Chapter 27

Author's Note- this is on page 102. Thanks to every who's helping to keep this story alive…which is all you reviewers! I'd probably still be writing it if you weren't reviewing, but it wouldn't be as good. Thanks for sticking with me since "Always"—it really means a lot that you've followed Eliena so far on her journey. And I'm already thinking of the fourth and final story in the Eliena quartet, which will be about Eliena as a great goddess.

It was seven in the morning. Eliena had been up for an hour. Numair, the most powerful mage at Northwatch, had been contacted: an army of Scanrans had just crossed the border. Numair had woken Daine and contacted Eliena. She'd gotten right up and prepared for battle.

She now stood beside Diamondflame, talking to Vanget. "So I'll take the Third Company—with Sir Raoul—and the…Second Rider group?" Vanget nodded. "That had better be enough."

"You'll also have Master Numair and the Wildmage," the general reminded her. "And we'll be right behind."

"Right." She mounted Diamondflame. "Ready, Diamondflame?"

--Young princess, I've learned to always be ready with you—he replied. Eliena smiled and the dragon took off.

"Second Rider group! Third Company of the King's Own! Raoul!" Eliena called, silently thanking Diamondflame for flying so low. "You're with me!" Raoul looked up and gave her a thumbs-up, proceeding to bellow at his group. Evin, in command of the Second Rider group, looked flustered. As if reading her mind, Diamondflame landed and Eliena jumped off.

"Hold up, Evin. Stop running around like a chicken with its head cut off. Just relax." She coached her friend in a deep breath. "Ready?" He nodded. "Second Rider group! This is a war! Get ready! That means now!" she yelled. Moments later, the Riders were mounted and in front of her.

"Gods, you're good at that. Where can I learn?" Evin asked.

"Ask Raoul to teach you. For now-"

"Your highness!" Eliena look at the voice, who was waving.

"Who's that?" she asked Evin in a whisper.

"Tyler Mason," Evin replied. Eliena swore softly.

"Not now, Tyler! I have a battle to command." Eliena got back on Diamondflame. "Let's go." As the Riders and the Own rode to the gate, Diamondflame caught up with Wingstar.

"Tyler Mason? I haven't seen him in a while," Daine remarked when Eliena told her.

"Exactly. I'd rather not see him, thanks," Eliena said. Daine laughed. "Bow ready?"

"Of course," her friend replied. "And Numair's all set."

"Good. Don't use up too much of your Gift early, Numair, because I can't help you." Eliena took a deep breath and adjusted her sword belt at her waist. She touched her arrows in the quiver on her back. "I just hope that I'll be OK with my mail."

"You will be," Daine assured her. "You haven't been hit since we got here."

"Now would be an awful time to be," Eliena reminded the Wildmage. "With my parents and Leo coming, and all." Daine nodded.

"They're ready," Numair said. Eliena looked down and saw that her troops were set.

"Diamondflame?" The dragon flew forward, ahead of the galloping troops.

VVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVV

Four hours later, the Tortallans were leaving the battlefield. They'd been waiting for the Scanrans almost two hours, and the fight had lasted only two hours. It was a relatively short battle, and few Tortallan lives lost. More Scanrans lay on the field—Eliena directed Rikash (who followed the army with a small group of Stormwings) on exactly who they were allowed to eat. Many of the others who rode with her shuddered at the thought of their future queen being friendly with Stormwings, but were pleased that they listened to her—it kept them from eating the bodies of their countrymen and women.

Eliena and Daine were a long way behind the rest of the army, making sure all the Scanrans were gone. She saw a group of about ten people riding toward them. Eliena smiled—she knew from the amount of soldiers that it was her parents and Leo. Diamondflame went forward, altitude lowering as they neared the group.

But the dying Scanran archer who had made it unnoticed lifted his bow and aimed—landing a poisoned arrow in the princess's thigh—right on the big muscle.

"Eliena!" Jonathan, Alanna, Daine, Numair, and Leo cried as Eliena let out a scream of pain and started to tumble off Diamondflame. Violet, blue, and sparkling black fire shot to grab her and place her over the dragon's body like a sack of potatoes. Diamondflame flew back to the fortress, Eliena's family and friends at a flat gallop to get to her.

When they got back, she was carried to her room under the shroud of Numair's magic, so no one would see. She was placed on the bed, but even a moron could see she was barely breathing. Alanna, a powerful healer, pulled the arrow from her daughter's leg. Numair took it and inspected it with his Gift. He winced. "Poison." Jonathan sat by Eliena's head, stroking her hair.

"Eli…Eli…can you hear me sweetheart?" he murmured. Eliena turned her head and opened her violet eyes halfway.

"F-f-father?" she asked. "Is that—"

She never finished her sentence.

"No!" Alanna cried. She went to use her Gift, but her husband caught her.

"No, Alanna," he whispered. "Don't."

"You won't let me bring her back?" the queen asked incredulously.

"Maybe the gods will be merciful to her," the king replied. Numair and Daine exchanged a look. Leo came and sat on Eliena's other side, looking blankly upon the face of his now-dead love. His lower lip quivered and tears began to fall slowly from his hazel eyes. Leo squeezed his eyes shut, trying to stop the tears. Don't cry over her, he told himself firmly. Not yet. Not now. He opened his eyes and saw that the king's head was in his eyes, shoulders shaking. His uncle and king was sobbing. The Lioness hugged her husband's shoulder, her own violet eyes raining tears on his black hair. Leo's heart caught—her eyes were so like Eliena's.

"Leo…" Daine murmured. Leo looked at his friend—he never would've known her if not for Eliena. Daine and Leo embraced, crying for their lost friend. Numair engulfed them both in his long arms, crying himself. Everyone who mattered the most to Eliena was in the room when she died, just as she would've wanted it.

Author's Note- I came up with that…MINOR (LOL) twist the other day. The next few chapters are going to be VERY interesting…. REVIEW.