After collecting her things and saying goodbye to the villagers that she had met while she stayed at the elven village, Carol made sure to stop by the bakery and buy several of the sweets Mianda would like to eat later into her inventory. After that she returned to Petele's cottage.

When she entered, she found Petele was looking at a book. With her psychic senses, she could tell he wasn't actually reading it, rather he was too distracted. Carol found that he was often too distracted as of late when she was near. Going next to him, she said "Petele, I wanted to thank you for looking after us and letting us stay here."

The Dark Elf grunted and said "It's no problem, you did the chores around the place so, you helped me out a bit." He put the book down and stood up. "Do you have everything you need?"

"Yeah, I just got word from Jack that he is approaching the village. So I had wanted to say my goodbye to you before we left."

"I see. Where is Mianda?"

"She is with Rabica at the moment. I wanted to say my goodbye to you alone."

"You did? Oh hmm." Petele looked a bit surprised. He walked over and placed his hand on her shoulder "You are a great person Carol, don't forget to take care of yourself."

Sensing his hesitation, Carol smiled and placed her hands on Petele's chest and leaned in and brought her mouth against his lips. For a brief second his body stiffened in shock but then he began to kiss her back and embraced her in a hard hug.

Her first impression of this man was he was an arrogant prick that cared for nothing but money. Yet the more she was around him, she could see that is more of an act. In fact he never refused to heal a person, he just grumbled about it. 

Carol found herself being attracted to him a few days back when she caught him outside staring at the moon. She could recognize the loneliness in his heart. Petele seemed to have trouble and had come to this village to sort himself out, and for some reason she felt a connection with him. When he turned and saw her looking at him, there was some sort of spark. Since then there was an unspoken tension between them.

When Carol broke that tension just now with her kissing him, he claimed her mouth in a furious kiss that left her knees weak. For several minutes that seemed like an eternity they just stood next to his table and kissed each other. Finally, they broke the kiss and stared into each other’s eyes for a brief second.

Catching her breath, Carol said "That was something. I wish I could stay. But my duty to my charge calls me."

"I know, I see how much Mianda means to you. I would never ask you to give her up for me, so I will come to see you."

"Will you?"

"Yes. I will go to the ends of the world if I must. Stay a moment. I have something that I wish to give you." Petele said and dashed upstairs.

A minute later he came down carrying a small wooden box. "When my mother passed away, this is something she left me. This was a promise ring that my father gave to her before he went on a journey. This ring was a symbol of his promise to her and now let it be a symbol of my promise to you."

He took out a beautiful silver ring with a pink stone on it and took Carol's right hand and slipped it onto her hand. "I promise you that I will come find you when I have finished the things I need to do."

Smiling Carol said "Look for me either in the Kestona or in Taras. Please don't take too long."

He touched her face and said "I will not. Farewell Carol." He took her hand and kissed her fingers.

Feeling a bit giddy, she walked out, she could tell he was still watching her go. It had been a long time since she had felt this way. Walking to Rabica's house in a great mood, she knocked on the door and after a bit Rabica answered the door wearing an apron. "Hello Mrs. Rabica, is Mianda ready to go?"

"Yes dear, let me go get her. She had just been having a bit of cake before she left."

After a bit her charge came out carrying a large pack on her back. "Mianda what do you have in your pack?"

"I wanted to get my family some presents. Diasne helped me choose some that each one would like. I even got one for Sir Telvin!"

"That's good. Did you get one for Diasne and her mother?"

Rabica nodded and said "She got me a nice set of bowls. Thank you Mianda for the gift."

Mianda beamed and said "Oh yeah Carol, I got you one too." She made a move to take off the pack, and Carol stopped her.

"You can give it to me later sweety, but we have to get going. We are going to be flying today, are you excited?"

"Yes." Mianda nodded her head. "Are we going to be meeting with Dad today."

"We are, once we get to the capital we will head directly to the Dukes estate." Just then Carol got a message from Jack. It was saying he would be arriving in a few minutes and that she should meet them in the field near Petele's cottage. "I just got word from Jack that he is close, so we need to go."

Rabica said "Do you mind if I followed you to where you are meeting him? I would like to meet this being that has a contract with my son."

Walking to the field, they eventually saw a large blue box that was flying towards the village and then it lowered itself to the field. When it landed and opened up, Carol saw Jack and four others. Telvin was currently touching the floor in a way that Carol felt he was glad to be on the ground once more.

Mianda dashed forward wobbling with the large pack and ran into Telvin who caught the little girl. Mianda said "Sir Telvin you are back!"

Picking her up, Telvin said "Hey Mianda, did you take care of my mom and sister like I asked?"

"Absolutely I took care of them. They showed me how to bake several different things."

"Thank you Mianda."

"Will you be going with us to the Capital?"

"Yes, I actually will need to speak with your dad."

"Oh I will ask dad to make you a knight!"

Telvin coughed and said "We will see."

