Six
I almost forgot where I was again. The day before seems like a vivid dream, but this time there is no doubt that it is all very real. I hear the door open to my room, I shift the covers to make sure my body is fully covered. It sounds as if someone is moving something heavy into my room.
“Shh, quiet Echo. The Prince's lady is still asleep!” Whoever Echo was, he was firmly scolded by a female whose voice sounded familiar. Taryn, maybe? I try to peek an eye out from under the covers. Sure enough I see the remarkably tall woman with her red hair tied into a thick braid down her back.
“Who is this woman?”, That must be Echo's voice, I could feel his eyes on the back of my head staring at me.
“That is the human the Prince has obsessed about these last years. He finally found her.”
“You mean the entire palace is in uproar over a human play toy?” I heard the disgust in Echo's voice.
“Come on Echo, I know you need to get back to training. Out the door, and thank you love for helping me get the wardrobe in”
I hear the door close, but decided to stay tucked into bed a little longer to be sure no one would be returning. I am having a hard time reading Taryn. She refers to me as a Lady like the Prince, I mean Garrik, requested yet she also didn't defend me against Echo. I could tell she and Echo have some kind of relationship and that moving wardrobes is not in his regular job duties.
Convinced no one would be returning I sat up in bed. The room was well lit from the giant iris window. The flowers filtered lavender light across the floor. There is no clock in the room, so I have no idea if I managed to sleep through breakfast. At the foot of my bed lays a white robe, something like you what would see in a spa. I slip it on and head to the hidden door. I needed to use the facilities like everyone else first thing in the morning. “Open” I say, and the door glides open. No one is in the sitting room causing me to sigh a sound of relief. Now I pray that Garrik isn't in the bathing area either. I take a deep breath and mutter, “Open”. The bathroom looks just as amazing as the night before. The only noticeable difference is the lack of steam and fog floating up from the pool. It must be because the sun is warmer than the cool night air.
“Hello? Anyone in here?” No one responded so I quickly made my way around the reed wall to use the privy. I then decided to take a dip in the pool. Yesterday was long and my muscles ached from all the traveling. I slipped my robe off and gingerly lowered myself into the heated pool. It was hot. Not like Jacuzzi hot tub hot, but more like the perfect warm bathing temperature. I sigh as the heat massages my sore muscles and joints. Dipping my hair back into the lavender scented water. I rarely shampoo my wild wavy hair, so I didn't even look for soaps, allowing the water to cleanse me on it's own. The pool was so big I was able to let my body to fall backwards and my legs to float upwards. Floating on top of the water has always been one of my favorite feelings. Water sloshed in my ears washing away any sounds that may have been in the room. All I could hear was the peaceful sound of the waterfall hitting the water. My eyes looking up towards the open ceiling and blue sky. In this moment I feel like the luckiest woman in the world. I do not deserve this!
Still floating in the water with my eyes closed I feel a gentle tug on one of my long floating locks. My eyes flash open and there is Garrik on the edge of the pool staring at me with a lock of my hair between his fingers. Panic rises through me as I try to maneuver my body back under the water, causing my entire head to be submerged. I come back up gasping and hissing like a cat that had been tossed into a bath. Swaths of dark hair was in my eyes. I cried out in frustration!
“What the hell Garrik?” It came out as a sputtering more than a yell or scream as I intended. I toss the wet hair out of my face and realize my nipples were still above the water. My face flushes as I reach my arm across my chest.
“You can’t keep invading my privacy like this. It is uncomfortable and wrong.”
Garrik looks at me as he took in my words. “I am sorry, I hadn’t thought of that. I don't think of us as having boundaries because of our connection. You were so peaceful, now you look like a drowning cat, I knew having you here would be entertaining and I will be more careful to give you privacy next time.” He stood looking as perfect as ever. “Put your robe on and meet me in the sitting room. We need to talk before we head down to breakfast and meet my parents.”
Meet his parents? I knew that would likely be in the plan sooner rather than later, but they are royalty why are they interested in a human? Especially, if I am viewed as Prince Garrik's human plaything. Echo's words drifting through my head. I am a nobody, but I also don't feel like I have a choice. If I was any younger I would have ran, but now I am going to get dressed and face it head on. I am not sure I want to leave Elmora, I have never slept so good or seen such amazing things before in my life. I can fend for myself if they didn't want me in the palace long. Help me find a small piece of land, allow me a garden, chickens, and a milk cow and I could survive quite well.
Shaking the musings out of my head I climb up and out of the pool using the small steps on the side. There was a chair with towels sitting upon it along the wall. I use one to pat my self dry and to wrap my hair up onto my head. I stepped into my robe and entered the sitting room. Garrik sat leaning back into a chair with a toothpick in his mouth. His teal eyes twinkled when he saw me and that mischievous grin curved at the corner of his lips.
