by Livia Lance
“Yes,” he said sadly. This forest was a puny substitute for the grand trees of the elven lands but being near it made him feel somewhat content. He thought of the empty plains and mountains ahead, and a sense of melancholy swept over him. He wouldn’t see a forest again for a while.
The innkeeper, a fat and jolly man, came by to see if there was anything he could get for Clay, some wine or fruit. He seemed to know an elf when he saw one which irritated Clay but it couldn’t be helped.
“Thank you, but no. I’m not here for food,” he said politely. “I was told that I might be able to procure a horse from you. A good horse, hearty, that can travel a long distance without failing.”
The innkeeper dry washed his hands, looking despondent.
“I’m sorry, good sir. I wish I could help you,” he said sadly. “You see, I just sold the last good horse in my stables to this lovely lady here.” He looked a little embarrassed. “If you’ll excuse me…” Bowing to them both, he turned and hurried away.
There was an awkward silence as Clay looked at the table, trying to figure out what he would do next.
“You know, I only got the horse as a remount. So I could rest one while I rode the other,” Nym said slowly, looking at him through her lashes. “Traveling alone is not much fun at all.” She popped a berry in her mouth and leaned back in the chair, folding her arms, waiting for his response to the unspoken question.
Clay thought for a moment. He couldn’t speak of his mission to this woman but he must use any means possible to get home without delay. He really had no choice but to accept her offer.
“I have one rule,” he told her, catching her gaze and holding it. Her eyes widened slightly and her eyebrows lifted in surprise. “You ask no questions about where I have been, what I have done or who I travel with. If you accept, then we will join you.”
Nym pursed her lips and tilted her head slightly.
“Fine,” she said after some thought. “But the same applies to you.”
“Done,” he said and they shook on it.
* * *
Lana sat with her back against the trunk of the great oak tree, thinking about her circumstances. Who was Clay and why had he taken her? Could it be that someone out in the world knew what was about to befall her and had sent him to take her away just in time? Was this some political ploy to get her out of the castle so another family could take control? Perhaps the place he was taking her was more dangerous than the one she had left behind.
Her thoughts then turned to Loral. What would happen to her father with her gone? From that whispered conversation she had overheard, it sounded like the Reed family was scheming to take the throne. She knew that time was short because on her twentieth birthday she would assume power and that was only a few months away. Had they killed her father to get him out of the way before coming to kill her, or were they saving that for later? She shivered at the thought. She was not close to him but he was the only father she had ever known. It would hurt to lose him.
Lana rested her head back on the tree, looking up at the canopy of leaves above her. She could feel the slightest sensation of contentment coming from the old oak. Now that she was conscious of it, she found it difficult to turn off this new awareness. Could Clay have been telling her the truth? There were some similarities between them that couldn’t be denied. But the notion that her mother had an affair, with an elf of all things, was incomprehensible to her. No, I can’t think of that, she told herself.
Suddenly, she heard hooves in the distance and it sounded as if they were coming her way. She scrambled to her feet and pressed her body to the oak, peering around the side of the tree while trying not to be seen. Her heart was in her throat and she was sure that the guards from the castle had found her, finally. Trembling, she waited, praying they would pass her by.
“Stay here,” she heard a male voice say. With relief, she recognized it as Clay’s. She stepped out from behind the tree and looked in the direction of his voice. There was the sound of footsteps coming toward her through the dense thicket of trees and suddenly there he was. She stood as regally as she was able and waited for him to approach her.
She could see he was relieved to find her where he had left her. Perhaps he thought a bear had eaten her or something. It would serve him right for leaving her there alone.
“Here,” he said, handing her one of the bulging packs he was carrying. “There are some more appropriate clothes in there for traveling, if you want to get changed. Also a cloak and bedroll. Can’t have you sleeping on the ground again.”
He leaned in and her first instinct was to pull away, but his eyes caught hers and held them. Slowly he lifted a finger to his mouth to indicate silence and brought his face close to hers. He put his lips right next to her ear and spoke in the quietest possible whisper.
“Your name is Rowan. That is all you need to know. Speak nothing of where you came from or who you are. Ask no questions. The woman I have brought here may be dangerous if she finds out you’re a princess.”
Eyes wide, she turned her head to him in startlement. This brought them almost nose to nose, breathing in each other’s exhalation. She backed away slowly, nodding, trying to calm herself. His lips were parted and he seemed to need a moment to get his wits about him as well.
“I will leave you to get dressed. Follow me when you’re ready and we’ll depart,” he said, this time in a much louder tone, then turned and walked away.
Once she was certain he could no longer see her, she stripped down, using the oak as a shield, and pulled the garments out of the bag. The fit was better, not quite as snug in the hips and the blouse wasn’t as baggy as Clay’s shirt had been. She pulled on the sturdy coat and boots then threw the cloak over her shoulders. She would never get used to wearing pants, she felt almost naked, but the cloak made her feel like she was decently covered. Putting his clothing away, Lana settled the strap of the pack over her shoulder and walked through the thicket toward the sound of voices.
