A/N: OMG, that took way too long! I don't know what took me. I blame Oblivion and revision. Plus the run-up to Christmas. At least I got this done before Christmas so this'll be a present to my reader(s).
evildictionaryninja: Yep, this is the last chapter.
Calasier Avamela Prologue
Lindilwen - Steel Jasper
The ride to the town was made rougher by the many potholes in the road from what was supposedly a recent scuffle there. Lindilwen was glad to get out and lose her carriage legs. She was also grateful for the footman helping her down. The houses were mostly white-washed wood with a few scattered civilians going about their business, I wonder what they're all doing. They all look so happy. She smiled happily as she saw two children playing Cockle-Arle. She used to love playing that game,
"This way, Princess." She allowed herself to be led to the tallest of the buildings. A silk banner rippled from a pole above the door in the warm breeze, displaying the town's emblem, What a beautiful place. Something still bothered her about the place, though. It seemed to be an ominous beauty, like she had overlooked some terrible thing that blackened it. The ring of some blacksmith sounded faintly. It was an incessant, almost annoying sound, He must be very busy or there are more thanone at work,
"Are those blacksmiths?" She asked her footman, "They sound very busy."
"Oh, they always are." shrugged the footman, careless. To her annoyance, he didn't elaborate on the subject so Lindilwen was left to imagine possibilities on her own. Perhaps the village was often attacked, evidenced by the damaged roads, and they had to keep making and remaking weapons. But everything looked too clean, too worn to be set up recently and, if they were attacked so often, they would bare signs of houses being destroyed.
It was such a mystery that she was preoccupied all the time they went through the hall. It was only when the well-dressed Lord of the village addressed her did she come to her senses, "You are most welcome here, Princess. Your presence here is welcome but the timing could not be worse, I am afraid. We are putting a prisoner on trial at the moment. He has been in the cells for ten years and he still has not even given us his name."
Lindilwen's interest was sparked, "Let me oversee this trial." She said, immediately, making the Lord blink in surprise, "I'm interested."
Reluctantly, the Lord led her through the doors, down staircases and into a small courtroom. This looked like the most recently made room of all the places in the village. The fresh wood smell and the sharp edges on the carvings told her this. There was the distant voice of what sounded like a judge, deep and commanding. She was asking the defendant to give an account of himself.
The Lord opened the door and called in a commanding voice, "The Princess of Valivial, who willingly wishes to observe the proceedings." He stood aside to let her pass. Lindilwen felt like rolling her eyes; she hated the formal announcements that preceeded her whenever she went anywhere. Just once, she liked to walk in on her own, unannounced, and no one minded who she was.
There was a loud united scuffle as everyone there rose to their feet in respect (though she failed to see how that was respectful). She smiled to the lady at the head of the far end of the room who she supposed was the judge, who in turn inclined her head. Lindilwen took a seat in a box close to the judge with her two guards flanking her. When she was seated, the hall sat back down. It was only then did she see the defendant.
He had been half concealed by the people seated in the middle and, since the dock was set higher, she got a good look at him. He looked old; much, much older than her. The eyes were more deep-set. Still, they glimmered aquamarine with boyish defiance. His hair was short and curly like a thornbush and his golden skin colour told of a distant Drow ancestor.
The most striking thing about him was his golden, bushy beard, exactly like his hair. A golden thicket of curls starting at his chin and finishing at his heart. She had heard of humans having beards and had seen them in pictures but she had never seen them on elves. He definately was an elf, his pointed ears were obvious even through the hair. She felt her two guards move in surprise at his appearance, They never went to the human world; they've never seen a beard before,
"I ask you again to reveal your name." The judge turned a steely eye on him. The defendant turned his gaze from the judge and his and Lindilwen's eyes met for a brief moment. She knew her High Elf appearance would be startling to any who were not accustomed to it but she hadn't expected that sort of fear to enter him. Immediately, he looked back at the judge, as though worried that she was a Rolcan Mage that could hypnotise on eye-contact. Of course, she wasn't, but this fear made her more curious about him,
"They call me Steel Jasper." said the defendant, "As I have told you before."
A false name. Lindilwen knew it at once. She allowed the rest of the speech to be tuned out and she gazed intently at Steel Jasper. Why had he been so afraid of her? She was the princess but, if he was a criminal, he would not regard any sort of authority like that. And he looked too old to inexperienced. Then, it hit her, What if he used to be part of a noble family and doesn't want to be recognised?
