Chapter 9
I smiled and turned around to greet a familiar face.
"Dalome!" I cried. An elf woman ran to me and embraced me, her head resting on mine. Dalome was large for an elf, and although elves were the same height as humans, she sill had a few centimeters on the rest. As she released me from her embrace, she spoke.
"My dear child, it is good to see you again. It has been too many years."
"Yes, indeed it has," I replied, wiping a tear of joy from my eye and giving her a smile. "Dalome, allow me to introduce,"
"Aaah, the Price, my dear, needs no introduction," she interrupted me and smiled at Osian.
"Why thank you, ma'm," He bowed and kissed her hand. I almost cracked a rib to keep from bursting out in laughter. But I was not sidetracked for long.
"Was I correct in assuming, Dalome, that you would help us?" I asked.
"Why yes, you were," she smiled. She then signaled to the trees, where several more elves emerged. They proceeded to lift up Adelio and place him onto some sort of crude stretcher made of branches and large leaves. I turned to Dalome in amazement.
"How did you know we where here?" I asked.
"One of our scout elves saw you attacking the ogres. Based on the information he gave us about an 'amazing flying girl who can defend herself against two Ogres at the same time!' I was able to figure out you were the girl. I am sorry to see what happened. We will have someone take care of him once we get to our camp; don't you worry!" she gave me a reassuring squeeze around my shoulders and steered me off into the direction in which the stretcher had been carried. Osian followed slowly. When we were about halfway there, Dalome had to give instructions to another elf about what herbs might be needed to cure Adelio. I turned to Osian.
"Does it hurt to walk?" I asked.
"Of course it hurts! It just doesn't hurt enough to stop me from walking," he said, his voice full of sarcasm.
"When we get to the camp, I want to have another look at it," I said.
"No need. You go concern yourself with Adelio. I know you don't care two straws about me, so let's not waste each other's time."
I gazed at him, openmouthed. "I cannot believe what I am hearing! Do you really think I don't care what happens to you?" I asked dumbfoundedly.
He nodded his head, all expression in his face gone.
"You stubborn fool!" I said, not to insult him but to slap him into reality. "You may not be my first choice of company but you are certainly not my last. Of course I care what happens to you. Why on earth would you think that I don't?"
"Well, the fact that you told me to go away and leave you alone put the idea into my head," he answered. He must fill with sarcasm after being injured.
"Ok, I know. I wasn't the kindest person to you: I'll admit that. But you have to understand, I didn't really want to risk your life in addition to my own. At least with Adelio I knew he could protect himself. I did not know you could."
"Fair enough," Osian uttered as we entered the camp compound.
We were each given a hammock to sleep in that night, and another one in our vicinity was for Adelio when he recovered. After a quick check on both patients, to make sure that they were adequately cared for, I took a long nap and awoke just as the sun was setting.
Dinner consisted of several courses in various states of liquidation. Adelio had made a miraculous recovery and was able to sit at the table and eat with the rest of the group. To my surprise, both he and Osian new a little Elfian. I, of course, was fluent. We also were in the presence of gnomes that night, and one proceeded to tell me my future when the festivities started.
The woman was, amazingly, shorter then I. She smiled as I sat down next to her, and she told me the following.
"My dear, you are in for tough times. Two missions lie before you. I see shadows of fear within your soul, and you must depend on those you would rather not. But do not worry, you will be happy with yourself in the end, although I cannot say whether or not you will succeed or fail in your mission. And be on the lookout for a man, I see a lifelong companion by your side."
I was surprised to this assessment, partly because I had not asked for it but mainly because I was to end up with a husband in my near future. The thought was enough to drive me out of my mind.
Before I could meditate to long on the subject, Osian sat next to me and I asked after his condition. He replied that he was fine, so I did not press him on the matter. The Elves started to play a song, customary to celebration, using several flutes and reed- like instruments. A voice started to chant an ancient melody, as several bodies got up from their resting positions to dance. I was asked by a very nice elderly elf and accepted. It turned out that he was one of the best dancers in the camp, and after a minute or so of our dancing we were the center of attention. We received applause at the end of the song, and in turn applauded the musicians. Three more songs were played and then I was surprised to find myself an invitation from Osian to dance. I looked up at him in shock.
"Are you serious?" I asked.
"Of course," he said, extending a hand and gently lifting me to my feet.
"In that case," I said, "I accept."
