Lydar

The next day, her maid helped her get ready and then dressed her in a sublime red velvet dress. She went to her mother's house afterwards, worried. His dream ran through his head.

And she wanted to tell her about it, before the ceremony, for the invocation of rain today.

When she entered the room, her mother smiled at her and put down her book.

“Hello, my child! How are you? Has night been good?”

- Hello, mother. I slept well but had a rather strange dream.

Her mother frowned at hearing her story:

- A young man with red hair, you say? Have you seen the colour of his eyes?

- They were grey, just like mine.

In his answer, Rodya's heart sank. She was right to be worried because the time had come to reveal to Hyra her true identity. What saddened her a lot, because she considered her as his daughter, during all these years...

Tears clouded her sight. They had lived in peace during her twelve years, but the vision of Hyra proved that the danger was not far...

- Mother, are you okay?

Rodya smiles sadly:

- It's okay, darling.

- I have lots of questions to ask you...

- I understand, but the ceremony starts in fifteen minutes. We wouldn't have time to tell each other everything. I prefer that we postpone our conversation. It will be better. Let's go now.

Hyra did not reply, as she could see that her mother was hiding something from her. She had always felt different from the others because not only was she the only one with grey hair in the whole Kingdom of Cypria, but she also had better control of the air than the water like her mother. She was made fun of for that, as a child, until she learned to do it as well, like everyone else.

With the Great Hall already full, Hyra stood beside King Amolyn and her son Prince Armylor while her mother began preparations with her attendants. The prince approached her recklessly.

- You are still so beautiful, Hyra, my sweet. And you smell so well...

- Hello, prince! Hyra replied in a mocking tone, making him curtsy.

The prince had been in love with her from a young age. Despite all the refusals on his part, he still insisted...

He was not ugly, a square face with blue eyes framed by ebony hair. He was quite muscular too. Many young women would do anything to be in their place. But she didn't like him. He ran his hand gently through Hyra's long gray hair:

“You are beautiful. Everything about you is beautiful! I go crazy for you every day...”

She rolled her eyes, embarrassed. “He's crossing the line today, and he's touching my hair,” she said to herself, embarrassed, scanning the room for her best friend. She suddenly appeared and clapped the prince's hand:

“A little restraint, cousin!”

- Ah! You don't have the right to hit me, exclaim the prince, rubbing his reddened hand.

- I have all the rights when it comes to my best friend. So, stop bothering her!

Princess Kahelle told him in an imposing tone.

She was a beautiful woman in her twenties, with the appearance of a tomboy. Short black hair, on a childish face, with bright brown eyes. Many feared her because she was afraid of nothing, and she knew how to handle the sword better than a man. It was not necessary to provoke her.

- Okay, I'll stop, grumble the prince, walking away.

- That will learn, the bold little one! He won't be doing it again anytime soon!

- Thank you, Kahelle. What would happen to me if you weren't there? Hyra asked, smiling, grateful.

- I also ask myself the same question, my dear. The answer is simple: you can't do without me.

- You are quite right!

They laughed happily. The ceremony went well, as planned, and the rain fell under the astonished eyes of the people, who howled with contentment. It had been three months of drought, and the kingdom, not being used to it, had appealed to Rodya to remedy it.

- Your mother is amazing. Just by dancing, she works miracles!

- She's a high priestess. I’m proud of her.

- Come on, let's go for a horse ride.

- Wait for me. I’ll take a book.

- You and reading, it's a long love story, it seems?

- You know I can't do without it. I’m coming back, Hyra replied, running away gracefully.

Arrived in her room, she took her book from the dresser, but curiously she felt a presence. She looked around when she heard a noise not far from her closet. Panicked, she took from one of the drawers the small pocket knife that Kahelle had given her on her fifteenth birthday.

But without warning, a masked man stood in front of her. She tried to hurt him with her knife, but he dodged the blow nimbly, laughing. She tried several times again, but he was quick, and without delay, he took the knife from her hand.

She stepped back in fear as the man brought his face closer to her. He took off his mask, and Hyra could see that it was not a man, but an elf?!

What was he doing there?...

She recognized them since she had read many descriptions of her creatures with long, pointy ears. She believed their race was extinct.

This one was incredibly handsome; he wore a crown on shoulder-length ash gray hair. His emerald eyes were too bright on his thin, manly face. Besides, her rich outfit left no doubt about her royal identity. She wondered where he came from...

He stared at her intently, a smirk on his slightly pink lips. Hyra met his gaze bravely, for she didn't want to show him that she was scared and that her heart would almost explode...

“Hum, there is no doubt, it's you. You've changed a lot since then, and for the better from what I can see… He said in a deep and sensual voice, undressing her with his eyes. But your eyes, like diamonds, stayed the same, little Hyrie.”

As she opened her mouth to answer him, he put a finger to her lips:

- Shhh... If it's to scream, don't bother.

Hyra pushed his hand away vehemently:

“How dare you?! I'm not little! We do not know each other, and you think you can already do anything.”

The elf laughed mischievously. He took her hand and intertwined their fingers. This shocked Hyra, who had never touched such a cold hand!

- You have become much more courageous, princess. This is a good thing because you need it.

- Let me go! Hyra exclaimed, pushing him away with all her strength.

Suddenly another elf, smaller and frail, came to their side. He had black hair on an almost childish face and his sparkling yellow eyes, seemed to shoot lightning:

“Stop scaring her, Lydar. I know you missed her but act like the good gentleman that you are for once. Good morning, Princess Hyra. We have come to pick you up.”

- I didn't miss her, replied the man named Lydar, crossing his arms.

- That's it...

Hyra looked at them in turn and suddenly passed out. Before she hit the ground, Lydar caught her gently.

Even with her eyes closed, she was still outstanding. Her cute little face from twelve years ago had transformed into sublime and indescribable beauty. For a human, he knew, she was unique. She smelled of spring and bluebells, her favourite flower.

He hadn't forgotten...

He would never be able to forget it.

- What are we doing? This is not how it should have been! We were supposed to teach her who she is and...

- Calm down, Ofyr. This won't get better by panicking, Lydar replied, placing her gently on her bed.

He admired her again, tirelessly.

- You like it, it seems?

- What are you talking about?! But no! It's just... Yesterday, when we watched her in the magic mirror, I never thought she had changed so much.

- Oh, come on! Admit it. She is stunning! And the word is weak to describe it adequately.

- Well, we're not going to go on forever either. Princess Rodya must be notified of our presence.

They disappeared immediately, with a snap of the fingers.