Elf World Shadows Rising Page 14

  She looked over to Myst, her eyes requesting his attention. He sighed, and began running his hands over her skin. “Don’t use too much power, I can tell you pushed your limit with Zara.” The soft green glow of Earth Magic, began seeping into her cuts and bruises. Soon, they had faded away and were gone.

  “Ambassador, I would rather not let people know that I have that skill, so keep it to yourself, please?”

  “Of course, Colonel. I understand how a man in your profession would need his secrets.”

  Kayla got out of the shower and stepped over to the bath. It’s tiles felt cool on her bare feet. Sticking her right big toe into the pool to check the temperature, she noticed Myst watching her.

  “Ah, just right.”

  She stepped into the bath and sat down on the underwater step. The hot water flowed over her shoulders, caressing her skin, bringing out goose bumps from the heat. She leaned back and floated on the surface of the water. Her eyes closed, she soaked in the warmth and pleasure that only a good hot bath can give.

  After a half hour of soaking away her trouble, Kayla reluctantly got out of the bath. She had been half hoping that Myst would have joined her in the bath, well perhaps more than just half hoping. “Why am I so drawn to this Elf,” Kayla thought to herself, “It’s more than the stress of the kidnapping and his rescue.”

  For an Elf, Kayla was more reserved than was normal. Even for the more reserved Sun Elves, she was restrained. It just did not do, having the Ambassador running around like any other Elf in heat. She had been raised since childhood for the position that she now had. And, she had it much younger than was normal for someone her age. She was not yet sixty and most Ambassadors were well over two hundred years older than her. She was the only Ambassador that she was aware of under a hundred, from any of the Elven nations.

  Her little playtime with Zarra at the river the other day, was not that much out of character. Elves did not really consider what had happened between the two girls to be as sexual, not in the way it was, between a male and a female. It was just a physical closeness that most females indulge in, like a massage.

  As she got out of the bath, Myst handed her a soft fluffy towel. She dried her hair, and then wrapped it around her head like a turban.

  “Tell me, Colonel, do you know how to give a good massage?”

  Myst bowed to her and gestured to the massage table. He picked up one of the bottles of silky massage oil. “Hop on.”

  She hopped on to the table, “You know, if you keep this up, I may just have to keep you.”

  He began to spread the oil into her back; powerful yet soft hands were deftly working the knots from her tired muscles.

  She closed her eyes at the pleasure of his hands working the oil into her shoulders; it felt so blissfully wonderful. Kayla closed her soft blue eyes and nearly purred with contentment.

  CHAPTER 10

  Kayla returned to the room Zarra was being treated in after she and Colonel Sunstar had a bite to eat in the Bishops private dining room, she had been starving and the roasted chicken and vegetables seemed to disappear from her plate.

  Myst had stopped in the hall out side to talk with his aid Kell. Inside the room, Bishop Darrian was again flushed in the glow of Spirit Magic. His white glowing hands pressed against Zarra’s forehead. Zarra looked even better than when she had left for the bath, funny what a few hours of magic will do to a person.

  “Feeling better Zarra?”

  “Yes, Kayla, much better. But I could use another hot meal and a hotter bath. You look remarkably,--- satisfied. Enjoyed your bath?”

  “Very much so. But the real treat was the massage Colonel Myst provided. He is remarkably talented.”

  “You looks as if he is quite,---- talented,” Zarra teased her friend.

  “I wish, but unfortunately he was quite the gentlemen.”

  “Don’t mind me. You two just go on. Act as if I’m not here,” the Bishop grumbled.

  “We’re sorry, father,” Kayla laughed in mild embarrassment. “I’m afraid we were. Can you ever forgive us?”

  “Kayla, he’s a Moon Elf. You can’t embarrass him. They are immune to such emotions.” Zarra smiled sweetly at the Bishop.

  “What are things coming to,” quipped Darrian. “Ah speak of the,---”

  Myst entered the room, stopping suddenly and looking at the three others, all of them staring at him. “Am I interrupting something?”

