haebin

Here is the next chapter. Please enjoy it and thank you so, so much for reading. It still means the world to me and will probably never change. ♥

No one encountered Ysilia in the long corridor, and when she turned the next corner, she stopped in surprise when she saw a soldier standing in front of Trálír's chamber. She looked at him hesitantly and he nodded politely, his eyes showing friendliness. The young elf bit her lower lip uncertainly and wondered what to do next, while observing the man as inconspicuously as possible from the corner of her eye. She guessed that he had perhaps just reached elven adulthood, possibly just over a hundred years young. Of course, this was only a guess, as few could accurately estimate the age of an elf. But there were some characteristics from which conclusions could be drawn. Although he stood upright, his chin raised high, his gaze straight ahead, he seemed to exude a kind of uncertainty. He was not really sure of his status as a soldier and obviously felt uncomfortable in his new calling. When their eyes met and he quickly looked away, it was another sign of his young age.

The young elf was a soldier, but he was on guard duty, which meant that he hadn't been part of a military for very long. Hesitantly, Ysilia took a step in his direction and he turned his face toward her questioningly. It was long and narrow, but he had high cheekbones and a pronounced bone and chin structure. His skin was covered in freckles which were concentrated around his nose and cheeks and his long reddish-blond hair was tied back at the nape of his neck. The young soldier looked at her, a polite smile still on his lips, while the look in his light green eyes seemed slightly uncertain.
“My lady? Can I help you?”
Ysilia took a deep breath when she heard him address her according to her status.
If he asks me if he can help me, I should gather all my courage and make my request, she thought, taking another step toward him.

“May I... may I...,” she began, but then her voice broke and she cleared her throat nervously. She feared that her plan would have little chance of success, because after all, it was rumored that Trálír had consumed too much alcohol and was therefore barely able to leave his bed. After breakfast, his father had informed the guests that, to everyone's disappointment, his son had fallen ill and would therefore not be participating in today's hunt and the ball. But if he was really ill, why would a soldier be standing guard outside his chamber?
“I would like to visit my fiancé,” she said, emphasizing her calmness and trying to keep her voice steady.
A visit wouldn't really be a surprise, would it? After all, she was going to marry the ruler's son... at least that's what most of the castle's residents and guests assumed.
“Well, um...” The soldier looked at Ysilia uneasily and cleared his throat awkwardly. His gaze darted from left to right, as if he were worried that someone nearby might hear him. “I... I'm not allowed to let you in,” he said quietly, shrugging apologetically.
“You're not allowed?” Ysilia repeated in surprise and the soldier nodded, looking uncomfortable. “He's ill and you're refusing to let his fiancée see him?”

The young elf seemed to shrink under her words. “Forgive me, my lady, but I have been instructed not to allow anyone into this chamber under any circumstances.”
She shook her head in disbelief. “Under any circumstances? Would you even refuse the healer entry to my fiancé's chamber?”

With a slight shrug of his shoulders, the soldier lowered his eyes to avoid Ysilia's piercing gaze. It all sounded highly questionable to her, but she didn't know what to do now. She couldn't just push past him and sighed. Was Trálír really ill? Or ... Ysilia turned pale. Was it possible that he had argued so fiercely with his father about the breaking off of their engagement that he had now locked himself in his chamber to avoid another encounter with her? But then why was there a guard standing in front of his chamber, refusing entry to anyone? Before Ysilia could even think, she suddenly heard a dark, deep voice behind her.
“What's going on here?”
She turned around in surprise and looked into amber-colored eyes.

