Criminal

I clutched Idril's hand nervously in my own as we followed my mother down the twisting corridors to the makeshift armory. We were then strapped into light weight coal looking fabric Corinth had apparently created for us in the first battle-I still had no memory of the day or so I was not myself- with chain link chest piece and hood over top of it. Corinth was furious, she said her magik fabric was stronger and more durable than the chain link armor and it was ridiculous that my mother had us wearing both. It was nice to see her back to her normal levels of excitement.

"If Idril's dress has ruffles I think they can wear chain link." My mother said curtly.

"What does that have to do with anything?" Corinth shouted at her.

"Ruffles for battle? And ribbons? Come on that seems silly. How is she to fight in frills and fluff?" Mother scoffed.

"If I take off the bows and ribbons and ruffles will you take off the chain-mail?" Corinth responded through her teeth.

"Of course." My mother laughed and rolled her eyes. "But there's no way you can change it now! We leave in a few moments, there's not time to... oh." Corinth smirked over her shoulder as she touched Idril's dress and it melded into itself, becoming a skin tight jumpsuit. She looked like a thief, a very attractive thief. The armor accentuated her natural curves in ways I had never seen before. And I thought I knew her body so much better than it appears I did.

"Now she looks more like a male, well as male as possible for a thin elf gifted with such voluptuous curves, so the two of them won't become the main targets instantly. It will take the guards at least a couple minutes to figure out who they are. Especially since I've given the entire first platoon of your soldiers the same armor."

"Well, it was about time someone other than I had a good idea." My mother rushed to maintain her self-righteous attitude. Corinth huffed in anger but continued.

"And you wave of brainwashed slaves-oh I'm sorry-soldiers are dressed in the same fabric so it's even harder to distinguish those two. Because unlike you I care about their safety." She breathed heavy for a second. "Don't you dare start that shit about your gift and having knowledge of the future changing you. You've had that gift your whole life! Before Elessar was so much of a thought! You are not the same person I knew as a child! To change so drastically you would have choose to do so."

"I've not changed so drastically." My mother shifted her shoulders anxiously and dodged eye contact.

"You used to be kind, empathetic, and calm. I looked up to you! I wanted to be a gentle and beautiful as you when I matured... But... But now you're-you're 90% apathy 10% rage.. and-and all fake!"

"That is it young lady!" My mother yelled. "I don't have time for your petty idolization of me or how you think I've changed! We have a battle to get to. So buck up and put your armor on." With that she stormed out the armory door. Corinth huffed and but dressed herself in the same armor as Idril.

"Are you okay?" Idril asked, gently touching her shoulder. "You should be going into the fight levelheaded. So forget about that bitch. Sorry Elessar." She stuttered out the last part as she remembered who 'that bitch' was.

"She's managed to obtain some type of provoking aura. As if she knows how to get us angry and with little effort... And if we're angry we won't be able to focus as well as we need to." I tried to remain calm. "But after today there's a great chance we'll never have to see her again. And though part of me is hurt because she is my mother, I am ready to be rid of her... She is a totally different person, as you said." The two of them looked at me and took a deep, sobering breath. With a single nod we headed to the courtyard, where a horde of armored warriors had amassed.

In the very front of the group was my mother, pacing back and forth, yelling at people, and organizing the platoons. We were put in the very front. Apparently it was a great battle strategy. The king would never expect us to be right in the front, where it's easiest to die. Apparently he'd assume we where tucked away in the middle of the swam, then we would have 360 degrees of protection.

It would also be easier for us to follow my mothers orders. But that should have been the plan anyway, since my mom can see the future I should trust her judgement. She would never lie, or hide anything from us. At least that's what she wants us to believe.

"Elessar, you never told me how we were to survive." Idril whispered, trying to be as stealthy as possible.

"When the battle begins we do not follow my mother. I can lead us the right way, and if we have to start following something we follow your visions. And we must keep Corinth, Lessie, and Tathar with us." I whispered back.

"Why are we to stay with you?" Tathar asked as he and the other two walked to us and took their places on either side of us. Good, my mother was making it easy.

"My mother struck a deal with the king for our heads, and if we follow her we'll be lead to our death. I know where to go, and Idril will be able to see any obstacles in our way." I informed them.

"How do you know?" Corinth quizzed. "You've had no contact with the outside world for nearly four months. How could you know anything?"

"Corinth can see the future, and someone gave me the opportunity to change it." I placed a hand on my chest and my magik stirred happily and response.

"Well that wasn't vague of anything." Corinth scoffed. "But I trust you more than your mother so why not."

