Chapter 17

Kate paused with an apple slice halfway to her mouth. "How far is it to Havenvale?" she asked, before taking a bite of the crisp, juicy fruit. After the incident with the guards, they had decided it was best to head back inside and had returned to Kate's room to share a late lunch. Across the table, Aduil tilted his head in thought.

"Not too far. A fortnight or so on foot I should think, and less by horse." He paused, and spoke a little quieter when he continued, "I know you are eager to return to your world, so we may set out once the King grants us leave. Which I am certain he will, once he sees you are no threat to our lands or people."

Kate nodded, her hand hovering over the platter as she tried to decide on another fruit. Most of them were familiar, but there were a few that looked a little iffy. Like the blue fuzzy one. Probably best to stick with the known, but how often do you get the chance to try weird fruit from another world?

"Okay, that sounds good. Will I need to meet with…" She trailed off, letting her hand slowly fall as she looked up. "Wait, did you say 'we'? You're coming with me?"

"Of course. I would not have you make such a journey alone." He leaned in and added in a conspiratorial whisper, "You can barely hold a sword."

"Hey, I was doing pretty good until your buddies came to save you," Kate retorted. "Especially for day one."

"I cannot argue that," Aduil agreed. "In truth, you surprise me. I did not think to see you learn so swiftly."

Kate quirked a brow at that, not sure whether she should be offended. His smile seemed genuine enough, though, so she let it go and grabbed a slice of the fruit with a blue fuzzy peel. "Well, I'm better at Escrima sticks, anyway." She took a small bite of the fleshy insides and chewed thoughtfully. It tasted like a citrusy watermelon. Weird. And kind of good.

"What is es-creem-a sticks?"

"They're—" She cut off, covering her mouth, and paused to swallow before starting again. "They're these sturdy, lightweight sticks, about as long as my arm, used in this fighting style called Kali."

"And you simply hit your enemy with a stick?" he asked dubiously.

"Well, sort of, though, I mean, there's a bit more to it than that. Actually, you'd probably be pretty good at it, with your superhero reflexes. Maybe I could show you sometime, if we could find some decent sticks."

"Perhaps. It does sound interesting…" he said thoughtfully. "Still, I am not certain how well a stick will serve against any who may wish you harm."

"Two sticks, thank you very much." She turned up her nose in mock offense, then let it go with half a shrug as she added, "But, yeah, I was actually thinking the same."

"Then it seems it is well I will join you," he said, and Kate could only agree. An elf with a sword was worlds better than Kate alone with a couple of sticks and a horse. And if that elf just happened to be Aduil, well.

Maybe it would be better—easier on her heart at the very least—to say goodbye here, make a clean break, but she just couldn't find it in herself to complain.

Besides, having Aduil along would solve a whole host of problems, she thought to herself as she finished her fuzzy fruit and grabbed another, problems like finding her way—even with a map, she wasn't all that confident she could make it. Now all that was left was getting out of the Meadowood. Aduil seemed pretty confident they'd be allowed to go, but on the off chance he was wrong, climbing out the window was still an option. Though, that would mean going it alone, without anything more than what she could scrounge in her room and forage along the way.

Without even saying goodbye.

So it was an option, but not a good one. She'd just have to hope it didn't come to that.

Licking some fruit juice from the tips of her fingers, Kate nodded to the Talerian Chronicles where it lay next to the fruit platter. "What are you going to tell the King about that?" she asked. "I mean, I assume he's seen it."

When Aduil didn't answer, she looked up to find him staring at her with an expression she hadn't seen from him before. She wasn't sure what to make of it, until she followed his gaze down to her hand, to her ring finger buried knuckle deep in her mouth. Oh.

She popped it out with a furious blush and hid her hands on her lap. Even back home that was bad manners. She cleared her throat and sat up a little straighter, as if that would undo the crude mistake.

"Forgive me," Aduil said with a few slow blinks before meeting her eyes again. "Were you speaking?"

"Uh, yeah. I asked what you're going to tell your, um, your dad about the book. He's probably pretty curious about it, right? I mean, you were, even before I told you what it was."

"Ae. I… I suppose I will tell him it is a book of history tales," he said thoughtfully.

