The stone of landelle chapter 7

Chapter 7: Preparation

Eleana and the others set out shortly after dawn the next day. It was urgent that they reached Elderaan as soon as possible, the King had to be notified. Plus Eleana couldn't wait to be within the safety of her home for going on two hundred years now. With its high walls guarded by swords, archers, and magic’s. Not to mention that the walls were made of the strongest stones, no one could get threw. In fact, many men tried but failed. Eleana could remember in her own lifetime around ten warring kingdoms trying to get within their walls and they all met the same fatal end. Even in King Ehnron reign no one besieged the city, though the town was a mess back then and it wouldn't have mattered anyway. The city it's self had been established over fifteen thousand years ago, and in all that time the city hadn't been compromised.

It was a good days walk away still and already there hearts pounded with the importance of reaching the city as soon as possible, and the heat. It was near mid summer and this had been by far the hottest day of the year. They walked through the woods until around dark when they saw a family of deer drinking from a near by spring. Their water flasks were long since dry, plus some fresh dear meat for dinner would be nice. Unfortunately though none had brought a bow, and even an elf couldn’t get close enough to a dear for a sword blow before it sensed their presence. All three sighed at once and decided it best just to scare the dear off and refill their water flasks. But before they could make it another step, a well placed arrow struck one of the large dear fatally in the head. They ducked, not knowing if this arrow was shot by friend or foe. Then Eleana and Laucian saw a familiar face begin to walk toward the fallen dear.

"Sir Natsca Racanter, what a well placed arrow," Eleana said then she noticed who was walking with Natsca, “oh, hello Edland.” Eleana said with a smile. Noticing them for the first time he ran over to give them a hug.

"Well I thank you for the praise young Eleana but, it was not my arrow,” Eleana looked around seeing no others but the boy and Natsca.

"Well then...who," Eleana then noticed the small bow that Edland had dropped on his way over to them. “I don't understand, how?" she asked turning toward Laucian and Dekin, both looked as stumped as she was.

"There is much that has been learned since you have been gone,” He said with a sigh. “Please come to my home, there we will feast and discuss what we both have learned in these past days."

....

As they were walking silently toward the old ones home, Laucian was having trouble comprehending how the boy, who had been scuffling under his feet for about the past month, could have possibly stuck a fatal blow to the dear that was laid in the wagon behind him. Even with a clearly placed head shot it still would have taken more than a boys strength to penetrate the large beasts thick skull. As they approached the city's perimeter his curiosity waned a bit and excitement griped his heart.

"So what is it that you’ve learned since we have been gone?" Laucian asked as they got to the old one's home.

"Well you see, I went out to practice one day and the boy,” he paused and looked towards Edland. “You know instead of telling them why don't we show them.”

"Ok," Edland said eagerly. They all walked towards the back yard. What could this old man be talking about? When they arrived Laucian noticed a well used practice bored.

"Ok now Edland, do what you did the other day when you said you wanted to try." The boy grabbed an arrow out of a nearby quiver and went to stand in front of the practice board. It was only a few seconds before he had knocked the arrow pulled it back and released.

'There's no way its gonna hit,' Laucian thought. He had shot it off to the side. But to Laucian's surprise it not only struck the board but dead center.

"How did you," Laucian mumbled with shock.

....

Eleana couldn't believe her eyes. “Edland how did you do that," She said looking toward his pleased face.

"I just close my eyes and tell it to go there and it does," She gasped. This was known as Ishper, A magical archery technique where the wielder’s acute senses actually cast a spell on the arrow as it is flying, without having to say anything.

"Just like the King." Eleana stated, and the shock was clear in her voice and on her face. She knew this technique to be specifically one belonging to the Elven. As they were the only ones with senses high enough.

"That's what I believed,” Natsca stated clearly as confused as the rest of them. “but how, the boy is just an ordinary human child."

"perhaps not," Laucian said and everyone turned to face him. "After all he and his sister did survive when no one else did."

“I guess it would only make sense that they were special.” Dekin said with a smile. Eleana didn't understand. She thought back to the first time she ever set eyes on the children. Though at the time she was very weak, she could tell they were just normal children. Or so she had thought. Did Edlana have something special about her to?

"Where is Edlana any news of her."

