Warnings: Well…Hopeless romanticisms. sigh
Chapter Eighteen: There's No Place Like Home
It took us just under a month to reach Meridian, and it was an eternal month of absolute silence between Evadne and me. She refused to speak to me unless it was to give a command or to rebuke me for doing something wrong.
I would not speak to her, either, so lost in my own passions was I. I dreamed constantly of the day that Adrian's fleet would be spotted on the horizon, the bejeweled sword resplendent on the field of green snapping merrily in a light sea breeze.
In the few scant moments that I was not dreaming of my beloved, I was revisiting breakfast, lunch and dinner as each made its reappearance shortly after being consumed.
The sail to Delran had not been nearly as horrific, given that Adrian had no chosen to sail through the tail end of the hurricane season. The winds and waves that rocked our ship constantly made me so dizzy that I could not even attempt to walk more than three steps without collapsing.
Most of my days, therefore, were spent lazily, as I dreamt up grand escape schemes that were fit for romance novels.
The sailors did take pity on me, occasionally, and one might come and tell me a story of their superstitions, or of the sea gods and goddesses until Evadne found him and chased him out of my quarters, deeming the tales not appropriate for me.
The day we reached Meridian was joyous indeed for me; I rejoiced at the sight of the homeland I had not seen for over five long months.
I embarked to cheers from the people; flowers and petals flying through the air showered me with welcome and happiness. I grinned and waved to my people, enjoying their celebration.
Evadne, beside me, was as calm and unemotional as she always was, watching everything with a cold, calculating smile.
It was then that I knew that those that I had thought of as commoners, and therefore base, knew what she was, just as I did. It also occurred to me that it was me that they cheered and showered with well wishes, and not Evadne.
It was a revelation, to be sure, and a slightly comforting one at that.
"Milady, your mount," A chevalier in Meridian livery proffered the reins of a black palfrey to me.
"Thank you!" I smiled and caught my copious skirts in one hand and swung into the saddle astride, ignoring its original ladies' design.
"Elensar!" Evadne hissed, scandalized. I pretended not to hear her. "Thank you," She said coldly as she sat delicately upon the back of her grey mare.
"Princess Elensar!" A boy, perhaps two years younger than I, stood at my mount's shoulder. "A flower for the lady," he mumbled shyly, shoving a bloom at me.
"'Tis lovely!" I exclaimed, tucking it into my hair. "Many thanks, my friend," I told him, tilting his chin up with my hand.
His eyes widened with shock and he stammered, "M-milady! 'Tis naught but a simple flower!" He protested.
"It mean the world to me, right now," I told him, leaning to kiss his cheek lightly. "Good luck to you, and know you have the Youngest's favor."
He blushed again, and before he could respond, I nudged my gelding into a halfhearted trot. I stole one glance back to see the youth dash back to the admiring punches and awed comments from his peers.
"What did you think you were doing?" Evadne inquired in a low voice, riding serene beside me.
"Accepting the love and adoration of an admiring public, of course." I smiled winsomely, "You should try it some time, sister dearest."
"No." She sat on her palfrey, silent and smiling, pretending for all the world that she loved me and was glad to be riding next to me.
"Why? Are you afraid that the people might actually start to love you?" I waved jocularly to the assembled crowd, which cheered happily in response.
"They do love me," Evadne put on a deadly smile, "As a Queen. They do not love me because I am like them. They love me because I am better."
I reined in my mount. "That sounds awfully conceited, Evadne. They really aren't as stupid as you take them to be."
"You say that because you druther be one of them, instead of a Princess."
"Now? Yes." I urged my black on again, and the horse picked up a prancing stride. "They are more of a family to me right now than you are. You act not like my sister but as one who would see me gone from your sight like our shoes in the morning." I glared at her angrily. "Maybe I should have stayed in Delran. At least someone there loved me."
"Oh?" She arched one sculpted brow. "What of them?" She made a sweeping gesture towards the cheering crowd. "Don't they love you?"
"Yes, but-"
She cut me off. "Then you should be content to stay in Meridian."
I didn't respond to her, I turned away instead, a frown etched into my brow.
"E-len-sar! E-len-sar!" My head shot up and I glanced around wildly as the crowd began to chant my name, heralding me as they would one of the returned heroes of the ballads. "E-len-sar!" They continued their chant and I grinned happily. They did love me.
"Do you doubt me now, Elensar?" Evadne asked, her voice low and angry. "They love you, and see how they greet you!" Her voice was filled with cynicism. "You, you are their pristine angel, their shining heroine. Would you be so cruel as to leave them with no one to sing of by going back to your beloved King?"
I glared at her. "You know, I was happy that you were coming to rescue me. I even overlooked the fact that you were burning half his country! And now- now you're just being as cruel and cold hearted as you accuse me of being." I felt tears stinging my eyes. "Leave me alone, for once!"
