Grey clouds on the sky covered the sunrise, but Arshae and Constantine could not wait for the light to come.
They led Nimphel (that's the right name, not Nemphis as I wrote before) and Middelstar out of the stable and over the blossoming meadows outside the town gates. Big old trees soon made an ally leading down to a broad and long river with calm water and decorated with beautiful pink and white waterlillies. "We can not cross" Constantine cried.
"There is a ferry only three miles away, we will go over by that" Arshae replied. "We must follow the waterbrink"
The horses lifted their heads proudly and galloped along the river. Fast like the wind they rode and made the leaves on the trees they passed, dance wildly.The sun was now raising in the east making the path easier to see, but Constantine was worried.
Prince Arshae could feel his friend's worry (as elves often do) and turned to him.
"You feel we should get off the road" he said calmly.
Constantine nodded insecurily.
"You're right" said Arshae. "I know a smaller path through the mountains, it will lead us to the other side of the river, but it takes much more time. We will not be in any city until the second day"
Middlestar followed Nimphel up to the top of a grass hill where they stopped to see if the road further on was clear.
"It is worse than I thought" Prince Arshae spoke and pointed down the valley where a large group of men (500 perhaps) had gathered.
Only a third of them had horses, but all of them were richly armed with either swords or bows. Even if the group was on a great distance from Arshae and Constantine, they could still see who was leading the army. Colstedt...
"How do we get to the mountains now Sir?"
Prince Arshae backed his horse and rode right in to the forest where there was no road or path to follow.
"There are always ways of getting to a mountain" he replied. "You are borned amongst elves in the mountains, you should know of these things"
Constantine laughed a little and followed the prince in to the woods.
"He will not get far" Colstedt grinned viciously. "I have put spies everywhere"
Maximillian sat up on his horse. "He can be taking the ferry!" he said, but Colstedt held up a hand.
"We will send men in all directions. Until we get any news, we must stay here" he replied and took a bite of a red apple.
Maximillian gave order to the army and they were parted in five troops.
One would stay with Colstedt and Maximillian while the others were sent in different directions.
Less than two hours later one of the spies came riding up to Colstedt with a message.
"They are going through the mountains" he explained. "They have seen your troops"
Colstedt was confused and angry. "They? Is Arshae not alone?"
"No sir, a man is with him, a mortal I hear"
"We will send all our men to find them in the mountains" Colstedt ordered and it was done.
"I feel I can ride no longer prince Arshae" said Constantine. "My back hurts and I am both hungry and thirsty Sir"
Arshae slowed down and stopped. "That is very unthoughtful of me, I am sorry" He apologized.
"We will rest over there" he said and pointed at a small opening in the mountain by the road.
It was too small for any of them to pass through. "We can not come through there Sir" Constantine commented.
But Arshae did not listen and led his horse to the hole where he begun to speak in elvish.
A small light like a sunray shone upon the mountain wall above the hole and it grew larger.
Soon it was as big as a cave entrance, but someone was there.
An elv dressed in a grey tunica and trousers came out and Arshae greeted him on their own language then looked at Constantine. "This is my friend Felatura" he introduced the elf. "He will let us stay for lunch, if you wish"
Constantine looked suspectingly at the elf. He had never seen anything like him before.
His hazel brown hair was curly and reached halfway down his back. His clothes were sewed with golden threads and was here and there decorated with tiny green gemstones. They did not look like ordinary cave elves or mountain elves.
His eyes were large and green contrasting to his pale skin and dark hair.
"I shall accept the offer with great honour" Constantine answered and was let inside before the hole closed.
It was not a dark cave and it was nothing like a dwarf home or a hiding place. The mountain had looked very small from the outside, but inside was built an elven city with handbuilt houses and gardens filled with plants of all kinds.
Constantine's amazment could not be covered and it made Arshae laugh. "Why so surprised my friend?" he asked.
"I have never seen anything like this before" he gasped and looked around.
"Welcome to the city Gonostar"
Everywhere he turned there were flowers, green grass, little lakes, beautiful houses in all shapes and sizes.
Children were running around on a field laughing.
"This reminds me of a place my grandfather told me about, but it was not inside a mountain"
Arshae smiled. "They are certainly a spiece of their own, and not only elves lives here"
They passed cottages, little houses, horses, dogs, cats, children, women, men and they were all certainly not elves.