He led me to the dancing area and we participated in one of the more lively dances. He was very good, and we were the center of attention. After the dance, and the two others following in which I was asked to dance, I sat down between Adelio and Osian and we talked for a good half hour.
Osian asked at one point how I know Dalome.
I informed him that when I was very young (age six and seven), whenever my teacher had some business to attend to and he could not take me, Dalome took care of me. The Elves had lived much closer to us back then. Adelio was about to ask something else when a group of Elves approached our party.
I was then asked to sing.
"I beg your pardon, sing?" I said.
"Or play the reed flute," said an elf, extending his in offering. "Dalome has told us stories of your wonderful skills, and how you would never stop."
"Oh! Well, of course, ah, um," I stood up. "Which would you prefer I do, sing or play?"
"Both!" some cried.
"I smiled with an embarrassed look on my face and blew into the instrument. The song was lively, and I loved the many eighth notes it had; it gave the song a lively dance step. While I played, several couples got up and danced in a circle. Applause ensued my performance.
As the clapping died down, I opened my mouth and sang a song that I had been taught many years ago by my teacher. The first part was always my favorite:
"Oak, granite,
Lilies by the road,
Remember me?
I remember you.
Clouds brushing
Clover hills,
Remember me?
Sister, child,
Grown tall,
Remember me?
I remember you."
I finished the song and sat down, oblivious to the response of the Elves. I sat there in silence for several minutes with my two sources of help, nothing said and none of us needing to say anything. It was many minutes before I went to bed, and many more before I slept.
*Author's Note(s): I updated! Thanks to all of you who reviewed my story, and a special thanks to Dincristel and Cacahuate Loca, who put me on their "Favorite Stories" lists! You guys are great! I know the chapters are a bit short (a bit! Hah!), but I try my best, and I have never been a long writer, so I'm working on it. If you guys want me to update again quickly, please review! I do not mean to sound threatening, like "if you don't review, I won't write!" because that is not my intent, but I think it motivates me to write (and I didn't really get any reviews during the long period in which I didn't write, so maybe it really does motivate me!). Another two things: if you review, tell me what you think about the whole "husband" situation for Ophelia. Do you think she is really going to get married? If so, is she going to marry Adelio or Osian or someone else? Secondly, I do not claim credit to the song's lyrics, see Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine (pg 212). Thanks for reading! *
I smiled and turned around to greet a familiar face.
"Dalome!" I cried. An elf woman ran to me and embraced me, her head resting on mine. Dalome was large for an elf, and although elves were the same height as humans, she sill had a few centimeters on the rest. As she released me from her embrace, she spoke.
"My dear child, it is good to see you again. It has been too many years."
"Yes, indeed it has," I replied, wiping a tear of joy from my eye and giving her a smile. "Dalome, allow me to introduce,"
"Aaah, the Price, my dear, needs no introduction," she interrupted me and smiled at Osian.
"Why thank you, ma'm," He bowed and kissed her hand. I almost cracked a rib to keep from bursting out in laughter. But I was not sidetracked for long.
"Was I correct in assuming, Dalome, that you would help us?" I asked.
"Why yes, you were," she smiled. She then signaled to the trees, where several more elves emerged. They proceeded to lift up Adelio and place him onto some sort of crude stretcher made of branches and large leaves. I turned to Dalome in amazement.
"How did you know we where here?" I asked.
"One of our scout elves saw you attacking the ogres. Based on the information he gave us about an 'amazing flying girl who can defend herself against two Ogres at the same time!' I was able to figure out you were the girl. I am sorry to see what happened. We will have someone take care of him once we get to our camp; don't you worry!" she gave me a reassuring squeeze around my shoulders and steered me off into the direction in which the stretcher had been carried. Osian followed slowly. When we were about halfway there, Dalome had to give instructions to another elf about what herbs might be needed to cure Adelio. I turned to Osian.
"Does it hurt to walk?" I asked.
"Of course it hurts! It just doesn't hurt enough to stop me from walking," he said, his voice full of sarcasm.
"When we get to the camp, I want to have another look at it," I said.
"No need. You go concern yourself with Adelio. I know you don't care two straws about me, so let's not waste each other's time."
I gazed at him, openmouthed. "I cannot believe what I am hearing! Do you really think I don't care what happens to you?" I asked dumbfoundedly.
He nodded his head, all expression in his face gone.
"You stubborn fool!" I said, not to insult him but to slap him into reality. "You may not be my first choice of company but you are certainly not my last. Of course I care what happens to you. Why on earth would you think that I don't?"
