by Livia Lance
While Nym and Lana waited for the elders, they had to endure some quizzical looks from the elves who were gathered in the great hall, also waiting to be heard. Ignoring them, Lana walked around the room, carefully inspecting it, then finally placed a hand upon the wall.
“This is a very, very old place,” she told Nym quietly. “I can feel the age in the tree. It’s so tired.”
Nym nodded absently. Her mind was on the sickness in the land and her growing fear that the elders would tell Lana about what she’d done to Jacob.
Suddenly, a door at the other end of the chamber opened and Sen came striding through, followed closely by the elders.
“Everyone, out!” Sen barked and all of the elves aside from Lana, Nym and Sen himself filed out of the room in a hurry.
Nym and Sen dropped to their knees and she motioned Lana to do the same. Lana eyed her and then came to stand by them but refused to kneel.
Oh, no. Nym thought. Why is she choosing now to be an obstinate princess?
The elders approached and stood before them.
“Thank you, Sen. You may go,” Elder Sylwynn said, standing shoulder to shoulder with Elders Braithe and Roland.
“Come, sit,” Braithe said, smiling kindly at the women. Nym knew better than to trust that smile. He appeared to be a kind man but he was tough as nails underneath. Lana didn’t appear to trust his warmth, either. Smart girl.
The women followed the elders to a small table and chairs near a window and sat. Braithe seemed to be taking the lead, so Nym addressed him first.
“Elder, I have returned from my mission,” she began. “Along the way, I -”
“We already know what happened, girl,” Roland said abruptly, cutting her off. “You took on a mission from another elf but you are not to blame, he is.”
Nym could see Lana’s face light up at the mention of Clay, though they didn’t use his name. She opened her mouth to speak, but Roland continued.
“It was a high crime for him to disobey orders but you will not be punished. Your job was completed successfully, I trust?”
Nym looked down at her hands. “Yes, elder.” She prayed they wouldn’t talk about the specifics of her mission, that this wouldn’t be the moment Lana learned the awful truth of it.
“That is well, you may leave,” Roland told her. When Nym heard the words, her relief was so great that she almost swooned. But she knew of course that this respite from the truth was probably only temporary. As she turned to leave the hall, Nym took what she knew could easily be a last look at her dearest friend.
She knew if the elders spoke of Jacob, what she’d done to him, the next time she saw Lana they would probably meet as enemies.
* * *
Lana heard the door open and close as Nym left but she never looked away from the men before her. They seemed friendly but she couldn’t shake the feeling that the elders couldn’t be trusted. Lana could sense that she was treading in dangerous water and had neither Clay nor Nym to keep her safe. She would have to navigate this situation on her own. She sat quietly and waited for the men to speak. She wouldn’t be the one to break the silence.
“I’m Elder Braithe,” the kindly looking elf said, smiling at her warmly. He gestured to his right and introduced Elder Sylwynn and the elf to his left was Elder Roland. Lana nodded to each of them in greeting but continued to keep her silence.
“Princess Lana,” Braithe continued after an uncomfortable moment. “I suppose you have been told that you are in fact half elf?”
She nodded at the man once, then continued to wait for more.
Elder Braithe cleared his throat and shifted in his seat, shooting a glance at Sylwynn.
“Young lady, we are glad to have you home,” he said, trying a smile again. “You perhaps have many questions about your elven heritage. We would be happy to tell you whatever you may wish to know.”
“I wish to know many things, Elder,” Lana said in an icy tone. Not quite angry, but certainly stern. She was a princess, after all. “To begin with, I wish to know where Clay is.”
Braithe’s eyebrows shot up in surprise.
“You mean to say that he is not with you?” he asked her. “Why, he left long ago to meet with you, did your paths not cross?”
Lana’s mouth went dry and her heart skipped a beat.
“He never…” she trailed off, unable to speak.
“Yes, he came here to speak with us and let us know that Nym had taken over his mission. He was chastised but that was all. He left right away saying he had some important matter to see to and that he would be meeting up with you and escorting you here.” Braithe frowned, a look of concern on his face. “I cannot imagine what may have kept him. We can send a team to search.”
“Yes,” Lana said, trying to control her fear. “Please do.”
“Of course, princess. We’ll see to it as soon as we’re done here,” he told her, reaching out to pat her hand.
As soon as he touched her, she knew he was lying. Her eyes widened and the color left her cheeks. She stood and backed away from the men.
“Why are you lying to me about Clay? What have you done?” she demanded.
The men stood as well, looking startled and alarmed.
“Princess, we wouldn’t lie to you,” Elder Braithe insisted.
Lana drew herself up to her full height and looked at each of them in turn. “I can read an elf by touch the same as the elves can read the trees. I can see into your heart, old man. I know you for what you are. Now you will tell me the truth.”
“Preposterous. There has never been a creature that can do such a thing,” Roland told her, furious at her obstinacy.
“There is much you don’t know,” Lana said icily, walking towards the men. They began to back away. “Did you know that elf children are dying all across your land?”
“Yes, it’s merely a childhood illness…” Sylwynn trailed off as she continued to advance on them.
