Travus caught his jaw mid-fall and closed his mouth, staring at her intently as he tried to maintain his composure.
His crown jewels did not cooperate, however.
Princess Mierna’s face was a mix of smugness and contempt as she slowly walked to the pool and down the steps, her feet disappearing into the water followed by her shapely calves and toned thighs. He was entranced by her swaying hips and the curves of her small waist, stopping at her full bosom right before they dipped under the water.
He wasnotpleased.
“Is the water level too high?” he asked.
“You’re simply too large.”
He cocked his head in agreement, knowing he was possibly the tallest Elf in the kingdom. He had his direct lineage of warriors to thank that allowed Eldoria to be founded on such harsh terrain.
But even the roughest of landscapes could be conquered with enough resolve, and he was surprised by Mierna’s. She waded through the lavender petals, her skin shimmering under the candlelight, much like the ripples of water with each movement of hers. He stared at her softening face that now held eyes of caution.
He felt the water shift around him as the princess settled into the pool, opposite him.
She really is rather beautiful, he thought to himself.
“Why did you accept this proposal, your majesty?” she said softly. “For all you know, this could be a ploy. I hope you’re not underestimating my intelligence.”
“You’re still at a greater risk, Princess.” His voice was a deep rumble from deep within his chest. “No matter your attempts, I still have the ability to return the offense two-fold.”
She narrowed her eyes at him and shook her head lightly. “Is this a game to you?”
“Child’s play,” he grinned lazily as he dared to splash water toward her. “I admire your tenacity, my lady. For your sake, I hope you survive your stay.”
“Have some respect, your majesty,” she scowled. “You take me too lightly.”
Mierna was seemingly beginning to show that she was not a defenseless and spoiled princess.
It was then that she gave a quick wave, and a wink and King Travus was put to sleep. She waded her way over to him and touched his face softly, to make a physical connection without him realizing what she was doing. She studied his chiseled jaw for a moment and thought how strong and handsome he actually was…when he wasn’t talking.
The princess finished her bath and left him alone as he lay on the side of the pool. Defenseless and oblivious.
Chapter 6
Had it been mere minutes? Many hours? Aria wasn’t sure, but she’d left him to the mercy of his servants who were struggling to drag him out of the bath when she walked out. Though she thought of helping, she reserved her energy for other matters.
Aria was too tired to make any sense of it all.
Travus was careful with his words, and she acknowledged it. It was actually quite sweet of him, but she had to remind herself he wasn’t all that thoughtful in other areas of life.
“Nothing he would do would surprise me at this point.” she muttered before reaching into the open luggage at the foot of her bed to pull out something to wear. Her hand bumped against something hard under the clothes, and she pulled out a jar with a firefly sleeping inside. A note was strung at the neck.
Whenever you need me.
~ Arthur
“This is probably the smartest thing he’s ever done,” she said to herself as she got dressed before the mirror. She took note of the small yet intricate mark under her arm before pulling on her tunic. What were once black lines, now shimmered with a hint of red.
Her plan had worked, and now she had a one-way extrasensory link to Travus that she could use to warn her of his presence even if he was invisible. Had they not fought in the Orc village that day, she wouldn’t have been aptly prepared for this mission.
Fully clothed, she threw open the window of her bedroom chamber to reveal nothing but an expanse of snow on a jagged slope. Eyeing the firefly, she wondered if it had the strength to traverse such terrain, but she held faith and popped the cork, softly calling out to the little insect within.
“Tell your master to meet me in town,” she whispered. It blinked with light and fluttered its wings until it was fully awake, then flew out of the jar. “Keep your light off. You can’t get caught here.”
Obediently, it darkened its bulb and took off with impressive speed. Watching it disappear, she finally left the bed chambers and walked around the castle quietly. It was dim and chilly, and her footsteps echoed ever so softly, against the tall walls.