"Actually I have heard something, but before we go into anything else it's time for dinner, come on." He said and they followed him into the house. They walked inside where Natsca had started preparing the meal. Laucian had left to go and get Edlana from the neighbors, and Dekin was washing up. Seeing the boys skill with the bow brought to Eleana unsuspected feelings. She thought about the only father she had ever known. King Threanous was also a wielder of Ishper. He was the one that first taught her to use a bow. And though she had acquired great accuracy skill, she was not nearly as good as Threanous was or the boy would be. With practice and teaching he'd eventually be able to shoot magical arrows, or even more than one arrow at a time. Growing up with Threanous she had seen him do all these things. Eleana knew she grew up to be a bit tomboyish. Queen Rosemary never paid much attention to her. Even before Athena was born, Eleana could tell that the Queen didn't like her. One night she even overheard her and Threanous arguing. The Queen said she should be sent to live with the healers, but the King wouldn't hear of it. "I made a promise to her mother,” he had said, “and I will not break that promise." Eleana didn't exactly understand why the King even made the promise to her mother in the first place. Her mother was a betrayer, she was the one that told her father where the stone was. Of course it was beaten out of her first, but the fact remained she told. The Elven would rather be tortured till our death than betray a secret told to us.

"Eleana, Eleana," the sound of her name brought her out of her thoughts.

"huh, oh" She said looking toward Laucian who had arrived back without her realizing it.

"Are you alright my dear?” He asked full of concern.

"Oh yes I’m fine I was just lost in thought is all, where is Edlana?"

"The neighbor's the midwife, she and Edlana are out on a delivery. Her husband said that he would bring Edlana over when they returned. He seemed sort of excited when I said I was there for her. Any idea what's going on?"

"Nothing, the old one's just been humming to himself and preparing dinner he hasn't said a word,"

"I may be old but my hearing isn't gone," Natsca said with a laugh turning toward them.

"We meant no offence Sir, we've had a hard past few days, our nerves are edgy. This revelation with Edland and
knowing something's up with Edlana, our patents runs thin." Laucian said with a bow.

"Ha, you young people today. Have I been pressuring you about what you've learned." He said with a mischievous twinkle in his eye.

"Point well made sir," Laucian said returning his smile.

"you’re here, your safe. Don't be in a hurry to recount your horrors, and the longer you wait to hear my news, the longer you set here and rest."

"Yes sir you are correct, its just time runs so very short." Eleana said with a sigh.

"What is one night?"

"Enough time for my father to grow stronger," Eleana said with a sigh.

"Your father?" Natsca said with a confused look on his face.

"Yes sir, Delvin is my father," She stated. She was getting used to telling others about her heritage, but it still broke her heart every time she spoke the words. Natsca walked over to stand in front of her cleaning his hands on his way.

"No Eleana, Threanous is your father, did he not raise you? Did he not help you to become the great person you are today? Delvin is not your father," he paused and put his hand on her cheek, “he’s just a sperm donor." The old man said with a slight smile, and Eleana saw Laucian’s eyes raise slightly at the old man’s demeanor.

"I know that he took care of me and everything it's just the fact remains that his blood is not the blood that runs threw my veins." Natsca sighed and went to a knee in front of her. His old bones audibly protesting as he did so.

"Eleana do you know why the King agreed to take care of you?"

"No, I’ve always wondered but.."

"The King knew your mother, he’d known her since her childhood, once she came fully into adulthood they had a love affair. He entrusted her with the information of the stones whereabouts. They were in love you see. Only one day your mother realized that soon she would grow old, and die. She knew she couldn’t bare to look upon her ageing body as he remained just as handsome. And knew that she wouldn’t be able to rest in the afterlife after seeing his face when she was on her deathbed. So she left Threanous to travel back to her home. She couldn't put him threw that. I know all this because your mother had come here and left a note for Threanous. She and my late wife had struck a friendship during her time spent here. The note told him of her reasons for leaving and how much she loved him. My guess is when she escaped from Delvin she headed straight here because she knew of her demise, and knew that she wanted you to be someplace safe. And the safest place she could think of was with the man that made her feel safe all those years. Threanous cried for days after she died. He vowed to make sure that your mother’s dieing wish would be fulfilled. He loves you as if you were his own. Queen Rosemary fears this connection because she doesn’t understand it. That's why she was always distant towards you. She knows nothing of Threanous and your mothers love affair." Eleana sat stunned for the longest time. Not sure what to think about this news.

