by J B Forest
He sighed deeply as he closed the door to the upstairs room, absently pulled the leather thong from his hair and disrobed piling his dirty clothes into an untidy heap near the hearth. The hearth in this room was much smaller than the one downstairs but still provided sufficient heat to keep the chill out of the air. It was amazing that the days in this part of the forest were extremely hot and the nights were as cold as the days were hot. The climate in the heart of Svartar was much more temperate. He guessed that the thick forest served as a buffer of sorts for an extreme swings in temperature. They did not have the thick forest to buffer them in this part of the Elven domain.
He stepped into the tub, sat down, and completely submerged himself. The warm water felt good. He could feel some of the stress from the last few weeks begin to vanish. They still had a lot of uncertainties ahead, but for the moment they could be grateful that the initial part of the journey was successfully completed.
He did not want to take long in case their visitors arrived. It would be embarrassing to have the captain of the guard appear and catch him in his undergarments or less. The bristles on the scrubbing brush were fresh and firm. Its harshness felt good against his skin. He quickly washed his hair and stepped out of the tub to dry off. He had just finished dressing and emptying the contents of the bathing tub when he heard a knock on the door downstairs. He quickly put the room in order and descended the stairs to greet the newcomers.
Laosx answered the knock on the door and greeted the captain of the outpost guard. “I am Laosx,” he said as he bowed and opened the door wide enough so that the captain could enter freely. “I am one of the emissaries sent by the Svartan High Council to request the assistance of the Ljosan High Council in a matter of urgency. I am also head master of the Svartan Universtat. Thank you for taking the time to visit us this evening.” Laosx and Connak had agreed beforehand that establishing his credentials as an academic might prove beneficial in diffusing and potential conflicts. They also both knew that when necessary, Laosx was just as proficient with a sword and bow as his friend Connak.
Connak entered the room just as the captain was about to introduce himself. He bowed to the newcomer, “I am Connak, advisor to the Svartan High Council. As my friend Laosx stated, we are pleased that you would visit us on such short notice.”
The captain greeted both elves in the traditional elven manner, clasped forearms and bowed. “I am Glarald, captain of this ragtag group of outpost sentries,” he said with a smile. “There is a saying amongst our people that one must have insulted the High Council to draw an assignment in the outposts. I look at it as an opportunity to develop those that no one else wanted to take the time with. I have witnessed a good number of my sentries move on to serve in the elite guard after a year or so in this wilderness. But of course I am not here to boast about my successes as outpost captain.”
“I see that Aleesia has ensured that your basic needs are provided for, is there anything else that you require during your stay with us,” he asked. Neither Connak nor Laosx were sure if there was double meaning in his words but both replied at once that all was fine and they did not require anything further for the night’s stay.
“Has Aleesia informed you of the reason for our journey,” Connak asked once they dispensed with the formalities. The captain nodded and relayed the information that Aleesia shared during her report to him. Connak and Laosx provided the additional details that they previously agreed to share and asked if Glarald had additional questions.
“I have many questions, but I will let the High Council do the asking,” Glarald responded when they finished. “If the Svartan High Council thinks the matter is serious enough to send emissaries, who am I to question? I must admit that the two of you make a strange pair.” The fair skinned Svartan was paler than Aleesia described. His veins were a sapphire blue and could be clearly seen beneath his transparent skin. The skin had virtually no pigment at all. The other Svartan had a very dusky complexion, it reminded him of the rare gemstone, bronzite. The contrasts in their skin tone seemed to complement them. Once past their outward appearance, the distinct lines of nobility and military training were apparent in both elves. They were not to be underestimated or taken lightly. Even the scholar carried himself with the confidence held by those with extensive military training. They were sure to attract more attention than was good for the circumstances of their mission. “You will be sure to turn more than a few heads along the way. I will send one of my sentries to Cidrean with you to ensure that you travel unmolested. It is not that I doubt your ability to take care of yourselves, but it would be better if you arrived in the capital without incident.”
Connak and Laosx looked at each other and nodded. “Thank you for your support and we accept the offer to have a sentry accompany us to Cidrean. We agree that nothing should distract us from our mission,” Connak offered. “Would it be possible for Aleesia to accompany us if she does not have any pressing duties here at the outpost?” he inquired further. “She seems quite capable and I think that we have started to develop an understanding of sorts. However, we will accept whomever you choose to send with us.” Connak did not want to offend the Svartan captain or overstep his limits, but he felt that they were developing a bond with Aleesia that would be helpful during their journey to Cidrean.
“Aleesia is one of my most capable sentries and if you have been able to break through the wall of ice that she sets up around herself; that is quite an accomplishment. Not many people are able to get close to her. I must admit that I was surprised when she gave me no argument when I suggested that she accompany you to Cidrean. I figured that since she was already acquainted with you that it made sense for her to continue the journey.”
