Chapter Five

____________

I paced the room, waiting for Girec to arrive.

"I'm sure he's well," said Lucia, sitting on my bed. But I could see the worry in her eyes.

"I hope so," I whispered. After all, what would I do without Girec?

A footman knocked on the door. I opened it. "They've arrived." I pushed past him. Lucia was close behind.

"Please be well, Girec. Please," I whispered as I ran through the halls and down the main staircase.

"Where would they be?" I asked Lucia from behind as we arrived upon the main doors.

She shrugged. "We have an infirmary in town."

"Let's go get a carriage," I said. She didn't follow. "Come on."

"I'm not supposed to leave without the king's permission," she said quietly. "Tell me if he's all right."

"Oh," I said. "I feel badly, going without you, but . . . "

"Hurry, he's your brother, go."

I opened the door and my mouth dropped open.

"What is it?" Lucia asked.

"My brother," I gasped. "He's coming!" Girec was walking the path to the castle! And, if he was well enough to walk, then that was good enough to me!

"Where?" Lucia ran over to see. I pointed to his vague outline.

I ran to him, down the path. "Girec!" I called. He looked up, and his face broke out into a smile.

"Squirrel!" he shouted. I ran to him and gave him a big hug. "I didn't know you'd be here."

"I made a deal with Headmistress. I was so worried you were hurt. A messenger came . . . " I broke the hug. "You aren't hurt, are you?" I inspected him.

"I'm bruised and cut up, but I'm fine."

I saw a bruise under his eye, and a cut on his forehead. "I'm glad you are well." We started walking to the castle. "What was that dark force in the north, anyway?"

His eyes darkened. "You heard, huh? Well, it's pretty serious. About two hundred of us went to check it out, to discover what it was. It approached like a shadow, all dark and blood-chilling. Then, it attacked, like a thousand men. It didn't seem to want to kill, however. Only ten died, yet it could've killed all of us with a blink of an eye. If it has eyes. I don't even know. It created . . . fear somehow. Men went mad, saying the . . . dark force had shown them their worst fear. Fortunately, I wasn't one of those men. But it had no substance that we could find. We couldn't defeat it."

"Why does it need to be defeated anyway?" I asked. "If it doesn't bother anyone, then we should just leave it alone, so no one gets hurt."

"We think it's preparing to siege. It has wiped out towns, and people have been evacuating. It's set up its own land. A dark country."

On that happy note, I tried to change the conversation. "I've met the prince," I said. "And the princess. She and I are good friends."

"Really?" Girec perked up.

"Ha!" I said. "I knew it! There's something going on between you and Lucia! Why didn't you tell me?"

"What?" Girec said, but his voice rose in pitch.

"I know you're lying. What's going on?"

"She's beautiful, Evie, and I adore her  . . . " He sighed.

I squealed, interrupting him. "Lucia's going to be my sister-in-law!" I sang. "Lucia is going to marry--" Girec put his hand over my mouth to silence me.

"Shh, Evelin, someone will hear you. You didn't let me finish. But . . . her brother hates me, and I'm not high enough in society to marry her."

"You are going to inherit Father's estate; you are a viscount's heir," I pointed out.

"Princesses marry dukes or kings and princes of other kingdoms. I'm not marrying her. We are . . . friends, that's all." The broken-hearted look on his face told me otherwise. "That's why I didn't tell you. Or Mother. Or Father. Or even Liam."

I recalled the odd way Liam had acted at the festival. "What's going on with Liam, anyway?" I asked.

"He quit the army. Says he found other employment." Girec seemed bitter.

"Do you know why?"

"No, it's unlike him. I don't know why."

I believe he's eloping with Margareta.

"Well, Lucia's waiting for us at the door. I know you were planning on seeing her, not me. You didn't even know I was here."

Girec blushed. It was funny to see my own brother blush.

Lucia hugged Girec when he came to the door. Then, she backed off and coughed. "Uh . . . sorry. That wasn't proper. I shouldn't have . . . "

It was even funnier to see the princess of Krialle blush.

But Girec picked her up and swung her around. "That's all right, Princess." Lucia was beaming. They embraced.

"I missed you, Girec," Lucia said.

I cleared my throat, so they remembered I was there. They broke away from each other. An awkward silence followed.

I rubbed my hands together. "Well, it's nice to see a happy reunion." And extremely awkward. "But, you two probably don't want Prince Artair to see it. And the guards . . . they're right over there, by the way." I pointed in their direction.  "So . . . save it for another time. Sorry to ruin it, but . . . you know. The maids will gossip."

Girec and Lucia shared a loving glance, and we walked to the throne room, me purposely standing between them.

Girec relayed his information about the dark force to the king.

"First the bandits, now this?" he exclaimed.

The bandits had been terrorizing and robbing from Kriallens for many years. They usually stole from nobility, I'd heard. Once, they robbed my father. He was furious. A fortune would be given to the person who captured or killed their leader, The Bandit Lord. But know one even knew what he looked like, let alone how to find him.

I remembered the king was still talking. Is it rude to ignore a king? " . . . have a war meeting tomorrow morning, discussing this advancement," the King continued. "You are invited, Lieutenant Fendway." That was Girec. "Tell your general and the other lieutenants to attend as well."

"Yes, Your Majesty," Girec said. He marched away. Lucia and I headed back to my room.

"So, you are in love with my brother," I said sardonically.

"Isn't it terrible?" Lucia moaned.

