•─────⋅☾Faelyn ☽⋅─────•
Eagerly, I follow behind the pace of my dad. His back to me and just from the angle of his shoulders I could feel the anger boiling his blood. I dared to bring a human home with me from the scouting my dad had told me not to go on. Of course locking me in my room with my guards only goes so far when we are close companions. Celbrim has been guarding my life for most of my existence. Surely my dad is aware I can talk him into anything by now.
Even as we walk, I try not to show the exhaustion waring me down. I’d used too much magic at once to rescue Caspian’s life. It would be obvious to my dad who could read my soul the second he saw me. My body is itching to get in a relaxing bath and to tuck this human in a safe bed perhaps after bathing him myself. The way his bright green eyes shined into my own the moment he opened his eyes had sent a shiver over my heart. The feeling is strange. To receive this feeling from a human.
This wouldn’t do. Simply it wouldn’t. A warm chill from those vile angry destructive creatures. As we walk the path I am fully aware we are moving toward the throne room. Ah it was going to be this kind of conversation. The trees here are large, the trunks wide enough that many have made homes inside them. The throne room is in one of the largest trees. A spiral staircase went around the tree but at the base large ornate double doors made of wood stood wide open with my dad not too far in front of us. I could make out him walking up the short stair case toward the throne that’s leading to his large ornate wooden throne that curves and twists toward into the air. His elegant robe that’s to his knees swooshes with him as he does.
His magic and strength is unparalleled. He’s fought wars, kept back the darkness and all without losing a sweat. I worry sometimes if it will all catch up to him one day but so far that day hasn’t come. When my eyes flicker back toward Caspian as we enter, I can tell he’s barely hanging on to consciousness. I need this conversation over quickly.
When we are all tucked safely inside the hollow of the tree, my dad waves a hand. The doors behind us slam closed. His icy gaze still aimed more toward the human. For some reason, it was starting to annoy me. I move slightly in front of the human and block him from sight.
“Adah.” I smile giving the most pleasant and friendly smile I can using Elvish hoping it will draw his attention. I had been raised to use both languages, human and elvish. Most use Elvish as its more our nature. Which is why myself and my guards use human language because others can’t make out what we are saying most of the time.
His icy gaze now falling at me, he sinks his back into the chair.
“Why?” He growls in elvish. I can’t really recall the last time he’d been angry at me. His tone is making believe he might be a little more against the idea of this human being in my clutches. “He’s barely alive.”
“Well, he was almost dead until I healed him.” I reply carefully in elvish. I’m pretty sure everything we are saying the human wouldn’t understand, I mean Caspian. The human is named Caspian. The way my father jumps to his feet has my body jolt.
Perhaps lying would have been more to my benefit here. Oh I was sure to receive punishment this time. It was one thing rescuing a human dying in the forest. There is a whole other dimension to the problem when it involves magic. Magic used on humans had been strictly prohibited. Humans didn’t do well with magic. Magic is a rare trait in humans already. They couldn’t understand it and well, often times those with magic abused it. Some of the worst of mankind had abused their magic to try and claim territory of other races and beings. Too many of us has been lost from wars and other such things. Elves live an unnatural long life. Despite the fact I am my Ada’s only son, he’s never fallen in love with another. His heart still lies with my mother.
“You dared use your magic on that thing.” He hissed waving his hand as if I wasn’t aware of what I had done.
“Caspian.” Answering him and crossing my arms. “That human is called Caspian.” I clarify firmly. “I saved him because he was hurt and dying in the forest floor. Other humans did this to him. He was barely alive.”
“Faelyn, do you know what you have done?” He looks ready to throw me and my human in a dungeon where he wouldn’t have to deal with me.
“Saved his life?” I reply with a question and a raised eyebrow. Yeah, I knew what I did. And he wasn’t going to take this victory from me. I brought him back to life not that he was dead but my magic had brought him to health.
“You interfered directly with humans. Clearly this wont be good once the humans realize what has happened.” The intensity in my dad’s voice is unmistakable. A weaker person would bend their knees and beg for forgiveness before they were expelled from their home. In a way I am lucky that he wouldn’t do that to me because I’m his son, or I was pretty sure. The look on his face appears as if he is considering it.
“Look, they wanted him dead. A group of them attacked him defenseless. It was unjust. They didn’t even give him a weapon.” Convincing him would be the best way to ensure my survival and his at this point. I know getting to my dad’s heart would be the best way to do so.
With a sigh he sits back in his chair. His thoughts swirling between various options. Then almost as if he felt defeated he started to speak again. “Son, you are entirely responsible for that human. If anything happens to him, its on your shoulders. All problems from the humans your responsibility. Everything about him is on you.” The frown never left his face as he spoke. “If he learns any of our secrets and it gets out to the humans, you kill him understand?”
