Aliel

Chapter 11

I was awakened several hours later by a loud sound. 

I jerked awake, listened and, hearing nothing for several minutes, lay back down. Then I heard the sound again. It was coming from outside. A woman's scream. I got out of bed and quickly lit a candle that I always kept in the windowsill. I tried to peer out through the window, but I saw nothing. The sky was covered in clouds from that night's rainfall, blocking out the moonlight. 

But as I opened the window just a crack, I could hear noises. Screams and yells echoed down the streets, and far away were sounds of metal on metal, swords, I was sure. What was happening? I quickly shut the window, then donned a coat and went across the hall to where Adeem and Renai were sleeping.

"What in blazes is going on out there?" Adeem exclaimed after he too had lit a candle and opened the window, listening to the sounds from the streets of Splethantown.

"Oh, oh dear, what do we do?" Renai asked, wringing her hands like she did whenever she was worried or afraid.

"Now, now, Renai, darling, don't fret. If we just bar up all the doors and windows, we'll be very safe in here." Just then was the sound of breaking glass from downstairs, and a moment later of people entering the shop.

"Check in there," a man said roughly. "And you, upstairs." Renai whimpered, but Adeem put an arm around her comfortingly. Then, putting a finger to his lips to emphasize the need for absolute quiet, he waved me over to the bed, where we picked up the straw mattress and carefully set it against the already locked door. It would be much easier for all of us to lean against the mattress than the door. But now we were trapped in this room, while strange men were prowling around our home.

I found my attention being drawn again and again to the window as we listened to one of those men go into my room and search it. Maybe if I could climb out the window and make it down onto the street, I could go and bring the elves to our rescue. I caught Adeem's eye, then pointed to the window. He shook his head furiously, probably thinking that it was too dangerous. But we were in danger already, waiting here like sitting ducks. It was only a matter of time before they tried to get into the room we were hiding in.

I pointed again, hoping that my eyes showed that I was very serious. He glanced between the window and me, then nodded slowly. I went to the window and opened it carefully. Renai whimpered again, and I gave her a reassuring smile. Then I looked down into the alley between the bakery and the shoemaker's next door. There was a giant pile of leather scraps that Renai had been complaining about for months now. I was glad that the owner of the shoemaker's store had been either too lazy or too stubborn to get rid of it. It would be perfect for breaking my fall.

I sat on the windowsill, my bare feet dangling, and called for the courage to jump. One. Two. Three. JUMP!!! I pushed myself away from the open window into midair, and after a second crashed into the pile of leather, still wet from the rain. It wasn't graceful in the least, but it worked, and that's what mattered. I scrambled, with difficulty, off of the pile, and ran down the alley, feeling the mud squelch between my toes. I made it to where the alley opened onto the street, and peered out into the gloom. My eyes hadn't adjusted to the dark just yet, so of course I didn't see the hand that grabbed me and threw me onto the ground.

"Well, well, what do we have here?" A man said menacingly. He knelt down next to me on one knee and grabbed a handful of my hair roughly. I let out an involuntary yelp at the pain, and the man snickered cruelly. "Ah, I've caught myself a squealer. Let's see what other sounds you can ma-" The man made his own sound, a kind of groan, and fell to the side, releasing his grip on my hair. I scrambled away from him, but then more hands seized me and lifted me up.

"No, leave me alone!" I yelled, trying to break free, but whoever had a hold of me was incredibly strong.

"Claresa, wait, it's me," I heard a voice say, and I stopped struggling, turning towards the voice. I craned my head back and looked up, and saw a pair of eyes, green with golden flecks, which glowed slightly in the darkness. "It's me," Lorien said again.

"Lorien," I breathed with relief, and buried my face in his chest. I could feel myself shaking.

"Did he hurt you?" he asked, his arms tightening around me.

"No," I mumbled against his shirt, which had a strong aroma of leafy green trees.

"Is she alright?" I heard another voice say, and I looked up into Varen's shadowy face. Her eyes also glowed, which was extremely strange because they were so dark.

"I'm alright," I said, leaning away from Lorien. A dark lump lay on the ground at our feet, and it let out another groan. Who was this man that had attacked me? Then I remembered what I had just come from. "But-Renai and Adeem, they're still in the bakery-We heard men downstairs, and shut ourselves into a room to keep from being found-"

"Slow down, Claresa, everything will be alright. Varen, stay here with her, I'll go and-" Just then a chorus of trumpets sounded. But they were not jovial and cheery, like at the procession. It sounded more like a battle cry. The trumpets sounded again, and a moment later horses could be heard thundering down the street towards us.

By this time my eyes had adjusted to the lack of light, and I saw in front of me the bakery. The front door opened and five men ran out and down the street away from the charging elves. All the mounted elves passed us except one. Right away I recognized Chataya, his blue eyes also glowing.

"Captain Lorien, mount up, I need you to oversee the north of the city."

"Yes General Chataya, but my Aliel, I cannot just leave her here alone."

"I will look after her, Lorien," Varen said. "And I'll make sure this one doesn't escape," indicating the man on the ground.

"Thank you, Varen," Lorien said, grasping her hand. Then he turned back to me and caught me in his stare. "You're sure that you're alright?" he asked softly.

"Yes," I said, and though I didn't want him to go, I knew he had to. "You should go, they need you."

He flashed a white smile. Then he squeezed my hand, mounted his horse, and rode off into the night with Chataya.

To be continued...