✧The Earthe of the Elves✧

51

Mia's POV

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"Just let me go! I can scout out the area-" I hear Knox say in elvish, his voice sharp, angry and desperate sounding. He's cut off by his mother.

"You know that's too dangerous."

Their voices flow through me like the blood in my veins, filling me with a home-like comfort.

"Well she's in there, that's more dangerous than being outside, I can't just sit here and do nothing! It's already been a week, who knows what might have happened? We need to do something-"

"Knox!" I shout the second I step into the room. Knox, who is standing with his mom by the thrones, whirls around to face me, his features contorting into confusion, then disbelief, relief, joy, all in the span of a second.

"Oh my god," he whispers, his voice carrying easily into my trained ears. His voice sounds so relieved, shocked. Like he can't believe this is happening. I barely can either.

He doesn't hesitate to run across the room to me, and I meet him halfway in a crushing hug. His scent wraps around me as his arms hold me tight. I barely feel the sting that comes to life in my arm and leg. I laugh at the happiness that seeps into me at his touch. A split second later he takes my face in his hands and kisses me passionately- not a sweet, gentle kiss, like the ones I'm used to, but one that feels as desperate as his voice sounded a moment ago, one that makes my knees weak.

I feel like I'm home, the feeling of him burning through the walls I put up inside myself when I was in my cell. We both seem to forget where we are at this point. I kiss him back the same way, feeling his emotions through his lips. I can't believe there was a time when I didn't think I'd make it back to him. To El. To anyone I care about. Being able to come back is so worth the pain I went through.

I quickly remember, however, where we are, and let myself pull away reluctantly, looking around. The only other person in the room is Rose, who is looking away from us and out a window, a small smile on her face. My face heats up, but I don't pull away from Knox, who still has his arms wrapped around my waist.

He opens his mouth, but closes it again.

"It's okay," I laugh, looping my arm through his and walking towards Rose. "Bombard me with questions. Actually, I can just tell you how I got out."

Knox nods, and after Rose is done crushing me with a very un-queenlike hug, I head up to my room with Knox. He notices my limp, but doesn't say anything. I can tell he wants to.

"I got some information about the war. We can have a meeting later and talk about it," I say, meaning a meeting with the war council and Rose.

"Okay," Knox agrees. I step up to my door in the first time in what feels like ages. The door opens silently to the key of my hand, and when I step in I'm immediately hit with the scent of warm sheets and the rose scented candles I bought at the market some time ago. I breathe the scent deep into my lungs, willing away the tears that want to form. I missed this place.

"Um, hello, am I invisible or something?!" I hear someone say from my bed. Elanil is standing right there, in a simple navy blue dress with a sword strapped to her hip and hair done up in a bun of braids on her head.

I cover my mouth with my hands and laugh. I really didn't see her, which is hilarious.

El is across the room in a second, sweeping  me into a familiar embrace. This time, I can't hold the tears back, so I let them fall, let them wipe away the dirt on my cheeks as El holds me and speaks in rapid-fire Elvish about everything I missed.