[2-1]

Chapter 2

"Jasphar! Come out! Please! I give up!" Elita yelled frantically, running into the center of a large clearing in the middle of a thick forest. "Jasphar!" she called, close to tears. They had been playing a game of hide-and-seek, part of her training. It helped build up your senses. But now the game didn't matter. Something serious was happening. "JASPHAR!" Elita cried, her voice cracking from being forced so loud, and she bounced nervously on the balls of her feet.

Suddenly, out of the corner of her eye, Elita saw a masculine figure run out of the surrounding woods and continue quickly toward Elita. Before Elita could turn around, two strong arms wrapped comfortingly around her waist and a male fairy's voice spoke in her ear.

"I'm here, Elita. What is it?" The figure holding her let her go and faced her, looking into her eyes. This man was Jasphar, a fairy who was a head taller than a Elita and bore the normal fairy characteristics; golden-brown hair and green eyes freckled with brown. He had been Elita's friend since childhood and was known always to be smiling no matter what, and right at the moment his bright smile was slightly annoying Elita.

"Prince Sandarka just entered the castle!" Elita said, trying to cut to the chase since a visit from Prince Sandarka, a recently added ally to Trelista, meant VERY serious business.

" I would ask you why you were out of the forest but... I'll spare you. Come on. Let's make haste," Jasphar said, grapping Elita's wrists and running toward Aline, the main village of Trelista

They reached the village in under five minutes and stood outside of the gate, Elita bouncing nervously besides the calm Jasphar.

"It's Elita and Jasphar! May we enter?" Elita yelled up at the guards on the wall, who checked to make sure she spoke they truth before raising the gate.

Impatient with the speed of the heavy gate, Jasphar and Elita squeezed under the gate as soon as they could and continued running, not shocking anyone.

As quick as they could manage, the reached the castle and ran to the meeting hall where they found the Queen and the Prince talking.

"Stay here," Elita whispered to Jasphar who nodded and hid behind the wall as Elita entered the room, red cloak pulled carefully around her.

"Elita," the Prince said, turning around by some instinct and smiling widely, causing his hazel eyes to sparkle. "I was worried when you weren't here. There's something you really must hear." Elita nodded as he turned around, glancing at his dark brown hair and green cloak both which signified his belonging to the Elven race. "As I was saying Queen Stalkien is rumored to have sent a sorcerer after Elita. They HAVE found out of her existence. We're not sure of the purpose of the wizard but... we would not like to find out. I, and my council, advise you to hide Elita. Give her a blue or green cloak and hide her hair, she can pass as a fairy or Elf." Prince Sandarka said, looking worriedly at Elita.

Elita bit her lip in worry. Why did people have to come after her? She knew nothing about herself and maybe they did but... she'd rather stay here with her family and friends. She didn't want to have to flee with Prince Sandarka. He seemed to think too much of his knowledge and at the same he really knew a lot more than other people. But that was no excuse. He was stuck up... maybe it was an Elf thing... she never actually spoke to an Elf other than Sandarka so she couldn't really say that fairly.

"You're right," Queen Trista replied, nodding, and looked over at Elita whose blue, almost white hair, deep blue eyes and red clock stood out like a giant in a group of Dwarves. "But where can we send her? They know she lives in Trelista"

"Aye," Prince Sandarka replied. " And the second place they'll look is Alctay. She can't stay there either..."

"We have to do something though," Queen Trista said, staring at Elita again.

'She's making me nervous whenever she stares at me. Isn't there anywhere I can go? I mean... I really don't think I just appeared,' Elita thought randomly and Prince Sandarka glanced at her as if struck by and idea.

"Maybe we can search for her own kind. She can be disguised as a servant Elf and I will go with her disguised as the same. If we run into trouble, I can protect her," Prince Sandarka said happily and Elita cringed in her head.

'Take care of me?' she thought as Queen Trista spoke.

"That seems alright and.. if you fail to protect her, she has her magic," Queen Trista said, agreeing. " What do you think, Elita?"

Elita looked around the room, really not wanting to go with Prince Sandarka but, when she met his gaze, she knew she had no choice and nodded.

Continue...