"So, so that's why he always seemed to have such fire in his eyes when he and Rosemary were arguing about me."

"Yes, he loved your mother. He didn't really understand why she had to leave. In the end he met Rosemary and figured it best. He never blamed your mother for betraying his trust in her. Nor should you. I met your mother several times she once sat in the very chair your setting in now. She was a great woman. You look so much like her."

"I don't remember anything about my mother, only what Threanous told me."

"I have something I’d like you to have," He said, and with a grunt he began pulling himself up off the floor ignoring Laucian’s offered arm. He walked over to a cabinet on the other side of the room and pulled something out that was wrapped in cloth.

"What's this?" She asked as he was walking back toward her.

"It's a painting of your mother." He said putting the portrait down on the table beside her. Eleana knew she had tears going down her cheeks. She didn't care. It was as if she was staring into a mirror. Her mother's nose was the same as her own, the eyes, the hair the lips. Everything was exactly the same. Just then Edlana came threw the door.

"Eleana," the little girl ran over to Eleana as soon as she had spotted her. "Eleana your crying what's wrong, who's that" She said finally noticing the picture.

"That's my mother," Eleana said threw her tears.

"Wow she's beautiful, she, she looks just like you."

"Yah she does,” Eleana said never taking her eyes off the picture.

“Hey Edlana, would you go out back and play with your brother we have some things we need to talk about," Laucian said smiling toward her.

"Ok," with that said the little girl turned around and went over to her brother, grabbed his hand, and ran out the door.

"Your mother would want you to have that. My wife painted it, before she died. She only painted one other, Threanous has it."

"Thank you, thank you so very much."

"Your very welcome."

"About what time is it?" She said after a moment, finally able to calm her tears. At that moment the now clean Dekin waked out of the back room.

"Around two hour after sunset." The old man answered walking back over to stir the food.

"Dekin will you take the children back to my cottage and see that they get put to bed, we've got a long day ahead of us tomorrow." Laucian asked with a smile putting his hand on Eleana’s arm.

"Of course," he bowed and turned towards the back door and preceded to get the children.

....

After being shown the picture of her mother Eleana became somewhat distant, lost in thought Laucian assumed. It seemed that every stretch of this journey would be filled with secrets and surprises. Some bad, some good, and some strange. He sighed, it was all he could do to watch his love crying, and now the distant look in her eyes made him even more saddened. Suddenly a curious thought hit him.

"Sir, have you heard any news of our traveling companions, they were sent to go to there kingdom to speak to their King about the situation. We hope their journey was easier than ours"

"I have heard word, they arrived this morning and are staying at the palace. I don't know exactly how easy your journey was, but there's wasn't an easy one, the male had a broken arm, a few broken ribs, and some scratches from being knocked off a cliff by one of the creatures. He‘s doing fairly well now though."

"So I see they didn't fair much better than we." Eleana said still somewhat distractedly as she turned her eyes away from the painting of her mother for the first time since it had been placed before her.

"Well I believe that it is time to discuss your travels," the old one said as he put down a plate of food in front of them both. As Eleana started discussing what had happened to them on their journey Laucian discovered exactly how hungry he was. He ate until there was nothing left and hardly realized that Eleana had finished telling their story and both she and the old man were staring at him intensely.

"Sorry I was hungry did you say something?" The old man simply smiled at him and Eleana also had a weak smile on her face.

"I was just telling him about what happened.” She said and Laucian sighed.

"Yes, and it seems that the enemy is getting pretty desperate to have you followed." The old one said offering Laucian more food which he gratefully accepted.

"You mean it wasn't just a chance meeting?" Eleana stated with shock.

"No, I had suspected that you had been seen on your way there, in a way it was lucky you were on your way to Softguard or they may have came all the way to the city. This city hasn't seen battle like that in ages. It's likely this foe could have penetrated our defenses, but this can all be discussed with the King in the morrow, right now I think we should talk about the girl."

"Right you mentioned something interesting about her as well."

