The thing about elfin magic, was that if enough of it were used on a single person, it could cause an imprint. The feelings for that individual had to be strong though. Love, hatred, curiosity; it didn't matter which emotion was strong, only that there was one. It wasn't that Prince Elystar was against imprinting on Amber, he was simply reluctant to force an imprint on someone without their say so.
The type of imprint would vary, depending on what the caster was feeling toward the individual at the time; from blessings, to curses, to abilities. The imprint would leave an invisible magic mark that would only show if certain conditions were met. This was one of the great secrets of the elves, because of the possibility of giving their much desired healing magic to an outsider.
However, Queen Kelila asked Prince Elystar to come to the Nexum celebration in order to find a partner. She was hoping that her son would be able to make a good connection. Prince Elystar complied with the goal to meet someone that would make having a political marriage bearable.
He paused his hands over her briefly. As he was about to reach out his hands to remove Amber's clothes, the green haired elf woman came barreling into the room and shoved him aside.
"There's no need for you to help some Ice girl! She isn't even our kind! She's beneath you!" said the green haired elf.
"Megan, we've already been over this. Queen Mother ordered me to find my partner here," said Prince Elystar.
"You could just tell her that you already love me! You don't have to force yourself to marry some weird species," said Lady Megan.
"You know that I don't feel that way about you," said Prince Elystar.
"Give it time! I could be a good wife to you," said Megan.
"We've been friends since we were barely old enough to talk. I know how I feel about you and that's never going to change. You're like a little sister to me. I could no more choose you as a mate and partner, than I could my own sibling. I do love you, but obviously not in the way you want. I don't want to distance myself from you, but if you persist in your pursuit of me, I won't have any other choice," he said.
She shook her head in denial while a single tear trickled down her cheek.
"You'll change your mind, I know you will. As soon as you realize that no other woman is better than me, you'll want me," she said.
Prince Elystar smiled sadly. "That will never happen. Believe me, I wish it could. It was never my intention to hurt you. You are important to me. I just wish that this was enough for you."
Prince Elystar looked back down at Amber and reached out to her in determination.
Megan put out a hand to block him. "Allow me to do this much at least."
If they had no physical contact during the healing and he only used basic healing magic, while keeping his head diverted, there was no chance that he would imprint on Amber. He couldn't be allowed to Imprint on Amber. She was still determined to make Elystar her man. If he imprinted on Amber, they would be connected. Amber would be able to call on him with the mark and he would be bound to her. It was a certainty that an imprint between the two of them wouldn't be a curse mark.
Prince Elystar pulled back his hand and silently shook his head in affirmation. He turned his face away while Megan carefully cut off Amber's clothing using her sharp nails. She felt some glee while shredding Amber's clothing.
Prince Elystar lifted his hand above Amber's body and a bright white glow started coming from his hand. Earth and water magic were the most common magic types among elves. While healing magic was the most rare, it was almost unheard of among other species.
In past wars, it was fairly common for elves to be kidnapped or killed to prevent the enemy from acquiring healing elves. Elves held a lot of hatred for other species and other species often saw elves as having a lower status than them, because of the long history of seeing them as only tools.
Other species also looked down on them as weak since they allowed women to rule in their kingdom. Allowing anyone to see that he was a healing elf could be very dangerous. It wasn't unheard of for healing elves to be kidnapped still. Even elfin royalty might get kidnapped, since other countries rarely took the elven royal family seriously. Queen Kelila sent her son Prince Elystar in a desperate attempt to secure positive connections, so that they could open trading routes, and prevent more casualties during conflicts.
Prince Elystar kept his face turned away from Amber as he slowly moved his glowing hand through the air above her body. Where the white light touched Amber's body, she started to rapidly heal. The hair that had fallen out and burnt started to grow at an alarming rate. The hair that had reached to her hips, grew until it reached to her ankles. Then slipped off of the bed and onto the floor. Every tiny imperfection in her skin disappeared until she was glowing with health and vitality. Her skin became dewy and springy. Any dryness, scaring, or signs of age instantly disappeared. This was the key to the elves retaining youth and beauty into shockingly old ages and also one of the reasons why they were always targeted.
