The Shadow Tale

Chapter 4- Tenebrae

I smiled as I took Nox's hand. He knew just what to say. The music was folky as was my dress. It's not everyday a girl gets to wear a woman's old court dress. It was beautiful and perfect for dancing. My hair was loose and I felt like a young girl again.
     Nox spun me around as we danced barefoot on the cool moss. There were fireflies in the air. I didn't really want to leave. I may have been having a shadow day, but that moment took the dark feeling away. I breathed a sigh of relief as Nox's dark eyes bore into mine.
     Then I caught sight of Disaris. He was glaring. I hadn't felt like dancing when he asked, but Nox had said something that I couldn't resist.
     Dirasis was scary when he was mad. His beautiful features contorted into a sneer. Normally he was gorgeous with his olive complexion and black hair. His eyes were blue,  unlike most from Cransatea. He has always made me smile. Especially when he calls me Tena. Now he made me cringe.
      I closed my eyes and ignored him. If I focused on Disaris then I would think of what comes in the next few days and I didn't want that. I wanted to live a simple life with these people who have been lost to the world.
       But I couldn't just give up. Everything I had ever done would become worthless. I had to fight my fight and never give up. If I ever did give up it would've been better for me to just die with my parents five years ago.
     "You okay?" Nox asked with his head tilted to the side.
I smiled. "Yeah, I was just lost in thought."
    We continued to dance until the song ended. Then Disaris swooped in. My grin faltered slightly, but I recovered it quickly. As a princess I learned never to show your real emotions and that definitely came in handy.
      Disaris led me in a more proper dance. One that I had often danced at balls. His eyes never left mine.
    "So, who is that Nox person?" He inquired.
"I don't really know. And neither does he." I chuckled lightly. "I'm sure we'll figure it out soon though."
     Disaris shot Nox a look. "I hope we do. For all we know he could be an enemy spy." I rolled my eyes.
      "His memories were removed. Even if he was an enemy spy he no longer remembers it. Why can't you just relax? It should be a good sign to you that I trust him." I raised my voice. It was probably louder than it should've been.
      "It is, but I guess I just get protective of you when another man is with you." Disaris's voice went soft as he tucked a strand of hair behind my ear.
       I blushed. Disaris always knew how to make me feel warm and fuzzy. He kept me smiling the entire night. I was just being irritated with him for no reason earlier.
     When the night's festivities were done Nox and I walked back to our little house.
"Are your shadows gone?" He asked cheerily.
    I grinned, "They never completely leave, but I can barely feel them."
Nox smiled and put his arm around me. I was shocked. And so was he. He pulled his arm back and apologized.
     "It's fine, you were just being nice and comforting. No need to apologize." I reassured him.
      Nox shook his head, "I'm sure Disaris will want an apology for it." His voice was curt. He didn't like Disaris very much. Then again, Disaris hadn't been the nicest to him so it was understandable.
     "Disaris will be fine. He does not own me or control what I do and say." I responded.
Nox just smiled and walked on. We said goodnight after we reached our small house. I couldn't help but smile. Nox knew how to make me smile. And not like Disaris either. Nox didn't expect it the way Disaris did.
     I fell asleep quickly. This time instead of me waking Nox up, Nox woke me up.
"Morning sunshine," He said as I opened my eyes. He thought about his words for a moment. "Morning shadow?"
      I laughed.  "How about 'morning Tena'?" I suggested. A joyful look crossed his face.
"I can call you Tena?" He stammered.
"Yeah, of course. It's not like Disaris is the only one who can call me that." I answered.
    Nox nodded.

Soon we were in front of the tunnel leading out of the chasm. Everyone was there to send us off. The recruits still had one more day before they would embark on this same journey.
     It was dark in chasm as we left it, but it was even dark in the tunnel. Both Disaris and Nox carried torches. And we walked. And walked, and walked, taking very few breaks until we were all so tired that we had to stop and rest.
     Disaris decided to keep watch. He would never let me do it because he was too much of a gentleman and there's no way he would let Nox do it. I fell asleep in the darkness of the endless tunnel.
      I wish I had never fallen asleep. The shadows were back, but they were in my dreams now. I felt grief for my parents and the rage I held towards the Sons of Alques and the thing I felt most was the deep darkness that surrounded Nox. I felt all of the shadows crash down upon me with a force that suffocated me.
       I sat up with tears on my face as I struggled to breathe. I looked in Nox's direction as if I expected to see a dark cloud around him. There was none. Just a small amount of soft light against his back the created a glow around him.
     I heard footsteps and my snapped in the direction of them. I looked around for Disaris. He was sitting by the fire he had lit before we went to sleep. He looked lost in thought. The footsteps weren't his.
     Then I saw the slightest shadow. There was no person attached. An elf. An elf with a dark aura. A Son.
    I stood up and drew my sword. "You can's hide from me," I shouted. Disaris snapped back into reality and Nox began to stir. "I am the Queen of Lastenia and one of the strongest elves that you will find. Do not cross me." I stated with power.
      Disaris just stayed by the fire. Nox was fully awake now. I could hear his breathing quicken as he watched me stare down a shadow.
      "The bad thing about you being a dark elf is that your shadow will never blend in enough to seem natural." I called out. My eyes never left the black shadow on the floor. It began to circle us. Until it reached Nox.
       Suddenly the shadow was no longer clear. It became without for and it writhed. Finally the elf appeared. He was twitching and moving in extremely unnatural ways. He began to scream. After a moment he stopped moving and Nox dropped to the ground.
       Disaris took action. He sauntered over to the man pushed his sword against the man's throat. "You were in the village. . ." as Disaris talked I went over to Nox.
      He was breathing heavily. His eyes were out of focus.
"It's okay, I'm here." I whispered, "Just breathe."
     Nox closed his eyes and began to regulate with breathing. "I just saw the inside of his mind, I think." He muttered.
      "What?" I bent down so we were face to face.
"He was thinking about how he needed to capture the king and the queen. And how stupid Disaris was to trust him. And there were other things that were awful." Nox's words were spaced out and unsure.
      "Tenebrae, get over here." Disaris shouted.