Zahara's Gift

by A. J. Walker

  “I had to meet certain obligations, Asmond,” Ivan said, looking back at Anders and Max as he spoke.

  “Very well. We can begin,” Asmond said.

  Anders and Max listened as the High Council of Elves spoke, though neither of them understood Elvish. They stood behind Ivan and remained expressionless as though they knew what was being discussed. One of the elves pulled out a map of Eastland and began pointing to several locations.

  “I have never heard of the orcs and kurr gathering together in such great numbers,” an elf woman said, switching effortlessly to Landish so Anders and Max could understand her.

  Ivan searched the faces of the elves gathered around the table, his expression serious, “We need to strike now while Merglan is focused on building his army. If what you have said is true, he is planning something big. His armies have never been the size they will be if he can unite all of the orcs and kurr.”

  “Agreed,” Asmond said.

  “The Rollo Islanders are tracking the orc tribe that attacked us at one of the Glacial Melt Bays. Together, if we combine our forces, we could launch an attack on Merglan’s fortress,” Ivan said.

  The elves in the room collectively looked on in disgust at the mention of the Rollo Islanders.

  “In the interest of our common enemy’s demise, I will forgive the feud between our people and the warrior brutes, for now,” Asmond said.

  Ivan rose and bowed to him, “Thank you, your grace. We will look for your army at the Eastland Mountain front before we march on the fortress.”

  “I will send my son with you. He can keep me informed of your progress. When it is time, we will send our army,” said Asmond.

  “That is very generous of you, Asmond. Thank you,” Ivan said bowing once more. He turned and nodded to Anders and Max to leave with him.

  “This way please,” said the elf that had escorted them up to the council meeting.

  Once back on solid ground, Ivan told them they’d be leaving once Asmond’s son joined them.

  “So that guy, Asmond, was their leader?” Anders asked.

  “Yes, he is the Elf King. The woman who also spoke our tongue during the meeting was his wife and Queen of the elves. Her name is Lageena,” he said. “Their son, who you will meet very soon, is called Nadir.”

  Max and Anders nodded. They were led to the far edge of the city where they were told to wait for Nadir’s arrival. As the elf woman moved to leave them, Anders said to her, “Wait, there’s something I need to ask you.”

  She turned to look at him. Ivan and Max also looked at him, a bit confused about what he could possibly want from her.

  “There’s a young dragon with us that got lost during a storm. She was fleeing from Merglan when he invaded her homeland. Her family was trying to make it here to seek refuge. She is patiently waiting outside your gates. Do you think it would be possible to see if her parents made it here? Or if anyone knows where they could be?” Anders asked.

  Max stood there looking at him with his mouth open in astonishment.

  “Let me check. I will be right back,” she said and ran off.

  “Since when do you know dragons?” Max asked, flabbergasted.

  “I met her that night I went for a walk along the forest’s edge at the Bareback Plains,” Anders said. “I felt bad that she was all alone and lost from her family. After that I snuck off to meet her many of the nights that we traveled when everyone was asleep. She told me how she was separated from her parents on the way here. When you said you had to come here, Ivan, I thought it was a perfect opportunity to come and see if I could help reunite her with her family.”

  “That’s why I couldn’t sense you,” Ivan said. “You were with a dragon. She must have blocked you from me. I was beginning to think my magic was failing me.”

  “You have been befriending a dragon this whole time?” Max said.

  “Understand that if she exposed herself to the wrong person, they would have tried to kill her or use her against her will. She’s just an infant and I didn’t want any harm to come to her,” Anders said.

  “He is right,” Ivan said. “Many in the Rollo clans would have harmed her if they knew of her existence.”

  Rushing back to them, the elf woman, “We have two dragons here at present that claim to have been separated from their offspring on their way to our city. I would be glad to show her to them.”

  “Great!” Anders said, excited and relieved.

  “If you bring her in, we can go together to see if they are her parents. Then I will take you back to your companions and you can go on your way,” she said.

