18 years ago
Her dark curls bellowed behind her as she flew through the dark forest on her faithful horse, her newborn baby tight at her chest. Her heart hammered in her chest, her sharp elven ears straining to hear if she was being pursued. As the trees flashed past her, her mind flew back to the previous hour.
"you must go Namir" the young elf said desperately with tears streaming down her pale moonlit face. "there is no time"
"I cannot let you do this , they will come for you" said the terrified elf clutching her newborn daughter
"my child is already gone, do not let her death be in vain. I have done the spell the mark looks convincing enough to buy you some time. It is her they want you must get her to safety"
"I owe you my daughters life lessa I.." The young women began through tears
"there is no time!go befoe they realise their mistake, I will be fine"
Namir launched herself on her midnight black steed and with one lingering look to her friend cradling the body of her just born daughter, fled into the night.
Nylessa lay exhausted under the branches of the large oak watching her friend fade into the night. She did not know how much Time passed until she heard the beat of hooves, she was too consumed In her grief. She heard the voices "there" said a gruff voice. She tightened her hold on her baby as Vaylan stepped forward "you are too late she is gone. Wont you leave me to my grief" She was restrained by two strong sets of arms as he ignored her plea's, tearing her baby from her arms. She thought she saw a flash of pity in his eyes but it was quickly gone. "it is the child" he said
"are you sure Vaylan, if we are wrong he will be beyond furious"
"see for yourself Elrod" he said pulling the silver blankets further exposing a mark over the child's heart that looked like a teardrop over a hill. Both elves loosed there grip on the young women and leaned forward. "it would appear so" said Elrod his blue eyes hard.
"you have your proof" Nylessa Said through tears "please let me bury my daughter" The grips on her arms tightened once again. She watched Vaylan closely and saw a flicker of sadness in his eyes as he hesitated.
"Vaylan" barked the previously silent elf "he will want to see the child with his own eyes"
"I am his brother my word will be taken as truth. We have all seen the mark"
Erod began "even so I ..."
"this woman has lost her child as she knew would happen the moment she looked upon her face, I see no reason why she should not bury her as she sees fit. Be thankful we did not have to kill a child this night"
With that her arms were released as he handed her back the still child. He turned and mounted his horse with one last unreadable look at the child he fled into the night the other elves close behind
Nylessa dropped to her knees tears streaming down her pale face, she looked at her daughter a She sat under the tree until she heard hooves approach. A tall fair haired elf jumped from his horse and she threw herself into his arms.
"is it done?"
"yes it is, I only hope that she got there in time" she said
"as do we all my love" he replied
He looked down at the body of his daughter, even now the mark upon her pale chest was beginning to fade. He looked into his wives tear filled eyes, his own eyes full of sorrow
"it is up to nimir now, come let us bury our daughter"
Nimir's heart hammered in her chest as her keen elf eyes searched for the tree from upon her horse. With a sigh of relief she Saw the large oak infront of her. It was almost the same as all the others except that the leaves glimmered silver in the shafts of moonlight that filtered through the trees. She climbed down off her horse and walked up to the tree, the air around it shimmered with magic. She looked down at her beautiful daughter asleep in her arms, she murmered a spell under her breath and pressed a finger to her forehead. When she moved her finger the Childs ears had changed from the pointed ears of an elf to the rounded ears of a human. She touched the necklace round her daughters neck that matched her birthmark, a teardrop atop a hill. A tear slipped down her pale face onto her daughters forehead. "I love you my daughter, I have to do this or they will kill you. I know in my heart we will meet again. Goodbye Nerida, good luck" with tears streaming down her face and sorrow heavy in her heart she placed her swaddled baby next to the tree and watched as she disappeared through the portal to another world.
essa