Queen of Ashes

4| Eldron's Price

 A young maiden waited in the doorway, holding open the door for us to pass through. I knew her name, I made a habit of learning the names of those I employed. She was a new worker, who went by the name Melinda. If I didn't have a war to attend to, I would take the time to speak with her. She had kind eyes, the ones that only mothers had. The ones that looked out with an infinite amount of patience.

With a wave of my hand, I dismissed her there was no need for her to stand here, hearing the planning of the war. Something our country hasn't seen the likes of since early in my father's reign. The last thing I need right now is my people panicking in the streets.

"Yes, M'lady," she mumbles as she scurries away. The door slamming shut behind her, but not before I caught the relieved look on her face. The poor woman was still unnerved by me. I made a mental note to be kinder to her the next time I saw her. I still am the Ash Queen to my people, I may have freed them but some are still waiting for me to follow after my father.

Power drives people mad all the time, I muse as I entered my personal parlor.

Warm, rough fingers grip my arm, slowing me down and breaking my thoughts. Allowing him to move me, the light touch guides me into the room, and we pause for a second. The sounds of a chair dragging back from the small dining table filled the room. I took the hint and sat at the table.

Eli kneels beside me and demands eye contact, his honey eyes holding my emerald ones. The worry lines run deeper on his tanned face than years before. An unsettling feeling wells up in my heart. An ache that reminds me that I won't have him forever.

"We need a plan before we approach the fae." His tone was flat, his face pinches when he said 'fae'. I knew he wasn't fond of Eldron. There was no love lost between those two, but all three of us know working together is in all our best interests.

"Eldron is fair, you do not need to be cold towards him." I chided him gently. Eldron and his people supply both our territories with many different things. Dwarves and the Goblins give us minerals from their mountain mines. Elven blacksmiths are hands down the best. Hell even the low-level fae offer something, Brownies provide food stuffs. Fairies supply the world with music and arts. There's so many other things that we get from them. They are valuable to both kingdoms.

One of his advantages of having such a vast kingdom of races, and species and why we needed him on our side.

"Why thank you, Cordelia." A disembodied voice spoke from the shadows. Eli spun around, a growl ripping from him and filling the room. I knew the voice, but still, my heart was still racing. No leader likes to be snuck upon.

Shuffling and rustling noises followed the voice. A dark figure stepped from the shadows. Eli who's never had patience, rushes towards the intruder. He grabs them and pulls the being into the light.

"Unhand me, you mongrel!" A disgruntled voice booms. Eli reveals the intruder.

Eldron Fae King of Briar Eyes.

His dark moss eyes filled with anger and his voice thick. His dark hair sticking up in all directions from the manhandling Eli gave him.

His skin was duller, one of their signs of high age, his eyes which once looked like moss now remind me of algae. His hair was as long as it always has been, but it has lost its shine.

Eli's eyes grew wide as he recognized the intruder, releasing Eldron at once. The men stand there staring at each other their ill feelings spilling out into the room around us all. Not wanting a second war to break out in my castle today, I spoke up.

"Gentlemen, why don't we sit down and I'll have the maiden bring us some food?" I offer food knowing the odds that Eldron hasn't eaten in a while and that Eli will never turn food down. They continue to stare at each other for a few more beats. Tension builds between them. Eli gives it up and sits down. Followed by Eldron, they sit next to each other so they are both facing me.