Barely Breathing

Chapter Two: The Council

Thorin's POV:

I sat at the table before my advisors. These five men sat before me, eager to discuss the matters of the kingdom.  Two weeks had past and we were still no closer to learning what that dragon was. Or how it came to be in the arena.

Eflin still hadn't woken up. When we had arrived at the hospital wing, the mages were shocked that she had survived the attack. They said that due to the nature of the poison and her wounds she would be in immense pain, and that there was nothing that they could do to ease it.  Sleep was the most humane thing for her, allowing her to escape to a world apart from her agony.

By all accounts she should be dead, but she survived, and she fought. She made the ultimate sacrifice for her people. And yet, they all spoke down on her. They hated her for her power and treated her as if she was a curse.

Even after the attacks, many could be heard discussing her. They wished her death, and I couldn't fathom why. Could others honestly be so blind, so greedy that they couldn't see the woman before them? They should be indebted to her, and yet they cursed her.

"And what do you think of this, your Highness," my advisor Julian spoke.

"I apologize, I was a bit distracted. Have there been any other clues as to how the attack at the arena came to pass?"

"Not yet, we know someone must have switched the orbs, but we do not know when or how," another advisor Aerin answered.

"We are looking into this matter. As for the girl, we do not know how she survived the attack, Your Highness. If it was anyone else in the arena they would have died. She even managed to save the Tharn mage," Emir spoke.

"There is another matter we must address your Highness."

"What is it?" I asked.

"Your father's health is failing. It will soon be time for you to sit upon the throne as king. He would like to pass that honor to you while he is still alive," Ibet spoke. "As tradition requires, you must be wed before that can come to pass."

"And what will you have me do? The kingdom is under attack by dark unknown forces, our imports and exports are experiencing issues, our people are struggling. This is hardly the time to plan a wedding, especially when there is no bride," I spoke.

"What of the mage girl?" Annaheim, an advisor from the back spoke for the first time.

"Are you not listening? Eflin is not awake, she hasn't been for over two weeks. She may not even survive this," I spoke sadly.

"By the end of the day, she will once again walk among us," he spoke ominously.

"How can you know that?"

"I too was trained as a mage, but I have the ability to look into the near future. The mage will rise from her slumber, weak and frail. She will train to regain her strength. That strength is the key to protecting the realm. You must marry her to protect the people. A day will come when only she can see the darkness and defeat it."

"And how do we know that she has not brought the darkness upon us with the guise of destroying it?" Julian spoke. "The people detest her."

"They do not detest her, they detest that a woman holds the power that no man in the kingdom does," Ibet spoke. "Many treat me the same way, feeling that the council is no place for a woman, yet here I am. The only 'wrong' this woman has done after thorough investigation is surpassing her male peers. Just think, if your daughters were in this position how would you feel. Eflin has no family to defend her or look after interests. She was on her own from a very young age and learned to be all the things a family should be, for herself. Is that not worthy of praise?" Ibet spoke angrily and the council fell silent.

"What happened to her family?" I asked quietly.

"Her father was killed fighting in the last great war. Her mother was a warrior as well, but stayed behind to tend to Eflin and her sister. She was three and her sister was one when a fire took their mother. Eflin saved her sister, who shortly after died from the damage done to her lungs by smoke inhalation. Eflin has been alone since she was a toddler, being thrown from one home to another. Each time she showed her magical prowess, they rid themselves of her. It was then that she was brought to the academy. She graduated early, but remained to help teach those within her peer group."

"She has led a hard life it seems," I spoke sadly. "I will not force her to marry me. However, I will ask, I will explain the benefit to the kingdom and ask for her hand. If she declines, we must find an alternative so that I can be wed before my father steps down. We must do what is best for the kingdom. We must also make plans to aid her in gaining the favor of the people," I added.

"I agree, and I have a plan for that," Ibet spoke. "Though many were in attendance, not many know what truly happened at the arena. The rumors in the kingdom are that Tharn was the one who had slain the beast and that Eflin had charged in and taken the glory before passing out. In reality, Tharn was not even awake for the battle. He has attempted to set these rumors straight, but many will not listen. I propose we hold an address stating what truly happened, we can even provide proof. From that point on, we can begin to build her reputation," Ibet smiled.

Just then Arwin burst through the doors.

"I apologize for the intrusion, your highness, but you asked to know the moment Eflin woke," Arwin spoke, out of breath.