What Is Done

Chapter 19 - An Unfortunate Introduction to the Real World

Prince Laverne was often alone as a child. The High Council knew how to keep King Valka occupied. Queen Moria, on numerous occasions, distracted with her own entertainment, left Laverne alone to wander the castle grounds, wondering of the outside world, what lay beyond Arün and the forests of Elven Guard.

He carried his bow everywhere. He wore robes that weren't ankle length. Neither the king or queen expected him to dress properly all day every day. He only dressed nice for parties and visitors. Prince Laverne had a better understanding of the world as he grew. He finally felt like he was able to convey his thoughts and feelings to his mother and father. His pale little, bare feet could not be heard by the guards when he walked around. He was able to learn new things consistently. Moria had shown him how to braid hair earlier in the day.

It was the warm months, possibly what everybody else called the season of summer. He liked being outside. The insides of the Castle of Glass were cold and empty. Unfortunately, the Castle of Glass' courtyard wasn't a spectacular size. Building a city squished in between forests and not wanting to cut them down will do that to you. He roamed the courtyard and garden. He had learned this is how elves once lived, among nature. They used to spend more of their time outside than in. Heck, the Ancients' scripts said they'd only built houses for shelter from storms.

He lied down in the grass. All was peaceful until the guards on the outer walls began freaking out over something. "Close the gates!" Someone shouted at the top of their lungs. Laverne watched the guards sprawl over each other as the heavy stone gates closed. The gates were open during the day and anyone who had business in the castle was welcome to go and come as they pleased. Servants and guards getting off their shifts were let freely through the front, recognized by their uniforms. Today, someone was stopped after a certain point to be asked why they were there. In Laverne's eyes, they hadn't given a suitable answer as to why. Little Laverne saw Sellion appear next to the men closing the gate in a burst of little blue lights and hit them multiple in the back of the head as punishment for something.

Laverne chose to disregard all the screaming. Sellion's voice stood out against the others. He looked to the sky. Clouds were scarce today. Someone appeared over him and blocked his view.

"Hello, elfling." Their voices sounded sinister to him. This elf was not someone he recognized. There were important people within the castle that knew the faces easily. His father, mother, Sellion, the rest of the faces belonging to the High Council. The servants assigned to his room, the ones who cleaned and would do his hair and prepare his baths. This was not one of them. His eyes were black and unforgiving.

His first instinct was to run, though as he got up, the elf's arm wrapped around him. The elf carried him away from the bow and quiver of arrows Laverne had laid next to him. He shouldn't have taken them off. There were other people in the walls that wore a regalia associated with a symbol of hatred towards his family. Guards on the wall aimed crossbows, taking out some of the man's friends and splattering the outside with the blood of assassins. When they saw the man carrying Laverne, they stopped.

What's happening? Laverne wasn't old enough to remember the last attempt on his father's life. Or maybe he had remembered and chose to suppress it. The guards knew if one of them aimed wrong and hit the Elf Prince, Valka and Moria would never forgive them.

"Ooh, I see you caught an elfling!" It was a woman's voice. She wore a blank white mask over her face . Most of the assassin elves wore similar masks. The one who picked him up hadn't been decked with one.

"Wait," another elf pushed through the other elves and leaned into Laverne's face to get a better look at him, "isn't he the prince?"

"Hey, you're right, Arannis!" another said.