Spirit Fire - Amos

Chapter 25 - Queen Azaelea

After we finished our walk, I was escorted to my own tree . . . house? I cleaned up and put on the robes and cloak laid out for me. I looked into a sparkling silver mirror and saw my reflection. I looked quite handsome with the cloak on and the silver robes.

     I walked outside to Farwin waiting for me. We walked to a hall of trees, where the other elves were waiting, and prepared to see the queen. I happened to notice that Zatos was not there with the other elves. Farwin told me he was with the queen already.

     Farwin overlooked everyone's appearance and fixed a few things before we lined up before the giant double-doors of the giant hall made of the inside of trees carved out from the inside.

     "Ready?" Leina asked.

     "Yeah, I guess."

     "Then we shall enter!" Farwin shouted while pushing me towards the doors. And with that, the doors silently opened to reveal the inside of the hall of guardians, as Farwin told me.

     There were rich decorations strewn along the wood floor and lacquered walls. The ceiling had small glowing star-like ball of light that floated on their own which gave the room a nice warm luminescence. Elves sat along a large, eighteen seated, dark brown, pine table with plants, fruits, vegetables and other foods I didn't recognize, other than the spiky, purplish pink fruit that I was given before.

     The finely dressed queen sat at the far end of the table with Zatos beside her. The queen wore elegant silk robes with rippling water-like drapery. She had stunning features and a lean face and body. Her movement was slow and smooth. Zatos wore his newly shined gold armour and there was a white sabretooth tiger with coal-black stripes sitting in a golden stool beside him, also wearing shiny gold armour.

     "Aaron," Queen Azaelea called. "Pleasant to me you. I'm sorry about your tragic loss, but within, there is a new virtue among us."

     "What does she mean?" I asked Farwin.

     "Speak now, questions later." he responded quickly.

     "Pleasant to meet you to queen . . . uh . . ."

     "Close . . . it's Azaelea." she waved her hand elegantly. She didn't notice that I forgot her name, just that the beginning was right. "Please, seat yourself next to Drax," she pointed to her left—my right. It was at the end of the table beside a dark looking elf. He had black hair and ominous dark green eyes.

     I walked over to the seat and slid the chair out from under the table. As I sat down, I noticed almost all eyes were on me. Everyone was watching closely, except the five I've met already, they were relaxed.

     The four sat on the other side of the table, Farwin across from me, and Zatos with queen Azaelea.

     "I have prepared this all for you Aaron. I know you must be confused, but this means a lot to us. We have hope that peace will be spread among all races!" she raised her voice and the elves straightened up. Some women even smiled.

     "Thank you. This is all very nice. But I still don't understand what you mean." Farwin shot a glare at me. His instruction echoed in my head 'speak now, questions later.'

          "You are our hope of ridding the land of evil. It's your father we fear will try to take control of every corner of the Seven Realms. We need you to stop him. His power has grown, too far now. We can't stop him ourselves. We are planning on attacking the capital, but we can't fight alone. His power isn't the only thing growing, his army is too. That's why we need you."

     There was a long silence before anything was said again.

     I broke the silence. "I can't." Everyone gasped and there was a clatter of whispers. Even Farwin seemed surprised.

     "I'm sorry?" Azaelea tilted her head.

     "I can't fight him. I lost once, very badly, and I don't think I could do it again."

     "Why, we'll teach you. You have yet to know. And have you forgotten about Amos?"

     "What do you mean?"

     "Your spirit fire, of course! If you unlock it, your power could be endless!"

     "But what if Father has a spirit fire?" I blurted. There was another silence.

     "We do fear that. Your father wasn't born with spirit fire, as you were. He, we think, has taken one instead. Just be careful, Aaron. Let's not talk of such foul conversation and celebrate. Let's eat!"