by Jordan Cramm
“It is Garden Blend, a specialty among the Elves especially here at Peludeen. But I have also given you a cordial with it, something for energy refreshment. Please forgive me if I was presumptuous to give you the cordial. I just thought that it might help you sway from any thoughts of fatigue; thoughts which might call you away from me.”
Wolflen smiled softly and stared at her a moment. In fact he couldn’t take his eyes off of her. She was even more beautiful to him now than she was when they first met, if that was indeed possible. He commented about her suit which he wasn’t quite sure if it was armor or not. She told him it was indeed, and that it was thin mithril armor. She said it would not protect as well as heavier mithril armor, but that the armor she wore allowed for full movement and flexibility with a full range of motion, while at the same time providing excellent protection from attacks.
“The Elves have perfected the art of making armor from mithril. Tomorrow, you will have your own, though I may have just given away a secret, so act surprised when you get it. But the clothes you wear now are mithril—a very thin mithril suit, but mithril just the same.”
Wolflen looked down at himself suddenly.
“I….I had no idea.”
His statements were clearly expected from Katrina. She smiled at him and lowered her head to look at the table a moment as she spoke again.
“Lord Darkmoon, you came to my rescue in tavern row, and that in itself is something. You are also the first new War Mage of Fengysha in hundreds of years. I think those reasons more than merit Elven involvement and demand that we tailor you in fineries of our culture.”
Wolflen smiled at her as she peered through some hair strands up at him. She fascinated him. There was no other way to say it except to say that she enthralled him. He hoped and believed that they would have a long future together.
As they sat taking tea together, time passed all too quickly Wolflen believed. He knew Peludeen was a wonder waiting to be explored, and yet he was intoxicated by the company she offered. He found his thoughts at a crossroads, knowing full well he would be training as a War Mage, but desiring little else but to remain close to her, safe and happy in her company.
They talked for hours after that. Each of them shared stories of their past; their youth, their experiences before they met each other. He even mentioned to her the tale of his visit to Grimton with Ayvock and the details of that story made her laugh and smile. He told her that she was beautiful when she smiled, and that if the sun never rose again another day, he would always be able to find comfort in the brightness and warmth of her smile. And so time passed quickly for both of them as they shared stories with one another. They both agreed that it was nice to be together again. She also assured him that while they would indeed have more time apart in coming days, that it would not be a permanent separation but rather needed time for him to train. She promised she would see him as much as she could however, and that was enough for Wolflen to go on.
They took all three meals together that day in her home, and hated the darkness that night brought. She didn’t want him to go, nor did he want to leave. Just the same though, she reminded him that the following day would be the start of training. Now, knowing he should go in order to rest for it, he almost resented becoming a War Mage. But he told himself in his mind, the sooner he was trained, the better he would be at defending her when the time came. That at least, was a spurring thought that allowed him to leave her, though he assured her that she would be in his dreams that night. He wanted to kiss her now, but knew too many of her servants would see.
She decided at that point that she would accompany him back to the Hall of Emerald Shielding. He told her she didn’t have to make a special trip on his account. But she retorted and argued that doing so would give them just a little more time together, and he couldn’t argue with that notion or the merit it held.
“Besides,” she remarked, “I am the Elven Princess of Orenty and this is my city. It does me and my people good for me to take a nightly stroll once in a while.”
Wolflen smiled and bowed his head slightly.
Chapter 14: The Patience of A Raven
Ravenshade stretched with the morning light, cleaning herself of mud and dirt as best as she could. She yawned and scanned her surroundings quickly. She knew she was quite close to the city of Peludeen. She also knew that getting too close could mean that she would be discovered as a Night Elf, and that her chances of survival after that would diminish. She took a deep breath and scratched her head a moment. Then, with keen senses, she sharpened her gaze as she looked around in the trees all around her. She found what she was looking for at last; a group of fairies buzzing around their home and talking to one another rapidly.
Ravenshade was slow in her approach, and she did her best to keep quiet. The fairies buzzed around continuously, unaware of her presence until it was far too late for hope. Ravenshade’s hands began to glow, and one by one fairies began to spontaneously combust in mid air, falling and burning to ash on the ground. Only one fairy was spared, and it was locked in a mind control spell at once. Ravenshade called it to herself to discover that the fairy was a female as well. It stood in her palm as ordered, and it was about the size of a human hand all together. Its wings settled upon its back as Ravenshade continued to thicken the mind control hold over the fairy.
Ravenshade’s desire was simple. She knew she could not simply go walking into Peludeen. On the other hand, a fairy could. This particular fairy slave though would be sent first only to observe and report. Once Ravenshade knew where her prey was, and what they were doing in Peludeen, she would better be able to plan her next move. And if by some miracle the fairy was able to draw the War Mage away from the city and into the Emerald Jungle once more; well Ravenshade vowed that would be a delightful day. So, she issued her dark commands to the lone fairy, and the lone fairy blinked its eyes before taking flight once more. Ravenshade expected a report back that night, and so she knew she had time to wait; time that she would need to remain hidden. So she cast an invisibility spell on herself and then she sat down with her back against a nearby tree. She knew that anyone passing by who had the spell to see through invisibility working on their eyes would find her and she would have to fight. But she wasn’t expecting that. So she waited. She sat, and she waited some more.
