On the way back to the caravan, the hunters stopped to check each of their traps. Over half of them were filled with small game such as rabbits and virrins, so by the time they broke out of the woods, Spirit and Bellirn were covered in sweat and staggering under their load.
The other elves had made a fire and now sat around it, deep in conversation. As the pair stumbled over, the elves turned to watch. Lilten’s eyebrows rose in surprise as he caught sight of the bleak-wraith dangling between them. Standing, he strode over and grabbed some of the meat off of their backs. Gratefully, Bellirn stretched and groaned. “Thanks for the hand.”
Lilten nodded, depositing the bodies in a pile next to his seat. The elf woman with blonde hair sidled over to inspect the wraith. Kneeling at its side, she turned it over and inspected the burn score. The flow of smoke had abated soon before they made it to the caravan, but the stench lingered on. She seemed to take no notice however, and spoke to Bellirn while still scrutinizing the blackened flesh.
“We can easily cut around the burn. The bleak-wraith is a veritable goldmine of alchemical supplies.” Standing, she turned to look at Bellirn, awe evident in her voice. “However did you manage to kill it?”
Bellirn stared at her solemnly. “I didn’t Elissay. The boy did.” He gestured at Spirit.
Elissay gaped at Spirit. “You cannot be serious! He is but a human youth, with no magical talent and little combat training.” She knelt in front of Spirit and gazed up into his eyes. “Is what Bellirn says true?”
Spirit stepped back unconsciously. “Yes. Here, look.” He held out the ruined dagger.
Elissay gingerly took the proffered weapon and gazed at it as Spirit recounted the events in the clearing. When he got to the point where the bleak-wraith had him cornered, he said, “I didn’t know what to do, so I set the blade on fire and stabbed the wraith.” At this point Spirit noticed all of the elves were staring at him with a mixture of disbelief and amazement. A blush crept into his cheeks, and he looked down at his shoes. “I guess I just got lucky,” he finished lamely.
Tentatively, he looked up again into Elissay’s face. To his surprise, a reluctant smile graced her lovely features. “To kill a bleak-wraith at your age, even one this small, is astounding. But armed only with a dagger and instinct,” she shook her head. “That is unheard of. Obviously, there is quite a bit more to you than meets the eye.” She gave him a long, searching look, then shook her head again and stood.
Spirit let out a breath he had not realized he was holding. Boy, these elves could be unnerving! He rubbed his eyes, trying to clear his head. Why did the others seem so surprised when he told them how he killed it? All he did was summon fire, and he had shown them he could do that. Shrugging mentally, he turned his attention to the others.
Lilten and Bellirn were crouched over the bleak-wraith, knives and other strange alchmical tools in hand. Elissay and the other elves were seated in a circle around the pile of game animals, skinning the little bodies and setting them to roast over the fire. Deciding Bellirn and Lilten knew what they were doing and would not need his help, Spirit trotted over to the fire and sat down next to the other elf male. He had sandy brown hair that stuck up in clumps all over his scalp, and his gray eyes bubbled with barely contained laughter.
When Spirit sat, the man looked over at him. After a second of hesitation, Spirit laid his palm over his heart and inclined his head slightly, just as Bellirn had done when he introduced himself.
The man’s eyes widened, then a ghost of a smile flitted across his face, and he laid his palm across his own chest. “I’m Kelken,” he said.
Spirit nodded, pleased he had initiated conversation so easily. “Spirit.”
Kelken nodded back, then returned his attention to the rabbit in his hands. Spirit reached out and grabbed a virrin from the pile. Then he reached back and drew his old hunting knife from its pouch. The old leather grip felt good in his hands, a familiar thing in a strange place.
After several minutes in which no one spoke, Spirit said to no one in particular, “I’ve always loved skinning the animals after a hunt. In my village, it was a time for the hunters to gather together and talk, so I hope none of you mind if I do.”
Kelken chuckled, and the other elf woman smiled. Encouraged, Spirit continued. “I never got introduced to you.” he said to the black-haired woman. “What is your name?”
