Voided

Chapter 8:

            Vera tried to close her eyes and rest while being bumped and bounced on Tonwa’s shoulder, but she was starting to get a headache.  This bit of the journey was seemingly lasting forever.  Her stomach had just a little bit of jerky in there and it wasn’t sitting well.  “Tonwa, Tonwa, let me down.  Please.”

            “Princess we need to get to the safety of the village.”  Vera closed her eyes and tried to will her stomach to remain calm, but it didn’t help.

            “Please just for a moment.”

            “Princess I must insist.”

            “No I insist, put me-“ Vera couldn’t hold it back and she threw up all down the tall elf’s back.  He stopped and put her down gently.  She looked up with him with embarrassment written all over her face.  “I’m so sorry.”  He stood there, dripping, unsure of what to do.  Lukas had jumped down from Vera’s shoulder, snickering as he did so.  The woodland elf grabbed a canteen attached to his waist and poured water down his back, trying to clean off. “I am sorry.”  Tonwa was a proud warrior and now he had been defiled by a woman he just met.  She was sure he was furious.  He remained expressionless as he said.

            “You insisted.”  Vera smiled slightly as did the elf.  “We are, fortunately, almost there.  You can walk now.”  Vera brushed off her tunic, thankful that nothing got on it during her little problem.  Lukas scampered back onto her shoulder.

            “I have never seen a Woodland elf at such a loss as to what to do before.  That was hilarious.”  He continue to chuckle.

            “Shut up you.”  The Princess said without thinking.

            “Excuse me?”  Tonwa turned around bewildered.

            “I’m sorry, I was telling Lukas to shut up.”  She decided it was safe to show the elf her pet.  She pulled her hair aside to reveal the lightly colored mouse.  “Lukas was changed into a mouse after he questioned Trima’s authority.  Although, he did bring me straight to her and deceived me.  He needed to be punished, not killed.”  Tonwa held out his hand for Lukas to rest on.  Lukas was wary and wouldn’t go, but Vera lifted him by his tail and placed him there. 

            “Ouch, Vera!”  Lukas then directed his gaze at the very large elf in front of him.  “Yes, sir?”  Lukas squeaked and shrunk himself into a small ball.

            “If you present any threat to us from Trima.  You will be squished into nothing.  Understood?”  Lukas nodded and was transferred back to Vera’s shoulder. 

            “Squished into nothing, huh?  Pretty poetic stuff there, Tonwa.”  The woodland elf gave her a stare with his bright green eyes that meant he wasn’t joking.  Vera got the hint as they started walking forward again.  An hour passed and Vera was sick of this cold and dead forest.  Up ahead in the morning mist rose a very high wooden gate.  Finally, they had arrived.  Tonwa made a bird-like sound and the heavy door slowly opened.  They stepped inside and the door creaked shut behind them.

            “The Princess has arrived.”  Called a man’s voice from high above in a watchtower.  He began to sound a loud horn throughout the large village.  The buildings were made of wood and different colored mosses from light purples and blues to deep forest greens.  Smoke rose from some chimney like structures.  The village was surround by high trees and the wall encircled it, protecting them.  Elves of all shapes, sizes and ages came out to gawk at the colorless elfin princess.   Vera felt a bit uneasy with all this attention and merely smiled and bowed her head in acknowledgment.  They walked through the path of people who had intrigued looks on their faces.  There was no fear though that Vera could detect.  Tonwa lead the way and Vera trailed behind his tall muscular form; in the dim torch light his tanned skin shadowed.  His long black dread locked hair falling to the middle of his back.  Vera had never been outside the wall of her palace and men were new to her.  Lukas was a blonde blue eyed beauty and now she was being escorted by a dark quiet man with serious muscles.  This attraction was a little unsettling and she didn’t know what to do about it.  They stopped in front of a white birch wood structure.  It stood out among the rest of the mossy homes that surrounded it.  It was a rustic beauty that Vera had never seen before.  Everything was so new to her.  They stepping inside and red and orange draperies hung on the walls for decoration.  A few small oil lanterns sat a top little tables to light the large room.  A bed with a purple blanket made from the moss she saw outside was in a corner with a small end table with another lantern on it.  The room was sparse, but at least it wasn’t like she was camping in the woods.  A large basin for bathing with an orange curtain for privacy was in another corner. 

            “Shall this suit your needs?  A servant from the king’s home will bring food daily and there will be a couple guards outside if you should need anything at all.”  Vera looked outside and sure enough there they were in full bronzed armor standing at either side of the door. 

            “This is very suitable, sir.”  Vera bowed and Tonwa placed his hand on her shoulder.

            “You do not bow to me, you are royalty as am I.”  Vera looked up at him in confusion. 

            “Royalty?”

            “Yes, I am King Abernoth’s son.  Prince Tonwa of the woodland elves.”  He exclaimed in a grandeur voice.  Vera stood there in shock.  She was literally just rescued by a Prince like in a fairytale.  Vera heard a snort from her shoulder and picked up the mouse by his tail, placing him on a table.   He looked up at her with those blue eyes.

            “Hush you.  Well, it is a pleasure to meet you officially Prince Tonwa and thank you for everything.”  Tonwa looked like he sort of blushed and Vera smiled at that. 

            “It is my pleasure to serve you, Princess.”  Vera was bewildered by this man’s interest in her. 

            “Why are the woodland elves helping me?  Why are you serving me?  You’re a Prince, not a servant.”  Vera was trying to figure out the reasoning behind all this.  Tonwa took her gloved hands in his.

            “I was going to wait until you had a night to rest to tell you everything, but you are an inquisitive one.  I do like a smart woman.”  Still confused she let him continue.  “Your mother came to us and offered up her kingdom and everything in it in hopes to save you from Trima.  Thus, you are my betrothed.”