Laosx was intrigued by Glarald’s comments about Aleesia. She seemed a serious person but he had not noticed any type of barriers in her mannerisms. “So she has a reputation for being distant,” he queried.
“She is not intentionally rude or cold, but most of my sentries are assigned here as a disciplinary course of action or because they are not wanted in other places. Aleesia chose this assignment. Everyone thought she would take an assignment with the High Council’s elite guard but she chose to come to this desolate place. I think it has something to do with escaping the grasps of domineering parents but she does not talk much about her personal life. She is pretty much a loner in an occupation where camaraderie is a mainstay. I have probably overstepped my bounds by giving you this much insight about her.”
“We appreciate the insight and you have our word that she will not know that you divulged anything,” replied Connak. He was thinking about Laosx when he made that comment. His friend seemed to hang on every word Glarald spoke about Aleesia. Several days’ journey with the two of them was going to prove very interesting indeed. Laosx was right about one thing, although she was on her guard as would be expected, she did not appear particularly aloof or distant in her manner.
“I will leave you to your rest. The caretakers will bring the evening’s meal shortly. Aleesia asked me to pass along this message to Laosx before I left,” he said as he handed a note to the pale elf. “I will meet you in the morning before you leave for Cidrean.” He clasped arms with both elves and closed the door firmly behind him.
“Well that was interesting,” commented Connak. “I hope the rest of our encounters with our Ljosan cousins are as uneventful as the first two.”
“Maybe the stories of the discord between the two realms are exaggerated,” responded Laosx. “Did you sense the presence of a ‘wall of ice’ around Aleesia? She seemed pleasant enough to me.”
“I agree; I did not notice anything but the typical guardedness of a military type. I would have been wary of if she were too friendly. I did not think that our request to have her accompany us to Cidrean would be granted, we were very fortunate.”
Laosx nodded. “I wonder what the real story is behind the reason why she chose this posting.” He would have to figure out a way to approach the subject wit
hout giving away Glarald’s information. It was then that he realized he had not opened the note from Aleesia. He hurriedly unfolded the sheet. The fine lines of the script reflected practiced and refined penmanship. This was a sure indicator that Aleesia was well educated. Not many in the military ranks received more than a basic education. He had a strong feeling, just seeing the note that Aleesia’s educational background was extensive. The academic inside Laosx stirred at thought of having someone other than Connak who might prove to be an intellectual sparring partner.
His colleagues at the Universtat always provided a good challenge from time to time, but did not think ‘outside of the box’ so to speak. They were hesitant to take on controversial topics or discuss matters that ventured too far outside of their comfort zones. There were no limits to the topics that he and Connak discussed and more often than not they found themselves on the same side of the argument which was not as stimulating as debating opposite points of view. Laosx wondered where Aleesia’s interests rested.
The note was short and to the point. “Laosx, I know that I promised to stop by with the sun-blocking ointment and ingredients tonight but I am exhausted from a double shift and a longer than expected trip back to the outpost. Please forgive me for not fulfilling this promise. I will however, bring the items to you in the morning. My captain has requested that I accompany you and Connak all the way to Cidrean so it seems we will have sufficient time to discuss the ointment and gather ingredients to make additional batches along the way. I hope that you rest well this evening and I will see you in the morning.” It was simply signed with an “A”.
He could not really perceive any hidden messages or subtext in the note and decided to take it at face value. She was an elf of her word, if she had not been exhausted from a double shift and babysitting him and Connak to the outpost, she would have stopped by with the ointment. Instead, she sent her apologies in a note and proposed to fulfill the promise the next day. He could live with that situation.
“So what did she have to say?” asked Connak. Laosx was lost in thought and Connak’s question brought him back to the present. “Sorry; what?”
“The note, what did Aleesia say in the note?”
“Oh, she just apologized for not being able to bring the ointment and ingredients over tonight as promised. It seems she was at the end of a double guard shift when she came across us in the forest. She said that she really needed the rest, especially since she was to accompany us to Cidrean in the morning,” responded Laosx.
“Are you okay with that? You seem a little disappointed,” Connak teased.
“I am fine and I think I will enjoy getting to know her a little better.”
“I am sure you are,” replied his friend. He sensed someone approaching and was about to inform Laosx when there was a light knock on the door. Connak was a bit annoyed with himself, he should have been more aware of his surroundings and sensed the arrival much sooner, but he had let his guard down and was just as startled as Laosx at the arrival of a guest.
Laosx answered the door and the caretakers, a middle-aged couple in elven terms, stepped in with arms full of food. The aroma floating under the towels covering the dishes was mouth-watering. The wife began to arrange things on the table while the husband poured drinks. It was a simple meal of freshly baked loaves of bread and a thick vegetable stew. They had thick ale to wash things down. The couple asked if the pair needed anything else. When a negative response was given, they left for the evening.
