Chapter 1: The Usher and the Princess

It was Garrett’s first day on the job as an usher in the Elvish palace of Ikhelion. He had served as an usher for two years in his previous role at the King’s Guard, but working in the palace was a serious advancement of his position. Garrett felt nervy as he approached the palace gates, adjusting his new emerald green gown, complete with the royal sigil of House Quethas. As a human, it was a rare honour to be invited work in the palace. Less than 10% of all palace staff were human, the rest were Elvish, including the two stern looking soldiers that guarded the gates with their shiny curved long blades and expensive armour. Garrett was promptly waved through by the soldiers as he marvelled at their exquisite weaponry.

Working in the King’s Guard meant that Garrett had grown accustomed to being around Elves, their mystical and elegant aura had become somewhat normalised to him. However, working in the King’s Guard meant that Garrett only ever had contact with knights and soldiers, and had never actually met a Royal Elf in person before.

From a distance Garrett had seen King Morlân plenty of times in the King’s Square, whenever the king made his public announcements. Even from a distance the King retained an air of elegance and power. Most humans would be honoured to beg at the King’s feet, yet alone work within the walls of the palace. Garrett was most honoured to accept this role, although some self-doubt had crept into his mind as he strode down the corridor towards the Steward’s Chamber to take on his assignments for the day. Keep it together…you can do this…just treat it like any other day. Garrett thought to himself as he arrived at the chamber.

“Ser Lothas, Garrett Smith at your service.” Garrett spoke after gently clearing his throat to announce his arrival.

“Ahh Master Smith, take a seat.” Lothas gestured in front of his desk at the empty chair. Garrett took a moment to look around and appreciate the grandiosity of the chamber. It was far more elaborately designed than the King’s Guard chambers he previously worked in, and they were already a step up from any other building in the kingdom.

“The ushers they send me seem to be getting younger and younger! How many years do you have Garrett?” Lothas asked curiously.

“Umm…19 sir” Garrett answered, still marvelling at the marble-like spiral pillars dotted around the room.

“19 years is a mere blink to an Elf, but I suppose that’s around a quarter of your lifespan…? Master Smith, eyes on me please!” Lothas commanded. Garrett snapped out of it looking directly at his new boss. “You will have plenty of time within these walls to gaze upon the wondrous architecture, but for now I require your focus boy.”

Lothas ran through a list of do’s and don’t’s, most of which entailed protocol for navigating the palace, which rooms he was permitted access to, and formal address for each family member. Garrett already knew all of this information, he had been required to learn it before applying to work in the palace. However, he appreciated the reminder from Ser Lothas as he nervously prepared himself for his first assignment.

“Today, your first assignment is with the Princess Elwynna. She is to be escorted to her carriage for a royal engagement this afternoon. She requires escorting in approximately quarter-of-the-hour. By all means take a few minutes to look around the permitted hallways, but please ensure you are prompt. The Princess must not be late for her engagement.” Ser Lothas tasked Garrett, who duly nodded and left the chamber.

It was a lot to take in, the awe and majesty of the palace was so far beyond the simple dwellings he had grown up in back in his hometown of Sutherton. The artwork, the high quality stone, the air of Elvish magic, it was all so grandiose. Garrett had never seen Princess Elwynna before in the flesh. King Morlân was known to be very protective of his daughters, and kept them out of the public eye until they were betrothed.

Elwynna was the youngest of Morlân’s five children, and the third Princess born of his lineage. Elwynna’s older sisters Princess Ylari and Princess Olwen had already been lucratively married off several years ago, when Garrett was only a child. Plenty of powerful and wealthy families were chasing their respective hands in marriage at the time, and only the wealthiest of the wealthy really stood a chance at winning that particular honour. Garrett had heard rumours that Elwynna’s hand in marriage was attracting even more attention and fierce interest from the upper echelon’s of society, leading to speculation that she was even more beautiful than her sisters Ylari and Olwen.

