Questing Sucks (Book 1) (24 page)

When he screamed, his voice was a high-pitched cackle, a sound filled with bloodthirsty and murderous intent.
“Goals be damned! No one dares to speak this way to me, especially not some lowly subject!”

Sehn drew his own weapon. Never once in Sehn’s life had he wanted to kill a man quite in the way he did now.

Saerina leapt from her horse in a single graceful maneuver, and sprinted in-between the two. “You mustn’t, brother! If this one dies, the world dies with him.”

Saerith turned to her, and it was obvious his mind was too clouded with rage and thoughts of revenge, to be in any state of mind to think logically. Sehn had no idea what Saerina’s words meant, but at the moment he was finding it a little hard to care.

Saerith’s fine clothing dripped with mud and grime, while he spoke to his sister. “I do not care!” he yelled. “If that’s the case, then I shall cut off his arms and his legs, flay him to within an inch of his life, and then drag him to our destination as nothing more than a tree stump!”

“
Mallos
REHL”
Saerith roared. Sehn leaped back as a bolt of lightning appeared from the cloudless afternoon sky, slipping neatly in-between the darkening trees, and crashing into the prince’s sword. Sehn had believed him to be a user of daggers. It was the weapon he wielded upon their first meeting, yet, it seemed that the prince was more comfortable with a blade after all.

Sehn grit his teeth at prince’s vile words. “Then,” he said, turning to face Sehn. “I will make you watch as I court your beloved Cah’lia, perhaps I shall bring your stump of a body into our sleeping area late at night, that you may watch as I—”

“Remmos Salas!”
Sehn howled at him. princess Saerina jumped out of the way as the ball of flame soared at the prince. Sehn was going to kill this man, of that, he was now certain.

The prince’s blade, still crackling with charged lightning, met the bolt of fire head-on, causing it to dissipate without so much as a dying flicker.

“You can’t win!” Saerina yelled at him, grabbing Sehn’s shoulders. “You don’t understand, Sehn, the prince is the greatest warrior of the Elven people. Let me diffuse this situation, this will end horrible for all of us.”

Patrick looked around at his Human subjects, before drawing his own weapon. “Gods help me,” he cried. “I think I’m about to declare war on the Elven people, but we must protect Sehn.”

 

 

Chapter 25: Nightmare

 

Patrick struggled against the emotions bubbling inside of him. Just in front of him, Sehn and Saerith were standing a few feet apart, weapons drawn, and only moments from beginning what could only be a fight to the death. This was going to be a diplomatic nightmare.

Not only was the situation among the most delicate Patrick had ever been tasked with handling, but it was something that needed to be resolved soon. He too had his sword drawn, and if he didn’t put a stop to this within the next few moments, he’d have to choose between bad or worse.

If he killed, or assisted in the killing of the prince to the Elven people, then Humans and Elves would be plunged into war, amidst a growing chaos that far outweighed even the tragedy of such a horrifying reality. If he did nothing, then both Humans and Elves alike would be destroyed. With the premature death of Sehn, following it would be the inevitable death of the world.

More than anything, more than the fear, the uncertainty, and the feelings of growing desperation, Patrick felt a grave disappointment in the prince of the Elven people. He wasn’t sure exactly what had brought about this situation, but nothing that Sehn could have ever done, or said, should’ve made a noble prince act this way. As a prince, Saerith had but one responsibility, the same as Patrick—he had to protect his kind, even at the cost of his own pride.

“Cease this at once!” Patrick shouted. “Prince Saerith, what has happened here? What has happened to make you act like this?”

Prince Saerith turned his right eye to meet Patrick’s, still keeping his left focused on Sehn. “As a prince, it is my right to choose any Elven woman I wish as queen. This buffoon has not only assaulted me, but he is now threatening my very right! Cah’lia is a strong and beautiful woman, befitting the qualities of a queen. I knew that the moment we first met. If I choose her, then no Elf may dare challenge that!”

Patrick’s disappointment in the prince was so great that it almost became funny to him.

Is he being serious?
Patrick wondered.
Is the prince of the Elven kind just a foolish boy after all?

Patrick had to struggle to keep his voice civil, but even despite all his efforts, the disbelief crept through. “Are you serious, my good prince? That’s what all this is about? A damned woman? Need I remind you, why we’re here in the first place.”

Cah’lia was looking at the ground, in what Patrick assumed was her own state of confusion. Prince Saerith’s blade was still dancing with electricity, and shooting sparks. “What does it matter what this is about? My own subject has threatened me, has treated me with the ultimate disrespect. You’re a prince as well, Patrick. Can you tell me this means nothing to you?”

Patrick lost control of his emotions. He dropped his pretense of diplomacy and civility.
“You’re a damned fool!”
he shouted. Prince Saerith’s jaw dropped at the remark, but Patrick continued before he could mouth a reply.

“What kind of prince are you? I honestly can’t believe we’re even having this conversation! A prince does not put his own desires above the needs of his people. Gods, man, you’re about to sacrifice the world for your own peace of mind. You knew when you came on this journey what Sehn was, how he acts, and what to expect from him. You knew these things, and decided to come along anyway. I thought you a noble prince, but I can see now that on you it’s nothing more than a title. You’re just a silly and foolish boy, no different than Sehn.”

Sehn turned to Patrick. “How dare you insult the Great—”

“Silence!”
Patrick commanded in a thunderous roar. Not even Sehn would challenge him when he displayed this level of commanding rage. Patrick knew that deep down Sehn had a respect for him, despite his reluctance to admit it. Even before knowing of his role as prince to the Kingdom of the Seven Pillars, Sehn must have known not to push him too far. It was more than likely the reason he picked so much more on Daniel.

