Should he tell her about Raxx? Lephas glanced across at the princess.
She had her legs pulled up in front of her with her arms wrapped around them, resting her chin against her knees. Lori's eyes sparkled with genuine interest. Surprisingly, the commander realised hetrustedher.
“I have another friend, Raxx,” he continued. “He was born with a natural affinity.”
“My sister Faye was as well. Although, it's not that rare to be born with majick as a faerie.”
Now that was interesting. Lephas hadn't been awarethat one of Lazuli's daughters was a majborne. Zelrus would be keen to hear about that.
“Does your sister have any specific talents? I don't know how it works with faeries, but when demons are majborne their majick tends to have a manifestation in some form or another.”
“Faye is the same.” Lori smiled brightly. “She's what we call a sun sprite - a literal walking sunbeam, in every sense of the word.”
“I bet that's a sight.”
Lori laughed. “Well, she never was any good at hide and seek, let's just put it that way. Just follow the glow and you'd find her.”
“I can imagine your father wasn't so keen on that. You said he wouldn't allow you to learn majick?”
“He wasn't a big fan, but he couldn't really do much about it. Thankfully Faye is far better behaved than I am and never really showed much interest in majick. I was insanely jealous of her when we were kids.”
“Yeah?”
“I loved my majick lessons and desperately wanted to learn more, but wasn’t allowed. Yet my little sister was effortlessly able to do everything I wanted to do and more, but was more interested in ponies than anything else.”
“I've never been taught, but I don't think I'd be any good. That sort of thing has never been my bag. Haros tried to teach me a simple healing spell once, but it just didn't stick. I'm handy with a sword, but not with a spell.” The commander laughed
“It's complicated when you have to learn it from scratch, but I was always quite studious… When I was interested in learning something, anyway.”
“I'm getting the impression that you were a difficult child?”
“Just a little.” Lori smiled sweetly.
“You haven't changed much, have you?” Lephas joked, earning himself a sour look from the princess.
“You're a fine one to talk. I bet you were just as disciplined and well-behaved as you are now too.”
“Unfortunately, it's a curse. I never have been very good at breaking rules.”
“You realise you are right now though?” Lori shot him a pointed look. “Fraternising with the enemy and all that.”
“I suppose.” Lephas shrugged. He pulled the rabbit from the fire and looked it over – it needed a few more minutes. “I don't consider you, or any faerie for that matter, the 'enemy'. I know King Zelrus doesn't either.”
“So, it's just my father you have it out for then? Jointhe back of the queue for that one.” She sighed heavily and stared into the fire.
“None of us want to fight; there's been more than enough war and bloodshed between our factions over the eons. It never gets us anywhere. If he would just take on board Zelrus's requests…”
“My father will never submit. That I can promise you.”
“Yes, well, we have started to come to that conclusion ourselves over the last few years. Zelrus has a few more avenues to explore, but it seems war will be inevitable.” Lephas smiled sadly.
“Will you... Will you have to go to war if your king does?” the faerie asked quietly.
“I will.” Lephas swallowed, a pit forming in his stomach.
“I don't like that idea,” she replied simply with a small shake of her head.
“Trust me, neither do I. It's a last resort.”
