Prologue
I quickly rushed to the Healing Rooms, the sound of my footsteps crushing the grass and my heartbeat being the only thing I heard. Despite the constant ruckus around the city. Usually me running through the city would be of little problem. I enjoyed running through the forest, listening to the home-life of my people above in their houses built in the trees. Not today though. Because the usually excitement and merriment was gone. The citizens were all in a state of fear and shock. Orcs had just attacked our city. Even my Mother and I, who were blessed with the gift of Knowing, knew nothing of the attack. It was a shock to all.
We were not a lowly city either with little to no protection. Were the great kingdom of Kelva. One of the mighty and eldest elf kingdom's known throughout Middle Earth. We had a large and skilled army that protected our walls day and night. No one has ever once broken through our boundaries. So for orcs who had very little strategy and brains to break in through our walls and attack was nightmare to all citizens. Of course we had won ... but not without a few casualties.
Those causalities including my Brother and my Father.
The respected King and Prince of Kelva.
I came to a halt at the intricately designed doors of the Healing Room. Catching my breath, I pushed my way in gasping at the bloody sight of so many wounded soldiers. Many already dead. In the far corner I saw my 6 younger sisters and my Mother crowding around a bed. I strode towards them as soon as my sights were set. The stench of blood and orc hit my nose and I had the overwhelming urge to vomit. I clamped my mouth shut and stared at the appalling sight.
My Father and Brother were both handsome elves. Tall and lean like most, with that tan undertone skin that many elves lacked. Usually both had a vibrancy to their look that made them so attractive to all, but now they just pale and lifeless. Though they were still breathing barely. Their mahogany hair like mine was tangled with sticks and leaves and blood. They both had many scars and wounds that even made question how they were still alive. My Brother's dark blue eyes as sparkly as the night sky were closed. My Father, on the other hand, was awake and in obvious pain.
"Papa." I murmured softly. My Sisters, all fairhaired and blue-eyed like my Mother, parted to let me through. I bent down next to his bed-side.
"Papa, you're okay." I muttered with relief. That impending dread evaporating from my stomach. I looked up at my Mother who was still crying, but obviously relieved just as I was.
"Of course, Dessa," he laughed lightly, though winced as he placed his bloody, tough hands around my dainty looking ones. "I am not one to give up so easily."
"So you'll be alright, both of you?"
"Of course."
"Princess Vanadessë." spoke our most gifted Healer, Hûredhiel. She stood behind my sisters with a grim look on her face. My fear grew once more. "I must speak with you, My Lady." I did not like the sound of that.
I stood up with the most regal-ness that I could muster, like the way Mother had shown me. I took small steps towards Hûredhiel as she led to into her study. As she closed the door behind she, turned to me with the same grim features mixed with fatigue and fear. She brushed a hand through her messed up light blonde hair, fidgeting as if she wasn't sure what she wanted to say. I knew though. She didn't need to tell me. I could feel it. She focused her wise, stormy gray eyes into my doe-like emerald eyes.
"They're going to die, aren't they?" I asked her. With little to no expression in my voice. I hope none showed on my face either.
"They are in critical condition." was all she said.
I paused for a moment, my mind racing. I had spent time with my cousin who was a Master Healer. He had taught me some things, perhaps those remedies would help? "But the King is awake and speaking."
"Yes, but he is in severe pain, Princess." she sighed, once again brushing her hand through her hair. "He's lost a lot of blood, as well as the Prince, and is still losing blood. They were both shot with arrows which seems to have been soaked in some sort of poison that will not allow any of our remedies to work."
"We've tried everything," she continued on, her exasperation growing. "Both herbal, magically, and even ancient remedies, but nothing works, my Lady! It seems like this poison is resistant to anything we give them both! I fear we may not be able to heal them in time if at all!"
