AN: 22.5.30 Chapters 27 & 28 have been written, and I am currently working on chapter 29. Over the next week I will be going back through a few previous chapters to make some minor editing changes. These changes must be made before chapter 27 is posted as to do otherwise would create a few contradictions. None of the corrections will affect the overall plot, but will just be a few sentences here and there to create a consistency that I had previously lacked. This will also give any who wish time to reread previous chapters (and this new one) as it has been way too long. My apologies once again. I truly am working on trying to do better by you, my dear readers. As my rough draft stands right now, we are looking at another 12 chapters at least, and then the epilogue (which I have just gone through and edited yet again, seeing as it was one of the first chapters I had actually written for the story. Truly, the epilogue in many ways is my favorite chapter and I revisit it often! I cannot wait to share it with you all!).
With that said, Happy Reading! - Allahteeah
Chapter 26
After two days, he was tired of pacing. But sitting still was not an option. The worry he had struggled to keep at bay threatened to overwhelm him. Is this how Iliana felt last season when he had failed to show up? The sudden guilt Eavan felt did nothing to ease his worry. It had been two months since he had last seen her, and he missed her terribly. That she was late to arrive at their grove only served to increase his distress.
Just has he had done once an hour for the last two days, he flew up high above the trees in the hope that the view would afford him a glimpse of her arrival, but as before, there was nothing to be seen.
Landing once more with a sharp gasp, he reached back to massage his newly healed forewing. He had disregarded all of the arguments his parents had thrown his way and refused to speed up the healing. To him, the injury was a reminder of how little he deserved Iliana's love, but also how much he was willing to go through to protect her. He would not fail her by forgetting the lesson she had taught him on their last night together. He still had much to learn, but he could not do so without her there.
Slamming his fist against a tree, he cursed the druids. Had they not learned to extract power from magical beings, war would not have been threatened and she would not be in danger. Shoving aside the thought that had it not been for the druids they might never have met, Eavan resumed his pacing.
As night drew close, Eavan knew he could not wait much longer. He had promised his father that he would return on time for his own protection. But she had not shown, and he was expected back at the home tree by noon the following day. Concerned for her wellbeing, Eavan began to consider how he could sneak into their forest to find her. Only the knowledge that he had never been to her home so would not even know where to begin his search kept him where he was.
Eventually the sun disappeared, and the chill of an early autumn evening crept over him. He dared not light a fire, as he could not risk anyone finding him. Instead, he pulled out his heavy cloak and settled in against a tree determined to wait a few more hours before beginning the trek home.
Unsure when he had dozed off, he was suddenly awakened by the sound of rustling in the brush. Grateful that there was no moon to light the night, Eavan silently unsheathed his sword as he sent a tendril of magic out to find the source of the noise. Just as he felt the stirrings of magic from the source, a soft cry sounded. He knew that voice and his heart soared.
"Iliana? Is that you?"
"Eavan..." her voice sounded muffled and tinged with pain. Dropping his sword, he began to wend his way towards where he had felt her presence, grateful for his magic that allowed him to see in the dark. Even still, he almost passed her by as she was wearing a dark green dress and cloak that hid her in the night.
Seeing her at last, he fell to his knees beside her unaware of the pain she was currently in. She was collapsed on the ground, tangled in her dress, and her breathing was shallow. Panic swelled in his chest as he gently freed her from the tangle and pulled her onto his lap. The feel of her once again in his arms was overshadowed by his concern for her. It was only as she gripped the front of his tunic tightly did he realize never before had she arrived in a dress. Combined with her late arrival, in the middle of the night, he felt a new kind of worry build up within him.
"Ellette, my love, what has happened?"
The sound of soft sobs was the only reply he received. For several minutes he simply held her as she wept, whispering endearments in her pointed ear. Eventually she calmed, but the grip she had on his clothes did not lessen. It was almost as if she was afraid he would disappear if she let go. Tightening his own grip, he kissed the top of her head and assured her that he would not leave her until he could be assured of her wellbeing. This only seemed to cause her further distress as her tears began once again.
"Iliana, tell me what is wrong," Eavan begged softly. "I cannot help you if you do not share with me."
"But therein lies the problem," she whispered between hiccups, "you cannot help me."
Fear gripped his heart with her words. "Have they...Has our relationship been discovered?"
