Free My Sparkling Misfortune (The Lakeland Knight) by Laura Lond, Alla Alekseyeva Page B

jerked his chin up.
    "You will all see," he repeated. "And for now, goodbye. I will not stay in a place where I am considered a liar."
    He made a sharp turn and left.
    King Osmund was so devastated that I spent a good half hour trying to comfort him, assuring the royal family that I did not hold it against them. The queen and the princess, who said nothing during the incident, were nevertheless just as shocked, and kept offering apologies as well. Prince Philip declared that he knew why Kellemar acted this way, he said it was because of jealousy. Despite the facts unknown to him, he probably was not very far from truth.
    When I finally managed to disengage, I was in a rather strange, confused state. On one hand, I felt vindicated; on the other, what had just happened was still based on one big misunderstanding that would have to be cleared up at some point. And to top it off, I certainly needed some explanations from Jarvi.
    "Why did you say that it is impossible to capture a sparkling?" I asked him in the carriage, on the way home.
    "King Osmund said that," Jarvi corrected. "I only confirmed it because it is true." He smiled at my bewilderment and continued, "Generally true. Our situation is a unique one, Lord Arkus. Sparklings do not come to swim in the lake. I only ended up in the water because of my fight with Ragnar. There were instances of mortals trying to use other ways to catch sparklings... Each time Faradin's judgment was swift."
    I felt this unpleasant chill.
    "...Why wasn't it swift in my case?"
    "He spared you because you did not know that you were after a sparkling."
    "He does not mind people catching gormacks, then?"
    "He does, very much. But gormacks are a different story. They are evil spirits, they refuse to serve Faradin and try to break his laws as much as they can get away with. For that reason, if humans manage to capture them, they are without his protection. They can't appeal to him to be released."
    "Could you?"
    "Yes."
    "And why didn't you do that?"
    Jarvi smiled again.
    "I liked you. No, seriously. I thought you deserved a chance."
    I didn't think I was so likeable, especially from a sparkling's point of view...
    "I bet you don't like me that much anymore, now that you've gotten to know me better. I suppose I am lucky that you can no longer appeal... Or can you?"
    "At any time."
    I stared at him, trying to process it. I thought he'd been putting up with my moods because he had no choice. Now it turned out that all this time he had a way out? And yet stayed with me because--because he wanted? Just like he'd said to Kellemar...
    "I don't understand. If that's the case, then how does the promise thing work? You vowed to serve me for six years, did you not?"
    "Five. You knocked one year off."
    "Yes, I remember; I'm not trying to go back on it. Still, you promised. Does it mean nothing?"
    "It means exactly what it means: five years of service. Unless Faradin interferes."
    I remained silent for a long time. This was not easy to come to terms with.
    "Is this what Ellar, your friend, wants you to do?"
    Jarvi nodded.
    "Yes. He thinks I should ask Faradin to release me."
    "And why don't you listen to your old friend?"
    "Because I think I have gotten a new one who needs me more right now."

    ∗ ∗ ∗

    In a couple of days I was urgently summoned to the royal palace for a private audience. King Osmund met me alone. He looked sad but composed.
    "I have called you, my dear Lakeland Knight, to tell you that we had to banish Prince Kellemar of Dalvanna from our land. His engagement to my daughter is off."
    I couldn't believe my ears.
    "Your Majesty, you shouldn't --"
    "Oh, it is not because of how he behaved here. There is something else. My men caught him... I am embarrassed to say it. They caught him trying to destroy one of the white towers you built. Now, this crosses all borders. Such a senseless, mean-spirited act has no excuse. The princess called off the engagement the moment she heard about it. I had