CHAPTER FIVE

Eislyn hurried up the stairs, which encompassed the wide tree. She was excited, and she hardly could wait to see her friend. She was sure, that Lady Lyanna will be thrilled hearing the news of his soulmate. When Eislyn left the palace, she was happy to not see the prince. She wasn't sure, how she could handle him otherwise.

She arrived at the patio of the house, and quickly walked in – the hall was big enough for a ball. In the centre, there was a fountain. Its babbling voice was always very soothing. Eislyn still could remember her first day of the duty as Lady Lyanna's guard. Her nerves were all on edge, because she knew perfectly well the family's important position in the elhen community. As she waited for Lord Celebhest, the head of the house, and his daughter in the hall, the music of the water helped her to calm down her nervous mind. Behind the fountain in front of the entrance there was a balcony, almost between them was a stairway, which led up to another floor, and there were corridors in both ways. Eislyn turned to the right to find Lyanna. She guessed, that the woman didn't leave her rooms, and when after a few minutes she knocked on her door, she heard her voice.

"Come in."

Eislyn stepped into the room, which was her lady's parlour, and immediately caught sight of Lady Lyanna. Her heart flinched seeing her dear friend. The lady's face was very pale, clearly she was in pain. In her lap there was a book, but she didn't seem to reading it.

"My Lady, how are you feeling?" She walked towards her, and sat down next to her. Lyanna just raised her eyes, and Eislyn could see the suffering in them. She knew perfectly well, that they'll have to leave as quickly as they can. She smiled at her, while she reached out her friend's hand to squeeze it. "I have good news for you."

This one sentence worked like a charm. The elhen's face almost blossomed, and her eyes started to water by her tears.

"Did you find him?!"

Her voice cracked, and the next second her hands flew up to her cheeks to cover her mouth. Eislyn seeing the other woman's happy tears, she knew it right away, that she has much to be thankful for to the king.

"He's on Terra, My Lady," told the younger elhen quietly, and squeezed the lady's hand one more time. "You need to pack for a long journey, and you need to do it yourself. We can't risk, that Shab possibly may get wind of it. I'll gladly help you, if you want, but before I'll have to speak with your brother."

"You're very kind, Eislyn, but I'll do it myself," answered Lyanna, and quickly put aside her book. Her tears still fell down from her eyes, but this time the reason of them was her happiness and not her pain. "Thank you. I'll be indebted to you for your help in my entire life."

Eislyn started to feel tears in her eyes, and she couldn't hold back her smile.

"My Lady, you aren't my protégé only, you're my friend also, and I'll do anything with my power for your happiness and safety. I swear!" After one more hand squeezing she stood up. "I'll go to find Lord Raven. I hope we'll be back in a few hours."

The younger elhen left the room, and headed towards the main hall, where she could go forwards, and find Lord Raven. She just hoped, that the man will be at home, and she won't have to search the whole tree city for him. Before Eislyn could step onto the other corridor, she found herself face to face with an elhen servant. He couldn't have better timing, she thought, and immediately took advantage of the opportunity.

"Greetings to you. Can you tell me, where can I find Lord Raven? I need to speak with him."
The man gave her a nod, then pointed towards the lord's rooms.

"Lord Raven is with her mate in their parlour."

"Thank you, sir."

After one more nod the woman continued her walk. This part of the house was slightly different, than Lady Lyanna's rooms, but almost the same. She reached the door in a few minutes, which was opened, so Eislyn noticed the pair instantly. They stood on the parlour's balcony, and clearly they were indulged in each other.

Lord Raven and her soulmate, Lady Thilian were beautiful together. Lady Lyanna's brother was a tall and muscular elhen, a lot of woman envied Lady Thilian for this, because she could be his mate. The man's features bore a lot of resemblance to his sister – with his soft lines and noble posture –, the only difference was his shoulder lengthed hair, which was rather black than brown like Lyanna's, and he wore it in a tail. His chin was decorated with a little mustache and a beard. Next to him Lady Thilian was the star in the night with her long silver-blonde hair, light grey eyes, and fair skin.

The lord smiled at the woman, and probably just wanted to bend down to kiss her, when he saw her. He immediately stiffened, but it was only one moment, and he was composed again. Then he said something to Lady Thilian, likely about her, because the woman turned her head towards the door. Lord Raven added some more, then after a quick kiss, he left her on the balcony.