The two had a quiet meal. Both were famished from only eating berries and the remnants of the provisions they brought from Drakar the last few days. The ale seemed to relax both even more and they mutually decided to retire for the evening without additional discussions about strategy. There were two bedrooms upstairs, they flipped a coin to see who got the larger of the two and said their goodnights.
Both elves fell almost immediately into a deep and sound sleep. On the other side of the outpost village, Aleesia slept fitfully. She tossed and turned for a long time, reliving the day’s events. She did not quite know what to make of the strange traveling companions. She also worried about the ramifications of the message they were bringing to the High Council. If what they said was true, things were going to get bad for everyone in the near future.
Well into the night, Connak awoke with a start. He peered out the window; it was still several hours before daylight. He tried to figure out what awakened him. He had the feeling that something ominous was about to take place but he had no idea what it was or what he could do to prevent it. He suddenly had a feeling that they would need more than the help of the Ljosar to overcome this new enemy.
Chapter 7 - Fae Dominion – Unseelie Domain
The process of transporting an army through the astral plane without attracting the attention of entities who shared Inner Space was much more difficult and involved than sending a handful of scouts. Mogran kept the secret of the plane breaking spell on very close hold. Knowledge was the key to power and his ability to control and manipulate his subjects was weighted heavily on how much information he retained and how little he shared with the people who served him. He made a note to begin grooming the next group of mages and senior lieutenants to replace those currently in the positions. Those who were closest to him had been with him for long enough to figure out many of his plans. He would have to eliminate them as soon as he was confident that he could rely on their successors. Mogran knew that the time was coming to replace Seth. He had mixed emotions about that decision. Seth turned out to be a very valuable asset, but Mogran did not want to get too comfortable. He realized that he had come to rely upon the mage for more and more things. Seth had almost total control of transformation process. He needed to retain more control of things. He would have to consider successors. Maybe Seth’s second in command, Rahim, would be a good candidate. He certainly seemed eager to please.
Now that his army was almost ready to deploy to the human world, he spent more time developing the details of his plans for the humans. There was much upheaval in the human territories that he targeted. They called it the Kingdom of Alba. The stability during the reign of the previous king dissolved upon his death and his sons and brothers fought for control of the land. Some were supported by foreign factions who wanted a part of the territory for themselves. Cruim, a younger son with no legitimate claim to the throne over his elder siblings, usurped power through a series of foreign alliances. He planned to increase his lands by conquering surrounding territories with the use of mercenaries and the support of the foreign troops in return for a share of the land.
Mogran planned to support Cruim in spreading his power base and gain his trust. Once thoroughly entrenched within Cruim’s command structure, he planned to dispose of the king and take over his throne and lands. Once seated on the Alban throne, Mogran would unleash the full measure of Unseelie wrath on the humans. He would have a permanent base from which to launch raids on the human population and take advantage of the natural resources provided by the land. Many of the natural resources found in the human world were not available in the Unseelie Domain. His lock on Alba and access through the astral plane would enable a continuous pipeline of humans, resources, and materials into the Unseelie Domain. His power in the Fae Dominion would increase a thousand-fold with his monopoly of coveted resources. It would initiate the implementation of the crowning jewel of his master plan.
He would be able to regain status on the Unseelie royal court and with the assistance of some of the other princes who were sympathetic to his cause, he would begin the efforts to overthrow that harpy who called herself the Seelie queen and finally allow the Unseelie throne to ascend to its rightful place within the Fae Dominion. Mogran’s eyes began to glaze over as he thought of the heights that he could reach with this new power. The Seelie queen was instrumental in the downfall of the Unseelie caste. There was a time when Seelie and Unseelie Fae ruled the entire dominion jointly. But that all changed when the Seelie royal court blamed
Mogran and other Unseelie princes for the Fae banishment from travel through the astral plane. The fools never understood that if they had joined forces with the Unseelie princes, the Fae could dominate all the other races in Inner Space and reign supreme.
He shook off the thoughts of that horrible time and refocused on the future. Mogran was confident that his plan would succeed and then everyone would see that his path was the one they should have taken all those years before. He even began to think of invading other worlds, particularly the Elven Domain. It would be so satisfying to see the high and mighty elves reduced to Fae minions. His possibilities for power and control were endless and it all began with his plan to invade the human world. The access and control of the human resources were critical to his plan.
He walked across his suite and stepped out on the balcony. He breathed in the air and felt exhilarated. The air had a perpetual odor of damp mold. The Unseelie domain was a dark and damp place that was the life blood of most of the Unseelie Fae. Like Mogran, most Unseelie preferred dark and dreary surroundings to the light and airy environs preferred by the Seelie. No sun was present to brighten the sky. The atmosphere was always overcast and dark. The only light was provided by the two moons that reflected a reddish glow in the sky. Mogran made a mental note to have one of his mages begin work on a spell that would transform the Seelie atmosphere into something more suitable to his tastes.
