** AUTHORS NOTE **

The story may be enjoyable if you haven't read The Hidden Princess: Trilogy, however it will make more sense if you go read them first! 

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 "You do realize that you don't have to do this," Talleigha said, trying to grab the quills from Elias as he worked on sharpening them.

He twisted away, shaking his head as he continued to fix the quills. "You do know it's dangerous to go after someone with a knife," he said, holding the knife up a bit.

Talleigha grinned as she reached for it again. "Only if the one holding a knife holds a threat. You wouldn't hurt a pesky rabbit if he was eating your garden," she said, laughing as Elias twisted again.

"I happen to like rabbit stew, so I might hurt that rabbit. However, if it was a crow, I might just leave him alone. Those take too much effort to pluck and hardly have any meat on them," he said. "Just sit down," he added, nodding to the stool beside him. He smiled as she sighed and took a seat beside him.

The two sat in a comfortable silence. Elias worked to prepare the quills for the next piece of writing that would need to be transcribed; while Talleigha sat discussing the different animals that might enter a garden.

"I thought I told you to prepare the quills!" Victor, Talleigha's father, said entering the workroom. He shook his head, narrowing his eyes on his daughter. "Elias is a guest, we don't give our work to our guests," he said.

Talleigha waved a hand in the air. "He stopped being a guest three months ago. Once you come to a person's home for two months you are no longer a guest," she said, earning a chuckle from Elias and a smile from her father. "Plus, if you would have entered five minutes ago you would have found me attacking him to take the tools back, but one can't fight a Dragon such as he," she said with a grin.

"I'm not a Dragon," Elias quickly responded. "My father might be, but I am not," he said.

"You're as good as one! I've seen you with the sword," Talleigha said picking up a discarded quill and swinging it like a sword.

"Doesn't make me a Dragon," Elias said, shaking his head. "When will you get that through your head?" he asked.

Talleigha grinned, stabbing him with the quill. "As soon as you get it through your head that I want you to teach me some of your non-Dragon-like swordsmanship," she said.

Victor smiled at the two teens. Since Elias had come to pick up something for his father from their shop five months ago, the two had formed a bond that was needed for both. "How about the two of you stop your quarreling and finish the work before I get in trouble for not getting the material transcribed for our Queen," he said.

"You have nothing to worry about, father! If she gets upset we just blame Elias. His aunt can't stay mad at him for too long," Talleigha said.

Elias glared at her. "I am not your scapegoat," he said. She shrugged her shoulders, smiling at him. "We will have the quills ready to start in about five minutes. Then we'll start transcribing," he said.

"Alright you two," Victor called, standing from his stool. "Finish up your page and let's be done for tonight. If we don't stop now we'll have to get candles and I won't have my work done by candle," he said.

Elias's head shot up. The sun was starting to go down and his face dropped.

"You were supposed to be home earlier weren't you?" Talleigha said, with a grin across her face.

He sighed, nodding his head. "I was supposed to be home at dinner," he said. Elias quickly turned back to his work and wrote the final few words. "I'm sorry to leave the clean up," he said standing to his feet.

Victor shook his head. "Talleigha has plenty of time to clean. You've done more than half her work so she can do yours," he said.

"Oh sure! Talleigha can do the work. She can do anything because she doesn't have a life," Talleigha said, shaking her head.

Victor and Elias smiled at each other ignoring her jabs at them. "Thank you for your help today," he said, walking him to the door.

Elias nodded his head. "It's my pleasure to be able to work under you. I'll be back as soon as I can," he said.

"Although that might not be for a while cause you're gonna get yourself skinned for being late again. Especially on the night of the banding," Talleigha said.

"Crap," Elias said, his heart dropping. "I have to go," he said, then turned and ran for the compound.

