Dark One Rising(163)

“If she was an elf, I would have known it.”

“We cast a spell on those that knew them to make sure her secret would be safe. There were only two people other than us that knew she was Elvin born, your father’s Prime Minister and the priest that married them. No matter who rules and no matter what justice is done in the world, there is still prejudice. She chose to live in the human world and therefore chose to leave her Elvin life behind. When she did that, her elf life vanished. She still had ties to her heritage. We can never deny that part of us even if we want to, but to the eyes of everyone, she was a human queen. Your brother did not know, either.”

“Why didn’t my father tell us?”

“She asked him not to. She felt it would be safer if she did not tell anyone, but vowed to tell you when you were old enough. She never got that chance.”

“Why didn’t my father tell me after she died, when I was old enough to understand?”

“Your father did not believe that you were mature enough to handle the truth, so he kept it hidden. And I think he was afraid. Your mother planned to tell you, until she became sick. The last living sorcerer besides Sol, the dark sorcerer that was living in the peaks of the Indriah Mountains, found out about your mother. He also found out by black arts about the Tanith Prophecy, that you were the Chosen One, and that you would grow to destroy his heir. He killed your mother with the only poison that can destroy an elf, the juice from the daylea plant which grows along the edge of the Elanorrah Lake. When brewed just right, and administered slowly, it will kill Elves without trace. A physician cannot decipher the cause. When your mother knew she was dying, she made your father promise never to reveal her secret. She felt it would be too dangerous. She knew that if someone had poisoned her, someone knew of her secret and therefore would know about you. She did it to protect you. So you see, your destiny was predetermined from the beginning, but your life would never be normal no matter what your mother’s intentions had been. I have watched you all these years, and I am happy with who you are. You are my grand-daughter, Melenthia, and I am proud of who you have become. I did not tell you sooner because I felt you were not ready for that burden. Your training is finished and now you, for better or worse, know the truth about who you are. Your time has come to make your stand.”

“All my training is finished?”

“No more do you require. Knowing the truth was the final piece to your destiny. It is time for you to fight for your world.”

She looked to Tomaz who had been keeping silent vigil next to his grandfather. They were cousins, she and he, and suddenly she felt unworthy. She knelt in front of the king, bowing her head in reverence.

“Rise, my child. From this day forth you will always be welcome in this city, in this house. Whatever will be now will be because it should, because it was written that way. Tomaz and Sol will accompany you back to Azlyn. When we are called, we will come.”

He stood from his chair and walked forward down the stairs, taking her hands in his, a tear sliding down her face. He opened one of her hands and laid a large flat stone, polished to a shiny glow, in the palm of her hand, closing her fingers around it. She looked at him, then opened her hand and looked at the stone. Her mother’s image suddenly shone on the surface of the stone. She rubbed a hand across the flat surface as if in prayer and closed her fist once more. She looked up into the eyes of her grandfather, smiling at her with nothing but love in his green eyes. “She will always be with you. Your father’s love for her, and for you, and your mother’s faith in the world will be with you always. Do not be angry with your father. In the end, he did not know what it was he was doing. Do not ever doubt he loved you, as much as he loved your mother. Aerwyn’s blood, my blood, flows within you, and so does your father’s. You are loved, and in the end, that will save you.”

He kissed her cheek and held her close for a few minutes. Tomaz finally approached and placed a loving hand on her as well. She smiled at him, and he bowed. “Come, My Lady, let’s get you home.”



Melenthia packed all her stuff as Dallen watched in silence. She seemed sad. Melenthia didn’t want to pry, so she packed her things without talking. When she was finished, she looked over to the elf who was sitting on the bed, now distractedly fiddling with the glass bauble at her throat. She looked up at Melenthia when she felt her eyes on her. She tried to smile, but didn’t succeed. Melenthia decided to ask. “What is it, Dallen? Why do you look so sullen?”

“I am not ready for you to leave. From the moment I was born, I have had only boys and men around me. I liked having a sister.”