Both she and Chase also gathered wild edible plants as they traveled. Root vegetables very similar to onions and leeks, as well as berries and other greens grew throughout the deep forests all year long and were easy to harvest as the elves moved past the towering trees.
That first night, Malfiess set up a campfire while Ethmira cleaned two purlet and Chase peeled and sliced up some wild leeks and large sweet berries. There was a tiny rivulet winding its way along the edge of the clearing and she filled everyone's flasks after she was done. By then the fire was burning brightly in the falling gloom of evening and Ethmira set a small pan over the flames and began cooking the meat.
She added some spices to the pan and, when the meat was almost cooked, she tossed in the chopped leeks. The smell was savory and Malfiess smiled in anticipation as he sat next to the fire and watched her work.
“I'd almost forgotten how efficient you rangers could be when you traveled through the wilds,” he commented.
Ethmira and Chase exchanged an amused glance.
“Thank you,” Ethmira replied as she moved the meat around in the pan with her knife. “Survival becomes second nature after a while, I suppose, and it isn't something that I even think about anymore. When I was living in the deep forest for several months, after I left the Council, I got into a rhythm in my life that felt comfortable. It gave me the freedom to think, which I didn't have while I lived in Alderthal.”
Malfiess nodded as he stared into the dancing flames.
“Is that why you left?” he asked her. “You never really gave us a good reason for withdrawing from the Council. Amelda was furious when you did that, by the way.”
“You don't say?” Ethmira said dryly. “She was very clear about how personally she took it when I withdrew. As if it was an insult meant just for her. It was not. I left for exactly the reason that I just gave you. I needed to think. I needed time alone with myself to reevaluate my life and the direction it had taken. I am not an administrator, Malfiess. Nor am I a politician. No, I am a ranger and that is all I have ever wanted to be. I will never return to the Council to sit as one of you, but my grandmother wanted me to help to lead our forces in defense of Trillfarness and I will do that if I have to. But I will do it as the person I am, not as the person others want me to be.”
Chase smiled at Ethmira's declaration and Malfiess pursed his lips and sighed.
“Well then, that is clear enough. And I do understand you, more than you might think. I took my seat on the Council because I thought that it needed new blood, a fresh perspective, not because I wanted power. Others don't believe that, of course, but it is the truth. You want to serve in your own way, my friend, and so do I. And if anyone thinks that I actually enjoy spending my days bickering with Amelda, I would invite them to try it for themselves and see how they like it,” he added with a grin.
Both women laughed.
“I can't even imagine doing so,” Chase told him. “Locked up in that chamber day after day? Sounds horrible to me.”
“It's not that bad,” Malfiess assured her. “But it can be a struggle sometimes. Now though, who knows how long it will be before I return to Alderthal, if I ever do. If the ley lines remain chaotic and uncontrollable, I may just have to stay home and tend to my garden. How much weight will the Council's decisions make if no one outside of Alderthal ever learn of them? Amelda and the others may be reduced to ruling over one small village instead of an entire world. That would humble the lot of them, I suppose.”
Ethmira began serving the meat and vegetables, scraping them on to the metal plates that each of the three elves carried in their packs.
“I never thought of that,” she said as she began cutting up the meat on her plate. “Imagine it though. Amelda as a village mayor. Such a demotion would put a dent in her own importance, don't you think?”
“She'd probably get fat eating at Deakon's every day,” Malfiess said with a wicked grin. “Just to add insult to injury.”
Chase almost choked on a mouthful of food at the image of a fat Amelda that popped into her mind, while Ethmira just chuckled.
“I doubt that things will get that bad, but her fate, and the fate of all of us, may revolve around this Diane person.” Her expression became serious. “A lot is riding on her now, Malfiess. You do realize that, don't you? If that woman was lying or misleading you in any way, this may turn out to be a fool's errand.”
“I am aware of that,” he assured her. “And all joking aside, I do not take this journey lightly. If I am wrong about her, well then, I do not know what will come afterwards. We shall just have to deal with that scenario if and when we come to it. I pray that we don't have to.”
“We all do,” Ethmira replied as she stared past the fire into the shadows beneath the trees. “Because, quite honestly, I cannot think of any other way out of this crisis. And that frightens me more than the idea of facing the forces of Darkness that may shortly come boiling into this world.”
As the days passed, the three elves settled into a comfortable everyday routine. Food was plentiful, the way eastward through the forest was easy to travel through for experienced rangers like Ethmira and Chase, and the weather fairly dry most of the time. Once or twice a week it would rain for a day or so, but it was gentle and warm and the elves were mostly protected by the thick foliage overhead.
The danger of predators was always present though, and the rangers were constantly on alert as they traveled. But only the largest and most aggressive creatures would dare attack three elves even in the deep woods. And whether it was because of the skills of Ethmira and Chase or just a large dose of luck, the trio was never in any real danger.
Along their route toward Illistra, the elves passed through several small towns and villages. They would stop for a night in each one, passing along what they knew about the state of the ley lines and the potential dangers that Trillfarness faced because of it.
