by Aya Knight
“I think it’s this way.” Kale pointed to his left, where the sound intensified.
They veered off the main trail, heading through a thick growth of bushes, hearty vines, and cypress trees. Kale thrashed the iron rod against the foliage, clearing an opening for them to pass. The walk was brief before they came upon an inviting river. The three were thankful to see the water moved slowly enough for them to enter without fear of being swept away. Kale was the first to approach the riverbed, dipping his toe into the water.
“It feels great!” he called out with enthusiasm.
“With a lady in our presence, I will simply soak my legs. These robes would take an eternity to dry and I don’t think anyone would care to see this old, withered body without them.” Thomas chuckled.
Kale nodded, knowing that as long as Neelan was around, Thomas would not be able to utilize his magic. Despite the fact that Kale’s clothes had been dried only hours ago, he was determined to get into the water; this would be his first time swimming. He tossed the iron rod to the ground and glanced playfully at Neelan. Before her mind could register what was happening, Kale had cleverly lifted her quiver and bow, removing them over her head.
“Hey! What are you trying to pull? No one—and I mean no one, touches m—”
Neelan’s words were caught in her throat as Kale dropped the weaponry at Thomas’ feet, sliding an arm around Neelan’s waist. He smirked, lifting her petite body from the ground with ease, then ran them both into the cool water. Without warning, he threw his body backwards so they both sank beneath the flowing surface.
Neelan sprang up, spitting water from her puckered lips. “Are you an idiot?” she yelled, throwing her hands up above her head. “What were you thinking?!”
Kale stood, waist deep in water—speechless. His blue eyes bulged and his mouth hung wide open as he stared intently toward Neelan.
“What are you looking at?” Her cheeks were overcome with pink hues. “D-don’t stare at me!” She was under the impression Kale might have been admiring her beauty which made her bashful and embarrassed. For a crude and annoying man, he does have a certain appeal, I suppose. She bit her lower lip, reaching up to playfully curl a lock of wet hair around her index finger. As her hand rose, she too froze in place. Her breathing intensified, realizing her hat was missing. When hitting the water, it had been pulled from her head by the current. She closed her eyes and moved her fingertips upward as she traced her long pointed ears, pinching down on the tips and tugging them down in a poor attempt to hide what she knew had already been seen.
Thomas lifted his robe above his knees as he sat upon a large rock which hung over the riverbank. He dipped his bare feet into the soothing water, as his lips curled into a proud smile. “Dear Neelan, I believe my presumptions were indeed correct. You are an elf.”
Chapter 6: Into the Past
Neelan sank down beneath the river’s surface in utter embarrassment. At that moment she would rather drown than have to surface and face the two men who now knew her secret. As bubbles of air slipped through her lips, she drifted lower to the sandy bottom—moving slowly at the mercy of the current. Suddenly, she felt strong hands grip beneath her armpits, lifting her head up and out of the water. She coughed as water spat from her mouth. Her irritated eyes squinted until the blurred vision began to clear. Glancing forward, she saw Kale before her, still holding her body in place.
The seconds passed and Neelan quickly snapped back to reality. She defensively shrugged Kale’s arms from her. “Why did you do that?” She turned her back to him. “Everything is ruined now. Once people find out I’m not a human, they treat me differently. They stare and disregard me—see me as an outcast—just like I’m sure you do now…” Neelan sighed sadly. “I just want to fit in with your kind.”
“Wait a moment. You actually want to be accepted as a human?” Kale exclaimed with a look of disgust. He could not fathom why anyone would want to become human.
“Of course I do! Being a human would mean I could live a free life. I could roam where I desire and no one would second guess my actions. No one would stare at me or shun my appearance.” She turned to face Kale. “You must understand—you’ve lived as a human your entire life. I’m sure you’ve always been able to go where you wish without any strings attached. Elves don’t have the best reputation, you know.”
