Fierce Heart (Elven Alliance Book 1)

by Tara Grayce

  She struggled to stand with her arms filled with several small jars of shampoo and conditioner. “Sorry this took so long. I’m ready to go when you are. Is this too much? I really don’t need all of it.”

  “I am a prince, and I spend very little on myself. I have more than enough.” Farrendel picked up the jar of lotion she had been considering, added it to the pile in her arms, and turned to Illyna and began talking in elvish.

  Essie stared down at the jar of lotion. He was being so generous. Yesterday, she’d wondered how much he was going to make an effort. He’d told her elves didn’t take things like marriage lightly, and they’d agreed to work on being friends. But today, he was acting almost like he was courting her, downright spoiling her with gifts.

  Did his gestures mean anything deeper? Or was this just what he considered part of his duty to take care of her properly since she was his wife?

  It was so hard to know. She’d never had a long-term relationship ever, much less with an elf with a different culture and cultural expectations.

  If only she had something to give him. Everything she had—her status as a princess, her allowance from the crown, her inheritance—only mattered in Escarland. Here, she had nothing of her own to buy him a gift, even if she knew of something he would like. All she had was kindness and her smile. They seemed to be more than enough for Farrendel.

  But was it enough? Should she be doing more? After all, she was a princess of the elves now. What was she expected to do besides sit around and be Farrendel’s wife?

  Farrendel was digging in his pouch again and pulling out more coins. Larger coins, and more of them than he’d paid for their breakfast that morning.

  Essie shouldn’t feel guilty he was spending so much on her. She was his wife. But she didn’t want to seem demanding. Or like she expected to be spoiled and given everything she could possibly desire.

  If only her mother was here. Essie would dearly love a healthy dose of marriage advice right about now.

  She drew in another deep breath of the competing, floral scents of the shop. Mother and Paige would love this shop. If Essie closed her eyes, she could imagine bringing Paige here on a visit.

  Essie froze, her mind whirling. Did she dare ask for him to spend more on her today? Was her idea even possible?

  But the more she thought about it, the more both the economics and politics of it formed in her mind...

  Farrendel touched her elbow. “I have a bag you can put that in if you would like.”

  “Oh, right. Of course.” Essie eased the jars into the canvas bag he held open for her. As she took it from him, she searched for a way to ask her question. “Do you think...can I order a shampoo and conditioner for my mother and my sister-in-law? If it’s possible to get it across the border. I can write to let them know it is coming, and they can let the border guards know not to dispose of it as a suspicious substance. I can write letters, and they will get through, won’t they? That was part of the treaty my brother and your brother signed, wasn’t it?”

  “Yes.” Farrendel was eyeing her almost warily, though she wasn’t sure if the wariness was because of her request or because she was still tense with the words building up inside her.

  Had he been saying yes to buying shampoo for her family? Or yes that Essie could write letters? “I know it must be expensive, but I think it will benefit both our kingdoms—well, actually, yours will benefit the most financially probably. Once the ladies of the court see the results of the elven shampoo and conditioner on my mother’s and Paige’s hair—assuming it works as well on humans as it does on elves—they will all clamor for their own. The trade potential for elven hair products—even generic, non-personalized ones—would be huge. And, once the ladies of Escarland depend on elves for their hair products, it would take a great deal before Escarland would go to war against Tarenhiel. The women would never let their men go to war against the source of their haircare products.”

  Both Farrendel and Illyna were staring at her. Farrendel slowly gestured at the shop around them. “You think we can secure lasting peace through shampoo?”

  “Yes, though I’m sure shampoo and conditioner will only be the beginning. Though I’d think you’d want to keep the trade limited to specialty items. It doesn’t seem in your nature to want to turn something like this into mass-produced, large-scale business like we have in Escarland. Nor would I want the charm of Estyra taken away with that.” Essie clamped her mouth shut. Perhaps this was a horrible idea and Farrendel was only waiting to get a word in edgewise to tell her so.

  “You could get trade with Escarland started? They would want something as simple as this?” Illyna held up a jar of shampoo.

  “Believe me. The ladies in Escarland will be scrambling for it. It just has to be brought to them in the right manner. And that is by having my mother and Paige start a trend. None of the ladies of the court want to be left out of the latest fashion trend.”

  It sounded so superficial, but apparently the elven court had similar dynamics since Illyna nodded with a knowing glint in her eyes.

  Farrendel nodded, and his eyes too got a gleam to them. He glanced from Essie to Illyna. “Send along a few smaller, sample jars as well.”

  He liked the idea. Essie grinned. “Yes, good idea. Mother and Paige can gift them to a few ladies. Once they see the results on their own hair, they will clamor for more. I’ll pick a scent for my mother and Paige and a few scents I think will do well in Escarland. My mother’s hair is similar to mine while Paige’s is thinner and finer. The samples can either be a generic batch or make it like the ones for me and my mother, whichever is easiest.”

  Illyna smiled. “It will be my best work.”

  By the time they returned up the lift to Farrendel’s room in the elven palace, orange rays from the setting sun were slanting through the broad foliage overhead. Essie’s face hurt from smiling, yet she couldn’t stop.

