Chapter 12: Curdled Malice Craves a Place to Rest
"Until now, the only elves I saw were on Lord of the Rings. They don't compare to the real thing!" Beth shook her head. She was feeding her child lovingly as if her grief over his deformities had simply been a dream. Dani was slumped next to her. Her attention was entirely on rocking her child to sleep. Mabrey observed the women from the corner of the makeshift tent they shared.
After being greeted by the elf King, the goblins were taken into freshly bought territory Marak had secured. The elves were friendly enough. Only the bravest, though, helped set up temporary tents and latrines under the direction of their superior. Even those daring groups of elves were unable to stay for long. Marak had to thank each and every one of them, despite the foul words any goblin would love to say lingering on his lips. The plan now was to survive long enough in the open until the dwarves dug out adequate tunnels and rooms in the mountainside. The two races, in the meantime, needed to relearn how to live together.
"I never thought the color brown would suit anyone, but apparently I was wrong," Dani chuckled. Beth and Mabrey nodded in unison. The elf King, Lord No Star, had been the talk around the temporary goblin camp. His low sultry voice melted the sturdiest of hearts, and the long lashes around his doe black eyes brought a sense of innocence when one knew there was none. He was tall, too. Not long and lengthy, but well in shape and sturdy. He was a sure match against the Goblin King. "I wonder if he has married yet. He looks around his late twenties. Isn't that young for a ruler?"
"I am not sure." Mabrey scratched her head. She had read about the Great Revival of the elven race that happened almost two hundred years ago. The race tasted the breath of extinction until Nir and Miranda, Mabrey did not know if she had the names right or not, joined in marriage and saved the race. From there, two more generations had called Hollow Hill their home until, according to Marak, Lord Ash the Third or Fourth moved to Ireland. Mabrey suspected an important event happened between then and now for the elf King to be named from Ash to No Star.
"He does have a human," Beth announced from nowhere.
"What?" Both of the other women asked. Dani had obviously forgotten the topic as well.
"Lord No Star. He has a human being prepared to become his wife. She is not being fed and taken care of by him, but it's only a matter of time." When Dani and Mabrey stared blankly at the black haired woman, she sighed and added on, "My Sorei told me last night."
Outside the tent music wafted through the air so thick it was almost the texture of smoke. Mabrey excused herself in order to hear the songs correctly. It was the traditional bouncy nature of Irish music with a twist that only the elves could master. Under the blanket that was the sky, elves danced around the campsite. Some were elegant and flowed from one side to the other. The remaining elves merely used their willowy arms to reach to the stars above like children grasping for their mothers. Mabrey was dazzled. Entranced, more like it. From the corner of her eye, away from all the excitement, she saw Lendil standing quietly with his group of children. They absorbed the dashing sight, but their bodies remained stiff and sour. Mabrey licked her dry lips.
"Come on! There is no use letting your eyes rot out of your face!" Mabrey snatched Blaine and Zaine's paw-like hands and led them directly into the dance. Had she been back home at school she would have curled into a ball under some table from the expressions of shock the elves produced when she and the boys began to dance, but here was different.
Chena and Lendil were soon to follow Mabrey's instruction. Jessa, unwilling to be left behind, scooted over and shuffled from foot to foot next to the two. They danced to the music that permeated through the night sky. They danced through others stares of disbelief. They danced to express every deep thought pushed deep inside. They only ceased momentarily when a group of elf children joined them with smiles on their perfect, pretty elf faces. Mabrey only stopped when she danced right into somebody's chest. Long fingers gripped her shoulders, forcing her to stay still.
"Excuse me! Did I hurt you?" Mabrey asked from instinct.
"Hardly," Lord No Star stated. "You have been spending too much time with the goblins." A black finely shaped eyebrow rose as he inspected the girl. A frown pulled at those soft rosy lips. "Goblins always forget their manners." He let go and stalked away. Mabrey felt her throat preparing harsh words to throw like daggers at the king, but stopped herself from doing so. He would be right about manners if she had not. Watching from the sidelines, Shamus walked up to meet the fuming girl.
"I believe that is going to be the best welcome you are going to receive." Shamus gestured at the receding elf King. "He has just agreed to a renewed Treaty. The contents of it will officially be signed along with the proper exchange at the end of our dwarves' construction. Lord No Star is merely aggravated that My King does not want to discuss the terms of said exchange just yet."
"What sort of exchanges will be held?" Mabrey remembered the time where Marak caught her in the cave at Missouri. He spoke of elf brides and chronicled knowledge, but would they really think of bartering lives just so the two races could get along? It was done before.
Shamus noted the depression over Mabrey's face. She was distant with the moon carving shadows and light all at once on her face. This was a contrast to the beautiful girl he saw before who astonished the crowd and danced with all the children. Did Shamus have the right to tell her? Would she laugh for joy or cry out with pain if he did? She shifted in front of him, placing her famous electric stare upon him. He wanted to touch her, to simply comfort her, yet he controlled the impulse to do so.
