Tales of Olsen

19

Keith’s hand touched me, and I tried to move away from him. the bonds on my arms were beginning to cut into my skin and I wondered what they had used to restrict me.

“Who is it?” Keith asked

That could only mean that Elicamp was back in the room I thought aloud.

“We should go,” he said so0ftly but commandingly

“Who is it!” Keith demanded,

“It’s your brother,” he replied, “he’s here.”

The room was silent and although I couldn’t see his face, I could feel Keith’s tension.

“I should have killed him myself,” he replied

“Keith,” Elicamp said, “if you go now we risk losing the girl. Focus on the mission we have here.”

“I will kill him,” Keith said, “watch her, I promise not to screw this up.”

Keith left the room and I could hear his heavy footsteps in the distance. Nearby, Elicamp shuffled and I wondered what was going through his mind. It was clear that this history between the two brothers was strained but I had no idea why. There was a loud thundering sound somewhere inside the building and fear gripped me. What if Alex didn’t come through? What if I was forced to marry him and he killed me to get everything he wanted.

There was a soft sound in the room, so soft that I almost missed it. Someone else was here. It had to be Jordan, she was the only one who moved so stealthily. Suddenly there was a soft thud followed by an even louder thud.

“Eloise,” Jordan whispered coming over to where I was tied down.

She removed the hood and I realized that the bands on my hands and feet were glowing.

“What is this?” she asked

I shook my head not knowing what exactly to say.

“Just try to cut them off,” I said

She ran to a table in the room which had been stocked with knives in preparation for the ceremony.

The knife cut through the chord so effortlessly that it made me wonder if I had actually been bound or if it had been in my mind.

“Let’s go,” she said pulling me to my feet.

“Where’s Alex?” I asked

“I assume he’s out there fighting that dragon” she replied, “I have your car, we should go.”

“Keith is going to kill him,” I whispered

I was afraid for him, but mostly I was afraid to lose him.

“I have to help,” I said rushing off

“He said I should take you home,” Jordan said running after me

“I don’t take orders from anyone,” I replied, “least of all Alex”

We rushed through the building dodging what looked like debris but was most likely things ripped from the floor and thrown across the room. The main hall was a battlefield yet there was no-one anywhere.

“We should go,” Jordan whispered nervously

“Go,” I said ignoring her wimpy solution to cop out.

We moved with caution trying not to make much noise, but I needed to find Alex and rescue him before Keith hurt him.

“They’re in here,” I said pointing to a concealed door.

This building was a labyrinth of concealed doors and creepy rooms. Nothing was what it seemed, but I could feel Alex. It was a strange feeling coupled with the desperate urge to save him from God knows what.

“I should have known you had found her!” Keith was shouting on the other side of the door.

“She found me,” Alex said calmly, “by copying your files,”

Keith was silent but there came a loud clanging noise from the other side of the room

“You think that because you were our father’s favorite you’ll escape my wrath?” Keith asked

“Give it up” Alex replied, “you can’t win,”

I pushed the door open ever so gently trying not to alert them but that wasn’t my best idea. The door opened with a high-pitched whining creak, and inside, both men were floating above the ground. Alex wore his cape which was billowing behind him. This cloak was different from the black one he usually wore, it was red, and it sent rays of crimson around the room as it hung behind him. His head spun around as I entered and by the look on his face, I knew he didn’t want me here.

Before I could step into the room Keith lowered himself to the ground and charged forward. I wasn’t expecting his swift movement and I was suddenly on the ground trying to understand how I had fallen in the first place.

“Enough!” Alex shouted from across the room,

His voice was commanding, and it felt as if the air around us took their instruction from him because everything went still.

“You never could let go of this one could you,” Keith said staring down at me, “love has made you weak and you’re not fit to lead my Kingdom.”

“You imp,” Alex spat at him

I managed to scramble to my feet but not without fighting Keith off me.

“I’m going to kill her and you’re going to watch me do it,” Keith said with a satisfied grin that curled my stomach.

“Eloise, get out!” Alex said

I tried and tried to move from the spot I was standing in but I could not. Suddenly I began to fear what would happen to me. That was it, his power was his ability to instill fear in people, so they would do his bidding. Slowly Keith turned away from me and walked into the middle of the room.

“Eloise,” Alex said again, “I need you to walk out that door and never turn back.”

I couldn’t, and I could feel tears prickling the back of my eyes. Of all the times I needed to be strong, I was weak now. I felt as Jordan’s reassuring hand gripped me. She tried to pull me away but to no avail. Alex watched from afar off with a scowl and Keith grinned.

“You may hold her heart brother,” he said, “but she bends to my will.”

At that moment my body began to bend against my will. I tried to fight it but the fear in my heart paralyzed me. Keith was watching and laughing which meant he didn’t see the moment Alex flashed across the room to my side. With one swoop of his coat, we were invisible. Then as if by some strange magic, we were gone. I closed my eyes and let my body relax as the pain washed over me.

“You’re a marked woman now Eloise,” Keith said from somewhere far off.

I looked around wondering where we had disappeared to.

“Where are we?” Jordan asked

“Welcome to Olsen, I think it’s time you see what this fight is all about,” Alex said

I stared up at Alex and then looked over at Jordan.

“What, where?” she asked

“You’re in my private chambers in the king’s castle.” he answered,

I looked around and saw that the entire room had been decorated with the purest white marble I had ever seen. The grounds were expertly polished, and the billowing curtains teased of the possibilities of what lay behind them.

“Why did you take us here?” I asked,

“Because he almost had you,” he replied, “that wasn’t the plan and I needed to get you to safety.”

“I thought the people here wanted me to sacrifice myself to save them,” I said

“These people don’t know that you’re the princess,” he replied, “they have no idea what my brother is doing. It’s only a fraction who know and believe in him.”

Deep down I had a feeling he was trying to be reassuring.

“Besides, my brother's method isn’t the only way and maybe if you two searched with me, we can find a way to figure things out.”

I looked at Jordan and she shrugged. She was obviously along for the ride no matter where the road led us.

“I’m the heir to the throne in this realm,” he said, “if anyone hurts you here they face the wrath of not only me but also the king.”

I tried to take him at his word, but it was hard to believe what he said after what I had just seen.

“For now,” he said, “you should rest.”

“We have to go to class tomorrow,” Jordan said

I had completely forgotten about my regular life in the heat of all this which was what I had been trying to avoid all along.

“You two are brilliant, these preliminary courses will be easy as soon as this is sorted out,” he said, “wouldn’t it be easier to just get it done with than having it loom over you the entire semester?”

Jordan shrugged

“Please rest,” he said, “I will have someone come by to see to your clothes, you won’t fit in dressed like that.”

I looked down at the bright red dress I had worn that was now covered in dust and wondered what he meant.

“Where are you going?” I asked wondering if I should go with him while also hoping deep down he would want me there with him.

“I have to meet with my father,” he said, “he would want to know what his son is up to.”

I nodded and let him walk away. He was almost at the door when he turned around to face me.

“I know you’re not the same girl you were then,” he said, “but I am the same man and I promised never to stop loving you and I never will. But I will let you be and I will always keep you safe.”

Without another word, he walked out leaving me to deal with his confession and my own uncertainty.