She looked up from the squirrel she was skinning. Her skin was pale, and her eyes were such a deep blue they were almost black. A cascade of midnight-black hair rippled down her narrow back. “My full name is a bit too long to be used in conversation, but you may call me Bella.”
Spirit gave her a small wave. “Nice to meet you Bella.”
The remainder of the chore passed in silence.
When they had finished skinning and gutting all of the meat, Kelken, Bella and Elissay rose and made their way over to the woods. Knowing what they were planning to do, Spirit followed.
After walking several yards into the border, each of them climbed a tree and broke off a straight, sturdy branch to use as a spit. Returning to the fire, they tore off the leaves and shoots, shaved the bark, and spitted the gutted animals on the sticks. They then propped the skewers up over the fire and waited for them to cook. While the others sat and stared into the fire, Spirit took the viscera and buried it several yards into the woods, away from camp.
By the time he returned, the sun shone high overhead, showering the earth with the warmth only summer can bring. Birds called to each other from the depths of the forest. The horses had been fit with their bridles and tethered to the wagons. llirn had joined the group around the fire. Bella and Lilten were sitting on the same log, their heads together, pouring over a thick book that sat in Lilten’s lap. Kelken appeared to be telling some type of story, gesturing wildly about, and Bellirn and Elissay were laughing hysterically.
When Bellirn caught sight of Spirit he waved jovially. “Hello Spirit! I was wondering where you had gotten to.”
All conversation ceased almost instantly. Lilten and Bella looked up from their massive tome, and Kelken paused in mid-gesture, his arms held above his head. But either Bellirn didn’t notice, or he didn’t care. He patted the log beside him, smiling. “Come, sit down.”
Spirit ambled over and sat beside Bellirn, suddenly feeling very shy. Once he sat, the other elves went back to chatting with their neighbors, but occasionally their gaze would flicker over to him. Grimacing, Spirit tried to ignore them and turned to Bellirn. “So what type of ingredients did you get from the bleak-wraith?”
Bellirn laughed and shrugged. “I have no honest clue. Lilten and Bella are our resident alchemists. You’ll have to ask them.”
“Ok.” Reaching forward, Spirit grabbed one of the spits over the fire. After offering a quick prayer to the gods, he began munching happily on his breakfast. The meat was cooked and seasoned to perfection, and Spirit ignored the sideways glances as he ate.
By the time Spirit laid his spit down on the grass in front of him, the rest of the group was finishing up their meal. Kelken lay on his back, staring up into the cloudless blue sky. Elissay sat with her eyes closed, a peaceful half-smile on her face. Bellirn was eating the final few bites of his virrin, and Lilten and Bella continued to pore over their huge book.
Spirit took a deep, calming breath. This was his best chance, and he knew deep down he had better take it. But still, he was scared.
Pushing aside his fear, Spirit turned to Elissay. “Elissay, can I ask you something?”
Lilten and Bella’s whispered conversation stopped short, and Spirit knew that all the other elves had to be listening. I suppose it’s better this way, he thought resignedly.
Slowly, Elissay opened her eyes and fixed Spirit with an icy stare. “I suppose.”
Spirit grimaced inwardly. He had been expecting a reaction like this, but that didn’t mean he liked it. Bravely he continued. “Why is it that you all seem to… well…” he glanced down at his feet, then looked around the circle. “Hate me?”
Utter silence greeted his words. Kelken sat up on his elbows and stared at Spirit. Lilten and Bella closed their tome quietly and set it aside. And Bellirn just tried not to smile at the boy’s audacity.
It took Elissay a moment to answer. “To be perfectly frank?” She shrugged and regarded him coldly. “It is because you are human.”
The answer hit Spirit like a punch in the stomach. Why should his species have anything to do with how they treated him? It wasn’t fair!
Fighting to keep his voice level, Spirit asked, “And what does that have to do with anything?”
She smiled, but it was not a happy smile. “You do not know? Have you not heard of your kind’s hideous betrayal?”
“What betrayal?” Spirit asked angrily.
Her smile grew slightly predatory. “Let me educate you. Long ago, when the sorcerer Malum was marshaling his armies in the dark depths of the Daggerwood, your Emperor had news of the gathering forces just outside our borders, and yet neglected to tell us. He allowed Malum to grow his soldiers to such a terrible strength that none could stand against them. Not even the might of the elves.”
