Inkway to Albreton

Chapter Fifteen

To Jasmine, the goodbyes took forever. Kurventhor and Ellindris kept nuzzling into each other, exchanging words Jasmine didn't understand and frankly didn't want to. King Allard made his rounds, gathering the knights in the main hall of the castle, horses and all. Swift was among them, Jasmine noticed, although sans a rider. Enkaiein slipped out of the horses' way, lingering near the door. Swift dashed up to Prince Albert, neighing and kicking its feet in the air in a greeting.

"Hello, Swift." Prince Albert chuckled, taking the reins, cooing and shushing to calm Swift down. Princess Salina handed him his sword with a smile. She mouthed take care and Prince Albert strapped his scabbard in place at his hip. He gripped the hilt, unsheathed the blade, inspected its sharpness in the colorful shine of light abstracted by the distant Icy Mountains and then put it away. He embraced Princess Salina lovingly, kissing her on the lips before he and Swift made his way to the others. Jasmine swallowed the lump in her throat and meandered to Enkaiein, the only other being in the place that seemed itching to leave.

"So, think this'll work?" She asked the giant inky beast.

"I cannot say," said Enkaiein. "Does something trouble you, Jasmine? You seem on edge this morning. I know you are not hungry. At the King's breakfast, you consumed more than the knights."

"Yeah, well you didn't eat at all," said Jasmine. Enkaiein got closer, sliding towards her with the fluidity and speed of water down a shoot.

"I do not require food to survive. You may have changed the subject but I am old and curious. I will not make it that easy to evade my questioning. What bothers you this day?"

"If you must know I'm not too keen on this whole plan," Jasmine said. "I mean, yeah, Kur freezes Mr. Evil Frog Guy. Excuse me, Mr. Evil Cloud Guy. But then what? We have to find a beast willing to sacrifice itself for the cause? I don't think we'll find anyone."

"That is not the real thing that troubles you."

"Yes it is."

"Ah, young Jasmine. I am ancient and have been acquainted with many beings, some having far more questionable worries than those of humans. Whatever it is, you can tell me without fear of judgment."

"It's the prince," Jasmine finally whispered. Enkaiein backed away, watching Prince Albert approach, Kurventhor at Swift's flank. Princess Salina was waving all three of them goodbye, standing next to Ellindris.

"Ah," said Enkaiein, "You feel cheated. That is not uncommon."

"That makes me sound like a cliché," Jasmine said. She sighed and scuffed her boot against the floor. "I know I can't have him. He loves someone else. What's bothering me is there's nothing I can do about it. I'm friends with the princess so I can't hate her for being with him and I do want them both to be happy. My problem is I want to be happy too. It just always seems like something is getting in the way of that." She glossed her fingers over the burns on her face looking sullen. She missed riding. Riding made her feel like she belonged somewhere. When Prince Albert had first told her she was his lost princess, Jasmine may have denied it out loud but inside she had been excited, hopeful even, to see the world where she belonged. Right now it didn't seem she fit in anywhere. Being accepted back home, if she ever got back somehow, wouldn't be easy with these new scars, not that she had many before this whole ordeal. "I don't know what to do with myself."

"Climb on my back," said Enkaiein. When Jasmine turned to him squishing her eyebrows together in confusion he said again, "Climb on my back, Jasmine. You are the only one without a steed." He dipped his wing to her feet, nearly touching the toes of her boots. Prince Albert mounted Swift and Kurventhor stretched his wings. The King rode up on his mare, leading the knights and his son outside. Jasmine heard King Allard sing the spell to cross the mote, wondered what artifact had made something like that possible. Kurventhor stopped at the door, turning halfway around to give Jasmine and Enkaiein an inquisitive look.