“What? You didn’t kiss him?” Marissa shouted in disbelief. “For Atara’s sake, why not?”

            “Rissa, quiet down. The whole city will hear you!” Eva said in a strained whisper. Glancing up and down the street, she checked to see if anyone was around to overhear. Fortunately, it was still too early in the day for people to be out and about, and most of the homes still had the shutters drawn.

            “Sorry,” she replied in a much lower voice, “but how could you pass up such a perfect opportunity? He was practically begging you to kiss him.”

            “I don’t know! I was nervous, and after that noise startled me, the moment was mostly ruined. I’ve been kicking myself for it ever since. That’s why I haven’t slept the past two nights and decided to rise before any other sensible person to find you. I couldn’t wait until next week when we’re both off duty to talk about it.”

            “Well, I’m glad you managed to find me before the shift change, and I’m sorry I shouted. You have to understand my frustration, though. I mean, you went through your Trial with barely a flinch, but when a silly log shifts in the fireplace, you lose all semblance of composure. How does that make sense?”

            “I know,” Eva said with a frustrated sigh. Rubbing her upper arm, Eva cast her gaze to the uneven stone street and tried to figure out a way to explain. “Fighting is different, though. In a battle, I can fairly well predict what my opponent is going to do, but with this…,” she spread her hands in a helpless gesture before meeting her friend’s eyes, “this is a whole new kind of fear. How do I know what to do, or what to expect?”

            Marissa moved to stand beside Eva and placed her hand on the other’s back sympathetically. “I don’t think I can answer that, Evie. I believe, though, that when the time comes you’ll know what to do.”

            Cocking her head to one side and drawing one eyebrow down skeptically, Eva asked, “Is that the best advice you have for me?”

            “What?” Marissa cried in protest. “It’s what Mother told me once. I thought it sounded pretty wise.”

            “Hmm. Well, I believe you were mistaken.”

            “Is that so?” Marissa removed her hand from her friend’s back to plant her fists on her hips haughtily. “Have you anything better?”

            “No, I suppose not,” Eva admitted with a chuckle.

            “Then don’t criticize me. At least I tried.”

            “True.”

            After a moment, Marissa’s ire softened, and she allowed her arms fo fall to her sides. “I still think you should’ve kissed him.”

            Eva threw back her head and laughed, allowing all of her pent-up frustrations over her behavior two nights ago to roll off of her like water off a duck's back. Marissa soon got caught up in the amusement and found herself laughing along with her. Before Eva could compose herself enough to formulate a proper response, though, a male voice interrupted their moment of mirth.

            “She should’ve kissed who?”

            Instantly sobering, the two girls looked up to see William striding towards them. Eva lowered her head as her cheeks flamed red, but when Marissa saw her embarrassment, she lifted her chin and smirked in mischief before answering her brother’s question without hesitation.

            “Caden.”

            William stopped dead in his tracks and drew back as if she had just announced she bore the plague. “Him?” he asked, switching his gaze to Eva with his lip curled in disdain. “You were going to kiss him?”

            Eva opened her mouth to reply, but Marissa beat her to it. “She would have, too, if they hadn’t been interrupted.”

            A slow burning started to build in his gut, and he could feel his face begin to heat as he ran his sister’s words through his mind again. Before he even knew what he was doing, words began to burst from him at a rapid pace, fueled by the fire growing within him. “Have you lost all form of common sense?” he shouted with clenched fists. “You have known that man all of three weeks, and already you’re throwing yourself at him?”

            Stiffening until her back was ramrod straight, Eva narrowed her eyes and held his with an icy furry. “I beg your pardon, but I have not thrown myself at anyone. It was a kiss, for Atara’s sake, and not even one at that. You speak as if I were nigh to ruining my virtue.”

            “You very well could have been,” he fired back, taking a step closer. “You barely know him. What if he had seen that kiss as a sign of your willingness to present him with much more than just your lips?”

            “What?” she cried in appalled disbelief, nostrils flaring in outrage. “How dare you even think that about him let alone speak it aloud! I may not have known him very long, but I have learned enough about him in the time I’ve spent with him to know he would never even consider taking advantage of me, or any other woman for that matter.”

            “You’re fooling yourself if you think you can know anything about a person after only a few meetings. It takes years of living and training beside them to even begin to understand a person’s true nature. Your affections would be better spent on someone you genuinely know inside and out, someone you have grown up with.”

