Part 56: ERIC AND THE PRINCESS

Elfi was gone and in her place was a goddess. She wore a shimmering gown of golden pleads hugging her body.

Her helmet like black hair was now under a hood shaped head piece of stylized like golden wings.

Over her shoulders a cape like mantle also golden and shaped in the pattern of feathered wings as well. Her face was hidden behind a translucent veil. It was like that I saw her standing surrounded by handmaidens in a court yard that with trimmed trees, fountains and flowerbeds.

The Queen herself had brought me here. Elfi smiled at me with her eyes.” Don’t I look ridiculous in this get up?”

“No princess you look very regal and very much like the daughter of a goddess.”

“You are just nice. I am glad when this is over and we are back to normal business.”

“I will be too, but this gives me a chance to see where you come from and it gives me a whole different perspective.”

“Please never make this an issue, Eric. To you I never want to be anything but Elfi and a friend. This is what my heritage and my mother wants me to be, it is not who I am.”

I took her hand and squeezed it gently.”I promise I won’t, but seeing all this, I begin to understand you.”

She squeezed back and again gave me a warm smile. “I begin to understand you too; Eric and I know how hard it must be for you to hide your secret from everyone.”

What she said hit me like a fist in the stomach. I felt the blood rush to my face.

“My secret?”

She looked across the yard and then at me. “Eric my mother had you investigated, you are here because she thinks you might become family, because she thinks I love you.”

I did not know what to say and she was not done so I listened as she continued.

“Don’t get me wrong Eric, I do love you but I love every one of our group equally. I do not have any plans to marry or settle down. I want to stay in the fleet and with my friends.”

A Saran guard came and knelt before her. “Most precious Princess of the Realm, there will be a little delay for the departure. The Ammutherathi have been delayed due to Union Security protocols, but the delay will be no longer than 20 minutes.”

I saw her from the side as she looked down at the kneeling muscle man. “Such details should have been considered before, should the delay exceed twenty minutes we shall use the ark.”

“Sekhet the most powerful, it will be as you command.”

He crawled back in this kneeling position, turned after ten paces and left.

Servants brought a heavy looking golden bench, with many pillows for us to sit down. During all this she had kept her hand in mine and said. “Let us sit down then. Neither your uniform nor my dress are the most comfortable outfits to stand around in.”