As the little kid in front of Maeve vanished from her sight, she sighed and knelt down on her knees in front of a tree.
" Why did you bring a human child over, mother?"
The whistle tree whistled a soft sound.
It said that that boy would change her life forever, but he still needs to grow up first.
Maeve sighed and stood up. " I can't let anyone near this realm mother, you know what happened the last time."
This time no sound came from the whistling tree.
Maeve's hand stroked the trunk of the tree.
" I need to protect my people from the person who cast a spell on you. I have to be a warrior, not a princess looking for her prince charming."
The tree whistled.
Saying that Maeve's beauty is considered heavenly and it would be a shame to bury that behind an armour.
Maeve smiled softly. " Beauty isn't everything. I need to protect this realm and all the creatures in it."
Before the whistling tree could respond, Maeve got on Hercules back and galloped away.
She had to find a cure for her mother's curse.
After patrolling the forest Maeve went to a small village.
An old lady was sweeping the entrance.
" Princess Maeve what a pleasure." The old lady said as soon as she got a glimpse of Maeve.
Maeve got down from Hercules and put a hand on the old ladies shoulder.
" The pleasure is all mine, Ms Fidel. Is your husband home?"
Ms Fidel smiled and pointed at the barn. " He's been there all day."
Maeve smiled and bowed, walking towards the barn.
" Mr Fidel you here?" She said while peeking through the open door.
" Princess! Yes, I'm here."
A voice came from the back of the barn.
Maeve smiled softly and got inside.
She saw an old man working on a potion.
" Am I interrupting?" She said.
The old man shook his head and grabbed Maeve's hands.
" Never. It's a blessing to see such beauty with my own eyes."
Maeve smiled politely.
" Any results?" She asked.
Mr Fidel nodded. " I'm almost done, I'm not really it could cure the curse completely but its a pretty good step."
She nodded and looked behind him.
" He's in the backyard if you want to go." Mr Fidel said.
Maeve smiled and nodded.
When she emerged from the backdoor she saw a guy, blindfolded, holding his sword and fighting the air.
She smiled and slowly extracted her sword. She jumped in front of him but he immediately parried her attack.
" Such a pitiful attack princess."
The guys put his blindfold away and his greens eyes immediately fell on Maeve's crimson eyes. His brown hair swayed in the soft air.
Maeve once thought she liked him more than a friend, she was so sure about it, but after what happened to her mother, she never really got close to anyone again.
" You seem in full spirit, Elijah."
Elijah chuckled and nodded.
" The princess came to visit me, that's an honour."
Maeve nudged him slightly and he chuckled.
" Up for some practice?" She said.
" Always."
They bought put their swords into position and lunged towards each other. With every hit, they got into the rhythm, they didn't falter and they were evenly matched.
Until Maeve managed to make Elijah fall. She chuckled but Elijah pulled her hand and she fell on him.
They both burst into a fit of laughter until suddenly a man came into view.
" Princess Maeve, the Queen is waiting for you." A tall blond stiff guy was looking down at them with outmost disgust. Maeve couldn't care less but Elijah reputation was at stake so she got up immediately and follows the man without looking back at him.
It was for his own good. When she was sad or lonely he was always there to listen and to make her laugh since she was little. He was important to her so she could never put him into a situation which would put him in danger.
She whistled for Hercules and she soon was galloping towards the Crystal Palace.
It was called the Crystal Palace because it was situated between two mountains and it was so white that from a distance one would think it was made out of crystals since it's shine could blind anyone who would look at it.
After the long way to the palace, she put Hercules in the stables and made her way to the royal meeting room.
When she opened the huge metal doors, a loud creak sounded in the whole room, making every person turn and look at her.
She didn't give any second thought to the people who served the queens orders, she thought of them as betrayers. The Queen was situated in her chair, looking down on everyone, since she thought she was a higher species than them.
Her black eyes were following Maeve's every move, she was looking at her with disgust and hate. She looked like she would spit on her if she could.
" Everyone leave."
Her acid voice filled the room and everyone scattered away.
After the door closed, she got up, putting her black hair behind her back.
" I heard you stopped somewhere after your patrol."
She walked slowly towards the window.
" Couldn't I?" Maeve said trying to keep her calm.
The Queen chuckled. " Of course you can."
Maeve's heart sank, she knew that this was going to end badly.
" But I don't like those townspeople, they are-" She put her finger on her chin thinking about a word that could sooth her image of them.
" Disgusting right?"
The Queen chuckled and got down the few stairs and stopped in front of her.
" Don't associate with them anymore. It's disgraceful."
