When we arrived at the main doors to the audience hall the butler spoke.
"When we enter I will walk with you. Do as I do and do not speak unless given permission. If you follow what I do properly it will prevent you from making any mistakes."
"Thank you. I appreciate the advice."
The doors opened and I fell into step with the butler as he walked down the red carpet which was lined with nobles as well as ceremonial guards armed with spears. Ahead of us was a raised dais where the king and queen sat on thrones. I kept my head lowered but high enough that I could just barely see the royal couple and something caught my attention. The queen didn't look the same as yesterday, she looked slender with no signs of her pregnancy showing. Odd.
When we were about ten feet from the steps the butler and I knelt and placed our right hands over our left breast, in the standard traditional bow.
"You may raise your head."
Lifting my face to the king I took a good look at him. He was a good looking High Elf but it surprised me that he looked so young. The last I had heard he was nearly 5,000 years old. But what really caught my attention was his eyes, they were the same purple color as Iris and myself. He turned his attention away from me to the assembled nobles present.
"Today I have called you here to bare witness to the rewarding of this man who rescued my wife, your queen, after her ship was attacked and left adrift."
There were hushed murmurs as the nobles who hadn't heard about this began speaking to each other.
"SILENCE! Normally this would be cause for no more than a minor monetary reward handed over quietly. However! He not only saved my wife...."
He turned his head to the queen and she rose gracefully and stepped to his side. She raised her hand and slid a ring off her finger and the illusion that hid her pregnancy faded.
"He also saved her unborn child. Our first son and the future crown prince!"
The room was dead still for a fraction of a moment before everyone, guards, nobles, and maids all burst into cheers. This was glorious news for the kingdom and it wouldn't be long until the celebration spread to the entire planet.
"SO I ASK YOU! ARE HIS ACTIONS WORTHY OF REWARD!"
There was a deafening roar of approval as everyone paused their celebration to respond to the king. As everyone was cheering a flash of light caught my attention. Sunlight was streaming in from the large stained glass window behind the throne but this flash of light was out of place.
Turning my head up and to my right I saw a person standing on a balcony. I was about to ignore them when four people in cloaks rose up from hiding and pulled rifles from under their cloaks. A rifle was handed to the first man and then he was taking aim at the royal couple. I didn't hesitate, I grabbed the king by the wrist and half dragged half threw him behind the butler. The assassin didn't move and I realized his target was the queen. I threw myself in between her and the assassin just in time.
All five men opened fire and bolts of plasma flew through the room. I didn't have time to manifest a shield and the plasma burned into my chest right where my heart was, a metal dart followed right behind it and pierced completely through me and continued towards the queen.
Luckily for her my flesh and bones had absorbed most of its momentum and it just barely punctured her skin. The assassin was furious as he changed his target to my head and pulled the trigger again. Fully prepared I endured the pain flooding my body and summoned a shield blocking his shot. Using as much mana as I could I manifested hundreds of elemental arrows and launched them at the five assassins killing them all and destroying a large section of the balcony.
My adrenaline couldn't keep me on my feet anymore and I collapsed onto the ground face first. I wanted to get up but the pain was to great and I still couldn't figure out how I was still alive. My eyes were closed but I could hear the pandemonium around me, people screaming, crying, cursing and then I heard the king's voice.
"Save him! He has saved my wife twice now! Do not let him die!"
I felt hands roll me onto my back but my body was in so much pain it was hard to think. I heard the healers speaking and I felt the pain closest to my wound grow numb but something was wrong. They hadn't voiced any spells yet and I didn't sense any shift in the mana around me. That's when the terrible truth sunk in. The metal dart was poisoned. I felt a hand on me and with all the strength I could muster I grabbed it, forcing my eyes open I didn't let go until he looked me in the eye.
"The queen.."
He cut me off.
"She is fine you saved her."
I shook my head and had to fight to get the words out as the numbness spread.
"The dart...poison...the queen."
His eyes widened as it clicked and I released his hand.
"Lucas. Mike. Stay with him and do your best to keep him alive, everyone else we need to save the queen."
There was a scramble as five of the seven healers around me hurried away leaving two confused High Elves behind. I chuckled in my head. 'There's no way these inexperienced apprentices can help me.' Remembering two spells that Iris had taught me in my dreams I drew forth my mana and cast the first one.
"Gravity Pulse."
Instantly I felt a near crushing force on my chest as gravity strengthened and weakened over and over on my chest. It hurt like hell but there was one more spell to cast.
