold of her and held her tighly. Brand jumped up behind Lorilie and wrapped his arms around her waist. Only Brand, Caleb, and their partners were invited to the ball, no one else really minded though. Minea, Tegid, and Tiyon were at one of the taverns laughing merrily and catching up on old news. Slith was with his family and didn't want to go anyway. Kel, at first, was upset that he couldn't go, but then changed his mind when Joshua invited him inside his house to play with little Saria.
The ride didn't last long; the four were at the castle within a half an hour. Two stable-hands ran up and helped Lorilie and Lanie off the horses. After Caleb and Brand were down, the stable boys collected the horses' reins and jogged off to the stables. There they would remain until Caleb or Brand came out and called for them. Lorilie fixed her skirts hurriedly as she tried to keep up with Brand. A couple of nobles stared at her while she hopped on one foot trying to pull up her stockings. Brand laughed, took her arm, and steered her into the ballroom.
Women in many bright colors swirled around the dance floor with their partners. Every dress was covered in jewels and layers upon layers of silk and lace. Lorilie smiled at her own plain dress with pride, it was the dress Lanie had been working on for the past week. Lorilie leaned over and fixed Lanie's hair, some of the little trinkets were out of place. Before they had left, Lorilie pleaded Lanie to let her do her hair. Tiny golden dragons clinked in Lanie's hair whenever she turned her head. Lorilie had threaded small chains through the weave pattern she did and borrowed the dragons from her aunt Birria's collection.
"This place isn't as bad as I thought it would be." Caleb looked up at the domed ceiling.
"It's too hot." Lorilie pulled at the neck of her dress.
"It's heavenly, be grateful we're here Lorilie." Lanie shook her head.
"Can we dance?" Brand tugged on Lorilie's arm.
Without an answer, Brand pulled Lorilie into the center of the room, Caleb and Lanie followed. The flutes, drums, pan flutes, tambourines, and mandolins stuck up a mellow song. Brand took Lorilie's hands and began to guide her. Lorilie stumbled and pulled apart.
"I don't know this dance." She frowned.
"Let me lead you." He again took her hands.
*****
"There." Albain pointed for Aubrey.
"What's he doing? He hates dancing." Aubrey took a cup he was offered by one of the king's servants.
Albain's eyes widened. "Lorilie."
"Where?" Aubrey looked around.
"That's why Riley is dancing." Albain swallowed hard.
"To do what?" Aubrey turned to the wood elf.
"I don't know." Albain said grimly.
******
Pulling himself over the side, Vinx silently jumped on the deck and helped Victoria up. Nothing moved on the ship, neither animal nor person was heard or seen.
"Your just lucky this ship came." Victoria snapped.
"What kind of ship is this?" Vinx sniffed the air.
"Does it matter? I'm safe now." she put up her slivery hair.
"It matters if this ship is crawling with dark elf haters or not." He quietly took a step forward.
"Oh." Victoria stepped closer to him.
******
"What do I do now?" Lorilie shouted to Brand as he handed her off to another person.
"You just dance with others till you reach your own partner again." The high elf she was dancing with said down to her.
"Thank you." Lorilie bobbed her head. The dance continued with Lorilie twirling to one man to another. Her next partner grabbed her hand and waist tightly. She looked up and stared into a black mask. She could tell the man was smiling; the grin touched his eyes. "You're squeezing my hand too tight." Lorilie said.
"Did I cause you any pain?" age was in his voice.
"No." she politely responded.
"Good. Soon all you will know is pain." He whispered in her ear.
He spun away and a new dance partner again took Lorilie. She stared after the man with wide questionable eyes. Excusing herself from the floor, she quickly walked off and ran to one of the balconies. She grabbed onto the very decorated ironwork railing and stared aimlessly at the garden below. Brand stepped beside her and placed his hand on hers.
"You look troubled." He peered around to her face.
Lorilie didn't want Brand to get angry over something that might have been a mistake or joke, so she lied. "All this excitement had overwhelmed me. I just need some air." She smiled falsely.
******
Riley strutted over to the refreshment table and poured himself a large glass of wild berry punch. Nicola moved to him from the shadows and again clung to his arm. He offered her some punch and she took it reluctantly. " I've got Albain's daughter spooked." He chuckled.
"Why did you do that? I though only Albain was going to.ouch!" she rubbed her arm.
"Don't speak of that here." Riley spat.
*****
Albain's nostrils flared as he saw Lorilie run from the dance away from Riley. He wasn't going to allow Riley to harass his daughter. Without thinking, Albain stomped over to where Riley stood. Riley looked up and saw the wood elf coming towards him.