“The elf children are becoming deaf to the music of the land. They can no longer hear the mother,” she said. “Elves don’t become ill but these elves are losing their link to the magic in your land. And it’s worse than that.” She stopped, staring at each of the elders in turn. “It’s spreading to older elves. But of course, how would you know that? Hiding here in this palace, sending other elves to do your bidding. I’m not surprised you don’t know the sickness is spreading. What will you do when it finds you here? What use are any of you at all?”
The elders looked at her and then looked at each other.
“Princess, forgive us for our ignorance. We must speak of this further. Will you take a room?” Elder Braithe said in a conciliatory way.
“I will, but only if you bring Clay to me. I know you must have him here somewhere,” she told them, eyes narrowed. The elders looked at each other wordlessly for a moment.
“Of course,” Sylwynn finally said, turning to walk to the entrance of the chamber. He spoke to someone outside and then returned. “He will be brought here immediately. Forgive us for our treachery, princess. We thought it would be…” he trailed off, looking at the other elders, apparently unsure of how to continue.
“Clay abandoned his mission and went against our orders that he must not speak of it to anyone. He was imprisoned. It is the law,” Roland told her apologetically.
Lana chose not to speak. She just ignored the men, eyes glued to the entrance, waiting for Clay to come through it. Long minutes passed before the door finally creaked open, and there he was.
Clay was looking thin even for an elf. He appeared dirty and weary but when his eyes fell on Lana, he immediately burst into movement, running to her and falling at her feet.
“Lana, forgive me,” he said in a sorrowful tone. “I should never have left you. Please give me a chance to explain.” Clay looked up at her and their eyes met.
Suddenly, Lana realized that she had left her anger at him somewhere on her travels. She had every reason to be furious at this man. He had given her such a
sweet moment of bliss and then abandoned her. He had made Nym promise not to give her any explanation. She had worried about him, pined for him. But she felt none of that now. When she looked into his eyes, all she felt was a deep caring and concern.
Lana knelt and took his hands, drawing him up to stand in front of her.
“We will speak of this privately,” she told him quietly, giving nothing away about her true feelings. She turned to the elders. “We will take a room. Send someone to speak with me soon, but tonight we will rest.” Then she strode out of the room, every inch the princess. They paused outside the door as the elders instructed the guards to show them to a room.
“One with a window,” Clay said, eyeing Braithe smugly.
The guards escorted them to a comfortable room with a large bed and departed. Now that Lana and Clay were finally alone, she flung herself into his arms. She wanted to hold herself back, make him explain why he left her but she couldn’t help it. She was so happy to see him well. He clung to her tightly, his breathing shallow and murmured apologies into her hair. With her new ability, she could feel his love for her and his joy at finally being reunited. It was overwhelming.
Lana pulled back and looked up at him.
“I need to know why you did this to me,” she said softly, without recrimination. She just wanted to know so she could understand and finally let it go.
Clay sighed and walked to the bed, sitting down and running a hand through his hair.
“I will need to go back to the beginning, I suppose.” He looked up at her and continued. “I was not on a rescue mission. I was, in fact, sent to kidnap the Loral princess. I spent a lot of time trying to convince you that I meant no harm so you wouldn’t fight me or attempt to flee. It was all a lie, Lana.”
“What?” she exclaimed. This made no sense. She remembered him saying he’d come to kidnap her but after admitting it was a rescue mission, she’d thought he was just being cheeky and irritating before. Perhaps she’d chosen to believe him simply because she wanted to. How could she have been so gullible and witless?
“Yes, I was ordered to kidnap you and return to Eva. I was told to keep you safe but they never said anything about your safety once you reached Thelsamel…” he trailed off, looking away.
“Lana, I didn’t know what they would do with you once they had you. I didn’t know their motivations. At first, I was simply following orders but as we became closer, especially after that last evening together… I had to know, do you understand? I couldn’t bring you here if they were going to harm you. I couldn’t bear it!”
He stood and began to pace.
“Why didn’t you just tell me?” Lana asked him in a quiet voice. She wasn’t sure how she felt about this revelation. Clay stopped pacing, facing the wall with his head down.
“I couldn’t. If you knew how close I had come to possibly delivering you to people who would harm you… I was too ashamed.”
Lana sat down at the table and looked at her hands. This was a hard truth to hear. The man that she thought she loved had planned to take her to what could have potentially been her death. He had done so much to make her feel safe so she wouldn’t run or panic, the entire time knowing that the people he would be delivering her to could mean her harm.
“Why did they want me here?” she asked him.
Clay threw up his hands. “I still don’t know, they never told me. They locked me up in a room and interrogated me, then finally threw me in the dungeons. Perhaps they will be more forthcoming with you.” He paused and looked at her for a long moment.
“Lana, you’ve changed,” he said, coming closer and kneeling in front of her, putting himself at eye level. “Why are you so…” He trailed off, unable to find the words.
“Yes,” she said simply, unsure of where to begin. “Ever since I entered Eva, much about me has changed. I’m not sure when-”
There was a knock at the door, startling both of them. Lana looked at Clay questioningly and he shook his head.
“Enter,” he called.
The door opened and Elder Braithe let himself in, looking harried.
