Part 4 - I'm Going Too!

Allana held the basin she had just filled with clean fresh water and was about to return to Elipson’s side when the sound of footsteps by the entrance made her stop. Quietly putting the basin down, she peered towards the room hopping it wasn’t someone else looking for Elipson since she had been absent from her duties the entire morning.

The man that had just entered made her step back, her heart beating faster, instinctively making her hide on a shadowy corner, hopping her presence would go unnoticed. With a second thought she wondered why she had to hide from him. After all, it wasn’t as if she was doing something wrong … ! But as Denar entered the room she kept even quieter, and she knew it had been his disturbed expression that had led her to feel she, somehow, shouldn’t be there.

He stood by the door for a moment, looking at the bed where Elipson slept, his expression a mix of fear, guilt and concern, all expressions Allana had never thought he’d be able to show. Sitting on the bedside, he lightly caressed her face, then her hair, with a trembling hand.

“… forgive me …” Allana thought she heard him say she saw him hold Elipson’s pale hand between his. “Why does it always have to be like this … ? You know me … Why make me hurt you like this … ? Why won’t you believe me … ? You never do … And I … I don’t know what else to do …” He softly touched her sleeping face with his fingertips, as if he were afraid he'd hurt her otherwise, and the hand he still held squeezed his long fingers . His green eyes rushed anxiously to her face and he watched as she moved and frowned in an expression of pain.

“Shush … Take it easy. Everything’s okay,” he reassured her, rapidly rubbing his eyes of any hints of emotion, and Elipson woke up, still half dazed, looking at him unresponsively. Allana couldn’t help smile, since she had never seen them share the same space without an angry discussion ensuing. And yet it was clear that the smallest thoughtless word would be enough to break that frail peace.

“Denar …” Elipson mumbled, almost as if she were still unsure of his presence there and he rewarded her with a smile.

“Don’t worry. You’ll be alright. Elian was here. He took care of you. Why didn’t you tell us something was wrong?” he asked, his worried tone growing reproachful by the word, and Elipson averted her gaze.

“I thought I would be okay …”

“You almost killed yourself! All because of that stupid pride of yours! Elian left here almost fainting!”

Elipson pulled her hand from his and held her injured arm.

“I’m okay, now!”

“Yeah, now! What were you thinking? Why didn’t you call for someone?”

“Just stop it! If I’m hurt then you’re the one to blame!”

Allana sighed softly. It was as she'd feared. Peace was always brief when those two were concerned.

“Me?! Who told you to challenge me for that stupid duel?!”

“I wouldn’t have done so, if you first hadn’t stuck your nose where it doesn’t belong to, now would I?” she retorted, trying to sit up, and Denar held her, instinctively trying to help, but she pushed him away. “I don’t need your help!”

“Fine! Have it your way, then!” he replied, standing up angrily, and took a step back, watching as she struggled to sit up on her own, still holding her injured arm against her chest.

“Why did you even came here anyway?”

For a moment he looked at a loss for words, as if searching for an excuse to give her, and then raised his head with a haughty expression.

“I just came to inform you that Elian and I will be leaving for Everlyn by the end of the day!" he stated, making Allana jump in her corner, and Elipson looked up at him in disbelief.

“Everlyn … ?!”

“You heard.”

“I’m going too,” she decided the next moment, and it was Denar’s turn to look at her with a shocked expression.

“You’re going … where?!”

“I’m going too!” she repeated, her voice even steadier than before, and Denar frowned angrily.

“Stop saying nonsense! The way you are right now you can’t even sit straight on your horse’s back! Elian will never allow it!” he added but Elipson faced him undisturbed, and the dangerous glow that took over her gray eyes made him clench his teeth in anger.

“And since when do I need Elian’s permission to do as I please?” she asked in pure defiance and then averted her gaze with an expression of pure contempt. “And now, if you’ll please excuse me, I have to get dressed. To tell you the truth, having to look at your face for so long is starting to make me feel sick to the stomach!” she added and Allana held her breath as she saw Denar’s clenched fists tremble in fury. But then he seemed to regain control over his anger and, turning around, walked away all high and mighty.

“Do as you please! I hope you fall from your horse!” he childishly spat before storming out of the room, slamming the door behind him.

Elipson took a deep breath, leaning back as she held her arm, and closed her eyes for a moment, looking too tired to keep them opened.

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“He’s right about one thing … I don’t think you’ll be able to ride your horse all the way to Everlyn …”

Elipson jumped up, startled, and then her expression became cold, even frightening as she saw the girl stepping out from the shadows.

“Darna … ! I see you’re making an habit of always being where you’re not supposed to be …” she harshly pointed out but, as Allana didn’t reply, ended up sighing and averting her gaze. “I’m sorry … I didn’t mean to take it out on you.”

Allana smiled and stepped forward, sitting by her bedside.

“It’s okay. I know I shouldn’t be here. But the truth is that I was here way before Denar arrived. I just … didn’t really know how to tell him I was here … For that I’m sorry.”

“It’s fine, anyway,” Elipson answered as if the subject was of no consequence to her and looked anxiously at the girl. “What about Elian? Is it true he was here? Is he alright?”

“Yes, he was here. I was the one who called him. I didn’t know what else to do … He looked really worried when he saw you. He said he’d come back later. It looks like he had some things to take care of in the palace.”

“But how was he when he left? Was he alright?”

“Yes, he was fine. You don’t need to worry.”

Elipson took a deep breath and sat straight, reaching out her hand.

“Help me up.”

“Were you really serious, before?” Allana asked in disbelief, and Elipson faced her unwavering.

