Erivale: The Lost Princess

Chapter 4: Part 2

The hood still covered my hair and part of my face, and I stood somewhat behind Ulric, nervous, and feeling shy about how this was going to go down. Ulric and Gerard both bowed while I stood awkwardly, unsure of what was happening.

"Ah, Prince Ulric. Is that you? The last time I saw you, you were shorter than me!" A feminine voice trilled, and a rough masculine chuckle followed suit. Prince? He was a prince? That explained his vast knowledge of court and royal duties - he was Elven royalty, Dark Elven royalty. I guess the reward wasn't all that was protecting him here either. No wonder he had no qualms about delivering me to the palace without invitation. His status as a Prince likely provided him some sort of political immunity.

"Yes, it has been quite a while, Queen Luciana. King Heinrich, my mother sends her regards."

"Hmm, does she?"

"To be honest, I don't know. I haven't been home in quite some time."

"Ah, yes, the adventurer. Tell me, how have your adventures been?"

"Complicated," Ulric quipped. "But apparently bountiful as I have come across quite the treasure. I present to you, Crown Princess Amberleigh."

Another gasp rippled across the room as he pulled the hood away from my face exposing me for everyone to see. I felt like I was an oddity on display as everyone in the room stared me down. I was not clean, I was not dressed in finery, my ears were clipped like a human. I looked wrong to them. But seeing my mother, queen Luciana standing before me, no one could argue that we didn't have a strong resemblance. The familiarity of her face within mine was the only thing that appeased the court's suspicions that I was the crown princess.

Studying their faces, I tried to jog any sort of memory of them in my mind's eye. I wanted them to look familiar, I wanted them to sound familiar, but they did not. I had no memories of them; I had no idea who they were.

"A-Amberleigh? Is that really you?" Queen Luciana stood from her throne and took a few steps forward.

"I think so. I don't have memories of Erivale or Ithica. Still, I was adopted and am the same age as what Princess Amberleigh would be."

"Oh, my goodness," She sobbed and ran towards me to pull me into a tight hug. I was taken aback and awkwardly wrapped her in a hug as well. The touch felt foreign, and I chalked it down to it just being new.

A few shouts rang out, ordering everyone to clear the room, leaving my small ragtag band of travelers, the king and queen, and their royal guard. When it was finally silent, the king stood from his throne and stepped towards us. "Tell us, Prince Ulric, how exactly did you happen to come across Amberleigh? I have half a mind to think that the Dark Elves have had her hidden this entire time!" The distrust was evident in his tone.

"Come now, Heinrich, you and I both know that the Dark Elves were cleared of all suspicions when you searched our lands and palace." Ulric's tone was tight with frustration. "I was hunting in and around the Draeton mountains on my way back when I came across this girl dressed in unfamiliar clothes, clothes of the human realm. She spotted my wolves and me and ran away. I had my suspicions that she may be the Lost Princess. There had been rumors of sightings of a human realm girl with a striking resemblance to Queen Luciana. She spotted me and ran. I tracked her through the forest to a cliff. From there, I could see her clearly, and there was no doubt in my mind that she was, in fact, Crown Princess Amberleigh. Before I could get to her, she jumped off the cliff and simply disappeared."

"Disappeared? Things don't just disappear."

"Well, she did." Ulric glanced at me. I felt like an object as they discussed me without ever asking or talking to me. "I camped out in and around that cliff for 26 days when she suddenly reappeared exactly where she had left from. I pulled her onto solid land, and we have been traveling ever since to bring her here."