"Breath Of Life."
I held my mouth open as wind magic circulated air into and our of my lungs. This was the most I could do, the two spells would keep my blood moving and supply my lungs with oxygen. Hopefully the spells would last long enough for the experienced healers to make it back. As my mind faded I thought about the king's eyes, maybe he has some connection to Iris. That was my last thought as my mind faded into unconsciousness.
**
My return to consciousness slow. I began to hear voices that felt like they were far away but as time passed they became closer and clearer. I also felt someone running their fingers up and down from my chin to just below my ear following my jawline over and over.
"Daughter I have already told you to stop that. He may be offended when he wakes that you are touching him."
"Relax mother. He won't be offended."
"And how are you so sure of that?"
Two of those voices I barely recognized as the king and queen but the other. I would always recognize and remember that voice.
"Because she's right. I don't mind."
I spoke and felt the touch grow faint as the hand pulled away.
"Don't stop. It feels nice."
The voice giggled.
"That's the second time you've said that to me."
I remember. In one of my dreams I had been sick and feverish and this same girl had sat beside my bed and did this same thing while I slept, and I spoke those same words when I woke and saw her.
I opened my eyes and saw her, Iris. My Iris. I smiled at her and felt tears pool in my eyes.
"What's wrong?"
"Don't let this be another dream. I don't think I could handle losing you again."
She smiled sadly and then I saw a mischievous smirk grace her lips as her gentle touch on my face turned into pinching my cheek.
"Ow."
She smiled brightly while tilting her head.
"See. Not a dream."
I was speechless before bursting out laughing and then wincing in pain. Looking at Iris I couldn't keep my thoughts to myself.
"God I love you."
I was about to reach up to cup her face when someone cleared their throat.
"Ehhem...Would you care to explain why you are telling my daughter you love her after meeting her for the first time?"
Looking around the room it wasn't just Iris, the king, and the queen present. Amy and Beth were there as well, I smiled at them before looking back over to the king.
"I apologize for my inappropriate behavior in front of Your Majesty's."
"That is not the issue right now."
"Father I have been seeing Adam in my dreams for the past few months."
"What do you mean?"
"Exactly what I said. I believe he has a Gift for prophetic dreams."
The king paused for a moment before he shook his head and spoke.
"Not possible. Only High Elves from the purest bloodlines are graced with Gifts. I do not believe it is possible for this Earthling to have one."
Damn. Not only was he belittling me but he was also throwing my race out there. If Iris wasn't already aware it could have pushed her away from me. Time to reveal my lineage I guess.
"Your Majesty I am an Earthling but that is not all I am."
Closing my eyes I reached up to my earing and pinched it while giving a command.
"Release."
The earing loosened it's hold on my ear and I pulled it off causing all of the illusions to fade. There were gasps as my dominant High Elf features were revealed to everyone. Then I opened my eyes and looked at the king. His eyes that had already widened now bulged as he stared at me.
"You have purple eyes."
He whispered with a choked voice and I nodded. He rose to his feet.
"There is something I have to do immediately. We will talk more later Adam."
That was all he said before he left and I looked at the queen with a confused look on my face to which she offered an excuse.
"He will explain later."
I gave her a nod and smile. Looking at Iris I could almost see hearts in her eyes.
"Oh my God you're gorgeous."
I chuckled this was the first time she was seeing my elven features as I had never shown them in my dreams. Looking at Amy and Beth they had the same look in their eyes as Iris but it had an additional effect on them. They were rubbing their thighs together and I could already smell their arousal. Ignoring that I returned my focus to the queen.
"I am glad to see you are safe My Queen."
"Thanks to you."
"The healers got to me right as I collapsed. While you were asleep the poison was analyzed. It is a peculiar poison, instead of killing the injected victim it causes total paralysis, and causing severe internal shock."
As those last words left her mouth something clicked.
"May I speak freely My Queen?"
"Of course Adam. You have saved my life twice now, be at ease and speak your mind."
"Severe internal shock."
My eyes moved from hers to her pregnant belly and back up.
"I don't believe you were the target."
There were gasps from everyone in the room as my words sunk in.
"I mentioned to General Marcus that you might have a spy in the upper ranks of your leadership and now 5 assassins were able to sneak directly into the audience hall of the palace more or less confirming it."
I looked around the room.
"Someone high up doesn't want there to be a crown prince."