by Terry Spear
Eloria told them who they were first. "What issues do you have between your dragons and the giants?" It was always important to learn what the problem was right up front.
"We ice fish for our dragonlings. Once they are old enough to hunt for food farther away from our lairs, we replenish our food that way. But until they can fly and hunt on their own, with us, of course, we have to fish in the rivers here. The dragonlings can only feed on sturgeon. It has always been our way. But the current snow giant king has declared the sturgeon are his. Persephonice has said that the reason the king has decided the fish are his is because an elf told him that they will make him more powerful than any other food or fish he can consume."
"What kind of elf?" Eloria had to learn which kind had caused all the trouble in the first place.
"A river elf."
Eloria explained to Viator and Balen what had happened.
"Come. I'm sorry. I should have offered you shelter while we talk." Rollin led them to one of the ice caves.
Eloria was expecting to see it full of ice and as cold as the weather outside, but deeper into the cave it was warm. She thought they'd see a bunch of dragonlings here, but it appeared to be the king's own cave full of treasure. A couple of female dragons, one that appeared to be his age, and another that was smaller, maybe a teen, were there, watching the newcomers.
"Another of them has come, my king?" the older female dragon asked, sniffing at them.
"Eloria, dragon keeper," the king said, waving his arm at her. "Prince Viator of the darkland elves and Lord Balen, also dragon keepers."
The other two dragons' eyes widened.
Eloria was surprised to hear him call them dragon keepers. The news must have been spread from the other dragons.
Then the older female frowned. "What are they to do about the giants when the others could do nothing? Before long, our dragonlings will die. They can only eat the sturgeon in the rivers and they have had none for four days."
"Is there a way into the castle where the giants live?" At least Eloria thought they would live in a castle. What did she know? She felt pressed to do this as quickly as she could, hating to hear that the dragonlings were being starved.
"Aye," the king said.
The teen spoke up. "You are tiny enough that you can crawl into spaces that giants and dragons can't access. Maybe you could get inside and free the others. At least we believe they've been taken prisoner."
"That's a great idea!" Eloria said.
The girl smiled a little, her wicked teeth on display.
"You'll have to find it yourself. We have a map of the region and where everyone resides. But we can't accompany you. They would take our arrival as an act of war," King Rollin said.
"No, we'll go alone." Eloria figured they didn't have any choice.
"The sun will begin to go down soon. If you fly from the direction of the sun so that it is in their eyes and shine your lights at the same time, you might be able to reach their castle without detection."
"We'll try that," Eloria said.
"If you don't succeed, you could be imprisoned like the others."
Eloria turned to Viator and Balen. "Maybe only two of us should go. If we don't return, the person who stays behind can return home and tell the king and queen we didn't make it."
"You know I stay with you," Viator said.
"I wouldn't be able to save face if I went on a mission with you and left you both behind to your fates. I stay with the two of you." Balen folded his arms.
"All right. Are we ready to do this?" Eloria was trying to sound brave, but she was terrified. It was one thing to face her own death for what she believed in, yet another when she took others she cared about into danger.
Persephonice was her good friend and her companions and she had to find a way to save them. Viator and Balen had heard of her, but they didn't know her like Eloria did. And they had to find a way to aid the dragonlings.
"Aye. Now that the sun is at the right place to help hide us," Viator said.
They headed out and she prayed that this part of the plan would work. Beyond that, she hoped they could find a way into the castle and a way to the dungeon without getting caught.
They didn't say anything as they flew in the direction of the giant's castle, not wanting to be heard, if the giants had exceptional hearing. They used their lights to help disguise themselves against the backdrop of the sun, though Eloria was trying to maintain her hold on Viator also.
Then they saw the snow-covered white stone towers of the castle looming tall in the distance. Everything was in giant proportions and it didn't take them long to reach the huge castle.
She could see right way that gaps between the stones were big enough for them to squeeze in. But some of the gaps had been filled with mortar deeper inside, and they'd have to chip away at the mortar, or fly off and find a gap that wasn't blocked off with mortar. Because they were afraid that chipping away at the mortar might catch a giant's attention, they opted for flying close to the walls and searching for a place where the gap went all the way through to the inside wall of the castle. They finally found one after a dozen tries and they rested inside for a moment, before proceeding into the castle. Viator went first, shoving his amulet into his woolen tunic to hide the crystal in case it began to glow.
The building was huge and drafty. Though they were small, they were still big enough for a giant to see if one should come across them. She wished she could turn invisible.
Then they had a bit of luck. A white rat came out of a hole in an inner wall, spied them, and wrinkled its nose as he smelled them.
"Can you understand me?" Eloria whispered
"Yes, though I can't believe you can. You look like the other one who is here, with the red hair and rounded ears," the rat said.
"Yes. Did she speak to you?"
"No, I only heard her speaking to the giant king and he had them locked in the dungeon. I didn't know she could speak with other creatures, like me."
"Can you tell us where they are?"
"I could show you if you could follow the path I take, but you are too big."
"Is there another path?"
"What would you give me?"
