Chapter 52: CHAPTER 34.0: Village Girl

During my time in the elf village I learned a lot about community. They all helped one another out using whatever skills they had to offer. They were kind to each other and cared about each other. I helped in whatever way I could but while keeping a low profile. The children of the village all played together and were basically raised by all the adults in the village in a way. I was only staying in the inn and not planning on moving in permanently, but they welcomed me.

After I got the call from Cade this morning I was shaken up. He told me they’d find her and for me to stay put but I couldn’t exactly do that. “Hey, stranger.” The inn workers daughter greeted me as I walked out of my room. She tried to talk to me all the time, but I barely responded. Whenever I tried to relax outside, she would always be staring at me trying to impress me with elf magic. I waved so she’d be satisfied but she followed me. “You’ve been here for a month and you barely talk to anyone, you just observe.” she put emphasis on observe. “You're from one of those big cities in one of the dragon shifters kingdoms, aren’t you? What are you doing way out here?”

I pushed the entrance door open. “I try not to talk to minors so if you don’t mind.” She was probably Hannah's age, maybe a little younger.

“Don’t worry I trust you. Everyone talks to everyone out here. You don’t seem dangerous to me and if you are I could just scream. Our village is so small everyone would hear.” She laughed. “Are you in a hurry?”

“Kind of.”

“Are you really Prince Lexus?” She asked. “I didn’t want to come right out and ask but you haven’t really been having a conversation the right way.”

“Who else knows?” I asked because I’ll have to relocate.

She smiled. “Well, everyone, they’re just too polite to let you know that they know. We’re not a poor village, we have decent TVs, we’re just small. You’re always on the TV, especially on the news and as topics in talk shows. Nobody outside this village knows you're here. It’s cool, it’s like our village has its own little secret.” I stopped because she was nearly following me into the forest. “If you want to stay a secret you shouldn’t leave. Your dragon is pretty recognizable and a few of the neighboring villages are noisy, they’d give up your location.” I didn’t understand why the people of the village didn’t give up my location.

Finding Aqua was more important than my hiding was. “I’ll be fine.” I watched her shrug and walk off.

I thought to look in the most obvious place first. I flew around the neighboring kingdoms of Wilwar until I found the mixed species kingdom Aqua’s mom lived in. This was the most obvious place so Konn probably already looked here. I needed to know for sure she wasn’t here. I had to fly around for a while until I found Mae’s house. I knocked on the door.

Mae answered with a surprised expression. “Prince Lexus?” She frowned. “If you’re looking for Aqua, she’s not here. You should be the last person looking for her.”

“Can I at least come in? You obviously know more than I do.”

“Sure, just don’t pass out, you look tired.” She opened the door wider and took a few steps back. “I want to make this quick.”

I looked around for any sign of Aqua. “Why should I be the last person looking for Aqua?”

“Because, when you two were found out you left. I don’t mean the castle, you had to leave the castle, but you stopped talking to her all together. She was already feeling terrible about everything you both did to the people you care about. She had to deal with the consequences alone.” I never thought of it like that, I thought I was protecting her from more consequences.

I leaned against her living room wall and noticed Aqua’s clothes folded up on the couch. They looked familiar enough for me to know they were hers. “So, you did talk to her?”

She nodded. “The last time I saw her was a week ago. I don’t know where she is now. This is the last known place she was. Even my tracking spells aren’t working. I’m not worried, I would be more worried if she stayed in the castle.”

I raised an eyebrow. “Why? It’s better to know where she is.”

She sat down on her couch. “I’ve disappeared myself at her age. She might be better off. They were stressing her out. They had her using her abilities way too much. She’s already burned out. She wasn’t raised being taught how to develop her abilities. She’s half human, they can’t treat her like she’s an average holder. Her support system isn’t the same anymore. She’s not just burned out from using her abilities she’s also emotionally burned out. She thinks she makes life worse for everyone around her.

That’s all the information I have Lexus.”

I walked to the door. “I’m going to keep looking for her but not to bring her back to the castle.”

“Good, promise me you won’t let her go back. Holders have shortened lives and I want her to have a long one.” I forgot about that. I wouldn’t have worked her that hard but I’m not sure how much control I’d really have.

“I promise.” The only other obvious place I could go was the human world. I left Mae’s house and flew past the barrier out of the hidden world. I thought a lot about what I’d say and whether she’d forgive me for letting my parents break us apart. I walked to her family's home and knocked on the door. Her adoptive father/blood uncle answered. “Yes? Can I help you?”

“Is Aqua here?”

The man frowned. “No… who are you? Are you one of…” I didn’t answer his question, instead I walked away, and he yelled after me, “Tell she’s not welcome back again without notice!” It was pointless information.

I flew around high enough not to be seen. Luckily for me any satellites or anything like that had been enchanted by mages not to pick up dragons or any other magical creature. I swore I caught onto Aqua's scent, but it disappeared before I could lock onto the location. I had to give up, it was hard searching in the human world when I had to worry about being seen by the wrong people.