I wake up to Bergamot's still-unconscious form. I gently place my hand on his forehead. The fever's weakened somewhat, but it hasn't broken. I frown and sigh. Repeating the process from earlier, I dab the damp fabric across Bergamot's forehead. "Guess we're stuck here, huh Bergmo-" I yelp as the carriage lurches forward, and I fall forward, unto Bergamot. "What's going on?!" I crawl over Bergamot, careful not to bump into him, and make my way to the front of the carriage. I poke my head out from behind the curtain and gasp. The gasp attracts the attention of one of the drivers, who chuckles. "Look, Vitex," The boy says, taking the reins as the girl turns to look at me, and grins. "Hello, human girl!" I back up as she pokes her head into the back of the carriage. Her wild silver hair falls into her face, obscuring her intense violet eyes. "You must be hungry," Vitex muses, peering at Bergamot curiously. "Otherwise, you wouldn't be up and about." I watch as she retreats to the front of the carriage, and I listen to her and the boy talk. I hear the words "rest" and "fresh river fish" as they talk. A moment passes, and Vitex pokes her head back in again. "Good news! We're stopping for a bit, to rest and eat." She chirps, glancing again at Bergamot. "How is he?" Vitex asks, entering the carriage and sitting beside me. She places a hand on his forehead and frowns deeply. "Bergamot's still feverish," I explain, staring at Vitex's long, pointed ears, her long, wild silver hair, and her small, sharp teeth as she talked. "But the fever's weakened, so I think he'll be alright." Vitex doesn't reply. The carriage stops with a lurch, and I fall back unto Bergamot, blushing scarlet as I stare at his sleeping face. If Vitex noticed, she didn't say a word, as the boy pokes his head in. Vitex looks at him, their faces identical. "Vetiver," She begins, pointing at Bergamot. "Grab him, and a blanket, and lay him outside, in the sun." Vetiver nodded, grabbing Bergamot, and placing him on his shoulder. Then, grabbing a blanket, he leaves the carriage. Vitex then turns to me, with a fox-like smile. "Let's go fishing." She turns to leave, but I grab her wrist. "Cardamon," I said quietly. She turns back to face me, eyes wide and puzzled. "What?" She asks, so I repeat what I said. "Cardamon. My name is Cardamon." Vitex nodded, and we leave the carriage.
I sit beside Bergamot's sleeping form, nibbling daintily at the fish Vetiver had caught. Its skin is charred black and rubbed with wild herbs, but the meat is white and flaky. I watch Vitex and Vetiver play in the river. Out here, in the moonlight, their pale skin sparkles, and their silver hair, tied up to keep it from getting wet, shimmers. I cast a glance at Bergamot, who's still sleeping. "Is it just me, or does his face look...different?" I wonder, peering closely at his face. Bergamot's face was angular and sharp, his skin silvery pale. I notice his ears, long and pointed, and a shiver runs down my spine. "Vetiver! Vitex!" I call to them, unable to keep the panic out of my voice. The pair leave the river and walk over, soaked from the waist down. "What's the matter?" Vetiver asks, giving me a puzzled look, which his sister echoes. I point at Bergamot's sleeping face, and his eyes widen in shock. Vitex points at a mark on Bergamot's forehead that wasn't there before. "Did you see this?" She demanded, and I shook my head. "No. Why?" I ask, watching as Bergamot begins to stir. He opens his eyes, now a brilliant yellow instead of soft green, and I notice Vetiver and Vitex begin to bow. "What're you two doing?" I ask, turning to see Bergamot, who'd risen to a sitting position. Vetiver looked up at Bergamot, his eyes wide with wonder. "Your Majesty," Vitex said solemnly, rising from her bow. She ran to the carriage, and Vetiver herded Bergamot back to it. I follow close behind and tap Vetiver on the shoulder. He whirled around to face me. "Why did your sister call Bergamot "Your Majesty?" " I ask. Vetiver hops into the carriage, pulling me inside. "Because Cardamon," He explains, watching as Vitex was talking to Bergamot, who looked very shocked. "Bergamot's the long-lost heir of the Kingdom of the Elves." He replied with a whisper.
296Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZ3SdBiEDPn
