Below the Peak (Sola)(51)
Come again?
Nara cocked her head to the one introduced as the elven prince. Her breath hitched in her throat at his beauty…no beautiful wasn’t the proper word to describe him. He was magnificent as a powerful jungle cat would be in the form of an elf. He stood taller, possessed a horned body fit for battle. She would bet her life he moved like the wild predator too all lissome and deadly. He wore a solid black tunic and a long black cape with fit trousers and boots. His baldric hanged across his chest the hilt of his sword peeked behind him. His silky hair, the color of golden wheat twisted to a braid back and with one thin braid hanging over his pointy ear to his broad shoulder. Her eyes moved on their own accord, tracing the shape of his lips, strong nose and jaw and meeting with forest green eyes. He was looking at her.
Nara bit her lip and her face colored in mortification. She wanted to avert her eyes from being caught rudely staring, but his intense eyes didn’t relent, on the contrary, they locked her in place. He continued to stare at her, his powerful gaze making her blood run cold, goosebumps skittering across her skin. His hard gaze probed, searched and pierced to the back of her skull, sending an odd feeling to the pit of her stomach. Surprising herself, she held his gaze. It didn’t hurt as much it normally did when she looked at others. And then as if he found what he had been searching for, he looked past her.
She released the breath that had stuck in her lungs unknowingly.
“No, forgive us this not how we treat our guests” the king’s voice broke the silence, startling almost everyone in the room. Nara turned his direction, the fury she felt flaring again. The king poise changed, he sat too close to the edge of the chair, his back stiff. It could be seen through his pretentious air regality that he was nervous and afraid.
“Please join us”, Lorenz gestured to the empty chairs with a placating smile.
The prince and his companion Finn didn’t move a muscle, they remained standing at the other end of the long table. The king’s smile fell into a thin line, displeased. Not many refused his command.
Serves you right, Nara couldn’t help but feel a sense of delight. With a brush, of tight lip grin, the king leaned back slowly and said. “To what do we owe this great visit from the prince of Forod and Finn son of Horrindor?”
Yes, why are you here? Nara wondered.
“You have something we need.” The prince replied in Nyr, his voice even and speech articulate with only a hint of an accent.
The space between her brows creased, not expecting to hear that. What possibly did they have that the elves wanted? It must be something of great value for certain.
“What exactly do we have that you need?” the king asked.
“The well” the prince stated, his unreadable eyes studying the king intently. Lorenz struggled to maintain a straight face under the prince burdening gaze. He has never been terrified in his life by just a look. His heart thrummed widely and began to sweat under his clothes. This was the day he was forced to use all his wits and underhanded tactics; he wouldn’t be quivering like an old hag if it wasn’t for Abasi’s traitorous ambitions. He cursed inwardly, vileness spreading in his chest. He had sought help from former allies, and they had refused to stand with him in this war he was about to fight. They were all scared of Abasi with excuses of his army being too powerful now and together with his allies. He recalled a note he’d received from king Roje of the Rocky Lands. Lorenz had promised to share the spoils if the other king joined him but the savage king who he Lorenz had always considered a kindred spirit with a same unquenchable thirst for power, had replied with a blunt rejection.
I’ll have my revenge Lorenz vowed. When it’s all said, and done Abasi together with his people will suffer unimaginably. Loosen the shackles, and they want to run. He’d learnt his lesson. Never lose the leash on your dog even if it’s choking them. And when he was done with Abasi, he would go after King Roje, teach him a thing or two about friendship.
“Please if it’ no trouble, enlighten me of this well and why is it so important to you” Lorenz refocused back on the elf prince. The prince’s hard gaze had him shrinking a notch and forcing him to change tactic.
“Suppose the well is here and I allow you to draw from it. How do you propose to pay?”
The prince pulled out a strange rock from the pocket of his cape and set it on the table.
***
Nara stared at the stone. The rock sparkled a soft hue of violet purple and yellow in an hypnotizing way.
“Allodia mined from Dragon Mountain” the prince stated.
Nara gaped. She had heard diamond, and other gems were not the only invaluable precious stone, but the only stone that rivaled was found in the Dragon Mountain of Forod. Whispers broke, both ladies and lords eyeing the gemstone with avid interest yet couldn’t compete against the greediness in the king’s eyes. His expression told he was salivating inside on the verge of crawling across the table and snatching the damn rock for himself. When Nara mused perhaps he might do just that, the king pulled back stiffly, tilted his head as if considering his options. Seconds which felt like eternity ticked by in a silent doom as everyone waited for the king to say a word.
“It will not do” the king spoke finally.
“Ornate box full of allodia.” The prince offered.
“Not enough.” the king retorted.
Nara glanced at the prince, noting his blank look and irritation edging in his eyes.