The Silent One
The New Marak
Zanir Shinmae the Elf King was startled out of a doze by his lieutenant, Romak. "My lord, something horrible has happened!" the young, handsome blond elf huffed, breathlessly. "What is it?" Nir Shinmae asked, his mind fogged with sleep. "Marak Sharpfang and his wife have been murdered!" "Spirits!" Shinmae yelled in disbelief. Marak Sharpfang had been one of the few goblin kings that had been friendly to the elves. Sharpfang had been devoted to the upholding of the treaty and was a good man for a goblin, in Shinmae's opinion. They'd actually been friends. He couldn't for the life of him think of anyone who'd want to kill the jagged mouthed Marak, other than his half crazed human wife, Makenna, that is. Shinmae immediately thought of Sharpfang and Makenna's young son, Deerhide. He looked over his shoulder at his own son, Kear, fast asleep on his pallet on the ground beside his mother, Lanera. He and Deerhide were only a few months apart. How could a boy of five be expected to govern his people? "Let's go." Shinmae whispered and the two men slipped quietly out of the tent to meet the goblins at the Treaty Circle.
As they came into ring of trees, four black figures immerged from the forest. The elves' eyes strained in the bright morning sunlight to see them more clearly. One was carrying a small child in his arms. A child with small horns, the beginnings of antlers, sticking out of his wavy blond hair. His deer's ears drooped at the sides of his head in sadness. The small boy gripped onto his carrier with his face buried in the man's cloak. One wide black eye peeked at Shinmae curiously. "Shinmae, it's good to see you again, friend." Said the carrier. The four big goblins removed their hoods to reveal their ugly animal like deformities. The carrier was the goblin Lieutenant, Hussar, an especially disturbing looking goblin with a horse's head and hoofed feet. "I only wish it were under better circumstances." Shinmae nodded, "Did anyone see what happened?" Another goblin stepped forward, one with a bird' s beak, Bim, "Deerhide…I mean Marak Deerhide…was found hiding in a corner of the room where the bodies were found. Unfortunately…he's not saying much…nor will he ever. The poor boy cut his own tongue out. For reasons we know not." Shinmae and Romak gasped in horror. "That can't be! If he'd done that, he'd be in too much pain to be out here now! And there's no way you could've stopped the bleeding so quickly!" Shinmae shouted. "See for yourself." Replied the bird like goblin. Hesitantly, both Elf men approached the cringing boy in Hussar's arms. Taking his small face in his hand, Shinmae gently opened his mouth and peered inside. Indeed his tongue was gone, but there was no blood and Deerhide didn't appear to be in any pain whatsoever. The elf king heard Romak wretch and vomit on the ground behind him.
"How can this be?" he asked to himself, however the goblins had heard him and thought that the question was being directed at them. "We found him just like that, no blood at all except for the small amount on the dagger he used." Shinmae cocked an eyebrow, "And in what state were the bodies in?" Bim sighed and his small red eyes darted to the ground, "Ripped limb from limb. Again there was no blood. We didn't even hear any screams." Deerhide began to cry silently, tears streaked down his cheeks. Hussar brushed his hair out of his eyes and bounced him around in his arms, in an attempt to comfort him.
"What will you do now? You can't honestly believe that the child can govern you in his current condition." Deerhide wrapped his arms around Hussar's neck and Hussar smiled warmly at the tiny child, "We've had Maraks without hands yet they found ways to write. Magic can do wondrous things…impossible things. Deerhide is already showing great promise as a magician. His very first word was a spell. I have no doubt that he'll find a way to speak again. You just wait. He'll be our best Marak yet."
With that the goblins retreated back from whence that came and the elves returned to their spring camp.