My patience was beginning to wear thin. I stared at the woman in front of me who was supposed to be wiser and more mature then me. Yet here she was giving up on her King and her Prince. My eyes glared at her and seemed to flinch as if knowing she was about to be in trouble. Granted, maybe my anger had more to do with my Brother and Father dying, but I couldn't control myself. My pain needed some way out. I slapped her. She gasped.
"Get a hold of yourself," I snapped, continuning on with my own little rant. "It's still a poison and every poison has an antidote. Find it! That is your King in there, your Prince. Don't you dare give up on them."
And I walked back out into the Healing Room.
"Sisters." I called over. All 6 of them strode over towards me with a grace that I had always seemed to lack. "Go to bed. You need rest."
"But, I want to stay with Papa and Authion!" Vanya interjected heatedly. She was the eldest after our brother, Authion, and me. My other sisters muttered in agreement.
"I'm not asking." Vanya tried to argue with me some more, but held up my hand and stopped her. "It's been a tiring day. We all need rest. Papa and Authion need rest. Please, just go to your rooms and rest."
Finally they all walked off dejectedly, kissing my Mother's tear-stained cheeks good-bye. I didn't even dare to my Mother. I knew she would never leave my Father's side, who was now sleeping. Both his and Authion's breathing was still quite. I hoped they would find a cure for them, but I my feeling of dread was still there. That was never a good sign.
The sky was dangerously beautiful. It was full of reds and pinks mixed together, behind was the bright red sun rising. The animals were quiet, they knew of the despair and sadness. They had felt it, just as I had. The only thing audible to my elfish ears was the wind blowing in the trees and footsteps behind me.
"What news have you brought me, Beriothien?" I asked quietly. The footsteps stopped and he said nothing for a long time.
"No good news, my Princess, your father … our King … has died." Beriothien mumbled softly. I closed my dark green eyes and held onto the railing tighter. My mahogany colored hair fell over my face, hiding the tears that were starting to fall from my emerald green eyes.
"What about my brother?" I asked. He said nothing and I took it as a confirmation of what I already knew.
"My Mother?" Beriothien took a deep breath.
"Gliriel is not well My Princess, her heart … I fear … it is breaking, I'm not sure how much longer she will last." I said nothing this time. I just watched beyond the horizon. Beriothien knelt behind me and took another deep breath.
"What will you have us do, Princess?" he asked. I turned around and looked down at him with a pain filled expression that he avoided. I stared at him long and hard.
"You will bury King Saeldur and Prince Authion, then you shall lead my people to the Undying Lands, I will be warning the other Elf kingdoms about the evil that is coming, I shall meet you in the Undying Lands as soon as I can, Beriothien." Beriothien finally stared up at me with the most shocked filled expression.
"You Vanadessë…, but after all this sorrow … perhaps you should have someone else …" I cut him off abruptly with the lifting of my hand.
"No, Beriothien, it must be me … there is something dark out there … something that hasn't been seen in 3,000 years, if I could avoid this, I would, I really would … but my path is now entwined with this darkness … but fear nothing, when this evil is gone, we will finally be able to live in peace … now stand Beriothien, and fetch me my horse and some food, I leave when the blood from the sky is gone." Beriothien stood and bowed before he turned to leave, but I grabbed his shoulder.
"Bury my father and brother at Twilight, and leave tomorrow for the West … take my Mother as well and when you pass her homeland, hand her to Haldir … it would be what my … my Father would do." Beriothien stared at me softly and bowed once more and left.
Once he was out of sight, I left the balcony and turned into the small room behind me, the one that belonged to my parents. The table that lay beside the bed was filled with the possessions my Father was carrying in battle. The sword he used in battle … his bows and arrows … the armor … and the ring of Kelva. I picked up the silver ring filled with the most beautiful emeralds in the Middle Earth. I slid it onto my middle finger and watched it glitter in the light. My breath caught in my throat and I curled my hand into a fist and let the tears that had been threatening me fall as I left the room and into my own where I started packing for my long and treacherous journey.