“Humans are not welcome in these woods,” the elf stated. “Why should we allow you and your companion to pass?”
“I’m a wielder,” he responded.
“If that is true,” the elf said speculatively, “we may let you pass. What is the nature of your business with the elf king?”
“It is a matter for the elf king alone,” Traven replied.
The elf stared back at him for several moments. Traven wondered what the elf was thinking and decided it might be best to prove that he was a wielder. Hopefully that would convince the elves to let him continue on. He thought for a moment and quickly formed a shield around himself and Darian. He then wrapped fire all around the shield.
Darian looked over at him with surprise as the fire raged around them. He smiled and lowered his head once again. Traven couldn’t see the elves through the flames, but he was sure his point was being made quite clearly. He waited a few more moments before letting the fire and shield disappear. The elves stared back at him in stunned silence. They had all lowered their arrows. One of the elves had even dropped his entire bow.
“May I proceed?” Traven asked, trying not to smile.
“I suppose so,” the elf standing in front of them said as he shook off the surprise. It was clear that he couldn’t stop Traven. “However, your companion will need to lower his hood if he wants to accompany you.”
Traven thought about arguing but decided against it. If the elves were willing to peacefully let them pass, he didn’t want to press his luck. Darian was going to have to reveal himself eventually. He might as well do it now.
“Go ahead,” he said, urging Darian to drop his hood.
Darian mumbled something under his breath that Traven couldn’t make out and slowly raised his hands to his hood. He gripped the hood tightly for several seconds and then suddenly threw it back. The elf in front audibly gasped.
“Darian?” he blurted out. He shook his head and blinked several times as if he couldn’t believe his eyes. “It is you!”
Darian held his head high, reminding Traven of when he had first met the elf. He turned in his saddle to allow the other elves to see his face as well. All stared back with wide eyes. Darian started his horse forward and rode past the elf in their path without looking down at him. Traven hurried to follow and was soon alongside his companion.
Behind them, a small commotion arose as the elves regrouped and whispered urgently to one another. After several moments, two of the elves took off at a dead run in a northeasterly direction. The remaining three stared after Traven and Darian before disappearing back into the forest.
“That went well,” Traven said with a smile.
“For you,” Darian replied.
“Is that why you had your hood up?” he asked. “You knew the scouts and didn’t want them to see you?”
“I do not know them,” Darian replied. “They are not from my haven, but I did recognize the elf who was standing in our way. I thought he might know my face.”
“He also knew your name and was surprised to see you,” Traven said curiously. “It seems he knows you better than you know him.”
“I am known amongst the elves,” Darian replied with a sigh, “even among those of the other havens. I suppose it was foolish of me to try and hide my identity. Everyone will know of my oath before the day is over. I should not be ashamed of it.”
Traven sat in thoughtful silence. He knew Darian was one of the best elven swordsmen, but he had to be even more than that if an elf from a different haven instantly recognized his face. He was someone of importance among the elves.
“Darian, who are you?”
“I am your devoted servant,” Darian replied, trying his best to look clueless. “After all our time together I thought you knew that.”
Traven couldn’t help but laugh. At least Darian was in a better mood now.
“I’m serious,” Traven continued. “Why did those elves recognize you?”
“I suppose you will learn soon enough,” Darian said as he grew serious. “The elf king is my uncle.”
“You’re the nephew of the king? You’re royalty,” Traven stated with surprise. “Why didn’t you say anything earlier?”
“It did not matter before,” the elf replied. “I am no longer royalty. I am only the devoted servant of a master wielder.”
“You’re still the nephew of the elf king,” Traven countered. “Swearing devotion does not change your blood.”
“Perhaps,” Darian replied. “It still does not change the fact that I am now your devoted servant. Your markings stand boldly on my honor tattoo for all to see. All who look at my face will know that I am a servant, not someone to be served.”
“You know I view you more as an equal than as a servant,” he said. “It is easy for me to believe you are royalty.”
“Thank you,” Darian replied. “I am grateful to have such a generous master.”
“Oh, stop it,” Traven said as he rolled his eyes. “We have both saved each other’s lives. You’re as good a friend as I’ve ever had. I’m sorry this will be so difficult for you. Thanks for leading me here.”
“It is my pleasure,” Darian replied. He then took on a determined look. “I will not be ashamed of my decision. Others may think what they want. I have nothing to hide. I will be proud of my choice to serve you.”
They rode on in silence for awhile. Traven was only slightly surprised by the revelation of Darian’s true lineage. The elf had always seemed regal and used to giving commands. No wonder he had been so conflicted after first swearing his devotion. Traven felt even more privileged to have the warrior elf as his constant companion. He suddenly realized it would be easier to receive an audience with the elf king than he had previously thought. Surely the monarch would want to see his nephew.
“We are guaranteed to see the elf king,” Traven said out loud.
“What makes you say that?”
“You are his nephew,” he stated. “We probably can walk straight to him.”