They led Nimphel (that's the right name, not Nemphis as I wrote before) and Middelstar out of the stable and over the blossoming meadows outside the town gates. Big old trees soon made an ally leading down to a broad and long river with calm water and decorated with beautiful pink and white waterlillies. "We can not cross" Constantine cried.
"There is a ferry only three miles away, we will go over by that" Arshae replied. "We must follow the waterbrink"
The horses lifted their heads proudly and galloped along the river. Fast like the wind they rode and made the leaves on the trees they passed, dance wildly.The sun was now raising in the east making the path easier to see, but Constantine was worried.
Prince Arshae could feel his friend's worry (as elves often do) and turned to him.
"You feel we should get off the road" he said calmly.
Constantine nodded insecurily.
"You're right" said Arshae. "I know a smaller path through the mountains, it will lead us to the other side of the river, but it takes much more time. We will not be in any city until the second day"
Middlestar followed Nimphel up to the top of a grass hill where they stopped to see if the road further on was clear.
"It is worse than I thought" Prince Arshae spoke and pointed down the valley where a large group of men (500 perhaps) had gathered.
Only a third of them had horses, but all of them were richly armed with either swords or bows. Even if the group was on a great distance from Arshae and Constantine, they could still see who was leading the army. Colstedt...
"How do we get to the mountains now Sir?"
Prince Arshae backed his horse and rode right in to the forest where there was no road or path to follow.
"There are always ways of getting to a mountain" he replied. "You are borned amongst elves in the mountains, you should know of these things"
Constantine laughed a little and followed the prince in to the woods.
"He will not get far" Colstedt grinned viciously. "I have put spies everywhere"
Maximillian sat up on his horse. "He can be taking the ferry!" he said, but Colstedt held up a hand.
"We will send men in all directions. Until we get any news, we must stay here" he replied and took a bite of a red apple.
Maximillian gave order to the army and they were parted in five troops.
One would stay with Colstedt and Maximillian while the others were sent in different directions.
Less than two hours later one of the spies came riding up to Colstedt with a message.
"They are going through the mountains" he explained. "They have seen your troops"
Colstedt was confused and angry. "They? Is Arshae not alone?"
"No sir, a man is with him, a mortal I hear"
"We will send all our men to find them in the mountains" Colstedt ordered and it was done.
"I feel I can ride no longer prince Arshae" said Constantine. "My back hurts and I am both hungry and thirsty Sir"
Arshae slowed down and stopped. "That is very unthoughtful of me, I am sorry" He apologized.
"We will rest over there" he said and pointed at a small opening in the mountain by the road.
It was too small for any of them to pass through. "We can not come through there Sir" Constantine commented.
But Arshae did not listen and led his horse to the hole where he begun to speak in elvish.
A small light like a sunray shone upon the mountain wall above the hole and it grew larger.
Soon it was as big as a cave entrance, but someone was there.
An elv dressed in a grey tunica and trousers came out and Arshae greeted him on their own language then looked at Constantine. "This is my friend Felatura" he introduced the elf. "He will let us stay for lunch, if you wish"
Constantine looked suspectingly at the elf. He had never seen anything like him before.
His hazel brown hair was curly and reached halfway down his back. His clothes were sewed with golden threads and was here and there decorated with tiny green gemstones. They did not look like ordinary cave elves or mountain elves.
His eyes were large and green contrasting to his pale skin and dark hair.
"I shall accept the offer with great honour" Constantine answered and was let inside before the hole closed.
It was not a dark cave and it was nothing like a dwarf home or a hiding place. The mountain had looked very small from the outside, but inside was built an elven city with handbuilt houses and gardens filled with plants of all kinds.
Constantine's amazment could not be covered and it made Arshae laugh. "Why so surprised my friend?" he asked.
"I have never seen anything like this before" he gasped and looked around.
"Welcome to the city Gonostar"
Everywhere he turned there were flowers, green grass, little lakes, beautiful houses in all shapes and sizes.
Children were running around on a field laughing.
"This reminds me of a place my grandfather told me about, but it was not inside a mountain"
Arshae smiled. "They are certainly a spiece of their own, and not only elves lives here"
They passed cottages, little houses, horses, dogs, cats, children, women, men and they were all certainly not elves.