The middle of the day approached and she felt hunger growing inside her. She began to look around, and she knew she was not only hungry, but feeling the magical drain of keeping her invisibility spell going. She stood and stretched, scanning the area for any fruits she might find. She saw some hanging high above in the treetops, and more importantly, up where treetop walkways existed. She thought about the fruit cluster above and decided to take a risk. So using a spell, she freed the fruit cluster from the branches it was clinging to, and suddenly the fruit fell from the sky to the ground beside her. She saw it fall and watched some of the fruit splatter as it hit the ground. But otherwise there was no sound and nothing moved either at her level, or above. She continued to wait. The waiting was endless, but necessary. She waited for what must have been another two chimes (if the area had the chiming system) before touching the fruit. She knew that Elves were patient and that they might have been hidden and waiting to see if the fruit was touched after it fell to the ground. If it had been, it would have been a sign that something invisible moved on the ground.
At last, Ravenshade picked up the fruit and began to eat it at once. Once each bite was in her mouth, it disappeared from all visibility. She ate until her fingers all felt sticky, and until her belly felt full. She decided afterwards to pile the remaining fruit on the ground and scatter it somewhat. She knew that some creatures would be drawn to the smell eventually, and in fact she was counting on it. If Elven hunters came along to hunt the game that came for the fruit on the ground, then the positions of the Elven hunters would be compromised. Ravenshade would know where they were posted, and where they were stationed to guard their area. She knew her plan would n
ot be immediate. As close to Peludeen as she was, she knew that the animals of the jungle would respect their boundaries. Still, some animals would be drawn to the availability of the fallen fruit. All Ravenshade had to do is wait.
Though invisible, she knew she could still be heard, and she could leave tracks too if not careful. Fortunately for her, she was standing on a large area of packed clay, and it was not showing any of her footprints. So, while she waited for her fairy slave to return with news from the city, Ravenshade decided to swing her swords a few times. She swung both blades in the air, swirling around her time and again. Of course, no onlookers could see the performance at the moment, but Ravenshade executed a series of routines until at last she was nearly out of breath and sweating. She knew that exercise such as her weapon practice routines in the middle of a jungle was nearly insane because the jungle was already warm and humid. But as she stopped for a break, she recalled the time when she was a slave as a young girl, and the conditions she worked in back then had been much worse. In fact, the memories of such times inspired her to swing her swords again, and this time much faster than before. She was still hot and sweaty. But she fought through the physical conditions and swung away at the rage she felt within.
When she was finished at last, she settled down and sat at the base of a nearby tree once more. She only stopped now because she knew fatigue was closing in on her. Her physical training coupled with her invisibility spell was taking a serious toll on her, not to mention the mind control spell that she was keeping on the fairy. Of course, Ravenshade had worked out a plan to minimize her spell effort in that regard. When the fairy returned, it would spend the remainder of the night inside a boot that tied at the top to keep the fairy from escaping. Ravenshade knew it might fuss and try to escape, but she was smart enough to keep a fairy trapped overnight while she herself slept.
It would have been another chime at least, by a chime system anyway, before the fairy returned with a report. Its little wings were tired, and it landed sluggishly in Ravenshade’s palm. She pulled her hand toward her face and demanded a report. The fairy began talking at once, in a squeaky voice that did not seem so loud to someone so much larger than the fairy. But her words were clear just the same.
“There are two Izenian strangers within the city. One is called Ayvock of Akartha and he looks forward to training as a Knight in the House of Emerald Shielding at Peludeen. He is clumsy I believe and not mannerly among the Elves. He offended a Unicorn today and so the Unicorns do not care for him too much. The other Izenian has a name I do not know, but the talk within the city is that he spent the day at the home of the Elven Princess who also lives in the city.”
Ravenshade knew that the fairy must be referring to the one who was the War Mage when the fairy spoke of an Izenian spending time with the Princess. Ravenshade recalled the night when she snuck up on them both, and would have had their lives had it not been for the interference of the other Izenian.
“What else?” Ravenshade asked rather calmly.
The little fairy trembled in her hand.
“Just that the second Izenian walked back to the Hall of Emerald Shielding after spending the day at the home of the Princess.”
Ravenshade looked away quickly saying, “Yes yes, I know. This so called War Mage has some kind of relationship with the Princess. It seemed so when I encountered them before. That is not news, but old news. You are a worthless slave. I should destroy you now and be done with you.”
But Ravenshade did not destroy the fairy. Nor could she let the fairy go either. So, she did just as she had planned to do before; she imprisoned the fairy within her boot after removing it from her own foot and leg. She tied the laces tight around the whole of the boot, and the fairy could not escape the boot.
