Emerald of the Elves (24 page)

Sheri opened her mouth to argue, but Jon stormed off.

“What is wrong with him?” Sheri asked as she watched Jon slam the door to the old warehouse.

“Maybe he sees Prince Arik as competition,” shrugged Benni.

“Competition?” quizzed Sheri. “For what?”

Benni rolled his eyes and shook his head. The rest of the gang giggled, and Sheri finally realized what Benni meant.

“Are you serious?” asked Sheri. “Do you think Jon likes me?”

“Maybe you are blinded by the shine of the royalty,” shrugged Gwyn. “If you don’t realize that Jon wants you, then you are the only one who doesn’t get it.”

“I never thought of Jon that way,” confessed Sheri. “I still find it hard to believe that is what is bothering him.”

“Well, it won’t help any to dwell upon it,” sighed Benni. “Are the Queen’s Helpers going to be back in business?”

“Yes,” nodded Sheri. “Prince Arik praised us for all that we had done already. He wants us to continue what we have been doing. He said he intends to keep up with everything that Queen Marta started. I believe that he has even greater plans in store for us.”

“I guess we will become the King’s Helpers,” interjected Gwyn.

“No,” Sheri shook her head. “Prince Arik thought it would be a fitting memorial to continue on as the Queen’s Helpers. He said it would remind him of Queen Marta each time he heard the name. I thought that was sweet.”

“Who was the girl in white with him?” asked Benni. “Is she his sister?”

“I don’t think so,” frowned Sheri. “I heard her name is Tanya, but I don’t know anything else about her. I have met her a few times before. She always seems to be in a hurry when I see her.”

“Do we have tasks for today?” asked Sheela, a short redheaded girl.

“Not today,” answered Sheri. “The coronation will be this afternoon. I don’t think anyone will be working today. You can just relax for once.”

“Alright,” nodded Sheela. “I think I am going to check out the sewers again then.”

“We hardly need to use the sewers any more,” giggled Sheri. “Why waste your time getting dirty?”

“I like the sewers,” smiled Sheela, “besides, I have seen signs of other people using them. I am curious what they are up to.”

“Somebody else using the sewers?” questioned Sheri. “Why would anyone be using the sewers after the Council was disbanded?”

“I don’t know,” shrugged Sheela. “That is why I am curious.”

“Well be careful,” warned Sheri. “I suspect that anyone using the sewers is trying to hide something.”

“What are you going to do today?” asked Benni.

“I need to check in on Daevo and Darin,” replied Sheri. “They took Queen Marta’s death rather hard. They have nightmares of killers stalking them in the Royal Palace. I figured that I would cheer them up.”

“And hang around for the coronation no doubt,” grinned Gwyn.

“The thought never crossed my mind,” giggled Sheri.

Sheri slid out of the warehouse and walked the city streets towards the Royal Palace. The city was in a festive mood. Many of the inns had brought tables out into the street and were providing free ale. Musicians gathered near those tables and treated the citizens to songs about the glory days of Targa. One bard had already made up a song about Prince Arik and his unicorn. Sheri laughed at the words. Several enterprising merchants were selling Alcean banners. She noticed that the Targa soldiers had their weapons back and were patrolling the streets again. She stopped and frowned at one of the soldiers as a stray thought tickled her mind. She walked up to the soldier.

“What are you called?” she asked.

The soldier turned and stared at her for a minute before answering. “I am a soldier,” he replied.

“I know that,” Sheri giggled. “I mean what are you called now? Are you still a Targa soldier?”

“Oh, no,” the soldier chuckled. “We are Alcea soldiers now. There is no more Targa.”

“Does that make you happy?” she asked.

“It sure does,” the soldier nodded. “What makes me even happier is the training that we are getting now. You are the Queen’s Helper girl, aren’t you?”

“Sheri is my name,” she nodded as she skipped away.

She wasn’t exactly sure why, but the soldier made her feel happier. Maybe it was just the feeling that everyone was happier, or maybe because the soldier recognized her as someone who was making a difference.

The gates to the Royal Palace were still open, and the guards smiled at her as she entered the courtyard. The Red Swords stopped her from entering the palace until they checked with a list General Gregor had given them. She felt good that her name was on the list. It made her feel important.

