ROV (ADD AS I EDIT NEW VERSION)

Chapter 9

           As the large doors opened Falencia was not expecting to feel her words escape her. Just as the castle and garden had been, its beauty took her breath away as she took in the large library before her. All of Vallinor was reeling her in, her heart feeling less worried and more at home by the minute though no memories came to answer her wonder of how it was possible.
They were in one of the towers, she could tell by the length they walked down the sunlight halls and the curvature of the walls that homed hundreds of books. Not only were the walls covered in feet of shelves and pages but the floors had endless rows of shelves as well.
Her mouth dried, her eyes almost watered at the amount, her hands itching to feel every spine, every indented letter of the titles. "Tavol." She breathed, finally able to speak. "This is amazing."
His smile made her forget the books for only a second. She looked at this man who saved her from the water, who told her something impossible and wondered how she ended up leaving him, how she even had him in the first place in her old life. How could someone like this exist? He knew everything about her, what she liked, who she was as a person and the look of love and admiration in his eyes made her heart flutter. "I would always find you here, covered in a blanket by the window over there." He pointed down the hall of books to an open window, underneath a large plush couch shined in the sunlight as if beconning her to lay on top of it. "Part of me thought you loved books more than me. If it wasn't for training I think you'd be in here all the time and I lose you to those stories you always read."
She turned to him, her arms raised to touch the closest aisle of books. Its spines were old and leathery but it felt so familiar to her that she didn't mind the little bit of dust left on her fingers. "About that, training, will I be doing that once more?"
The thought of fighting, of training with swords and arrows as she had seen in her dream and heard him speak seemed wrong. To even feel the weight of a sword in her hand, though she felt it in the dream she wasn't sure she could go back to who she was, this fighter the soul within her possessed. "Of course we will train and have you learn the moves you specialized in but that will be in time. For now I want you to see what you have missed. Straight ahead on that wall is the history of our people. Books on kings and tribes around us."
Looking ahead she smiled at the books before her on the wall. He loved her smile, remembering the times he would find her up on the ladder grabbing a book on the top shelf hanging onto the ladder by a foot and her hand reaching out as far as it could for a book that required two hands to hold. Half the time it would give him a heart attack thinking she would worry more about the book falling than herself and that was why he had to start coming with her to the library. To his surprise she started to run over to the ladder. "Falencia." He mumbled under his breath, hand covering his face Gods, he guessed it was the same even without her memory, her passion for books still overpowered her common sense.
"What kind of books are up here? Are they separated by subject?"
"The ones up against that wall in front of you are History books."
He hoped that would have stopped her but he was wrong. She started to climb up the wide ladder slowly so she could read the spines as she went. He could see her tongue sticking out from below, a habit she always did when making decisions on books along with her finger lightly touching as if asking it if it would like to be read. "What about this one? It says the family History of the Laconia's. Is that a royal family?" He nodded. "So this must be Alphabetical since the next one is of the Kellborn and Keisar. So my family must be-"
"No, Falencia!" He yelled at the base of the ladder. He didn't want her to look up her history. Not yet. "How about you just look at the first one. You need to know a little about our other leaders around our area. We have plenty of Villages and head of the houses for you to look at. No need to look at your own just yet."
She pouted, wanting nothing more than to truly learn about her family and where she came from but his words rang true. She was a princess and she had to learn of the others around if she is to become this princess they all wanted. Though why they would want her was still unknown being human now from her counterpart.
She trusted Tavols judgement and placed the book of the Laconia's into the grated box that was attached to the side of the ladder. Happy about the container, she didn't worry about dropping the book to Tavol at such a height. He would be knocked out or worse the book would be ruined.
She laughed at the thought. "I think you were right." She mused.
"What do you mean?"
"I might like some of these books more than you."
"That can't be. I would appreciate it if you cared for me more than something that could possibly knock me out from this height."
"I do." She was enameled by the fact there were so many books and yet it seemed so little time to read. She'd rather be inside this dusty room reading by candlelight if it meant she didn't have to step outside.
That's where the others were. She wasn't ready for the market place by herself or even with Tavol by her side. Not yet at least. There words still made her doubt all of this, of what he was telling her though she hated the fact that she couldn't fully trust him.
Once she reached the floor Tavol exhaled only to have the book she had brought down shoved in his arms. "Hold please." Before he could protest she was walking to another shelf, thankfully on the ground. Her fingers traced over the dark wooden shelf, and the leather spines as she turned to Tavol. "Where are the fiction books? I want to see what you people come up with. I mean our people." It still felt so strange to think this was hers. That the people out there with pointed ears and powers were a part of her. That she once had the same look and powers. "I want to see if they have greater love stories than humans. I wonder if they have stories with magic mirrors and talking animals."
"What have you been reading?"
"It was at my home, well my human home. The girl Ellie had a book series named Splintered. It was quite good for how far I had gotten. The books were based on another called Alice in Wonderland. I thought reading it would spark a memory." A realization that maybe she was trying to read a magical book because she was actually one with powers, one from another world. Not that she was trying to remember who Ellie was but what other being she was supposed to be. "it was truly getting interesting. There was a talking cat and a boy that could turn into a butterfly. He was starting to become the bad guy. I wish I could have finished it."
