by Ennki Hakari
The other chambermaids brought a trunk full of the princess’s dresses up to her for consideration. Yuriarna shook her head, and the chambermaids ran off to retrieve more.
Ferna kept an eye on her fellow chambermaids as they bustled about the room. She tried keeping the princess’s mind occupied by engaging her in conversation.
“We only just spoke to Duchess Seriarna about holding a meeting with the elves. I never believed we’d receive a reply so soon.”
Yuriarna nodded.
Duchess Seriarna was the wife of the duke of Limbult, and Princess Yuriarna’s older sister.
The Grand Duchy was rare, in that it was the only human country that had a trade relationship with the elves. Yuriarna had come here to convince her sister to open talks between the Rhoden Kingdom and the elves. Seriarna had agreed and dispatched an elf messenger stationed at the palace at once.
That was two days ago.
***
“I’m curious to see what methods the elves use to communicate.”
Yuriarna mumbled to herself as she gazed out the window at the coast opposite Aldoria Bay. If she squinted, she could just barely see the outlines of mountains and forests through the mist.
The elven capital of Maple, where a vast majority of the elves lived, was protected deep within that vast, oppressive expanse of trees. If the stories were true, it was no easy feat for a human to travel there.
In fact, even those engaging in trade with the elves had never set foot in the elven capital, so no one could quite be sure exactly where it was located. All they knew was that it wasn’t close to Limbult.
And yet, talks had been arranged in a matter of days.
“I’ll be meeting with the elf elders no less.”
Yuriarna was still speaking more to herself than anyone else, but Ferna nodded along, prompting her to continue.
“The high elders serve as the key decision makers for the elves, similar to the dukes in Rhoden.”
This seemed to spark Ferna’s interest. “I thought talks with other nations generally started with lower-level officials.”
“That’s true…”
Typically, lower-level officials would work together to decide on the schedule and details of the talks before they actually took place. However, even in cases where an urgent request was made, it would still typically take around a month or so to get the parties in the same place.
As the representative of the Rhoden Kingdom, Yuriarna had expected to wait here for at least a short while, since she hadn’t observed proper procedure when making her request. And yet, here they were, the date of the talks already upon them, just a few days later.
“I have no idea what means the elves use to communicate, but the speed at which they do is nothing short of amazing. I’ve heard stories that the Rhoden armies suffered fatal blows due to the overwhelming strength of the dragons that guard the lands they tried to take from the elves, but they clearly have more than just strength in their favor.”
Yuriarna let out a deep breath.
Ferna smiled at the princess’s image in the mirror as she delicately arranged Yuriarna’s hair.
“In that case, it would be an immense victory if we are able to win their assistance.”
The princess took another deep breath and let it out again.
“You’re right. One way or another, we need to get them to help us.”
She faced herself in the mirror, looking far more resolute.
“Ferna, could you change the hair adornment to something a little more colorful?”
Ferna hid her surprise behind a soft smile.
“Certainly.”
Yuriarna would be solely responsible for deciding the path the Rhoden Kingdom took from here on out. With this firmly in mind, she looked back out of the palace window, toward the Great Canada Forest in the distance.
***
Maple, the capital of the Great Canada Forest, was located deep within the endless sea of trees on the bank of the vast Great Servant Lake.
A grove of tree dwellings rose up from within the two massive walls that surrounded the city, which served as the home to over 100,000 people. At the center of this grove, one tree towered above all the others. This was the central council’s chambers, and it served as the administrative center for the ten elders, each of whom oversaw their own villages and came together to decide on policies for the entire forest.
On a balcony near the top of the central council tree, two men sat at a table, facing each other. Below, the lake spread out as far as the eye could see.
One of the men was Elder Dillan, charged with overseeing the village of Lalatoya. His long, green-tinged hair whipped about in the wind as he brought a cup of tea to his lips.
Across from Dillan sat a large, burly man with short-cropped white hair and amethyst-colored skin—the marks of a dark elf. An intimidating look was frozen on his scarred face. He stroked his long, white beard as he watched Dillan. This man was Fangas Flan Maple, one of the ten elders, and father of Glenys, Dillan’s wife.
“I apologize for having you make so many trips here from Lalatoya. The cost in rune stones alone must be immense.”
Fangas, large even by dark elf standards, spoke in a deep voice that, together with the expression etched onto his face, gave the impression he wasn’t someone easy to get close to.
Dillan, however, had spent many years interacting with Fangas and offered a simple shake of his head before setting his cup back down on the table.
“Actually, a guest of ours was kind enough to bring us eight sand wyvern rune stones.”
“You’re talking about the mercenary my granddaughter hired? Can we trust him?”
Fangas stared intently at his son-in-law. To anyone watching, it might have looked like he was trying to get a sense for the man sitting across from him.
Dillan returned his gaze and offered him a shrug.
“I admit he’s a bit of an odd one, but he’s definitely trustworthy. He’s done a lot for Ariane, and for that I am thankful.”
“Well, if that’s how you feel about him, I certainly trust your judgment.”
