Counting down the days until you see that I'm eternally yours...

Chapter 11 | Battling for the Truth

Time is a strange concept. From one second to the next, you are suddenly a different person, no longer the same, but ever changing like the seasons. It was only days ago you were blissfully going about your life but it felt like within seconds, your life had taken a different turn. Or perhaps this path was always destined for you. It was difficult for you to comprehend if fate was truly a concept you believed in, but with all the events taking place before you, it felt necessary to have some sort of faith that things would turn out for the best.
Following behind JR, you watched as the trees bent backwards, allowing him the space and freedom to easily walk straight through the forest. You held back an inappropriate remark, feeling that it was not the time nor the place; even so, there was something awe inspiring seeing nature defy the rules of its own natural order. Was this the true power of Elven royalty?
The elven soldiers obediently followed behind you both, none disagreeing with JR's orders nor fleeing from fear. Their loyalty was absolute to their King and it was this which helped you look at JR in a different light. You had not felt it until now, but JR certainly did have a charismatic air about him. Even though he was so tender at heart, there was no denying he was kind and as brave as any leader could be. When you had first met him, saw how he acted, watched as he battled with his own demons whilst desperately trying to win your heart, he was somewhat more like a child than a man. So quickly he had grown, or maybe he had always possessed this quality and you were only just becoming aware of it.
So many things about JR remained an enigma. Despite how pure and honest his character was it remained that he was still a mystery to you. He seemed to know so much about you and he had accepted it all. On the other hand, you felt guilty that he felt so strongly towards you when you were merely just attracted towards him in a more superficial way...or had your feelings developed into something more? The more time you had spent with him, the more you were beginning to find traits that you liked...but it could not have developed into love after such a short space of time, could it have?
You heard a fog horn in the near distance, breaking into your thoughts.
This was not the time to be dwelling on such things, not when there was a battle to be fought. Love would just have to wait until later.
From having watched movies containing battle scenes before, you had convinced yourself that you had an idea of what was to take place. It was not until you emerged from the forest did you realise just how wrong you had been. When the fairy had announced that there was a legion of three hundred goblins to fight against, the context of it had completely passed you by. The word 'legion' usually meant an incredibly large force, somewhere in its thousands, not hundreds. Now that you were seeing it with your own eyes, three hundred may as well have been thousands. Compared to the minute eighty Elven soldier army JR had, this felt like it would reach an obvious conclusion. How could the elves possibly win?
'You're shaking.' You looked up towards JR and found him smiling back at you reassuringly. Taking your hand in his own, he gently pressed it.
'It'll be alright,' he told you.
'How can you know? There's so many of them...' you watched as he placed his free hand upon his chest.
'I have nothing to fear. I have faith in our people, in our friends. Our numbers may not be great, but The Aranthian key, the key which allows me to wield magic, as long as I have it with me then we are safe from Grinkel.'
JR stepped past you and walked towards the edge of top of the hill top. It sloped down steeply before tapering off to a wide grassy plain, to where Grinkel was. The goblin prince was sat upon a ferocious looking creature, something which was a cross between a large armadillo and a crocodile. You then noticed that in amongst the goblins, there were several more of these unusual creatures, their teeth bared, salivating as they stomped the ground impatiently. A lump formed in your throat. Many of the goblins were holding swords but there were some who were archers, lined along the front, poised and ready to shoot. Two catapults were positioned in amongst the army, hay bales being loaded into them, ready to be torched and fired. There was no surviving this.
For a moment, you even contemplated running away but what would it achieve? Grinkel had tried to kill you before you had even met JR. Everyone here had crossed the Universe for you, for the sake of this legend...there was no escaping it. You could run but how long would it take before it all caught up to you once more? This was all bigger than you were and the realisation of it was increasingly daunting you. It was in this moment you found your gaze wander to JR. He wore a confident yet stern expression, the sceptre grasped tightly in one hand as he took a deep breath. Then he began to descend down the hill top. Fear overcame you and you found yourself run towards him. He turned, hearing your footsteps and before you could stop yourself, you had flung your arms around him.
'I know you have faith that this battle can be won but I'm terrified, JR,' you honestly told him. 'I don't want...I don't want anything to happen...' you felt his hold on you tighten a fraction, his hand stroking your hair comfortingly. 'I...I trust you, I really do,' you continued, 'But...please, don't...don't get hurt...' you buried your face in his shoulder, embarrassed by your own sudden outburst.
'You trust me?' he asked you, gently pulling apart from you.
'I do.'
'Then you really have nothing to fear,' his smile radiated towards you like the burning Sun. 'If you can put your trust in me, if you can believe in me then I can win this for us. Don't give up on me, whatever you do.' You nodded, unsure of what else to say.
'Dohyun.'
'Yes, your Highness?'
'Please, take her somewhere safe and make sure she does not come to any harm.'
'Yes, your Highness. Come, my lady,' Dohyun bowed before leading you back to the safety of the hill top. You glanced over your shoulder towards JR and watched as Grinkel dismounted from the strange creature he had been sat upon. They approached one another, both of them meeting at an imaginary line in the centre.
You stood beside Dohyun, waiting, watching and keenly listening.