“When king Valorian finally got word of the sorcerer’s plans, he made a stronghold deep in the caves of the Valus Mountains
Suddenly her bright green eyes filled with tears, and her voice broke. Angrily, she wiped the tears away and continued. “And of course you know what happened next.”
Spirit nodded sadly. Malum’s armies had swept across the elven lands like a flood, killing and burning everywhere they went. Hesitantly, he asked, “And you…?”
She nodded to his unspoken question. “Yes. I was just barely out of infancy at the time, and I did not want to leave my mother and father. My village lay at the foot of the mountains, and every morning, I crawled out to the cave entrance and looked down upon the collection of buildings, searching for a familiar face.” Again her lilting voice broke. “One day, as I knelt staring at my home, I saw my parents walk out onto the main street. My heart was filled with joy at the sight, and I yelled and screamed and waved frantically at them.” Her words assumed a bitter tone. “I wonder what I would’ve done, if I’d known what would come next.”
“Out of nowhere, Malum’s forces charged into the village. Undead warriors rushed down main street, and the villagers crumpled like grass. Screams rent the quiet morning air, and I sat petrified as I watched my parents—”
She stopped, tears pouring down her face. This time she did not wipe them, and they coursed down her skin like tiny rivers. She opened her mouth to continue, then closed her eyes and shook her head. The tears continued to flow silently down her face, then she buried her head in her hands and sobbed.
Spirit found, to his surprise, that he had been crying as well. Rather then wipe them away, he knelt in front of the weeping elf and gently placed his hands on her knees.
Slowly, she looked up at his face. Her green eyes swam with tears, and she looked so vulnerable and lost, it was all Spirit could do to not stop crying again. Chokingly, Spirit whispered, “Elissay. I am so sorry.” Then, before he could actually think about what he was about to do, he hugged her.
For one terrifying second, she tensed beneath his embrace, as if she was about to throw him off. But then she wrapped her arms around him as well, and her body shook with renewed sobs. Spirit just sat there and held her, and he cried quietly as well.
After several seconds they broke apart, Elissay drying her eyes on the sleeve of her dress. She smiled again at Spirit, but this smile was not cold and calculating. This smile was warm and thankful.
Her voice was thick from the tears, but steady as she said, “Thank you. I apologize for my earlier treatment of you. It was wrong for me to blame you for the actions of your ancestors. And I see now that you are singularly unlike any human I have ever met.”
Spirit nodded, unable to speak past the lump in his throat. “Thanks,” he managed to croak. He wiped away the tears with his hand.
Abruptly Spirit noticed that the entire campsite had gone deathly quiet. All of the elves were staring openly at the pair of them. Kelken’s jaw had dropped, but he didn’t seem to notice. Lilten’s eyes were wide with surprise, and Bella had a hand over her mouth. And Bellirn just smiled at Spirit, his own eyes glistening. When he caught Spirit looking, he gave him a slight nod. Spirit grinned.
Standing, Elissay brushed off her dress and turned to the rest of the group. “What are you staring at? Come on, we should be on the road!”
Hastily, the three other elves jumped up with a bunch of hurried “Yes Elissay”s, and “Sorry Elissay”s.
As they scurried off to the wagons, Elissay gave Spirit a little wink. Spirit grinned and laughed. Then the tall elf maiden strode off to her wagon, and Bellirn put a hand on Spirit’s shoulder.
Spirit turned to Bellirn and was surprised to find him shaking his head. “I have known Elissay for a hundred year, and in all that time I haven’t been able to get her to open up like she just did.”
Spirit shrugged, smirking mischievously. “I guess some guys got it…”
Bellirn cuffed him jokingly about the head. “Come on you, get in the wagon.”
Still smiling, the two clambered into the driver’s seat. Bellirn took the reins and Spirit leaned back against the canvas wall. With a snap of leather, the cart began to trundle forward, and they were on the road again.
"I guess some guys got it..."
ReplyDeleteThat made me laugh. ^.^