  After Illyna’s shop, they’d gone to a shop where Farrendel told her to pick out fabric for new dresses and three everyday tunics, shirts, and trousers. Then he’d shown her more of Estyra. She’d met more elves who had fought with Farrendel against the trolls or fought to rescue him. A few of the elves she met hadn’t been as welcoming, but most had. Perhaps the elves who had fought and been scarred had less against a human than the rest of the elves.

  Essie stepped from the lift and turned to Farrendel as he tied it in place. “Thank you so much for today and everything you bought for me. And for breakfast and lunch and...” She tried to put everything into words, but for once, the gush of words was failing her. Finally, she just said, “Thank you. It was amazing. I had a good time.”

  The words hardly seemed enough for the glow she was feeling inside. Was it possible to begin to fall in love with someone in a single day?

  Maybe it was. After all, if love was a choice as she’d been told, then how long did it take to make a choice? Only a moment, really. A series of moments as a person kept living out and making the choice again and again.

  Was Farrendel feeling a similar happiness? Hopefully he was, but she couldn’t be sure. After all, their handholding in town had been for show. She already missed the back of his hand pressed against hers, their fingers twined together.

  Farrendel joined her on the platform and held out his hand. He wasn’t smiling, and the look in his eyes was more wary than happy as he said, “I did too.”

  Essie smiled and held his hand again in the elven style that was becoming more comfortable after spending the whole day holding his hand like that. Maybe he was feeling some happiness or romance or something. Holding her hand now wasn’t for show for anyone.

  She tried to think of something to say. Was this the moment she was supposed to lean in, tip her face up, and hope he got the message and kissed her? What would it be like to be kissed by him?

  She was swaying closer to him, her breath catching in her throat. Was it too soon to be feeling such warmth and tenderness for him? She’d been married to him for
a total of two days. Well, two days since her elven marriage. Three days since she’d been married in a human ceremony.

  But she was married to him. It would be foolish to hold back and not let herself feel for him when she was already married to him.

  “Farrendel, I...” Her voice was a whisper as she gazed up at him. They were standing closer than they had been a moment ago, their breaths mingling in the scant space between them.

  A loud gurgling, rumble shattered the stillness of the evening air. Essie grimaced and eased back as her stomach let loose with another peal of roars and growls. “I must be hungry.”

  The noise Farrendel made was like a suppressed snort. She wouldn’t have even realized it was his stumbling, out-of-practice laughter except that he was also smiling. “I did not feed you enough today.”

  And now she was back to being the puppy he had to make sure he gave enough food and water. Essie suppressed her own snort.

  With their fingers still twined, Farrendel led her around the walkway surrounding his room and down the staircase to the main room.

  At the bottom of the stairs, Farrendel halted so quickly Essie stumbled against his back. She steadied herself with her grip on his hand. “What is it?”

  “Someone is inside.” Farrendel went so hard and stiff he was more stone than a living person. After a moment, he relaxed a fraction. “My brother.”

  Essie hadn’t even realized how much she had tensed until her stomach tightened further. For some reason, she was less terrified of some random attacker waiting for them than she was of his brother. Farrendel was Laesornysh. He presumably could handle an attacker or two.

  What was his brother doing here? It had to be important if he was waiting for them. How long had he been waiting? All day? Or had he come after being tipped off that they were wandering the town and something about that made him angry?

  Farrendel started forward again. Stalked would be a better word for it. He didn’t let go of her hand, and Essie took that as a good sign. Hopefully it meant they would be presenting a united front when facing his brother.

  After shoving the door open, Farrendel barked the word to turn the lights on, then said something in elvish that ended with King Weylind’s name.

  King Weylind unfolded himself from one of the cushions on the far side of the room. His face was blank, though as his eyes flicked down to their linked hands, his jaw tightened.

  Farrendel tugged her closer to his side. “What is it?”

  King Weylind glanced between them, then let out a breath that might have been a sigh for anyone less dignified. He said something in elvish, his tone low and somehow weighty.

  Farrendel stiffened again, but only for a moment, before everything in him seemed to sag. He drew in a breath and replied in elvish in a flat, emotionless voice.

  King Weylind said something, then headed for the door.

  As soon as he was gone, Farrendel took a step away from Essie, his hand sliding free from hers.

  Cold wrapped around those fingers and started up her arm, into her chest. What was going on? Moments ago she and Farrendel were smiling, and now it was as if the last two days hadn’t happened and he had returned to his silence and distance.

  She wasn’t going to let him retreat, especially when she didn’t even know what was going on. She gripped his arm. “What happened? What did he say?”

  When Farrendel turned toward her, his expression was the same blank one that had seemed so impenetrable. “Trolls have raided the border. The border guards have asked for my help to end the raids.”

  They’d called for their warrior. For Laesornysh to bring death swift and terrible to the raiding trolls.

  And he would have to go. It was his duty.

  Essie forced her breathing to remain calm, even as everything in her churned and tightened and twisted. Part of it was fear for herself. Nerves at being left alone in this foreign place.

