A Keepsake

Alverna was livid, all of the time and energy she had given to Renzel Mock. After all the late nights filled with worry and dread. For him to just abandon her in Cycsteria with nothing but his blade as a momentum. The whole thing was blaspheming. She had slept like a boulder in king's worth bed at the Wailing Witchling and the complementary boar roast and dumplings warmed her prior. She rose with new found strength. Strength she would use to find Renzel and scold him like boiling water.

'So they think they can just leave me here to sulk? Does he think he's protecting me? I came back to Thanious to find my brother and avenge my father. Not hide away and cook for ungrategul Magi. Using my body to keep them warm in the cold while they soul search within themselves. Curse you Renzel Mock.'

Alverna had one advantage to her. She had Teller's map into the Forest of Sorrow. With haste she could make it to the Hemlock's edge in two nightfalls.

She had taken the Ivory blade for herself and tromped through Cycsteria's streets to the Kind Lady. Alverna barreled through the double doors and made straight for the first Maiden she had come across.

"You! Wench! I look for a dirty man! What chamber is he in!"

The girl scoffed and rolled her eyes. "They are all dirty men here, miss. Maybe you could be more specific?"

Alverna scowled. "He's a short and fat brute who goes by Halren. What chamber?!"

"Second floor crazy miss, but don't go in there he-"

Alverna stormed up the stairs and kicked the first door open. Two girls jumped off of Halren and squealed their way out of the room.

"Hey, what gives lady!"

"Shut it! We leave for the forest. Now! Master Teller and Mock have gone ahead!"

"Pardon? I better get my payment for thi-"

Alverna pulled the Ivory blade and slammed down on top of Halren. Pressing it to his throat.

"You'll get nothing but drained of life if you dont get up and dress yourself. You pig!"

Halren squeaked quiet and swallowed hard.

"Y-yes M'lady."

                          __

The new steeds that Teller purchased for Halren were massive and sturdy. The stable-hand had called them Cycsterian Chargers. To Alverna and Halren they were powerful war horses. Stronger and healthier than any horse they had ever seen.

Proving so when they burst through the fence and sped into the meadowlands, East of the city. Alverna on her own Charger, leading Halren who was pulling the wagon of supplies. The wind whipped at Alverna's fair complexion. She pushed the powerful Charger harder and harder. Determination burning in her heart.

'I'll make it to Ferinion, and then Renzel Mock. You will see that I am worth every pound on my bones.' 

The first night came quicker than she had expected. But Alverna had covered a massive amount of ground in her journey. At some point in the twilight of day she had lost Halren. It was now midnight and she refused to stop. The young woman pulled her Wyvern cloak to her chest and threw her hood up. The Northern winds fell away and she was warm. Rejuvenated. Though she was starving, she pressed on. The light of morning took twice as long to find her than the darkness had. She sped and sped until the Charger began to yelp and buck in pain. It was dying, exhaustion had found it's way to the steed and just as Alverna slowed to let it rest. It collapsed. Sending the girl flying to the ground. Slamming her skull on a quarry rock. Alverna went limp.

That evening Halren crept his wagon to a halt next to the young girl's lifeless body. He unsaddled himself and climbed down from the perch. She still breathed but only slightly. Had the wind not halted for a moment, the farmer would've missed it. He sighed and considered the distance. They were closer to Ferinion than they were to Cycsteria now.

"Poor girl. You might've went and gotten yourself killed."

He loaded her up and stowed Teller's map.

The horse merrily began to trot again. Passing it's lifeless brother. Still in the frosted meadow.

       Halren checked the map and then dug in in his nap sack for his pipe. He pulled a match and lit the Crowsweed and Thistlerump blend. Taking a long drag he began to whistle. Creeping toward the Forest of Sorrow. Thinking of the larger amount of gold he could swindle from the Magi, should Lady Alverna survive the treck.

                                __

Alverna woke in silk sheets. She was in and out of consciousness, only remembering shapes and murmered voices. When she finally rose from her pillow, A figure sat perched on a stool just beyond her footboard. He was tall and slim, with an acrobatic build. Like the boys that Alverna used to watch train in the guard post of Thanious. His long white hair shimmered off the golden evening light that poured through the nearby window.

"Greetings Alverna, I see you've finally found your mind again."

Alverna cocked her head to one side curious.

"My mind? What do you mean wood elf? Am I in Ferinion?"

The Elf laughed kindly and smoothed his sage robes.

"You pushed your steed to hard my lady, when it collapsed you struck your head. The fall cracked your skull. We mended you best we could but it was up to you to return to us. Your mind wasn't here."

Alverna felt her head. A deep scar fed around her skull. Just under her hair, which was braided. The Elf raised his eyebrows.

"Had our scouts not have found you and Halren in his wagon. You would have both perished. They brought you back here to finish your journey. As you were always meant to do."

Alverna's eyes lit up. "So this is Ferinion then?"

"My dear girl, this is and has always been the hidden kingdom of the wood elves. Helmronli."