"Historical," she corrected. "And, you're okay with that? Lying to your dad, your King?" He didn't seem all that comfortable with the idea.

Aduil hesitated, then nodded. "It is for Lindolir's safety. When the truth becomes known, he will understand."

Kate wasn't too sure about that; the King didn't seem like the most understanding elf, but then, she supposed, Aduil knew him best. She shrugged.

"Alright, Historical tales, it is. And it's almost true, too. Or at least it will be."

Aduil agreed and, swiping the last grape from the platter, tossed it high in the air and caught it in his mouth.

Kate rolled her eyes. "Show off."

He laughed, but whatever reply he might have given was cut off when Beletir came into the room. He bowed his head to Aduil and delivered a short message—something about the King—then gave a quick nod to Kate before he left.

Well, would you look at that, she mused, I am making progress. It was a heartening notion, even if it was a little late to be of much use.

Aduil stood with a small sigh. "I have been summoned to the King."

"Oh, okay." She walked him to the door. "Is he going to need to see me too? Now that you can translate for me, I mean." Pleasesaynopleasesaynopleasesayno.

"No, I do not believe so. My word should suffice."

YES!

"Okay, cool," Kate said, but couldn't help a grin. "Well, good luck, then."

He nodded and turned to the door, then paused with his hand on the knob. He glanced at Kate with a slight tilt to his head before turning back to her. In one fluid motion, he slipped to one knee and took her hand in both of his and held it to his heart as Lindolir had done, but she didn't laugh this time. All she could do was stare, as her heart fluttered in her chest and her stomach did a little somersault.

"I will return," he murmured, and placed a chaste little kiss on the back of her hand. Before she could even think to react, he was gone.

*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*

Aduil's heart thundered in his chest as though he were riding into battle, yet there were no enemies to fight here, no blade to deflect, only one foolish elf fleeing his own confounding actions. He shook his head as though it might bring clarity as he all but ran from Kate's chambers.

Why had he done that? Why had he parted from her with such an intimate farewell? 'I hold you close to my heart'. He had all but shouted the words when he knelt before her. What a fool he was!

Yet, she had laughed when Lindolir had done the same, and he had thought… No, he knew not what he had thought. And then he had kissed her hand. What must she think of him?

He did not know what to think of himself.

Still…

It had been soft, that hand, and sweet with the lingering scent of berries, apples and moonfruit, and something else besides, something he could not identify but that it was entirely Kate. As he had held that hand between his own, drinking in that heady bouquet, something had come over him, something new and wonderous, and before he knew what he was doing, his lips were brushing her skin and his heart was soaring while his stomach was swooping and…

Perhaps he was becoming ill.

It had been decades since he had last suffered an illness, for grown elves could not fall ill save by a poisoning, yet what other cause could there be?

Though… though it had not been unpleasant. He could still feel the specter of her hand in his and taste her sweetness upon his lips, and he wished nothing more than to return to her, to earn another smile, another laugh, perhaps even—He pushed the thought firmly away for the foolishness it was. Kate was his dear friend. To even entertain such thoughts…

Aduil looked up to find himself stopped before his father's door as it stood slightly ajar, awaiting his entrance. The scratching of a quill could be heard from within, swift, even strokes followed by the faint clink of an inkwell.

"Why do you linger in the corridor, my son?" Elanduil's voice drifted out distant, absent, as though his thoughts, too, lay elsewhere.

Aduil took a moment to smooth away an imagined crease in his tunic, then raised his chin and nudged his way into the room.

*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*

Kate hunched over the paper in her hands as she tried to make a particularly tricky fold. Instead, it ripped, and she sighed. She tossed it into the crumpled pile of mistakes on the bed beside her, grabbed another piece of parchment from the bedside table, and started again.

She hadn't tried her hand at origami since the sixth grade, when she and Aurora had made a thousand paper flowers as part of a school project. By the time they were through, they were experts at the craft, as far as flowers went anyway, and had each declared that they never wanted to even see another paper flower as long as they lived. But, as there was little else to do in her room—nothing more than the book to pack and no preparations Kate could make—it was either make origami, or let herself dwell on the image, the feel, of Aduil bent before her, kissing her hand.