Sliding into the compound, Elias groaned as he saw the compound packed with families. Each year there would be a week of trials for the current apprentices. After the trials there would be one day of family celebration to celebrate the apprentices moving up a band. The families of the apprentices would be invited to celebrate their apprentices' accomplishments. As the son of the general it was expected that he be there with his siblings. Elias slid through the seated crowds listening to his father's speech. Quickly taking the seat beside his sisters' hoping his father wouldn't know he was late.

"You are so dead," Vanora whispered to her brother without turning her body to face him. "Dad asked where you were at least five times. Each time his face grew darker and darker. It was nice having a brother," she said.

"Shh!" Avelyn hissed from his other side. "I will not let you two get me in trouble for interrupting father's speech," she said, glaring at her two older siblings.

The two of them raised an eyebrow looking at their youngest sister. "Avy, you won't be in any trouble. Elias is covering that for all of us," Vanora grinned.

Elias elbowed her in the side earning a slug to the shoulder. The three siblings froze as their mother turned from her seat on the bench in front of them. Without a word she reprimanded them with her eyes. When she turned back around Avelyn glared at Vanora and Elias before crossing her arms and turning away. Vanora and Elias looked at each other trying their hardest not to laugh.

After Erik finished his speech, the celebration began. Music quickly filled the compound and the tension of facing his father quickly subsided, until a firm hand was placed on his shoulder. Turning Elias looked into his father's eyes. Although to those outside of the compound he seemed to just be greeting his son, to those who knew him the look in his eyes meant danger. "I look forward to our talk after the celebration is over," he said, giving his eldest son's shoulder a slight squeeze before going off to congratulate the apprentices of their movement forward.

"What did you do?" a voice asked from behind. Turning Elias came face to face with a very amused looking cousin. "Uncle Erik looked like he was ready to take you down," Serenity said, a smirk hiding at the corner of her mouth.

Rolling his eyes, Elias closed the distances between the two of them. "I may have only come in at the tail end of dad's speech... he looks forward to our talk once everyone is gone," Elias said grimacing at the words.

Serenity let out a loud laugh, shaking her head. "Oh Leelee! You are more entertaining than the jesters. You really should hire yourself out for entertainment, you'd make a few coins; I'm sure," she said nudging his shoulder.

Glaring at her, he walked off knowing she'd be right behind. "At least I don't get caught hanging out with the blacksmith's son behind the bakery. How did that conversation go with your father?" Elias asked, grinning as she blushed.

"I was just giving him some of the day old treats," she said, slugging his shoulder.

Grinning, Elias remained silent only bringing more of a blush to her cheeks.

"There is our little rebel!" Scarlett called walking up to her sister and cousin. "I'm a little saddened that you weren't even around to watch me earn my second band," she said, dropping her arm around Elias.

"He just doesn't want the surprise of what happens to be ruined when it comes his turn," Carson, another newly banded second year, said.

Serenity scoffed. "Oh yes, because the million and one times he's seen it since birth hasn't given anything away," she mocked.

Scarlett released her hold on her cousin and raised an eyebrow. "So what had you so wrapped up that facing punishment with Uncle Erik wasn't even a concern?" she asked.

"Oh it was a concern... I just lost track of time. Vanora has already informed me that I won't be living through the night," Elias said walking towards the food.

Scarlett and Carson were whisked away to celebrate leaving Serenity and Elias alone again. After getting food, they found a private area, well as private as can be. "Seriously though, where were you?" she asked.

Elias shrugged his shoulders, not wanting to go into details. "Around. I had a couple errands to run and just lost track of time," he said.

"Mmm-hmm, sure... just lost track of time," she said, snatching a roll off of his plate. "I've known you your entire life! You don't just lose track of time," she said, narrowing her eyes on her cousin.

Before Elias could respond, Serenity's younger brother Jasper came running up. "Leelee! We're gonna have a combat challenge! You're on my team!" he said, grabbing Elias's arm.

"Sorry Ren, looks like I'm needed," Elias said quickly, standing to his feet.