Garrett had wondered to himself what Elwynna looked like, feeling somewhat enchanted by her sisters when the King had finally revealed them to the public. Naturally, the beauty of the Elves was otherworldly, but this only made Garrett more curious about Princess Elwynna. Will she be a fiery red-head like her mother and Ylari, or dark haired and mysterious like the King and Olwen? As Garrett was permitted by the guards to enter a spiral staircase which led up to Princess Elwynna’s chambers atop one of the palace’s towers, Garrett could hear a gorgeous and delicate song emanating from up above.

It was as if an angel and a songbird were harmonising together. Garrett walked up the stairs slowly, recognising it to be the voice of a woman as he drew closer. Her angelic voice wasn’t speaking the common tongue, …that sounds like an Elvish song. Garrett had picked up a few words of Elvish during his time at the King’s Guards, but he was certainly not fluent in this ancient language yet. The sweet lullaby that was softly echoing down the staircase almost seemed like magic drawing him in. He had to look down at his feet to double check that he wasn’t floating, such was the lightness that the musical notes filled his soul with. As Garrett approached the top of the staircase, he saw a glimpse into the Princess’s chamber through one of the small windows. All Garrett could see in that brief moment was a flash of what looked like silvery blonde hair. Finally, as he rounded the corner, the words of the enchanting lullaby became clearer.

“Kras nô mhadan, kras o tharan, kras y las gweth na thân…Khûr yrra gwag, hûr yrra brâg, mor â lyr nac dda’m Vrâg” Elwynna sang gracefully and softly as her hand-maid delicately touched up her silvery blonde hair.

Garrett walked into the room but failed to announce his obvious presence as he was so enchanted by the princess’s singing voice. Elwynna’s hand-maid turned to face Garrett suspiciously after becoming aware of the silence that had followed the sound of his footsteps. Whilst Garrett was enchanted by the ancient Elvish song he had just heard, he was even more enchanted by the sight of the princess herself. Her silvery-blonde hair itself was noticeably striking, but so was the flawless, creamy skin of hers that seemed to radiate gloriously in the sunlight. Garrett could just about see her side profile, noticing her defined cheekbones and her pointy Elvish ears cutely poking through her shimmering hair. Garrett felt absolutely encapsulated by her aura. For a brief moment Garrett didn’t even notice that he was being spoken to.

“Umm hello? I said…are you the replacement Usher?” the hand-maid asked. Elwynna curiously turned to investigate why her new potential usher hadn’t answered her hand-maid’s question. Elwynna’s mind-blowingly pretty face and piercing purple eyes made Garrett’s knees feel instantly weak. Woah! She’s….gorgeous! Get it together Garrett. Get it together!

“They get younger and younger every time they send us a new one, don’t they?” Elwynna remarked to her hand-maid in a buttery-soft voice, as her enchanting eyes looked Garrett up and down. She then threw out another remark, this time in her native Elvish tongue. “Tâl asa’i syrra Elvaskarra?” she asked Garrett.

“Your Grace…” Garrett started with formality as he tried to compose himself, he knew very little Elvish but he knew enough to know what the Princess had asked him. “…No, apologies, I don’t speak Elvish…and further apologies…I wasn’t ignoring you mi’lady. I was taken by the elegance of the song Princess Elwynna was singing, as well as the architecture of the room. It’s my first day in the palace you see.” Garrett said nervously, hoping this clarification would excuse him.

Elwynna turned to her hand-maid and as she made another remark to her in Elvish, followed by a brief girly chuckle from both women. That was no doubt at my expense, but I have no idea what she said there. I really need to learn Elvish!

“I’m Shanna, what’s your name?” the hand-maid asked Garrett.

In truth, Garrett also thought Shanna was a very attractive woman. She was only a few years older than Garrett and was also a human. She possessed a natural beauty that was a rare trait to see in Garrett’s hometown of Sutherton. If he had met Shanna there then Garrett may well have considered her the most attractive woman in the village. As it was however, Shanna was stood next to perhaps the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. Elwynna makes her look almost…normal…mundane… “Umm…Garrett, it’s Garrett.” he answered, looking down at the floor shyly as he responded, trying not to simply stare at the Princess.

“Is it time for you to take me to my carriage, Garrett?” Elwynna asked, as she inspected herself in her mirror.

“Yes Your Grace, it’s time.”