"Well, the fact that you told me to go away and leave you alone put the idea into my head," he answered. He must fill with sarcasm after being injured.
"Ok, I know. I wasn't the kindest person to you: I'll admit that. But you have to understand, I didn't really want to risk your life in addition to my own. At least with Adelio I knew he could protect himself. I did not know you could."
"Fair enough," Osian uttered as we entered the camp compound.
We were each given a hammock to sleep in that night, and another one in our vicinity was for Adelio when he recovered. After a quick check on both patients, to make sure that they were adequately cared for, I took a long nap and awoke just as the sun was setting.
Dinner consisted of several courses in various states of liquidation. Adelio had made a miraculous recovery and was able to sit at the table and eat with the rest of the group. To my surprise, both he and Osian new a little Elfian. I, of course, was fluent. We also were in the presence of gnomes that night, and one proceeded to tell me my future when the festivities started.
The woman was, amazingly, shorter then I. She smiled as I sat down next to her, and she told me the following.
"My dear, you are in for tough times. Two missions lie before you. I see shadows of fear within your soul, and you must depend on those you would rather not. But do not worry, you will be happy with yourself in the end, although I cannot say whether or not you will succeed or fail in your mission. And be on the lookout for a man, I see a lifelong companion by your side."
I was surprised to this assessment, partly because I had not asked for it but mainly because I was to end up with a husband in my near future. The thought was enough to drive me out of my mind.
Before I could meditate to long on the subject, Osian sat next to me and I asked after his condition. He replied that he was fine, so I did not press him on the matter. The Elves started to play a song, customary to celebration, using several flutes and reed- like instruments. A voice started to chant an ancient melody, as several bodies got up from their resting positions to dance. I was asked by a very nice elderly elf and accepted. It turned out that he was one of the best dancers in the camp, and after a minute or so of our dancing we were the center of attention. We received applause at the end of the song, and in turn applauded the musicians. Three more songs were played and then I was surprised to find myself an invitation from Osian to dance. I looked up at him in shock.
"Are you serious?" I asked.
"Of course," he said, extending a hand and gently lifting me to my feet.
"In that case," I said, "I accept."
He led me to the dancing area and we participated in one of the more lively dances. He was very good, and we were the center of attention. After the dance, and the two others following in which I was asked to dance, I sat down between Adelio and Osian and we talked for a good half hour.
Osian asked at one point how I know Dalome.
I informed him that when I was very young (age six and seven), whenever my teacher had some business to attend to and he could not take me, Dalome took care of me. The Elves had lived much closer to us back then. Adelio was about to ask something else when a group of Elves approached our party.
I was then asked to sing.
"I beg your pardon, sing?" I said.
"Or play the reed flute," said an elf, extending his in offering. "Dalome has told us stories of your wonderful skills, and how you would never stop."
"Oh! Well, of course, ah, um," I stood up. "Which would you prefer I do, sing or play?"
"Both!" some cried.
"I smiled with an embarrassed look on my face and blew into the instrument. The song was lively, and I loved the many eighth notes it had; it gave the song a lively dance step. While I played, several couples got up and danced in a circle. Applause ensued my performance.
As the clapping died down, I opened my mouth and sang a song that I had been taught many years ago by my teacher. The first part was always my favorite:
"Oak, granite,
Lilies by the road,
Remember me?
I remember you.
Clouds brushing
Clover hills,
Remember me?
Sister, child,
Grown tall,
Remember me?
I remember you."
I finished the song and sat down, oblivious to the response of the Elves. I sat there in silence for several minutes with my two sources of help, nothing said and none of us needing to say anything. It was many minutes before I went to bed, and many more before I slept.
*Author's Note(s): I updated! Thanks to all of you who reviewed my story, and a special thanks to Dincristel and Cacahuate Loca, who put me on their "Favorite Stories" lists! You guys are great! I know the chapters are a bit short (a bit! Hah!), but I try my best, and I have never been a long writer, so I'm working on it. If you guys want me to update again quickly, please review! I do not mean to sound threatening, like "if you don't review, I won't write!" because that is not my intent, but I think it motivates me to write (and I didn't really get any reviews during the long period in which I didn't write, so maybe it really does motivate me!). Another two things: if you review, tell me what you think about the whole "husband" situation for Ophelia. Do you think she is really going to get married? If so, is she going to marry Adelio or Osian or someone else? Secondly, I do not claim credit to the song's lyrics, see Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine (pg 212). Thanks for reading! *