“Winter Fest is my favorite,” Kayla told him, “so full of hope and family, the most peaceful holiday. But why do you like Mid Summer and Winter the best?”
Myst thought, “Midsummer is the most laid back, low stress I think, just fun and good food in celebration of the Creator gifts. And Winter Fest, its the birth of hope and renewal, and it is a whole family celebration, and I’m just a kid at heart. Come on it's time to head back.”
Myst, helped Kayla up she had bought and changed into a pale blue Drakaran Zwari outfit with new sandals with leather dyed to match, Myst told her she looked beautiful, but honestly she always looked that way to Myst. By now Myst was carrying a couple bags of clothing as they met up with the carriage.
“That looks beautiful,” Talia told her as they got back.
“You like it, wait until you see the mask we picked up…”
“I can’t wait, but look at the crates on top and behind the carriage, enough Champagne and cognac brandy to keep Myst happy.”
Myst was putting the shopping into a trunk attached to the back of the carriage, “Talia, I have simple taste, I thought you knew, spring water is all I need.”
Katrina shook with laughter, “the last water you drank was an accidental mouthful in the pool!”
The girls laughed and Myst climbed into the carriage laughing hardest.
A couple hours later after winding up the valley alongside the river, the mist was lingering low over the trees as a persistent drizzle chilled the air.They stopped in the little village about a mile before reaching the castle.
A few hundred or so elves lived in the small community at the feet of steep rocky cliffs, it was built around a simple fountain in the heart of the village. A small river ran down through the village, set beneath huge overhanging weeping willows and plane trees, to empty into the larger Ver River.
The ladies visited the restroom in the small café that only had six small tables on the covered patio overlooking the fountain square. On one side was of the square was an old stone bridge to the other, a massive old plane tree towering overhead. Myst ordered them each a coffee and a glass of the local Anise liqueur, as the weather had certainly turned chilly and overcast on the ride back to the castle, the cool rain had stopped a few minutes ago, but would likely start again any second. It had soaked the road well before they reached the village.
“I should have left my warmer outfit on,” Kayla declared as she put down the coffee and sipped at the liqueur, “Hum, this taste good. And what a pretty little village, what is it called.”
“Theniers,” Katerina told her, “It’s where I’m from; my parents have a little farmhouse near the river. I couldn't wait to leave as a kid to see the world, now I never want to leave again...”
“I can see the attraction,” Kayla replied, “a picturesque village in what is as close to paradise as anyplace I know of.”
Katerina nodded, “yes, but a bit on the nasty side today…” She looked up at the sky peeking out from the covered porch, “this will stay all day, maybe tomorrow. It lets you appreciate the ninety five percent of the nice winter and spring days here. If you are here in the summer Kayla our Summers are hot, dry, and very sunny, but its really not today,” Katerina laughed as the rain started to pour down harder than it had so far.
Myst went out into the rain and retrieved a package from the trunk, he hurried through the suddenly torrential rain back to Kayla and handed it to her.
“You are so sweet,” as Kayla pulled out her original much warmer clothing. Hurriedly she took off the light weight gown and loin cloth and replaced them. Snuggling into her leather jacket before sitting to pull on blessedly warm socks and the black riding boots.
The café owner had a stone outdoor fireplace blazing next to the table and the group soaked in its warmth and cheer.
And the one coffee led to two and this resulted in the quick stop taking another hour out of the afternoon as all about them the rain now pattered and trickled down, as wisp of grey mist brushed the treetops.
Finally back at the castle they only had a couple hours to spend at the pool before dinner…
~
Marif Haddar sat in his private study at the heart of his palace in Zengara, everything that could go wrong seemingly had gone wrong, and the damn Shadow Elves had left him to swing in the wind. The Emperor wanted him dead, and the Sun Elves wanted him dead. Well he would make it hard for them, he was spending vast sums of money to buy off the Emperor and purchase support at court. Of the Sun Elves he tripled his security, but they did not worry him too much as they lacked the cunning of Star Elves after all.
