Perhaps sooner rather than later.
His mind stayed on Lana, the image of her holding the bowstring back, her eyes razor focused on the target ahead, her long blonde hair pulled over one shoulder. So fierce and determined to be able to hold her own. He’d thought he was kidnapping some spoiled princess. He had no idea that she would have such depth. At times, she was as regal and composed as a queen on her throne, looking at him as though he were there to serve at her whim. Then in a flash she would be all temper and fury. It was clear that she had an eagerness to learn. She had practiced tirelessly with the bow and just that morning she’d been filled with questions about the elven history. It was easy to see the story of her heritage had deeply touched her. Every layer of her personality was stripped back to reveal another, more complex and unexpected than the one before.
He reminded himself that this was just another job and he shouldn’t get attached. He didn’t know what the elders had in store for her. Perhaps she was meant to be a hostage or perhaps a prisoner. She was half human and the princess of a land that was not at all friendly with the elves. Once they arrived in Thelsamel, he would have to turn her over to his superiors and stand by while they did whatever they wanted to her. His duty to his people had to come first. He could be friendly with the girl if only to make the journey more bearable, but it had to stop there.
His gaze drifted to the east. If they continued in that direction they would eventually arrive in Eva. Home. It would be such a comfort to be back among the groves with his loved ones and his kin. He wondered what Lana would make of it. The human lands were nothing compared to the lushness of Eva where every fruit was ripe and sweet, flowers were always in bloom and all things lived in harmony with one another.
Then his mind turned to the road ahead. Getting to Eva was all well and good but it wouldn’t be easy. There was one more town on the way to the White Mountains and after that there would be few opportunities for comfort. Perhaps they would stay at the inn for a night or two to prepare for the final leg of their journey. The mountains were unforgiving and cold with winds that could strip the skin from your bones if you weren’t careful. He knew of a pass that would make the crossing easier but it would still be very treacherous.
He pushed the worry from his mind. There were still many miles to go before they got to the mountains, no sense in thinking about it now. He yawned then stood up, stretched and began pacing around the perimeter of the camp. Soon, the sun would rise and they would be on their way. For now, he focused on just staying awake and alert.
* * *
The following days passed quickly. No matter how much he tried to keep himself distanced from Lana, the pretense that they were lovers required they spend time together. More than once he cursed himself for coming up with that story. Sometimes Nym would suggest they take a walk while she set up camp, probably assuming that the young couple would like some privacy and they had no choice but to go along with it. He would take Lana’s hand and they would go for a walk.
At first, they spoke very little and she would drop his hand, stepping away from him as soon as Nym could no longer see them. They would walk until they found a spot to sit and pass the time silently then return to camp. She was very much a princess during these walks, always a few steps ahead of him as if he was part of her procession and there to serve her.
Then, things started to change between them. He wasn’t sure when it happened or why, but the time that they had to spend together no longer felt quite so awkward. It became easier to be around her and instead of sitting in silence, they would talk quietly. She would ask about Eva and what it was like to grow up there. He once tried to ask her about her time in the castle but she immediately went quiet and wouldn’t speak to him any further. He found himself anxious to make her talk to him again and realized this was a dangerous way to feel.
She no longer dropped his hand immediately. He wasn’t sure if she simply forgot or if it was intentional. At times she would let go of his hand but then take his arm and he couldn’t help but feel content to have her there so close to him. He was beginning to feel protective of this beautiful young woman who was so much more than merely a princess. He kept reminding himself that this was nothing more than a job and there would be other jobs when this one was done but it was getting harder and harder to push her out of his mind.
Nym and Lana were also becoming close and occasionally, instead of taking a walk with Clay, Lana would go exploring with the elf woman, leaving Clay on his own to wonder what the girls were talking about. If he asked, they would give him cryptic answers or just giggle at each other and refuse to respond.
After one of these trips, Lana came back carrying a staff. When he asked about it, she said she’d found it on the ground near a stand of trees and it looked like it would be a good walking stick. Nym stood behind her, watching Clay silently, her expression troubled. Their eyes met and she shook her head slightly and he knew she would