Feeling her nod he tightened his grip even more and buried his face in her hair. "Oh my dearest! I had hoped it would not come to this. What have they done to you? Have you been tortured? How did you escape?" Feeling the shake of her head, he had to tell himself to slow down. He could not overwhelm her more than she already was. She needed him to remain calm in order to protect her as he had failed to do so before. Taking a deep breath, he begged her once again to tell him what had happened.
Slowly she began her tale, and with each passing moment his alarm grew.
Upon returning to their forest, the Queen and her attendants had been ambushed by rogue elves working in tandem with the druids. The elvish support for the druids had been greater than expected, and all those loyal to the Queen were imprisoned. Anyone who attempted to fight back was stripped of their magic, an act which lead to a quick but painful death. Lareina had pled with the Druid leader to release her people, but instead had been sent into solitude while her son was kept as a hostage to ensure she complied with their demands. This was how the fairy king had remained in ignorance of the situation.
Much to Iliana's horror, she had soon discovered her father, Varen, had been the mastermind behind the whole attack. He had been working with the druids long before the fairies had withdrawn from the world. He desired power, and was thrilled to have discovered that King Adair was the last member of the original five.
Feeling Eavan tense with that knowledge, she pulled away to look him in the eyes for the first time since her arrival. "My love, I swear to you that I have told not a single soul! My aunt is still in ignorance of this. I could never bring myself to betray you."
With a stiff nod, he asked, "then how? How are they aware of what no one else knows?"
Once again shaking her head, she looked down. "I am unsure. The most I can gather is that there is a traitor amongst the fairies, and not just any fairy, but one close to your father."
"That is impossible!" He refused to believe that they could be betrayed by one of their own.
"I can only tell you what I have heard, Eavan. I had no wish to believe it myself, but I have overheard my father discuss with Gareth that their man among the fairies has kept your father from discovering the truth."
"There could be many different men close to my father who could be guilty. But I cannot believe any of them would willingly betray our trust."
"I wish I could tell you more about the traitor, but alas I have shared all that I know. Gareth is unaware that I know even this much; he is careful not to say much when I am near."
Iliana's use of another man's name grated on him, and while part of his mind told him not to ask, he could not help himself. Her hesitation in replying only served to create a sense of dread. When she finally answered, he felt his heart stop. "Gareth is the leader of the druids, as well as my betrothed."
Pulling slightly away from her, he stiffly asked, "you are engaged?" At seeing her sullen nod, he struggled to keep the anger from his voice. "How is this possible? You swore your love and devotion to me, yet you can see fit to toss me aside for someone else at the first opportunity? And not just any man, but a mere pathetic mortal who plays pretend with his supposed magic!" Oblivious to the hurt she openly displayed as she stared at him with her mouth agape, he continued. "You, who knew the pain of my past, willingly led me on only to betray me. How could you?"
Without warning, he suddenly found his arms bereft as she shoved herself away from him with a force he would not have thought possible from her earlier weakened state. While he wished he could pull her back and demand she denounce her engagement, her action only served to increase his anger. However, before he could continue on, she stood and swirled around. He saw her her own fury sparking like fire in the golden flecks of her eyes.
"You are mistaken, Milord! I have not betrayed you. I came here tonight to seek your help and to warn you. I came because I care more for you than I do my own life. I have not agreed to this marriage by choice. I have had my hand forced, and to cast off my engagement, no matter how unwanted it is, means instant death. If anyone here has been betrayed, it is I."
Standing in an attempt to intimidate her he replied with venom in his tone. "How could I have possibly betrayed you? You are the one who is cavorting with the enemy!"
"Cavorting! Ha!" She turned from him and began to stalk away, the slightest hint of a limp in her step, only to turn around after only a few steps and walk right up to him. Shoving a finger into his chest, she spoke with a coldness he had never heard from her. "As always, you refuse to listen. You think you know better than those around you, but I believe you are just an ignorant youngling who is not fit to follow in your father's footsteps. You are too proud to even be half the great man he is! I am sorry for the shame he must feel knowing you are the only heir he will ever have!"
