by Marc Johnson
“Prastian,” she said, “how good it is to see you again.”
“Princess,” Prastian said. “It's good to see you too.” He bowed to her, and the other elves followed suit.
“I was just telling my father the other day how we've not seen any of our friends from Sharald in ages.” Krystal touched me lightly on the shoulder. “You may rise, Hellsfire. It’s good to see you again as well. I didn't know you were a friend of Sharald's.” I smiled up at her, pleased and surprised she recognized me.
I got to my feet and bowed, much more clumsily than the elves. “Your Highness.”
The king's angry expression melted into one of confusion. “Krystal? You know this man?”
“Yes, Your Majesty. He once saved my life.”
The king leaned forward. “Really? When was this?” I noticed that Premier seemed interested as well.
“Several years ago, when I traveled Northern Shala.”
King Furlong nodded and sighed. “Ah. I remember.” He looked at me. “So you’re the one who saved my precious daughter from those bandits?”
“Yes, Your Majesty,” I said.
“Then I’m in your debt.” The king forced a smile. It wasn’t exactly in appreciation. He still looked suspicious of me. He coughed again, gasping for air. When he recovered, he said, “I must leave you now. The guards will show you to your rooms. I will see you tonight at dinner.” Premier whispered in the king’s ear. “I will have to ask all of you to wait in your rooms until then.”
“Father, would you like me to accompany you back to your room?”
“No, Premier is here.”
Krystal turned to us. “I will show you to your rooms,” the princess said. “If you’d follow me.”
We were silent as we followed her from the room. It was not until we were halfway down the corridor that I ventured to speak.
“I’m glad to see you again, Your Highness,” I said as I walked alongside her, flanked by guards. I recognized Ardimus, from that day in the forest.
“And I you.” She smiled at me. “I see the years have been kind to you. You look well, Hellsfire.”
My eyes devoured her. She had grown taller and her body’s curves had deepened. “And so do you, Your Highness.” Ardimus flicked me a quick warning look. “I mean, you look better than when I last saw you. I mean—”
“I know what you mean, and I thank you.” Krystal's lips curled in a little smile. “I'm glad to see you came to Alexandria. I just wish it was under better circumstances.”
“What do you mean?”
“I—” The princess stopped herself, glancing quickly at the elves. “So what brings you here, Prastian and Hellsfire? I assume this isn't a social call.”
“No, Your Highness,” Prastian said. “We came because our king ordered us to. We're looking for elves who were sent here a few weeks ago. We've not heard of them since.”
Krystal looked surprised, then concerned. “You're the first elves I've seen in months.”
“Are you sure? They should have been here.”
Krystal's voice turned icy. “I'm positive, Prastian. I have no reason to lie to you.”
“Forgive me, Your Highness,” Prastian said.
She nodded. “Why would King Sharald send elves here?”
“He's worried about the Wasteland monsters,” Prastian said. “Increasing numbers of them have been getting through your patrols and wreaking havoc near Sharald. We’ve had to send parties out to kill the creatures. We needed to know if things in Alexandria were as bad as they appeared.”
Princess Krystal's face didn't change, but those of the guards around us did. Their faces hardened, and a few gave each other worried looks.
“As you can see, Alexandria still stands,” the princess said. “As long as the bloodline of Alexander exists, it will stand.”
“As you say, Princess.”
“But Princess, something's wrong,” I said. “Surely, you of all people could find out what it is.”
She stopped and measured me with that royal gaze of hers.
“Forgive me, Your Highness,” I said, bowing. “Could you please help us out, if you have the time?”
“I'll do what I can, Hellsfire.”
“Thank you.”
We reached our rooms. I was the last to enter mine.
“I’ll be back in a few hours to escort you to dinner,” the princess said. “You may want to rest. I know how tiring traveling can be. Though you may find a formal dinner even more tiring.”
“Where will you be?” I asked.
“I have duties to attend to.”