“Of course! They’re going to Everlyn. And only I know how much this means to Elian. I’m not going to let him go alone!”

Allana blushed lightly, doing as she was asked, helping her up, supporting her as much as she could.

“Can you please get me one of my uniforms from there?” Elipson pointed towards a small closet, and Allana helped her get dressed, careful not to hurt her injured shoulder.

“You know … This trip to Everlyn … It’s not such a big deal. At least I don’t think it’s important enough for you to risk your health to endure it,” Allana told her after searching as hard as she could for the courage to tell her the truth, and Elipson looked at her suspiciously.

“Why would you say that? What can you possible know about Everlyn?”

Allana kneelt on the floor, using Elipson’s bootlaces as an excuse to escape her sharp gaze, and started tying them up.

“I … I came from Everlyn …” she said and Elipson looked down at her, raising an eyebrow.

“You did … ? How … ? Elian said …”

“Yes, I know … But I did come from Everlyn. And now it’s time to return home.”

“Darna …”

“Well, as much as I’d love to, I can’t really stay away at a time like this, can I?” she asked, raising her head to look up at her, and Elipson seemed to finally understand, her gray eyes widening as she stared in disbelief at the girl kneeling at her feet.

“By the Gods … You’re her … aren’t you …?”

Allana laughed, slightly amused at her panicky expression, and started to tie her other shoelace.

“So, you see, it’s not like this is such an important trip or anything. They’ll just be escorting a runaway back home.”

“I can’t believe it … He went there …” Elipson muttered to herself, trying to make sense of everything. “But of course! How could I've been so blind! And now … Oh! For goodness sake, Your Highness, please stand up!” she suddenly begged, trying to help the girl up as she blushed ashamed at the thought of having a Princess tie her boots. Allana quickly escaped her urgent hands, standing up to support her when she lost her balance, her forehead glistening with small droplets of sweat.

“Please, be careful …” she pleaded, looking worriedly at her pained expression, and they both waited a moment until the wave of pain subsided. “You shouldn’t move so thoughtlessly. Besides, I’d really appreciate if you could treat me and address me just like before …”

“How can I possible do that … ?” Elipson asked, her voice still weak, and Allana gave her one of her childlike smiles.

“Well, I’m still me. I’m still the same. And titles don’t define who we are.”

“True …” she conceded, sitting straight, taking a deep breath as the pain became bearable again. “And yes, you’re obviously the same.”

“Well, then. You also don’t treat Elian any differently just because he’s who he is, right?”

“It’s a little bit different. I've known Elian since he was a child … And yet, strangely enough, I feel as if I’ve also known you since back then … Allana.”

Allana smiled at the sound of her name.

“Then, won’t you please stay?” she asked but Elipson’s expression hardened immediately, her gray eyes glowing coldly.

“I’m sorry. But that I can’t do!”

“Why?!"

“And give Denar the satisfaction?! Never!”

Allana sighed.

“Why …?”

“It’s complicated, and you’re still young,” she said, caressing her face as if she stood before a child, and her tone immediately changed when she put that subject aside. “So, you ran away?! And Elian brought you here just like that?”

“He was just trying to help me! I really needed to get away …” Allana tried to explain and Elipson shook her head as her thoughts ran to catch up with the situation.

“And Denar allowed him to go through with this?!”

“I don’t think he really had a choice …” Allana replied, feeling guilty, too aware of the infinitude of problems her presence meant to all of them, and Elipson laughed out loud, startling her.

“Yeah, that’s my Elian! He’s quite unbearable when he makes up his mind about something! Not that you’re just something, of course. Only I know how much he suffered when they took you away …” she said and couldn’t help smile when Allana’s golden gaze focused her full attention on her words. “You know? He wouldn’t even speak, or eat, and I was so angry at the whole lot of them for not bringing you back! They tried all kinds of medicine and treatments but nothing worked. And yet they never considered even once, bowing down and asking for forgiveness, and patching things up with your mother, for the sake of their precious Prince. And so, when Adira managed to smuggle me into the palace, I tried to reason with him and I swear, I never felt so frustrated in my in entire life! It was as if I didn’t even exist. He wouldn’t even look at me, much less listen to what I was saying. Or at least it was like that until I mentioned the magical word - your name,” she added, smiling, and Allana couldn’t help blush. “I made him focus his will in the future and he swore he would go and find you someday, which meant he had to live until then. And, just like that, he was all healed and healthy again. Of course he never forgot his promise … we all knew that. And so, if he’s going to Everlyn to help you, then my place is by his side.”

“Oh … oh no. Elian is just accompanying me to take a closer look at the state things. He’ll be returning home after getting me safely back to Everlyn,” she tried to clarify and Elipson raised an inquiring eyebrow.

“Did he tell you that?”

“No, but … he has Mithir to take care off. His responsibilities lay here.”

“My dear, you still don’t know him all that well. Elian is going to Everlyn to fight, not to look at what is happening and turn back!”

“But I do not wish for any of that!” Allana said, now feeling scared. “What good can it come from fighting for a dying Kingdom?”

“And yet you’re going back to that dying Kingdom. And thus he’ll go with you, and so will Denar and I. And none of us will return to Mithir if you’re not with us!”

“But Elipson …”

“There’s really nothing you can do about it. Denar and I have decided a long ago that we will follow him wherever he goes. And we may have our … differences but, if nothing else, we have always stood together in this. And Elian … Elian has decided his own path a long time ago. And so our path is his path, wherever it may lead us.”

“All this … because of me …”

“Hardly. More like this is our destiny,” she added, smiling confidently. “And enough of this. Can you please get me my cloak? I want to be in the palace when Endio calls him to discuss this travel!”