            “By the Creator, William,” Marissa exclaimed while crossing her arms over her chest, “it sounds as though you’re trying to convince her to fall for you instead!”

            Anything Eva was working up to retort suddenly deserted her completely at Marissa’s words. With mouth agape, she swiveled her head around toward her friend in a rush.

            “W-what?” William stammered. “Don’t be ridiculous, Rissa.”

            “No, she’s right,” Eva said after finding her voice. Slowly turning her gaze back to him, she tilted her head to the side to study him. “That’s exactly what it sounded like.”

            Backing up a couple steps, William seemed to pale as he haltingly tried to defend himself. “No, I meant… I was only giving an example. I didn’t mean to say I was a better choice.”

            “If I didn’t know any better,” Marissa began half jokingly, “I’d be inclined to think you had feelings for Eva. It would certainly explain your recent behavior.”

            Eva’s eyes grew wide, feeling as though they would soon dislodge from their sockets. Taking a step away from the others, she flicked her attention back and forth between the brother and sister, finally settling on the statue-like brother. After a long moment of stunned silence, William again began to show signs of life as some new emotion began to replace the shock. His hands started to visibly shake as they clenched and unclenched, and his whole head became a deep shade of red from the neck up. For a moment, Eva began to think he was going to explode, and after a moment, he did.

            “You shouldn’t speak of things you know nothing about, Mari! Creator knows why I should be cursed with such a nosy, large-mouthed sister. I’ve had enough of it. I’ll not endure one more day of your pestering and false accusations.”

            Marissa’s arms fell limply to her sides from their crossed position. “William, what are you saying? I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to offend—”

            “Save it. It’s high time I move out on my own anyway. I’ll speak with the Commander after our shift ends to request a bunk in the barracks. And you,” he said, pointing a finger in Eva’s direction, “remember what I said. You’d be wise to forget that man.”

            The two victims of his tirade watched speechless as he then spun on his heel and marched away. Both women wore similar expressions as they stood slack-jawed and wide-eyed with hands hanging lifelessly at their sides. A slight difference could be seen in their eyes, however.

          As windows to the soul, Eva’s blue-green orbs revealed only surprise and confusion, but when she at last turned her head to meet those of her friend, she found her deep green ones to be swimming in hurt and turmoil.

            Not knowing what to say, Eva simply closed the distance between them and wrapped her arms around her best friend, offering her silent support to help ease her pain.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

            The young warrior walked through the palace gates later that morning with a mind heavy with unanswered questions as she replayed the early morning scene over and over in her head, but no matter how many times she reviewed the events, she still couldn’t make sense of William’s actions. What really bothered her was a nagging feeling at the edge of her consciousness that told her the answer was there; she just hadn’t found it yet.

            It’s just that I have never heard him speak to Rissa in such a manner, she thought to herself for the hundredth time. What could drive him to do such a thing? Surely she wasn't correct in her guess about his feelings towards me... right?

            She was likely to be able to spend many hours pondering that question and others like it. However, when she swung the door open to the workers’ entrance of the palace, all her previous worries evaporated like steam as she took in the beehive of activity before her. Servants dashed here and there throughout the hall, carrying linens and blankets, decorations and ribbon, and jars and baskets of all kinds to Creator knew where. In between them, messengers and Palace Guards dipped and bobbed to their own destinations with equal amount of urgency.

          As one maiden passed near, Eva stuck out a hand and caught her by the arm. “What’s happened? Why is everyone in such a tizzy?”

          The girl of barely fifteen summers paused only a moment to answer. “It’s the queen. She started labor pains early this morning. We’re all trying to prepare for the birth celebration when the new prince or princess comes.”

          Before Eva could ask anything further, the young girl slipped out of her grasp and scurried on her way. Her words, though, rang in Eva’s ears like a call to arms. Many thoughts tumbled through her mind in that instant, but only one stood out: I have to find Nadia!

          Joining the mass of frenzied workers, she weaved her way through as fast as she could. When she reached the steps that led up to the Royal family’s chambers in the eastern tower, she found them to be even more crowded than the halls as people took items up for the birthing and carried soiled things back down. The stairwell was only big enough for two men to pass side-by-side; so, there was a bit of bumping and jostling as Eva passed by people carrying loads of various supplies. Flattening herself against the inside wall as best she could to stay out of the way, she pressed on and continued to climb.

          After several long, uncomfortable minutes, Eva at last reached the landing that housed Nadia’s chambers. She quickly greeted the other guards in the hallway, both the Palace Guards and the princess’s Royal Guards, and then rapped on the door.