“…plan to pass over the White Mountains, I know a place where the crossing isn’t so bad,” Clay was saying to a woman standing next to a beautiful white mare. Her back was to Lana so she couldn’t see what the woman looked like but she seemed to be a bit taller than Lana herself, and was every bit as thin. She had a longbow strapped to her back with a full quiver of arrows.
Clay himself was standing next to a strong looking brown gelding, brushing its coat with long, even strokes as he spoke to the newcomer. Spying Lana, he addressed the woman again.
“Nym, I’d like you to meet my companion, Rowan,” he said, gesturing toward Lana. The woman turned and Lana was struck by how lovely she was. It almost made her angry but she wasn’t sure why. The woman, Nym, held herself with such confidence and grace it made Lana feel like she was just a clumsy oaf. To confuse matters more, she also felt an affinity toward her, similar to how she felt with Clay. Could it be her elven ancestry or something else?
Nym approached her with a hand outstretched, smiling warmly.
“Pleased to meet you,” Lana said politely, shaking the woman’s hand quickly.
“And you,” Nym responded. “Shall we go, then?”
“Of course,” Clay said. He mounted the gelding and held a hand out to Lana. “Rowan, my dear, come ride with me. This mount can handle our weight for a time.” His voice was full of warmth and care, not at all like he had spoken to her previously. Lana wondered what he was up to and narrowed her eyes then caught herself, realizing what he must have done. He had told this woman they were romantically involved to hide her identity! She was thoroughly offended but knew she must play the part. Clay obviously felt that the elf woman couldn’t be trusted.
She walked over to the gelding and allowed Clay to help her up to sit in front of him. He wrapped his cloak around them both and took up the reins. She could feel the heat of him against her back and blushed furiously, shooting a glare at him over her shoulder so Nym couldn’t see. He chuckled softly, urging the horse to a slow w
alk.
They maneuvered the horses carefully through the forest until the trees became sparse and then picked up the pace to a fast trot. As the day wore on, Lana tried to focus on the scenery before her, but the swaying of the horse along with their combined body heat lulled her into a doze and she knew no more.
* * *
Clay was distracted. Lana was asleep in front of him on the horse, leaning back into his chest and she fit as if she belonged there. Her warmth and soft body had his head spinning and it was all he could do to think straight. He knew they were only pretending and needed to keep that in mind. Clay started to wonder if perhaps he should have claimed she was his sister or cousin, but it was too late now to change his story so he must continue with this charade, no matter how distracting the halfling princess was.
He and Nym had kept up a steady stream of chatter and it served to take his mind off of Lana. As he had requested, she didn’t ask any questions about his journey or Lana’s presence and he offered her the same courtesy. Instead, they spoke of Eva, the land they had in common and the political conflict between the elves and the humans. Nym seemed to know quite a bit about that subject in particular. It intrigued him. Why was she so concerned about human and elf affairs? Did she work for the elders? Had she been sent to spy on him?
He dared not ask any of these questions and potentially reveal too much about his mission. He would protect Lana and deliver her, unharmed and pristine, to the elders. Then he could get on with his life.
For the most part, Nym seemed to pay very little attention to Lana. He caught her occasionally eyeing the girl, some emotion in her eyes that he couldn’t define, but it was gone so quickly he thought he may have imagined it. It wasn’t anger or resentment. Sorrow? Surely not. Nym couldn’t know who Lana truly was.
He himself knew that the princess had never been viewed by the public and only royalty knew what she looked like. Sure, rumors had spread but her description varied so much it was hard to say what was true and what wasn’t. No, Nym couldn’t know or even suspect. He would keep a close eye on her when she was near Lana, though. Just in case.
“Have you ever explored the hills around Kindermer?” Nym asked him, continuing their conversation about home. He felt like she was testing him, trying to find out where he was from. He would have to try to throw her off the trail.
“Oh, yes. I visit there frequently,” he told her. He didn’t, he had only visited a time or two in the past. “The wildflowers in the summer are a real sight to see. Do you know it well?” Two could play this game.
“No, not very well, but I thought it might be nice to pass by on the way home. Where exactly in Eva are you headed? Or can I ask that?” she responded, cutting her eyes at him, trying to catch a reaction. He would give her none.
“We are traveling to Thelsamel,” he told her quietly, not wishing to disturb the princess. “I have business there.”
She looked at him appraisingly. “Well that’s lucky, so do I,” she said, smiling.
They rode in silence for a while and then she reined in her horse and sat studying him.
“What?” he asked, turning his horse to face her. Lana stirred and sat up, looking at them both quizzically.
“We keep speaking in circles, dodging answers and giving half truths. It’s exhausting,” she said wearily. “This is what I choose to believe. You are two elvenkind lovers on a trip to Eva. I will accept whatever reason you wish to give me. It may be true or it may not be, but if we are going to travel together then we need to get to know each other, even if what we know is a lie. You seem to be good people so I know that whatever information you are protecting, your intentions are noble.”
Clay went stiff, trying to sense any danger. He studied Nym’s face, suspicious that this was some sort of trap. Finally, he decided that going along with this suggestion would probably be for the best. He couldn’t sense any ambiguity from her, only curiosity and concern.
