Do Not, Cannot, and Will Not

In the morning, it was mostly silent. Estïqiã quietly prepared a pot of coffee, sweetened with honey, with a small bowl of fruit. I myself had some fresh fruit, relishing the taste, and set about adding my food stores to hers.

As I worked, I decided that instead of coming straight out about Estïqiã helping with defeating Ekzema, I would slowly prod her in the right direction. In the Prophecy, I remembered the elves were also supposed to help us. Good place to start, anyway, I thought,

"Estïqiã..." I began, sitting down at the table. Her moss green eyes rose to meet mine. "Estïqiã, I was thinking, that maybe....well....the elves are supposed to help me with my training. I was wondering if you would...maybe take me to them."

"No, Ava." she replied, and returned her attention to her coffee.

"Wait! I need their help!" I protested. In convincing you to fulfill the Prophecy, I added in my head.

"I will contact a friend of mine, a fairy, who will begin your instruction in five days' time." she replied evenly, standing. "But I do not, cannot, and will not take you to the elvish sanctuary." Setting her mug in the sink, the elf then vanished in her room. It was obvious that she would not reappear for a long time, so I decided now would be a good time to exercise the horses.

After walking several times from the door to the opening of the cave that was covered by the waterfall, I became satisfied that I had memorized the route, and that I wouldn't get lost. In addition, Estïqiã had removed whatever spell that had been masking the door, so now the little oak door in the cave wall was easy to find.

I took Bess out first, leading her in a healthy gallop around the woods for a while, just to get her blood pumping and to keep her from getting too fat. Peeka was next.

Peeka seemed to be leading, not me, as she reached unimaginable speeds, all because she loved to run. It was all I could do just to hang on, as she ran and ran and ran, until she finally decided she was done running, and slowed to a brisk trot at the cave entrance. I led her back to the stables, and set her up in her stall next to Bess.

Estïqiã had still not reemerged, so I made a quick lunch of dried beef and some crunchy carrots, with some of the tea I had brought from Zancastle.

After I finished lunch, and was sitting in the armchair, sipping at my second cup of tea, Estïqiã's bedroom door finally opened, and the tall, graceful elf silently prepared her own meager lunch, grabbed her bow and quiver, then left the room, probably to go hunting.

For the rest of the afternoon, I amused myself by going through the picture book Dantaus had given me, smiling faintly at all the beautiful illustrations that had been my solace during my Mother-dominated childhood.

When Estïqiã returned, she was carrying a container full of red and bloody meat, that she probably harvested right at the killing sight. She began what I guessed was dinner. She first started a fire, and set a large cauldron of water over it. Then she partially cooked the meat, chopped up carrots, potatoes, and other vegetables, then threw them into the boiling water with the meat and an assortment of spices and flavorings.

Only half an hour later, the room was filled with mouthwatering smells as the stew simmered on the fire, and as the bread Estïqiã had set in the fire began to bake.

I washed the dishes from breakfast and lunch, and set out two places for dinner, feeling a little useless in the ways of cooking. Estïqiã offered me a few smiles of gratitude anyway, for my small contributions.

I brought the bread and stew to the table when it was deemed ready, and served the meal to myself and Estïqiã. The savory stew was perfect, especially when you dipped the warm and delicious bread into it. Estïqiã looked as enigmatic as ever, but I decided to tell her about my past, in hopes that she would share hers.

Estïqiã learned about my life as a princess, and how I had escaped from an arranged marriage. She learned about my brothers, and my parents, and also about how Finneaus had replaced my father when he had died.

She listened to all this patiently, but I realized, that at the end of the meal, I knew no more about her that I hadn't before. Somehow, she had gotten practically my life story, while keeping her own a secret. You are such a chatterbox, I scolded myself as I washed the dishes and put them away. Estïqiã had retired early, after I volunteered to clean up.

I put out the fire, and washed the dishes and table, before retiring myself.

The next day was much like the last; exercised the horses, Estïqiã went hunting, I helped prepare the steaks and mashed potatoes. I'd never cooked before, but Estïqiã helped me along, and pretty soon, I was chopping potatoes like a professional chef......sort of.
After dinner, we were cleaning up, when I cleared my throat suddenly.

"Estïqiã? Have you changed your mind?" I asked. "Will you please take me to the elves?"

"I do not, cannot, and will not take you to the elves." she replied, and went to bed.

The next day was the same.

"I do not, cannot, and will not take you to the elves." she repeated, and went to bed.

The next morning, I prepared breakfast, but Estïqiã did not venture from her room. Still angry at her from last night, I didn't give it another thought, and cleaned up after myself before taking Bess out, then Peeka.

Peeka was dashing through the trees at breakneck speed, and I swear she was smiling. Then she suddenly took an unexpected turn, taking us off our usual route, but I decided to let her. A change of pace would be nice.

She reached a very small clearing,  and stopped.

"Peeka, come on. We should turn back." I urged her, but she ignored me. I tugged at her reins, and still she refused to move. Groaning, I dismounted and pulled her halter.

Ever tried pulling a horse that doesn't want to move?

It's impossible.

No matter how much I pulled, she didn't budge. Eventually, I was leaning all my weight on the rope, when she suddenly inched forward a bit, surprising me and causing me to lose my grip.

I fell on my butt, then shrieked and jumped back up, because I had landed on something. Examining where I had fallen, I was able to make out a large shape under a pile of leaves. Where my butt had landed, some leaves had been moved, and I saw blue.

Tentatively and cautiously, I started to clear the foliage, then let out an exclamation of surprise when I realized it was a person. I quickly finished the job, and stared at the man laying motionless on the forest ground.

