Elf World Shadows Rising Read online

  Myst came over to her and leaned against her right thigh. She played with his hair and watched the trees around the pool as a wind rustled the new green leaves of the plane trees. A brightly colored hummingbird seemed to be dancing in the air as it darted among the branches, happily sipping nectar from a feeder set on a lower branch.

  “I see that smile, what are you thinking Kayla dear?”

  She stroked his hair, looked up as another gentle breeze rustled the leaves above. She sipped at her wine, wiggled her toes in the hot mineral water… “I could stay in this pool all night!”

  “Ah, we are going to be late for dinner,” Michaela exclaimed as she was sitting in on the steps talking. She sprang up and headed for a towel, “Mustn’t be late for dinner, the cook will be cross…”

  Everyone followed her example, drying off and putting on robes. Michaela was already jogging away, “I’m in the room directly above your bed Kayla, come up and visit sometime.”

  Kayla put on her favorite deep sapphire blue halter and loin cloth, the silk halter was connected by a thick gold woven band, the same gold band formed a belt around her waist that the flowing blue silk hung from. With matching gold sandals, fine gold earrings, and matching gold wrist and ankle bracelets, Kayla looked stunning.

  Myst had changed into black silk snug pants and a grey tunic with darker grey scroll pattern on the neck, and a black short jacket.

  “I’ve have not seen that outfit before Myst, you look dashing.”

  “I found it in the wardrobe,” he shrugged, “let’s go I’m starving.”

  Into the Great Hall he swept her, a thirty foot ceiling towered above, lit with three massive chandeliers, and a long table that could fix fifty took up much of the hall. At the far end a huge fireplace was crackling with a warm fire. Magical wall sconces gave off a soft warm light that, with a ring of windows high on the walls, that help flood the room with joyous light.

  Myst led her to the far end of the long table were two larger and more ornate chairs sat at the head of the table. Myst introduced Kayla to the rest of the twenty one elves who staffed the castle. Thirteen females and eight males, “about normal” she thought, and all but two of the males part of the security staff. The older Castellan Sebastian, and a auburn haired Moon Elf called Galen Caravello who was the castles ‘engineer’ “whatever that was, something with fixing things most likely.”

  The table was covered in scrumptious dishes; goose, venison, boar, and a local specialty the Pissaladiera , a tart made out of caramelized onions, olives, garlic and anchovies, that tasted out of this world to Kayla. who immediately cut herself a second larger slice.

  There was also spring vegetables heaped on platters, Purple asparagus, artichokes, mushrooms, peas and broccoli. And wine, hearty red wine blended with Grenache and Syrah grapes grown on the estate, the wine filled flagons eagerly consumed by the happy, and getting happier by the bottle room of elves.

  Zygax, the faerie dragon was curled up before the fire, a copper plate filled with fried goose livers set next to him, he had already eaten enough to become sluggish and was soon napping.

  Elenna, the black haired Sun Elf who was the head maid, brought out a six stringed guitar and played hauntingly beautiful songs of far off Margor, the Wild Elves in the room seemed transfixed with the melodies of their ancient homelands...

  Elenna’s husband Kiron Varis accompanied his wife on a wind instrument that looked something like an oboe to Kayla.

  “Tell me Myst, how did you get a Southern Wild Elf as a man at arms?”

  He leaned back in the chair, swerling his wine in his goblet as he thought, “A mission a decade or so ago to the south continent, I was trapped by some Shadow Elves in the Mountains of Night and he help get me out…”

  “Strange, that he would be so helpful to a stranger?”

  Myst thought about that for a second, “Kiron had spent most of his life, first as a slave in Kush and then as an escapee in Surin away from his homeland. He recognized me and offered to help if I took him with me, so I did. It is difficult for Wild Elves to return home after they have lived in civilization, or frequently they can’t return fleeing from tribal justice or vendetta.”

  Kayla relaxed against Myst’s shoulder as she truly enjoyed everything about this party. Myst smiled at her, buttered a piece of the crusty elf bread and handed it to her, “Keep of your strength, the night is still, young… And you have not been initiated yet.”

