Rise and Fight

Chapter 2

Elentyia's other form in the image

The sun was just rising. The perfect time for a Fae of fire and ice. 

Elentyia stood on the balcony of her room. The fields of Kingsflame that bloomed every summer sparkled as the fresh sun hit the dew. 

She laughed joyously as she jumped from the castle, to the eternal fright of the soldiers stationed on the walls. 

She enjoyed the wind on her face and in her hair, the rush she got from the fall every morning. Just before breaking her head open on the sidewalk below, Elentyia shifted into her hawk form, and spread her wings wide. Catching the breeze she made, she flew as high as she could, embers flying in her wake. 

The farmers on the outer edges of Orynth waved as she passed ahead. Everyone in Terrasen knew of the crown princess's need to fly across the kingdom every morning. Something she got from her mother. 

What she loved must be safe. Today, she flew north instead of south. 

She came up on him sitting on a tree at the edge of a cliff. 

Elentyia landed beside her cousin and shifted. 

"I knew you'd be here somewhere." 

He didn't look at her. "I love her." 

"I know," she whispered to him, following his line of sight. 

To the cottage, where a young woman was gardening. "Have you spoken to her?" 

Gavrien shook his head. "I'm too nervous. I know she's my mate, but she's not fae. She wouldn't want me."

"Cuz, all the ladies in the kingdom want to be your mate," she said, scanning him. His golden hair was the mirror image of his father's, but hehad the good looks of his mother. With his shape-shifting and fae heritage, he was very powerful, and that was without all the training he'd done with Lorcan, Rowan, and Aedion.

A horn sounded from Orynth. Elentyia stood. 

"That's the call to breakfast. I am not missing it because you're moping. Goodday."

With that, she saluted, and fell backwards off the branch, once again shifting at the last minute. 

She took the long way back, despite her words. She flew with the wild wyverns that roamed across the land, soared in the clouds, a fiery arrow across the blue. 

...........................

Elentyia shifted and landed next to Josefin, who jumped slightly. 

"Stupid cousin. I missed breakfast didn't I?" She signed angrily. 

Josefin laughed. "You and your food. Yes, but there's chocolate cake over there your mom made us leave alone," she said in her quiet voice. 

Elentyia immediately brightened and ran for the table, where there was indeed a piece of cake. 

But, her mom landed in front of her, fiery wings out. 

"Late again. That's sad. You can have the cake after you do today's task." 

"Mom," She groaned. "I was talking to Gavrien." 

"Too bad, Lorcan and Elide got here while you were gone. Your dad will tell you what to do." 

Elentyia sighed and stomped over to her father. "What do I need to do?" 

"Your first task is going to be working in teams and using your shifting. You're with Cal."