[IC] The Making of a New Queen

[pyroman]

Samsul turned his head back to the dog as her returned with a stick in his mouth. He was just as curious as the princess was as to where he got it from, but as long as he didn't ruin the gardens everything was fine. His eyes followed the stick briefly as it flew in the air, and his eyes snapped to Melor, who was following it close behind. When he was that Anastasia was having some problems, he moved right to her side and looked at her with worry.

He wasn't sure it the sickness was still affecting her or not, but he didn't have any time to react when her body hit the ground without warning. As soon as she did, Samsul knelt down to her side picked her up just a little, so that most of her body was no longer touching the ground. "Anastasia, are you okay?" He asked worriedly after she groaned in pain. "I am terribly sorry for not reacting in time, and if this ever happens again I will not let you hit the floor."

[tsubasa]

Anastasia looked at Samsul, realizing he was holding her slightly. She nodded when he asked if she was okay, "I think I just hit my head..." she smiled when he apologized for not catching her, "Don't worry... I fainted... And from the throbbing of my head, quite quickly. You would of had to have superb reflexes to catch me..."

She didn't move to get up, she didn't think her head would let her. Instead she lay there, partially in his arms, "Besides, this is a very different life. If I don't get a few bruises here and there, I'm going to end up getting soft," she reached up and touched the back of her head again before wincing, "Maybe... getting soft isn't a half bad idea... That fall would have hurt a lot less I'm sure."

She moved to get up this time but her head felt as if it were swimming. She stopped and lay back in his arms, "I don't think I can get up just yet....." She looked around, "It is a nice view from down here at least."

Melor ran back to them and dropped the stick. Anastasia laughed, "Took you long enough."

[pyroman]

Samsul simply stayed at her side, feeling every movement that she had attempted to make and he went as far to wrap his arms around her even more, just so that there wouldn't be any chance for her to fall. He hadn't reacted fast enough to catch her and he put in on himself that she had hit her head. She was right though, there will always be time in life when you fall and people can't catch you. He knew from personal experience that it was true. Failures in some way or another made people stronger, whether it be the knowledge to not do the same as the time before, or the motovation to carry on and keep going at something until everything worked.

His eyes turned to Melor as he returned, and he looked back at the princess in his arms as she spoke. "We can stay here as long as you wish, and I can tend to your dog while you relax." He glanced over at the dog and then at the stick. He never had a dog or pet of his own, but in the times that he traveled in to many of the towns, dogs always seemed to be around and playing with their masters.

[tsubasa]

Anastasia relaxed into his arms when he said that they could stay as they were as long as she needed. Normally, she'd feel slightly uncomfortable in some way or another but she knew that he meant it, it was his job to mean it. She looked up at him and laughed again, "You don't tend to Melor... Not when he is like this."

She reached out and grabbed the stick. Melor jumped forward but she stopped him. He moved back and laid down. Looking at them, he placed his paws on his snout. He whimpered trying to look cute. Ana smiled at him, "You play, you do know how to play, right? Or are you too serious."

She giggled slightly and looked around. Spotting a bench, she pointed at it with the stick, "Why do we move me over there then you can use your arms to play with Melor, rather than worrying about dropping me. Sound good?"

[pyroman]

Samsul nodded blankly, his mind still in his thoughts about tending to and playing with a dog while Anastasia told him to move over to the bench. He made sure to move one of his arms under her legs, and the other one behind her neck and then picked her up bridal style with ease. He walked to the bench and set her down slowly, moving his arms away from her and bringing his attention back to the dog who whimpered for acknowledgement. He assumed that it would be simple, since all he had do to was throw the stick some and react positively when the stick was brought back.

He wasn't very insulted or offended when she talked about him being 'too serious' and he could see that she was joking. He shook his head and and glanced at the dog. "It shouldn't be hard, in my times in some of the towns I've seen dogs and their masters. It shouldn't be of any difficulty."

[tsubasa]

Anastasia was slightly surprised how easily her lifted her off the ground. She knew she shouldn't be, this was the man who had lifted her onto the horse with no effort at all. She sat on the bench and placed her empty hand on her lap. With the other she handed him the stick. She laughed when he spoke, looking at Melor. She crossed her legs under her skirt, "You aren't joking, are you? You actually don't know how to play with a dog!"

