Heart desired

//chapter 5//

I'm not sure what I was hoping to see, but I'm sure it wasn't a maze of tunnels.

Savin let me through million different turns. I was all curious and truth demanding at first, but now I was hyper aware of the fact that I was alone with a person who just tried to kill me minutes ago. Was it hours? We've been walking for so long my legs were becomeing a little tired. A tired elf was useless. Well, if I thought about it, I was already powerless against him.

A tired and a powerless elf was like a mouse trapped in a lion's den.

Still I followed him. I mean, obviously I couldn't go back through that maze, but something about him made me want to follow him.

"Do you guys drink blood?" I asked.

"Yeah," He replied.

Savin was... unpredictable. He didn't have any killing intent right now, but when he grabbed my throat, he was oozing with it. He seems to be adamant of taking me as an ally. Otherwise, I couldn't see any other reason he would tolerate someone as annoying as me, who don't believe in any word he says, ridicule him and his people. Simply, there was no reason for him to follow me around, be nice to me and show me his world.

Well, what would he want from me? My illusion magic? I do not think so. Do I know his nephew somehow? I could not think of any one I know like that, but I haven't even heared of anything like Elkelyn till today, so I wasn't so sure about it. Which means, I would have to wait to find out.

After an hour or so, I were finally out of the tunnels.

Everywhere I looked was trees, so much, big and small, brimming with life. I looked behind us to the exit, but I only saw a huge boulder. Of course, what else would have I expected?

"So," I asked as we walked through trees, "are all the boulders and rocks are entrances to here?"

"Not all," he responded. "Some. You have to look for the mark."

"Mark?"

"It's a symbol. Three tiny bumps of stones forming a triangle. Only a trained eye can spot them right away."

I would have questioned him further, but a bustling sound could be heard faintly. I turned to him. "Seems like we are near."

He nodded. "You have excellent hearing."

"Elves have that, you know?" I dropped my glamour around the ears, letting my pointed ears be seen. He looked at me for a moment, his expression thoughtful.

"What?" I asked.

"Nothing." He said, stopping at a line of tree which separated the forest from the street in front of us.

The street was alive with people. I noticed that all of them were wearing black clothes and were wrapped in flowing back capes. Even children on mother's embrace were wearing a tiny black cape, which was kind of cute to me for something reason. My heightened eye sight could see all of them wearing brooches pinned to the left shoulder. Some of them were gleaming like polished silver, others dark and matte, absorbing the light. I looked at Savin. He didn't wear a cape nor a brooch. Was he even with this people?

A child with a green brooch paused at a vendor's cart, pointed to a candy and gave her a coin. The woman smiled and squeezed his cheek before giving him a bag full of candy. Somehow, the whole scene felt cozy and homely.

We stood and watched the street, motionless. It felt like if I moved, the whole thing would be disturbed. Still, I wanted to blend in with them, be a part of them. The desire was overwhelming.

I broke the silence. "Should we go and talk to them?"

Savin paused and looked at me directly, searching my eyes again. Then he sighed. I also noticed that this man sighs a lot. "No, I can't bring an enemy in to the heart of the kingdom."

I raised an eyebrow. "An enemy?"

He nodded. "Elves and Elkelyn had been in a war ever since both of the realms claimed their victory in Great War. If an elf saw an Elkelyn, they would be killed on the spot."

"And if an Elkelyn saw an elf?" I asked, suspecting the answer to be the same.

"They will be tortured and slowly killed, dragging the the death for at least three months."

Woah. I involuntarily took a step back. "Is thay why I am here?" That would explain everything. No killing intent, going through all that trouble to seperate me from Daniel, my only source of protection. And to think I had come here willingly even after he tried to kill me-

"No." Savin said and relief hit me almost immediately. "Before I tell you everything, I wanted you to believe me. This is the prove that Elkelyn exists. This is the proof that you don't know everything, that you are not taught everything."

I shook my head. "This could be an illusion."

"If it was, you would already know that."

He was right. This was real. If it was an illusion, I would have recognised it immediately. But the thing was, as real as this gets, everything I've known for whole my life was becoming an illusion. Which I didn't even doubt till today, till this very moment. To believe him was to let go of everything I've ever known.

"Why do you want me to believe you that much?" I asked. "Technically, I am your worst enemy. My father is the king of Rawen. I'm his only child. Killing me here and sending my head to him would make much more sense. Not that I want you to do that," I added quickly. Seriously, Nasha, stop giving him ideas.

"You are much more useful alive." Savin said. "I want you to stop your people from hurting my people."

"And how am I supposed to do that?" I asked. "As you know, I'm exiled from Rawen. I don't even have permission to set foot in there, let alone stop them from going to a war."

"Let's go back." Savin said, pulling me away from the street.

"Stop doing that!" I yanked my arm away.

"Sorry." He said, walking among the trees, his steps light and unhurried. "I'm used to drag my little sister everywhere so it has become a habit to me."

"Oh." I said, not knowing what else to say. This man was opening up to me so much, making me feel guilty for no reason.

We walked in silence and stopped at the boulder. He looked at me thoughtfully. "Can I trust you with what you saw today?"

"Yeah." I replied.

"Not even your friend can know."

I nodded. I couldn't tell Daniel. If this was all true, then I wouldn't know what my father would do. I didn't want innocents getting killed.

"Good. Then I don't have to walk with you for another hour."

I was confused. "What do you mean?"

I understood as I stepped in to the boulder-door this time. There was no maze. I was simply on the other side.

I stared at him in disbelief. "You made me walk through all that for no reason?"

"There was a reason." He said, shrugging.

"How do you do that?"

"You'll find out, if you decide to work with us." He said, closing the door once again.

I rolled my eyes. "Did you not hear me before? I am in exile for the next forty two years! I can't help you anytime soon."

"You can." He said. "You are the heir, princess. Which means, you have the power."

"Are you the king of the Elkelyn?" I asked.

He looked taken back for a moment. "No, I'm just a general."

I didn't believe him at all. "I'll think about helping you." I said, walking to the bus stop, ready to go to my apartment.