Heart desired

//Chapter 56//

I found out that I hated fire.

Just because I caught one arrow did not meant that the other arrows were also stopped. They found there target and burned away everything on their path. Ashes rained down, covering us from head to toe.

Just because there was a one fire wielder with us didn't meant he could stop the fire. Resh made his own fire and tried to stop the fire from spreading, which was useless thanks to the arrows kept coming from the sky.

I wished Glaze was here was for the second time today.

Soldiers ran everywhere, searching for water and putting the fire out. Animals also ran away from the fire as fast as the could. We hadn't even seen any of the Elves yet, and they had managed to give us hell in mere seconds.

I knew it would be impossible to stop the fire or arrows unless we took the archer Elves down. All the Elves were born with excellent aim, but archer Elves had perfect aim.

I ran towards the forest, where they were hiding up in shadows or up in the trees. It took me some time to get there amid the running soldiers and fires. I concentrated while running, spreading my power across the forest as far as it went. I found my targets.

I did not want to harm any Elf. They were the citizens of my kingdom, my kin. I belonged with themore than I belonged here. And I had decided to rule them once all of this is over.

There was a commotion in the forest. Our first line of defense made by hastil moved soldiers had fallen. But instead of having their minds destroyed, they were retreating to the fort. The Elves looked horrified and speechless as they went back to safety.

"How is that possible?" I heard one Elf soldier ask in bewilderment. I wanted to grin. Our plan, all that hard work had paid off.

I reached out with my powers and enchanted the archers to an illusion. I was simply showing them a scenario where their head archer came and ordered them to stop shooting. It was defenitely working.

Soon, the fires were under control. Since there were no more arrows coming from the forest, putting out the remaining fires were not that much hard. The Elves on front lines were even more curious now. I could hear their confused voices from where I was, crouched behind a tree.

"What the f**k is going on?" A soldier asked. They hadn't even put their armor on. That's how much they underestimated the Elkelyn. To them, we were just bunch of ants who they could trample on.

"I don't know." Another one replied. "We were supposed to finish here and seize this fort. What should we do now? How can we attack the Capital at this rate?"

"I don't understand how they can stay conscious." Another voice joined them. "Even yesterday, the massenger said they succeeded in taking down the closest town to here. What was it called again?"

"Leven." The first soldier replied. I gritted my teeth. Relach hadn't been able to deliver the stones, it seemed. Unfortunately, Leven had fallen. I wondered what happened to him.

Then another part of me suspected him to be the spy.

It was not out of options. He seemed to had some weird obsession over my mother. I did not like him that much for it, but I could not think of a reason for him to help Rawen either.

But then again, I hadn't known him for that long.

"Let's just retreat." The last voice said again. "This is a new situation. We need advise from ministers to proceed ahead." Judging from his tone, I imagines him to be a high ranked soldier. "Call everyone back. Gather the archers. Dispatch a massenger."

There was a familiar footsteps coming towards this direction. I poked my head and saw Resh walking towards the soldiers, his eyes blazing again. I came out of my path and went to him.

The soldiers stared wide eyed as I came towards them, recognizing me instantly. I saw them going pale. The calling bell had sounded, and there were at least fifty soldiers before us right now.

Resh looked at me. I looked at my people. "Hey." I said to them, trying to be casual.

"Princess?" The Elf infront of me asked, horrified. "But- What- How-?" He seemed to be not able to form words.

I smiled at them. Resh came and stood beside me. "Listen carefully," I said, ignoring their questions. "I have been declared as dead. All this time I was in the Eternal Prison, imprisoned. These Elkelyns rescued me from it."

"How can we believe you?" One soldier asked. "You were exiled, and you are the main suspect for the late king's murder. You went against our country."

Every soldier was now looking at me with contempt. I remembered the past. I looked back at Resh, wanting to step back.

"There is so much you don't know about Rawen." Resh said. "For example, I was the first born of the late king."

I felt grateful to have him backing me up. In these type of situations, giving them excuses would make me look like a whining child. If I didn't answer them, they would think that regardless of my heritage, I was not fit to be a queen. Resh had delivered the blow to build mistrust between the soldiers and the king.

"Deliver my message to your king." I said. "I will take him down and take the throne. I will expose all of his crimes, as well as the ministers. He can try to kill me all he wants, but I am not that easy to kill."

The soldier stayed still for a several moments before nodding. I let out a relieved sigh. I've had enough.

"But, wasn't he your best friend?" A soldier asked. "He was exiled with you, he cared for you, he-"

I glared at him. "Are you omnipresent?"

He didn't say anything to that. I rolled my eyes. "I thought so. Do not speak of the things you don't know about."

He looked ashamed. I wanted to smack myself. I was still overly emotional when it came to Daniel.

"Let's retreat." The higher ranked Elf soldier said, taking a step back. "I don't know if you are telling the truth, Your Highness. But I will personally deliver the message. And I hope you prove yourself to us. We also don't want someone without royal blood on the throne, breaking traditions."

The other soldiers nodded. He looked at Resh. "I usually would not believe it if someone claimed something as outrageous as claiming to be the first born. Since you and Her Highness resembles each other, I chose to believe you. There are so many things I want to ask, but it is not the time right now. What I wanted to say is," He took a break, trying to catch his breath. "You also have a claim to the throne. I-"

"I am no heir of Rawen." Resh said. "I am the Crown Prince of Elkelyn."

The soldier was taken aback. He looked like he wanted to talk more about it, but another soldier poked him in the elbow. All around us, Elves and Elkelyn were clashing. They had to retreat. Without mind powers, they were useless in combat.

"We will get going now, Princess, prince." He bowed and others followed him in unison. We watched them as they went. I released my illusion from the archers. All the two hundred some Elf soldiers went back to the forest.

The Elkelyn soldiers looked at each other in disbelief. I saw Aarr wiping his sweaty head with a hand.

There was a grin on their faces. They had just won a battle against Rawen.

Soon, me and Resh we surrounded as the soldiers threw us to the sky and caught us. I let myself smile for a moment.

I knew what I had to do next. I had to go to Leven.