"Should I?" She wrapped her fingers around my reins, acting as if it were a sisterly gesture, but in truth stopping me from storming off. "It seems that the last time I left you alone, you ran off to Delran with a King."
I gaped at her, jaw slack and open. Then I started laughing with disbelief. "You can't be serious!"
"Oh but I am," She practically purred. "That is what you did after all."
"No, it's not." I yanked my reins out of her hands. "You told him to, and he took me out of bed in the middle of the night. I would have at least taken something with me if I had planned it." I edged my mount away from hers.
"So you were planning it?" Evadne smiled, knowing she was backing me into a corner bit by bit.
"No!" I was on the defensive, and she knew it. In desperation, I smacked my reins along my palfrey's hindquarters, starting the black horse forward into a showy canter.
The gathered onlookers mistook this for a grand demonstration of how glad I was to be home, and just cheered me louder.
"Milady," one of the men at arms rode up beside me, his mount snorting and dancing underneath of him. "You Lady-sister bids that you rid through this town and to the next. I am to escort you. She says that she shall follow in her carriage." The man bowed as best he could from the saddle.
"Oh." I tossed a haughty glance over my shoulder. "I see."
"Milady Princess?" He looked at me.
"Then let us be off!" I told him imperiously, wishing to take my anger out on someone.
"Yes, yes, of course." He nodded, and spurred his nervous mount onwards. I followed, smiling at the assembled people a few times for good measure.
Once we were out of the bustling seaside port, the amount of people along the wayside had severely diminished to the point where it was only the occasional farmer or merchant who just happened to be there.
Just after we had exited the town, an escort for me joined us, trotting silently around me; front, back and to both sides they surrounded me, making a veritable human wall.
There was no madcap gallop to race to the next town, as one would expect. Instead, our pace held at a steady trot, conserving our horses yet still making good time.
The next town was a small, resort town; fitting for a princess and her entourage. It was called Aspens-on-Lath, named so for the towering trees that were clustered near the banks of the River Lath.
"Here, Princess, this inn is ours." My original guardian pointed to an ornately decorated building that hung the sign of a Golden Lily. "The Eldest wishes that you wait for her in square, however." He pointed to the flowery center of the resort town.
"Oh really?" I mused, feeling obstinate.
"Yes; I shall send a detail of your escort to go with you." He picked out four soldiers. "These men shall protect you should it be necessary. Please, dismount, and I will take care of the rest, milady." He dismounted and grasped my reins in his left hand.
"Thank you," I grumbled, swinging down in a swirl of skirts. Immediately, a guard was on either side of me, making sure I didn't come to harm.
"This way, please," a faint touch on my arm and a few softly spoken words guided me to a bench in a secluded section of the Square.
"Would you like any refreshment, milady?" a small girl in a fresh-washed gown curtsied daintily as she held a try of delicacies. It was a wonder that she didn't drop any.
"Do you have any water?" I asked, resting my head on one hand.
"Yes'm." She curtsied again and beckoned to a little boy who looked very similar to her.
"You be wanting water, milady?" He gave a small and awkward bow, not nearly as coordinated as her curtsy had been.
"Yes, please." I took the goblet that he offered, and drained it in a gulp. "Thank you." I handed it back to him and tucked my feet up underneath of me, carefully smoothing my skirts around my feet.
"You're welcome, milady." He bowed again, and backed away with his sister.
"You." I pointed to one of my escort. "What's your name?"
"Anther," He replied, bowing slightly.
"And you?" I pointed to the next. His name was Markus; the third was called Karolin and the fourth Michaels. They each bowed after they said their name, and it irked me.
"Why do you bow so much?" I asked rather bluntly. "Michaels, tell me." I stared at him impassively, not so much as blinking.
He answered me, his voice expressionless and flat. "It is a sign of respect that we accord to you. Would you rather us not bow in front of you?"
"That would be nice." I nodded. "Anther, tell me something; do you like working for the royal family?"
Anther was stoic as well, but he did not truly answer me. "I serve my country willingly."
"It was a yes or no question," I informed him icily.
"I gave you my answer," He returned with a spark of irritation. "Why must you query us so, Princess, if I may be so bold as to ask?" Anther bowed stiffly.
"Because I am bored." I grinned impishly. "You do provide excellent entertainment, soldier, in your discomfort. And what is this?" I chuckled. "You are questioning a Princess, Anther." I shook my finger. "You should know better."
"Yes, milady."
"Karolin, why did Evadne pick you to go with me?" I leaned forward.
"I am a soldier. I follow orders; I do not give them." He continued to gaze straight ahead, not even deigning to look at me as he answered.
"I see. Markus, why do you not look at me, if you are so dead set on protecting me?" I toyed with the hem of my skirt.
"We must always be alert for danger, milady. If we watched you the whole time, our vigil would be in vain for anything could come and kill you without our notice." Markus' eyes slid to meet mine for a mere second, and his eyes were filled with a cold compassion.