“Very well. How do I look Shanna?” Elwynna asked her hand-maid as she stood up. She was wearing an elegant white gown hand-made with Elvish silk.

“You couldn’t look better Your Grace. Prince Royston is a lucky man.” Shanna responded.

“Let’s hope I’m equally lucky. I’m still surprised father has decided to betrothe me to a human after all those years of lecturing me about the purity of Elvish blood. Ever since he had the Great Hall reworked he’s simply become obsessed with gold again.”

Garrett tried not to gawp at the Princess, but once she stood up in her fancy gown Garrett’s eyes couldn’t help but return to the shape of her. She was a few inches taller than Garrett, standing close to 6 foot tall. But it was the way her pristine gown hugged her perfectly proportioned figure in all of the right places that mesmerised Garrett. She was slender yet curvy where it mattered. She’s not just pretty…she’s a perfect specimen. Head to toe! And she’s betrothed to a human? Gods be good! What a lucky bastard! His family must be incomparably wealthy to have won that bidding war! Garrett watched Elwynna flicker her pretty hair before forcing himself to look away, not wanting to be caught ogling the Princess on day one of his new job. “Follow me Your Grace.” Garrett asked of her as he picked up her luggage and turned to lead the way down the spiral staircase.

Garrett could hear the ladies chatting away behind him in Elvish, only able to pick up a few words here and there. Something about being away for seven nights, I think she said? Garrett attempted to translate in his mind as he led them towards Elwynna’s spectacular carriage. He loaded up the carriage with Elwynna’s belongings before bowing deeply and giving the coachman the all clear to get carriage moving. As it began to trundle away, Garrett couldn’t help but think what it would be like to be sat across Princess Elwynna in the carriage watching her heavy chest jiggle at will. Stop! Snap out of it! Garrett thought to himself as his mind teetered on the verge of running away from him.

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Chapter 2: Trouble in Paradise

For the next week Garrett served the rest of the royal family dutifully. His nerves settled as he adjusted to his new role and the requirements of serving members of the royal family and high society. However, Garrett found it hard to get the image of the Princess out of his mind. In truth, Garrett was enamoured with her. Did she cast a spell on me with that song? No…that’s silly! Garrett thought about Elwynna’s betrothed husband, and felt a twinge of jealousy that he was born into a life of innate wealth that enabled him to snag a angel like Princess Elwynna. Garrett decided it was best not to sit with the jealousy, and instead simply looked forward to the Princess’s return.

When Elwynna’s carriage did pull into the royal grounds, Garrett eagerly awaited her in position ready to greet her return.

“Gros â môl Your Grace, welcome home.” Garrett said, having learned how to greet a returning royal in Elvish over the past week.

“The new boy is a quick learner it seems.” remarked Shanna as she and Elwynna stepped out of the carriage. Despite Elwynna having taken a two-day carriage trip, she looked as fresh as if she’d simply been transported there. Garrett watched her step down gracefully from the carriage steps. Even the way she moves is so…incredible…otherwordly! Garrett thought to himself as he took Elwynna’s luggage and led her back to her chamber together with Shanna.

Whilst Garrett had picked up a few words of Elvish over the past week, there was no way he was apt enough to fully understand what Elwynna and Shanna were chatting about in hushed tones. What he did gather from the tone of the discussion, however, was that Elwynna was less than pleased about the man she was being married off to. Garrett had his thoughts about this but knew better than to speak his mind. Remain silent unless spoken to. Lothas’s training orders came to mind for Garrett in that moment.

As they arrived at Elwynna’s chambers, Garrett dropped off her luggage, and given her conversation with Shanna had ended Garrett decided to take the opportunity to greet her return and try his luck at making some minor conversation. “Here you are Your Grace, I hope your journey back was smooth and goblin free. We had heard reports of Grimlok’s bandits being active in the area over the past week.”

“My problem is not a goblin problem young Garrett, it’s an ogre problem.” Elwynna said with a dryly humorous tone.

“El! You can’t call Prince Royston an ogre!” Shanna said in an exasperated tone.

“I can when he looks like that!” Elwynna responded as she puffed her cheeks out to make herself look overweight, making an accompanying arm gesture that implied the prince’s body was overtly rotund.