          “Enter,” a soft voice called without delay.

          Slipping into the bedroom and closing the door behind her, Eva offered her young charge a warm smile. “Good morning, Nadia,” she said while eying the girl’s appearance. She was still clothed in her nightgown from the night before and her hair was uncombed, lending her a wild, disheveled look.

          “Eva!” the princess exclaimed excitedly before rushing over and capturing her in a fierce embrace. “No one will tell me anything about what’s happening,” she complained, releasing her guardian. “All anyone will say is that the baby is coming soon.”

          “It’s true,” Eva confirmed. “The queen’s labor pains have begun, and by the end of today, you will be an older sister.”

          “Yes, but why is everyone rushing about so? Is Mother doing well? Will I still be able to have lunch with her?”

            “Everyone is hurrying to get everything ready for when the new baby arrives. There will be a large celebration for the new prince or princess just like there was when you arrived. As for your lunch plans, I think you’ll have to make do with me. Even if your mother does deliver the baby before noon, she will be too tired to eat. Having a baby takes a lot of work.”

          “I suppose that makes sense,” Nadia admitted with a melancholy sigh while twirling a strand of hair. “Did they really have a party for me when I was born?”

          “Yes, they did,” Eva answered before running her hand through the young girl’s tangled locks. “I was thirteen when you were born. I remember hearing the trumpets blare signaling your birth and everyone smiling and dancing in the streets. Dignitaries came from the west from the dwarven kingdom of 'Abad Zabadogim and from the south from the elvish kingdom of Arnad Na Aear to show their respect to the newborn princess. Even King Oberon and Queen Tana, the rulers of the faeries, came to honor you.”

          “Really?” Nadia asked with eyes wide. “I don’t remember any of that.”

          “Well, of course you don’t, silly. You were too little.”

          “Oh. Will all of those people come this time?”

          “It is highly likely that they will, which is why you need to get dressed and ready yourself for the day. You don’t want to greet dignitaries dressed like this,” Eva gestured to the young girl’s current attire.

          “I suppose you're right. Would you help me dress? Tristan is usually here by now to help me, but she must be busy this morning.”

          “No doubt she is. I would be glad to assist you, though.” Stepping over to the wardrobe, Eva swung open the doors to an impressive display of gowns of all sorts of colors and materials, designed for all sorts of occasions. “Which one would you prefer?” she asked with a hint of wariness at the sheer number of dresses before her.

          The princess called out her answer from behind the dressing screen. “The royal blue one with white satin trim. It matches the colors of our crest.”

          Finding the requested dress, Eva carefully removed it from the wardrobe and carried it to the princess behind the screen. “So it does. I believe you made a wise choice.”

          “Thank you,” Nadia replied automatically while Eva helped slip the dress over the younger girl's head.

          “Turn around and I'll button up the back.”

          “Could you do my hair too?” the princess asked after Eva was finished.

          “Of course.”

          Smiling happily, Nadia skipped over to her vanity and plopped down on the padded seat facing the mirror.  When she caught sight of the rat's nest her hair had become during the night, she let out a giggle. “I could probably scare the wits out of somebody with this hairdo.”

          “It is a mess,” Eva agreed with a chuckle. “I should be able to get it straightened out, though.”

          “Just... be easy. Sometimes the tangles hurt when they pull,” Nadia explained with a slight pout, for once looking her age of only seven years.

          “I will do my very best.” Eva smiled affectionately at her young charge's reflection in the mirror before scooping up the brush and setting to work.

          A few minutes later, Eva had brushed all the catches and tangles from the princess's soft tresses and had wound half of her hair up into a loose bun at the crown of her head. The rest of the curling locks had been left to fall lightly around her shoulders. Only twice had she caused the young girl to wince in pain; so, she felt she could call the endeavor a success. Just as Eva opened her mouth to comment on how lovely the princess looked, a light knocking sounded at the door.

          “Enter,” Nadia called.

          At her permission, the door opened and Tristan, her lady-in-waiting, let herself into the room. “Good morning, your highness,” she greeted with a curtsy. “I apologize for my tardiness. I was needed elsewhere for a while, but I see you've managed quite well without me.”

          “Yes, with Eva's help, I have, and it's fine. I understand this has become a busy morning for everyone.”