I was furious. My brother was not terrible. "No! My brother is amazing. Don't you criticize--"

"No, no, I agree, he is amazing. I meant that it was terrible we cannot marry."

"Oh. Can you not elope?"

"Your father would disown Girec. Mine would do the same. He'd no longer be a lieutenant. We'd have no money, no way to live."

"Just save up some money and elope when you have enough."

"It's not that simple," she snapped.

"Sorry," I said defensively, holding my palms out. "I'm just trying to help."

"I know, I'm sorry. I'm just frustrated. I love him. But our love . . . it's impossible to be."

"I'll think of something," I promised.

The war meeting took place at dawn. Lucia and I walked by the meeting room. I saw something and stopped. "I'm just going to . . . check something," I said. "I'll be right back." Lucia kept walking.

I'd seen Headmistress spying on the meeting!

"Headmistress!" I whispered. "What are you doing?"

She turned around, her eyes filled with fear. She regained her composure quickly. "Hello, Evelin."

"What are you doing?" I repeated.

"Trust me, Evelin," she pleaded. "I'm just trying to see what's going on. I have a son in the army. I . . . need to know what's happening to him!"

"You're not even married!"

"Exactly," she said quietly. "That's why I can't ask about him. If people knew, my finishing school would be destroyed."

I looked at her suspiciously.

"Please, don't tell anyone," she begged.

"A deal?"

"Sure."

"Release me from the money I owe you from that bet I made on the ship." If I could get out of facing my father's wrath, I should, right?

"Very well. You must swear not to tell."

"I promise. On my honor, I will not tell," I said.

"Thank you," she said.

The war meeting ended soon after. A messenger arrived from Merth. "A message to you, Lady Evelin, from your sister, Lady Ava Fendway." He handed me an envelope. Why was Ava writing to me? We were kind to each other, but not that close. I opened it.

Dearest Evelin,

You may have heard that Merek, a member of the court and assistant to the king, and I have grown quite close. A few weeks ago, he gave me a twelfth rose and engagement ring. We are to be married incredibly soon, on the first of Eighth Month. I would love to see you there, if you could come to Merth early from your trip.

All my love,
Ava Fendway

I smiled. Ava got her wish to be married. I was happy for her. She was the eldest Fendway child, and it was only right that she get married first.

I told Girec as soon as I could. He seemed happy for her, but also a little sad. I knew he was thinking of Lucia. He and I planned to leave in three days for the wedding. Then, he'd return to battle.

He left immediately after, and I knew he was going to tell Lucia.

The day arrived quickly, and Girec and I waved farewell to Lucia as we entered our carriage to our boat. Headmistress remained at the castle. I didn't make an bets that time on the ship, though I did eye the mast often.

Ava's wedding was the social event of the year in Merth and its surrounding towns. Girec and I arrived a day before the event. Margareta came to fetch us at the harbor.

"Girec! You're here!" she exclaimed. "Oh, and Evelin, of course." She embraced us both. "Come, the carriage is waiting."

In the carriage, Margareta made me describe every little detail about Twein and the royal family. I happily obliged.

"The castle's chandeliers and stained glass windows make rainbow patterns on the walls. The dining room has two large tables. One fits more than thirty people!" I was saying.

"Yes," said Margareta, "but what about the royals?"

"The prince is everything you'd expect: charming, a good leader, handsome . . . "

"Oooh," she said. "What color are his eyes?"

"Gray, like the--"

She interrupted me. "You don't have to give such exact details, Evelin. I just wanted to know the color."

"Oh. And the princess. Lucia. Her hair is a bright, reddish, strawberry-blond. Her eyes are a sea blue-green. They are especially beautiful when they light up at the mention of Gire-- " I stopped. I couldn't mention Girec. "At the mention of her brother. They adore each other."

Managers arched her eyebrow. "You were going to say something else. You were going to say . . . " She looked at Girec. He seemed to be staring longingly out the window. Her eyes widened, and a dreamy smile came upon her face. " . . . say something about a forbidden love," she whispered.

"N-no," I protested.

She gave me a disbelieving glance. "Girec," she said.

He turned his head to look at her. "Yes?"

"Will you describe Princess Lucia to me?" she asked innocently. "Evelin keeps using artistic terms."

"Princess Lucia is more beautiful than words can describe, nor paintings depict," he started quietly, staring out the window once more. I could hear the longing in his voice. "She is graceful: long-legged, willowy, and tall. Her eyes are the color of sea foam. They are so animated, and they reveal her emotions, even when she doesn't want someone to know. Or maybe I can just tell. Her hair is like fiery gold. I love the way it looks in the sunlight. It shimmers and flows gracefully around her shoulders. This one piece on her right temple always comes out and falls next to her eyes. Her . . . " he stopped, looking at Margareta and realizing his mistake. But I knew he and she had always been close, only a year apart. He continued, nearly audible.

"And she never wants all the attention a royal gets. Yet, how can a bright red rose hide among ugly thorns? Lucia sticks out like a candle in the dark. She is effortlessly beautiful. And it's impossible not to notice her."

Margareta and I were silent. "Are you in love with the princess, Girec?" she whispered.

He didn't even try to hide it. "Completely." It was full of the deepest pain.

_______________

Well, that happened. :P Thanks for reading.

What are your thoughts on Girec and Lucia? (Ship name, anyone? I was thinking Lirec?) Wasn't that a cute chapter?

If you want to help support my story, comment and add it to your reading list.