“It would be nice if that were true,” Darian said with a hint of sadness in his voice. “If the elf king is not too upset with my choice, I do believe he will grant us an audience. Even so, we will have to wait until the morning. The elf king reserves the evenings for his family.”
“But you are family,” he countered.
“This is not family business,” Darian responded. “It is official business that affects all elves.”
“Then what will we do tonight?”
“If my parents can bear to have me in their home, we will spend the night with them and prepare for our audience with the elf king.”
15
As the afternoon wore on, the woods continued to change. Darian hadn’t been exaggerating when he had mentioned the size of the trees. As they made their way closer to Morian Haven, the trees continued to increase in size. The trees currently surrounding him did make the first one he had seen appear small. There were often trees whose widths measured several arm spans across. Every now and then there was one that was even larger.
Staring up at the gigantic trees, Traven was sure some of them were even taller than the towers of the Royal Palace in Calyn. He was filled with a sense of awe at the grandeur of the giant trees. Darian had told him these trees had been around for several thousand years. It was hard to imagine how anything could live so long and grow so large.
“They are impressive, are they not?” Darian said.
Traven nodded in response as he lowered his gaze.
“Wait until you see the mother tree,” the elf continued. “It stands at the center of Morian Haven and marks the elf king’s palace. It is the largest living thing in the world.”
He was eager to see the elf haven. Darian hadn’t said much about it, and he was curious to see how it compared to a human city. It would be amazing to see such a sight. He also hoped being among the elves would give him greater insight about his devoted servant. Darian was friendly and a great companion, but he rarely talked ab
out himself or his past.
“Shouldn’t we be getting close?” Traven asked eagerly.
“Yes,” Darian replied. “We will start seeing signs of civilization soon. It will not be long before we reach the edge of the haven. I know this will all be new to you, but try not to gawk at my people. It makes you appear less respectable.”
“I don’t gawk,” he said confidently.
“What have you been doing all afternoon while looking at the giant trees then?”
“I’d call it gazing intently,” Traven began.
Darian gave him a questioning look.
“I will be careful not to stare,” he assured him. “I don’t want to embarrass you.”
“Thank you,” Darian said with a grin.
“And,” Traven continued, “I would appreciate it if you would take the lead and act as my spokesman while we’re among your people. I don’t necessarily know the proper way of communicating with elves and don’t want to risk offending them.”
“That is wise,” Darian agreed. “We are not an unfriendly people, but we are proud. It is difficult to regain an elf’s friendship if you insult him. I will lead the way.”
Traven settled in behind Darian and kept an alert lookout for signs of civilization. It wasn’t long before he noticed several small cottages in the distance. All were made of wood, covered in moss, and surrounded by greenery. They blended in with their surroundings so well that they almost appeared as if they had grown there, just like the trees.
Two children burst out from behind one of the cottages, laughing as one chased the other. They disappeared behind one of the trees and reappeared on the other side. Darian and Traven were almost on top of them before they noticed the strangers’ presence. The two elflings stopped their game and stared with curiosity. They didn’t look like they could be any older than five. Both had short cropped hair and fair complexions. Their faces weren’t marred by any eye tattoos, but their pointy ears gave away their heritage.
“What’s wrong with your ears?” the younger one asked as he pointed at Traven’s head.
Traven smiled. Perhaps he should be wearing a hooded cloak to hide that he was human. Before he could answer, a female elf walked out of the nearby home.
“What have we here?” she said with a smile as she made her way over to the two elflings.
She was nearly as tall as Darian and had light golden hair that flowed all the way down to her waist. She was slender and graceful. Although she looked middle-aged and appeared to be the boys’ mother, Traven couldn’t deny that she was more attractive than most human women could ever hope to be in their prime. She followed her son’s pointing finger to Traven’s face and gasped in surprise. Hurrying to her children, she positioned herself between them and Darian, not taking her eyes off of Traven.
“You have no need to worry,” Darian said gently. “We are merely passing through.”
She spared a glance at Darian, and her eyes got even wider as she noticed his tattoo. She looked back and forth between the two of them and slowly regained her composure.
“Please excuse us,” she said with a tinkling, melodic accent.
She deftly gathered her children and ushered them back into her home. As soon as they were all inside, the door shut firmly. Traven looked over at Darian questioningly.
“What did you expect?” the elf said. “It is rare for elves to ever see humans and unheard of to see them so deep in the woods. You are quite possibly the only human she has ever seen.”
“I think she was as surprised to see your tattoo as she was to see me,” Traven said as they continued forward away from the cottage.
“Most likely,” Darian replied. “Although I am the first elf in many centuries to devote myself and tattoo that devotion, all elves will recognize what it means. They will know that you are not just a human but a wielder. I believe we will create quite a commotion when we enter Morian Haven.”
Traven frowned. He wasn’t looking forward to being the center of attention again. He had hoped they would be able to retrieve the armband of endurance and return to Candus quietly, but it appeared that wouldn’t be possible. They saw several more cottages as they rode north, but they kept their distance from them. Not long thereafter, they came to an enormous clearing. Darian pulled up at the edge of the clearing and allowed Traven time to stare in awe.