          “Very good, miss,” Tristan replied with a thankful bow of her head. “The king asked that this message be brought to you.” Pulling a sealed envelop from her apron pocket, Tristan stepped forward to hand the note to the princess.

          Nadia eagerly tore open the seal and removed the message from its sleeve with anxious abandon. Her eyes rapidly roamed over the brief words within, and she let out a cry of delight when she reached the end. “I don't have lessons today! Father says he wants me to enjoy the day and not have to worry about studying. I'm free to do as I please until the baby is born.”

          “That's great!” Eva exclaimed enthusiastically. “What would you like to do, then?”

          The animated princess's smile of delight fell into a frown of concentration as she considered Eva's question carefully. “Hmmm...,” she pondered aloud. Within the next breath, however, her brow rose as an idea sprang to her mind. Her eyes shone with excitement at the thought but then faded a little in hesitation. “Well, there is something I've always wanted to see, but I'd understand if you'd rather not do it.”

          “I'm sure I wouldn't mind. What were you thinking?”

          “See, I've never been allowed to go to the Trials, and even though I've read about it and heard about it, I've never seen it. I really want to, though—“

          “Wait, are you saying you want to go to the Trials? Those have already passed, dear. Besides, I would never go against the king and queen's wishes and take you where they have forbidden.”

          “No, that's not it. I want to see a merging,” Nadia explained quickly, “and elemental combat. I want to watch you Warriors in action.”

          “Oh,” was all Eva could think to say.

          “Please, Eva? I don't have to see any sword fights or anything. That's the part my parents don't want me to see. I just want to watch a Warrior wield his magic.”

          After chewing her lower lip and thinking it over a moment, Eva finally reached a decision. “Wait right here,” she told the princess before striding across the room and out the door.

          Nadia waited in the silence, more than a little curious what Eva was up to, while Tristan occupied herself by making up the bed, straightening things around the room, and gathering up the breakfast dishes. Eventually, the door reopened and Eva once again stood before the petite princess with a satisfied smile gracing her features.

          “It's settled then.”

          “What? You'll do it? You'll take me to see a merging?”

          Eva nodded. “Allister agreed with the plan. We'll head over to the Warrior training grounds as soon as you’re ready. I'm sure Master Brogan won't mind an unexpected visit from his future queen.”

          “Yes!” Nadia squealed while jumping up and down with her hands clenched to her chest. “Oh, Eva, you're the best!” Launching herself forward, she wrapped her arms around her guardian and squeezed with all she had. “I'm ready now. We can leave right away.”

          “Won't you need some shoes,” Eva asked with one eyebrow cocked upward.

          “Oh, those might come in handy,” the princess admitted sheepishly. Dashing across the room, she yanked a pair of black, ankle-cut boots out of the back of the wardrobe and pulled them on as fast as her small hands would allow. She fumbled a bit with the laces but eventually managed to get them secured and then pushed herself back to an upright position. “Okay. Now I'm ready.”

          Letting out a light chuckle, Eva lifted up on the latch and swung the door wide. “After you, then, Your Highness.”

          Nadia stuck out the tip of her tongue as she passed through the opening. “You know better than to call me that.”

          “Aye, but it's fun sometimes just to see the look of consternation it causes.”

          Shaking her head reproachfully, the little princess began marching down the hall as the rest of her guard fell in around her. Eva allowed a genuine laugh to escape her lips as she pulled the door closed and then trotted after them. After catching up with the rest, Eva and company strode through the busy corridors with ease. Anyone who came across their path quickly scurried to the side and out of the way when they saw the princess's troop coming. For that reason, they made good time to the walkway that had been built over the congested road that ran between the Warrior training area and the palace. A similar walkway had been built to bridge the space between the palace and the cathedral. Such overpasses allowed for quicker travel for the Royal family without having to press through the crowded streets or worry about the inconveniences of the weather.

          Once they arrived in the Warrior training compound, Allister lead the way confidently through the numerous stone passages and halls to the center of the structure. The large, rough-hewn stone blocks that made up the walls and floors and ceiling of the corridors would have seemed dreary and monotonous to an outsider, but to Eva and the rest of the Warriors, these hallways held many fond memories that cast the place in a different light. For most, this place was as much a part of their lives as their own homes, and for some, this was home. Years of roaming these halls and dashing from one lesson to the next would forever ensure this structure held a special place in every young man and young woman's heart and maintained a feeling of camaraderie between the Warriors that would not be forgotten for years to come. Even now as they passed through, Eva caught some of the other guards exchanging knowing smiles and mischievous smirks between themselves at some remembered event or shared memory their surroundings resurfaced. At one corner they turned, a distinct charred area on the wall caught Eva's attention and brought a smile to her lips.

