Guardian Elves

Mereneth smiled a little and hugged Shoun back, then she winced when she remembered the bargain. "Shoun...I...I made a bargain." she muttered, "I have to go speak to my Mother." 

Shoun suddenly looked very sick.
"You go onto the palace without me," He told her: "I'll only slow you down."
"Who says?!" A familiar voice greeted them. Shoun turned to see Merineth on one of the royal horses, smiling brightly.
"Shoun, why don't you ride with me, so we can have our doctors look at you? Mereneth, you ride ahead of us--we'll catch up as soon as we can."
Alexander neighed joyfully:
"I'll be HONORED to escort my Master's love back to her home!"
Merineth's eyebrow cocked in interest:
"Your Master's love?" She teased, eyeing Mereneth.

Mereneth laughed nervously and blushed, then got on Alexander. "H-he was just joking around!" she snapped the reins. "Right, Alexander?! Let's go!" she glanced back at Shoun, then towards the palace.

Merineth hummed sarcastically; clearly not believing her, as she followed her sister with Shoun in tow.
Merineth rode Shoun back to the doctors, and had them look him over. There seemed to be nothing wrong with him, except for being tired, so they suggested he should rest.
A few guards escorted Shoun back to his room, and helped him to his bed.
After they left, Shoun snuggled under the covers, as he let the warmth of love spread throughout his body...
She loves him! She LOVES him! He couldn't believe it, but was so happy that it was true...
He just hoped that something--or someone wouldn't change that.
**************
Boaz was disappointed, as well as furious with his daughter's rebellion.
"You are NEVER to see that man again, UNDERSTOOD?"
Monique refused to answer.
"And to make SURE of that; I'm putting a 24-hour guard on you!"
Her eyes widened at that:
"BUT FATHER-!"
Rowen suddenly heard someone running down the hall to them.
Boaz looked up in time to see Mereneth; frazzled, sweaty, as well as dirty, and out of breath.
"Mereneth, WHAT HAPPENED?!

Boaz frowned in confusion, as Rowen's mouth dropped
"Mereneth..." Rowen began, not sure how to respond.
Monique didn't say a thing, but her heart swelled at the thought of being able to see her love again.
Boaz's eyes became firm:
"Mereneth, you were against Monique seeing Peter MORE then the rest of us--what's changed your mind?"

Mereneth's eyes widened a little and she started stuttering, "W-well you see...I...I finally realized something! Yeah! I finally realized...that...that if Monique loves him, and he loves her...then....then it's wrong to tear the two apart!!" she swallowed, "D-don't you think?"

Boaz eyed her with suspicion:
"I suppose..."
Rowen swallowed as she held her husband's arm:
"Dearest, remember how YOUR parents banned us from seeing each other?"
Boaz blushed at the memory:
"Yes--my parents thought it was ridiculous that a prince should fall in love with a servant girl."
Monique gasped:
"Mother, you were A SERVANT?"
Rowen chuckled:
"Yes...and I understand how you feel, Monique," She sighed: "Boaz-- Mereneth's right. We should let them see each other."
Boaz crossed his arms; not at all happy with Rowen's reasoning, but had the feeling that she was a little bit right...
But how come it felt so wrong?
"Alright," Boaz finally agreed: "Peter can see Monique under ONE condition; he stays in our sight at ALL times, especially with Monique."
Monique gasped in happiness, as she ran over, and hugged her parents:
"THANK YOU!"

Mereneth swallowed hard and nodded, forcing a smile, then quietly left the room and walked down the hall to change before anyone make a comment on her appearance and what she had been doing. She sighed of relief, Well atleast that's over with... 

Merineth had overheard everything that happened, and saw her messy sister slowly make her way to her room.
"Mereneth, what haven't you told us?"

Mereneth winced and glanced back at her sister, "Ah...what do you mean?" she laughed nervously and went inside her room to get changed into clean clothes. "I meant what I said!!"

"How about the fact that you looked like you got caught in a tornado?!?" Merineth held her nose: "And you smell even worse! What have you been in, dragon dung?!"
Mereneth kept silent, not wanting to answer.
Merineth kept pressing:
"Tell me NOW; I won't rest until you do, so you might as well open up now, and not after midnight."

Mereneth winced and went farther into her room, trying to close the door. "Ah...listen. I need to get cleaned up, as you can obviously tell, and afterwards I'll explain, alright?" she smiled at her sister. "Please?"

Merineth glared at her:
"You PROMISE to tell me as SOON as you're cleaned up?"

Mereneth winced, "I...well..." she sighed. "Yes!" she closed the door and went to her washstand, getting cleaned up and changed into clean, nice clothes. She sat on her bed and put a hand to her head. Now she had to tell Merineth...this wasn't going as planned.

Merineth knocked on Mereneth's door, and asked her:
"Are you done cleaning up, dearest?"

Mereneth sighed and stood up, going over to the door and opening it. She smiled a little bit and stepped back so her sister could come in. "Listen...you can't anyone what I'm about to tell you, alright?"

Merineth eyed her sister carefully:
"You have my word that I won't tell a soul."

Mereneth let her sister in, then closed the door and sighed, leaning against it. "Shoun and I went to the village to eat out...and then this man, who turned out to be the Shadow Wraith, led us out of the town and he threatened to kill Shoun..." she mumbled, then put a hand to her head. "We made an agreement that if he would let Shoun live, I would tell mother to let this Peter guy visit Monique."

Merineth sighed in disbelief as she dropped onto Mereneth's bed:
"Well..." She finally said after a long silence: "That's--quite a situation...are you sure you did what was best for everyone--not JUST Shoun?"

Mereneth swallowed hard and sat down on a chair, putting her head in her hands. "I-I mean..." she started crying, "I really messed up, didn't I?"

Merineth went over to her sister, wrapped her arms around Mereneth, and let her cry.
"It was a hard choice, my dear...and even though you weren't allowed to make the best choice; it's not hopeless."
Just then, Monique floated in on clouds of happiness, and then saw the broken state of her sister.
"What's the matter?"

Mereneth looked up and sniffed, "Oh!! Monique!" she wiped her eyes and put on a smile. "Oh it's nothing! Are you doing alright?"

Monique looked as if she had just tasted the best dessert in the whole world:
"Yes!" She hugged Mereneth: "THANK you SO MUCH! I've NEVER been so HAPPY in my entire LIFE!"
"Then I hope this will make you happier," They heard their father say.
They all looked, and saw Boaz, smiling unsurely as he stepped back; revealing Peter Hampton.
"Monique..." His voice pooled with warmth as he ran, and embraced her.
The sight sickened Merineth, and caused Boaz's stomach to turn.

Mereneth swallowed hard and she stood up. "Ah, please excuse me...I need to go check on Shoun...see if he's alright." she caught Peter's eye, then went out of her room and walked down the hall.