The Lost Kingdom

Chapter 3 - The Emerald Prince

Cinder walked around on the streets of Ellamenta, her golden eyes trying to look at everything at once. She admired how beautiful everything was. She had traveled out of the blackened war zone, and found herself in a small forested town, woven between farms and small streams. Colorful flowers, some that Cinder had never seen, bloomed around her. The moon reflected off of the stained glass windows. Streetcrystals lit up her cobblestone path, their colorful light making everything more stunning. The trees were both thick and thin, their emerald leaves sparkling with dew drops.

Cinder wasn't the only Pulcharian exploring Ellamenta. Farther down the curvy street, a red-haired girl and a boy were looking around. They looked familiar, but Cinder couldn't remember their names. She shrugged in off, deciding it wasn't important.

Outside a small home, a teenage girl was practicing with her Elements. She flicked her wrist, and a ball of water floated up. But then the water splashed to the ground, and the girl's shoulders sagged in dejection.

"Practice with fire for now," A man, probably the girl's father, said. She nodded and closed her eyes.

A ring of fire surrounded her, the flames dancing to a few muttered words. Cinder watched, fascinated. She always liked the glow of a flame, the way it flickered and moved, and the warmth it gave off, like a mother's comforting hug.

Cinder spotted Prince Persius not much farther down, up in a tree. She walked up next to the tree, eyebrows raised. What could a Prince be doing up in a tree? "What are you doing up there?" she called. 

She got her answer when Persius jumped down, holding an orange tabby cat. He turned and handed the cat to a small child, smiling slightly. "Here he is, safe and sound," he told the girl, and faced Cinder, straightening his prestigious uniform.  

"I was getting a cat out of the tree," he said shortly, his voice stern. "You were one of the warriors Swan brought into the tent," Prince Persius said, his emerald eyes piercing into her. A scar ran through his right eye, marring his features. Cinder tried not to stare at it.

"Yes, I was," Cinder said, nodding. "You're one of King Ezemar's sons."

Persius merely made a small noise in the back of his throat. He folded his arms over his chest and said, "What's your name, then?"

Cinder was going to answer, but her stomach growled loudly and she fell silent, cheeks flushing in embarrassment.

"Well, I suppose I'll just call you Hungry until you've had some food," Persius said. Cinder was about to laugh at the joke, when she noticed that his eyes didn't have a humorous glint to them

"Follow me, there's a small pub near here," Persius said.

Cinder nodded solemnly. Persius led the way to a small pub, the smell of Ellamentian food wafting through the air. She thought it was strange that a Prince would eat in a pub, but shrugged it off and followed him. 

-----

The pub was a pleasant place, with only a few people actually drinking alcohol. As Cinder and Prince Persius sat at one of the tables, trying their best to be inconspicuous, the bar tender approached, and his eyes widened when he saw who he was serving.

"My Lord, er Majesty... umm! My Highness!" he stuttered, still not using the correct form of address as he took a low bow. Prince Persius rolled his eyes. "It's an honor to see you here!"

Prince Persius rolled his eyes and flicked his hand. "Don't do that," he said gruffly. "It's not how you treat Ronan, it's not how you'll treat me."

"O-of course, your Highness... I mean, sir," said the skinny man. "What can I get you, sir?"

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After eating, Persius invited Cinder to walk around Ellamenta with him. She accepted, surprised that royalty wanted anything to do with her. Her shabby clothes and untamed hair would make anyone think she had grown up in the wild... Which she sort of had.

Cinder and Persius were walking in an awkward silence, with the latter's arms crossed across his chest. Cinder wanted to start a conversation, but every time she tried, words failed her. So she settled for looking at the beauty that was Ellamenta.

"So, What can you shapeshift into?" Persius asked bluntly, breaking the silence.

"Not all Pulcharians can shapeshift," Cinder said, running her fingers across the bark of a wide tree. Very few of the survivors on Dolphin Island could actually shapeshift, and most people thought them to be strange. The shapeshifters had few friends and were social outcasts. But Cinder didn't mention that. 

"So you can't shapeshift?" Persius said, folding his arms across his broad chest. 

Cinder smiled. "Good job, Captain Obvious," she joked. 

Persius rolled his eyes. He turned to her, one eye brow raised curiously, and said, "If you could shape shift, what would you be?"

"Nah uh, my turn to ask a question," Cinder said. "What's your element?"

Instead of answering, Persius stopped in his tracks and whispered a few words, holding out his palm. Suddenly, a ball of fire rose from the center of his palm, lighting up his face. The ball flickered and moved like the sun, growing bigger and then shrinking. Cinder observed it with excited interest, a smile growing on her face. Persius put his hand down and the fire disappeared, and it seemed to be a little colder. The stars in the sky shone down brightly, the moon even brighter.

"I love fire," Cinder admitted, wishing the ball of heat hadn't gone away, "It's like watching the sun's children dance and spread life."

Persius didn't comment, and they continued walking. Soon, the leaves were turning black, the tree trunks bending. The grass turned to ash and the air itself was heavy and depressing. They had arrived at the campsite, and only a few people were still wondering around. Cinder tried to avoid walking on patches of ground stained with blood.

"We're here now. The Pulcharians are sleeping in the green tents set up," Persius said shortly, "Goodnight."

"Wait," Cinder called, grabbing his arm. He turned, looking surprised, and she blushed. "Sorry, Your Highness, just.... why?"

"Why what?" he said, blinking. Cinder suppressed a shiver at the sight of his scar. 

"Why did you buy me dinner and walk with me? Aren't there prettier girls you could do that with?" she asked, tilting her head. 

He opened his mouth, as if he was going to answer, then closed it and swiftly walked away.  Cinder was disappointed that he didn't give her a chance to say goodbye, but shrugged it off and watched him disappear into an Ellamentian tent. She sighed, and her golden eyes traveled up to the moon, shining like the largest diamond among a legion of stars.

Oh, how far away she was from home....