The Prince of Ilios

Sixty-Three

"Nicola! Wait, it's me." She tried to reason with him, squirming in his firm hold.

"Wha-what?" The pressure of his weight was lifted in an instant and he was there, helping her to her feet. He rubbed his eyes, looking like a small child in the middle of the night. Ellora half expected a blonde boy to be holding a blanket in one hand and a bear in the other. A smile quirked her lips.

"Ellie, I'm so sorry. I-I was asleep, and..." His voice trailed off. His hand rubbed the back of his neck, running out of excuse. He looked at her, shrugged and tried to smile.

Ellora glanced around reflecting his awkwardness, "You must be exhausted, to fall asleep in the library, reading a book." She picked up the blue leather bound book.

"Yeah," He took it from her and began flipping through the pages to find his spot.

"You've been reading up on all of the provinces?" Ellora motioned to the other books.

"Researching." He continued flipping the pages.

"The water provinces and Flora seem to be the most intriguing." She stated, trying to gage the answers he gave with the look on his face.

His brow furrowed, "Yup." Nicola bit his thumb, a look of pure concentration on his face.

"Nicola, I am going to need more than one word answers if I am going to help here." She began stacking the books that were furthest away. They'd been knocked over in the scuffle.

Nicola took the book with him, and poured himself a cup of tea, "No need. What time is it?"

"No need?" Ellora looked around unconvinced. He clearly had plenty of work left to do and could use some help, "It is after breakfast."

Nicola looked at her directly for the first time since she'd stepped foot inside the library. He scratched his head and took a sip of the tea, which he promptly spat back into the cup. It had become bitter and cold overnight. A grimace firmly planted on his face, he considered all of the books in front of his chair, "I really need to go back to the village."

"Nicola, you are going to run yourself ragged. When was the last time you even slept in your bed?"

"Two nights ago," He answered without thinking, but after a moment, "No, um, the night before I took you to the kitchen for a midnight snack."

"What?!" Ellora could not believe her ears, "That was over two weeks ago. What are you thinking? You cannot go without sleep."

He threw his overcoat on, preparing to leave, "First, I am sleeping. Second, I am fine, and it is none of your concern."

"None of my concern?" Her voice raised in pitch.

He looked straight into her eyes, swirling with blue worry for him. His own answering in the coolest tones that he could give. He had trained himself to do this with his father. It was a facade that he put on his face to protect himself, and it usually worked out for him in the end. He repeated the words back to her that had pierced his own heart, knowing they would silence her on the matter, "I think we are done here. I don't need a lecture about who you think I am. This is my problem. I will take care of it."

Ellora was planted to her spot. She felt as though her knees would give out if she dared to move. Without realizing it she had become used to having Nicola around,  joking, chatting and challenging him. Her heart had already begun to care for him without her notice. Her fists clenched, troubled, "What is this about, Nicola? Why are you shutting me out?"

He began to leave, "I think you will find that you have a grave double standard. You do not get to lecture me on how or where I sleep. This is what you wanted all along right, me caring for my people."

"Not, like this." She followed, "You could get sick, or make a fatal mistake at this rate."

"Aha, there it is." He lifted a finger, his face still cooled, then left, slamming the door in her face.

Ellora stood stunned for a moment. Facing the door. Her mind jumped back to Nicola balancing on the highest castle wall on one finger. Teetering right and left. She turned back and began sorting and picking up the books. He had taken the one he was reading with him, but left all of the others. A few pages were marked here and there that she could use for reference. No matter what he said, Nicola did need help. He was exhausted, and she would find a way to help him. She was not a great cook, nor a good builder, or healer, but this she could do. She could hole herself up in the library and research for him. Figure out what he was looking for and help him solve whatever it was that had made him treat her like some sort of intruder. Whatever it was, he wanted to keep it close to his chest.

Ellora sifted through the stacks of books, putting them away as she went. A larger slim book caught her eye toward the end. The cover was a small boy flying on the back of a great green dragon. The scene below them was an astounding coast line. It reminded Ellora of home, so she opened it and began to read the children's fairytale. It started with the death of the boy's father and mother. He tamed the dragon that killed them, and the dragon told him of a treasure beyond any the boy had ever seen. The two traveled far and near in search of the treasure. Through every element and storm the boy and the dragon became closer friends. Whenever a new challenge arose, they found a way through it together, and along the way they got to meet so many different people. Her eyes scanned each detailed watercolor painting, absorbing every brush stroke and vibrant color, marveling at the book's beauty. She had not realized how long she had been in the library until a snide voice made her jump in surprise, "What have we here?" Cyrus ripped the book from her hands, "I remember this foolish tale."

Ellora reached for the book, not having yet finished it, "Cyrus, give it back."

He dodged her arms easily, "You're actually interested in this awful thing?" He looked at the book in disgust before the book dropped to the floor. Cyrus crushed it under his boot, damaging the cover.

"No!" She knelt down trying in vain to get it from under his shoe. Looking up at him with hurt in her eye, "What is wrong with the book that you would treat it so?"

"The dragon kills the boy's parents and then sends him on a fools errand to stay alive. They never find any treasure, and the boy becomes and old gray, homeless and poor beggar! He completely left his kingdom. What good is a story like that?" Cyrus crossed his arms and walked away.

Left to pick up the damaged book, Ellora wiped the dirt away with her skirts, "You and I have two very different interpretations of this book." She stared at the cover one last time, she hadn't noticed the thicker line at the horizon of the ocean. It momentarily peaked her curiosity, until Cyrus spoke again.

"That only proves how foolish you are, little dove. You clearly need a firm hand to guide you."

Ellora did not even bother to look at him. Although her insides were clenched, ready to punch him in the face, she tried to keep her temper in check, "What are you even doing here, Lord Cyrus?"

"We are to go take a tour of the village. I would like to see what my troops have been up to, and I was hoping to see the Prince, since he has not been around." Cyrus paced aimlessly about the room, inspecting it. His finger ran along the mantle, then rubbed his thumb at the dust before he looked directly at her.

She stood, quickly straightening her skirts, "Of course, we are late. I will have Philip summon the carriage and meet you in the courtyard. I just need to go to my room and retrieve my shawl." Ellora ran out of the library, leaving the rest of the books for later, and taking the story of the boy prince and the dragon with her.