Part 1 - Rain

Convincing Dana that he had found the Princess unconscious and feverish in the royal gardens hadn’t been all that hard. In fact it was a rather reasonable explanation for the fact that he had appeared at the palace doors caring an unconscious, soaked Allana. He had thought up that excuse just moments before, and Dana’s concern towards the Princess’s well being immediately released him from any further explanations.

The difficult part, he had come to realize, was standing there, away from the Princess’s quarters, not knowing what was happening or how she was faring.

Denar watched his Prince, who had refused with a threatening glare his suggestion to get changed, and ate another grape, savoring its sweet flavor with a smile of contentment. He knew Elian all too well to know it was no use trying to talk to him when he was like that. He could easily tell that something had gone terribly wrong, but he also knew that trying to appease him or comfort him would only have the opposite result.

“Elian! Could you please stop pacing back and forth like that? You’re making me dizzy!”

Elian gave him that look again, a mix of threat and a deep desire to choke him to death, and seemed to decide to ignore him.

Denar smiled meekly as Elian restarted his pacing, that would obviously lead him nowhere. He could still remember a time when that expression would have intimidated him, even frightened him. But now he knew beyond any doubt that Elian could never hurt him. They were like brothers. Brothers above status, money our blood. Because when they were together there were no differences between them. In fact, it had been exactly that quality of his that had won him over, making him leave all he had known behind in order to stay by his side.

Outside the rain kept falling. What had promised to be a wonderful Spring’s evening had suddenly turned into a dark and wet Winter’s night. The rain drops slid slowly down the window and Denar took a deep breath, breaking the silence that filled the room once again.

“I guess we’re not leaving today. With a storm like this and in the dark we could easily pass the landmarks, unable to see them. We’d probably get lost. Oh well, I’m not risking your safety for the sake of a few hours,” he stated and Elian took a deep breath, sitting on a chair. “Finaly!” the Knight pointed out, still watching him.

“I just can’t understand … any of it! What she meant … what she told me …”

“It figures! Here I am, worried about your Kingdom, and you … Hey! Wait a minute. What did she tell you?” Denar suddenly asked, confused. “I thought you said you found her unconscious!”

“What did you expect me to tell them? That I found her wielding a sword and fighting a Royal Knight? Or how terrified she was, as soon as she heard my name? I’ve never seen anyone so frightened. That’s why it started to rain …”

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“What the …?! You’re not making any sense! You mean you told her?” the Knight asked jumping to his feet before Elian’s silent response. “You told her?!! Oh crap! We have to leave immediately! Who knows what that girl will say once she wakes up!” he decided, urgently looking for his traveling bag under the bed.

“That’s right … that’s why it started to rain …” the Prince muttered, lost in thought as if he hadn’t heard a single word Denar had said. “She made it rain …”

“What the hell are you talking about? You sound like some crazy person!” Denar scolded him, trying to keep his wits about him. Right now, if he were to allow himself to get angry at him the most he would accomplish was to wake up the next day, with a smiling Elian by his side, stating just how tiered he had been, which had resulted in him suddenly falling asleep.

“I’m talking about the rain, Denar. She did it. She made it rain!” Elian insisted, with that gleam of certainty in his eyes, and a proud smile touched his lips.

Denar felt his whole body shake with urgency! It was urgent that they leave that Kingdom! He had spoken with enough people to establish with quite certainty exactly what kind of feelings floated around the palace towards their Mithir neighbors. And, as much as Elian might be infatuated with that girl, his life was in danger as long as they stayed in Everlyn!

“Who did what …?”

“Allana. She made it rain!” the Prince answered, enthusiastically.

“Oh, right. Elian? Do you have a fever too?”

“I’m serious, Denar!” he countered and Denar stood up, taking a deep breath, trying to remain calm.

“Hum… allow me to remind you that normal people, such as you and me. Normal people don’t make it rain!!” he stated, raising his voice and Elian smiled openly.

“Exactly! She isn’t quite … normal, as you’ve put it!”

“Come on, Elian …!”

“If you think about it, everything falls right into place. How else could she have known we lied about our names? Or even fight like that without having been taught by anyone. I fought against her and I tell you, she fights as well as most of our first degree Knights!”

“Elian! She’s only a normal young girl! Much like you!”

Elian smiled again and his tone changed to that which parents usually use when talking to their children while trying to explain them something quite obvious.

“You’re absolutely right. You only have to make a few adjustments regarding your concept of ‘normal like me’,” he replied and the air around them became heavy and charged with energy so dense that it could almost be heard. In an instant, obeying his silent command, all the objects in the room floated weightless in the air, and Denar turned his gaze away, crossing his arms.

“Oh, just stop it!” he snapped and Elian put everything down on their respective places. Walking up to him, he placed a fond arm around the Knights shoulders.

“Will you please just believe me? I really need your help, Denar. I can’t possible leave her here, by herself! We have to take her with us! Soon, this Kingdom will be no more.”

Denar faced his black eyes and sighed, almost resigned.

“And take her where? You can’t possibly be thinking about taking her to Mithir. Your father has exiled them all fifteen years ago and, to date, he has yet to forgive whatever led him to expel them from Mithir. I don’t have to remind you that even our presence here is against His Majesty’s wishes, do I? Besides, how do you plan to convince that girl to leave with us if, as you said, she’s terrified of you?"

“You don’t need to worry about any of that. All I need to know is that I can count on you and that you’ll help me when the time comes.”

“You haven’t heard a single word I’ve said, have you? You half-assed Prince!!” Denar complained angrily and Elian smiled, unworried.

“Of course I heard. But everything’s going to be alright … as long as I can count on you.” Denar sighed deeply. Where the hell did that unshakable confidence of his came from? And how was he supposed to let him down when he believed in him so much?

“Has it ever been any other way …?” the Knight asked in an resigned tone and Elian laughed lightly.

“Not as long as I can remember. And now go, go get some rest. Tomorrow is going to be a long day. But at least it won’t rain anymore.”

Denar sighed again, completely defeated, and obeyed his Prince’s command, leaving towards his room.