          “What are you smiling at?” Nadia asked, breaking into Eva's musings.

          “Hmm? Oh, I was just remembering something.”

          “Such as...?”

          “Well, there was a charred place on the wall back there, and I was just remembering how it got there.”

          The little princess raised an eyebrow and looked up at her expectantly as they continued through the halls, waiting for her to explain.

          “You see, my friend Marissa and I are the same age, and so we came through our Warrior training at the same time. One day, I was teasing her for accidentally singeing her hair during elemental practice, and I suppose I kept at it a little too long and pushed her a little too far. Before I realized what she was doing, she turned around and launched a ball of fire at my head. I guess she was trying to singe my hair too so we'd look alike, but whatever her reasoning, I had to scramble out of the way and duck around the corner. I moved just in time, causing the fireball to miss me and crash into the wall instead. Now, there's a scorched area there that, apparently, will remain forever.”

          By the time Eva finished her story, everyone in the group was chuckling in amusement, and even the princess was covering her mouth to quiet her laughter. “I can't see you teasing someone so much that they'd try to kill you!” Nadia said after she'd finished laughing.

          “Let's just say Rissa has a short fuse, a fact I have learned well over the years. And she wasn't really trying to kill me. She was just... making a point.”

          “Is she a red-head?” Keaton asked jokingly from behind them.

          “No, actually she's a blond. A short, spunky blond,” Eva informed him.

          “Ah, that might be worse,” he replied with a snort.

          The group shared another chuckle as they at last passed through a doorway on the south side of the structure and broke free of the shadowy halls into the bright light of day. Before them stretched a large, open training yard filled with around fifty Junior Warriors, all engaged in various exercises and instruction. The field they now found themselves in reached all the way to the city walls on the both the eastern and southern sides. The Warrior barracks were situated on the western side of the field and served as a barrier between the training ground and the rest of the city.

          Not wishing to intrude or interrupt, the eight of them waited on the edge of the field until Master Brogan caught sight of them. Squinting in the sunlight, Brogan quickly strode to their position with determination and confidence. “Allister!” he exclaimed happily as he neared. “It's good to see you, old friend. How has life been treating you lately?”

          “Very well, I'm pleased to say,” Allister responded as he clasped forearms with the head trainer. “How about you?”

          “Oh, 'bout the same. 'Bout the same. I can't complain too much. But what brings you out here today? Have you come to test your mettle against some of the younger bloods?”

          “Hahaha, no I'm afraid not.” Stepping to the side, he gestured to the petite lady who, up until now, had been hidden from sight. “Actually, her majesty the princess requested a visit to your fine facility.”

          “Oh, I beg your pardon, Your Highness,” Brogan apologized with a fist to his heart and a bow. “I did not realize I was in the presence of such a lovely lady. How may I be of service to you this beautiful day?”

          “It's quite alright,” Nadia said kindly. “I asked to come so that I could watch the Warriors in their training. I've always wanted to see a merging and also observe an elemental battle. I'm learning to manipulate the elements myself, you see, and I thought it would be fun to see what someone who is more advanced than me can do with that aspect of the gift.”

          “I see,” Master Brogan replied respectfully while flicking his gaze up to the Warrior standing closest to the princess. “Is that Eva? By the Creator, it is Eva! It's good to see your face around here again.”

          “Thank you, Master Brogan. It's good to see you too.”

          “Say, I have an idea.” Turning to the princess once again, Brogan continued, “You said you want to see a merging. So, why don't you walk around the field a bit and observe as much as you'd like. Afterward, we can have an impromptu elemental battle between Eva and one of my students. You see, the fellow I have in mind is very talented and shows a lot of promise, but the problem is he knows it. I'm afraid he's let it go to his head, and I need someone to knock him down a notch or two. I think Eva is just the person for the job. Plus, it will add insult to injury if he is beaten by a woman.”

          “Me?” Eva asked in surprise, her voice rising to a slightly higher pitch than normal.

          “Oh, yes! That would be perfect!” Nadia exclaimed in delight. “I'd love to see you in action, Eva. Say you'll do it? Please?”

          Slightly stunned, Eva looked to Allister for his input. After all, he was the leader of their unit. “What do you think, Allister?”

