~The Hidden Enemy~

Chapter 3:~The attack~

When a ball dance was held two days later, Elora sat quietly on her throne until Eroan suddenly asked her to dance and she happily accepted. As the dancing began and the people celebrating, nothing seemed to go wrong. Daren's children danced happily together when suddenly, the gates opened and the hall became completely silent. Into the hall walked an Elleth who made the crowd gasping. Elora looked up towards her aunt with a hard look. Dianne walked over to Elora and smiled. "Dear child. You really are as beautiful as your father said you were," she smiled. Elora looked at her sarcastically. "Really? You come here to my Kingdom when you are actually the one who organised a assassination attempt on my life," she stated. Elora's words made the people in the hall gasping in shock and anger towards the daughter of their former King. Dianne looked at Elora. "What are you talking about?," she asked innocently. Elora looked at her angrily. "Do not try to play innocent. Daren told me everything," she explained. Dianne snorted at her. "You believe the words of a Western whose brother murdered your father's uncle, my uncle more than your own aunt!?," she snapped, "What in Solania's name do you think you are doing?," And Elora looked at her angrily. "I believe him because I had prevented him from lying once I questioned him," she declared, "Why are you here? I am certain you didn't come here just to gloat," And Dianne looked at her angrily. "You have no idea how lucky you are," Dianne snapped and she raised her hand with her magic. Everyone backed and Dianne shot her magic against Eroan. Elora then stood in front to protect her husband and got hit by the magic blast herself instead. The time seemed to stop and the crowd gasped. Elora fell backwards with her eyes closed and Eroan caught her in his arms and fell to his knees. He looked down at her with tears in his eyes. "Elora?," he said panicking and stroking softly stroking her cheek. Elora did not respond but she was breathing to his relief. Dianne smiled wickedly and Eroan looked up towards her angrily. "Guards! Arrest her!," he exclaimed. Callon went over to Elora and knelt down at her. He glanced up angrily towards Dianne and the guards grabbed Dianne. "You can't do this!," she exclaimed, "I'm a Princess! I'm the Daughter Of your former King Aranel The Magnificent!," And Callon stood and looked at her. "And I don't think he would be proud to see what you've become," he declared and the guards dragged away Dianne to the anti magic cells in the dungeons.
Eroan lifted Elora a little more into his arms and held her tightly and Emersion walked over to them. "Let's get her back to your chambers," he instructed.

Elora laid in her and Eroan's bed in their chambers. Emersion couldn't tell if Elora was unconscious or the magic blast had hit her so she had fainted hard. But he soon realised that the answer was worse than he thought. The magic had hit Elora in the heart which made it even worse and harder for her to heal. Harder for him to heal her. Eroan softly stroked his wife's golden hair and softly kissed her forehead before he looked up at Emersion. "Will she be alright?," he asked. Emersion became completely silent and sighed deeply before turning to the elven King. "The magic has hit her heart," he explained, "She will recover though I do not know what the consequences will be. She might have lost her memory. Or worse," Eroan swallowed. "Can she die?," he asked worriedly. Emersion sighed and walked over to the elf King and looked at him. "No, Eroan," he assured, "She will not die, I promise. She may not be the same once she wakes up. But I promise, she will heal and soon be herself again. She may not have lost her memories at all. Remember, she fell down the stairs and was seriously injured but she recovered. She is strong," And Eroan smiled weakly at the wizard. "Thank you," he said. Emersion gently clapped his shoulder. "Now go and see to your people. I'll stay with her," Eroan stood up and left the chambers and Emersion walked over to Elora and put a gentle hand on her forehead. "Please, angels give her strength to survive this," he prayed silently.