Here's the next chapter.I know it took kinda long to get it finished, but I have been really busy those past few days. With that said, lets check out what this young elf is up to.
The chirping of the birds signaled the start of a new day. The rising sun was blocked by the clouds that have not dispersed over night. The shroud of darkness offered a gloomy landscape that was enough to accentuate one's pessimism.
The drops of water that had accumulated on plants during the night have not had any chance to evaporate due to the absence of the life-giving rays. The moisture kept the ground cold and went, unsuitable for a weary traveler to sleep on to.
A powerful gust of wind caused all the blades of grass and the different types of plants to bend under its might. In one particular location, a few of them touched the strange, bipedal creature that was resting in the midst of the thick vegetation, apparently undisturbed by the nature's actions.
After a short while, the cranky elf lazily opened an eye, irritated by the vegetation that was constantly poking him. He looked around for a bit before he raised his head to look at the sky, then he lay down again, muttering something. The cold morning didn't bother Eraniel. Having lived most of his life in nature after his parents died, he got used to sleep outside whenever it was necessary to. Although he sometimes suffered at the hands of the unforgiving weather and the elements, he accepted the idea that he will never be able to return to his former life and adapted to the harsh conditions imposed by his new life.
The elf tried to drift into sleep once again, but he soon found out that it was impossible due to the cool wind and the annoying plants that were present everywhere.
Without saying a thing, he quickly got up and brushed his clothes off to clear the different types of debris that soiled him.
I suppose I should make use of this time now that I've been awaken so early, against my will, thought the elf and reached into his knapsack to inspect his supplies. Content that they will suffice until he reaches his destination, the elf picked up his knapsack and looked into the distance.
Eraniel continued his journey without much trouble. The village of Taelmarlis was half a day ahead of him and, given the circumstances, he didn't have the luxury to take his time.
He moved at a fast pace for as long as he could before he came to a stop to catch his breath. Normally, it would take quite some time for an elf to recover after an extensive running, but Eraniel did not seem to abide this rule. It was just another benefit from his life as an outcast.
After a short period of time, the elf's breath stabilized. As soon as that happened, he began moving again at a slower pace until he completely recovered before accelerating to his fast pace.
After a long, tedious journey, the plains were finally coming to an end. From a far, a dense
forest could be spotted. The village of Taelmarlis was positioned on the opposite edge of this forest, a slight inconvenience for Eraniel among many.
The elf stopped for a while to rest for a bit. He took a few gulps from the water skin he got from his knapsack and then looked in the distance. The village was nowhere to be seen, but Eraniel knew that he was not far from his objective. Soon, he would reach the place where his destiny was going to be decided.
The desire to reach his destination quickly forced Eraniel to cut through the woods. At the speed he was traveling, it wasn't long before the forest began to thin. White smoke was visible in the distance, signaling the presence of the village. Content with his accomplishment, Eraniel hurried to the entrance of the village.
The villagers had built a wall of wood in an attempt to keep the beasts, which venture into the village under the cover of night in search of food, at bay. The moment he entered the sheer number of people preparing for the upcoming festival surprised him. The paths were full of people that were forever busy, doing one thing or another. Several males were busy placing the training targets and the dummies in a circular arena. The merchants were tidying their booths, getting ready to please their customers. Among their goods, Eraniel's sight was caught by the numerous bows, each one unique in its design. The deadly hunting tools came in a wide variety: from simple hunting bows to ones made of a reddish wood, which was rumored to be among the best type of wood for a bow. Winding lines and symbols adorned the beautiful hunting weapons.
I can't even imagine the value of such weapons, thought Eraniel, slightly envious at the fat merchants. His only weapon was a simple bow manufactured by him.
In the hands of an elite hunter, each weapon will fulfill its duty. Each with its own fate, thought the elf, trying to drive away the desire of being in line with the others.
Various dwellings with few distinctive features could be seen on either side, like they have been created by the same artisan. The houses were all alike in every way.
Taelmarlis was an unusual village with its circular configuration. The houses were placed randomly, not following a distinct pattern. The paths started from the center of the village and meandered between houses. It was obvious that its inhabitants were not focusing on the looking aspect. What mattered to them was the purpose of a certain object: do not invest futile effort in useless things. This way of thinking pleased Eraniel. The elf himself ignored the various trifles that others benefited from. A downside of this village was the whole anxiety. It greatly disturbed Eraniel, who preferred the more secluded places.
