Adventures of Jessa

47

Dhiren leads Jessa to the spring where they bathe. He gently holds Jessa's face, "I want to tell you to not go, not to do what I know you are planning, but I know you will. Promise me, Jessa, that you will send Mel to me when you head towards the pass. I need to know when you are about to enter the pass. Send me a message and I'll have my army there, and I'll bring healers. Even if you manage to kill all the bandits you and those you are going with will need healing. Let me do at least that much for you." Dhiren tells her with tears in his eyes.

"I will do that much, Dhiren, but you aren't to do the fighting. I won't have any elven lives lost dealing with something that the humans should take care of. But I will accept the healing of the elves for those that will be traveling with me. Although, I'm not so sure that the master will be needing healing. I won't be going with a master that I would bring through Silva."

"You will be intentionally choosing a bad master?" Dhiren asks repelled by the very idea.

"Yeah, I would feel too guilty refusing a decent master the safety of going through Silva." She's feeling guilty already at the loss of lives that will happen with those that she'll be traveling with. Hopefully there will be more than a few of them assholes rather than the decent guards that she's worked with before.

Dhiren closes his eyes and fights back his tears. At least he got her to agree to that much. Once he gets the messages that Nathan promised to send and the ones that Jessa just now promised he will move his army accordingly and hopes that he isn't too late.

"I have no intentions of dying Dhiren," Jessa tells him softly.

"No one has the intention of dying, Jessa, but it is inevitable sometime in our lives. No one leaves this life without dying unless they obtain godhood."

Jessa gives Dhiren a sad smile. "You never know, after all my many time great father managed that feat."

Dhiren is unable to speak and just nods his head looking down.

"Hey, let's not waste this time. It will be several days before we see each other again." Before Jessa even finishes Dhiren takes her mouth and kisses her. There is little in the way of talking after that.

Jessa makes sure that she spends time with Sorid and Kallen before she retires for the night. Sorid tells her about her pregnancy and confirms that she is indeed pregnant with twins. Jessa is pleased for Sorid and Kallen and makes sure that Sorid understands that.

"Sorid, I just need you to know, that I thank you for all you've done and I couldn't love you more. You might not have been the one to have me, but you've done all that a mother could for her daughter and I love you more than you could possibly know.

"Kallen, you have been an incredible father to me. I know that some of your underlings have given you a great deal of grief because of me and you've stood by me through it all. I love you more than I can express.

"Tomorrow I leave for Kyron, but I won't be returning to Castlerock through Silva. I'll be going through the pass. Already reports of caravans being massacred are filtering to Castlerock. The human king has told Dhiren that it's none of his concern and told him that he can do whatever he wishes. The king is a fool and an idiot. 

"I won't allow the elves to undertake the cleansing of the pass. I will however, alert Dhiren when I am about to enter. Sorid, I want you to be prepared for the worse. I don't want my actions to cause you any problems with the children. If the worse happens, I would like for you to tell them about their big sister and how much I eagerly awaited them.

"Kallen, I would ask that you take the elves and finish off what I wasn't able to do. Make sure that those that survive are able to get back to Castlerock in safety, if there are any survivors." Jessa looks at her shocked parents with tears in her eyes. "Make sure that Nathan, if he doesn't survive, gets an elven sendoff to Jethro. 

"Teach your children how to be the best fighters in Silva so that they might protect Dhiren in time."

"Jessa, that's not going to happen. If you die, then it won't take long for Dhiren to die as well. Your souls have bonded and he won't be able to survive without you," Sorid patiently tells her daughter, even as tears fall from her eyes at the news that Jessa is giving her.

Jessa shakes her head, "Dhiren must not die, he is the only one that can take the throne."

"Jessa, if you die there is no way to keep him alive. He will lose all will to live. He won't be able to eat or keep down food if it is fed to him. We've tried before. It just doesn't work. We will do our best, of course we will, but it is almost a sure thing that he won't survive. Zira has already informed me, that if you should die, Dhiren has told her that she will need to give his parents another child or there will need to be someone chosen to take over the throne.

"He has no intentions of surviving you for long, Jessa. Remember that as you fight. You will need to stay alive not just for yourself, but for Dhiren as well." Sorid tells her.

Jessa sits back shocked. She hadn't even thought about how it will affect Dhiren should she die and yet he never asked her to not go. He doesn't want her to, but he never asked. He knows that she needs to do this and she's denying him the chance to help keep her alive.

"Am I being selfish? Should I have him send in the elves, many of whom would die in the fight?"

Sorid and Kallen both shake their heads, "Which is more selfish, Jessa? You are doing your best to protect the elven people. Should you die then Dhiren would too, but, as you requested or Dhiren has requested, another would take his place. One person dying to protect his people is a small price to pay. Zira understands this as does Dhiren. You do what you need to do, Jessa, just make sure that you let Dhiren know ahead of time so that the healers might be there to help as many as possible, and we will pray for you and your friend. 

"Hopefully, it will be sufficient for your safe return." Kallen tells her and pulls her into a hug and then Sorid takes her turn.

Jessa turns to the silently listening prince. "You are willing to allow me to go through with this even though it could cost you your life?"

Dhiren gives her a sad smile. "It isn't for me to tell you what you should do. You made the decision that you could live with and I will accept your decision."

"But you are affected by this decision as well!" Jessa exclaims upset at his calm words.

"Yes, but I also know and accept that there are certain things that you need to do. This is a duty you accept by being who you are. You could no more pass this opportunity up than fly. It is calling for you and you being the incredible person you are, don't wish to put my people, your adopted people, at risk doing the job your birth people should have dealt with themselves.

"You will be proving yourself to both humans and elves when you show them all that you are more than a mere guard, you are a princess, a warrior princess. I have faith in you, Jessa, but nothing is set in stone. I beg of you to let me know as soon as you plan on setting off into the ambush site. 

"That will allow me time to get there, but you will have taken care of the fight, at least most of it by that time. I and the elves will take care of any that manage to survive you." Dhiren tells her smiling sadly. He hopes that his words aren't just empty air, that Jessa won't die early in the fight leaving the humans open to the attack.

If that happens then he plans to be in the thick of the battle until he is killed as well. He doesn't like the thought of fading away slowly.

Jessa cups his face as she fights the tears that start to fall. "I love you, Dhiren."

Dhiren pulls her to him and just holds her. Sorid and Kallen silently make their way out of the room. They leave the lovers alone for one last night together before Jessa needs to leave.