The Last Princess [EDITED]

Chapter 20

ON the pretext of gathering some food, I dragged Aiden deep into the Forest, where we wouldn't be overheard.

"Does this have anything to do with whatever you felt when you used the staff?" He asked dryly.

I blinked at him. How had he known?

Aiden gave me a flat look. "Please, Princess. It wasn't remotely cold."

"Yes, it was - "

"No, it wasn't. I made that wind blow through."

I pursed my lips. "Well, you're right. When we had the staffs, to connect with Nalvia, did you...see her? Did she show you anything?"

He furrowed his brows and shook his head. "Well, she did to me," I said, watching him carefully.

He only narrowed his eyes. "What did she show you?"

I sighed. "She showed me my parents' wedding."

He raised his eyebrows. "The wedding of King Rowan Elowen and Lady Ivy Salix?"

Their titles made me flinch. "Yes," I said. "But, Aiden, something was wrong. Why do you think Ivy became the way she is?"

He exhaled, raising his eyebrows. "She never wanted to marry King Rowan and loved Sir Branch and is now taking revenge by killing you and your sisters?"

I nodded. "That's what I thought, at first."

He leaned against a tree. "So?"

"So, Aiden, the thing is...I saw the wedding. And they were happy. Ivy too."

He leaned forward, intrigued. His shirt tightened at the chest, outlining the taut muscles. "Was she acting?"

I shook my head, meeting his eyes. "No, That's the thing. They were completely in love. No elf can act that well. Believe me when I say they were crazy about each other."

He leaned back again, looking up. "Okay. So then...obviously something happened."

I nodded. "I need to find out what changed." If it didn't help us, at least it would win me some peace of mind.

He looked up, breathing deeply. "Well...either something happened to Queen Ivy when they were married, after you were born, and she turned completely crazy."

"Or?" I asked.

He looked back down, staring into my eyes. "Or, the King did something that made her hate him. Something really bad."

I shook my head immediately. "No. He loved her. I could see it."

"You could also see that Queen Ivy loved him." Aiden pointed out.

I shook my head again. "But - no. My father wasn't like that!"

"How do you know?" He said immediately. "He died right after you were born, right?"

I exhaled. "Yes, Aiden, but my sisters told me. He wasn't. It was all Ivy's fault."

He looked back up, shrugging. "If you're sure."

Something about the disbelief in his tone, the arrogance, set my blood on fire. "Are you suggesting my father was wrong?"

"No, but - "

"He never raised a hand to us! Unlike Ivy! He didn't treat us like prisoners, he didn't have a child with another!"

"Elvina, listen," Aiden said, voice hard. I fell silent, glaring at him. My father as kind and generous and loving. Ivy was the bad one.