The People We Are

Chapter XV; Arlie

Arlie gasped for air. "Xayah! Xayah what happened? Did Anastasia not kill me?" she asked. She shook her head. "She did. It's been thirty years, love. But you're back. We got you back." She hugged her, making it to where Arlie could see the others. A young woman stood holding hands with a young man, and they stood next to Beau. He looked much older, with gray hair and wrinkles. "Beau?" she asked. "Yeah, I'm here too. This is my oldest daughter, Aurora and this is Perdido." Xayah released Arlie and they stood. She too looked a bit older, but elfs age slower and Arlie hadn't realized before. "Is her mother Anastasia?" Arlie asked. "Her and her siblings." Arlie couldn't believe how much she missed. "How old are they?" she asked, bitter at Anastasia but still wanting to know what had happened. "She's twenty six. Tage is twenty five and Selene is twenty four." Arlie shook her head. "What else have I missed?"

That was a bit over a month ago.
Arlie hadn't known what all happened during that time she was dead.
She had learned what happened in those thirty years.
But her teen years were just now being explained.

The ship had finally returned to Zellarid and the group poured themselves onto the beach. Their parents welcomed them with open arms, glad to see them all alive. They introduced Cordelia, Foja and Leod and convinced them that they were good. They warned them of the dangers of their families, and they were permitted to stay under close watch. They began to clean out the ship to make it to where some of the citizens could sleep there. Arlie went down into the lower deck and reached for the cabinet door. She opened it, and something fell out on her. She screamed out of fear of the unknown, and the thing screamed back.
Arlie sat up and looked at the odd creature that sat in front of her. "Hello!" he said enthusiastically. "I'm Scheven. Who are you?" he asked. Arlie stared at him concerned, and he at her enthusiastically. He was short with big ears and green skin. "I'm Princess Arlie." She said as dignified as she could. "Oh, I'm sorry I had no idea. Hello, your majesty!" He corrected himself. "Where did you come from, Scheven?" she asked, standing. "Well," he started as he stood and brushed himself off. "I came from the isle of misfits. You see, fairies have their own place, npc's have their own island, those of nobility have the Sovereign Isle, but the rest of us live on the other isle. I'm one of only a few goblins there, but we all isolate ourselves. I can't even remember my parents or most of my siblings. I saw your ship, then I saw your elf friends, and I thought I'd try and talk to you all. But you guys left so quickly, so I waited for you to come back. When you did, you brought.... Company. I got scared and hid in there. How long has it been since then?"
Arlie sat on one of the beds and Scheven ran up to sit next to her. "About a week. We're not by the isles anymore. We're at my kingdom now." she answered. "Is this the continent the royals attacked?" he asked. Arlie nodded and he frowned. "I had no idea you all existed. I don't know why we didn't just go to the other continent." Arlie had an idea. "Do you know much about the other continent?" He nodded. "A bit. It's called Varvarikos, and we used to live there. They drove us out and banished us to the isles. They had a great blacksmith who taught me and my brother their ways. They killed him in the exiling, but I still know." She was intrigued. "You're a blacksmith?" she asked. "Somewhat. I know how to, and I can make anything out of most anything. I've been known to make good things come out of simple stones." She was excited. "I need to show you to the others. If what you say is true you could be of great help to us, should you grace us with your skills." he nodded. "All I want is a home. Give me that, and I'll make whatever your people need."
Arlie led him out of the ship and towards the royal tent. They told his story and asked for a demonstration. He made a helmet with only a base stone and stone tools he made with washed up rocks. While it wasn't the best work, it was a good example. They asked what price they would have to pay, and he told them that so long as he could live in Iphica after it was all over he'd be glad to help his new continent. He said he would give the finished helmet to Arlie as she had helped him finally get a home.
He attempted to teach the Princes and Princesses his ways, but only Arlie and Anastasia were able to do it. The others gave up, except for Ideus and Xayah. Perhaps it was sibling rivalry, or perhaps it was Arlie and Anastasia. They failed and failed, but they refused to stop. In the end, they made armor sets for all seven of them. The armor sets would allow them to better blend into nature, preparing them for their next attack. They were wary of bringing an army, as they feared it would be too great a loss.
Those from the Isles offered to come back with them so that they could find a good way in and help defeat their tyrannical parents. Though skeptical, the seven knew that they could easily overpower them. Cordelia stayed behind in order to keep educating the others on the isles. They bid another farewell to them and set out on their second adventure to the Isles.