StarFall (Completed)

Ch. 22 - Fovalla

From the bottom of the hill we walked near another five miles before coming upon a great wooden gate. Spiked at the top and bottom, it stood more than twenty feet over us.

"Do we knock or something?" Madison shrugged.

"It's worth a try, I guess." Miller approached the great gate and yelled out as he struck the wooden pillars with a nearby rock. "Hello? We'd like to enter if that's alright. We're harmless travelers in search of refuge."

There was no answer.

Bobby approached the gate and pounded hard against it. "Is anybody home?" He yelled.

Miller frowned. "That's not going to work--" 

"Who goes there?" A voice boomed from beyond the gate.

"Um, well, I'm Bobby, and bean pole over there is Miller, the wreck over there is Summers, I mean, Adeline, and the other one is Madison."

"Hey, what do you mean, other one?" Madison fumed.

"Those names mean nothing to us. Only those granted permission from someone within may enter."

Someone within? Someone like Ghee? My stomach sank.

"We do know someone. His name is Ghee. He helped us on our travels," Miller said. "But, we had to part ways, something about a treasure he couldn't pass up." 

The guard paused in thought. "Hmm, that does indeed sound like our Ghee." The guard laughed. "Give us a moment to open the gate."

It worked?

"We're totally in." Bobby grinned.

"I haven't forgotten your 'other one' comment, Ferrari." Madison crossed her arms.

The wooden gate rumbled as it moved inward. Slowly the gate opened wide to reveal the fae homestead hidden behind its massive sheltering arms.

A fae about my size came into view. A bronze helmet perched atop his head. A shoulder covering of bronze, along with a chest plate adorned his torso. A staff held firm in his grasp. Clearly a guard for his people. 

"Greetings, strange travelers. My name is Knoa."

"We're the strange ones?" Madison exclaimed.

"To them? Yes," Miller said.

Knoa stood just past the top of my head in height, his body a similar color to Ghee's, but with more defined musculature, and thicker masses of hair. 

"Any friends of Ghee are friends of mine, and all the people of Fovalla." He motioned behind him to the great fae homestead.

"Fovalla?"

"Yes, in the dead language of our ancestors it means chosen haven, or only home." 

"Dead language? Okay, I'm more confused now. About time I tune this out." Madison averted her gaze.

"Are books like these written in the dead language?" Miller grabbed a book from his bag to show Knoa.

"Yes, indeed they are."

"Wait, that doesn't make sense. You're speaking American right now."

"I thought you were tuning this out?" I grinned. "And it's English, not American."

She scoffed. "Whatever, I wasn't even paying attention. And okay this isn't geography." 

I rolled my eyes and turned back to Knoa.

"She has a point though, why can we understand your speech?"

Knoa smiled. "We speak the language of man. Foven people such as Ghee travel these lands in search of treasures and relics unknown to us. Long ago our ancestors started such traditions after finding treasures they were certain came from faraway lands. Among those were books written in a strange text. Over time more books were found, and relics of some similarity. And the language of man came to be. More and more of the Foven people took an interest in this language, that over time our Fae language was spoken less. Its use is that of learning and academics now, rather than everyday use or conversation."

"Fascinating." Miller stroked his chin.

"Boring." Madison yawned.

Knoa laughed. "I suppose you did not come here for history lessons. Let us not waste another minute of your time, come in, come in."

Knoa led us into Fovalla. As the wooden gates closed in behind us, I was left breathless. It seems human culture had left quite the mark on the Foven people and this place. Buildings almost resembled those in our world. Though made from different materials. Painted bright colors, and some reaching thirty feet up. There were lampposts, and paved stone roads. People rode by in carts that ran with no horse or other such animal to pull them. Glittered signs stretched out along entire streets of buildings and storefronts. Swarms of Ghees and Knoas hurried past, some without a second glance. It wasn't home, but it was the next best thing. Something familiar, something safe. It was a relief, until I thought back to how this relief came to be.

"Up that way is Ch'roos lane, and back that way is Ki'tar drive." Knoa pointed to things as we passed. "That is the oldest standing building in Fovalla, it's been here almost as long as the city, one hundred years." 

"Damn, that's old." Bobby's stomach grumbled. "Any good places to eat around here?"

Knoa stopped and turned his attention to Bobby. "Oh my, I hadn't notice before, but you're a Lazow, are you not?"

We looked to each other. 

"I guess so, I mean it wasn't like I had a choice." 

"Worry not, I meant it with no ill will, Lazow's are fearsome creatures for sure, and I would not wish to meet one on a lonely night, but I respect their power, and hold no grudge against those unfortunate enough to be turned."

"Thanks?" Bobby half-smiled.

"Think nothing of it. However." He leaned up towards Bobby, and spoke quietly. "Not all Foven are as accepting of such a thing. You should receive no trouble for it as long as you keep yourself in line." He patted Bobby on the shoulder and pulled away.

"I'll...do my best." 

"Glad to hear it. Now, you mentioned hunger. Let us wander the town a bit longer, and then tonight, we feast." 

We turned to one another and smiled. I tried to keep mine up, but found it wavering as I let my mind stick to earlier thoughts, and earlier doings. Wrong or right did not matter, the fact remained, I had killed Ghee, and now we were taking advantage of his people's kindness. Could I really be at ease with such truths?