A blush crept up her cheeks, a dopey smile edging across her face. The warmth of his hand around hers, those petal-soft lips, brushing against her fingers and the heat of his breath, warming more than just her skin—She shook her head and cleared her throat, forcing her attention back to the paper in her hands.

If she could just sort of twist that little part there, and then fold that other part this way…Or was it the other way? This was harder than she remembered.

Though, not as hard as trying to figure Aduil out. First he tells her he's only hanging around with her to assess her threat level as his princely duty, then he pulls something like that? Talk about mixed signals.

Then again, it wasn't like he'd declared his undying affections or anything. He'd just kissed her hand. People used to do that all the time, way back in the day, didn't they? It was like a gesture of respect, or something. Yeah, she was sure she'd seen it in the movies a time or two, when some pompous lord or lady would insist a supplicant kiss their hand to show deference to their station. Not that Kate had a station—high or otherwise—or had insisted. She hadn't even seen it coming.

Still, it made sense, didn't it? Elves were all about formality and respect and junk. At least, in the books they were. Though, Aduil had never seemed to play into all that, not once they had gotten to know one another. Anyway, even if that wasn't the case, it really didn't—Kate jumped at a sudden knock on the door, ripping her flower. Again.

"Dag nabbit. Come in!" The door opened as Kate tried to make one last adjustment to the flower, a tiny little fold to hide the rip.

"Kate?"

"Just a sec, if I can just…Dag." It didn't work. It still sort of looked like a flower, though. More than the others anyway. Ah, well. She dropped her hands into her lap as she finally looked up. "You're back sooner than I—oh. It didn't go well, did it." Aduil was wearing that odd little smile again, the one that didn't quite reach his eyes.

Her shoulders fell. "He's not letting me go," she guessed. "Well, that's lovely. Just tell me I'm not being downgraded to the dungeon." That would screw things up, but good. She highly doubted there would be windows to climb out of in the dungeon. In fact, she knew there wouldn't.

"I…" He paused, tilting his chin in a bemused expression. "We do not have a dungeon."

"Yes, you do, I know you do, it's in the book," she blurted, before remembering with a wince that that was exactly the type of thing she was trying not to reveal.

With a juicy tidbit like that, Aduil had to be brimming with questions—who was going to end up in the dungeon and why and when, and probably a hundred other things Kate couldn't think of— but though his attention was drawn to the book across the room, he didn't ask for more details.

Instead, he simply offered, "Perhaps it refers to the cellars, as they have doors which lock only from the outside."

Well, that was unexpected. What was a palace, especially in a fantasy world, without a dungeon? And what did it say about their justice system? Did they just not have crime? That seemed unlikely, even for elves. Maybe they kept criminals, even the super shady, need-to-keep-a-close-eye-on-that-one, threat to the crown types, somewhere else. Or were they more progressive, employing restorative justice and treating criminals for the source of their behavior, rather than just locking them away?

All good questions, but they could wait.

"Okay, so am I about to get locked in a cellar, then?" Kate asked.

"No…" His head turned back to Kate, but his eyes were slow to follow. He had promised not to ask any more about the book, and he was holding to that, but it clearly wasn't easy. "No, all is well."

"So then, what's with the face?"

"The…" He moved a hand to his cheek.

"Your expression," she explained. "You looked sort of upset when you came in."

"Ae. It is nothing. What is that?" He gestured to her lap.

"Oh, it's um, it's supposed to be a flower." She held it up by the stem and gave it a little twirl between her fingers. The ripped piece came loose and flew off just before the head drooped to the side, as if saddened by the loss. "As you can see, it's failing miserably."

"May I?" He stepped closer to the bed, stretching out a hand, and she passed it over. He examined it closely for a moment, then began to make a few delicate adjustments.

"You know origami?" Another surprise.

"That is what your people call this?" When she nodded, he went on, "Then, yes. Though, I have not seen this precise form before. Still, it should be a simple matter to repair it." Another little tuck here and a fold there, and pretty soon it was looking like a perky little flower again.

"Wow, you fixed it." She grinned. "Is there anything you can't do?"