When she got to the room where Daevo and Darin stayed, she heard laughing and giggling coming from behind the door. She hesitated and thought about knocking, but she decided not to. She opened the door and stood with her mouth hanging open. An older man was on his back on the floor. Daevo and Darin were attacking him. She shook her head as she recognized the man as one who was always with Prince Arik. The man caught Daevo in one hand and Darin in the other. He held them over his head and turned to look at Sheri. His face turned red, and he gently lowered the boys to the floor and stood up.

“I was just teaching them how to fight,” smiled the man.

“So I can see,” giggled Sheri. “You are not their father are you?”

“No,” the man replied sadly. “I am Alexander Tork. I knew their uncle. Are you here for their lessons?”

“Just to check up on them and see how they are doing,” replied Sheri as she tried to remember where she had heard the name before. Suddenly, the parade came to mind and the words that Kendal had said when he pointed out this man. “You are a famous warrior,” she blurted out. “You travel with Prince Arik.”

“I do have the privilege of traveling with Prince Arik,” nodded Alex. “I guess I should be leaving.”

“No,” screamed Daevo and Darin in unison. “Stay, Uncle Alex.”

“I didn’t mean to interrupt,” declared Sheri. “I just wanted to make sure that they were alright.”

“I will come again another time,” Alex promised. “You two need to get back to your lessons anyway.”

Alex sheepishly headed for the door, and Sheri left the room as he did.

“I really am sorry for interrupting,” apologized Sheri.

“I was just taking a break,” smiled Alex. “I need to get back to work.”

“What are you working on?” asked Sheri. “Is it something that I can help you with? I really don’t know what to do with myself today. I really came in hopes that I could see the coronation, but I am not sure if they will let me watch.”

“I think there will be room for you,” assured Alex. “Can you read?”

“Yes,” nodded Sheri. “Why?”

“I am doing some boring task,” explained Alex. “If you want to help me, I will escort you to the coronation.”

“That would be great,” Sheri said excitedly. “What do I have to read?”

“Come with me, and I will show you,” replied Alex as he led Sheri along the corridor. “It is not far. We are in the library going over some lists.”

“What kind of lists?” asked Sheri.

“Before the Collapse,” Alex stated, “there was a time when an evil magician was collecting all of the books in the world. His name was Mordac and he sought a tome called the Book of the Beginning. He sent men out all over the world to steal books. After Mordac was killed, Targa seized all of the books. We told all of the temples and libraries to submit a list of the books that they had lost. When those lists were received, we returned the stolen books to them. Now we have the task of reading all of those old lists again. You can help.”

“Why are you reading all of those old lists?” questioned Sheri. “Did some temples not get the right books back?”

“The books were all returned,” replied Alex. “Prince Arik is searching for a book called the Book of Things. My wife, Jenneva, remembered these lists from long ago. We are searching the lists to see if the Book of Things was listed as being lost. It may gives us a clue as to where to find it.”

“No wonder you snuck off to play with Daevo and Darin,” laughed Sheri. “That must be pretty boring. Still, I would be glad to do anything that I could to help Prince Arik. Lead the way.”

Alex stopped and opened the door to the library. He let Sheri enter and then followed her into the room. Jenneva and Prince Darok turned to see who had come in. The dwarf prince sniffed the air and then returned to reading his list.

“You are Sheri?” greeted Jenneva. “I am Jenneva.”

“Yes, I am,” replied Sheri. “I have come to help you with the lists.”

“Excellent,” smiled Jenneva. “We are looking for the Book of Things.”

“Alex told me,” nodded Sheri. “How did you know who I was?”

“Just a guess,” smiled Jenneva. “Start on these lists. I will grab some more.”

Sheri started going through the lists. She frowned at the indecipherable writing on some of them. After an hour of reading lists, she was ready for a break. Suddenly the door to the library opened, and Tanya walked in. Tanya looked around the library Her eyes locked with Sheri’s as she closed the door. Tanya walked quietly to the other side of the table and began reading lists. Sheri forgot about her break and continued with her lists as she watched Tanya.

“I am Sheri,” she introduced herself.

“Hello Sheri,” mumbled Tanya. “I am Tanya.”

