“How did you like your room?” the elf asked.
“Just fine,” Traven replied. “Once I figured out what the hanging blanket was for, I had a nice rest.”
“The hammock?” Darian asked. “You have probably never seen one before, have you?”
Traven shook his head in reply.
“Some elves sleep in beds, but most prefer sleeping in hammocks,” Darian explained. “Some string them between the branches of trees and sleep outside. I am looking forward to sleeping in mine tonight. They are very comfortable.”
The hammock in his room was comfortable, but Traven still would have preferred a bed. He didn’t have to worry about getting dumped out of a bed.
“What have you been doing?” he asked.
“I talked to my mother for awhile and came here. My parents should join us soon, and then we can eat. I am starving.”
“What about your sister?” Traven asked. “Will she be eating with us?”
“Yes,” Darian replied. He then paused and gave Traven a strange look. “How did you know I had a sister?”
“She showed up in the gallery looking for you just after you left. Why didn’t you mention you had a sister?”
“You never asked,” the elf replied.
“Do you have any other siblings?”
“No. It is rare for elven women to bear more than one or two elflings.”
“How come?” he asked.
“Elves live longer than humans, but we are far less fertile. That is why there are not elves covering the entire land like there are humans.”
“I see,” Traven said. “Is there anything I should know about elven dinner etiquette before your parents arrive?”
“My, you are full of questions tonight,” Darian mused.
“I’m just curious,” he replied. “Everything around me is new. I don’t want to make a fool of myself. I already fell out of the hammock.”
Darian burst out laughing and motioned for Traven to sit down next to him.
“That was what the loud thump was,” Darian said merrily. “I thought someone had dropped something.”
Traven sat down next to Darian and chuckled. He was glad to see the elf in such a good mood. After a few moments, Darian stopped laughing and explained proper dinner protocol.
“We do not speak while we eat,” he said. “We reserve conversation until after the meal is over. We spend the time enjoying the flavor of the food and clearing our minds of the day’s troubles. That is the only difference between elven meals and human meals, except for the food of course.”
“The food won’t be too strange, will it?”
Darian opened his mouth to answer but stopped as his parents arrived. His father no longer wore the green cloak or the circlet of silver. Darian’s father seated himself at the head of the table while Darian’s mother sat across from Darian at her husband’s right. Darian’s sister swept into the room right behind her parents and seated herself directly across from Traven with a smile.
“I see your servant remembered where I live,” Darian’s father said. “I am glad.” Traven felt Darian stiffen at his side. “Let us eat. We will have plenty of time to talk once our stomachs are full and our minds are clear.”
Traven nodded and smiled respectfully. He leaned back as two servants began setting food on the table. He watched with interest as the food was brought in. There were several things he couldn’t identify. The majority of the meal consisted of different kinds of vegetables and mushrooms. Most were delicious, but one mushroom in particular tested his self control not to spit it out. There was also a meat dish that tasted similar to venison.
The silence during the meal made him feel slightly awkward, but it was a nice idea. He tried to clear his thoughts and enjoy the food but had difficulty relaxing. He kept worrying about the battle at Candus and the meeting with the elf king in the morning. Darian’s sister also made it difficult to clear his mind. She kept glancing up at him in between bites of her food, flashing her bright green eyes and playful smile. He tried staring at his food but couldn’t resist the urge to look back at her several times.
When the meal was finally over, he was relieved. Now they could talk about what they needed to. Darian would be able to find out where he stood with his father, and Traven hoped to be able to enlist the influential elf in his effort to convince the elf king to lend him the armband of endurance.
“How did you like the food?” Darian’s mother asked, breaking the silence.
“It was delicious,” Traven replied politely.
Darian’s mother smiled happily.
“I do not believe we have properly introduced ourselves,” Darian’s father began. “My name is Darielle and my wife’s name is Celian. This is our daughter Celeste. I heard that you came to our haven seeking an audience with the elf king. Is that correct?”
“It is,” he replied.
“The king was informed of your intention and has consented to meet with you tomorrow morning,” Darielle said. “Normally, he would not be so accommodating to a human. However, it has been a long time since we have been visited by a wielder. We are honored to have you in our home for the night.”
“Thank you for your hospitality,” Traven replied.
“I have been asked to accompany you to the palace amphitheater tomorrow. I assume your servant has told you that I am the brother of our king?”
“Yes, Darian told me the king was his uncle,” Traven answered, refusing to refer to Darian as his servant and at the same time implying Darielle’s relation as his father.
The meaning behind his words wasn’t lost on Darielle. He smiled slightly before continuing.
“As his brother, the king has asked me to prepare you for the meeting. The elf king is very interested to hear why you are here.”
“We are all interested to hear why you are here,” Celian added.
Traven understood what she was saying. They were interested in knowing now. He had planned on only discussing the matter with the elf king but supposed he could gain insight into the monarch’s possible reaction by sharing his mission with the king’s brother. Besides, Darian’s family had been very gracious to him thus far.