Puffing up his chest he enlarged his size in an attempt to intimidate her, however, his actions only served to humor her as she gave a cold laugh. "You do not scare me, Milord. No, this attempt to prove your superiority only further condemns you. You think you are better than me, but just as you were the first time we met, you are too quick to judge. My aunt shared with me the hopes she and your parents had. Your father spoke to you that day in the hope that you would propose in order to protect us both. But you, despite my hesitations, convinced me that keeping our love a secret from the world would be the best protection. They were aware that there were rogue elves in league with the druids, and feared that there were others among our numbers. That my father was one of them, though, came as a shock to all. They knew, based off of our elvish customs, a betrothal would be my only protection, but did not wish to force your hand. Instead you believed yourself better aware of the situation and ignored your father's advice. Because of you, I left that day wholly unprotected from the whims of those who wish for your father's power. And now, against all my wishes, I find myself engaged to the one who plots your demise. But perhaps I should be grateful to be spared a lifetime with you, if this is how you truly feel."
Staggering backwards, Eavan wondered if it was truly possible he had misunderstood his father's intentions that day. Then the last of her words hit him, and anger greater than any he had felt before surged within his heart. All rational thought fled his mind as he sneered, and not even her step back with a hint of terror in her eyes could stop him as he replied.
"I believe I am the one who has been spared. I was going to give you everything!" He snarled in a low voice. The malice he felt dripped from the tone of his voice, and he felt an odd sense of satisfaction that she took another small step away from him. "I was going to elevate you beyond anything you had ever dreamt of. Do you think there could be any other consideration given to bless you with honorable powers? No, only my wife would be deserving of such condescension; you deserve nothing. You elves believe that you are so powerful, yet we look down on you. Your magic does not give life nor beauty as our does. So I ask, what purpose is there to your race? I am glad the druids will wipe you all out. You deserve nothing better."
Throughout their acquaintance, Eavan had seen her angry on many occasions, yet never before had he sensed such hostility. With his words, gone was all color from her eyes, her face devoid of all emotion, and he was unashamed to admit that he truly feared for his safety in that moment, so great was the fury radiating from her. Still, he tried to hold his stance, refused to let her see how affected he truly was; he was not the one who had broken their promise after all, so felt that she would eventually see things his way. But the words she spoke next sent a chill down his spine.
"You are a fraud. You claim to be a champion of peace, telling all others that the only way to achieve unity is to get to truly know one another. Yet you continue to eschew all attempts at commonality. If you actually believed that nonsense you spoke then you would have known that the original five were to work in tandem. Each race was given different responsibilities, each one a part of a whole. Yes it is true that while only your father remains of the five, those of us who are descended from the other four recognize that while we do not have the power, we still hold the responsibilities given to our ancestors. I cannot do my part unless the dwarf, giant and goblin do theirs. And you, cannot do yours without the rest of us no matter how much power your father wields. So yes, watch us all die off, and see just how much beauty you can add to a dead world. But none of that matters. For if you truly believed in unity, if you truly loved me, you would have attempted to get to know me."
"How dare you! I thought I did know you!" Eavan spat back in an attempt to defend himself. "You are the one who has misled me all this time. I have been open and honest from the very beginning while you have done nothing but lie to me. You might believe that you were falling for me, yet you never once showed me any affection until after my father informed you of who he was. You claim your hand was forced, but I believe you and your father planned this together from the very beginning, else you would denounce this so called engagement right now. I would even consider taking you back, tainted as you now are with the stench of mortals."
As soon as he spoke the words, Eavan felt great regret. The look of absolute dejection that crossed her face spoke more than any argument she could have given him in return. But before he could so much as utter the beginning of an apology, the look was quickly replaced by one of calm fury.
"I had not thought you could disappoint me more, Your Highness. It appears that you have forgotten everything that has happened between us. And now I can only hope to do the same."
Without another word, she turned and began to stalk away from him. Unable to stand the thought of her leaving in such a manner, he began to call out to her in a plea, but stopped when she whirled back on him, the fire back in her eyes. "I was correct when we first met in not giving you my name. I will no longer allow you to hold any power over me, so must ask you to never address me again. From this day forth, you are nothing more than a stranger to me, a stranger I will forever wish I had shot that day. Perhaps then I could have saved myself this pain. But unlike you I cannot manipulate time. So I will leave you with one last parting gift before I purge all thoughts of you from my life." Unwilling to let him see the tears fall down her face, she turned away from him and spoke softly into the night. "Go home. Go tell your father that he is not safe, he has been found out. Tell him to trust no one. War will come to all no matter what treaties have been signed. The druids have allies among all the races, and they will not stop until your father's powers belong to them. As for me, think of me no more. I am to be married at the winters solstice, and only my death can stop it. Do not try to interfere as that is what they want, and the cost will be your life."