What he needed was to let off some steam whipping some of his pleasure slaves, that always made Marif relax, and he had just acquired a new one… For the first time in days he smiled.
He summoned his harem master and had the new elf slave brought to him. A Star Elf, that was a risk, but life is full of risk.
Alone with the attractive slave, who was cowering naked on the floor before him, caused Marif’s pulse to quicken in anticipation. He turned to his rack of whips to choose just the right one…
Zarra pulled the long metal pin out of where she had it hidden, and on silent bare feet she came up behind Marif and plunged the poisoned pin into his neck behind his right ear. “The Sun Elves send their greetings,” was the last words Marif would ever hear.
Zarra stood over the twitching body, “Now that was enjoyable, and nicely profitable..., thanks to Myst and his employers,” Zarra chuckled to herself. She removed a magically imbued pearl from where she had also hid her weapon. Zarra crushed the pearl in her right hand releasing the magic, suddenly multi color motes appeared spinning around her and she began to fade...
~
Mid morning a few days later and after a late breakfast, Kayla was sitting with Myst by the open window of their sitting room. A bright pine fire was on the hearth, and the sun was warm in a crystal clear cobalt blue sky, the soft wind was in the South bring a hint of an early summer.
Everything out her window looked fresh, and the new green of spring was shimmering in the fields. The sounds of preparation for the Spring Festival could be heard as she sat curled up on the sofa reading a book. Zygax, the faerie dragon was curled up on the floor and Kayla was using the toes of her left foot to rub his back. A soft purring sound seemed to be escaping the dragon.
“If you keep that up you will wind up stealing Sebastian’s magic companion away from him.”
The faerie dragon slowly opened one eye and gave Myst a unreadable look, Myst returned the same look at him, then the dragons eye slowly closed as Kayla’s toes found just the right spot.
The castle soon became a beehive of activity as they prepared for the celebrations that would start at sunset. Priestess Adrienne Melethanel would conduct the ‘Joy of Life’ service thanking the Goddess for the gift of love and fertility for the world in the last year, and praying for a bountiful year to come. Then the feast and Masquerade Carnival would begin and go very late into the night, or early into the morning, until the celebrants collapsed in exhaustion or inebriation or likely both.
Mid day and everyone stopped, they took picnic baskets down to the river and had lunch. As the day had become unseasonably warm everyone wound up swimming and splashing in the chilly waters, soon they were frolicking and painting themselves and each other with the clay mud of the river making handprints and wild designs on each other’s skin. After a while they rinsed off the dry mud and lay out on the rocks and boulders that lined the river to get a little sun before reluctantly heading back up hill to finish the last minute preparations.
Myst had checked in with Remi in the Old Tower above the gatehouse as twilight approached, below a steady stream of elves wearing beautiful masks and flowers in their hair, were arriving. Sebastian was at the gate welcoming the guest, Luc and Adrien Laurent, two brothers on Remi’s staff were standing with Sebastian to help ‘usher’ people into the courtyard. On the top of the Old Tower, with commanding view
s of not only the approach to the castle but also the courtyard below, Kiron Varis and Tristan Zuck two more of Remi’s people kept watch armed with powerful crossbows designed for precision shooting. Wren and Daniel, Remi’s nephew, wandered through the crowds acting the role of young lovers, well not acting really, and Remi thought out loud, “They better keep their bloody minds on the job”!
“He’s your kin Remi, so it will be all on the girl,” Myst kidded him, “But I have faith in Wren keeping her head in the game.”
“If she doesn’t stick a knife in every guest that looks sideways at her,” Remi responded. “Besides, you are as bad as I am Myst, talk about the razer calling the knife sharp…”
Remi’s Lieutenant, Katerina Hennessy opened the door to Remi and Jacqueline private room and walked over to them. “Everything appears normal so far,” she reported.
“Katerina, you look lovely, but where are you hiding your weapons,” Myst asked?
“If everything goes quiet tonight, maybe you will get to see…, and if it doesn’t you definitely will get to see,” she quipped.
