— Chapter Thirty-Six —
Lasniniar
Iadrawyn hummed to herself as she puttered around her garden. A few butterflies with blue and purple wings fluttered from blossom to blossom while a bee buzzed in their wake. Far overhead, the branches of the silver and golden barked trees wove together to form a leafy canopy that was always golden-green. The breeze whispered between them, bringing them to life. If she closed her eyes, she could almost pretend she was back in Melavalion.
The power of the Quenya hummed in the air. She allowed herself to be soothed by its constant presence. So much had happened in the past few months.
Malarin had flown her and Valanandir from Ralvaniar and found the elven fleet. Only one ship had gone missing in the storm. Other minions of Nargaz had attacked in their absence, but Malarin’s kin had fought them off. All the dragons had given their lives to do so. Iadrawyn had wept with relief when they found the Sea Folk’s legendary western continent. The elves decided to call it Lasniniar: the World of Rebirth.
They had found the wood from Iadrawyn’s vision close to where they made landfall. A river ran through it, creating an isle at its heart. This was where the Quenya was now housed, in the hollow of an ancient tree, in the midst of a glade. It was as if the spot had been waiting for it.
Many of the former Sea Elves had decided to make their home on an island at the mouth of the river. They were already building new shipyards there.
At first, Iadrawyn had been distracted with the struggle to rebuild. She and Valanandir had shared the story of the fate of Ralvaniar, but she had pushed it far from her mind. Once she and Valanandir had finished building their hut, her grief caught up with her.
So much had been sacrificed for what they had gained. Hers and Valanandir’s first winter together in their new home was a sorrowful one as they came to grips with the loss of Daroandir, Lodariel, and so many others. But spring had come, as it always had since she and Valanandir had first discovered the Quenya so many years ago, and somehow they moved on. The first babies of the new world were being born, and they were already being recognized as souls who had been thought lost in the final battle of Ralvaniar.
Perhaps Iadrawyn’s second vision of Daroandir and Lodariel would soon come to pass… There was no way to know, but the children gave her hope.
Iadrawyn sensed Valanandir’s presence as he entered the garden behind her, but pretended not to notice. He crept softly across the grass to lean over her shoulder and kiss her on the neck.
“Getting your hands dirty again?” he murmured in her ear. “You know they will grow without your help. Everything grows here.”
She smiled up at him. “I know. I just like to feel like I’m part of the process.” She dusted her hands on her knees before holding them out to him.
He hoisted her to her feet and placed a tender hand on her swelling belly. “Not much longer now.”
“I only wish Daroandir and Lodariel were here to share it. They were such a good aunt and uncle to Andirlynia.” Her eyes misted over, thinking about it.
“Are you certain you would want Lodariel at your side during another pregnancy? She is worse than an army of nursemaids!” They shared a bittersweet laugh at Valanandir’s words, but a frown passed over his face.
“What is it?” Iadrawyn asked.
“She knew, didn’t she? She said congratulations to you when we left… And then she winked at me!”
“She knew.” Iadrawyn gave him a sad smile before changing the subject. “Is Malarin returning today?”
“Yes. I thought you might like to come with me to meet her.” He held out his hand, and she took it, giving it a grateful squeeze. Together, they walked through the forest to the ferry that would take them down the river to the seashore.
“Has there been any sign of the Sea Folk?” Iadrawyn asked as they glided along in the water.
“No. Many former Sea Elves have gone looking, but they have found nothing. The maelstrom over Ralvaniar has dissipated. All that remains is a giant, circular waterfall. The bottom cannot be seen.” Valanandir’s face grew sad. “I doubt any of them could have survived that. I should have warned them!”
“There was no way to know the extent of the cataclysm ahead of time. You warned them to seek refuge in the deeps. Perhaps they survived, but are in hiding.”
“Perhaps. I do know there are elves who will spend their entire lives searching for them. They have always been close allies of the Sea Elves.”
Iadrawyn thought back to that fateful day when Nimrilwyn and Rallavalan had brought Valanandir to her from a shipwreck. If not for them, he would not have survived. She couldn’t bear to think of it. She hoped they were still out there, somewhere.
“And the missing ship?” Now she distracted him from the dark thoughts she knew he was having.
He shook his head. “It hasn’t been found. It could have been driven anywhere by the storm. Or it may have been lost at sea. We are fortunate we only lost the one.”
The trees parted as the river widened. Valanandir helped Iadrawyn off the ferry to the grassy bank at the mouth of the river. Malarin waited for them on the beach, sunning herself on the rocks. She cracked one eye open as they approached before raising her head on its serpentine neck to look down at them.
She gave a delighted rumble. “Ah, it is a fine day for flying!”
