The elf smiled. “You cannot take the Quarterstar from here. It is sacred, and the Guardian will not let you just take it from him. You should leave now.”
“The Guardian?”
The elf sighed. “Yes. Surely you’ve heard of the Guardian.”
“Well, yes, but only tales. I thought they were only tales.”
“No,” he said, shaking his head, looking at Naemyn as if he were a young child. “He is quite real. Well, as real as he can be for someone as old as he.”
“You are not he?”
“Oh no,” he laughed. “I am the caretaker of him and of this sacred place. His place is the caretaker and guardian of the shard. King Keiyann Krowe assigned me to the duty of keeping the catacombs cleaned and preserved, and to see that the Guardian’s needs are well met. Do you think you can send someone to relieve me? I have been here a long time. I believe I have served my time here diligently, and honorably, but I think it has been long enough.”
“Only the king can command this, but I will advise him.”
“I thought I would’ve been relieved after King Keiyann was placed here, but I guess the new king forgot.”
“I’m sorry, but we are not here to relieve you. If you would, please take me to the Guardian.”
“I cannot do that either.”
“Why not?”
“It is too hard to reach him. Even I cannot reach him.”
“There must be a way. It is very important that I find him.”
“I don’t even think he will speak to you.”
“He will. He is waiting for me to give me information.”
“This is not the way, according to the prophecies,” he said with an arrogant smile.
“I don’t care. Take me to him.”
“As you wish, but you won’t be able to reach him.”
“Go then.”
The elf turned and walked back whence he came. Naemyn and the elves followed.
Chapter 14
Traegon smiled in relief as he looked up to the sky. The drizzling rain had finally stopped, and the sun peeked through the scattered gray clouds, sending rays of light onto the dripping evergreens. The drops of rain shined like tiny crystals before falling to the lush ground. Water dripped or cascaded from everything that stood, grew, or walked. Even his horse’s hair was matted from the rain and sweat. Steam rose from the horse’s body as it labored through the woods. Water dripped from the edges of his dirt-brown traveling hat, and it wore heavy on his head due to the saturation of the rain, so much so, that it was no longer effective in keeping his head dry. In an effort to dry it off, he took it off of his head and smacked it upon his thigh, knocking off the excess water before returning it sloppily upon his head.
He looked behind him to check on Traelyn. He pulled her behind in the wagon he made specifically for her and this journey. He used a common farm wagon and lined it with soft material for bedding, and made a strong canvas cover to keep her dry. He then attached it to a makeshift yoke, so that he could tow her behind. When he looked at her, he noticed that her face was wet, but it was not from the weather. She was crying.
“Great mother?” Traegon asked.
Traelyn turned away. “I’ll come back for you,” she whispered, not actually paying any attention to Traegon.
“I’ll come back for you,” was the last thing Jaerick had told Traelyn on that warm summer afternoon when the elven soldiers came. So long ago, she thought to herself, too long ago, for any human to endure.
Jaerick had taken her to the northern coast to spend a few days alone, away from the politics, royal obligations, and the responsibilities delegated to the prince of the elven kingdom. Her stay with the elves was not exactly what she was promised. Since her father was gone, she had only Jaerick to count on to come to her defense, against what seemed like the whole race of elves.
Even though he loved her dearly and showed his affection often, he still did not, nor could not, replace the love and protection her father had always given her. How ironic, she often thought to herself, that when she lived with her father, she wanted more freedom, but now with the elves, she had all the freedom she needed, but it was not satisfying to her, as the freedom the elves gave her was more of neglect than absolute freedom. They let her do her own thing as long as it did not interfere with the common population. As long as she obeyed that rule, they did not care what she did. In fact, it seemed to her that as long as she stayed out of sight, the elves did not have to worry about the problem of having her amongst them.
She remembered the day that Jaerick took her away from the castle like it was yesterday. Jaerick realized she was amiss without her father, and was feeling the isolation that the elves were giving her. Their time spent alone together, since living in the elven kingdom, had become very few and far between. The Prince always had duties to tend to and almost none of it meant spending time with his newly acquired love. Acquired love, a term she used herself to explain how the love felt to her. She felt more of a possession or a pet, than an accepted addition to the elven family as King Keiyann Krowe promised she would be.
She often felt betrayed sometimes as she was left alone amongst a race of people she knew little about. She did not fit into their customs and neither did they treat her as one of them. Sure, they were kind most of the time, but many times she would catch them whispering as she walked by. She knew she was gossip fodder for all, but there was nothing she could do about it.
If the Elven people knew that she was carrying his child, they would really have something to talk about. With all the hassle of being away from her father and living in a new home, she still loved Jaerick deeply, and hoped that their child would bring her closer to the Elven people. She was so excited when Jaerick told her about this trip. He told her that he owed her this trip, and that it was long overdue. To this, she wholeheartedly agreed and waited anxiously for the special trip.
