Page 34 of Stalk the Sky

After a few moments, the title page switched to a page with words. In the time of the elven empire, when the elves ruled the continent from the sea to the great dwarven mountains, the young elf warrior Star Forest travels through the forests far from his home.

The page of words blinked into the black-and-white images of the actor Tenian Daefiel bounding lightly through a sun-dappled forest, his bright blond hair flowing in a breeze the audience couldn’t feel.

The musical score changed to the recognizable Star Forest theme, a jaunty tune of elven flutes and stringed instruments. For all the inaccuracies of the plot, the characters, and, well, everything, the score at least made an effort to use elven music to denote the elves.

Pip settled as comfortably as she could on the hard stone bench. Too bad it didn’t have a back.

She’d seen this moving picture several times, but it was her favorite. There was just something about the original, the first introduction to Star Forest and his lady love, that couldn’t be surpassed by the sequels. Not to mention, the leading lady wasn’t quite as helpless in this one as she became in the later ones, where the repeated kidnappings and Star Forest rescues grew increasingly ridiculous.

Here at Dar Goranth, so far from home, there was something extra cozy about re-watching a favorite.

All that cozy warmth vanished when Fieran reached around her to brace a hand against the bench behind her. Not touching her, but still invading her space in a way that made her all too aware of him.

He leaned closer, his breath warm and tickling her ear. “Star Forest is so obviously modeled after my dacha. Blond hair, a renowned warrior, powerful magic, falls in love with a human princess.”

“Your dacha and macha inspired a generation,” Pip whispered back as quietly as she could.

On the screen, words flashed again. Suddenly, a scream pierces the forest.

The words flipped back to the scene of Star Forest. He halted, cocking his head and going rigid, as if hearing a scream that the audience couldn’t hear.

Deeper in the forest, he spots a fair maiden being carried off by bandits.

The scene showed a dark-haired young woman in an elaborate dress struggling in the arms of four rough-clad dirty men, which, of course, signified that they were evil minions. The music changed from the lilting elven notes to a more bombastic score, showing the transition to the action scene.

Fieran leaned closer to Pip once again. “The only reason she doesn’t have red hair like my mama is that the dark brown shows up much better in a moving picture. She has auburn hair in the book.”

“Unhand that maiden, you foul villains!”

A moment later, the picture showed Star Forest mouthing those same words, though the audience couldn’t hear him say them, of course.

The villains halted what they were doing, gaping at Star Forest. Then two of them continued dragging the maiden away while the other two drew their swords.

Star Forest rushes to confront the dastardly fiends.

Drawing his two swords, Star Forest gracefully launched himself forward.

This time, Pip tilted her head to whisper to Fieran. “Two swords, of course.”

“Of course.” In the darkness of the arena, the light of the screen before them highlighted Fieran’s smile and glimmered in his eyes.

In the moving picture, a furious, choreographed sword fight ensued. Star Forest easily took on the bandits.

“And skilled with those swords.” Pip let her back rest against Fieran’s arm braced behind her. Just getting comfortable. Nothing more.

“Though he somehow manages to get his shirt ripped off.” Fieran had his head bent so close to hers that his mouth nearly brushed her ear. “A Star Forest Moment, as my family calls it.”

On the screen, a triumphant Star Forest, indeed, had his shirt in tatters. Only one sleeve remained partially on his arm while the other was entirely ripped off, baring his shoulder and muscular pectorals. The remaining strips of his shirt fluttered rather artfully as the maiden he’d rescued swooned in his arms—because apparently maidens were supposed to be overcome after such things.

Though who could say if she was overcome by nearly being kidnapped or by the sight of the handsome, all-but-shirtless elf rescuing her.

Pip snorted, then pressed a hand to her mouth to stifle her laugh.

Stickyfingers leaned around Lije. “Would the two of you stop talking? Some of us are trying to watch.”

Fieran grinned back in a way that was far too unrepentant. “Merrik isn’t complaining.”

Merrik rolled his eyes and heaved a sigh. “You always talk during moving pictures. You and Adry. I am used to it by now.”

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