Revenge of the Elven

Chapter 9

Taeril walked into the hideout to find that some of his people had already been given blankets but he had more for them, hopefully nobody would go without. The elven woman whose space they had encroached upon stood to meet him helping him with the sacks of food and blankets.

“There is plenty in there and of course you are also welcome to some,” he said, and she smiled beautifully as she got to preparing food to hand out to the starving elves. Her light brown hair flowed down her back in delicate waves. She was beautiful though he could not help but think how this elven woman’s beauty did not even compare to Varrell’s beauty. He had never seen a woman quite so striking as Varrell; defender of the City of Marrengate. He knew little about her only what he had learned whilst listening from shadows and learned enough to know that she might be willing to help him and she had been. He smiled as he took a seat near one of the metal barrels seemed to be used as a fire to keep everyone warm. The elven woman handed him some bread, but he held his hand up shaking his head refusing it.

“You must eat, especially after what you did,” she insisted.

“I’ll eat if there is anything left after they have all eaten,” he said and one of the elves looked at him over the bread he was nibbling at having been advised not to eat too fast.

“Taeril… isn’t it?” the elven man asked him, and he nodded. “You are incredibly brave, young elf,” he continued. “We are all grateful that you gave us back a bit of fight, gave us back some life,” he said.

“I am glad that you were able to be moved by Varrell’s words,” Taeril replied.

“A human… helping elves… why would she do this?” another asked.

“She is a conflicted woman, but I believe she just needs educating, she does not abide injustice against innocents. She does, however, understand the magic wielders laws and sees reason for them but again… she just needs educating and I… feel we can trust her… she would not have gone to all the trouble she did only to betray us,” he said but almost as though trying to convince himself as well as the others. The elven woman dressed in fine clothes sat beside Taeril and offered him food once more. He hesitated.

“Everyone has food, this is yours,” she said softly, and he accepted the bre,ad.

“Thank you,” he replied. “I realise… I never asked for your name,” he said.

“You were in a hurry,” she smiled, “my name is Yathalin,”

“Taeril,” he replied, and she held her hand out to him, but he simply looked at it.

“It is a greeting,” she informed, “you take my hand in yours and shake it,” he reached out the hand that did not hold the bread and did as she said but with her lead. He smiled.

“It has been so long… since I was not a prisoner, I forget simply gestures like that,”

“It must have been awful… looking at this handful of people… the state they turned up in, I cannot imagine what they endured… what you endured,” she looked to him and met his eyes.

“It was awful, what is happening to our people… you understand the injustice of it, don’t you, I do not know what life you have been forced to lead… your clothes… are fine indeed but… you cannot have status,” he said.

“I… was a slave and I… killed my mistress. The clothes I wear are hers, I took them when I escaped,” she said, “I… always liked her clothes,” she muttered with a smile as she looked down at the dress she was wearing. “I travelled far with just one bag, and my collar… you know… there are some sympathetic magic wielders out there. I was lucky enough to find one who removed my collar for me and… replaced it with that false one I leant you,” she said and realised it was sitting on the ground in front of Taeril. He had been eager to discard it. “These are necessary,” she said as she retrieved it.

“Yes, I suppose humans and others do not look twice at an elf walking around wearing one but would be quick to notice one without a collar,” Taeril agreed.

“Yes,” she muttered.

“The magic wielder that helped you… are they near?” he asked.

“No, they are far away now, I am not sure how to go about relieving your clan of their collars,” she said with regret.

“They are not my clan… well…” he looked around at them all, “I suppose they are now,” he added and received some friendly smiles from a few of the elves.

“We are a clan,” the elven man from earlier spoke. “But we should know one another’s names, my name is Seiveril, but I think… I believe my friends used to call me… Sev,” he offered a smile.

“It is nice to meet you, my name is Taeril, it is not shortened,” he replied and as others who had strength enough to do so began introducing themselves and all seemed to lose some of the darkness in their eyes as though they were coming back to life in this sanctuary he had found them. It warmed him but he could not shake the sense of dread deep within his heart.

                                                                                       ~~

Varrell returned to her home and it seemed just in time as her friends served up the dinner and they all sat to eat together as a family. She smiled as she entered, the sight of her closest friends filling her with joy and warmth. She took her usual seat at the head of the table, where her father used to sit and then… Zakaris after that at least for while until he left on an important mission.