"Eislyn."

"Lord Raven." The younger elhen greeted him with a bow, then gave him a cautious look. "I would like to show you something, if you would allow me."

The man noticed the importance of the situation right away. It was obvious, because in his dark blue eyes understanding gleamed. He glanced back at his mate for a brief second, then turned back to the woman.

"All right." He motioned towards the corridor. "Please, show me."

"Thank you," smiled Eislyn to Lord Raven, but didn't move, and because the elhen's eyebrow rose up in expectation, she explained her hesitancy. "Can we go with one of your vehicle? My skyroller is only for one person."

"Of course."

Lord Raven led the woman out from the house, and down to the platform, where the skyrollers stood. Apart from the building, which was huge, the number of the vehicles showed how wealthy was Lord Celebhest's family. And maybe their money, but definitely Lord Celebhest's and his son's warrior status caused their influential position in the elhen society. Eislyn was sure, that this was one reason, why the prince tried to always approach Lady Lyanna. Now, that they finally have the information about the lady's mate, Eislyn hoped, that the man will put him in his place. It's time for Shab to accept, that the lady belongs to someone else.

The older elhen stopped at a double skyroller, and reached out for the door of the passenger's seat, but the woman was faster. Eislyn opened the door, and sat in, while the lord went around to also get in. She didn't dare to look at him, and felt, that slowly warmth spread over her face. She was used to be polite and compliant towards others, and she didn't even expect such thing in turn.

"Where?"

Lord Raven's voice didn't imply his displeasure about her behaviour, and this eased Eislyn. In the next several minutes she led him without a word. She wanted to be alone with him, therefore they had to go up above the trees. Possibly the man guessed her purpose, because he didn't resist. After a few minutes they arrived up, where the lord stopped the vehicle, then turned towards her.

"You found him."

It wasn't a question. Lord Raven knew perfectly well, what did the woman want to say to him. It was evident, when Eislyn approached him. Accordingly she didn't beat around the bush, when she answered.

"He's on Terra," she repeated, what she already told to Lady Lyanna.

"Then you will need a ship," declared the man, and continued immediately. "Use one of my own starship. The Terra is in at least one week from here, if you have the proper engine, and I know, that the Nuria can take the journey in four days. And of course you need an escort. I know, that the terrians aren't hostile, but you can't leave nothing to chance. I will select a team personally, who will help you. If you would like to come with me, then come."

"Yes, Lord Raven. I would like to get to know them."

"All right." The lord started the skyroller's engine, but remained above the trees. "We have to divert Shab's attention, and I think I already have the best idea. After your departure, I'll spread the news, that you went to the mountains to rest, because my sister didn't feel herself well. And by the time he'll realize, that you're not there, you will be already on Terra, likely with Lyanna's mate."

"Thank you, Lord Raven."

Eislyn would gladly accept a brother like this elhen, because unfortunately she was the only child of her parents. Lord Raven was well-known for his unconditional love towards his sister, and towards his mate also of course.

"Did the king show you him, or just told, where you can find him?" asked the man, while slowly manoeuvred the skyroller down. Hearing this, Eislyn remembered the pictures about the man on Terra, and she sent a smile to the elhen.

"I saw him," answered then, and because Lord Raven seemed to be really interested, and of course they spoke about his sister's mate, she willingly continued. "He's a soldier. Some kind of warrior on Terra. The king didn't show me much, but by the images, what I saw, he has strength and very powerful fighting skill." Eislyn would dare to swear, that she suspects, what would Lord Raven like to hear. Since she could say exactly that, she told him. "He will be able to protect Lady Lyanna."

"Good to hear it," nodded the older elhen, as he reached the busiest part of the city's traffic.
The skyroller was roofed, yet they didn't speak more. Because neither of them wanted to risk, that the prince may notices their plan, both of them sank in their thoughts. Lord Raven ran over the necessary tasks in his mind, while Eislyn thoughts were on the journey before them.

---

Lyanna was excessively happy for the first time for a long time now. She could hardly wait to see her soulmate. This joyful thought slightly could efface her pain. She still felt it, but at least she had something to think of.