“What about the guards?” I glanced at one of the stoic guards from the corner of my eye.
“As father normally puts it, ‘the guards are here for your protection.’” Krystal smiled. “I’ll see you in a little while, hero.” For a brief moment, she melted my worries and hunger away.
But the moment didn’t last. I shut the door, then cracked my neck and shook my shoulders, trying to relieve myself of the stress that had built up over the day. I wished that I was visiting Alexandria under more normal conditions. I would have loved to see the city and talk with the princess.
There wasn't time for that now. We needed to find out what had happened to the elves and what was wrong within the city. Alexandria hadn't fallen yet, but it looked like it was getting ready to topple.
I took a look around. I couldn’t believe the size of my room. It was almost as big as my old longhouse in Sedah. The bed was big enough to hold three people, and the pillows were stuffed with feathers instead of hay. There was a large wooden dresser and three cushioned chairs. The bed’s covers were made of satin. The only downside was that the door couldn’t be barred from the inside.
I walked over to a window that overlooked part of the courtyard. It was full of servants, guards, handmaidens, and pages all going about their business. Across the courtyard, from the shadow of a darkened doorway, I thought I saw someone staring up at me. I blinked and rubbed my eyes, then took a closer look. Nothing was there.
I drew back. My lack of food might have made me see things that weren’t really there. Who would want to spy on me? Maybe Premier, or a concerned guard. Or maybe just a curious servant. I went to the bed and lay down. I had never slept on anything so soft. Maybe I would take a nap. I had a feeling it was going to be a long, tiring night.
----
I woke up when I heard a chain rattle. Footsteps crept across the stone floor. It was a servant with a candle and hot water, so that I could wash and change before dinner. I had just finished when Ardimus appeared at my door.
“I have come to take you to the dining hall.”
“Where’s the princess? I thought she said she’d come and get me.”
“Her Highness is busy.” His expression said I had a lot of nerve questioning anything the princess did.
“I can’t wait to eat!” Demay said when we were all in the hall. “I’m starving. I hope these humans can cook as well as us.”
“Demay, please,” Prastian said. “I’m sure the feast will be enough to fill our starving bellies. My younger brother meant no offense, Ardimus.”
“None taken,” Ardimus said. He turned to me. “Hellsfire, I never got the chance to properly thank you. I owe you what my people call a ‘debt of honor.’ I will not rest until I fulfill it, although my first duty will always be to the princess and the king.”
I opened my mouth to argue, but stopped. I knew it would be pointless to argue. My mother had once told me about debts of honor. They were unbreakable unless one person died or the debt was fulfilled. They were common among those from the Burning Sands, but many people had their own variations—those from places where honor and duty were paramount. I nodded to him and hoped that he wouldn’t need to fulfill his debt. If he did, then that meant I was in serious trouble.
When we entered the dining hall, I froze. It was filled with powerful, well-dressed people. Men wore gorgets with slight patterns along the bottom edges. T
he bright reds and oranges contrasted with the browns I was used to. The women wore slim and modest gowns. Necklines were high and white or black gloves covered their arms.
“We should be as sociable as we can,” Prastian said.
Behast grunted.
“Even you, Behast. We need to see if anyone here knows what happened to our people.”
“But the princess said she hasn't seen any elves,” I said. “And I believe her.”
“I know, Hellsfire. I believe her too. That doesn't mean that no one else knows anything. Someone must have seen something.”
“I'll do my best.”
“Good. Also, please try not to cause any more incidents.”
“Incidents?” I asked. “What do you mean?” Prastian had already left the group. He smiled and greeted some people he knew.
Demay went off to try and be like his brother, talking with nobles. He walked right up and complimented the women on their choice of dress. Behast went to talk to the one group of people he could—soldiers.
I stood there trying to figure out who to approach. As I scanned the room, I realized there was no one I could relate to. I wasn't a soldier, so I couldn't talk about weapons or fighting. I wasn't a noble, so I couldn't talk about ruling or ordering people around. I had the most in common with the servants, and they were too busy with their duties.
