Renat's vision was fuzzy and his body hurt all over. He thought for sure he would die when he saw the blast ball roll off the shelf and begin to fall. If not for breaking the fireproof jelly ball above his head and diving below the brown mass of solid chocolate rock, he never would have survived. Yet, here he was with the world beginning to come back into focus. He was in pain and covered in slippery clear jelly, but at least he was alive.
Renat blinked a few times while staring at the sky. There were no dragons anymore. That had to be a good sign. When he turned his head, he spotted the most beautiful blue eyes of the woman he loved, yet her face seemed... wrong. Perhaps she was a mirage.
"Mairwen?" he asked carefully.
"And who might this be?" Cafer leaned over the scientist and came into the boy's field of vision.
Although Renat had never seen the gnome before, he instinctively did not like him. The tall boy unconsciously scowled, which made the gnome lift his eyebrows in challenge.
Brinn, who had shapeshifted to look like Mairwen, exchanged a glance with the equally anxious Alaron. The two had agreed to protect Renat, but it might be more difficult than they thought.
"I asked who this was?!" Cafer repeated with an edge in his voice. "Who is so important that the Emperor gave his life to save him?"
Brinn had not thought about this and tried to carefully craft an answer that would pass the gnome's test.
Before she could speak, Alaron broke in with his most dignified voice. "He is a nobody. Just one of my sister's servants. You know the Emperor would have given his life for just about anyone. Devrim was just that kind of person."
Cafer nodded. "Hm. And after seeing his wife die, he did not have much left to live for either."
Brinn and Alaron exchanged another glance. Was the Empress dead? Neither of them had stayed to watch the scene and could not refute his words. A sadness deeper than Brinn had ever felt overtook her, and she no longer needed to act to portray the broken princess.
Cafer ignored their somber mood and queried again. "I did not realize that Aurora had allowed the princess to have male servants. Even your personal guard was female, correct?"
This was true. The gnome was very knowledgeable. "My mother allowed me to have one male servant for certain tasks," Brinn lied.
She spoke softly so that the gnome might not hear any difference in her voice from the real princess. The quiet tone mixed with grief masked her voice well. Cafer did not seem to notice the change.
"Anyway, the servant is a eunuch," Alaron added, wincing only slightly at the word.
The gnome gave the boy a curious glance, but let the matter pass. He had no desire to know how the prince acquired such information.
Renat, on the other hand, was quickly picking up the plot. He had heard both ladies' voices more than most and recognized the elf for who she was. If she was pretending to be the princess, there must be a good reason. Against the pain, the scientist rolled out of the elf's lap and pressed his face to the floor.
"Forgive me, Your Highness," the tall boy gasped. "I should never have touched you." He kept his head to the ground.
"Do not blame yourself," Brinn responded. She tapped the boy on the back of the head to dismiss his crime and came back with a handful of clear gelatinous goo in her hand. Brinn puckered her lips in disgust.
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Cafer regarded the display with only mild interest. To Alaron he whispered, "She will need all the servants she can get. You do not want the other gnomes around her."
Alaron was both pleased with and upset by his words. He liked that the gnome seemed to want to protect his sister, but hated how the gnomes generally treated women. "I understand," he said grimly.
Cafer rubbed his hands together greedily. "Shall we check the state of the palace? I am happy to see the dragons did not completely destroy it."
The blue-eyed boy looked longingly at his home. The part closest to him was intact thanks to the hard work of his sister, but other places were in ruins. On the lawn, the gnomes were rounding up the surrendering humans. It was a pitiful sight.
Cafer noticed Alaron's melancholy. "Do not worry, my boy," the gnome placed a hand on Alaron's shoulder. "We gnomes can rebuild quite easily. With your servants' help, we will have this place shining beyond its former glory in no time."
The gnome led the boy toward the castle. Brinn helped Renat to his feet. "Must I stay out here? Or am I free to go to my room if it is still standing?" the pretend princess called.
"I would prefer you to stay with me," Alaron turned and glared at the elf. Brinn wondered if the boy did not trust her or if he wanted her as back up. Either way, she had no desire to comply.
"Please brother, I must allow my servant to rest and get cleaned up. He is all I have until suitable replacements can be found." Her voice was sugary sweet, and Cafer agreed with her assessment.
