I cringed at the thought of my homeland being overrun by the foul creatures and my mother and friends dying because of that. “Even Sedah will fall?” He stared at me, confused. “It’s my hometown, Your Majesty.”
Sharald nodded. “Sedah will most assuredly fall. It’s just a small agricultural village. It holds no significant importance, but the creatures will destroy all in their way. That's just the way they are—the way they have always been. Will you please help me and, in turn, save those you love?”
I took my time before making a decision. Sharald was kind and didn't interrupt me or stare at me while I thought. He looked out over the pond and animals just like I did, but my mind no longer paid attention to what I saw. My training was incomplete, and I could still make things worse with my power. I could also make them better and help people if I made the right choices.
The stories I had learned growing up played through my head, and starring in them was Shala. He didn't want to go to war with Renak, but soon realized he had no choice. Shala did it because Renak had to be stopped. There was no one else to challenge Renak, and a lot more people would have died if he hadn’t come forward to do what he could.
I wasn't Shala. I wasn't a hero. The elves needed my help, and I needed theirs. It would be better if we worked together.
“I'll help you,” I said.
“That’s exactly what I wanted to hear.” His old ears twitched in delight.
“But before I help you, Your Majesty, there’s something you should know.”
“I’m all ears.”
I couldn’t help but break my serious expression and smile at that. “I’m not a wizard yet. I haven’t completed my training.”
I held my breath and stared at him, waiting to see what his reaction would be. The great elf glanced away and looked at the pond. His eyes followed a turtle as it finished its basking and dived back into the water.
“I can see why you don’t want to go,” Sharald said, keeping his eyes on the water. “Thank you for telling me.” He turned his attention back to me and smiled. “None of that matters now. You’ve done well in helping the others. I still want you to go with them.”
“Me too.” I surprised myself by saying that, because it was true.
“Good. Even though you might not be a wizard yet, your expertise will come in handy.”
I nodded. I could only hope he was right.
“Now that that business is over, you must help us prepare,” Sharald said.
“Prepare for what?”
Sharald’s smile was as wide as the horizon. “A celebration.”
I yawned and put a hand to my mouth. “Forgive me, Your Majesty, but I don’t understand.”
“Tomorrow, we will celebrate. According to my healers, Demay should be well by then.”
“Are you sure we should have a party? Shouldn't we get ready in case Alexandria is in serious trouble?”
“We're not at war, Hellsfire. Not yet, anyway. We’re as ready as we can be until we find out what’s happening up there.” Sharald took a deep breath and his body seemed to melt. “I'm about to send my heir and an apprenticed wizard into a possibly dangerous situation, my younger cousin almost died last night, and I, myself, am dying. So yes, a celebration is exactly what we need. When I was younger, someone once told me to enjoy life because you never know what tomorrow may bring. That's what we're going to do. It's an order.” Sharald smiled.
I smiled back at him. “As you wish, Your Majesty.”
“Excellent. Come, I will get you a room so you can rest. No one deserves it more.”
“Thank you, Your Majesty.”
We left the serenity of his garden, and I finally got some sleep. I spent the next day setting up for the party. Demay was even helping, although he would wince and complain whenever we had to do hard work. We lined each home with flowers and made flower necklaces, hanging them around everyone’s neck. I enjoyed the flower necklace. It had a festive feel to it, smelled good, and stood out from my dark robe. The elves also had a leaf in each ear.
That night, there was plenty of dancing. The exotic, fast-paced music kept me moving. Even though I couldn’t keep up with the elves and their style of dancing, I still had a lot of fun. I danced with all the pretty young elves who’d come up to me. But elves weren’t the only ones there. All travelers and traders were invited to stay and enjoy the festivities.
A great bonfire was erected, stretching into the sky. It moved and swayed with me, though I wasn’t using any magic. In the midst of everything, the mana of earth radiated from the elves. It had the power of an earthquake, far more powerful than even their domed castle, and yet it felt gentle. It was no wonder the elves were close to the land and were good harvesters. I hadn’t been able to sense the magic from Prastian and the others before. It was too small, and worked without them knowing it. But with so many elves together, I felt it. People always said the trees talked to the elves. It was true. I heard their whispers, although I couldn’t understand what they were saying.