World of Tiber

Chapter 2: Visiting Qualinesti

Wizards PoV

I have always wondered what Qualinesti was like. I am a wizard and I travel around helping others. I finally was invited by my friend, Learoth to come visit him. I am here with a group of representatives of different towns. I'm the only one here by myself. When I arrived with the group the guards let us in. They are trying to figure out how to get us to Learoths house. None of us have ever been here and they told us it's hard getting to his house. One of the guards says "There's one of Learoths servants. She can bring them back to his house." They call her over and she agrees to take us back. She calls them sirs. Why would a servant call everyone sir? This doesn't make any since. The only thing she tells us the whole time on the way to his house is to follow her. She doesn't say anything else. She seems in a hurry to get there. The others don't seem to notice. They keep talking about everything around them. When we get to the house and Learoth comes and tells her to bring refreshments he says "Now that refreshments are being taken care of let's go to my study." We walk into his study and he tells me "It's so good to see you again."

I tell him "It's been too long."

"You should come visit more often. I know it's easier for you to come to me than me to come to you."

"I will consider that invitation."

We talk for a few minutes before we get into business talk. The servant who brought us to the house comes in carrying multiple trays of food. She quickly sets it down and starts putting it on some plates. She quickly and quietly walks around and hands us each a plate of food. I tell her "Thank you" and she just nods her head. "What's going on here?" Learoth asks, "Where's the wine?"

She quickly says "I'm so sorry sir. I must've forgotten to grab it. I'll go get it."

"You better get it. I will see you later for this."

What does he mean by later? Are they forced to work here? I know she's not a Qualinesti Elf. Her and the other servants here. What kind of Elf are they? I have seen plenty of Qualinesti. And Silvanesti too. And Kagonesti Elves have body paint covering there skin that's shown where there clothes don't cover. Is there another kind of Elf? Before I can ask she quickly leaves to go get wine and we start talking about business.

After a week of us all talking business the rest of the human group leaves and I stay to visit with my friend. He never talked about the servants. Do they like to work for Qualinesti Elves? Or are they forced to work here? The same servant walks in again and sets down some cups and starts pouring the wine. She accidentally spills it and quickly starts trying to clean it up. Learoth stops talking and says "Look what you did! Do you know how hard it is to get wine out of the carpet?" He gets up and walks out to get more servants. I ask her "Are you forced to work here?" She doesn't answer and I say "Why aren't you talking." She looks up, sees Learoth is gone still and quickly says "Get in trouble if I do." I don't understand but before I can ask anything else he comes back in with more servants. They all quickly start cleaning. He says "I have to go to a meeting but I won't be gone long. Feel free to ask them for anything."

I ask him "Is it ok if I travel around town with a servant to get a look around?"

"Sure, I can find one for you."

"What about her?" I motion over to the servant that spilled the wine.

"You want her?"

"Is there a problem with that?"

"No there's not." He glares at the servant and then leaves the room. She says something in another language than she says "Where do you want to go?"

"I'm fine with anywhere."

"Where?"

"Does it matter?"

She looks at me, surprised to see that I don't care where to go. She walks out of the room and I follow her. We walk outside and we keep walking. We walk all around town and she doesn't say anything. I tell her "You can talk with me."

"About what?"

"Anything. Like were you forced to work for him?"

"Why would you care?"

"I want to know. It's been a long time since I have seen my friend. He has changed. I won't tell him you talked with me."

"Yes I was forced."

"How long has it been?"

"Twenty years."

"That's a long time."

Some guards walk by and she quickly stops talking. She starts to head us back to the house. An Elf shoves into her because she's in the way and she falls down. The Elf says "Watch where you're going." She gets up without saying anything and starts walking faster to the house. I follow her and we get back a few minutes before Learoth does. She leaves to go back to work and I follow him back into his study. He says "So what do you think of Qualinesti?"

"There's a lot I saw."

"That's good. You seem to have something on your mind. What is it my old friend?"

"Why the slavery. You force them to work for you. They are Elves too."

He changes from happy to serious and says "That doesn't concern you. We do it our way. You do it yours. That's a difference between Humans and Elves. And if you're so worried about it how about you cast a spell and teleport all the slaves away with you?"

"I was told by the wizards council I can't intervene with what other races do. But I don't approve of it. Its slavery. If you keep going with slavery I'm afraid we can't be friends anymore. I have to go now and tell the council about what I saw." We both get up and say nothing. I teleport to the council and tell them what I saw. They don't want me to intervene but I can get someone else to. I know who I can get. I teleport to Nava and ask her "Where are you going?"

She's not surprised I came here and continues walking. She tells me "To Qualinesti. I'm getting some information about what's been around the borders."

"I want you to find a servant of Learoths and take her when you leave Qualinesti. She can help you get around and leave."

"What's this for? I won't do it unless it's for a good reason."

"She can help you. I can't tell you anything more except something bad will happen soon."

"What's her name?"

"I didn't get her name."

"What does she look like?"

"Blond hair, Green eyes, average height. She's some kind of Elf. She should be easy to find. Except that all the servants wear the same looking clothes."

"I will try and find her. But how would she be able to help me with whatever you said will happen?"

"I have a feeling she knows a lot more about the woods than you do."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"You will see."

I teleport away and hopefully she will do what I asked her too. We have an interesting friendship, Nava and I.

*Picture at the top of the chapter is Nightbreeze(pretend her clothes look old and worn)*