Each settlement generously welcomed the three and gave them shelter while they stayed there. It gave Ethmira and the others the chance to relax in relative safety. They were also able to trade for more supplies including rations and new arrows. At one small town, Malfiess bought new boots. He had chosen his footwear poorly before they had set out from Alderthal and had suffered from blisters and aching feet ever since. This time he made sure to get boots that were waterproof and made of soft leather similar to those worn by his companions.
About five weeks after leaving Deakon's inn, the three elves walked out of the shadows of the forest and looked down from the top of a gentle grassy slope at the small hamlet of Illistra. They stopped for a moment under the midday sun and stared at the settlement. Malfiess smiled with relief as he leaned on his staff and looked at the cluster of houses.
“It is amazing how quickly time passes when you are traveling through the wilds,” he commented. “There have been times over the past weeks when I thought this journey would never end. You two have my undying thanks for getting me home safely. I just hope that it hasn't been in vain.”
Ethmira nodded politely while Chase grinned at the councilor.
“Well, you certainly look much more fit than you did when we left Alderthal, sir,” she teased him.
Malfiess chuckled at her comment.
“How strange, since there seems to be a lot less of me now,” he joked in return.
The councilor had lost his soft edges and looked leaner and much more fit than he had before he'd begun the long hike. And he now moved with the easy grace of the rangers. If any stranger had met the three of them together, they would have been hard pressed to see any difference between them.
“Which of those houses is yours?” Ethmira asked him.
Malfiess pointed to a small, neat building set on a low hill just beyond the main group of homes.
“That one,” he said. “My father built it himself, not long after he moved here two centuries ago. He was always rather proud of that accomplishment, considering that he had been raised as a scholar, not a tradesman. It's comfortab
le and it suits my simple needs. So, shall we head down?”
“After you,” Ethmira said, waving him forward with a smile. “Welcome home, Malfiess.”
He chuckled again and began walking down the slope toward Illistra.
Chapter 8
The trio passed several people as they made their way through the village. Malfiess was recognized at once and he stopped and spoke to each of them as they greeted him with surprise.
“Yes, it is good to see you again. No, I won't be going back to Alderthal for a while. Yes, it is delightful to see you too.”
He was welcoming and gracious to every person he spoke to and Ethmira and Chase hung back and allowed him to speak to his neighbors.
“He's very good, isn't he?” Chase whispered as she watched Malfiess greet the villagers.
“A born politician,” Ethmira replied dryly. “For all of his feigned distaste for it, Malfiess loved being on the Council and having that sort of power.”
At Chase's startled glance, the older woman smiled.
“I'm not denigrating him, I assure you,” she murmured. “But Malfiess is a complicated person and he has many layers. Yes, he loves our people and our world and he would do anything he could to protect all of us. But he is also ambitious and we mustn't lose sight of that fact.”
“So you still don't trust him, even after we just spent over a month traveling the deep forests with him?”
“I understand him, Chase,” Ethmira told her. “Trust has nothing to do with it. I know that he will do the right thing, but afterwards he will want his fair share of the glory. I accept that because fame and glory mean nothing to me. If Malfiess wants to bask in that sort of light, let him. I just want to protect Trillfarness.”
Chase nodded silently as the two of them followed Malfiess through the growing crowd of people who emerged from the small homes around them. Her admiration of Ethmira was reinforced by her words.
This is why Salfrena wanted her granddaughter to go to the Council and take charge of our forces, she thought. She knew that Ethmira would put the needs of our people over her own. Why couldn't Amelda see that? Can Malfiess understand that sort of selflessness and dedication? We'll see soon enough, I suppose.
After they had made their way through the small crowd, Malfiess led the rangers up a winding trail to the top of the small hill overlooking the hamlet. He opened the door to his house and turned around and smiled at Ethmira and Chase.
“Welcome to my home, my friends,” he said to them. “Please come in. You are my honored guests.”
“Thank you, Malfiess,” Ethmira replied. “I am happy that we were able to return you here safely. Let's hope that our next step will be as successful.”
“Yes, I hope it will be.”
Malfiess walked inside and the rangers followed him.
The councilor's home was neatly arranged and very comfortable. It consisted of a main room, a kitchen, two bedrooms and a lavatory. The living room had many large windows in it and Malfiess' first act was to walk around the room and open each one, allowing the warm breeze to swirl gently through the house.
A fireplace made of interlocking stone was set against one wall, with several small carvings sitting on the mantelpiece above it. The walls were made of plain dark wood. There were two large paintings hanging on one wall and shelves filled with old tomes and scrolls covered another.
Several colorful rugs covered the floor and a handful of comfortable chairs were scattered about the room.
“You have a lovely home,” Chase said as she stood near the door and looked around appreciatively.
“Thank you,” Malfiess said over his shoulder as he opened one of the windows. “It was my mother who decorated the place. My father and I simply did as we were told when she gave us our orders. She liked to change things around often and we enjoyed indulging her.”
He spoke with amused affection and both of the women smiled at his comment.
“Well, she had good taste,” Ethmira told him. “It is a very welcoming room.”
