Goldspell: Rare Earth Book One

Goldspell: Rare Earth Book One- Chapter 9

Chapter 9- Meeting Emerald's Family, Jewels Galore

The two days Emerald mentioned it would take for them to arrive in Avarrinnia passed rather slowly, but passed safely nonetheless, and they could see the elven city coming closer as they continued to walk. Opren could see trees larger than most he had seen anywhere else in the area surrounding the city. Some houses were built into the widest trees that rose far above the city walls. Small figures he expected were elves ran gracefully along some of the large branches like squirrels to do some work, or, in the case of the smaller figures- likely children- to play and exercise. 

As they reached the edge of the city walls, he noticed many beautiful bushes, flowers and vines growing along the walls and around the giant trees. The walls themselves were a beautiful crystal with a very light pink tone to them. Emerald explained the walls were made of Avarrinnium, an element found when her great-great-grandfather named the city and occupied it for the first time with mostly noble bloodline elves, leading to the opening of a new separate area for the lower class elves as the race expanded its reign. Keeping the noble elves inside of the city became tradition. Opren realized- just before asking how it was possible for the city to be so old yet her great-great-grandfather was the one who named it and had built the wall- being an elf, he must have managed to live to be nearly five or six hundred years of age before dying. 

"Welcome home, Princess," a guard at the gate greeted as the group approached. He bowed on a knee, but rose quickly as Emerald dismissed the formality before explaining that the rest of the group were her friends, thus they were permitted to enter. He allowed everyone to go inside of the gate after her and gave a short nod to each as they walked by. Raz'e was taken to a place she was to stay for the visit as Emerald led the others to the palace. 

The palace was a large beautiful structure composed of the pink-toned Avarrinnium, smooth white stones, and what seemed to be emeralds. Opren laughed silently to himself and smiled at the thought of Emerald living in a place made of emeralds. The four corners of the palace were literally built into giant trees, allowing vines, flowers and wood to surround much of the structure in a wonderful fashion. 

Emerald spoke to a guard at the palace gate and the group was permitted to enter the palace itself, walking down a long bridge of what was apparently some physical light, having no apparent solid object above or beneath. Barbosa growled at the thought of stepping onto pure light, but followed once Opren stepped onto it with no difficulty. Emerald explained that it was an elven magic and the light was actually as solid as stone, unless the mages who formed it removed it- which could happen instantly if her father or the mages saw fit. The ability to remove it instantly far exceeded any strategic placement of a drawbridge or moat, as any upon the bridge of light would fall over one hundred feet into a swarm of man-eating poisonous plants if they weren't of elven decent. Elven people would simply be captured inside bubbles of light and held frozen until the king released them or they died. This addition prevented traitors from ever attempting to reach the king or queen.  

"Luckily, we don't need the defenses put in place because most see the point of trying to invade nullified, and we have treaties with most other races who could ever cause elven casualties in a war. It's fun to scare newcomers with the bridge, though," Emerald giggled. 

The group reached the palace doors, which seemed like enormous cathedral doors. The doors had symbols on them and etchings in them, mostly involving plants and animals, and included the same symbol Emerald had tattooed on the back of her right shoulder which symbolized High-Elven nobility. Four guards watched as the group passed, but they didn't seem to need any request from Emerald to allow them to pass. Opren guessed this must be because they saw the group had gotten this far and, as they were with Emerald, likely assumed they must be alright to enter.