The Demon and the Elf (Book 1)

Chapter Twenty Seven pt 1

Chapter Twenty Seven

When the air settled and the energy around them calmed, everyone looked to one another in confusion. Staying behind a few moments more to confirm safety, they had made the decision to return.

Vrona wanted to stay a little longer, her eyes searching the distance. What greeted her were only demons speaking with their gazes on one side and dusty plains on the other, the wind scratching debris on her cheek. Eventually, she sighed, looking downward in thought. Downward in—

Her weight fell as the guards rushed to hold her up. With the urgency left behind, her body and mind caught up to the damage throughout her body, without a breath to spare her forceful rest.

For several days after the eventful moment, the city went through various changes. Demons gathered in towns that had become inevitably damaged and worked together to rebuild homes, the dull sounds of bricks clashing and the smell of cement wafting in the air.

The inner city folk kept to their gossip, sipping beer with their arms crossed over tables with a, "Did you hear?!"

Words spread quickly among the demons of how there was not one, but two heirs to the throne. As the second prince approached the height of a large tower that looked over the town, he had apparently stood so awkwardly, as if forced, that the cityfolk doubted their belief when he had announced the overthrow of the king. The only proof being that he was not killed on the spot by the (former king) at the ludicrous statement.

Raving to the demons that his brother had stopped a catastrophe to the territory and had the compassion to even aid an elf in the process, the younger one seemed to do his best to gloat, swaying the demon's trust in the older heir they had no knowledge of prior. He had concluded his speech by specifying deeply that his brother, the older and definitely more powerful one, was to take over the throne and oversee future operations.

Many of the demons who had been born within the former king's leadership bubbled in anxiety and denial with what a new leadership could mean. Meanwhile, many more of the demons who had been affected by the king's negligence sought hope in the news, holding their worries at bay.

In the palace, the new palace staff filled and roamed the hallways, a bustling crowdedness as they crossed each other on their path. Some were tasked to tear down the audience room and redecorate, ridding the former image of the room that had only brought strife and anguish. Conscious rebels had gathered, conversing, scribbling. Papers all around the room, each with plans of necessary developments that the new royalty needed to approve of and oversee.

Meanwhile, in the palace, there was a room with a large window and a demon, whose eyes were dull and surrounded by dark under eyes. The demon did not want to be there, had never intended to be there. Yet, there he was, surrounded by books and notes he was forced to oversee and a brain he was forced to use.

In moments, the demon was greeted with a guest. A guest was a very welcome entrance. It allowed him to at least stop using his hands and relieve them from the stain of ink.

"Don't worry, he's just unconscious, but alive." The mid toned voice of Tahgaryn came from across a wooden table in a large room filled of books.

On the other side of the table was the elf, desperately holding down the rebounding tears which he had finally managed to stop.

When Drokn had fallen unconscious, the elf became paralyzed, a wrenching pain striking his heart. The faint blue that shakily covered the demon's chest faded as quickly as it came, all of the elf's magic used up. Wetness blinded his vision as he placed his ears against the resounding beat of the demon's slow heart on his chest before he had fallen unconscious, as well.

The next thing the elf had seen, his back rested on top of a large mattress, the blinding sunlight just a crevice between two closed curtains. His cape must have been retrieved as it had been tied snugly around him once more, easing him into a mild sense of safety. It must have been washed, as well, with a light fragrance of jasmine tickling his nose.

Turning his foggy head the other way, the elf noticed the familiar figure of K'ra and suddenly, all of the recent events had caught up to him. Immediately, he sat up, heart audible, and questioned the whereabouts of his demon.

On parchment, K'ra started to scribble and one sentence at a time, showed Eial what they had written. They explained how Drokn was resting but fine, and in the next note, mentioned Tahgaryn wanting to speak to Eial after he had awoken.

"Tahgaryn?" asked Eial.

[Drokn's brother], K'ra wrote and humorously grinned at the face Eial had made in response.

"This is my first time talking to an elf," Tahgaryn stated, hands clasped on the table in front of him. "You don't seem like what I was taught." Noticing the fidgeting fingers as the elf looked down from eye contact, Tahgaryn reassured, "I don't care that you're an elf, to be honest."

Rubbing his fingers against the fabric of his cloak, Eial asked in a cracked whisper, "Can I see Drokn?"

"Hmm, not yet," responded the second prince. He shuffled through various sheets of paper that spread across the table. "According to these notes that Vrona had carried about you two, it seems that Drokn amplifies your magic, correct?"

Tahgaryn briefly glanced up, assessing the elf's reaction before continuing. "It looks like what actually happens is that Drokn's energy gets used in exchange for the amplification. So right now, he's just exhausted his energy. But if he accidentally makes contact with you while resting, we don't know enough about what'll happen and we don't want to risk anything."

Eial clenched the edges of his cloak, a muddiness clogging his chest. Turning his hands over, he looked at them as a glossiness sheened over his vision. With a shaky breath, he composed himself before timidly glancing up at the brother, who had features similar to his demon, but with a more slender build, more narrow eyes, and horns that mimicked their mother.

"Mr...uhm, Eial? You see, the reason I wanted to talk to you is because you saved the demon lands. Although not all the demons are aware of your efforts, the rebellion wants to grant you a wish. What would you like for it to be?"

Mind wandering to only one desire, Eial opened his mouth to speak. However, before he could utter a word, a knock came in from the room's doors, a sense of urgency in the voice of a guard as they requested to come in. Permission granted to speak in front of the elf, the guard explained a situation of concern that the palace had been messaged with.

Tahgaryn ruffled his hair and groaned at the inconvenience before looking at Eial, who in turn looked straight into the prince's eyes with a gentle, unwavering smile. "I know what I'd like my wish to be."