Adremedian Prince 2 Adremedian?

When he got back to the castle, James' tutors politely asked him to join them in the library so they could continue his studies. By their expressions he knew they were upset about him being late, once again. But he didn't comment on it. He sat in the library only half listening as his thoughts reviewed everything that had happened since he found Lilly lying in the middle of the main forest trail. What had happened to leave her out in the open like that? How long had she been living in the forest? How did she talk through thought? No Human that he knew could do that. How could she fearlessly approach and touch wild animals? Her clothes? Her blade?

Then there was Torta's strange behavior. Not once since his breaking had he ever reared. Today he had done so twice, and fled from the wild cat like a horse not suitable for battle. Yet, after Lilly had knocked him to the ground, he'd come back. He came back into the cat's vicinity calmly. No worried noises, to pawing at the ground in agitation. Had Lilly called him back? Did she speak to the animals as she spoke to Humans? James left the couch he had been sitting on, ignoring his frustrated tutors requests to sit back down. He walked to the window and looked out to the forest. He desired her. He desired to know more about her. What made her differences possible.

James was so caught up in his thoughts that it took his father's stern voice to get his attention.

"James," his father said. "Why aren't you studying?"

"Lilly…," he started to say then cut off.

"Lilly? Who is this Lilly?"

"She's… a woman I found in the forest this morning."

"A beggar?"

"No. She…."

The King sighed, recognizing the signs of his son's desire for knowledge of a topic other than what he needed to know in order to run the kingdom well. "If I let you go get her, will you promise to return and stop giving trouble to your tutors?"

"Yes, Father."

"Then go."

James left right away.

He returned to the forest. To where he had first seen her. The search had proved fruitless when he stopped at the river's edge mid-afternoon. From one of the saddle bags he pulled out some jerky and ate it. Then he wandered with Torta through more of the forest. To the place where Lilly had stopped his attack on the wild cat and back to the main road. He found her as the sun was beginning to set. Lilly lay underneath a gray wolf. The dirt smudge that had been on her face before was gone. But her clothing had not changed. Did she not have other clothes to wear? He shifted to climb off Torta when the wolf snarled at him.

James didn't want to fight if he didn't have to, but he needed to know more about Lilly. He wanted her, and if that meant dispatching the wolf to do so, so be it. He had only pulled his sword out half an inch when the growling increased. More wolves had come and were sitting around her. Now there were too many. Letting go of his sword, the wolves' growling softened. Tentatively, he climbed off of Torta and walked to where Lilly lay. The growling didn't stop, but the wolves enclosed him in their circle. The wolf that lay over her, snapped at him as he knelt. Then the wolf laid his head on Lilly's shoulder. Her arms were pinned beneath the wolf and the wolf's head was in the way of him touching her face.

"Lilly?" he asked out loud.

Her expression scrunched before one of her arms moved out from under the wolf. He could see the bite mark left by the wild cat on her hand as she pet the wolf. After a moment the wolf left. Lilly rolled to her side and sat up with her back to him. 'Why have you come back, Prince James?' she asked in thought.

"To..." He stopped when she covered her ears and lowered her head. 'To find you. To take you to the castle to learn more about you.'

'No,' she replied, removing her hands.

"No? Why…?" he asked aloud.

Lilly covered her ears again. 'Did you come find me to hurt me?'

"No, I..."

'Stop it!' She turned to him, her mouth set in a flat line. 'If you came to speak to me, then speak to me! Otherwise, go home and let me be!' Her eyes were filled with pain in addition to her anger. It still fascinated him that she could speak without moving her mouth.

'I've been trying to speak to you,' he thought.

'Now you are.'

James opened his mouth and she covered it.

'If you want to stay, like your eyes say you do, then you need to stop hurting me with your noise.' Her hand stayed a moment longer then moved away.

'Noise? I'm only speaking out loud.'

'All I hear is noise. I cannot understand or reply with Human speech. Having to hear it is worse than the snapping of branches in a rainstorm.'