“My partner, Rowan, and I are traveling to the elf lands because she has elf blood and we wish to wed there.” He said, looking directly into Nym’s eyes. “She has never known her elven nature and wants to learn our ways. I met her in the city of Loral. She is the daughter of a farmer. Her mother had an affair with an elf and died in childbirth, as all human women do who bear elven children. I was traveling the lands just to see the sights and met her on the way home.”
Nym smiled in relief, bowed her head and spoke. “I’m merely an elven woman traveling the lands seeing the sights, just as you were. I’m on my way home. That is all there is to know about me. Now, perhaps we can be friends?”
Companions
Lana was lost in thought. She wondered if what he had told Nym was true. Was he really taking her to Eva? What could be waiting for there? Perhaps she had family in the elven lands and they had sent him to bring her back. She wasn’t sure what to make of this new information. After a long period of silence, Nym turned in her saddle to address her.
“Tell me, how has it been for you since you discovered you had elf blood? I’m surprised you weren’t aware, I can easily feel your presence. You must have a strong elf heritage.”
Lana looked at Clay to see if it was alright to speak about this to Nym. He nodded at her encouragingly. His story was close enough to the truth that she could speak freely about this. It was a relief.
“I…” Lana told her slowly, trying to find the words to express how she felt about her newly discovered heritage. “I didn’t know. It’s… confusing. I don’t truly understand what it means to be elven. Clay has taught me how I can speak with the trees and other things in nature but it doesn’t come easily to me. I’m not sure what else it means to be an elf.”
Nym nodded at her and took on a lecturing tone. “Elves are the oldest creatures in this world still living. The only creatures that predate us are the wyrms but they died out long ago. The stories say that elves were created by the earth itself aided by the air and water so that we could be caretakers. It’s our sacred duty to care for all things in nature. It’s our reason for existing. Do you follow?”
“I do,” Lana said, drinking this all in. She wanted to learn what it meant to be an elf and this sounded so noble and good. It seemed less like a curse and more like a calling. “Please, tell me more.”
“Have you not told her this story yet?” Nym asked Clay, surprised. He shook his head.
She turned her attention back to Lana and continued, “The elves of Eva live in harmony with the land. We don’t cut down any trees and if we use wood, it’s always wood that has already fallen. We don’t divert streams to irrigate our crops, we don’t need to. The water cares for us and we know no droughts. We grow crops but we don’t cut them down, we allow them to die on their own and they continue to nourish the earth. We care for the land and the land cares for us, you see?”
“We cannot eat meat,” Clay added. “Remember when I asked you if you could tolerate meat? We were not made to digest flesh of any sort. It’s not the way of elves.”
Nym nodded at him, “Yes. No meat. In fact, there was a time when elves abhorred all violence. We didn’t kill each other and we didn’t kill any creatures at all. That was until the First War. Humans began to populate the land. We’re not sure exactly how they came to be, but they had short lives and reproduced quickly. Elves, on the other hand, are long lived and have few children. As a half elf, you may live longer than your human peers but not as long as a full blooded elf. We typically live for two to three hundred years.”
Lana shifted on the saddle, unsure of how she felt about this. How long could she expect to live as a halfling? A hundred years? More? It was unsettling.
“So, the humans were reproducing quickly and they were destructive creatures,” Nym continued. “The elves wanted to live in harmony with them as they did with all other things, but the humans cut down the trees the elves loved. They built dams to stop the water from flowing or diverted rivers for their own benefit. They broke rocks to pieces to build their shelters. Th
ey were the most disharmonious thing in the land. Despairing, the elves communed with the Great Tree to try to find a solution. One elf in particular was talented in this area and could speak to the trees and understand their words. If you haven’t already noticed, the best we can usually get are feelings, but this elf spoke their language. It’s a skill long since lost.”
Nym went quiet and she seemed to be sad, perhaps thinking about the elves of long ago and how much of their culture they had lost along the way. Clay picked up where she left off.
“According to the legends, the trees told the elf that she must stop the humans at all costs, for they would be the destruction of peace and hope. The Great Tree showed her visions of what would come to pass if she failed in her mission. The land burnt to ashes, no tree left standing. The sky boiling with evil black clouds, no sun to be seen. The water that fell from the sky would burn anything it touched. She felt the most extraordinary terror any elf could know. Weeping at the roots of the Great Tree she begged for aid and the tree complied. It twisted its limbs until it fashioned a staff as tall as an elf imbued with the magic of creation. Wielding this staff, called Ollyth, the elf priestess led the elves against the humans. The staff could do no harm but it could heal any wounds in an elf or in the land. Scorched earth was made new, tree stumps sprouted new growth and if there was a breath left in an elf, they would be revived.”
Nym shifted in her saddle and took the story back up. “Though the elves hated to harm any creature, even the dreadful humans, they fought for the land and for their own lives. They learned the ways of war and even though they were outnumbered, they had the advantage. The elves were naturally more agile than the humans, could see and hear better than them. But the most important advantage was that the land itself was on their side. Humans trying to cross a river were overtaken by a raging flood. The trees fell upon them in the forests, sacrificing themselves to save the elves and slow the humans. The ground itself split under the invader’s feet and swallowed them whole.”
