Forty One: The Elven Children

I woke up early in an unfamiliar bed. It was a bit uncomfortable to sleep on, it was so decadent. I wasn't happy to realize how large the difference in comfort there was between Mila's bed and the beds in Eidelhein. If I could do something to improve her bed the next time I visited her, I would. For now, I simply woke up, unhappy at the early hour but unable to get any more sleep.

I yawned and fumbled with a comb through my hair for a while before giving up. I twisted it into the only knot I really knew how to arrange on my head without it coming undone in an hour or two, and then I slipped into my clothes. I pulled the cloak Teyber still hadn't taken back yet over my shoulders, and slipped out the door to my room.

The halls were empty enough. As Teyber had said yesterday, no servants were wandering in the hall near Kalor's quarters. But I did spot a few sleepy servants performing late night or early morning duties, depending which end of their shift they were on. With the cloak pulled over my head, I walked through the halls without any notice. It would seem these cloaked people were welcome or at least not unusual to see in the keep.

I found the doors we had come through with ease. But then, there weren't many turns to remember from Kalor's halls to the entrance.

I stepped into warm night air. A light breeze rustled across the plateau and stirred the surface of the lake. I looked up toward the roof of the hold I had just stepped out of, looking for signs of a certain raven.

"Puko?" I called.

A couple heads turned to me as I called out. I blushed and pulled at my hood, making sure my face was covered since it seemed to be important. I walked farther away from the door and into the peaceful trees that edged it.

"Puko?" I hissed skyward. This time I was rewarded with the flapping of black wings. Puko descended from the taller trees near the roof line, landing on my shoulder.

I laughed and reached up to stroke his head feathers. He was munching on something I couldn't tell what it was.

"Have you settled in well then?" I asked. "I don't have a window I'm afraid. I'm in the middle of the building on the bottom floor."

"Caw!" Puko flapped a bit, and pecked at my earlobe.

"Ouch! Puko, calm down. Yes, I brought you a treat." I pulled the cherry from my pocket and handed it over. "Greedy."

Puko scarfed it down and I began walking slowly between the trees.

"I think you've been here before," I said, mostly to myself. "I wish you could show me around."

I walked around the outside of the keep, not wanting to stray too far. The trees were tall and old, beautiful and gnarled as they twisted around each other, fighting for a spot in the sunlight high above. It was a wonder to see, and as some of the sunlight began filtering from the east, I realized I had been wandering for some time and should probably head back in.

I turned around to walk back the way I had come, and was surprised to see someone was watching me.

"Woah!" I jumped back, startling Puko and sending him flapping into the trees again.

The girl who had first pointed her weapon at me on the forest floor yesterday stood a distance away, leaning against a tree and eating an apple.

"How did you sneak up on me?" I asked, narrowing my eyes. "And... why?"

Crunch. She took a bite of her fruit and chewed it slowly, looking me up and down. I waited patiently for her to assess whatever it was she was looking at, and swallow her bite.

"You're an odd one," she said, and took another bite. As if that answered any of my questions.

"You're Liana, right?" I asked.

She nodded. "And you're one of us, but you're traveling with the enemy. And for that matter, somehow you're an unaccounted for elven child. How is that?"

I took another look at her. A real look, with no weapon between us. It's true I couldn't deny our similarities. Now that I saw her body, just like mine, it was no wonder Schula and Mama Flori could never put any meat on my bones, no matter how they tried. All the elven children here were built like me, lean and willowy.

But we had a few differences as well. Where my hair was a mass of brown chaos, hers fell in straight locks down to her shoulders. It was also a much lighter brown than mine, reminding me of drying clay at the potter's house. And her eyes were something I had never seen before. One was gray like mine, and the other was brown.

"What are you staring at?" she snapped.

I raised an eyebrow. "Just returning the favor. I've never met another half elf before."

If she was surprised by that, she didn't show it. "I'm no half elf, but thanks for another piece of the puzzle. If you're a half elf, that gives me five possible fathers for you."

I bit the inside of my cheek, angry with myself for giving that away. There was no use dwelling on it though, and I pressed back for some answers of my own. "So, what were you doing here?"

Liana shrugged. "Trying to figure out why the Captain would hide you and sweep you through the city while parading the fae monsters. Unless, revealing them was less of a problem than reveling you."

Now that was an interesting point. And her goals were clear enough, but her motives were not.

"So are you here to find out all my secrets then tell them all over town?" I asked.

She took another bite from her apple and shook her head slowly. "I like to know things. An informed leader is a strong leader."

"Leader of what?" I asked.

Liana shrugged. "My own patrol someday. Hopefully someday soon, since I'm the most promising scout in the keep. But no, half elf. I'm not going to spill your secrets unless you put Eidelhein in danger."

"I'm not here for that," I said softly. I was here for quite the opposite, reminding myself that we would decide how to breach the subject with Kalor and Teyber tonight.

"So what are you here for?" she asked.

