The Sun's Shadow

Chapter Eleven

"Hey hey Kaanan! Who's the pretty girl?" Leon, the youngest of the group, jokingly nudged his older brother, Sandros.

The pair knew precisely who she was because of the Prince never switching topics to anything else. They were the main ones Kaanan worried about being potential suitors for Ele. Both were unmated and awfully flirtatious. Their father, a general in the Sepulchre battalion, boasts an impressive lineage around these parts, and that's why they're allowed to attend the same classes as royalty.

Sandros stepped forward, folding his arms across his chest and eyeing Ele from bottom to top, lingering at her unmarked neck.

"Tell me your name, lovely little thing."

Ele attempted to do just that by signing it to him and everyone paused, unsure how to proceed.

Kaanan had told them everything. About the Satyroids, her wings, how brave she was, and even exposed how much he enjoyed her presence... But he forgot to inform them that she's mute.

He wanted to slap himself on her behalf for being this idiotic.

"Ele, I'm so sorry-"

She held up a hand and shook her head, face never dropping that understanding smile. Then she just waved at them, signed towards Kaanan, then looked back at them.

"Ah, she says hello and that it's a pleasure to meet you all." Kaanan looked past the pair of brothers and to everyone else gawking at that awkward encounter.

Either Ele didn't notice it or she's accustomed to it at this point. Regardless, when Kaanan walked to join the gang of guys crowding around a bonfire, she followed suit confidently. More names were tossed her way without care that she couldn't possibly remember them all.

Only one female came to the gathering- The only one brave enough to withstand the possibility of downpour. Many of these spoiled guys ended up mating spoiled girls. Who would've thought? Lords forbid their hair get damp. Ele wasn't like that in the slightest, so he worried how she would fare amongst catty females and their gossip.

The other girl stayed far from Ele. Actually... Everyone did but the brothers.

Sandros, the boldest of the group and possibly the oldest, approached her more intimate space. Even dared to lean in to get a deep sniff of her natural perfume radiating off her. Kaanan had left her alone for mere minutes before the male swooped in to take advantage of her kindness. She wouldn't back away from him in fear of retaliation. So Ele accepted the invasion of her "safe bubble" mentally created around her person.

Kaanan grunted at Leon and begrudgingly nodded in Sandros' direction. "When you get a moment, tell your brother to lay off her and keep his distance. You know... Before I feel the need to remind him or permanently remove him from this Kingdom."

He had the power to do so. Either banish him or murder him on the open streets of Sepulchre. He had the ability to get away with murder and no one would even think twice about it.

The temptation rested on the surface; he didn't bother hiding his fury. Once he stripped down to just his shorts, removing all royal jewels and garments that were not needed for cliff diving, he approached Sandros from behind.

"Lovely conversation, I presume?" Knowing full well Sandros couldn't carry on chatter as he could with the mute girl. Kaanan signed something to her, hesitating on certain hand movements to ensure he got it right.

He asked if she was okay with all this. 'All this' meaning the males practically itching to get under her clothes and take her on the forest floor. That mental image snapped in the Prince's head and he had to keep his composure so not to frighten her. She had a vague understanding, with less detail, of what he meant.

Ele cheerfully nodded and it appeared to be genuine. Truly naïve, this one...

The boys turned away from her at the sound of the first person taking the leap into the vast gorge below. Whoever it was had a running start and shouted boastfully as he broke free from land and had a few solid seconds of air time before hitting the water.

Hand on her chest, the timid mute rushed to look over the cliff side with alarm pounding in her chest. Once the boy emerged unharmed from the dark waters, she sighed, laced with relief. Sandros patted her back for comfort- A movement he swiftly recoiled once his Prince shot daggers at where they made contact.

Clearly unsettled by the gesture, Ele scooted forward and away from any further advances.

She got Kaanan's attention by asking, 'Will you be doing that?'

"Oh yes but," He took her small hand in his and forced her pointer finger out, casting it to the highest peak. "That's where I'll be jumping from."

She gulped. Terror rose from her- Not for her, but for him.

"It's fine. We used to do this at age 12. There's really no harm. People take it at their own pace. If you want to-"

'No!' The rejection came faster than her next heartbeat.

"Alright, okay." He held up his hands to show he didn't mean to force her. "I was going to say that you shouldn't on account of you still needing to heal and take things easy. Doctor's orders, after all." He rolled his eyes and joined her in laughing. It did her well to take her condition with a hint of humor.

Laughter. Joy. These things had power to heal.

Sandros knew when the fight ended- As soon as the young female looked at the Prince with adoration. He solemnly waived his white flag, surrendered before humiliation, and sauntered over to join the boys without giving away his bitter defeat.

"I really am sorry about him." Kaanan brushed his dark curls back and rethought bringing her here. "The others are much better. I swear. He probably just smells..."

An unmated female.

Ele pulled her arms right around her torso and grimaced. Something would always remind her that women were meant to serve men. Get mated young and bear children.

Heated eyes bore deep into her forehead and forced her to meet the challenge. The Prince struggled with a prominent need to protect her and a primal need to keep her locked away from others. They both settled in time- Playful shouts in the distance made them break apart.

When she looked past him, to his friends, she caught a flicker of something in the sky. 

No... But how...

"Faenixes." Kaanan snarled. Not only did she notice them, but he saw it too. Off in the distance, three faenixes circled the skies, hues of orange and brown feathers alerted her that they were of lower status than herself. All the Prince saw was a looming threat. "I don't believe they're supposed to be this close to the falls... My father will want to hear-"

Ele lunged to grab ahold of his wrists before he could grab his bags and leave to play informant for the King. She signed fervently, explaining why there could be faenixes this far across the border.

'Hunting. They're only hunting. See,' She pointed at the figures in the sky, now even closer to land. 'How their wings are pressed against their back. They're swooping down for prey and... Just wait...'

Two dove swiftly as one hung back, almost on Ele's cue, and moments later reappeared with something dangling in their talons. Upon closer inspection, Kaanan could make out the shape of a sagged deer hanging lifeless in their ferocious grip. He paused; when he looked at Ele and only pictured her with her wings, he forgot all about telling his father.

"That settles that then." He stated flatly. With a sharp intake of breath, he shouted; "Who's up for some cliff diving?!" All the boys present exclaimed their eagerness with shouts and boyish grunts.

Ele, however, would not be participating in this near-suicidal behavior.