The Elven Tales: The Company of the Rose

by Fabi Ghittoni

  The hammerhead started to move closer to the crowd. His opened jaws revealed lethal rows of teeth.

  “He’s coming over here!” Prudence shouted.

  The beast jumped towards the crowd, and an old man with white hair showed up wearing a long, dark cloak.

  He held his hands up and enchanted the beast, putting it to sleep. The hammerhead crashed against the floor, and the giants ran to secure the beast again.

  When the old white-haired man was done with his task, he turned and walked through the crowd to where Prudence and Skuld were.

  "I wouldn’t believe it if I wasn’t seeing it with my own eyes," he exclaimed with obvious emotion.

  Prudence didn’t understand.

  “It’s nice to finally meet you, Miss Clarke. I’ve heard wonderful things about you. But excuse my manners! Let me introduce myself first. My name is Kotal Cavendish, Lord of Borghild, President of the Council of the Five Kingdoms.” He gave a nod of respect while waving a hand. “Now, up to the official affairs, I have to make an announcement.”

  Prudence looked to her side, where Skuld seemed very excited.

  “Miss Clarke, I am pleased to welcome you to the Borghild Palace, home of The Council of the Five Kingdoms. The Elves, the Wizards, the Dwarves, the Faeries and the Giants have been entrusted for centuries to the task of bringing peace to our lands. We feel honored to shelter you in our home. From now on, you are the most important refugee we have ever harbored, and you are officially under our solemn protection.”

  CHAPTER 4

  “

  Take her back to her room and get her ready for the Conclave,” Kotal ordered. Skuld nodded.

  “Aren’t you excited?” Skuld asked as she and Prudence stepped onto the black-carpeted main staircase of the palace. “You’re going to get all of the answers you’ve been looking for since you woke up.”

  “Getting answers will not relieve me, unless it stops this craziness and gets me back to my life.”

  That thought stayed in Prudence’s mind all the way back to her room.

  “I’ll come for you soon,” Skuld warned, and then disappeared behind the door.

  Until that moment, Prudence hadn’t realized how cozy her room was. It was full of squashy armchairs, with cushions distributed everywhere. She had completely ignored them the first time she had glanced around the room that morning. Neither had she noticed the beautifully crafted chandeliers made of gold and crystals that hung from the roof. Velvet curtains fell from the ceiling majestically, covering the windows.

  Prudence sat in front of one of the windows and uncovered it to have a look at the gardens. Borghild stretched along a giant forest of lush vegetation. In the distance, both low and tall houses were intermingled with walks and squares. Some lights were turning on because of the imminent arrival of the night.

  The building perfectly represented the blend of the characteristic architecture of each of the Five Kingdoms: the elegance of the elves; the safety of dwarves; the mystery and enchantment of wizards; the inexhaustible beauty of fairies; and the immensity of giants.

  There was a knock on the door.

  “It’s time. Are you ready?” Skuld smiled mischievously.

  They walked down the stairs and took a large corridor that ended in front of a giant pair of wooden doors. A huge coat of arms made of gold was located over the entrance. The coat had a circular shield in the center, and instead of a wreath of laurels it had a unicorn at each side. Elements of the five factions were represented on it: an elven sword, a pair of faerie wings, a beautiful and complex wand, a dwarf helmet and a giant’s hammer. Books and consumed candles were also represented. The door swung open, revealing a fantastic view.

  The auditorium was a large, circular lounge. The wooden stands descended towards the center. The place bubbled with the bustling of hundreds of people who seemed to never stop arriving and who looked very concerned. Some of them even looked terrified.

  “The Conclave is about to begin.” Skuld made a gesture with her hand, indicating for Prudence to enter. She was so confused that she couldn’t express a single word.

  In the distance, Prudence spotted three individuals who were looking at her. She had seen them before. She realized that the red-haired girl who had almost shot her with an arrow was the same girl who had rescued her from the terrible attack a couple of nights ago. Prudence felt bad for owing her such a big debt.

