Without a moment's notice, Princess Lily appeared in front of me, still wearing her dress, looking ethereal. She looked embarrassed that she had been caught and almost hesitant. "Sorry, I thought I was about to be attacked" I spoke again as she stood watching me, this seemed to help as her face softened and the worry dripped away. "I did not mean to startle you, I was just checking that you returned home okay", and there was her voice, something I had not heard in a while. I had dreamt about her a lot over the coming months and yet I had not realised how much her presence had affected me.
"I did not realise that my safety mattered to the Princess" She did not seem to appreciate my humor or my reference to her royal title as she began to walk away, "I appreciate it nonetheless, Lily" I let her name linger on my tongue. This caused her to halt and proceed cautiously closer.
As I took her in, I felt breathless seeing her under the light of the moon and stars. Her eyes shone brighter than ever before, the rumors I had heard about her were true, but they still could not do her any justice. "your safety matters, even to the Princess" She seemed to be someone who spoke little and was careful when they did. "Did you have a good evening?", it had plagued my mind, whether she was even interested in the conversations, especially after overhearing what the other servers said. Lily smiled "Yes, did you?", I found it hard to believe that she wished to know how my evening went when it was clear I was serving others.
She must have realised what she said because she looked to the ground and nervously ran her hand through her hair, "Sorry, I wasn't thinking" she acknowledged. I leaned against my door, "It's okay, I had a good day too" I smiled. "Have a lovely evening Gabi", the Princess whispered, it was time for her to leave but all I could do was watch her leave. I did not move a muscle until she was out of sight, she must have known I was watching but I could not help it. I was in a trance.
That awkward encounter only grew more awkward as I ran it through my mind, I had come to the conclusion that I was going mad and that I should stay away from her if she causes my soul this much trouble. Lily too was very troubled, how had a low elf caught her attention this much, something about the girl fascinated.
I fell asleep eventually and woke up rather early for a Sunday, but this only meant I would have longer in the woods.
Today I felt like wearing trousers rather than a dress, especially to go running in, I matched them with some knee-high boots and a long draping jacket. I grabbed my bag and headed out, today I was looking for some flowers to cut and mushrooms to eat. I ran through the forest for a while even jumping through the trees when I felt like it, the wind was blowing calmly and the sun was shining.
I was exploring a different part of the forest today that I did not usually go to but only because it would have everything I needed there. I came to a clearing that was known for mushrooms and pulled out my knife to pick a few, placing them carefully into my bag.
I stayed in the clearing for a while, marveling at the beauty that nature holds, I was fascinated by it and always had been ever since I could remember. I came to a waterfall nearby to collect some water to drink, when I heard a loud sound come hurtling towards me, I turned around and was confronted by what I only knew as a gnoll.
It was extremely tall and frightening, I had basic training and could defend myself somewhat, but one on one with a gnoll was pushing it. The gnoll launched a full attack at me that I was able to dodge by jumping out of the way as it swung for me with its big long axe, I gasped as I jumped up onto some rocks and behind the gnoll, pulling out my knife I tried to cut it. This only made the gnoll angrier as I had cut his leg, and he swung more viciously. Out of nowhere appeared another elf, but not just any other elf, it was Lily.
She was dressed very differently from when I had seen her last night, her hair was still in plaits but she was wearing more of a warrior's outfit. As she was mid-air she drew back her bow and fired arrow after arrow at him. She rolled forward pulling out two knives and striking him in his legs again as she passed him by.
I could only watch on in amazement. The gnoll managed to catch her as she slipped through his legs and began to squeeze her neck as he knocked her knives out of her hand. The gnoll had his hands around her neck dangling her in the air, he was about to strike a big blow. I had to do something as I was alarmed.
Whilst he was distracted I ran at the gnoll from behind and jumped up before placing my knife in his head, this caused the gnoll to let go of Lily and finish the gnoll as it dropped to the ground. I came to her side instinctively, "are you okay?" I asked unnerved, checking her over. She double-checked that the gnoll was dead before replying, "Why were you so far out here?" she questioned me. "How did you know I was here?" I countered. This caused her to huff. "We have been tracking this gnoll for the past few days if you must know but the trail went cold until I heard the commotion" she explained.
I assumed she meant we as in the guards and the King, I was correct because the guards arrived not long after. "Are you okay your Highness?" asked one of the guards. "I am fine" She curtly responded.
One of the guards apprehended me, "Get your hands off me" I tried to brush him off. Lily immediately turned around, "Let her go" she spat angrily. She could be so angelic at times but right now she appeared the opposite, someone who is dominant and knows what they want. "King's orders I'm afraid, she shouldn't have been out this far, The King will want an account" the guard replied as he pulled me away.
