Evanna explained to Ger what she found in her mother's secret chest, and the story about the healing gemstone and how it was a woodland elf that kept it after. His face became thoughtful as they stood underneath the balcony.
"What do you plan on doing?" He asked finally.
"We steal it," He looked at her face that showed no signs of jest.
"Evanna… that is crazy," He replied, to see her face fall.
"Why? Do you not think we could do it?" She asked. He shook his head and looked away, staring in no particular direction. "You have no idea what it is like out there. Outside these palace walls that keep you safe. It is not just a matter of stealing the gem, but the journey is a treacherous one."
He looked back at her innocent face, studying the determination set in her eyes and her jaw firm. He sighed putting a hand through his hair, dishevelling it. He knew he would not be able to talk her out of this, helping her was the only way forward. Evanna noticed his demeanour change and internally became ecstatic.
"The odds are against us miserably. The Flori, they are smart and well-known warriors. What if something were to go wrong?"
"It wouldn't" she interrupted.
"And you know that, how?" He replied "we need a backup plan. IF something were to go wrong.. we cannot take on the Flori alone. We would be in their territory, trying to steal from them. They would not think twice before slicing our heads off from our shoulders."
"If there are more of us, we won't be very stealthy. Which is what we need to be, to be able to get in and out unnoticed," Evanna replied.
"And you are stealthy?" He joked.
"I'll have you know that I am, I have been escaping this place unnoticed for years"
"Except for the times when you were noticed.. and reported." She pouted and crossed her arms against her chest. "Plus, you know this place inside out, we don't even know how their palace looks like. We need at least five more people. And that is the minimum."
Her mouth fell open at his suggestion,
"That makes for seven people! Ger, that's too many! I asked you because I trust you with my life. I cannot say the same for anyone else. The gemstone is one of their topmost secrets, heck, it's just a fairy tale to anyone else. How can we trust five more people to keep it to themselves once we succeed? Or not try to take it from us for themselves?"
"We need muscle as well as stealth. Can you even fight? The last time I saw you, you were a pretty good shot with a bow. But that won't be enough, I can't always keep an eye on you, making sure that nothing comes near you" At his response, she tilted her head.
"That was when I was 14. I happen to know how to fight and I had a very good teacher," She retorted. Ger assessed her face to see that she was serious, narrowing his eyes, he stepped closer.
"Then you can show me tomorrow," He replied.
With this, Evanna blinked, a little stunned at the turn of events. She did not expect to be challenged on her fighting skills. However, she was confident enough in herself that she knew she would be able to put up a good fight against him, even if he had slayed monsters.
"Fine, tomorrow," She replied.
Her head then abruptly looked up at the balcony after hearing the door to her room open, without thinking twice, she sprinted back towards the tree, climbing up easily, then ran across one of the branches before jumping the small distance it took for her to land on the balcony's edge.
Just as she dropped down onto the balcony floor, she heard Ger shout "Midday, at the forest".
The door to the balcony suddenly opened and to her surprise, her father appeared. She curtsied upon seeing him and he waved his hand to show he did not care about formalities.
Upon entering the balcony, Osian saw that his daughters face was flustered, her hair was unkempt, and she was trying and failing miserably to act innocent. He briskly walked over to the edge of the balcony and looked down to see the garden empty. He looked back at Evanna and sighed, running his hand through his hair, knowing too well who she could have been with.
He kept an eye on them as children, seen the many times she had climbed down the balcony to meet him to play, making sure that a maid would then follow down after a while to scold them. But they were not children anymore and this had to stop. She was a lady now and he needed to protect her and her virtue.
"Evanna.. If I were anyone else to have entered your room.. this would not do well to your reputation." She parted her lips to interrupt but the king continued "I know you have not seen Ger in some time, and that you are childhood friends. But he is a man now and you will soon be a woman. This is childish behaviour that could be seen as something else entirely. Do I need to continue?"
Evanna nodded her head solemnly, feeling her father's gaze on her and her own embarrassment rising, her cheeks started to redden. Seeing her understand his meaning, he placed his hand on her back to urge her back inside her room. Grabbing her brush, she walked inside with him.
They walked over to the couch in the adjoined living room. Both slouched back, feeling comfortable in each other's company, if they were out in the open, however, they would not be slouching. Evanna looked at her father, waiting for him to talk, she knew he would not come to her chambers unless it was necessary. They speak openly in public all the time, unless it was something that did not need prying eyes or ears to see or hear. He hummed for a while still not meeting her gaze before she gave up and asked,
"Why are you here father? It is a bit late to call on me."
