by Gene Rager
With a shy look and what appeared to be a little red creeping into her cheeks Lela shook her head no.
“So what about you Lela?”
“I said…”
“If I am to meet your father I want to know what situation I am getting into, please Lela.”
“Fine, I am Lela Albright; I am a scout for King Mordenar Frostlight, who is my father. What else do you need to know?”
“Why are you a scout? What king is okay with his daughter being in the army?”
“I never said the king was happy with me being a scout.”
“So why do it?”
“Why does it matter so much to you Nate?”
“I want to know about you, Lela, that’s all.”
With a nervousness that appeared out of nowhere, Lela began trying to figure out how much she should tell the human. With a sigh Lela decided on what was common knowledge.
“I was like other princesses, I followed the protocol that royalty follows, after my two hundred and twentieth birthday I became a member of the Elders. The Elders are the king’s magicians and tactical advisors. There was a mishap and a lot of people got hurt. I took responsibility, but after that I no longer trusted my judgment where others’ lives hang in the balance. I went through the training all the scouts went through, and here I have been ever since. My father does not like my choice and shows his disapproval every chance he gets. He just doesn’t understand me.”
Nathan looked at Lela, how many times has he heard this complaint from his friends? She said she was one of the elders at the age of two hundred and twenty, Nathan cringed at the next question that he was about to ask.
“Lela, how old are you?”
Lela sat for a few seconds calculating her age, “I am two hundred and thirty eight years old.”
Nate looked at the princess she looked to be eighteen. Blinking he thought of all the things she had just told him. She sounded as though she was still a teen seeking her father’s approval, she sounded like him!
“We are not so different Lela, my father is hard to please too.” Nathan said quietly.
“How so?”
“He doesn’t understand why I don’t want to follow in his footsteps. I want to find my own way. I don’t want to be a pilot.
“What is a pilot Nate?”
“It is a job that requires a special school where you learn to fly airplanes. In my father’s case, he flies commercial aircraft.” Nate said looking down at the ground.
“Commercial aircraft, what are those?” Lela asked bewildered.
With a slight smile Nate simplified it as best he could, “It is a carriage that flies through the air carrying a few hundred people at a time.”
Lela’s mouth dropped open, a few hundred people flying through the air! What kind of magic could be that powerful? He had to be lying, but the look on his face was so sad.
“Why are you so sad?”
“My father doesn’t understand why I don’t want to fly.”
“It sounds exciting.” Lela said. Nathan’s frown told her this was probably not the right response.
“It is, until one of the planes goes down.”
“Goes down, Nate?”
“They crash; can you imagine falling from thirty thousand feet at four hundred miles an hour? No, I guess you can’t. Imagine the fastest you have ever rode a horse. That is about sixty miles an hour. So you are roughly going about seven times faster than that. Now imagine you have a front row seat of the ground rushing up to meet you. There are rarely survivors, because the planes hit the ground so hard. We have black boxes that record the pilots as the plane goes down, the boxes are there to tell us what went wrong. My father was supposed to be piloting one plane that went down. He had switched to a later flight so he could make Maddy’s first birthday. For a brief moment we thought we had lost him. I never want to put my family through that.”
Lela was quiet, the things that Nathan had said to her were fantastic and terrifying at the same time. She began to look around and realized it was getting dark.
“Nathan, we will have to set up camp again tonight. We are only half a day from the castle, but I don’t like traveling at night. We can talk more, if you want to.”
“I think I would like that Lela.”
The tent was set up, Nate helped this time. He was looking forward to their talk, he was beginning to feel at ease with Lela. It had been some time since he had told anyone about his fear of flying. Everyone always said it was still safer than driving, but Nate figured that was just because there just wasn’t as many planes in the air as there were cars on the road.
Once inside the tent Nathan decided to find out more about this princess. It seemed strange that they seemed to be hitting it off so well. Maybe they were even connecting enough for Lela to keep him from being executed.
“Lela, why do the elves not like humans?” Nathan asked
“It wasn’t always like this. Once the elves and humans were allies, but after the mishap the humans stopped trusting the elves and soon both sides just stopped trying. Both sides became suspicious of the other and soon hostilities ensued.”
“What’s going to happen to me tomorrow when your father sees me? Will I be killed right there on the spot?”
“My father may not be happy with my choices, but he is fair Nate, and you have the mark!”
“Somehow that isn’t as comforting as it sounds Lela. Tell me something, you have spoken about your father so much, but what about your mother?”
Lela looked down, a cloud settled over her expression.
“Lela did I say something wrong?” Nate asked.
“My mother, we aren’t sure what happened to her. She wanted to make an alliance with a people across the ocean. The ship she was on was attacked and sunk. She is presumed dead.”
“Was her body recovered Lela?”
“No, but most of the sailors that are lost at sea are never found. I suppose the predators that hunt the oceans like the taste of us.”
“I am sorry Lela, I didn’t know.” Nate said quietly.