"Yes, about three nights ago she had a dream about a baby being born in the village. She said that the woman looked like she was in a lot of pain. She told us exactly what the cottage and the woman looked like and said she had two baby girls. Well I knew that no children had been born that day, but it did sound like Roslyn Longbreach who was pregnant. Well we just thought that the little girl had perhaps seen the woman and had a dream about her having a baby, but we figured out soon enough that their was more too it than that. We knew that the woman was going to give birth within a few days, so when she did yesterday we thought nothing of it either. Until the first child was born a girl. We were thinking that she was only having the one and after an evaluation the midwife was about to leave when she went into labor with the second child. Also a girl. This second labor was quite difficult and the midwife almost lost her. We thought this rather odd and brought in the little girl Edlana and ask the Roslyn if she had ever seen her before, and she said she had never seen that little girl in her life."

"What are you saying are you saying Edlana can dream the future?"

"I’m not sure, but you should keep an eye out for anything interesting in the future because with the discovery of the boy's abilities there perhaps may be something different with the girl as well."

"But I don’t understand, these children are just that, children. They are ten years old, I didn't learn about any of my magical abilities until I was twenty five, and yes in Elven years that is still child hood but it's still fifteen years more to study then these children had, and they are human, not Elven. I can't understand how they can have special abilities. I mean I know our two peoples haven't had much dealings in the past but it makes me wonder do they all have special abilities or is it just a select few?" Eleana wondered aloud, completely stunned.

"Questions, questions so many questions, asked to a man with no answers in this subject.” He sighed with a sad smile. “Eleana please eat you've hardly touched your food, and from what you told me you could use some nourishment to build up your strength. I have a odd feeling that the days ahead will be filled with more trials than the ones past. I feel, something strange coming this way, I don't know anything about it I just know that something's going to happen and we don't have much time.” The old man sighed and stood up after realizing Eleana wasn’t going to eat anything. “Well I’ve told you all I know and you've done the same so I believe it is time that we all get some rest. You'll stay here tonight it's to long a trek back to your cottage and I sent the wagon with the children. So sleep and sleep well, you two can take my room I’ll take The spare. I'll have no argument on the subject." And with that he showed Eleana and Laucian to their room and went to his own to tuck in for the night.

Eleana had carried the picture of her mother with her into the bedchamber. She sat it down on the bed table and laid down and began to stare at it once more. She seemed completely transfixed with it.

"Eleana,"

"Yes,” she choked out through tears.

"I love you, I'm sorry you never knew about your mother and Threanous, but she really did love him, and him her."

"How do you know?"

"I knew about your mother and his relationship, I used to help Threanous at his farm when I was very young, he was so happy when she'd come to visit."

"Why didn't you tell me you knew?" She looked at Laucian with such a look of distaste that he shivered,

"I didn't know she was your mother, I didn't remember her face or I’m sure I would have made the connection." He walked over and laid down on the bed next to her and started wiping the tears off her face. She forced a weak smile, and Laucian couldn't help smiling back. Then he leaned down to give her a kiss. At that moment Eleana did something he hadn’t expected. She put her hand on the back of his head to kiss him even longer. They preceded to kiss for a few more moments, then slowly Laucian pulled away and got up out of the bed. He started to undress, and was shivering because he couldn’t believe what he was about to do. But he prayed she wouldn’t reject him.

"What are you doing?" She asked and the color of her face started to turn the color of her beautiful red hair.

"Just getting comfortable,” he said nervously. Suddenly he gasped as she started to move closer to his side of the bed. Then, with a flash of movement she grabbed him and pulled him down on top of her. His eyes were wide with anticipation and slight fright. He hated to admit it, even to himself, but she would be his first, and he hoped he was hers. He’d followed something he over heard a human say one day when he was staying at an inn with his father when he was only about twenty. The man had said, ‘it might be fun, but if she isn’t the one it’s meaningless.’ He’d been talking to one of his group who had purchased a hooker for the night. Being young he still understood what they were talking about. He shook away his thoughts and looked into her beautiful green eyes. The candle light reflected in them made them look so beautiful, and the intensity made them look even more so. She started running her fingers threw his long flowing silver hair.

"I, I love you Laucian, with all my heart, I’ve felt like this since childhood and now know what the feeling is."

