Somewhere in one of the highest chambers of the elven king’s treehouse lay a couple in bed.

“My love, how are you?”

“I’m doing well. I just finished securing more trade routes with our neighbors to the east. They try to haggle me to death, but I’ve yet to let them get the best of me. I pray one day they’ll adopt our more transparent trading practices. It would make my life a bit easier, ha.”

The woman in gray turned her head, catching only her husband’s cheek. “You sound forced… I can always tell when you're lying. You’re quite bad at it, you know?”

“I know, I know,” the King murmured, his gaze fixed on the intricate artwork above them.

“What’s really on your mind?” she asked.

The King paused, pointing to the left corner of the mural. “Do you think life would be any different if I hadn’t killed Maximus?”

The woman raised her finger to the right portion of the mural and replied, “No... Life would not be half as prosperous. My brother would have turned the whole forest into farmland and put everyone we know in chains to sow it.”

“You’re right.”

“I always am.”

The King smiled, leaning up to snap his fingers at the wisps dancing near the ceiling. Only once he settled back did the creatures let darkness settle over the room.

Silence hung between them before the King sighed deeply. “It’s our son. I’m worried about him.”

“What seems to be the matter?”

“I don’t know, exactly. I feel lost as a father. Maybe I’m just getting old, or…”

“Or perhaps his mother is never there,” she interjected softly.

“No!” The King sat up, looking at her earnestly.

She struggled to meet his gaze. “It’s true. Your ex-wive raised your children, and I did not. I likely never will.”

“That doesn’t mean you’re a bad mother, or that I love you any less.”

“Then what is it?”

The King lay back, his expression distant. “The boy lacks development, but he seems happy. I don’t want to push him. To me, he’s still a child.”

“If he were purely elven, that would be true. But as a human, he’d be married off with children of his own by now.”

“But he’s not human—he’s half human.”

“All the more reason to start treating him as an adult, whether he’s ready or not,” she murmured, as she creeked her neck back up to the ceiling.

The King settled down beside her. “You’re right... I’ll send a messenger to Holly and Chron. Some time outside the tree, making friends and furthering his class, could do him some good.”

“Perfect, my dear. I’m sure it will do him some good. Now, please, try to get some rest.”

Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

A few levels below the King’s chambers, a blue-haired elf practically skipped through the halls, shooing a messenger bird from her shoulder as she went.

“Everything’s proceeding smoothly,” she murmured to herself, knocking gently on the door.

“Who’s there?” a faint, sleepy voice came from within.

The woman cupped her hands around her mouth. “It’s Holly. I’m here to tuck you in,” she called with a playful lilt.

“Oh, please come in,” the voice responded in relief.

As the door opened, it was clear the bedroom belonged to royalty. High ceilings, elegant furniture, and an immaculate aura filled the space. At the end of the room was Elron, already nestled in bed.

“Are you ready for bed, my prince?” Holly asked, snapping her fingers discreetly behind her back as she approached him.

Elron’s feet shifted under the covers, his cheeks pink. “Yes,” he replied, barely above a whisper.

Holly turned away briefly, peeking out into the hallway, her eyes scanning both directions before she finally closed the door. Satisfied, she turned back, sashaying over to him with graceful deliberation.

“We need to have a talk, my Prince,” she said, leaning over to tuck him in.

Elron’s eyes widened. “What kind of talk? If this is about my brother… I swear, I did nothing to provoke him,” he began, his words tumbling out. “He’s always like that, and I want nothing to do with him. Tell my Father that he—”

“Shhh, no, it’s not about that,” Holly interrupted, placing a gentle hand on his shoulder.

Elron looked at her, confusion clouding his face. “So, what do we need to talk about, then?”

“You’re going to be leaving the citadel more often to work on your class and meet other nobles around your age,” Holly explained calmly. “Unfortunately, I won’t be able to oversee the leveling part of your training. That will be Chron’s duty…”

Elron’s expression soured, and he crossed his arms. “I hate Chron almost as much as my brothers,” he grumbled. “He’s always hitting me, and Father hasn’t done anything about it. You’ve told him, right? Why hasn’t he replaced him?”

Holly sighed, sitting down at the edge of the bed. “I’ve told him many times,” she reassured, brushing a stray lock of hair from his forehead. “Your father’s busy. He’s searching for a replacement daily, don’t you worry.”

Elron’s scowl softened, a small smile tugging at his lips. “At least I have you.”

Holly’s fingers trailed to the neckline of her low-cut dress, and a teasing smile curved her lips. “Aww, you’ve always been so sweet. Thank you, my prince.”

A brief silence settled, the air thick with unspoken tension. Elron shifted, then whispered shyly, “Uh… can I see them again?”

“Oh? You want these?” Holly responded as she exposed her massive breasts.

Elron’s eyes went wide, his breath hitching. “Yes, please,” he murmured in desperation.

With a playful grin, Holly leaned closer. “Here’s the thing, my prince. Snack time is on pause until you do me a little teensy tiny favor,”

“What?! But we’ve always…” Elron’s voice rose, frustration creeping in.

“One of the people you’re going to meet soon is an elven woman from the Moonshadow family,” Holly interrupted, now serious. “Her name is Marcella, and I need the blue amulet she wears around her neck.”

Elron gawked at her, disbelief evident on his face. “Why do you want it? I don’t want to meet new people, and I especially don’t want to steal from them!” he protested.

Holly pressed a finger to his lips, silencing him. “You don’t get what you want until I get what I want. Clear?”

Elron slapped her hand away, anger flickering in his eyes. “I’ll find a way to let Father know about all of this, and he’ll imprison you. Maybe even execute you for it,” he threatened, huffing as he turned away.

Holly pursed her lips thoughtfully. “You could,” she conceded, smirking as she adjusted her dress. “But then you wouldn’t get this.” She pressed her chest together, causing his resistance melt.

Elron’s defiance crumbled as he stared, his determination fading. “Okay, I promise…”

“Good,” Holly said with a satisfied smile, while fixing her dress and standing up.

Elron watched as she sauntered to the door, feeling a whirlwind of angst and desire. He slid down his headboard, and the room seemed different all of a sudden. It felt much smaller, diminished, dimmed, almost as if it had lost its luster in a near-instant, yet, nothing had actually changed.

“How soon do I need to retrieve it?” he asked quietly.

“As soon as possible,” Holly replied, snapping her fingers once again. “But make sure she doesn’t know it was you who stole it—I mean, acquired it,” she added.

Elron sank deeper into his mattress, muttering under his breath, “Stupid amulet…”