Land of Light and Shadows

Chapter 15

Chapter 15

The following morning, after slipping on her sandals and fastening her cloak over her loose-fitting dress, Lyv shifted to see Jai and Elys still asleep in bed. Jai was on his stomach, his well-muscled back bare, and had buried his face in the pillow she'd been using. Elys was on his other side, laying horizontal with his feet slung over Jai's legs, snoring slightly just like he always did. Grinning, she kissed the two of them and slipped her quickly written note on the beside table, telling them where she was going and that she would be back in a few hours.

For having it be so early, Lyv was seemingly the only one awake in the inn. She grabbed a quick breakfast of buttered toast and an apple from the kitchen, nodding her thanks to the staff who were making the rest of the morning meal for their guests, and checked on a still sleeping Roshan and Erly before heading out into the streets of Palrion.

Solely focused on getting to her destination, Lyv hardly took her time to find her way to the archive. She remembered the way, especially since it made it easier by following down the streets where the buildings got older. And before she knew it, the archive itself was towering in front of her, three stories tall, giant columns, and ornate double doors that were just being unlocked for the morning by a familiar male.

Lyv started up the steps just as the Archivist Talib pulled the large key from the keyhole and stuffed it back into the inside pocket of his robes, gold Archivist ring glittering on his finger.

The old Fae male immediately recognized her as a smile lit up his wrinkled face. "I had a feeling I would be seeing you again," he said as she stopped in front of him. It took one of her hands in his and covered it with his other. "Though I have heard you have a change in title, Crown Princess Alyvia Deverell Ayveri of Dalcaine."

"And I now have too many titles if you ask me, but you can still call me Lyv," she smiled back at him. "It's good to see you again, Talib."

He bowed his head and pressed it against their intertwined hands. "And same to you, Lyv." He lifted his gaze back to hers. "What brings you to the Palrion archive this time?"

"I was hoping you'd let me look around in a...certain area...you took me to before. Is that possible?"

Talib knew exactly what she was talking about as he nodded. "Of course. I trust there is good reason you wish to look at those specific texts once more. You are still in possession of the others, too, correct?"

"We are. But there is another I need."

He grew curious but didn't ask her to specify just yet.

As they walked into the archive, all was quiet. The crisp smell of parchment filled her nose as the sound of rustling pages followed through throughout as they walked between shelves. Both were welcomed since it reminded her of home. It was still early, so she was the first inside other than the other Archivists. They all recognized her, stopping as they approached and bowing their heads.

"I guess word got around to Ethran, too?" she asked Talib then as he guided her toward a familiar locked door between the next set of shelves and a floor-to-ceiling window.

"That you and the Crown Prince of Dalcaine were mated and wed? Of course. I have already written the section to immortalized it in our history text."

Though she knew this would happen in Dalcaine and Escarral's history kept by their own historians, she didn't think about Ethran. Her face immediately flamed. "Seriously?"

"Of course," he nodded as he reached into his robe pocket to pull out the old key that fit perfectly in the door's ornate lock. "We keep the histories of all three lands." His mouth turned down in frown. "And as for your father, King Bence...please accept my condolences for his loss. He will surely be greatly missed by all."