Elvirund | ✔️

Chapter Forty Six

Even in the dimly lit shop the atmosphere seemed brighter than ever. I reveled in the excitement in the air, despite not knowing many of those who were present; it felt oddly like home, as if I had never left. Caphriel's hand in mine took me around the fringes of the room, leaping from conversation to conversation as she brought me into the world of social aptitude. As I deliriously floated along behind her I absorbed much of the drunken soberness, the sheer hilarity of the chatter around me. It was a strange yet satisfying experience.

"Here she is, the Prince's daughter herself."

"I really am not that–"

"She's quite the angel, isn't she?" Caphriel cut in. "She doesn't act as high and mighty as you'd expect."

Caphriel gave me a delighted laugh when she saw my expression of confusion and surprise. I was almost angry, but I realized quickly that I hadn't seen her show such pure joy in some time, weeks even.

"Well, I'm glad I'm to your liking. Want it or not, I may or may not be Elvirund's next leader."

"You'll do fine. Besides, Raphael isn't likely to remember that he can let his position go. He can hardly remember his own family."

I wish that was true. It must have showed on my face, because Caphriel tugged me in a different direction and rejoined Sibriel where he was idly bouncing a small tornado in his hand.

"Showing off again?"

"No, just making sure no fights break out."

When I looked back to the corner, Sariel was gone. I rolled my eyes and turned back to Caphriel with a dry chuckle.

"Sariel couldn't stay for dinner, I see."

"That's no surprise. Charmeine will be disappointed."

"The only surprise is how we managed to get all of the food ready in such a short time."

"We've done this before. Many times."

Caphriel hid her smile behind a chocolate covered huffleberry and held a bowl to me.

"Don't tell Sibriel, I'm hoarding them."

Indeed she was. In the bowl were all sorts of chocolate dipped fruits, including more huffleberries, plenty of strawberries and a few cherries.

"Cherries? I haven't had fresh cherries in decades!"

"The orchards just started yielding a few years back."

Quite some time ago an arboreal disease had diminished the cherry tree to just a single orchard in the Southern sector. That orchard has skyrocketed the prices of both cherries and trees to three times the price, and Elvirians had nearly unroofed the place in protest. Finally they gave in, lowering the prices and selling nearly half their tree saplings.

"So the harvest just started to recover."

"That it did. Slowly, but it's coming back."

I plucked a cherry from the bunch and slipped into the basement, knowing she would find me eventually. Perhaps I would rejoin them later. For now, I wanted space to myself, my thoughts. I wanted to think alone.

"Running away again?"

"Well, you found me more quickly than I would have liked."

"I know your habits."

Caphriel took a seat on the bed next to my backpack. Her eyes sparkled even in the darkness, and the light from the fairy lamp glowed softly on her cheeks.

"You know, the more you run from parties the less you'll be used to them."

"I know."

I stared at the floor, unsure of how I wanted to say it. I didn't want to be a social angel. Or at least, I didn't think so. All of the celebrations I had been to were crowded, sweaty places that essentially bled danger. I couldn't remember a single instance when I left a party with a positive feeling. In fact, I couldn't remember a single party I had stayed at for more than two hours. Elvirians partied big, and we partied hard.