Legacy of The Enchanted

A Princess's Mercy

(Taryn's P.O.v)

The next day, Alessandra and I sit down for a small breakfast in her sitting chamber. The table is laid out with an assortment of pastries, fruits, and a pot of steaming tea. It's a far cry from the scraps and leftovers I've grown accustomed to.

Alessandra takes a sip of her tea and looks at me with a gentle smile. "I wanted to go over what will be expected of you as my personal servant," she begins. "You'll be helping me get dressed, doing my hair, running errands, and generally assisting me with whatever I need. You'll also be my companion—someone I can talk to, play games with, and spend time with."

I nod, trying to process the idea of this new role. It sounds almost too good to be true, a far cry from the drudgery and abuse I've known.

Once Alessandra finishes explaining my duties, she leans forward, her eyes sparkling with curiosity. "Taryn, tell me a little about yourself. When's your birthday? What's your favorite color? Do you have any siblings? How old are you? What was your life like before you became a servant? I want to know everything."

Her questions caught me off guard, and a surge of anger welled up inside me. "Okay, well, my life before this? hell. Siblings? I have a brother but I don't know what he looks like or where he is. My favorite color? Red, ruby red, and my birthday? doesn't matter, I'm nineteen". I spit the words out, unable to hide my bitterness. "What difference does it make? It's just another year I've survived, another year closer to death. Most slaves only remember their birthdays because it means they're one year closer to peace. You want to know my life story? Fine. It was suffering and pain, every single day."

Alessandra's face falls, and she looks genuinely hurt by my outburst. "I'm sorry, Taryn. I didn't mean to upset you. I just wanted to know more about you, so we could get to know each other better."

I sigh, regretting my harsh words. "No, I apologize, Your Highness. It was inappropriate of me to yell at you like that. I'm sorry."

Alessandra shakes her head. "You don't need to call me that. Just call me Alex. And I want to understand what you've been through, Taryn. Please, tell me."

I take a deep breath, trying to steady my emotions. "I have dreams, sometimes. Dreams of laughter, of playing with my mother and brother. The smell of smoke from wood fires and baking bread, flowers, and honey. Sometimes, I dream of another elf boy. I know he's my brother, but I can't see his face. I dream of my father, too."

I pause, swallowing hard. "But I also have nightmares. Dark, terrible ones. I was only two years old when the war came. I remember fire—dark flames that cut down everything they touched. Blood stained my eyelids. Screams. My mother's screams as we ran. We fell, and her warm blood splattered onto my face. She tried to reach for me, but then everything went black. When I woke up, I was in a cell with other fae. An older elf was holding me. She wasn't my mother."

I can't stop the tears from falling now, and Alex's eyes fill with sympathy. "When I turned five, I was sold for the first time. Until then, I was taught various skills—cleaning, sewing, and cooking. We were taught to never say no, to let our masters do whatever they wanted. And for a while, I believed it. But as I got older, I realized how differently girls and boys were treated. The comments, the looks... One day, a man tried to touch me in a way that felt wrong. I bit him, and my owner punished me for it. He took a hot iron and burned me, marking me with a scar across my back."

By now, I'm sobbing uncontrollably, and Alex gets up, crossing the room to hug me. "I'm so sorry, Taryn. No one should ever have to go through that."

We sit in silence for a while, her arms around me, and for the first time, I feel a sense of comfort.

After a while, Alex asks, "Would you like to go for a walk in the garden?"

I nod, and we head outside, the fresh air helping to clear my mind. We stroll through the palace gardens, talking and learning more about each other. Alex tells me that her favorite color is blue, which isn't surprising given that her entire wing is decorated in various shades. She shares that both of her parents are dead and that when they died, her unborn baby sister died with them. She, like me, is nineteen.

Alex's hobbies include reading, painting, and sketching. She's also skilled in hand-to-hand combat and loves practicing with daggers, her weapon of choice. She can fight with a sword and a bow as well and offers to teach me how to defend myself.

Over the next few weeks, Alex and I grow incredibly close. She teaches me how to fight and use different weapons, all in secret, of course. We talk, laugh, and share our stories. We stay up late into the night, sometimes asking the kitchen for extravagant foods just to annoy the cook.

One evening, after a particularly exhausting training session, we sit by the fire in her chamber. Alex pulls out a set of beautifully carved chess pieces. "Do you know how to play?" she asks.

I shake my head. "I've seen it played, but I never had the chance to learn."

"Then I'll teach you," she says with a smile.

We spend the next few hours going over the basics, and I find myself fascinated by the game's strategy and complexity. It feels good to focus on something that isn't about survival.

Another day, Alex takes me to the library, a vast room filled with more books than I could have imagined. "Pick any book you like," she says. "We'll read together."

I choose a book of fairy tales, drawn to the idea of happy endings. We sit side by side, reading quietly, occasionally sharing passages that catch our interest.

One afternoon, as we sit under a tree in the garden, Alex pulls out a sketchpad. "Hold still," she instructs and begins to draw me. I watch in awe as her skilled hands bring the image to life on the paper.

"You're really talented," I say, genuinely impressed.

She smiles, a hint of a blush coloring her cheeks. "Thank you. Maybe I can teach you to draw, too."

We also spend time exploring the palace grounds. Alex shows me hidden paths and secret rooms, places where she used to play as a child. She introduced me to her favorite spots, like a small, secluded courtyard with a fountain and a bench surrounded by blooming flowers. It's peaceful and feels like a sanctuary.

One night, we sneak up to the rooftop to look at the stars. Alex points out constellations and tells me stories about them. "When I was little, my father used to bring me up here," she says softly. "We would lie on a blanket and he would tell me about the stars. It's one of my only memories of him."

As the days turn into weeks, I start to feel a sense of normalcy and even joy. Alex and I spend our time training, playing games, reading, and discussing our hopes and dreams. For the first time in my life, I have a friend.

One evening, after a particularly long day, we sit by the fire in Alex's room, sipping some tea. "Taryn," Alex begins, her tone serious, "I want you to know that no matter what happens, you have a place here with me. I promise you that."

Her words touch me deeply, and I nod, feeling a sense of belonging I've never felt before. "Thank you, Alex. That means more to me than you know."

A/N: sorry that was a sad one. I feel I should warn you there is more to come but this will be one of the worst ones. Have a lovely day my readers.

Cum Amore

-Elli