“Pardon my interruption, but I suggest you two begin making your way back in this direction. I’ve found a place where we can camp for the night,” Thomas called downstream to them.
Although there was so much more Kale wanted to know about Neelan, he was grateful for Thomas’ distraction. He knew himself enough to not trust another slip of the tongue while on the topic of humans.
“I don’t want to go back with you,” Neelan softly spoke. “I want to travel alone.” She turned, pressing through the current toward the riverbank.
“Stop being so temperamental.” Kale wrapped his fingers around her forearm. “Just because you’re different doesn’t mean you have to run away from us. I’m not going to lie and tell you that finding out you were an elf wasn’t a surprise, but it’s definitely not a bad thing, and certainly no reason to act like such a child.” Kale did not know why he cared if she left. For the majority of the time he’d known her, he found the elf’s presence to be a nuisance. The only explanation he could rationalize was they both shared similarities on how they felt—both living as something they truly were not—humans. Though her reasons were a personal choice and his were circumstantial, he felt there must be more to her story.
Kale pulled on her arm, turning her body to face his. “I suppose if you’re not going to come willingly, I’ll take you back myself.” Kale smirked, lifting Neelan up into his arms as he sloshed his way back to where Thomas had called. He couldn’t understand why, but deep inside he knew she didn’t want to go—she didn’t want to be alone.
Kale and Neelan sat close to the fire, allowing its warm flames to slowly dry their drenched clothing.
Thomas sat directly across from them, hacking at the tip of a long stick with Neelan’s knife. He then withdrew a small beige sack Kale recognized from the caravan. He retrieved chunks of leftover meat from their earlier lunch. Thomas was not the type to waste good food, especially in circumstances such as theirs where a delicious meal was few and far between.
“It tastes better warm,” Thomas said with a smile as he speared a chunk of the tender flesh, rotating it slowly over the open flames. “My dear,” he looked toward Neelan who had not spoken since her conversation with Kale in the river. “You do not need to fear your true self while in our company. We are not here to judge you.” He withdrew the stick, blowing on the meat until it was cool enough to touch. “It’s still good.” He reached around the pit to hand the portion to Neelan. She immediately shoveled it hungrily into her mouth, barely chewing before it slid dryly down her throat. “I have a peace offering you may be interested in. It should at the very least, make you feel more comfortable.” The old sorcerer winked, pulling her brown tattered hat from behind his back.
“My hat! But how did you—”
Thomas’ green eyes sparkled in the light of the illuminating flames. “I’m a sorcerer, dear, we have our ways. Now you know a secret about me as well.” He smiled.
Both Neelan and Kale looked dumbstruck as she gripped the hat, quickly placing it once again upon her head. Kale could not believe that after all of the warnings he had been given, the truth about Thomas’ magical abilities slipped out so easily. The anger fueled him to fulfill his curiosity about Neelan. He could no longer bite his tongue and needed to know more—especially considering the information she knew about Thomas.
“I want to know, Neelan,” Kale shifted to face her as he shoved a handful of meat into his mouth, “Rhy roo oo khoo oo rhyd urr oo relf?”
She raised a brown eyebrow in annoyance. “Disg
usting. Chew your food—you really are just like a wild animal.”
After swallowing, he once again questioned Neelan. “Why do you choose to hide your true self?”
She heavily sighed, as if in self-debate on whether or not to reveal her story to them. “I suppose I could tell you. But I swear, if you tell another soul…” She hugged her bow warningly.
“Yeah, we get it already.” Kale rolled his eyes.
“My father is a very proud man who holds our racial traits as elves above all others. He is incredibly narrow-minded to view and accept the world outside of our own. They only see our culture and beliefs as being right.” She stared solemnly into the fire as if her mind was drifting back in time. “I can still remember my first true friend. I was playing just outside of our kingdom—something not fully accepted at the time, but not forbidden. I clearly remember skipping stones across a beautiful pond I had come across. The day was perfect and the weather felt amazing. Then, I saw her. She was a young, human girl who seemed in appearance to be the same age as myself. Although, of course, I was much older. Elves age much slower than a human and I still looked as though I was a ten-year-old child.” Neelan tugged down upon her brown hat.