“You look like a statue,” Princess Krystal said, from over my shoulder.
I turned and bowed. “Your Highness.”
“Why are you standing here all by yourself?”
All the other people were engaged in conversation. They laughed and smiled at unfunny jokes or told battlefield stories. Some whispered lies I’m sure were far deadlier than any sword or magic. “I honestly didn't know who to talk to.”
“Are you enjoying yourself, at least?”
I gazed into her violet eyes. “I am now.”
She smiled. Although she was schooled in not showing her feelings, her color heightened faintly. It was not quite a blush, but it was close.
I grinned back, happy that I could bring such a lovely smile to her face. “I wish you could show me around Alexandria, Your Highness.”
“Me too.”
“You did promise me a tour all those years ago.”
“I wish I could give you one now, but I can't.”
I was going to ask her why, but I remembered what I was there for. “Did you find out any information about the other elves, Your Highness?”
The princess frowned and shook her head. “You're far too direct and honest. You would be terrible at politics.”
I hung my head, trying to conceal my embarrassment. I was going about this the wrong way. “Sorry.”
She threw her head back and laughed. “Don't be. It's refreshing.”
I bowed. “Glad I could be of service, Your Highness.”
“I'm sorry. I haven't found out anything about those other elves. Are you sure they came up here?”
I shrugged. “I'm not, but King Sharald is and so is Prastian. They set out to come here, and no word has been received that they went anywhere else.”
“Do you think something might have happened to them along the way? They might have been attacked by bandits.”
“Maybe.” My eyes widened. “Or maybe it was something worse? The Wasteland creatures.”
“Hellsfire, things—” Krystal stopped herself. She glanced around and lowered her voice. “Since you've been so honest with me and you've saved my life, I'm not going to lie to you. Things aren't as they seem.”
“What do you mean?”
“That's all I can say right now.”
There were far too many people around us. They didn’t seem to be paying attention to our conversation, but that didn’t mean they weren’t. “I understand. Thank you, Princess.”
The princess's violet eyes looked worried, and she lowered her voice even further. “Listen, there's something else I must tell you. I—”
The princess didn't get to finish her sentence. A footman announced that dinner was ready. Krystal hesitated, then moved off with dignity to take her seat. I raised an eyebrow. What could she tell me that was so important, if it didn't have to do with the missing elves? Prastian disturbed my thoughts by touching my elbow. He led me to the great, rectangular table. We were given seats close to the king and princess, as befitted a royal envoy.
When the servant came with the first course, I had to stop him. I told him I wanted to have what the elves ate. I no longer ate any meat because of my powers.
“Are you sure, sir?”
“Yes, please, and thank you.”
“As you wish.”
As I ate each vegetable-filled course, Prastian kept the king and others engaged in conversation. Instead of trying to find out more about the missing elves, he tried to find out more about Alexandria, so he could get a feel for how things were beyond what we had observed. However, people kept dodging the subject, no matter how subtle his questions or comments were. I was glad he kept the conversation going. I didn't want to talk, and the king's eyes kept straying towards me, making me nervous. Premier kept glancing at me too. His cold eyes held a hint of amusement.
People might have been starving in the city, but those in the castle had no problem getting food. Strangely, though, Premier didn’t seem to eat or drink anything. It was during my third course when the king turned his full attention to me.
“Hellsfire,” the king said.
I lifted my head from the delicious bean and onion soup. I swallowed and wiped the insides of my mouth with my tongue, tasting saffron. “Yes, Your Majesty?”
“I’d like you to explain something to me.” His words were innocuous, but his tone wasn’t. The room suddenly became very quiet.
I swallowed, even though I had no food in my mouth. “I hope I didn't do anything to offend you, Your Majesty.”