"Well, here he is. Nicola you didn't even have to do anything." Riley put down his glass.
Albain bent his head and charged at Riley's stomach. Not noticing Albain running until the last second, Riley fell into the table with Albain on him. Nicola wrenched her arm free of Riley's and backed against the wall. Punch and food splattered the nobles around them as Albain tore at Riley's face.
*****
Brand's head shot up and saw the wood elf tackle the large human into all the food. He tapped Lorilie's shoulder and pointed. Laughing he pulled her closer so they could see what was happening. Caleb and Lanie joined them half way there. "That wood elf is insane. Did you see him ram that guy's stomach?" Brand joked to Caleb.
"Social events always end up in fights." Caleb sighed.
Lorilie leaned over to Lanie. "I bet three gold on the wood elf."
Lanie laughed. "I'll take that bet."
Caleb overhead them and laughed aloud. He stepped through the crowd to get a better look at the human and wood elf. Peering over some wild hair on a high noble, Caleb stared at the wood elf. His jaw dropped and eyes popped. Pushing everyone out of his way; his face transformed into anger and pain. He lunged at the wood elf and started beating him.
"What the?" Lorilie shoved past the nobles as she watched Caleb join the fight.
"Something's not right." Brand stopped laughing.
Riley crawled away while Albain turned his attention to the other wood elf that jumped on him. Nicola ran to Riley and the two rushed out past three guards that were running to the fight.
"I'm going to kill you!" Caleb screamed.
"Caleb?!" Albain said while receiving a heavy punch to the jaw.
Two guards picked Caleb off of Albain and marched him out of the ballroom. The whole time Caleb kicked and fought to get back to Albain's neck. Lanie and Brand hurriedly followed Caleb out. Lorilie hesitated for a minute staring at the wood elf on the ground before being hauled off by another guard.
"Leave and don't come back!" Caleb was thrown into the mud.
"We don't intend too!" Brand shouted as Lorilie was thrown out too.
The stable-hands were there with Midnight and Traveler. Lanie assisted Caleb onto the horse and motioned Lorilie to ride with him. Lorilie pulled up her dress revealing her under shift as she leaped on the brown stallion's back. Taking hold of the reins she reached behind and wrapped Caleb's arms around her. She shouted and the horse took off at a dead run. Brand and Lanie followed quickly on Midnight.
*****
Aubrey helped Albain to his feet as the crowd thinned. Pressing a cloth to his lip, Albain led Aubrey outside and to their horses. Silently, Aubrey mounted his horse and waited for the wood elf to leave. Albain turned in his saddle to the human after they left the city. "Riley is going to kill Lorilie soon. I must kill him first. Don't follow me." He and his horse vanished.
"May you safely win your battle, my friend." Aubrey said into the darkness.
*****
"Caleb what happened at the castle?" tears leaked down Lorilie's cheeks.
"No, you're not getting involved." Caleb growled as he took his sword out of Traveler's stall.
"I love you Caleb. Tell me, it hurts me so much seeing you act like this." She pleaded.
"Fine you really want to know?!" he turned so quickly that Lorilie stumbled back.
"Yes!" she shouted.
"Albain is going to die tonight." He kicked the stable door open and rode out again with Traveler.
******
King Tearis beamed down upon Caleb and Brand. After reaching the castle the two were immediately summoned to the throne room to speak with the king. Lorilie stood behind Caleb and tapped her foot impatiently. She still didn't know the princess' name.
"I will be throwing a ball tomorrow night and I wish that you both will pleasure us with your company." The kind said proudly.
"We have no plans, so yes, we'll come." Caleb said.
"I'll be inviting all the nobles to join us." The king yawned rudely.
The three elves just stood there, not knowing what to say. With a small wave of his hand, the king had Brand, Caleb, and Lorilie escorted out of the castle. Outside the golden sun hung low in the sky, just barely visible over the mountain.
"Shall we go home to inform everyone about our find?" Caleb sighed.
"That's a good idea." Lorilie tossed back her brown-reddish hair.
******
"So now the princess is found and there's a ball, we must make our appearances Aubrey." Albain handed him a letter.
"How did you get invited?" Aubrey laughed.
"I am from a long line of well respected nobles. The king wouldn't want to forget my family." Albain smirked. "Now what should I wear, Lorilie might be there and I don't want her to see me in black robes."