Lindilwen stood suddenly at her revelation. The hall hastily stood up, mirroring her, "I want to view the defendant closely." She said, knowing no one would challenge her. Flanked by her guards, she crossed the hall and came to a stop before the dock. Steel Jasper was a little taller than her so she had to incline a little. He stared intently at her left shoulder, not meeting her eye.
She stared straight at him. The golden skin, the golden hair, the aquamarine eyes, the rough hands, human heritage...she thought of all the nobles she could and who matched that description. Unfortunately, nothing came to her. All the nobles were pure elf as far as she knew, What if they adopted a part human? I've heard of people doing that.
She thought long and hard while staring at him. A flush was creeping into Steel Jasper's face at her stare but she care nothing for manners at this point. She realed off names in her head, checking them in her mind. Name after name was disproved until...it came to her. It was so obvious that she could not believe she had not thought of it before.
The grin that spread on Lindilwen's face made 'Steel Jasper' even more worried, "I wish to speak to the defendant alone. Alone, I said, Florial!" She added, as one of her guards made a move to follow. No one else challenged her as she followed 'Steel Jasper' into a side room. As soon as she closed the door, he faced her,
"Do you think you know who I am?"
"I know who you are." Lindilwen nodded, "But, I will not tell anyone if you do not want me to," She added with a smile, "Verimir Moorefield."
Verimir went a shade paler. He clutched the back of a chair in the centre of the room, "How do I know you will not tell the court?"
"I'll give you my word. But," She added, "I think there is something else you are worried about."
"You have good intuition, my Lady." He sat down, "It is this. I have been away from my fellows for ten years now. I am part of a gang known as Steel Jasper and I am worried about them. I have heard nothing from them and, when I left them, some were stricken with illness. I was caught stealing the herbs needed to cure them."
"Oh." Was all Lindilwen could say,
"I have been afraid to tell the guards in case they will come after them and I would have betrayed them."
Lindilwen thought for a while about his dilemma. Then, a scheme formed in her mind, "I have an idea." She smiled widely at him, "Kidnap me."
"What?!" spluttered Verimir, taking a step back, "I-I cannot do that, my Lady! That would be treason!"
"No one knows your identity here." She reminded him, "If you were to, say, kidnap me, leave me outside the town, flee and start a new life as the respectable Verimir Moorefield, no one would ever make the connection; you can always go back to check on the Steel Jasper gang if you wanted."
Verimir looked as though he was thinking hard over this posibility. Then, he looked at her and gave a small nod. Just then, a knock on the door made Lindilwen start. Florial's voice drifted through, "My Lady, is everything alright in there?" The two exchanged a glance and a little mimed debate. Then, Verimir hoisted her on his shoulder and Lindilwen waited until they were through two rooms before shouting,
"HELP! HELP, HE HAS STOLEN ME!"
The building was ablaze with uproar. They were thankful to burst out of the back door without coming across the guards. Taking the lead, Verimir grabbed her hand and pulled her across the courtyard and into the dense trees, "You might want to stop shouting now, my Lady." Verimir added, quietly, as the hall faded from view, "Your voice could awake people in Lindaria."
"Oh, sorry." She whispered. She still shouted a little but cut off her speech suddenly as though a gag had been placed over her mouth. On, on and on they ran. The guards came only as fading, incoherant calling. She was astonished that Verimir was outrun by them when he was caught, such speed he showed. Or was that her subconsciously planting power into him as she had heard tell High Elves could do?
The dense trees thinned a little and Verimir halted to catch his breath. Lindilwen flopped down on the grass too, her feet aching and feeling like her shoes were worn through. Why on earth did she wear thin court shoes today? Seeing her weariness, Verimir crouched down with his back to her, "I can carry you if you can go no further."
Lindilwen blinked and smiled at this gentlemanly gesture. Her guard never offered to do this when she was tired. Climbing on his back, she managed to get her tiara tangled in hair. After a bit of fiddly work, the lock of hair came free and Verimir could move forward. Despite her added weight, he moved just as fast through the thinning trees and into a large plain.
They slowed down to a walk and Lindilwen became aware of another noise. The same clanging that she had heard from the town. Except now it was much, much louder. Other sounds also intermingled with the din: snaps, cries and strain of ropes. No blacksmiths made those sounds, "Verimir?"
"Yes, my Lady?"
"What is that sound?"
There was a silence, "So, you know not of it, my Lady?"
"No." Lindilwen shook her head, though a bad feeling grew in the pit of her stomach,
Verimir seemed to relax, as though he had been worried, "That is good. I would not think someone with your soul would allow such a thing to happen."