Aduil chuckled. "Many things. Shall I list them?"

"Mmm, tempting, but I think I'm good. Oh, no, you keep it," she added when he made to return the flower.

"Truly? You wish for me to have this craft of your hands?"

"Odd way of putting it, but sure, why not?" Kate shrugged.

"Annonte." He drew his hand back, gazing down at the little scrap of paper like it was something wholly unexpected and entirely precious. "Thank you. I will treasure it," he added before carefully slipping it into the pouch on his belt.

"Okay, relax, it's not like I gave you my first-born child or something." She laughed, but Aduil looked horrified.

"Is that something your people do?"

"No, of course not. Only in stories. But we've gotten way off track. How was your meeting? Are we free to go, or am I using my 'terrible magic powers' to escape and run away?"

Aduil smiled. "We may leave the palace at first light."

"Awesome!" She bounded from the bed and tackled him with a hug, squeezing him tight with a little squeal of excitement. She was going home! Well, Havenvale first, and then home, but she was going and Aduil would be with her every step of the way! Yeah, they'd have to go their separate ways at the end, and that would suck, it would hurt like a son of a bitch, but just then, holding him close—crap! What was she doing?

Cheeks burning, she leapt back, brushing past arms just beginning to close around her. Or more likely, moving in to push her away. "Sorry. I um. I didn't mean—I…I got excited. Sorry."

"…It is well. I…" He cleared his throat and offered a hesitant smile. "It is well."

"You're, um. You're repeating yourself."

"Am I?" He paused, with a tiny quirk of the lips. "Am I?"

That drew a small laugh, from relief more than anything else. She was lucky he hadn't taken it the wrong way—or, rather, the right way. That was a complication she didn't need. She was going to have to watch herself on the road, if she wanted to stay just friends. Well, 'want' was the wrong word, but she couldn't let her heart run the show. That dumbass would only hurt itself.

"So, what happens next? I mean, I know we leave tomorrow, but there must be preparations to be made or something, right? It's just, I don't really know what to do, I've never really traveled, well, unless you count a couple vacations with my mom when I was a kid, but we never went far, and she did all the prep work, not that there was much, far as I could tell, but all I had to do pack my own clothes and stuff. Even that doesn't really come into play here though, as all I've got are the clothes I came with, so all I've got to do is change, and I'll be ready. But, I mean, this is a journey," she knew she was babbling, as she gestured wildly with a stupid grin plastered across her face, but couldn't make herself stop. And for once, she didn't want to. "I mean a proper journey, with horses and campfires and stuff, so there must be more to do, only I don't know what that would be. Meals to prep, maybe? I doubt there will be a lot of diners along the way, but I could make sandwiches or something? What do you think?"

Aduil cocked his head. "What is 'sandwiches'?"

"A couple of pieces of bread with stuff between them? Like meat and cheese and lettuce and stuff? Come on, you've gotta have sandwiches here, I mean, that's pretty basic."

"Ae, yes, we do. Only, I did not know the word. But I do not think such a meal would travel well. I will gather what provisions we will need, likely dried foods, as they will not spoil. As for clothes, I will call for a pack, and you may take any items you like from your wardrobe."

"Really? No one's going to mind?"

"Of course not. They were placed there for your use alone."

"Huh. I thought I was borrowing someone else's stuff. You elves treat your prisoners very well." At least, non-Tolar prisoners. She shook her head. "Still, that'll only take a few minutes. What else can I do to help?"

"You need not worry over it, I have it well in hand."

"Oh, come on, there must be something, I can do. Put me to work!"

"You…" he hesitated. "While you will be free to leave the palace come morning, until then…"

"I'm still a prisoner," she finished for him. He nodded. "Well, that sucks. So, I'm just supposed to sit here and wait?"

"Would you like to visit the balcony, or the gardens once more, before I begin?" he asked in a conciliatory tone.

Kate sighed. "No, that's alright. Besides, the sooner you start, the sooner we can go, right?" She held up a hand to stop him before he could contradict her. "I know, we're leaving at the same time regardless. Just let me have my delusions for now, okay?"

Aduil chuckled. "As you wish."