"And I love you Eleana,” He smiled down at her and said, “one day my father came up to me right after you had left and said that if he could pick a daughter in law he'd pick you." Eleana smiled and pulled his head down and started kissing him passionately. Suddenly she shuddered, overwhelmed with the feelings rushing threw her body, just as he was with his own feelings. The world around them began to fade and it was as if her and Laucian were the only two on the planet. He pulled back a bit from her embrace and looked into her eyes with such an intense look that it made her quiver. Suddenly time meant nothing as her clothing began to come off and hit the floor. Every touch felt as soft as a birds feather. He shivered, this was it. He spoke to her threw their telepathic link. ‘Are you ready?’ Her head slowly nodded a reply, and he gently placed himself inside her. Minutes passed like hours, hours like days and when time finally came into focus, they realized that the sun had just began it's rise in the east. Neither spoke, they just laid there in each other’s arms, chests heaving, watching it finish it's climb. Suddenly they heard a knock upon the door.
"Yes," Laucian squeaked, out of breath, half out of exhaustion and part from surprise. The sudden intrusion by an outside source had startled him.

"The sun has risen, you best head out soon you have a long day ahead, and I’ve prepared you some breakfast.”

…

Natsca’s knock had finally pulled her and Laucian back into the real world. He smiled at her and then released her and began to put his clothing back on. Eleana found it slightly difficult to stand after their long night of passion, but somehow managed to do the same. They made their way to the door and when Laucian reached for the knob she stopped him, placing her hand on his. She pulled him into a tight embrace and they both shared one last moment of peace, knowing such moments would soon be few and far between. She sighed, she never wanted to leave that embrace but her task at hand was too important to let her personal feelings get in the way. She reached for the door and opened it to the smell of the promised breakfast from Natsca. She stepped into the room quickly realizing she had found the appetite that had eluded her the night before.

Once seated at the table she gladly accepted the plate of food that was put in front of her, and soon realized it was her turn to be lost in the meal. Before she realized it she had consumed every bit placed on her plate, plus the seconds she had barely recognized the old one placing in front of her. Now full she realized all eyes were upon her.

"I see you found your appetite,” the old one said with a wary smile, “a good nights rest cures all" he said winking at both of them. Clearly knowing that no sleep had taken place in his bed chamber the night before. Eleana knew she’d turned the color of her hair. “Well you two should be off, I’m sure Threanous knows your back and wishes to speak to you," Eleana nodded, she was sure he was right.

“Thank you so much for your hospitality sir Racanter. I hope we can repay your kindness some day.” She said with a smile.

"No thanks needed, it was nice having people here again. It‘s been so quiet since Airea passed away." She smiled her thanks once more and her and Laucian made their way outside. The carriage had been returned during the night.

“You go ahead and take it up to the castle and just have someone there bring it back.” He said and waved to them as they departed.
...
Natsca made his way back into his home and began clearing the dishes from breakfast. And suddenly he smiled.

‘Their destiny will be filled with perils.’ A voice spoke to him from inside his mind.

‘Yes, your right, but as long as their together they can face anything’ he said back to the voice.

‘Just like us eh Natsca’

‘yes my dear Airea’ He smiled and said aloud. “Just like us.”

…

Delvin was in his bed chamber looking out the window when he noticed the ravens returning, he made his way down the stairs of his tower and threw the many twists and turns and out the front. The sun was bright, and it was hot, he had seen threw the ravens eyes a group of his Sukata, but that was all, he didn't see where they were, but he also didn‘t see his daughter. He made his way over to one of the ravens who was eating a rat. The raven looked up at him, flapped his wings and lifted his leg to reveal an attached note. Delvin grabbed it and began to read it cursing their handwriting, but of course with such long claws they would have trouble writing letters.

My lord, your birds found us, a raiding party, we've came across the ones that were after your daughter, they are now dead, how ever we did track her to the kingdom of Elderaan, we are currently awaiting your orders on the outskirts. "Damn it," he cursed balling up the note and throwing it on the ground. "Everyone listen to me, I want twenty thousand of the numbers deployed to Elderaan immediately." The Sukata didn’t voice that they understood, merely went about the preparation. Delvin backed up into the shadow of his looming castle to get out of the bright sun. It would take nearly three months to cross the ocean to the mainland, and another weak from the forest where they hid there ship to Elderaan. He refused to wait that long. He stepped forward and regarded the Raven eating the rat. If the stone could stretch it to this size... Suddenly he smiled wickedly. There would defiantly be surprises in store for Elderaan.

