Chapter 200: Chapter 200

200 Chapter 200 : Wolfden

Gareth sat quietly in his chambers thinking about Melissa. His mind was filled with all his memories of her from his past lives. He had loved her through countless lifetimes, sought her out through countless lifetimes and lost her through countless lifetimes. But now he would make sure that would not happen again, this time he would keep her safe and sound by his side for as long as he lived. They had a baby on the way now, he had no time or room to compromise with anyone.

The dark haired king looked up at his door when he heard a knock. “Come in.” Was that a report from Meria maybe? Had Elric finally realized that war was pointless and would surrender Melissa peacefully? Because in all honesty, Gareth preferred he not go to war with Meria, there would be unnecessary bloodshed.

All these wars and battles that were happening reminded Gareth of the wizard Ronald’s prophecy all those years ago, it had not been quite accurate but he was right about a war between two kindoms

The door to Gareth’s chambers opened and an unlikely visitor walked into the room and bowed respectfully. “Little brother in law..” Aiden straightened his stance and smiled at Gareth, “or do you prefer ‘your majesty’?”

There was something about Aiden’s demeanor that had shifted over the past few days, he seemed a lot less dead inside. “Aiden, what a surprise.” Gareth stood up and offered the man a chair before sitting next to him. “What brings you here so early this morning?”

“I am told you are marching for Meria on the morrow?”

“It is not yet confirmed,” Gareth responded, “Elric still has today to make up his mind. Why do you ask? Are you not going to march with me?”

“I did say I would help you in your cause so I will march with you. I do want to see my sister, but also there is something you should know.”

Gareth arched his brow at the nosferatu prince. Was what Renly said true after all? Did Aiden have a hidden agenda for helping him all this time? “And what is that exactly?”

.....

“I did have a motive for helping you Gareth, I’m in need of your assistance.”

The elven king leaned forward and listened carefully, “go on..”

“I need assistance with finding the woman that I love as well,” Aiden spoke earnestly, “I cannot do it without you.”

Aiden had decided it would benefit him if he told Gareth that his main goal was Estel. After spending some time with the man, he realized he had a good heart just like his sister, it may not be necessary to trick Gareth into helping him, and it would not be wise to make an enemy of him. So he decided to do the noble thing and ask for his help.

Gareth scoffed and leaned back on his chair, “I was wondering when you would come forward and ask.”

Aiden knitted his brows, “you knew?”

“I had my suspicions,” Gareth replied, “when you told me about Estel on our journey here, I could tell that you missed her dearly, so I wondered why you instead were out looking for your sister, when you could be searching for Estel, it just didn’t make sense to me.”

Aiden smiled sheepishly, “you really are wise beyond your years aren’t you dear brother in law?”

“Now tell me, what’s the real reason you wanted to meet Melissa?” The tone in Gareth’s voice was now serious, he always got this way when he was talking about Melissa, he was quite protective of her. “How does she fit into your plan to find Estel.”

Aiden clamped his hands together and thought of how to string his words so as to not alarm Gareth, but Aiden could tell from his expression that he was already unnerved.

“Her power,” Aiden responded, “I needed her strength and power to go against the mages holding Estel and my son captive.”

Son? Had Aiden mentioned a son the last time they had spoken? And what did he mean exactly when he said he needed Melissa’s power? “That sounds to me like she will be put in harms way.. so I should let you know that I cannot allow you to do that.”

“You don’t understand, Melissa is-”

“Melissa is with child Aiden,” Gareth interrupted him, “you have a son you should understand. I’m not letting you put my family in danger. I will offer you men, as many as you want to help you get Estel back, she’s my sister and I care for her as well.” Gareth rose to his feet and walked to the door that he opened for Aiden, “but I will not let you put Melissa in danger.”

*

Estel walked slowly up a hilly slope and held onto a branch of a tree in front of her. She had managed to lose the mages overnight and continued her walk though the forest at the break of dawn. She sighed in relief when she saw some houses and huts down the slope. finally, civilization.

Even though hungry, tired and badly bruised, Estel hurried her way down the slope into the small town. She didn’t even know which kingdom she was in so she had to be careful with how she moved. It could be a town of humans and if she wasn’t careful she would be captured.

But as Estel inched closer to the town she noticed that it was filled with beings of all races living harmoniously together. This was very strange, had it been so long since she was locked up? Had peace among the races been restored once again.

The elven Princess walked slowly through the town, she spotted a woman drawing water from a well and rushed to her. “Excuse me ma’am?”

The woman turned around and gasped at the sight of Estel, she looked absolutely haggered, “you poor thing what in the world happened to you? Are you lost?” The woman was also an elf which made Estel feel a bit calmer.

“Actually I am, what kingdom is this?”

The woman’s eyes were filled with pity, maybe she was one of the unlucky ones who had been taken as slaves and had escaped somehow. “You’re in Cenia dearie, this is the wolfden shire.”

“Oh I see...” . Cenia was very far from the enchanted forest, so the odds of finding Aiden here were close to none.

“Do you need some help?” The woman questioned Estel, “where are you originally from? Maybe I can point you to the right direction.”

“I come from very far, but I am looking for someone, my husband, I don’t know where I can find him.”

“What is your husband’s name? You’ll never know maybe I have knowledge of him. It is a small world after all.” The woman gently rubbed Estel’s back and smiled at her.

“Thank you so much but he comes from very far as well, I don’t think he can be here. His name is Aiden and I need to find him.”

The elderly woman looked at Estel in shock.

“What’s wrong?” Estel asked, “do you know Aiden?”

The woman grabbed Estel’s wrist and pulled her through the town and into a small house whose doors the woman locked. She then turned to Estel and studied her, “this Aiden you speak of, he is a nosferatu is he not?”

Estel’s purple eyes lit up, what are the odds that this woman knew her Addie?! “Yes! Yes he is, he has ginger hair, blue eyes..”

“Tall and always brooding?” The woman asked.

Always brooding? The Aiden Estel remembered was always bright and happy, had something changed over the years?

“The man you speak of is the one who brought peace back to Cenia,” the woman explained, “he single handedly dethroned the tyrant king who ill treated us and brought equality.”

Estel felt her heart flatter with pride.

“But unfortunately you missed him, he traveled northeast to Gavaria,” the woman explained, “probably to end the mistreatment happening there as well.”

Estel sighed in defeat, by some miracle she had found a trail that would lead her to Aiden but how long would it take her to reach Gavaria? She needed him now, their son was in danger and possibly the rest of the continent.

“You look distressed dearie,” the woman spoke as she helped Estel into a chair, “let me get you some food and some clean clothes before you decide to be on your way to Gavaria. I’m sure my daughter left some of her old dresses here somewhere, she too went off and got married in Gavaria.”

“It will take me weeks to get there,” Estel sighed, “and I need to get to Aiden now.”

The elderly woman placed a plate of some bread, meat and cheese on a small table in front of Estel and sat down beside her. “Weeks? Oh no, it will take you only a few minutes if you know what you’re doing.”

Estel looked up at the woman confused, “how is that possible?”

“There are elves in the market square who can open portals all over the continent for you,” the woman explained, “each elf has a special magical ability and those have ability of teleportation. Traveling has become a lot easier with them around.”

The woman slid the plate of food closer to Estel and smiled warmly at her, “after you eat and have a nice bath, I will take you to one of the elves I know.”

Estel almost chocked up in tears, was all this truly happening? After years of being stuck in that castle, had her luck finally changed. If what this woman was saying was accurate, she would be reunited with Aiden in a matter of hours.