On the day they left, Jaerick met her in the courtyard. She was dressed in simple attire, which he requested her to do so, because they would be getting “dirty,” he told her with his most charming ear-to-ear grin. This prospect she liked, because even when she lived with her father, the only time she would get dirty was in her own garden within the castle walls, or when she snuck out through her secret passageway.
She stood beside the horse, her soft brown hair lay on her shoulders, and she smiled as he approached. He walked over to her, and as he did so, picked one of the lilacs from the planter and handed it to her. She smiled and immediately placed it behind her ear. Jaerick moved in close to her, grabbed her hips, brought her slowly to his, and looked into her eyes. “I have missed you so much.”
Traelyn smiled, blushed, and looked to the ground. Jaerick put a finger to her chin and lifted her head to meet his gaze. “I am sorry…we will go away, and stay away as long as you wish. I long to be with you. Father has allowed me to leave my duties for as long as I want. “
“Forever?” she smiled.
“Well, no…” He blushed. “Maybe!” he then said as if making a proclamation, opening his almond shaped eyes wide.
She laughed quietly. “I know.”
Without another word, they mounted their horses and left the castle. As they did so, the elven people, surprised when they saw the prince alone without guard or any procession, stared and gawked, but mostly did so at the sight of the human princess. They stared and pointed, but said nothing so loud as to be heard. Traelyn held her head high. She did not deserve the discrimination, as she was once a true princess in her own land.
Once they were free of the villages and roaming the uninhabited countryside, they both relaxed and began talking amongst each other as if they were two young lovers without worry.
They rode casually, talking and subconsciously enjoying the relaxing creak of the leather saddles and feeling the horses sway between their legs. The horses’ heads swayed left to right and their casual gait kept them relaxed, erasing the anxiety of everyday life.
They rode most of the day until they began to smell the wet ocean air. The overcast clouds moved slowly above from the sea, but the air was still warm and pleasant. The salty smell permeated everything, Jaerick breathed deeply as he looked over at Traelyn and smiled. “We are here. We will camp here for the night and go to the beach tomorrow.”
They camped within a small grove a few miles south of the ocean. He put up a small tent for her so that she could have some privacy to herself, and still be close to Jaerick when she would want to be with him, on her terms. She found this very touching and endearing, but she needed no privacy away from him, she got enough of that on a daily basis at the castle. She was more than happy to spend every moment with him. She smiled at him as she changed out of her riding clothes and into a more comfortable and loose fitting dress, doing so freely in front of him without hesitation or shyness.
Jaerick smiled at her, excited to be with her alone, and led her outside and unfolded a blanket on the soft ground next to a large rock that he put pillows against so they could lean back, talk, and look to the sky.
As the sun was setting, Jaerick got up and made a small fire a few feet away. That evening they spent every moment together without distraction or interruption. They then stayed up late talking and holding each other under the night sky until the fire died and the stars brightened.
She waited until he was just about to sleep when she pushed him away, stood up, and dropped her dress.
“What are you doing?” he asked.
“What do you think I am doing,” she responded feeling vulnerable, as she stood naked before him.
Jaerick got up to his knees, and put his hands on the bump that was beginning to show on her stomach, and then stood up and held her tight as she trembled. He then brought her back down to her blanket and kissed her repeatedly from her neck to her breasts before making love to her and releasing her passion underneath the chilly evening sky.
They cuddled tightly together and listened to each other’s heartbeats as they fell asleep. The last thing Traelyn heard before she fell asleep was Jaerick whispering in her ear, telling her goodnight and that he would always be with her because he loved her more than anything.
Jaerick awoke a few hours before sunrise. He stroked a wisp of her hair behind her ear, whispered tenderly into it, and gently woke her up. He had planned the trip with full deliberation and waking in time to be at the beach so that they would be arriving just as the sun was rising. They rode silently in the dark, absorbing the mid sunrise air and crisp salty mist as they rode along. The horses also seemed anxious as they rode over the sloping hills just as the sun was rising over the Stoneridge Mountains to the east. The fog was thick as they heard the waves crashing on the beach before they could see them.
“Come on. Follow me!” Jaerick yelled as he kicked his horse to a full gallop. He charged his horse to the edge of the water. Traelyn smiled, but did not feel as energetic as he and trotted down the hill and along the beach. Noticing that Traelyn lagged behind, Jaerick slowed and let her catch up. When she did, they went back to the edge of the woods, dismounted, and tied the horses to separate trees.
“Walk with me,” Jaerick said as he held out his hand to Traelyn. She took his hand and walked along the beach. Jaerick felt her soft hand in his and cherished the moment as they spent the rest of the morning talking.
“I need to sit a while,” Traelyn said when their conversation ended, and they walked in silence for a few minutes.