"As of those details, I have no knowledge. I am sorry to disappoint you." He made to reach out, something he had not meant to do. But his fingers curled into a fist, and he pulled back. "Speaking of My King, he originally sent me to find you. You can meet him near the entrance the dwarves are creating."
It is not my place. Shamus told himself. This was something his parents had drilled into his being. Only advise, but do not become too involved. The goblin human then bowed to Mabrey and left.
Mabrey found Marak instructing the small but strong creatures on which way the cave should curve. The King was tall, perhaps taller than Lord No Star, and had broader less delicate shoulders. His silvery light blue skin caught the moon in a way that made him beam. Tonight his ebony spotted hair was let down in curtains, certainly thicker than any elf's. For the first time Mabrey admired his tail. It was adorable. Marak only took a moment to know that he was being studied.
"Don't make me blush, Mabrey!" Her heart did an involuntary skip when he said her name. That was not fair. She stomped over, ready to berate him. "May I spend some time with you? The dwarves know plenty well what they need to do."
"You need not be here in the first place, you ol' backseat driver!" A dwarf yelled in good nature. Others grumbled in agreement. Marak laughed in response. It resembled a purr more than a laugh.
"Then I will take that as a cue to depart without anymore shame placed upon me." Marak took Mabrey's small hand. She couldn't help but follow. His pace was taken in long strides, which had to be matched with two or three of her own tiny steps. As they maneuvered through the camp, she grasped at the chance to properly gage the vast land these creatures had. The mountains surrounded the territory with the only known exist being the entrance Mabrey had taken before or the exit she had not seen yet and was too far to even glimpse. It was that or to go over the too steep mountains. Mabrey was also told that there was a cool deep lake inside this encircled premise not unlike the one she saw once at Hollow Hill.
"Before you both go dashing off to somewhere unknown, I would like to introduce Pantherclaw to someone I would like him to meet." Lord No Star had appeared from nowhere, choosing to emerge from the shadows like some kind of beautiful ghost. Mabrey had been startled when the elf used Marak's other name. She watched Marak for a sign of anger, but saw none.
"I would be delighted."
"Then, Pantherclaw, I would like to introduce you to my cousin from my mother's side, Inanna." Lord No Star completely looked over Mabrey and had the face of one severely gritting his teeth as he watched Marak. A tall woman came out. Marak tightened his grip on Mabrey's hand. It was only a second before Mabrey knew why. The elf woman was no doubt the most beautiful creature on earth. Long silky black hair reached to her thighs in thick strands and framed her curved luscious body. Her face was pale and resembled Lord No Star's emotionless expression. Full lips graced her and enhanced the large black eyes and tiny nose upon her face. In short, she was everything Mabrey was not. She too gripped Marak's hand, not chancing to see what was painted on his face. Black hair and eyes signified the strongest elf blood. Inanna was bound to be brim full with magic.
"It is a pleasure to meet you," Inanna said. Her voice was magic and music combined. It drew Mabrey in, and seemingly Marak as well.
"And I you." He said softly. Mabrey boiled.
"Yes, yes, it is nice meeting everyone." The magical creatures all gawked at Mabrey's outburst, yet she continued earnestly. "Marak was going to show me, umm, something important that simply cannot wait any longer. If we had met afterwards, I am sure we could have talked more, but I am sorry to say that we can't now. So if you excuse us, we must be leaving!" She did some sort of hurried bow and pulled Marak along with her. As the girl and her goblin sped off, Lord No Star's lips twisted into a sinister smirk. He gestured for his cousin to follow him, and she obeyed like a pet.
What was I doing, what was I doing, what was I doing?! Mabrey shook her head. Her heart felt like a drum band with each step, and she knew that she just could not take a chance to see Marak. I can't believe I did that. What made me do it anyway? I have stayed here for far too long. I've gone crazy! She slowed her pace as they entered a dark forest, her eyes planted on the leaf strewn ground. It was cold out, but there was no snow.
"Mabrey, I-" No trace of the joking, teasing Marak. He sounded tired. Mabrey rushed up to him and placed her finger on his lips like he had once done to her.
"Be quiet. I will not listen to it." On her tip toes, she placed both of her trembling hands on either side of his face. He did not take his golden cat gaze off of her. He cupped his own blue silver hands over hers.
"Then listen to this, little cat." And he kissed her. To be exact, it was barely a kiss but just the slightest touch of his lips on hers. Never did she expect to react so strongly to another in this way. She did not love Marak, but after this moment she knew she could with time. And that was why that mere pass of flesh to flesh was so forsakenly painful.
"It will be dawn soon," Marak whispered in her ear, "tomorrow night and all other tomorrow nights…let us spend as much time as we can together." He pulled away, Mabrey's hands still on his cheeks and his hands over hers. The light in his golden eyes danced like fire.
"As long as you promise not to run away," Mabrey said.
Marak did not answer.