Iadrawyn couldn’t help but smile. “And what have you found on your journeys?”
“This is a large land. Much larger than Ralvaniar. So much to explore! It would take some time to fly over it all. As it is, I have only investigated the area around us so far.”
“And?” Valanandir prompted Malarin, who was clearly milking their interest for all it was worth.
“I’m getting to it. No need to rush. I must say, you have chosen a good spot to settle. Another forest lies north of here, but it is much younger, and I doubt you would find it as lovely as the one you have here, seeing how partial you elves are to trees. The hills surrounding your forest to the west and south should protect you nicely.”
“What lies beyond the hills?” Valanandir asked. Iadrawyn could see his mind working as he considered their defense.
“To the west are more hills, as far as I could see. To the south, the hills eventually flatten to a vast desert. I saw no signs of life other than animals in either direction. But there were some strange little creatures to the north of here.”
“What kind of creatures?” Iadrawyn asked.
“Well I didn’t get close enough to have a word with them, since there was no way to know whether they were hostile, but they are a short, squat folk with long hair on their faces, below their noses and on their chins. They seem to have a good taste in mountains though, so I don’t think they could be that bad. I saw them in a range that borders on that other forest I mentioned. I think I may settle down and find a lair there if I can convince them I am not a threat.”
“You saw no other intelligent creatures?” Valanandir asked.
“None. And not a single scale of a dragon to be found, either. If any of mine or Nargaz’s kin made it here, there is no sign of them.” Malarin let out a huge sigh. “I am the last of my kind.”
Iadrawyn put a comforting hand against Malarin’s smooth, iridescent scales. Words seemed inadequate. For a moment, Malarin lowered her head to rest it gently against Iadrawyn’s hair. None of them had escaped Ralvaniar unscathed.
The moment passed, and Malarin raised her head, clearing her throat.
“Well, now that I know the area around you is safe, I guess it’s time for me to work on that lair I was speaking of. I’ve been without a proper home for too long. Use the Quenya to summon me when the baby arrives.”
Iadrawyn stepped back, nodding. Malarin unfurled her wings and launched herself into the air. Soon, she was gliding off into the northern sky. Valanandir helped Iadrawyn back into the ferry and they made the silent trip back to their hut.
As soon as she set foot back on the isle, Iadrawyn knew someth
ing was happening. The hum of the Quenya had risen to an audible level. It tingled against her skin, causing the hair on the back of her neck to prickle.
“What is happening?” Valanandir asked.
She grabbed his hand and began to run. “Come!”
She did not know where she was going, but her feet led her without pause. They carried her to the hut of a young couple, not far from the glade of the Quenya. There was some commotion outside of the hut, but the crowd parted for Iadrawyn and Valanandir. Inside, an elf woman lay propped up on her pallet, her hair plastered to her forehead. Her anxious husband knelt at her side. In her arms, the woman held two newborn children: one boy and one girl.
For a moment, Iadrawyn’s heart felt as if it were stuck in her throat as she looked down on the strange miracle. Two babies! Such a thing had never happened. Could it possibly be…?
She knew a moment of bitter disappointment as she looked into the infants’ eyes and saw no recognition. She had allowed herself to hope… But no. These children were strangers to her. She gave Valanandir a small shake of her head.
“Will you hold them?” the mother asked Iadrawyn. Iadrawyn understood the unspoken request. Many mothers asked her this question. Would she guide the newborns to the presence of the Quenya? She always carried it with her, and had found she could act as a conduit for others. The elves seemed to consider it a blessing of sorts.
Nodding, Iadrawyn knelt and took one infant in each arm. The swaddled bundles seemed to become more alert in her presence, looking up at her. Both had golden skin and soft, white hair. The girl’s eyes were a deep blue, but the boy’s startled her. They were pale silver. No Light Elf had such coloring. Gently, she gathered them to the constant presence that sang within her and immersed them in it. She felt a surprised jolt.
While these weren’t the souls she had been hoping for, there was definitely something special about them. The male in particular wore his fate over him like a bright shroud. Their souls intertwined, drifting in and out of each other’s awareness. When Iadrawyn came back to herself, she felt as though she needed to gasp for air.
“What will you call them?” she asked as she handed them back to their mother, giving no sign of what she had seen.
“The girl is Eransinta and the boy is Alfialys.” The mother smiled down at them.
Valanandir helped Iadrawyn back to her feet and together they left the hut. Iadrawyn felt a shiver of prescience as they left. She did not know what the two children portended. But the awed looks on the faces of the elves outside told her what they saw in this miraculous birth. It was something they had not had in a long time: hope.
Light Chasers (The World of Lasniniar Book 0) Page 69