Making his way through the sea of people who were blocking the path, Eraniel headed towards what he believed to be the center of the village. Along the way, slight differences became noticeable: the houses were bigger and more attention was given to the exterior of the dwellings. Finally, the path came to an end, leaving place to a wide circular area filled with various merchants and their goods.
Looking around, Eraniel observed the variety of the items which were being sold: ranging from various linen goods to hunting tunics and clothes to accessories such as hunting daggers and majestic bows. The only thing that captivated the attention of the elf was the enjoyable smell that came from the food booths. In an instant, hunger took over, forcing him to track the source of the smell. He found it without much difficulty, for his stomach always put him on the right track. In front of his sparkling eyes, a hearty fire was burning. Above the fire was a haunch of meat that began to attain a brown color. Having some difficulty restraining his hunger, Eraniel headed toward an elder elf that was busy cutting a large piece of meat.
Trying to be polite, Eraniel asked, "Pardon me for interrupting you from your work. What do you want in exchange for a piece of meat, medium in size?"
The butcher shuddered, a bit. He seemed startled from being interrupted from his work where only one sound predominated: clack, clack. Turning around, he lowered the meat chopper and faced Eraniel.
"Greetings, young traveler. Is there something you wish?" asked the butcher calmly, speaking on a low voice. Eraniel could almost feel the greed that radiated from his, but he refrained from making an inappropriate remark.
"I would like a chunk of that thing," answered Eraniel, pointing towards the piece of meat that was hanging above the fire, barely holding up his anticipation.
"That," replied the elf, making a gesture towards the piece of meat,"is roasted Nagra and it is reserved for the important guests which will arrive tomorrow to take part at the Festival of Hunt."
Still, this was not enough to stop the hungry elf from trying his luck.
"I take it that's a special type of meat," replied the elf on a low voice; he appeared to be thinking of something. "Maybe I can trade you something equally good for it!" he said with enthusiasm as if he knew exactly what the merchant would want.
The butcher shook his head, his impassive expression disheartening Eraniel. He eyed the young elf for a bit with a nervous stare and then he replied on a disapproving tone.
"I doubt that there is something you can offer me. Judging by your outfit, you must be one of the travelers that simply can't afford the best." He must have noticed Eraniel's displeased look as he continued on a much gentle tone. "I am sorry lad, but even if you would have something worth trading the meat for, I wouldn't accept. I have already made a bargain with a few people and I can't simply go against my word."
The young elf frowned for a bit at hearing that disheartening information; he was clearly displeased at the thought that there was no way he could persuade the butcher otherwise. Thinking that something was amiss, Eraniel put his disappointment aside and asked without thought.
"Shouldn't a cook handle this? You are nothing but a simple butcher."
The elf let out a small laugh and answered quickly, taking Eraniel by surprise, "So you have noticed…Well, to make it short, for now I'm both cook and butcher. Because of the event that takes place tomorrow, I have to take advantage of every moment. Now, given the circumstances, I cannot trade you a piece of that meat, but I have a solution." After he finished what he had to say, the elf grabbed a piece of meat that was lay on the booth and showed it to Eraniel. Noticing his interest, he added, "I will trade you this piece of meat for this plant," answered the butcher slyly, reaching into his bag and pulling out something that looked like a flower.
"Pay no attention to the flower!" he yelled. "It's the leaves I need. There is nothing more to know except the location of this plant," said the elf, pointing towards the west, where the nearby wood was. "If you are fast enough, you might get yourself a warm meal." he laughed, then picked up his knife and started to work on his meat, oblivious to the people around him.
"Wait, is that all? Can't you be a bit more precise?" asked the young elf, confused about his task.
The butcher, however, seemed not to pay attention to what the elf said. Eraniel waited for a bit, hoping that he will get an answer, but it never came. Clenching his fist in anger, the elf opened his mouth to ask him the same question, but he was interrupted when another person came at the booth and greeted the butcher. The elder elf immediately turned around and started conversing with the other elf, completely ignoring Eraniel. It appeared that the two knew each other.
Fuming, Eraniel left in a rush, bumping into a few elves that stood in his way. Driven by hunger, Eraniel quickly made his way through the thick crowd of elves and headed towards the forest.
With an image of the plant in his mind, Eraniel searched through shrubs and bushes. The multitude of similar, but useless leaves increasingly frustrated him until he pulled out his dagger and started to cut away discarded plants.
While he was staring at a plant, observing its features, a cool breeze became noticeable, drawing his attention for a reason even he was not able to explain. Looking towards the sky, he glimpsed a deep orange silhouette pass over the treetops with blinding speed. He gasped in awe at the sight that had lasted no more than a second.
