31. Story
Angela took them each by one hand and pulled them along with her to a comfortable corner of the Great Hall, which was currently empty. Eragon and Arya sat next to one another in a loveseat with their hands joined, and Angela sat across from them.
Without further ado Angela began: "Once upon a time there was a lovely elven maid who lived in the eastern woods of Du Weldenvarden. She was kind and gentle and lived alone, since she had been orphaned when young and had no other family. But she did not mind, for she loved the woods and the creatures of the forest.
"She loved plants and grew herself a beautiful meadow full of flowers and herbs, trees and shrubs. The woodland creatures often kept her company in her peaceful, happy sanctuary. The maiden's name was Ellei-an and though happy, she grew lonely as the years slowly turned.
"It so happened that a young dwarf lad and his mother arrived in the vicinity of her secluded woodland home. They had fled the constant violence of the current dwarf clan war in the south, seeking peace and quiet in the woods of Du Weldenvarden. The lad's name was Gelarik, and he was brave and strong.
"Though at first Gelarik and his mother missed the security of the mountains, they came to love the forest, particularly Gelarik, for he one day discovered Ellei-an's secret meadow while hunting. The animals fled there for safety, seeking protection from his bow.
"Gelarik stealthily followed them and spied Ellei-an tending her meadow. He was immediately captivated by her grace and beauty and determined he would do anything for her if he could only win her heart.
"Ellei-an sensed the fear of her frequent companions and asked them what could have caused such terror. They told her there was a fearsome hunter after them, and she then spotted Gelarik with his bow.
"They did not know one another's languages, but her rage was evident enough, and she commanded him to leave her brethren of the forest in peace. Gelarik understood her meaning and vowed he would never harm another living creature if it pleased this beautiful, mysterious woman.
"He returned to the meadow every day, humbly seeking only to observe and learn from her, since he had no knowledge of plants and herbs or which he could eat now that he would not partake of animal flesh. Ellei-an wanted nothing to do with this horrible, short killer, but he was so patient and meek that she reluctantly tolerated his company, communicating by action rather than word what he could eat.
"Gradually—so gradually that she failed to see it happening until it already had—Ellei-an's reluctance at the company of the dwarf changed to anticipation. She looked forward to his regular call and found herself enjoying his companionship more and more as they learned to communicate in one another's native tongues.
"In time they spoke mostly the ancient language. It was more graceful, and Gelarik loved to hear Ellei-an speak it, for he knew when she did that she only spoke truth. Ellei-an's anticipation of his daily visit turned to delight, and her joy at having the company of another person filled her lonely heart. They became dear friends, but Gelarik wished for more.
"After many years, Gelarik expressed his wishes and confessed his love for Ellei-an. She was not upset, as she would have been in the beginning, but she still laughed at him and dismissed his desires as foolish, for who could imagine a dwarf and an elf in love?
"Gelarik saw that the time was not right, so he patiently waited without further pressing the matter, continuing to court Ellei-an in his own way. He introduced her to his mother, and the old woman soon loved the joyful maid as much as did her son. They all enjoyed a happy companionship together in the forest.
"Many more years passed, and Gelarik slowly began to age, as dwarves do, though more gradually than humans. All the while Ellei-an remained youthful. Her gratefulness for Gelarik's faithful friendship had developed into something deeper, and when next he expressed his love and adoration of her and his desire to be with her as her husband, much to his astonishment and delight, she accepted. Ellei-an found that she wanted nothing more than to be with this kind, patient, gentle dwarf who had brought such happiness to her heart.
"As unlikely as it was, theirs was an epic romance. He loved her so greatly and cherished her so deeply, even as she did him. After many years of thus being together, when Gelarik's elderly mother was swiftly approaching her grave, the unlikeliest thing of all happened—Ellei-an found herself expecting Gelarik's child.