******
Receiving help out of his carriage, Riley balanced himself by almost stepping on the footman. His black mask was tired on by an almost transparent piece of thread. He threw his hand out for Lady Nicola to grab. She wrapped her arm around his and they both walked into the very bright and crowded ballroom.
"Keep your eye out for Albain." Riley whispered to her.
"Oh, you're going to kill him tonight? But tonight is a happy night, do it tomorrow." Nicola itched her neck.
"Lower your voice!" Riley said after a small group of people stared.
"Sorry." She blushed.
"Do you understand what to do or do I have to explain it to you again?" his right brow was arched.
"No, I know." Nicola brushed her skirts.
******
Albain leaned against the wall and laughed silently. "Aubrey, Riley is here."
"How do you know?" the human gazed around.
"I just saw him with a Lady on his arm." Albain sipped his drink.
"Watch out for him, you hear me?" Aubrey shook his finger.
"I'm not a child. Now let's join the party." The wood elf disappeared into the crowd.
******
Brand helped Lorilie up onto Midnight's back carefully. Lorilie held and pinned her dress above her knees so she could ride properly, Lanie shook her head at Lorilie, she herself refused to show any leg. Lanie had to ride sidesaddle with Caleb, but she kept sliding off until Caleb grabbed hold of her and held her tighly. Brand jumped up behind Lorilie and wrapped his arms around her waist. Only Brand, Caleb, and their partners were invited to the ball, no one else really minded though. Minea, Tegid, and Tiyon were at one of the taverns laughing merrily and catching up on old news. Slith was with his family and didn't want to go anyway. Kel, at first, was upset that he couldn't go, but then changed his mind when Joshua invited him inside his house to play with little Saria.
The ride didn't last long; the four were at the castle within a half an hour. Two stable-hands ran up and helped Lorilie and Lanie off the horses. After Caleb and Brand were down, the stable boys collected the horses' reins and jogged off to the stables. There they would remain until Caleb or Brand came out and called for them. Lorilie fixed her skirts hurriedly as she tried to keep up with Brand. A couple of nobles stared at her while she hopped on one foot trying to pull up her stockings. Brand laughed, took her arm, and steered her into the ballroom.
Women in many bright colors swirled around the dance floor with their partners. Every dress was covered in jewels and layers upon layers of silk and lace. Lorilie smiled at her own plain dress with pride, it was the dress Lanie had been working on for the past week. Lorilie leaned over and fixed Lanie's hair, some of the little trinkets were out of place. Before they had left, Lorilie pleaded Lanie to let her do her hair. Tiny golden dragons clinked in Lanie's hair whenever she turned her head. Lorilie had threaded small chains through the weave pattern she did and borrowed the dragons from her aunt Birria's collection.
"This place isn't as bad as I thought it would be." Caleb looked up at the domed ceiling.
"It's too hot." Lorilie pulled at the neck of her dress.
"It's heavenly, be grateful we're here Lorilie." Lanie shook her head.
"Can we dance?" Brand tugged on Lorilie's arm.
Without an answer, Brand pulled Lorilie into the center of the room, Caleb and Lanie followed. The flutes, drums, pan flutes, tambourines, and mandolins stuck up a mellow song. Brand took Lorilie's hands and began to guide her. Lorilie stumbled and pulled apart.
"I don't know this dance." She frowned.
"Let me lead you." He again took her hands.
*****
"There." Albain pointed for Aubrey.
"What's he doing? He hates dancing." Aubrey took a cup he was offered by one of the king's servants.
Albain's eyes widened. "Lorilie."
"Where?" Aubrey looked around.
"That's why Riley is dancing." Albain swallowed hard.
"To do what?" Aubrey turned to the wood elf.
"I don't know." Albain said grimly.
******
Pulling himself over the side, Vinx silently jumped on the deck and helped Victoria up. Nothing moved on the ship, neither animal nor person was heard or seen.
"Your just lucky this ship came." Victoria snapped.
"What kind of ship is this?" Vinx sniffed the air.
"Does it matter? I'm safe now." she put up her slivery hair.
"It matters if this ship is crawling with dark elf haters or not." He quietly took a step forward.
"Oh." Victoria stepped closer to him.
******
"What do I do now?" Lorilie shouted to Brand as he handed her off to another person.
"You just dance with others till you reach your own partner again." The high elf she was dancing with said down to her.
"Thank you." Lorilie bobbed her head. The dance continued with Lorilie twirling to one man to another. Her next partner grabbed her hand and waist tightly. She looked up and stared into a black mask. She could tell the man was smiling; the grin touched his eyes. "You're squeezing my hand too tight." Lorilie said.
