Stories of Tervalen

Chapter 1: The Unsettled Sea

The ship swayed upon the unsettled sea, but they were kind well as kind as they were going to get anyway and I thanked the gods for that. It was not the fact that I got seasick, in fact I had never been sea sick in my life, it was the stone spires along the coast that scared me the most. If the sea was to unsettled we would have to sail through those stony spires to escape the raging waters and I already had enough experience sailing through those dangerous waters the day before.

The sweet sounds of the sea would have been beautiful, but guttural sounds of people emptying their stomachs echoed throughout the boat. I had hoped I would not have to deal with the sickness myself, but it had come from the slop of a meal last night, I probably would not have eaten it if I were not starving.

I would not be hungry if I were back home; I would not have to be sick by myself back home either back home I would be in my cosy bed, a tea by my nightstand as I ate a bowl of homemade soup. I had missed my bedroom, hell I missed my bed as soon as I left the capital, I missed my Mother and my Grandfather, I missed everything I had left behind in search of my Grandfather.

I had never gone anywhere without family members especially outside the capital, the long carriage rides out to a distant cousin or one of Mothers friends had once seemed tedious, now they brought me my happiest memories. I remembered on rare occasions that Grandfather would take us out to places far away from the capital. I loved those trips, my younger self loved it for the wonder of new magic that I would learn and now when I look back on it, I think I loved those trips because of my Grandfather.

He always took care of me no matter what; I remember once I had interrupted a meeting between the high council and my Grandfather, he took me in his arms hugging me tightly and reassured me as he continued to talk to the council. Not to mention the countless of hours he spent training me when all others had given up or had gone home to sleep, and now whenever I use magic I always think of him and the time he spent training me.

Therefore, even though this would be the hardest thing I would ever do I would do it for him, even though I had been mugged within minutes of leaving the capital and the horrible first night I spent in an inn that smelt of rats droppings and old mead, it did not matter I would do this to find my Grandfather.

What are you thinking about? I looked to my side to see a beautiful women standing beside me, her skin reminded me of the Great Saesun Desert, her hair flowed a rich ebony black and her eyes glowed like gems deep within the Red Mountain. She cocked her head to the side, A bit shy are we? the comment shook my pride a bit, but it was understandable, I had been staring longer than what most deemed acceptable.

Sorry I hung my head low, for some reason it was all I could manage.

What about, being shy or the stare? Those words felt odd, they felt kind were others would scorn and it felt strange coming from someone I did not know. In the Capital, whenever someone imitated there friendliness it was usually to further his or her own agenda, or to get you to fork up information. As such, I learnt form a very young age to be weary of those who seemed too friendly but I did not feel the mistrust I felt with others.

Sorry I-Its, I sighed at my own stupidity Its just, where Im from strangers arent usually so kind

She smiled to herself, staring off into the snow-capped mountains, I get that a lot

I found myself smiling with her, I was not entirely sure why but something about her intrigued me. Maybe it was her kind nature or just the fact that she made herself the centre of attention, which honestly I did not mind. It was a very different attitude to most of the women back home, which was to not speak out of turn or directly upset the higher lords and most girls back home flat out did not interest me. It was not that I disliked them completely without reason; I just never found a reason to fall for anyone there.

I cast that thought aside as I turned my attention back to the person besides me; a bow slung over her shoulder. It was an oddity in her outfit; she garbed herself in an old and worn alchemists cloak over what looked to be typical Zetikia leather armour; it was torn in places and the stitching was shoddy, a leather belt fitted with vials hung over her shoulder. A few sat next to a dagger and were as the others were glass these were bronze and tapered to fit either a dagger or an arrowhead.

However, what perplexed me about the bow was the double limbs, it was typical design for the Shanlin Elves, and I had not seen a bow of the same quality and make from the people of the Zetikia Desert. The Quiver was of the same style as the bow, and furthermore embedded that it was not of Saesun make, but the only thing that kept it from being a Shanlin bow was the red and orange ribbons.

The ribbons replaced things such as; vines feathers and various fibres throughout the piece, so it made me unsure as to who actually made it. The Saesun people? Or The Shanlin Elves?

She caught my stare once more, What are you looking at? Something good catch your eye? She cracked a smile once more; I gave her a small chuckle in response

I dont mind the view, but I paused for a second wondering if I should really ask this question, bugger it I thought, that bow on your back, where did you get it from?

Its my Fathers bow she held the string for just a second, the air changed around her for a second it was far more serious than before.

Was your Father a Shanlin Elf? I said it more out of wanting her to be less serious rather than anything else.

She giggled No my Father was not an Elf, why do you ask?

Its just, that bow looks as if a Shanlin Elf made it and quite a good one at that she looked at the bow, then the quiver, then back to the bow.