by Jordan Baker
"What news, Lord Quenta?" Rolan asked.
"The news is grave, Rolan," Quenta replied. "We must call every tribe and clan in the forest. I had not thought it possible, but the enemy has already breached our borders. They are deadly and their numbers are many."
"Surely the guard will make short work of these invaders. You sound as though you have caught whatever fearful illness affected those two Maramyrians," Rolan said. Quenta heard the scoffing tone in his voice.
"A force of a hundred of our warriors was wiped out this night," Quenta hissed. "This threat is real."
"But the trees have said nothing," Rolan said.
"The trees are dead," Quenta told him. "The Maramyrians were right. Now we must assemble every warrior in the forest and deal with this threat."
"Certainly, the court must discuss these matters thoroughly," Rolan said.
Quenta turned and caught the elf by the front of his shirt.
"Rolan, we may agree on many things in the elven court, but you will not question my judgment on matters of war. Do you understand me?"
"Of course, my lord," Rolan choked, and Quenta released him.
"Come, we must convene the court before the enemy is directly at our gate," he said, then he turned and continued through the palace, leaving Rolan behind him.
Laurana was already upon the dais when Quenta strode into the chamber of the court. He nodded a greeting to her as he made his way through the still empty galleries.
"Quenta, the bells of war have rung only twice in a thousand years," she said. "What has happened?"
"The forest is dying, mother," Quenta told her. "The Maramyrians spoke the truth. The trees are being killed by a foul poison, fires are being spread through the forest, and an army has already crossed our borders."
"How is this possible? Why did the trees not give warning?"
"The Maramyrian commander, Lord Kaleb spoke true," Quenta grudgingly admitted. "The poison kills the trees before even a leaf can quiver, thus they can give no warning."
"It is as I feared, the poison of old," Laurana whispered to herself, realizing that the enemy they faced was not merely a god, but somehow tied up with the ancient power of the shadow as well. When Kaleb had described the dark stones and the poison smoke, something about it had jogged her memory and she had pored through most ancient archives. She had learned that only the power of the shadow could create such a poison, and it had been used against the forest before, very long ago.
"We must save the forest," she said.
"Then we must stop the lizard creatures," Quenta said, then he realized that there only a few members of the court had arrived and he could hear sort of commotion coming from outside the palace. Laurana heard it as well and they both started for the entrance of the court.
"What is happening?" Laurana asked aloud "The trees now warn of danger, close by, here in the city."
Rolan appeared at the entrance to the chamber.
"Queen Laurana, Prince Quenta, the city is under attack!" he shouted, and his words were followed by a bellowing roar.
Quenta dashed out of the hall with his mother close behind. They emerged from the palace to see their elven brothers and sisters taking cover as two enormous winged creatures, one of them a greyish white and the other a dark black, spiraled down toward the palace.
"Mother, stay back," Quenta said, drawing his blade.
The black dragon flared its wings, slowing its descent, then it suddenly folded them and dropped downward toward the palace yard. Instead of the heavy thud that would be expected from such a large beast landing upon the ground, a young man dressed in black appeared in a crouch, then he stood and walked toward Quenta and Laurana. Behind him, the white dragon landed heavily, its weight shaking the ground as well as the thick branches of trees that intertwined the palace yard. From atop the creature's back, a woman with fiery red hair and skin that glinted in the sunlight, wearing armor that shone nearly as bright, leapt to the ground, landing with the lithe balance of an elven warrior. Quenta recognized them both and he slid his sword back into its scabbard when the young man stopped before him, nodded, took one look at the queen, then dropped to one knee and bowed his head.
"I am Borrican Akandar, Prince of Kandara, and heir to the Dragon Throne," he said. "I ask your forgiveness for arriving in such an alarming manner, and offer what assistance I might give in the defense of this land."
Laurana stepped around her son and looked down at the young man as Ariana approached behind him.
"Rise, Borrican Akandar," she said. "We do not bow our heads in this land."
Borrican looked up at her, his gaze sharp and powerful, and his eyes glimmering with fire as he rose to his feet.
"Borrican," Ariana said as she took her place beside him. "You could have waited for me."
"I wished to greet Queen Laurana and Prince Quenta in a civilized manner," he said. "Such matters are important in the land of the elves, I am told."
"What, and I am not civilized?" Ariana chided, then she looked at her aunt and her cousin with an odd smile on her face. "Laurana, Quenta, I am glad to see you. Do you realize there is a really big army moving through the forest? They're burning the trees." As abruptly as she had smiled, she suddenly burst into tears. "Why would they do that? What is the purpose of hurting the trees? They didn't do anything, and neither did the elves." Ariana's expression turned dark, with a bloodthirsty glint in her eye and she turned and looked to the east. "I'll kill them. Borrican, let's just kill them."
"Are you all right, my dear?" Laurana asked, glancing over at the young Kandaran Prince, then back at her niece, and Ariana suddenly looked as though she might cry again.
"I...I don't know," she said, stepping toward Laurana, with a pleading look in her eyes. "I am glad to see you, and you too Quenta, if you promise to be nice."
"What is wrong with her?" Quenta asked, looking at Borrican accusingly.
