by Jordan Cramm
Ayvock rolled his eyes.
“Yeah, I get it. Third wheel. Well I am going to go exploring the city. I guess I will see you back here later at some point this evening.”
“Hey Ayvock,” Wolflen retorted, “I mean…”
Ayvock shook his head and remarked, “Don’t worry about it. You haven’t seen her since we first got in here, I know. You really do love her don’t you?”
Wolflen nodded.
“Well then, what are we doing here talking?” Ayvock said with a grin.
“If I knew of landmarks out there, or of a restaurant or something, I would say that I could meet you somewhere at a given time…but I don’t know any places in the city and I don’t even know if they have a chime system for timekeeping here. I haven’t heard a bell since we arrived.”
“It’s okay Wolflen really. Go meet up with Katrina. I am sure she is waiting, and if I have learned anything about Elves so far, she probably knows that today is the day we received our Elven clothes, so she knows you will be out and about within the city. And I bet she is expecting you. Seriously brother it’s okay. Now go—go on.”
Wolflen and Ayvock both left his quarters and eventually the Hall of Emerald Shielding too. The open air outside was refreshing, and the temperature was nice and warm. And though the temperature was around 89 degrees, there was a soft breeze blowing that felt nice as both boys looked up at the gleaming sun above.
“Well, my servant told me how to get to Katrina’s place. I guess I am off to it then. I will see you this evening.”
Both boys began walking in separate directions. Wolflen took what looked like a garden road to the right, because everywhere, nature was blooming. Flowers, bushes, trees, vines and grass. The whole city was like a giant garden. Some homes were dug out into the ground, others were in trees, and some were more modern; above ground but built upon it.
Wolflen looked at everything he could see. He stopped several times on the road, and once in a while he wished he had Sespa with him. He was glad to be on foot because he could go slowly and admire everything, but he was beginning to see that he would be walking for a while. He saw that the road corners (if they could be called corners) housed various banners like flags that served as markers from what Wolflen guessed. He couldn’t make out the writing, but he admired the way the banners flapped in the breeze. Wolflen also noticed that trees were seemingly strategically aligned along all of the roads and trails, and from the trees hung lanterns; some were kept in knot holes within the trees. And though the trees seemed to have been planted with a purpose of lining the roads, they looked natural somehow, as if they had grown that way naturally from seedling to tree.
When Wolflen looked closer at some of the trees, he noticed little fairies buzzing around the branches, like humming birds hovering as they moved about within the trees. He smiled as he watched them buzzing around. They were so small to his eyes. He was fascinated with the beauty of Peludeen though. Even the air smelled fresher than the air elsewhere, even though in his head he knew that idea sounded silly. As he turned his gaze from the fairies and back to the road, he noticed three Elves approaching; two blonde and straight haired men, and one female with jet black hair. All of them had braided loops in their hair though the majority of their hair hung down over their shoulders. Wolflen noticed that they were polite, bowing their heads slightly when they passed, as if Wolflen were just another part of the city.
He turned to watch them as they passed, and they three were each in conversation about something. Wolflen couldn’t make it out. One of the Elven males was dressed similarly to how Wolflen was dressed, the other male however had been wearing armor, and the female was harder to guess about because she had a cloak robe that covered everything up. Each one though moved with a beauty and grace; each had soft flowing hair, and Wolflen felt the top of his own head a moment. His hair was growing longer he knew, but it was still short. He stopped a moment and continued looking around. He hoped that soon he would reach Katrina’s home. He missed her badly, and already was feeling the ache of being without her touch.
His feet and legs began to feel the strain of his walk as he climbed a hill road following directions his servant had given him earlier in the morning. He looked over beyond the trees on his left to see what looked like Unicorns running free in the grassy fields beyond the trees. Wolflen smiled. He had read about such creatures, and heard they did exist, but until now he always thought they were more mythical than real, and to see them frolic in the wild now caused Wolflen to stop and stare. At this rate, I am never going to get where I am going. He knew there was much to see, and much to discover, but he also knew that one could likely spend a lifetime in such a city and still not understand all the intricacies that belonged to it. He took a deep breath and kept walking.
