Miracle of the Moon Goddess

15: The fifth prospect

Eldar’s POV, the night of the ball:

“Your hair is too long for a man. You’re not presentable for a meeting with the Empress!” Prince Terra exclaims when I enter the royal ballroom.

Only me, him, and Empress Aubrey herself are here, but the room shows signs of a recent ball. According to my father, the ball I missed was the one where Celeste had met the four other prospects. It had taken me way too long to escape the world I’ve been trapped in, but this meeting may be enough to help me join the race for Celeste.

The ballroom is a gigantic cave with three enormous chandeliers hanging from the ceiling, the biggest in front of the throne and the two others on each wing. The throne is carved out of one massive tree. It is the last of its kind in a world long since gone.

When you look upon the throne, you want to go closer because you can see small, intricate details. To do that, you need an invitation to come up to the large dais it stands on. Only one person has the power to permit you, and that is the Empress herself, who is currently occupying the massive chair. Her son, Prince Terra, sits on a less significant chair to her side.

I bow to the Empress with a well-practiced flourish, though it’s been years since I’ve done it. I’ve been stuck in another world for years, but the elven upbringing is still in me. To hide I’ve been running, I hold my breath to keep my bow steady. There had barely been time to bathe and change my clothes before this meeting. It’s been two hours since I returned to the news that Prince Terra was accepting claims for Celeste. I cannot let my childhood crush slip away from me this easily.

“Sorry, there is a reason for my hair,” I say to Prince Terra when Empress Aubrey indicates I can get up from my bow.

“Really? I have to hear this,” he smiles with his usual lack of warmth. He’s never liked me. I’m not from a high-standing family, even if my father is one of the wealthiest elves out there. Prince Terra accepted my friendship with his son because even a shunned true elf is an honor to befriend if you are half-elven.

“Why is your hair long?”

“First, let me tell you, I’ve been stuck in another world for years. My father has informed me that for this world, I’ve only been gone for a month or so. It has not been the same for me. For me, it’s a different tale spanning over two decades. I was stuck in a world more or less bereft of magic.”

As expected, the last comment raised an eyebrow from both of them. It’s not the first time an elf has experienced this. What’s surprising is that most of those who have been without magic as long as me were different when they returned. It is said that the lack of magic can drive you crazy.

Oddly enough, knowing others had been through the same was comforting. The only thing that kept me sane for the first few years was that others had been trapped in similar worlds. After that, it was the music that occupied my mind.

Music is like magic, and with music came the hair and my new way of looking at things. But these reasons are not good enough for the Empress and the prince. Suppose I tell them about my love for music. In that case, I will probably confirm the misconception that being stuck in a world without magic makes you crazy. I can’t risk that. If anything I say today indicates that I’m crazy, nothing I say later will matter.

Both mother and son give me a slight nod so that I can continue speaking. “To mask my presence among the humans, I grew my hair to cover my ears. That way, I could save up the little magic I could gather until I had enough for a portal back here.”

I don’t mention that I also used makeup to hide my grayish-elven complexion. They would probably think I used it like the Wolfqueen, with bright colors matching my clothes.

“I could cut it now, but I have decided against it,” I state matter-of-factly. Not surprisingly, Prince Terra seems ready to explode at the idea and is about to tell me about my place in this world. I politely lift my hand to stop him before I continue.

“I think it will help me keep the Wolf Princess in check. I have researched the princess and what makes her more cooperative.” My words change the atmosphere in the room to a more official one. They no longer scold me like a child but are suddenly willing to listen.

“We all know that the concubines who are happy with the prospect chosen give birth to more children than those who need more force to do their duties. From what I know of Wolf Princess Celeste, she will respond better to my childish rebellious ways than to any true elf following tradition.”

This is more my father’s words than mine, but it gets easier to bull s**t as I speak. I’m grateful for his council because it doesn’t take long before Prince Terra nods, and Empress Aubrey looks thoughtful. My father’s theory that there must be a reason for them to change plans for Celeste’s future suddenly seems true.

“It’s no secret that Queen Angel has instilled some unhealthy morals in her daughter.” Yet again, to no one’s surprise, Prince Terra scoffs when I utter the word morals. “I would rather work around this problem than punish the girl needlessly. She is who she is, and any damage to her might hinder your plans for her.”

Prince Terra looks more impressed than I expected. Even with my bullshit performance, I hadn’t expected more than being told off. He might not have given up on his plans, even if Celeste was to become a concubine. The only thing that can stop me now is Empress Aubrey. She doesn’t look as impressed, but she never is.

“Why don’t you get a wife to Sire some true elves, like the other prospects have already done?” Empress Aubrey asks me with disdain, wrinkling her nose. The woman is a firm believer in keeping the elven bloodline strong, even if we don’t die of old age and disease like the other races do.

“Being immortal, I can do that anytime. The chance of having a Wolf Princess as my concubine is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity,” I tell them, hiding my reasons for pursuing the position of Sire for Celeste’s children.

If they find out, I don’t want Celeste to be hurt and I do this to save her from the other prospects, I might not get the chance to help her. The other candidates claim they want to prove themselves by bending her to their will. She never will because they are all types to hit first and ask later if they ask at all. I can’t watch another man discipline her. I want to keep her as free as possible. There is only one way to do it: make her mine.

“Unlike the others, I can also give my full attention to her,” I add, following another suggestion from my father. “The other candidates might be distracted by their wives’ and husbands’ duties. This should count as a favor to me.”

Empress Aubrey nods as I speak. I almost jump in excitement as I notice she listens to me. She is not the approving type of person. I can congratulate myself later. Now, I must keep calm and not even show them a sliver of a smile.

My words barely have any truth, and knowing they buy it is a relief. If the possibility of Celeste being my wife ever comes to fruition, I must hide my feelings from the two royals. Like the marriage will be. It will all be done in secret, as I’m not allowed to marry someone who is not a true elf. I’ve always dreamed of a life with my wolf princess, and she is partly why I became friends with her brother, Damien.

The one thing separating us is that my life is endless; hers is not. So maybe in a millennium or two, I have forgotten her enough to get another wife. At this moment, I can’t imagine anyone but her, and I cannot ignore that she is the only woman for me. I did not long for my home in the human world, but I longed for her. The memory of her kept me up at night.

Celeste is the only woman I know with a curious mind. Her sire has tried to stop her inquisitive nature, but she has never changed her ways. Her perseverance is rare, and I treasure it. I have loved her since childhood, and I’m afraid I will love her for the rest of my everlasting life.