Eli sat on the edge of his bed, toying with a locket his mother had gifted him the year before. How could his mom have been involved with Queen Ariana's murder?
It didn't make sense
But Prince Kaya claimed to have overheard his mom talking to a figure in a dark cloak.
It's your job as the man to care for the family It's your duty. If the family Is led astray, you have failed.
"I've failed," Eli muttered, closing a fist around the locket. He gritted his teeth. "I've failed. I've failed. I'VE FAILED !"
In a fit of rage, he tossed the locket across the room where it hit the wall and clattered to the floor. Emily stirred in her bed and sat up.
Her hair was sticking up in every direction and her eyes were wide full of fear or confusion. Probably both. Either way, she looked like a crazy mad woman. Emily rubbed her eyes. "What is all the yelling about? Is something-"
"No!" Eli snapped "Everything is not fine, Mum is gone, Pa is gone-"
"Mom's not dead." Emily pushed her hair wild hair out of her face, frowning.
'She may as well be!"
"I'm not sure how screaming your head off is going to help," she murmured and started to tie her hair in a messy braid. "Nothing gets solved and all that does is give you a sore throat. Not the best way to go."
Eli put his face in his hands."I dunno what to do. I'm trying to do things like dad-"
"You're not him."
Eli flinched and sat up Emily was now sitting on the edge of her bed with her brows furrowed and pursed lips.
"Wh-What?" Eli stuttered unsure he heard her correctly.
"You. Are. Not. Him." she repeated. "I'm sorry Pa burdened you with that task...but you two aren't the same Eli."
"I-I don't understand."Emily licked her lips. "Pa had a different way to provide for us. You need to figure out what your way is."
"You don't think I've tried, Em? All of my ways have either been having us starve or stuck in the weather with no protection."
Eli bit his lips fighting back tears. His ways have also ended up with him getting beat up, spat on, and injured. He could still see that scar across his chest.
He received this wound when he'd asked a nice-dressed man if he had a coin or food to spare.
Eli had been eight.
Two years later he finally managed to get them a place to lay their heads and his mom ruined it.
"Elijah-"
"Want to know where my ways got me, Emily?" Eli lifted his shirt revealing the scar.
"You said you got that from running into a tree branch!"
"I didn't. I went to ask a man if he had any food, Em. And he pounced. I hardly had time to react, much less scream." Eli swallowed. "TRhe man left me there"
Emily gasped.
"I thought I was going to die, Em. I begged Great Mother to take me...but I remembered you..and Ma." Eli dropped his shirt. "I couldn't leave you. I would've failed."
He sobbed into his hands.
Emily's bed creaked when she stood. She sat down beside him and wrapped her arms around his middle.
"That's horrible Eli. It hurt that you couldn't tell us, what that man did to you was wrong." she kissed his forehead. "I'm sure Great Mother had a reason to not take you."
"R-Really?" Eli blubbered, rubbing his nose.
Emily nodded. "You're going to do something great. Like, save people." Emily smiled. "Can you imagine how proud Pa and Gran would be?"
Eli sniffled. "How can I save others when I can't even-"
"You're not dad, Eli. There's more than one way to keep a family together." she pinched his cheek. "Sure, money is one thing -in some cases, but not ours."
"Love?" Eli offered.
Emily nodded, encouraging him to continue.
"Protection."
Eli rambled on until Emily stopped him. "And Pa gave us all of that to us. But you're doing it differently. You have it harder than he ever did, Eli. I'm not saying that his way is better, but you're trying and that's all that matters."
Emily kissed his forehead. "We'd better get this day started."
Because his mom had been kicked out, King Kojo gave them a place to stay.
Thankfully, they weren't required to pay bills but they had to find a way to provide for themselves. Their breakfast consisted of a piece of bread and some fruit.
Eli was pulling on his shoes to leave with Emily but she shook her head.
"I'll go out today. You can stay here or go exploring." Emily scooped up a bag. "I'll be back in time for dinner."
She kissed his forehead then was gone.
Eli waited for two minutes before stepping out into the light morning fog. People were up and moving about their business wearing furry coats and boots.
There was a thin layer of snow on the ground and the kids ran amok throwing snowballs, occasionally hitting an adult on the head.
Eli wrapped his arms around himself and made his way to the palace.
...
Xavier and his father left the throne room, his father had a smile on his lips and a slight skip in his step.
Xavier on the other hand had a bad feeling in the pit of his stomach.
Today, King Kojo has given them permission to take Kaya away for their honeymoon. That wasn't necessarily the bad part - well - kinda.
But he and the Revolution were planning on raiding the mines. Saving as many elves as possible.
Eli had been reporting to him every other day about the things he'd overheard. Based on the letters, King Kojo has increased the number of guards stationed there and he regularly goes down there to visit.
Eli says he comes out with his robes splattered with blood.
"What's the matter, son?"
Xavier blinked. "N-Nothing."
"You sure?" his father raised a brow. "You're not upset that Kaya's first child isn't-"
"No!" he snapped. He felt his cheeks heat up and sweat beading on his forehead.
"Hm. Well, I'm going to go back to the villa." King Davis patted his shoulder. "You should go see her."
Xavier swallowed and gave a slight nod. When his dad was out of sight he turned and marched in the opposite direction toward the library where he'd left Oshen.
The last time he went to visit the princess she didn't say a word to him and acted as though he weren't there. But then again, she'd been through hell lately.
As much as he wanted to deny it, her heart belonged to another.
When he reached the massive oak doors he heard two voices faintly. Xavier pushed the door open and was surprised to see Eli sitting cross-legged on the floor.
The room was grand, and there were books on every available surface. Every coffee table and chair was buried under towering stacks of books. Xavier had to slowly weave his way through the stacks to get to them.
Eli looked up when Xavier entered.
"What are you doing here?" Xavier hissed. "You're going to blow our cover!"
Eli pushed to his feet and huffed. "I came here to tell you that King Kojo is planning a visit to the mines."
"When?"
"Today."
Xavier massaged his brow. This means that they need to make their move now.
"When is he leaving?" Oshen rasped in his soft airy voice.
"I'd guess in an hour or two." Eli shrugged.
"That's not enough time." Xavier grabbed his hair seconds from yanking it out. "We'll only have an hour to get as many people as possible."
Oshen beamed. "I've just found out I'm great at making smoke bombs!!" he pulled out a small sphere and rolled it around in his palm. "I'm not much of a fighter but I'm grat at making distractions."
Eli muttered something under his breath. His brows were pulled together.
"What?" Xavier asked.
"He's one of my personalities." Eli sighed. "Oshen is apparently my silent-but wild side. Weird, I know."
Xavier and Osehn blink at hm.
"Anyway-" Eli licked his lips. "You and Oshen go on ahead. I'll try to distract Kin Kojo as long as possible."
Oshen shook from his trance. "Distract him..with bombs?"
Eli blinked and shook his head. "Uh..no. Not exactly."
"That what do you have in mind?" Xavier folded his arms.
"I know it's a stretch, but doing the same thing I did to make you." Eli gave a slight nod. "I may get killed but this will be something of interest to him."
Xavier opened his mouth to protest but Eli held up his hand.
"My decision has been made. Let's move."