Secrets Revealed: The Quest for the Truth
Chapter One: Quest's Beginning
Deedlit sighed as she mounted her gray mare. She knew where she and Parn were heading; the new Free Knight garrison.
"You need to tell him about what he really is, Deed." Parn had said, just a few minutes prior. Deedlit knew that, but she did not know how to approach someone who has gone most of his life believing that he was human. Even though he did not look like one on the outside, Cecil the mage was actually a half elf. He shared part of his parentage with Deedlit, that being their father, namely. It took about half a day to reach the new garrison, where Cecil waited, his long blond hair and cape blowing freely in the wind. His eyes still held the unquenchable fire that he had always shown, but he gave them a questioning look as they rode up.
"Hello Parn, Deedlit. I got a message a short time ago that you were coming. What's going on? What brings you back here so soon?" Cecil asked, his calm demeanor seeming out of place for someone who was usually so fiery.
"Deedlit has something she needs to tell you, Cecil. Mind if we come in?" Parn asked.
"Why are you asking me if you can come in, Parn? This is your garrison after all! But what does Deedlit have to tell me?" Cecil asked, taken aback by Parn's question.
"Let's get inside then she can tell you what she needs to." Parn said, as he ushered them inside and motioned to the guards to close the doors after them.
"I'm your WHAT?!!" Cecil yelped, not believing what Deedlit had just told him.
"It is the truth, Cecil. You are my half brother. We share the same father. You were born after our father returned to the Forest of No Return from one of his journeys. The elders were so disappointed in him that, under great pressure, he left the forest, never to be seen or heard from again." Deedlit said, as she gazed at Cecil from her seat.
"This is almost too incredible to believe! Me?! A half elf? How could that be?! I don't even have ears like an elf!" Cecil said, pacing the floor in front of Parn and Deedlit as he said so.
"Not all half elves have the ears to prove it, Cecil. Tell me, did you have any special abilities when you were younger?" Deedlit asked. Cecil hesitated for a moment, then nodded.
"I was once able to summon nymphs from Sylph, but that seemed to go away after I'd reached a certain age." Cecil said, as he sat down again, facing Deedlit.
"Was that when you started your apprenticeship under Slayn?" Deedlit asked. Cecil appeared to start at the mention of his former teacher, but nodded after thinking about it.
"Cecil, your natural magic did not fade away, it is merely hidden under the magic you learned from Slayn. That is why your fire-spells don't wear you out. You have more endurance than Slayn does. You also show that natural tendency to wield a sword, even though you are well versed in magic." Deedlit said, gently.
"Deedlit, you'd said that our father disappeared. Do you have any idea where he might have gone?" Cecil asked. Deedlit shook her head.
"I don't, but maybe there is someone in the Forest of No Return who does." Deedlit said, as Cecil ushered a young squire in and whispered something in his ear.
"Then let's start finding the answers. I want to know who my father was and where he disappeared to. Mother was never able to tell me who he was; now I know why. Deedlit, I want to learn more." Cecil said, as he gathered what he was going to need for the journey ahead.
"So you shall. But first, we need to go back to Flaim. There are a few people I would like to take along with us on this journey." Parn said, getting his conspiratory look about him.
"Who do you intend to take along, Parn?" Cecil asked, after he'd exchanged a confused look with Deedlit.
"Let's see…………….Spark, Leaf, Garrack, Grievus, Sheen, Aldonova and maybe Raina and Neese as well. Why?" Parn asked, grinning when he saw Cecil's expression.
"But King Kashue will be angry if we take Spark away from Flaim!" Cecil shouted, sounding like the Cecil Deedlit and Parn had come to know.
"I will speak to King Kashue about that when we get there. And I think I know where to find Raina and Garrack. Don't worry, Cecil. I've got things under control." Parn said, chuckling over how worked up Cecil was getting over the matter. Finally Cecil sighed in resignation.
"Okay. I admit defeat. I will summon Sheen and tell him to meet us at the gate house at first light tomorrow morning. It is too late to get a good start now before dark." Cecil said.
"Thank you, Cecil." Parn said, good-humoredly. Cecil didn't say anything, but Deedlit could tell that his 'I'm gonna get back at you' look was in his eyes.
Morning dawned crisp and cool on the island of Lodoss as four riders rode away from the garrison.
"It seems that this is to be my first adventure with the Knight of Lodoss and the Honorable Deedlit!" Sheen said, obviously very thrilled to be traveling in such company.
"And her not so honorable half brother, Cecil." Cecil muttered, under his breath, hoping that Deedlit would not hear.
"Don't say such things about yourself, Cecil! It is self defeating!" Deedlit said, having heard every word with her sensitive ears. The rest of the afternoon went in the usual manner for those who would travel across the island. Cecil would bicker back and forth with Sheen and occasionally with Parn, but he always spoke with respect to Deedlit.
"I wonder if it is because I am his elder sister?" Deedlit wondered, as they neared a place that Raina and Garrack were known to hang around.
