“No,” answered Mistake as she returned the carozit to her pack. “I am from Fakara. I am visiting Lord Marak.”
“As are we,” smiled HawkShadow.
“We?” asked Mistake. “Is the Star of Sakova with you?”
“No,” HawkShadow responded. “She was here, but she left last week. Just StarWind and I are left. You must know Rejji, the Astor?”
“We are good friends,” Mistake nodded. “I help him with everything he does in Fakara.”
“Then we have much to talk about,” smiled HawkShadow. “I would like to learn everything about Fakara that I can. Come. I would like you to meet StarWind.”
“I have not yet told Lord Marak that I have arrived,” Mistake shook her head. “I must deliver something to him first. Perhaps later you can tell me about the Sakova and MistyTrail.”
Without waiting for a response, Mistake started running towards the mansion. She dashed up the steps and through the doors without looking back. As she waited inside the doors for her eyes to adjust to the dimness, she heard Lord Marak’s voice as he stepped out of the meeting room.
“Mistake!” greeted Lord Marak. “I had word that you would be arriving. What brings you to Fardale?”
“I came to speak to you, Lord Marak,” answered the Fakaran.
“Then come into my office,” offered Lord Marak as he led the way.
They moved along the corridor in silence until they were both seated in Lord Marak’s private office. Mistake reached into her pack and produced an ancient scroll and handed it to Lord Marak.
“Rejji wanted you to see this personally,” she said. “He felt it important enough to send me here with it. He did not want to chance the information in it to anyone else.”
Lord Marak carefully opened the ancient scroll and gazed at it. “Did this come from Angragar?” he asked.
“No,” Mistake replied. “We journeyed to Angragar to get more gold. After visiting the ancient ruins, we spent several days with the Qubari so that Rejji and Bakhai could visit with their people. I spent the time in their temple going through old scrolls. I found it there.”
“Would they archive a children’s story in the temple?” inquired Lord Marak.
“No,” Mistake shook her head. “This is no children’s story. Chief Dumo said it was correspondence from the elves.”
“Elves?” frowned Lord Marak. “Were there really elves?”
“He insists there were,” replied Mistake. “This scroll surely indicates that he is right.”
“But this is so outlandish,” retorted Lord Marak. “And where are the elves now? What happened to them?”
“Dumo insists that they still live,” responded Mistake. “But then again, he thinks I am one of them, so maybe it is all a children’s tale.”
Lord Marak stared at the small women across the desk from him. His eyes paused as they passed over her pointy ears, but he shook his head and returned his attention to the scroll.
“I read a small passage about the island of Motanga long ago,” sighed Lord Marak. “It also mentioned large apes, but I have since found out that the author’s knowledge of those places that he described was very limited. He mostly repeated tales that he had heard in a tavern somewhere. Certainly no reliable information.”
“This scroll did not come from the tales of a traveling merchant,” Mistake pointed out. “It has been preserved for over a thousand years in the temple in the jungle. I have seen enough of unbelievable things in the Qubari jungle that I will not discount anything I hear there.”
“You are right,” admitted Lord Marak. “Still, a civilization of intelligent apes? And even if this Vand did escape to the island of Motanga that was a long time ago. This scroll was also written a long time ago. Surely it is not pertinent any more.”
“Rejji does not hold the same skepticism that you do,” Mistake stated. “He believes that this scroll bears the truth and that we must prepare for the coming invasion.”
“And what do you think?” asked Lord Marak.
“I do not know what to think,” admitted Mistake. “So much has happened since I met Rejji. Much of it I would not have believed possible before. I tend to agree with Rejji, but I must be honest with you and myself. Part of me wants to believe that I am an elf, and that the elves still do exist. I want to believe this because that means that there is a chance that I do have family, and that I can find them someday. Maybe I am deceiving myself. I just don’t know.”
“At least your answer is honest,” Lord Marak smiled in sympathy for the young Fakaran. “May I keep this scroll for a while? I am leaving for the capital in the morning and I would like to review this in detail when I have the time.”
“It is yours to keep,” nodded Mistake. “It is exciting that you are going to Khadoratung. May I travel along with you? I would very much like to see the city that Rejji talks about so much. I would also like to see the marketplace to get ideas of what we can export. Rejji says that Ghala has grown too large already and he is planning to start new cities in other parts of Fakara.”
“You are welcome to join us,” smiled Lord Marak. “We already have a couple of Sakovans tagging along.”
“HawkShadow?” questioned Mistake.
“And StarWind,” replied Lord Marak. “Have you met?”
“I ran into HawkShadow on the way here,” responded Mistake. “He mistook me for someone called MistyTrail. Do you know her?”
Lord Marak stared at Mistake for a long moment before answering. “I thought you looked familiar when we first met here a long time ago,” he nodded. “I should have realized it then. You look remarkably like MistyTrail. So close that you could be sisters.”
“Do you think they will allow me to travel to the Sakova?” inquired Mistake. “I must meet this MistyTrail.”
“You will have to ask them,” frowned Lord Marak. “The Sakovans do not let outsiders trespass upon their land. I will vouch for your character, but that may not be enough to satisfy them.”
“You must make them allow it,” insisted Mistake. “If she is my sister, I must meet her.”
“I will do what I can,” promised Lord Marak as he began to feel uncomfortable with the topic of conversation. “So Rejji is truly rebuilding Fakara? What of the Jiadin?”
“There is bad news there,” frowned Mistake, as she knew the conversation had been intentionally changed. “Brakas and Zygor have been trying to resurrect the Jiadin. The free tribes have been hunting for them, but so far the search has not yielded their hiding place. What about your help in getting me into the Sakova?”
“If you are traveling with us to Khadoratung,” sighed Lord Marak, “you will have ample opportunity to talk with HawkShadow and StarWind. They are both high-ranking Sakovans. If anyone can get you permission to visit with MistyTrail, they can. Do not rush them, Mistake. These people have guarded their homeland with secrecy for many generations. Be open and honest with them, and I am sure they will respond in kind.”
“I understand,” pouted Mistake. “I do not blame you for not vouching for me, but I have changed. I do no steal any more. I just want to find my family.”
“You misunderstand me,” soothed Lord Marak. “I think your character is of the highest quality. You have stood by Rejji throughout every trial he has had. My hesitation has nothing to do with you. Once you meet the Sakovans, you will understand. Their very existence hangs on their secrecy. If they are to violate that for you, I want it to be their own decision, not a favor they are doing to please me. Do you understand?”
“I think I do,” Mistake nodded and smiled. “You will speak for me, though?”
“Without a doubt,” grinned Lord Marak. “In fact, by the time we reach Khadoratung, I do not think my approval will even matter to the Sakovans. You will get along with them just fine on your own.”
Chapter 6
Aakuta