‘I was just wondering why they would attack if they knew you would defeat them.’
Torgon stopped, both eyebrows raised. ‘You mean they believed we were almost powerless.’
‘It would fit, we fought the witches before, and they wouldn’t even think of coming here if there was any chance of them losing.’
Adair rubbed his chin through his beard. ‘I believe the warlock was trying to get to another world, but had no idea how or which one.’
Rasmus raised an eyebrow. ‘Someone told them, and not just of how weak we were, but also of the spell to this world.’
‘Either that or they were just arrogant,’ said Alex.
Adair shook his head. ‘That they were, but the warlock was also a coward. He wouldn’t take a chance if he thought he could lose. They would’ve known about the power of the elves before they came to this world.’
‘Even you were not sure if this world was finally created,’ Alex said to the wizard.
‘Yes, and that’s probably why I didn’t understand what they were trying to do.’
‘How long had they been looking?’ said Torgon.
‘About six hundred years or so,’ Adair replied. ‘That was when I first heard them mention another world.’
Alex pondered it. ‘Yeah, that would fit.’
‘Why would you think that?’
‘That’s about the time when Flax and Gort’s parents were killed.’
Soren folded his arms. ‘Around the time we banished Dagur.’
Alex shook his head. ‘You banished one of your own?’
‘Yes,’ said Torgon, ‘we had to, his evil deeds shamed us. Do you think that was wrong of us?’
‘No, I’m surprised that even one of you could be bad.’
‘I am afraid one was. Dagur never wanted to be here and often travelled to your world, or the dwarf world. He did unthinkable things there and here, so we refused him entry or should I say our world wouldn’t let him open the portal. We have not heard from him since.’
‘Did the warlock kill Flax and Gort’s parents for the same reason?’
‘I am sorry, I don’t really know much about what happened there.’
‘Mother and Daralis thought the warlock was just getting rid of anything none human. I then learn the only way you could ever find a puca is when they have a newborn, as they cannot hide so easy. My guess is the warlock thought he didn’t need the parents, and could use the babies instead.’
Ellinor rubbed her eyes. ‘So he took them after killing their parents.’
‘No, the pucas had friends in the animals of the forest. They took the babies to the white witches, who called for Briana to look after them, until they were old enough to fend for themselves.’
‘That is a nicer ending, but were there no other births?’
‘Not until a year ago.’
Rasmus wrung his hands in front of him. ‘I don’t think we should mention this to the others until after the festival.’
‘I agree,’ said Alex, ‘but what could they hope to gain here?’
Rasmus shrugged. ‘Another world where they could hide . . . or even try to change it. They would live a long time here, but then how would they know that?’
‘I’m sorry I brought up bad news before tomorrow.’
‘It is not really bad news,’ said Torgon, as they continued past the tents. ‘It’s an answer we needed, you stopped them, and now because of it we can protect ourselves.’
‘One other thing, you still have your leather armour I notice.’
‘They were from our old world a long time ago, things do not rot or fade away here unless through over use.’
‘Like your boots?’
‘Yes, some things just don’t last.’
‘We are here,’ said Rasmus. ‘The camp of the Elves from the Ice Mountain.’
The Ice Elves camped just outside the festival area. They were only allowed as far as the festival tents on this night so the traders could set up their tables, as was custom in all four kingdoms. He saw elves in their battle armour when four dressed in normal clothes approached them. Alex recognised the one as Lord Thalion. He looked like Torgon but was slimmer and a little younger, and like his brother, and most elves he had met, they had hazel eyes.
Thalion bowed slightly. ‘Lord Torgon and Lady Ellinor, it is good to finally be here.’
‘We were worried it might not take place,’ said a female elf with long dark hair.
‘Lady Tyra,’ said Torgon. ‘We feared the worst until friends old and new came to us when we needed them the most.’
‘Old and new,’ said Thalion, sounding curious.
‘You have met our new friend Lord Alex, and here is Lady Carrie,’ said Torgon, and they all bowed to each other.