He was wearing a blue tunic, with brown breeches and leather boots. A strange design decorated the tunic's shoulders, and his wavy, coal black hair was falling in his face. He looked almost dead, but he still was breathing, and he still had a pulse.

"Hello?" I called, and poked him. He didn't move.

I pushed him.

No reaction.

I slapped his cheek. Hard.

Nothing.

I looked around for anybody who would know what to do, but only found Peeka. Groaning again, I wrapped my arms around his waist and heaved.

"Gods, you are heavy." I gasped, but finally succeeded in throwing him over my shoulder, staggering over to Peeka, then tossing him over her back. She looked at me indignantly.

"Hey, finding him was your idea." I reminded her, petting her soft nose. "Now, lead the way, stretcher horse." She snorted threateningly, but I merely grinned impishly. After she rolled her eyes, Peeka began to trot back towards the cave.

"Estïqiã, I found a guy in the forest." I announced when I opened the door and led Peeka inside.

"Congrats. I'm excited to meet your new boyfriend." she replied drily.

"No, that's not what I meant...."

"Well, then just make sure that I get an invitation to the wedding." she amended, completely straight-faced. I rolled my eyes, and she grinned at me.

"He's unconscious. I think it might be a magic ailment or something." that got her attention.

"Bring Peeka to your room. I have a spare cot there." she ordered, opening my room's door and going to the closet. She pulled out a folded up cot and a stack of blankets, and prepared a bed. Approaching Peeka, she picked up the guy as if he weighed nothing and laid him down gently.

"What's wrong?" I asked.

"Nothing. Why?" she asked innocently.

"What's wrong with him?" I clarified.

"I don't know for sure, but I have a theory. Help me get his shirt off." she commanded, and I blushed despite myself. I had never seen a guy without his shirt, but Estïqiã acted like it was perfectly normal. She lifted him up to a sitting position, and helped me pull his tunic off over his head.

"Hmmm....." Estïqiã examined his feet, hands, and chest, while I tried in vain to avoid looking at his bare and muscled torso. The same design I had seen on his tunic was branded into his flesh, just below the collarbone, and I wondered what it meant.

"Got it!" Estïqiã suddenly snapped her fingers. "It's a spell, and a good one at that. He is in a state of frozen life, where he doesn't need to eat, or drink, or do anything. His body is on standstill. Now, the only cure is to drop this potion in his eyes twice a day for at least three days, five at the most. I have a vial, in fact. It's quite common, and can be used for many things."

She disappeared into her room to fetch the potion, while I stared with unbridled curiosity at the strange man I had found in the woods. The more I stared at him, the more I wondered about where he had come from. Who would burn some random symbol into their skin?

"Here it is!" Estïqiã entered the room, making me jump. "Well, you can't start today, so you must drop one dose in each eye tomorrow morning."

"Me?" I asked.

"Of course, you." she replied, and assume a snobbish expression. "I certainly can't be bothered."

"Of course not, milady." I curtseyed, hiding a smile. "I shall go prepare thy supper now."
"Go." Estïqiã waved her hand. "Remove yourself from my sight." I grinned widely and went to the kitchen to start dinner.

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"SHE WHAT?!" Dantaus was furious, madder than he had ever been. His mother, if she even deserved that title, stood before him. She was usually so cold, so composed, but now she looked a bit nervous at his fury. She tried to compose herself best she could.

"Really, dearest, no need to overreact-"

"Overreact! You're telling me to calm down?! How dare you. How dare you come in here, saying your own daughter, my sister, has run off into the forest, then tell me to calm down?" Dantaus was red in the face, and he towered over the former Queen. Pasquel, his wife, stood by him, her expression unreadable. It occurred to him that she might not approve of his anger. It must've occurred to his mother, too, for she turned to his wife.

"Please, Princess, I was only-" Victoria began.

"That's Queen Pasquel to you." Pasquel broke in coldly. Dantaus threw her a loving and grateful look before turning back onto his mother.

"Mother, you never were supposed to be Queen." Dantaus's voice is deadly calm. "You came in here, with Father, and slowly took over the kingdom, then poisoned him, but-"

"I did no such thing!" Victoria squalled.

"You poisoned him, but no one acted, because you had already taken over everything." Dantaus continued. "You tried to force your own daughter, against her will, to marry a selfish, terrible, and wicked king, as your last act of defiance before relinquishing the throne. As your punishment, I hereby decree that you are not to take any part in the kingdom and its restoration. You shall be giving quarters in the castle, and servants, but you are not to spend any time with kingdom officials, or any officials for that matter. You are forbidden from meddling in the kingdom's affairs, for the rest of your life."

Queen Victoria's face barely masked the raw fury that boiled inside her, but she forced herself to curtsy.

"As you wish, my king." she snarled, turned heel, and stormed out of the throne room. As soon as the doors closed behind her, Dantaus sank into the throne and covered his face with his hands.

Ava......gone.

Into the Forgotten Forest.

The Forgotten Forest.

"Dante, dear, it's okay. We can fix this." Pasquel placed a hand on his shoulder. "We....we'll send out search parties. Put up posters, spread the word. We'll find her."

"Yes....." Dantaus's voice is hollow and broken. "Yes, of course." There's a silence.

"Shall I go organize the parties?" Pasquel finally asks.

"Please." Dantaus doesn't move from his seat, but Pasquel gives him a kiss on his head, then leaves him alone with his thoughts.

The Forgotten Forest.

Ava.

Author's Note

Another character is thrown into the fray!! Very interesting......Anyway, do you think Estïqiã is being unreasonable about Ekzema and the elvish sanctuary stuff? If yes, SHAME ON YOU!! You don't even know why she's refusing! It could be a real thing!!