by Lana Axe
Dawn was approaching, and the forest was beginning to wake. Unable to return to sleep, Mel began tying the logs together to complete the raft. By the time the others awoke at sunrise, Mel was ready to place it in the river. “Let's see if she floats,” he said. Aelryk helped by lifting the other side of the raft, and together they placed it in the river.
It sank like a stone.
“Son of a bitch!” Mel exclaimed.
Everyone else stared in disbelief. The raft had not even floated for a second before it sank. Mel knelt next to the bank and placed a hand on the water where the raft had gone in. For an instant, he thought he saw a face in the water amid the ripples. Drawing his hand back quickly, he began to feel very uneasy.
“There's something watching us,” he said, sounding rather disturbed.
“From where?” Aelryk asked.
“From the river,” he replied.
Aelryk and Mi'tal exchanged glances.
“I thought I saw something, but it's gone. It's just a feeling I guess,” Mel added.
“Well, this is a land of fairy tale,” Mi'tal commented. “Perhaps there is something more to the water. It may be, your majesty, that you've reached what you seek. We just need to figure out what to do.”
“No, Mi'tal,” Aelryk replied. “We have not yet reached the Vale. What I seek lies in the land of spring, and it's clearly still summer here. It's cooler, but it isn't spring. We must find a way to cross the river.”
Chapter 24
As dawn broke through the Vale, River waded out into the cool waters of the Blue River. He stood at the base of the waterfall and began his ritual of speaking with the Spirit of the river. As always, Lenora stood at the bank to watch.
“Mother,” Rogin said as he made his way to the riverbank. “I need to speak with Father. How long until he's finished?”
“It all depends on what he sees in the water. Some days it takes longer than others. You know that, my son.”
“There is urgent business, and he is needed. Intruders have set up camp on the far bank. They have just tried to cross the river.” Rogin's expression was very serious.
“You cannot interrupt him. If they've tried to cross the river, then he already knows about it. I'm sure he will want to speak with you when he's finished.”
“But-,” he began.
“Patience, child,” she cut him off.
“I'm hardly a child, mother,” he replied, annoyed by her remark.
“You'll always be my child,” she replied. She reached up and kissed his forehead. His demeanor softened somewhat, but his face remained concerned. Impatiently, he stood staring at his father.
Finally, River emerged from the water and dressed. “You bring news, Rogin?” he asked.
“Yes, Father, there are intruders on the east bank.”
“I know,” he replied. “I have seen them.”
“Are they a threat to us? Should we eradicate them?”
River placed a hand on his son's shoulder. “My son, you should not be so quick to fight. Not everyone who seeks our land comes looking for a challenge.”
“What are they looking for?”
“Me,” he replied. “I will go to them.”
“I'm coming with you, then,” Rogin said.
“If you must, but they have no weapons that could harm me.”
“Would you like me to come along?” Lenora asked.
“I always like it when you come along,” he replied, smiling at her. “But I know you have other matters requiring your attention. I won't be gone long.” They embraced and parted ways.
River strolled leisurely down the bank followed by Rogin, who did not appreciate the easy pace. He felt pressed to find out what these intruders wanted and would prefer his father not to act so casually. He sighed quietly, knowing that his father would never change. River was incredibly patient and always looked for good qualities in others. Rogin, however, was suspicious of outsiders. These men were trying to reach the Vale, and he did not know their intentions.
They arrived at the bank just across from the campsite. “Wait here, son,” River said. Before Rogin could protest, he added, “I will be quite safe.” Rogin nodded reluctantly. He gave a low whistle to call some of his troops his direction. He wanted others of his kind nearby in case of trouble.
River dove out into the water and swam gracefully in its depths. He emerged on the east bank, surprising the travelers who had just finished their breakfast. “Greetings,” he said as he stepped onto the bank. Despite just having gone for a swim, he and his long blue robe appeared to be completely dry.
Mel stood and gaped at River in amazement. All of a sudden, he dropped to his knees and bowed his head low to the ground, one hand on his heart and the other stretched forward on the ground. “Mistonwey,” he said.
River strode forward and placed a hand under Mel's chin, raising his head up to look in his eyes. “Rise, my child,” he said. “There is no need to worship me.” Mel slowly rose back to his feet, still staring at River.
“Your heart is full of sorrow, Young One. What troubles you?”
Mel remained silent and looked at the ground. He swallowed and felt a lump in his throat. Trying to hold back the tears was useless. He closed his eyes tightly and tried to steady his breathing.
“I see you have lost someone very dear to you,” River said. “The wound will not heal quickly, but Thinal's spirit is free. She is at peace. You will find a new purpose in this life.”
The others, who had been observing in silence, glanced quickly to each other. This elf did not seem to be a threat, but they could not be sure of his intentions. King Aelryk strode forward to meet him.
“You are the leader of this company,” River said. He extended his right arm to the king who extended his own to grasp the elf's forearm. Something about River's grasp gave Aelryk a feeling of well-being. Instinctively, he felt he could trust the elf.