I thought I had been in the clear until that last point. Kill him? I saved his life and he wants me to be responsible for everything related to him. I couldn’t bring myself to speak words at these demands. I just nod at him.
“Swear it.” He hissed at me because just a simple nod wasn’t enough I guess. I grit my teeth. This isn’t the kind of situation where I would win without giving anything in exchange. A oath like this would be hard to keep. Yet I feel that if I don’t then dad will kill him with his own hands right this second and dump him somewhere the humans would find him.
“I swear to the Veil that I will protect this Caspian and take responsibility for him. Should he reveal our secrets to the other humans I will slay him.” This part I say in English because I needed Caspian to understand what I had signed my own soul to this claim. He needed to understand what had been asked of me to maintain his survival.
A glow passed between Caspian and I for a long moment, a crystal blue bond that had been formed.
“Go rest.” My dad says softly.
“Thank you, Adah.” I give my father a respectful bow by bending down to my knees and bending my head. Part of me hoping this sign of respect may calm my father in some way. Raising to my knees I could see the respect swirling in his icy gaze though he appears less taxed than he had been a moment ago.
Rising from the ground and walking toward the exit, the elf holding Caspian follows and we walk all the way to my chambers. The hollow of two trees opened up, a hallway leading toward a building built that attaches two trees. I shove open the doors to my chambers. Celbrim sitting on a chair with a table in the foyer. In his hand a cup of tea which he sips as I blink at him.
“I’m going to need a bath. Find him some clothing.” I ask of him as I turn to the Elf carrying Caspian. I should remember his name but the guards I am surrounded by rotate so often. Celbrim gives me a look.
“Are you serious? Make your handmaid do that.” He takes another long sip of tea.
“And where is Thoran?” I ask looking around my handmaid nowhere in sight. Clearly I had not gone blind. Instead of answering, Clebrim sighed put down his tea cup and went to either find my handmaid or take care of it himself. I have no mind of who completes the task as long as it is done.
Glancing back to the loyal elf who carried Caspian all the way here, I wonder if I could trust him. He seems loyal the way he hasn’t dropped the human, glared at the human. Even the way he cradles the human appears to be gentle as if making sure he feels the least bit of pain as he walks.
“Your name?”
“Estarin.” The elf answers and his tone doesn’t even give off any hint of emotion. I think I like him and part of me hopes I can trust him. I turn on my heels and walk toward the baths.
Eagerly, I follow behind the pace of my dad. His back to me and just from the angle of his shoulders I could feel the anger boiling his blood. I dared to bring a human home with me from the scouting my dad had told me not to go on. Of course locking me in my room with my guards only goes so far when we are close companions. Celbrim has been guarding my life for most of my existence. Surely my dad is aware I can talk him into anything by now.
Even as we walk, I try not to show the exhaustion waring me down. I’d used too much magic at once to rescue Caspian’s life. It would be obvious to my dad who could read my soul the second he saw me. My body is itching to get in a relaxing bath and to tuck this human in a safe bed perhaps after bathing him myself. The way his bright green eyes shined into my own the moment he opened his eyes had sent a shiver over my heart. The feeling is strange. To receive this feeling from a human.
This wouldn’t do. Simply it wouldn’t. A warm chill from those vile angry destructive creatures. As we walk the path I am fully aware we are moving toward the throne room. Ah it was going to be this kind of conversation. The trees here are large, the trunks wide enough that many have made homes inside them. The throne room is in one of the largest trees. A spiral staircase went around the tree but at the base large ornate double doors made of wood stood wide open with my dad not too far in front of us. I could make out him walking up the short stair case toward the throne that’s leading to his large ornate wooden throne that curves and twists toward into the air. His elegant robe that’s to his knees swooshes with him as he does.
His magic and strength is unparalleled. He’s fought wars, kept back the darkness and all without losing a sweat. I worry sometimes if it will all catch up to him one day but so far that day hasn’t come. When my eyes flicker back toward Caspian as we enter, I can tell he’s barely hanging on to consciousness. I need this conversation over quickly.
When we are all tucked safely inside the hollow of the tree, my dad waves a hand. The doors behind us slam closed. His icy gaze still aimed more toward the human. For some reason, it was starting to annoy me. I move slightly in front of the human and block him from sight.
“Adah.” I smile giving the most pleasant and friendly smile I can using Elvish hoping it will draw his attention. I had been raised to use both languages, human and elvish. Most use Elvish as its more our nature. Which is why myself and my guards use human language because others can’t make out what we are saying most of the time.
His icy gaze now falling at me, he sinks his back into the chair.
“Why?” He growls in elvish. I can’t really recall the last time he’d been angry at me. His tone is making believe he might be a little more against the idea of this human being in my clutches. “He’s barely alive.”
