Page 1 of The Night Prince 3
The Journey Begins
“Look! Finley and Rhalyf are there!” Aquilan pointed to the man and the elf who had just emerged from the trees. They had their heads close together and looked to be in deep conversation. “It seems they found one another already.”
“Well! They look quite cozy,” Elasha said with a trace of surprise in her voice. “I wonder what Rhalyf sees in such a…” She quickly bit off whatever she was going to say and amended it to, “such a young man.”
“Finley’s intelligence,” Declan responded tersely. “I’m betting Rhalyf’s met his match there.”
Elasha blinked, but to Aquilan’s relief, said, “Yes, you’re quite right. Rhalyf does admire intelligent people very much. It’s just that elves are not quick to befriend anyone. Not in mortal timeframes anyways.”
“Rhalyf has always made instant decisions as to whether he likes someone or not,” Aquilan pointed out. “He and I became friends almost as fast.”
Elasha wisely said nothing and kept her expression studiously blank. People–especially his family–had remarked upon the quickness of their friendship, assuming that Rhalyf had ingratiated himself because Aquilan was the king. The nobles had guessed all sorts of ill intent–not the least of which was social climbing–on Rhalyf’s part in seeking him out.
But they were wrong.
Aquilan had no doubt that being friends with the king had played some role in Rhalyf originally pursuing the friendship. But Rhalyf had never treated him as a king, but as a person first. He’d had to impress Rhalyf to accept him. Later, Rhalyf had admitted that he’d played it cool so that Aquilan would pursue him back.
“Only after getting to know you a little did I realize how out of my league you were!” Rhalyf had laughed as he had quaffed wine and threw a friendly arm over Aquilan’s shoulders.
“Being Sun King didn’t alert you to that?” Aquilan asked dryly.
“I couldn’t care a whit about you being Sun King! It doesn’t mean that you have merit. I mean… Yes, it has its privileges to be friends with a king. But I assure you that I would not want to be friends with you simply because of that. I would be friendly, if you understand my meaning. But friends? No. At your back loyal as the day is short and the night is long? No. You earned that, Aquilan, all on your own,” Rhalyf answered. His cheeks were stained with the warmth of wine. Quickly, as if he’d realized he’d spoken a little too openly. “Not that I am worth all that much–”
“But you are,” Aquilan had replied softly. “I do believe you are worth all that, Rhalyf.”
And Aquilan had never regretted their friendship. Rhalyf was closer to him than… well, than a brother. Rhalyf was what he’d always dreamed of a brother being. But perhaps that was unfair to Vesslan.
Vesslan was a lot older than Aquilan. Aquilan had been an unexpected child of their parents. Second children for the Aravae were rare, especially for elves as old as they had been. So when he’d come, it had been a celebration.
And since he was the younger of the two, he’d had less responsibility. Some would say he’d had no responsibility except what he’d chosen to take on. And some would say that he’d chosen to take on little.
Vesslan had already been an adult when he was but a babe. So for him to be chosen by the Sun to be king… What a blow that must have been to Vesslan on so many levels! The brother who never should have been. The brother who was doted upon. The brother who never was pressured to be anything, but a beloved child.
No wonder Vesslan resents me. Aquilan frowned. Who wouldn’t? I am too unforgiving of his flaws. For I have so many myself. He would not even have me be put out to check on his son’s safety like I am doing now. I must be a better brother.
He shook himself from these maudlin thoughts. He should be grateful for the closeness he did have with Vesslan and with Rhalyf, too. Maybe circumstances had soured whatever could have been between him and Vesslan on some level, or maybe simply their personalities had always split them apart, but he’d been inordinately lucky in others he’d found to plug those gaps. Blessed, really.
“Looks like Snaglak brought Helgrom,” Declan nodded towards the others converging on their friends. Helgrom had been hidden from view behind the big orc’s body as he trotted behind him and Glom on his pony, who was called Hammer and Tongs or just HT for short.
Aquilan’s heart leaped at Declan’s voice. The young man had barely spoken since he’d requested Neremyn–in perfect Katyr, he’d noted–to help him. His seat on the horse had been so good that Elasha had commented upon it as they’d ridden here.
“You spend a lot of time in the saddle, Declan?” she’d asked.
“No,” Declan had answered succinctly, deep in his thoughts.
“You ride like you’ve been born in the saddle,” Aquilan remarked.
“I’ve never ridden before,” Declan said.
Both elves had exchanged a glance. He could see that Elasha was as stunned as he was. Declan’s head turned slightly, catching their surprised glances.
Declan had mumbled, “It is Neremyn. She is doing all the work.”
Neremyn tossed her head happily as if to confirm the compliment. In fact, as they kicked their steeds into a faster pace so that they would meet with Finley and Rhalyf at the same time that Helgrom and Snaglak did, Aquilan noticed that Declan wasn’t using the reins to guide Neremyn at all. Perhaps he was using his legs, but Aquilan had this feeling that the mare simply was in sync with Declan so much that she knew where he wanted to go. It was much the same with him and Erendriel and Rhalyf and Silveril.
How foolish of me to think of it just as an elf trait! I cannot wait to learn more about humans… more about my Shadow…
Snaglak happily greeted Declan as they all reached Rhalyf and Finley, “Trodlod so mad, Declan! You big-time him! He come on hands and knees to get me!”
