AllFreeNovel
Share Us
She did not deserve it. Not in the least.
Her breaths came harder. Her chest ached. Her eyes burned, and tears spilled before she had any thought of trying to hold them back.
But once started, the release of tears felt too good to stop. Melantha held Farrendel and cried onto his shoulder, no longer caring that it was not something an elf princess should do.
Now, she was a troll queen, and troll queens were not afraid to show emotion before others.
In her arms, Farrendel stiffened, though he did not pull away as she might have expected. Instead, he patted her back as if trying to be comforting. After a moment, another set of arms wrapped around Melantha, and Princess Elspetha said something soothing.
Hearing Princess Elspetha’s voice only made Melantha cry harder. The human princess—the sister Melantha had done everything to shun when she should have embraced her—had just as much of a reason to hate Melantha as Farrendel did. But here she was, hugging Melantha right alongside Farrendel.
It took several long minutes before Melantha was able to get a hold of herself enough to lift her head from Farrendel’s shoulder and pull back. Still sniffing, she gripped one of Farrendel’s shoulders and searched his face. “You came. Even before I had a chance to ask for help.”
“Of course, I came. You are my sister.” Something in his eyes seemed brighter, without the lingering shadows that had weighed on him for so long.
Melantha found herself smiling, her cheeks crusted with her drying tears. “I am thankful to have you for a brother.”
Farrendel’s eyes widened, his shoulders giving a shake.
Before he had a chance to react more than that, Melantha turned to Princess Elspetha and placed her other hand on the princess’s shoulder. “And, I am thankful that my brother has someone like you in his life. It seems a human was exactly whom he needed.”
Princess Elspetha gaped, her eyes going wide. So wide, Melantha finally noticed they were green. She had never cared to pay enough attention to note that before.
“Yes. She is.” Farrendel’s face lit with a soft smile as he glanced at his wife. After a moment, he turned to Melantha, his smile widening and his eyes twinkling with a mischief that Melantha had not seen in him in nearly two decades. He touched the end of his hair. “If you would like, Essie has become adept at cutting hair over the past few months. You just need to hold still, otherwise she will cut your ears off.”
Melantha started, her hands dropping from their shoulders.
Princess Elspetha rolled her eyes and lightly swatted Farrendel’s arm. “Don’t listen to a word this joker says. Yes, I have gotten good at trimming hair, but I won’t chop your ears off.”
“That is...reassuring.” Melantha climbed to her feet, and Farrendel and Princess Elspetha did the same. When Melantha glanced over her shoulder, she found Rharreth only a few steps away, shifting in place like he was not sure what he should do. Melantha gave him a smile and a nod.
By the time she turned back around, Weylind was there, pushing past Farrendel and Princess Elspetha. Weylind gripped Melantha’s shoulders, squeezing tightly. “Are you truly well, isciena? When we heard about the coup...” Weylind’s voice broke, and it was his turn to look away.
Those tears were back, though this time Melantha swallowed them. This brother too had forgiven her. He still loved her and worried for her.
“Yes, I am.” Melantha put all the warmth and contentment and determination into her gaze that she could. She was happy. She was safe. She loved Rharreth. She loved Kostaria. And saving Kostaria from Drurvas meant more to her than anything ever had before. “Is there somewhere we can go to talk? We would like to discuss how best to coordinate our efforts so that Rharreth can regain his throne with as little bloodshed as possible.”
Weylind gave a sharp nod. “Yes. I can see how that would be a discussion that we would not wish to have standing here in the open. Come. We can take you back to our encampment. Though, your troll husband may wish to wave to the watchers on the far side of the gorge to reassure them you are safe.”
So Weylind had noticed them too. Good to know Melantha had not been imagining things.
Rharreth lifted a hand in something that looked like a signal, then he stepped closer to Melantha.
She pulled out of Weylind’s embrace, picked up Rharreth’s knife from where it lay on the pile of her hair, and held it out to him.
Rharreth took the knife, sheathed it, then wrapped an arm around her shoulders, holding her close.
She leaned into him, thankful for his solid warmth as she faced her family.
