Part 10 - Days

That day Kahor said goodbye to Kai.

Hiding behind a tree, Allana watched as the Knight held her in his arms, his lips touching hers in a soft kiss that left tears in Kahor’s eyes. And, at the end of the day, Kai left the palace grounds accompanying a young man all dressed in white.

With Kai gone Kahor was left without a sparring partner with whom to practice for her upcoming Test. And so Allana didn’t miss the chance to offer to take his place. Although she thought Allana was too young and too inexperienced to be of any help, Kahor didn’t want to hurt her feelings and ended up accepting her offer.

And so Allana’s days became suddenly too busy. In the morning, after breakfast, she would attend Elispon’s training sessions, where the jealously and despise of her other female companions seemed to grow as her combatant skills improved day by day. In the afternoon she would practice with Kahor that, impressed with the fast development of her young friend, rapidly found out that her afternoons weren’t as useless as she had initially foreseen. And, by the end of the day, when the sun started to go down and it was too dark for sword fighting, she would join Karl in the library for another enthusiastic discussion on war tactics or philosophy. As the days went by she found out she truly enjoyed Karl’s company who, although too young and too skinny to have any success in the arts of combat, possessed an immense knowledge that included all kinds of subjects, from history to philosophy, and even the art of war and the best attack and defense strategies ever used.

She rarely saw Elian, since that night. And, when she did, it was from afar. And although his gaze seemed to always find her – or was is the other way around? – there was never a chance to really talk to him.

Another person that had also become part of her everyday life was Adira. The woman seemed to have taken a liking to her and they spent many nights together, drinking tea and talking about the Royal Family – that by association was her family too – and sometimes even about Elian. When that happened Allana couldn’t help smile. For Adira talked about the Crown Prince as if he were her own son, and she immediately understood that that woman knew him better than any anyone else in that palace. Adira was to Elian the same Dana had been for her, and when she remembered the woman that had looked after her since the day she’d been born she couldn’t help feel sorry … and sad … for having left her like that. If only Dana had been able to see her like Adira saw Elian … Without judgment, or expectations. Just with unconditional love and acceptance.