Amelia Merlin and the Game for Okamila

Part 3: The Elf Prince and The Wolf

Al didn't really know what he was doing most of the time.

Amelia always looked to him for advice and he definitely tried his best, but it was harder than it looked.

The elf prince was coming today, it had been a week since the wedding, and he was literally shitting his pants. The elf prince always scared him like this, ever since he was a kid he'd just felt so intimidated. Also now that Jeremy was gods know where, he had to do it all on his own.

When Al heard about Jeremy betraying his queen, he didn't know what to do. Jeremy had been his friend and he kind of missed him even though he had done a really terrible thing. On the one hand, the fucker should burn, but on the other hand, Jeremy was a good guy and maybe Amelia could have been nicer about it. But the last thing Al was going to do was question her. She was pretty fierce and he did not want to be on the receiving end of her anger.

She and her friends had been exploring the city, the Gentle Woods just a days ride from here and swimming in the lake around the castle. Meanwhile Al had been ripping his hair out trying to get everything sorted for the elf prince. 

Not that he was complaining.

But some appreciation would go a long way.

Not that he needed that.

But he wouldn't protest if it happened.

A little messenger boy in a bright red tunic knocked on his chamber doors.

"Come in." He said. The boy bounced into the room. "What is it?"

"The elf princeis at the gates of Castle Ortus."

"What!" Al bellowed. "I was supposed to be informed when they were at the city gates!" He swore under his breath. "Okay fine. This is fine. Go find the queen. Tell her and her bloody friends to meet me in the grand courtyard, it's the one her chamber overlooks. Tell her to hurry."

The red boy skipped out of the room and left Al in a distressed state. When things didn't go exactly according to plan, Al got a little upset. He just liked things a certain way and it was so damn annoying when people didn't just follow the bloody instructions.

He swore again and strode over to the mirror, trying desperately to fix his already perfect hair. Then, with as much confidence as anyone had, he walked from the room down to the castle gates. He knew the castle like the back of his hand. Al had spent years working in each of the Nine castles and was extremely familiar with the workings of each. He was a politician by nature and there was no denying her was good at his job. Part of the reason he liked Amelia so much was he thought she could be pretty good at it too.

As he walked down to the gates of Re'na, he nearly tripped on a glass mouse that scattered across the street. He swore under his breath, "Aren't you magical creatures supposed to be outlawed?" he growled. Of course, glass creatures weren't that magical so no one really cared if they were around.

"Open the gates." He boomed at the guards. They pulled a lever and the gates of Castle Ortus opened. Outside stood a small figure on a horse. Behind the horse was a giant wolf, the same size as the animal in front of it. Al knew what it was for, it was Amelia's Harcos wolf. He couldn't wait to see her face light up when she saw the thing.

The elf princetrotted in gently, Al bowed and helped him down from his horse. He was wearing a thick white cloak even though it was fairly warm in Re'na. The hood obscured his face so Al couldn't see the expression he wore.

"If you'll follow me-"

"Then you'll take me to the courtyard. Where I can meet the queen. It has been seen." His voice was deep and commanding like all the High Elves.

"Yes," Al said awkwardly. "Just this way and-"

"Down the hall. It has been seen."

"Right." This was the part that Al hated. The elf princealready knew everything so saying anything was useless and infuriating. They walked in silence, mostly because Al was too stubborn to talk.

"Al!" Amelia beamed at him when he entered the courtyard. Her hair was soaking wet and tangled from swimming and her skin was much darker than it had been last week. She looked amazing, so full of life and something else he couldn't exactly pin point. It was that smile she gave him right now that made Al sure she was the one who was promised.

"My queen." He said. "Might I introduce you to the elf prince, Literion."

The elf princestepped forward and lowered his hood. Amelia was never particularly good at hiding her thoughts, at least not from Al, and he nearly laughed out loud at her stunned expression. The elf prince was tall with pointed ears and long white hair. Good-looking wasn't the word to describe him, there was an ethereal quality that only the elves possessed. 

Literion was actually like five thousand years old but still looked like a kid.  It was probably the only thing not intimidating and sort of amusing about the elf prince which is why it was Al's favourite thing.

"I have brought something for the girl with golden hair and ocean eyes." The low voice said loudly. Everyone was silent, even Amelia's twittering friend with the curly hair, for once.

The Harcos wolf padded over towards the queen and stared at her. Amelia reached out her hand, her face looked almost sad, like she had never seen anything so beautiful.

"Mitra," she whispered and reached her hand up to the wolf's head that stood about a foot above her own. "My old friend."

"She's yours to protect just as she will protect you. Care for her and she will care for you." The elf princesaid. Amelia got that fiery look in her eye Al had seen only too often, but it never got old.

"I will cherish her." Then she smiled up at Mitra. "Hey girl? We've already been through so much together."

"It has been seen." The elf princesaid and Al groaned internally. "I sent her to you when you most needed her."

"She was much smaller in my dreams." Amelia couldn't stop stroking the golden fur and looking into the blue eyes. "Don't worry, I don't mind if you put on some weight." She said quietly to her wolf.

"You can ride her." Al said, Amelia's face looked over joyed and he was kinda pleased he made her look that way.

Mitra kneeled and the queen clambered on. When the wolf stood up, the sight was something to behold. Amelia didn't look like a girl who just came back from swimming with her friends.

She looked like a goddamn queen.

Oliver was looking at her like she was the greatest thing ever and her other friends were in absolute awe.

Al leaned in to Literion, "I told you she is the Daughter of Wolves."

"Oh no she isn't. It has been seen."

Plot twist!! Hahah, y'all were so confident last book you knew what was going to happen!! Comment with your predictions to the side