“Princess, I apologize. There are a number of people outside and they will not leave until they can see you,” Braithe told her in an irritated tone. Clay looked at her curiously.
She turned to him. “I suppose all will be made clear very soon.”
Lana swept out of the room and the two elves plus the guards accompanied her. She made her way to the entrance of the palace and saw a massive crowd, all of her followers and elves from the city. Some were holding sick children in their arms, some were carrying older elves on stretchers.
Lana went to each of them, whispering soft words to their families. She did what she could to comfort the terrified elves and planted her little seeds within the sick. Once she was done, she retreated to the steps before the palace and turned to address the crowd.
“At this time every day, I will come out and heal the sick. Please bring them here to me. Do what you can to help your neighbors transport them to these steps. I’m sure the elders will find a way to arrange for sick rooms that I can visit in the future, but until then you will find me here when the day turns to night. Be strong.”
She looked into Elder Braithe’s eyes for a moment, daring him to argue with her, daring him to declare her a fraud. He looked shaken and unable to find any words. Clay, on the other hand, looked at her as if she had transformed into something extraordinary right before his eyes. She supposed she had.
“Come, we must speak,” she said to Braithe. Turning, she walked back into the palace with the cheers of the elven people ringing in her ears.
The High Priestess
Sometime later that evening, Lana found herself being scrutinized by a table full of old men, none of which seemed to like her very much. Clay stood next to her, shifting his feet and obviously uncomfortable.
The elders had gathered in the main chamber and were seated at a massive table that looked as if it had grown up out of the ground. There was one large chair at the center which was unoccupied and the men were seated to the left and right of it, facing outward. Lana stood before them, tall and proud.
“You mean to say,” one of the elders began, “That this illness is of the spirit, not the body?”
“Yes, from what I can tell, that is the truth,” she responded.
“And you claim that you can feel the spirits of elves?” he asked her, a smirk on his face.
Lana narrowed her eyes.
“Yes, I can.”
“Do you have any proof of this? Can anyone speak of it?” another elder spoke up, sounding more curious than angry. Lana turned slightly to address him.
“I don’t think it works that way, elder. None of the elves seem to be aware of my ability when I touch them. What I know is that the elves I have healed claim that they had a dream of me and in that dream, I helped them reconnect with the land.”
Sylwynn stood from his chair, which was positioned near the middle of the table. Lana wondered if that was a symbol of his standing among the council.
“Elders, I have taken the liberty of calling upon one of her companions to speak with us here. She may be able to shed some light on this subject.” He gestured and one of the guards at the entrance promptly turned and opened the door. Nym strode through and approached the table, stopping and kneeling when she was next to Lana.
“Elders,” Nym said, eyes on the floor.
“Thank you for joining us,” Sylwynn said, “You may stand.”
Nym rose and waited quietly, not looking at Lana or Clay. If she had been surprised or happy to see either of them, she didn’t betray it.
“This woman claims that she can feel the spirit of elves. What do you know of this?” Sylwynn asked.
Nym nodded at him. “Yes, it seems that perhaps she can. I don’t understand it but she could sense that the sickened elves were feeling lost and fearful. If they are near her or she touches them, they are revived.”
“Has she
touched you? Could you feel her linked with your spirit?”
Nym blanched but she answered him. “She has touched me, Elder. She knew how I was feeling at the time, though I was trying hard not to show it. There is no other explanation for how she could have known. I could feel nothing but her skin on mine.”
“Thank you, Nym. You may leave.” Sylwynn told her, sitting and turning his attention back to Lana.
Nym nodded, spun on her heel, and left without a single glance at Lana.
“Elders, may I speak?” Clay stepped forward until he was directly at Lana’s side.
“You may,” Sylwynn said, nodding at him.
“This woman who stands before you is not the woman I took from Loral,” he began, gazing at Lana with a look of wonder in his eyes. “When I first met her, she could barely pass as an elf. Her features were softer and I could only sense her if I concentrated. In fact, I almost didn’t recognize her when I first laid eyes on her again in this very room.”
“You mean to say she is more elven now than she was?” Braithe asked, his brow furrowed. “We have had halflings come to Eva and have never witnessed such a thing.”
“I know, but it’s true. I can sense her more strongly than any elf in this room combined. It’s as if she is a shining beacon to me.”
Lana looked at Clay, shocked and a little afraid. She had changed? There were no mirrors in Eva so she had no idea what she looked like and never thought to check her reflection in the water. Why had no one told her this? What did it mean?
“Indeed…” Sylwynn said thoughtfully. “That is curious. Lana, princess, will you continue to help the elves that fall ill in this city? We would like some time to study your work so we can better understand what is happening.”
“I have no intention of leaving sick elves to die,” she responded frostily. “Will you see to setting up spaces for the sick so that I may visit them easily?”
“Yes, we can do that.”
“Then I think we are done here. I need rest and so does Clay. You have not treated him kindly.” She glared at the men before her, then turned to leave the room without waiting to be dismissed. If she let these men try to tell her what to do, she would never have the upper hand again. Right now, they needed her so she owned them and they knew it. Clay followed her in silence all the way back to their room.