  She turned her gaze to a high stage where five very fancy seats were placed. At the nearest end sat a serious looking giant. He seemed to be very old, as did the people beside him. At the other end of the stage was an old but extremely beautiful lady. Her skin looked as perfect as a handmade porcelain masterpiece. At the inner sides sat an old wizard who was wearing a little hat, and a very angry looking little man who also seemed to be nervous. He was clearly a dwarf. Finally, at the center above them all, sat Kotal Cavendish.

  Prudence looked down at an empty little chair placed in front of the high stage. She wondered who would be sitting there.

  When all of the seats in the stands were filled, Kotal Cavendish stood up and spoke with strong and clear voice.

  “By now you have all heard the rumors surrounding us lately. Rumors that made you fear for your own safety, and your family’s. You have the right to be scared and I have the responsibility to inform you of the truth. Alanel has been the most guarded prisoner in our history. He has been serving his sentence for the crimes committed against the Five Kingdoms for the last seventeen years. I’ve said that he has been, because he is not anymore. The rumors are accurate.”

  Murmurs and gasps quickly ran throughout the auditorium.

  “Alanel has escaped from his confinement in the prison of Morgadot. We all know that Morgadot is the safest place to guard such a dangerous threat—or at least it was. That is the reason why tonight we are bringing its chief to the dais: Fredeus O’Blackhen.”

  The doors of the auditorium opened and the accused entered the room, flanked by four armed guards. Fredeus O’Blackhen was a dwarf, a little man too small to have such a big and important place. His appearance was very different to everyone else in the room. He wore a dark red corduroy jacket. The trousers were the same color and were held by a large belt of noble metal whose luster had known better days. His hair and beard were messy and dark. His expression was serious, and he did not seem to relate very well in any given circumstance.

  People started to gossip, but were quickly shushed by gestures coming from the high stage.

  “What do you have to say?” Kotal asked when Fredeus sat in front of them.

  “This is unacceptable, Kotal. You are shaming my honor. I've been a loyal member of this council for more than 50 years. We are friends. How can you even conceive the idea that I helped Alanel escape? You know that his troops seized me, took everything I had. When his orcs invaded Tirith they set my house on fire with my wife and beloved son inside.”

  He paused, reflecting on what he was going to say next.

  “The dark legions are waking up. Their lines are increasingly numerous. Alanel will return to claim the runes of the King. He wants King Tareos dead, and we are not prepared for what lies ahead.”

  Another wave of murmurs toured the auditorium. All present exclaimed sounds of surprise and disbelief.

  “Our only hope would be—”

  “Enough!” Kotal exclaimed, cutting Fredeus out.

  “We’ve heard what you have to say for yourself,” added the wizard sitting next to Kotal.

  “We should discuss and weigh the facts,” said the lady with porcelain skin.

  “Take him back to the dungeons,” Kotal finalized.

  Fredeus did not resist the guards; he felt humiliated enough just being there.

  The circular auditorium was quickly emptied.

  “What do you think?” Skuld asked while Prudence followed the rest of the crowd outside.

  “I still have no idea why I’m here, and I don’t understand how I am related to these events.
”

  "Believe me when I tell you that the only safe place for you is this one," said Kotal from behind.

  Both girls turned around nervously as if he had appeared from nowhere.

  “Please follow me to the Great Hall. A delicious banquet is awaiting us.”

  When Prudence entered the Great Hall, her eyes nearly popped out of their sockets. She had never been in such a beautiful place.

  The ceilings were the highest she had ever seen. From them hung an upside down gigantic tree with hundreds of thousands of branches, which were filled with small lights that illuminated the whole place.

  In the center of the room was a large wooden table with seating for some seventy or eighty people. The table was full of high candelabras with lit candles. There were hundreds of swords and spears, orchestrally located in the walls at the sides of the hall. The back wall had a great fireplace, and the remaining wall was a large crystal window.

