Lady Of The Ice And Wood

Prologue

The wind howled, nearly covering the raging sounds of war. Cries of triumph, pain, and agony floated about the wind, one moment there, and the next gone. Forever. That was just the way it was in Elvicia, Land of the Elves, or Land of the Never-Aging.

 Elves were unpredictable, pretentious creatures. They were known to be beautiful and elegant, with a wild beast within, ready to be called at any given time. Arrogant and deadly, the elves scorned humans for their short lives, while they continued to live on forever. They are among the most dangerous of beings, yet they are the world's life source. Without them, and the world would be plunged into chaos and insanity.

A young couple came suddenly hurtling out of the forest that surrounded Elvicia, clutching an infant, into a clearing. Their breaths came in sharp gasps as both their eyes quickly darted around the clearing, scanning for something. Or someone. "Hurry, Amelia! This is no time to dawdle! We must leave at once!" the male hissed.

Amelia swung her head around to meet the male's eyes and replied "I know, I just wanted to take a last look at Elvicia. We'll likely be exiled and never see it again, you know."

The male's eyes softened when he saw the worry in her eyes. He leaned forward to brush a soft kiss on Amelia's forehead and said, "I know, but it will be worth it if I can be with you."

They shared a single precious moment, gazing into each other's eyes. The air around them started to glow a faint pink, their affection. The moment didn't last long, however, as the baby began to bawl, and soon enough, the clanging of weapons and hisses of magic drew closer to them.

The male clapped a hand on the baby's mouth, his eyes wide and pleading, willing the child to stop crying. He waved a hand in the air, and a popsicle appeared in his hand, which he gently placed inside the baby's open mouth. The child stopped crying at once and sucked happily on the delicious treat.

Amelia quickly pulled out a multi-coloured stone, the colours shifting in the light. She quietly muttered a few words and traced a door-sized oval in the air. It started to glow, at first, a faint, luminous yellow, before reaching a dazzling gold. The clangs of weapons and hiss of magic drew ever nearer, their pursuers spotting the glowing light in the clearing. 

Despair and anguish churned the air around the young couple, changing the rosy pink to a murky black and blue. The male turned to the female, his eyes aching with pain and said, "There is no time left. We must save the child at least! Bring her to Eva's home! She still owes us a favour! I'll hold them off the best I can, while you run! Now go!"

The female looked directly in the male's eyes, hers flashing gold as she ignited the power chip inside her body. Power coursed through her body, causing the trees to shake and the dirt beneath them to squirm. She stared defiantly into his eyes, and said, "No. I will not leave you here."

The bushes rustled, and their pursuers rushed out, elves of all the four elements, weapons drawn and vicious snarls painting their faces. "Save the child! Quickly now!" the male yelled, before spinning in a freezing whirlwind of ice onto their attackers.

Amelia found a leaf and quickly scrawled a note to Eva. Wasting no time she thrust the child into the portal as she too, leaped into the fray. The young couple was pulled down almost immediately. The male stood up again, fighting his way to the surface, before being pulled down again, and disappearing into the masses. 

                                                                           ----------

It was in the middle of the night when Eva heard the cry. It was a faint, tiny cry, similar to the sound of silver bells. Eva thought she must have imagined the sound when there it came again. She shuffled out of bed, stuffing her feet into slippers and shrugging into a fluffy bathrobe. As she opened the door of her modest home, she saw no one. She glanced around, shrugged, and was about to close the door when the tiny wail sounded again. This time beneath her. She looked down and saw the tiny baby, sucking a popsicle in frozen blue blankets. Giving a tiny start of surprise, she carried the child back into her home.

"Oh, you poor child! What has happened to you? Who had the audacity of wrapping you in frozen blankets?" Eva cried.

It was all Eva could do to keep from crying with the baby. She was about to change the baby's diapers when she realized that the child didn't wear one. Confused, she saw the child was completely clean and smelled of fresh lavender. Strange, Eva thought, could she be one of them? Eva shook her head. No way, she thought, she had decided to cut off all contact with them years ago. Surely she wouldn't be pestered by them now, not after all these years and cutting off all relationships!

Eva quickly wrapped the baby into new, warm blankets when a leaf fell out of the folds of the frozen blanket. She hesitated, before picking it up and scanning it over. Eva, when you receive this note we will likely be dead. Please, you must take care of her for us. We saved you when you were in trouble, so I beg you to keep our child. Her name is Lily Goldenheart. -Amelia and Ezekiel 

Shocked, Eva almost dropped the leaf before regaining her posture and shaking her head. I should have known, she thought, elves do not forget favours easily. She shook her head once more, before turning to the child and smiling. Oh well, it's not like I dislike children, and Amelia and Ezekiel knew it.