Page 8 of War Bound

After another moment’s hesitation, Farrendel warily reached for Edmund’s hand.

Edmund gripped Farrendel’s hand before he had a chance to pull away and gave it a firm shake before letting go.

Farrendel quickly withdrew his hand. Behind his impassive mask, he had to be grimacing and struggling not to scrub his hand on his tunic.

Jalissa swept down the gangway to the jetty, resplendent in her burgundy dress, the silk rippling around her feet as she glided forward.

Edmund bowed. “Princess. Thank you for gracing us with your presence. With your help, I am sure our two kingdoms will be able to put aside our differences and build a lasting peace.”

Essie barely restrained herself from rolling her eyes. Edmund could be such a charmer when he wanted to be.

Jalissa stared at Edmund coldly, even as she made the elf mouth to forehead greeting gesture with one hand. “It is my hope we can halt another costly and fruitless war caused by Escarlish aggression.”

Essie tightened her grip on Farrendel’s hand. The last war had started twenty years ago when her father’s advisors convinced him to attack Tarenhiel. Now, the trolls were trying to make it look like Escarland was again the aggressor.

Instead of showing any offense, Edmund smiled brightly, as if the insult went right over his head. “As we have no aggression toward your people, this should be a simple matter to clear up. Now, the train is waiting to take us to Aldon.”

Essie stifled her yawn, more than ready to board. It had been a long day, even with her nap. After a night on the train, she would wake just before they reached Aldon.

She led the way past the Escarlish soldiers standing next to the train as the guard escort. Their hands straying to their muskets, the soldiers eyed Farrendel, Jalissa, and the guard.

Essie tightened her grip on Farrendel’s hand and worked to keep her smile in place. Hopefully seeing their princess holding hands with an elf and looking happy would reassure the soldiers.

Strolling past the caboose, the baggage car, the passenger car where the soldiers would ride, and the car with the staff and kitchen, they reached the two, luxury sitting and sleeping cars. After boarding the train, Edmund pointed to the largest of the three sleeping compartments in the car. “This one has been prepared for you, Your Highness.”

Jalissa nodded, glanced at Farrendel, then stepped inside, followed by her guard. The stoic female elf guard closed the door firmly behind her. Staying up and talking late into the night wasn’t the elves’ cup of tea.

That left Edmund, Essie, and Farrendel standing in front of the remaining two sleeping compartments.

The train jerked forward, the wheels grinding against the iron tracks. Farrendel winced at the screeching, tipping his head as if to minimize the noise.

After the quiet of the elves’ forest and magically powered train and boat, the coal-powered steam engine would be achingly loud to Farrendel. And, for all Essie knew, elves probably had better hearing than humans. It wouldn’t surprise her, at this point.

“I was sleeping in this compartment, but if you both need a compartment, there is room in the crew’s bunks where I can sleep.” Edmund glanced between Essie and Farrendel, his gaze evaluating.

Essie breathed out a sigh. This was going to get embarrassing. There wasn’t a delicate way to go about telling her brother that, no, she didn’t mind sharing a room with her husband. It was something that would normally be assumed, but their situation wasn’t exactly normal. And, really, if it was set up like a normal train car compartment, it had bunks built into the sides. “We’ll take the other compartment.”

Edmund gave a short nod. “Very well. I was probably going to stay up for a while longer in the sitting and dining car, but feel free to retire. I know it has been a long day.”

Longer than he knew. Elves were early risers, and thanks to Farrendel’s nightmares, they had risen even earlier than most elves.

But Essie caught the note in her brother’s voice. He wanted to talk, if she had a moment.

She gave him a slight nod, then gave Farrendel a nudge toward the compartment. As soon as the door shut behind them, Farrendel’s shoulders sagged, even as he swayed with the movement of the train.

The compartment was tight, barely big enough for their travel bags to sit on a bench and two bunks to fill the far wall. After the night and day they’d had, Essie ached to curl up in a bunk and fall asleep.

“You’re tired, aren’t you?” Essie rested a hand on his arm. Farrendel was probably even more tired than she was. He usually went to bed earlier than this.

He nodded and flinched as the train’s whistle pierced the evening.

“Would you mind if I stayed up a little longer to talk to Edmund?” Essie didn’t want to just abandon Farrendel here, especially after the nights of nightmares he’d been suffering. “Do you need me here for the nightmares? Sorry it is so loud. You’re probably going to have trouble sleeping, aren’t you?”

She forced herself to stop asking questions long enough for him to actually answer. It was a bad habit of hers, talking too much.

“Yes.” Farrendel pulled something out of a pocket. It looked like two pieces of moss. “Spend time with your brother. I will be fine.”

He stuffed the pieces of moss into his ears, surveyed the two bunks, then swung into the top one with a swift, easy movement.

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