The Elderien Chronicles

The help

"Hello Miranda"

Alastair said as he walked closer, watching her as she tightened her grip on the sword. She had not expected to see him inside her room, but there they were. So when she unsheathed her sword and pointed it at him, he took a step back, receding from the anger that was written all over her face.

"Bastard!" She cursed at him.

"I know how you feel at this moment..." He hadn't finished the statement when she swung her sword in an attempt to wound him. He quickly jerked back, dodging the strike before it could do any damage.

"Miranda, just listen to me!" He yelled but she did not stop. She came right at him again, distracting him with her sword before she kicked him in the stomach. He groaned but he did not hit her. He was not even fighting.

"Miranda..."

Another charge escaped her lips and she pointed the sword at him, in an attempt to cut him down. He caught the sword and held on to it even as it made him bleed.

"Why are you not fighting? I want you to fight. Fight!" She screamed at him but he shook his head. Their breaths were heavy, their chests heaved up and down from the tension.

"I did not come here to fight," Alastair said to her but she shook her head.

"No, you came here to do far worse and I will not let you." She said to him and kicked him in the nuts. He groaned as his legs gave way and he fell to the ground.

"Ah!"

He kept groaning and she stood there in triumph. Then she pointed her sword towards him, its sharp edge shining in the reflection from the candlelight.

"Sixteen years Alastair, sixteen years and you did not bother to come in here for a single day. You left me all alone and all broken. Do you know how hard it has been for me? Do you have any idea how many nights I cried?" She began, her voice slowly breaking down. Alastair slowly stood up and sighed. He was better now, but Miranda kept her sword pointed toward him.

"I understand how you feel. But I just could not look you in the eye after what happened."

"Why? You thought I would judge you?" She said and scoffed. "Alastair, we were together when you found those books. I knew the dangers that might happen afterward but as wise as I seemed to be, I actually allowed myself to believe there was a way to get you out of it all. I was searching for ways to change your mind. So when I heard what happened at the keep, I thought you would come to me, like you always did when things were bad. But you did not. You just disappeared into thin air. You were asked not to return to the keep, not here!"

She screamed. Her voice had broken already. Alastair quickly walked towards her but her sword was still pointed, however, he did not stop. He walked even closer and as the sword began to pierce him, Miranda pulled it away. He took her hands and looked into her eyes.

"I am sorry Miranda. I know an apology will not solve or erase what happened but I am actually here because I need your help. You have always been a believer in doing the right thing. That is why I have come."

"You need help with the Mage problem? Heard you caused a rokus there."

Alastair wanted to be surprised but he knew how informed she was, and to think that she would care about what happened to him told him that she had not forgotten about him.

"Yes. That is precisely why I am here. We need a ship to get us out of Elderien..."

"We?" Miranda asked when she could not see anyone else.

"Come out. It's okay now."

Alastair said and slowly, Cara Walked out of her hiding place. Miranda looked at her when curiosity as she approached. Then, she settled in and gazed at the two adults.

"Miranda, this is Cara. Cara, Princess Miranda. An old friend of mine."

"Old friend? Seriously?" Miranda scoffed. "So, this is the Mage you risked your life to take to the keep. What makes the child so special?"

"I'm not a child..."Cara suddenly spoke. Alastair shot her a glare but she was not hearing it.

"She's feisty. You will get your hands full with this one Alastair. I don't see how I can help you. I don't smuggle people out of the kingdom, especially fugitives having mages on their tails. You know what will happen if the guards find you here?"

"We need a ship to Rheina. The royal palace is capable of providing that for us. I know that you are supposed to make deliveries of Edibles to Rheina today, but I will need a pass to board the ship and I cannot smuggle my way in with a sixteen-year-old. She will not be comfortable."

"So that is the reason why you came to see me? Not because you missed me? I am not surprised though. What did I expect from you? You only care about yourself. You are selfish and I am sure that whatever you have going on here is also about you."

"For the first time, this is not about me. Cara has powers no one could ever comprehend and I am supposed to train her. She has the Destiny to become the most powerful mage the world has ever seen. It is my duty to help her achieve that."

"What about the part where she will destroy the world?"

"If I do not train her, that will happen. You understand how grave my situation is?"

Miranda looked at him and then at him and then at Cara. The child looked innocent. For some reason, the child reminded her of herself, when she was much younger and much more naive. She smiled softly but then she nodded. She just knew she had to help them. It was one of those gut feelings of hers.

"Fine. I will take you to the ship. But we have to hurry, they will probably depart soon." She said and they nodded. She quickly took cloaks from the closet and handed them over to Cara and herself. Alastair did not get any. He just nodded and followed. Clearly, she was still angry at him.