Myst grinned at her, “keep them handy as this is the perfect event for an attack. Well, I better go get ready.”
Myst used the upper level corridors to get back to his room, inside Kayla was still getting ready, sitting naked before a mirror, artfully securing flowers into her hair, in what was supposed to be a natural appearance. Myst did not even bother he had picked up from Alexa Ameratti the Moon Elf gardener an already arranged garland he just stuck on top of his head.
“Who’s playing the Avatar,” Kayla asked?
“You mean you’re not…” Myst replied with a grin.
“No, not this year, besides I’ve already done it,” she grinned provocatively at him, “during my study abroad year in Porto Vennia…” She replied laughing, “Naughty Porto Vennia explains some of my hidden wild side..., and my love of a good sandwich.”
Myst laughed with her, “Well the night is still young, maybe I can make you a sandwich when you get hungry, not sure if we have any of the Spicy Porto Vennia Sausage, salami maybe...”
“Promises, promises…”
He kissed her neck, then slipped on the delicate gold on gold mask a match to the one Kayla had on, and as usual with Elven Carnival mask they just covered the eyes and upper face. Finally she took his arm and they swept out to the courtyard.
It seemed that in no time the castle was filling up with the guest, Adrienne had set up for the religious services in the courtyard as the sanctuary would only hold thirty or maybe forty people if packed in. So Galen Caravello the castles engineer had set up the low altar covered in a soft white sheepskin, set on a low stage, that the priestess used in her ceremonies, it was set between the pool and the grand stairs, that way the one hundred and fifty or so celebrants would be able to view from both the first and second levels of the corridors overlooking the courtyard.
Jezzel, the young Moon Elf maid was to play the avatar, but Kayla did not recognize the other actors who played the other characters in the religious play. Kayla always enjoyed watching the rite; it was almost as enjoyable as being a participant, every year she was always in the front row waiting to see what different take the priestess would have on the story. It seemed every year the Priestess directing the play would come up with something new or unexpected, befitting the Goddess who could be as mercurial as she was sensual.
Adrienne outdid herself in the directing of the magic rite of spring and everyone seemed to enjoy the spectacle, but an hour went by quickly and soon it was over and the feasting and dancing commenced. A band played on the upper level and tables filled with food and wine lined up outside the kitchen.
Magical fairy lights hovered over the courtyard, twinkling a soft white light as they drifted above and though the trees, seeming indolent clouds of brilliant enchantment. Magical lanterns, torches and flickering candles seemed everywhere, chasing away the darkness and shadow.
Kayla grabbed a goblet of red wine and danced in and around the crowd, kissing and hugging friends as she wandered down to the Great Hall. There the table was loaded high with desserts and a harpist was playing beautiful melodies as people sampled the sweats.
Ever since she was a girl she had had a weakness for chocolate and Jacqueline had filled the table with artful pastries of pure decadence, how could she pick from them…
“Kayla try this one,” Jacqueline offered her a petite chocolate torte layered in raspberry filling and covered in a Ganache.
“Oh heavens, that is unreal,” Kayla declared as she took a bite. “Myst will love this, we must save him, one…”
Jacqueline laughed, “I already had a batch sent upstairs, and as soon as I finish in here I will follow them up…”
“Myst said we should mingle for another hour and then we will meet you as soon as its decent to slip away for a more private party…” The vivacious girls laughed and hugged each other in the intoxicating magic of the evening masquerade.
Myst wandered the castle, Remi causally a pace or two behind him, watching the crowd as Myst chatted with the guest, Kiron Varis always few paces ahead of them.
“Myst, lets find Kayla and make things harder for anyone with nefarious plans for tonight…” Remi suggested.
Kiron changed directions and the three of them headed for the salon, “I saw her and my wife head in here a quarter hour ago,” Kiron replied in the deep accent of the southlands. The salon, Myst was never sure why it was called that, but then never really cared enough to find out, was a huge room done in white and gold walls with a pale marble floor, a massive crystal chandelier hung from the center casting light into the walls of mirrors on each side. Another band was playing music at a significantly faster beat than the others, and significantly louder too with a set of drummers driving the music.