‘My lady, it is an honour to meet you,’ said Thalion.
Carrie smiled. ‘Likewise, my lord and lady.’
‘And an old friend,’ Torgon added. ‘The great wizard Adair has returned to us.’
Thalion’s eyes grew wide. ‘Lord Adair?’
The wizard nodded. ‘Yes, my friend, it has been too long.’
‘Far too long,’ said Tyra, and embraced him. ‘Lord Torgon, do you have many more surprises for us?’
‘Yes, my lady, we have a few, and one of them is that Lord Adair and others helped us regain our old powers.’
Adair put his arm around Thalion. ‘After the festival we will help any others who would like to get theirs back, too.’
Thalion nodded. ‘I think we all would after what happened. I have spent most my time travelling here trying to remember.’
Alex glanced across at the warrior elves. ‘Do you still know how to make that armour?’
‘Yes,’ said Torgon. ‘Though we have not made any in a long while mainly due to the lack of material.’
‘I don’t think that will be a problem anymore.’
Tyra glanced at him. ‘Are you interested in the armour, Lord Alex?’
‘Yes, my lady, I believe there will be a few of my friends who would like to fight in it,’ said Alex, and looked at Carrie.
‘I’m good with it . . . I would wear it in battle.’
Thalion raised an eyebrow. ‘Do you expect many more battles, my lady?’
‘I wouldn’t say expect, but you’ve got to be prepared when you live in the same mansion with Alex, my lord.’
‘It sounds an interesting place.’
‘It is,’ said Alex, ‘but apart from the warlock and his evil sisters, we only killed demons to save our other friends.’
Carrie shot Alex a bewildering look. ‘Are you forgetting the troll we killed, and those spider things, and not forgetting the funny grey men and sabre tooth dogs.’
‘Oh, yeah, I forgot about those.’
‘Other friends,’ said Thalion curiously.
‘I think we will finish this conversation tomorrow,’ said Torgon. ‘We don’t want to ruin some surprises.’
Thalion laughed. ‘You never change do you?’
‘No, brother, not if I believe the wait will be worth it.’
Two elves in armour marched over to them, one male and one female. The armour was thick brown leather, with softer flexible material at the joints making it easier to move in. The front looked as if it had been moulded to the wearer’s shape, with the female armour more pronounced. The bottom had strips of thick leather hanging down to protect the upper part of the legs.
‘They are not hard to make,’ said Tyra. ‘We will get some of our clothes makers to show your people how.’
‘That would be kind of you,’ said Alex, as they walked through another camp where they saw other tents being set up.
‘The Western Elves of Firestorm Mountain,’ Rasmus announced.
Alex raised a brow. ‘That doesn’t sound the safest place to live.’
‘It is perfectly safe,’ said Torgon. ‘Though the name maybe a little misleading I have to admit.’
‘I like the names, they sound poetic,’ Carrie mused.
‘The Eastern Elves are from the Crystal Mountain,’ Tyra told her.
Carrie smiled. ‘We’ll have to visit all these kingdoms.’
‘You will all be welcome.’
‘We are the southern kingdom,’ said Torgon.
‘Are there any towns as well?’ said Alex.
‘There are quite a few, the biggest is central to all kingdoms, it is a trading town called Four Trees. We also have many smaller towns, villages, and farms.’
They met Lord Roscoe and Lady Norell, of the western elves. After introductions they made their way to the camp of the eastern elves and met Lord Marakus, who looked like the eldest and largest of the elf leaders, and Lady Henga. The custom before each festival was to toast in one of the village taverns. Neither Alex nor Carrie was unhappy about this. The tavern was full of villagers who had been sworn to secrecy about who had come from the other world. They sat around a large table with some of the villagers.
‘So, you’re kings and queens,’ said Carrie.
‘We were a long time ago,’ said Thalion, ‘but it got boring so we decided to give up the titles, why do you ask?’
‘You call your lands kingdoms.’
Thalion picked up a tankard. ‘It is what we have always called them.’
