The Sun's Shadow

Chapter Sixteen

How can someone command so much attention without making a noise? It shocked all when the mute faenix leaped forward to physically put herself between the King and the Prince, who had accepted imminent defeat. Ele knew the severity of her actions when she saw no one more shocked than the King himself.

The pulsing veins darkened from ashy black to a rich obsidian and thundered beneath his skin. Rage caused his nostrils to flare, disbelief made his eye twitch.

He didn't bother asking her what provoked this suicidal behavior because he knew no answer could come from her lips. That and her eyes betrayed the fact that she hadn't thought before acting. A typical female occurrence.

When he pried his gaze from her pleading eyes, he saw only Charles and his wife, ushering out the last of the witnesses.

"It's disloyalty-" Wlyda argued something with Charles, thinking themselves quiet.

"No, she simply doesn't understand our customs-"

Wlyda scoffed, "Did she see me running to intervene? Or you, for that matter? It's basic-"

"Don't question it. The second he thinks you're on board with a trial, he'll cut her down."

Jyosith tightened his stare on the bickering pair and cleared his throat for attention. "You think me that cruel, Charles? I see her actions as nothing more than a meddling child. I wouldn't kill a child, now would I?"

Charles didn't retort; he knew better.

The King's wife, on the other hand, was not afraid to speak her mind. The moment her lips parted and her eyes lit up, he could guess the insidious plan she'd spew.

"The girl is a burden," She started with a pointed look at the girl in question. "If she is to stay at the request of our son, she'll need to be taught a lesson. No one would teach her better than our King. Punishment doesn't have to come in the form of torture or isolation... You're more dignified than that. Together we can think of a suitable retribution for her."

Ele's chest heaved and her eyes widened. Punishment? For what, she saved- Oh no. At last, her actions dawned on her. How did she get from where she stood beside Roman, to the middle of the arena? She didn't remember moving at all.

She spun to have Kaanan translate her sorries, only to find him leaning against the back wall with Doctor Edinson kneeling beside him. The sight of his wound made her woozy, and she had to outstretch an arm to steady herself.

"Perhaps you have a point, my love. For now, please get her from my sight. Our sabotaged duel will need to be rescheduled once he heals." The King could not bring himself to look in the direction where his son was being tended to. "I need to meet with the general tonight..."

The voice of the King faded as one of the Queen's handmaidens came into the courtyard on cue to usher Eledorah out of view.

Once back inside the confines of her room, she could only ponder what the Prince was thinking. Would he be angry with her at intervening and saving him? There was no way of knowing if the King would truly have killed his own son... Those determined eyes told a different story for a split second.

Ele began to remember what she felt in that moment. Fear. Desperation. An eagerness to save a life. More than that; a life she cared for. The night she saved his siblings from the satyroids, she acted out of pure goodness to save a life. Now, emotions were involved and caused her to be reckless.

Unable to lie down or even sit still, she paced. She grew familiar with how many steps separated her door and the opposing wall. Back and forth aimlessly, searching for answers to questions she didn't even know. Asking herself questions with no explainable answer.