Life's Pursuit {Book 2}

Chapter 25: Walking Deeper

As the following days passed, work began on constructing three distinct artifacts for the journey to the outskirts. Small but mighty, these artifacts would operate just as the original ones had. Upon completion, they would be filled with energy from the fractals and aid them to success. Now, all they had to do was wait for that time to come.

Jennica sat in the courtyard, enjoying what sunlight she could before the darkness swallowed it again. In her lap rested a songbook of elvish tunes Sol had passed on to her, encouraging her to use it to practice their mother tongue. Most elves adapted to English but it was imperative that the royals kept their native language alive. Although she was far from having mastered it, Jennica found the language beautiful and desired to become fluent.

On top of language studies given by her mother, Jennica also busied herself learning more of Alfheim's history and the customs of their world. Having taken these classes for quite some time now, she was beginning to feel well incorporated into her royal position. She no longer felt like a human imposter but a true elf princess, dedicated to her kind.

She hummed one of the songs that Sol taught her and tried to pronounce the words. It was beautiful; a melancholy song of nature that was wonderfully text painted. She welcomed this distraction.

"I recognize that tune," Oveaus announced his presence, breaking her from thought. He rounded the corner from where he entered and approached. "Mind if I join you?"

Jennica faced him, her expression brightening as she nodded. "Yes, please."

They sat around a small, stone table that rested near the bubbling fountain. It was the perfect time of day to catch the sun as it peaked above the courtyard walls.

"Any word from the blacksmiths?" Oveaus asked.

Jennica shook her head, laying her songbook aside. "Not so far. But maybe that's a good thing. There's nothing giving them trouble..."

"I wouldn't think so, either. Vibranium isn't necessarily dangerous. Hard to weld? Yes but they'll manage."

"You seem pretty confident in this whole thing."

Huffing, Oveaus leaned back. He laughed but not humorously. "I have to be! After what I've been through, giving up hope was never the answer. If I can escape Thanos and find the power to make it this far, nothing else can take my encouragement away."

Remembering all the days she felt his pain and struggle through their connection, her heart ached for him the way it had before. She felt the young, frightened boy inside of him and for so long wanted to bring him out of that darkness. It was a miracle to see him sitting before her in person.

"Are you sure you still don't want Father and Mother to know who you are?" Jennica inquired. Before, she agreed with the sentiment, but now she failed to understand why he would want to keep them oblivious, even if their situation was dire.

"It is better that way." There was a sadness that glistened in his caramel eyes and they wavered, looking to the ground for a moment. "I don't think they could bear to lose me again."

"Why do you say things like that? You're acting as if you're inevitably going to die. Why not believe you'll keep on living?"

"I don't plan to die, sister." Oveaus tried to mask distaste at her frustrated tone. "But I can't have peace with it until I know this is all over. You have to trust me."

"I want you to also know how difficult it is to not share in this joy with our parents. Keeping this knowledge from them feels wrong."

Oveaus grit his teeth together, not in anger but in deep thought. He knew there was no forcing Jennica to keep the secret but keeping it meant so much. He had to see it through. "It pains me also. Please don't misunderstand that."