To Claim the Elvin Princess: Apprentice Read Online Free Page A

out! Don’t come back until you have news of more substance!” she commanded, and the man scurried to obey. At the door, Garen paused, sensing her upset; he had served her since she was a girl of eight.
    “You should speak with your father, no matter how much you don’t wish to,” he advised her. She glanced up, and shrugged.
    “You’re quite right...I have no desire to, but will anyway. Thank you, dear Garen,” she whispered, he being one of the very few she trusted completely.
    Shocara finished her food, and wiped her hands on her leather pants. Standing up, she sheathed her sword, and went outside, to summon those she wished to speak with. This mostly consisted of the tribal leaders, on whom her position as leader depended. That her father had ruled by right of birth, and was now too weak and crippled a man, obsessed with his spells and sorcerous potions, to lead them in battle, would have let the position pass to a son. Yet all his sons had fallen, perishing at the hands of the Elvin. This left Shocara as the unlikely one to command, her skill and prowess being amazing, and her will second to none. Others might wish their family to ascend to the lofty place of Eridian Master, but no one now wished to cross swords with her to win such a prize. The five who had tried were rapidly eliminated, by being hacked to death at her hands.
    She wasted no time in making her thoughts known.
    “Prepare for an attack. Word says that Princess Amein is not available to command the Elvin. We must take advantage of this opportunity!”
    “And how should we do this? Won’t they expect such a tactic?”
    “Of course! They are wise and well able to plan against us. They will expect us to attack a remote and hard to defend place, such as their outpost on the sea. We shall send a small force to do what they expect...” she insisted, eyeing all of the men, many who were twice her age, she being barely past twenty five. No one spoke, but the look on their faces displayed there doubts as to her sanity.
    “I said a small force. We will take some of our best fliers and attack the one place they won’t ever dream that we would be crazy enough to attack; the Clan Home, Alarinad!” The silence was substantial, their expressions astounded. If she had wished to shock these ones, she could have found no better way to do so.
    “How can you hope to take such a place?!” someone finally exclaimed, forgetting who he was speaking to.
    “I never said we would take it. I wish only to strike a firm blow. The Elvin think us insignificant and unworthy as foes. I wish to make them hurt and fear us. A blow against the place they consider beyond our reach will touch them profoundly and make them keep more of their warriors in the city, thus making other places easier for us to attack!”
    The leaders considered this, and soon found themselves agreeing with her logic. That no other had considered this did much to reinforce their awe of her.
    “We must consider how we can move a large force close enough to attack, without being noted by the Elvin!” one named Gurdia suggested, looking thoughtful. Shocara gave him a wicked grin.
    “We could start by having everyone shave their beards, and cut their hair, so as to look less Eridian from a distant!” she suggested, expecting to be met with outrage, these being regarded as necessary signs of Eridian manhood. Their shock was intense enough, but they all feared to protest, certain that Shocara might decide to order such a thing, simply to have her way.
    “While we’re at it, I’d suggest a bath too, so that the Elvin might be less able to smell us coming!” she added, eyes gleaming; the Eridian considered their personal fragrance manly and a badge of maleness. The women mostly did likewise simply because it was pointless to smell less aromatic than the men.
    Seeing her expression, they all felt doomed.
    “She’s serious!” someone whispered.
    “Oh, am I ever!” Shocara declared smugly, curious to