Dragonsong Book 1

Chapter Thirteen

I awoke to the sound of hooves and singing. It wasn't the beautiful loud song of the elves, but the trees were humming a cheerful tune. I started humming along with them. The elves had move us while we were sleeping on to a wagon. How they got out of the dome was a mystery. Nathan was already up humming with the trees.
"That. Is. Awesome." Nathan said once the trees had finished their cheerful tune.
"I know." I said. Poppy flew over and started talking, as usual.
"What is awesome?" She asked, landing on Nathan's shoulder.
"The trees." We Nathan and I in unison, "they were singing."
"Aw! I miss singing trees all because I don't have a green necklace!" She pouted. I felt so bad. She was so cute! We entered an elven city through golden gates. They sent me to the huge sandstone castle in the center of the city, and Nathan went to the apothecary's shop. He kept tripping, and I felt bad for him as he stumbled through the crowd.
"The queen has already made arrangements to see you." The commander said. "I hope to see you soon." He kissed my hand, then the queen's guards hurried me away. The queen was beautiful. Almost all of the elves had blonde hair, but her's was practically golden. Her eyes were the prettiest blue I had ever seen, and her skin was a beautiful tan. Her smile filled the room with warmth. I bowed. I felt so out of place wearing rags and my shabby necklace.
"No need for formalities. Any friend of nature is a friend of mine." As she said that, a million butterflies flitted off of her crown, revealing the simple halo of laurels around her head. She pointed to my necklace. I stood up and came closer to the queen. She gestured for the guards to leave. She stood up, walked over to me, and took my dirty hands in her delicate and perfect ones.
"You have come a long way." She said.
"You must be the greatest queen in all the world." I said, half to myself. She gave me a warm kind smile.
"I am glad you think so." She returned to staring at my hands.
"You have great power you have only begun to tap into, little human. What is your name?" She asked.
"Isabell." I said.
"I am known as Kamari." The beautiful queen said.
"You have a lovely kingdom." I said.
"Thank you. You should contact the dragon boy right away. He need not waste precious tears getting ingredients. Our mages will brew the potions you need." As she said that, her eyes turned gold.
"Can you see everything happening in the city?" I asked.
"You are bright. Yes. I like to know what is going on. I never look in the houses of my citizens, but I look in streets and shops to see how my kingdom is running." She said. Just then, Nathan came in. The commander had escorted him, and prevented him from falling.
"I can also see into the minds of my soldiers." She whispered.
"Greetings, Zaos, Fajiro." She said.
"My queen, Cyclopes attacked at the border. We need more soldiers!" Commander Zaos said. Queen Kamari's eyes clouded over.
"I fear soldiers will do no good. We might have to agree to their terms." Kamari said.
"But, my queen..." Zaos started.
"Not yet. Fight as hard as you can. We will only surrender if Xian falls." The queen said.
"Xian is so close to the capital!" Laos said.
"I don't want anyone to die, but if we surrender so soon, more people will die." The queen said.
"The northern border reports vampire attacks." Zaos said.
"Ugh! I hate those ugly demons!" I shouted a little too loudly.
"I agree, Isabell, I agree." Zaos said. Kamari just looked at me with sympathetic eyes.
"We can't go on for much longer." Kamari said.
"Dismissed." She said, and Zaos left through the giant golden doors. Nathan looked uncomfortable.
"What do you need, dragon?" Kamari asked slightly bitterly.
"Uh, one human and one antidote." He said. The trees started screaming, and both Nathan and myself covered our ears.
"What is it?" Kamari asked. I could barely hear her. It was so painful, I started screaming too.
"Forest. In. Trouble." Nathan managed to say before he joined me in screams of pain. Suddenly, it stopped. Our necklaces were glowing.
"Phew." Nathan said, brushing himself off.
"Something terrible has happened." I said. Kamari. Rushed us to the stables, where countless magical items were laying on the table.
"Chose two each." Kamari said. I chose a small green crystal, which I would give to poppy later. I also chose a book with a cover encrusted in teensy gems. Nathan grabbed a golden sword and a pair of boots. Kamari gave me a small necklace with an opal shaped like a bird.
"The hearts and prayers of the elves will be with you. May the great spirit guide you in your quest for peace." She whispered. I knew little about elven religion, but I did know what she just did was huge. She handed Nathan two bottles.
"Guard her with your life." I heard Kamari forcefully say to Him. She guided us to a horse and sent us off into the woods. As we fled, we saw smoke rising from the city.
"We need to get to the coast" Nathan said, drinking from one of the bottles. His goat legs disappeared and once again he had human legs. He handed me a bottle.
"What does it do?" I asked.
"I think it will make you human again." He said.
"You think?" I said.
"I didn't make it!" He said defensively. I drank it, and it made me queasy.
"Does the antidote potion normally make you sick?" I asked.
"Uhhh....." He said. I felt like throwing up. I didn't feel any different. Soon, we had to make a camp. We chose a nice spot and started to work. As soon as we stepped down, the trees started constructing a nice little camp. There were even walls around us, and the shelter was huge.
"This is pleasant." Nathan said. Then I really did throw up. A tree branch cleared it away and I just stood there feeling embarrassed.
"Use the book." The trees whispered. I looked for the first time at the book I had picked up. I skimmed through the pages. A vine twirled up and stopped me. It flipped to page two-hundred eighty-seven. Nature magic. I saw what the branch was pointing at. The advanced section.
"Advanced?" I asked.
"You are strong." The trees whispered. The vine flipped to page three-hundred twenty-two. It was a vine soldier. I looked over at Nathan for help, but he was fast asleep. All I had to do was shape discarded vines and stuff into a growing person with magic, then say the incantation! I began with the legs. They were slender and graceful, and would help it move quickly. I moved on to the torso. It was strong and sturdy, as to make it tough. The head was porportional, and the arms were slender like the legs so it would be graceful. After the first model was created, the trees helped me out and created more and more until there was enough to have an army. Then, I said the incantation.
"Vectos zymris fatigma felos tita!" I shouted. They didn't move. I looked in the book again.
"Give them a purpose." It said. I spoke to the first one that I created.
"You are here to act not only as a loyal friend, but as an ambassador with nature. You will be kind, and generous, but you will also be alert to any threats." I said. She moved. Human flesh covered the vines, and I was left staring at a red head elven girl.
"Hey!" She said happily.
"Hi." I said.
"Do I have a name?" She asked.
You are Lilly." I said. A fitting name for a living plant. I spoke to the rest of them.
"You are to all be soldiers, loyal to the elves, but also to me. Once you have fulfilled you duty as soldiers, you will be free to become normal people. The elves will help you from there." I said. Every single one saluted. They did not become elves like Lilly.
"Why aren't they changing?" I asked her.
"You gave me a soul, which made me human. They will not have souls until they fulfill their duty." Lilly said. The soldiers had stopped saluting.
"Go to the elven capital, and follow any orders you are given by Zaos or Kamari. They will be able to order you to follow the orders of others. Get there as quickly as you can." I said to the treemen. They ran as fast as a horse in the direction I commanded them to go.
"The trees are proud of you." Lilly said.
"Are you tired?" I asked Lilly, feeling like I was about to collapse.
"You get some sleep, I will stay on guard." She said. I went into the shelter, and Lilly stood in the doorway. I quickly fell asleep.