In the last one hour and a half she packed, what she felt necessary for a liftime journey. She was absolutely sure, that if her family won't ask her, she will stay on Terra. If she just thought of the prince, this decision seemed to be the best idea. She looked over her package, and tried to notice, if she missed something, but she found nothing. She sat down her sofa, abruptly feeling herself very tired. In the last few months she got tired easily. Lyanna blamed it on her aching heart. She often and suddenly fell into a slumber, and these times she couldn't escape from the nightmares. As now. Her eyes closed on their own accord, and in the next second she fell asleep.

Lyana found herself in her dream. The weirdness was this time, that she still was in her sleeping room. Yet she couldn't believe, that this dream will be different, so she set out to find her mate. Certainly he had to be somewhere here. She stepped out from her room into her parlour, then into the corridor. Nobody was there, everything was quiet. So quiet, that she shuddered. When she exited from the house, the outdoors surroundings were the same. Lyanna warily went down on the stairs, because she didn't know, what she will find before her. After a few minutes she saw a long bridge, which she didn't see before, and which led somewhere up. She instinctively felt, that she shouldn't head there, but her feet chose that direction on its own accord. As she went up and up, the air became cold, while the trees bent in the sunbeams' way. Lyanna started to shiver, which was frightening, because on Elhenion there was always summer. She hugged herself with her arms, but it wasn't enough. When she reached the bridge's end, she was really cold, then she stepped onto a big platform, and her heart froze.

The first, what she saw, was her brother. Raven lay on the ground covered by his blood – clearly he was dead. Lyanna's tears immediately started to fall down. Then her eyes noticed her father and mother, and Thilian, her brother's mate, and Eislyn. They were all dead. Their empty eyes taunted her. But the worse didn't happen yet.

Lyanna swayed, and started to feel herself dizzy. She could see less and less because of her tears, which watered her cheeks. Then as she staggered towards her loved ones, every previous pain became nothing, when the horrible scene appeared before her. There was Shab, with a crazy look on his face, and to her horror, in the prince's grip her soulmate. Maybe they fought with each other before, because both of them had wounds, and her mate's shield lay on the platform broken a few paces off. But the man was still alive, even as the prince seemed to gain ascendancy over him.

"Did you come to rejoice our future life?" The prince voice was hoarse, as he spoke, and when Lyanna turned her frightened eyes towards him, he sent a grin to her. "He's just a human, a nothing, a weak little thing. He'll never be as noble as us, and when we'll be enjoying our beautiful immortal life, he'll be already dead. Come with me, and spend our life together!"

"You're insane!" Lyanna didn't believe, that she could say anything, but her voice worked, even if a little bit shakily. Her eyes met a crystal blue one, and as she noticed the pain in them, she couldn't hold back her sob. "Please don't hurt him," she begged to the elhen prince. "He's everything to me, my world, my life. If something happens to him, I will die. Please!"

"Don't be afraid, I will be next to you all the time." Shab spoke like he just promised a present to her. "The pain will vanish, and you will be happier, then now. Trust me, dear Lyanna."

"I will never trust you!" she shouted to the man, and stepped forward, while she clenched her fists. "Release him!" Lyanna was prepared to do anything to save her mate's life, even if she was much weaker, then the prince. "He's my mate!"

"You're wrong."

Lyanna couldn't do nothing, when she saw, as the prince right hand rose with a dagger. She watched the whole scene like a slow motion – Shab stabbed the dagger into the man's heart, then her mate lifeless body tumbled on the ground. After a few seconds Lyanna realized, that she hears her own scream, and when she looked down, she noticed the bigger and bigger red spot on her dress over her dying heart.

---

"Lyanna! Lya! Wake up!"

Lyanna's eyes sprang open, and stared up her brother, while gasping for air. She needed at least two minutes to realize, that she really see Raven, and the man aren't dead.

"Raven!" she cried out, and jumped at him to hang on his shoulder. Her brother immediately hugged back her, then started to rub her back. "I dreamt your death!"

"I'm fine, Lya," said gently the older elhen, and when he released her, gave her a soft smile. "Whatever you dreamt, it wasn't the reality. Everyone is all right, and you will depart tomorrow. In five days everything will be perfect."

Her dream was still in her mind, but the future gave her assurance, that every suffering will be forgotten, after she'll unite with her soulmate. She just had to think of the journey. The pain was in her heart, but hope too, and it was enough to hold on. Lyanna smiled returning his brother's smile.

"Thank you, Raven," she whispered, then pecked the man on his cheek. "I love you."

"I love you too, dear sister."

Notes