Elves In Between the River Bed

Chapter 12

I woke up waiting to hear the palace bells, but there was no sound, only the birds sang, or was that the fish underwater?
I looked up from my bed that felt squishier than I had remembered, and I looked out the window. My eyes grew big when I saw the water village, then I remembered what had happened the previous day, when I was banished to the water kingdom by king Winter, so I could be killed by my uncle, but the guards had had other plans and sent me to my grandmother's house, which was where I was at the moment. I smiled as I got up from my bed, the cooking fish still wasn't nice but at least I wasn't dead, at least I was safe and had a place to go.
I opened my bedroom door and walked into the kitchen where my eyes grew wide. I was about to scream when my gram came up and planted her hands on my shoulder to calm me down.

Caspian, you remember your niece, River." My gram said and my uncle nodded in surprise.

How did I not hear that she was coming?" He asked my gram.

Darling, no one needs to tell you everything, she came here for protection against king Winter, and she knew that her uncle and I would welcome her home with open arms and cooked fish." My Grammy explained and I stood there silently.

I suppose I can forgive whomever brought her here without telling me, but may I speak to miss River outside?" He asked and my eyes grew big but Grammy only stood between us casually.

No, she'll stay here with me, and she mustn't go outside, especially with that murderer on the loose, dearest River might spare her own life to save yours which would be heroic but terribly sad so, let's just keep that tragedy from actually happening." Grammy explained and I could see my uncle glaring a little that my gram wasn't letting me go with him.

Then may I chat with her at the table while you cook?" He asked with an edge to his voice.

Grammy looked at me with worry but nodded politely and went back to cooking while my uncle jerked on my arm and tugged me towards the table behind a thick wall.

Why did you run away from the palace, when you were told to stay in your room, that murderer could have, murdered you." He hissed and I gulped.

I-I didn't feel safe here." I stuttered and he glared.

The palace was the safest place for you, and now look, you were kidnapped by the elven queen and then taken back here by someone loyal to me, I mean the family, and now you live in an unsafe place with an old elf that anyone could defeat easily." He growled.

Suddenly I burst out with anger. "My mother didn't kidnap me! She saved me! And now she's dead because no one cared enough about her! She was murdered! And Grammy isn't weak!" I roared but yet Grammy hadn't seemed to have heard a thing.

Saved you from what?" He asked bitterly, his glare getting stronger and more serious.

My fear came towering over me and I gulped again. "Umm."

Did you, perhaps, hear anything in the halls or in the palace somewhere?"  My uncle asked.

N-no, w-why would you ask that?"

Suddenly my gram came over to us and hugged me close. "Is she not the best, her parents would be so proud."

My uncle just laughed sweetly and then shot me a quick glare before saying his goodbyes and leaving the little cottage.

As soon as Grammy new that he was gone she knelt down and stared me in the eyes. "What did he say to you?"

He started asking questions and then said that my mother kidnapped me and that he palace was safe and, he was making me even more nervous." I explained.

Listen my little water bug, I am not a fan of your uncle, and I cannot forgive him for what he has done to his own family, I am trying to expose the truth and get him banished into a prison in some other kingdom." The old elf explained. "I need as much of the truth as I can get, and I will tell you this, he cannot lie straight at my face, I will make him stare me in the eyes as he confesses to his crime."

I nodded with excitement that my uncle would finally be banished somewhere where I could be free and happy here, without worrying that he could kill me any second.

Now, we need to get you your kingdom back so that you can be queen and rule the kingdom."

Wait what." I said with panic in my voice and she smiled.

The kingdom needs their rightful queen, I'm sure the kingdom would take you back after, learning what their other ruler was like." She explained.

But, I'm only seven, I can't rule a kingdom." I replied.

Yes you can Water bug, and I'll help you for a while, I used to rule the kingdom for years until I was too old." She chuckled sweetly. "I can help you for a few months or however long you'd wish, and it will be fun."

I guess but, what about Uncle Caspian?" I asked.

Don't you worry about him, I'll take care of it all." Grammy answered.

How?" I asked.

Don't worry about it dear, just leave it to me." She answered.

I felt uneasy about what she was saying. She kept saying that she's take care of him but, how would she do that? I had only really known my grandmother for a day so, I didn't know anything about what she might do to him, I didn't even know if I could trust her, but something in my gut told me that she was safe.
I looked out the window and sighed. "When do we get to claim the throne?"