Page 38 of The Pastel Prince

My lover took a goodly time to ponder the offer as it was a slight deviation from our ways. One did not play with death. When it came, the body was anointed, wrapped, and taken to the celestial grove within a day of the passing. Finally, a full day after the offer had been made, he relented. Only, I felt, due to the summons to appear before Umeris and before we attended to any other druidic inanity. Those were the words on the final missive Nin delivered to us as we picked our way down the mountainside.

After that offer, the purge clerics split off from us. They made haste to Renedith while we rode to see Bissori home and check on my brother.

Once we were seated and had some soup before us, the tale of our adventure told, did I recall the missive from Umeris. Inanity. I was still bristled like a dog whose bone had been pilfered and began stalking about the small home of Agathe, my brother sitting at the table, filled with soup and bread, joining in with my tirade. Eldar was still in no shape to travel, but his distaste for the city elves’ ways was in prime condition. As was his eye for pretty young women. It seemed he had made a friend of a meek young miss who lived with her family just down the dirt lane. A poor lass with a kind smile, bright red hair, and ears as round as a river rock. Her name was Esther, and she raised chickens, then bartered the eggs with the other villagers.

Eldar was content to convalesce with Agathe and Bissori for another few weeks. I imagined his eagerness to linger in the tiny human village had more to do with the chicken tender and less to do with his mangled bones. Beirach and I vowed we would come for him when we returned to the Verboten, but he waved us off. Beirach spun a healing spell over him to hasten the knitting of the bones which Eldar thanked him for. We spent the night with Agathe and Bissori, too exhausted to do more than wash off in a basin, then fall into a sound sleep. Sadly, the steam hut was occupied that night by a swine tender and his wife, who were celebrating the anniversary of their wedding vows fifty-three seasons ago. My beloved and I had no wish to intrude on such a romantic evening for the human couple, so we snuggled instead. Soon we would have time to learn more about each other with leisure.

After leaving my brother and our friends behind, I wondered if Eldar and Esther would fall in love, wed, and live in the forest or stay here with her chickens and the rice patties. It would be the first time anyone in our family settled with a human. I spent much of my time on horseback sneaking glances at Beirach and wondering how our futures would intertwine. Hehad said he wished to be with me, but would that longing last a lifetime? Would my family fully accept him, given his mixed blood and his relationship to the man who had cursed them?

There was no way to know.

Only the goddess viewed the future, and she was not known to share that with anyone other than her chosen priestesses. Perhaps I could ask my mother to seek a divine answer when we visited them next. I’d gotten several ravens over our trek back to Renedith from my village. Most had recovered from the stone curse without incident. There was rumor that some that had been stricken with the curse via touch had not recovered, the curse seeping into their internal organs and petrifying them. The purge clerics had been confused over the secondary touch deaths as well. They planned to do studies. I did not ask what that meant, for I assumed it had to do with dissection of those who had fallen to the curse. Our goddess forbade cutting open the body or removing organs to place them in jars for later study. The dictates of our goddess said that the body must be whole when it is presented to her. As much as I did my best to adhere to Danubia and her teachings, I felt that medical studies should be encouraged. One could learn much from the examination of internal biology. Perhaps that was just one of many things that we could learn from the city elves as they learned from us. It was a dream I hoped would blossom when Aelir ruled the vills. I would certainly do my part to further a more robust exchange between woodland elves and urban elves.

It was as if thinking of Aelir Stillcloud called him forth from the ether. We had just ridden into the inner bailey, our steeds anxious to be curried, fed, and watered, when I heard my name being shouted. I had barely planted my dusty boots to the ground when a whirlwind of blond hair ran at me, arms cinching around my middle. We staggered back a step. Aelir’s face pressed into my grimy leather armor.

“You’re home, you’re finally home!” the lad cried openly into my chest. I wrapped him in a hug, uncaring that most of the castle staff watched the display. I should be bowing to the young heir, not cradling him to me as if he were a common elf, or worse, an elf with green skin. Tough tits as Tezen would want to say. Let the wrath of Umeris fall on me. I cared not. I had missed the boy terribly. Tears welled in my eyes as we held each other. “Grandfather said it was below me to worry over a servant, but I prayed to your goddess every night because I didn’t think our god would listen to prayers about a forest elf. I’m sorry. Please don’t tell anyone.”