  But most of the fear was for him. He could be hurt again. Gain another scar. Die inside a little more.

  She didn’t even know all his secrets or his past to know why this seemed to weigh on him. But it would. It did.

  She swallowed down the churn in her stomach. “When do you leave?”

  “Tonight.”

  In other words, immediately. She drew that reality in, then pushed it down into her core. The best thing she could do for him now was be strong. Show him that she wasn’t afraid to navigate her new life on her own and that she would be waiting here when he returned, however much or little that would mean to him.

  Essie lifted her chin as she faced him. “Don’t worry about me. I’ll be fine here. Just stay safe and come back to me, all right?”

  His silver-blue eyes studied her face, as if looking for any insincerity in those words. He wouldn’t find any. After a moment, he nodded and turned toward the stairs to his room.

  Essie let out a breath. That was it? No touching goodbye? Not even an unemotional, impassive farewell?

  At the door to his room, Farrendel paused, then half-turned around to face her. “If you want to write a quick note for your family, I will make sure it is sent before I leave.”

  He did care. Maybe they weren’t up to grand declarations yet, but for two days of marriage, they were doing fairly well, all things considered.

  With barely a sound, Farrendel headed for his room, the door giving only the faintest click as it closed behind him.

  How long would it take him to pack? Essie rushed for the cupboard where she’d seen paper and ink on her first day here. She would have to seriously limit her words to the essentials if she was going to get everything written that needed to be written by the time he returned.

  In the end, she settled for a quick note explaining that she was fine and Farrendel was treating her well and to expect a longer letter and a package of elven shampoo and conditioner soon.

  She was just sealing the letter with wax when Farrendel strode into the room. He was dressed in a dark green tunic over a black shirt, black pants, and knee-high, matte black boots. His swords were buckled across his back while vambraces were laced on his forearms. While he always moved with an easy, light grace, his steps had an extra menace to them. His face was hard as the stones of Winstead Palace.

  Essie eased to her feet, her chest tight. Her breathing was coming hard.

  She couldn’t be afraid of Farrendel, could she?

  No, maybe she wasn’t afraid of Farrendel. But he wasn’t Farrendel at the moment. He was Laesornysh.

  She drew her shoulders back, lifted her chin, and held out her letter. “I kept it short.”

  Farrendel took the letter, nodded without so much as a flicker of expression in his eyes, and strode past her.

  That was it? Yes, he had changed into Laesornysh from his clothes to his expression. But surely he could spare something for her.

  “Farrendel?” Essie held her breath. Would he turn around for her? Or was he so focused he wouldn’t so much as turn around?

  He paused, then glanced over his shoulder at her. His silver-blond hair was stark against his dark clothes.

  What did she want to say to him? She probably should have thought of what she wanted to say before she’d stopped him.

  “Stay safe.” Essie clasped her hands behind her back. “I thought you should know. I’ll miss you.”

  He met her gaze for only a heartbeat—but what a breathless heartbeat it was—before he turned and disappeared out the door.

  ESSIE WOKE to sunlight streaming through the eastern window of her room. She groaned and rolled over.

  It was so tempting to lie there for the whole morning and hide in these rooms all day. She didn’t want to face anyone here without Farrendel at her side.

  But she couldn’t be a coward. What had Jalissa told her on her first day here? Hold her chin high and never let them make her feel ashamed for being human.

  She would not be ashamed. She would face them. Today.

  In some ways, it might be easier without Farrendel. With
him at her side, they would hide their true thoughts behind fake smiles and false kindness. By herself, she would know the truth of the elven court.

  After rolling out of bed, Essie picked out the nicest of her tunics, shirts, and pants. If only she had one of the outfits from the fabrics she’d picked out the day before with Farrendel, but it would be a few days at least before the first of those arrived.

  Essie left her hair long, though she braided the sides in small braids to keep the hair from her face. It felt a little softer and sleeker than it had before. It should become even more so if the shampoo and conditioner Illyna was custom making for her did everything she said it would.

  Once she navigated the stairs to the main floor, she stood for a moment in the center of the main room. No food waited for her on the countertop like the first day. Farrendel wasn’t in his room where she could sneak up and gawk at him going through his morning workout.

  It was...lonely. Essie grimaced and headed for the ice chest that held the food. She wasn’t the type to enjoy alone time. Or loneliness. People, even slightly unfriendly elves who would probably spend all day gossiping behind her back, were better than staying here all by herself.

  Essie grabbed some cold meat and cheese and headed out the door. She would be finished with her breakfast by the time she found her way from Farrendel’s out of the way room to somewhere inhabited. Considering Essie had no idea how to even access the main hall.

  When she reached the narrow branch, Essie kept her eyes up and inched her way across. When she successfully arrived on the other side, her hands were shaking. But she made it.

  If she kept following the branches until they grew larger and larger, that should take her close to the heart of the tree and the palace’s hall.

  The closer she came to the main palace, the more the branches bustled with servants and those she assumed were courtiers of some kind. She tried to stay out of their way, and most either ignored her as if she didn’t exist or gave her a disgusted look complete with a slight curl to the lip.