Heart desired

//Chapter 61//

"What?" I asked, stunned. "Who calls me that?"

"Some Elves." Resh said. "Apparently, their leader is going to be killed by the king, and the other soldiers who came here are vanishing one by one. The remaining soldiers had decided to die with their leader on the execution day. So they are preparing a rebel on that day, to chase away the imposter king on the throne and bring back the true queen."

I didn't know whether to be happy or horrified. Then I found out that bring horrified is better. "Are they nuts?" I asked. "There won't be any mercy for them. They will be killed before they could even open their mouths."

"Don't blame me, I'm not the one doing it." He said, opening a blood bottle and drinking it. "They are your people. It is normal for soldiers to die for their queen."

"That's different. I'm not even their queen yet!" I said. "I need to stop them as fast as I can."

"Get a grip, Nasha." Resh said. "This os not your fault. You just told one soldier to deliver your voice. You did not order anyone to kill him after that. That fault completely lies with your former betrothed." He put the finished bottle back after closing the cap. "You didn't certainly ask any other soldier to risk their lives or die for you. That's their choice. If a man makes a choice to sacrifice for you, you are not going to save them. That would hurt their honour. You are going to honour them amd take as much as use you can out of them."

I looked outside. "I don't want anybody to die because of me. Not again."

"Then grow your power. When you are powerful, not many can harm you or your precious things. Stop thinking about protecting them. Stay under their protection amd bloom so you can take care of them later on."

I looked at Resh. He had gone through so many things when he was young. And it had not broken him. He had bloomed into a powerful Crown Prince who could wisely rule the kingdom of Elkelyn one day.

On the other hand, I had been afraid of dreams and fate and blaming myself for all the loses. I could have done many more if I was brave like him.

I could see Bran standing a few feet away from us. I knew he would hear everything we talked about, but his face did not yield anything. I looked at Resh. He was busy changing his rumpled cape to a flawless one.

"That soldier is waiting outside." I said. "He had seen Relach near Sermeth. We will find a clue about what happened to the stones if we do that."

Resh nodded. "Call him in."

"And you are right." I said. "I have been a coward for a long time. I will not let that take over me ever again."

Resh smiled. "I know." He said.

I spoke in my normal voice. "I know you can hear us. Stop pretending to not to care and come here. We are departing to Sermeth."

I saw Bran step away from the tree and walk towards us, embarrassed. Resh raised an eyebrow. "He has excellant hearing." I explained to him.

"Crown Prince." He greeted Resh from outside the carriage. Then he went to climb on the hiruta, without a saddle or anything. Our hiruta didn't even budge as Bran tried harder and harder to climb on to it's back.

I rolled my eyes. "Get in here." Resh said. "You are not helping anyone with that and you are angering the animal."

Bran didn't come over. "I can't ride a carriage with royalty, Your Highness." He responded, still trying to climb on to that poor animal. "The king would sentence me to death."

"No, he will not." Resh said, his tone unimpressed. "But I might for making me repeat myself."

I saw Bran gulp before he left the hiruta and came to the carriage. I looked at him, my expression similar to Resh's icy face. He looked truly afraid.

After he sat down, Resh closed the door. Bran jumped. "I'm sorry, Your Highness! I forgot to close the door!"

This time, I rolled my eyes so he could also see it.

Resh looked at him. "Do you want blood?" He asked, giving him a bottle. The hiruta started walking slowly along the path, seeming happy to get rid of the annoying Elkelyn who tried to climb on to it's back.

"Yes! I mean, I would like to, your Highness!" Bran tried to act calm. Resh gave him a bottle. I knew this man would kneel inside this carriage if there was enough room.

"Show us the way." Resh said. "Don't yell if you don't have to. Properly speak. We have sensitive ears, even though they are less sensitive than yours."

Bran didn't utter a word aloud after that throughout the journey.

-

Before we could reach Sermeth, the night fell. We decided to stay in the carriage for the night. I laid on one seat while Bran took the other. Resh was watching the carriage from the rooftop. Bran tried to volunteer for the watch, but Resh frowned and he immeadietly shrank back.

"Are you afraid of Resh?" I asked him as we laid across each other. The carriage seats were not built for sleeping. I knew I would fall down any given moment, so I clunged to the sides.

"No." Bran said. "I admire him. He is kind of my idol, you know." he said. I could see his smile through the darkness. "I saw him when I was little. Some kids were bullying him. He didn't do anything. Then they started insulting the king for taking him in. That's when he snapped. He broke all of their wrists."

"A little child being violent is hardly a reason to admire him." I said, laughing. I could totally imagine a little Resh going wild with rage. I would have cheered him on or joined him.

"Well, it was admirable how he stood up for people he loved, but didn't do anything when then insults were about him. He was so much stronger than them. It would have made sense if he burnt them up instead of just staying silent. I admired that spirit. I wanted to be like him from that day on."

"Oh, go to sleep." Resh tapped the carriage roof. "I can hear all your gibberish."

I smiled at Bran, who must have turned bright red. "Good night." I said. He greeted me back. " Good night, Your Highnesses."

Resh didn't say anything. Then I heared Bran snoring. Even though sleep came to him easily, I stayed awake for a long time before the sleep finally found me.