  Kayla looked at him, “Pray tell.”

  “Both moons are up, so it won’t be long now, just relax, you’ll enjoy it.”

  The music had stopped and Remi and his wife Jacqueline led a group over to Kayla, pulled back her chair and picked her up into the air. “Eeeeek,” Kayla squealed as they carried her high in the air, around the table and out into the night. She noticed once they had reached the courtyard that Myst had been right, both moons were up, and with the magical lanterns, the courtyard was brightly lit. She also noticed that by now all of her clothing had somehow come off. Around the courtyard they carried her over their heads, while sing and laughing...

  “One, two, three” chanted to group and Kayla was flying through the air to land in a splash in the center of the pool. She came up shaking water from her head to see Myst being tossed into the air, she turned her head to avoid the splash of water as he landed just short of her.

  Kayla found herself in Myst arms, laughing with delight, as around the pool elves were jumping in after them. Jacqueline and Remi swam-waded over to them, each with two goblets of wine and handed one to both Kayla and Myst.

  “Cheers Kayla,” Jacqueline toasted her, “Now you are home too.”

  ~

  The six had come ashore secretly in a small cove about three miles from the castle, clandestinely as Shadow Elves had short lifespan in this Sun Elf land. The six were Black Talons, the elite clan of assassins said to be unmatched in the art of death. The Great Mistress had warned them that the target this night was a blade master, but then so were each of the Talons, and surprise would be the key to a quick kill.

  They approached the castle, hidden in the tree line, and waited. When the moons had finally set, and all appeared to eventually quiet down and go to sleep, the Black Talon leader crept silently closer to the south wall. The drawbridge was up, but that would not have been their entry point even if it was down, the heaviest magic defenses would be concentrated there.

  He opened himself up to the flows of magic, first an unobtrusive look at the webs of magic, just the normal sort of enchantments to protect the walls from magical attack and magical intrusion that were quickly apparent. He gathered his Air Magic skill and sent a faint wave of power brushing over the stone works like a gentle wind, searching to discover the hidden traps, as he knew would surely be there in this target, and then he carefully marked the locations of the traps with a faint glow. Yes, the lower big round tower seemed the best point of attack, strong on defense, but free of traps. He signaled his attackers of the point of entry.

  Like ghost they moved across the field, to the moat, and in a mightily leap they each cleared the moat and landed flush against the wall, silently like spiders they seem to glide up the stonework, pausing just below the crenellations for one last listen to ascertain if they had been detected… They never were, they were just too good, too deadly, and like a dark wave they swept up and over the wall.

  Kayla was awakened suddenly as Myst sprang from the bed, pulled on his pants, grabbed his sword and headed for the door, “Lock the door behind me,” he whispered to her, “And fry anyone who tries to come through, except of me of course…” And he was gone.

  A dark wave swept up and over the wall..., and the sound of a dozen crossbows firing nearly simultaneously seem to hurl the dark wave back into space, and filled the moat with six bodies leaking copious amounts of blood.

  “You were right Remi, that expensive double concealed Magic Detection spell cast on the walls, was certainly worth the cost.”

  “I t
old you Myst it would come in handy,” Remi quipped as he reloaded his crossbow.

  Sebastian was standing still next to Myst with his eyes closed, an expert in Air Magic he was searching the forest for signs of other intruders, “Nothing, some animals but no sentients... Ehr, I’m back to bed and my warm young wife…, Remi, make sure the bodies are disposed of at first light, keep a watch up just in case, good evening, My Lord.”

  Remi, looked for his second in command, a platinum blonde female, Katerina Hennessy, who both Remi and Myst thought of as the sexiest warrior they had ever seen, and not bad with a crossbow or any type of bow for that matter, “Katernina, you heard the old goat, take the first watch with one other and wake me two hours before sunrise.

  “It is two hours til sunrise…” She responded in a deadpan monotone.