"Just know this conversation isn't over!" she called as she watched her brother and cousin walk off.

Elias turned and called over his shoulder. "It is, unless you want to continue the conversation about the blacksmith."

"What about the blacksmith?" Jasper asked.

"Nothing, just a side conversation Ren and I were having," Elias said, dropping an arm around Jasper's shoulders. "Now, we have a challenge to win."

The celebration continued until well past sunset. The final guests were leaving as Elias helped clean up. "I'm surprised to see you still standing," Vanora said, sliding up beside her brother to help clean the food table.

Elias shook his head ignoring her comments. His father hadn't come for the conversation yet, but he knew it was not forgotten. The two siblings cleaned in silence for another ten minutes before they looked up to see their father coming towards them.

"I'll speak fondly of you at your funeral," Vanora grinned.

Elias shoved her shoulder causing her to stumble into their father. Erik caught and righted his daughter, sending a quick look to his son. "Any reason you're sending your sibling to the ground?" he questioned.

"Because she's annoying," Elias said with a smile.

Erik shook his head trying to hide the amusement. "Although it may be a true statement, that's not how we handle things. Once you're finished here I'd like to see you in my office," he said to his son.

Elias nodded. "Yes, sir. I should be done in a few minutes," he said.

"Good, thank you for cleaning up without being asked," he said, giving each of his kids a quick smile before walking off to say goodbye to the final parents.

"You're just cleaning up to soften him up before your conversation," Vanora grinned side stepping as she saw her brother coming at her again.

"I happen to be a good child over all... figured at least one of us shouldn't consistently be causing our parents headaches," he smirked.

After the compound was cleaned Elias took a deep breath and headed for his father's office. He knocked and once he heard his father, he slid in and stood in front of the desk with his hands behind his back.

"When were you supposed to be home?" his father asked.

"Before dinner, sir," Elias responded.

"And when did you return home?" Erik questioned.

Elias bit his bottom lip. "When you were finishing with your speech."

"Which was when?"

"After dinner," Elias said.

Erik didn't reply right away. He let the moment sit. Knowing that the silence was worse than words. It gave his son time to understand that they both knew what was expected and he had not done it. "Do you have an explanation for your lack of responsibility?" he asked.

"Not a good one," Elias said. He saw the slight smile at his father's mouth, but knew that it wouldn't be enough to save him from punishment. "I got distracted in town and it wasn't until the sun was setting I realized what time it was."

Erik slowly stood. "So, you knew what was expected and yet you failed to comply," he said. Elias remained silent knowing no response was better. "How many hours would you say you were late?" he asked.

Elias calculated it in his head. "About three, sir."

"Three hours late. For every hour late you were you will remain in the compound a day without leaving," Erik said. Elias went to argue but the look in his father's eyes cut him off. "How many days will that be?" Erik asked.

"Three days staying in the compound without leaving," Elias said.

Erik nodded. "Good. Tomorrow I will have a list of chores for you to complete," he said. He fell silent for a moment. "You're not normally one to forget time. See that it doesn't happen again," he said.

"Yes, sir," Elias said, keeping his hands behind his back. He watched as his father walked around his desk and stood in front of him.

Erik reached forward and pulled Elias into a side hug. "Now get some sleep. It's been a long day for all," he said. Then with an arm around his shoulder he led his son out of the office. "I'll see you in the morning," he said, stopping at the stairs that led to the children's bedrooms.

"Good night," Elias said, climbing the stairs. He nearly fell back down the stairs when he about ran into Vanora who was standing at the top. "Waiting to make sure I wasn't dead?" he asked.

"Nah, just waiting to hear your final scream. Figured once I heard that I could claim your room since it is larger," she grinned.

"By a few square feet!" Elias said, shaking his head.

"I could fit an entire shelf of weapons in that space and all you use it for is books! Such a waste," she said.

"Good night Nora," Elias said walking past his sister and into his room.