Erivale: The Lost Princess

Chapter 10: Part 1

Magic lesson round two began pretty much the same as the first, except this time I was fully dressed by the time Ulric barged into my room. He immediately went to the music box and cranked it up, preparing it to play the voice numbing tune that would hide our secret conversations.

When I had returned the night before the tension from the knowledge, I now held formed knots along my neck and spine. My muscles reflected the stressed state of my mind. I couldn't escape the paranoia that I was being watched or that Renatus was going to try to read my mind and figure out just what I knew. The note from the other night was right, I really was in danger. Knowledge, while powerful, can also be dangerous. In my case, it may very well be my death.

I sat close to Ulric as I whispered the events of the Unified Council meeting. I was too scared to bring the information above a whisper. Speaking too loud felt like a one-way ticket to the dungeon or being hung like the rebels.

"The same exact thing that happened in the painting happened at dinner. The Elven rulers can simply bend all of the other Council members to their will. There's nothing to stop them!" I said.

"If this is true, then my suspicions yesterday were correct. The Elven royalty is corrupting the Unified Nations, and they did force them into electing them rulers of all of Erivale."

My stomach dropped at Ulric's words. A small part of me suspected something like this was the case. "I wondered why four capable and self-sufficient nations suddenly decided to be ruled by Elves when the nation's first unified. It makes more sense now knowing that it was not by choice."

"The educational reforms are only a continued effort to sustain their power grab. The fewer people that experience magic, the more power they will have, and the fewer people may sense the magic corrupting the land."

"What are we going to do?"

"Nothing, for now. Wait until you become Queen to begin changing the education system and reverting the land to what it should be. That's all we can do, wait."

"Ulric, I don't know how long I can keep this up." Frustrated tears made my eyes shine. Ulric said nothing for a moment, and I thought he would simply ignore me like he usually does. I was surprised when his thumb wiped a stray tear off my cheek.

"You are not alone Amberleigh, you can do this."

I offered him a watery smile, my cheek still cupped in his hand. His touch brought a tingling sensation to my skin, similar to the way magic felt, but better. He was warm, he was sturdy, and I knew he was one of the only things that felt somewhat familiar in this strange land I had fallen into.

I let out a strained laugh. "I hope you're right."

He pulled away, and the tingling went with him. My skin was left wanting more, more of his touch, but I knew I couldn't have it. Ulric stood before me, "It is time for your lesson. Now more than ever, you must learn to master your magic. Your combat lessons will begin soon, as well. You need to know how to protect yourself." I nodded my head in understanding. It was time to fight for my life.

"Okay, what's first?"

"First, we go outside?"

I was slightly taken aback by his abruptness. "Outside? Why outside?" But he was already walking towards the door. I had to hurry to grab a coat and catch up to him.

He led me through more hallways I had never seen on our journey towards the exit of the palace. It was times like this I realized just how little I knew about the palace. I could probably spend days just wandering the halls and rooms getting dizzyingly lost in the vast expanse that was this architectural masterpiece.