Entering The Forbidden

Beginnings (rewrite)

"Rashiel is that you?," I heard Jac call from the darkness of the house as I walked in the door. The hundred something year old wizard looked around confused.
"Yes. It's me," I said taking out my wand and bringing light to the rooms.
"Did ya bring my melon Rashiel", he said.
Actually it's Raziel I wanted to correct but I knew better than to start that argument.
"Yep I did. Just like you said", I mumbled back moving about the house and tidying things that had fallen. My blind roommate rolled over to the kitchen table.
"Rashiel! Get meh my melon," he barked at me from his wheel chair.
"It's on the table," I said.
"I'm blind. Do ya think I can see my melon!" Jac said. With a flick of my wand I rolled the melon over to him. He started cutting as I continued moving about my daily routine.
"Did ya see the notice from those Elves," Jac questioned.
"Yeah," I replied. I was still thinking the notice over. The Western elves sent me a notice summoning me to their court because they had urgent news to discuss and it involved me transporting goods over the border.
"Well are ya going to go through with it?" Jac asked through a mouthful of melon.
"I don't know," I said.
"Well, them elves are pesky, they are. They like to trick ya and get the best of ya. Always watch yer back with 'em. They are the best warriors that those high watchamcallits got. They been trainin' since they could hold a weapern," He said taking a pause from his melon.
"Yeah. I know They aren't the most welcoming to strangers either," I replied sitting across from Jac. This is the only place that I can stay and know that I won't get turned in.
"If yous take them up on the offer take nothin less than five hundred stars." he said mouth full of melon.
"The eleves offered that much in the notice..." I replied looking it over again.
"Rashiel I'm blind I can't read a damn thing." he stated finishing half the melon. I rolled my eyes, this is the price I pay to not be turned in and have a roof over my head, every excuse starts with 'I'm blind'.

I stand a pack my saddle bag with the necessities to cross the boarder to the East.
"Where yous going Rashiel?" Jac questioned me out of a daze.
"Where do you think..." I trail off as I take food out of the cabinets.
"To answer those damn elves" he replied enthusiastically...to a lamp...on the otherside of the room from me. I decide not to correct him of where I am in the room.
"Yes. I'll be back in about two weeks. Will you be ok?" I ask grabbing my cloak.
"Yes I be fine. I go get my own melons." he answered the lamp,"If you see your fallen friend tell her I say hi. And give them old elves a hassle for me!"
I shook my head with a chuckle and left.

I walk to the stables behind Jac's house and saddle up my horse. The black horse grew anxious knowing that we were going to charge across the border once again. I mounted my horse and pulled the hood of my cloak to cover my face. The last thing I need is to get arrested in the Western Kingdom where I am wanted dead. The streets are beginning to become crowded with traders' tents and others shopping. Luckily this created enough confusion to distract the high guards untill I get out of the high city. Kind of ironic how the most wanted criminal in the Kingdom lives in the High City right under the kings nose. I can make the ride to the border and across in roughly half a day, then I'll ride straight through till morning in order to arrive on time.

The border is heavily guarded by the High King's forces as well as magic. In order to keep anyone from crossing the border from East to West or vice versa. Even though there hasn't been any war between the two kingdoms in a decade or so. Way back a hundred years or so ago there was one kingdom ruled under one king. This king was corrupt, so two wizard warriors overthrew the king and separated the kingdom in two. Then the wars started. The war ended with high tensions between the two kingdoms. 

Dusk is beginning to fall as I near the Western Kingdom's border. The border has one weak spot between the Western Fae provience and the Eastern Fallen provience. If I ride straight through the night I should reach the Western Elven court by dawn. My horse follows the overgrown trail with ease since this is the trail I use to transport goods across the border. The easiest things to smuggle over the border are gems small family tresures and paperwork. Yet there are the occasional livestock or larger goods that need to be transported over slowing the trip down from about two days to more like a week. I cross the border and push my horse back up to a lope trying to make  better time in clearing the Fae provience.

I avoid most patrols and ride straight through the night arriving in the Elevn provience a few hours before dawn. I decide to rest my horse at a tavern on the outskirts of the town and get some breakfast. I walk into the tavern and everyone inside turns. I walk in and sit at the bar and order a plain plate of eggs. After recieving a strange look from the server I am handed a plate of eggs, I move to sit at a table in the corner. As I eat a patrol of High Guards enters the tavern and sits at the bar.
"Pr-Iz! What are you doing here?" one of the guards asked a younger elf as she entered.
"Pr-Iz?" she questioned, "Eating ediable food, and escaping my schedule. I could ask the same of you Ralph..."
"Sorry...have fun." he answered shortly.
The bartender put a plate down in front of her. She must be a regular here. She ate quickly almost like she was supposed to be somewhere else, and every time the door opened she eyed the elves entering suspiciously. Then she abruptly stood and walked out. I stood to follow when the patrol of guards approached my table.
"You wouldn't happened to have seen that Raziel guy on your travels ya wizard?" he asked sitting across from me.
"Couldn't say I have." I replied holding back the urge to grab my wand and run causing suspicion and missing out on a rather large pay load.
"Really word is there's a rather high reward for his capture." he said taking a swig of his drink.
"Well if I come across this fellow I'll send him your way." I answered attempting to end the conversation.
"What brings you to this provience anyway? Not many outsiders decide to visit." he said restarting the conversation.
"I was in need of some herbs from the surrounding forest, the herbs here don't grow well in the my provience." I said picking up my wand.
"Well have a nice journey." he replied shortly.

The uniformed elf stood and left. Mental note that Elves are very, very judgemental about who comes for a few herbs. I walk out of the tavern and untie my horse from the post. The first light of dawn has just started pass the horizion. I mount my horse and ride farther into town towards the Elven lord or king whatever title he perfers castle. Hopefully this isn't a trap and I don't get killed for the High King's reward. The front gates of the castle are open as they always are and I ride through almost unnoticed. I dismount and tie my horse to another post and walk to the doors of the castle. The guards must have been expecting me since they let me right in to see the king.