The Hidden Princess: Second Generation

A Different Path - Part One

** AUTHORS NOTE **

The story may be enjoyable if you haven't read The Hidden Princess: Trilogy, however it will make more sense if you go read them first! 

****** ***** ***** ****** ***** ***** ****** ***** ***** ****** ***** ***** ****** ***** *****

 "You do realize that you don't have to do this," Talleigha said, trying to grab the quills from Elias as he worked on sharpening them.

He twisted away, shaking his head as he continued to fix the quills. "You do know it's dangerous to go after someone with a knife," he said, holding the knife up a bit.

Talleigha grinned as she reached for it again. "Only if the one holding a knife holds a threat. You wouldn't hurt a pesky rabbit if he was eating your garden," she said, laughing as Elias twisted again.

"I happen to like rabbit stew, so I might hurt that rabbit. However, if it was a crow, I might just leave him alone. Those take too much effort to pluck and hardly have any meat on them," he said. "Just sit down," he added, nodding to the stool beside him. He smiled as she sighed and took a seat beside him.

The two sat in a comfortable silence. Elias worked to prepare the quills for the next piece of writing that would need to be transcribed; while Talleigha sat discussing the different animals that might enter a garden.

"I thought I told you to prepare the quills!" Victor, Talleigha's father, said entering the workroom. He shook his head, narrowing his eyes on his daughter. "Elias is a guest, we don't give our work to our guests," he said.

Talleigha waved a hand in the air. "He stopped being a guest three months ago. Once you come to a person's home for two months you are no longer a guest," she said, earning a chuckle from Elias and a smile from her father. "Plus, if you would have entered five minutes ago you would have found me attacking him to take the tools back, but one can't fight a Dragon such as he," she said with a grin.

"I'm not a Dragon," Elias quickly responded. "My father might be, but I am not," he said.

"You're as good as one! I've seen you with the sword," Talleigha said picking up a discarded quill and swinging it like a sword.

"Doesn't make me a Dragon," Elias said, shaking his head. "When will you get that through your head?" he asked.

Talleigha grinned, stabbing him with the quill. "As soon as you get it through your head that I want you to teach me some of your non-Dragon-like swordsmanship," she said.

Victor smiled at the two teens. Since Elias had come to pick up something for his father from their shop five months ago, the two had formed a bond that was needed for both. "How about the two of you stop your quarreling and finish the work before I get in trouble for not getting the material transcribed for our Queen," he said.

"You have nothing to worry about, father! If she gets upset we just blame Elias. His aunt can't stay mad at him for too long," Talleigha said.

Elias glared at her. "I am not your scapegoat," he said. She shrugged her shoulders, smiling at him. "We will have the quills ready to start in about five minutes. Then we'll start transcribing," he said.

"Alright you two," Victor called, standing from his stool. "Finish up your page and let's be done for tonight. If we don't stop now we'll have to get candles and I won't have my work done by candle," he said.

Elias's head shot up. The sun was starting to go down and his face dropped.

"You were supposed to be home earlier weren't you?" Talleigha said, with a grin across her face.