***

“Teárlach?” Ysilia exclaimed in surprise when she saw Trálír's brother standing just two steps away from her, watching the situation intently. A slight frown appeared on his face.
Unlike the last two evenings when she had seen him, he was not wearing robes but a simple black tunic and tight-fitting black pants. His long, muscular legs were encased in knee-high black leather boots.
His shoulder-length hair fell lightly over his face.
Ysilia looked up at him and felt unconsciously intimidated by his presence. His charisma was commanding, almost oppressive. Teárlach returned her gaze emotionlessly as he brushed his hair behind his ears with a calm movement of his hand. He noticed Ysilia's subtle nervousness and a slight smile appeared on his lips.
“You're not hunting?” she asked in surprise, her voice thin and the second-born shook his head.
“There is no need to go hunting at the moment, given the masses of meat piled up in our stores. And I would never kill animals just for pleasure.”
There was a cheerful tone in his words that the young elf couldn't quite place. She noticed that he was looking over her shoulder at the soldier. The Elf nodded obediently to his master and then quickly looked away again. Ysilia was surprised when she saw fear in his green eyes and frowned questioningly.
Teárlach, who had also seen the fear in the soldier's eyes, turned his attention back to her.
“What is this about, Ysilia? If you let me in on your secret, I might be able to help you.” His deep voice sounded amused, and his smile broadened when he noticed her flinch at the mention of the secret.
“Well, I would like to visit my fiancé,” she replied quietly and Teárlach raised a dark eyebrow.
“And what is stopping you?”
Ysilia bit her lip slightly, uncomfortable with the idea of getting the soldier into trouble, and looked over her shoulder in silence, a guilty look in her eyes. The last thing she wanted was for him to get into serious trouble because of her and her wish to visit her Trálír.
Teárlach turned his gaze to the elf, who stood with slumped shoulders in front of the locked door of the chamber.

“What's the problem, soldier? Are you refusing entry to your master's fiancée?”
The second-born's voice was dark and sharp. Each word felt like a quick, painful lash of a whip to the young elf. His throat tightened, as did his chest.
“I am not allowed to let anyone into this chamber,” he replied quietly, his voice trembling slightly. Teárlach's gaze darkened dangerously.
“I give her permission. So step aside so she can visit her fiancé.”
The elf turned pale, beads of sweat appeared on his forehead, and he shook his head slightly. “Forgive me, my lord, but... but I am not allowed to,” he replied, stuttering.
Teárlach took a long step forward and stood directly in front of Ysilia, who unconsciously backed away and stared at him with wide eyes.

The soldier swallowed and tried to ignore the lump in his throat. An inner instinct urged him to retreat as well. But he was a soldier in the Blackwater Army; there was no way for him to back down. When the enemy stood before you, you had to stand your ground and draw your weapon. This was not possible in this case, and the ruler's son was not really his enemy, but his gut gave him a clear warning that he was in danger. Yet even with this feeling, with this inner sense that he was on thin ice, he could not back down under any circumstances.
“Open. The. Door. Soldier.”
Ysilia carefully placed her hand on Teárlach's forearm, fearing that the situation could get out of control. She sensed a certain tension in the air.
She didn't believe that Teárlach would threaten the soldier or become physical with him, but his voice was sharp. It made it clear that the ruler's son expected obedience, and a dangerous fire glowed in his amber eyes.

Ysilia wanted to defuse the situation and prevent the soldier from being punished, so she said with a friendly smile, “That's not really necessary. I believe the soldier is only doing the job he was assigned to do. He certainly won't refuse me because he feels like it. And we don't want him to get in trouble for letting me into the chamber.”
Teárlach clenched his teeth so hard that they ground together. He took his gaze of the soldier and responded to Ysilia's words with a smile. However, she failed to notice that the did not reach his eyes.
“So be it,” he replied with a nod.
But he wasn't going to let the soldier get away with his disobedience so easily.

If you don't want to end up in the dungeon and prevent me from slowly skinning you alive, you will tell me immediately what is stopping you from obeying me.

And since his gaze was fixed on Ysilia and the soldier was staring at the floor, Teárlach concentrated on his gift of reading the other's thoughts.
He sensed the young elf's tension, his rapidly beating heart, and the blood pounding through his veins. Fear of his master and the thought that he would carry out his threat made his knees weak. He fought so hard not to show how much panic had gripped him.

Your father... he... he has forbidden anyone from entering your brother's chamber...

Teárlach frowned in confusion.
My father? Why? What is the reason for this?

He broke eye contact with Ysilia for a moment and stared at the soldier, who was now looking at him fearfully.

I don't know the reason, my lord. I am only carrying out the orders I have been given.
A slight tremor ran through the young elf's body and he looked nervously at his master. The latter nodded imperceptibly and stepped out of the young man's consciousness again, his gaze falling on his brother's locked chamber. What in the nine hells had happened here?
But Teárlach had no answer to that, and the only thing he could do was speculate or ask his father for the reason. And he would rather kiss the devil's feet than voluntarily go near him.

The moment his father had informed the guests of Trálír and Ysilia's engagement, Teárlach had stood up and left the great hall. The last thing he wanted was to witness this farce.
And so he made his way to the servants' quarters, which were located in the eastern part of the castle.