The Ears of the Elves

By Asso

Chapter Fifty Two


Happiness.


OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

"Don't you sleep, honey?"

The voice of her... - Even in the thick of her surprise, she couldn't help but smile to herself - ...of her, so to speak, master suddenly shook Atana, awakening her from her thoughts.

It was a really fleeting inner smile, though.

Her beautiful eyes turned suddenly to him.

He was looking at her. A slight smile on his lips, between the thick of his grizzled and short beard.

His voice seemed to smile as his mouth.

"Something troubles you, darling?"

Atana sized him up with a gaze that looked even reproachful.

"You were sleeping!" Then her voice softened abruptly and rapidly, as her eyes lowered embarrassed and she added hastily, as apologetically "My Lord."

Taras laughed softly.

"True. I was sleeping." His voice sounded sweet. "But your thoughts woke me up."

Then that voice became grave, caring. As the smile faded and the eyes grew serious.

"I could feel them, Atana."

Very serious.

"What's up?"

Atana fell silent, looking at him earnestly. Then she ensconced herself in his embrace, in the crook of his shoulder.

She spoke lowly, softly, her eyes turned to the fabric ceiling of the tent welcoming them, her and Talas.

"I was thinking about how strange destiny is."

"Huh?"

Atana sighed.

"The second in command of the Nameless One. That's what you're."

"Well, in effect..."

"The Nameless One. The dark legend."

"Atana…"

"And now I'm here. In the arms of the man - a human man, a man belonging to the race that destroyed my life and my dreams - who is the trusted right arm of the Nameless One, the imagine itself of destruction."

"Atana!"

"And happy to be in his arms."

Atana's gaze rose to his face.

"Am I wrong if I say that fate is really strange, my lord and master?"

Talas was silent for a long moment. Hard to know what to say in front of that statement.

Then, his hand rose to caress Atana's soft hair.

"Yes, it's true. Destiny is really strange."

He laughed softly.

"On the other hand, my little and - not the slightest doubt about that - indomitable elven female, do you believe I could have ever imagined putting my life at risk, challenging impudently and inconsiderately my Lord, just to have you? Just to be ..." He reiterated his soft laughter. "...as you say, your lord and master?"

He laughed again.

"Declaration on whose correctness, honestly, there would be much to discuss."

Atana choked a giggle.

"You talk like him, my Lord."

"Well, am I or not his right-hand man?"

Atana suddenly became serious again.

She did not look up at him. She spoke softly, eyes down, clasping herself into his embrace.

"Yes, you are. So you know."

Talas' hand stopped stroking her hair. It stood motionless on her head.

"What, Atana?"

Atana's bright eyes rose again to Talas' face.

"What will our destiny be, my Lord? What lies ahead of me? And ahead of you? And... ahead of the Princess?"

Talas remained silent.

What could he answer?

Atana knew he knew. It was impossible he couldn't know.

But could he reveal her what the Princess' destiny would be? What would the price be that his Lord had decided he would pay for her real salvation? To make sure that her true destiny was fulfilled? To make her the Queen of the new great kingdom of the Elves?

He had looked at his Lord with wide eyes when he had revealed him his intentions, as the Princess was refreshing herself in his tent, while waiting for him, during the briefing they had had at the end of the long march.

His Lord had laughed softly before that look of him. He had laughed with that laughter of him that knew how to be simultaneously sardonic and bitter and… bewitching. Bewitching in that monstrous face that summed up in itself all the evils - all the injustices - of the world.

Talas remembered well his words, pronounced in a low voice, as if he were talking more to himself than to him, to Talas.

"The time has come for the Army of Darkness to become the Army of Light."

Talas remembered very well the tension he had felt at hearing those words, while his Lord lowered his leonine head, to give free breath to other - heavy - words.

"For a new world of light to arise."

Talas could hear still sounding within him, powerful even in their levity, the words of his Lord.

"It is time for the Nameless One to disappear into the nameless world he came from."

Talas could still feel, heartbreaking, the heart pang he had felt as his Lord had murmured, while raising his beastly head, watching him with that eye that appeared to show all the ruefulness of the world.

"Happiness doesn't befit the Nameless One."


End of Chapter Fifty Two

TBC

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Happiness.

It is not a thing for everyone.