“Well, he was almost dead until I healed him.” I reply carefully in elvish. I’m pretty sure everything we are saying the human wouldn’t understand, I mean Caspian. The human is named Caspian. The way my father jumps to his feet has my body jolt.
Perhaps lying would have been more to my benefit here. Oh I was sure to receive punishment this time. It was one thing rescuing a human dying in the forest. There is a whole other dimension to the problem when it involves magic. Magic used on humans had been strictly prohibited. Humans didn’t do well with magic. Magic is a rare trait in humans already. They couldn’t understand it and well, often times those with magic abused it. Some of the worst of mankind had abused their magic to try and claim territory of other races and beings. Too many of us has been lost from wars and other such things. Elves live an unnatural long life. Despite the fact I am my Ada’s only son, he’s never fallen in love with another. His heart still lies with my mother.
“You dared use your magic on that thing.” He hissed waving his hand as if I wasn’t aware of what I had done.
“Caspian.” Answering him and crossing my arms. “That human is called Caspian.” I clarify firmly. “I saved him because he was hurt and dying in the forest floor. Other humans did this to him. He was barely alive.”
“Faelyn, do you know what you have done?” He looks ready to throw me and my human in a dungeon where he wouldn’t have to deal with me.
“Saved his life?” I reply with a question and a raised eyebrow. Yeah, I knew what I did. And he wasn’t going to take this victory from me. I brought him back to life not that he was dead but my magic had brought him to health.
“You interfered directly with humans. Clearly this wont be good once the humans realize what has happened.” The intensity in my dad’s voice is unmistakable. A weaker person would bend their knees and beg for forgiveness before they were expelled from their home. In a way I am lucky that he wouldn’t do that to me because I’m his son, or I was pretty sure. The look on his face appears as if he is considering it.
“Look, they wanted him dead. A group of them attacked him defenseless. It was unjust. They didn’t even give him a weapon.” Convincing him would be the best way to ensure my survival and his at this point. I know getting to my dad’s heart would be the best way to do so.
With a sigh he sits back in his chair. His thoughts swirling between various options. Then almost as if he felt defeated he started to speak again. “Son, you are entirely responsible for that human. If anything happens to him, its on your shoulders. All problems from the humans your responsibility. Everything about him is on you.” The frown never left his face as he spoke. “If he learns any of our secrets and it gets out to the humans, you kill him understand?”
I thought I had been in the clear until that last point. Kill him? I saved his life and he wants me to be responsible for everything related to him. I couldn’t bring myself to speak words at these demands. I just nod at him.
“Swear it.” He hissed at me because just a simple nod wasn’t enough I guess. I grit my teeth. This isn’t the kind of situation where I would win without giving anything in exchange. A oath like this would be hard to keep. Yet I feel that if I don’t then dad will kill him with his own hands right this second and dump him somewhere the humans would find him.
“I swear to the Veil that I will protect this Caspian and take responsibility for him. Should he reveal our secrets to the other humans I will slay him.” This part I say in English because I needed Caspian to understand what I had signed my own soul to this claim. He needed to understand what had been asked of me to maintain his survival.
A glow passed between Caspian and I for a long moment, a crystal blue bond that had been formed.
“Go rest.” My dad says softly.
“Thank you, Adah.” I give my father a respectful bow by bending down to my knees and bending my head. Part of me hoping this sign of respect may calm my father in some way. Raising to my knees I could see the respect swirling in his icy gaze though he appears less taxed than he had been a moment ago.
Rising from the ground and walking toward the exit, the elf holding Caspian follows and we walk all the way to my chambers. The hollow of two trees opened up, a hallway leading toward a building built that attaches two trees. I shove open the doors to my chambers. Celbrim sitting on a chair with a table in the foyer. In his hand a cup of tea which he sips as I blink at him.
“I’m going to need a bath. Find him some clothing.” I ask of him as I turn to the Elf carrying Caspian. I should remember his name but the guards I am surrounded by rotate so often. Celbrim gives me a look.
“Are you serious? Make your handmaid do that.” He takes another long sip of tea.
“And where is Thoran?” I ask looking around my handmaid nowhere in sight. Clearly I had not gone blind. Instead of answering, Clebrim sighed put down his tea cup and went to either find my handmaid or take care of it himself. I have no mind of who completes the task as long as it is done.
Glancing back to the loyal elf who carried Caspian all the way here, I wonder if I could trust him. He seems loyal the way he hasn’t dropped the human, glared at the human. Even the way he cradles the human appears to be gentle as if making sure he feels the least bit of pain as he walks.
“Your name?”
“Estarin.” The elf answers and his tone doesn’t even give off any hint of emotion. I think I like him and part of me hopes I can trust him. I turn on my heels and walk toward the baths.
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