“Well, aside from my ears, and eyes. But the girl, her name was Gloria, never once seemed to care. She behaved as though she hadn’t even noticed our differences. To her, we were both young girls who simply wanted to enjoy each other’s company and play. Each day after my parents left, I would sneak away from Tyrione to meet Gloria. Then,” Neelan looked to the ground, “one day while we were weaving crowns out of bright pink flowers we had found, my father appeared. He had somehow found me and his eyes were filled with anger. I…I just didn’t understand. He looked to Gloria and told her she was born of filthy blood and to never come near me again. After that day, I was forbidden to leave the kingdom ever again.” She buried her face into her hands, forcing back tears as she continued with her story. “I never saw Gloria again.”
Neelan went on to explain that after the incident, her father did all in his power to shelter her from the outside world and to keep her from the only true friend she ever had. On her ninety-sixth birthday—equivalent to her sixteenth—her father announced she was to fulfill her life as a priestess, devoting her remaining years to the temple. The thought alone made her sick to her stomach.
The kingdom where she had lived was breathtaking, with masterfully constructed buildings and sparkling streams. Protected by a barrier of combined magic and defense that ensured a safe environment for them, they lived without fear of outside conflicts. Yet, despite everything Tyrione had to offer, she longed to have the freedom to choose where she wanted to go and who she would befriend. The world was too vast to remain within the walls of only one kingdom.
When she fought to compromise or reason with her father, he would punish her in an attempt to cleanse her mind of such desires. He locked her within a tiny, dark room beneath the temple, for days at a time. Neelan’s mother, who remained fearful of her husband’s rage, would stand back, doing nothing to defend her daughter against his cruelty. In time, Neelan grew to detest her father and lost all respect for the mother she still dearly loved. After two years of being a slave to her father and the temple, she knew it was time to make a stand if she ever intended to truly live her own life.
On the day of her one hundred and second birthday—seventeen in human comparison—she retrieved the bow which her great-grandfather wielded many centuries ago and devised a plan to escape. Once Neelan’s parents left for the temple, she made her escape at nightfall to the kingdom sewers. She stealthily crept through the alleyways, remaining cautious and hidden within the shadows cast by the full moon. With ease, she slipped past the guards who kept their focus on the surrounding landscape outside the kingdom. Neelan swiftly dropped down into the dark tunnel of the sewer. She silently took each step upon a narrow brick walkway that kept her feet dry and away from the horridly putrid water. Finally, a stream of moonlight shone down above her head and she knew she had made it out—she was free. Her father’s control had caused her to flee from her former life, to desire an alternate life among humans. She longed to be treated as an equal among human-kind, and so, for the past months she had lived as one.
Kale’s blue eyes met hers. He hadn’t expected such an elaborate story, nor did he anticipate the hardships she had endured.
“What about you?” She sniffled, still tucking back the urge to sob. “I’ve told you about my past, now it’s your turn to share something with me about yours.” Neelan regained her composure as she sat upright. “I hope you don’t assume I’m that naïve. I find it very odd that a young and ordinary man is traveling alongside a sorcerer, secretly, through the forest.”
Kale was taken aback by the sudden reverse interrogation. “I’m really tired right now, Neelan.” It was the only response he could muster. He lifted his arms above his head, wiggling his fingers toward the sky as he faked a loud yawn. “Maybe tomorrow.” He leaned back, staring upward. “Besides, my story isn’t nearly as interesting as yours.” He felt slightly guilty about hiding the truth from her, but he knew the risks were still too great.
Kale tried to convince himself that he owed Neelan no explanations, having only met her earlier in the day. It wasn’t his fault she had spilled her entire life story to them. Still, he couldn’t shake the sympathetic feeling he got when looking into her glassy violet eyes. She looked so sad—so alone.
