Oceanum Collis

•Chapter 23• Little Princess

Callodir picked up his young daughter, his little princess. The young girl snuggled into her father's chest. Hayes walked after his father, grabbing his hand, and following him to their bedrooms. When he walked into the hallway with his two children, his wife appeared. She smiled and held out her hand for her son to take. "Mommy, we went to the valley today," Hayes tells her. The beautiful woman smiled at her son. "I saw, honey. Did you have fun with your father and sister?" She questioned. Hayes nodded proudly and rubbed his eyes. The queen smiled and picked up her son as well. "I'll take you to bed." She said. She pressed a kiss against his temple and carried him to his room. Callodir couldn't help but fall in love with his wife once again for the millionth time in about two thousand years. He turned to Serena's room and went inside with the little girl on his arm. He gently tucked her into her bed. "Daddy?" Serena said. Callodir looked at his daughter. "Can you tell me a story?" She asked him. Callodir smiled at her. He sat on the bed with her, resting his back against the headboard of the bed. "One story." He tells her, "Just one." He said. Serena nodded and closed her eyes. "Once upon a time, there was a little princess." Callodir started. Serena smiled. "I like the princess stories." She whispered. The elven King brushed his thumb over her cheek. "I know you do," He replied, "And this little princess... she was very brave. She would go out beyond the borders and protect her people from the dangerous creatures in the forest." He tells her. Serena opened her eyes again. Callodir looked down at the little princess. "That will be you someday." He tells her. Serena's eyes lit up with excitement. "It will?" She asked. Callodir nodded in response. Serena sat up in her bed. "But I thought Hayes was going to protect the elves." She said. Callodir let out a chuckle. "So does he." He replied, "But let me tell you a little secret." He added. Serena scooted a little closer to her father. "One day, your brother will be crowned king of the elves. But you will be crowned queen. Which makes you even more powerful." He tells her. "Wow," Serena said, amazed by his words, "But how? I don't wanna marry Hayes." She said disgusted by the thought. "Of course not. I was blessed with both of you. A boy and a girl." He explained to her, "But keep in mind... the queen gets to lead the entire army. Your brother has no say in that. Which makes you the powerful one." He smiled at her. Serena smiled at her father. "You mean that?" She asked. Callodir nodded. "I do. Now, go to sleep." He tells her.

Hayes was sitting lost in his thoughts. What could they be doing to his sister? Whatever it was, he didn't want to know. He wanted to figure out what to do now. How were they going to get him back?"We have to get her," Orlando said, "I don't want to think of what Erix could be doing to her right now." He added. Hayes looked up at him. "You said it yourself, we cannot simply knock on the gates and get inside the walls of Andillar." He reminds him. Orlando puts his hands behind his head. "But we have to do something. We can't leave her in there, and we were going to Andillar anyway." Orlando replied. Hayes got up from his seat. He glared at Orlando. "And what were you going to do? Barge in there as if you're the emperor? They will kill you before you could even knock on the door." Hayes tells him. "Well, we have to do something. She's your sister. You of all people should be trying to figure out a way to get her back." Orlando replied. "Don't you think I'm trying? I am trying every god damn second we're here to get her back! She got dragged into this because of you! So I do not want another word coming from your mouth until I have come up with a solution!" Hayes exclaimed. Orlando took a step back. "I tried to convince my father to not let her do this. But he let her go. And he told me to let this go, that she was strong enough, but she wasn't." He started, "Otherwise she would've been standing right here next to me." He added. His voice was stern and had some sort of darkness in it. It frightened Orlando slightly. These creatures were stronger than him. They had magic abilities. He would never win a fight against them. Asher and Misty were standing by them, keeping their mouths shut. Might have been better as well. Hayes was extremely worried about his sister. This made him even tenser. "I hope she was wrong about you because I would rather die than see you on the throne and ruling over these lands," Hayes tells the young man.

Meanwhile, Serena was chained up, with her hands above her head. Erix groaned and slammed his hand against the wooden door. Serena let out a chuckle. She stuck out her tongue and licked the trail of blood beneath her nose away. "Oh, is it bad that I am enjoying this?" She asked him. Erix glared at her. "Oh, I am loving this." She said. Eric hit her across the cheek. "Honey, you're gonna have to do a lot more than that to knock me out." She tells him. Erix balded his fist again and knocked against her nose. Serena let out another chuckle. "You are weak." She said. Erix hit her again, and again, and again. Serena only laughed at the man. "Even my mother can hit better than you." Serena informed him, "And she's dead." She added. Erix grabbed her face harshly in his right hand. "You're getting on my nerves." He tells her. Serena smiled at him. A small cut was on her lips. "Trust me," She started, "I can get worse." She whispered to him. Erix tightened his grip on her face. "You're going to let us inside that room. Right now. Do you understand me?" He tells her. "Oh, I understand. I'm just not interested in helping you. You're not my type." She tells him. "You're going to help us, creature! Or I will skin you alive and hang you on my wall!" He yelled in her face. Serena rolled her eyes. "Ooh, I am so scared." She said sarcastically. Erix let go of Serena and took a step back. "You're right. You're right! You're not scared." He said. He pulled out his dagger from his holster. "How about I give you something to be afraid of." He continued. Serena let out another chuckle. "You can try all you want, honey. I am not letting you into that room." Serena replied sternly. Erix tilted his head at her. He tightened his grip around his dagger. "You will." He assured her.