          “I don't see a problem with it, and I have to admit that I'm a bit curious to see what you can do as well. I've heard about your performance at the Trials. So, you can understand why I'd be eager to see your talent with my own eyes.”

          “It's settled then,” Brogan declared before Eva could even consent to the plan. “I'll speak to the others and get everything prepared. We'll meet back up in about an hour's time for the battle.”

          “Sounds good,” Allister said.

          “Umm, okay,” Eva agreed hesitantly. She hadn’t been expecting such a turn of events and, as such, was still reeling a bit.

          “Come on, Eva,” Nadia urged while grabbing her by the hand and pulling on her arm. “Let’s go watch the others train.”

          “Okay,” she conceded, allowing the young princess to lead the way.

          As they walked, Eva was able to shake off the initial surprise from Master Brogan’s unanticipated proposition and was soon starting to feel excitement at the prospect of a battle. Her veins began to thrum with the adrenaline suddenly dumped into her system as she thought about the upcoming match, and she couldn’t help but smile at the instant rush it created.

          It’s been ages it seems since I was last able to use my magic. I know I could use a chance to work off some of the tension that’s built up from the last two days, especially after the morning I’ve had. Ha! She chuckled within herself. I almost feel sorry for the poor fellow Master Brogan has chosen as my opponent. He’s in for quite a surprise.

          Eva forced herself to resurface from her thoughts just as they were approaching a group of trainees in the process of learning how to merge. When they arrived, Nadia gasped in awe at the different species of animals gathered for merging. Having already been soothed and tamed by the teachers, all the various creatures were standing calmly and patiently at attention until they were needed. Once the students had received detailed instruction, each of the Junior Warriors then took turns attempting to merge with one of the animals. Some of the students were quicker at catching on then the others and were soon stumbling and staggering around on unfamiliar limbs like newborn calves. One young man in particular was struggling at becoming accustomed to having four legs instead of two after merging with a beautiful, white stallion. His torso and upper body remained unchanged, but where his waist and legs would have been now was the shoulders and body of a horse. After a few minutes of fumbling about, though, he finally started gaining control of the new limbs and began proudly trotting in a circle around the group of Junior Warriors.

          On the side opposite where the princess and her guards were standing, a young woman had merged with a goat and was now leaping about on two furry, hoofed legs. In addition to the unusual legs, she had also sprouted a short tail as well as an impressive set of horns from her brow. She leaped around excitedly, and in her enthusiasm, she accidentally bumped into a young man who had joined with a massive, black wolf. Due to his larger, more muscular build, however, he was hardly fazed by the impact and simply shoved her back with a clawed hand before loping away on all fours.

          Nadia laughed and cheered throughout the display as the students merged and then separated from the various animals, and before they knew it, the time had come for the elemental battle. A young trainee arrived then to inform them that the hour was up and Master Brogan had everything prepared. Without hesitation, the princess and her guards turned away from the group of Junior Warriors she had been watching to follow the young man to the oval practice arena where Master Brogan was waiting with several other Junior Warriors eager to witness the match. When they drew near enough, Eva spotted her opponent almost instantly. He was standing to Brogan’s left with his arms crossed confidently across his chest and chin slightly raised defiantly. The self-assured smirk he wore was enough to set Eva’s teeth on edge, and suddenly, any pity she had felt for him earlier vanished like mist in the morning.

          “Eva, this is Silas, your opponent for this battle,” Master Brogan said in introduction. “Silas, this is Eva of the Royal Guard.”

          “It’s good to meet you,” Eva forced herself to say, though a hint of sarcasm laced her words. She had only just met him and already he had rubbed her the wrong way.

          His only greeting was a slight incline of his head. “I’ve heard a lot about you, Eva. Having seen you now for the first time, though, I must admit I’m afraid you won’t be able to live up to your reputation.”

          Shrugging, Eva offered him a mischievous grin. “I should warn you, then, that appearances can be misleading.”

          “Heh,” he chuckled incredulously. “We shall see.”

          “Alright, let’s save the rest for the arena. Take your positions,” Master Brogan ordered.

          Nadia reached up to quickly squeeze Eva’s hand encouragingly. “Good luck. I’ll be cheering for you.”