  Anders looked at Ivan for his approval; he nodded in agreement. Anders went with the elf woman to the gate. When it opened, Zahara stood waiting for him. He knew she had listened in on their conversation so was already aware of the arrangements. She hopped up into the air and did a few loops, then landed back on the ground.

  You’ve found my family! she said excitedly.

  “It looks like it,” Anders said. “This elf would like to take us to them and make sure they are indeed your parents.”

  Let’s go, she said happily.

  Anders looked at the elf woman, forcing a smile on his face, “She’s ready.”

  The woman guided them a long way around the edge of the city. At the far end, they came to a cliff that overlooked a large valley. Anders could see several dragons playfully flying through the air above the valley. He looked up at Zahara and saw the look of pure joy in her eyes. The elf lady called out over the cliff. Two very large dragons, one orange in color and one purple, landed on the cliff in front of them. Zahara threw herself into their embrace, nuzzling their heads and necks and purring happily.

  “It looks like you have reunited this family,” the elf said to Anders.

  “It sure does,” Anders said. He felt sad that he had to let her go. He wanted to stay with her, but it was time for him to focus on getting his own family back. Anders knew this was where their paths ended, for now. Hanging his head, he turned and began to walk away from them, the elf woman leading him back from where they’d come.

  Zahara saw them leaving and called after him, Hey, Anders, wait up. Anders turned and met Zahara as she bounded to him. He hugged her tightly around the neck and she nuzzled him back.

  As he held onto her, he said, “Be with your family. I will return someday. I promise.” His eyes welled with tears as he pulled away.

  Thank you for all you’ve done, Anders, Zahara said. She watched as he walked away, disappearing along the winding path toward Cedarbridge.

  Anders followed his guide in silence back to Ivan and Max. He’d managed to wipe away his tears before rejoining them. Nadir had met up with Ivan and Max while Anders was away; they stood ready to embark on the next part of their adventure.

  “I know that was hard for you to do,” Ivan said as he patted Anders on the shoulder. “You did the right thing. She will be much safer here with the elves and back among the safety of her family.”

  Embarrassed at his sniffles, Anders agreed, “I know.” As he said the words, Anders found himself gazing longingly at the cliffs. Forcing himself, Anders followed the others as they set off into the vast elven forest once again.

  ***

  After leaving Zahara with the elves, Anders felt his mind become clouded in a gloom he hadn’t felt since his Uncle Theodor was killed. While Ivan and Max talked with Nadir, the Elf Prince, Anders wondered if he’d made a mistake in leaving Zahara. In the end, however many ways he mulled it over, Zahara belonged with her parents. She was, after all, just a baby with little knowledge of the world.

  Ivan and Nadir knew the paths that would take them to an area where they expected to find the Rollo Island warriors. Once they were close enough, Ivan would be able to sense their exact location, so the small group was confident in tracking down the Rollo people.

  When the sun set and then night fell onto the forest, the four built a fire and ate
the dried meat and nuts they’d brought along. Nadir went off to gather some leaves, fruits and berries for his meal. Curious about how it would taste, Max and Anders tried the assortment of things the elf was eating. Ivan deferred, sticking with his dried meat and nuts.

  “I ate too much of that vegetation when I was training for the war,” Ivan said stuffing his hand into the pouch where he kept his rations.

  “The greens are pretty bland, but the berries are sweet,” Max said, excitedly chewing on a handful of the elf’s food.

  “All the nutrients the body needs are growing right here in the forest around us,” Nadir said humbly.

  “That’s right,” Ivan said. “And the wild protein provided by the animals we eat are just that.”

  “Carnivores that live in the forest rely on those meats. I will not take a meal away from the hunters of these woods. As long as they keep the deer and other herbivores in check, we’ll continue to have plenty of naturally growing foods for all who live here in the Everlight Kingdom,” Nadir said.

