In the forest to the south the last of the royal family enjoyed a day away from the court. Letting time flow over her as she bantered the day away.
The princess and Koblord sat on a large black cloth by the stream.
Koblord - " Tell me pretty elf. If humans are so disliked by your tribe. Why is it you have returned to visit me? "
Princess - " I feel like I can talk to you. Besides. I don't have to listen to his rules if I don't want to. I'm a princess. "
Koblord smiled at her. She laid on her stomach looking up at him.
Koblord - " Princess or no. I think you upset him enough today. Is it your intention to upset him? "
Princess - " No.. My intention is to do what I want to. I have been trained to be the perfect successor. All my life. Nothing but rules and lessons. I just need to get away from all that......"
Koblord - " Structure? "
Princess - "Boredom! You haven't had to hear him lecture you for a century. I need to make my own mind up about some things. We have isolated ourselves from the other tribes. We don't get any visitors any more. We are not allowed to experience anything outside of the tribe. I'm not supposed to SEE never mind talk to one of you mortal types. Besides that fact. For a human. You seem pretty nice. I can see you if I so desire it. "
Koblord - " Thanks, but it sounds like you always get what you want. "
Princess - " That's how it should be. "
Koblord frowns at her. He plays nervously with a crystal ball.
Koblord - " It SHOULD be give and take. With everyone.. Including your father. "
Princess - " I don't want to talk about this anymore. My father doesn't want me to visit you or ANY human. Don't you like me being here with you? "
Koblord pauses for a moment to look at her. She smiles at him. He smiles back.
Koblord - " I DO like being here with you. I'm just afraid of liking you too much. "
Princess - " Don't be afraid of your feelings. Just let them come. You only live so long you humans. You might as well enjoy life. "
Koblord smiles. The princess gets up on all fours and crawls to him and kisses him on the lips before he can respond. They both fall to the ground. They stayed together until late in the day.
Koblord - " You are intoxicating and fascinating. "
The princess backs up.
Princess - " Let's not forget beautiful. "
Koblord shakes his head.
Koblord - " and modest. You know I AM glad that you come and visit me. "
Princess - " I know, but if it gets any later in the day. My father will lock me in my room under guard. I'll come again soon. "
She looks at Koblord.
Princess - " Handsome... "
and starts to walk away.
He calls after her.
Koblord - " We'll not bad for a human. "
Before plunging into the woods she waved at Koblord who was gathering up the cloth. He waved back smiling. She disappeared.
Still unaware of what had transpired in her absence. The forest still seemed peaceful and the breeze ever brisk and soothing. She jumped from log to rock. Spying a few deer and squirrel along the way. Even a black dog made his way past her as she made her way home. She loved the forest and wished she could explore it forever. It was a happy day for her. She was content at the very least with the way her day had gone.....
Until she heard what sounded like rainfall during the otherwise clear sunset. She picked up her speed. Rushing back to her home. Damning herself for not being able to remain ignorant.
As she approached the gate an arrow landed at her feet. She looked up in surprise. The guard who had fired the shot looked down and called to his friend nearby.
Tifid - " Thiss! My eyes are too full of tears to believe that what I see is real. Look and see what beauty I hallucinate. I think it is my own selfish hope taking form. Tell me I am mad with grief. "
Thiss walks over to his friend and follows his gaze to land on the little elf.
Thiss- " By the Tree! I swear it looks just like the elf princess." Leans over to see better. " But she and her family are dead?! " He looks back to his friend " We are both mad with grief I think. "
They hear her wail over the clapping of wood behind them. The little elf screaming out for her father. She had heard what they had said. She collapsed on the ground before the gate. Sobbing. She could now taste the death in her mouth and it made her sick..... and angry.
The two guards
look at each other and start to weep quietly as well. They could never
know the pain of the princess and were sorry that they were the ones to
cause it. Thiss motioned the gate be opened and the princess brought in.
Her wails overpowering the sound of rainfall.
The next morning the rain had changed to an angry buzzing. The old man had not yet been captured. There was only one target left for their anger. Supposedly there was an army ready to attack them. Now they could take out their pain on this approaching horde. Scouts dressed in dark green hoods left one by one through the gate. Each dedicated to find the enemy that had been spoken of. Each afraid without the royal family and their council to guide them that they would be lost. Thiss waited for the princess to wake.
There were not many taverns under the Silvertree. They were generally abandoned save weddings and births. Wine and whiskey were never favored in day to day life. These people lived for their work and loved their lives. Until now. Now there was fear and sadness on the faces of these elves. Their high and mighty morals disappearing under the stress and sadness. The common folk were in chaos.
Now every tavern had been opened. Filled with angry mourners. Every one trying to numb the pain with spirits. Talking to each other. Some about the King and his legacy, some the old man and his punishment, and with a glimmer of hope...About rumors of the princess being alive.
It was this last subject that caught the attention of an elf lord sitting by himself in a tavern called the " Drunken Dragon." He listened to a nearby table retell the story of the princess at the gate. A Smile broke across his face. Although it was an odd site. His eyes were not puffy and swollen from crying. His demeanor was a tad off. Some of the other elves noticed but though insulted decided that anger at brethren would not be what the King would have wanted.
The elf still smiling we wandered out of the tavern and headed towards the SilverTree.
The princess was exhausted even after sleeping. Learning of her families pointless death she seemed lost and distant. She rose from her bed and stepped outside her door to see Thiss standing guard. Startled by her appearance he bowed on one knee and lowered his head.
Thiss - " My lady. I apologize for my tactless words on the gate. I was.... am still filled with grief. Please forgive me. "
Princess -" You need not apologize for your grief Thiss. It does you credit and honors my father. I will need to know what has happened here. Where is the council? "
Thiss - " Incinerated with your family princess. All who were present are gone. I entered the chamber just after it happened. A guard who was there told me later that an old human said to prepare for war. Then without warning. He killed your family and the council in a matter of seconds. He seemed to vanish into thin air. No one has been able to find him. All the town have been looking since it happened. And so there is still no word on the old man, but scouts were released this morning and return with news from the south. The Tyree have fallen. The great Palm believed destroyed. An army unlike anything the scouts can describe approaches. "
The princess absorbed what Thiss had been telling her. Looked at him weakly.
Princess -" Where are my families bodies? I want to see them. "
Thiss - " Princess. The bodies of your father and all attacked yesterday are nothing more than ash. "
Princess - " What was done with the ash?! "
Thiss - " It still remains. We have been... Preoccupied with recapturing the old man. "
Princess - " You mean capturing! It does not seem we ever had him in our hands biased on what you tell me. "
She shot him a look of annoyance and walked by him. Intent on seeing where her father fell.