"Hush!" my mother screamed suddenly. "The march to the battle begins soon, we must focus. But first an announcement from some very important people."

That was our cue. We had practiced this speech so many times. Idril looked at me, panic in her eyes. "I love you." She whispered and passionately pecked me on the lips, then we turned to my mother as she projected giant pictures of us in every city square in Peltumbe with her magik.

"Hi," Idril smiled and waved looking her normal giddy self, but squeezing my hand with so much force it felt as if it would crumble, like stale bread. "If you don't remember me, my name is Idril... The bastard princess that the king tried to hide from the world. You know, the one that was executed with the man she loved in the main square of the royal city? Yeah... That's me." She smiled awkwardly and played with a strand of her hair. I took a deep breath and began my part.

"Well, how could we possibly stay dead when a man who doesn't care about his kingdom, nor his daughter remains in power?" I tried no to wince. Her father did care for her. I saw it, the way he looked at her, and came to visit when he believed we were sleeping. "Peltumbe is ready for new leaders, ones that don't hide things to save face." I paused and decided to change the script. "Now, I know not who the leader shall be. By line of succession it should be Idirl... But I think it should be chosen... By the people. By you. If you wish to continue down the line of royal... or mostly royal, in Idril's case, bloodline. It's your kingdom, and you deserve your say and I believe if we win this battle I believe you may get that say. So... I guess we'll see you on the other side... Or, maybe not." I smiled meekly and pressed another passionate on Idril's lips. I kissed her like it would be the last. Which I seemed to have been doing a lot of lately. Maybe it's something to live by. If I always kiss her like it's the last, I'll never regret missing the opportunity when that day does come.

"Enough!" Screeched my mother. "Now we march into battle. Remember, keep those two idiots safe."

The march took less than three hours. And, naturally, when we arrived the kings army waited for us. But we didn't get as close as we had originally intended. We were in the streets of the royal city. My mother promised we'd make it into the castle walls at least. We came to a halt staring down the army across the rather large gap between the two masses.

There was a moment of silence that stretched into eternity and weighed more than our entire world. It crushed me. My chest constricted and I could barely breath. Every uncertainty came to light. I watch as every possible death that could meet us played before my eyes. What if I lost her? What if we died separated and alone? I can't let that happen.

The silence was fractured as someone on the kings side yelled: "Charge!" Then there peace before the storm. Before the silence shattered into thousands of pieces as both armies roared and charged at each other. The monsoon of bodies took the five of us with it, without our permission. The metallic clangs of their swords deafened and it was hard to focus. There was so much movement; so much confusion. This wasn't like previous fights I've been in. It was worse, there was so much chaos I couldn't focus on anything. I stood still, helplessly dazed.

"Watch out!" Tathar screamed louder than the the roar of the crowd and dashed forward blocking a sword heading for my shoulder blade with his own. The man's blade bounced off and in his moment of vulnerability gave Tathar the opportunity to plan a firm kick to the man's chest sending him falling on his back. His head hit the ground so hard he was left unconscious.

"Thanks." I yelled at Tathar. "Guess I'm not as good in group combat as I am by myself." I grunted the last part as I barely blocked an attackers sword in time. Wait... I have magik, why am I not using it?

I pushed my magik into the muscles of my limbs and my senses. If it could help me see the future and shape shift, then it must be able to heighten my senses and reflex and strengthen my muscles. At least I hoped it would.

Suddenly, people began to move slower. Or that's what it seemed like. It became easy to dodge their attacks when the moved in slow motion. Especially since I moved at normal speed. One of the kings men began to swing his ax at my neck, I crouched to get out of it's range way ahead of time and kicked his legs out from under him. I smashed the butt of my sword into his skull hard enough to keep him knocked out for a while. I don't want to spill any blood I didn't have to. Not even the king... If it can be avoided.... That doesn't mean I'll go out of my way to avoid it.

How are you doing that? Idril asked as I took down another soldier with an easy dodge and a blow to the head. I've never seen anyone move so quickly.

I looked over my shoulder to see her staring at me while trying to fight off a man three times the size of her. Sweat rolled down her brow as she tried to use her agility to beat him, seeing as strength wouldn't work. Her eyes connected with mine for a split second, they shone with worry. She didn't think she could beat this opponent and we weren't even halfway to the castle yet.

