Instead of two boats of armed soldiers waiting for them, dozens of ships lined the way to the docks. Cheers erupted from the passengers of the ships, and the soldiers bowed low as the king passed by. Horns blared from all over the city, and Avalar could see people running to the docks. His lips widened and parted in a broad smile. He raised his right arm and waved to the bowing soldiers.
“Could this be a trick?” asked Alahara. “Or would the citizens welcome you without the blessing of the queen?”
“I do not know about the queen,” answered Alamar, “but the people are genuine in their joy. It feels so wonderful to be home at last.”
Without direction from the patrol boats, Tamar guided the elven scout ship to the royal dock. Thousands of people crowded along the wharf and waved. Cheers and shouts filled the air. As the ship glided along side the dock, Alahara moved to get the forward line. Avalar put his arm around her shoulder and stopped her.
“On this voyage,” Avalar said softly, “you are not a deckhand. Stay by my side.”
People on the dock reached out and held the ship fast as it floated next to the dock. Avalar guided his two daughter to the side of the ship and stepped onto the dock. Alahara and Alastasia stepped off next and continued to flank their father. The citizens of Morada bowed and singing erupted. King Avalar basked in the reception of the elven people. He smiled broadly and waved to the people for several minutes.
Suddenly, the city fell silent. King Avalar could see the crowd parting in the distance and understood what was happening.
“The queen is coming,” Avalar said softly to his daughters. “Regardless of how you were treated by her, you are to treat her with the respect due a queen. I will not permit my daughters to belittle the royalty of Elvangar for selfish reasons. The crown is more important than any of us. It demands respect.”
“I will try,” sighed Princess Alahara.
“No,” King Avalar said sternly. “You will not try, you will obey. Once the people of Elvangar lose faith in the crown, it can never be restored. I will not allow one of my daughters to be the cause of such disrespect.”
“I understand,” Alahara nodded. “I just hope she doesn’t hurt me again.”
The crowd parted and Queen Alycia marched through the gap. Her face was impassive as she approached. She walked directly to Avalar as everyone held their breath. When she stopped walking, Queen Alycia kneeled before the king and bowed her head in respect. The people cheered widely.
The queen rose, a wide smile upon her face. She reached up and removed the golden circlet from her head and placed it upon the king. She kissed King Avalar on each cheek and then embraced Princess Alahara.
“I am so sorry, Alahara,” whispered the queen. “I have not been myself for some time.”
“How did you know that I was Alahara?” asked the princess.
“You are on the king’s right,” smiled the queen. “Avalar would never break protocol.”
The queen walked to Alastasia and embraced her. She returned to stand in front of the king. Avalar smiled and kissed the queen. He then offered her his right arm. As the people cheered, the royal family marched off the dock and through the city streets to the Royal Tree. The royal guards smiled as they saluted the king.
The platform rose to the highest level and the royal family walked to the throne room. Only then did Avalar drop his smiling face.
“Where is Karaza?” he demanded.
Queen Alycia pointed upward and Avalar looked up and saw the bulge in the tree.
“How did this happen?” he asked.
“Garl figured out that Karaza was controlling me,” replied Alycia. “All of these years I thought you were dead. All because I refused to believe in Garl. I even banished him from the city and put Karaza in charge of the Society of Mages. I feel like such a fool.”
“Karaza knew that I was imprisoned on the Island of Darkness,” replied the king. “He visited there a year after our sinking. He must have sold his soul to Vand. I will reinstate Garl as the Head of the Society of Mages. What other ills have been committed that must be righted?”
“I have been busy correcting the errors of my last few years,” replied the queen. “Some thing cannot be undone, but I can make amends.”
“Prepare a list for me,” nodded Avalar. “There are troubled times ahead for Elvangar and the rest of the world. We must heal our own house before the trouble comes.”
“Will you aid the humans then?” asked Alastasia.
“I do not know,” admitted the king. “There will be discussions about it, but as I told the Torak, I will do whatever is in the best interests of the elven people.”
“You have met the Torak?” asked Queen Alycia.
“And the Star and the Astor,” nodded King Avalar. “They are humans of the caliber of King Regis and his ancestors. They are honorable people who believe in Kaltara. I will call a session of the Council of Elders tomorrow. This issue must be thoroughly discussed, and it is best to start soon.”
The queen turned to Alahara and Alastasia.
“I am truly sorry for what you had to endure,” she said. “Not just during your time in Elvangar, but all those years that I should have had people out looking for you. I do not know how I can make that up to you, I will try.”
“We survived,” smiled Princess Alahara. “If nothing else, it has taught us much about the humans and how people should be treated. I think there are many areas in Elvangar where we can take lessons from the humans.”
“Like what?” frowned King Avalar.
“Like the poor elven villages,” answered Princess Anastasia. “There should not be poor people in such a rich land as Elvangar.”
“And keeping the elders dependent upon the crown,” added Princess Alahara. “They should not lose their homes when the crown loses confidence in them.”
“And…” began Princess Anastasia.
“Stop,” grinned King Avalar. “I get the point. It seems as if our princesses are ready to be involved in ruling Elvangar,” he smiled at the queen. “I have great faith in their courage and their character. We must both tutor them in the ways of the elves.”
“With Garl’s help,” the queen nodded and smiled.
“And Kaltara’s blessing,” chirped Princess Alastasia.
FB2 document info
Document ID: fbd-8781f8-79d9-7440-80b5-6612-1c91-908080
Document version: 1
Document creation date: 17.12.2011
Created using: calibre 0.8.31, Fiction Book Designer, FictionBook Editor Release 2.6 software
Document authors :
Richard S. Tuttle
About
This file was generated by Lord KiRon's FB2EPUB converter version 1.1.5.0.
(This book might contain copyrighted material, author of the converter bears no responsibility for it's usage)
Этот файл создан при помощи конвертера FB2EPUB версии 1.1.5.0 написанного Lord KiRon.
(Эта книга может содержать материал который защищен авторским правом, автор конвертера не несет ответственности за его использование)
http://www.fb2epub.net
https://code.google.com/p/fb2epub/
Elvangar fl-6 Page 46