'Elf King, why, what an honour,' Grinkel sneered at JR.
'Goblin Prince.'
'I see the wench still lives,' Grinkel looked straight at you and you felt your skin crawl. 'If you had not interfered, she would have been dead by now and Aranthi would have been mine.'
'And what right do you have to take a life?' JR asked him and at that, you felt a little admiration towards JR.
'And what right do you have to save it? You fool! Can't you see? You've already lost!' Grinkel exclaimed, to which all the goblins cheered.
'From where I am standing Grinkel, it is you who has lost.'
'Is that so? So has that human accepted her fate, to be your Queen? Because if she had, you would have returned to Aranthi long ago.' At Grinkel's words, you began to feel more than a little guilty for your wavering heart. 'Admit it, Elf King; you have failed.'
'There is still time,' JR confidently told Grinkel. 'The moon is not yet full in the sky.'
'Oh but it will be soon,' Grinkel slowly cackled. 'I have won this war before it has even started! You weak, despicable Elf.'

'What does he mean by the moon not being full in the sky yet?' You asked Dohyun, feeling very confused by most of what they were saying. But Dohyun did not reply. You considered pressing him further but decided against it.

'Grinkel, this is between you and I,' JR began, 'This does not concern anyone else.'
'Don't you call me by my chosen name, you filthy Elf!'
'We don't need to involve anyone else. There does not need to be a battle, a war. Blood does not need to be shed.'
'You think pacifying me will work? You are even more of a fool than I first thought!' Grinkel threw his head back and laughed. 'Oh blood will be shed; your blood will be shed!'
'You have made your choice then.'
'I will have your head Elf King,' Grinkel sneered at him as he unsheathed his sword. 'Or I will die trying.'
'Death it is then,' JR sneered back.

You watched as Grinkel took his sword and swung it towards JR, but JR was too fast. He'd turned his sceptre on its side and had wielded magic, the impact of the sword against the sceptre throwing Grinkel back to the ground. Time seemed to pause suddenly. Then chaos ensued.
The elven soldiers who had been stood behind you now rushed down the hill top and the goblin's began running up towards them. Somewhere in the middle, they all clashed. The cries of war rang out, the clash of metal against metal, the ripping of flesh as swords sliced through appendages, the stifling stench of blood choking the air, flowing like a river between the cracks on the ground. Many of the fairies had flown to the Elves aid, using their magic to confuse and disorientate many of the goblins but some were swatted, grabbed and crushed beneath heavy feet. It was all too much to watch.
There was no way you could help but it felt wrong to just stand by idly whilst everyone fought for their lives.
'I need to do something,' you said out loud.
'My lady, you must stay here.'
'I can't Dohyun. How can I just stand here and watch?'
'My lady, not every battle must be fought. This is a battle that is being fought for you, for your fate. It is too dangerous.'
Helplessly, you searched the battlefield for JR, finding him in the midst of it all, intensely battling against Grinkel who was still manically cackling despite the constant blows he was taking by JR's hand. It was then you realised that light was beginning to fade. Dusk was approaching. Soon it would be dark and the moon would be full. You furrowed your eyebrows and turned to Dohyun once more.
'Dohyun, can you answer a question for me please?'
'Y...yes...my lady?' You noticed how he hesitated and furrowed your eyebrows.
'From the moment you and JR arrived, all that's been talked about it is this Legend, about how I am JR's Queen, yet for some reason it feels like the truth has been concealed from me.' Dohyun nervously shuffled on his feet and you knew your instincts had been right all along. 'Can you tell me, right now; what is the truth behind the Legend and why haven't I been told all of it? And what does it have to do with the moon being full?' Dohyun did not answer straight away.
'It is forbidden...for you to know...'
'What is forbidden for me to know?'
'Please, have faith in the Elf King. Trust him.'
I do trust him, but I'm having a very hard time trusting this story, this so-called Legend.'
'My lady...'
'I need to know the truth and I need to know before it gets dark. Dohyun, will you tell me or not?' He looked towards you guiltily.
'I'm sorry, my lady.'
'Fine. If you won't tell me, I'll just-I'll find someone who will.' Inhaling deeply, you turned towards the battlefield and shouted out Grinkel's name.

Everything stopped.
Silence.