She smiled at him, "Just throw the stick," she looked at him, "It is that simple, then he'll bring it back and you throw it again.... Although, sometimes he gets bored and will pull on it while you try and take it. He is just trying to play tug o war...." She leaned back on the bench, relaxing best she could on the not so comfortable seat, "But it could be playing if you don't have fun... So loosen up a little... and that isn't an order..."

[pyroman]

The Lost Elf sighed and even was just the slightest bit embarrassed that he never had done anything that a child would have done. He was raised to be a Royal Knight and that was that. He might not have shown it but the emotion was still there and he had to sigh again to clear his mind of it. "I never have." He said simply, keeping his eyes on her as she gave him instructions that he had already partially figured out.

He nodded after the further instructions and took the stick from her, showing it to Melor to get his attention before throwing it a little distance away from them. It was simple, yet he still felt bad about not knowing any of this in the first place.

[tsubasa]

Melor watched the stick as it got passed between them. He looked at Samsul, his tail wagging. He turned and sprinted when he threw the stick. Anastasia smiled softly, "See, it isn't hard at all."

She moved slightly to lay down on the cold bench as she watched the two boys playing. Melor came back, stick in his mouth. He ran over to Anastasia and she shook her head, "Take it to Samsul, Melor..."

She pointed at the man and the dog turned around and looked up at the armoured man. He ran over to him and jumped up, placing his paws on his leg. He moved between his paws as he held the stick in his mouth. He tried to bark with the stick still in his mouth. Anastasia laughed at him and looked at Samsul, "I think he likes you."

[pyroman]

When Melor jumped up on to Samsul, the man didn't move in the slightest. He was very tall and well built, he looked down at the dog and smiled slightly, taking the stick from him and waving it around to get his attention. He could see why many of the people had dogs when he went to the towns and cities in GreenSpring, they were good company, and could occupy a lot of time. He threw the stick again, but this time a little further and higher, his calm smile still present as the dog chased after it.

He then nodded to Anastasia's earlier statement, knowing that dogs were loyal and had a good sense in people. "I believe that he does. If he likes exercise, then maybe he should be brought along with us when we train, usually running around the outer walls of the capital for a warm up." He brought his attention back to Melor and widened his smiled as he saw the dog on his way back with the stick, this time heading for Samsul instead of the princess.

[tsubasa]

Anastasia nodded her head, "I think he would love that. He and I used to go running through the fields... I think with the lack of fields, he would enjoy running along with you all," she smiled as her dog ran up to Samsul, figuring out that he was going to be the one throwing the stick for him, "Although, he may try to get under foot. He used to trip me up all the time till I got used to his little tricks."

Melor barked, the stick still in his mouth. Feeling better, Anastasia stood up and Melor looked at her, his tail wagging. She walked over to the two of them and gave Melor a look. He placed it on the ground looked between the two people who could throw the stick for him. Ana smiled and took the stick, "He is trained," she then handed it to Samsul, "He just likes to run around like a complete goof."

She placed her hands behind her back as Samsul took the slightly slobbered on stick from her. She looked up at the very tall man, "How long have you lived in the castle?"

[pyroman]

Samsul didn't see the dog getting under foot that big of a problem as of yet, since he didn't know how fast the dog could be, or if it could keep up with them or not. He would have to give the dog a light testing when the next Guard Training Session began just to see where it stands. With the comment about him running like a goof, he nodded with a small smile. and saw that it was completely fine. The world in it's current state was a grave and somewhat scary place. There needed to be people out there that could act like goofs and tell everyone else that things could get worse, and despite of everything should strive to make the world enjoyable in any aspect.

The question that he was asked was simple, and he didn't need to pause for the slighted minute to think about it. "Well Anastasia, I have lived here for my entire life." He said calmly, believing that she would ask why, he gave her a bit more of an explanation. "Ever since by kind has been hunted down and near extinction, your ancestors have made the capital and the palace for Lost Elves. We do have many strengths, but just as many weaknesses, and many of us still fear to live outside the palace where we could be captured killed." He spoke as he picked up the stick in between the two of them and threw it once more, turned him head back to the princess as soon as the stick left his hands.

[tsubasa]

Anastasia nodded when he answered her question. So it seemed he had lived a life that she was supposed to have lived or similar to. She thought about it, trying to figure out what her next question would be. She was curious after all but didn't want to step on any toes. She bit her lip as she normally did when she lost herself in her head. Finally she looked back at him, "Do you like living in the palace? Or do you wish some days that you could live in the country? Be somewhere that you didn't have to be formal or listen to someone else's orders..... or do you like having someone to protect and watch over?"