  “No my boy, come in. The young lasses were just teasing a poor old Elf.”

  Kayla looked fondly at Myst.

  He had posted Kell in the courtyard out in front to warn of any trouble. And he had sent Thomas to prepare supplies and a carriage for the ride back to the capital.

  “Well, I have other duties to attend to. If you need me, call. I’ll be back to check on you in a couple of hours,” Darrian told them, and headed back to work.

  A knock at the door preceded Willow’s return. She had a bundle of boxes from the various stores that provided fine clothing. She had found the right clothes for Elf ladies; only she couldn't really call them clothes.

  Dumping the boxes onto a chair, she picked up the top one and handed it to Zarra. “Let’s see, for you as requested, I found a nice snug leather pants and halter set, with matching silk half cape. Tried to find you something in purple, but there was nothing that was really nice. And you should look great in this bronzy color. Your dark hair and skin are perfect for that.”

  “Actually it’s one of my favorite colors, I get tired of the purple after a while,” Zarra told her. “I don’t suffer from the normal Keshian fascination with that color. I usually only wear it to blend into the crowd when I am working.”

  “I don’t think you could ever, just blend in Zarra,” Kayla stated.

  “Hum, yes, I believe you are right about that,” Zarra replied loftily. “Actually I have a fondness for green, but that is a seldom worn color here..”

  “Is’nt that admission almost blasphemy,” Kayla joked, “No green here, just as no purple in Naya, is’nt that the rule Zara?”

  “Blah, what ever, we Star Elves can be weird about things… Any way my mother was from Naya, and that is also a rare considering the rivalry of the two countries.”

  “And for you, Ambassador,” Willow had brought out another box. “A silk halter, and loin cloth, in royal blue, or maybe azure blue, I get the two colors confused, trimmed in this beautiful gold thread scrollwork.”

  “It’s lovely. Thank you for going and getting them for us, Willow.”

  Both girl’s had dropped their robes and started changing into the new outfits. Myst was not even trying to pretend that he was not enjoying the view.

  “You like what you see, Colonel,” asked Zarra?

  “They look wonderful Willow, you did a good job.” Myst wisely ignored Zarra’s comment.

  “Ah, yes thank you child, you did well,” Zarra condescendingly told Willow.

  “I am not a child, Elf, but you are welcome,” Willow responded back.

  “Really. It’s so hard to tell with you little people. You are the size of one of our nine year old children. But then we have the same problem with the Nymphs. They look to us like a thirteen year old adolescent, and not as adults either.”

  “Somehow I thought the leather pants would almost look conservative, but seeing it on you it looks just as scandalous as what I got for the Ambassador…,” Willow declared looking at Zarra. Willow went back to the chair for the last boxes. “And for the Ambassador I got leather sandals without heels; figured you needed something comfortable. And, for Zarra soft leather riding boots that match the rest of her outfit.”

  “Thank the Creator, shoes.” Kayla immediately picked one up and put it onto her slender foot. She wrapped the lacing up her calf, and stood up on the sandal.

  “Ah, that feels good.”

  “I know what you mean, Kayla. I’m not used to hiking barefoot all day. Let alone, all bare all day.” Zarra was also joyfully putting on her boots. “A
little of that goes a long way.”

  The room door flew open, and in rushed Thomas, followed closely by Kell on his heels.

  “Myst, there is a large number of military approaching the town!” Thomas excitedly told them. “They are not showing the Imperial Colors, but the banner of House Haddar. The have thrown up roadblocks on the road back to the capital, and they are searching everyone they stop. They are about six miles down the road and will be here in less than an hour.”

  “How many are there, Thomas,” Myst asked calmly as he could, as the adrenaline rushed through his body.

  “At least a regiment from the reports that I’m getting. I believe that they haven’t yet closed off the town to the north east road. I know this area and can lead you out of here.”

  “Good, Thomas. Thank you my friend.” Myst grasped Thomas, wrist to wrist in the handshake of respect used by the Elves.