  “Ok, then when the great ball of fire lightens the eastern sky come get me, (sigh), always a comedian Katernina…”

  With that Myst and Remi headed back into the castle. “Did they come for you, or your pretty little Ambassador?”

  “Me, pretty sure that was for me. Something must be afoot and someone wants to sideline me… We’ll goodnight my friend.”

  Back at his door he called to Kayla, “It’s me, let me in and put down the fireball…”

  Kayla, opened the door and flew into his arms, “what happened?”

  “Visitors, but they had to fly…”

  The next morning Kayla and Myst had breakfast in the courtyard on a wrought-iron table. The orange juice and coffee was all she thought she could handle until Myst dug into an omelet with toast and orange marmalade. The sight of him eating made her hungry. She ducked into the kitchen were Jacqueline was baking bread and Daniela was fixing breakfast.

  “Oh, thank the Gods,” Kayla exclaimed as Jacqueline pulled out a batch of chocolate filled croissants.

  “I know what you mean, my head required two cups of coffee this morning,” Jacqueline told her as she piled a half dozen of the chocolate filled croissants into a wicker basket and handed to Kayla.

  “Think of it as practice, almost time for the Spring Equinox,” Daniela remained them cheerfully.

  “Oyi, the thought of that this morning is intimidating,” Jacqueline groaned, “We will have a hundred more guest up from the little village, most who work on the estates crops, and their significant others. It will take days to get the food ready… and days after to recover. Here in Drakar province, the Spring Festival can ‘rival’ that of any Moon Elf city.”

  Adrienne the Priestess of the Consort, walked into the kitchen at the end of Jacqueline’s statement, “We must adequately thank the Lady for the fertility she has blessed the land with Jacqueline,” She responded, “Besides don’t pretend you are looking forward to the excitement of the Carnival!”

  Kayla, told them good morning, and took the chocolate filled croissants and cup of coffee that she had laced with a fair amount of crushed chocolate, out to the table by the pool. Myst had finished eating and was sipping his coffee, he raised an eyebrow as she sat down.

  “I got waylaid in the kitchen with talk of the Spring Fest…”

  “Ah, I understand I saw Adrienne go in the kitchen, you can’t blame her, it is the celebration dedicated to her Goddess, the high point of her year…”

  Myst help himself to a croissant, “They are looking forward to cutting loose; everyone loves a masquerade party. If you want we can duck out of it, go camping on the beach?”

  “They will be expecting the Lord's heir to be there won’t they Myst, and besides these high celebrations only come round every three months and we missed the last couple…”

  “You are full of surprises. Well, how about a swim, and then Talia needs to go into Mentonferrat to get ready for the festival, we can give her a ride and explore the city while she does her thing…”

  Kayla looked at him curiously.

  “She’s the tall one with hair a lighter gold color than yours.”

  “I remember the party last night and who she is… Not what she is.”

  “Right then, she is responsible for provisions, and the Spring Carnival Festival will require extra food and wine, lots of wine. While we are there we can pick up some masks for the masquerade.”

  “Ok, but after a swim, I need to soak for awhile,” Kayla dropped her white robe and was already heading to the showers.

  The day was turning out to be somewhat cooler than the last, with partly cloudy skies that hinted at the possibility of rain, Kayla had put on her riding clothes, snug beige breeches and a short dark red lace up bodice vest. The black riding boots were new, a gift from Myst that she thought today would be a good day to break them in. Looking out the bedroom window and the dark clouds gathering above the mountains she got out a black leather baby doll jacket just in case. Wandering into the sitting room of the suit she found Myst sitting on one of the padded chairs reading some papers. He had been ready for a while, but knew better than to try to rush…

  “Anything interesting ?”

  Myst looked up and smiled at her, “Don’t you look fetching.” He stuffed the papers back into a leather folder, “And no, just some estate papers that Sebastian wanted me to look over.” He got up and hand in hand they went out.