“Yes, I have always found it so. It was hard to leave when I was called upon to accept a seat on the Council.”
Ethmira gave Chase a knowing look at this statement and the younger woman nodded slightly, remembering what Ethmira had told her earlier.
“Your father is no longer with us?” Chase asked Malfiess as he waved the two women toward some chairs.
They took off their packs and left them by the front door, along with their bows and quivers. Then they crossed the room and sat down. Malfiess pulled a third chair over and sat across from them, after he dropped his own pack and leaned his staff against the wall next to the fireplace.
“No, unfortunately he is not. My mother passed several years ago. Father was devastated by her loss. He pushed hard for me to get a seat on the Council, in part, I believe, because he knew that he was ill and he wanted me to have that security when he was gone.”
He sighed and looked around the room, seemingly lost in his memories.
“He never told me that he was ailing,” Malfiess continued. “That still weighs on me. I should have seen the signs, but I was so excited by the prospect of joining the Council of Elders that I never even noticed. He died shortly after I left for Alderthal. But I feel him here. I feel them both here, their presence, every time I enter this house. It's comforting, even though I miss them both every day.”
“I am sorry for your loss,” Chase told him.
The councilor shook his head and focused on her. He smiled and shrugged.
“Thank you, but what's done is done. My parents live on in my memories, as yours do in your own.”
Chase had told Malfiess of her own parents while they had journeyed together.
“We all have ghosts, don't we? Some are simply stronger and more present than others. Now, why don't you two rest here for a while. I will prepare some food and then we can discuss our plans going forward.”
He got up and went into the kitchen, scooping up his pack before he left the room.
“Well, here we are,” Ethmira stated as she allowed herself to relax. She looked around the room and stared thoughtfully at the two paintings. Both were fairly abstract, with bright colors dominating them. Vague shapes hinted at mountains and clouds, but whoever had painted them had apparently left it to the viewer to decide what they represented.
Chase ran her fingers through her hair and winced as she snagged them on a few tangles.
“I need a haircut,” she said irritably. “I like to grow it long enough to tuck behind my ears, but now it's just out of control.”
Ethmira chuckled and touched her own hair.
“Likewise,” she said. “Keeping my hair short gives me one less thing to worry about in the wilds. I'm sure that someone in Illistra cuts hair. We'll have to ask Malfiess who that is once we've all had a chance to get cleaned up and rest.”
They spoke quietly for a few moments and then they heard Malfiess call them into the kitchen. The two women stood up, Chase stretching, catlike, as she got to her feet again. They walked into the kitchen and stopped to look around.
Cupboards lined one wall above a long kitchen counter. The cupboards were crafted of pale wood and the counter was made of polished gray stone. A cast iron, wood-burning stove was crackling merrily and several pots were steaming and bubbling on top of it. A wide window took up almost one whole wall and the sun beamed into the room, glowing down on a square table standing in the center of the kitchen.
A bright white tablecloth covered the table and there were three place settings already set on top of it. A vase of fresh flowers stood in the center of the table and added a touch of color to the scene.
Malfiess was standing at the stove and smiled at the rangers as they walked in.
“Please have seat, my friends,” he told them jovially. “Luncheon is almost ready and there is fresh tea in the pot on the table. Help yourselves.”
“Thank you, Malfiess,” Ethmira replied warmly. “You are a gracious h
ost.”
They sat down and Chase began to pour out some tea. Ethmira looked around the kitchen curiously.
“Has someone been caring for your home while you've been away?” she asked the councilor. “I see no dust and obviously you have a supply of fresh food available.”
Malfiess lifted the lid off of a pot and stirred the steaming contents. He nodded absently as he focused on his cooking.
“Yes, I employ one of the villagers to care for the place whenever I leave to rejoin the Council. Parrus is an older woman who was close to my mother. She cares for my home as if it was her own and in turn I pay her handsomely for that, even though she always offers to tend to the place for free. When I was growing up, I called her my aunt. We are not related though.”
“Very kind of you,” Ethmira told him.
“The kindness is earned, I assure you,” he replied. “Parris works much harder than she should and I admonish her about it every time I come home. She ignores me, of course.”
Chase laughed at his comment and sipped her steaming tea. It was hot and delicious, steeped from wild clover, a favorite of rangers.
A few moments later, Malfiess served his guests. Poached eggs, crisp steamed vegetables and slices of fried venison made up the main course and he had fresh sliced fruits for dessert.
All three of the elves ate as only hungry travelers at the end of a long journey could. There was very little conversation as each of them concentrated at the task at hand. When they were finished and sipping more tea, Chase sighed happily and loosened the fastening on her trousers.
“That was delicious, Malfiess,” she told their host. “I haven't eaten that well since... since our last meal at Deakon's inn.”
“High praise indeed,” Malfiess replied with a smile. “Thank you. I enjoy cooking for others. When I'm here on my own, my own meals are much simpler. Ethmira? How was it?”
“Fantastic, of course,” she said with a grin. “As you well know. You missed your calling, my friend. You should have been a chef, not a member of the Council. You certainly seem to have a natural talent for it.”
The Fall of the Elves Page 10
