The Elven Princess

The Hamlet

"It would not be the worst idea in the world to sleep with a few blankets," Nimuel grinned at Aelanor, "I know how cold your feet gets."

"I am not afraid, and I am not admitting anything of the sort to this to this little hooligan," Aelanor huffed.

"He is adorable," Nimuel smiled, "and he's got you."

"He has not!"

Khoral gave a shivering neigh, and Aelanor looked at him, worried. "It's not for me, but I suppose I could say it for all of you."

"You are unbelievable," Nimuel snorted.

"What? You think I would give a child half my size the satisfaction to see that he has gotten the best out of me? Think again," Aelanor rolled her eyes.

"You do realise that I can hear your whispers, do you not, Princess Aelanor?" Haz'th laughed softly.

"Oh, how he infuriates me!"

There was a silence, as Aelanor seethed, and Haz'th sniggered; Nimuel just smiled at the two of them. The horses neighed again, a tiring sigh, and Aelanor gave in.

"Alright, alright. You won. I was afraid of the dark. Now, can we please have some rest?" she asked.

"Oh, wait a moment. I don't think that was a proper admission. It just felt like you were humoring me."

"I swear to the Elements..." Aelanor took a threatening step towards him.

"Easy, there, Princess. I was just pulling your leg," he laughed.

Haz'th took a step towards the ponies. He stroked Nexus' mane, who leaned in to his touch. A soft warmth seemed to radiate from where the child had stroked the horse.

"Let's go, Princess. M'lady. My house is not far from here," he said.

Haz'th lead the way, as Nimuel walked by his side. Aelanor brought up the rear with the horses, moving forward grudgingly. She was a Princess, after all. A mere shadow kid making fun of a Princess like that- so annoying!

"So, what do you eat around here?" Nimuel asked, as the horses whimpered a little. Aelanor's stomach too gave a low gurgle, and she knew that the kid could hear it.

But the latter made no comment as he answered, "The same as everyone, I guess. Not that we need much to sustain, just air and voices, and light. But one does enjoy the taste of solid food."

"Light sustains you? I would have thought that it was unfavourable to your existence. "

"Oh, yes. In fact, it is the staple diet here, as it is called. We absorb the light from the planetary bodies, and we pilfer a little reflection from the outside world. These purple lights all around you see, are the ultraviolet reflections of the solar radiation modified into glowbulbs- waste byproducts of light, inedible for us. Some present light to our Princess as offerings, out of fear, or loyality," he stated calmly, as if describing the weather.

"Out of fear?" Nimuel gaped at him, "Haz'th, is the Princess... dangerous?"

Haz'th chuckled. "Only the reflection, Lady Nimuel. Princess Saayan is as just a ruler as they come, but she does not have a very friendly personality. She is seriously misunderstood, but her subjects revere her."

They crossed a small wooden bridge near the edge of the forest, to a small alcove. This place looked like a small and simple village- a few wooden huts and a few cattle roaming around. To Aelanor, it looked as mundane as a rustic mortal village hamlet.

Haz'th walked up to one of the particularly smaller ones with an exterior of mud. A wheelbarrow stood nearby, and some brooms.

"What's that for?" Aelanor asked.

"I... like gardening," he said slowly. His eyes locked with Aelanor's for a moment, and he halted, as if on the verge of saying something but thought better off it. Shaking his head, he welcomed them inside the house.

The hazel in his eyes had shifted to an icy grey, Aelanor was sure of that. There was something about the kid she could not put her fingers on, and his hesitation made it all real for her. But as she looked back at his silhouette again, she could not help but feel secure.

Perhaps, it was the warmth of the blazing purple hearth, or the smell of the warm stew that was now being cooked in the back kitchen, but Aelanor had not felt at ease for a long time. Not since Cugu's news brought her running from the comforts of Applecross, and every step along the way for the past couple of weeks has been exhausting.

But in her heart she knew that it was neither the food, nor the heat from the radiation that made her feel comfortable. As much she had misgivings about the blonde child in the back room, she just knew she could trust him.

And it felt good to be able to trust.