The Mountains Blade

Chapter Twenty Three

Chapter Twenty Three- Problem maker

Avelina stood her ground, squaring her shoulders at Markarious.

He let out a scoff and promptly left the coucil room.

"Hey!" She called after him, making her way around the table. "Avelina." Ashered caught his daughter arm as she passed him, standing to tower above her.

"You can't go, you're next in line for the throne."

Avelina paused at her fathers statement, pressing her lips together until she continued out the door.

"Markarious!" She called to the man who paid her no heed.

Avelina flung herself in front of him, stopping him inches from her face, his breath fanning over her skin. "I am the princess of this kingdom and you will stop." She snapped.

The beast of a man raised his eyebrows at her, a smirk pulling at the sides of his lips. "Good thing, I don't follow rules." He hummed, stepping around her.

Avelina followed suit placing herself in front of him once more. She didn't have the mind to be annoyed at his lack of respect to her title. She placed her hands on her hips and gave him the most furious glare.

"Markarious, shes my sister." She quipped.

The mans expression did not waver as he moved past her once more.

Avelina turned to the shadow of him retreating into the hallways. "She's my little sister." She whispered. Of course Markarious heard her.

He turned his head some, still facing away from her, the hallways light casting a shadow across his face. "I know." He said and then he was gone.

~

While her father debriefed her mother, Avelina packed herself a bag. She had never been one for adventures, she had always wanted one but her parents had ensured that any visitors came to them.

Avelina had scrounged through Elwyns clothing, her room untouched. Unlike her sister, her room did not hide blades or dark clothing meant for battle. Avelina pulled on one of her sister dark shirts and leggings, zipping on a pair of her boots and thanking the creator that they were the same size.

She tied up her red hair and slipped Elwyns cloak over her, her pack hiding beneath the mountain of fabric. Libby had been kind enough to inform her that she was tagging along as a helper and that she would be more than happy to help her come along.

A half hour before the vehicle left, Avelina was hidden in the trunk. It was a large black suburban, one of the few the royal family had to transport people in an emergency.

Libby had given her a tonic that would hide her scent for a few hours, enough to let her think about how to approach the situation one they were hours away from Goldmoon. She hadn't been out of Goldmoon before, she had studied the maps and knew from Libby they were taking the long way to The Wolf Kingdom. If they were to take a plane, it would be easier to be spotted and Aldric to do something insane. So instead, they were going to be traveling by car for four days before they boarded a boat for a 12 hour trip, and another 12 hour trek to the castle.

Avelina wondered how a maid knew so much about things like this, she would have thought that the information that was shared would be minimized for regular humans. She had brushed it off, swallowed the tonic and was hidden under piles of weaponry and bags.

She was far from comfortable but grateful that Libby had helped her.

Hours had gone by and as the car continued to jostle, it lulled her to sleep.

~

Aldrics hands remained firm around Elwyns neck as a woman walked in. She must have been a few years older than her. She had long black hair, calculating green eyes and scars lining her throat and hands. She wore an all black uniform with silver daggers and a gun strapped at her waist. Her hand rested on the gun impatiently as she snarled at Aldric.

His grip loosened some on Elwyn and she gasped for air. "Let her go." Her voice was dark, eyes flickering to Elwyns as her skin began to pale.

"You listen to me, I am the prince-."

"And I am the leader of the dark fallen, Aldric." She snapped.

The princes dropped his hand from Elwyns neck and if she wasn't mistaken a hint of fear graced his expression. Not long after, he shrugged waving Elwyn off. "I was only playing." He smiled.

"Funny, it didn't look like that to me. Perhaps I should tell your brother." The woman took a moment to pretend to be more interested in her nails, waiting for a reaction.

Elwyn held her stomach in pain, blood seeping onto her fingertips. "Don't." She begged.

The womans gaze flickered to hers with confusion before Aldrics lips twitched into a grin.

"Poor girl, she has so much to lose." He sang before walking to the doorway. "Don't forget who you are staying with." Aldric reminded her, the woman only returned his expression. Her silver knife coming out to his throat, holding him still.

"Don't forget that I don't obey your laws, wolf." She sneered, her eyes narrowing.

Aldric swallowed and the woman dropped her weapon before making her way to Elwyn, Aldric taking his leave.

Elwyn cried out as the woman pocketed her blade and pulled her to her feet. "Creator above." She gasped, as blood as black as night was left in a puddle on the floor.

"You've been marked by the shadow people." She whispered. Elwyn slid one of the blades she had taken into her pocket, taking into account the fact that the woman noticed and said nothing.

"We should get you to your healer." She said suddenly, pulling Elwyn back to reality. Her head pounded and she nodded in agreeance as she was drug away.

There were enough hallways and rooms that they passed that Elwyn knew she had no way of finding where she was.

Her head was saggging by the time they arrived at a doorway. She didn't have the strength to look at where she was, only recognized the scent of the man as he took her from the woman.

"Thank you Hania."
A deep voice replied, taking her into his arms. He smelt of earth and rain and that was all she remembered as she slipped away.