  The food was distributed in dozens of gold trays that crowded the table. There was roast turkey, lamb legs, corn, onions, roasted potatoes and peppers, mushroom soup, pumpkin bread, and all kinds of fruits.

  Prudence was so amazed by the enormous amount of food displayed on that table that she almost stumbled over the feet of a giant. The giant turned around, as well as the rest of the people who were with him.

  “Lady Prudence, you never cease to surprise me! With all of what you’ve seen and heard today, I wasn’t sure you would be able to tolerate a dinner with us.”

  “I’m surprising myself too,” she responded.

  “Let me introduce you to our court of ministers,” Kotal said, making a reverence to the four people who sat beside him on the auditorium.

  “Philibert Prescote: minister of the wizard’s faction,” he said as the old wizard shook Prudence’s hand.

  “It is a pleasure to meet you, Miss Clarke,” the wizard added.

  “Goldine Pfeffer: minister of the faerie faction,” he referenced the beautiful lady with the porcelain skin.

  “Welcome, Prudence. What a lovely name,” she said as she stepped forward to hug Prudence.

  “I like yours as well,” Prudence replied.

  “Lyolf Evigan; minister of the dwarves’ faction.”

  “Hello,” he said.

  “Hello, sir.”

  “And Herold Huggle; the giants’ minister.”

  “I’m so honored to have you here, my lady,” he exclaimed while extending a hand too big for Prudence to shake. She had to use both of her hands.

  The banquet was attended not only by the highest authorities of the Council, but also by the best warriors of its army. Among them were Genuss Godfarr and the two men Prudence had spotted in the auditorium.

  “Miss Clarke, let me introduce you to Dedric Abdie and Dunhill Moess. These men are two of the bravest warriors in our lines. They belong to an elite order called The Company of the Rose. They stand for a very particular objective—protect the King’s runes and their keeper.”

  Prudence shook both of their hands.

  “Entirely at your service,” they said at the same time.

  Prudence had a second look at Dedric. He was tall and well built, and his hair was of a silver-gray color, very similar to Prudence’s. He was the most handsome person she thought she had ever seen.

  “And last but not least is this lovely young lady; our biggest champion, Genuss Godfarr.”

  Genuss did not bother to extend a hand to shake Prudence’s. She just twisted her mouth into fake smile and turned to Kotal. “We’ve already met.”

  Prudence’s gaze turned wary and cold. She wanted to say something regarding the earlier incident in the garden, but controlled herself. She had never believed she would dislike someone as much as she disliked Genuss.

  When Prudence was done touring the Great Hall in its entirety and was known personally to each one of the guests, the banquet began. Each piece of food was enjoyed, as well as each glass of wine.

  They all sat along the table. Kotal held the head and made Prudence sit at his side. Prudence could not fail to observe the rare individuals. All of them were even more surreal than the place in which they were collected.

  As Genuss was located at the far end of the table, and Dedric and Dunhill sat in front of Prudence, she thought they could answer some of questions she had in mind.

  “How did you know I was being attacked? You know, when you rescued me”

  Both of the boys looked at each other for a second, and Dedric was the one who spoke.

  “We got a call. One of our people alerted us.”

  “Were you following me?”

  “No. Not closely enough to prevent the attack. You bought something from our informant. He recognized you, and then he called us.”

  “The old man from the antique shop?”

  “Yes, Methodius Hintz. He is one of us, but has been living on your side for decades now.”

  “Are you saying people like you live in England?”

  “People like us? Well, yes. Definitely. There are elves, faeries, wizards as well. Dwarves and giants don’t. They have—well, let’s say they have trouble fitting in.”

  “Besides, their manners would give them straight away,” Dunhill whispered, leaning close to Prudence to avoid being heard.

