Path Of A King

The Darkwood Forest

A few days passed and everyone was done with the preparations needed for our journey into the Darkwood forest. Syki and Meli were packing everything on Emily's carriage while Norma and Lylia were taking inventory of our potions. Berym sat on the carriage busily sharpening his axe. I helped Emily out by packing everything she needed from her house since we didn't plan on staying in Blackthorn anymore.
Once we finished our duties, we ended up needing to buy two more horses for a total of four horses because the weight had increased to the point in which two horses weren't enough to pull the carriage. Earlier in the morning, Lorey the receptionist of the adventurers guild, passed by to deliver another carriage that was big enough to hold all of us. Berym volunteered to coach Emily's carriage with all our supplies while the rest of us rode on the guild-provided carriage. The carriage was pulled by four horses and the inside of the coach was luxurious with seats that were stuffed with feathers, adding much-needed comfort for the bumpy ride. The new coach sported a suspension system to help with the uneven roads and terrain. Everyone was impressed by the guild-provided carriage but it's to be expected of Albert, he is willing to provide anything if it can help find his daughter.
"Are the Preparations finished?"
I asked.
"Yes, all of the inventory is accounted for. We are ready to leave at your command."
Said Syki.
"Hiroki, I need to get something from the house."
Said Emily.
"Okay, I'll double-check we packed everything. We'll wait for you at the carriage."
I said.
Moments later Emily came out of the house with a neckless in her hands.
"Is that you neckless? I haven't seen you wear it."
I said.
"It was my mother's. It's the only thing I have of her."
Said Emily.

**************

We passed the guards near the gates expecting them to stop us probably under Leren Baylor's orders but to my surprise, no one halted us as we passed the bridge that led to the stables. We were finally out of Blackthorn and on our way to complete the quest given by Albert. Emily had started a conversation with Syki and while the two conversed Norma drove the coach. Berym and Meli followed behind us driving Emily's carriage that carried our supplies. I turned to look at Lylia that sat in front of me. I tried to start a conversation to ease her worries about the quest plus I hadn't spoken with her as much as I had with Syki so I figured I should get to know her.

"Lylia, Um . . . Where are you from?"
I asked.
"Huh? Ah. . . Yes!.... I came from a country called Fenrok. It's a kingdom ruled by King Elvalas Nil Urethien A high elf. My dad is a high elf but my mother is a human. The problem was that an elf cannot marry a human, it is taboo in Fenrok and punishable by death. Only the royal family is allowed to marry specific humans. When a half-elf is born we are naturally more stronger and powerful than a pure high elf. It's very hard to tell when someone is a half-elf when a pure-blooded elf of the royal lineage mixes with humans because no matter how many times an elves blood mixes with a human's blood, the offspring always has elf features. It's not the case with elves that do not carry the royal lineage. If a low-born elf has a child with a human the offspring will most certainly lose elven ears and look more human than elf. That is part of the reason why it is illegal for common elves to bear children with humans.
"Wait, why don't you have Elven ears?"
I asked.
"I use magic to hide them. In human countries, elven people are sometimes turned into slaves simply because we belong to the demi-human classification according to humans. If I remove the magic my ears return to normal."
Said Lylia.
When Lylia removed her magic, her ears turned into long Elven ears.
"You really are a high elf!"
I said.
"Not exactly. You see I was attending a girl's academy for mages and one day the king ordered the ministry of knights to do a full sweep because they had gotten word that a half-elf attended the academy. The soldiers gathered everyone and used a special magic long-held secret by the royal family in Fenrok. The magic was able to detect if someone was a half-elf, they used that magic on me once my class got called outside for the check. They discovered I was a mixed blood often referred to as Elvend. I did not even know I was elven! My father never mentioned it and my mother had undergone a transformation with magic to look like a high Elf, no one ever suspected she was human. When the knights found out I was Elvend, they attempted to apprehend me but I somehow got away and ran until I reached my parent's house. I immediately told my parents what had happened and just when I had finished explaining the situation to them, the kingdom's soldiers along with the ministry of knights surrounded our house."
Said Lylia.
"But why do you have strong high-elf characteristics?"
I asked.
"I don't know the answer to that the only explanation would have to be that I have a royal lineage. It doesn't make sense, so much of my parent's life is a mystery."
Said Lylia.
"How did you escape?"
I asked.
My father had opened up a secret passageway under the house and just before pushing me in it my parents gave their last hugs to me and told me how much they loved me, and to live on no matter what happened. When I woke up, I was in a Meadow full of flowers located in the Zen Kingdom near the Twin Cliffs. Of course, at the time, I had no clue where I was. Inside the secret passageway was a magic circle set to instantly teleport one person to a random location. My parents had prepared an escape route for me expecting that one day I would be discovered to be an Elvend. "
Said Lylia.
"A magic circle?"
I asked.
" Ah, Um . . . I don't know much about it myself except that it's really hard magic to perform and that it requires an insane amount of mana to activate. I don't know who chanted that magic circle but if it was either of my parents it's most likely that they died the moment the magic circle activated to transport me because the magic would have drained their mana instantly. "
Said Lylia.
"Lylia, I'm sorry . . . but I'm glad you made it out alive."
I said.
"Thank you very much! I'm glad I got to meet you Hiroki."
Said Lylia.