291 Chapter 291 : Loving little sister

“Well well well... look what the hybrid dragged in.”

Janis stopped walking and turned around to look to where that oh too familiar voice was coming from. There in the dark corner of the hallway where the light did not fall, Jacob stood, leaned against the wall, with his arms folded over his chest.

“Why are you lurking in the shadows like some sort of creeper Jacob?”

“And why are you out coniving with the enemy Janis?”

Jacob moved out of the shadows and walked slowly towards his sister. The look in his eyes, he had those crazy eyes that worried Janis, it was as if with every day that went by, Jacob was ‘losing it’ more and more. It was why she had asked Zhelimir to help move things along with Eira. Maybe being with the princess would bring her brother back from the path of insanity he was slowly walking down. Janis was well aware that Jacob was not the best man out there, heck, sometimes he was one of the worst. But he was her brother, and it hurt her to see him slowly losing his mind over a woman.

“Zhel is not the enemy-”

“Oh Zhel is not the enemy!” Jacob interrupted her as he inched closer, psychotic smile curving his lips. “We are now giving each other nicknames are we?”

Janis did not respond, these past few days she tried as much as possible not to engage with Jacob, it always led to pointless arguments about how much of a traitor she was because she had and Zhelimir were growing close.

“Why the sudden change of heart little sister?” The dark haired elf asked as he took a loc of her hair and rubbed it between his fingers. “Did Damien turn you down and so you decided Zhelimir was the next best thing?”

historical

.....

“With Damien it was mere infatuation,” Janis responded in the calmest voice she could muster. “I have always been fond of Zhelimir and you know it, from when we were children, but you would always poison his image and say he was timid and too much of a coward, and that father would never accept him if I decided to be with him. You discouraged me to be with him every chance you got.” Janis took a step back and glared at her brother. “Your insecurities made me think Zhelimir was not man enough for me, so I spent my life moving from man to man in hopes of finding someone you would approve of, until I was on the verge of giving up. You made me believe he doesn’t deserve me!”

“Because he doesn’t deserve you-”

“I love him Jacob!” Janis spoke firmly, “so you better get used to seeing him around. Just because you’re my older brother does not give you the right to control who I can be with.”

Jacob scoffed. “So are you happy with yourself? Are you happy that you are warming the bed of one of the people who stand in the way of my happiness? Me Janis, your only brother?”

Jacob grabbed Janis’ shoulders and looked into her eyes. “He is one of the people keeping me away from the woman that I love, and you are happily frolicking around town with him, making a mockery of me!”

“Ow! Jacob you’re hurting me..”

“At least tell me you’re using him to get to Eira,” Jacob grumbled. “At least tell me that you will get him to bring Eira and I closer together like we should be! Tell me you’re still the loving little sister I know, who will put her family first.”

“What is going on here?!”

Jacob sighed when an angry voice he recognized echoed across the hallway. He let Janis go and turned to his mother who was standing behind him, glaring at him angrily.

“Didn’t I tell you not to drag your sister into your obsessive nonsense Jacob?!” Elena yelled. “Get out of my sight before I inform your father of the things you were saying just now.”

The elven man simply bowed and walked passed his mother towards his sleeping chambers without uttering a word. What her husband, Ivan, had said was true, their son truly was on a path to self destruction, and she didn’t know what to do about it.

Elena looked at her daughter who was fighting back tears and walked over to embrace her. As soon as she was in her mother’s arms, Janis began to sob.

“I worry about him mother,” Janis spoke as tears rolled down her flushed cheeks. “Now he is banned from the palace, what’s next? Jacob might do something that will get him banned from the kingdom, and for what? A woman who doesn’t even bat an eye when he walks by.”

“Ssh it’s okay,” Elena comforted her daughter. “We will get Jacob the help that he needs, do not worry about it too much. You shouldn’t cry my darling, it will get you nothing but wrinkles.”

Janis quieted down and held on to her mother. Would getting Jacob some help really make any difference? What he needed was to end up with Eira somehow, because the thought of being without her was what was driving him crazy. And Janis was going to do her very best to make sure that happened, that is after all, what sisters do.

*

“What do you mean you have lost sight of him?! Did he just disappear into thin air?!”

The soldier kept his head down as he spoke to queen Melissa on one knee.

“The last team thought to have encountered him is no where to be found your majesty, and from that moment on its like he just disappeared.”

Melissa pinched the bridge of her nose in frustration. “You had one job, are you tell me the lot of you could not stop one man from entering the kingdom for just a few more days?”

“The lycan had proved to be much more skilled and cunning than we anticipated your grace,” the soldier responded. “But some of our men are still searching the shires for him, our hope are that we will find him.”

“When you do,” Melissa lowered her hand tucked her hair behind her ear. “Just keep him locked up somewhere until Eira is married. Do not hurt him, that will cause a war between the lycans and us. Just hold him somewhere until I give the word to let him go-”

“Mel?!”

Melissa gasped when she heard Gareth’s voice calling to her, and his footsteps seemed to be getting closer and closer.

“Go and do as I said,” she whispered to the man. “And don’t let anyone know of this.. hurry go!”

The red haired queen then walked hurriedly back towards the entrance and met her husband just as he was about to walk out.

“There you are,” Gareth said and pulled his wife close. “I have been looking for you. I have some news that you may find interesting.”

Melissa pursed her lips thoughtfully, “are you taking me on our second honeymoon?”

“Umm, that will happen in due time,” Gareth responded with a nervous chuckle. “It’s about Eira, she has brought a guest to dinner.”

“A guest?” Melissa felt a little uneasy, was the guest Elric? Had he made it to the palace after all. “Who is it.”

“One of her suitors,” Gareth responded. “A young lord named Maxim. They seem to get along very well, and he seems like a nice young man. Maybe there is chance she may get over her little silver haired obsession after all.”

“A suitor?” Melissa felt relieved. She was worried that Eira would never take interest in any of the men she met, and ultimately would have to marry someone she did not even like. If this Maxim was someone she was getting along with, Melissa would do her best to help the relationship progress into something more. And before long, Eira would forget all about Elric and that ridiculous blood half nonsense.

“Well then what are we waiting for?” The queen spoke excitedly. “Let’s welcome our guest properly!” She grabbed her husband’s hand and pulled him back into the palace. This Maxim, could be the possible answer to all of their problems.

*

At the entrance of the dining hall, Damien and Zhelimir stood and observed the guest Eira had brought for dinner. He and Eira were talking and laughing merrily, something that neither of the two men had seen happen in a long time.

“They have known each other for a few hours and all of a sudden they are talking like they have known each other for years.”

“Give the man the benefit of the doubt,” Zhelimir spoke to his cousin. “Maybe they just have a lot in common. Besides, if he tries anything we will be there to stop him.” Zhelimir began walking to the table before turning to Damien who was still giving Maxim a suspicious glare. “Come on Damien, no need to alarm the young man.”

Damien nodded and walked towards the table as well. He couldn’t shake the feeling that there was something not right about this Maxim fellow, and he was going to find out what.