It squealed from within the boot for a short while after Ravenshade released the mind control spell for the night. Ravenshade also released the invisibility spell as well and she returned to the spot she slept the night before, under the large roots of a tree that had roots above ground. She climbed in once more, again feeling the discomfort of the situation, and this time having a boot with a squealing fairy inside sitting right beside her face. She grinned slightly and fell asleep. In fact, with her fatigue from physical activity, overall boredom, and the magical drain of her spells, it was easy to sleep, and eventually the fairy gave up squealing and went to sleep too. For the rest of the night, both rested quietly. Ravenshade knew that the morning was coming at a slow pace, but she had patience, and was far from giving up on her prey for the obstacles she currently faced. She would do her best to outlast them. They had to leave the city sometime she knew. So until they did, it was a standoff. She remained hidden in the jungle, and they remained unaware of the predator outside the city walls.
Chapter 15 The Secret Is Leaked
Evening had come and gone in Peludeen and the stars were out now in the clear night sky. Wolflen and Katrina had spent practically the whole day together at her home there in Peludeen, and now they walked side by side toward the Hall of Emerald Shielding. As they walked, Wolflen noticed how everything within the city was especially beautiful at night. The air was slightly cooled to 72 degrees with a soft breeze, and the trees seemed to almost talk in the night as their leaves swayed in the breeze. Lanterns illuminated the colors of banners on poles, and the lanterns also made shadows of every natural thing along the road. Unicorns still danced in the distant fields and gardens, but many had moved closer to the various roads of town. Katrina explained that many people walked the wooded city at night, and many fed the Unicorns. Wolflen asked if she had ever ridden one, and Katrina chuckled while lowering her head a little and answering yes.
He asked her if there was an embarrassing story behind that topic, and Katrina looked up at him grinning.
“Let’s just say Lord Wolflen, that they can be quite frisky. To them, agitating people is like a game. They always try to be a playful nuisance, but sometimes they go too far. One named Shravista once tossed an Elven Princess into a creek not far from here. That, and left the Princess for the walk back alone, and it was all because the Princess bet Shravista that a Princess could in fact ride a Unicorn.”
Wolflen smiled and looked at her as they walked.
“Was it worth it?” he asked.
“Well,” Katrina responded with a smile, “I rode him TO the creek. So I guess I was right in a way.”
Wolflen paused a moment on the road, and so Katrina stopped with him. He told her that he thought she was the most beautiful person that he had ever seen. She smiled at him and told him he was being sweet.
“M’lady,” I know that there are eyes everywhere in this city. I swear it comes alive at night because we have passed far more Elves tonight than I did on my slow journey to see you this morning. But m’lady I really want to hold you in my arms, and to kiss you right now.”
Katrina’s face beamed with a smile that nearly melted his heart. She stared back into his eyes with her own, emerald in color, and now softly glowing in the dim lantern lights of the road.
“Then do it.” Katrina said at last with a whimper in her voice.
She was past the point of resistance, and she wanted him as much as he wanted her.
“I have been waiting for you to do that since you entered my home this morning.”
He wrapped her in his arms quickly, but tenderly. She tilted her head towards his and he leaned down slightly, kissing her soft lips passionately. He felt her tongue touch his, and on the road they shared a moment of passion that was a thing for all to see apparently. She couldn’t tell how long they kissed for, but she felt her body almost meld into his embrace as they kissed. Every breath he breathed through his nose was intoxicating. Her scent was upon the air, dancing around his face by her hair that blew against it softly. He squeezed her tighter than before and she gave a surprised moan when he picked her up slightly. But she didn’t fight it. On the contrary, she wanted to just wrap her legs around him and stay in his embrace. She didn’t
though. As much as she wanted to, she fought the urge, figuring someone was watching. She did kiss him back still, but when she didn’t wrap her legs around him, he set her back on her feet after a moment.
They separated for a quick deep breath, but it was clear that they both wanted more. Again, their tongues worked back and forth, and their lips massaged themselves against one another gently. He moaned “Um hm” slightly, encouraging her to keep kissing him. She obliged willingly and he felt her hands rushing up his shoulders. His own lowered to her waist as he tightened their embrace. He wanted to slide a hand lower and grab her butt, but he knew it might not be respectful if other Elves were passing by. Seeing their Princess in the arms of an Izenian might be bad enough, but getting furiously groped would just add insult to injury. So instead, he spread his hand open wide across the small of her back, holding her securely, while putting his other hand on her face to gently caress her cheek. She smiled as they slowly pulled free of each other, each blinking and swallowing their lust and passion at once.
They hadn’t known how long they had been kissing, but when it was over, there were several onlookers. In fact, there were far too many to count. Among the crowd, Wolflen saw Ayvock with a bottle of alcohol raised in the air in a salute of sorts. Jakarta was also in the crowd, staring with disapproval in his eyes, and trying to keep his composure. At least 100 Elves had gathered round. Most were quiet, but Ayvock broke the silence by cheering.
Katrina looked puzzled as to why the onlookers where there in the first place. Jakarta stepped forward to explain, and Ayvock was right beside him the entire way.
“What is going on here Jakarta?” Katrina demanded.
“Princess how do I put this. Well Ayvock here had some Tika wine. And the Elven Tika wine loosened his tongue slightly, and he began to tell some Elves why he and Wolflen had come here; the real reason. And of course, the story spread.”