They were originally not war-like in the least, but all of their painful history with other species led them to become practiced archers. This was also the reason for their decline in healing elves. It was now rare for elves who knew they could pass on healing magic, to decide to have children. Normally Prince Elystar wouldn't be allowed to leave the elven kingdom for his own safety, but since he was the eldest son, it would be an insult in other countries if they sent anyone else.
It was funny in a way, since in the elfin kingdom, his older sister would be the one to rule in the future. If the elven kingdom were really trying to honor another country, it would make much more sense to send his older sister instead. That, they would never do however, since she was considered the light and hope of his kingdom. Zenia was quite warrior-like and a stunning beauty.
After Amber was nearly fully healed, Tia, one of the elven twins, covered Amber up with a blanket, while Taya, the other twin, guarded the door to make sure that no one saw them. She used her 'Sight' magic to see the surrounding area. It was an advanced water based magic that allowed her to see through anything that had water, including the air. Both of the twins could use water arrow archery. The magic restraints were just for show so that the twins magic aura's wouldn't be detected by others. They might as well have walked into the royal gathering fully armed with bows and arrows strapped to their backs. However, they were ordered not to show their magic to others unless it was absolutely necessary.
They weren't very good at controlling their aura levels and other countries didn't like to see servants without magic restraints. The magic restraints were quite easy for the twins to remove whenever they wanted since they were made of stretchy material. Paid servants, indentured servants, honor bound servants, or imprinted masters were quite common in the kingdom of Althea, but slavery was forbidden. The twins were honor bound since Prince Elystar had saved their lives and the lives of their younger brother and parents. They chose to carry his house mark which was a magical mark that could be removed at any time. It was not burned on their flesh like a brand. Their family was loyal to him and served him by choice. The elven kingdom had many secrets, but most of them were for their own protection.
"There's a brand here," said Tia while looking at the spot on Amber's chest.
"It looks like the ring that branded her was a magic tool filled with magic so that its markings would be difficult to remove," said Tia.
"What?!" Prince Elystar said while quickly turning his face so that he could look for himself.
There on Amber's chest, was a deep brand that had been burning into her flesh with a living magic tool. It was glowing a sickeningly pea green color as if it were corroding her flesh and in a sense it was. The brand was put on with living magic and was trying to burrow into her flesh like some sort of disease. A basic healing spell wouldn't be able to touch it.
Prince Elystar frowned at the brand for a moment, but the way it was wiggling deeper into Amber was so repulsive that he couldn't leave it alone. There was no way he could allow himself to hold back even though it was probably what he should do. He didn't know this girl. Why should he put himself into a potentially dangerous situation for her? He groaned in frustration, but still lifted his hand once more above her while looking deeply at the wriggling brand.
Lady Megan frowned in confusion for a moment, but then realization hit her. She jumped up from her seat in the corner of the room.
"Don't you dare," she said with a threatening tone of voice. "Don't even think of it!"
Her face was bright red in her fury and her hands started glowing light green as she stomped forward.
"Hold her back!" Prince Elystar yelled.
The twins looked at each other, both feeling like they agreed with Lady Megan, but knew that they would follow Prince Elystar's orders, regardless of how they felt. As long as he didn't order them to hurt him, they would comply with whatever he said. They both shook their heads slightly in agreement at the same time towards each other. If their prince was ever put in danger for his action today, they would make sure that no harm would come to him. More work to keep him safe, because he was being reckless, would just make their job more challenging. They both rushed to hold Lady Megan at the same time, shoving their magic restraints up to her forearms while holding her by the wrists. The two of them were much stronger physically than her and with her magic blocked, she was no threat whatsoever.
"No! Please no! Don't! Please don't do this!" Megan whimpered while watching Prince Elystar's hands start to glow a blindingly bright golden light.
"If I don't do this, Amber will die before her next birthday without the caster of this magic brand claiming her as his slave."
"Then allow her to die! Allow her to be a slave! Why should we care one way or the other about this disgusting creature? She's not even our kind!" Megan yelled.
