Time for Change

28

Shelby reluctantly sets the carving down. A fact the owner doesn't like, he'd been sure that he was going to have a sale.

"I'm ready whenever you are, Tyler."

Tyler gives her a look but gently takes her arm and escorts her out of the store. He too thought for sure that she would buy the statue. "Shelby, didn't you want the statue?"

Shelby shrugs, "I don't have any money so I couldn't buy it." Her words make Tyler cringe. He'd forgotten to tell her or give her any.

"Shelby, I have plenty," He starts to say but Shelby isn't listening. She's lost in thought.

The wind picks up and grey clouds signal the advent of a storm brewing. "Let's find something that will keep your hair out of your eyes."

Tyler escorts her to another store and they enter. Shelby goes to look at the various items, but more especially the scarves.

Tyler in the mean time waits by the sales counter. The sales girl ignores Shelby and focuses on Tyler and starts flirting with him.

Shelby tries to get their attention. She tries several times , but when Tyler does nothing to discourage the attentions of the sales girl she stops trying. She watches the actions of the sales girl and Tyler. 

Tyler does nothing to encourage the girl, but neither does he do anything to discourage her either. Then the girl kisses Tyler and he doesn't stop it. Shelby has had enough and leaves.

"Enough! I'm married now and I'm in here with my wife." Tyler looks around for Shelby and only then notices that she's left.

"Shit!" He races out of the store looking for her. If she saw the girl kissing him then she'll think him no better than her cheating ex husband.

He looks around outside and doesn't see any sign of her anywhere.

There is no way she returned to the castle on her own, she has no magic to call to her. Tyler calls guards needing their help to find her.

"What do we have here?" A male elf asks pulling back the branches of the willow tree that are hiding Shelby. She had found sanctuary, a place to cry in the giant weeping willow that has a bench for people to sit and be hidden from view of all others in the park.

"A beautiful young human. Are you lost bitch? You lose the elf that brought you here?" The elf comes over to her and caresses her face. Shelby pulls back.

He forces her to him and kisses her. She slaps him and he slaps her back. Then he gets on top of her and starts ripping her clothes off of her. "Get off of me you bastard!" Shelby fights back and soon the elf has to use both hands to subdue her.

Before long Shelby is no longer fighting him and finds herself able to sit up. Tyler has her attacker and is holding him up by his neck. He's furious.

"Your majesty, I am willing to share you don't have to..." the man says trying to calm the anger of his king.

"I know you were at the coronation, so you know who you were about to rape." Tyler makes a gesture and the man's eyes get even wider. Tyler makes another gesture and the man no longer moves.

Tyler calls the guards and when one comes he thrusts the high born noble at the him. "Take Lord Sheval to the dungeon. He's to be tried as a a traitor, race traitor."

"Yes, Your Majesty." The guard does his best to ignore the quiet sobs of the queen and her ruined clothes that she desperately holds together in front of her.

Tyler gathers Shelby into his arms and does his best to calm her. "Take me back to the castle, Tyler." Shelby holds herself stiffly. Any joy she had this day was thoroughly ruined.

Tyler takes her back to their apartment without further discussion. Once there Shelby turns away from Tyler as she struggles away from him. "I must say Tyler, you had me fooled."

Tyler is beyond confused, "What are you talking about?"

"You are able to pretend far better than I thought you capable of, you actually had me convinced that you didn't mind marrying me. Don't worry, I won't force my presence on you anymore than necessary. I'll sleep out here on the couch. I wouldn't want you to have to be around the hateful human more than you have to be." Shelby goes into the bedroom and grabs some new clothes.

"It isn't a hardship for me to be married to you," Tyler protests vehemently.

"But you'd prefer an elf maid. Look there is no divorce, but when I die I don't expect you to wait very long to remarry some elf female. I'm a convenient excuse for you to not marry the one your mother picked out, but let's face facts, if the augury stones didn't demand my help you'd be in that sales girl's bed tonight." Shelby finishes getting changed and pushes past Tyler.

Tyler follows her into the other room and catches sight of her as she enters the bathing room and closes the door. He hears the lock click into place and he stops. She saw him and there's no denying that he was enjoying the attentions of the girl.