“Let's do this.” Garrik said sounding very human. He jumped from his seat and walked to my door and into my room. “What are we doing?”
“We are going to get you ready to meet the King and Queen of Median!”
He throws the doors open to my new wardrobe sorting through all the dresses. Finally he seemed to decide on a deep purple dress cut in the same empire dress style I had worn the night before. It had a lavender panel in the front and cap sleeves for each shoulder.
“I had them gather gowns that should fit you. I hope they altered them to your height as requested.”
I took the dress and motioned for him to turn around with my finger. Smiling Garrik stood there facing me with his arms crossed his chest. His deep purple tunic stretched as his muscles flexed. Staring me down, “I have already seen you completely bare. Now if you would be okay with it I would like to see you put on this dress.”
“Fuck you Prince Garrik. I am not here to be your human play toy! Turn around please!” Garrik’s eyes flashed with anger.
“You are not my human toy! Who told you that?” He took a long stride forward grabbing me by my arms.
“I.. I .. I heard it this morning.”
“Who?” He demanded again,
“Taryn and a guy I couldn't see, Echo, was his name. They thought I was asleep.”
“Taryn said that?” His voice laced with disbelief.
I shook my head no. “Echo did, but she didn't correct him either.” the words stammered out of my mouth.
He sat me down and rushed out the main door slamming it behind him. Holy fuck. What the hell just happened? Not knowing what else to do, I begin to get dressed. I hope Garrik isn't going to make a scene. I have no idea who Echo even is, and it was obvious that my Elf-man was going to go make a scene. I am mortified. My first real day in Elmora and Garrik has to go fight some battle for my honor. I am a human, but I I also have permission by the Elven Council to be here. Does the Elven Council give permission for play things? I doubted it as Garrik had told me as much the night before. The council was going to want to use me for something. I have no idea what use I could be to elves.
I had the dress on, it was a little on the long side yet still manageable. I found a pair of silk slippers in the bottom drawer of my wardrobe. They were a perfect fit. I walked over to the vanity to see a bottle with a note.
This is for your hair. -Taryn.
I popped the glass topper off and took a whiff. It smelled divine. Not the soft lavender of the bath, but more of a spicy scent. Spicy apples with a tinge of citrus. I put a small dab of the oil on my palm and worked the oil through my long locks. The results were astonishing. My waves separated into perfect strands accenting each individual wave. No longer were there any frizzy wild strands running away near my face. No crazy baby hairs poking out of the top like a little crown. My wild hair tamed by some kind of spicy elf oil. I will take it. Now do I sit here and wait? The only place I know in this palace is the small courtyard.
I am the impatient type. I can't just sit in a room with no entertainment of any kind and wait. I open the door walk down the hall and then descend the stairs. I turn to go to the court yard, but then decided I should try to find the kitchen. I would kill for a cup of coffee before breakfast. I pray elves have coffee. I smell food so the kitchens can not be too far from this wing of the palace. Unlike in the tower area I was in last night the main halls were wide open. The only ceiling was the top of the palace. Stain glass windows along the hall let in multi colored light that dances along the walls and floors. It was spectacular. I had closed my eyes to focus and feel the energy that I sensed dancing around. I also took the time to double check my barriers. The last thing I want is to drop any of them in Elmora, when I have no idea what I may see or what may see me.
I then sent some energy down through my legs and out my feet forming roots to keep me planted in reality. That is how I knew this must be real. I mean I knew it was real feeling, but the mind can do crazy things. Having my energy rooted allowed me to know this floor is real. This land is real, these colorful dancing lights in this big stone hallway is 100% real. Lost in my thoughts I felt a familiar shock course through my body as arms wrapped around me.
“I see you like my home.” It was Garrik. I instinctively leaned back into his hard chest and sighed. “Where did you go?”
“I had to deal with a guest trainer. All is well.” He released me. We never had the talk he wanted to have before meeting his parents, and it seems now there is no longer time. He started walking so I did what I needed to do and followed.
“What is the energy I am feeling in the lights from the window?”
He stopped turning to look at me with a concerned face. “You feel that? Most can't. It’s a truth spell woven into the stained glass. The light spreads the spell through the hall. You will feel the same in the throne room. None can lie when these lights are visible.”
“Fascinating,” Jumping on the opportunity to have complete truth, “Why do you really want me here? What makes me so special that I am singled out by an elf Prince?”
Garrik chuckles, “I knew that was coming. You always jump on opportunity when presented.”
“That is not an answer to my questions. I thought you had to be truthful.”
Garrik started walking again, “I have to be truthful if I choose to answer, and right now I choose not to. You know you are special to me and that is all that matters.”