I wonder what that was, he thought.
The protest of his stomach at the lack of food interrupted every thought that just happened to cross his mind at that moment. Lowering himself to the ground, the elf resumed the search. It didn't take long before he found it. Rising, he smiled, happy at the thought that those leaves will bring him a piece of tasty meat. Running as fast as he could, the elf went straight to the merchant's place where his reward awaited.
**
Eraniel finished the exercise, panting. He thought he had done well, but the look on his master's face said otherwise.. Walking towards him, the older elf put a hand on his shoulder and added with a gentle tone, "It is obvious that you lack training, Eraniel. You did half of what I have expected from children of your age." He smiled and continued, "Do not let this bother you. The more you practice, the better you will become. Let this be your way of thinking in life: if you are not good at something, work extra hard to succeed."
Having difficulty grasping the concept behind his master's words, Eraniel was glad that the elder elf trusted him. This had not happened before, maybe that's a wave of warmth swept through him. Maybe I am not the best at these type of activities. However, I will prove, Ebrithil, that though sheer determination, work, and effort I can surpass the others! Thought Eraniel, proud at his own words.
Meanwhile, the master headed towards the sword rack and returned with two wooden swords. He threw one at Eraniel's feet, who gave him a puzzled look.
"Ebrithil, what are those for?" asked the child, raising an eyebrow.
The answer came with a calm voice, as always. "Now that we have some spare time left, I will teach you something about swordsmanship." With that said, the master headed towards a stone bench, motioning Eraniel to follow. After he sat comfortably, he continued.
"Before we proceed, I will tell you a little story. As you know, our people have always prided themselves with the skill our warriors show in combat. Over a long period of time, the dedication, skill, and precision, which the elven masters displayed while handling this weapon, had turned this fighting style in a form of art. Legend says that Vrimith, a simple villager who dedicated his life to improve his fighting style, was forced to fight a small army of Urgals to ensure his people time to retreat. He fought the beasts until dusk, not showing any sign of weakness. It says that, along the way, his mate couldn't bear the thought of using him as a tool to provide the necessary distraction needed for the mass escape. But when she returned to the village, she couldn't believe the sight: Vrimith was alive! He was standing in the center of the village holding two bloody swords in his hands.
The little legend fascinated Eraniel, who was astonished by what he just heard. Wanting to hear more, he asked quickly, "But how did he manage to survive against so many opponents? Aren't Urgals formidable warriors?"
The master smiled. "That is true, but size leaves no room for agility. Through speed and finesse, Vrimith succeeded in slaying every single Urgal. Even if they posses fantastic strength, it does not help if they cannot hit their target." The elder elf paused for a moment before continuing. "It is said that after that incident, Vrimith became famous among the villagers. The king himself traveled to the little village to see him in person after he had heard of his heroic deeds and skill. Impressed by his abilities, he offered Vrimith the position of master, so he could train his warriors."
Filled with enthusiasm, Eraniel hit the ground with the wooden sword. "Ebrithil, I want to learn this fighting style!"
"Eager to learn, are we?" asked the master, the same smile on his face. Touching his sword with his, he added, "Don't get your hopes up. This fighting style is passed exclusively to the warriors who are already trained in sword combat. Because of this, we are going to start from bottom to reach the top." With that, he hit Eraniel's sword with enough force to send it flying. "Grab your sword and follow me"
Eraniel quickly obeyed. Lifting the sword, he ran towards his master. Outlining the image of a warrior in his mind, he said to himself, I will become a great warrior like Vrimith. Mother, father, I will make you proud.
It was almost dusk when Eraniel finally reached the village, panting. The mass of people gathered in the market square had left to their respective dwellings to prepare for the next day. A group of young elves were discussing with much enthusiasm of the day that was about to come, a day of significant importance in a hunter's life.
Eraniel passed by them, not wanting to waste his time in a probably useless discussion. When the elf reached the center of the village, he realized that more than half of the merchants were packing their goods, preparing to depart.
Heading towards the place where he met with the butcher, Eraniel was surprised to find the fire that was cooking the chunk of meat burning sickly. The meat was missing, along with its owner. All of a sudden, a hand touched his back. Shuddering, the young hunter turned around to see the face of the merchant he was searching for.
"It was not my intention to scare you," he said calmly, but Eraniel could notice on his face that he was rather impatient. "So, what is your business here, at this time? Is there a special reason behind this?" asked the vendor, bewildered.