“My father never remarried, and he seems alone at times. My mother could bring a smile to his face even in the middle of a crisis! Nate I really don’t want to talk about her anymore. It’s still painful.”
“I understand Lela, my mom works with chemicals, some are really dangerous. It worries me.”
“She is a potion maker then?” Lela asked.
“No, well in a way I guess she is. Some of the chemicals she works with can eat the flesh from your bones in a few seconds. In one case it was turned into a gas, very dangerous stuff.” Nate said.
“But she knows what she is doing right?”
“Lela, in my world accidents happen all the time. People get into a routine, and then they get carless. That is how some of the worst accidents happen, sometimes it’s machine failure. Either way it can take a life.”
Lela thought about it, maybe they weren’t so different after all.
The two continued talking through the night. It was so weird that Nate would bring up a common place item and then have to explain what it did, or what he meant. From what Lela had told him magic seemed to be the ruling force in this strange land. Nate felt alone in this strange world with the exception of Lela.
Chapter 4
The castle was not what Nate had expected. At first glance the castle appeared to be a group of trees that grew to close together. As they neared the entrance Nate began seeing the ornate carvings that adorned the entrance ways. Inside was almost a different world from the outside. The outside had blended in perfectly with the trees, but the inside was a cornucopia of varying artisans’ talents.
White ornately carved pillars lined the great hall way, wood carvings spiraled into patterns, he never thought existed. Fine silk hung in the windows fluttering with the delicate breeze. The palace was beautiful like the way fine art could move people. Every carving delicately intertwined to form a grander masterpiece.
“What do you th
ink of the palace?”
“I have never seen anything like it. It is the largest building I have seen yet, but with intricate carvings that overwhelm me.”
“I grew up here, but somehow the beauty has faded in my eyes.” The sadness was so complete Nate looked at Lela, “I understand Lela.”
She searched his eyes for signs of trickery, but found none.
“Yes well…” With an exasperated sigh she found her voice. ”When we get into the anterior chamber, I will take you to the parlor. Do not try to run away there are things in the forest that are not nearly as pleasant as I am.”
The parlor had chairs and a table, both ornately carved. The room was huge with living vines climbing up the walls. The room smelled richly of forest and earth.
“Remember Nate, do not leave, I mean it.”
“Okay.” was all he replied.
However, what he thought was if she thinks I am going to wait here to have some sentence put on me for trespassing, or be the next whatever she can forget it! The moment Lela left; Nate began looking for ways to escape. He could go back the way they came, but what if there were hidden guards he didn’t see? Finally, he settled on checking out the window. The window was a good five feet off the ground, but after pulling a chair up to it he saw it was only a three foot drop to the ground. Carefully Nate eased out the window, but at the last second his shoe caught on something and he hit the ground with a thud. He waited breathlessly for what seemed like an eternity for guards to appear; when none did he turned and saw there was no wall to scale only forest. Quietly, Nate slipped into the forest. No strange execution, torture, or whatever for me I am out of here he thought to himself.
The forest was dark, but not quiet. Nate felt like something was watching him the further he got from the palace. He dismissed it as nerves; there had been no alarm or sound of guards as he left. They would probably be searching the palace for him first thinking the stupid human couldn’t stay put and got lost. It was during this last thought the twig snapped.
The sound hit Nate’s ears like a gun shot, he spun around and that is when he saw the eyes staring at him. They emerged from the darkness like the monsters in the dark every child knows is there, but no one ever believes in. Wolves was the first thought that he had, until the lead monster came into full sight.
She stood five feet high on four razor sharp talon tipped paws. It was hard to tell if she had fur or if it was just skin. She turned her pale green eyes on Nate. Nate’s stomach knotted up the way his distant ancestors did when faced with cave lions. The creature’s head was the shape of a hound, but larger with massive canine teeth that were bared. The muscles under the skin stood out showing the great strength of the beast. The nightmarish hound let out a deep growl and charged. The movement was death in motion. Nate turned and ran, knowing he had no hope of out running this vision of terror.
Out of the corner of his eye Nate saw his salvation, a vine to swing over a creek bed. It wasn’t much, but if the water was fast enough it might give him enough time to climb a tree. Angling for the vine he saw the terror dog right behind him. Nate’s hands fastened onto the vine and his feet left the ground as he swung across the creek bed that was completely dry. The horror seized him as he realized this was not going to spare him being torn to bits. Half way across, the vine snapped slamming Nate into the side of the creek bed ridge. His hands scrambled frantically trying to pull himself up, but they found nothing to hold onto. Nate slid backwards and landed in a heap in the creek bed.
Sitting up trying to relearn how to breathe again Nate saw his nightmare stalk down into the creek with him. Nate tried to stand, but his legs wouldn’t bare the weight. He turned and tried to drag himself out of the bed, but the plants offered no anchor to escape the grim death that surely awaited him. The plant he had gave way; Nate slid back down and gashed his hands on some rocks.
The muzzle of the demonic creature snapped an inch away from his face. Nate let out a shriek of terror. The creature’s eyes locked on Nate’s. This was what so many things in the woods faced every night death incarnate, no caring or mercy ever touched the two burning emeralds that bore into Nate’s eyes now. With a low deadly growl it lunged.