Patrick resumed his dressing-down of the foolish prince. “I will not allow you to condemn our world to hell, just so you can walk away with your pride intact. I’m so very disappointed in you, Saerith.”

Saerith gasped. For the first time, Patrick had referred to him by name alone, and not ‘Prince Saerith.’

There was a shout from behind, and Patrick looked over his shoulder to see Nero charging at them. In his hands was the wooden toy-sword that Sehn had bought for him in Koringrath, held extended in a killing position. “I’m coming, Sehn!” he yelled. “To war we go!”

Patrick opened his mouth to shout a warning, but stopped, seeing no need. In just a few swift strides, Cah’lia closed the distance between Nero and the two raging Elves, tackling him to the ground, and pinning him. She grabbed his leg, dragging him away—all the while the boy was kicking and screaming. Patrick gave Rillith a cursory glance, and the tall warrior ran to assist. Patrick needed Cah’lia there. It was possible she’d be the only person able to diffuse the situation if he could not.

Rillith tossed the boy over his shoulder, walking away with him, and Cah’lia returned. The woman looked confused, caught in a state of conflicting emotions. princess Saerina’s expression held no such confusion. She merely watched the situation as if distant from it, like nothing more than a spectator of events.

Saerith growled at Patrick. “Do you mean to tell me you’d allow yourself to be treated this way, from this fool? You would allow him to disrespect you so, and to take that which you have planned to claim?”

Patrick stood unwavering before the prince. He answered without hesitating. “I’d offer Sehn my own mother, if it meant I could save my people. That, my friend, is how a prince behaves.” Patrick also wanted to mention his disgust at the prince’s ability to simply ‘claim’ a woman, but realized that the escalating situation was no time or place for a discussion on morality or ethics.

“Please stop,” Cah’lia said. Her voice was soft, but her eyes were determined. “This is partly my fault. Sehn, I take back everything I told you, I was just trying to get you to listen to me. Prince Saerith and I would never—”

“Of course we would!” Saerith growled. “Do you think you have a choice, Cah’lia? You will be my queen, I’ve already decided it. You should know by now that you could never be with this buffoon, even if I didn’t demand it otherwise. I will take you as my bride, consider the matter settled. I decree it here and now.”

Sehn spoke, and his voice was but a whisper. “Is that so?” he said. “Well, Cah’lia can’t marry a dead man, can she?”

Patrick ran to Sehn, sword drawn, alarmed. Sehn’s expression had changed, no longer holding the arrogance that Patrick had come to know and sometimes even appreciate. Patrick had seen it fade, and in situations of great danger, reduce to almost nothing, but for the first time since Patrick had met him, Sehn did not look like Sehn. He looked like a man ready to die for something greater than himself. The situation was escalating faster than Patrick could control.

He stopped running when he reached Sehn. “Sehn,” he said, improvising. Sehn was one to be easily distracted, he had to act quickly. “I’m better than you at skipping rocks along the pond!”

Sehn looked at him, but unlike his normal self, he only shrugged. “Whatever,” he whispered. “Stand aside, Patrick. I’m going to slit his fucking throat and drink his blood.”

Cah’lia fell to her knees, fright on her face. “What’s wrong with him?” she asked. “Sehn just ignored a challenge. I don’t understand.”

“It’s you,” Patrick said. “Saerith is challenging Sehn’s right to you, and right now he can’t hear a word either of us says. Prince Saerith, please, you must stop this. Do you realize what you’re about to sacrifice for the most foolish of reasons?”

“Foolish reasons? You’re the only fool, Patrick. A prince must never show weakness before his subjects, not if he wishes to remain a prince.”

Patrick raised his blade. “I can see that words have no meaning to you.”

“Step aside, Patrick. I don’t know how these things work, but if you get involved, you’ll cause trouble for all of your Humans, won’t you?”

Patrick blinked. “Well yes, but, I can’t just allow you to—”

“I’m settling this by myself.”

Patrick was taken aback by the rage that both of the Elves held toward each other. “Princess Saerina, will you do something please. I’m sure you must see reason.”

The young Elven princess nodded. “Indeed, but there is little I can do. Do not interfere, Patrick.”

She walked over and whispered into his ear.
“Neither of them will be hurt, you must trust me. I promise you this as princess of the Elven race. Do not take my brother’s words for genuine.”

“Shouldn’t we tell Cah’lia?” he whispered back.

“She already knows.”

 

Sehn felt the desire for murder from deep within, in a way he’d never felt towards anyone else. Pictures began flooding his mind. He pictured Cah’lia and Prince Saerith, kissing, doing other unspeakable acts, laughing at his armless and legless body screaming in the corner.

The rage Sehn felt was cold, nothing more than an overwhelming desire to slaughter. With each glance at the prince, Sehn felt his hatred grow. He didn’t even understand why, but he was powerless to fight against his emotions.

Cah’lia,
Sehn thought.
Cah’lia

At first Sehn felt a small bit of triumph, upon hearing Cah’lia announce that she would never be interested in the prince. It turned quickly to terror, and then outrage, when the prince decreed that Cah’lia was to wed him regardless. Sehn would normally be disgusted by the idea of someone other than himself making decrees, yet at the moment it didn’t bother him. All he pictured in his mind was the continued image of Cah’lia and the prince, only this time they were standing in a large hall, exchanging marital vows.

Sehn gripped his blade tighter, to the point it began to hurt. He didn’t care. Saerith twirled his blade, each spin sending out bright sparks of lightning. It was Sehn who made the first move.

Sehn leaped at the prince, and with all of his might he brought his blade down on top of him, intent on slicing the Elf from forehead to knee. With a grace Sehn didn’t expect, the prince raised his blade to parry. The two weapons clashed, and Sehn shouted as electricity ran through his body.