He noticed dwelling homes and what looked like some temple buildings. Wolflen wondered if there were any Free Mages in the city on a regular basis, and if so, he wondered if he would get to meet them. He thought about many things as he continued walking; about his home in Akartha, his parents, and about the future that seemed to be unfolding before his eyes. He had a moment of sudden terror in his mind when he realized that for as peaceful as things were at the moment, they wouldn’t always be that way. He had to fight Mortican. And even he knew at such a young and naïve age, that confronting Mortican would be no picnic.
He passed what looked like merchant shops, places for herbs, gemstones, books, and a few other assorted goods. He was drawn to one shop in particular because he smelled something delicious coming from its entryway. He looked three times to be sure he was about to enter a shop though, and not someone’s home. When he was confident it was indeed a shop, he entered slowly.
The shop was quaint and yet had an elegance that had to be admired. The scents of baked goods filled the air along with the smell of spices. Wolflen took a deep breath through his nostrils and saw a brown-haired Elf standing behind a counter that was half his height. He welcomed Wolflen warmly, bowing his head slightly and then speaking.
“Welcome traveler. I heard talk that there were Izenians in the city, but I was unaware that they would be well dressed.”
Wolflen was caught off guard when the Elven man spoke to him, and Wolflen touched his vest and shirt as if verifying that the Elf was speaking to him.
“Oh…” Wolflen remarked, “thank you. I suppose the level of dress is owed to the tailor that I was assigned. Say, this place has such a wonderful aroma. How much are those pastry cakes over there on the rack?”
“How much?” the Elf responded.
Wolflen repeated his question again, which caused the Elf to finally widen his smile.
“I’m a little embarrassed. I think you might have the wrong idea. You are a guest within this city, and to be garbed as you are means you are an honored guest. I am surprised that no one told you, but you will not have to pay for your food or drink whilst you are among us.”
Wolflen scratched his head. He smiled and asked then if he could have one of the pastries, and the Elf man gave him one. At his first bite, Wolflen complimented the Elf man saying it was the best pastry that he had ever eaten. The Elf man blushed a little and thanked Wolflen for the compliment.
After eating his pastry, Wolflen left the sweet shop and began up the road further. He was relieved this time to be cresting the large hill he had been walking earlier, and now glad to see it wind downwards ahead of him. The walking downhill would be much easier on him. So he continued his journey, and along the way there were many sights to behold. Some were of the landscape, others of strange creatures, and other sights that were also majestic to his eyes even included Elven architecture in various structures. Wolflen was amazed at how everything in the city seemed to blend in with nature that surrounded everything there.
He passed more courtyards, and some gardens, other homes and a few more merchant shops he thought. But again he noticed Unicorns running and playing in the fields beyond where he was walking. He didn’t stop this
time; at least not until one of the Unicorns trotted over to where he was. First, the Unicorn seemed to study Wolflen a moment, and then it snorted and whinnied playfully.
“Wow,” Wolflen said quietly, “you really are a beautiful creature. This place is amazing.”
To Wolflen’s jarring surprise, the Unicorn spoke back.
“Yes,” the male voice said smugly with a quick wit, “and so few foreign visitors. You must be one of importance if they garbed you in their materials.”
The Unicorn stared at Wolflen, and Wolflen understood suddenly that the Unicorn was awaiting a formal introduction.
“Ah,” Wolflen said, still taken aback by the concept of a talking horse, “I am Wolflen Darkmoon of Akartha. I am here because well…I am a War Mage and I need to find out as much as I can about being one.”
The horse whinnied and whined, and Wolflen could tell it was laughing.
Wolflen stood there a moment not knowing how to respond. Then the unicorn continued.