“I am King Aelryk of Na'zora,” he said. “May I have your name?”
“No, you may not have that,” River replied. “But nearly everyone calls me River. You may call me that as well.”
“River,” Aelryk repeated. He glanced over at Magister Utric, whose eyes had grown wide at the mention of the name. “I believe I've come here to find you.”
“What is it you need of me?” River asked, curiously.
“My people are being hunted by dark sorcerers. A prophecy has lead me to the Vale to find a river. I am supposed to bring him back to Na'zora.”
“Indeed, you have found me.”
“We tried to cross the river, but our raft sank,” Aelryk said.
“That is because you intended to reach the Vale. The river would never have let you cross without permission from my people.”
“You control the river completely?” the king asked.
“No,” River responded. “The Spirit of the river controls itself.”
“You are a servant of the river then,” Aelryk said.
“No, I am a part of the river. I will allow you to enter the Vale. Will all of you be coming?”
“Yes, but what of our horses?”
“I will have my son fetch them. He is in need of a task to perform.” River seemed amused as he spoke, and Aelryk nodded his approval. River approached the bank where the raft had sank and extended a hand high above the water. Slowly, the raft was drawn up from the depths. “Come along,” he said. The others moved toward the bank and began to board the raft. Once everyone was aboard, River waved a hand over the water, and the raft began to move. In less than a minute, they arrived on the west bank.
The air was breezy and cool as they walked through the forest. The trees here were very large and dressed in smooth silvery bark. In front of them lay the elven village. It looked as if the forest itself had conformed to the needs of the elves. They made their homes within the tree trunks whose canopies provided a rooftop. A lush green grass carpeted the entire village. Aelryk had heard tales that they lived among the trees, but this was much diff
erent from anything he could have imagined. These were not the savage Wild Elves he had learned to fear in his youth. These were the mysterious Westerling Elves who had not been glimpsed by man for thousands of years.
Chapter 25
River led his visitors to the House of Medicine. They stood amazed as they entered the enormous room.
“How can such a room exist within a tree?” Aelryk asked.
“That is part of the magic of the forest,” River replied. “Things are not always as they seem.” He motioned for them to follow as he crossed the room. Lenora, who had been busy mixing herbs, turned and wiped her hands on her apron.
“My love, I've brought our visitors to meet you. Two of them are injured and in need of your services.” He kissed her cheek and turned to face their guests. “This is Lenora, my life mate. She is the most skilled healer among us. This is King Aelryk of Na'zora and his companions.”
“A pleasure to meet you, my lady,” Aelryk said.
“My lady,” the others echoed.
“It surprises me that you would have much need for healers,” Utric remarked. “All of the ancient tales of you suggest you are immune to disease.”
“We have little need to cure illness, it's true,” she said. “We do get scrapes and bruises like anyone else, and it's a good idea to retain a skill that could prove very useful should the need arise. One never knows what might lie ahead.” She approached Morek first and began unwrapping the bandage tied around his head.
“It's much better than it was, my lady,” he said as she examined the wound.
“I'll prepare a salve for you. Have a seat there,” she said as she gestured to a cot nearby. She looked at the others and asked, “Who else needs treatment?”
“That would be me, my lady,” Aelryk said. “I'm afraid I must remove my shirt for you to see it, but I'm not accustomed to disrobing in front of a lady and her husband.”
Lenora laughed and said, “I assure you it's no problem.” She glanced back at River and smiled. Examining Aelryk's wound, she said, “These scratches are very deep. Was it the same wolf-like beast that attacked the dryads?”
“Yes, it was,” River replied.
Aelryk looked at River curiously and said, “How do you know that?”
“I caught a glimpse of the battle when I looked into Mel's eyes. He has a rare gift. Few of the Young Ones still have the green eyes of the forest.”
“What does that mean?” Mel asked.
“You have inherited earth magic. Your emerald green eyes are the only outward sign of it. They are very similar to the deep green eyes of the dryads.”
“I've never seen a dryad,” Mel replied.
“They do exist in your forests, but your people no longer notice them. It takes magical skill to locate them.”
“I have no such skill,” Mel said.
“You have the ability to learn if you so desire.”
Lenora finished applying the salve to Morek and placed a clean bandage over the wound. She created a poultice for the king and placed it over the deep gashes on his side. Delicately, she wrapped a bandage around his torso. “This poultice will help draw out any infection. Whoever treated this earlier saved you a lot of pain.”
“That would by my court mage Willdor,” Aelryk said. He motioned to Willdor who nodded at Lenora.
“My lady,” Utric said. “I don't wish to trouble you, but I am rather old and have not had the easiest time sitting on a horse for travel. Do you have anything to ease the joints of a tired old man?”
“I have just the thing,” Lenora said, smiling softly at the elderly man. She walked over to a cupboard and brought out a light pink potion. “Just one sip of this should last you all day,” she said, handing him the bottle.
