The Prince of Ilios

Thirty-Eight

Nissa came up next to her, breathing heavily. Her hands were on her knees and her head down.

"You alright?"Ellora was tired too, her muscles crying out for her to take a break, but she knew she was no where near finished.

"Gem got away."

"What?"

"Gem... got... away." Nissa grumbled. She kicked her toe out, scuffing the mossy grass.

"Alright, we need to find Nicola. You look awful."

"Not looking so hot yourself." Nissa flicked Ellora's hair, which was falling out of its braids.

She grimaced and blew them back onto her head.

They snuck across the field, following the lightning strikes up ahead.

"Hey, so what is the deal with the Southern Isles anyway?" Nissa asked as they walked.

"What do you mean?"

"Well, why are you here? You don't seem as interested in Nicola as everyone else, and yet for some reason you always end up together. I don't get it. From day one you have not acted as though you wanted to be here. You seem to just put up with the lessons..."

Ellora nodded her understanding as they continued walking. She noticed Nissa was in bad shape, her energy almost gone. Every once in a while she would stumble on a root or rock, "Well, the King issued us a special sort of invitation that we could not refuse."

Nissa's brow furrowed. She stopped to catch her breath, swiping the sweat from her face with her arm.

"He told us that if we did not come it would be as good as entering into a war with Ilios. Since, I was the one he called on, I figured I could come and smooth things over. Persuade him to leave us alone. No reason to risk all of our people, when an avenue had already presented itself."

Nissa nodded, "The King of Ilios is a uniques sort of person. In his hayday he was almost exactly like Nicola: Happy, funny, daring, willing to take risks and obtained great victories."

"Nicola can be happy?" Ellora looked at her sideways.

Nissa smiled, "He has not been at his best lately. I don't think that the competition was exactly all his idea. Last I knew before this, he wasn't going to get married until all of the provinces were united in the Union. Before that, he was... well, let's just say he was rough around the edges."

"Rough around the edges?" Ellora ducked under a branch as they entered the forest once more. The lightning had changed coarse.

"Women loved him and were always around him. He was so charismatic and handsome that every eligible girl fell for him. He tended to enjoy his parties and stay out late with them."

Ellora could barely picture this kind of Nicola. The one that she had met had been all seriousness, "What happened?"

"The King got tired of him shirking his duties and sent him into the military as a footman. The lowest rank. After, the King seemed to disappear into the castle. There are all sorts of rumors of him going mad and such." Nissa's eyes were alight with curiosity, "Although, I know nothing of it myself."

A shadow broke through the brush, small in frame, tackling Nissa. Ellora jumped back, instantly ready for an attack.

"Jail!" A familiar voice shouted.

"Ava?" Ellora watched the shadow rise from Nissa, it was indeed Ava. She smiled triumphantly at her friend, "That makes three."

"Three? Who else?" Ellora crouched , ready to spring into action. She was already gathering water in her hands, when Ava launched at her.