"This was a time of immense joy and excitement for them. Nothing like this had ever before been known, since the union of an elf and a dwarf is the most dubious possibility imaginable for most, given the differences and sometimes enmity between their races. Gelarik's aging mother seemed to recover some vigor and will to live at the news she would have a grandchild. They planned and prepared for the joyous birth of this most welcome baby, remaining at the home of Gelarik's mother to care for her and keep her company.
"When the child was due to be born, Ellei-an and Gelarik returned to her meadow to enjoy the peaceful birth of their baby in the place most special to them both, the place where they had first met many decades before.
"The child was born—a daughter—but no one knows how the birth went or what her adoring parents thought. After more time had passed than seemed necessary, the impatient grandmother went in search of her son and daughter-in-law to confirm that they were well.
"To her great dismay, she found the baby alone in the meadow, naked and crying, apparently abandoned by the parents who had so loved and wanted her. There was no evidence of a struggle, no clue as to what had become of Ellei-an and Gelarik. They had simply vanished, leaving their infant daughter behind to be raised by her grandmother.
"And her grandmother did the best she could, given her advanced age. She treasured this small girl, her only reminder of the son and daughter she had so dearly loved. But she had already defied death for too long, and the old grandmother realized that the girl would soon need a new guardian.
"Before it was too late, she set off in search of the humans. The girl, who was part elf and part dwarf, most resembled the other race completely, since she had received her father's round ears and full face. It was a desperate search, for the grandmother knew she must quickly find someone to care for the child before death found her. Ellei-an and Gelarik's love was so secluded within the forest that no one had ever known about it. Who would believe her if she presented the child to either race and claimed her heritage to be what it was?
"She knew her time was short, but she eventually found a man whom she felt she could trust and who was familiar with magic, which seemed important, for the girl had inherited that gift from her mother, along with her love of plants and herbs. The girl was still young at ten years of age but was old enough to understand the importance of this placement. Her grandmother lived with them until her death some months later and was buried in stone, as is the custom of the dwarves.
"And the child, who never knew her parents, still carried something of each of them, as shared by her grandmother before her passing. She had her mother's dark hair and her father's tight curls. Her stature was small next to an elf, closer to that of a dwarf. And she also kept their names alive in her own as a reminder of how she had come to be, even by the blessed union of Ellei-an and Gelarik. Angela."
And then she was done.
Arya and Eragon had listened in rapt fascination during the tale, especially as it progressed and they began to guess its true meaning. They leaned forward in suspense as the end drew nigh. At Angela's final words, Arya gasped and Eragon whispered, "No!"
But Angela only nodded solemnly. "And so you now see that I am the only child in known history to be produced by the union of a dwarf and an elf. An unlikely union to be sure, would you not agree, Arya?"
Arya nodded mutely, still trying to comprehend the vast implications of Angela's true background.
"When did this happen?" Eragon managed. "How old are you?"
"My mother and father met over seven hundred years ago. I am just over six hundred and fifty years old," Angela seriously replied, no hint of her usual secretive manner to cause Eragon to mistrust her.
"It cannot be!" Arya breathed. "And what of your parents? No one ever found out?"
"My grandmother was the only other living being who knew of their marriage, unless you count the woodland creatures. She shared with me what I have shared with you before she died so I would understand my background, but she besought me to keep it secret and guard it carefully. There are too many unanswered questions for this to be common knowledge. I have dedicated most of the years of my very long life to finding answers and solving this mystery. If there was one thing my grandmother did not doubt, it was that my parents wanted me most desperately, and she believed they would not have lightly abandoned me. She never understood how it could happen that they would just vanish into thin air."
"Oh no!" Arya cried, wringing her hands as she at last understood why Angela had seemed so unhappy and fearful about the news that she was expecting. "This is heavy indeed! The parents of the only other known child born to a couple of different races just disappeared without a trace, leaving their helpless infant behind."
Angela sighed sadly. "I'm so sorry, Arya and Eragon. I never wished to ruin the joy of this moment, but I had to at least warn you. Though I have never discovered what truly occurred at the time of my birth and therefore have no way of knowing whether something terrible happened to my parents, I fear you may be in grave danger."