          Eva gave her a reassuring smile before stepping into the arena, or what was essentially just an oval outline in the dirt with a few rough benches around the outside. Silas was already in position opposite her, and when she locked eyes with him, his brown eyes twinkled as he gave her a mocking wink. Sweeping her gaze around the ring, Eva noticed several large jars had been filled with water and placed at the edge for their use; she counted six in total. I’m sure those will come in handy because I’d be willing to bet a week’s wages that this high-headed fool opens with a fire-based attack. With that thought in mind, Eva began to form a plan of action against such an assault.

           “Now remember, this is an elemental battle only,” Brogan instructed. “That means no man-made weapons are allowed nor any physical contact. The victor will be declared once he or she has disabled the opponent. Understood?”

           “Understood,” both said simultaneously.

          “Very good. Alright then, begin!”

          Just as she’d predicted, Silas went on the offensive straightaway with fire. He rushed forward a couple steps and then threw up his hands, palms out. Immediately, a wall of flames erupted in front of him and surged toward his foe. Fortunately, Eva was prepared. She spun forward on the balls of her feet in what looked like a dance before halting and rapidly shooting a hand out. From her movements, she summoned a fierce, gale-force wind that ripped across the arena and rammed into the inferno. As she increased the strength of the gust, the flames began to blow back towards their creator. He tried to resist the push of her magic, but soon his flames were drawing too near and too hot for comfort. Finally giving in, he extinguished the fire and covered his eyes to protect them from the dust and debris kicked up by the wind.

          While he was temporarily sightless, Eva hurriedly pulled all the water from the jars situated around the perimeter and brought it to herself. She then separated the water into several dozen smaller spheres, and by the time Silas had fully cleared his vision, she cast them into the sky. They flew higher and higher until he could no longer see them against the backdrop of blue and the glare from the sun. After a few tense seconds, however, he began to hear a faint whistling sound from above. It grew louder and louder until, at last, he saw what appeared to be arrows flying towards him. Glancing around in a panic, he scrambled to come up with a defense against the frozen projectiles. At the last possible moment, he threw his hands up over his head and summoned a mound of earth to rise up and form a covering over him. Barely even one heartbeat later, the arena was filled with the sound of breaking glass as the arrow-shaped shards collided with his shelter and shattered into hundreds of pieces.

          “Are you trying to kill me?” Silas cried in outrage once the barrage had subsided.

          “My dear, if I were trying to kill you, you would already be dead,” Eva replied sweetly.

          Before he could open his mouth to voice a nasty retort, the air rang out with the peal of trumpets that echoed throughout the city. All eyes instantly turned towards the palace where the sound originated.

          “It's happened!” Eva gave voice to what everyone was thinking. Turning abruptly, she faced the princess with a beaming smile to explain. “The baby has come!”

          “Really?” Nadia asked happily. “We have to get back to the pal—” her words died in her throat as her face took on a mask of horror.

          “Eva, look out!” Kara shrieked.

          In the space between two heartbeats, Eva whipped around and caught sight of an ice spear sailing straight for her chest. Reacting purely out of instinct, she summoned a pillar of earth up beneath her feet that lifted her out of the deadly weapon's path and catapulted her high into the sky. The frozen projectile struck the column of earth and lodged deep into it before finally stopping. At the peak of her arc through the air, Eva performed a perfect front flip with toes pointed and arms extended to the sides before beginning her decent back to the ground. Using her magic, she slowed her fall just enough to prevent injury but still landed hard about ten feet in front of her foe.

          As soon as her feet touched the ground, she dropped to one knee and punched both fists into the hard dirt. Her gift surged into the ground and connected with the roots deep bellow. They instantly responded to her call and rushed to the surface, springing from the dirt and launching at Silas. Before he could react, the age-hardened roots collided with his chest and knocked him to his back. Then with just a thought from Eva, the roots immediately began coiling around his arms and torso to immobilize him. Only once he was completely disabled and helpless did their writhing stop.

          “The victory belongs to Eva!” Master Brogan announced enthusiastically as he stepped to her side and clapped her on the shoulder after she had pushed herself up to her feet. The onlookers cheered and shouted from the sidelines in celebration, drowning out his words as he leaned in to add more quietly, “And a very good show as well. I must say you did an excellent job putting the lad in his place. I imagine that will be a lesson he won't soon forget.”

          “Eva, are you okay?” the princess cried worriedly as she rushed to her side and wrapped her arms around her guardian's waist.

          “Yes, I'm fine, dear one. No harm done,” she assured her, returning the embrace.

          “Not for lack of trying, though,” Allister commented while casting a disapproving frown in Silas's direction.