James looked at her puzzled. 'Why? You're Human.'

'I am not Human. I am an Adremedian.'

'Adremedian? What's that?'

'It is what I am, but not what you are.'

'Can you tell me more about the Adremedians?'

Lilly looked at him as if unsure what it was he was really asking then replied, 'No.'

"No? Why not?" he asked, hurt that she was denying him the thing he really wanted.

She looked away and stood. Torta stepped up to her and her hands moved across his head.

"Lilly, why not?"

Her head bowed, placing her forehead against Torta's. 'Return home, Human. Make your noises for someone who can understand you.' Then she ran off into the trees.

'Noises. Human,' he thought. Each had a degrading tone to it. 'Who are the Adremedians? What were they if not Human?'

Climbing onto Torta, James returned to the castle library to see if there was anything about Adremedians in the library. He scoured the library, scanning t.i.tles and histories, looking for any mention of them. He searched all night for something. At five in the morning, he found one brief mention of the Adremedians. He read the section, but nothing made sense. His mind couldn't focus on it. So he took the book with him to his room and tried to sleep.

His tutors knocked and entered his room at eight. "Are you up, Your Highness? It's time for your studies."

He groaned. He had promised to not give the tutors any more trouble. "I'll be right there."

He glanced at the book with the mention of Adremedians on the bed side table. As much as he wanted to read that instead, he had to keep his promise. He left for the library and his dull studies. He did well with it all, considering how tired he was.

James lay on his bed and rested for several hours. When he woke again, he took the book and returned to the forest. He wandered around for a little while before sitting against one of the trees. He scanned through the text to find where this author wrote about Adremedians. He turned at a steady pace, slowing once at a brief mention about the Adremedians—mainly, they looked Human. Well, he understood that much.

He continued to scan, only pausing to eat a little something or drink. He stopped once more when Torta nickered. James looked up to see that Torta's saddle and bridle had been removed. There were sitting on the ground beside him.
Find authorized novels in Webnovel，faster updates, better experience，Please click for visiting.

"Who's there?" he asked.

'Still can't grasp the concept of no noise, Prince?'

'Lilly?'

He stood as she stepped around Torta with the comb from her hair in hand. She was brushing his coat with it.

'What are you doing here?' he wondered.

'Giving Torta the care you seem intent on not giving him.'

'I care for Torta.'

Lilly looked at him disbelievingly.

'I do!'

'Leaving a saddle on for hours while you flip through a book is caring for Torta?'

'He's worn one for longer than a few hours. It's not like I was planning on spending the night.'

She shook her head and continued to brush Torta.

'…Am I doing something else wrong?' he thought asked her.

'There is more to your being here than needing fresh air while you study.'

'Guilty. I was hoping you would change your mind and tell me more about you. Your people.'

'For what purpose, Prince?'

'Because, I…. This is the first time I've come across anyone of your race and… there's not a whole lot in the castle library.' He tapped the book in his hand.

Lilly froze at the sound.

Torta snorted and turned his head to find out why she had stopped.

Lilly petted his nose then finished her brushing. Only when she had finished, did she turn to him. She tucked the comb into her longer hair to make it look as short as it had when he'd seen her. Then she held out her hand for the book. He handed it to her. She flipped through the pages, faster than he had. She left a finger behind to mark several places in the book. James grabbed several pages out of one of his saddlebags to place between the pages Lilly was holding apart. When she was done scanning the book, with all the papers in place, she handed the book back to him.

'There is much in the library you haven't found yet,' she said.

"Haven't…."

Lilly glared at him.

'Sorry. How do you know there is more in the library?'

'Because you aren't the first Human to be curious about my race.'

'Will you come back to the castle with me?… Just long enough to help me find the other books.'

'No. I have work to do.'

'What kind of work?'

Lilly motioned to the book in his hands and walked away. Torta started to follow her.

"Torta," he called.

His horse stopped, but stamped his foot in displeasure. Lilly turned and rubbed his nose before leaving.