  “Kell, find the Bishop, and let him know that we are leaving. Have him hide you here as one of his acolytes. As soon as the House Haddar troops reopen the road, hurry back to Lieutenant Blackforge. Tell him we are making for rendezvous number six. He is to alert our assets in that area and to get there as fast as he can. You got all of that Kell?”

  “Sir, yes sir. Good luck, Sir.”

  “Thanks Kell, we will need all the luck we can get, I believe.”

  “The rest of you should be safe when we are gone.”

  “Willow, Take care of the inn while I’m away,” ordered Thomas.

  “Don’t be silly Uncle, I am coming with you. Now don’t argue. You don’t want to leave me here, do you. I’ll be safer going than staying.”

  “Oh and I will go to I think. You can’t have the Ambassador go without her, what was it, oh yes, her assistant.” Zarra smiled a cunning smile at Myst.

  Myst knew he had not the time to argue about who was going are not. Time was running out, and if Zarra proved to be a liability, he could always remove her later.

  The Bishop hurried in and handed Zarra two single edged slightly curved long knives with blades about as long as Myst’s forearm, “Here I found these for you as you requested.”

  “Thank you Bishop, you are a dear,” Zarra thank him as she buckled them around her waist.

  “Ok, Ambassador if you are ready. Thomas lets go,” Myst ordered.

  They hurried back out the cathedral’s side door. Thomas had a mule tied up by the doorway. It was loaded with the supplies for a long trip through the wilds of the mountains and to the bushlands beyond.

  “Thomas take the lead, fast but not so fast as to stand out.”

  Thomas took the mule, and started through the cool shady streets of the city. It was now just before dusk, and the sub tropical air was still and full of the scent of the thousands of flowers that filled this lovely mountain town. Gnomes as a whole like mountains, and in someway they always reminded him of his home in the city of Bearn, capital of the Gnome Confederation. Of course, these warm sub tropical mountains were not really all that much like the Alpine forest and jagged towering majestic mountains of Bearnvald. And these mountains did not get the many feet of snow that the Bearnvald Mountains got. That was probably the main reason he had left his homeland in the first place, all the damn snow. Bearn, the city of bears, got at least three to four feet of snow during the long three months of winter that the high mountains endured each year. The rest of the world only had to deal with a two month s of winter. And three to four feet of snow, was a lot of snow when you are only four feet tall!

  Thomas would miss his home here, but he felt a strong obligation to not only House Sunstar, his employers, but to the cause against the followers of the Goddess of Death. Hopefully he would be back here again soon, but it was time for an adventure, he thought. “It will do me good to get a little excitement. I only wish Willow would listen to sense and stay here. Adventures are no place for young Gnome lasses.”

  The group followed close behind as he led them out the open city gate and the long trek up into the mountains. He had gathered as much food and supplies in the few minutes he had to prepare and loaded it onto one of the Bishops mules, but would it be enough for the long journey ahead, he doubted it would be, and stopping to hunt would slow them down, but his best possible had to be sufficient as the Gnome saying went…

  CHAPTER 11

  Major Brall Navdis, sat in the comfortable leather bound study. He had arrived only late last night, at the summer home of Marif Haddar, a ‘small’ palace located a few miles outside of the town of Tazco.

  He found the ostentation of these Star Elves to be pathetically amusing. He would so like to kill the whole lot of them. Navdis hated all things not of the Shadow Elves, but he could respect strong and competent opponents. These Star Elves where puppets who let their mortal enemies buy them with gold? They were fit only for sacrifice to the Death Goddess!

  It was just too easy to run operations here, in the corrupt Empire of Kush. He has confident that in a few hours, he would receive news of the death of the Sun Elf Ambassador. As soon as it was confirmed, he would leak information, blaming the Star Elves for the abduction and murder. War between his country’s two enemies, would be a foregone conclusion. It was just too bad, that his host Marif Haddar, would have to suffer the blame for the whole operation. His death at the hands of the Kushian authorities, would deprive Navdis of the pleasure of killing the simpering fool himself.

  Navdis was sure of promotion after the success of his plan. It was his fondest hope to become the head of High Priestess Ver Sitha personal body guard.