He looked back at her acting shocked, then replied "I did not see you at dinner and I was worried that Eleanor may be the cause of it."
"Father…" Her tone showed slight agitation as she knew that was not the case, he could have seen her in the morning at breakfast, like he normally does if she decided to miss dinner with her 'loving' family.
He sighed and replied, "Okay.. I spoke with Loraven. She is concerned for you, says that you may do something reckless to help her with her condition. I do not know what that means, as we both know that your mother unfortunately may not get better. But I wanted to check with you that this will not be the case."
Evanna did not want to lie to him, but she could not tell him the whole truth either. She sighed "I may in the future do something reckless. But I cannot tell you what it is, just know that I will be okay."
Osian observed his daughters face before exasperatedly replying, "Well that does not really give me a lot of confidence. Maybe I should get those guards on you in the castle after all.."
"Please.." He held up his hand to silence her "I know.. I will not. But if your behaviour continues, I will not think twice about it. I know you are not like your siblings; you do not care for the riches of this life and you prefer to be outside of these walls, but it does not mean that this is not your life. You are a princess, even if you are no daughter to the queen, you are still MY daughter. If something were to happen to you.." he shuddered "Just be careful."
She placed her hand on top of his and he squeezed it before getting up from the couch, as he made his way to leave, Evanna asked for him to send Maggie back into her room. She knew the maid would be nearby and if not, then he would order another maid to get her. She needed to bathe and relax before tomorrow's fight, and Evanna preferred to have Maggie with her compared to the other maids.
After asking Maggie to draw a bath, Evanna made her way back to the living room towards the cabinet in the corner on the far right of the room. Nobody, other than Maggie and herself ever opened it. Upon opening the door, she saw the two swords she kept hidden safely, lying on the wooden surface. She glided her hand along the steel, admiring the intricate details that were formed on the shaft, these were her mothers, and not needing them anymore, she had passed them down to her.
"Milady, the bath will be ready soon. One of the servants is bringing the last bucket up to fill the tub," Maggie interrupted her reverie.
She nodded her head in response and the maid left to bring back the copper bed warmer that she placed underneath the covers. Evanna reached down into her boot to grab the dagger she had used on Isabel and placed it back in the cabinet. Reaching down again she grabbed her other dagger from her other boot, before removing the boots and bringing one of the sharp blades with her to the bathroom. One could never be too careful. She placed the blade next to the bath then Maggie helped her out of her corset.
As she held the princess's clothes in her hands, she asked,
"Is there anything else you need milady?"
Both were unashamed at Evanna's bare body as she climbed into the copper bathtub. Maggie always asked her highness in case her answer would be different, but as usual the princess declined.
"That will be all Maggie, thank you. In the morning can you please bring my breakfast to my room," She requested. Maggie curtsied before wishing her goodnight and leaving the room.
Evanna leaned her head back on the tub. Her hair in a messy bun, not bothering to wash it, nor wanting to be washed. Although she had servants to help her with every little thing, she preferred bathing by herself. She inhaled deeply, relaxing further into the water, while taking in the smell of the rose petals that were sprinkled on the water's surface.
With her eyes closed, her mind wandered. She never once thought of Ger in any other form of a relationship other than friendship. To think her father thought they could have been.. her face flushed again in embarrassment. It made perfect sense, she was 17, although most ladies married younger, she was happy being a free spirit and her father had never pestered her about it. Unlike Isabel who was only a year older than her, she had been courting for a few years now.
She could not deny that he was a handsome man, anyone could see that, and she admired him a lot, to go from nobleman to peasant and claiming his title again as a nobleman was impressive. But she had known him a long time, she just didn't feel that way about him. Was there something wrong with her? Was it because he had gone away? Groaning out loud, she realised she forgot to ask him about his travels. Shaking her head, she opened her eyes. Enough. She did not need to think about men.
The princess washed herself before the water got cold and dressed in her night gown, then moving out of the bathroom she started to blow the candles out placed around the room, leaving the candles placed on her bedside table. She put the dagger down next to the candle stand before climbing into bed, feeling both excited and nervous about the fight tomorrow. It had been a while since she had a good spar, maybe the exertion will do her some good, she was feeling rather lazy lately.