"The dragons would be most grateful if you could help us change the giant king's mind about eating the sturgeon."
The rat smiled. Then he frowned. "I do have a way. But what would you do for me?"
"Take you away from here, if you wish."
"Agreed. To the warmer climes? Where I can forage for food in lush, green forests?"
"We can do that," Eloria said.
"All right. But it's a long and dangerous path to the dungeon. Come this way." The rat took them down one passage and then the next. Every time they felt the floor vibrating with a giant's footfalls, the rat showed them a place that was big enough for the elves and Eloria to hide. They watched as a giant stomped past them, and she couldn't help but break out in a sweat, despite how chilly the place was.
Viator wrapped his arms around her, warming her, before they had to rush out of their hiding place to follow the rat again.
They were going lower, until they had to traverse stairs that led down into the dungeon. Here, they didn't see any place to hide, but no one seemed to be about. When they finally reached the bottom floor, the rat ran ahead, but Eloria saw Persephonice and two shadow elves in a cell. Eloria and the others rushed to the iron grated door. She was afraid they'd have to find a set of keys for the cell door.
"Eloria," Persephonice whispered, rising from her bed. She pointed to a room ahead. "The guard is sleeping inside."
"We need to get you out of here."
"Stand back." Persephonice proceeded to melt the bars.
Eloria's mouth gaped. When had her friend learned to do that? And why hadn't they already escaped?
"Interesting." The rat whispered, "I will do the most odious thing I can do, uhm, leave some of my digested food mixed with the pounds of fish the giants have stored for their king. I can
tell you he will be sicker than…, well, you can imagine. He will swear off the sturgeon. But do not leave me behind. I will meet you where I first saw you. Can you make it back without my aid?"
"Yes, thanks. We'll see you there." Eloria hugged Persephonice as soon as she was free, and they all hurried to vacate the dungeon. With more of them there, she was afraid it was going to be harder to leave undetected.
Not only that but a bell began to ring. Giants were pounding the halls with their huge footfalls and the elves and Eloria and her friend couldn't figure out if the giants were coming or going. Every time the footfalls faded away, they would hurry to the next safe place and work their way through the wall to another hall.
They heard a lot of noise and laughter somewhere off in the distance. It sounded like the giants were feasting. Eloria hoped that the rat had made it in time to add some seasoning to the fish the king would eat before he had his dinner. She wanted to know that their mission was successful before they left the castle, but she wasn't sure it would be possible. She never liked to have to wait on anything, preferring to get things done as quickly as she could.
They finally reached the place between the rocks that would afford them escape from the castle, and introduced themselves to each other.
"Okay, how about Viator and Balen take Persephonice and either Dracolin or Balon. And then I'll wait here with whoever is left, since I can talk to the rat. Then the two of you can come back for the remainder of us and the rat."
"As much as I hate leaving you behind, we have to. It would be better to do so now while we have the chance." Viator held Eloria in the narrow space and kissed her.
"Take Balon. I'll stay with Eloria," Dracolin said.
"My thanks." Viator then left with Persephonice and Balen carried Balon to the ice dragon's lair.
Eloria knew it would take a while before Viator and Balen could return. She also assumed Dracolin would think she was the enemy, but they didn't talk while waiting to hear from the rat.
Then there was a roar in the great hall where the king must have been feasting with his people. The conversation was no longer cheerful in the giants’ boisterous, loud and gruff manner, but concerned.
"It is fresh caught today, Your Majesty. It is from the same river we always fish from."
"The sturgeon will kill me!" the king roared, his angry voice shaking the walls all around them.
"It was the river elf who said it was good for you," another giant shouted.
"He is a dead man if any should set eyes upon him again."
Eloria wondered what a river elf would hope to gain by causing issues between the ice dragons and giants.
Suddenly, the rat jumped into the space between the walls, startling her. She clasped her hand over her mouth to silence her squeak.
"Will you love me and take care of me?" the rat asked Eloria.
She thought it was an odd question, but perhaps he needed friendship if he was to leave behind his fellow rats. "Yes, of course." She would do anything to make this right for the ice dragons. She realized she had a real affinity for them—for all dragons, it seemed.
"Good. You must seal our bargain with a kiss."
She frowned at him, thinking how awful that would be. "I'm good for my word."
"You kiss the prince, and you love him," the rat said.
She sighed. "All right." She would pretend the rat was like a puppy she once owned. She kissed the rat and to her shock, he grew and morphed into an elf.
She stared at him, but Dracolin pulled out his sword, ready to skewer the elf.
"I am a high elf, turned into a rat when I betrayed a fellow high elf. But I have learned my lesson well." He bowed his head to her. "You don't really have to love me now. You just had to show that you did while I was a rat to break the spell. You are my savior. I'm Reynaldo, by the way."
She couldn't believe she'd kissed a rat who turned out to be a high elf. She wanted to ask him about his betrayal, but she wanted to limit how much they talked while they could still be overheard by the giants, should any come this way.