“Well Wolflen Darkmoon of Akartha. I was wondering if you had any extra pastries in your pocket. You see I noticed you leaving the shop back there, and I could have sworn I saw you tuck a pastry into one of your pockets before leaving.”
Wolflen felt cornered at the moment. He had in fact been given a pastry for the road. Now he was hesitant, but to appease the Unicorn, Wolflen reached into a pocket within his pants. There, wrapped in cloth he had another pastry. Wolflen pulled it toward himself with his palm upwards and the pastry in hand. He unwrapped the cloth that held the pastry, and the Unicorn took a single step forward, clearly interested in the pastry. Wolflen hated to give it up, but he thought it might be bad manners to refuse.
So with his hand palm upwards, he extended his arm. The Unicorn was slow to take the food, perhaps cautious of Wolflen, but it grabbed the pastry with delight and instantly turned and darted off into the distance. Wolflen didn’t understand its behavior at all, so he simply shrugged. That’s when he heard a voice behind him—a female Elven voice.
“They really do pester people. Most times we shoo them away when they beg for food like that. They are perfectly capable of getting their own food. So the next time one comes looking, feel free to send them away. You are Izenian correct? Forgive me, where are my manners? I am Nalla. I must say I did not expect to see an Izenian on the road this morning. Surely there is a story behind your presence here. Do you have time to tell it?”
The Elven woman looked to be beaming with excitement and joy. Wolflen thought she was beautiful, but also child-like to his eyes. Of course, he knew that there was a good chance she was hundreds of years older than he was. He took a breath and bowed his head slightly—a courtesy he had seen the Elves perform more than once now.
“My name is Wolflen Darkmoon and I hail from the city Akartha far to the South of here. I am on an errand of discovery—one of importance I believe. I am here to study Elven histories as they pertain to War Mages.”
Wolflen didn’t know why he had told his secret about being a War Mage to the Unicorn but now was trying to keep the secret to an Elf. Perhaps it was discernment that made him so cautious now. Whatever it was, Wolflen believed that maybe he should be careful about what he said and about how he said it. He recalled the warning that some Elves would not like the idea of an Izenian War Mage. This particular Elf though just smiled and replied.
“So you are a historian then? Well, it is good to see an unfamiliar face upon the road. I hope that if we meet again, our meeting will be just as pleasant. Of course, we won’t be strangers at that point will we?”
Wolflen was not sure how to react to her comments.
“No?” he said sheepishly, half as a statement and half like a question.
She said goodbye to him after that, and he was happy to do the same. He didn’t turn around to watch her walk away. Instead, he felt that it would be better if he were to hurry to his destination now. He didn’t want any more uneasy encounters, from any species. So he moved onward up the road quickly now. He considered jogging, but he thought that might alarm any other onlookers—a foreigner running through their streets might raise suspicion he thought. He wasn’t on horseback after all. So instead he just kept walking, which he did for quite a while. He asked directions once of an Elven Knight he guessed by way of the armor the Elf was wearing. The Elf chuckled slightly when the Izenian man said he was going to see the Princess, but nonetheless the Elf gave Wolflen directions. Wolflen was back on the right course after that, and soon he arrived at what he thought must have been the most beautiful estate in all of Peludeen. Guards waited at an outer wall gate. The wall itself was stone, but covered with vines and shrubbery so that the stone of the wall could not be seen.
The guards bowed their heads at Wolflen, motioning him onward toward the royal home. Beyond the front gate entryway were open grass flower gardens with fountains and landscaping like Wolflen had never seen before. He noticed that among these large gardens there was a gazebo with stone pillars on all four corners, and vine-covered wooden lattice for a roof. Inside the gazebo was a small fountain and water basin, and stone benches that encircled the interior perimeter of the whole gazebo. Katrina was lying on her side propped up on one elbow on stone bench, staring down at a book when Wolflen approached. He noticed her before she noticed him. Her fiery hair, her green outfit which seemed to be made to camouflage her in nature, with leaf patterns of color all throughout her outfit. She looked comfortable as a soft breeze blew through her hair, but Wolflen wondered how she could be while lying on the stone bench.
