Gifted

Chapter Ten

Two days after arriving at Vitalities's quaint cottage, I'm finally able to function and move on my own. Thanks to Vitalities's laborious and mostly painful physical therapy along with magic herbs and medicines.

I walk down the oak staircase to the bottom floor: a kitchenette and lounge area. Vitalities stands at the stove, making tea. A loud banging sounds on the wooden door as I lower myself onto the old sofa. Irma, Vitalities's long-time and much older housemaid, goes to the door immediately. Irma is a Dreaca elder from the Cortega family of elves. I don't know how Vitalities and Irma are acting so normal even though Vitalities was gone from normal life for at least five years.

"I am sorry, sir, but Mistress Vitalities is not allowing guests at the moment," Irma says, looking up as high as she can, her short stature clearly working against her at the moment.

"And I'm telling you, I demand to enter!" A deep, male voice shouts, but the wall blocks my ability to distinguish who the owner of the voice is. "Who is that, Irma. What does he want?" Vitalities says, wiping her hands on her apron and walking over to Irma.

"He says he's the prince or something. I do not know," Irma says, holding her hands up and then dropping them back down, clearly giving up on the conversation.

"The prince?" I ask, standing immediately after hearing the title. Vitalitites looks over at me, smirking at my sudden reaction. She turns back to the doorway and says, "Come on in, Alex." She steps away from the door, and Alex runs into the room.

He rushes over to me, pulling me into him by my waist, kissing me as if it's been years since we've seen each other. He holds me as though he doesn't want to ever let go. He pulls away, pushing me out slightly and looking me over. "Are you alright?! I'm so sorry, I should've found some way to go inside. There was so much smoke and debris and the whole building falling down and just-"

"Wait what?! Slow down! What are you talking about!" I ask Alex, but he looks at me like I should know what he's talking about. I turn to Vitalites. "What is he talking about?!" I ask, and she looks up suspiciously from her tea cup.

She swallows and lowers her cup from her lips. "Ahh. Well, the thing is that uh..."

"Spit it out, Vitalities," I demand, and she sighs. "Fine. When you launched that ball of electric fire at that old rag of skin, she fell down, probably unconscious or dead, giving me enough time to run out with you. Quite literally two seconds after I walked out of the tower, it collapsed behind me, but I didn't have time to worry about your boyfriend over here going insane because you were missing," Vitalities explains, then takes another drink of her tea as if she were discussing the weather.

"And when were you planning to tell me this?!" I ask, crossing my arms and raising my eyebrow. "I don't know! Eventually!" She says, clearly annoyed and overwhelmed with the topic. I sigh and unfold my arms. "We'll talk about this later. Thank you for taking care of me, Vitalities," I say, walking over to her, and she sets her down on the counter behind her.

I embrace her, whispering, "Meet me outside Dreaca's gates tonight at midnight." We pull away, and Vitalities smiles brightly. "Of course! Come back any time," she says, then turns to Alex.

"You, of course, are always welcome here as well Your Highness," Vitalities says, and Alex nods. "Why thank you, Vitalities," Alex tells her, and she smiles brightly. I smile and nod to Vitalities then turn to Alex. "Shall we?" He asks, holding out his bent arm. I intertwined our arms together saying, "We shall."

We walk out of the cottage and into the outskirts of Dreaca. Tradesmen and their families ride in wooden horse-drawn carriages through the winding dirt roads of the forest. Birds chirp in the distance. The wind blows through Alex and me, and the trees dance once again.

Everything is serene and beautiful. More beautiful than before the tower fell. Few clouds remain in the autumn sky, and the sun hangs low above us. I take a deep breath before Alex and I head back toward town.