Closer to Me Part 4

Skye couldn't believe her ears when Fluer came in at the crack of dawn with the news.

"Princess, I beg your pardon for the intrusion.  I know that the sun is just dawning and this isn't according to your usual routine but," she paused to catch her breath from the excitement, "…but the prince is here."

"What?"  Skye asked thinking she heard wrong.

She had half the mind to drift back to sleep with Fleur's small talk in apologizing for waking her up so early.  But once the words 'prince is here' she sat up wide awake.

"Yes, milady," Fluer went on.  Her eyes were wide as she tried to dry her damp hands on the apron she wore.  "No one knew of his arrival until one of the cooks in the kitchen saw him as they went to gather the morning delivery.  There he was standing outside near the carts of produce looking a bit lost.  There is no mistaking those dark locks of his; stands out like a beacon amongst our race.  You would think he knows of the front gate entrance but I don't think he wants to be seen."

Skye dismissed all propriety and threw back the covers.  Sparing a moment she retrieved the handkerchief from under her pillow and tucked it within her under garments.  In her haste to turn around to the wardrobe she stumbled.

"Fluer, help me dress.  Hurry, anything will do," she spoke waving her maidservant's hand away, "where is Anei now?"

Fluer's voice echoed out of the walk-in-wardrobe containing the princess's gowns.

"He is in the library.  I had just finished breaking my fast, begging your pardon milady, and I saw him.  Standing there bold as brass amongst the hustle and bustle of the morning's chores."

When she came out with a simple spring-green dress in her hands Skye had already pulled off her nightgown.  Tossing it in an undignified manner onto the rug she raised her arms above her head for Fluer to slide the dress on.  Skye resisted the urge to help do up the laces knowing that her clumsy fingers would only hinder her maid's work.  Instead she distracted herself by tugging the fabric here and there so that it fell easy on her arms and waist.  As she worked Fluer continued her tale.

"The cook seemed relieved to see me for he passed the prince over to me on the spot and said to show him to the king who probably was in his study.  But then the prince said, 'No, I don't wish to disturb his majesty while he is in a meeting with his advisors and captains.  Please, take me to Princess Skye.'  That's when I dropped him off at the library and told him to wait while I rushed up here to get you."

"Thank you, Fluer," Skye said now running her fingers through her hair.  "I appreciate your diligence."

"Oh Miss, let me."

Wetting a comb she pulled it through Skye's hair till it laid flat.  Fluer was about to go searching for a wimple to cover her mistress's head when Skye stopped her.

"No please, there is not time, Fluer.  Just my shoes."

In the next moment Skye was out the door almost running down the corridor.    Behind her she could hear her maid calling out something about breakfast but she didn't comply.  She knew that she mustn't race down the halls in this manner like a young child but she couldn't help it.

The prince was here, she couldn't believe especially after his letter that came the previous day.  Did something terrible happen that called this sudden visit?  Why did he appear outside the kitchens of all places?  Could her father have any ideas about this?

Thoughts and questions came and went through Skye's mind as fast as her pace.  It wasn't until the library's doors were in sight that she slowed down to a walk.  They loomed up at her as she approached the last few steps.  She raised a hand to grasp the doors' decorative handles but paused.  Her head was still spinning and her chest was heaving from the mad dash.  Once composed, she straightened up and took hold of the brass knob.

Daylight poured into her face and blinded her vision since the windows in the library faced east.  Skye turned her head aside while she stepped inside and closed the doors behind her.  The air felt calm and still despite her heart beating as if she was still running down the corridors.  Once she had stepped to the side the sunlight became blocked and allowed her take in the room.

Shelves upon shelves of books and scrolls towered each and every wall space in the room.  Up along them ladders on wheels stretched high to the ceiling.  Chairs, desks and cushions decorated the room while one may comfortably study the vast knowledge this library held.  Many shelves now laid vacant of their scrolls and documents as her father most likely was using them in the meetings he held.

Skye scanned the room with her green eyes and ignored the tempting atlases and books on their shelves.  Then her gaze had found what she was looking for by one of the windowsills.  Casually with a book in his hands, Prince Anei was leaning against the wall and focusing on its pages.