When he got closer, she looked up from her reading and stood, smiling all the while. Somehow, she knew she loved him. They hadn’t known each other long, but long enough to have formed a connection. Her fiery hair blew in the breeze and danced around her face. Her curves were something to be taken in, and it was nearly knocking Wolflen over to look at her. Her top, now dark emerald green, with patterns of golden leaves and swirl throughout. Up the side of her arms, and over her cleavage, her suit was dark brown mesh. Her leggings were brown too, with the same mesh up the thighs and the same golden leaves pattern throughout. Her boots were brown. Truly, the colors she wore now matched what he was wearing very nicely. He admired her through and through. He loved her, just as she loved him.
“Welcome Lord Darkmoon to my home in Peludeen. It would be gracious of you were you to take some tea with me. I have it boiling in the house if you would accompany me.”
She stood smiling at him, and he couldn’t help but smile back. He wanted to scoop her up in his arms and embrace her passionately, but he recalled what she had told him before about the Elven tea custom. So instead of taking her into his arms, he gently spoke.
“It would be an honor to take tea with you m’lady. That is, if I am worthy to be in the company of such beauty and grace.”
Katrina smiled and bowed her head slightly. Wolflen bowed his own head even lower, because he thought it was the right thing to do in the presence of royalty. And Katrina was impressed by Wolflen’s sudden show of manners. She knew he wanted to hold her, but she respected him that much more for honoring the tea service, and for treating her like the royalty she was. She knew he was an Izenian foreigner and that he might not observe Elven formalities as the Elves would, but she also knew that from the road other Elves could see into the garden they stood in now, and that had he swept her immediately into his arms, it would have become the talk of the town. So she wanted to wait, and was overjoyed that Wolflen respected that wish without her needing to ask it.
She did not take his hand when she led him into the house, though she wanted to. She passed the guards at the door and nodded slightly. They opened her double doors for her as she and Wolflen entered the home together. He followed her lead as they stepped over a floor of glass that covered the entryway. Below the glass was water deep blue in color, and fish in the water. Wolflen was amazed at the sight. It didn’t look deep; perhaps it was about four feet deep or so. Wolflen could see the sandy bottom bene
ath the glass and water. But it was amazing to see. Golden fish, silver fish, white, and even a beige color fish—all swam freely in a large area. Wolflen noticed that the glass flooring and water below covered the main entry way of the house, which was at least 50 by 50 feet Wolflen guessed, and then it seemed to extend to another room off to the right which Wolflen could not see yet. Katrina led him to that room though, which he was glad of, because he could see where the glass flooring and water beneath led to.
The next room to the right of the entryway was very large. It looked to be 200 feet long by 150 feet wide. It was a rectangular room, and bookshelves full of books lined the walls of the room on all four sides. But the back wall was split in two pieces, with exposed wall the length of 30 feet showing. On that wall map murals were painted up high, over 15 feet in the air. They were maps of all the known continents in the world of Fengysha. Below the murals was a brazier for a fire with a teapot hanging over the top of it. And in the middle of the room was a large wooden table covered with leaf patterns, and what looked to be etchings of vines. The etchings were all colored too, so the table looked as though it were covered in plant life.
The chairs in the room at the table matched the table in the design. Wolflen was asked to sit and so he did graciously. He noticed that at the end of the table she seated him, and two fine goblets sat empty upon the table. Katrina retrieved the teapot from the brazier fire and brought it to the table, pouring the steaming contents into each goblet carefully.
“So what do you think of Peludeen Lord Darkmoon?” she asked as she finished pouring the tea.
He smiled back at her saying, “I have never seen a more beautiful city.” As she sat herself across the table from him, he continued and said, “Nor have I met a more beautiful woman.”
Katrina blushed and took a drink of tea. Wolflen copied her action and admitted to himself that the flavor was delicious. He asked what kind of tea it was exactly.