Slowly Elentari opened her eyes and blinked against the harsh sunlight.
She quickly moved to stand up, but the stiffness in her joints and the
pounding headache caused her to rethink her actions. How long she had lain
there she didn't know, but it had to have been at least a day judging by
the stiffness of her body. While stretching her muscles Elentari took
stock of her surroundings. She was surprised to see that the trees around
her were scorched, some reduced to mere ashes. "Must have been one hell of
a storm."
As she stood up she looked back to where she had been laying. She could
see a small cave in the distance and immediately knew where she was.
Although she had not been here since her brother was taken by the Dro
almost 60 years ago. She walked towards the cave and noticed that someone
was already there. Elentari slowed her pace and watched the person
standing near the entrance. They seemed to be holding something in their
hand and appeared to be lost in thought. Elentari stopped and looked
closer at the stranger standing before her. He had the same coal black
hair as Elentari and was wearing the clothes of a Dro even though by the
skin color it was obvious that this person was not a Dro but a High elf.
She was taking no risks in alerting the Dro that she was still alive.
Before she continued walking she focused on the form of a servant girl that
had worked in the castle, and soon Elentari was unrecognizable as the
princess.
Elentari started walking again and was soon close enough to see what the
stranger held in his hand. They were almost minuet crystals, like the ones
Malachai used to take from the river. These crystals however looked as
though they had been left in the sand for some time. Elentari realized
they must have been the crystals that Malachai had dropped when he was
taken. She also wondered why someone else would find them so interesting.
"Didn't your mother ever teach you it's not polite to stare?"
The stranger's voice startled Elentari from her thoughts. She looked up to
see that he was looking right at her. For the first time she could see the
face of the strange man. "I'm sorry. I meant no disrespect, I was
surprised to see someone here."
"I used to come here all the time. Then things changed, but it is no
matter anymore." Something about the stranger's eyes called to Elentari,
they were the same emerald green as hers and it was almost as if she knew
who they belonged to.
"The tone of your voice says that it still does matter. I will not push
the subject though. I have a more pressing question if you don't mind."
"It makes no difference to me what you ask. Go ahead." The stranger sat on
the ground and leaned back against a tree. The same tree the Dro had tied
Elentari to as a girl. The stranger could still see faint marks in the
bark of the tree where ropes had a one point cut into it.
"Alright, why do you wear the clothes of the Dro when it is apparent that
you are a high elf?
"I suppose like all other high elves you have a hatred of the Dro?" The
stranger just looked at Elentari waiting for her to answer. Elentari also
sat down, she got the feeling this would take longer than she thought.
"Yes, I do hate them. But unlike most I have justifiable reasons for my
hatred."
"And those reasons are?"
"Answer my question first."
"As a child I was taken by the Dro, I have just recently escaped from them.
That is why I wear their clothing. Now why do you hate them?"
"My reasons are quite simple. The Dro ripped apart my family and destroyed
my city. How did the Dro take you from your family? Did you live outside
the city walls?"
"No I lived in the city. My sister and I were playing in the forest. It
started to get dark so we began to head back to the city. I forgot
something and went back to get it. When I came back the Dro had captured
my sister. She told me to run and I tried to get away but they caught me
too. They tied my sister to a tree; this tree in fact, left her for dead
and took me to their city. They tried to raise me as one of their own but
I always remembered the look of pain on my sister's face as she pleaded
with them not to take me. When the army left to attack Goldenlief I
escaped. I hoped to find my family but it's too late now. The city is
completely destroyed, they have to be dead."
The story sounded too familiar to Elentari but she didn't dare hope that
she was talking to her little brother. "What did you forget that was so
important you had to go back for it?"
The stranger looked down at his hand and opened his fist. "I had picked up
these crystals for my mother, they were always her favorite." The stranger
dropped the crystals into Elentari's outstretched hand. Elentari's breath
caught in her throat and she felt her head spin.
"What are you called?"
"The Dro called me Moltain."
"What is your high elf name?"
"Malachai." Elentari couldn't believe her ears. This man sitting in front
of her was her little brother.
"You mean to tell me that you're Malachai Archadian, as in the prince."
Malachai just nodded, as if he was too sad to speak. Elentari just stared
in disbelief, she may have promised her father she would find Malachai but
she never actually expected to find him. Malachai looked up at Elentari
and was confused by the look and her face.
"What is your name, if you don't mind me asking. After all you know mine
and its only fair."
"My name is Zia, I was a servant girl who worked in the castle. I
personally served your family." At this Malachai's face brightened,
thinking he would finally know the fate of his family.
"You served my family, you must tell me about them and where they are."
Elentari just shook her head, her little brother's curiosity had not dimmed
during his capture and she couldn't help but smile.
"All in good time your highness, I will tell in time. For now we must leave
this place. The Dro will be upon us soon and we must get to Riverwild.
The queen must know the details of the battle and we both need new clothes
and weapons before we go to Nailyn."
"Why must we go to Nailyn the Dro are here, our fight is here?"
"No, the Dro have no longer made it a war just between themselves and us.
They have made it a war against all good races, I'm afraid with the fall of
Goldenlief the Great War has once again begun. We must warn the Humans
because the Dro will most likely soon be gaining help from the Orcish races
and possibly even the Dwarves."
"Why can the Wood elves not warn the Humans? Why does it have to be us?"
Elentari could sense her brother's distress and had to remind herself that
he had not been raised by High elves and had not been taught diplomacy.
"The reasons we must do it are quite clear, you are the prince, you lived
with those monsters for 60 years and I witnessed and participated in the
battle." This did not seem to calm Malachai. "I know you have not been
taught diplomacy, but it will make no difference once we get to Riverwild.
I can take care of everything we will need." Malachai relaxed slightly.
"Ok, but you must agree to tell me about my family on the way to
Riverwild."
"I can do that but we must leave now."