"I don't know," he said. "She started acting like this just after we left Kandara."
"Please, there is nothing wrong with me!" Ariana exclaimed, suddenly exasperated, and her voice rising, then her eyelids began to flutter. "I am perfectly fine."
Ariana's eyes rolled back into her head and she collapsed. Borrican dashed toward her, but Laurana caught her, and gently lowered her onto the ground. She placed her hand on Ariana's forehead, her fingers briefly touching the crystals that now covered half of her face, similar to how Quenta described the way she had chosen to wear her mask. Laurana gently touched her hand to the center of Ariana's chest and closed her eyes for a moment, then she smiled.
"She will be fine," Laurana said, then she looked around and saw several elves standing nearby, tentatively curious about what was happening. "Please, take Princess Ariana to her chambers, and fetch the healers."
"Healers? I thought you said she would be fine?" Borrican growled.
"Of course," Laurana said, rising to her feet as several elves picked up Ariana and began to carry her away. "She needs rest and the healers will make sure that she rests properly. I think they would also like to learn how she came to have such strange jewels upon her skin."
"Ariana said it happened in the flows," Borrican said. "When she dove into the fire, she emerged with some changes."
"I see," Laurana said. "You will have to explain those things to the healers when there is time. Presently, will you please join us at court, Prince Akandar, we have much to discuss."
"What about that?" Quenta asked, gesturing toward the dragon that sat in the palace yard, unmoving except for its eyes that followed the various elves that hurried past.
"Storm?" Borrican turned to the dragon. "Would you mind waiting here?"
"I will wait, Akandra," he said, his deep voice rumbling in the open air and shocking more than a few of the nearby elves, who were surprised to hear him speak.
"I do not entirely trust these elves," Storm said with his thoughts and Borrican nodded.
"Storm is a sworn vassal to Ariana," he said to Quenta,
making sure he spoke loudly enough so the other elves standing nearby could hear him. "He would only attack on her command."
"Given her current state, that is not particularly reassuring," Quenta replied.
"I give my loyalty to my queen, but I am also of my own mind, elf," Storm said, keeping his tone as neutral as possible for a dragon. "You need not fear me."
"I fear nothing," Quenta said, then he turned and began walking toward the palace entrance. "Come, let us convene the court."
Borrican nodded to Storm, then he turned to Laurana, who smiled at him, and he followed her into the palace, along with a number of the elves, who had gathered outside. A few of them, who were not members of the court, emerged from where they had taken cover and slowly approached the dragon, staring up at him in curious fascination.
"Roar," Storm rumbled, with a toothy grin.
Inside the palace, the court assembled with Laurana and Quenta taking their seats upon the dais, and Borrican stood in the center of the aisle between the rows of court elves. Borrican noticed Ariana's empty throne, a position she had largely given up in exchange for sanctuary of the Kandaran and Maramyrian people, and considering her current state, it was probably for the best. There was already much whispering among the seated elves, and with his exceptional ability to hear, he was able to discern a few of their words, and it seemed that Ariana's strange appearance and her collapse in the palace yard was already the topic of much speculation.
"Prince Quenta has called the court to session," Laurana said. "We recognize Prince Borrican Akandar of Kandara, and grant him right to speak." She took her seat and Quenta rose to his feet.
"I have just returned from the eastern river, a hard ride to outpace an enemy that now moves quickly through our forest, destroying the trees with foul magic and fire," Quenta said. "This enemy is very powerful and these lizard men, the Darga, caught my warriors by surprise, decimating our force. It was with great sacrifice of many of our warriors that I was able to return to bring news of this to the court. Our home is invaded and under dire threat. I have commanded the sounding of the bells of war, and call upon the elven council to summon the peoples of the forest to defend our land."
"How is it that the mighty Prince Quenta was routed by some uncouth army of animals?" Rolan asked and Quenta shot him a withering look.
"If you would like to go find out for yourself, the thousands of lizard men are that way," he said, pointing. "Be sure to keep to the trees, for a number of them are winged and will hunt you from above."
"Perhaps it would be wise to send a party to survey the size of the force," Rolan persisted.
"It seems we have already done that," Laurana said, sensing the tension between Rolan and Quenta.
"If I may, Queen Laurana," Borrican said. "If what I saw is correct, I would estimate the Darga legions to be many thousands strong, perhaps twenty thousand, with another force of human soldiers numbering thirty thousand. A third of them appear to be a number of ensorcelled dead men, under the power of a foul spell that makes them difficult to kill. We fought them at Kandara and anything less than the removal of their heads and limbs will not stop them."
"So many?" Laurana was taken aback.
"How are you able to make such a count?" Quenta asked Borrican.
"I can see a great distance from the sky," Borrican replied. "I can also see through the trees."
The court elves began to whisper among themselves, then one of them stood.
"Are the stories really true that the trees are being poisoned?" she asked.
"Yes," Quenta replied. "These Darga lizards use the poison smoke that the Maramyrian commander Lord Kaleb Alaran described to us. It withers their leaves and branches the moment it touches them. What warnings that will travel through the forest are those we ourselves send by the trees that still live. The trees that are dead cannot warn us against the enemy. Each and every one of you must send word at once to your people and request as many warriors as possible. This must happen without delay."