Myst guessed about fifty or more people were out on the packed floor ‘dancing’ together in a mass of jumping up and down to the music. Remi put a hand on Myst arm to keep him from heading into the crowded dance floor. Shaking his head and nodded at Kiron.
Kiron wadded into the sea of elves, his size and the darker brown color of his skin made it easy for Myst and Remi to track him as he headed for the center of the dancers.
He smiled as he found them in the heart of the action, laughing he grabbed his wife about the hips with one strong hand pulling her into his hip and doing the Kalya with the other, “Come ladies, time to dance upstairs,” he swung them around and began dancing them back the way he had come.
~
Agnarr Stonecrow was well disguised, and none of it was magical, that would have got him caught he was sure, and with the amount of gold those soft weakling Shadow Elves where paying him, he wanted to survive to enjoy his reward. His skin was stained to achieve the Sun Elf look, while the pale Moon Elf flesh would have been easier to replicate, the superior number of Sun Elves would help him blend in better. He had put thin colored pieces of glass in his eyes, to change them from the palest grey to a deeper blue, and simple hair dye had given him his current dark blonde hair. Only his height and warriors build had been a problem, but a creative optical illusion with the mask he was wearing help make him look slightly smaller. His physique he was stuck with, but dropping and rounding his shoulder was the best he could do.
He had seduced a local girl who worked in the vineyards yesterday so as to gain access with her to the Carnival celebration, and with her and a group from the village he was able to simply walk into the castle.
He knew his target was dangerous; he had almost killed Agnarr a year ago in the Wildlands, so he would not underestimate him. He would wait until Myst was at his most vulnerable and then attack. The decadent debauched ‘warm elves’ will be too disoriented in their stupor to respond before Agnarr escaped.
He had discovered where Myst;s room was, now he just needed to lay low and then fain a drunken stupor as soon as possible in a prime location for an ambush.
About two hours until sunrise and Agnarr’s target
had not come out of his room, he was sure after all the wine he would have had to use the jakes, seeming everyone else had. He had found out that only the sealed Lords Room had a private jakes so sometime he should be wandering by the apparently passed out elf laying nearby, a knife in the back and it would be done... “Alagos Hîr, God of Storms, let me dedicate this kill in your name,” he prayed to the demi-god that was the patron of the Frost Elves, “And let it be soon...”
Thankfully, most of the celebration had finally ended or moved behind closed doors, so at least he did not have to listen to these weaklings any longer and the terrible music. Agnarr had lost his target earlier in the salon dancing place, when unfortunately the target had not entered the crowded dance floor were Agnarr was waiting… He would give it another half hour and then reevaluate.
~
The sun had been up for a couple of hours when Myst, Sebastian and Remi came out of the Lords Chamber where Myst had a more private party.
As soon as possible last night, they had sealed themselves in, figuring that location would be the safest place if anything would have happened during the night, the magical defences of the Lords Chambers made it a hard and deadly nut to crack for any would be assassins.
But the magic wards on the castles and the ones Sebastian had cast on his room in the New Tower went undisturbed.
Elenna Varis, her husband Kiron and Michaela Shadar came out the door behind them, “Oh, what a mess!” Ellena shook her head, “This will take some fixing, first thing is to send these people home!”
“Kiron, go up to the New Tower and relieve Wren and Daniel,” Remi ordered. Kiron the Southern Wild Elf gave his wife a quick kiss and hustled off.
“I’m going to seal Kayla and Jacqueline inside the Lords Chamber until we sweep the castle,” Sebastian locked the magical lock and cast an Air Magic spell to make sure it stayed closed.
“Thank you for inviting me to the private party Myst,” Michaela purred as she stood on her toes to give him a kiss of thanks… “Let me know if you need me Sebastian, I’m going to start inventorying the loss, if I can find Talia…”
Elf World Shadows Rising Page 33