"Did I cause you any pain?" age was in his voice.
"No." she politely responded.
"Good. Soon all you will know is pain." He whispered in her ear.
He spun away and a new dance partner again took Lorilie. She stared after the man with wide questionable eyes. Excusing herself from the floor, she quickly walked off and ran to one of the balconies. She grabbed onto the very decorated ironwork railing and stared aimlessly at the garden below. Brand stepped beside her and placed his hand on hers.
"You look troubled." He peered around to her face.
Lorilie didn't want Brand to get angry over something that might have been a mistake or joke, so she lied. "All this excitement had overwhelmed me. I just need some air." She smiled falsely.
******
Riley strutted over to the refreshment table and poured himself a large glass of wild berry punch. Nicola moved to him from the shadows and again clung to his arm. He offered her some punch and she took it reluctantly. " I've got Albain's daughter spooked." He chuckled.
"Why did you do that? I though only Albain was going to.ouch!" she rubbed her arm.
"Don't speak of that here." Riley spat.
*****
Albain's nostrils flared as he saw Lorilie run from the dance away from Riley. He wasn't going to allow Riley to harass his daughter. Without thinking, Albain stomped over to where Riley stood. Riley looked up and saw the wood elf coming towards him.
"Well, here he is. Nicola you didn't even have to do anything." Riley put down his glass.
Albain bent his head and charged at Riley's stomach. Not noticing Albain running until the last second, Riley fell into the table with Albain on him. Nicola wrenched her arm free of Riley's and backed against the wall. Punch and food splattered the nobles around them as Albain tore at Riley's face.
*****
Brand's head shot up and saw the wood elf tackle the large human into all the food. He tapped Lorilie's shoulder and pointed. Laughing he pulled her closer so they could see what was happening. Caleb and Lanie joined them half way there. "That wood elf is insane. Did you see him ram that guy's stomach?" Brand joked to Caleb.
"Social events always end up in fights." Caleb sighed.
Lorilie leaned over to Lanie. "I bet three gold on the wood elf."
Lanie laughed. "I'll take that bet."
Caleb overhead them and laughed aloud. He stepped through the crowd to get a better look at the human and wood elf. Peering over some wild hair on a high noble, Caleb stared at the wood elf. His jaw dropped and eyes popped. Pushing everyone out of his way; his face transformed into anger and pain. He lunged at the wood elf and started beating him.
"What the?" Lorilie shoved past the nobles as she watched Caleb join the fight.
"Something's not right." Brand stopped laughing.
Riley crawled away while Albain turned his attention to the other wood elf that jumped on him. Nicola ran to Riley and the two rushed out past three guards that were running to the fight.
"I'm going to kill you!" Caleb screamed.
"Caleb?!" Albain said while receiving a heavy punch to the jaw.
Two guards picked Caleb off of Albain and marched him out of the ballroom. The whole time Caleb kicked and fought to get back to Albain's neck. Lanie and Brand hurriedly followed Caleb out. Lorilie hesitated for a minute staring at the wood elf on the ground before being hauled off by another guard.
"Leave and don't come back!" Caleb was thrown into the mud.
"We don't intend too!" Brand shouted as Lorilie was thrown out too.
The stable-hands were there with Midnight and Traveler. Lanie assisted Caleb onto the horse and motioned Lorilie to ride with him. Lorilie pulled up her dress revealing her under shift as she leaped on the brown stallion's back. Taking hold of the reins she reached behind and wrapped Caleb's arms around her. She shouted and the horse took off at a dead run. Brand and Lanie followed quickly on Midnight.
*****
Aubrey helped Albain to his feet as the crowd thinned. Pressing a cloth to his lip, Albain led Aubrey outside and to their horses. Silently, Aubrey mounted his horse and waited for the wood elf to leave. Albain turned in his saddle to the human after they left the city. "Riley is going to kill Lorilie soon. I must kill him first. Don't follow me." He and his horse vanished.
"May you safely win your battle, my friend." Aubrey said into the darkness.
*****
"Caleb what happened at the castle?" tears leaked down Lorilie's cheeks.
"No, you're not getting involved." Caleb growled as he took his sword out of Traveler's stall.
"I love you Caleb. Tell me, it hurts me so much seeing you act like this." She pleaded.
"Fine you really want to know?!" he turned so quickly that Lorilie stumbled back.
"Yes!" she shouted.
"Albain is going to die tonight." He kicked the stable door open and rode out again with Traveler.