“I have come to make a request of the elf king,” Traven began. “Are you aware of what’s currently taking place to the east of the forest?”
“You are referring to the battle between the humans and the galdaks,” Darielle stated. “Yes, we are aware of the conflict.”
“The galdaks have a powerful wielder with them. I’m not strong enough to defeat him,” he admitted. “I came to ask the elf king to allow me the use of the armband of endurance.”
A stunned silence settled over the room. Darian gave Traven a knowing look.
“Are you serious?” Celeste asked incredulously, breaking the silence. “Didn’t my brother tell you it would be impossible to get it?”
“I told him it would be incredibly difficult,” Darian responded calmly. “I would not have led him here if I thought it was impossible.” Darian turned and looked directly at his father. “Someone once told me nothing was impossible.”
Darielle stared back at Darian for several tense moments. A small smile slowly spread across his face.
“You must have heard that from a wise person,” he said, talking directly to his son for the first time since they arrived. “Are you proud of your choice to become a servant?” he asked abruptly.
“I am proud to serve as the devoted of a master wielder who is kind, honest, and brave. I am proud to assist a wielder who has the power to change the fate of the world.”
“You were willing to give up all that you might have had for this?” Darielle asked. “You do fully understand what your oath of devotion means?”
“Yes,” Darian replied calmly. “I did not make this decision hastily. Despite my intense feelings, I thought it through before I swore the oath. It was hard to resist the burning, but I could have if I had chosen to. I felt it was something I needed to do. I have made my cho
ice and will live with the consequences.”
Darielle looked at his son for several moments in silence. Darian calmly met his eyes the entire time. His father then spoke.
“I am pleased to see that you have matured and learned to control your emotions better than when you left here sixteen years ago.” Darielle paused again for several moments before continuing. “I want you to know that I am not upset with your decision.” Darian let out an almost inaudible sigh of relief. “Despite what many elves believe, there is no shame in devoting yourself to a wielder. Many of our distant ancestors devoted themselves. The devotion burns hot in our bloodline. What I needed to see was that you were committed to your oath.”
Darian nodded with a firm smile.
“Whether or not he is committed to his oath,” Celeste cut in, “it will still be impossible to retrieve the armband of endurance.”
The room grew quiet. Momentarily, everyone had forgotten the true purpose of the visit. Traven was very happy to see that Darian’s family was accepting of his oath, but he knew that wasn’t the reason they had come to Morian Haven. He needed the armband of endurance. The fate of the humans rested on whether or not he could convince the elf king to let him borrow it.
“I would not say it is impossible,” Darielle stated thoughtfully. “My brother is a reasonable elf. There is a chance he can be persuaded, though I admit the chance is very small. Traven, if my son trusts you, I will trust you as well. However, I will need to know the specifics of why you think you need the armband and what you plan on doing with it, both during and after the battle.”
Traven decided to be completely honest and upfront about all of the details surrounding his desire to retrieve the armband and his plan for using it. Darian’s father appeared to be in a position to help him achieve his goal. If he truly wanted the elf’s full trust and help, he would need to fully trust the elf in return.
He began by explaining about his visions of the armband. He then described his encounter with the galdak wielder and his inability to match the galdak’s strength in the ambience. Traven also shared his opinion that the humans would be overrun by the galdaks if the galdak wielder wasn’t defeated. He finished by saying he would use the armband of endurance to defeat the galdak wielder. He would then continue using it for as long as the elf king allowed in defending the humans against the invading creatures.
“Interesting,” Darielle stated when Traven finished explaining his plans. “If your visions truly point to the importance of having the armband of endurance, it is hard to argue that you do not need it. Have you had visions in the past of other important things?”
“Yes,” he replied. “It has happened multiple times, and each time I’ve followed my visions, they’ve never failed me.”
“They have been matters of great consequence?”
“They have saved lives,” Traven responded.
“Life is indeed a matter of great consequence,” Darielle stated. “The elves have no great love for humans or galdaks. However, we have never been known to help the galdaks while in the distant past we did fight alongside our human brothers. I will do what I can to help you, but you must understand that it is the king who will have the final say.”
If Darian’s father was willing to help, Traven knew there must be a chance of success. Perhaps the meeting with the elf king wouldn’t be as hopeless as he had thought.
“Thank you,” he said with a smile. “I appreciate all the help you can offer.”
17
Traven stepped out into the courtyard. His stomach was full and his hopes were high. He had found an ally in Darian’s father that he hadn’t been expecting. Surely the opinion of the king’s brother would be valuable in convincing the king of his need for the armband of endurance. At his side, Darian exuded relief and joy as well. The fear of losing his family that he had harbored ever since swearing devotion had at last been alleviated.
“Other than the mob at the outskirts of the haven, things have gone wonderfully,” Traven observed.
“Do not get too excited,” Darian replied. “I believe we will face more resistance tomorrow morning than we did today.”
“Maybe,” he replied, “but tonight we can rejoice in our current successes.”
