Page 16 of Dragon Sword

We approached the gates and whoever manned them must have recognized the general because they opened without his command. I felt a little apprehensive as we walked through the high walls and into the enclosed courtyard. The tree in the center shaded us as our feet crunched atop the gravel drive to the portico that ran along the whole of the front and the two adjoining wings on either side. The white pillars that held up the roof were wrapped in thin bands of gold and silver which glistened in the early morning light. The flowers were covered in dew drops and butterflies meandered here and there drinking the sweet nectar.

A few elven maids strolled together with baskets filled with flowers hanging from their arms. They wore elegant silken robes and their braided brown hair trailed down to their butts. Their skin was as smooth as their clothing and they walked silently in their soft slippers. They stopped at seeing us and their eyes widened as they retreated a few steps to whisper to one another. Their attention lay mostly on me and I couldn’t help but squirm a little under their attention.

“They really don’t see outsiders that often, do they?” I whispered.

Will shook his head. “Hardly more than a handful of humans in a decade and those are rarely allowed within the walls much less the palace.”

The maids’ focus settled on Will and their cheeks blushed. Their curious whispering turned slightly more frenzied. “So how long has it been since you were here?” I asked him.

He smiled down at me. “Not so long that I wouldn’t be recognized by the younger generations.”

“In a notorious way?” I guessed as the pair of doors opened and we strolled through them into the entrance hall.

His eyes twinkled. “Perhaps.”

His word was soft but the vast room meant it still echoed slightly. The entrance hall of the king of the elves was some hundred feet wide and nearly that deep. A delicate balance of artificial stone construction and natural plants made up the decor as vines grew out of large pots and wrapped themselves around the two columns of pillars that ran along either side of us. They held aloft the upper floors including two full balconies that overlooked the main portion of the hall.

The floor was made up of soft gray rock tiles of mixed stones. The walls were filled with tapestries featuring the city landscape and the forests beyond the gap. A single curved set of stairs led to the upper floors and servants moved about cleaning and tending to their washing and dining duties. They all stopped at our coming and gaped at us as the general led us directly forward to a pair of wooden doors on the opposite side of the hall.

They were opened from the inside and we were presented with a view of a long, wide room even grander than the entrance hall. More high columns stood on either side of us and a guard stood at the base of each pillar. The walls were bare except for the vines that grew out of the posts. A forest-green carpet ran from the doors to the end where a low pedestal was situated in the middle of the floor against the wall. A high-backed throne sat atop the pedestal and was decked out in vines crafted from gold and silver that wound around the back and under the arms. The seat was occupied by a man even taller than Will who sat erect in the chair. He wore a robe of green with silver edging and his long brown hair cascaded over his shoulders and nearly into his lap.

I was glad to see Alisa standing before the high throne of the imperious king. She turned at our coming and her eyes lit up. His charge would have bolted over to us but Will slightly raised one hand as we approached. She grudgingly restrained herself and clasped her hands in front of her.

The king’s sharp silver eyes followed us as we were led down the carpeted hall and stopped within ten feet of his person. Will squeezed my hand before he knelt on one knee. I quickly followed suit, being unable to free myself from his protective grip. We both bowed our heads to the king of the elves and Alisa joined us a few steps back in prostrating herself to her king.

“Thank you for the honor of seeing Your Highness so quickly,” Will thanked the elf ruler. “We know you have much on your mind, King Arvo, and hope this conversation may alleviate your mind somewhat.”

The king lifted an eyebrow. “On what information do you pretend to know my thoughts, Lord Thorn?”

Will lifted his head to meet the king’s stern gaze. “On our own experiences, Your Highness. The beasts trapped in your dungeons loosed themselves and nearly killed my wife and me. You would not have gone to the trouble of capturing such dangerous creatures were there not some ulterior motive for doing so, and one which has cast enough shadow over your kingdom that all outsiders are immediately banished to the dungeon.”

King Arvo lifted his chin slightly. He examined Will for a moment before he swept his silver eyes over the others in attendance including the guards. “You may leave us.”

The guards immediately obeyed their king’s orders while General Tervo turned to his men and nodded. They, too, left the room but one stubborn figure remained.

“I will remain here, Your Highness,” Alisa insisted.

The king pursed his lips. “These matters are the kind which cannot leave this room. Do you understand that?”

She bowed her head. “I do, Your Highness. Seeing as I have no friends and my only family kneels before you, I will have no trouble keeping your secret.”

“Then you shall remain to hear the truth.”

CHAPTERELEVEN

The king’sdemeanor seemed to change. His proud posture sunk into the chair as a sigh escaped his lips. “One year ago a great shadow appeared in the woods. The darkness infected the animals and changed them into what you witnessed: monsters of magic and demons controlled by some unknown fiend.”

Will lifted an eyebrow. “You haven’t been able to find the culprit after a year?”

King Arvo shook his head. “The shadows creep everywhere and the animals run wild. How can one follow such an unwieldy path as a beast without sense?”

“Has anyone been injured by these creatures?” Will questioned him.

The king nodded at the general. “Only General Tervo’s men have been harmed, and thankfully none of the injuries were serious.” The general bowed his head and closed his eyes. Something about his silent response made my heart twinge.

“Why have you not warned anyone about these animals?” Alisa spoke up as she glared at her sire. “Someone could have been killed because you refused to tell them the truth!”

Arvo cast a sharp look at his subject. “I thought it best not to cause a panic. We have so little information to provide my subjects that the only response would be panic. Some of the citizens may have even tried to escape the shadow by traveling through the woods and thus become a victim of the darkness.”

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