Part 5 - A Knock on the Door

Elipson woke up with a soft knock on her door. Even so it was enough to leave her in a foul mood as she stood up, frowning and blinking, trying to adapt her sight to the light of the lamp she always left lit.

“This better be good!” she threatened out loud. “Do you even know what time it is?” she asked, opening the door, ready to beat the hell out of whoever had had the sad idea of waking her up and, for a short moment, she couldn’t even be sure of what she was looking at.

A small blond head peered at her from under a dark shadow and the smile that touched her childish, blushed face was clearly forced and miserable.

“I’m sorry … But I found him …” she said, sounding embarrassed, and Elipson looked from the girl to the large human lump she seemed to carry. Only when she noticed the black hair sprinkled with yellow tinged silver did she understand what she had been looking at.

“Elian!!” she identified him, suddenly wide awake, and hurried to help Allana bring him inside. “Lay him down on my bed!” she ordered, helping the girl drag him all the way across her small room and they finally laid him down, where he stood still, apparently sleeping.

Allana took a deep breath, relieved to finally be free of his dead weight, and looked around the small compartment that was Elipson’s chambers.

“What happened? Where did you find him?” she was asking her, sounding worried, and Allana couldn’t help feel a jabbing pain in her heart when she saw Elipson freely caress his face, straightening his hair … the same way she had wished to do but hadn’t had the courage to.

“He was wandering near our dorm. I heard a voice and looked out the window. I saw when he fell down and thought he might need help … Since I didn’t know what else to do, I thought I should better bring him to you.” she added, omitting their night walk and all that had happened near the small chapel, and Elipson nodded, although her grey eyes wouldn’t even look at her, her worried, loving expression all focused on him. And she was so beautiful, Allana thought as she watched her stroke Elian’s hair. Her skin was tanned, not deadly pale like hers. Her black curly hair was lush and shiny, certainly the envy of any noble woman should she allow it to grow a bit more. And her body was simply perfect, not too tall or too short, like Allana. Not fat but not too thin. The constant training had made her arms and legs, now easily be seen due to the simple white shirt she wore, firm and toned, but her curves were still soft and feminine.

Elipson took a deep breath, dragging her from her thoughts, and stood up to take off the Prince’s boots.

“Of course you know who he is. And what would mean if he were to be seen like this by other people,” she said in a serious tone and, for the first time, turned to look at her. Allana smiled at the silent threat hidden in those cold grey eyes. She knew all too well all about royal scandals.

“That’s exactly why I brought him here. And well, I should probably be going,” she told her, walking to the door, and Elipson accompanied her, still unsure if she should make what she’d meant a bit clearer. “Thank you so much for your help. I was truly lost. I’m sorry to have bothered you at such a late hour. I wish you a good night,” Allana added and simply turned, walking towards the dorm.

Elipson stood there, for a moment, watching as that small figure disappeared into the night. She couldn’t really tell what, but there was something simply … weird … wrong … something that made her skin tingle, every time she looked at that girl …