The Chronicles of Nir

23 | Surprises and Celebrations

In celebration of the full moon, all duties apart from the most essential were dismissed for the day.

Even so, Tallon rose early, kissed Ben on the forehead, and said he had some business to attend.

Ben offered to keep him company, but Tallon declined, promising to find him later. From the elf's secretive and mischievous manner, Ben sensed he was hiding something. Remembering that Tallon said the mind could not lie, Ben probed their mental link, but was met with a blank and impenetrable wall. He might have been hurt by the rebuff, but Tallon's mood was more lighthearted and affectionate than ever, so he let it be.

Curious nonetheless, Ben waited until Tallon left, then dressed himself in a green tunic, brown breeches, and a pair of soft cloth boots with leather soles.

At breakfast, Ben noticed the other elves staring more than usual, and averting their gazes quickly when caught.

Bran was absent as well, and Scamp was nowhere to be found. She was likely with Tallon—wherever he'd gotten himself off to.

"At least I've got you to keep me company," he said, handing Sprout a plump blueberry. The Sproutling took it with a squeak and bit into it with sharp teeth, sending a gush of juice down its chin, making Ben laugh. Sprout was a mystery; the little creature drank up water through its toes, caught sunlight in its head leaves, and occasionally put things in its mouth, as well.

Once finished with his meal, Ben descended to the beach in search of Fann, with Sprout riding in his hair. Standing at the edge of the sand, Ben whistled sharply. A bark answered him, and a moment later Fann came barreling over the top of a low dune, sprinting towards him across the sand. Barely slowing down, the wolf stood on his hind legs, set his massive paws to Ben's shoulders, and knocked him down in the sand.

A few elves, out for some exercise but sticking close to the shore, cried out in surprise. Ben only laughed and hugged Fann as the wolf licked his face.

"Good boy," he said, slipping Fann a pan-fried sardine he'd saved from breakfast. "Come on; I brought Starlight a treat, too."

Picking up a piece of driftwood, Ben tossed it down the beach. Fann loped after it with a yip, wagging his tail as he brought it back again.

They played this game until Ben was certain Fann had exhausted his wiggles.

A short distance away, Starlight stood in her stall, shaking her head and snorting impatiently as she waited for her share of the attention. An empty feed bag hung from a nail nearby, indicating she'd recently finished breakfast.

The mare's ears pricked as she brought her head over the stall gate and nickered when Ben approached, happily accepting the dates he produced from his pockets.

"You didn't think I forgot about you, did you?" Ben teased as he stroked her soft muzzle.

The elves had taken wonderful care of Starlight; her coat gleamed in the sun, and a sparkle danced behind her soft brown eyes.

A clear image of Tallon entered Ben's mind, and he frowned. He wasn't as adept at communing with the horse as Tallon was, but he picked up her intent easily enough.

"Sorry," Ben apologized, "He's busy this morning. I'm sure he'll be around to see you soon enough."

Aeslin didn't like Tallon setting foot on the beach, despite it being beyond Volaer's reach. When Tallon did leave the ship, he visited the horse and whispered things in his fancy tongue, but he'd been mostly confined to the Gatekeeper.

"You'll have to make do with me for now," Ben said, and laughed when Starlight nudged him with her head and nibbled his hair.

With nothing else to occupy his time, Ben took her out for some exercise. He was not a skilled rider, as Tallon was, but he looped a halter over her head in the elf fashion and led her with a rope. He quickly lost track of time as they meandered along the shore and a short distance into the dunes, watching the seabirds wheel overhead while enjoying the sun and fresh breeze. At the far end of the cove, where the sand gave way to rough black rocks, Ben sat for a long time, mesmerized by the strange and wonderful creatures that lived in the tidal pools. He probably could have sat there all day, heedless of hunger or thirst, had the sound of his own name not broken his reverie.