Alex studied the elf and there was something mischievous about him, nothing evil, and he realised Thalion was probably the elf version of James. ‘You got bored at being king.’
‘Yes,’ said Torgon. ‘It can get tiresome being called lord or your highness after so many years.’
Alex shook his head in disbelief. ‘Isn’t that what we’ve been doing since I first arrived here?’
‘We still use it for greetings and some elves insist on calling it you all the time.’
‘We met a few days ago and have called it each other ever since.’
‘You saved our people, it is only right to call it you.’
‘I prefer just Alex.’
‘Then, Alex, will you allow us to call you lord at the festival.’
‘Yes, Torgon, that’ll be fine, I actually don’t mind being called lord, but do we need to keep calling each other it after the initial greeting.’
Roscoe was younger than Marakus, but looked older than Torgon. ‘We are going to get along quite well, Alex.’
‘Tell me, Roscoe,’ said Torgon, ‘would you have done it differently?’
‘No, cousin, I believe I would have done it the same.’
‘I don’t care for all these airs and graces,’ said Adair. ‘We’re all the same as far as I’m concerned.’
‘Yes, Great Wizard,’ said Alex, ‘we’re all the same.’
Adair sipped on his ale. ‘I do like that title, even if the last period of my life might not agree with the description.’
‘Any other wizard would’ve done everything they told them to, and who knows what our world would’ve been like.’
‘I nearly did if you hadn’t visited me four hundred years ago.’
Torgon stared at Alex. ‘I did not realise you were that old.’
‘I’m not, I travelled back in time.’
‘Time travel is forbidden, if not impossible.’
‘Forbidden I can understand,’ said Alex, ‘if you went back physically and maybe impossible. Only my spirit went back to search for the witches. I’ll admit I spoke to two beings.’
Marakus took up nearly two seats at the table. ‘That is a novel idea, going back in time that way would cut down the chances of affecting the present.’
‘I wouldn’t mind doing that,’ Thalion added.
‘It could be fun I guess,’ Torgon agreed.
Alex leant back in his chair. ‘I didn’t notice at the time as I was searching for something. It was pleasant flying through the countryside, apart from the fact I couldn’t sense my daughters, and it made me feel hollow.’
‘No offence,’ said Marakus, ‘but I thought Adair would have been the leader.’
Adair smiled. ‘Alex is my nephew, and probably the most powerful man I have ever known.’
‘That’s high praise, Uncle, but I don’t know if it’s deserved,’ said Alex, feeling pleased, even more so when Carrie squeezed his arm and smiled.
‘Far from it, I can sense your power.’
Torgon nodded. ‘I saw it for myself when you defeated the demons and witches.’
‘Well, Marakus,’ said Alex, changing the subject. ‘If you could go back in time what would you want to do?’
‘I would like to use a bow and arrow, as I miss that more than anything.’
Torgon grinned. ‘I was doing that last night, and it was great fun.’
‘You travelled off world?’ said Marakus.
‘Yes, Alex invited us to his home.’
Ellinor’s eyes grew big. ‘It wasn’t just a bow, we got to use other weapons, too.’
‘My lady, are you teasing us?’ said Marakus.
‘Not at all, and I am sure Lord Alex will let you try it for yourself.’
Roscoe shook his head at his brother. ‘Marakus, the dwarfs have invited you many times. Verdan even offered to carry you.’
‘They have been promising to build a path from the portal making it easier for some of us to climb down,’ said Marakus, the stoutest elf Alex had seen. ‘The portal on their side is high in a mountain and not easy to negotiate . . . where are they anyway?’
‘No one has heard from them in a while, a couple of traders went through last week, but the snow lay too deep and had to come back.’
Torgon picked up his tankard. ‘We went months last time before we heard anything from them, as the weather was so bad.’
‘Where is the portal on this side?’ said Alex.
‘About a day’s ride from Four Trees.’
Marakus looked saddened by it. ‘So we can rule them out.’