The Elf held Teller's map in front of her and pointed to the Forest of Sorrow.

"I am sorry that the Mage you know as Teller decieved you but it was orders beyond his hands. The fates willed it. Your friend Master Mock had no choice but to comply. They are far from here as we speak. To the north."

Alverna's eyes blazed with rage, she tried to get up but fell on the floor. The Sage ran to her aid but she pushed him away.

"I do not need your help-"

"Thalion, my lady."

"I do not need your help Thalion! Tell me how many days have been lost to me because of this?! Three? Four?!"

The Elf's face sterned.

"My dear, you have been without mind for eight months. Halren has been granted shelter such as you and has been training. Waiting for your awakening."

Averna went white.

'How could I have been absent from my own mind for eight months? Was I really set up? What is going on here?!'

Thalion stood and straightened his robes once more.

"I'm sure you have many questions, this must be difficult for you. I'll inform Legisi of your awakening. He can explain more than I."

"Who is Legisi?"

Thalion heaved Alverna back into the bed against her will.

"The Elf king's majestrate. He was the one who saw to it that you were taken care of. Under King Eldarish's orders."

Alverna's head began to spin. She leaned back against the silk pillow. Feeling it's cool surface made the sweat bead from her clammy head.

"I would like to speak to Halren, if that would be a possibility."

The wood elf smiled.

"That is very possible, as I said he has been training for sometime. However, it has been a long time by your kinds standards..he looks...different. Prepare yourself."

"Different how?"

"His shape, he's.. Less of a steer and more of a man. As he should be."

Thalion headed for the door. Turning hesitantly.

"One more thing my lady, it seems I may have been too excited about your awakening. Eldarish has kinned you."

Alverna's face twisted up in confusion.

"What does it mean to be kinned?"

"A name child. Eldarish has kinned you to the Elven kingdom. You'll forever have a place beyond the breakers of man and his cluttered  walled cities."

Alverna snorted with laughter.

"Why would a mighty king do such a thing for an orphan. I'll hold on to Alverna if you don't mind."

"This might be hard for you, but having a name bestowed by Eldarish is a great honor. Being accepted as kin to the race of the forest and high mountian, will make your fire burn evermore. Should you take the name is your choice. However by our land's law. Until the day comes that you leave here. We can call you no other name."

Alverna stared blankly for a moment.

"I'm being hailed as Elven kin, whether I accept this or not. When I have not earned such a gift. Thalion, All I've done is ride a charger to it's death."

"My dear. You haven't been kinned for riding a horse to it's grave."

The elf smiled, brushing his gleaming hair behind an ear. "The King of the forest promised this to your father, should the day  arise that you find your way to us."

"What does this have to do with my father?"

"My dear child, your father was a great man. A true saint."

Alverna scowled and shuffled to the edge of the bed again. She looked down at her feet, laying softly on the smooth and luxurious white oak flooring.

"My father was nothing more than a low ranking black mage. A healer, who tried to rescue our brother from recruitment. He only made it as far as Thanious town square, they made examples of his eyes. Burned them out of his sockets."

Thalion gasped and then sterned, seeing the pain in the girls eyes. The Sage stepped to the bed and softly sat next to her.

"Your father was a great man, a century before your birth. Aluine was a high ranking Battle Mage."

Alverna looked up. "He was?"

"Yes my child, during the Magi war. When your friend Renzel Mock was just a child, and all of mankind was at odds. The Elves had their own seperate problem. A disease struck all of our willowroot supplies. Queen Lulitia of the high elves in the mountains could not send aid to us. For man had dwindled their crops and they too were starving. Rationing the food for the children."

Alverna listened to Thalion tell the tale clinging to her gown like a child during a bedtime story.

"Your father Aluine Wyvern, led a battalion of Magi into the Forest of Sorrow against direct orders and found the gates of Helmroni with promises of aid. Though because of the violence of the war, Eldarish refused their charity. The battalion camped outside of the city gates for thirty nights. But then king Eldarish himself fell ill. With the king of wood Elves dying. His advisors betrayed his ruling and allowed only Aluine to enter the kingdom. For three days your father held a healing light to Eldarish, until he finally rose from the sickness. Aluin ordered the battalion to cure the willowroot. In six months time, your father saved our kingdom. He truly was a great man."

Alverna's eyes teared. "Because of his defiance of orders.. He was demoted from his rank. I-I never knew of this."

Thalion nodded. "Eldarish swore to Aluin Wyvern that his blood should be forever kinned, should they ever arrive in Helmroni. An Elven vow cannot be broken."

Alverna wept, overwhelmed with the child's urge to hold her father one more time. Through tears she smiled.

"...what is my name?"

Thalion smiled.

"Lunakin, it means The light of mankind."

"I am no light of any kind. Just a wreckless child, who gets left behind by those she cares for."

Thalion stood and opened the door, looking back once more.

"You are truthful in that Lunakin, But all lights start in a past of darkness. Just as yourself, and your father. Be his daughter, you have your own legend ahead of you."