Eavan watched silently as she slowly pulled her hair to one side and lifted her arms up and over her head. As she brought them back down, he thought he saw a faint glint dangling from her hand. Suddenly realizing that she was about to toss away the orb necklace he had given her, he began to move into action. None of her words had had as much of an impact on him as seeing her willing to throw away the only physical evidence of their love. But before he could take more than a couple steps towards her, he found himself once again bound by branches. Determined not to let her get the best of him this time, he shrunk down to the size of a hummingbird, but she was prepared for such an act. In a mere moment, he found himself trapped within a ball of branches, so tightly woven, that to escape he would have to reduce his size to that of a dust mote. He had never gone that small, and was unsure if it was even possible. He instead tried enlarge his size, but his wooden prison would not give. Shrinking back down, he reached for his sword determined to cut his way out, only to remember that he had dropped it on the ground in his rush to get to her upon her arrival.
Panic set into his heart as he realized what he had done. Devastated that she thought he cared not for her, he called out to her, begging her to stay, to accept his apology, and to let him help her. He suddenly felt his prison move, and her voice rang out as though she held the ball of branches to her lips.
"I cannot forgive you at this time, but neither can I let the man I love sacrifice everything for me. For this reason I cannot let you go until I am long gone. If I am discovered missing, they will kill more of my people. But I had to see you one last time. I had hoped for your comfort and support. Instead I have been accused of the worst crimes, and now I will forever pay the price of having lost not only your love but your respect. I see now that I could never have been anything more than your acquaintance as you would have never been happy with anything less than a perfect fairy. But I am not a fairy! And while you claim you would have gifted me with those powers, my being an elf first would have forever tainted your view of me. So farewell, Eavan. May you eventually find true happiness."
Cries of "No, Iliana!" were lost in the wind as he felt himself quickly lifted high into the air. Using the skills she had taught him, he attempted to manipulate the branches into letting him go free, but the spell she had woven was too tight and powerful for him to undo. After more than an hour, he finally slumped against the wall and gave in to his tears. That he had forever lost her was without doubt, but it was the knowledge that she would spend the rest of her life thinking he hated her while she willingly sacrificed herself for him that truly tore his heart in half.
.
.
.
The sun's first rays were beginning to shine in the grove when the ball of branches finally began to loosen. Too impatient to wait for them to finish, he quickly grew in size shattering his prison and sending broken branches flying every direction. Seeing he was indeed high up the canopy of the trees, he rushed to the ground in search of his sword. Grasping it tightly in his hand, he flew up once more, above the treetops, and searched the surrounding landscape for any sign of Iliana. He sent tendrils of magic out in the direction he knew she always traveled, but she had cleverly disguised all traces of her own magic and he knew it was lost cause.
Not knowing the exact location of the elves home forest, he knew that trying to follow her would not lead to any sort of success. It could take him days to find her, and if he was delayed in returning home, his father would send out a search party for him.
At the thought of his father, a new wave of panic overcame him. Could Iliana have told him the truth? Was his father truly in danger? Just as those thoughts came, he dismissed them. He had never had reason to doubt her before, and for her to share that knowledge after all he had said only showed how truly magnanimous she was. He did not deserve her, but he would not give her up that easily. He had much to atone for, and he was determined to never let her go again.
During the night, he had revisited everything that had been said. He had been such a fool. It was obvious that she had gone to great lengths to warn him of what had happened, but at the first hint of it affecting him directly he lashed out at her. He doubted she would ever forgive him, but he had to try. And since it was obvious he could not follow her this day, he could make sure her efforts to protect his father were not in vain. It was the least he could do.
Turning to leave, he was stopped as the sun glinted off an object in the grass hitting him in the eye. Flying down once more to the ground, he walked over to the object. Bending down he picked up the orb necklace she had dropped. Tears once again streamed down his face as he heard the harried notes coming from the flowers. Rather than offering him comfort, their song evoked a fear he had never known before, and he noticed the colors had dulled. Muttering a quick prayer that she would not give up all hope in him, he gently placed the necklace over his head and tucked it down into his tunic. With one last glance around the grove where they had shared so many happy, and even several unhappy, memories, he turned and flew off into the rising sun, never to return.
