~Prologue~Part 4~The Beginning of Alone~
Alexian hunched over the bay mare's withers, not quite sure what had happened that night. She had left Beatrice in a safe area of Elfrea called Goddess' Point. She and Forever had left to gather some firewood for the night. By the time the mare and girl had returned Beatrice had disappeared. Alexian had searched all night for her cousin, desperately calling for her from one end of the triangular island to the other. She had sent out summons for her along the physic threads, not even dark enough to be on a white thread. If anyone had been nearby they would have heard the summons, but no one had answered.
The next morning they were searching the island and the surrounding Elven Forest for any sign of Beatrice. Now, as the sun set for the second time Alexian had all but given up hope. She lifted her head one more time in the broken sunlight of the Forest.
"BEATRICE!" she screamed as loud as her young lungs would allow. She spread her wings and flew above the mare's head, scanning the trees like an Elven warrior. "BEATRICE!" she screamed again. no answer.
She folded her wings and fell gracefully back towards the ground, and spread them again just before she landed gently on Forever's back. "Nothing," Alexian cried quietly. "Nothing at all."
*Don't get your head down, Foal,* Forever replied. *She may be lost to you, but she is strong enough not to be lost to herself. She may not have even gotten her Birthright Jewel yet, but she will make it on her own. You taught her in Elven magic well, she will survive. Who knows what tree she will view her next sunrise from? She is an Elf in her blood and in her head, and she shall prevail. Don't waste yourself away, Foal. Someone will take care of her, even if that someone is herself.* Forever bowed her head solemnly as she picked up her pace to a rocking canter.
They rounded another bend, Alexian tilting her head as she listened to what was ahead. People, she thought, and something else. Forever proceeded slowly and cautiously. Alexian leaned far over the mare's neck, determined to get a good look at the commotion ahead.
She saw her. "BEATRICE!" Alexian screamed again, this time her cousin was in sight. Forever stopped mid step and Alexian felt a Gray shield go up around them. The mare stopped herself from putting a shield around the younger Elf, she had physical contact with a Warlord that Forever didn't want to protect.
Beatrice's head whipped up, terror filled her midnight blue eyes as she fought the men who held her. Alexian tried to jump off the mare, but the Gray shield held her tight. Beatrice's eyes flashed silver, "RUN!" she screamed, sending a bolt of fire through her hands and onto the men who held her with Elven magic. "NO!" Alexian screamed as she grabbed at her throat, pulling of a necklace, she threw it with all her might. The necklace landed a few feet in front of the child, Forever turned on her haunches and carried Alexian away from her cousin.
"BEATRICE!" Alexian screamed as she yanked on the mare's mane, trying desperately to get her to stop. "BEATRICE!"
The next sound that met her ears was a child's scream. one of death. Alexian slumped over Forever's shoulders and wrapped her small arms around the mare's neck. "Beatrice." she cried outright now as the mare galloped though the woods, the band of Warlords following them.
*There's no time for crying now, Foal,* Forever scolded in a winded voice. *You must live for yourself, if that's anything your family taught you.* She leaped effortlessly over a fallen log and through the shallow water of the Windsong River. *Never look back, Foal, the future's always ahead of you. Remember that, always and forever.*
Alexian hunched over the bay mare's withers, not quite sure what had happened that night. She had left Beatrice in a safe area of Elfrea called Goddess' Point. She and Forever had left to gather some firewood for the night. By the time the mare and girl had returned Beatrice had disappeared. Alexian had searched all night for her cousin, desperately calling for her from one end of the triangular island to the other. She had sent out summons for her along the physic threads, not even dark enough to be on a white thread. If anyone had been nearby they would have heard the summons, but no one had answered.
The next morning they were searching the island and the surrounding Elven Forest for any sign of Beatrice. Now, as the sun set for the second time Alexian had all but given up hope. She lifted her head one more time in the broken sunlight of the Forest.
"BEATRICE!" she screamed as loud as her young lungs would allow. She spread her wings and flew above the mare's head, scanning the trees like an Elven warrior. "BEATRICE!" she screamed again. no answer.
She folded her wings and fell gracefully back towards the ground, and spread them again just before she landed gently on Forever's back. "Nothing," Alexian cried quietly. "Nothing at all."
*Don't get your head down, Foal,* Forever replied. *She may be lost to you, but she is strong enough not to be lost to herself. She may not have even gotten her Birthright Jewel yet, but she will make it on her own. You taught her in Elven magic well, she will survive. Who knows what tree she will view her next sunrise from? She is an Elf in her blood and in her head, and she shall prevail. Don't waste yourself away, Foal. Someone will take care of her, even if that someone is herself.* Forever bowed her head solemnly as she picked up her pace to a rocking canter.
They rounded another bend, Alexian tilting her head as she listened to what was ahead. People, she thought, and something else. Forever proceeded slowly and cautiously. Alexian leaned far over the mare's neck, determined to get a good look at the commotion ahead.
She saw her. "BEATRICE!" Alexian screamed again, this time her cousin was in sight. Forever stopped mid step and Alexian felt a Gray shield go up around them. The mare stopped herself from putting a shield around the younger Elf, she had physical contact with a Warlord that Forever didn't want to protect.
Beatrice's head whipped up, terror filled her midnight blue eyes as she fought the men who held her. Alexian tried to jump off the mare, but the Gray shield held her tight. Beatrice's eyes flashed silver, "RUN!" she screamed, sending a bolt of fire through her hands and onto the men who held her with Elven magic. "NO!" Alexian screamed as she grabbed at her throat, pulling of a necklace, she threw it with all her might. The necklace landed a few feet in front of the child, Forever turned on her haunches and carried Alexian away from her cousin.
"BEATRICE!" Alexian screamed as she yanked on the mare's mane, trying desperately to get her to stop. "BEATRICE!"
The next sound that met her ears was a child's scream. one of death. Alexian slumped over Forever's shoulders and wrapped her small arms around the mare's neck. "Beatrice." she cried outright now as the mare galloped though the woods, the band of Warlords following them.
*There's no time for crying now, Foal,* Forever scolded in a winded voice. *You must live for yourself, if that's anything your family taught you.* She leaped effortlessly over a fallen log and through the shallow water of the Windsong River. *Never look back, Foal, the future's always ahead of you. Remember that, always and forever.*