...

Once they arrived at the castle Laucian sent the cart back with one of the servants.

"I thought you would be getting here soon," the familiar voice of Laurana said from behind them. "Come, the others have already arrived, and it's not just your friends. Representatives from the human council and our own council are there as well. Their all waiting for you." Eleana took a deep breath and followed Laurana to the garden meeting room.

"What of our friends we heard Donnel was injured," Laucian asked walking along beside her.

"We've kept him here in the castle infirmary, I visited him on several occasions, Ariana said he really perked up when I came to visit." She turned to Eleana and gave her a big smile. Eleana knew she had fallen for the human and him her, but in that lay only heart break. “He insisted on coming to the meeting. Ariana advised against it but he refused to listen. He suffered a few broken bones and a bump on the head from his fall off the cliff." At that moment they reached the meeting room. “One moment please," she disappeared into the room, and reappeared a moment later. "You may enter."

....

Laucian entered the meeting room and immediately his eyes fell upon Donnel. He was setting leaned back in a chair with a unbuttoned shirt on, revealing bandages covering his whole upper half. Around the table Laucian saw the somewhat familiar faces of twelve of the Elven council members. Risha was present as well as the King and Dekin. Also present were the two representatives from the human council that Laurana had mentioned.

"Come Laucian, Eleana sit, we have much to discuss." The King said, as he stood up for a small bow and then motioned for them to take the only two available seats before returning to his own, his voice sounded more stressed than usual.

“Ok,” he sighed then began. “We know that both groups were attacked by Sukata, our hearts are heavy still from the loss of Softguard," he paused and turned to Laucian, “Laucian your father was killed defending our people. I‘m sorry." Laucian sighed and composed himself before he shed any tears.

"I know sir he lived well and is now resting in the land of the spirits,"

"How did you know he had passed on," The King said with confusion.

"Sir," Eleana spoke up, "if it's not to much to ask I’d like to hear what happened to the others first.” The King looked to Risha and she nodded. Then began to tell their story.

"We were about half way back from our kingdom when we spotted an encampment, we tethered our horses and Donnel went right and I went left. I walked around for what seemed like forever and saw absolutely no sign of anyone, no footprints no nothing. Then out of the blue one of them jumped out of a tree and landed on me. It was amazing you see because there was no sign of leaves falling from the trees to indicate that they were up there, and in fact, I remember looking up and seeing nothing. As I said before one of them grabbed me, and I screamed. He had his claws at my throat threatening to slit it. Then it grabbed my hair and yanked my head back, and said, 'your not the princess,' after that another of them looked in our direction and said that I was no good to them and that they should just kill me. Then Donnel attacked. There were three of them in total and once the one’s claws were away from my throat I took it out. I went to help Donnel and saw that he was struggling with one of them. I also noticed that they were getting dangerously close to the cliff. I yelled out but it was too late they both went over. I took out the other one and made my way to the bottom. By the time I got there the creature was gone. I honestly didn’t think there was any way that Donnel could still be alive.”

“You mentioned one of them saying you weren’t the princess, what did he mean by that?” One of the human council members said in a snooty voice, clearly unsure if his presence here was necessary.

“I believe I can answer that,” Eleana said as she stood up from her seat. “I am the one he was speaking of, Delvin is my father. On our journey we too were attacked. We were knocked unconscious and taken prisoner. While I was out I had a vision. I was visited by Anesya.” All the Elven looked her dead on at this point, their mouths all open in shock.

“Who is this Anesya,” the same council member from before interrupted rather rudely. Upset at not knowing what was going on.

“Anesya is a massager from our spirit world, when a Elven warrior dies she comes to lead their spirit to the land of the dead.” She replied curtly, Laucian could tell Eleana was getting impatient having to explain this to the council member considering the dire urgency of the message, "Now, she told me Delvin’s plans,” She quickly explained what she was told and recounted the rest of the events up to their escape. She had never looked so beautiful to Laucian. She had a fire in her eyes beyond any he could imagine.

“Well it sounds like our decision is an easy one,” the same council member from before stood up with a look like he had just came up with the best idea ever heard by anyone. "He needs her to make his plans work,” he turned to Eleana. "So if we kill her,” before he could continue his thought Laucian sprang up from his seat on the other side of the table, flipped threw the air to land behind the council member with his dagger poised at the man’s throat ready to slit it. He’d never been angrier or moved any faster.

