The Unexpected Post

The next day was blistering hot, one of those rare days when the air seemed to stand still.

“Okay.” Luan said. “It’s better if we depart now.”

“One moment.” Said a voice at her elbow.

Evangeline nearly jumped out of her skin. At her side stood Prince Hayden, with Prince Cassian just behind him, still in his silk robe. She could see his chest bare open and Evangeline flushed slightly. Prince Hayden in a white long-sleeved shirt, looked as handsome and formidable as always.

"Your Highness.” Said Luan, bowing low.

“Didn’t I tell you Prince Hayden will send you out today?” Asked Prince Cassian. His ancient gaze glided from Melian, to Luan and stopped at Evangeline. There was no malice or arrogance in his gaze.

“Yes, you did.” Evangeline said. “Our apologies for not waiting for Prince Hayden, Your Highness.”

Sweetly, Prince Cassian went on. “Your charms never failed to flatten me, Princess Evangeline.”

“Before you depart,” said Prince Hayden. In his hand, he carried a long sword, which Evangeline believed was a glaive.

Its blade draped in a white cloth held by a black strap. “You will need this.” He threw the glaive at Luan and he caught it flamboyantly.

“Thank you.” Luan eyed the glaive in his hand. It was heavy but it felt familiar. The way it fit perfectly in his hand felt like he had hold it for years.

Evangeline cast Luan a questioning look, but he only shrugged his shoulder.

“When you cross that road.” Said Prince Cassian. He pointed out toward the southern road. “Please disguise yourself. You don’t want to let people know there is a Child of The Selene with you. Though, that’s not what I’m worried about.” Prince Cassian and Luan exchanged a significant look, indecipherable to Evangeline.

“Melian Chauveron.” Said Prince Hayden and Evangeline could see Melian tensed at the sound of her name.

“Those whose name has pearl in it are honour to be in the Land of Levaerun.” Prince Hayden continued. “It was an honour to have a dance with you, Lady of Pearl.”

Evangeline boggled. Was Prince Hayden hitting on Melian? She looked sideways at Melian, but Melian looked momentarily nonplussed.

Before Melian could say anything, Luan leaned closer to Evangeline, his attention diverted. “I told you they are going to happen sooner or later.” He said, gesturing toward Prince Hayden. “He was most enraptured with her.”

“Perhaps so.” Said Evangeline with an amused smile.

“The pearl is the queen of gems, and the gems of queen.” Said Hayden. His lips twitched at the corner. “And you’re the queen of my heart.”

Luan snorted. Melian looked flabbergasted. “Are you quoting me?” Said Melian.

Luan looked bewildered. “Wait- Faeries can do quote?” His voice echoed.

Prince Cassian made an impatient noise. “We can do everything you could not imagine.”

“When the providence has brought us together.” Prince Hayden said. “Formally, I might court you.”

Melian looked stunned. Evangeline had quieted and was watching her and Prince Hayden with unabashed curiosity. Luan was smiling a little.

Prince Cassian’s voice was a bass rumble. “Hayden, they should leave now.” Said Prince Cassian. “It shall be given thou who seek and thou shall find; knock and it shall be opened unto thou.”

Prince Cassian looked directly at Luan. His eyes gleamed as he took in Luan’s blankness. “You may depart now, and do remember to disguise yourself.” He said and turned. He stumbled back into his chamber. The curtain closed behind him.

“Remember, you’re heading toward the southern road. Follow the map.” Prince Hayden said. “There would be closer to The Queen’s place.”

Before Melian could speak, the wrought-iron gate shuddered and unlocked by Hayden’s volition. It swung outward. They all looked at the opened gate. Something flew from Prince Hayden’s hand and landed on the step below Melian’s feet. Prince Hayden turned and disappeared behind a single white flame.

***

“Okay,” Luan said. “Let’s see what we’ve got.”

They were in a glade; an open and grassy field, surrounded by trees and filled with sunlight. If they had not followed the map, Evangeline could not guess where was them. How Prince Cassian got the map to the Nefeli Land, she could not guess. Since Luan came to this world, the geographical of the Nefeli land has changed. Since then, Evangeline lost her way to The Queen.

“They packed us sandwiches.” Melian said, fishing around in her rucksack. “There are fruits, bread, and some bottles of water.” She added.

“Pretty considerate of them to pack us these.” Said Evangeline. Her hazel eyes flickered to Luan. She moved closer to Luan to see what he was unpacking and spreading on the grass. “What are you doing?”

Luan looked startled at first, but he schooled his feature back. “They gave us weapons.” He had assorted the weapons and weapons belt on the grass. “And clothes.” He showed the folded clothes to Evangeline. His eyebrows arched.

Evangeline watched Luan shook them out. It was then she realized it were smooth linens in Caucasian tone, fastened with laces and loops. Also, no zippers or buttons.

“I don’t think they know I could make a radiant creature when I wear this.” Luan said.

“What creature?” Asked Evangeline.

“A sexy creature.” He grinned.

Evangeline tossed him a furious look. “Don’t flatten yourself.” She said and threw a bottle of water at him which he caught it gracefully. “Just change into those clothes.”

“It’s a good idea.” Melian said. “We should change. The longer he stood around in those clothes, the longer we will be a target.”

Both of her and Melian’s outfits consisted of black trousers that laced up the front, linen shirts in earthy tone, and dark brown Victorian waistcoats. Evangeline took the set clothes and went behind a copse of trees to change. Evangeline hopped on one foot, pulling on her trousers with one hand while gripping her weapons belt with the other. The clothes were comfortable and soft at least, but she felt awkward with weapons in her hands. When she emerged from the trees, she stood blinking in the bright sunlight for a moment.