Idril's brief lapse of focus caused her to miss the giant preparing for a quick slice toward her. The slow motion state everyone else was in seemed to slow down as I watch the man's sword move toward her throat. She managed to jump and roll out of the way fast enough to avoid beheading, the sword caught the small amount of flesh showing just above her collarbone. It wasn't a deep cut, I could tell from where I stood, but it drew blood. I roared, filled with so much rage at that man who hurt my Idril. I picked up the extremely muscled woman before me and tossed her into her fellow soldiers behind her with so much force they all fell to the ground. I bolted to the man that hurt Idril. His hand was in the air to slice her skin once again as she cradled her injured collarbone. I put my foot on his thigh, pushing off and launching myself into the air near his raised arm. I brought my sword down with all the force I had.

Thud. I land in a kneeling position, holding my blade out to my side. It doesn't feel like I hit anything.

Thud. Clang. His forearm and hand, still clutching the dagger falls to the round to the right of me. He howls in pain and clutches his elbow... Or at least half it. I panted as my magik tried to recover from how much I had exerted in the brief fight. Idril attacked the man from behind and finished the job, knocking him out.

I stretched my magik into my muscles, senses, and reflexes. I looked her in the eyes. She nodded, and we looked forward moving on to our next target.

"Guys." Tathar yelled. "I can see the castle walls."

I pulled Idril through the slew of people to meet up with our friends. They where mostly intact, aside from a few cuts and scratches.

"We need to get there, and fast." I said easily taking down another minion. "This battle seems fairly even matched, well without us. It could go on for far too long, from now on we stay together and only move forward. I don't care if it's friend or foe in our way, we knock them unconscious and head to the gates."

They nodded curtly and we started running forward. Well, Idril and I jogged forward since everyone else was moving so slow. We moved through waves and waves of the kings minions. They seemed far too easy to beat. So easy, in fact, I became bored of knocking them out. It was monotonous.

After an eternity of fighting we had managed to slip past the gates of the castle and ran inside. The crowd has dispersed and the fights on the castle grounds were smaller, one on one for the most part.

That's when my mother finally materialized. I wondered where she had been.

"Ah you made it." She smiled, there was no sign that she had fought at all. No scratches, bruises, or blood. She was perfectly clean. Even her hair was intact. "I can lead you to the throne room. This way."

Throne room. It echoed in my thoughts. The throne room was supposed to be a trap. That's what my magik had told me. My mother really was setting us up.

I noticed the palace floor was made of stone, earth. I let my magik out of my muscles and senses and focused it on the earth. I created tendrils of stone that wrapped around my mothers hands and feet, keeping her rooted in place.

"I'm going where I feel is right." I told her and started running towards where I believed Idri'ls room was. Once we where our of earshot I spoke again. "Where is your room?"

"Up this way. You made a good guess." She smiled at me and grabbed my hand. "My visions are getting clearer, and we're getting closer to my father. I can see it."

"What's the plan?" Corinth asked, pushing her untamed hair behind her ear.

"I don't want to kill him if we don't have to, so I'm going to offer him a chance to step down quietly. And we'll send him to dwarven mountains. They always need more workers. Or we'll kill him." I shrugged.

"How do we know he's alone?" Lessie asked, sounding shaken up. From what Tathar had told me about her, she wasn't the biggest fan of conflict. All this fighting must be getting to her... She hides it well. I looked at Idril for that answer.

"He's alone." She answered easily. "All the men he has are fighting, or in the trap set for us in the throne room. He didn't think we'd find him." Then we all came to a halt in front of doors three times the size of us, height wise. They had intricate metal patterns on them, and were easily the most beautiful part of the castle. Other than Idril.

"Ready?" Idril whispered. I didn't answer at first. I pulled her close and kissed her again, whispering 'I love you' when I pulled away.

"Ready." I answered after.

"Ready." The other three said in unison.

"Sorry for getting all of you into this." I smiled morosely over my shoulder at them.

"We're your friends, you didn't get us into this. We chose to protect your stupid ass. You would have never gotten this far with out us." Corinth teased with tears in her eyes. "Besides, I think I speak for all of us when I say I'm glad we're friends. I'm happy I got to be your human encyclopedia and fake executioner. I wouldn't change anything. I love you guys." Her tears started falling.

"I'm only sorry you thought I was dead." Tathar chimed in, he was also tearing up. "I was stupid to listen to your mother and not go to find you immediately."

"I only wish I knew you better, and I didn't feel like such a stranger. You are truly great people." Lessie spoke up. There was a momentary pause before someone initiated the group hug. There were tears, sniffles, and shared morose anger at the circumstances... That we didn't get more time to spend together... Pretty much like everyone and thing that has made it's way into my life as of late.