I ran my hand over his long golden hair. “You know your secrets are safe with me.”

I pulled back to smile down at the boy as I placed my hands on his shoulders and then, since all eyes were on us, bowed my head in respect.

“Ugh, I hate that. Don’t bow. It’s stupid. When I’m in charge, I’m going to outlaw bowing. And dance lessons. Did you know that Grandfather brought in a dance tutor from the capital? Can you hex her into a toad?”

I laughed aloud at the boy, my sight touching on V’alor Silverfrond, grinning at me as he stood a respectful distance.

“My skills do not include hexing dance instructors into toads,” I told Aelir, releasing him so I could shake the hand of his bodyguard. “It is good to see you again, V’alor. I trust my charge has kept you on your toes in my absence?”

“He has. I did not realize how much of his energy you burned up during your nature walks. The blisters on my feet are much relieved to see you home once more. As am I.”

I nodded at the kind words from the handsome elf in bright copper armor. “My thanks, it is good to be home.” I heard the buzz of wings beside my ear and turned to peer at Tezen, flitting anxiously beside my head. My gaze moved to Beirach seated onhis gelding, the body of his son resting on the same travois we had moved Eldar on. The staff in the bailey were unsure of this massive man in black bark armor smiling down on them. He did not realize what a striking visage he made on horseback, his auburn hair ruffling in the wind.

“Hey, can you introduce us?” Tezen interjected into my admiration of my lover.

“Yes, my apologies. Lady Tezen Plumwax this is Aelir Stillcloud, heir to the vills of Renedith.” Tezen curtsied in midair, then darted up to hover in front of V’alor’s surprised face, pulling a giggle from Aelir. “And this is V’alor Silverfrond, royal protector of the heir of Renedith.”

“Gods be damned, you are a fine-looking man,” Tezen announced, then licked her sharp teeth lasciviously. “If you were smaller, or I were bigger, I would eat you up like a toasted sugar tart.”

“I, uhm…your ladyship, it is my pleasure,” V’alor croaked, bowed, and moved to Beirach, who had hit the ground with a soft thud and was now bowing courteously to young Aelir. I stepped over to stand beside Beirach and took his hand as he straightened.

“This is Elder Beirach Dreyath, archdruid in service of the goddess Danubia,” I announced, so all in the bailey, from maids to patrolling guards, could hear. “He and Lady Tezen aided in ending the stone curse among the druids, thus ensuring that the woodlands would sustain Melowynn for many generations to come.”

A small round of applause broke out, making Beirach blush and Tezen swoop high and low in the air to receive the accolades.

“We are most fortunate to have such mighty warriors visiting us,” V’alor said and turned to Aelir, who was now grasping my left hand. “Perhaps you would wish tosay something to the heroes who ended the life of a vile necromancer?”

I glanced at Beirach. What V’alor had said was true but hurtful to the father of said vile necromancer. The man who owned my heart merely smiled a little less strongly.

“Widow Poppy is making a huge feast in your honor! I told Grandfather that returning heroes always had feasts, and he said we could have one, but just this once as throwing a fete for those who don’t follow the ways of wisdom was not to be condoned. I think he just needs to eat more olives and eels to loosen his bowels. Surely that would make him less irritable. You always said eels freed the viscus.”

Beirach, Tezen, and V’alor chuckled. I blushed to the tips of my ears. “That is speaking only from my personal perspective. I’m sure the grand advisor has most congenial innards.”

“I don’t know,” Aelir said with a shrug. “He always looks like his guts are filled with flatulence. Come with me to the badger’s den! V’alor wouldn’t allow me to visit it while you were gone, and I’m sure she has had her cubs by now!”

“My grace, your grandfather wishes to see Kenton and his companions in the southern solarium. Perhaps they should do that then. After they rest and wash up, Kenton can be persuaded to take you to the den, provided the feast hasn’t begun yet.”

“Fine,” the lad huffed. “Let me take you to the solarium, but can you talk fast so we can see if Mother Badger is a mother yet?”

“We will speak as quickly as we can,” I assured the lad. Aelir then gave my hand a tug.

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