It seemed to take Viator and Balen forever to reach them, but as soon as they made their way between the blocks of stones, both of them stared at the high elf like Dracolin and Eloria had done.
"The rat," Eloria said, taking hold of Viator. "Reynaldo. Let's get out of here while we can."
"I promise I'll return for you," Balen said, "once I've delivered Dracolin to the dragons' lair."
"I will wait for you to return for me," Dracolin said to Balen. "Since the high elf helped to show you the way to free us and to solve the issue between the giants and the dragons, we owe him much gratitude."
Reynaldo eyes misted. "My thanks to you. You don't know how much I've wanted to escape this place. And…my former, furry form."
The sun had nearly set when they flew off, but a distant fire on a mountaintop lighted their way. They could not use their own lights to help them, so they were glad that the dragons had done so for them.
Eloria loved the freedom of leaving the castle behind as they flew in the direction of the dragon's lair. They were quiet until they were halfway to the cave and sure that the giants couldn't throw stones at them, if they could even make out the elf specks flying in the night.
She explained who the rat was, and that the king had become violently ill.
"But what if he believes it's just a one-time occurrence?" Viator asked.
"I have many rat friends. They promised to do the same with any sturgeon the giants fish out of the river. The dragons shouldn't have any more problem from them," Reynaldo said.
When they finally arrived at the dragon's lair, the king greeted them with wariness.
"It is done," Eloria said, thankful that they could help the dragons, but also that they could save her friend and the others. In the light of the cave, she realized Viator and Balen's wings were nearly transparent. "You know, I loved seeing your wings."
Viator smiled, looking pleased that she liked them. "No problem. Once they are completely invisible, I can make them fully visible anytime I want."
"And we would, whenever we're trying to catch a woman's attention," Balen said. "Or show another prospective male who is interested in a woman we want to court to bug off."
She chuckled, but then she turned serious and said to Reynaldo, "How did you betray a fellow high elf?"
"I'm returning for Dracolin," Balen said, and took off again.
"I was the apprentice to the green wizard," Reynaldo said. "He told me to get the ingredients for a particular potion. I'd always done everything he asked of me, no matter how dangerous. I…I wasn't worried. I thrived on danger. That was until I had to extract poison from a spider. One drop of the venom can kill an elf. I have to admit I'm terrified of spiders. I failed him. He told me if I didn't bring the poison back by the appointed time, I'd turn into a rat and one of the high elves would banish me to the giants' castle in the north. The only way I could ever return to my elf form was to make an elf fall in love with me. Which I knew would never happen because the elf would need to rescue me, profess her love, and kiss me. But Eloria isn't even an elf, so I don't know how come the spell was broken."
"She is a half high elf," Viator said, "and since she can speak and understand the various languages of other creatures, you got lucky."
Persephonice was staring at Eloria. "You're a high elf? You know magic?"
Eloria smiled. "Yes. But you know I had to keep my talents hidden from your father."
"My father. He sent you to return me to the ship, didn't he?" Persephonice asked Eloria.
"Yes, but I learned you and Dracolin were married. Prince Zorak destroyed my bracelet and the one I was to give to you. So we can't return even if we wanted to and neither of us do. I'm staying with Viator, though his parents may not approve of me returning to the castle. Why didn't you leave the cell when you had the ability to melt the bars?"
"We had no place to go. We couldn't fly away. And if we'd called out to the dragon
s to come take us from the castle, we could have started an all-out war. We only hoped that I could convince the giant king to free us," Persephonice said. Then she smiled. "It's so good to see you. I didn't think I'd ever seen any of my kind here, nor that one of my kind was one of the elf kind too."
"I'm so glad to see you too." Then they caught up on what was going on with crewmembers on the ship.
"Same old thing. You suspected you couldn't convince me to return and you knew what would happen to you," Persephonice said.
"Yeah, but I'm glad I'm here now with you and the others I've made friends with."
Balen returned with Dracolin, and the winged elf looked worn out, but his wings were also clearer!
"You can live with the shadow elves," Persephonice said to Eloria. "We would be happy to have you there and you can be an overseer like me."
Eloria smiled.
Viator laughed. "My parents will come around. I'm the only son they have."
Dracolin agreed. "It was the same with me marrying Persephonice to begin with.”
"So you didn't know that the green wizard died?" Eloria asked Reynaldo.
Tears actually filled the apprentice's eyes. "No. If…if I could do it all over again, I would."
"Why didn't he obtain the poison from the spiders himself?" Eloria asked.
"He was as terrified of them as I was."
Everything they'd had to accomplish, seemed to correspond directly with the green wizard. What if the door with the symbol of poison on it referred to a poisonous spider and not the poison Lars men had put in the river? She mentioned it to Reynaldo and he sat back.
"Oh, no, no."
"You've been through all the doors of the wizard's memorial?" Eloria said.
"Aye, since I was the wizard's apprentice."
"The door with the symbol of the mist on it?"
"No. It never appeared."
"But you know of it."
"Aye. It's only supposed to appear when all other tasks were met. But, from what Sarazan said, they would be different quests for different people."