They tied restraints around my wrists, my eyes watered as they led me away, I kept my head down and said nothing. Lily could not explain the way she was feeling, she followed them to make sure that Gabi came to no harm and to get an explanation from her father.
It would soon be gossip that I was being led by the King's guard to the castle in restraints, I was worried for my job and life. They brought me in before the King and made me kneel on the floor as he asked me why I was out there. Lily stood next to him but could not look at me. "Tell me, why were you out there, are you plotting against the kingdom?" he implied. I shook my head as a few stray tears fell down my face. "No, I was collecting mushrooms and flowers, I got carried away and went too far" I spoke quietly, not being able to look at anyone. "lock her up," he said without another thought.
Lily was horrified at the thought, "Father what are you doing?" she argued. The guards dragged me away as he ignored his daughter and put me into a cell. I sat on the floor with my back against the wall, this was the worst Sunday I had ever experienced.
Lily came down to the dungeon later that evening, stopping outside of my cell, she looked very troubled as she held onto my bars. "Gabi, I am going to get you out of here" She seemed so sure of it as well. I was in no mood to speak to her, "Yesterday I thought you were prettier than starlight itself, today I remembered it's not worth the trouble I get into whenever you are around" I spoke wisely but emotionally.
Elves usually are smart with what they say most of the time, this time I let my heart get the better of me and spoke plainly what I thought. Princess Lily's eyes widened at the first statement, to her, I had just admitted that I found her attractive and paid attention to her.
The Princess stormed off to find her father, she marched into his chambers and found him. "you must release the girl now!" she shouted. "how dare you" her father raised his voice. "do you really want to keep her locked up, the girl who saved my life, once everybody finds out she is a hero, not me or anyone else", her father did not know what had gotten into her. He stood tall and mighty, "what you say, is it true? Did she save you?", he asked curiously. "by this Kingdom, it is true". Lily countered adamantly.
The King rushed past his daughter realising his grave mistake, he rushed down to the dungeons and shouted for someone to unlock the cell, he entered the cell where I sat and crouched down at eye level to me, I was worried he was going to hurt me for a moment. "Did you save her?" he asked, above everything else he loved his daughter and you could see that.
I looked up and made eye contact with him. "I threw my knife at its head whilst he strangled her to death" the King could tell when someone was being dishonest so that's when he knew I was telling the truth. "I am terribly sorry, please accept my apologies, you are free to go, everyone will know what you have done for our kingdom today" I bowed my head happy that I was going to be going home. "My daughter will make sure you return safely" he promised. Great just what I needed.
I came out of my cell and headed for the gates to leave, I got to see some of the castle that most others don't, it is very beautiful and well-preserved. Waiting for me by a cart was Princess Lily, she opened the door for me and allowed me to get in before jumping in behind, I hadn't said anything to her yet.
I was tired and leaned my head against the window to look outside. Lily was used to keeping things bottled up inside so this was hard for her as she did care what Gabi thought. The Princess tapped the carriage to signal it to get moving much to my delight, it was quite rocky but nevertheless, it was comfortable and it meant I didn't have to walk back.
I could feel her gaze on me until I could no longer take it, I looked over at her allowing our eyes to meet, but I stayed quiet, I was not as angry as I was earlier. "How old are you?" she asked me outright. Even I did not know how old she was. "221" I said faintly, still looking at her. "How old are you?" It was only fair I asked since she had, "305" She tilted her head. She was more or less around the age I had expected her to be if anything a little younger.
The cart pulled up outside of my small house, and Lily got out and held the door for me, I stepped out, "Again I'm sorry for what has happened", I smiled faintly at her words and went inside, exhaling deeply as I was now home. The Princess had watched me walk in before stepping back in the cart and veering off.
The next day I headed in for work but I was stopped by my boss, news had traveled fast about what had happened including the mixup, and others were seeing me as this hero who slayed a gnoll, which was not the case. He asked me if it was all true and I told him the most sincere truth, whether he liked that version or not. Kira and Avy stopped me after work, "I cannot believe that happened Gabi, others are calling for you to be trained as a guard", Kira admitted.
Avy placed a hand on me, "it has caused somewhat of a stir among folk" she comforted me. "I didn't even do anything though, she saved me and did most of the work, I just threw my knife finishing it off", I sighed. "You are always so modest" Kira knew me extremely well, probably better than anyone else. "I need to get home", I made the journey home as I did time and time before, only this time people were pointing, whispering, or trying to talk to me or about me. It was the talk of the town. I spent the rest of my day and evening laying out on the grass by the river, relaxing and trying to make sense of past events.