Darian smiled and leaned back against the wall of his childhood home. Traven continued out into the center of the courtyard. The sky was growing dark, and he felt like retiring to his room for the night. However, he knew that the more he practiced wielding the ambience, the stronger he would become in it. If he somehow wasn’t able to obtain the armband of endurance, he wanted to be as strong as he possibly could the next time he had to face the galdak wielder. He had no illusions that he would be at the ancient wielder’s level anytime soon, but he knew the stronger he grew, the better chance he had of surviving another encounter.
He stopped in the center of the courtyard and cleared his mind. After taking a deep breath of the clean, forest air, he began wielding the ambience. He ran through many of the same exercises he used to run through at Faldor’s Keep. It was somewhat monotonous, but he knew it was beneficial. He repeatedly created small spheres of ice, moved them around with wind, and then melted them with fire. Each time, he added one more as he went through the sequence until there were ten floating around at once. He was tired and about to stop but decided he would do a little more practicing before going to sleep. Celeste had arrived to watch with Darian, and he wouldn’t mind impressing her. He took a deep breath and concentrated.
* * * * *
Darian looked on as Traven practiced wielding the ambience in the center of his family’s courtyard. While growing up, he had never imagined something like this would ever be taking place. He took a deep breath of the cool forest air that smelled of redwood and pine needles. Darian felt better than he had in a long while. He had not realized how deeply he had feared seeing his family for the first time after taking the oath of devotion. To have his family accept his choice and welcome his visit was more than he had hoped for.
His father had always been calm, dignified, and thoughtful. Darian had worried about his disapproval most of all. When his father had confirmed his fears by refusing to speak to him and calling him a servant, it had hurt him, but it had not been unexpected. He now realized his father had merely been giving him another chance to reflect on his choice and its possible consequences.
He turned as his sister came outside and stood next to him. She smiled in greeting and began to watch Traven. It was strange seeing her all grown up. She had only been twenty when he left to become a guardian. Now, she was a full grown woman. He was surprised she had not married yet. As beautiful as she was, he was sure there must be plenty of elven warriors seeking her attention.
“That is so amazing,” Celeste said with wonder.
“He is only practicing minor exercises,” Darian stated. “He can do things far more incredible than that.”
“Really?” she said as she glanced quickly at him before turning back to watch Traven. “What all can he do?”
“You would be surprised,” Darian said to his sister.
He cocked his head as he watched the faint glow around Traven that was becoming more visible with the coming of night. He still did not understand why he could see the almost imperceptible glow. He looked back at his sister, wondering if she could see it too.
“Celeste, do you see a glow of light around him?” Darian asked.
“No,” she replied.
“Do you feel anything in your blood as you watch him wield the ambience?”
“What do you mean by that?” she said with an embarrassed chuckle.
“The burning,” Darian explained. “For me it felt like fire was racing through my veins. I have not felt it since I swore my devotion. Now, I always feel a calming sense of pride when I see him wielding the ambience.”
“I suppose I feel drawn to him,” she said carefully. “But I do not think it necessarily has anything to do with the burning.”
It took a secon
d for Darian to grasp the meaning of his sister’s words. He turned to her with a slight frown.
“He is a human, Celeste,” he stated.
“I know, but he is also a wielder.”
“You do not have to remind me of that,” he countered. “Traven is young, and his emotions are strong. Please do not play with them.”
Celeste let out a startled gasp as a bright light suddenly sprang up in the center of the courtyard. Darian squinted towards it and saw Traven wrapping a large pillar of flame around himself. The flames began roaring and letting off intense heat as they swirled around the young wielder and reached up into the air. The slight chill of the cool night disappeared as the air in the courtyard swiftly began climbing in temperature.
“Perhaps you should ask Traven not to play with my emotions,” Celeste mumbled as her breathing began to increase rapidly.
Darian shielded his face from the heat and light. The flames were expanding outward as they swirled faster and faster around the center of the courtyard. They had also extended upward far above the height of the walls. He hoped Traven stopped whatever he was doing soon. If he made the flames any hotter, they would turn into liquid fire. There was no telling what damage such a large amount of the intensely hot liquid would do to the courtyard and surrounding buildings.
Darian and Celeste were unexpectedly shoved backwards against the wall as the light disappeared and an intense burst of steam suddenly emanated outward from Traven with a loud hiss. Darian stared towards the center of the courtyard curiously, waiting for his eyes to readjust to the dark. All was now silent except for the rapid, heavy breathing of his sister at his side. The steam cleared and the cool night air fell into the courtyard once again. In the very center, Traven stood with his hand on his chin as if deep in thought. He noticed Darian staring at him and smiled.
“I feel it,” Celeste whispered shakily. “I feel the burning.”
She hastily turned and ran into the house. It was nice to know he was not the only elf affected by Traven’s wielding. Darian watched with interest as Traven slowly made his way towards him. He could tell the young man’s legs were not as steady as they had been earlier.
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