“Finish that thought and die human." Laucian yelled out, his face set in a murderous snarl.

“Laucian don’t.” Risha screamed and stood up, ”Sir Roland that is not an option. That woman is my friend and a living being.” Everyone around the table, even the other human council member were glaring daggers at the one known as Roland. Except the King, who’s eyes had gone blank.

“We will finish our discussions later,” Threanous stated standing up from the table. “There are many things I must think about. Sir Roland may I speak to you in private,” King Threanous spoke up after his long silence. Seemingly not even noticing that Laucian had a dagger to the man’s throat, or not caring.

“Tell your man to back down,” he said and Laucian shivered as the thought of breaking this man’s neck ran threw his mind. He’d never had such violent thoughts before.

“Laucian,” The king said, his voice monotone, he looked to Laucian and suddenly he knew the man was going to go threw far more than his knife could do to him.

“As you wish sir.” Laucian let go of the man and walked over to Eleana. She was setting down looking dumbfounded. He placed his arms around his love and she just leaned into his embrace.

....

King Threanous was pacing in his study. Standing only five foot three he wasn’t very tall for human standards, but a bit above average for Elven males. He was over three thousand years old, but as with all Elves he surely didn’t look his age. To be exact, he looked to be about thirty. Only his eyes told his age. They were sad and proud at the same time. He had seen many thing in his time, but nothing quite like today. The audacity of that man to even suggest such a thing about his beautiful Eleana. Sure she was not his daughter, but she was the daughter of his beloved, and he did raise her. He loved her so very much.

“You wanted to see me sir,” Threanous lost it he rushed over knocking the man to the ground and placing his hands around the man's throat, not strangling him, just resting them there.

“I should kill you for your suggestion.” He spat at him his short but well built frame easily keeping the man pinned to the ground.

“Do you really want to start a war between our great peoples. There already is one great threat out there that you seem to not want to do anything about.” He said shoving lightly to try to get Threanous off of him, but realized that the small man was much stronger than he looked and was not going to budge.

“Not do anything about it. I’ve risked the lives of my peoples, of my daughter.”

“Your daughter, she’s demon spawn,”

“Why you insensitive,” The King was about to strike him when suddenly the two heard a near by scream and they both got up and ran out of the room to see what was wrong.

....

Eleana bent down and picked up the screaming child and embraced her. "What's wrong," She said to the girl who was sobbing uncontrollably.

"I had a bad dream,"

"What happened," Threanous said busting into the room.

"Sir, I know this might seem like just a child’s bad dream to you. We aren't' sure why but whatever the reason is this child has prophetic dreams, she can see the future in some instances and this should not be taken lightly." Laucian said setting upon the bed that the young child had been taking her nap on. Motioning for Eleana to join him.

"Oh please, children have bad dreams all the time, what proof do you ha...," Laucian stood noticing for the first time that the man who had the audacity to suggest killing his wife was now standing in the same room with him.

"Her dreams have come true before sir," Laucian said hatred on his face stepping toward the man who dare question him now.

"Laucian," With the King calling his name he backed down and sat back down upon the bed again motioning for his wife to set beside him, she did so.

"Edlana honey, I know your scared but were not going to let anything happen to you, please honey tell me about your dream." Eleana said and the child pulled away slightly still sobbing and began to tell the tale of what she had seen.

"I saw big birds," She cried, "and those things that killed my mother, they were riding them,"

"Well this is something we should defiantly take seriously," the human council member scoffed, as he turned and walked out of the room shaking his head.

"Edlana, I can't think of a bird big enough for Sukata to ride it." Laucian stated looking at her, "Are you sure you saw birds?"

"Yes, they were really big black birds, and two of those things were on each of them, and there was a lot of them."

"Big black birds," Laucian stated thinking, "We know that Delvin uses ravens for reconnaissance, but ravens are small." The little girl was crying and Laucian stood up and walked over to the King. "Sir I know this sounds practically preposterous but, we can't ignore it."

"Your right, I’ll tell the troops to stay on guard, the walls will do little to protect us against flying beasts, though I don't know what could possibly be that big." Most in the kingdom, took the treat seriously, some thought it crazy, but none dared to argue with the King.