“This looks… amazing,” she said as she picked up her cutlery, “I apologise for not lending a hand,”

“No need, you had important business… those elves looked like they had not eaten in a long time,” Decan said.

“How was the elf? He was injured was he not?” Kessa asked.

“Yes, he is fine… I think he had a cracked or possible broken rib, but he seems tough,” she said. “He said some things… actually never mind,” she said sparing a glance to Arlan at her side. “I am going tomorrow to take more food to them, slowly I am going to ensure their comfort,”

“Where are they staying? Decan would not say,” Arlan asked.

“Then I will not say,” Varrell replied meeting eyes with Decan.

“You do not trust me?” Arlan asked his voice rigid and tight as he questioned.

“I know… your contempt for elves… your-“ Varrell began but he interrupted her.

“Contempt you should share! An elf murdered your father!” he spat.

“Yes, I know, thank you for reminding me,” she replied sharply, “not that it’s something I will ever forget, seeing my father… lying on the street outside… I can never shake that image,” she said as she tucked into her dinner.

“I always felt there was more to everything that happened and what is happening to the elves, something just… never felt right to me,” Kessa said.

“Oh, you are just enamoured by their beauty, Kessa! Pretty things are your weakness!” Arlan spat.

“Well, Taeril was extraordinarily handsome, wasn’t he Varrell?” Kessa asked with a smug grin directed to Arlan as Varrell agreed. He shot Kessa a glare knowing she asked Varrell this to taunt him with her obvious response.

“He was very attractive,” Varrell added after her already agreeable reply.

“Is that why you helped him?” Arlan asked.

“If you know me at all, Arlan, then you know that is not why I helped him!” Varrell spat.

“Then why? You know what the elves can do, you know what happened to your father! Do you remember how he looked?” Arlan pressed and Varrell closed her eyes fighting back tears.

“That’s enough, Arlan!” Decan growled like a parent putting an end to their children’s quarrels. Arlan looked to Varrell and his eyes widened. She was visibly upset but not crying.

“Varrell, I am so sorry, I did not… think about my words before I spoke them,” he said, and she put down her cutlery.

“No, you didn’t,” she said and stood excusing herself from dinner having lost her appetite. Both Kessa and Decan glared at Arlan who put his head in his hands despairing at having upset her. They proceeded to finish their dinner and give Varrell a moment alone, but the dinner was eaten in awkward silence. After they had eaten Kessa slipped away and found Varrell in her father’s study. Her father, Redren Viakast, warrior and scholar. He protected this city long before she did and he taught Varrell everything she knew in terms of fighting and what is right and wrong. Kessa knew to find her here in his study and she quietly stepped in to join her. Varrell looked to her.

“Are you alright?” Kessa asked her and she nodded. “Arlan is devastated at the words he spoke to you… he loves you very much and I believe he is just fearful of you getting involved with these elves. What we did… is illegal and we all know that your status will not protect you forever,” Kessa said and walked to Varrell’s side.

“I know, we had to save those elves, though, you should have seen… how broken they were! We opened their cages and… they barely moved a muscle some saying how pointless it was to try and escape,”

“That is terribly sad,” Kessa placed a hand on Varrell’s as it rested on the desk. “What is happening to the elves… as I said never sat right with me. I had seen first hand their powers and they were not harmful aside from what Taeril can do… their powers were good for our lands. The clan I had friends in… one day they had disappeared. Their homes abandoned, ransacked even but there were no bodies. It was after the dark entities had been released and I feared for them. I have never seen them since.” She said sorrowfully.

“That is terrible but… the elves released these dark entities, whether by accident or purpose they allowed those creatures into our world and now… they terrorise and corrupt the lands,” Varrell said.

“Yes, I know, I do not believe it was on purpose, perhaps it was a sad, unfortunate accident sealing their fate,” Kessa replied.

“Taeril seems to think… he blames all of it on magic wielders,”

“Even the dark entities?”

“It seems like it by the way he talks,” Varrell said and looked about her father’s desk pulling one of his journals. She looked at it with pained eyes. “I never did bring myself to read these,” she muttered. Kessa placed her arms around Varrell and kissed her on the cheek.

“Perhaps it is time, my dear friend,” she said smiling. Varrell looked to her and returned the smile. “If you like… I can stay with you tonight if you need someone… if reading those becomes too… upsetting,” she offered.

“Thank you, Kessa, I would like that very much,” Varrell replied smiling to her friend.