An Old Argument

It had been just over four months since Broden had started to work for Ethimilee, and already he wondered why he was still working for her. He had ambitions and goals of his own, far removed from this war. His people needed to move on, farther from the Wastes. It was the hundredth time he had questioned why he was still there, but just like every other time he already knew the answer: he was falling for her. Broden had loved before, but never like this. Even Scout Mis'Ra, his childhood friend and casual lover had never made his body burn so much. Mis had figured out his feelings towards Ethimilee early on in their service as "Mercenaries" and had teased him thoroughly as she rode his cock and urged him to envision the lovely queen. He could still remember that night that had only been a few weeks into swearing their service.

Broden had bathed and stood in his room in only a loincloth. Mis'Ra was due to report soon and he knew where that would lead. She always got horny when on the hunt and he knew that she was doing more than just scouting the locations of the human camps. Already he had found three camps completely destroyed by her alone. Back in the Wastes, females weren't allowed to be soldiers, but oddly enough was allowed to hunt. Broden didn't care about the way the old paranoid Chiefs and War Chiefs worked. That was why he had been to leave his homeland. He took those loyal and brought them to safety. At least, that had been the plan. He was mulling over this when he heard someone knock on door to his room. Mis didn't normally worry over such things, but perhaps for their Elven companions she was putting on a show? Broden had called for her to enter, but it wasn't Mis'Ra. Ethimilee breezed into his room like a gentle wind and paused as she took in the sight of him.

Broden didn't see himself as attractive. He was covered in scars and his race was much bigger than the little Elven woman's. Oddly though, in a matter of moments her delicate white skin had turned deep crimson in a blush that touched the tips of her long ears and went deep down her throat. The gentle breeze suddenly left like a hurricane as she spun and exited the tent. He never did figure out what she had come for. When Mis'Ra arrived and found him sitting on his bed and shaking his head in confusion, she quickly put together what had happened.

But now wasn't the time to think about Mis or her torturous, but amazing sex. His current worry was was the coming days. He and Ethimilee had been disagreeing about a safety issue that she wasn't budging on. If the woman died from her own stubbornness he would never forgive himself. He had decided to try once more to talk sense into her and found her sitting in a small clearing in the hedge maze that sit inside the castle grounds. Like everything else about the Elven capital, he found the maze to be useless and frustrating. Everyone had a garden, but wasted it on flowers instead of food! The Wastes could hardly grow anything, so every bit of usable soil was devoted to crops. To make matters worse, Ethimilee had three gardens if you counted the maze. One was a "Festival" garden, which would soon be the source of their argument, and the other was her private garden that had a wall around it.

"Your majesty?"

"Yes Broden," Ethimilee answer with a slight incline of her head. She looked radiant, but he that out of his head.

"We need to discuss the upcoming festival."

"Again," she answered with a sigh.

"I know this festival is important for your people, but you must realize that opening the castle grounds to the public will put you and your daughters in danger."

"Broden we need this. After months of war my people need some kind of relief. The war may be stopping some places from enjoying the festival, but our people in the capital need to know that there is still peace here. That there is still safety."

Broden opened his mouth to counter her argument, but another voice cut the air before he could.

"Perhaps he simply doesn't understand the needs of your people my lady? He is a mercenary after all and money is what drives them." Rienlest had entered the small clearing from another part of the maze and now made his presence known. The prince gave Ethimilee a slight bow before continuing.

"First off Broken, this is a festival of life for Trymir. The flowers will be blooming beautifully in the festival garden and it will be be a sign of hope for us all. Second, it is the duty of the Queen and her children to hold it on the castle grounds to show that they care for their people and that they are under the protection of the royal family. It is also the one festival where the nobility and the commoners will be seen as one and will dance together."

Broden held back a snort. What use was dancing during this time? Certainly he could see the purpose showing a strong front for their people, but it was the whole matter of letting anyone in. The humans could have hired Elven assassins or their spies might have found a way in that they could exploit. Not to mention that he had caught the less than subtle way Rienlest had screwed up his name.

"And while that is all well and good prince, we still have to keep in mind that-"

"Broden please," interrupted Ethimilee, "but I have heard your argument and I fully understand the risks. I have faith in you though. I know that no matter what, you will keep me safe."

At that, Broden's argument fell away. He wanted to keep up the fight, but couldn't. Rienlest held back a sneer but did throw out one more remark. "Or it could be that he simply doesn't know how to dance." With that the prince turned and headed back into the maze. Ethimilee excused herself as well, stating that she needed to see to some preparations, leaving Broden alone.

"Dance huh?"

"Do you really not know how?"

Broden looked around in surprise, but the voice came from on the other side of the hedge.

"Princess Mitri?"

"I... I'll teach you."

"What?"

"Meet back here tonight."

And with that Broden listened to the sound of her retreating farther into the maze.