“I was hoping to speak with you alone,” he said in a measured tone. Taegan shrugged.
“If you cannot say it to me in front of my manservant, perhaps you should not say it at all,” he replied, and Kelvhan sighed, stepping nearer to him.
“I did this foryou, you know,” he said softly. “All of this I did for you.”
“For me?” Taegan said, sitting up and leaning forward, closer to the other elf. Kelvhan nodded. He seemed to hesitate for a brief moment, then extended a hand to lightly touch his shoulder.
“For us,” he continued, barely above a whisper now. “Now there’s nothing stopping us from being together.”
“Forus?” Taegan repeated incredulously, wrenching his shoulder out from Kelvhan’s grasp. His tea splattered from the cup onto his fist and his lap, but he barely noticed.
“Of course I did it for us,” he said, more forcefully this time. “But you should be grateful that the orc is gone. Gods, I couldn’t stand it—”
“Shut up!” Taegan shouted, and Kelvhan took a rapid step back in surprise. Without realizing, Taegan was on his feet, quivering in rage. The teacup had fallen from his grasp and shattered on the floor. “Grateful? Is that how you think I should feel? Itoldyou to stay away from me. I ordered you to leave us alone! Instead you’ve destroyed my marriage, sent our nation back into war, and for what? For nothing! I hate you! Ihateyou!”
“Taegan, please,” Kelvhan hissed, glancing nervously between him and Aerik, who was still standing silently next to the door. But Taegan had never raised his voice like this, and now the floodgates were open.
“I said shut up!” he exclaimed. He sucked in a sharp breath and continued in a low, dangerous tone. “I don’t know what possessed you to think this plan would work, but we willneverbe together. Especially not now. We were done the day I was married, and I made it clear I wanted you to leave me alone. It shouldn’t matter whether Zorvut is a full orc or a half orc. I love him. Whatever you thought you might accomplish by getting between us, you won’t. How many more of our people have you condemned to die now? You’re going to leave my study, and leave the castle, and never return. If I ever,eversee you anywhere near me again, I’ll have you killed. Get out.”
Kelvhan stared at him, wide-eyed and mouth agape. All the color had drained from his face. They were silent for a beat, unmoving, then Taegan took an aggressive step closer to him.
“Get out!” he shouted, all the fury and rage and pain and despair that had coursed through him echoing through the stone hallways. This finally shook Kelvhan from his stupor, and he stumbled back toward the door. His face had quickly become red, whether in shame or anger Taegan couldn’t tell.
“Fine,” Kelvhan hissed, his lips pulled back in a hideous snarl. “I’ll go. But if I can’t have you, some filthy orc certainly won’t. I promise you that.” Before Taegan could reply, he had flung the door open and ran through it, slamming it behind him.
Taegan stood alone in the middle of the room for a long moment. He realized he was panting, his heart hammering in his chest and adrenaline flooding through him. He had to do something.
Aerik took a hesitant step toward him. “Are you alright, Prince Taegan?” he asked nervously, and gestured toward the shattered ceramic on the floor. “Please, allow me...”
Taegan took a step back and turned toward his desk. He had to dosomething,anything, to make this right. Shuffling through his things, he found a blank sheet of parchment and a quill, and began to scribble down a note.
Father –
I must find Zorvut and bring him back to us. Ending our bond was a mistake. I know without a doubt he has no intention of betraying our trust, and fled in the fear of what you or I may have done to him when we learned the truth about his heritage. I regret sending him away and intend to leave immediately to find him and return him to safety. If you cannot accept him unless he is a true-born heir, then send us away when I return and we shall go without a fight. But without him, my heart is incomplete.
Taegan
Hand trembling, he thrust the quill aside and folded up the note the moment he finished it, smudging some of the still-wet ink. Aerik was behind him, picking up the pieces of the broken cup.
“Aerik,” he said sharply, and the other elf snapped to attention. “I need you to give this to my father as soon as you can.” He placed the note in Aerik’s hand and moved toward the exit.
“Of course,” Aerik stammered, looking for the first time totally overwhelmed. “But, Prince Taegan, where are you going?”
“I don’t know,” he replied honestly, and was out the door. He ran to his room, throwing on a clean shirt, his riding breeches, and his boots, then hurried back out while tying his hair into a low ponytail. The castle halls were a blur of movement until he arrived at the stables, and the stable boy jumped up in surprise as he barged in.
“Prince Taegan!” the boy exclaimed, shock apparent on his face. “Forgive me, I didn’t know you’d be riding today. Please, just a moment and I’ll get Moonlight ready.”
“No need,” he said, barely looking at the boy as he strode past. “Were you here last night? Did you see Prince Zorvut leave?”
“No, my prince,” the boy stammered. “I’ve only been on duty for an hour. But the last boy, he said he saw Prince Zorvut leave in a hurry in the middle of the night.”
“Did he see him take anything when he left?”
“His greatsword, but other than that, just his riding gear, I think,” he said, watching dumbfounded as Taegan began to saddle his horse. “Prince Taegan, what’s going on?”
“I have to go,” Taegan replied quickly. Moonlight whickered anxiously, sensing his nervous energy. “Bring me a traveling pack, with a waterskin and rations.”
“Yes, of course,” the boy exclaimed, scurrying away to find the items. It was sloppy work, but Taegan had Moonlight ready faster than he’d ever saddled a horse before in his life, and he led her out into the yard just as the stable boy was sprinting up, carrying a bedroll and backpack in his arms.