"I brought you these leaves. Earlier, we had a deal, I was to bring you these leaves, and you were to give me a piece of meat in exchange." Eraniel tensed and frowned a bit, wanting this trade to be done with as fast as possible. Reaching into his knapsack, he revealed the leaves to him.
"Ah, it's you! Have you any idea how long I've been waiting for you, boy?" barked the elf. After a short while he calmed down, realizing that anger will do no good. Then he proceeded to explain this to Eraniel on a much calmer tone. "My goods cannot wait forever, you know. And since this meat sells best when it's freshly cooked, I did what I was supposed to do," said the vendor motioning towards his booth that was almost empty, save from a few scraps and bones.
The merchant's superficial apologies made Eraniel lose his calm. The hunger and the tiredness clouded his judgment, letting his emotions run free.
"I ran as fast as I could to get to that forest. I wasted more time than you would imagine by trying to get your ridiculous plant that looks like every other plant in the forest! Have you any idea what I have been through to get these leaves?" sais Eraniel with indignation, raising his voice up to a point where it transformed into a yell. He then inhaled, trying to calm down. "So, are you telling me that you have nothing else to trade?" asked the elf on a calm tone.
After he listened to Eraniel's rant, the vendor was slightly disappointed to find out what the young elf went through to uphold the end of the bargain. This couldn't be said about his person. "Well, there would be something…" he said, frowning, and then he headed towards his booth, grabbing a small sized piece of meat that was placed under a cloth, covering it from sight. Then, he handed it to Eraniel.
It looked more like a bone with a few straps of meat on it to the young elf. Frowning, Eraniel suddenly gripped the meat from the vendor's hand without adding a thing, and then he offered the handful of leaves to him. Smiling, the vendor reached with his hand to accept them, but Eraniel pulled his arm back and commented with distaste.
"You are playing a dangerous game, old man. Do not have the impression that your actions won't have repercussions in the future," and with this he threw the bunch of leaves on the ground, leaving the shocked merchant behind.
It was a warm spring night. The cloudless sky was adorned with sparkling stars, each shining with a different intensity. Eraniel made his way to the forest as fast as he could, barely holding his anticipation. The first thing he was going to do was to cook the piece of meat he received from the merchant. Spotting a clearing ahead, he gathered several branches and ignited the fire by using the same spell as before. He put the piece of meat above the fire, patiently waiting for it to cook.
While he lay there, waiting, he heard several footsteps. He grabbed his bow as fast as he could and notched an arrow. Tracing the sound, he fired an arrow at the moving target. A golden light flickered and his arrow was deflected in an instant. Figuring out what that was, Eraniel smiled as he lowered his bow, moving towards the source of the light. Between the trees, a figure was noticeable.
"Blast it, Eraniel! You sure know how to greet me," sounded a voice, which was coming from the same spot Eraniel fired his arrow at.
"You should not take me by surprise like that," he apologized, lowering his head. "If it wasn't for quick intervention, you could end up dead. You were always talented at deflecting enemy attacks, Dorinth."
Another one enters the scene! Who might Dorinth be?And what's the Festival of hunt? You will find an answer to those questions in the next chapter, obviously.I'd like to ask a little something from you readers: If you find my story interesting, please post a review. It doesn't have to be big as long as you add your thoughts in a propper are of significant help for new writers such as me. If you have one or two minutes to spare, please help me in this.
Now, I'll take my time to explain a couple of things to avoid creating a confused mass of readers.
First of all, I will address the question of the elves. First of all, the elves are not immortal because the pact with the dragons has yet to happen. Because of this, I have taken the liberty of adding different habits to them, such as hunting, eating meat etc.
Well, the first thing that you would notice is that elves inhabit that village, Taelmarlis, and it's not a village like Ellesmera or another one in Du Weldenvarden with trees shaped into different dwellings, it's a normal village.
The buildings look like human dwellings, except the fact that they have an elvish touch to them.
The second thing is that the "Festival of hunt" is mentioned. You can probably guess it's meaning from the name, and wonder: "Eh, hunt? But elves do not eat meat!"
I agree on this subject, but Paolini didn't say a thing about how elves lived before the pact with the dragons and the dragon riders were created. It's also mentioned the fact that an elf killed a dragon for sport, like he would a deer. From this, I assumed that they were a race of hunters before since they killed deers and probably other animals.
Third, all elves can use magic, though they have to train themselves on how to do it. It's not something you can do whenever you want without the proper training, and more complex spells need better training also.
All in all, the elves which I portray in this fanfic are a bit different than the ones you know from the IC because they were a new race to Alagaesia.I might also add a reason behind the exodus from Alalea, but for now, I have no plans to do it.