  Anders took a bite of dried meat. Talking with his mouth fairly full, he said, “I think I fall somewhere in the middle of your opinions. I think the greens and fruits complement the meat quite nicely.”

  “Yeah, I like them both, too. Meat is just too good to give up altogether, in my opinion,” Max added.

  “Suit yourself,” the elf said and finished his meal.

  After a short silence, Max blurted out something that’d been bothering him all day. He had been afraid to ask earlier, but now he could not control his eagerness to know. “Can you do magic?” he asked Nadir. “Ivan told us that many elves can perform magic.”

  “Max,” Ivan said in a tone that would be used in talking down to a child. “It is not polite to ask an elf such a personal question. Especially a member of the elven royalty.”

  “No, it’s all right,” said Nadir. “To answer your question frankly, no, I am not able to use magic yet. I have been paired with several dragons, none of which shared a connection with me strong enough for me to receive the gift of magic.”

  “Is it common for dragons to decide not to bestow magic on someone?” Anders asked.

  “It happens more often than you would think,” Nadir said shortly. “A dragon’s likelihood to find a match so strong only happens once in its lifetime, if they are lucky. Most dragons live their whole lives never finding their match.”

  “How did it happen for you, Ivan?” Anders asked.

  Ivan took a sip of some water he had in the bladder slung around his neck, “When I was paired with my dragon the elves had spent many months observing the personalities and behaviors of the dragons and those who went through the army’s training camps. The candidates were paired up with the dragon that had a personality most similar to their own. The system had some success, because several of us in the program did find matches.

  “My situation was not a normal one. Because of the peculiarity and haste of the match, I feared our connection would not be as strong as most dragon-rider matches that were put together more organically.”

  Anders saw a tear roll down Ivan’s cheek. He quickly wiped it away with his sleeve.

  “No matter,” Nadir said. “I am sure if Zahara was your match, she would have let you know, what with you being the Prophecy and all.”

  Flustered by the comment, Anders asked, “What Prophecy?” He looked at Ivan, who held his forehead in his hands.

  Quick to read the situation, Nadir said to Ivan, “You hadn’t told him yet?”

  Anders struggled to understand why he suddenly felt so confused and angry; perhaps he was just upset after losing another close friend. Perhaps Nadir had misspoken. He looked to Ivan and Nadir angrily, “What the hell do you mean, I am the Prophecy?”

  “Let me explain,” Ivan said, taking a deep breath. “There is a prophecy that foretells of a human and dragon bond so strong that the two will become the most powerful dragon and sorcerer pair in history. Powerful enough to overthrow Merglan.”

  “That’s what you were talking to Theodor about in the woods the night before the attack began?!” Anders asked.

  Ivan nodded, “That is what Merglan is searching for. It isn’t a trinket or an item; it’s you.”

  “What? How? Why?” Anders asked in rapid succession.

  “Merglan sensed it in you when you were just a baby. He tried to capture you once before, when you were younger.”

  “Is that how my parents died?” Anders asked, already knowing the answer.

  “Yes,” Ivan said with a sigh.

  “He was wrong; Merglan got it wrong!” Anders shouted in desperation. He didn’t want to accept what Ivan was telling him. “I’m not anything special! I am just a person who wants to get my family back.” He jumped to his feet and stormed off away from camp.

  “Anders, wait,” Ivan said getting up to follow him.

  “Let him go,” Nadir said, motioning Ivan to sit back down. “He needs time to process this revelation.”

  Later that night, Max pulled Anders aside and asked, “Hey, are you okay?”

  Anders shrugged and glanced to make sure that Ivan and Nadir weren’t within earshot. “How can what they said be true? Zahara and I shared the feeling of being separated from our families, but that was it. We didn’t form a special bond. The only thing that has changed is now I know why terrible things have happened to my family. It’s all because some crazy sorcerer believes I am going to defeat him. I can hardly fight off more than one orc by myself. I am not who they think I am.”

  “At least you know why bad things have happened to your family,” Max said.