"Is the defense of the realm not the responsibility of the royal guard?" asked another elf.
"The defense of our borders, yes, but we are now at war and every elven house must honor its obligation," Quenta replied, already beyond impatient.
"Prince Quenta, please tell us how long it will be before this invading army will arrive at the city if they are not stopped?" Laurana asked.
"The Darga could be here by this time tomorrow and the winged ones could discover this place at any time," he said. "We must assemble our numbers at once."
The elves of the court began whispering amongst themselves once more.
"We need more time," one of them said. "There will be much to discuss."
"The time for discussion has passed," Quenta said, glancing over at Rolan, who was conspicuously silent.
"And what of this poison? Will it affect us? How do we stop it from killing the forest?" asked another elf.
"I have consulted our most ancient records," Laurana replied. "If the poison is truly of the shadow, then it can only be destroyed by fire."
"We cannot have fire in the forest!" someone shouted, and the elves of the court set to whispering amongst each other.
"Perhaps I might be of some assistance," Borrican offered.
"Ah yes, the dragon," Quenta said, eying him suspiciously. "You have already trespassed in our lands, a transgression of our agreement with dragonkind."
"If you would like me to leave, then ask it, " Borrican said, remembering what Ariana had told her about the elves. "If you would like some help against these invaders, then I will do what I can, and without burning your forest. There is an agreement for mutual aid between our lands and you answered the call for Kandara, thus I have come to assist the people of the forest, in honor of that pledge."
"And the monstrosity sitting outside, in the palace grounds?" Rolan asked, his tone livid. "The very presence of such a creature is a breach of our laws. It is a danger to the forest, a threat to our home."
"Storm will not move unless Ariana commands it," Borrican said. "He is her vassal, which indirectly makes him a vassal of this court, if I am not mistaken. I am sure he would help if you asked him nicely, since that is why we came here, after all."
"And we are grateful for your offer," Laurana said.
The door to the court chamber suddenly flew open and Ariana walked in, with several elven healers following close behind her.
"Greetings to one and all!" she announced, lurching on her feet and slurring her words as though she had imbibed too much sweet water. "I must say something to the court. I know that I have recused myself from voting, but that doesn't mean I can't say what I came here to say. I have brought dragons! And you shall have my soldiers too, proud warriors of Maramyr and Kandara. That's all I have to say, for the healers tell me I must go lie down now."
Arian turned and walked from the chamber, with the healers in tow, leaving the court stunned in silence at her abrupt arrival and departure. As soon as she was gone the court elves began whispering once more.
"Perhaps the princess does not have faith in the warriors of Elvanar," Rolan said.
"I have faced this enemy and they are fierce and deadly," Quenta said. "It will be no easy task to expel them from our lands." Even Laurana was surprised that Quenta would deflect Rolan's criticism of Ariana, but it seemed that he was merely trying to keep the discussion focused. "There is much to plan and time grows short by the moment. Send word to all your houses, to gather every warrior, and have them assemble in the eastern forest with all haste. What says the court?"
The elves whispered for a few long moments, then Rolan stood.
"The court agrees," he said. "We will rally the Houses of Elvanar under the command of Prince Quenta."
"And what of the dragons?" Laurana asked. "Shall we accept their offer?"
"The court acknowledges the offer and we express our gratitude, but we ask that the ancient agreement between our people be honored," Rolan said, after conferr
ing with the elves. "The Kandaran prince may stay and defend his own people, since he is able to take a different form, but the other one must go. We will not have dragons in this forest."
"What if Storm takes a more acceptable form, as I have?" Borrican asked.
Rolan stared at Borrican for a moment then he caught Laurana looking at him. "To that we have no objection," he said.
"We give our assent," Laurana said.
"However, as commander, I reserve the right to call upon these dragons, should the need arise," Quenta interjected.
The assembled elves whispered for a moment then gave their nods.
"The court offers no objections at this time," Rolan said, though it was clear he was not particularly pleased and there were a few among the rows of court elves, who appeared to feel the same.
"Then let us adjourn and see to our tasks," Quenta said.
"The court agrees," Rolan replied.
"This court is adjourned," Laurana said.
Borrican walked out of the palace, accompanied by Queen Laurana and they made their way to where Storm sat, unmoving like an enormous white statue, with a number of elves staring up at him from a safe distance and whispering to one another.
"Storm," Borrican said. "The elves say we cannot take dragon form while we are in their lands."
"It will be make it more difficult to aid in the fight," Storm replied, then he looked around at the elves and shifted his form to that of young man. Borrican realized he had forgotten to tell the young dragon to give himself some kind of clothing, but he was relieved to see that Storm had given himself attire that was almost identical to Quenta's elven armor. "Will this do?"
"I think you would almost pass for an elven warrior," Laurana told him.
Storm stared at her with his ice grey eyes and nodded.
"If it pleases you," he said with a nod.
"It does," she replied. "Perhaps we should visit Ariana. I am curious to hear what the healers have to say about her."
"They did not seem happy about her wandering about," Storm commented.