Slowly, Skye began walking up towards him.  His face was obscured as always by his black hair that fell like a curtain.  At a glance she could see that the book he held was one of the various literatures of drama the bards of old use to sing.  She felt a pang of longing for those days when such songs use to be sung in the halls of the castle.  Now they had been replaced by echoes of such memories.

It wasn't until Skye was a few steps away that Anei looked up.  The book snapped itself shut and was swiftly hidden behind his back as he straightened.  It wasn't until he recognized the intruder to his intense reading was Skye that he let out a sigh.

"Oh, Skye… eh Princess, you startled me," He stumbled out the apology, "Forgive me but I didn't hear you come in."

"Is everything alright?" She asked peering at him for any sign of stress.

"What?" His thick eyebrows cocked themselves slightly.  "Yes I believe so… I mean are you well?"

"My handmaid had just come to me saying that you have just arrived only moments ago near the kitchens."

"Oh of course," Anei bit his bottom lip and shrugged, "I didn't want to make a grand entrance to everyone considering the difficulty..."

For a moment Skye was taken aback by his calm composure on the topic.  She expected him to look disheveled as if he had just spent the whole night traveling with great speed and no rest to get here.  Yet there he stood with his hands still behind his back and shoulders relaxed while speaking a steady tone.

"You might as well have made a grand entrance," Skye interrupted her voice both stern but amused, "I should have known.  When my hand-maid exaggerates she becomes chatty from the excitement in a gossip-like manner.  No doubt she is sharing your arrival with the other servants."

Anei's lips parted to reply but then seemed to have forgotten his words.  A look of 'I-didn't-think-of-that' came across his dumbfound face.  Skye couldn't help but widen her smile and laugh.  The gesture relaxed the prince and he too grinned with her.

With merriment aside, Skye then asked the first most pressing question on her mind.

"I had just received your letter the other day giving the impression that you wouldn't be able to come any time soon.  How…?"

"I didn't expect to come any time soon either," Anei said while setting the book down on the windowsill.  "Last night I was just on my way on an errand with one of my father's captains.  Just before we were to meet I received a notice of him canceling the engagement.  It appears he had taken some serious injuries and needed some time to recover.  A window of opportunity was opened and I took it."

The familiar feeling of anxiety that had been haunting Skye was now fading away with every minute she spent in Anei's presence.

"Well, I am relieved," she said while taking her ease and perching herself on the windowsill next to him.  "I was certain something terrible had happened.  You didn't want to go see my father."

"He doesn't need my attention as much as his advisors do at the moment."

"Still, I am glad you came."

Again she smiled at him.  Anei smiled in return and Skye could feel her heart beating faster even though she was sitting still.  She cast her eyes about for something to change the subject from the uncomfortable feeling.  Picking up the book next to her she held it carefully in her fingers.

"I see that you are taking an interest in our ballads."

"Oh," blinking a few times, he returned his posture up against the wall, "Yes, your songs are very different from those back in my kingdom.  You sing about the earth and the seasons changing."

"But… if you don't sing about nature and how wondrous it is, then what else is there to sing about?"  Skye frowned at him.

"We sing about ourselves."

Her expression became even more confused.  To her Anei didn't seem to be the conceited type but it made sense that the humans would sing such songs.  That was one of the things that separated the two races.

In seeing her questioning look, the prince tried to explain.

"We sing about our battles, our kings or heroes of old and the history that has built our kingdom.  We also sing about love, particularly forbidden love because that is the most moving.  But as of late that hasn't been sung in quite some time."

"I do agree," Skye spoke softly, "we are also facing hard times and therefore lack the spirit to sing such delightful songs."

"I find it intriguing though; the language you use when speaking of the elements… as if you are speaking directly to them."

"We do believe that the elements have spirits.  Those particular songs come from a time when we could stimulate those spirits and bring them to life.  However, centuries ago those spirits have become dormant and the bards have lost the gift of such singing."

Skye then discovered that Anei was beginning to lean in towards her.  In his eyes she could see the excitement and interest in her stories like a young child.  She found this intriguing because never before had she heard of a human wanting to know more about their folklore.