Jaerick stopped. “Look,” he said pointing, and then he took off his boots and waded in the rocky tide pool a bit until they came to a large boulder that crested just above the water. “Come on. Take off your shoes,” he prompted.
Traelyn did so, lifted her dress away from her ankles, and walked to the rock where Jaerick was sitting with his feet in the water. The water was cold, but refreshing. When she sat down, Jaerick faced her and ran his fingers past her neck and through her brown hair, massaging the back of her head as he did so. “I love you,” he told her.
“So you’ve said,” Traelyn said with a smug smile.
“No, I mean it. I know the circumstances haven’t been ideal since you came with us.”
Traelyn put her hand on his arm, and he took this as a sign to stop. He pulled his hand away and ran it along her arm feeling her soft skin down to her hand.
“Yes, you’re right,” she said, looking off to the horizon, watching the seagulls fly above the water. “Your people do not like me. I know this. As much as you and your father try to deny it, they feel threatened by me. Especially now that I am carrying your child.”
Jaerick waited, thinking how to answer. “They fear a half-breed. They fear that a half human will someday succeed me and rule the elven kingdom.”
“I know the politics Jaerick, but this is our child. This child may not live long enough to rule past your reign anyhow. He may only live a human life span. This child may not even be a boy.”
“They won’t be so patient to find out. The Sorae are very powerful. More powerful than they were intended to be.”
“That is exactly what I am trying to tell you. I, we, I should say now, don’t belong here. We are not your people, but I love you. And that makes it that much more difficult for me.”
Jaerick wiped the tears that began to flow from her cheeks. Traelyn grabbed his wrist. “Don’t you love this child?”
“I do. More than you know.”
“Then prove it. Stand up to your father and his Sorae.”
“I will, when the time is right.”
“That is not good enough Jaerick, there isn’t much time left. You must tell him that this baby is not a threat, and neither am I. I do not seek to be your queen, should you become king during my lifetime.”
“I know this, and father knows this, but the elven people do not share our confidence in the matter.”
They were silent for many moments as they watched sea urchins within the tide pool.
“Do what you think is best, Jaerick, when you feel it is right,” Traelyn acquiesced. “I trust you. And I know you have my best interest at heart.”
“I do.”
“I just wish father was here to help me through this.”
“I know,” he said, barely louder than a whisper, “I also believe that he will return.”
“Well, I am not so sure, and neither are your prophets. They are so reluctant to talk to me at all.”
“It will get better, I promise.”
“So you’ve said many times, and I have yet to see it.”
They sat on the rock a little while longer before wading back to the beach. They were just about back to their horses when a group of elven soldiers on horseback charged down the hill and onto the beach where Jaerick and Traelyn were standing.
“Prince Jaerick!” one of the five soldiers yelled as they approached.
Jaerick moved in front of Traelyn, blocking their approach with both hands in the air.
“Prince Jaerick!” Naemyn, dressed in his gray Sorae cloak, called out as he moved his horse in front of the soldiers.
“Naemyn? What is wrong?” Jaerick asked.
“Your father has summoned you to return. There is a revolt back at the castle. The people have demanded that Traelyn returns to her human home.”
“That cannot happen. She has no home anymore. The goblins have destroyed it.”
“I know, my prince, but, -”
“Have they entered the castle?” Jaerick interrupted.
“Yes. In fact, it started within the castle walls, with the lesser nobles, and their servants. It seems to have been planned and executed from within.”
“Probably the Sorae.”
Naemyn’s face turned red, and he jumped off his horse and made a direct path to Jaerick.
“You should know me better than that, my friend,” he said only inches from Jaerick’s face, his face turning red with rage.
“Is anyone hurt?” Jaerick asked, feeling a little ashamed that he had offended his lifelong friend and consultant.
“No. They went straight to Traelyn’s bed chambers and destroyed everything within.”
Traelyn gasped and covered her face.
“But, King Keiyann put an immediate stop to it. He was able to calm them down enough to talk reasonably to them. They wish her to leave and they don’t care where she goes, just as long as she is never seen again. So to appease them he sent me to retrieve you both.”
Jaerick, still standing in front of Traelyn, took her hand and looked at Naemyn. “She is not going back. I do not know what they will do to her. If they are that mad, how do I know that they don’t intend to kill her?”
“They won’t, because your father already has a plan. She is not going back to the castle, but you are.”
“Where will she go?”
“I will take her someplace safe until things calm down enough to where you can see her again.”
“But I need to stay with her,” Jaerick said, looking at her eyes and squeezing her hand. She returned his gaze with a worried, concerned look.
“Your father demands that you return to help him assure the people that both of you are in agreement. Once everything is back to normal we can work out away to where Traelyn can return.”
Jaerick stood calm and looked past Naemyn and thought for a few seconds before turning around to Traelyn. “I have to fix this.”
Quarterstars Awakening Page 13