“Astiria, enough of toying with him, just guard him!” The voice, could it be?
The death hound stood its ground, but made no more efforts to bite Nate. He sighed in relief, until he saw his savior come stalking down the creek with a pissed off scowl on her face.
“Lela.” Was all Nate got out before her gloved fist hit him in the face turning the world dark.
Nate came to looking at the ground. The horse was taking its time walking through the forest. Nate’s hand and feet were tied together and connected by a third rope to keep him on the horse.
“Where am I?” the pounding in Nate’s jaw hurt when he talked.
“Where you belong, strapped to the ass of a horse!” Lela replied coldly.
“You hit me!” Nate tried to sound angry, but the pain he felt really outweighed everything else.
“You lied to me. You said you wouldn’t leave and when I brought father to see you, all that is in the parlor is an empty chair pushed up against the window!” She said through clenched teeth.
Nate did his best to look up at Lela. “You would have done the same thing if our places had been reversed, and furthermore…” His sentence was cut off by a low growl.
Turning his head to look behind them brought him face to face with the nightmare dog that had chased him into the creek. “Is this your dog, Lela?”
“Astiria is not a dog, she is a moohoundi.” The unfamiliar word caught his attention.
“She is a what?”
“Moohoundi, Astiria is a Moohoundi, one of two that are friendly, well to me anyways.” Lela swelled up with pride over Astiria.
“But she is a pet right?”
“You mean something to teach tricks to or to clean up after? No, she and her mate are free to come and go as they please. However, they do stay around the palace and they do help themselves to left over scraps.
“So she is a pet!” Nate countered.
“Nate pets are lesser creatures an owner has to take care of all the time. Astiria is a companion to me, a friend. You should consider yourself lucky any other moohoundi would have reduced your body to just blood on the rocks in that creek.”
With a wry grin on her face she said, “Nate did it seem strange to you that you made it to the creek without Astiria catching you?”
Nate thought about it for a moment and finally answered “I thought I was out running her.”
Lela chuckled, “As did the ten stags I have seen her herd into that creek. You are the unique one though, you came back out of the creek alive the stags did not.”
“She herded me into the creek bed?”
“Yes.”
“Why that creek bed Lela?”
“Tell me Nate, did you notice anything strange about the rocks in the creek bed?”
“They were slippery like glass.”
“Anything else?”
Nate tried remembering, but the pain in his jaw didn’t help.
“They were sharp like glass too. Wait a minute, Astiria didn’t come after me fast, she slowed down. I thought she was dragging out the hunt thing making me squirm.”
“She was, but if she had ran to you, her paws would be cut up like your pants and hands.
For the first time Nate noticed the bandages on his hands, he could only image his jeans.
“The rocks did this?”
“They are the Shards of Requiem, a parting gift from Azera, Zorn’s predecessor. She almost survived the attack, the shards kept the army from advancing for a little while.
The palace loomed over both of them as the horse made its way through the gate. Two figures stood in the courtyard waiting for Lela. One was dressed in robes that burned like the morning sun, the reds and yellows seemed to blend perfectly. Next to him was a slightly shorter elf, but wide in the shoulders. Judging by the
armor he wore he was a soldier of some sort. Nathan didn’t like the way they were both looking at him.
The look of disgust on the soldier’s face could be seen even from Nate’s point of view.
With a graceful movement Lela was standing beside the great stallion, with Nate still tied to its rear.
“As promised your majesty, I have returned with the stranger, before sunset. I introduce to you Nate, the pain in my side.”
Nate angled his eyes up and said the only thing that came to mind.
“Hi.”
With a quick movement Lela cut the rope securing Nate to the horse spilling him into a heap in front of the king.
“Hey that wasn’t very nice.” Nate complained.
“Neither was humiliating me in front of the king, or forcing me to track you through the forest!” She was yelling now, this pathetic human did not understand that his escape had cost her favor in the eyes of the king, something she had worked her entire life to gain and was still unable to gain.
“Enough!”
The king’s voice rang through the hall, a voice deep and rich with wisdom and power. It was the kind of voice that commanded armies, and now Nate was here with this powerful being alone.
“So, you are the human that has given my daughter so much trouble? You do not look like much, even for a human. Your clothes are strange to me, and you carry no weapons. What business do you have in my kingdom?”
“No business your majesty, I fell from the sky and when I came to, Lela said I was trespassing. She threatened to kill me on the spot, but my dress and mannerisms perplexed her so she brought me here to see you. She thinks I am some sort of magician or something.”
At those words the king turned to Lela. “Is this true? You believe he is the next mage of Orlon?
With unflinching eyes she answered, “Yes your majesty I do.”
The armored soldier laughed. “Your majesty, no offense, but Lela brought him in alone. With the power the mages wield, he could have killed her easily, he is no mage! We should kill him and leave his carcass for the forest creatures to feast upon!”