A branch broke overhead, and Melian emerged from the trees. “I’m not very fond of these clothes.”

A smile slipped from Evangeline’s mouth at that. “I can see why.” Evangeline saw Luan as he turned. His forehead crinkled, frowning. Luan had put on the black trousers, but he was naked from the waist up. Evangeline felt her chest tightened. She had seen Zander shirtless countless of times, but somehow seeing Luan shirtless hit differently. Maybe it was because Zander was her childhood friend, so seeing him shirtless was like seeing Blackie naked, not like Blackie has ever wore any clothes before.

She could not stop her staring. There was something about it. An illicit and nerve-racking feelings, as if Luan was a dangerous specimen. He was smoothly muscled all over, and the ridges in his abdomen sharply defined. Evangeline’s gaze slipped over him. His hair was soft, dark, thick and slightly curled where it touched the nape of his neck.

Luan looked up at the moment and saw her staring at him. He gave her a subtle smile and Evangeline glanced away. She met with Melian’s eyes and Melian gave her an amused look. Evangeline blushed all over her face and neck.

“You know,” said Melian. “you could have just agree with him.”

Evangeline gave Melian a puzzled look. “Agree with what?”

“That he would make a radiant creature with those clothes.” When Evangeline said nothing, Melian gave her a contented smile.

Luan came into their earshot, hands fumbling with the laces on his linen shirt. “Is this how I supposed to wear it?” He asked and scrunched his nose. “I would prefer a shirt without the laces and it slightly apart on my chest.”

Melian rolled her eyes. “So, what? You can exude your sex appeal?” Said Melian. She kept her tone flat.

“That.” Luan pointed a finger at Melian. “Could be a better option.” He gave Melian a superior smile.

Melian snorted. “I insist your self-love is high as the blue sky above your head.”

“Oh, leave it.” Said Evangeline, jabbing her elbow on Melian’s stomach, not without affection, but lightly. “Give me the map.”

Luan handed over a piece of an old parchment in which Evangeline believed was the map and forgot the little bantering that he had with Melian. Evangeline stared at it. The parchment showed a sketch of the Nefeli Land; The Cerro Mountain, various lakes and Althea stream, and the courts of The Queen.

Still lost in the map, Evangeline did not realize Luan had come behind her. Luan leaned in close to her. His arms brushing hers, looking at the map over her shoulder. His expression was thoughtful. “We’re here.” He pointed a finger at the black sketch of The Cerro Mountain.

Evangeline turned her head toward him. A lock of his black hair trickled her face. “How do you know?”

“I figured the map out.” Luan said. “If you notice the sketch of the mountain, the trees on that map looks very like the fir

trees.” Luan then pointed at the trees stood a few feet away from them. “And aren’t that fir trees?”

Evangeline’s eyes flicked at the pointed trees. She curt a small nod, agreeing with Luan. Luan knelt down, unpacking a sandwich from his rucksack. He eyed the sandwich cautiously. “Say, is it safe to eat this food?”

“Why you ask?” Evangeline sat down on the grass and picked up a bottle of water. She drank the water, feeling her itchy throat washed down with the water.

“You told me eating their food will force us to stay there.”

Melian snorted. “Say the person who drank a faerie drink.” Said Melian, ignoring the fact that Luan had addressed his question to Evangeline.

Evangeline sighed inwardly, feeling weary with their little banter. “They gave us actual mortal foods, not Faeries.”

At that, Luan took a bite out of his sandwich and looked meditatively across the distance. “I trust you.”

“Luan.” Evangeline said and he looked at her with anticipating eyes. “Why did Prince Hayden give you a glaive and us weapons?”

Luan shrugged, a delicate twitch of his shoulders. “Probably peril is waiting for us.”

Evangeline narrowed her eyes, but Luan showed no indication to go further in the conversation. He rose to his feet, starting to gather up their things. “We should head out. This time we are not travelling by night. We might encounter weird stuff abroad in night.” Luan was holding his glaive firmly. His rucksack went across his left shoulder. From the woods, there was a cracking sound; a breaking branch.

Melian whirled around, her hand at her hip, feeling for the hilt of a knife. “Did you hear that?”

Luan tightened his hold on his glaive. They stood there for long moments, on their guard, but there was no second sound coming and nothing appeared in their sight. “It could have been a wild boar.” Luan said. He was about to walk away when Evangeline pulled his free hand lightly.

“Don’t forget to disguise yourself,” said Evangeline. “As much as you love to appeal people with your charming face, but we don’t want danger to come between us.” She pulled out a black rolled cloak, and handed it to him

Luan drew the cloak on, pulling the hood up. “Am I disguised?”

Evangeline could see a glimpse of black hair beneath the hood, but no one would be looking all that closely. “You’re pretty well disguise.” She smiled, and turned to face Melian.

Luan caught her hand, and pulled her gently. Evangeline bumped her head against his chest. He put his hand on her shoulders. “You’re not disguise yet.” Said Luan.

“I was about to.” Evangeline was about to draw her cloak from her rucksack when Luan stopped her. Instead, he drew the rolled cloak and put it on her. Luan pulled the hood up and brushed her hair out of her face smoothly.

“All done.” He said with a winning smile. He brushed his thumb on Evangeline’s cheek.

In silence they headed away from the clearing. A moment ago, the glade had been bright with sunlight, but now it was ominous and full of shadows.