"I can't," he said while looking down at Amber. A confused, but tender look shone on his face.
He turned his head and looked back at Megan with a sad look in his eyes. "I'm sorry. I never meant to hurt you. I wish that I had been able to love you in the way that you wanted, but perhaps now you'll be able to move on."
"No! I will never move on. Do you hear me?! I will never move on! You're mine!" Megan screamed while being held back by the twins.
A single tear trickled down Prince Elystar's cheek while he looked at his infuriated childhood friend.
"I'm truly sorry," he said and turned away from her once more.
He swallowed the lump in his throat, knowing that his relationship with his longtime friend wouldn't be the same after this. He'd tried to make himself love her romantically, but she wasn't what his heart wanted; he couldn't force love. He had tried so many times, even once allowing her to kiss him. It had felt so wrong, as if he had been kissing his own sibling. She had been so sure that they would end up becoming a couple eventually. After that kiss, he had known for certain that they would never be together. There was no hope for them, so there was no point in allowing her to continue her impossible fantasies. In a way, perhaps this was for the best.
"Forgive me," Prince Elystar said.
He wasn't entirely sure who he was apologizing to as he pressed his glowing hands directly to Amber's chest. Perhaps he was apologizing to all of them? The twins because he would be putting all of them at risk? Amber for touching her and linking the two of them together? Megan for not being able to return her love and preventing them from having a future together? He wasn't sure. He felt horribly guilty for taking everything into his own hands, but he also wouldn't make any other choice.
A sheen of sweat beaded on his forehead as he concentrated on removing the forbidden magic that had been placed inside Amber. Where the caster had obtained a forbidden magic tool, he couldn't say. He hadn't seen any living magic tools for quite some time. It was amazing that the brand hadn't killed her already.
His hands glowed brighter with his concentration as the living brand was dragged to the surface of her flesh. It wriggled, trying to get away, but Elystar was relentless. The brand became gradually lighter until it finally disappeared. Sweat trickled down Elystar's face and he paled from exhaustion while his breathing grew heavier. It took a lot of healing magic to remove living magic. He would have to inform his mother that someone owned a forbidden living magic tool.
Prince Elystar was unaware that the living magic tool he was searching for was currently wrapped around Amber's ankle. It was just waiting for its new master to give it a new form and purpose.
As soon as the brand disappeared, there was a moment when the elves sighed in relief seeing that it was safely gone without any repercussions. Then, to Megan's horror, the mark of a healing magic imprint formed onto Amber's skin. Just as quickly as it appeared, it disappeared once more. It would only show up when Amber chose to use healing magic.
Megan paled. "No. Why did it have to form into healing magic? Why couldn't it have been anything else? Why did you do this to us? Don't allow her to know. Maybe if she never knows, she'll never try to heal anyone. There's no need to ever tell her about any of this."
The twins let go of Megan since the healing had already taken place. She immediately lunged towards Amber's throat with her long nails extended into sharp points.
Watching from the top corner of the room, Amber floated above her body. The glowing blue harness was visible once more and still wrapped around her chest. She instinctively shoved her hands out in anger towards Megan who was targeting her body's neck. Purple light glowed from her see-through hands and a swirling purple wind came pouring out from her hands
The purple wind was invisible to everyone else, except Amber. However, it was very much there, as Megan felt when she was blown out of the room. Megan rolled head over feet down the cobblestone path, screeching in fear all the way.
The twins ran to Prince Elystar with bows made of water in their hands. They had arrows made of water notched back, looking around the room for any threat. Amber looked at her hands, which had a small amount of purple light glowing off of them, and then pointed her palms towards the twins. Amber concentrated on blowing them away and just like before, purple swirling wind came out from her palms. The twins continued to look around the room for any threats and completely didn't see the strong swirling wind coming their way. They too were blown out of the room by Amber, like Megan before them.
A white light shown all over Prince Elystar's body and his eyes widened as they locked onto Amber floating in the corner of the room.
"You're magnificent," he whispered to Amber.
"You can see me?" Amber said.
"I can," said Elystar.