Warnings: Angry fathers do not make for happy visits.

Chapter Twenty-Four: A Challenge Proposed

Nobles and peasants alike stared with rapt attention at Father- and at Adrian. I clutched the inlaid gold so tightly that my knuckles turned a stark white and the designs dug into my palms.

Two kings stood there, facing each other; one knelt subserviently in front of the other. Two crowns glittered in the fading evening light. It was insane how alike in dignity and rank they were, and yet one bowed to the other.

My father looked down disdainfully on the top of Adrian's head, staring haughtily at the golden fillet that was nestled into pale locks. "So, King Adrian Theylell, you wish to court my youngest daughter?"

"No, sir." Adrian looked up, daring to meet the other monarch's eyes for the briefest of seconds. All my doubts rushed back, and I bit my lip nervously. Adrian continued, "I do not want to merely court your daughter, but to marry her as well."

I could have collapsed with relief, but instead, it seemed that I attempted to rip the frame off of the door with my bare hands. I was so delirious with sheer joy, that I almost missed my father's reaction.

He glared at Adrian, as a father would to a prospective suitor, and not as one King would to another. "Impudent young man." It was pronounced slowly, and with no small amount of disgust. The King turned to look at the assembled nobles and councilors arrayed before him. "What say you?" He asked them solemnly.

There were mutterings, many of them dissenting, although a few of the more romantic-minded young courtiers expressed their agreement.

"He does not know that she cannot yet be married," my sister Jeannette pointed out judiciously. "She is too young."

I could suddenly imagine myself pushing my traitorous sister off of a cliff, and I couldn't for any reason in my innocent little mind fathom why.

"Indeed she is; Princess Elensar has yet to achieve her majority." The King faced Adrian again. "Did you not know that?"

Adrian, still kneeling, replied proudly, "I will wait for her."

I stared in shock. I couldn't believe he'd said that. Did that mean that he…or that we…I didn't know, I was too confused. I wanted to rush to him and do…something. Something to let him know that I would be only too happy to have him wait for me. Just…something.

My father eyed him with a look of pure disbelief. "You kidnapped her before, and then proposed to her. It is to her credit that she did not acquiesce to you." He frowned, annoyed, "I do not believe that you would wait very well, King Adrian."

While this statement aroused uneasy titters from the assemblage, Adrian dropped his eyes in shame, cheeks burning; I felt my own fire up in response.

"I did, milord, and I am sorry. I acted rashly, and to you and to her, I offer my most sincere apologies." Adrian rubbed the fine cloth of his tunic between his fingers nervously.

"Hmm." The King turned once more to the others that were present, and asked them, "What say you?"

The majority was a resounding 'nay'.

"A challenge!" The idea was called out, and I suspected that it was from one of the non-noble spectators.

"Yes, a challenge!" The cry was taken up, and even from my vantage point from across the room, I could see Adrian blanch.

"What sort of challenge, milord?" His voice shook perceptibly as he queried, but Adrian still managed to look hopeful.

"If you love her, you will accept any challenge that I give you." Father smiled serenely, and suddenly I understood which side of the family that Evadne had gotten her damnably satisfied smile from. "Do you accept my challenge?"

Adrian looked away and I slowly felt my surety of his love start to waver again. Did he love me enough to take an unnamed challenge? Would he risk himself for me? For…us?

Adrian debated within himself for quite sometime, frowning and muttering to himself alternately. I wondered what he said. Every second that passed, I went slightly colder, slightly less hopeful…

Then he looked up, a determined expression on his face. "I accept your challenge, its rules, its stipulations and its consequences." He stood, facing my father with a confident gaze.

I half hoped that Father would say that simply accepting an unnamed challenge would suffice, but from the smile that so eerily resembled Evadne's, I knew we were doomed. That would have been far too easy a challenge for the hand of a Princess, even if she were the youngest.

Father's smile broadened into a grin, a delightfully wicked cast molding his expression. "You accept my challenge then. I see you do really want her." The King sat, and motioned for the scribes to continue their royal note taking. "Let it be known that whosoever wishes to have the hand of one of my twelve daughters, he must first discover the secret of the dancing shoes. These shoes, brought fresh every night to the royal sisters, we are returned in the morn utterly destroyed.

"No one knows how this happens, not even my daughters. I would like to know their secret, and will reward its discoverer by giving them the hand of my daughter, whichever one they choose.

"However," The King of Meridian paused to look ominously around, "However, the entrepreneur who seeks to complete this task has only three days and nights to complete this task. If he does not tell me the secret by sunrise of the fourth day, he will be executed." Father concluded his speech with a sharp nod toward Adrian. "This then, is your challenge."

Adrian had not wavered throughout the entire monologue, and he didn't now, either. "Yes sir."

I stared, open-mouthed. "But that's not fair!" I blurted out from my secluded position.

All eyes in the room took a sharp turn and focused on me.

"Elensar, how good of you to rejoin us," Father intoned dryly. "Please, come in."

I stepped in, feeling very gauche very quickly. Everyone was watching me and it was quite unnerving.

"And why isn't it fair, m'dear?" Father tugged at his beard. "Would you like to tell us something, perhaps?"

