Lightning and Storm

Chapter Nine: Strong Independent Elf

Azekial took a deep breath, "Father, I'm old enough now that I can make my own decisions. If I don't want to be King, I don't want to be king. If I want to date a handsome Girdeth guard, I will."
Devan blushed at this. His cheeks going red like roses.
Talkan put his head in his hands. His tan fingers raking their nails down his skin in frustration. Azekial was surprised they didn't draw blood in their wake.
"I see you haven't changed, Azekial." A feminine voice laughed.
A girl with identical facial features to Azekial came out from the shadows. Her hair was red like Azekial's but a slightly different shade. She had the same green eyes and look of resting confidence.
The elf prince gasped, covering his mouth. "Drea, what are you doing here?" He asked, surprised to see his twin in the palace.
Azekial hadn't seen his sister since they were teenagers and she had a crush on some village boy.
Azekial turned to his father for answers. Talkan looked absolutely furious.
There was a little noise from behind the Girdeth princess and a little girl took a step into the light.
Drea laughed, "I live here, I have for a while."
She smiled down at the little elf who played with her green dress in response making tiny noises as she did so.
"This is Fea, my daughter." She explained, caressing the girl's cheek.
"Mama!!!" She yelled happily.
"I FORBADE YOU FROM SEEING THAT MAN."
"I can't believe you disobeyed me and gave birth to this MONSTER!" Talkan gripped the dining table and refused to look at Drea.
The princess frowned, "This "monster" is a bundle of joy, Father."
"Drea, can I talk to you and Fea alone?" Azekial whispered.
She nodded, leading the elf prince and her little elf to the door. Brother and sister looked back at their father's glare nervously as the Girdeth princess opened the door and carefully closed it behind her. Devan followed close behind.
"Talkan and Oria are keeping my friends in the royal dungeon. We have to rescue them and then get out of here."
Drea smiled, "This place is giving me childhood flashbacks anyway, Princess Aze,"
The elf prince frowned, crossing his arms. "You know I hate that nickname."
She didn't seem to mind the prince's annoyance. "It's not my fault the village people thought you were me." Drea teased, laughing at the thought of it.
"Can we just focus on rescuing my friends, please?" Azekial said in a frustrated tone.
Drea put on her Oria voice "Yes, your majesty. Right, this way."
"You always were the silly one." The elf prince laughed to himself.
Drea led her twin brother down the stairs that led to the cells where Talkan and Oria kept prisoners.
Fea happily skipped the whole way down, singing a song in her own little language.
"Fea has been practicing her singing, haven't you my Sunshine?" Drea laughed, still using her interpretation of Oria's voice.
Fea stopped singing to answer her mother, "Yes, me been practicing," She giggled and continued to sing her song.
There was a rustle from behind Aze, he felt something grab his ankle. He nearly jumped out of his skin.
Something touched his heel.
"What just touched me?" He asked, scared-witless.
Drea laughed, "It's only Fea, you scaredy elf."
Eventually, they came to a metal door. The dungeons were a very disturbing part of the castle, with creepy spiders crawling up the walls.
Drea felt someone tap her shoulder. She turned to find an elf with straight black hair and amber eyes.
"I told you to stay in the basement," The Girdeth Princess laughed.
The elf grinned, "When do I ever listen to you, my love?"
Azekial and Devan whirled just in time to see Drea kiss the elf. "Who is that?"
They stopped so Drea could speak, "This is Atalo, Fea's father and my gorgeous husband," She smiled.
Azekial felt like he was about to be sick. First, his sister had been living in the palace basement this whole time and now she is in love with a village elf? What more could possibly go wrong?
"Hey, if you guys are done. Could you get us out of here!" I yelled from the cell next to them.
"They are right there, Mira. You don't have to shout." Nava scolded.
"What was I supposed to do? Azekial, can you please get us out of here?" I said, mimicking my younger sister's prissy voice.
"Mira that's enough," Damian scolded.
Azekial made a move to the cell door but Atalo beat him to it, opening the cell door as it creaked in response.
I winced at the noisy door. "More elves. Just what we needed!" I gushed.
The tall elf looked almost hurt as if he had expected me to be thankful.
"Don't worry she is always like this," Azekial says, dropping his voice to a whisper.
"I heard that, you stupid elf." I glared at the Girdeth prince and he immediately realized his mistake.
Devan rested a supportive hand on his boyfriend's shoulder.
"We should get out of here before we get cought," He suggested, giving Aze a warm smile.