“Am I taking my prince with me?” Lisalla asked, laughing.
“I suppose that’s up to you, my lady.”
“Alright,” she replied. “I have just boarded a ship and am sailing to a distant land. The boat hits a reef, and we’re all dashed overboard. I make my way to an island filled with primitive natives.”
“Oh my,” Danna said. “Please tell me I wasn’t on the ship.”
“You can stay home if you like, but I’m going to see this island. The natives are tiny little people who have never seen a woman as tall as me. They think I’m a goddess.”
“That doesn’t sound bad at all,” Danna commented. “Maybe I’ll come along after all.”
“The weather is always warm, and the natives are all very friendly. They only eat the finest fresh fruits, and they never require me to sit in a carriage.”
Danna giggled. “Do they force you to marry their king?”
“They don’t have a king,” Lisalla replied. “They govern themselves, and everyone is treated fairly.”
“That’s very different from what I hear of Na’zora, my lady.” The carefree tone had left Danna’s voice. She was truly concerned about the kingdom where they would spend the rest of their lives.
“That’s only because Domren is their king. If I have any say in the matter, Aelryk will make a good king. I won’t stand by silently if he treats his subjects as poorly as his father treats them.”
“They are at war with the elves, you know.” Danna almost whispered the words, as if some unseen elf might overhear them.
“I’ve heard as much,” Lisalla replied. “I don’t understand it. Their king wants to expand his borders, so why not do it where there are no elves? Why do men have to go around killing each other?”
“I don’t know, my lady,” Danna said. “Perhaps it’s just in their nature.”
“It shouldn’t be, and I refuse to believe it’s in every man’s nature. A man should protect his family. That doesn’t include raiding other villages and killing innocent people.”
“You think the elves are innocent?”
“I don’t know,” she said with a sigh. “What I do know is that Domren is a tyrant, and he has no mercy for anyone. He expects your full cooperation, or he orders your execution. I will not allow my husband to rule in such a manner.”
“A princess is expected to please her husband and produce an heir. He may not want your advice on politics.”
“He will have it just the same.” Lisalla tired of the conversation and went back to staring out of her window. She did not know Prince Aelryk, but she knew in her heart he would be different from his father. Her childish dreams set aside, she tried to picture what her future husband might look like. She envisioned a handsome man with dark hair and kind eyes. If she found him to be unkind in real life, she was determined not to go through with the marriage. She would run far away, even if it meant giving up everything she owned. She would not marry a man like King Domren.
Chapter 26
Prince Aelryk slowly made his way to his father’s council chambers. All of the king’s lieutenants were meeting to discuss the details of their next attack on the Wild Elves. Aelryk’s stomach felt like he had just swallowed a large stone. He had no desire to join any more battles, and he knew that was exactly what his father would have in mind.
As he entered the room, the conversation came to an abrupt halt. “How nice of you to finally join us,” the king said.
“Your Majesty,” the prince replied, bowing. He took a seat at the far end of the table, as far from his father as possible.
“As soon as we have finished conversing, you will be heading south near Al’marr. There is a large elven clan there which has avoided any contact with our troops. I want them eradicated.”
“If they haven’t attacked us, why are we attacking them?”
“We will attack them to prevent them from joining forces with the other elves. We can’t allow them to gather an army of considerable size.”
“How do we know these elves are even considering such a thing?” Aelryk could see the blood rising into his father’s face. Questioning him like this in front of his councilors was unwise, but he had no other choice. His father had refused to meet with him privately.
“You are the prince of this kingdom. Therefore, it is your duty to protect its citizens. You will leave now and attack those elves, or I will throw you in the dungeons for treason.” The king spoke forcefully, but managed to contain his anger. He locked eyes with his son, his face serious.