Adventures of Jessa

8

"Jessa?" Sorid says coming to the door at Jessa's knock. She quickly gathers Jessa to her and gives her a hug.

"Can't breathe," Jessa chokes out. Sorid lets her go as she chuckles.

"Sorry, didn't mean to suffocate you like that." Sorid takes a hard look over Jessa to make sure that she's doing well.

"How are things in the human world?"

"I'm sure that Kallen has told you about when we arrived?" Jessa starts it off as a sentence but makes it into a question. Kallen doesn't usually hide things from Sorid, but he might if he thought it might upset her.

"He told me that you killed a bandit before he could the day after you left, but not much else other than you had a place ready for you in a caravan as a guard."

"I would like to hear your report as well, Jessa, if you would allow it?" Dhiren says standing awkwardly watching mother and daughter reunite.

"Oh, prince, forgive me, I didn't see you there. Please come in, both of you." Sorid says blushing a bit at her lack of manners to the crown prince.

"Thank you, Sorid. You had good reason to not see me and I don't want to intrude, but I would like to know how things went. Kallen just said that you met up with the caravan master and it was all set. He didn't say that you had any problems."

Jessa snorts, "He wouldn't." As the two sit Sorid bustles away to prepare refreshments for the two visitors.

"Call me Dhiren, Jessa. There is no reason for you to call me prince."

Those words draw her attention to him and he's not sure that he likes the attention she's giving him. "I am not of your social class, Prince. It would be beyond presumptuous for me to call you only by your name and not include your title."

"There are few that I count as friends, but those few have the right to call me by my name. I would like to consider you a friend, unless you still consider me an enemy? Which I would understand completely."

Jessa has long ago learned how to hide her emotions and keep her face from betraying what she thinks or feels. The bullying from the children made sure of that. "I have never considered you an enemy, Prince. What you did, you did to protect me, and those of your people that would have harmed me had I stayed. I have always known that you would, one day, find me prepared and you would set me out of Silva. I knew that the time was near even before we sparred that day. I hold no rancor towards you, you are not my enemy.

"There are those among the elves that I might consider enemies and no, I'm not talking about the idiot Kristoff either. Although, he was my main bully growing up."

Dhiren stiffens at the comments about her having enemies among the elves. "Which elves do you consider enemies, Jessa?" Perhaps she knows which ones are the biggest cause of the cancer of hate that is affecting the elven people.

Jessa gives the prince a bitter smile, "That isn't something I'm prepared to share, Prince. They have not acted against me and as long as they don't there is no reason for them to be brought forward."

"I have my reasons for asking, Jessa. I have received warning from Lady Zira about needing to cleanse the elves."

"As have I, Prince." Jessa's words cause Dhiren to still and stare at her in awe. Zira doesn't present herself to many. Those that receive visitations are considered high in her favor. Never before has a non elf received a visitation.

"When did this happen, Jessa?" Sorid asks coming in and setting down the refreshments that she went to fetch.

"Sit down mother, and I'll tell you everything. Prince, since you are here there are things you should know.