"All of you, you were gifted," I laughed slightly at the word, "to me by my beloved sister. Will you report our entire conversation to her, then?"
"No, milady." Anther answered for all of them. "We shall not. All conversations held with a royal family member we have sworn to keep confidential until our deaths, pray that it is not soon."
"I wish not the ill luck on you." I bowed my head in deference to them and their prayers.
"Thank you, lady," Markus murmured softly, by my elbow.
I glanced up from my seated position to find myself the object of his scrutiny. "You're watching me, Markus." I stood, not enjoying his towering over me. "Are you failing in your protection of me, swordsman?"
"No." I found that he was tall, even for a man; I could only just see over his shoulder.
"You aren't?" I placed my palm on the side of his face and smiled slightly as he flinched. "That is completely contradictory to what you were telling me just mere moments before."
As he extracted himself from my touch, he bowed his head submissively. "I am sorry, Princess, if I have offended you with my vigil."
"You have not, so be free of any concerns or guilt." I sat again, smoothing my skirts around me.
Markus suddenly stiffened, as did the others. "Princess," He bowed.
"I thought we were already introduced," I said laughingly.
"You must not assume that they always bow to you, Elensar." I whirled around in my chair to see Evadne standing behind me.
"Evadne." I didn't smile.
"Elensar, sister, my dear, please, come and dine with me." She took my elbow and walked with me out of the Square, leaving the escort to trail behind us. "Did you enjoy interrogating my guards?" She inquired politely.
"Yes, it was entertaining." I tugged gently, trying to wrest my arm from her grasp but to no avail. She kept her grip firm and pretended not to notice.
"I am terribly sorry that I did not provide for your entertainment, Elensar." She patted my arm gently. I refrained from speech, and she continued. "It will be another few days, sister, until we reach the Camlate. I expect that you will not wish to ride in the carriage the entire time with your old, married sister, so I have made certain that there will be a mount ready for you at all times, should you choose to ride. I will expect, however," she quickly dampened my joy with her next words, "That you ride like a lady and astride as you apparently have been accustomed to doing."
I rolled my eyes, and pasted a sweet smile on my face. "Of course, sister."
"You were taught at one time, as we all were to ride properly, and I expect you to do so."
"I was taught," I acknowledged the point.
Evadne smiled with the same cold, distant serenity that was so much apart of her everyday mien. "You will ride properly, or risk incurring both my and your father's wrath."
"My father?" I harped upon her choice of words. "He is your father as well, Evadne."
"I know this," her tone was somewhat irritable. "He is my father as well, it was just for the sake of making a point that I did not choose to say our father." The words came out somewhat distastefully from her mouth, as if she didn't like saying them.
"Alright." We had arrived at the Golden Lily, and so Evadne disengaged herself from me. "Are we going to dine, now?" I asked her, abruptly changing topics.
"Of course," She murmured, "They should have prepared the patio for us."
Our conversation trickled to a halt during dinner, and it never resumed after that. We supped together, and then Evadne swept off to her rooms, hinting strongly that I should retire as well.
I had doubts that she would retire immediately, as I had seen a runner with writing materials and multiple candles go into her room. I, on the other hand, was suddenly overwhelmed by the day's events and sank gratefully into the bed to sleep.
Author's Note: I'm a horrible person, I know. I said Sunday, and now it's…well, Wednesday. I have an excuse too, and it's plausible too. I was planning surprise parties for two of my friends, and I was on the phone with their parents a lot. This makes it rather difficult to get on the Internet, since I have a modem, but only one phone line. Why is sixteen sweet, anyway? It's not like you just start driving as soon as you turn sixteen…but I digress.
I'm sooooo sorry from the bottom of my little ink filled heart sorry! Please forgive me?
Thanks to all of those who reviewed…:D
Lilred-07: cringe asap? Oopsies…well, I hope you enjoyed this chapter!Miss Piratess: Of course I have! What goes up must come down, and that includes happy romantically induced highs.
Tamaran Girl: I don't want to be the cause of death! I'm very glad that you're ok and quite able to review! :D
Lindy Lou 78: Does this chapter answer questions? Evadne is such a meanie-pants. And so fake, as you said.
F.A.Starhawk: Soon? I think not! Well, maybe, I haven't gotten that far yet. Lol. Who knows?
Sealednectar: This chapter wasn't particularly interesting, in my opinion, but hopefully it was to you!
Cheekychik: I love those books! Such a good read! Lord Raven…um…he took a vacation. nod To the Bahamas. :P
Stubble96: Not my toes!! I like them where they are, thank you very much!
No myridon: Actually, you're pronunciation isn't that off: Ah-min-tass. :D
Speaking of pronunciation…does anyone want a pronunciation guide for the characters' names? I know I always wonder how to say unorthodox names, so, if anyone wants one, I will post it. Just let me know!
A little side note…A Tale of Two Cities is the most evil book I have ever read. I hate it. Charles Dickens must have written it specifically to torture those who have to read it. Gr.
