.Elementals.

-34-

(this song fits way to well)

I walked to the elm with a raised eyebrow.

"Am I intruding on you picnicking?" I asked the princess. "You did want to talk but I can come back later." She a little basket of things and sitting in the grass, back against the root.

"No no remain it is no trouble." So I sat by her, I glanced over and was pleasantly surprised.

"I thought you'd have took it off by now." I said, lifting my own beaded braid.

"Heavens no, it a gift and who knows how much more luck it brought my way, have you replaced it? You said you could do that mage." She said, flicking the bead I had gave her.

"Well no, not yet." I was whacked on the back of the head. "What was that for Highness?"

"Do you know how much trouble that might have helped with? You have the brains but refuse to use them sometimes I swear." She said taking a bite out of a piece of pie she had in the basket.

"Well you might be right, there is many slices of sun remaining I can get it done by tonight and since I can fit eight bead on my braid. I can get kitted out."

"We wouldn't like you to lose."

"I wouldn't lose anyway, no person shall marry you unless you want them to." I jumped as she gently set the pie down before full on slamming her head in the grass, she was flexible to be able to do this..... BUT WHY DID SHE DO THIS?!?! "Highness?!?!" I said in shock as she leaned up enough to put her elbows down and hold up her head before looking at me, forehead slightly red from the shock but wouldn't leave a mark.
I brushed the grace blades left stuck to her skin and hair off.

"For being one of the strongest mages you sure are oblivious Mystery." And there she goes again with my name and not my title, I dislike how my heart reacts to it and yet at the same time don't. "It makes me want to bash my head against the ground."

"You already did."

"Mystery..."

"I take back what I said."

"Good but you are oblivious, can't you open your eyes?"

"I don't get it Highness, you did tell me you liked someone and I needed to help them win but you never said who."

"Oh my heavens." She rubbed her face with her hands as I sheepishly smiled down at her. "I like a mage Mystery,"

"Well Leo isn't looking for anyone nor does Amalia if you lean that way, Calypso it being sized up by the surviving guard and Emersme has eyes for your elder brother.... Belladonna is a bit too old for yo--" I got the pie slice in the face as she let her head fall back against the ground, hands covering it with a loud sigh of disbelief.

"You are a mule!" She said in exasperation looking up at me.

"What's wrong?" I asked, wiping the peach pie off my face.

"Oh my gods Mystery it is you for heavens sake, the one name you didn't list, all the hints and you oblivious ass can't figure this shit out!" I must have had a look on my face as she let out a soft distressed cry and rolled onto her back with her hands on her face.

"I.... Well I never thought." I said, wide eyes and brow up.

"You never ever did..." She sounded sadder, sitting up. "That.... I guess you do not feel the same." She got up. "Good luck mage, see you tomorrow." I got quickly to my feet.

"Highn--" "See you tomorrow." She repeated, not even letting me speak. "Now let me leave."

I just stared at her walk, head still held high and with as much grace as before, you wouldn't have been able to tell what just went down.

I stood there still watching her, it was not that I felt nothing it was I didn't know what I was feeling exactly.

"Fuck.... Couldn't you have just.... Listened?" I said as if I was speaking too her, it hurt to hurt her even if it was unintentional.

I punched the elm's root hard before rubbing it as if the sooth the pain and walked away from the gardens, I will let her cool off and speak with her later, she can't go hurting herself emotionally because she didn't let me speak.

I distracted myself by talking to Belladonna about the ring I coughed up and how all the attacks are connected with them also going after me now.

"This is getting more and more dangerous by the minute." She said, examining the ring.

"Anyone that is strong enough to not be traceable even with my sight must be strong." I said, arms crossed.

"Yes and from our neighboring kingdom, unfortunately the Lazars, the skin takers and humans live down south where this jewelry could come from so we need to keep out for everyone, even our fellow sister."

"Calypso? It can't be!"

"We never know, this jewelry is the only thing to go off by but keep this between us unless we are sure about anything."

"Right."

"Are you alright my dear child?"

"Why wouldn't I be?"

"For one you are tense and second you don't cross your arms in front unless you are bothered by something."

"It is.... Personal."

"Matters of the heart?" I didn't answer, making her chuckle softly and sigh with a smile. "Emotions, a virus all are plagued with, hard to figure out."

"Yeah but.... How to be sure of what we want?"

"Hmm?"

"Like what our heart wants? Having  something similar so long ago you can't tell if it is even the same feeling and if this means what we think it means."

"Your mind might never know dear child." She messed up my hair. "But your heart will." She walked away, taking the ring with her and leaving me alone.

"When?" I asked softly as if she was still here, a hand resting over my heart. "When will it know?"