Torgon nodded. ‘It’s a shame . . . they’re usually fun at festivals.’
Thalion studied his brother to see if he could gain any information from him. ‘You have new guests this time.’
Torgon winked at him. ‘More than you think.’
‘And you’re not going to tell us,’ said Tyra.
‘You will meet them soon, dear lady.’
‘Here are some now,’ said Alex, as the wolves entered the tavern. The cubs were very excited, so he fussed them.
Thalion stroked one. ‘We met them on the way here.’
Tyra smiled. ‘They are very pleasant.’
‘Did you have a good run?’ said Alex, as he looked at the adult wolves.
Yes, it was good for the young ones, said Rho, as he rested by Alex.
Roscoe raised an eyebrow. ‘You are very powerful indeed to have such a great wolf lie by you like that.’
‘No, I’m just lucky to have such great friends, and advisors.’
I haven’t done much advising lately, said Rho.
‘You’ve waited long enough to run properly with your cubs, and I don’t think anyone would begrudge you that.’
‘Many elves have also been training with swords again,’ said Torgon. ‘They tell me those at the mansion are hard taskmasters.’
‘James and Asima are good at what they do,’ said Carrie, ‘and they did teach me.’
They had a couple of drinks before saying there farewells and returned home. Everyone was already back including some not-over-happy gnomes. Most sat on the sofas reading books or watching the news channel on the television.
Claire looked up from her book. ‘So you’re back are you?’
‘Just doing ones duty, Mother,’ said Alex sarcastically.
‘And is that what you were doing, too, Lady Carrie?’ said Claire.
‘Nope, I was having a drink, and meeting other elves.’
‘I’m surprised at you going for all this ladyship stuff.’
‘I’m not, and if people here said it to me I would tell them to do one, but on their world it’s so natural.’
‘That’s true,’ said Paige, ‘they’re very genui
ne when they say it.’
Alex sat next to Claire on the sofa. ‘You don’t have to worry about it, we found out it’s only for greeting, after that you just use their normal names.’
‘Once is too much.’
‘Don’t you like being addressed like that?’
‘Do I look like a lady,’ said Claire, in more of a statement than a question.
‘Yeah, you do,’ said Alex, and she stuck her finger up at him.
Paige tugged at her hair. ‘You didn’t have too much to drink?’
Carrie shook her head. ‘No, I’ve a feeling I’m going to be busy tonight and in the morning.’
‘Do mine first so I can help you,’ said Paige, and they walked off.
Alex watched them go and noticed the gnomes, Fergal and Jarlath, messing with their tunics. ‘Why do the male gnomes look unhappy?’
Claire grinned. ‘Paige has had them trying on new clothes.’
‘I thought they would appreciate that.’
‘The ladies do, but the male gnomes are not over fond of the idea.’
‘Where are the children?’
‘In the cinema with most of the gnomes, the pucas and a few elves,’ said Livvy, as she sat down.
Alex smiled at her. ‘Hello stranger, I thought you might not come back.’
‘The plants and trees are fascinating, and so many colours even at night.
Alex glanced around the hall. ‘There are a few others I haven’t seen for a while, where’s Michelle?’
Claire grinned at him. ‘Upstairs . . . in a bedroom . . . with an elf.’
‘He’s a carpenter,’ Livvy added quickly.
‘She had two of them in the bedroom with her earlier,’ said James.
Alex looked at the smiling driver. ‘There’s a job to do tomorrow, and Jodie thought Joseph would like to do it, but I think you might want it.’
‘What job’s that?’
‘When we are seated at the tables, someone has to present the gifts to the others. One will be a roll of leather and the other a piece of wood.’
‘Definitely a job for Joseph, he’s much more graceful than me.’
‘I think you’d look good doing it,’ said Claire.
‘You would look good in robes,’ said Blaze.
‘It would suit his hair,’ said Claire.
James frowned. ‘You’d have to render me unconscious before getting any robes on me.’
Other Worlds: Vesta Mansion Trilogy - Book Two - Fantasy Page 32