She spat her words and walked towards the door.
" You know what would happen right?"
The Queen laughed and closed the door behind her.
She would kill them.
Maeve sighed, she knew she had to shut her mouth and do what the Queen wants because she could lose everything and everyone she cares for, more than she already did.
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It's been months since she last saw the Fidel family, she had to patrol that area so she had to pass in front of her house but no one was there.
No one.
When she was able to go unnoticed she knocked on their door but no one answered.
She heard a voice.
" Princess?"
A lady, which Maeve was sure was Fidel's family neighbour was looking at her from near her house.
" Ms Palma right? Do you know where the Fidel family is by chance?" Maeve asked as she walked towards her.
Ms Palma's eyes went wide and looked down to her feet.
" You don't know what happened princess?"
Maeve's heart almost stopped.
" What happened?"
Ms Palma cleared her throat and said: " The royal guard came and dragged them away, before they could leave, the young man Elijah asked me to give this to you if you ever came by."
She got a piece of parchment paper from her small apron pocket. She handed to me and bowed her head.
" Thank you, Ms Palma."
The lady smiled sadly and walked back into her house.
Maeve went into the forest and came near her mother.
" Hey, mum."
She sat down on the cold floor, with her back to the whistling tree."
She opened the small parchment and steadied herself for what was written.
" Maeve,
If you are reading this means the Queen has got to us. But it's important for you to know that this wasn't your fault. None of this is your fault, I hope that one day you will believe these words. I'm not sure what will happen to us so I'm going to write everything here in this small paper so you could keep it with you. Maeve, I have always loved you. More than friends, more than my entire life. Your beauty is something that makes me gasp for air every single time I see you. But your beauty isn't everything about you. You soul is what made me fall in love with you. That soul of a warrior who I'm sure will never dim. I'm not a prince or anything to be able to ask for your hand in marriage but I would have. I wanted you more than ever. You are my whole life, even if I know that you kept away from me for my and my families sake. But still watching you leave last time was too painful, I was able to finally hold you in my arms, but you left and took my heart away with you. I hope that you won't find this too bold of me but Maeve, my princess, I love you and I'll always will. I hope that one day I will be able to see you again, but I'm pretty sure this will be the end of me. My father said that he hid everything about your mother into a locked safe, he said that you would know where. Unfortunately this paper isn't big enough to tell you about my feelings but I had to keep it short so they would never find it. Remember you are Riodinidae's warrior princess, don't EVER stop fighting.
I love you, Mae, I wished I could have asked you to marry me. What would you have said I wonder?
- Elijah."
Tears were falling down from Maeve's eyes. She wanted to scream and curse the world.
" I would have said yes," Maeve said crying, holding the small paper to her heart.
After spending the whole night crying and screaming, her mother's whistle told her that the guards are coming for her.
Maeve got up to her feet and walked out of the forest.
The Queen herself was waiting for her outside the Forest.
Maeve had to bite her tongue not to lounge to the Queen's throat.
" What did you do?" Maeve asked.
The Queen smirked. " You seem to have found out already. Oh well, don't worry they are still alive. It's up to you if they will live or not."
" Up to me?"
The Queen smiled wickedly.
" Marry my son and they will be set free."
" What?"
The Queen burst into laughter. " What are you going to do?"
Maeve hated the Queen's son, he was a snobby little brat but if it was the only way to save Elijah and his family...
" I will marry your son."
The Queen nodded. " Good girl. Now let down your swords and become a real princess. In a few months, you will marry my son."
Maeve nodded and the Queen laughed at herself all the way to the castle.
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A few months later, Maeve was allowed to go for a walk in the woods.
She visited her mother.
" Hey, mum."
The tree whistled, telling her that she has to be strong.
" I wish I could actually see Elijah and his family. Do you think they are still alive?"
The tree whistled, telling her that she wasn't sure but it was unlikely.
Maeve nodded.
She knew it from the start but she still has hope.
Her mother whistled telling her that it's been ten years since that small kid came into our Realm.
Maeve thought for a second and said. " Oh that kid, I'm sure he doesn't remember me, you said that he would change my life forever. How so?"
Her mother whistled telling her that he would free her.
" Mum, if Elijah is still alive I want to marry him."
Her mother kept silent, suddenly a gust of wind enveloped Maeve and she was forced to close her eyes.
When she opened them, she was looking at one of the most beautiful people she has ever gazed upon. He seemed familiar.
When he said her name, she realized who he was.
That small cute kid that visited her realm.
The one who her mother says that he would save her.
But she would never put another person's life at stake for her.
ns 15.158.61.48da2