Smiling from their reunion, Carol walked up to Jack and said "It is a pleasure to see you again Jack."

Jack smiled and said "It feels like it has been awhile since I saw you last. I see you are feeling better."

"Some days are better than others" Carol said, "but I am getting better. Thanks for your stabilization."

Rabica came forward and went to her son and said "Are you doing alright Telvin? You look pale and flushed, are you coming down with something?" She placed her hand on Telvins forehead.

"No mother, I'm just out of breath, that's all."

"Is it because you are still terrified of heights?"

"I'm doing better with them." Telvin looked away embarrassed.

"Don't be like that, I know how hard it is for you." Rabica looked towards Riley and said "When Telvin was little he was playing in a field and a Roc came along and picked him up. Gave my Husband quite the fright, and he had to chase them for several miles before he was able to rescue Telvin. Ever since then Telvin hasn't liked heights."

You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.

"Mother, you don't need to tell my girlfriend everything." Telvin said, looking a bit flustered.

Riley smiled and said "It's okay, I like to hear about your past."

"That incident was likely the reason he took up the bow." Rabica said, then looked around and stared at Jack. "So you are the one who has made a contract with my son."

"I am."

"Never met a god before." She looked him up and down and said "You at least seem one of the good ones. Please watch over my son, and don't let him get into too much trouble." Rabica bowed in front of Jack.

"I will."

Telvin asked "Where is Diasne?"

"She went out with Oracis this morning. She has decided to follow in his steps and become a priest of Nephala. Speaking of which, when you are done son, could you come with me to the Elven Kingdom?"

"Why?" Telvin asked.

"I got a message from your aunt that my father wishes to meet you."

"They abandoned you for years, and they come looking for us now? Forget it. I have no interest in going to meet a bunch of so-called family that sees fit to abandon their own."

"I know, I have my own issues with my dad and grandfather, but I do wish you to meet my other family. Plus it would mean so much to me."

Telvin frowned and then said "As long as Riley can come with us then I will go. If they insult her then I'm gone."

"Of course, you have no need to worry, Orcs are perfectly welcome in the Elven Kingdom."

"All right mother, I need to go."

"Naturally." Rabica stepped back as Jack made a blue platform. Telvin helped Mianda onboard it, and stepped hesitantly onboard as well followed by Riley.

"As the capital is pretty far away, we will be flying faster then we did before. This box is completely safe, you cannot fall out of it." Jack said as a box formed around them.

Mianda said "I've only flown in airships before. This looks amazing." Mianda said, and Carol went up beside her.

Telvin sat down and wrapped a length of cloth around his eyes. Riley sat next to him and wrapped her arms around him. Slowly the box lifted into the sky. A woman wearing a black dress and a orichalcum slave collar said "When we ascend to the heavens, may the gods be merciful and cast me back down to the ground where I belong six feet underneath."

"Disregard her silly prose. She is just having issues with her soul causing her to act like that. I'm Veronica, I'm sorry I didn't get to introduce myself last time we met."

"No problem." Carol recalled seeing her last time, then looked around. "Is that Princess Ritalassa not coming with us?"

"No, she chooses to go with some others. We do have a Princess traveling with us though," Veronica pointed out the woman who was staring out down at the ground. "She is Princess Falean of the Empire."

"A princess wearing a slave collar?" Carol asked.

"It's related to the soul issues she has."

"My soul is also damaged." Carol looked at the woman and said "Keep strong. We will get better."

"The very strength has been ripped from me leaving only a shell of what I once was. Cut me open and showcase my innards for the failure I am. Let my flesh be devoured and returned to soil, throw it not in a field for I am such a waste that I cannot even fertilize the ground with my remains."

A little disturbed Carol made sure Mianda was as far away from the woman as possible. Luckily the girl was fascinated by flying over the world. They passed several cities, and once they passed an airship. Carol could see some shocked faces looking at them through the windows of the airship as they sped past them.

Eventually they approached the capital Kestona. Over the Years she has been to the capital several times, but while it was stunning to visit, she had never liked it. As she had gotten older, she could begin to see behind the curtains of the city into the darkness that lay behind its beauty.

According to the legend over five hundred years ago during the end tail of the goblin wars, Kestonara was wandering the wasteland and stumbled across a spring in the middle of a field with his army. Believing it was a sign from the gods, he set up a base there that would later form the beginnings of his kingdom. After a long period of fighting and defeating the goblins, the Kingdom of Keston was formed.

Now the capital was surrounded by tall bright walls that had a shiny metal applied to the outside. When the sun was setting the light danced upon them in a fantastic arrangement. Unfortunately, it was marred by the slums that surrounded the outside of the capital. To live behind the walls, you need to pay at least one big gold per year for some of the smaller homes, and higher the closer you get to the nobles section. The Castle was built over the supposed location of the spring in the center of the city.

Jack landed in a field far outside the city, near a major road that led into the city. "I don't think it's a wise idea to fly directly into the city."