"Then why don't you?"
She turned to him dumbfounded. "You're kidding right? I'm here and the books is," She looked out the window not knowing truly where to point. "Back at my human home. Hence why you saw me in the water with nothing on me. I was running from something I didn't have time to bring provision."
He nodded realizing he was so surprised when he saw a young girl wash up on the beach and seeing her face that everything else didn't matter. Her face made him forget everything but the past before him. He didn't worry about the fear in her face or the way she scanned the skies as if something would get her from above. He bowed his head. He felt terrible for not wondering, not asking her what it was that she was afraid of. The reason that made her jump into the cold water. "I am sorry. When I saw your face everything just stopped. It's still hard to believe that you are here before me." I fear I will wake it will all be a dream. He wanted to tell her this but it was risky for her to see how much she truly meant to him.
She tried to brush off his broken voice, his eyes that looked away worried and pained. She grabbed another book placing it onto the others in his hands. "This should be good enough." She was glad he did not ask what she had run from hoping her story of the talking crows earlier were enough to sate him.
He looked at the four books, each roughly three hundred pages long. "Are you sure that's not too much?"
She raised an eyebrow at him. "It's not like I have much to do here, Captain. I'm not ready to see everyone yet and I'd rather be reading then sitting in your room while you're doing elf things."
"Elf things?" He laughed.
How else could she explain her fear of others? Of the fact that if she went outside she would be spotted, seen by others as a human and yet somehow their princess? She nodded to head back to the room. "You know, whatever it is you do. Survey the lands, protect the King and Queen." She had puffed out her chest and raised her arm to her forehead in salute only feeling more silly by the moment as he had to cover his mouth from his laughter. "Hey!" She screamed as she stopped in front of him. She wanted to hit him over the head with her books.
He cleared his throat seeing her eyes darting at the books in his hands to his head. "I'm sorry that was very entertaining. Is that what you think I do? Just like that as well? Hate to break it to you Princess but I do more than that. The King and Queen have their own king's guard so I can work on my warriors and train others to be as such."
"So you abandon me for that?"
The blow was low, guilt filling him. "I do not abandon you. You choose to stay in the room. You won't go out to get to know your own people."
"What did you just say?" He was lucky he was holding the books, she thought to herself and her anger waged. "It's a little difficult when you're not the same as everyone else and yet they think you're some savior or ghost. You didn't hear what they said about me. What some called me." She wrapped her arms around herself as if it were armor. "Besides the King and Queen seem to be doing well without me. Part of me feels as if I am not welcome."
A sudden fear slipped past her. What if Tavol was lying to her? Was she cursed as they had said? "What are you talking about? Of course you are welcome. This is your home. Just because you're human doesn't make it any different."
She turned on her heels fighting the tears from falling. "I think you're wrong. It makes everything different. They aren't going to follow a human girl, none the less one who doesn't even know herself. A princess I feel I'm not. Maybe I was cursed as they said."
She stormed off before his steps were close enough where he could grab her. Emotions swimming before her, her sight blurred as she ran back to the room not liking the idea of Tavol leaving her to do whatever it is his kind does. She didn't want any of this. She didn't want to be a princess, she didn't want to be an elf. She just wanted to live a life that she knew everything about and loved.
She wanted to live her.
Shaking her head at the thought she ran faster, seeing the shorten candle up ahead that signaled she was close to his room.
Tavol following behind, the wooden door already open to see Falencia curled up in the large reading chair, the purple fabric matching those lowered purple eyes he loved to look into. "Falencia,"
She raised her hand still not looking at him. It was too much for her to see his beautiful green eyes and not fall into any trap or sweet words. "Just let me read please."
He placed the four books on the table besides her and his hand lightly brushed the back of her hand as she reached for a book. "I'm sorry. I know this is hard for you. Please forgive me."
She looked up at him in time for him to take his other hand and cradle her face so she would stay looking at him. Her eyes were red, confusion and pain was all he could see and it was tearing him apart. Before he could stop himself his lips were pressed on her small ones, a gasp escaping from hers made him press harder, begging her, pleading with her through the kiss to remember, to love him as much as he loved her. Her hands grabbed onto his large biceps not to push away but to pull him closer. Her body was losing all strength to hold onto everything inside and outside as she slid off the chair against his body that was now kneeling on the ground. His thumb traced over her swollen lips, as she reveled in the feel of his hands on her, of his lips pressed against her own. "There is nothing to forgive." She rasped, trying to find her voice that was screaming on the inside. "But I would really like to read."
"Of course. I have elf things to do."
She laughed. "Wow it really sounds that bad."
"You said it first, not me."
"Okay well have fun Elfing." She pushed off of his chest to raise herself from his lap. Her face felt flush from the kiss as she turned to sit back on the chair trying to keep a safe distance away. Tavol cleared his throat and raised himself up with a smile as he told her he would be back in a little while. She watched him leave with a smile on her face as her heart finally slowed to a steady pace