"Sir Parn! Raina! Look who's here!" Garrack shouted, to the lady thief.
"Well, well! I see that the great Knight of Lodoss and his elf have come to visit! How have you all been?" Raina asked, greeting the four travelers warmly.
"We have all been well. We came this way hoping that you would come with us on a new adventure." Parn said, grinning when Raina got her look of mischief on her face.
"Sure! Uh……………..I mean……………Yes sir!" Garrack said, eagerly. Parn laughed. This was what he'd hoped for.
"Then what are we waiting for?! Let's get those horses saddled and get going! I'm up for an adventure!" Raina said, as she pulled Garrack away and rushed off to get their horses saddled. Before long, the now six travelers were galloping in the direction of Flaim; hoping for an equally easy time of getting Spark, Leaf, Grievus, Aldonova, and Neese to join them.
King Kashue was walking along the battlements when he saw six riders ride up to the front gate. He smiled when he saw who they were.
"Open the gate! It is Parn and his group!" Kashue shouted. Immediately the gate was opened and, without missing a beat, the six riders galloped in.
"Sir Parn!" Spark shouted, happy to see his role model after almost a year.
"Spark! It's good to see you again! How goes it with you and knighthood?" Parn asked, dismounting and gripping the young knight's shoulders in greeting.
"Not bad, Sir Parn! Not bad at all! It still sounds strange to be called 'Sir Spark', but it's so much better than being called 'Squire Spark' for the rest of my life! But why are you here?" Spark asked, as he walked with the group to the throne room.
"I wanted to see if you could come along with us on a journey. We're going to find out what happened to Cecil's father." Parn said, as they all entered the room together.
"Me?! Come along with you on a journey?!?" Spark yelped, sounding like the Spark they all knew. Well, maybe with the exception of Cecil, of course.
"Welcome back to Flaim, Parn, Deedlit. I see that you're about to go on another quest. You have a new face among you, I see. I can guess that you want to take Spark on this journey?" Kashue asked, getting a nod from Parn.
"Yes, your Highness. I desire the company of a fellow knight and his friends." Parn replied, quietly.
"I guess it would be all right. Spark has been itching for a chance to test his wings, I guess this is as good a time as ever." Kashue said, chuckling when Spark's jaw hit the floor and when Cecil casually picked the jaw up and closed Spark's mouth, managing to keep a straight face the whole time.
"Thank you, your Highness." Parn said, flashing a grin at the king as Cecil and Spark exchanged challenging glares.
"Don't start you two." Raina warned, when she could see that there was some kind of battle of wills going on between knight and mage.
"It's no use, Raina, they'll be at it for the next couple of days. Now let's go find Neese, Grievus, Aldonova and Leaf." Deedlit said, as she walked off, leading Raina away from the men.
Neese looked up as Deedlit and Raina entered the vineyard where she and Leaf had been picking grapes.
"Deedlit! And Raina too! What brings you here?!" Neese asked, as she cheerfully hugged the two women and as Leaf joined them, guiltily wiping her face clean of grape juice with her tunic sleeve.
"We came to see if you two would like to join us on a new quest!" Raina said, as she helped Leaf rid her face of a vine leaf.
"I would love to! But that depends on what Mother and Father have to say about it." Neese said, as Leaf elbowed her in the ribs.
"I think Leaf wants to go too, but she can't say anything because her mouth is full." Neese said, getting a somewhat garbled 'Huh?!' from Leaf for response. Deedlit and Raina both started laughing, while Leaf merely gave Neese the infamous anime flat-eyed look.
"What is this quest all about, anyway?" Leaf asked, after she had swallowed the grapes that were in her mouth.
"We're going to try to find out what happened to mine and Cecil's father. Our first clue is probably in the Forest of No Return." Deedlit replied. Leaf almost fell over.
"You mean Cecil the mage is a half elf?! He doesn't look like one!" Leaf exclaimed, in disbelief.
"He doesn't have to. He has enough magic to rival a full blooded elf and we both look enough alike that there is no doubt that we share the same father." Deedlit said, noticing when Leaf shyly looked away from her.
"And to think I'd always thought of him as a handsome man, even though when I first saw him I thought he was human." Leaf said, blushing while she said that.
"Maybe you'll get to know him better through this. I think that is Parn's intention; he wants Cecil to know that he's not alone. That he's not the only half elf out there." Deedlit said, quickly shutting her mouth when Parn and the rest of the men entered the area.
"We've just gotten the 'okay' from Slayn and Leilia about your coming with us, Neese. And since Aldo is coming along as well, there won't be much to worry about." Spark said, with a smile.
"That's great to hear! I have always wanted to go on a quest that did not concern me!" Neese said, getting laughter from the group.
"Then let's go! This is something we've all been waiting for!" Garrack said, eager to get going. As they readied themselves for their departure from Flaim, Cecil's thoughts wandered. What was he getting himself into? Where would this road take him? As they all rode out of the safety of the castle walls, Cecil wondered what he would find in the Forest of No Return, the birthplace of the High Elves; and his father.