She didn't think she could handle having someone's life in her hands. Having to protect them from blatant attacks or more subtle things like poisoning. Then again, she guessed if she ever did become Queen would have to do just that but on a far larger scale. She played with her fingers behind her back, "Does it ever get stressful? Worrying that someone might put themselves in danger without even knowing it and you would have to stop it."

[pyroman]

Samsul nodded as soon as the first question was asked, but kept quiet because she still had more to say on the matter. He did in fact enjoy living in the palace, fresh and unique meals every day, as a child he learned as much as he could about his race and his ancestors before the purge, and all he wanted to do was guard the royals of GreenSpring and the people dear to him. In order to do that he made being a guard his life, training as hard as the elite guards from a young age, and always adding things to his tasks to make them more difficult for himself. When his parents and the other Lost Elves questioned why exactly he made simple tasks to difficult on him self, he simply replied that it would help him to be better, and also be more like a bright and youthful flame. Being a guard was all he knew, and he took a moment before answering the questions at hand.

After another moment of thinking, he had wondered what it would be like to just live out in the country, peaceful and quiet. The thought had interested him, but it wasn't the time for that. The war may be fading out of existence, but some of the other countries were still burning in the heat of war, It wasn't yet time to talk about peace as he saw it. "The palace is a wonderful place to live in, and it has always given me a unique experience and look on life. In all honesty I'd be lying if I said that I never wanted to walk away from my guard duties, but it's all I've ever done, and I don't think that it is just simple to stop what you've been doing for years." He paused a moment and looked at her with a thoughtful expression. It was what she was going through, living one way for so long and then just picked up from nowhere and told to be a queen. "As for a stress, it does weigh a little, a bit more since I do usually guard the queen from any and all threats. It's what I've been bred and trained to do, and if something were to happen I'd be the one accountable for it all."

[tsubasa]

Anastasia began to walk again, knowing the man would follow her. She took small slow steps though, so that it wouldn't be difficult to catch up with her. She began to bite her lip again as she thought. He had mentioned stopping doing what you had been doing for years. She nodded her head, "It isn't," she wasn't used to be under someone's eye at all times. Whether it were Samsul's or her mother's or Gerald's or some nameless Lord or Lady. She wasn't used to asking people to do things for her or standing tall with her chin up. She most definitely wasn't used to the lavish lifestyle that came with being a princess. She held her hands tightly behind her back, she wasn't going to complain. There were people out there who dreamed of being whisked away from their normal lives to become royalty.

She remained quiet for sometime as they walked, biting at her lip, deep in thought. Melor bounded around them with his stick in his mouth as he chased butterflies or woodland creatures. It was a great deal of time before Anastasia looked up at him, "I don't think you were... bred to become a guard.... Just as I wasn't bred to become a Queen... Although, it seems like both of those things have become our fates, it wasn't why we were born. Your parents loved each other enough to want you... Or at least do what was needed to have you...." She looked around at the flowers and smiled softly, "On our ride here... I feared that I was really only born because my parents needed an heir to their throne.... Now that I've met the Queen... I feel like that was not the only reason I was born..."

She looked up at Samsul, "Did you know my father?"

[pyroman]

Just as she had expected him to, Samsul followed Anastasia and caught up to her with no problem, taking long strides to get back at her side. He then shortened his strides to be in line with her and continued to walk in the peaceful silence, a small smile gracing his face as he took in the quiet sounds of the garden. He still thought about how living a more peaceful life would be; not having to go through waking up at an impossible hour, training and stretching until the sun finally decided to rise, following people around and answering their beck and call. It did seem fairly relaxing, but what would he do to occupy his time? He wouldn't easily adjust to a slower life easily, and even if he did, he'd still want to go back to the job he had now.

With the calm silence coming to an end, Samsul turned to Anastasia as she began to speak. He didn't mean it literally when he said that he was 'bred' to be a guard, but it's what he spent his life doing, and he couldn't see himself doing anything else. His parents loved him dearly, and were usually the ones who brought him back to his quarters after over training himself at a young age. He then thought about how through the years, Elana was very unsure if she should bring her daughter back to the throne. She had quite a reputation when it came to royals, and how the saw them as only stuck-up shells of beings who relied on sharp tongue and money. He knew that she wondered if her daughter was the same or not when it came to those types of people.

