Criminal

She looked, just as I had left her... Except slightly less charred. Her Light brown hair pulled into a tight bun, with wispy bangs floating on either sides of her face, framing her green eyes. She stood with the same, perfect posture, clasping her small hands at her waist. She smiled warmly at me, as my jaw dropped to the floor. I thought I'd never see her again. Especially after we were captured.

"Ah, hello Elessar. It's good to see you alive. Or at all really." She chuckled. "I'm hurt that you didn't visit me once you escaped." She delicately put her hand on her heart, and feigned pain.

"It was the first place they would look..." I muttered and looked down at my hands. "And I didn't think you'd ever want to see me again... Since I was a fugitive."

"Oh, son. I could never feel that way. You saved your siblings and myself. You're a hero, not a criminal." She pulled me into a hug, putting her head on my shoulder and sighing. "How I've missed you so."

"Ow, Elessar you're hurting my hand." Idril whispered. I hadn't even realized I was gasping her hand. I released it ever so slightly.

"And who is this?" My mother asked, pulling out of the hug. A whimper almost escaped my lips, I wasn't ready for her to let go. My mother had been my best friend growing up, since my father was always busy with the king. I had missed her the most, during my time in prison.

"It's.. Um, Idril." I said awkwardly and ran my hand through my hair. "She's the runaway princess who I kinda, really love... A lot." I could hear Idril trying to choke back her laughter about the strange way I was acting. I couldn't help it. I've always wanted to impress my mother, and I've never felt good enough because she's always been perfect. She laughed like a royal, smiled like a royal, behaved in public like a royal. She had no imperfections. And, though I knew she loved me no matter what, I couldn't help but feel like I always need to prove myself to her.

"Once this is all over, I'm planning the wedding." She smiled brightly. "I never dreamed of the day my brave Elessar would settle down. He's always made the ladies swoon, even as a child. Even Corinth had a huge crush on him when they were children." She whispered loudly, then laughed again. "I'm so happy he has finally found someone to put up with him, who also captures his attention."

"Mom." I groaned like a child. Idril simply giggled.

"He only likes me because I was able to ignore is charm." She said it as if I had none.

"Hey." I mumbled. "I like you for plenty of reasons..." I felt heat pool in my cheeks and decided to change the subject. "How about Corinth? Aren't we supposed to be saving her or something."

"Ah yes." My mother clapped her hands together. "Idril, you've grown used to feeding my son." Both of us looked down and blushed, but she continued on. "You have plenty of magik to give to Corinth. So come along." She began walking to the room we had come from.

"But, she can only sing to me." I stated, confusion coloring my voice.

"No, she can use her gift on anyone. What's the point of having such a gift if it can only be used on one person?" My mother asked, she frowned as she saw my face fall.

"I thought her song was created especially for me... And even if it wasn't I wouldn't want her using it on other people if it will make them feel that way."

"Her song is created just for you. And you are the only one that will feel a need for the nectar of her skin," She smirked at my look of distaste at the phrase. "But she can use it on other people. They won't hear, or feel anything, other than their magik being replenished. It seems you didn't pay close enough attention to your lessons." With that, she grabbed Idril's wrist and pulled her to Corinth.

I frowned and decided to stay outside the room, slumped against the wall. Even though it wouldn't affect them in the same way it did to me, the idea of Idril using her gift on someone depressed me. It was supposed to be special. I understand it wouldn't be particularly useful, but at least it would mean more. What if it does actually cause those feelings to other people? I mean, any magik is going to want more contact with something that makes it strong. That's common sense. And how could my mother know if it would or wouldn't do something? She doesn't have that gift!

I heaved a sigh and played with my fingers. Corinth is going to attack Idril in a fit of lust... That's not necessarily a bad thing, but Idril is mine... And I don't want to share, not matter how... Enticing the other option seems.

"She's done." My mother called. "And all clothes remained on." I still didn't want to see them. It shouldn't bother me this much... Christ, I just spent 3 months locked in a dungeon with Idril, and I'm still not even remotely tired of her.

This is why I didn't want to be involved with anyone. There's so much emotional baggage that comes with it. Jealousy being the worst. It's such a nagging and pesky emotion. And it messes up my suave criminal facade. It's extremely difficult to maintain a cool-guy demeanor when I sound like a teenage girl in my head.

It's kind of adorable. Idril's voice floated through my head and a blush rose to my cheeks. A blush? No. It has to sound tougher, I didn't blush, I just felt my cheeks needed more blood to be ready for battle? Wait, isn't there a battle that's supposed to happen soon? Or... Aren't we supposed to alert the public that we're alive, and not even the king can kill us?

"That's a good question." I heard Idril begin to ponder. "Are we going to tell people that we survived?"

"We are waiting a week." My mother responded. "You're death has sparked a reaction, people are rising up everywhere. Even the royal city. They've been motivated by you two becoming martyrs. But they will lose steam, and when that happens you two shall return from the dead."

"What do we do until then?" Idril questioned.

"You train." The tone of her voice gave away her plan to tease me in the next sentence. "Elessar needs it especially. Not that you two haven't gotten enough physical activity in the past months. But we need to prevent a repeat of the first fight. You need to strengthen the defenses of your mind."

"For a minute I thought you were going to make me run, mother." I called back. "Mind training seems much less, physically draining."

"Don't count on that. But since you seem convinced it will be easy, I'll throw in some extra jumping jacks." My mother said and walked out the door. "But for now, you must rest, I know you have a surplus of magik as of late, but it's out of shape from lack of use, and you may be hit by an aftershock due to how much you two have unknowing used. I don't wish to risk it today, and we have plent of time." She said with the gentleness only a mother can muster. "The house is the same as you left it, I assume you can find your way back to your room." With that she was gone. Idril came out shortly after and offered a hand to pull me up. I gladly took it.

"It didn't feel the same." She murmured. "It was almost unpleasant. There was no fun in it, it was like a parasite was sucking all of my magik away." She frowned and pulled me into an embrace. "I know it bothers you and I'm sorry. I don't like it either."

"It had to be done to save Corinth." I mumbled into her hair and wrapped my arms around her waist. "But I want to know how you were able to give me magik while we were not in our own bodies. And why I wasn't taught properly about your gift."

"Corinth wasn't either." Idril spoke into my shoulder. "Remember when we were in the basement of her house and I was supposed to leave you two? Well I didn't, and she said that my song was tailored specifically for you and you knew it wouldn't work on anyone else. And she knows everything... What's going on?"

"I think we should investigate more into saast paar." I answered. "It's become apparent that we aren't normal. We wouldn't still be alive if we were... No one would waste so many resources on us. Especially not my mother, she's always been the perfect royal. She would never break the law."

"You're her son." Idril pointed out.

"She's the one who called on the guards to arrest me." Her jaw fell to the floor.

"What?!" She pulled back from the embrace slightly to search my face, suspecting that I was lying.

"She didn't want to be dropped from her status as royalty, which could have happened quite quickly with my father dead. And if the king found out her son had used magik and wasn't reported, the whole family would be sent to jail. So, I understand her reasoning. I didn't object, it didn't even cross my mind. I knew it was me or the family." I shrugged.

"Maybe she already knew about the prophecy and knew being close to the king and having all the riches and supplies being royalty is endowed with could help you in the future.. I mean.. um now... It was the future back then..."

"I wouldn't give her too much credit. I mean, I love her to death and have always wanted to impress her, but I don't want to get my hopes up. I've already moved on and do not wish to reopen the scars from the past." Idril nodded and we headed to my old bedroom. For now we needed rest, tomorrow we would start my mother's training sessions and learning all we could about our prophecy.