Chapter 3

Leo was coming back that day. Eliena had never felt this nervous in her entire life. She waited for him in the palace foyer, pacing and twisting her hands in her sky blue dress. She went over and over what she was going to say to him: "Leo, Neal is courting me."

"Eli?" Eliena turned and saw Leo standing in the main doorway. His brown hair was sweat-dampened, as were his clothes. His hazel eyes were questioning.

"Leo!" Eliena hugged him. "Welcome back!"

"Thank you?" Leo said, phrasing it more like a question. He took her arms and pushed her away. "You're hiding something." He searched her violet eyes. "What are you hiding?"

"You know me too well," she muttered. "Leo… Neal's… courting me."

The moment the words escaped her lips, Eliena regretted saying them. Leo froze, eyes unreadable. It was clearly not something he wanted to hear. Eliena nervously tucked her hair behind her ears, chomping on her lip. She wanted desperately for him to say something—anything. Maybe if he said something she wouldn't feel so guilty.

"Leo, please say something," she pleaded.

He smiled weakly at her. "Congratulations, Eli." Eliena grabbed his hands.

"You don't mean that," she said. "I can see it in your eyes. You don't mean it. Goddess, Leo, why won't you just tell me what you really feel? I've known you long enough!"

"What do you want me to say, Eli?" he asked, throwing his arms in the air. "That I don't want Neal courting you because I want you to myself? Or that he's no good for you? That I love you?" Yes, Eliena thought. I want you to say that. She pushed the thoughts away. No.

"No," she replied.

"I can't win with you, Eli. When I tell you exactly what I think you get mad. And when I don't tell you what I think, you want to know what I'm thinking," Leo whispered. He tilted her chin up to him. "If you want to know what I really think then I'll tell you."

"Please do." Eliena crossed her fingers, silently praying that he would say something to convince her that Neal was a bad idea.

"I think that you and Neal are too alike. One of you will get mad at the other, and that will be the end of it," Leo told her. Eliena looked up at him.

"What are you saying?" she asked. "That you want me to tell him that I don't want him courting me anymore?" Leo took her words the wrong way and threw his hands up.

"That's exactly what I mean, Eli!" he exclaimed.

"No! Leo, that's not what I meant."

"Then what did you mean?"

She took a deep breath. "I just want to know whether or not you want to court me."

Leo said nothing, and avoided her eyes. Eliena bit her lip and dug her nails into her palm to keep herself from saying anything. Why couldn't Leo talk to her? What had changed?

"Leo?" she asked quietly.

"I have to unpack and check in with your father," he said, walking away. "See you later, Eli."

"Bye," she returned, so quietly that there was no way he could have heard her.

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"Oh, Daine," Eliena sighed, flopping onto the bed she knew Daine shared with Numair. "I just don't know what to do!"

Eliena had explained to Daine her predicament with Neal and Leo. Daine was an excellent listener, and could make good calls as she was very close with all three people. The only problem was that Daine could have trouble understanding Eliena's reasoning sometimes. Like, when Eliena talked about how one of them would have to become king one day, and shouldn't she stick with the one who would be a better king? Daine was fairly sure that Eliena should do whatever was best for her.

"Well, close your eyes and picture your portrait," Daine said. Once Eliena had her coronation, she and her husband would be painted in a portrait to hang in the hall. Eliena did so. "Who do you see beside you?"

"Leo," Eliena murmured.

"So there's your answer," Daine supplied.

"But I can't just drop Neal! I like him, I do!" Eliena insisted. Daine sighed.

"Eliena, just listen to what your heart is telling you," Daine told her. "Forget about everything else, just listen to your heart."

Eliena sighed. "Sometimes I wonder if my heart knows what's best for me."

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When Eliena walked into the dining hall that evening, she saw Neal talking with Kel. But he wasn't just talking to her. He was flirting with her… the same way he flirted with Eliena. Eli's fists clenched. She'd caught him doing the same thing with one of the ladies in the palace earlier. She marched over, eyes blazing.

"Hello, Neal," she greeted coldly. "Feeling flirtatious today, are we?"

"Hullo, Eli. What are you talking about?" he asked. Eliena acknowledged.

"You were flirting with Kel," she replied.

