“It’s been a while, Triktapic.” Lorsan waited for him in the large garden located behind the King’s palace. Trik looked around as he entered the large garden and thought that it must look much like what humans described in their enchanted tales. Lush grass carpeted the ground. Tall trees with strong trunks and long branches covered in ornate leaves shaded the garden. Flowers in every color imaginable bloomed around them, tall, short, small, and large.
Trik smirked to himself, thinking that Cassie would ask why the dark elf castle was not actually dark, at least not on the outside. Regardless of the heart that lurked in Lorsan’s chest, he still liked beautiful things and his garden was indeed beautiful.
“It’s been a week, my Liege, hardly any time at all.” Trik knelt before Lorsan knowing that it would both please and irk the King.
“A week since you have bothered to check on your duties,” Lorsan’s words were clipped and tight.
Trik continued to kneel. “Alok has it under control.”
“How would you know? You haven’t checked in with him in a week.”
After a long pause, Trik stood, tired of playing the part. “I do not answer to Alok, and if he thinks that I am not keeping an eye on what is going on, then he is not the Second in Command that I thought he was.” Trik’s head snapped around to look at Lorsan.
“You know that I would not let such a project go unchecked. You honestly believe that in a week I have not laid eyes on the crops myself?” Trik didn’t hide the contempt in his voice.
Lorsan stood, staring at Trik. After several moments of silence he let out a long breath.
“I don’t know what to think, Trik.”
“Lorsan, I have found my Chosen, not lost my mind.”
“They are one in the same if I remember correctly,” Lorsan chuckled nostalgically.
A slow smile spread on Trik’s face as his temper faded. “So you remember?”
Lorsan walked over to a chair that had been placed beneath the largest shade tree and sat. He motioned for Trik to take the seat beside him.
“I remember,” Lorsan agreed tiredly, truly remembering what it was like when he had first laid eyes on his Ilyrana. “I have been wrong to question you Trik. But in my defense, this is a very important and dangerous time.”
Trik nodded and said with a sly smile. “I can agree to all of that.”
“Why don’t you bring her here, let us meet her?” Lorsan offered.
Trik leaned back in his chair as he considered his King’s words and kept his face carefully blank. It wouldn’t do to let Lorsan know that the last thing he wanted to do was to taint Cassie, his pure Cassie, with the darkness of his realm.
“Ilyrana wishes to throw a ball in your honor,” Lorsan continued when Trik didn’t speak.
Trik groaned inwardly at this news. “She’s knows how I hate balls, besides humans don’t throw balls.”
“Sure they do,” Lorsan’s Chosen walked gracefully into the garden. “They call them parties.”
Trik smiled at his Queen and bowed his head.
“Really Trik, all this formality from you is going to begin to go to my head and I might actually think I am the Queen of an Elfin race.”
Trik laughed. He always had liked Lorsan’s Chosen.
“We wouldn’t want that.”
“So will you bring her?” Lorsan interrupted their banter.
Trik stared at his King boldly. He searched his eyes, looking for any ill intent. Though he could see that Lorsan had an agenda, he couldn’t seem to see that there was any threat to Cassie.
Trik nodded. “When shall I bring her?”
“Give me three days,” Ilyrana announced. “It is all planned. Now I just need to put it all together.”
“That quickly?” Lorsan asked his Chosen.
“It will be very small. There’s no need to frighten her.”
Trik stood and took Ilyrana’s hand. He bowed over it and brought it to his lips. He kissed her hand gently and then looked up into her eyes. “Thank you my Queen, you honor my Chosen.”
The formality of his actions caught both Lorsan and Ilyrana by surprise. He was asking her blessing over his union.
Ilyrana nodded once and answered formally. “As all will honor her.”
Lorsan stood and echoed his Queen’s words. “As all will honor her.”
Trik cleared his throat. Emotion from their acknowledgement of his Chosen welled up in his chest.
“We shall see you in a few days then,” he told them.
Lorsan nodded and Ilyrana smiled. Trik turned and left quickly before his emotions overwhelmed him.
Lorsan looked to Ilyrana after Trik had gone. “He asked our blessing.” Surprise laced Lorsan’s voice. Trik never asked for anything, but in that moment when he had knelt before his Queen and spoke the formal words, he had been asking the blessing of his King and Queen on his union with his Chosen.
“I told you that his loyalty hadn’t wavered,” his Chosen chided him.
“I was wrong to have questioned him,” Lorsan admitted again.
“Triktapic is his own creature Lorsan, you can’t control him. But he has just proven again his loyalty to you, his fealty to you. You would do well not to forget it.”
Lorsan chuckled. “You would make a fine King my love.”