"You'll kill him, won't you?" I stalked across the room, brushing past Adrian to stand in front of my father, the King. "You'll make sure that he can't do anything, just so you won't have to marry me before my sisters." I glared angrily at him.

"No, I won't." He took my hands in his. "Elensar, please, be reasonable." He squeezed them with gentle affection. "You know I wouldn't."

"Oh but you would," I countered, "You've already set him an impossible task; you want him to die." Before he could protest again, I turned to Adrian. "Don't accept the challenge now, I pray you, don't."

I looked at him, and he at me, and I knew then that my pleas fell upon deaf ears. "I would do anything for you, my love, anything. I would die for you."

"Adrian, don't say that, it's not sensible! Please, don't die for me…" I trailed off, tears filling my eyes and burning in my throat. "Please don't die," I whispered, letting the words fall like feathers; no one heard them when they fell, especially not Adrian.

Adrian leaned down so that we were at eye level. "I won't, Elensar, I won't die. I'll solve this puzzle and we'll be free to love as we wish, just us…" I clung to him helplessly, hopelessly, knowing that he had no hope either.

"Elensar, tell me! Tell me what I don't understand. Make me understand!" He kissed my forehead tenderly.

"Yes, Elensar, why don't you tell him?" The chill in Evadne's voice froze my tears. I hadn't known that she was present.

Adrian brushed his hand along my cheek, tracing the outline of my face. "What don't I understand?" He brought me close, so that I was flush against him, and whispered sweet nothings in my ear.

"Will you not answer him, Elensar, and have your happily ever after?" Evadne's fine slippers slid over the floor with muted sighs.

I started to cry.

I was torn between saving Adrian's life and saving my pride. As much as I loved him, my pride was the only thing that I could truly call my own and I did not give it up easily. I didn't want to prove Evadne right.

"Don't die," I told him, despising the way my voice shook. I tried to be strong, to show him that I didn't need him if he was going to be stupid.

As far as I could tell, it wasn't working; I was crying harder and soaking Adrian's fine doublet with my plethora of tears. I held him, tightly wrapping my arms around him and trying to convince myself that I would never let go. I would not let him go.

"Elensar let me go." He tried to pry my arms from around his waist. "Elensar, darling, it's getting hard to breathe." Adrian extracted himself out of my death grip. "Dear heart, I'll be fine." He attempted to reassure me.

It didn't work.

"Hah." I pulled away from him and looked at Father. "Why do you want to kill him for loving me?"

Father looked back silently at me, not answering.

"And you," I turned on Evadne, who was so emotionless even now, "You. Are you proud of me now?" I sniffled and felt the tears start to run again.

"Good bye, King Adrian." I walked away slowly, sedately. I did not run, and I did not take the cowards way out and end my torment quickly. I walked, and in a fit of masochism, I even stopped and looked back one more time at Adrian. He watched me, lovingly, confidently. If only I could be so confident.

I did not leave until a final echo reverberated throughout the cavernous chamber.

"King Adrian, you start your challenge tonight."

It was spoken. The death sentence.

Then, I ran.

Author's Note: And the snowball starts to roll faster…:grin: This was a kind of short chapter, but it was also one that I handwrote before typing, so I thought it was longer. Oh well. It's still one of my favorites. I think anything with Adrian/Elensar love is my favorite. I am such a romantic!

You know, I thought that after the swim season was over, I would have all this time to do whatever I want (i.e.: write/update), but no, now we jump right into graduation projects. Too much work! Or maybe I'm just lazy…P Probably that, haha.

You Reviewed! I respond!

Lilred-007: Isn't suspense fun? P

Jaid Ziaen: I like Owen. He's really quite fun! And if Elensar listened to Owen more often…well…then she might actually use common sense, and we can't have that! P

TinkerBell394587: That's an interesting point; I suppose Owen does feel a little left out, what with his name being normal and all. ) I didn't even notice that, and now I kind of wonder why I didn't give him an interesting/ornate name. Evadne is awesome, in a completely diabolical way though, lol.

Glaze: But there was Adrian in this chapter! D

Miss Piratess: Haha, cliffhangers are always fun to write, but awful to read. Speaking of cliffhangers…are you ever going to update The Other Princess?

Dragonblade Goddess: I don't know if Owen would fit through the internet…haha. If I could send you a copy…I would. I would make lots and lots of Owens and give them to people everywhere! P

LindyLou78: Ah! No Adrian/Evadne love! That would be so…heartbreaking! I don't know if I could even write that…or maybe I would, just to torture Elensar a little, since that is the favorite pastime of this story! )

Cheekychik: Such sarcasm! P

Mutiny666: The Court is an entity unto itself…and does whatever it wants, without rhyme or reason. It's kind of randomly there…I think.

HalfBludPr1ncess: Yay! You love the story:cheer:

Vik: A cliffhanger indeed!

Rainkisser: Thank you for reviewing multiple times on the beginning chapters- I probably wouldn't have updated until next week if you hadn't!

Much love to all of you…and let's hope that spring decided to come back to my house really soon so that it will be warm again!