We pulled away and I barked out a single laugh. "We aren't dead yet. And we aren't going to die."

Once again we faced the door and I pushed it open, to reveal a very disheveled and possibly drunk king.

"Are you here... to.. Kill me?" He hiccuped. Yep definitely drunk.

"No." I said taking a step towards him. "Well, not yet... I'm offering you a chance to call of your men and surrender the throne peacefully. There's no need for more death. We'll let you go... But if you don't take this very generous offer, after all you've done to us, you choose death."

"Papa." Idril whimpered. "I don't want to do this. We are family, after all. We were once close, but you've changed. You tried to kill me! And though I want you to chose peace, if you don't, I'll be the one to kill you."

"I understand..." He nodded slowly, and jerkily pulled himself to a standing position. "Do you understand that I still love you? You look just like her... Your mother." He stumbled a few feet closer.

More tears formed in her eyes. "Papa just choose."

"I'll go peacefully. For you, just send me somewhere nice. So I can drink myself to death in peace." He hiccuped and passed out, falling to the floor.

"Wow... That's it?" Corinth laughed. "I thought his majesty would have more of a fight in 'im."

"I was ready to be a martyr. God damn it." Tathar laughed with relief and helped me lift the unconscious king to end this battle.

"That was so... disappointing." Idril sighed. "I thought he'd at least see my bluff. I've never called him 'papa' in my life, we were never close. I actually want to kill him, for everything he's taken away from me. It sounds worse out loud... But it's the truth."

"Well he can't take anything else away from us. Never again." I smiled at her and pressed a kiss on her lips.

"Does that mean I get an extravagant wedding?" She whispered, pulling away slightly, her lips brushed gently against mine with every word.

"Anything you wish." I whispered back and kissed her again.

"You fools!" My mother yelled appearing next to us. "You can never win!" I looked over and saw her eyes grey. She was under the dragon's control and was going to kill us. The dragon wanted our magik, it was the most powerful magik in our world... And the things a dragon could do with it would be devastating.

She raised her arm to generate enough strength to behead both of us as magik flooded my senses, slowing everything to a crawl.

I reacted on impulse. No thought just action. I wished I had thought.

I wished I could have stopped myself.

I unsheathed my small dagger from the pouch on my hip... And in an act of desperation and self-preservation I slipped the blade between her ribs.

It did it's job. It stopped her.

But at a terrible cost.

The magik left my system, but not fast enough. I watched her fall for hours. They grey faded from her eyes halfway through the fall and they dragon's illusion faded.

Her hair was a mess. Dark circles surrounded her eyes and her cheeks were hollow. I could see her ribs through her dress. It was as if she hadn't slept or eaten in weeks. I'd never seen her like this. The perfect royal, kind, beautiful, caring... Now starved, a twig...

But her smile still lit up the room, like the sun on a rainy day.

Time sped up as she hit the ground. I rushed over to her side, tears already pouring from my eyes as the realization hit. I could have disarmed her and tied her up until we found a way to free her from the dragon. But now... Now my own mother would die by my hand... Why hadn't I seen? How could I have missed this?

"Thank... you." She whispered through gasps for breaths. "You save..d me."

"No I killed you... I could have saved you... I could.. could have." I couldn't form coherent sentences from the hurricane of ravaging my brain. Even if I had been able to I would have been able to say them through the violent sobs that rocked my body.

"My boy..." She looked into my eyes, and reached up to caress my face. I put my hand on top of hers. "You did.. as you sh-should have... D-don't blame yourself... Your father... and I would have done the s-same.."

"You can't leave me I just got you back!" I howled, gently falling to her level in an awkward hug across your torso. I didn't want to watch the light in her eyes fade anymore.

"Always... be with you." Her breathes had become more choppy and shallow. I pulled back too look her in the eyes. She placed her hand limply on the back of my neck. "So... proud... I love... you." She smiled and a single tear rolled down her cheek.

"I love you too... Always!" I screamed, she managed a half smile before her light completely faded and her hand fell from my neck.

I wailed and was reduced to a sobbing puddle next to her. I shook her shoulders, then held her close. "I'm sorry... so sorry. " I kept whispering. I couldn't say anything else. Today was supposed to be the day we accomplished what we set out to do in that village. To right the wrongs of the king.

I had already lost my mom once, lost so many years with her in prison.

Why again?

Hadn't I gone through enough sadness? Enough pain and death?

You'll see her again. The wind whispered.

I want to see her now. Her smile. The light in her eyes when I made her proud. I want one more hug, one more cooking lesson. One more... day with her.

I'd give anything.