The Elven Powers

Chapter nineteen: What do we do? (Galandria)

I just sat there water rushing down my face. I could feel it tracing down each cheek leaving my skin raw. I watched the growing puddle of liquid, slowly spread around me and vanish into the earth. The ground began to blur before my eyes. But I wasn't looking, I was only grieving for what I had lost. What we had all lost. I not only loved him, how could I do this on my own? I was capable in battle sure enough, but there was no way I knew how to lead an army.

Who would watch my back now? How would I face whoever was behind this? Every warrior knows not to have a weakness. My weakness couldn't be more potent. What if they were torturing him? What if they used him against me? I couldn't bring myself to believe in death. I reasoned with myself that they wanted to capture us for a reason. but then wrote that off as perhaps wanting to give us a more painful death. Then I thought of the leader of this new enemy, taunting and killing us slowly and painfully. I continued to think that surely we weren't that significant to an unknown enemy with unknown motives. He wouldn't care if the Corkash just murdered us. I continued in this sickening cycle completely unaware that I was now curled up on the ground, shaking and sobbing loudly. 

As I result I hardly noticed the ground leave me as I was taken up into someone's arms. Many murmurs passed that I could not hear. Slowly I began to hear my sobs and as they grew louder, I noticed someone holding me. They began to shake me and I stopped sobbing quite so loud. I was gently shaken again and again until I tentatively opened my eyes. To my surprise it was Morgel looking down at me. He was cradling me and staring down at me with... concern. He shook me again.

"Galandria! can you hear me?" He shouted with another shake.

I wanted to tell him what had happened and ask him to put me down but pain only swelled in my mind. In the end I managed "...Elrohir"

Morgel turned away and there were the many sounds of footsteps. As he turned his attention back to me, the many faces of the general and his underlings appeared.

The general spoke next with urgency in his voice. " We need to know what happened, Morgel... It's the only way we will get to Lord Elrohir in time." Then to me. " Which direction did they go?"

I swallowed tears brimming on the edge of my vision once more. "... East... They dragged him east."

He fixed a stern gaze on Morgel. " Take her back to camp. Men, with me. We are going to track them immediately. " To the sound of many foot falls, the faces disappeared leaving me alone with Morgel once more. 

He just remained motionless however. His eyes remained fixed to mine, indicating a mental struggle within his brain. His thoughts were defiantly heavy and elsewhere. Then he seemed to turn back to me. He looked as if a bowl of rats had been chucked into his arms and he had been told to eat all of them. He then sighed and turned his attention to taking us back to camp. Tears clouded my vision as I thought of what Morgel, probably only knew half of. I can imagine he'd be quite angry with me not being able to save him. I burst into silent sobs as I realised if I hadn't got involved with that drunk I could have saved Elrohir. It just shows you that stupid decisions can come back to haunt you. 

It was several hours later when a scout was sent to bring me to the general. I look up at the small boy who gave me a sympathetic look. I understood that he knew of my plight, but I couldn't help but be angry with him. Angry because the small boy probably knew nothing of the trials I have faced within the shortest span of my life. Soon my anger subsided into envy. Elven children were lucky to live the hundreds of years they did without so much as the slight day to day disturbances in their lives. It reminded me of how my time had been cut short and wondered if there was any way to swap our positions. 

Slowly I stood knowing the General would be impatient to see me. Every part of me throbbed in unison with the effort. It seemed I had been sitting in the same position for even longer than I had previously thought. It would explain my discomfort. Begrudgingly, I donned my cloak. A downpour had recently started outside. As I looked towards the distant sky, I could see more black clouds rushing towards the camp barely concealing a thunderstorm. Everything seemed grey and dull in the sadness of the storm. 

I shuffled towards the command tent, mud squelching beneath my boots. I wrapped my cloak around me even tighter as I began to feel cold. Walking in the space between the tents, I watched others run to and fro. Some were naturally looking for shelter, whereas some needed to continue their duties even in bad weather. Even in the thickness of the rain, I could see the cooks fires blazing away. A camp was always hungry. 

I stepped inside the command tent, tipping back my hood as I did so. No one greeted me in particular, I only received polite nods. Everyone was gathered in a circle around the command table. A few lamps had been lit in the grey twilight to make sure we could still see the map spread across the table. I chose to seat myself in the seat nearest to the tent flap so that I was partly hidden from view. I didn't care if I seemed withdrawn and unhelpful. 

Finally the General stood from his seat. He strode towards the table and spread his hands face down so that he could lean on them. He lowered his head causing us all to feel the tension in what he might have to say. I swallowed not so sure I wanted to hear this. I mentally slapped myself for thinking that. I had to know everything that had been learnt by the advance team that had gone after Elrohir. 

" As you know we are only days away from the city of  Killealtin " Began the general. His face reflected a distinct lack of pleasure at this notion. This was the opposite to the night before our arrival at Killelvris. We all knew the weight that came with the narrowing distance between us and the battle that was sure to come. I thought back to that day we had been sent out. Back then we had a glimmer of hope that nothing was wrong and we would arrive at a city just short on messengers. No-one had said anything, but that dream died somewhere between the Corkash raiders and now. 

The general continued. " We cannot afford to fall apart now. More than ever we must pull together as a unit. We need to make plans to meet with the army that will surely reveal itself once we reach the wall."

 I knew from my studies the wall that they spoke of. Tasathhel, was commented upon in all kinds of accounts and scrolls. The wall of sadness, as I understood it, was built to protect the ancient city. Ever city had unique protections and fortifications after all. However, a building will always have a name that means such sorrow for a reason. When I first thought of that reason I believed it would probably just be because of a particularly brutal battle. It was one such battle however, with a white witch involved. Amaara Thalionwen was loved by all for the sacrifices she made for the city. There wasn't a problem she didn't fix, so naturally the whole city felt they owed her immeasurably. She was also stunningly beautiful and had a way with the natural wildlife like any mysterious white witch. She stood on the great wall the day of the battle engaged in a mental struggle with a dark magician. She was attempting to overwhelm her mind when her concentration slipped due to a huge boulder pitching through the wall between the two sorceresses. As the dark witch's concentration slipped, Amaara turned her into a fig tree. But at the same time she was turned into a stone carving embedded into the stone turret behind her. Both still remain, the tree growing poisonous black figs and the carving weeping a single tear. 

 ' Lord Elrohir is ahead of us, but we cannot afford to retrieve him. " I gaped about to protest but he gestured for me to remain silent. " To go after him with so much at stake single handed, would be suicide. We need to watch from the shadows and work out our enemies weakness, so we can end the third realm's imprisonment. It's what Elrohir would have wanted. "

I stood up with a snarl my whole body shaking. Tears flowed down my face. I spoke silently at first my voice rising to a sort of high pitched yell. " Like hell he did. I won't leave him to the fate worse than death that you have left him to. Over my dead body! " With that I turned and fled.