  Kayla seem to skip down the stairs of the new tower, and they cut across the courtyard as they were diagonally across from the gate house. She paused by the pool to chat with Michaela, Jacqueline and Jezzel. Jezzel was the youngest elf at the castle, at twenty she was barely an adult. Kayla was curious how the honey brown haired Moon Elf had wound up at the castle, with her very fair complexion there was no doubt she was all Moon Elf , and “very young to be living in a strange land, ah a mystery for another time… oh the pool looks so inviting.”

  With a last longing look at the warm mineral water pool, She waved goodbye to the girls and raced to catch up to Myst, who had known better than to stop by the pool if they intended to get anything done today.

  Lucina came out of the stables caring tack for the team of horses, the stable made up the main floor of the old tower and opened off the west side of the gate house entry hall. She quickly finished up making the carriage ready, she had put the hard top back on the carriage, so she too felt the possibility of rain.

  Myst helped her into the back, already waiting was Talia, the very tall and thin blonde provisioner for the castle. “Good morning Kayla, Myst,” Talia smiled at them.

  “Morning Talia,” they answer as they climbed in.

  “What is that you are wearing Talia, it looks lovely,” Kayla inquired, she thought the diaphanous ivory gown looked somewhat like the Zwari robe common up north in the winter.

  “It’s a Drakaran version of the Zwari, do you like it? It’s made of gossamer-thin linen, sometimes silk, but linen works the best I think.”

  Talia sat forward so Kayla could get a good view, “See the top is secured with a clasp or a broach under the breast and its cut so that it forms a bodice when closed, that way you don’t have to wear a top under it like you normally do with the Zwari, and it’s not like my boyish frame needs any extra support..., Lucinda might.”

  Lucinda looked in through the small window up front, “Nope, I wear it the same way, why wear extra clothing if you don’t have too…”

  “I do love it, I will have to pick one or two up today,” Kayla thought that the outfit looked comfortable and elegant. “It’s open from the breast down?”

  “Yes, pants or loincloths usually worn underneath, unless you want to be shocking…, it’s very versatile. We wear it year-round down here.”

  Just before the carriage rolled out across the drawbridge, Katerina climbed up beside Lucinda, “Remi suggested I tag alone, besides I could use the fresh air,” she told them as she stored her crossbow under the bench.

  Kayla took Myst shopping, they explored the old town of Mentonferat, wandering the cobblestone streets and enjoying the sightseeing, Myst was surprised how much great art and statuary the city had, he was looking at it as
a tourist with Kayla not as someone who had grown up there, it gave him a new perspective on this town he had known his whole life. “Truly lovely, I guess that’s why it attacks all the tourist… Well, that and the beaches and perfect weather.”

  They had a snack at a harbor side café, a glass of Sangria and a plate of Pissaladiera the tart made out of caramelized onions, olives, garlic and anchovies that was becoming a favorite of Kayla’s.

  “I hated this as a kid, now I can’t get enough,” Myst exclaimed as he ordered a second piece.

  A few of the residents passing by recognized Myst and stopped to say hi and chat with them, the sun had fully emerged from the impending clouds and the temperature had climbed well above 65 degrees, and magically the people had begun to fill the streets and cafés. The residents seem to enjoy gossiping with Myst, or he had the natural ability to get people talking, or probably both. Kayla learned about the new Count of Mentonferat, that everyone thought highly of, and hoped that some of the more colorful episodes of the past where finally in the past. The gossipers were all ecstatic about the impending Spring Festival, that locally was called Carnival, apparently the city went wild with masked parades and fun beyond imagining.

  “And I thought the party at the castle was going to be something, it now sounds tame in comparison, and maybe next year she could get Myst to come…”

  “I know what you are thinking,” Myst told her.

  “Really?”

  “You are thinking of us doing Carnival in Mentonferat next year…”

  “Oh, you are good,” she laughed in delight, “I may just have to keep you.”

  He smiled at her, “I could think of worse fates… But we will see, Carnival in the city pushes my limits, but the Count has a private Masquerade Ball that is usually safer…, maybe we will get invited. The Midsummer celebration is also something to see. Mid Summer and Winter Fest are my favorite of the holidays.”