Eirene ( Fantasy series book 1)

Chapter Seventeen - The Counsel

Chapter Seventeen – The Counsel

We travelled through quite a bit of the forest to get to the Counsel. We went past a fairies market which was all so interesting to me.  Although it was a fairies market, there was a population of elves, dwarves, fairies, witches, globins, and pixies. There were sales of brooms, magical potions, medicine, cookies, pastries and even pots and pans. The stalls were mainly manned by the little fairies and folks gathered around stalls to compare prices.

Fairies were pretty little creatures. Some had wings and some none. They had fair skin and a slight rosy blush on their cheeks. Most of them had long curly golden hair, except a few whom chose to kept it short. They skipped about lightly on their small dainty feet with hardly any noise, and they conversed in light but relatively higher pitched voices. Fairies were not necessarily female since I did saw a couple of male ones walking around.

Pixies, on the other hand, were easily recognised by their green pointed hats, green overalls and green pointed shoes. Their faces carried a cheeky grin and they were often up to some mischief. They also had pointed ears. They were slightly smaller than the fairies and most of them were male. (I didn't see any female.)

The elves, witches and dwarves shared similar characteristics with humans for they were very human-like. In fact, the witches and wizards were humans. These folks came into Eirene after the battle of Irius during Ptos' time and began to settle here. Their population remained small but they were highly powerful.

I did not particularly liked the looks of the goblins. I found them evil-looking. Goblins were the cousins of the pixies and they came over during the battle as well.  Goblins could be fierce and mind-numbingly frightening, and they were tough bargainers. The stall owners most often had no choice but to give in to their demands and I saw a couple of smirking goblins walking away with their purchases.

I could not resist stopping at one of the stalls to browse at the beautifully crafted hair clips. The little jewels on the clips glittered under the sunrays. Since I could not be sure what the currency of trade was, I did not get myself one. But Alex bought it for me instead. (I found out that barter trading was quite common in the forest. Alex actually traded a bar of chocolate for that hair clip!) And he clipped it on my hair for me.

We joked and laughed as we walked hand in hand through the forest alongside the merry folks as if we belonged there as well.

After a few climb and turns, we came to a huge tree. It was by far the largest I had ever encountered in the forest. Looking up, I could see the tree being linked the surrounding trees via nets and ladders. Folks were travelling to and fro the big tree.

"This is the Tree of Ptos," Alex said. "It was actually planted by Ptos himself."

"It's quite busy isn't it?" I joked.

He laughed. "Well, the Counsel sits here. Folks move in and out seeking advice from the Counsel."

"So, what does the Counsel do exactly?"

"The original Counsel during Agatha's time was made up of the four guardians. After the battle, Ptos himself became the leader of the Counsel. He engaged the Advisors of each race to form a Counsel of ten. The Counsel today is made up of ten folks who had been nominated by the folks. The five guardians sit as advisors."

"I see. So why do we need to see the Counsel?"

"I am informing them that I have given you the power to see."

"Is that important?" I asked.

"Very."

We took the ladder bridge up the tree. It was much easier to get up the tree this way as compared to having to pull yourself up by the rope.

We came to a huge wooden hut made entirely out of pine wood where there a line of folks moving in and out. We joined in the queue as well.

When we reached the front of the queue, right outside the flap that permitted the entry. The elvian guard who was controlling the traffic was surprised to see Alex. He greeted Alex before taking a moment to clear the crowd inside the hut. And out came about tens over folks. (I was surprised this average-sized hut could hold so many!) He then instructed the dwarf behind us to wait for his turn before shouting into the flap.

"The guardian of light and darkness seeks entry!"

I heard a clicking sound from within the hut and the guard ushered us in.

The hut size was indeed misleading! There must had been some enchantment done to the hut because when we entered, I found myself walking into a huge hall. It could easily house hundreds! It was a round circular hall with nothing except a high ceiling where the light came through. At the end of the hall, sat ten people in a semi circle facing us.  As we approached them, I saw that they were made up of wizards, witches, elves and dwarves.

One of them spoke, "Guardian, what brings you here?"

"I have brought my guest here, into the Forest," Alex replied.

There were a sudden mumbles and whispers.

"And your guest here, can see us?" one of the witches asked.

"Oh Aretha!" the witch from the other end of the circle exclaimed. "We are humans; of course she can see us!"

Aretha the witch smacked her forehead, "I forgot!"

"That's why I say, witches are idiots," sighed a dwarf.

"What's that supposed to mean?" the witch shrieked.

"Isn't it, Martha?" the dwarf replied. "She should be able to see each and every one of us here, unless she's blind."

"Oh Dixon! You are so mean," the elf next to Aretha laughed.

"That's why witches must fly on brooms," Dixon the dwarf smirked.

"Now, what's that supposed to mean?" Martha stood up with her hands on her hips.

"That's enough," Alex spoke out in a clear quiet voice.

He continued, "I have soaked her in the sacred waters and now she can see."

"Is she the one then?" A wizard who had not spoken before, spoke.

"Maybe." Alex replied.

"I guess we shall know soon," Aretha said, as she peered at me through her beady black eyes. She looked at most thirty and had a mop of messy black hair which looked like it could do with some washing.

"Have you heard any more reports of the Warts?" Alex asked.

"Not after that fairy who got attacked in your garden," the wizard said.

"They are getting more and more insolent," Martha remarked. "Going into Kaytherin's gardens!"

"The times are near," an old dwarf replied. "They are on the move again."

"Guardian," the wizard looked directly at Alex. "Are you ready for them?"

"I will be when she is."