  “Ah, to get back to the thick jungles of Shadar, grand capital of the Empire of Night and Shadow,” thought Navdis. “To be back again with real Elves, and to visit the Great Temple of Death. And, the hear the screams of those given to the Death Goddess, what joy.” He also missed the availability of the various narcotics that were to be found in his jungle homeland. While he could find Poppy resin in Kush; the more exotic mushrooms, toxins, and plants he had a particular fondness for were not found in this dry climate.

  The door to his study burst open, and the doorway was filled with the massive frame of an Ogre.

  “Oh let me guess, she’s still alive, and you messed things up, hum.” Navdis confronted to the red Ogre.

  “Ya, dats right, Navdis. She is alive, though me gang be all dead.”

  “Do tell, I so love hearing the rambling discourse of the truly incompetent.”

  “We hit the wagon like you told, but she was not in it. We kill all but one of the guards. He got away on da horse. Da girl go up das river, so we go afta hur. Das next day we close in on her, and we about to catch and kill hur, when we be ambushed. They be many Sun Elves and das kill on me men, and das cut me bad. Me have died but for the healing potion dat you give me.”

  Krug Rajnetz, was not anywhere as stupid as he pretended to Navdis to be. But as most Ogres were stupid, it did not do to let on to others just how cunning he really was, so he played dumb. Not a few had underestimated him, to their undoing. He certainly looked like a stupid Ogre. He was over eight feet tall and four hundred pounds, dusty reddish gray skin, and a great scar diagonally cut across his coarse face. He was in reality, a highly successful slaver and bandit leader, of a surprising intelligence for an Ogre. He had amassed a sizable fortune as a cunning slaver-bandit, raiding the caravans that ran across the Waste from Kush to Naya.

  “So you failed me Krug, and worst of all you failed the Goddess. What am I too do with you?” Navdis taunted the beast before him. He still needed the service of this thing, but it would not be allowed to fail him twice.

  Navdis pulled a bell cord and instantly a hidden door popped open and a Shadow Elf warrior entered the room.

  “Your command, my Lord?” Asked the deadly looking Elf.

  “Assemble all of House Haddar’s troops, and have them cut off the road to Zandara and the road to Querna. They will search all and find the target and kill her on sight. Is that clear?”

  “As you Command, it will b
e.” Responded the Shadow Elf as he bowed and left to carry out the order.

  “What assets do you have in the area Krug, perhaps you may still be of use to me, perhaps.”

  “A small gang of Ogre, vive or six good boys, and maybe two dozen Goblins as me scouts. I got four hundred Orcs near Cozon, who can be here in less than a half a ten day.”

  Navdis was surprised at the size of this beast’s forces, “There is more to this Ogre than he lets on. I think, he may prove useful yet.” The Orcs would be in perfect position to intercept the target, if she headed north for the Dwarven city of Freeport.

  The gang of Ogres plus the few dozen Goblins would be a good size force that could herd the prey into a trap. Not that the Goblins were really all that useful. If they did not worship the Death Goddess, they would have absolutely no use.

  He walked over to the table and pointed to the map on it. “I want you to send half your Orcs here and the other half over here.” Navdis pointed to his map. “Do you understand what I want? And drop the act Krug, you are not fooling me. Have your gang pick up their trail if they try to go north east.”

  “Yes Navdis, I understand and will obey as you direct. I will go send a messages to my troops.” Krug gave the Shadow Elf a sly grin, as the dumb ogre patois drooped from his speech, and left to carry out his orders.

  Navdis watched the great Ogre leave, “I’ll need to pay closer attention to the actions of this beast,” he thought to himself. “A smart Ogre may turn out to be very useful, and then again it may just make him too unpredictable to be trusted.” Not that Navdis trusted anyone; no Shadow Elf ever made that mistake.

  He would also need to send a message to Marif Haddar. He would put the blame on Haddar’s men of course, and demand the Haddar send more of his troops. This search would tie Haddar even more closely and more publicly to the soon demise of the Sun Elf Ambassador.