The Kings Kitten

9 - The Apprentice

Madeline's POV

Demetrius had shocked me when he made the decision to help aid Calla on his mission to retrieve the women that had been stolen in the attack. It made me feel better after my father had made it known what his views on the matter were.

How could he take a step back when the High Priest needed him? Our warriors would have been helpful, did father not care about the rest of our society?

Calla had us all seated in the living room, I was positioned next to Demetrius on the couch but had my sister on my other side, a bitter expression on her face. I didn't know what she was so upset about, had father rubbed her the wrong way also?

"You know dad didn't mean anything with his silence right? He's just looking out for the pride." She whispered towards me. "You didn't need to embarrass him like that."

I moaned irritably, I was tired of hearing this same story that I was embarrassing my father, regardless of what I did. "You couldn't understand where I come from Mika, I could have been one of those women who are missing." I argued.

"I almost was one those women." She responded rather quickly, I turned to face her and noticed the tears welling up in her eyes. "Dad fought them off."

Not once had I considered my sister's experience in all of this, she hadn't known where I went off to, I had no idea of where she was before I was knocked unconscious when the attack happened. I felt ashamed slightly, I reached over and took my sisters hand in mine, grateful that she was still sitting here.

This could be why father didn't want to waste the resources, he almost lost both daughters the other day and was lucky enough to have them both back and safe, he didn't want to risk it.

"What are we sitting here waiting for?" The elven king spoke up and the chattering died down. Calla, who was seated by the fireplace, staring at the flames in a daze. "Cressida's apprentice should be here any moment."

I could tell the disappearance of his partner was taking a toll on him and I wondered, how did Cressida allow herself to be captured? She was the strongest individual in our society, she could have held her own against the fairies.

I felt ashamed to have supported the movement that urged the reinstatement of fairies into our society, I had believed that they were deserving of respect, unknowing to the malicious intent they held for others.

In that moment there was a gust of wind and the front door of Calla and Cressida's home burst open, banging loudly against the wall as it connected. A hooded figure stood in the doorway, draped in a black cape. I felt Demetrius' hand encase over my torso like a seatbelt, holding me in my seat as if prepared to dash up and protect me if called to do so.

The figure pushed back the hood of their cape and the long flowing white locks whipped about for a moment before the wind died down and they fell perfectly against their body. The young girl smiled mischievously at the crowd of supernatural beings. "I apologise for my tardiness, graduation ran a little behind schedule." She chirped. Walking in the door rattled slightly before slamming shut on it's on accord, obviously having been enchanted by the young girl who approached us.

She unclipped her cape and shrugged it off, her black tulle dress came to show and I gasped, it was beautiful.

Calla stood up and greeted the young girl with a light peck on the cheek. "Thank you for coming, Elowen." Demetrius dropped his hand from in front of me, no longer sensing any threat in the strange girl.

The girl, Elowen, gave Calla a kiss of her own. "It seems as though no one else was expecting me." She teased, this made Calla clear his throat and turn to face the expectant crowd who watched the young girl with bewilderment. "I would like to introduce you all to Elowen, Cressida's apprentice."