  “They are just not made for coexistence with humans. For the rest of us, it’s quite easy to blend in. Our people are very hard working, especially elves. Next time you take your shoes for repair, you should look closer at the shoemaker. He might be one of us”

  “And they don’t live only in England. They live among humans, spread across several countries,” Dunhill added just as Kotal interrupted their conversation.

  "I bet you have heard about the wave of kidnappings that began a few days ago. All these kids who have disappeared forever," said Kotal, looking amused while having a sip of wine.

  Prudence nodded despite being confused.

  "They were looking for you, Prudence.”

  Prudence lowered her gaze and remained silent for a few seconds. She remembered how scared Doreen, Bram and her grandfather were about it.

  “I do not understand, why me?” she asked.

  “Alanel is the Lord of the Dark Legions. Their ranks are filled with the vilest and most bloodthirsty creatures that walk on these lands. You already knew a pair of them. He is dangerous for us, but he is more dangerous for you. He wants you dead or alive.”

  “Why?” Prudence asked again.

  “Because you have something he needs, something he does not want anyone else to have”

  “And what would it be? I do not own many things. Much less something of great value”

  “He wants the King’s Runes. The five keys to the greatest power someone can achieve. If he gets them, he will be powerful enough to rule the Five Kingdoms. He has declared war on their last known possessor: King Tareos of Arkana, leader of the Elven kingdom.”

  “Why does he think I could have the runes?”

  Kotal remained in silence for a few seconds, and when he was about to speak—

  “Because you are the King’s daughter,” Genuss added. She had appeared out of nowhere.

  Prudence did not know whether to trust her words or not, but as Kotal did not deny them, she had to believe her.

  “What? No. This is a complete mistake. I have a father. I might not know him, but he isn’t an elven king. I have a family and a home, and I just want to go there right now”

  “That’s actually a great idea,” Genuss agreed enthusiastically. “We will take you to Cotswolds, so you can hear the story from your own family.”

  CHAPTER 5

  A wooden door opened to reveal a dark little chamber.

  “Is this what you use to come back and forth?” Prudence asked, examining the door before entering.

  “This will take you everywhere you want to go. And when I say everywhere, I mean everywhere.”

  “So, how exactly do you do this?”

  “You just have to step insi
de and close your eyes tightly, and when you open them again, you will be at your desired destination.”

  “I thought Lord Kotal would be coming with us.”

  “He is joining us, but he travels alone. He uses his own particular methods.”

  “What methods does he use?”

  “There are many different transportation mechanisms. Toilets, secret doors, and of course appearing capes.”

  “Appearing capes? That sounds way funnier than stepping into this old dirty chamber.”

  “This is a public domain chamber; everyone in the palace can use it. Appearing capes are rarely seen these days. I used to own one, but most of them were destroyed during the last Azarias invasions, you know, Alanel’s army. Lord Kotal only possesses a number of capes because he has collected them since he was a little child. The capes are family treasures that were passed down from his great-grandfather to his grandfather and from his grandfather to his father, and ultimately he inherited a couple. He gained the rest of the capes as gifts from the most important people of the Five Kingdoms.”

  They both stepped into the chamber.

  “Do you think he would sell me one of those?” Prudence asked before closing her eyes.

  The whole chamber shivered, as well as the spider webs that hung from the ceiling. When they opened their eyes again, it was night and terribly cold.

  “What about the weather?” Prudence questioned. “It was so nice and warm just a second ago.”

  “It’s an enchantment—one of the benefits of having the wizards on board,” Skuld commented after the steadily nice weather at the Borghild meadows.

  “I forgot that it’s winter here.”

  “It’s winter at Borghild as well, but the enchantment keeps the constant spring weather. Sadly, it only extends to the borders of the Mothingale River. Once you cross it, your brain would freeze up. And the white forest, once beautiful and warm in spring, becomes a deadly trap at this time of the year,” she added.

  “You will scare Prudence even more with such things.” Once again, Kotal seemed to pop out of the ground, surprising the girls.