Fangas crossed his muscular arms and let out a huff. Ariane was still his adorable little granddaughter; the very idea that she was traipsing about with some man he didn’t know made him uneasy. However, Fangas hadn’t called the elder of Lalatoya to the central council just for small talk.
Dillan was the one who broached the subject. “Why did you call me here, Fangas?”
“We received a message from Limbult that a Rhoden entourage has traveled to the Grand Duchy to discuss the events surrounding Marquis du Diento’s death. Arrangements have been made to meet with them, and the central council has decided to send the two of us.”
Dillan nodded, unphased, as if he’d already guessed the answer to his question.
“Well, things have certainly moved quickly.”
Fangas let out a sigh, looking almost disappointed at how nonchalantly his son-in-law was taking this news.
“However, the representative from Rhoden is no simple envoy. It’s the second princess, Yuriarna, of the Rhoden royal family.”
This time, Dillan’s face registered surprise, but it shifted into a smile as he reached into his coat to pull out a piece of wax-sealed paper. He handed the document to Fangas.
“This is quite fortunate. I had just been thinking about arranging a meeting with Yuriarna.”
Fangas looked the paper over, then glanced inquisitively back at Dillan.
The elder of Lalatoya explained the story he’d heard from Ariane the night before about what had happened in Lamburt.
Fangas stroked his beard, a broad smile stretching across his face.
“I see. In that case, we may just be able to find some common ground after all.”
***
The next day, a contingent of soldiers accompanied Dillan and Fangas to the central teleportation shrine. They teleported to Saskatoon, the elven village closest to Limbult.
Sas
katoon sat along the Sagune River, one of several large rivers feeding into Aldoria Bay, which served as the border between the Grand Duchy and the Great Canada Forest.
The journey between Saskatoon and Maple would typically take many days, but Dillan, Fangas, and their soldiers were able to cross the distance in a matter of moments thanks to the rune-stone-powered teleportation points.
The major port city and capital of the Grand Duchy would serve as the mediator between the elves and the Rhoden Kingdom, since Limbult was the only human nation the elves of the Great Canada Forest currently traded with. This meant that the city’s docks were constantly filled with human merchants from across the northern continent in search of high-quality, elven-made magical items.
Thanks to this, the Grand Duchy had become an incredibly prosperous nation despite its small size, and this was nowhere more evident than in the capital.
Dillan, Fangas, and their soldiers left Saskatoon and made their way down the Sagune River toward Limbult. They docked their boat in a section of the port reserved for elven use. After disembarking, they boarded several horse-drawn carriages that had been waiting for them.
Under normal circumstances, mounted guards would accompany the caravan to provide additional protection. However, given how much time elves spent living among the trees, most of them weren’t very skilled riders. Fangas knew this well. Though an elder now, and currently protected by many guards, he’d once been a soldier, as evidenced by his hulking frame. The dwarf-made war hammer that hung from his waist was no mere decoration. He was still a brutal fighter and could crush a dragon’s skull if he swung his hammer in anger. Many of the elders, in fact, were talented warriors like Fangas. The accompanying guards were more for show than anything else.
A contingent of soldiers from Limbult’s army marched up to the carriages and the whole procession lurched forward, straight toward the palace at the center of Limbult. The caravan crossed a stone bridge arching over the large moat that surrounded the palace walls. Once through the gate on the other side, Dillan and Fangas found themselves staring up at an imposing, chalk-white palace with numerous towers that jutted up into the sky, all covered in intricate carvings. This was the home of the Duke of Limbult.
Though far different in design and style from the central council building back in Maple, it evoked the same sense of awe in all who saw it.
Dillan was entranced as he looked out the carriage window. This would be his first time setting foot in Limbult Palace.
As soon as the carriages stopped, several servants came rushing down the palace steps to greet them. They ushered Dillan, Fangas, and their companions inside and brought them to a room deep within the palace, where a woman with bright blonde hair and gentle brown eyes waited for them.
The woman gently lifted the corners of her pale blue gown in a curtsy and greeted them with a smile.
“It’s been a while, Fangas.”
Fangas returned her smile and bowed low.
“It is truly an honor to be in the presence of the great and honorable Duchess Seriarna Meria du Olav Ticient.”
“Thank you for coming on such short notice.” Seriarna’s gentle grin elicited an even wider smile from Fangas.
“Admittedly, we were quite intrigued that an envoy from Rhoden sought an audience with us.”
“This envoy is my younger sister, Princess Yuriarna. I trust you’ll be easy on her.”
“You have my word.”
Seriarna led them to another room, even deeper within the palace.
Though not as large as the last, this room was brightly lit by a massive window running along the entirety of one wall. It had been tastefully decorated and boasted a large, round table in its center. Three people were already seated at the table: two women, one of whom appeared to be a chambermaid, and a young man dressed as a knight.
As soon as Fangas and Dillan entered the room, all three of them stood from the table, and the woman who wasn’t dressed like a chambermaid bowed.
Her hair, done up in gentle curls, was the same bright blonde as Seriarna’s. She had a pale complexion and a beautiful face. Her gentle brown eyes, however, were tinged with a mix of apprehension and determination. She looked almost like a young girl, lacking Seriarna’s cool maturity.