They approached what looked like a crack in the earth. The sounds were growing louder. She was actually beginning to pick out words now. 'Faster' and cries of pain. The snaps became more and more ominous. Like cracks of a whip. Verimir let her down and she looked into the crack.
She thrust both her hands over her mouth to stop herself screaming. She had never seen anything so awful in all her life. Lines upon lines of half-naked elves, chained together, whipped by soldiers she knew...Her vision swayed and she was crying before she knew it,
"My Lady?" Verimir's voice came from somewhere above her. She realised that she must have fallen to her knees when she first saw it. Glad to look away from the sight, she turned back to him,
"U-Uteire and Athara never told me about this!" The words stumbled over themselves as she forced them out, "T-this isn't right!"
"The Steel Jasper gang tries to interfere with this but we cannot do much without hurting the slaves." He sighed, his face grieved, "It is the shame of Valivial that there are such places here."
"Not when I'm Queen!" Lindilwen said firmly, saying it with all the conviction she had. Verimir smiled,
"That is good to hear. Now, let us leave this terrible place."
She climbed onto his back again and away they went. Trees again and across the path she had gone through in her carriage a few times. Why did I not hear this before? She wondered why on earth the Lord had kept it from her, Surely, he knew about this! And nothing happens without Uteire and Athara's permission. They must know about this too! How could they let this happen?
"Here is the place." Verimir did not let her down and she soon saw why. A great mass of nettles surrounded the place, growing as tightly together as thorns. Ahead was a decaying slumshack. Verimir sighed, "No guards here. Something must be wrong." He cleared his throat and spoke in clear English, "I have come! Gold Diamond has escaped!" There was a pause. The door opened a crack and a burn-scarred face appeared, "Bronze Kunsite." The elf peered at Lindilwen,
"Who is this? Why do you say our names in front of her?
"Fear not. She will not betray us. It's best if they don't know who you are." He whispered to her, "No one here knows each other's real names."
She was let down before they came in and what a sight met her eyes. A little more than a dozen elves (a few Drows included) were seated around a metal drum where a meagre fire was lit, How can there be poverty like this in the wondrous elven realm? They stood at the sight of Verimir and Lindilwen. One of them, clearly recognising her, gasped and dropped to his knees,
"Princess!" He said, before she could stop him. There was a collective shock among the group. The Drows skittered to a corner and the drum was knocked over as the others shot up. Verimir seemed distracted though. She could hear him counting under his breath. Before she could ask, he asked, "Tell me, where is Tin Turquoise?"
The shock turned to an uncomfortable silence. Everyone avoided each other's gaze and no one seemed to want to talk. Lindilwen realised this might be something private so she backed out. No one seemed to notice. She backed out and very nearly ran straight into the nettles. She stopped herself just in time and looked around, I hope it doesn't take too long.
She had a look around. The place was falling apart, looking very miserable indeed, What was it in its prime? A farm? A cabin of a Lord? I have heard of those who buy small houses for an escape. She began to walk around the place, wondering how many laps she could do around it before Verimir came out. But, she had not gone two steps when she spotted something. A small stone, set into the ground with some writing and a small box upon it. She crouched down...and her eyes widened at the inscription:
Tin Turquiose
"V-Gold Diamond!" She called, over her shoulder. Verimir raced out,
"Yes, my Lady?"
"Look." He pointed to the stone. Verimir saw the inscription and flopped to his knees,
"No..." He gasped, "...no...it cannot be... she cannot be dead..."
"She died looking for you." A harsh voice came from behind and the single Water Elf appeared, "She went out a couple of days after you got caught. Ran into wolves. She never stood a chance. Remarkable that there was enough left of her to bury."
Lindilwen thought this a little cruel but the sound of an unsheathing knife drew her attention away. Verimir had drawn a dagger and beginning to cut off his beard, "Don't do that!" gasped Lindilwen,
"She loved my beard." He choked, now half-finished, "She said it suited me." The thick golden locks fell to the ground, "I did not even get a chance to ask her true name!" With a wail, he slumped before the grave, sobbing. Lindilwen crouched and laid a sympathetic hand on his back. She had been very precious to him, she could tell. The Water Elf sneered, then picked up the box and threw it unceremoniously at Verimir,
"Take it. You gave it to her after all."
With that, he entered the shack again. One of the turquoise earrings spilled from the box.
A/N: Merry Christmas, everyone! See you all next story. Next time: Hari and Draco go to Hogwarts...with some unexpected companions.