“I know,” smiled Sheri. “I heard you were Prince Arik’s sister.”

Tanya looked up and stared at Sheri. “I am not his sister,” she said flatly. “You are the girl who dragged him into the sewers, aren’t you?”

“I didn’t drag him,” frowned Sheri. “I was helping him to escape.”

“Whatever,” Tanya mumbled as she returned to reading her lists.

“We are going to take a meal break,” announced Alex as he walked Jenneva and Prince Darok towards the door. “Would you girls like anything?”

“I just ate,” Tanya announced as Sheri shook her head.

“We will be back in a bit,” smiled Jenneva as they left the room.

Sheri and Tanya continued reading through the lists for a few moments before Sheri placed her lists on the table and stared at Tanya.

“Do you love him?” Sheri asked. “Is that why you hate me?”

Tanya paused and returned the stare coldly. Finally, she saw the fear in Sheri’s face and realized the courage it took for the girl to ask that question.

“I am used to doing whatever I can to protect Arik,” Tanya said softly. “I suppose that means that I tend to look at everyone as a threat. I am sorry for the way I have treated you. Believe me, I do not know enough about you to hate you.”

“I am glad to hear that,” sighed Sheri as she stared at the sword Tanya had with her. “You still did not answer my question, though.”

“No, I didn’t,” agreed Tanya. “It is obvious that you do think you love him. I would not get your hopes up.”

“Because he is royalty?” asked Sheri, “or because you plan to keep him for yourself?”

“I do not know much about royalty,” admitted Tanya. “What I meant is that Arik will be a warrior king. Have you thought about what that means? There is a good chance that Arik will die before all of this is done. Even if he doesn’t, Arik will not be the type of king that spends a great deal of time in the Royal Palace. He will be out waging war. That is what he was born to do.”

“Even war has to end sometime,” Sheri bit her lip.

“Surely it will end for Arik when he dies,” sighed Tanya. “I cannot see an end in sight for the wars that are already promised to him.”

“So you are saying that it could never work out between Arik and me?” posed Sheri.

“It is not my task to find him a wife,” retorted Tanya. “My advice to you is to either move on to someone else, or learn to be a warrior. His wife will have to fight beside him.”

“Is that why you became a warrior?” inquired Sheri. “So you could be close to him? Can you really fight well enough to stand by his side?”

Tanya shook her head and tried to control her emotions. “I was a warrior before I met Arik,” Tanya replied. “As to whether I can fight or not, I do not choose to go there. My feelings about Arik and my fighting abilities are not topics of conversation that I wish to discuss. Can’t we just be friends without this bitterness between us?”

“You answered all of my questions,” Sheri replied with a tear in her eye. “The fact that you won’t discuss your feelings tells me that you do love him, and if you couldn’t hold your own in battle, you would have tried to convince me that you could. I guess I have known since I discovered who he is that I really never had a chance anyway. Still, I would like to be your friend. Will you consider my love for him to be the love of a loyal subject? I now know that that is all it will ever be.”

“Although you can never know what life will bring,” Tanya smiled comfortingly, “I think your decision is a wise one. Truthfully, I do not know how I feel about Arik. Like yourself, I am not nobility either. In fact, I am not sure that I could stand being a queen. I certainly never want to be tied down to a palace or a castle. There is too much of life that would be missed. Do what you think is best, Sheri. As to being friends? I think we have already become close.”

“You really mean that?” sobbed Sheri.

“I do,” nodded Tanya. “If I decide that Arik is the man that I want, I know how to fight for his attention. Competition is not something that would scare me. If you want, I will take you to his coronation this afternoon.”

“I would like that very much,” smiled Sheri. “Do you really stand close to him to protect him?”

“I do,” nodded Tanya. “My life is pledged to destroying the Dark One. Keeping Arik alive is a major part of fulfilling that prophecy.”

Both girls returned to reading the lists in silence. A half an hour later the door to the library opened. Alex, Jenneva, and Prince Darok returned from their meal break. Prince Arik and General Gregor also entered the library.

“So there are two of the assassins unaccounted for?” asked Arik.

“Yes,” nodded General Gregor. “The other six were beheaded. We searched the entire palace and could not find them. They just disappeared.”

“How were they noticed in the first place?” asked Alex.