I sighed and looked at the forest around us. For all I knew, she wasn't the only one who could sneak up on me here. In the Wyldes, even the soft fae steps were detectable unless someone particularly skilled was trying to hide themselves. I could see that wouldn't be the case here, with descendants of elves.

"I don't think I have an answer for you. I came here looking for something, and I think I just found it." She didn't need to know more than that.

"You seem harmless enough," Liana said, taking another bite. "But keep in line. The more you poke around outside the keep, the more chances I have to figure you out."

"You make it sound like a threat," I said flatly.

She shrugged. "Only if it needs to be."

I had no doubt she was skilled. Skilled with her spear, skilled with her stealth, skilled in the trees around the plateau. But I had skills too, and she didn't seem to know the first thing about me. If she really tried anything, I think she'd be in for a rude awakening.

A small smile crept on my lips. "Then, I suppose you'll just have to hope I'm as harmless as you think I am."

She frowned, her eyebrows creasing together as she took another bite.

"I think I should be getting back to my companions. I guess I'll see you around, Liana."

I turned and walked back to the keep's front doors. If she followed me, I didn't hear it. Either way, as I was allowed back into the doors I came out of I looked in the entryway around me and saw that I was alone. Good, I would rather spend my morning getting to know Kalor better. Not playing games with some sneaking scout.

I walked the halls, concentrating on the sounds my feet made as they hit the floor. Maybe Teyber knew how Liana walked so quietly. And if so, maybe he could teach me too.

More soft footsteps whispered in the halls now. More people were awake. As much as some practice in listening to footsteps might benefit me, I wasted no time in slipping inside Kalor's hallway again. If I was supposed to stay discrete, then that was what I would do.

I was just passing by the room we had dinner in the night before, when I spotted Kalor reading at the table with a bowl of fruit. He looked up as I came to the doorway.

"Wren, good morning." He smiled and closed his book. "I thought I would greet you when you woke up, but it would seem I missed my chance. Out for a stroll?"

"I stepped out to visit Puko," I answered, joining him at the table.

"Ah, yes. The scoundrel. I think I would like to visit him with you next time. That is, if it's alright with you." He scooted the bowl of fruit to be more evenly between us. "Have you eaten?"

"No, thank you." I reached out and took a piece of fruit I had never seen before. It looked similar to a plum, but smelled sweeter and more mellow.

"Wren." Kalor took on a more curious tone. "I've been wondering... would you like to have a bit of a tour with me? I'd love to show you something I never got to show Lark."

I bit into my fruit. It was juicier than I expected and I was surprised as wet drops rolled down my chin. I had to catch them with a napkin, and Kalor laughed as he handed an extra one to me.

"Sorry, it's just... Lark did the same thing. Um, when she first came. The honeyfruit, I mean." Kalor cleared his throat. "So, would you care to join me for a morning walk?"

I wiped my chin and set the napkin on the table, blushing. "That sounds wonderful. Let me just leave a note for Schula and Nassir."

Kalor chuckled. "No rush, we have all the time in the world. My schedule is pretty clear right now. Eat your meal before we go."

I smiled, got my napkin ready, and finished eating the honeyfruit. Kalor proved easy to talk to, keeping the conversation light. The weather and nature of the forest around Eidelhein. He didn't bring up anything that would require much of my concentration, or that listening ears could gain anything from.

"Good morning, Wren. Kalor." Nassir was the next to join us, sitting down next to me with a smile.

Kalor offered him fruit from the bowl as well. Once Nassir was settled in with something to eat, Kalor leaned over the table to speak in a low tone. "Nassir, I must ask you and Schula to stay inside my halls of the keep until this evening. Your presence will have caused a stir, and the other elves will want to know what is going on."

"I understand," Nassir said. "I would expect no less. I assume we will all gather tonight before the meeting with the elves?"

I looked at him from the corner of my eyes, and he nodded slightly. Almost imperceivably. We had less than a day to decide how to break the news of their discovery to them.

"Of course," Kalor answered. "We are reasonable elves, I assure you. Please understand, while I truest you and my trust will go a long way among us, we are all simply concerned with the safety of Eidelhein from the... rest of the Wyldes."

"Naturally," Nassir agreed.

"Wren, are you ready to go?" Kalor asked.

I scooted my chair back and stood. "Yes, I am. Nassir, Kalor is taking me on a walk. Will you tell Schula where I've gone?"

"I will," he said softly. "And, Wren, please enjoy your time with Kalor."

I knew what he meant. Please enjoy my time before the difficult evening ahead of us.

I put on a happy face for him. "I will. Thank you, Nassir."

"Well then, shall we?" Kalor stood and rounded the table, offering his elbow to me.

"Let's go." I smiled, determined to enjoy my morning and took his arm.

My heart beat fast. It was excited to see what Kalor, what my father, would want to show me.

And as much as I dreaded the evening to come, it was easy for my problems to melt into the background when I was with Kalor. He had a calming presence and a soft way with words. I was happy to pull my hood lower as we walked out of his halls and to the doors of the keep.

Happy to be spending time with Kalor.