          The defeated Junior Warrior only glared daggers at them in response.

          “Aye, but I dare say he won't be trying an underhanded trick like that again anytime soon,” Bryce added with a laugh. “You sure showed him, Eva.”

          “Ah, I had a good teacher,” she said with a wink to Master Brogan. “By the way, thanks for the warning, Kara. You saved my hide.”

          “Any time,” she replied with an easy smile.

          “Well, we should be heading back to the palace,” Eva remarked. “I think Nadia has waited long enough.”

          “Agreed. Bryce, why don't you carry the princess so we can make better time?” Allister suggested.

          “Done.” Stooping at the waist, the mountain of a man scooped the petite princess up into his arms like she were nothing more than a doll, and once he had her situated comfortably, the eight of them took off at a run back toward the palace, calling quick farewells to their fellow Warriors they were leaving behind.

          The walls of the Warrior training facility raced by in a blur as they sprinted through the halls and across the walkway that hung over the street that separated the two structures. They barely slowed at corners and turns in their rush, but the stomping of their boots announced their coming long before they came into view so the workers and servants were able to get out of the way in time. When they reached the tower stairs that lead up to the Royal family's chambers, though, the group had to slacken their pace just a bit in order to make the climb without injury, and so, Eva was better able to catch glimpses of the people's faces as they passed. What she saw caused a wave of apprehension to wash over her the closer they came to the top, for instead of joy and happiness lighting their faces, she saw the bitter sting of grief pinching their features. Before she could process fully what their solemn expressions could mean, they had reached the king and queen's chamber door and the princess had sprung from Bryce's grasp to sprint into the room beyond.

          “Nadia, wait!” Eva called, but it was too late.

          Anxious with fear, she rushed through the doorway after her and through the living area to the bedroom at the back. Upon bursting into the room, she found the young princess stopped cold in her tracks. King Justian was seated beside the bed where a motionless and pale queen lay, and a soft mewling sound was coming from the bundle in his arms. Eva's gaze took in the scene with devastating clarity and had to cover her mouth with her hands to stifle the gasp that was quick in coming.

          “Hello my little sprite,” the king greeted in a voice laden with sorrow. “You have a new baby brother.”

          “B-but what about Mother?” she questioned as her tiny figure began to quake in trepidation. “Why is she so still?”

          The king's gaze fell to the crying infant he held against his chest before lifting tear-filled eyes to his daughter. “I'm so sorry, my jewel. There was nothing we could do... She was still too weak from the accident. The healers tried everything—I tried everything, but it didn't make any difference. She slipped away from us into the afterlife. I'm sorry.”

          Eva watched in helpless agony as Nadia's world suddenly splintered and shattered all around her in a single moment. The young girl simply stood there for a long time staring at the floor as she tried to comprehend the inconceivable: her Mother was gone.

          “N-no. Sh-she can't be gone,” she spluttered. “She can't!”

          Unable to hold back any longer, Eva stretched out a hand to try and comfort her in some small way. When her palm brushed the princess's shoulder, however, it triggered something in her. The simple touch broke through whatever numbness she had succumbed to and sparked her fight or flight instinct. Nadia chose flight. Wrenching herself away from Eva's grasp, she whirled around in a flash and darted past her and out the door. After casting a concerned look back at the king and the bundle he still cradled, Eva turned on her heel and took after her young charge.

          Nadia barreled past the other guards outside the king and queen's chambers and raced down the stairs to her own room. Slinging the door open wide, she allowed it to crash against the wall with a bang and dove for her bed. There Eva found her curled into a fetal position with a pillow clutched tightly to her chest as violent sobs racked her body from head to toe. Seeing someone she held so dear in such a broken state, Eva felt her own heart split in two. Tears gathered in her eyes as she stood watching from the doorway and spilled over onto her cheeks.

          “It's okay,” she heard herself saying while mechanically closing the door behind her. Realizing that her words were a lie, she corrected herself, “It's going to be okay.” Moving across the distance, Eva climbed onto the bed beside the distraught child and gathered her into her lap. “Shh,” she soothed while rocking Nadia from side to side and holding her close. “You're going to be okay. I'm here. I'm he—” Her voice broke on the last word, and she had to bury her face into the girls hair as her emotions began to break through her restraints. Unable to speak further, Eva settled for alternately kissing the fragile princess's head and gently rubbing her back in calming circles as the day grew long, but no matter how much solace she had to offer, she knew this night would have no happy ending.