The woman curtsied as she introduced herself.
“Thank you for meeting with me. My name is Yuriarna Merol Melissa Rhoden Olav, second princess to the Rhoden Kingdom.”
Fangas offered another bright smile.
“I am Fangas Flan Maple, an elder from the Great Canada Forest. I am a man of humble origins, so there’s no need for formality.”
The knight standing beside Yuriarna tensed, but Fangas paid him no mind.
“And this is…”
“I am Dillan Tahg Lalatoya, elder of the village of Lalatoya in the Great Canada Forest. I look forward to speaking with you.”
Dillan was much more polite in his introduction, and the tension in the room lightened noticeably after he’d finished speaking. He grinned.
“My father-in-law may look intimidating, but he’s not as crass as he seems.”
Dillan gestured for Yuriarna to sit, and, once she had, Dillan and Fangas followed suit. Seriarna sat between the two parties. After formal introductions, the Rhoden princess got straight to business.
“I called you here to discuss events that have occurred in Diento, in the Rhoden Kingdom.”
Fangas cast his eyes down, his large arms crossed as he listened to Yuriarna. Dillan assumed a similar posture, but kept his gaze on the young princess, his expression flat.
“We were astonished and ashamed to learn that Marquis du Diento was kidnapping elves in violation of our treaty. However, we are currently investigating the circumstances surrounding his assassination.”
Yuriarna stopped there and looked across the table at Fangas. He sat motionless, merely raising an eyebrow in response.
“I am still learning about the situation in its entirety, but no matter what else may have happened, Rhoden owes the elves an apology. This matter reflects poorly on the king for having done nothing about it for so long. Please understand that the royal family has no objections to the outcome of events in Diento.”
Not only did Yuriarna already know that elves had been involved in the assassination of the marquis, she also affirmed their actions.
Fangas broke out in a toothy grin. “Then what do you want from us?”
Under normal circumstances, neither party would have been able to bargain. Assassinating a noble was generally frowned upon, even if said noble had been in violation of a treaty.
The princess regarded Fangas coolly, undaunted. “I’m here to ask a favor. I would like the support of the Great Canada Forest in my succession to the throne of Rhoden.”
Yuriarna stood from her chair and bowed her head low. Fangas nodded for her to continue. She resumed her seat, explained the situation with the royal line, then apologized for airing her family’s dirty laundry.
Once she’d finished speaking, Fangas leaned forward, resting his large arms on the table.
“And what do we stand to gain by backing you?”
“My brother, Prince Sekt, has the support of the western Revlon Empire, the very empire that brought tragedy to the dwarves in the distant past. They are currently separated from the Rhoden Kingdom by the Furyu mountain range, but if Sekt is allowed to succeed to the throne, they will almost certainly begin meddling in the affairs of our country. I have also heard that the western empire is developing magical items using elf labor.”
The tragedy she alluded to was of humans who had hunted dwarves across the entire northern continent, in an attempt to steal their superior metalworking techniques. The former Revlon Empire, before it had split, was at the forefront of these efforts. Ultimately, the humans’ desire had led to the dwarves disappearing from the northern continent entirely, leaving nothing behind but their name in the humans’ history books.
Unbeknownst to humans, however, the dwar
ves had joined forces with the elves, who were also being hunted at that time, and had escaped to the city of Maple, deep within the Great Canada Forest. Their existence had been kept a secret ever since.
“So, if we were to back you, then you would serve as a barrier between us and the Revlon Empire?” Dillan, who had been quiet this whole time, spoke up. He wanted to ensure he understood what she was offering.
Yuriarna nodded.
Fangas let out a heavy sigh, his muscular arms still crossed on the table.
“We keep our distance from the affairs of humans. I can’t imagine we would be of much assistance.”
“In terms of direct impact, you’re correct. That’s why I would like to discuss the possibility of opening up trade between the Rhoden Kingdom and the elves.”
“Hmm, well, that’s…”
Dillan glanced over at Seriarna, who had been silently listening to the entire exchange.
Yuriarna answered his unspoken question. “I’ve already confirmed these matters with the Duke and Duchess of Limbult and received their blessing regarding the cultivation rune stones. Currently, Limbult is the only nation you’re trading these stones to. If we were to open trade with you as well, I believe it would not only improve the status of the royal family, but also bring many nobles into my camp out of their desire for the same.”
“I see. And, Princess Yuriarna, do you have any plans to improve relations with us?” Fangas shifted his large body in his seat as he ran his fingers through his white beard. “I have heard that the lord of Lamburt has taken one of our own as his bride. If relations were to improve between our countries, and more humans had a better understanding of the elves, well then I think this would be worth considering. I cannot make any sort of trade agreement yet, but I will do what I can to ensure a positive response when we convene the elders.”
Yuriarna gazed at Fangas in astonishment. She glanced at the chambermaid and the knight on either side of her, however they were just as stunned. Information of the lord of Lamburt marrying an elf hadn’t reached any of them yet.
Fangas observed their surprise with a satisfied smile. He offered his hand to Yuriarna. She shook it, a look of relief spreading across her face.