"I think the princess should be allowed to go wherever she pleases," he said with a little too much sincerity. "As long as she is under heavy guard. It is for your own protection, Your Highness," Cafer added smoothly.
Brinn hid her scowl behind a mask of innocence. "I appreciate your concern."
Cafer motioned and two gnome soldiers came to attend them. "Take the princess and her servant to examine her living quarters. If everything is in order, guard the door. No one touches the princess." The advisor emphasized the last part. "That is if it pleases you," he deferred to Alaron.
The boy hesitated. "It pleases me," he said at last.
Because the royal family's rooms were far from the front of the palace, their living quarters were mostly unharmed. Brinn could not say the same for her spymaster's den. She would have to dig through the rubble for her things before the gnomes could. The elf scowled.
Once inside Mairwen's suite, the gnome guards left the pair and took up their post outside the door. Once they were alone, she pounced on Renat.
"How did you get so slimy?" Brinn looked with disgust at the goop-covered boy. Even his satchel was coated.
"Where is Mairwen?" Renat asked at the same moment. Realizing he would not get his answer first, the boy sighed. "You know those jelly balls we made? They are good at repelling fire so I broke it on myself before the blast. There was a lot more liquid in those things than I realized. That and ducking below the chocolate-colored stone (another one of our balls broke prematurely) is what saved me."
"You are one lucky little scientist. Or should I say, servant? You are my servant now, don't forget!" Brinn got a gleam in her eye that Renat did not like.
"I am the princess's servant," he countered. "Where is she?"
"Cafer and I am assuming King Baak have successfully caused Princess Mairwen and the Emperor to flee. I only hope they make it out safely. I am the decoy," Brinn fluttered her eyelashes. The coy look from someone wearing the face of the woman he loved made Renat's skin crawl.
"So the Emperor did not die trying to save me. What a relief! What about the Empress?" Renat noticed that Aurora was not mentioned.
"Cafer said she was dead. I hope he is wrong." The elf would speak no more on the subject. Until she had proof that her friend was truly gone, she would not think about the matter. "I have some things I will need to take care of, but first..."
Brinn went to the door and peeked out. "My servant needs a change of clothes and a wet towel. Could you get someone to fetch those things for me?" she asked politely. One of the gnomes grunted, which Brinn took for a yes. She shut the door.
"Thank you," Renat told her with a gracious smile.
"It is the least I could do," Brinn responded as she plugged her nose. "That jelly you have all over you smells putrid!"
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Alaron and Cafer's first stop was the treasury. Being toward the bottom and center of the palace with extra-thick walls, it was unharmed, although a few hairline cracks could be seen on the ceiling. The Dragon Queen had not quite broken through.
"Xander will be glad that this survived the siege," Cafer exclaimed, trying to brighten the prince's mood.
"I shall not enjoy having to pay him. I do not suppose it can be avoided." The prince was already lamenting his bargain with the pirate when he realized just how much treasure he would have to forego.
"Perhaps you will feel more comfortable when you are sitting atop your throne." The advisor recognized that the price, though steep, was still worth it.
Casting his gaze across the glittering gold, Cafer took a luxurious crown meant only for the ruler and laid it on the Alaron's head. Then the gnome found a royal cape and draped it across the youth's shoulders. As a final touch, he laid a jeweled scepter in the boy's hand.
With the look complete, Cafer guided Alaron through the halls. The gnomes bowed their heads as he passed, forcing servants and prisoners with them to do the same.
The pair made it out to a low balcony. It was not as lavish as the one that generally was used for announcements, but it was still high enough to see over the palace walls.
The gnome and boy regarded Valiant for a long time in silence. As the sun began to dip low and paint the sky crimson, Cafer gave a contented sigh. "Well, Your Majesty, you did it. All of it is yours now."
It was the first time Cafer had called him that. The words were honey to his ears. The thing he had wanted since before he could walk was now in his grasp. He had it all.
"Glory to the Emperor!" Cafer shouted triumphantly.
Alaron gave a smile that did not quite reach his eyes. "Yes," he responded with his back held straight. "I am glorious!"
But inside doubt pricked at his brain. 'I have everything I want,' he reminded himself. 'So why am I not happy?'