“Your home is beautiful,” remarked MistyTrail. “Does it sway at all when the wind blows?”
“Oh no,” chuckled Anija. “We are in the lower part of the tree. It would take quite a gale to make this place sway.”
Mistake and MistyTrail continued to help as directed by Anija. When they were all done, the girls carried the meal into the eating room. MistyTrail noticed that the table was set for five. She frowned in confusion. At that moment there was a knock on the door. Volox walked to the door and opened it. A tall muscular elf with an array of weapons hanging from his clothes stood in the doorway. Volox embraced the man and ushered him in.
“This is our son, Tamar,” introduced the elder. “He is a high officer in the army. We are quite proud of him. Tamar, the one on the left is Mistake, and the other is MistyTrail.”
“Strange names for elves,” Tamar commented as he nodded at each of them. “Am I interrupting?”
“Not at all,” smiled Anija. “Your father probably forgot that you were coming over tonight, but I didn’t. There is plenty for all of us. Sit.”
Tamar nodded and stripped off most of his weapons. He walked around the table and embraced his mother before sitting down.
“Are these the two foreigners that arrived today?” asked Tamar as they started eating.
“We do not discuss such things at home,” scolded Volox, “but yes. I was hoping that you might test them for weapons. I could not help but notice how strong they appear to be. Will you do it?”
“As long as I can find the time,” nodded Tamar, “but you know that I have little of it. The queen has been quite demanding lately. I understand that she just ordered a doubling of the guards. I do not know where I will find the men.”
“Well,” nodded Volox, “do what you can. We need to find the girls a place to stay tomorrow. I will let you know where they end up.”
“Why not let them stay here?” asked Tamar. “You have my sleeping room available, and I know that mother would love the company.”
“That is what I tried to tell him earlier,” interjected Anija. “They are fine young girls. They are very polite and helpful. I would enjoy having them around.”
“I am not sure that it would look right,” frowned Volox. “I am an elder. Some would say that the girls are getting special treatment. That is not the best way for them to start their new life in Elvangar.”
MistyTrail was smiling at the comments, but Mistake’s face held a heavy frown.
“We are never going to be allowed to leave Elvangar again, are we?” she asked.
“Why ever would you want to leave?” asked Volox. “Elvangar is the sweetest place in the world.”
“That is an elder’s way of saying no,” translated Tamar. “Secrecy is the most important defense of Elvangar. No one is allowed to leave.”
Chapter 18
Queen Alycia
Queen Alycia approached the long table and stared down at the map. Her fine brown hair flowed down her back past her waist. It swayed like tall grain in a gentle breeze every time the queen moved. The queen’s face was the image of elven perfection, large brown eyes, high cheekbones, a slightly pointed nose, and perfectly formed lips. Her pointed ears rose through her fine hair.
“Remember that this is from their memory,” Malid said as he tapped the map, “although we believe it to be highly accurate. The one called Eltor appears to have a good memory where maps are concerned. He is now working with the charters to produce a map of Motanga.”
“And you think this map truly depicts the land of legends?” asked the queen.
“Angragar is right here,” pointed the Head Elder. “I have taken the liberty of checking the ancient scrolls to find the old sailing routes to Angragar. They match the location fairly well.”
“This troubles me greatly, Malid,” sighed the queen. “Dealing with the humans in Angragar cost our people greatly the last time. There is no way that I will allow that to happen again. You must learn all that Eltor and Caldal told the humans. We have to know how much this Emperor Marak knows of Elvangar.”
“The boys have said that they told the humans nothing,” replied Malid. “I tend to believe them. Besides, if they knew the location of Elvangar, we would have found their ships off the coast by now. Surely they would reconnoiter Elvangar before attacking it.”
“I do not expect the humans to immediately attack us,” retorted Queen Alycia. “First they will come with offers of friendship, then trade, and finally conquest. Our history tells us so. We will not be fooled again.”
“The offer of friendship has already been extended,” replied Malid. “Emperor Marak sent a message with the boys. He wishes elven help in defeating Vand’s armies. He has stated that Vand will surely attack Elvangar when he is through with the humans.”
“Then the only hope for the humans is to defeat Vand,” declared Queen Alycia. “There will be no elven help for them. If Vand does turn to Elvangar after defeating the humans, he will be weak and vulnerable. I would rather fight him in a war to the finish than be deceived by humans one more time.”
“What if Vand turns towards us first?” asked the Head Elder.
Queen Alycia moved away from the table and walked to the railing. She leaned on the railing and gazed down at the city of Morada. Her eyes followed the citizens below as they moved about the city on errands. Slowly her gaze drifted to the harbor and the Gates of Elvangar in the distance.
“The one thing that would surely make Vand strike out at the elves,” she said over her shoulder, “is if the elves had already aligned with the humans to defeat him. I will not give him that excuse. Elvangar was rebuilt to be defended, and defended it will be. Our armies will not march on foreign soil. That is my last word on this subject. Do you understand?”
“Perfectly,” Malid frowned as he bowed low to the queen’s back. “There is one other item, if I may?”
“Speak,” replied the queen.
“The two foreign girls have requested an audience with you,” stated Malid. “What shall I tell them?”
“The foreign girls?” snapped Queen Alycia. “Who do they think they are? They are not even part of Elvangar, and they think they have the right to speak to the queen?”
“They do not know our ways,” shrugged Malid with a frown. “They are being tutored by Tamar. Perhaps he led them to believe that they could speak to you. He does so himself quite often.”
“Tamar is a leader of our army,” the queen said, spinning around to face the elder. “As such he has the right to bypass the elders in time of emergency.”
“In times of an emergency that is true,” retorted the elder, “but such is not the case right now.”
“A time of emergency is when I declare it,” countered Queen Alycia. “My fears about the humans are strong enough reasons to abandon protocol. Tamar will continue to report to me daily until I decide otherwise.”
“As you wish,” frowned Malid.
“Why is Tamar wasting his time with those foreigners?” the queen asked. “He has much more pressing business to take care of.”
“He spends an hour every day with them,” Malid reported. “I understand that the girls are quite talented in many ways. Their archery skills were practically nonexistent when they arrived. Now they perform as well as seasoned troops. And that is only one area of their improvement.”
“I will not have Tamar wasting his time on them,” replied the queen, her voice rising in anger. “Inform him immediately that the lessons are to stop. There are more important tasks awaiting his time.”
“It shall be done,” bowed the Head Elder as he backed his way out of the queen’s presence.
* * *
Mistake and MistyTrail dashed across the park-like grass and raced for the rope alongside the old oak tree. Tamar raced from the opposite direction. Mistake grabbed the rope and swung on it just as Tamar’s hand reached for it.