  “What do you mean?” Anders asked.

  “You know how I told you Bo and I were adopted by that family in Brookside?” Anders nodded. “Well, they had to adopt us because my parents were murdered in their sleep.”

  “That’s awful,” Anders said, shocked that Max was telling him this.

  “Tony always thought I did it to them and hates me. One day when I was out riding with Tony’s oldest daughter, nomads from the Bareback Plains attacked us. I hid in a coyote’s den after they knocked me off my horse. She didn’t make it in time and the nomads killed her. Once they were gone, I brought her body back and Tony nearly beat me to death. No matter how many times I tried to tell him what happened, he remained convinced that I’d killed his daughter. I don’t know if that makes you feel any better or worse, but at least you know why Merglan is attacking your family. I don’t know why people attacked mine,” Max returned to the camp, leaving Anders standing alone.

  Anders came back to his spot around the fire, lay down on the ground, closed his eyes, and went to sleep.

  Over the next several days, Anders and Max followed Ivan and Nadir through the forest. Ivan and Nadir didn’t mention anything more about Anders being the Prophecy. He was actually beginning to think it might have just been a bad dream. It had been a week since they left the Rollo Island warriors to visit the elves. They walked along a lightly used path that wound through the dense forest and across the occasional meadow. Anders wished he could explore the area further, but knew they had to catch up with the warriors.

  As they marched through the forest, Anders tried to keep his mind away from the sadness he felt about leaving Zahara behind. He found himself recalling a story his uncle used to read to him and his cousins before bed. Anders remembered it as one of his favorite stories and spoke of an elven hero with bronze skin and dark curly hair. For the first time, it dawned on him that he hadn’t seen anyone like the hero described in the story. So he asked the Elf Prince, “Nadir, can I ask you something?”

  “Yes you may,” the Elf Prince said in a soothing voice.

  “One of my favorite stories I remember from my childhood was about an elven hero with bronze skin and dark curly hair. When we were in Cedarbridge I didn’t see anyone who matched that description. Are there only fair-skinned elves in the capital?”

  Nadir nodded slo
wly, “I know of which tale you are referring to. Yes the elves you saw at the High Council in Cedarbridge are all of fair skin tone and silver hair, but this is not how all elves appear. Just as you humans have your differing ethnicities, so do we elves. Your time in the capital city was cut short so you did not explore much. If you had, you’d have seen that the city is filled with diversity and many differing elven cultures.”

  “I guess that gives me another reason to return,” Anders said finding his mind returning to Zahara once more. After several minutes of silence, Anders asked the Elf Prince, “What’s it like in Eastland? Have you ever been there?”

  Nadir smiled and nodded, “I have been, several times. The mountains of Eastland are the oldest in our world. The first inhabitants of the mountains are what we call mountain trolls today. They once thrived in Nagano as one of the first species to inhabit Kartania. Their villages were scattered across the fruitful valleys of Nagano.”

  “I didn’t know trolls were such an ancient species,” Anders said. “They lived with the dragons?” he asked.

  “You could say that,” Nadir said. “It wasn’t a very healthy relationship, however. Dragons were the main reason the trolls were forced to move from their villages and up into the mountains,” he continued, motioning toward the snowy peaks above them. “Trolls are not very fast creatures and they’re very simple-minded. They primarily eat meat, but living on the valley floor for so many years, they adjusted, eating grains and greens, or pretty much anything they could find. When the first dragon eggs appeared and hatched, the dragons needed something to eat as well. Being carnivorous creatures, and growing to great sizes, dragons began to hunt trolls.

  “Since trolls are simple-minded, it took them a while to adapt to the changes they were experiencing. Those who survived were the trolls that had enough sense to flee the valleys. Every troll that insisted on staying behind, lacking the understanding that they were easy prey for dragons, was eaten. At this point in history when dragons were new to our world and they had plenty of trolls to prey on, the population of dragons increased rapidly.