"If you like you may borrow our books…" Skye began but caught herself, "but, that might not be wise."

Anei sighed and leaned back.

"Yes… as much as I would like to, it can't be risked.  But I might have to take you up on that offer.  Your stories are so refreshing after hearing so many songs about battles.  As epic they may be it is nice to hear something different after a change."

"I wouldn't mind hearing your stories either," Skye glanced back down at the book still resting in her hands, "It would be interesting to learn about your history and culture."

"Perhaps…" biting his lower lip again, he pondered the thought out loud, "when I return home I can pick out one or two that I may bring with me."

"I would like that very much."

Skye couldn't help but smile.  Talking with the human prince was pleasant and gave her hope.  It would cast away the worries of the war and the hardships her people were trying to pulls themselves out of.  She knew it was harsh to judge the entire human race based on her encounter with their king and the war but it had left such an impression on her.  But now, she began to believe that perhaps there could be peace between the two kingdoms.

"I didn't know your hair was so short," Anei spoke watching her face as she smiled.

The comment brought Skye out of her reverie.  Startled she raised a hand to her head and realized that she wasn't wearing a wimple.  She had completely forgotten due to the urgency of the situation, or so she thought, to have her hair done properly.  To be presenting herself to another young man in this manner was impolite and embarrassing on her part.

Normally in her culture the women would grow out their hair as a sign of their prolonged youth.  It wasn't until they aged 80 that strands of gray would begin to appear when for a human it would show decades beforehand.  Also, if a woman chooses to cut her hair shorter than her waistline it meant she wished for her own life to be shortened as well because of the heartache and grief that plagues her.

Skye became self conscious at how her hair stuck out because she had cut it so short like a man.  The smile that once graced her face vanished with lips pressed together.  Fingering one of the strands by her jaw line she looked away.

"Well, usually we don't cut our hair but I did to sneak into the ranks as an archer."  She muttered.

"You… tried to fight alongside your men?" Even though she couldn't see his face she could tell that he too wasn't smiling anymore.  "But you could have been..."

"Killed?" Skye finished for him.  Her hand dropped down to clasp the other in her lap.  "It's better to die on the battlefield than as a prisoner of war.  I don't want to sit around waiting for the decision to be made for me."

"But, surely there are other options that aren't as rash as that."

When she didn't reply he continued.

"Can't you take part in the counsels of war with your father?  Or maybe you can participate with the relief force for your wounded.  Have you tried any of those?"

Skye raised her head to look at him as if to make sure he was serious in what he was saying.

"I didn't think…" She began, "I only want to be on site to help my people but my father won't allow that.  Since our arguments I've been so frustrated that I didn't think…"

"Listen," the prince stepped around her and sat down to share the windowsill, "I understand the frustration, believe me I do, but I see your father as someone who can be reasonable.  He is hesitant to let you be in the line of danger because he cares for you.  But you can still be just as helpful to your people through the means I have just suggested.  I'm certain your father is willing to compromise."

"I haven't spoken to him since then," Skye spoke softly, "we've been so angry with one another… and stubborn.  I want to help but couldn't see another way."

"Give it some thought."

Anei stood up as if to go which caught Skye's attention. Immediately she too rose to her feet.

"You're leaving already?"

Taking a deep breath he sighed and rubbed at his eyes.  "I'm afraid I must.  I can pretend that I didn't get the captain's notice until later.  But once my father understands the change of events he will expect my immediate return."

Taking her hand in his, Anei bowed.

"Princess, I bid you farewell until we meet again."

He was about to turn to leave when Skye gripped his fingers to prevent them from pulling away.  He couldn't go.  She just knew that he couldn't leave without something to assure her of his return.  The words in his letter were ominous as she knew it was becoming more dangerous for their visits to continue.

"Will you come back again?"  She asked.

Prince Anei kissed her hand with reverence and answered, "Yes, Princess.  When I can I will return and bring with me some of the stories for your delight."

Her fingers gripped his tighter when he was about to pull away once more.  Curious, he looked back at Skye and saw her eyes full of worry.

"Promise?"  Her voice whispered.

"You have my word, Princess Skye."

Even long after he had left, his words still echoed in her head.