Morian Haven was a magnificent sight. On the other side of the clearing rose a huge stand of the largest trees Traven had ever seen. In the center of the stand, one tree rose above all the rest: the mother tree. Immediately behind the grove rose a single, majestic mountain. Its snowcapped peak thrust up through a thick band of clouds.
The mountain was strikingly familiar, and he realized with a start that it was the one from his visions. It confirmed to him that he was in the right place. He lowered his gaze from the mountain and looked back at the grove of giant trees. A bustling city rested in the shadows clustered around the mighty trees. The houses seemed to be built right up against the trunks of the massive trees and were stacked one level upon another upon another, reaching high into the air. He could see numerous elves moving about the edge of the grove.
“Morian Haven?” he asked.
“Yes,” Darian replied. “My home.”
The elf took a deep breath and urged his mount forward into the clearing. Traven followed closely. They would easily be spotted before reaching the elven city. The clearing was bigger than he had first thought, and the sun began to drop below the trees to the west when they were only halfway across it.
The closer they got to the haven, the bigger the trees began to look. Soon the trees dominated the sky, hiding the view of the tall mountain behind them. A crowd began to gather at the edge of the clearing, blocking the path that they had been heading towards.
“Do they always gather to meet visitors?” Traven asked curiously.
“No,” Darian said with a frown. “News of our arrival has preceded us. Stay close.”
Traven guided Pennon as close to Darian’s horse as he could. The crowd of elves didn’t appear very friendly. He hoped there wouldn’t be any problems. They finished crossing the clearing and arrived at the edge of the enormous grove. By the time they pulled up, the crowd had swelled to include hundreds of elves. Many appeared to be merely curious, but those at the front of the crowd appeared upset and angry. It didn’t look as though they had any intention of letting them pass through.
“Please stand aside,” Darian said firmly.
“You’re not worthy to speak in our presence, slave,” one of the elves spat.
“Turn around,” another elf commanded. “You and the human are not welcome in our haven.”
Various other elves joined in condemning Darian and assuring him that they could not pass.
“Who will stop us?” Darian shouted, inciting the crowd even more.
Traven readied himself to form a shield as he scanned the crowd of elves. It was interesting to note that the majority of the elves were merely watching the confrontation. They didn’t seem upset, just curious. Many around the edges were even beginning to slip away as the crowd grew more boisterous. There were plenty that didn’t look pleased with the situation, but it was only about twenty or so elves towards the front that were causing the problem.
“Traitor . . . disgraceful . . . sickening . . . slave!”
Those at the front of the crowd continued to heap indignities upon Darian. Traven frowned with frustration. This was not how he had expected to be greeted by the elves. He could understand the elves being wary of a human entering their haven, but their disrespect towards Darian was completely uncalled for. Darian did well to control himself, but Traven could tell he was bristling with anger. One of the elves nearest to them spat at Darian.
That was the last straw. Before Darian could react, Traven quickly formed a sphere of water and dropped it on the head of the elf who had spat. The sphere exploded on the elf’s head and drenched him in water. A stunned silence fell over the crowd. Slowly
, their gazes turned from Darian to Traven. Anger soon replaced their surprise. Traven stared back at them defiantly. Three of the most vocal elves at the front of the crowd glanced at each other and then charged towards him.
Darian ripped out his sword, but Traven was faster. The three elves slammed into an invisible barrier and fell to the ground, stunned. Traven tried to remain calm, but he was becoming increasingly upset. There was silence for a few moments before the crowd erupted in yells once again.
“Silence!” a new voice boomed from the rear of the crowd. The clear voice rang with authority.
The crowd turned as one to identify the newcomer. From his perch atop Pennon, it was easy for Traven to see over the heads of the crowd. A small party of five elves stood at the very back. The one who had spoken was wearing a rich green cape and a circlet of silver on his head. He looked older than most of the elves in the crowd and bore a striking resemblance to Darian. In fact, the elf looked how Traven would expect Darian to look in another forty years. Traven looked over at his devoted questioningly. Darian smiled weakly and nodded.
“We have not had a wielder in our midst for centuries, and this is how you welcome him? I am ashamed to live among you. Return to your dwellings,” the regal elf commanded authoritatively.
Many in the crowd immediately hurried away. Others slowly walked away as if they had just been passing by. A smaller group stared back defiantly before finally backing down under the elf’s intense gaze. The three who had charged Traven were the last to leave.
“We will meet again,” one of them spat before they turned from Traven and Darian and strutted away.
The edge of Morian Haven suddenly became unnaturally quiet. Darian made no move to ride under the trees, and the remaining group of five elves made no move to come forward. Traven waited for several moments before deciding to take the lead. He urged Pennon forward and passed the invisible line between the clearing and the grove of giant trees. Darian fell in behind him. Traven stopped in front of the elf with the cape and circlet.
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