He took a moment to think back, he hadn't ever really met the king, since he was born a year or two before the king was killed, but from what his parents and Queen Elana had told him, the king cared deeply for for the Lost Elves, and had even held Samsul a few times before his demise. He shook his head lightly and looked at Anastasia. "No, I did not know him, I was too young to remember. I was with him though on a few occasions before he was killed.. Your mother and many of the men and women of the Lost Elf Clans say that he was a great man, and loved children."

[tsubasa]

Anastasia nodded as he spoke. She wished she had had the chance to meet him. To be held by the man whose estranged image had tormented and occupied her mind for many years. Sure, she had her Papa and Mama who would forever be her one true family. However, in seeing the Queen and herself in the older woman, it made her realize just how much she had wanted the day she met her parents to happen. The King would have loved her as it seemed the Queen did, the thought brought a small smile to her face. She would have to ask the Queen about him or maybe an older guard, to not upset her mother.

They walked around the garden in silence that was sporadically interrupted by conversation. Soon they returned to the halls of the Palace. Anastasia stopped at a large painting of her mother and father. She looked at the two as they smiled elegantly. Her hands held her elbows as she looked on. She hadn't seen this picture on her arrival, it was nice to see the man who had been her father for such a short time. She wondered if was there to see her born or if it was his death months before her arrival that scared the queen into sending her away, "They look happy..."

[pyroman]

Samsul continued to walk in silence after hid words. He felt bad that he or his parents couldn't be there to help the king as it happened, but it's in the past and there isn't anything he can do to change it. He sighed lightly, following her as they returned to the halls of the Palace and stopped as Anastasia did when they passed the painting. If he remembered right, the paining was made soon after the King and Queen were married, seeing as they looked pretty young in the picture. They also had small smiles on their faces, and the princess was probably right in her observations.

The Lost Elf turned to the princess and looked at her, bowing slightly but keeping eye contact. "Should we be heading to the dining hall now, Anastasia? I don't think that you've had anything to eat since last night, and even if you still are a little ill, food is still necessary."

[tsubasa]

Anastasia looked at him when he bowed slightly. It was strange watching him as he bowed in front of her. That was never something she had expected to ever see anyone do. She was about to stop him but hesitated. Her mother may not mind him not bowing but someone might and she didn't want to get him into any trouble. She nodded her head when he suggested that they go to the dining hall and get her something to eat. She figured she probably should, most of what she ate the night before was no longer in her stomach and that could be an explanation of her earlier dizziness. She smiled at him, "Do you think the portions could be smaller this time?"

She walked with him to the dining room. She looked over the room and stopped before looking at Samsul, "Do I... just sit down?"

[pyroman]

Samsul nodded at her request, and would make sure that the chef in the kitchen would make something smaller and a bit simpler for the sake of the princess. He followed her quietly to the dining hall and stopped as she did. He nodded once more and looked at the main table in the hall. "Yes, sit down where you chose, and I will talk to the chef about your food." He looked to the doors that led to the kitchen and glanced at her. "I will return shortly, please stay here." He said as he went off and in to the kitchen.

As he went through the doors in to the kitchen, some of the chefs noticed him, but continued to cook, as they were required not only to cook for the royals and the Elves, but all of the staff as well. One of them looked to Samsul and nodded, being fully aware of his presence and walked over to the tall man. As the chef neared Samsul, he looked up so their eyes could meet. "Ah, Samsul. Did you come on your own, or with some of the other guards." Samsul shook his head and assumed that he didn't know about his new duties. "No, I am here with the princess, and she wishes to have a smaller meal than the ones prepared last night. I think she ate to much and the food did not agree with her, so could you please cook something of a smaller portion?" He nodded and gestured for Samsul to leave. "I'll have it out soon, if you are guarding her, then I think it wouldn't be best for you to leave her." Samsul nodded and left the kitchen with no other words, and returned to her side.

[tsubasa]

Anastasia looked at him when he left for the kitchen and asked her to stay where she was. The staff seemed very intent on keeping her out of the kitchens, with the man last night and Samsul this morning. She walked over to a simple looking chair and sat down in it. She placed her hands in her lap as she looked around the room again. She made a note to ask to see the kitchens, she wanted to talk to the chefs. Cooking had always been something that she enjoyed doing with her mother. The food last night had been too rich for her tastes but she would love to talk with the people who had made it.

She looked at Samsul when he re-entered the room and walked over to her. She looked up at him as he stood behind her. Patting the chair next to her, she smiled up at him, "Please, sit down... It feels funny with you looming over me like that."

She leaned back in her chair and began to play with her fingers, "Are you going to eat?"