Coming of Age
Coming of Age - Chapter 1: Elle of Loire

By LampGenie

Elle dreamt. She was running down a path of an unknown stone. It stretched as far as she could see in either direction, yet she kept on running. Dim shapes moved in the void surrounding the path. Suddenly, a faint noise hit Elle's ears. A shrill, vocal cry. A battle cry... She sped up. The noises became louder and the sounds of battle more clear. A spear swish, the clang of a weapon on armor it couldn't pierce. Then she saw the battle. A flash of magic from the large, hideous figure blinded Elle, and she was thrown into the air, hurtling towards wakefulness.

She sat up suddenly in bed. She had only been half asleep. There had been a battle cry, a skirmish and a flash of light. The flash of light had awakened her. She got out of bed and hurried across the darkened room to the window, grabbing the sword her mother had given her on her sixteenth birthday, a week earlier. She was the daughter of Lady Fyda of Loire and her husband, the former mercenary Royd. She had her mother's pale-blond hair, which she cut to shoulder length. Her face was that of her father- plain complexion and dark, beautiful eyes. Outside the window, she could see nothing but the moonbathed downward slope of the roof. She walked back to the bed and opened her dresser. Pulling on clothes, she returned to the window, opened it, and stepped out into the cold night air. The moon shone bright as she made her way towards where she had heard the noises. The noises had been loud enough to hear, but that didn't necessarily mean they were close. Yet the flash of light had lit her entire room, so that meant that whatever had happened had been on the side of the mansion facing her window. She suddenly froze as she heard another noise. It was the sound of a door opening. Someone was emerging on to her parents balcony. Elle scrambled to the edge of the roof, above the balcony. She stopped suddenly, when a sharp, feminine voice pierced the silence. It was Fyda.
"Perel! What happened?"
A low, strong voice responded, "I know as well as you do. Something happened on the street down there. I heard Ark's shout, and there was the clash of metal on metal. Then there was a flash of light. I'm not sure who cast the spell."
Perel was an old companion of Elle's parents. A tall, muscular black man, he had once been a master athlete, capable of fighting from his skateboard. He had long since thrown away the skateboard for a sword, and was now serving Elle's parents as a bodyguard.
Fyda cursed, "And it had to happen when everyone's here for Elle's birthday!"
"Don't panic! This could be nothing! Maybe Ark just got into a brawl with someone!"
"Oh really! Someone who wears armor and can use magic!"
"Hey, Ark's a good fighter! He won't got dying on us, and he won't kill a drunkard!"
"Yeah, right..."
"Yeah! He saved the stinkin' world!"
"Different Ark!"
"You really are gullible, aren't you!"
Elle contained laughter. She agreed that her mother was gullible. Apparently, when Ark had reappeared after Beruga's defeat, he had claimed that he wasn't the Ark that they knew. Only Elle's namesake, a young woman from the village of Storkolm, had believed it for sure. But that was enough to convince Fyda.
Suddenly, the door swung open again. Elle leaned over the edge of the roof to see her father storm through the door, flanked by MeiHou, a Lhasan sage, and a young man that Elle didn't know. All three looked very concerned.
"Ark and Elle are gone!", said Royd breathlessly.
Fyda looked confused, "Why'd they leave?"
"How should I know? This boy here says that he saw two cloaked people on desert road, just out of town!"
"The Desert Road! But that just leads to the east! There isn't anything for miles in that direction!"
MeiHou broke in, his voice strong despite his old age, "Yes, but after those miles..."
"There's Gobi! All that's there is a bunch of nomad settlements!"
"...And Louran..."
Royd, Fyda and Perel looked confused. MeiHou and the boy just smiled.
Fyda opened her mouth, but the boy broke in, "I don't know why the're going there either, but I have a feeling it's urgent."
Fyda examined the boy, "What is your name?"
"My name is Ordel."
"And what makes you think it was urgent?"
"I... Well, they were being followed."
Royd interjected, a concerned expression on his face, "Followed? By whom?"
"I don't know! It was dark!"
"How many people were there?"
"About 10."
Royd leaned closer to Ordel. He obviously didn't trust the boy. "Could you see what they were..."
Royd stopped short and reached behind him. Embedded in the wall, inches from his back, was a dagger. He held it out, and immediately, Fyda and Perel had their weapons out. Royd threw the dagger to Ordel, who caught it, and drew his own sword. Elle, from above, prepared to enter the battle when the time was right. She pressed herself against the roof, while the others knelt down and formed a ring around MeiHou. Men started jumping from nearby rooftops. Suddenly, she was aware that she wasn't the only one eavesdropping on the conversation. A figure dressed in dark clothes knelt nearby, in the shadow of a chimney. Elle turned and leapt at the figure, pinning it down. It immediately put up an enourmous struggle. As Elle's strength began to give way, her opponent flipped her over and got her in a headlock. Before he could do anything, Elle kneed him in the crotch. He collapsed on top of her and Elle slid out from underneath him and stood up, drawing her sword. She heard the sounds of battle nearby, and knew that her relatives were fighting off attackers. Her opponent responded by doing the same. In the moonlight, she could see him clearly for the first time. He was a young man, about her age. He had short cropped blond hair, and a solid, angular face. Sneering, he drew his sword.
Both fighters immediately began circling upwards, waiting for the right moment to attack. Elle was ready when her opponent made the first blow. He was slightly above her, and he thrust his blade forward in a swift, and possibly deadly attack. Elle calmly pushed the blade aside, and did a counterthrust, which he just barely dodged, bringing him down the slope and closer to her level. Then she attacked, catching him offguard. He barely blocked her attack, and went stumbling down the roof, barely keeping his balance. Elle, now above her attacker, closed in a third time. This time, she was sure she had him. She feinted. He parried. She thrust! However, it would seem he was prepared for this, as he was on the ground, tripping her. She fell backwards, her feet held by the hands of the young man. He stood up sharply, but before he could even let go of her, he fell backwards, onto the balcony, dragging her with him. She fell unconcious as her head struck the ground.

