Elf Lock (Re-write) book one

Chapter Two

The tree house palace stood in the centre of the forest and its structure seemed to have grown organically the way it blended in with the surrounding tress perfectly. Though it was easy for Prince Dravin to forget he was walking the corridors of a tree house inside, it was as fine as any palace with artfully crafted furniture and walls painted by the most talented artists that resided in The Forest Of Keep.

The Prince stopped at a golden framed mirror and sighed to himself seeing a small fragile elf looking back, his long raven hair making his pale skin look almost white and it was only his violet eyes that sparkled like amethysts that could convince a stranger that Dravin didn't suffer with his health. That the purple heavily embroidered velvet robe he was wearing was for grandeur and not because the young prince was cold most of the time, even in the summer. Dravin had seen the pity in his subject's eyes, the whispers of what Dravin should have been. A powerful elf prince, beautiful and fierce, he was still beautiful but his illness made him delicate and his beauty was as fragile as flower whose petals could easily be plucked, unlike the beauty of his brothers who were as strong as the oaks and as fierce as the giant cats that wandered the north of the forest. Dravin was forced to not to venture from the walls of the palace without an escort, it made the young prince sad that he would never be able to join his brothers in their adventures. The closest he had been to leaving the forest was to get to east side where a small faerie village was, he could even see beyond the forest there the small road that could lead to an adventure the Prince's ill health would never let him have. He didn't mind staying in the forest, the forest was his home and he always had people visiting him. Not just because he was a prince but because they were his friends, who would sit by his bad when his health to a turn for the worst and read to him or tell his exciting stories of what lay beyond the forest.

Humans were to blame for his ill health; the loathsome greedy creatures had attacked the forests before Dravin was even born. He had heard the story how the elves had fought back easily overwhelming the humans, the battle had been won but not before a mage had lay his hands upon the Queen who was pregnant with Dravin and cursed the unborn prince with ill health. Everyone hoped that one day they would be able to find a way to break the curse and Dravin would be as powerful as his brothers and be as fierce as a dark elf was meant to be.

"My prince should you be up," His personally mage said coming round the corridor carrying a load of books that looked far too heavy for the small mage, but then Fin was a faerie and despite their small frames they were known to be deceptively strong beings.

"Ragamuffin I'm fine, I can't stay in bed all the time," Dravin smiled using his nickname for the faerie, which was a name most people called Fin by now. Fin was always out in the forest gathering herbs or communing with the trees which led to the faerie always being in a dishevelled state and looking more like a street urchin then a royal mage. Fin's chin length hair always looked like it needed a good brush and at times thanks to the faerie's forest exploits he often looked like he needed a good bath.

"If you are sure, I can go and get you something to eat if you feel up for it," Fin grinned his trade mark smile that showed just how beautiful Fin was underneath the messy hair and dirty face, and Dravin noted that Fin's smile could even make the royal assassin Hodge smile at times.

"That would lovely Ragamuffin; we could eat together on the balcony that overlooks the main court yard," Dravin smiled watching as Fin put the books down, books of arcane magic that Dravin would never hope to understand.

"If it isn't too cold for you my prince,"

"Stop fussing I'm not that delicate that a soft breeze would knock me over," Dravin laughed he was having a good day today health wise and he would make the most of it.

"So Hodge isn't about today? You seem to be spending a lot of time with him Ragamuffin,"

"He's patrolling the forest," Fin smiled thinking about the tall elf. Fin knew the dark elf was dangerous but he couldn't help looking at him and it was true he had been spending a lot of time with him. When that dark elf wasn't patrolling the forest and ready to imprison any humans that entered there kingdom he was pleasant company and Fin had to admit the elf was very easy on the eye. Hodge was tall with the large slightly slanted violet eyes that were common amongst dark elves. Hodge also had the raven hair that the tall assassin wore shaven at the sides to show of the black line of tribal tattoos, though it was still long on top that the royal killer wore in a pony tail.

"I'm sure he will return soon, in the mean time you can tell me why you blush when I mention his name," Dravin giggled before leading Fin to his favoured balcony asking one of the palace maids to please bring out tea for them. Fin shook his head at the prince, he really did like to gossip.

***

The trees became denser as Lloyd and the prince followed the river, and call of the animals of the forest filled the air like a strange cacophony. They walked carefully as strange twisted roots made the ground seem like an obstacle course that at any moment could ensnare an ankle and send them falling into the fast flowing river. Lloyd felt beads of sweat gathering on his forehead, his heavy cloak that had been welcome in the cold night was now a hindrance in the warm cloying air of the forest.

"Can we rest now?" The prince sighed looking exhausted as his walk was becoming slower and slower. Lloyd nodded as he looked at Constantine taking in the prince's wavy dark hair that was now plastered to his forehead; the heat of the forest was sapping both of their strength. The prince unlike Lloyd wasn't a knight he was pampered boy who travelled everywhere in a luxury carriage, Constantine certainly wasn't used to walking all night, if they were back at the palace right now the prince would still be sleeping as servants rushed around to make him breakfast and lay out his clothes. Then the prince would pick one of his personal servants to help him to dress, and it would normally be a buxom young lady that the prince would make feel uneasy with lewd comments, which Lloyd wished he could call Constantine up on his behaviour but no one ever would. They were all scared of the prince's wrath, he may be nothing but a spoilt boy but he had the power to have you put in irons and thrown in the dungeons.

Right now the prince looked ready to drop so the knight removed his cloak laying it on the ground so they could both sit down and for once the prince wouldn't be moaning about the hard lumpy ground because as soon as he sat he fell asleep almost instantly. Lloyd sat down next to him and he felt his eyes dropping the night advents were catching up on him reminding the knight he was no longer a young man. Lloyd had started to drift when they were both rudely awakened by a group of tall elves pointing arrows at them.

"What are you human scum doing in the Forest Of Keep?" 

An elf stepped forward his violet eyes narrowing as he looked down at the two humans.

"How dare you threaten us I'm Prince Con...?" The Prince started to say but the tall elf kicked him in the face knocking him out before quickly giving the same treatment to Lloyd.