In The Dark of Night

Chapter V | Jason

Silvis City emerged from the trees above the traveling trio, elf-made buildings blending almost naturally with the nature-made forest. Jason could see the tips of houses and shops in the distance, peaking up from the silvery landscape, and also noticed the tiny huts nestled into the shining leaves of the forest. The sound of fluttering wings above him brought a wave of unease, but it subsided soon after he got used to the sound.
Kestrel stopped in front of the group and gestured to the city spread out behind her. "Here we are, Silvis City," she said with a smile, her dark brown eyes glinting happily in the dazzling sunlight. "I should probably go first, humans don't often travel to the Elven Capital."
Jasper nodded: "Let's go."
Jason glanced at his friend. Bold determination had replaced the sadness that had filled his features the last few days. As the party continued walking, Jason took in every detail. The streets were lined with gigantic Silvis trees and houses perched on the branches. Extinguished lanterns hung from the boughs, casting rectangular shadows on the forest floor as they swayed in the breeze. From somewhere far off, Jason recognized the sound of running water; Aphid River, the river that cut through Silvis Wood. The trio approached a large square lined with shops and bustling with winged elves, the entire place packed with colorful feathers and joyful voices. Their wings were all different sizes , shapes, and colors imaginable from small brightly colored bird of paradise wings, to giant brown-grey wings like a vulture's.
The big show stopper, however, was Mount Silvis. It rose into the clouds, cutting through the air like a blade, with carvings in its dark rock depicting elven mythology with saints and creation stories chiseled into the stone. From the ground, Jason could just make out different darkened alcoves in the rock that were windows or openings to get in and out of the palace. At the bottom of the mountain was the main entrance. Winged guards, staffs slung at their belts, stood before the entrance, faces as hard as the mountain they protected.
The trio made their way through the carefully streets, slowly winding towards the giant base of Mount Silvis. Not many people seemed to notice Jason and Jasper in the crowd, but handful of people who did catch their distinctively human features, stopped abruptly, staring after them before being swept away by the ever shifting crowd. Jason didn't particularly like all of the people that crowded the streets; he had never been fond of mass gatherings, but he endured, for he had a feeling this was Jasper's only chance at returning what he had lost. As they walked, Jason made sure to keep an eye on Kestrel's light brown, dotted wings; as well as Jasper's sandy blonde hair and bright yellow scarf, for fear that he might lose them to the flow of elves.
Finally, after weaving through the city for what seemed like forever, Jason, Jasper, and Kestrel found themselves at the base of Mount Silvis. The imposing figure of the mountain brought a strange feeling of fear to Jason, something he was unaccustomed to. Shaking his head, Jason turned to see that in front of them, dozens of bored looking elves stood in trailing lines toward the Queen's Palace.
Kestrel walked up to an elf with bright yellow wings like an oriel. "Excuse me, ma'am," Kestrel began, and the woman turned around, "what are you waiting for?"
The yellow winged elf looked mildly annoyed at Kestrel's question, but responded anyways. "I'm waiting for an audience with Queen Niamh of course." Then she turned back to the line without any further explanation.
Jasper smiled happily as Kestrel turned back to them. "This is what we need!" He exclaimed.
"I suppose," Kestrel responded, a slight hesitation to her voice as she continued, "we'll need to wait in line though."
Jason raised his eyebrows, "'we'll'? You're coming with us?"
Kestrel straightened her back, standing taller. "Yes. I mean," she amended "if that's alright with you two."
Jasper was the first to respond. "Of course! You know the terrain and the forest much more than we do. Additionally, it might look weird if two humans request an audience with the Elven Queen."
Jason tried his best to hide his relief as Jasper rambled on; he had inwardly been hoping Kestrel would join them. Although Jasper was good company, they might not be very successful without someone who knew what they were doing to guide them. Kestrel as an addition to their pair would definitely prove beneficial in the long run.
Kestrel smiled, her eyes alight. "Well good. Now let's get in line."