War of Faeries

Chapter 27

Henry told us to be back to the palace with in the hour, but I didn't care. The hour came and went, and so did the second and third hours. He also told us to stay on the main paths, but I didn't listen to that either. We were deep with in the forest, and no one cared. Maybe Matthew did, but that was only because I upset him earlier and he still hadn't forgiven me.

I watched him and Justin splash around in the creek bed that we had stopped by. Max had noticed me staring and sat down next to me. We sat in silence for a few moments before he bumped me with his shoulder.

"Whatever happened earlier don't let it bother you too much. He will talk to you when he is ready."

"Hmm." Is all I give in a way of a response.

"So Valarie, how did you meet ole Max here?" Brandon asks plopping down onto the rock next to me. "You don't mind me calling you Valarie now do you?"

"No, I don't mind." I tell him, a smile making an appearance on my face, "Gavin actually introduced us." I tell him taking a bite from one of the apples Max brought for us to snack on.

"I wish I was there for that." he laughs.

"I for one am glad you weren't there." Max tells him, looking down at his apple.

"Now I really wish I was there." he laughs looking at Max's face.

"Wish you were there for what?" Nick asks throwing his knife into the tree. He looks over at us, waiting for one of us to answer him.

"When Max met the Princess." Brandon answers him.

"How did you two meet? I mean we were all that day you decided to sit down at our table and talk to Max, but we never found out how that conversation happened." Nick says pulling his knives out of the tree.

"Gavin introduced us. I wanted to get away from Henry, and he brought me to Max." I answer, "Max thought Gavin was wasting his time, and I eventually ended up putting Max in his place."

Brandon and Nick laugh at how we met, while Max shook his head in embarrassment. Clearly that wasn't a side he wanted to show to his men, but when I saw the smile on his face I knew he wasn't upset that I told them how we met.

"Sounds like we have Gavin to thank for us being here right now. Heaven only knows we have better things to be doing right now." Matthew states from his place in the water.

"I never thought I would have to thank that kid for anything." Brandon groans, ignoring Matthews statement.

I couldn't though. I couldn't ignore Matthews statement like that. I knew I pissed him off and over stepped some boundary earlier but I didn't realize I had pissed him off that much. I didn't think he would end up saying something like that in front of everyone.

"We should get going, otherwise we might have to beg Henry so we can keep our jobs. Or we could have the Princess beg him for us again." Matthew states glancing back at me, anger filling his eyes.

No one speaks a word, everyone just silently grabs their horses reins and starts leading their horses towards the path. Matthew made sure he was the farthest one away from me, even Max was closer to me than Matthew was and he was in the front of the group.

There were several different moments others from the group tried to rope us into conversation, but neither Matthew or I participated. We both had things to tell each other and now wasn't the right time, despite the comments Matthew made the entire time we were at the creek.

When we got to the palace I handed Matthew the reins and left. I passed Henry in the hall but he was preoccupied with one of the men from the meetings. I thanked whatever higher power there was and continued walking down the hall. The last thing I wanted right now was to start a fight with him. I already had a fight with Matthew brewing I didn't need to add to the war anymore.

                              ****

Hours have past since we arrived back at the palace, and I hadn't heard from or seen Matthew once. Max told me not to worry and to let him find me when he was ready to talk, but that seemed like an impossible task. I knew he was outside my door like he always was. I knew that if if I wanted to I could force him into talking to me. The only question I had left was why did I want to talk to him? Why was his forgiveness so important to me?

"Matthew?" I ask opening my door.

I let out a sigh of disappointment when I see Henry standing in front of my door. He ignores my sigh and pushes his way into my room. I trail after him and lean against my wall when he finally stops in the middle of my room.

"I'm not here to yell at you, if that's what you are thinking."

"Then why are you here." I ask dropping my arms, I honestly thought he was going to fight with me about this afternoon.

"To tell you to pack your things. We leave for the tournament in a few days."

"I thought we had an entire week left."

"So did I. Just got a letter, they moved up the date." He looks around my room not wanting to say the words he has on his mind.

I lock eyes with him, and he releases a sigh.

"You should fix things between you and your guard. You might want to have someone you trust there, someone you can talk to."

He walks out of my room, and I stay frozen in place. I have just a handful of days before we leave and a mission to get started on.

       ****

Zane was gone, and so was my connection to her. Without Zane there I couldn't build a strong enough link to watch her, to hold her, to comfort her like I wanted to. So I did the most greedy thing I could do in my position. I forced her to come to me sooner than expected. I forced their hand so I could be greedy for a time.

I know once I have her here what will happen, I know that I will ultimately loose her forever. Not because she couldn't stand what I am, but because I lied to her for so long. I know that was the one thing she could not stand above all.

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Things are getting interesting. That's all. Ill let you keep reading.