Chapter 4: Is it broken?

"OW!" Celeste screamed. She kicked Connor in the chest with her good foot. "That hurts, you idiot!"

Connor rubbed his sore chest. "Really. I couldn't tell." He said sarcastially. In his hand he still carefully held her ankle, no longer tightly bound up. It was a deep purplish-blue color and looked swollen. "I think you didn't just sprain it." He said suddenly.

Celeste, laying on her back, looked up. "You think? What wrong with it?" She asked.

Connor was trying his hardest to ignore her rather shapely legs, which his teenaged mind had promptly admired. "I think you broke it." He said after an unnaturally long pause.

Celeste sat up. "WHAT!" She shrieked. For a moment there was complete chaos as Celeste tried to get her ankle free and stand up while looking lady-like and yet showing as much leg as possible. "I did not break it! Look, I can stand on it, see?" She said, still standing on one leg. For a moment, she gave a visible wince, and then she threw her weight on it.

Her already white face went even paler and she tumbled forward.

Connor quickly caught her in his arms. The pain in my ankle must have affected my brain somehow. I can't think. Why is my heart beating so fast? Celeste thought.

Connor laid Celeste back down carefully. "I might be wrong, Celeste." He said softly.

"Wrong about what?" Celeste asked blankly.

Connor blinked a few times and then chuckled good naturedly. "I said I think your ankle's broken, but I might be wrong. I mean, I'm not a doctor or anything. Besides, don't you s--" Connor suddenly shut up, cheeks crimson.

Celeste used his shirt as leverage to pull herself up. "Don't you what?" She asked eagerly.

Connor glanced away from her. "Um, don't you think we should get going? You can ride the horse again. I'm okay." He stammered. You idiot! You almost hinted at who her father is! If you tell her, do you really think she'll keep going? No, she'll run back home to see him and you'll lose the one chance you'll ever get! He thought angrily.

Celeste let him lift her onto the horse, then reached out and touched his cheek. "Connor. Thanks for helping me." She said softly. Now why did I do that? Celeste wondered. It's not like I like him or anything. Oh, heck, Celeste, quit lying to yourself! I do like him. She scolded herself, flushing under her hat that she had used to cover her hair and shadow her face. She arranged her skirt so that it covered her partically but at the same time showed off her legs. Like her mother, she had rather nice legs and she knew it.

Connor reached out suddenly and tugged the skirt down again. "Don't want you getting sick." He mumbled as he started walking.

Celeste smiled to herself. Uh-huh. Really. I believe you, Caleb. She thought. But by the end of this trip, you will love me. You have to.

Elyon turned to look at her husband. "Celeste?" She asked quickly.

"Has a broken ankle." Palar replied. He wrapped Elyon in his arms. "Try to relax, honey."

Elyon blinked back a few tears. "Does she have a broken plan?" She asked. Palar didn't answer, and Elyon pulled away. "Palar, the plan. Is it broken?" She repeated.

Elrin walked in. "No, Mother. Connor is helping her now." He said quietly. "With your blessing or without it, I want to get our Celeste back."

Palar looked up. "How? They've covered miles." He objected.

Elrin didn't move his eyes from Elyon. "Because I have something I inherited from Father." He said in the same, quiet tone. Elyon looked up in alarm, and Elrin nodded. "I know who he is. Mother--if you don't let me go after her now, her ankle will heal in 3 days and she'll be able to keep going." He urged her.

Elyon turned away from her son. "Go!" She said sharply. "But do not harm either one."

Elrin ran out of the room, looking oddly like his father who had once did the monarch's bidding as well. Then he escaped from the palace, quietly heading towards Celeste and Connor.