“Years ago, my daughter told me you saved her from bandits. When she told me her story, I found it difficult to believe. After all, she was young, and had just gone through an ordeal. It seemed impossible that someone so young and outnumbered rescued her singlehandedly. A few years later, I now find you, of all people, in my audience chamber—sent by King Sharald.
“For the past few hours, I've wondered why.” The king placed his hands under his chin in a thoughtful manner. “My daughter told me where you said you were from. It's nowhere of importance. Now, during dinner, you've not eaten any meat. Why is that? Is our food not pleasing to you?”
“The food's perfectly fine, Your Majesty. I don’t eat meat anymore.”
“Were you raised by elves?” Everyone chuckled at his joke, but I saw how serious his question was.
“No, Your Majesty,” I said. “I’ve lost my appetite for meat.”
The king looked hard at me for a moment. He weighed me like he must have weighed countless subjects, soldiers, and diplomats. “Are you a wizard?”
Everyone stared at me. I glanced at Krystal, and saw she tried not to look embarrassed. “Well, it’s kind of hard to explain, Sire. I’m actually a…” I thought about lying, even though I was never very good at it. Master Stradus had said not to say anything, fearful of what might happen. But when my eyes met Krystal’s clear, violet eyes, I knew I had to tell her the truth. If I lied to her father, even to protect myself, I would lose her trust. I didn’t want that. “I’m a…wizard-in-training, Sire.”
A gasp went around the table. Everyone appeared horrified, with the exception of the elves, some of the guards, and Krystal. And Premier. He simply looked curious.
“So you are a wizard,” King Furlong said, not paying attention to the “in training” part. “I don’t believe I’ve ever seen a wizard before. Do you know why?”
I shook my head. “No, Your Majesty,” I whispered.
“Because wizards have never been welcome in Alexandria. We built this city with our own hands, out of the ashes of what the wizards destroyed. We’ve fought Renak’s evil legacy for a thousand years, with nothing
but our swords and our honor.” His blue eyes narrowed and darkened. Luckily, they didn't focus on me. They settled on Prastian. “Why would King Sharald send a wizard to accompany you?”
“He thought it prudent, Your Majesty,” Prastian said.
“Prudent?”
“Yes. As in the days of old.”
The king had no response for that. Instead, he turned his gaze on me once more.
My hands heated up with inner fire. Premier watched me, like a cat watches a mouse. I began a breathing exercise—slow, rhythmic breaths. I wanted to close my eyes, but couldn’t, lest the king think I was ignoring him. The fire in my body began to dissipate.
“You will cause no trouble here, Wizard Hellsfire,” King Furlong said. “King Sharald has long been a trusted ally, and you have done my daughter great service in the past, so I will allow you to remain. But I will tolerate no magic. If you use your infernal power within these walls, I will have you imprisoned.”
“Father, please!” the princess murmured.
“Krystal, I am the king and will do as I see fit!” He slammed his hand on the table. Trays, plates, and cups jumped. So did the nobles. They looked startled, as if they weren’t used to the king behaving like this. Princess Krystal’s eyes darkened with worry. The king rose. “I will be in my chambers. Come, Premier. This dinner is over.”
The room remained silent while the king withdrew. Then everyone started talking at once. The princess leaned across the table to me. “It would be best if you went back to your rooms. He should feel better in the morning.” She left in the same direction the king had gone, with Ardimus following on her heels.
“We should do as the princess advised,” Prastian said, keeping his voice to a whisper.
We all got up and headed out of the hall. I felt people’s eyes on me and heard the whispers in my wake.
When we were well away from the dining hall, Prastian spoke, sounding worried. “I know the king,” he said. “I’ve never seen him chastise a guest in public that way.”
Master Stradus had told me that humans were distrustful towards wizards, but I had never thought anyone would imprison me because of what I was. King Furlong wasn’t himself. He was sickly and under the stress of what was happening to his kingdom. But still, no one but the princess had seemed to object to his threats. And without magic, the odds were stacked mighty high against me helping anyone here.
