Fatestones 2nd Edition: Chapter 2

Chapter 2
A Royal Meeting

Yanara knocked upon the door, her knuckles hardly making any sound against the thick oak door. She waited outside for a moment, clutching a dry towel. She stared at the door, waiting for it to open. Nothing. She knocked again, stepped back and stared at it yet again. Still nothing. Becoming a bit irritated with the prince, she knocked again, this time saying his name loudly. And, yet again, she stepped back and stared at it. This time, the door opened, but there was no one behind it. She blinked, peeking in through the doorway, dumbfounded.
“Are you going to come in, or not?” Someone asked from inside the room. It sounded like a man’s voice, strong and learned. Yanara walked in, her legs feeling weak. She looked around the room. It was much better then the servant’s rooms. The bed was a queen-sized, with a regal red canopy hanging above it. To the right, was a desk overlooking the beautiful stained glass window showing a scene from a Xien myth. The window was open, letting a cool draft come into the room. The prince sat at the desk, brow furrowed and hair ruffled. Papers were scattered amongst the table’s surface.
Yanara quietly placed the towels down on the bed, smoothing them out like she had been told to do. She turned to face him, though all she could see was his back. “Is there anything else, sir?” She asked, hands folded in front.
“Yes, actually, there is.” He said, finally turning to look at her. Amber eyes flashed as the candle flickered, waving the light around the room. Yanara ed her head, looking at him sideways in a questioning manner.
“Sit, sit.” He said, motioning towards the bed. She did as she was bid, a bit precautious. Biting her lip, she stared at him, giving him her full attention.
“Don’t worry, I’m not going to hurt you. I just wanted to ask you…How do they treat you here?” He asked, smiling warmly. Yanara couldn’t help it; she just blurted it out.
“It’s horrible! We’re not allowed to talk without permission, or do anything! The mayor treats us all like dirt beneath his feet!” She explained, just letting it all go. The prince nodded; a grave dissapproving look upon his face.
“I knew it! Tirsu will have this place reported as soon as possible.” He muttered, though she could still hear him.
“Tirsu? Reported?” She asked, tilting her head sideways again.
“Yes, Tirsu, the capital elven city of the North. And reported, it’s what you do to have a city destroyed.” He explained, obviously knowing that they had never been taught for he had no sign of irritation in his voice. The elf leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms. “So, do you like it here?”
She shrugged, loosening up a bit. “Well, I can’t say, I haven’t been anywhere else so I don’t know.”
He smiled, this time showing his teeth. “What’s your name?” He asked, nodding towards her.
“Yanara.” She said, yet again the words just slipping past her lips. Once she had realized what she had said, she quickly covered her mouth and gasped. The prince was staring at her wide-eyed. Yanara only glanced at him before deciding it was time to leave. She ran out the door, closing it softly behind her. Running down the stone corridor, she looked behind her, only to see the prince exit his room and look for her. Spotting her he followed at a fast paced walk.
“Wait!” He shouted, his voice echoing. “Wait!” But, it was too late. Yanara had already turned a corner, ducking to a closet. She heard the elven prince wait just outside the closet’s door. He stood there for a few moments until he gave up. Sighing, he walked back to his room.

Days passed and Yanara returned to her normal duty. Caring to the garden and drawing from the well. The Prince had never come out from his quarters since that night, but Yanara could often see him in the window, gazing upon the beautiful stone courtyard.
Dinners were , with all the maidens sitting around the great worn oak table from which the servants ate. For, word had spread about the elven Prince needing to find a certain maiden, though no one knew whom. All they did during supper was talk about who it might be. It made Yanara sick.
Her friends had noticed her silence during the dinners, which was very much unlike her. Finally, one day, they pulled her over while all the other maidens were shuffling to their beds.
“Yanara! What’s wrong with you?” Her best friend, Madelyn, demanded. Yanara looked at her friend, then looked back at the ground. Her wavy hair tied up in a messy ponytail for the day.
“Nothing’s wrong with me, Maddy…” She replied tiredly, though she wasn’t tired at all.
“Don’t be like that! I know something’s wrong! You’ve been silent for days now! Something’s gotta be wrong! I mean! With the Prince here and everything! You should be talking your head off!” She exclaimed, whirling her hands all over the place. Yanara merely chuckled at her friend’s antics and walked a bit faster. But Madelyn wouldn’t give up. She grabbed hold of Yanara’s shoulder, keeping her back.
“Tell me what’s wrong Yanara. Or have you just been daydreaming this whole time.” She said teasingly. Yanara was famous for daydreaming.
“Fine! I’ll tell you, Maddy, you old hound!” She said mockingly, lightly pushing Maddy playfully.
“Well, go ahead! Explain yourself young lady!” Her best friend said.
“I will, but I can’t tell you here.” Yanara said, catching sight of her room ahead.
“Why can’t you tell me here?”
“I just…can’t…”
There it was. Her door. She took hold of Maddy’s hand, slipping into her room and shutting the door. Madelyn was sitting on the bed, waiting for her to explain herself. Yanara sat down beside her, smiling feebly.
“Maddy…have you ever thought there were other places other than Juris?” She asked, but her friend just laughed and smiled at Yanara.
“Come on! We know there’s no other place except here! And even if there was, how would we get out of Juris?” She said laughing at Yanara’s silly idea. The daydreaming maiden bit her lip. It would be harder to tell her than she thought.
“Now I know why you’re not talking!” She exclaimed. “You’re too busy daydreaming about made-up worlds! Oh! It’s just like you Yanara!” She said, lifting herself from the matress.
Yanara put on a fake smile, going along with what Maddy had said. “Yeah…just like me…” She said, laughing timidly. Madelyn smiled warmly, already at the door.
“Good night, Yanara.” She said, leaving the room.

The next morning Yanara had made up her mind. Hurrying through her chores she walked over to the Prince’s room. She hesitated before knocking on it. Did she really want to get involved? Did she really want to endanger herself? She shook her head and knocked, hoping he would answer the door.
In a matter of minutes the door opened and there he stood. “Oh! Good! You came back!” He said delightedly, pushing her in. “I really don’t know why you ran away a few nights ago…I was just going to ask you a question.” He said while sitting her down in a wooden chair.
“A…question?” She asked curiously, thinking it had been something much graver than that. The Prince nodded, pulling up another chair and sitting in it backwards.
“Yes! A question. I’m Talen, by the way.” He said quickly shaking her hand. “A friend of mine asked me to find you. He’s going on some greater quest sorta thing, I don’t know. The main part is that he asked me to find you here.” He explained.
“Me? Why me?” She asked, utterly bewildered to hear that someone actually wanted her to go with them. Talen took her hand and held them in his.
“Because, you’re special, Yanara. You just don’t know it yet…and niether do I…but that’s not the point.” He said. Yanara looked at him strangely; he had changed so much since she had last talked to him. A long sigh escaped the prince as he sluped in his chair. “Oh, God. I’m horrible at explaining. I guess what I’m trying to say, Yanara, is that I’m giving you a choice. You can either spend your life here doing boring things and being treated like scum; or you can go on a great and grand adventure!” He said, becoming more normal-like.
Yanara looked down, fiddling her fingers, trying to decide. “Do I have to decide right now?” Talen shook his head, getting up and opening the door for her.
“I’ll give you…let’s say, a day. It was nice talking to you, Yanara.” He said standing to the side so she could walk by. She took her time walking out, smiling at Talen when she walked by.
As she walked down the hall she began to think.