Dark One Rising(148)

Melenthia was slightly embarrassed. At home she was required to have hand maidens, but she didn’t like it and had often dismissed them when she wanted to be alone. She didn’t want anyone to make a fuss over her, and certainly not a being as sacred as an elf. They served no one.

“That will not be necessary. She can show me around, but I don’t need or want a servant. I can manage on my own.”

“It is my duty,” Dallen said, almost shocked that Melenthia would feel uncomfortable. “I have been given this honor.”

“I don’t want anyone to make a fuss over me.”

Tomaz answered, “You do not yet know your value or understand who you are. This journey you take with us will be difficult. You will need someone to help you through it. Besides, Dallen needs something to keep her busy. She tends to dally too much.” He did not smile, but Melenthia understood that he was making a jest.

“It is fine,” Dallen said to her. “I am honored that you are here with us, and I will fulfill my duty as I have been given it. It might be kind of fun having a sister of sorts around. Brothers can be much too bossy.” She bowed to Melenthia and then to Tomaz and bounded somewhat from the room.

“You will have to forgive my sister; she is young yet, and she is not used to having guests. None of us are. The only other human who has stayed with us in over a hundred years was Sol.”

“I didn’t think anyone was allowed inside Vallis.”

“Usually not, unless invited, and that too is rare. I could only name one other person who even knows how to find us, and that is Alek.”

She was surprised. “Alek? He knows how to find the city? How’s that possible?”

“He is a Bounty Hunter and has been enlisted by the king to keep the borders and all the dwellings in between free of undesirables. There have been a few times we have had to call upon him to remove someone who was getting too close and causing trouble. Sometimes even us elves need allies. Sol is the only one to have ever been invited to stay here. Sol is not like others. He has been a help to my kind for more years than I can recall, and I have known him my entire life. Elves are simple. We choose to devote our lives to the earth and the nature that surrounds us. We get our strength from them and in return we nurture and care for them. We have not had an allegiance with anyone in thousands of years. Since the kingdom was divided by war and strife, we have chosen to keep to ourselves and not get involved in the wars of man. We do not hold the same ideals as you do, and we do not care to involve ourselves in the pettiness that comes with power.”

“But you have chosen to let me in and have chosen to make an alliance with us now.”

“We have waited for you. Many years we have watched and listened for the word that you had come into the world. When you made your presence known, we heard it. We were there, watching. You have come to this point in your life because we have chosen it to be so. I will admit that we were not expecting everything that has happened; some things unfolded of their own accord. But we are here now, at this point, the place we have waited for. This is the beginning for you. The place where your rise to greatness will start. There will be times when you will wish none of this ever happened. Times you will want to give up, where your strength will fail you. Dallen will be there for you in those times.”

She looked at him, question in her eyes. He placed a gentle hand on her shoulder. “Everything will fall into place as and when it should. I would suggest that you eat and spend the next two days getting to know your environment, learning from Dallen the ways of our people and history of your kingdom. Then, the real work will begin.”

He motioned for her to sit down. When she did, several children came to her and sat down in a circle around her. She glanced up at Tomaz. He gave a lighthearted laugh and squatted down so that the children could hear him.

“Take good care of her. Make sure she eats, and make sure she knows her way around. Do not let her wander past the boundary of the Sacred Wood.”

They all nodded their heads and looked at Tomaz with admiration. He left them and walked out of the hut. She looked at all the young ones and had no idea what to do. Most of them were probably older than they looked, maybe some of them were even older than her. A voice above her head caused her to jump.

“Well do not just sit there and gawk like a bunch of skittish rabbits. Go get her breakfast.” The children jumped up to obey. Dallen sat down next to Melenthia, crossing her legs and smiling. “Kids.”

Melenthia was overwhelmed with everything that had happened, and she had only been here since last night. Dallen must have felt her discomfort.