Kale bit his lower lip, chewing gently as he thought about the situation. He had finally met a new acquaintance; as irritating as she was, he found himself enjoying her quick-witted personality. Kale wanted to share his secrets—he wanted to release the weight he bore and find if she too would accept him for what he truly was. For now, he knew it would have to wait.
“All right,” she finally replied, glancing toward Thomas who had fallen asleep and was softly snoring. “I suppose I’ll sleep as well, then.”
“Smart decision,” Kale softly laughed. “Thomas is obnoxiously cranky when woken.”
Neelan caught Kale by surprise as she removed the brown hat, allowing her long brunette hair to flow freely around her long elven ears. She set it next to her bow as she positioned herself onto the ground which was uncomfortably covered with scattered twigs, pebbles, and leaves.
“Goodnight, Kale,” she whispered. “And don’t even think about touching me while I sle—” Before she could finish, a white shirt flew down upon her head, muffling out the remainder of her warning.
“Before you scold me, I’ll save us both the aggravation by saying that the clothing is for you to use beneath your head. I know the ground isn’t pleasant to lie upon.” He turned, facing his back to her. “I’m used to sleeping on hard surfaces; it doesn’t bother me as it does most. Just be sure to return it when you wake. I wouldn’t want you to go into hiding again because I am indecent.” He laughed.
Neelan remained silent as she tucked the shirt beneath her head. She closed her eyes, allowing her body to finally relax. “Thank you, Kale,” she whispered.
Kale laid on his back as tiny beads of perspiration scattered across his forehead. His body shifted as the peaceful dream he was having, slipped into darkness, replaced by the image of a middle-aged woman with short, spiraling red hair. Her golden eyes met his as she smiled warmly. The mysterious woman stepped forward in her plain and unflattering lavender dress that hung to just below her knees. She oddly wore a different shoe upon each foot, one black and the other red. Both looked old and worn. The woman then lifted her arm, gently tracing her fingers along a black scarf wrapped snugly around her neck. He could make out a small, golden bracelet which hung loosely around her wrist. Dangling from the chain was a jade pendant in the shape of a pointed tooth.
“Kale,” her voice sounded distant, although she stood mere feet in front of him. “There is still hope, young one. I am aware you are traveling to th
e town of Braxle. Please know I will do what I can to help guide you along your journey.”
“Guide me to what? Who are you?” Kale took a step boldly toward the woman. As he did, the floor beneath his bare feet felt soft, much like freshly kneaded dough, causing him to sink. He staggered to stand, attempting to regain balance as he fought the wobbly sensation of each movement.
The woman glanced at him, watching as he struggled. Her eyes seemed to be filled with pain as if she wanted to reach out and touch him. Despite this reaction, she turned to leave, slowly walking away into the nothingness that surrounded them.
“Wait!” Kale called out, extending his arm toward the woman. He could not understand why, but he felt an unexplainable desire to continue their conversation. He sensed she had more to tell him. He continued to sink deeper into the ground until suddenly; an unknown force lifted him upward, pulling him free. Everything went black.
The next sight to greet him was the warm rays of sunlight that broke through the leaves above. Kale soon realized he had awoken from a dream. He blinked numerous times before looking around to find Neelan and Thomas sitting nearby.
“’Morning, lazy; it’s time to go.” Neelan purposely tossed Kale’s shirt upon his head.
He moaned, wrinkling his forehead as he forced himself to sit upright. That must have been another hallucination from the monsloth bite. But, it felt so real… Kale thought. As he reached up to pull his shirt on, something fell from a fold in the fabric. He tossed the shirt to the side, examining what had fallen into his lap.
“What have you got there, Kale?” Thomas inquired; his eyes curiously intrigued.
As Kale lifted the small, golden chain onto his fingertips, his bright eyes widened in astonishment—it was the same bracelet the woman had been wearing. Kale knew now that what he had seen was certainly no dream.