"It isn't." Carol said. "Unless you have the right credentials, they would attack us with high-level magics to knock us down."

"We'll have to walk from here then."

Telvin walked over to Mianda after getting his legs beneath him again and said "Do you need help carrying your pack?"

"No Sir Telvin. These are gifts for my family. I will give you your gift later."

"Okay."

Carol smiled and rubbed the girls head. She looked frustrated and said "I arranged it to look good."

"It looks excellent Mianda."

Walking down the road, they soon found the road had large wooden walls placed up around the road. They were only occasionally broken up by a road that led into the slums. Jack asked "What's with the wooden walls? They don't look exactly strong enough to keep someone out."

"It hides the slums from the noble's eyes as they ride by in their carriages. It was the current Queen suggestion. She felt it was unbecoming to show such a sight to the capitals guests" Carol said. She then sent a message to Jack "It is dangerous to speak bad about the Queen. If it gets back to her, she will hang you. She is not exactly liked in the kingdom, as her ideas are disliked by many."

Walking down the walled road, they eventually arrived at the Main city gates. It was past afternoon, and Carol led them to the Noble line to get into the city. Eventually, when they got to the entrance, Mianda displayed her noble symbol to the guards and they let them in without trouble. After walking a bit, they found themselves in a plaza.

"Okay, I will need to get us rooms at an inn." Jack said.

"Look for inns that have three stars on their sign. Don't go to anyone that has less, and the ones that have more are reserved for nobles or VIP clients." Carol said to Jack.

"Much appreciated for the information. Will you two go with Carol?"

"Yes, I will help escort Mianda back to her 'father' and have a few words with me. I suspect he won't want me to stay in his home so can you please get us a room as well."

"I will do so. I will speak with you later Carol." Jack said then looked at the Princess "stick close to me. I don't want you wandering off and into traffic."

"Fate has bound me to you, take your hands and choke this life out of my corporeal form for I would serve you better dead." She said as she followed Jack.

Carol said "I will lead you to the Evercral estate."

Riley said "I'm unfamiliar with the Keston Royalty and nobility. How is the Duke related to the king?"

"Four generations ago my great-great grandfather married the sister of the King at the time. The King bestowed his sister and her children with a duchy." Mianda said as if reciting some boring history lesson she had learned.

Operating the messaging function to keep what she wanted to say quiet, Carol messaged both Riley and Telvin. "It is a rumor, but don't say it in public, that the King was actually bedding his sister, and when she got pregnant, he had the Evercral marry her. Whether that is true or not who knows. But the King did seem to dote on his sister."

Mianda said "It's a long walk to our mansion. We should hail a carriage."

"Good thinking." Carol praised Mianda and waved down one of the many yellow carriages that dotted the city roads down. When it stopped in front of them, Carol helped Mianda inside and climbed in after her. Telvin and Riley came inside as well.

A panel in front opened and the driver looked in and said "Where too?"

"The Evercral Manor."

"Sure."

Looking at Telvin, Carol said "This Manor is just for when the Evercrals visit the estate. The King at the time had it specially built for his sister when she wed Mianda's Great Great grandfather."

Twenty minutes later, they arrived in front of a large mansion. A guard stopped the carriage and said "This is the property of the Evercrals, if you have business please present proof or leave the premises immediately."

Opening the door, Carol said "This is Lady Mianda Evercral, let your Lady Pass."

The Guard bowed and said "Forgive my mistake of not recognizing her grace. Please continue onwards."

Stepping aside, the guard let the yellow carriage run up to the entranceway. After paying the Driver, they got out, and while they were walking up to the door, it swung open and the butler Armoundias stepped out. He looked first at Mianda and said "Welcome home Lady Mianda, it is surprising to see you here. I had heard you where on a journey to see your friends in Narak."

"I changed my mind." Mianda said in a manner befitting a lady. "Is my father in?"

"The Duke is currently meeting with his Majesty and several distinguished guests from the Empire. I do not know when he will return Lady Mianda."

"Is that so? Carol please escort me up to my room. Please inform me when my father has returned. These two are my guests, please show them to the parlor room, and serve them refreshments."

"With pleasure Lady Mianda. Please follow me." Armoundis said then took a look over the two and was visibly startled when he saw Telvin and quickly led them down the hall.

Helping Mianda up the stairs and to her room, Mianda put down her pack and threw herself on the bed and said "I don't like speaking that way. It's just a pain."

"I know, but it's the way of speaking for young lady's."

Mianda sighed and said "Can you look to see if there are any dresses that will fit me? I want to deliver my father his gift and look like a young lady should when he comes home."

"Sure. Let's see what you have available in here."

Opening the wardrobe, Carol frowned and took a look through the clothes. "Looks like we are going to have to go shopping for some clothes for you tomorrow." Taking out a nice light blue dress, Carol said "This will do for now, let's see if it will still fit."