“I thank you, my lady,” he replied.
“Perhaps you would like some time to rest,” River suggested. “You may stay in my home, and we shall prepare a banquet tonight in your honor. It is long since we had any visitors.”
They followed River to his home near the waterfall. The outside appeared to be an ordinary tree of the Vale. It was wide enough at the base for a double set of arched doors and was coated in the same silvery bark. Inside, however, a mansion lay before them. It was spacious and bright with large windows looking out into the forest. The great room window faced the waterfall and framed it as if it were a painting come alive. The walls were etched with scrolling silver branches, and the floor was polished to a high shine.
He led them to a series of doors and said, “You may have your choice of these rooms. I trust you will find them quite comfortable.”
“Your hospitality is most appreciated,” Aelryk said.
“I will come for you when the feast is prepared. Please, make yourselves at home.”
Mel settled into his room, but his mind was whirling too fast for him to rest. Instead, he decided to have a bath. He settled down into the sunken tub in the far corner of his room. His tired muscles were instantly soothed by the warm water, and he dozed for a while in the tub. After some time, he finally felt clean enough to dress. He searched his knapsack for the best clothing he owned and pulled on the tunic and pants. Putting on his boots, he noticed they had apparently cleaned themselves while he was bathing. He supposed it had something to do with the same magic that provided such spacious homes within the trees, and he muttered a quiet “thank you” as he looked around the room.
Exiting into the hallway, he decided he would try to find River. He was curious about the earth magic he mentioned, and he hoped to discuss it further. He checked the great room first and found River sitting on a cushioned bench next to a small girl. She caught sight of Mel and came running up to him.
“Hi, my name's Alyra. What's yours?” she said excitedly.
“It's Mel,” he replied. “How do you do, Alyra?”
“I'm doing very well, thank you. Are you one of the Young Ones?”
“I think so,” he replied. “At least that's what your father has been calling me.”
Alyra laughed and grabbed him by the hand. She led him over to the bench and hopped up on the center seat next to River. Mel took a seat next to her.
“Why don't you go and play for a while, my dear,” River said.
“Alright,” she replied. “Bye, Mel.” She waved a hand at him and trotted down the hall.
“We are the First Ones,” River said to Mel. “We are the parents to the Island Dwellers and the Young Ones.”
“Island Dwellers?” Mel said. “Do you mean the Enlightened Elves?”
River laughed. “Is that what they're calling themselves now? They've always taken a great interest in matters arcane, so I suppose the title fits. You are a part of our second group of children. That is why we call you the Young Ones. Also, you do not live as long as our elder children, so you remain very young to us throughout your lives.”
“That's true,” Mel said, “but our lives are very full.”
“Is it true you have been mistreated at the hands of the humans?” River asked, sounding very concerned.
“In the past our two peoples have fought over territory. I suppose both sides have done some wrong, but the humans have committed the greater crimes. At least that's my opinion of it. All of that happened before I was born.”
“I understand your feelings, Mel. You are quite young and have much to accomplish in your life. I feel strongly that you will help to mend the rift between the humans and the Young Ones.” River paused for a moment and then said, “I am so very sorry for the loss of your mate. It is a pain I cannot begin to understand.”
Mel remained silent, staring at a spot on the floor. After a few moments of silence, he said, “Can you tell me more about this earth magic you mentioned earlier?”
“You are naturally more attuned to the land and the forests than others. There is magic there, and you could learn to use it. The dryads here in the Vale are friends to us. They could teach you how to use your skills.”
“What could I do with such magic?” Mel
asked.
“You could do many things, young Mel. You could restore fallen trees and heal their sicknesses. You can learn to communicate with the creatures of the woods. You could even learn to restore the forests that have been destroyed. There are many possibilities, Mel. Those are just a few things you might wish to learn.”
“I'm not a scholar,” Mel said, shaking his head.
“It matters not,” River replied. “You have been born with a gift. If you choose to use it, you will succeed. The dryads can help you learn to channel the magic you already have and bend it to your will. Controlling the gift will take practice and patience, but you will succeed in the end if you so desire.”
Mel huffed and said, “I am just a simple elf. It's hard to believe there could be anything special about me.”
“You are indeed special, Mel. It's your choice whether you will use your gift to help your people. They could certainly use someone like you.”
Mel looked up into River's sapphire eyes and saw pure honesty. He wasn't making a joke, and he wasn't exaggerating. This elf, who he barely knew, could see further into him than anyone ever had. The thought was a little overwhelming. “I think I would like to meet these dryads,” he said. “I could at least speak to them and maybe even learn a thing or two.”
River nodded. “I can take you to meet them tomorrow. I think they will enjoy speaking with you.”
Chapter 26
The banquet was all laid out when River went to fetch his guests from their rooms. He led them to an enormous dining hall where most of the Vale's citizens had gathered for the feast. An elongated oval-shaped table was set at the heart of the room and filled with various savory dishes.