"I flirt with everyone," he retorted.

"In case you've forgotten, Neal, you're courting me, not 'everyone'! And courting entails a certain commitment, or do I need to tell you what that word means?"

"Whoa there, Eli. Something more is wrong here."

"What makes you say that?"

"You normally wouldn't get this mad."

"That's because I haven't seen you doing the same thing twice in one day before! Neal, everyone knows. I have eyes, and ears. I know what goes on in this palace."

"Oh, excuse me, your highness, I had forgotten your royalty for a moment."

"Mithros, Neal, you're starting to sound like Leo!"

"Maybe that's a good thing, from what I hear."

Eliena's eyes widened. "What did you just say?"

"The court gossip is that you and Leo had something of a spat this morning."

"Yes, and?"

"About my courting you."

"So? He's our friend. He does have a right to know."

"Only when he can give an unbiased opinion of it."

"What are you talking about?"

"Haven't you noticed, Eli? He loves you. It's been clear since Carthak that Leo doesn't see you as his friend."

"You don't know what you're talking about."

"Oh, don't I? Then, tell me, Eliena, why did he act the way he did in Carthak?"

"He cares about me, Neal! He's always been like that—like my big brother!"

"You're blind to what you don't wish to see."

"I can't see things that aren't there!" Suddenly, the hall felt very quiet. Eliena blushed as she realized how loud she'd been. She quickly became angry again, seeing the smug look on Neal's face. "Wipe that look off your face."

"Why?" he asked.

"Because you've annoyed me, that's why!"

"And no one annoys the great Princess Eliena and gets away with it, eh?"

"That's it!" Eliena always hated people using her title to make fun of her or make it sound like a bad thing. Only she was allowed to speak ill of her position. "That's it, Nealan of Queenscove! I've had it! Consider this courtship over. And don't tell me its barely started, because you've been trying to court me since we were fourteen!" She stalked away, and whirled back on him. "And if you enter my line of vision within the next month there will be dire consequences." That done, Eliena left the room, leaving a room full of stunned pages in her wake.

"She's free territory now," one boy muttered. "Gods bless us all."

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"Eliena?" Kel asked, knocking softly on the princess's door.

"Come in!" Eliena called from her window seat. Kel came in and shut the door. "What do you need, Kel? I promised Daine I'd meet her ten minutes ago."

"I just wanted to be sure that you weren't mad at me for what happened earlier. I don't—I mean, he just—"

"You don't have it say it, Kel. I understand. I know Neal too well for that to surprise me." Eliena sighed and smiled at the girl page. "I guess I put aside all his faults when he asked to court me. I've known from the start it was doomed." Kel nodded. "So, no, I'm not mad at you. You looked too uncomfortable with it for me to suspect your involvement." Kel smiled.

"Good. I just had to be sure. No smart person gets on the bad side of the heir." She clamped her hand over her mouth. "I'm sorry, I forgot my place…"

"Oh, stop. It's about time you opened up," Eliena teased. "Now, I have to meet Daine. Excuse me."

"Of course." Kel curtsied and left. Eliena sighed and waited a while longer. Someone knocked on her door.

"Enter!" She heard the door open, and shut. "Who is it?"

"Turn around and look." Eliena did, and saw Leo smiling at her. "I heard what happened in the dining hall."

Eliena made a sour face. "All of court knows it by now," she replied. "News travels too fast in this place."

"I agree." Leo nodded. "I just wanted to be sure you were OK." She smiled at her friend.

"I'm perfectly fine, Leo. But thanks for caring," she said. Suddenly, earlier words came back to her: "He cares about me, Neal! He's always been like that—like my big brother!" "You're blind to what you don't wish to see." "Leo?"

"Mm?" he asked, sitting beside her.

"Do you—oh, never mind," she replied.

"You sure?"

"I'm sure." Leo kissed her forehead.

"I'm sure you have somewhere to be, so I'll leave you alone now. If you need anything, you know right where to find me." Eliena smiled as Leo left. Good old Leo. She could always count on him to pick her up again.

Author's Note- I don't want to hear how fast that was. Actually, the idea for that is courtesy of Abiona Marchand, who deserves my thanks! So… this is actually setting up for more. REVIEW!