Elle's vision swam. She could see dark shapes moving against brighter background and could feel a faint softness. Voices seemed faint and slurred. Slowly her senses began to return to normal.
"...have to follow them. God only knows what'll happen to them if they get caught."
She could now see clearly. She was in a large bed, curtains pulled all about her. She was clothed as she was when she had fought the unknown soldier. Sitting up, she pulled aside the curtain that shielded her. She was in an average-sized, very elegant bedroom. Paintings and tapestries hung from every wall. A fire burned in a large hearth, and there was a table in the middle of the room, at which about 10 men, the city council, sat. They were all dressed in business suits, and Elle only recognized two of them- Jean, the mayor, and Louis, his assistant. Fyda sat inches away from Elle, facing away from her, in a chair pulled up next to the bed. Royd, flushed, was pacing back and forth in the space between the bed and the table. Perel and Ordel stood guarding the large double door. Royd had been the one speaking.
Jean responded, "I greatly apologize for the incident of last night. Even as we speak, petitions are circulating to raise the security of Loire."
Royd stopped and turned towards Jean, "Circulating within the castle!"
Elle spoke, "Where are we?"
All eyes focused on her. Fyda tried to smile, "We're in the castle. Loire was overrun, and all the survivors fled here."
Royd continued for Fyda, "We're discussing what we'll do about Ark and Elle. We suspect that they were aware of the attack and fled the town. Regardless of the reason, we've got to make sure that no harm comes to them."
"We haven't come to any decisions yet, Royd.", said Jean.
Royd resumed pacing, this time even more desperate and angry. "Damn! I don't understand how it can hurt anybody!"
"It's your safety that we're concerned about. Besides, if we let anyone out of the castle, there's a chance that the enemy gets in."
"Hey, just lower me over the wall or something! All I'm concerned about is getting Ark and Elle to safety!"
"You really are persistent, aren't you?"
"You really are restrictive, aren't you?"
"Think it over first!"
"Think it over! I've been thinking it over since those bastards tried to kill me last night! You'd think I'd come to a decision by now!"
"Well have you?"
"For god's sake, YES!!!"
"Then explain your decision to me, carefully."
Royd took a deep breath to calm himself and continued, "Okay, last night we heard the noises of a fight outside, and found that Ark and Elle were missing. MeiHou and I went outside to examine the situation. No bodies were found, just Ordel and a pile of ashes. Ordel claimed that he'd just gotten back from the Charging Boar tavern by the Desert Road exit from town, and he had seen a fairly unusual sight. Two riders were leaving town on the Desert Road. Shortly after them, a small group of dark-garbed horsemen passed."
Louis looked concerned, "You never told us about the horsemen..."
Royd continued, "Anyway, shortly after, all of Loire was attacked by men that fit Ordel's description. My assumption is that those men were attempting to kill Ark and Elle, and they knew about it, so they left the town."
"And the pile of ashes?"
"Ark has some pretty powerful tricks up his sleeve...."
There was a knock on the door. Perel opened up a small window, then opened the door. MeiHou entered, followed by two soldiers. His face was grim.
"The attackers are advancing on the castle."
Jean stood up, a determined expression set on his face, "Raise the alarm. Anyone able to fight is to do so."
MeiHou nodded and he and the soldiers hurried from the room.
Jean continued, "Royd, I'll let you go, but you stand no chance alone. Get together a few companions and leave immediately. We don't have much time before the castle is attacked."
Royd nodded. "I would like to go with Perel and Fyda."
Fyda stood up. "I apologize Royd, but I cannot go. Take Elle with you instead."
"But..."
"Elle is a woman. She is as able as I am. I must stay here to command the defending army."
Royd reluctantly nodded. Elle jumped out of the bed, thoughts blaring through her head. As capable as mother?, she thought, My gosh! No way she was as capable as her mom! Her thoughts were interrupted by her father's voice.
"Ordel, I'd like you to go also."
Ordel turned to Royd, "Why?"
"I have seen potential in you. You saved my life several times last night."
A loud bell rung through the castle. Jean looked urgent. "Go now! You have your companions! You must hurry!"
Elle, Royd, Perel and Ordel secured their weapons and followed Jean to the passage out of the castle.

To be continued.....

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
That was my first fanfic! Hope you enjoyed it! Expect chapters 2-4 in the series soon enough!